|
| April 1. |
4. [Secretary Conway] to Sir Robert Anstruther [Ambassador
to the King of Denmark]. You will at large find by the enclosed
the great loss we have sustained of our late gracious master and
blessed King [James], whose pious ways and sincere professions of
religion in the whole course of his life have in this last period been
happily confirmed and crowned by his zealous declaration of his
faith, calling for and receiving the communion, and performing
those acts of devotion and piety which, even in the midst of
extreme sorrow and grief, gave us much comfort. You will also
find in our now gracious master the lively image of his father's
piety, in confirming all his father's acts; the choice of his ministers,
both abroad and at home; and his intention to pursue the wise
and happy counsels of his blessed father. So as your Lordship is
not only to assure that King and the Princes with whom you are
to negotiate of his Majesty's affection unto them, and resolution to
follow constantly the designs and courses begun in his father's
time; but also according to the letters of credence and directions
to you from his Majesty herewith sent, to pursue the treaty and
negotiation wherein you were, in the same manner and way and
to the same end, you should have done in his late Majesty's time.
The match with France is concluded and should have been
solemnised about the 12th of April, according to a promise of the
French king, if this diversion had not happened. But, notwithstanding that and the gravity His Majesty keeps in the full
observation of time and circumstances for the solemnization of the
funeral, I doubt not but that within the compass of seven weeks
the funeral solemnities will be past, the marriage celebrated in
France, the Parliament assembled by new writs, the lady on her
way from France hitherwards, and both the coronations to follow
speedily. The time is so pressing for business I can add no more. |
|
Postscript—To Sir Robert Anstruther: That only the letters to
the King of Denmark and Elector of Brandenburg are now sent,
the rest shall follow. Dorso, |
|
4. i. The like mutatis mutandis to Sir Isaac Wake and Mr. Trumbull. [Copy. 2 pp.] |
April 1.
Chequer Lane. |
5. Lady Frances Burgh [widow of Sir John Burgh] to Secretary
Conway. I have been informed by my son and Mr. [Henry] Gibb
how much I am engaged to you not only for that you wrote for
me to the Lord Keeper [Coventry] in His Majesty's name, but for
your honourable report of my dead lord, whose services are with
his body raked up in ashes, and both myself and children forgotten,
only in your worthy memory there are some relics of him remaining.
[Seal with arms. 1 p.] |
| April 2. |
6. Secretary Conway to Attorney-General Coventry. To draw
a renewed Privy Seal for Sir William Bruncker and Christopher
Aubrey. [Minute of this already calendared, see Domestic
Calendar under date. Draft. ¼ p. |
| April 4. |
7. Bill of Robert Stevens for goods supplied to Mr. Henry
Fanshaw, and his receipt for 28l. 5s. Subjoined, |
|
7. i. A note of Mr. Fanshaw's debts. Total, 457l. 10s. 11d.
[= 3 pp.] |
| April 5. |
8. Secretary Conway to Archbishop Abbot of Canterbury. I
am solicited by the French Ambassador to move your Grace for
the liberty of Gabriel Colford and Alexander Osbenson, now in
custody of the pursuivant Crosse, they being taken and detained
for matter of religion, likewise for the return of his bonds to John
Sincops, who was taken last summer with divers others and
released upon bonds, which have been delivered back to all the
rest. This is the information and request made to me. You who
know best the truth and reason of the matter can best judge of it,
and will be pleased to give order according to His Majesty's intentions in such cases for discharge if the restraint or bonds be for
matter of religion. If otherwise, furnish me with reasons to satisfy
the French Ambassador. [Copy. 2/3 p.] |
| April 5. |
9. Secretary Conway to Attorney-General Coventry. To draw
new grants to the Earl of Annandale of Plumpton Park and
Plumpton Head in co. Cumberland. [Minute of this already
calendered under date. See Domestic Calendar, Car. I. Draft.
1 p.] |
| April 5. |
10. The like to draw new grants to the Earl of Holderness.
[Ditto. Draft. 2/3 p.] |
| April 5. |
11. The same to the same. To draw a grant to Abraham
Vanderdort. [Ditto. See ibid. Draft. ½ p.] |
| April 6. |
12. The same to the same. Pardon for Robert Jenner. [See
ibid. Draft. ¼ p.] |
| April 6. |
13. The same to Deputy Lieutenants of Anglesea. [Ditto. See
ibid. Draft. ½ p.] |
| April 7. |
14. The same to Trinity College, Cambridge. [Ditto. See ibid.
Draft. 1 p.] |
| April 7. |
15. The same to the Justices of Assize for co. Palatine of
Chester, touching Sir Henry Bunbury. [Ditto. See ibid. Draft.
