Suits and suitors

Suits and suitors.

I. 149. Letter from the Lords of the Council to the Lord Mayor, informing him that certain property in the house of Thomas Knolles, belonging to Richard Brakenbury, one of the Gentlemen Ushers to Her Majesty, had been attached by Samuel Knolles, and the sale thereof proceeded with in secret without any lawful demand of the debt due being made, and directing the Lord Mayor to call before him the two brothers, Thomas and Samuel Knolles, and to ascertain what had been done with the goods, to sequester them, and put them into safe custody. If they refused to obey the order, he should commit them to close prison, there to remain without bail until further order.
21st October, 1580.

I. 150. Letter from Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Mayor upon the same subject.
21st October, 1580.

I. 154. Letter from the Lords of the Council to the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs, upon the complaint of Richard Brakenbury, against Samuel and Thomas Knolles. The Council, understanding that they purposely absented themselves in contempt of their Warrant, &c., empowered the Lord Mayor to enter their houses, or other houses where they should learn either the parties or goods to be, and apprehend the prisoners and commit them into close custody, taking their oaths as to what part of the goods had been sold, and to whom, to seize the goods wherever they might be found, and to certify immediately what steps had been taken, in order that other measures might be adopted.
31st October, 1580.

I. 155. Letter from William Lord Burghley to the Lord Mayor upon the same subject. Samuel Knolles, Merchant, had repaired that day to the Court, purposing to exhibit some bill against Brakenbury. The Council had thought it good, before entering into any examination thereof, to commit him in safe custody to be delivered to the Lord Mayor, notwithstanding he had informed them that he had satisfied the contents of their Letter to the late Lord Mayor. They further directed proceedings to be taken against him according to the tenour of the letters sent.
31st October, 1580.

I. 156. Letter from the Lord Mayor to the Lords of the Council. He had examined the prisoners touching Mr. Brakenbury's goods, and found that some of the goods had been delivered in to the Chamber of London. The prisoners affirmed that the rest were sold for 25l., which sum had been paid into the Chamber; but they refused to deliver the goods supposed to have been sold, and prayed to be heard before the Council. They had, therefore, been committed to ward in the Compter, there to remain until the Council's pleasure should be made known.
3rd November, 1580.

I. 159. Letter from the Lords of the Council to the Lord Mayor, authorizing the release of Samuel and Thomas Knolles, who had promised to redeem and restore the whole of the goods, &c., for the use of Brakenbury in a good state. Upon their complying, the 25l. paid into the Chamber might be repaid to them.
6th November, 1580.

I. 168. Letter from Sir Francis Walsingham to Mr. Thomas Norton, directing the goods in the custody of the Lord Mayor belonging to Mr. Brakenbury to be delivered to him.
31st December, 1580.

I. 170. Letter from the Lords of the Council to the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs, requiring them without delay to administer justice in the suit in the Sheriffs Court between John and Edmund Madocks.
11th January, 1580.

I. 191. Letter from Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen on behalf of a poor woman who had laid her supplication before the Queen, and which had subsequently been forwarded to the Lord Mayor for his consideration. She had returned, complaining that the matter had not been properly looked into. He requested that her case might be decided, and so prevent her from importuning Her Majesty again.
8th March, 1580.

I. 204. Letter from Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Mayor. By order of the Queen he had forwarded the Petition of Elizabeth Penies to be examined by some persons nominated by him. They had examined her case, but had deferred judgment. He requested that steps might be at once taken to determine the suit.
21st May, 1581.

I. 205. Letter from the Lord Mayor to Sir Francis Walsingham in reply. The cause had been committed to two discreet Citizens, Thomas Ware and Thomas Riggs, who had examined the parties and proofs, when it appeared that she had no right to that which she demanded.
14th June, 1581.

I. 220. Letter from John (Aylmer), Lord Bishop of London, to the Lord Mayor, thanking him for the favour shown to his servant and collector, George Benison, and requesting him to judge all the causes, and give order accordingly.
Fulham, 9th July, 1581.