1¼ p.] |
| April 9. |
16. The same to Lord Treasurer Ley. Restraining the felling of
woods within the presidentship of Wales. [Ditto. See ibid. Draft.
½ p.] |
| April 9. |
17. The like, signed by Secretary Conway. [1 p.] |
| April 12. |
18. Thomas Locke to Sir Dudley Carleton, Ambassador at the
Hague. I received yours of the 20th ultimo only yeterday. I have
made inquiry and do not find but that the same resolution that was
taken before the King's death concerning your Lordship holds still.
There are no Privy Seals renewed yet. The sum allowed for blacks
at the Queen's funeral was 100l. and escutcheons were sent; whether
a greater sum should be now desired, or what you shall conceive
fitting I will be ready to do. I heard to-day from Sir Richard
Harrison they are all well, but he can do nothing about the letting
of the land at Imworth. [Seal with bird. 1 p.] |
April 12.
Trerise. |
19. Sir John Arundel of Trerise to Sir Richard Carnsew. Requests his help and votes in the approaching election of knight of
the shire for co. Cornwall. [½ p.] |
| April 14. |
20. Secretary Conway to Attorney-General Coventry. To draw
renewed grants to Lord Danvers and Mr. Henry Osborne of the offices
of house-keeper and under house-keeper of St. James' severally, upon
the surrender by James Levingston and David Bennett of the latter
office. [Minute of this already calendared. See Domestic Calendar
under date. Draft. 1 p.] |
| April 15. |
21. Secretary Conway to Solicitor-General Heath. Warrant to
draw up a new commission for the advancement of trade. Ditto.
See ibid. Minute.] |
| April 15. |
The like to draw up corporations for 32 counties for the manufacture of New Draperies, to pass by immediate warrant, with a
Privy Seal for 150l. for reward of clerks' pains, to be delivered to
those of the Council who are of the Commission and by them
distributed. [Minute. Ibid.] |
| April 15. |
Petition of the merchants of England trading in the Levant seas
to the King. Your Majesty was pleased at our request to confirm
Sir Thomas Roe for Ambassador at Constantinople about four years
past, whose time being to expire at the end of December next, we
understand he is desirous then to return into England. Whereas
at this time present that trade has become more dangerous than in
former times by reason of the combustions in those parts, and your
subjects having had good experience of Sir Thomas Roe's sufficiency
in his employment, and of his great care to secure their persons and
estates by settling a peace with the towns of Algiers and Tunis,
and defending them from the Avanyas [oppressions] and injustice
of the officers of the Grand Signor whose insolence doth now exceed
all former times; so that if Sir Thomas Roe should return before
the work now begun be settled, it may fall greatly to the prejudice
of your subjects and hazard the overthrow of that trade. In
tender consideration whereof we entreat you to grant your Princely
letters to Sir Thomas Roe for his continuance in that place for two
years longer, as well for securing your subjects' sons, servants, and
goods as for the better settling of that trade. [This petition was
originally presented to King James on the 6th of March 1624–25, but
does not occur in the Calendar for that reign, and is therefore
inserted here under date 15th April, when it was again presented
to Charles I. Levant Company, Vol. I., Nos. 36 i. and 36 iii. Copy.
2/3 p.] |
| April 19. |
22. Secretary Conway to Attorney-General Coventry. Warrant
to renew the Commission and Instructions for the North according
to those of 11th July 1619, and the names according to a schedule
under the King's hand, these were, Lord Scrope, President, Archbishop of York, Earl of Cumberland, Lord Clifford, Bishops of
Durham and Carlisle, Lords Darcy, Sheffield, and Cary [Carew],
Justices of Assize, Justice Hutton, Sir Henry Saville, Sir Thomas
Wentworth, besides 21 more here named. [Minute of this already
printed. See Domestic Calendar under date. Draft. 1 p.] |
| April 22. |
23. Secretary Conway to Lord Treasurer Ley. To give order for
payment of the pension of 2,500l. a year to the present Marquis
Hamilton, as his father held the same out of the pretermitted
customs. [Holograph unsigned. 1 p.] |
| April 22. |
24. Copy of the same, of which a minute is already printed.
[See Domestic Calendar under date. ½ p.] |
| April 22. |
25. The same to Attorney-General Coventry. For renewing the
Earl of Anglesea's Privy Seal. [Ditto. See ibid. Copy. 1 p.] |
April 25.