I. 230. Letter from the Lords of the Council to the Lord Mayor. By a previous Order of the Council, certain goods of Richard Brakenbury, pretended to be recevered by Samuel Knolles, by way of attachment, were delivered in sequestration to the custody of the late Lord Mayor or the Chamberlain of the City, to be delivered to those having the right thereunto. The Council direct the Lord Mayor to deliver the said goods to Brakenbury, he having consented to answer any charge made by Knolles.
14th April, 1581.

I. 239. Letter from the Lords of the Council to the Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Sheriffs, for the time being, informing them of the distress of William Handford, a Merchant of the City, and enclosing a supplication from some Aldermen and other wealthy creditors desiring that some steps might be taken to assist him. The Council had directed that both he and his creditors should be heard before the Lord Mayor, and some arrangement made. In the mean time he should be freed from arrest and his goods from attachment.
30th June, 1581.

I. 240. The supplication to the Queen of Thomas Starkey, (fn. 1) and Richard Martin, Aldermen, and other creditors, in favour of William Handford, Merchant, referred to in the letter of the Lords of the Council, follows at length.
(Circa 1581.)

I. 251. Letter from Sir Owen Hopton to the Lord Mayor, concerning the case of a poor woman, a neighbour of his, in Tower Street, who had been promised an interest in the house she lived in. She had been arrested, and attempts made to put her out of the house, contrary to all equity. He therefore desired that the poor woman's cause might be heard.
The Tower, 31st March, 1581.

I. 252. Letter from Thomas (Earl of) Sussex (fn. 2) to the Lord Mayor. His servant Smith had a lantern of glass made for him, and one Martin, a bankrupt, had caused the said lantern to be stayed. As he desired to use it that evening at a supper, to be given by him to the French Commissioners, he requested it might be delivered to his servant, upon his giving bond to answer the said Martin.
Arundel House, 4th May, 1581.

I. 257. Letter from the Lord Mayor to the Lord Chancellor. Upon a suit depending between Elizabeth Rascall, Plaintiff, and Inigo Jones, Defendant, before the Sheriffs of London, touching certain slanderous words, a verdict had been passed against the Defendant, and excessive damages had been assessed by the Jury at 10l., besides costs. The matter, after verdict, according to the custom of this City, being marked and brought before him, and by him throughly and at large examined, he could not find any reasonable grounds for such excessive damages, the Plaintiff being very little damnified by the words, which were spoken only in jest, without any appearance of malice. He had passed an order that the Plaintiff should receive in respect of the whole damages, &c., 5l. The Plaintiff, moved by some troublesome and busy solicitor, had since procured a writ to proceed to judgment against the Defendant. He therefore requested his Lordship's consideration of the whole matter, who well knew how in such cases the authority of the Mayor had been always used to good equity, and that he would direct the writ to be stayed.
13th September, 1581.

I. 266. Letter from the Lords of the Council to the Lord Mayor. They had been informed by the Commissioners appointed to deal in the causes of poor prisoners committed for debt to Her Majesty's Bench, that one of the prisoners there, Thomas Barton, had entered into a bond to William Stevenson of the City, as security for the debt of Thomas Grene, for nonpayment whereof he had been committed to prison. The Commissioners hearing the matter, had taken order that Stevenson should have his principal with interest, which he refused to accept, or to appear before them. The Council therefore required the Lord Mayor to call before him Mr. Young, one of the Commissioners, and to take steps to compel Stevenson to appear before the Council.
21st September, 1581.

I. 274. Letter from the Lords of the Council to the Lord Mayor, Sheriffs, and Aldermen. They had been credibly informed of the hard estate of Nicholas Jones. He had a great quantity of goods abroad, as well beyond sea as on this side, with which, being recovered, he would be able to satisfy his creditors without loss. They desired that the creditors might be induced to take reasonable conditions for their repayment, and that in the mean time Jones might seek the recovery of his goods; and that order might be given to the Sheriffs and Secondaries of the Compters not to arrest him, or proceed by action or attachment against him or his goods until he had finished this treaty with his creditors.
3rd October, 1581.

I. 303. Letter from the Lords of the Council to the Lord Mayor. In previous letters they had directed the stay of all suits and arrests against Nicholas Jones, Merchant of the City, since which time they had been informed by William Moore and John Weston of Basingstoke, that he, under colour of the Council's letters, had sought to defraud them. They therefore requested the Lord Mayor to call Jones before him, and arrange for the satisfying of his creditors. Attachments had been issued against the ship the Black Greyhound, lately arrived from Barbary, and the Council desired the same to be stayed until the crew had been satisfied, according to an Order of the Judge of the Admiralty.
11th March, 1581.

I. 304. Letter from the Lords of the Council to the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs. Besides the other complaints mentioned in their previous letter, Jones had forcibly turned Hipolito Buaimonto and other merchants out of their lodgings and counting-houses. He also refused to admit them upon the demand made by one of the City officers. One of the Sheriffs should forthwith repair to the house, and take order that the said strangers might be put into possession of their lodgings and counting-houses, and restored to such money, writings, &c., as belonged to them. Jones should also be brought before the Lord Mayor, and unless he gave sufficient satisfaction to his creditors, he should be committed to the custody of the Sheriffs, and the Council informed of the steps taken.
12th March, 1581.

I. 312. Letter from the Lord Mayor to the Lords of the Council in reply. Mr. Sheriff Webb, together with Mr. Secretary's servant and the Sheriff's officers, had repaired to the house of Nicholas Jones, and, after great persuasion, had been admitted. Jones alleged against the strangers matters of great importance touching the State, saying that the French ambassador resorted to them in person, and that there were very suspicious conferences between them, and writings of dangerous matter of State were kept in their counting-houses, all of which he offered to substantiate before the Council. The Sheriff, not knowing how far these matters might be true, induced Jones to have the locks removed, and entered the Chambers with his officers and Mr. Secretary's servant, allowing the strangers to take such money as they had there. The writings had been delivered to Mr. Secretary's servant, and the strangers in the mean time had been taken home to the Sheriff's house, and Jones committed to the custody of one of his officers.
12th March, 1581.

I. 321. Letter from the Mayor and Jurats of Faversham to the Lord Mayor. Thomas Barming, one of the Jurats of the Town and Liberty of Faversham, Kent, one of the Members of the Cinque Ports, lost two pieces of cloth, called white bayes, of the value of 5l. 13s., which had been traced to the possession of Randall Wight, of London, Porter, who had been sundry times required to deliver the same to Barming, but had fraudulently withheld the goods, and had since sold them, appropriating the money to his own use. They requested the Lord Mayor to call Wight before him and examine into the matter, and compel him to pay Barming his damages together with all costs and charges sustained.
7th April, 24th of Elizabeth (1582).

I. 322. Letter from the Mayor and Jurats of Faversham to the Lord Mayor. John Hall, Fishmonger, of the Parish of St. Nicholas Golden Abbey, (fn. 3) London, in the Ward of Bread Street, had employed Abraham Snode, Mariner, of Faversham, one of the members of the Cinque Ports, to carry in his hoy, called the Mary, certain malt, &c., to be shipped on board the John, riding at anchor in the East Swail, for which service he owed him 4l. 3s. 1d., which he neglected to pay. They requested the Lord Mayor to call Hall before him, and examine into the matter, and compel him to pay the debt with the costs and charges sustained.
6th April, 24th of Elizabeth, 1582.

I. 346. Letter from the Mayor and Jurats of the Town of Faversham to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen. Similar letter to No. 321.
Dated the 18th May, in the 24th year of Elizabeth, 1582.

I. 360. Letter from the Lord Mayor to Sir Edmund Anderson, (fn. 4) Knight, Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, and Sir Roger Manwood, Knight, Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer, with reference to the complaint of the poor lame man at the Sermon yesterday, when their Lordships were present. He had ascertained the matter referred to a title of lands in the country, and a judgment of writings requiring skill in law. Both parties being without his jurisdicition, he begged to submit the case to their merciful disposition.
(Circa 1582.)

I. 364. Letter from the Mayor and Jurats of the Town of Faversham to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, calling attention to their former Letter, complaining of the conduct of Randolph Wight towards Thomas Barming.
14th of June, in the 24th of Elizabeth (1582).