Westminster. |
The King to the [Company of Merchants trading to the Levant
Seas]. We have understood that you were lately suitors to King
James for his consent that Sir Thomas Roe, Ambassador with the
Grand Signor, might return home, in which he was pleased to give
you satisfaction; and to supply that employment he had made
choice of Sir Thomas Phillips and purposed to have commended him
to you. Although by some proceeding of yours afterwards he was
somewhat displeased, yet out of his accustomed clemency and
singular care of your affairs, and to give countenance and protection
to your trade, both for your own particular and for the general good
of our kingdoms, and being as well advantageously to serve you as
to pleasure all that belong to the honour and interest of the State,
he continued constant to his determination. For which reasons and
for other motives appearing unto us, we do approve of Sir T. Phillips
for this employment and accordingly recommend him to you, not
doubting but that you will willingly and readily apply yourselves
to our choice of the person, wherein we shall expect your answer
[Levant Company, Vol. I., No. 46. Copy. ¾ p.] |
| April 25. |
Another copy of the same. [Ibid, No. 36 IV.] |
April 27.
Whitehall. |
26. Secretary Conway to Eliza, Lady Hatton. [Minute of this
already Calendared. See Domestic Calendar under date. 1 p.] |
| April 27. |
27. Draft of the same. [1 p.] |
| April 27. |
28. The same to Frances, Duchess Dowager of Richmond. The
King's pleasure, touching her dispute with Lady Hatton, and the
choice by each of two commissioners. [Ditto. See ibid. Copy.
2/3 p.] |
| April 28. |
29. The same to the same. I have moved his Majesty, and would
have attended you with the relation. His Majesty prays you to
remember that, being with him at Whitehall, you were pleased that
the way of mediation and ordering by commissioners to be chosen
should be propounded to the Lady Hatton. [Holograph unsigned.
1 p.] |
April 28.
London. |
30. Egidio Ouwers to Mons. Blocquerye, Chancellor to the Prince
of Liége. As for business concerning the State, it seemeth that this
new King [Charles I.] will cause certain mutations in this kingdom
arming 93 ships for the war; their enterprise is yet unknown, but
it is thought that they are to oppose the King of Spain's great
preparations. The Dunkirkers make daily prizes of the Hollanders.
About 10 days ago a little ship brought into the haven three ships
taken from the Hollanders, and the same day, on my arrival at
Calais, another little ship of Dunkirk took another of the Hollanders
before the haven of Calais in sight of two Holland men-of-war.
At Cadiz 12 Capuchin Friars died by poison, but the author of this
fact is unknown. Events in Brazil. [Abstract. 2/3 p.] |
April 28.
[London.] |
The same to Cardinal de Ceuua [Ceva] at Brussels. Eight days
since I arrived in this kingdom [of England] where I found that 93
ships are preparing for the war, whereof about 70 belong to particulars
[private merchants], most of them of 240 and 300 tons with 24
pieces of iron ordnance and some with 28 pieces. In Dunkirk and
Ostend I have found greater quantity of good mariners and the
King [of Spain's] ships as well as the particular [merchants] in
better quality than I imagined, the King [of Spain's] ships being
16, including those building. If they should go at the beginning of
July to destroy the herring-fishery where the Hollanders go, near
this kingdom, it will be sufficient, in my judgment, to spoil that
chiefest mine which furnished the Hollanders to uphold the unjust
war against our King. Last year the Hollanders went to that
fishery with 2,400 fisher boats, guarded by 40 men-of-war, which
boats do not fish in one place, nor within the compass of 5 or 10
leagues, but are scattered about 200 leagues, by reason of which
these so-called men-of-war cannot keep them, being themselves little,
and at the present scarce in Holland. If His Majesty [of Spain] be
inclined to undertake this enterprise, the way which should be kept
is this: To send about the beginning of June from Dunkirk to the
haven of St. Sebastian in Biscay, 10 of the King's ships and five
particular with eight or 10 pair of oars for each, causing six of the
King's ships remaining with the particular to be ready and to
molest the Holland sea, to keep the State's shipping in suspense,
which are designed to defend that sea, and to the said 10 great ships
and five smaller ones to add as many more of Spain and so to sail
together through the Irish and Scottish seas, by doing which they
may certainly overcome that enterprise, and afterwards turn
towards Greenland and there take or drive away the whalers.
From Holland I will give you a particular relation of the quantity
and quality of such ships as are there. At Dunkirk they want a
person of authority to be their general at sea, and to set all things
in order. For the desire I have to do His Majesty [of Spain] some
acceptable service and of profit, I will not fail to inquire in Zealand
and Holland of all that passes, whither I go to-morrow, and will
give you speedy notice thereof. [Ibid. Abstract. 2¼ pp.] |
April 28.
[London.] |
Egidio Ouwers to a correspondent at Brussels. If you receive
any answer to my letters from the Cardinal [de Ceva], open them
and write me their contents, retaining the original. Instead of
naming the Cardinal write "Cosin Cornelis," and instead of "His
Majesty of Spain" write "France," so as to disguise the contents
in case the letters should be intercepted. When I write to the
Cardinal out of Holland I will direct the cover "Al Illustrissimo
Domenico de Molin in Venetia," which take off and write on another
cover "Al Illust. et Rev. Signor Cardinale de Ceuua." [Ibid.