I. 377. Letter from Sir Francis Walshingham to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen. He had been informed that Ralph Broke, (fn. 5) one of the Pursuivants-at-Arms to Her Majesty, had been molested and troubled by one Bradshaw upon a surmise that he had not paid a certain sum of money to him according to an award made by the late Lord Mayor between the parties. He had also heard that there had been some advantage and indirect dealing used against Broke while he had been busied in the execution of his office abroad. He desired the Lord Mayor and Aldermen to call the parties before them, and take such order therein that Broke might not be molested.
16th July, 1582.

A postscript requests that expedition might be used in the ordering of the cause and his discharge of the judgement, because he would be presently employed in Her Majesty's service.

I. 421. Letter from the Lord Mayor to Mr. Serjeant Fleetwood, Recorder, concerning certain processes served upon him by the name of Thomas Blanck, (fn. 6) without addition of Mayoralty, and upon Sir James Harvey, at the suit of Walter Garnons, butcher.
10th November, 1582.

I. 422. Copy of Letter to the same effect addressed to the Lord Chancellor.
10th November, 1582.

I. 471. Letter from the Lords of the Council to the Lord Mayor, informing him that Edward Wingfield, Gentleman, son and heir apparent to Thomas Wingfield, Esq., of Kimbolton, Huntingdonshire, had contracted certain debts whilst under age to sundry persons within the City. The Council had thought it meet to recommend the Lord Chancellor to examine into the said debts, and in the mean time to request the Lord Mayor to give instructions to the Sheriffs and Officers of the City Courts not to suffer any actions to be proceeded with against the said Wingfield or his securities.
28th January, 1582.

I. 472. A Schedule of Mr. Wingfield's creditors with the amount of their debts.

I. 486. Letter from the Lord Mayor to the Lord Chancellor. He had received Her Majesty's writ to proceed to judgement against Edward Ray for the sum of 3l. 10s. The matter, according to the usages of the City, had been heard before him, in the presence of both parties, when it was proved that Ray, through his wife, had satisfied the claim, which settlement he requested the Lord Chancellor to confirm.
22nd February, 1582.

I. 487. Letter from the Mayor and Jurats of Faversham to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, to the same effect as No. 321.
24th February, 25th of Elizabeth (1582).

I. 489. Letter from Sir Thomas Bromley, Lord Chancellor, to the Lord Mayor, as to a suit depending before the late Lord Mayor, between William Sanderson, Merchant, and Thomas Thornton, for a debt of 70l. lent by the former three years previously. Although a verdict had been given in his favour, execution had been stayed. The Lord Chancellor therefore requested that he might receive justice without further delay.
25th February, 1582.

I. 491. Letter from the Lord Mayor to Sir Thomas Bromley, Lord Chancellor, in reply. The examination of the differences had been referred to sundry men of approved wisdom, upon whose report he had caused the matter to be remitted to judgement. Thornton had since alleged some further matter for consideration, and by the advice of Mr. Recorder and the Aldermen execution had been stayed, and the subject referred to Mr. Recorder, Anthony Gage, (fn. 7) and Robert Offley, (fn. 8) which proceedings Sanderson objected to. He therefore requested his Lordship to appoint some convenient hearing of the cause before him, or otherwise to direct what steps should be taken.
26th February, 1582.

I. 492. Letter from Sir Thomas Bromley, Knight, Lord Chancellor, to the Lord Mayor. In October last he had received letters from Sir James Harvey, Knight, late Lord Mayor, and from Mr. Recorder, on behalf of John Lawnde, for the stay of writs "de procedendo ad judicium," sued out against him by Adam Sutcliffe, in a suit wherein there was a verdict passed against Lawnde, since which nothing had been done to bring the matter to an end. The Lord Chancellor therefore requested the Lord Mayor and Mr. Recorder to call the parties before them, and to make some end of the cause.
22nd February, 1582.

I. 506. Letter from the Lord Mayor to the Lord Chancellor in reply. The whole matter against Land appeared a plain case of deceit and forgery.
24th March, 1583.

I. 511. Letter from the Lord Mayor to Sir Francis Walsingham concerning a suit by one Bayard, a Citizen, against George Cox. Bayard had consented to submit the case to the decision of Mr. Alderman Martin and Mr. Alderman Rowe, but he now refused to be bound, alleging the insufficiency of the surety offered him, and had cast Cox again into prison. The Lord Mayor begged Sir Francis to proceed in the matter, and to do therein as he considered best.
6th June, 1583.

I. 518. Letter from Sir Thomas Bromley, Lord Chancellor, to the Lord Mayor and the Recorder, enclosing a petition of William Grimes, and requesting that if, upon inquiry, they found it true, judgment should not be stayed.
29th June, 1583.

I. 522. Letter from the Lords of the Council to the Lord Mayor, enclosing a supplication exhibited to them by Thomas Hollinshed, Citizen and Vintner, declaring how he had been deceived of a good portion of money, under colour of a fraudulent gift made by one John Gere to Ralph King, both Citizens, and recommending the Court of Aldermen, with the assistance of the Recorder, to inquire into the matter, and make such an Order as should be agreeable with justice and equity, and if the parties refused to stand thereby, to inform the Council of the steps taken.
15th July, 1583.

I. 555. Letter from Sir Roger Manwood (Chief Baron of the Exchequer) to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen. Upon judgment being given in the cause between Mr. Finch and Scofield, the money delivered in execution for the discharge of Scofield's body should be paid to Mr. Finch, upon his bringing a bond under the Common Seal of Faversham.
28th November, 1583.

I. 559. Letter from the Mayor and Jurats of Faversham to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, enclosing a Certificate, under the Common Seal of the Cinque Ports, at the request of Christopher Finch, for damages recovered of Richard Scofield.
2nd January, 1583.

I. 626. Letter from the Lord Mayor to Sir John Fortescue, one of the Members of the Council. John Saule, father of the Lord Mayor's servant, had been, with his goods, taken in execution for a debt which he had entered into on behalf of Henry Mapleton, Esquire, upon the assurance made to him of certain chantry lands in Lincolnshire, of which he had now been informed by his counsel he could have no good assurance. He requested his commiseration and favour on his behalf.
13th January, 1591.

I. 640. Letter from the Lord Mayor to the Lord Treasurer. According to his commandment he had caused to be attached Domingo de Valdez, a Spaniard, and desired further directions as to what should be done with him.
22nd February, 1591.

I. 661. Letter from the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen to the Lords of the Council. In accordance with their recommendation they had granted to Henry Pyndar, Brewer, protection against his creditors, and had endeavoured to bring about a reasonable arrangement between them, but Pyndar, presuming upon the protection accorded to him, had refused, and still carried on his trade. They therefore suggested to the Council to withdraw such protection, and permit his creditors to proceed against him and his securities.
29th May, 1592.

II. 128. Letter from the Lord Mayor to the Lords of the Council on behalf of Thomas Bramley, who had been appointed by the Common Council to perform certain important duties by land and sea, but was prevented on account of a suit concerning goods to the value of 1,000l., which had been detained at Marcelles, (fn. 9) and begging that the suit might be dispatched with all diligence.
29th December, 1595.

II. 144. Letter from the Lord Mayor to the Lords of the Council. Having called before him and his brethren the Aldermen (according to the directions received from their Lordships), John Parker, Merchant, and Adrianson Marrmer, of Flushing, touching a debt for freight of 110 tuns of wine, and 1,500 French crowns lent to Parker at the town of Bordeaux, of which, upon examination, they found he intended to defraud the said Marrmer, they had caused the wine to be put in safe keeping, and committed Parker to the Computer until their Lordships' pleasure should be made known.
5th February, 1595.

II. 265. Letter from the Lord Mayor to the Board of Green Cloth as to the arrears of some composition due to Mr. William Barrett, His Majesty's late grocer, from certain merchants of the City. The merchants were willing to pay such arrears according to the rates of composition agreed upon with their Lordships in the 40th year of Her late Majesty's reign.
(Circa 1606.)

II. 266. Letter from the Lord Mayor to the Lords of the Council on the same subject.
18th June, 1606.

II. 267. Letter from the Lord Mayor to the Lord Treasurer of the Board of Green Cloth as to the reported refusal of John Mons, Merchant, to pay certain rates of composition, and to supply spice for His Majesty's household, as was alleged against him by William Barrett.
21st June, 1606.