Abstract. ½ p.] |
| April 29. |
The same to Marco and Michelle Moens in Venice. If you have
done nothing concerning the wager for Breda, I would entreat you
to let it rest, for I do not doubt it will yield within a month or six
weeks. As concerning the state of this country [England] it seems
that this King [Charles] will cause some alteration. There are 20
of the King's ships and about 70 of particulars preparing for the war,
wherein it is said there will go 10,000 men besides the mariners.
It were good if they went against the Barbary pirates. Here
arrived [in London] a "Chaus" of Constantinople who came by
Argier [Algiers] to establish with this nation an everlasting truce,
but it seems that he is little welcome for all he brought 50 slaves
[captives] with him. They of Dunkirk grow strong and daily take
English, Holland, and French ships going for Holland. I counted
at Dunkirk above 70 ships, including nine of the King [of Spain's]
and seven others, almost finished, every one mounted with 14 pieces of
brass ordnance and 22 iron pieces; the rest are mostly little ships
belonging to particulars [merchants] which do most damage, for they
can row upon occasion. [Ibid. Abstract. 1 p.] |
| [April.] |
31. Estimate of the pay by the month and year of 10,000 soldiers
with their officers, viz. Officers' pay per mensem 1,498l., per annum
19,474l. Soldiers' pay at 8d. each per mensem 9,333l. 6s. 8d., per
annum 121,333l. 6s. 8d. The pay of 100 lances for a month with
their officers, total 224l., the same per annum 2,912l. [1 p.] |
| April. |
32. Report [to Lord Treasurer Ley] concerning the state of the
reckoning between His Majesty and Lord Sheffield. By way of
admittance that Lord Sheffield do redeem the pensions assigned by
him, parcel of 2,000l. per annum out of the alum works, viz., 1,000l.
a year to Thomas Jones and William Essington, and of 500l. to
William Ferrers and so accompting them as due to himself, and
they not to pretend any claim or interest in them. There is due to
Lord Sheffield the sums here particularized. Total of money
demanded by Lord Sheffield under the considerations before
remembered, 18,920l. Particulars of the sums received by Lord
Sheffield. Total of the moneys received and charged upon Lord
Sheffield, 9,030l. 16s. 7d. So, under the admissions and with the
cautions formerly set down, then there seems to be due to Lord
Sheffield 9,889l. 3s. 5d. Mem.—That Sir Robert Pye out of the
Receipt doth charge Lord Sheffield with 1,500l. for buildings and
reparations of His Majesty's house at York, and Mr. Auditor
Hutton out of the Receiver's accompts, 3,500l. for those works,
total, 5,000l.; but I conceive his Lordship is doubly charged with
1,000l. upon the grounds here stated. There was a tally stricken
in the Receipt for 1,000l. upon Thomas Scudamore, Receiver of co.
York, 13th July 1616, yet it appears that he took no allowance of
that tally, but had acquittances again from Lord Sheffield for the
said 1,000l., the copies of which acquittances I have seen, and the
copies of the Privy Seals perishing by the fire at Whitehall, yet
there is brought to me the docquets of those Privy Seals, which do
mention as here stated. [3 pp.] |
| [April.] |
33. Petition of the Eastland Merchants of York and Hull to the
Council. A general act of the Company restricted the times for
shipping cloth this year to 21st March and 30th April. Were
prevented shipping at the proper time from the danger of the
Dunkirkers lying on the coast, but, as the act cannot be altered
except at a general yearly assembly, beg exemption from penalties
in transgressing it by sailing at another time. [1 p.] |
| [April.] |
34. Notes in Sir John Coke's hand headed "Commonwealth Laws,"
viz.: 1. An Act for the maintenance and increase of the Navy and
shipping of the kingdom. 2. An Act for the making of the offence
of transportation of ordnance felony. 3. An Act for armour to be
provided and fitted to the service of the present time. 4. An Act
for the staying of gold and silver within the realm and the bringing
of silver to the Mint. 5. An Act for further provision for conveying
of wools out of the realm. 6. An Act for the more easy passing of
accounts in the Exchequer. 7. An Act for the further restraining
of informers. 8. An Act for the renewing of a former statute
touching rebellious riots. [½ p.] |
| [April.] |
35. Verses on the death of James I. by Edward Fairfax, headed
"On the late King":—
"All that have eyes now wake and weep,
He whose waking was our sleep
Is fallen asleep himself and never
Shall wake more till waked for ever.
Death's iron hand hath closed his eyes
That were at once three kingdoms' spies." |
|
[Printed in the Fairfax Correspondence, Vol. I. Damaged by
damp. 32 lines.] |