II. 331. Letter from the Lord Mayor to the Lord Chancellor, acknowledging the receipt of his Letter, enclosing a Petition from the creditors of John Garrett. He had called before him the Petitioners, and, with their consent, appointed William Cockem and William Greenewell arbitrators for Garrett, and Lawrence Greene and Andrew Elym for Henry Den, and enclosed their award.
12th October, 1608.

II. 335. Letter from the Lord Mayor to the Lord Chancellor (Ellesmere), reporting the steps taken with the creditors of George Flawne.
—November, 1608.

II. 336. Further Letter from the Lord Mayor to the Lord Chancellor upon the same subject.
17th December, 1608.

II. 338. Letter from the Lord Mayor and Aldermen to the Lord Chancellor, reporting the reference of the suit pending between Sir Leonard Halliday (fn. 10) and Sir William Romney (fn. 11) and Thomas Farrington to certain Aldermen agreed upon between the parties.
24th December, 1608.

II. 339. Letter from the Lord Mayor to the Lord Chancellor upon the same subject as Letters 335 and 336.
8th January, 1608.

II. 341. Letter from the Lord Mayor to the Lord Chancellor concerning the forfeiture of the security of Wilkenson, who became bound to John Langley for the debt of James Swinton, with his report thereon.
19th January, 1608.

II. 352. Letter from the Lord Mayor to the Lord Chancellor reporting upon the reference as to the arrangements made with the creditors of William Eldershawe.
10th October, 1609.

II. 358. Letter from the Earl of Lennox to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen concerning the complaint against one William Peirson, a Merchant of the City, by Zachary Lyming, Alderman of Salisbury, and requesting that he might be ordered to give such satisfaction as justice and equity demanded.
22nd August, 1609.

II. 348. Letter from the Lord Mayor to the Lord Chancellor, enclosing a Petition from Catherine Davis, a poor widow, imprisoned at the suit of John Walsall for speaking some intemperate words, and recommending her petition to his notice on account of her family.
18th August, 1609.

P.S.—An order follows to take the poor woman's own bond for her good behaviour.

"Whereupon the poor widow was the said day and year bailed out of prison by the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor."

III. 84. Letter from the Lords of the Council to the Lord Mayor. A Petition had been presented to them by Peter Beavoire, concerning a difference between Francis Browne and himself as to the tenancy of a shop. They required the Lord Mayor to call the parties before him, and cause them to name some indifferent persons to settle their differences.
Last of February, 1612.

III. 85. Reply of the Lord Mayor. Beavoire had consented to refer the matter to indifferent persons, but Browne had refused. Having thereupon heard the cause, he forwarded his certificate of the facts for their consideration.
Last of February, 1612.

III. 95. Letter from the Lords of the Council to the Lord Mayor and the Recorder (Sir Henry Montague), requesting them to mediate with the creditors of Nicholas Leate, Merchant, and persuade them to grant him a reasonable forbearance. If any of then were so void of compassion that they could not be prevailed upon to assent thereto, they should require them to appear personally before the Council to maintain their refusal.
20th April, 1613.

III. 104. Letter from the Lord Mayor to the Lord Chancellor. In obedience to his recommendation, he had, with the assistance of his brethren the Aldermen, endeavoured to bring about a settlement of the differences between Ferdinando Clutterbuck and his brother Giles. Owing to the refusal of Giles, they had been unsuccessful, and referred the further consideration of the matter to his Lordship.
3rd July, 1613.

IV. 1. Letter from Secretary Sir Ralph Winwood to the Lord Mayor. Having required, for the good of the King's service, that one Heath should not be set free without his knowledge, he had since learned that Heath had agreed with his creditors, and was restrained only upon his request. He therefore desired that he might be required to give sureties for his appearance before the writer when called upon, and set at liberty.
2nd November, 1615.

IV. 28. Process by way of Letter from the Mayor and Jurats of Dover to the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen, reciting that their Combarron, John Goulder, Merchant, of Dover, had complained to them against Francis Needham, of Cornhill, in the City of London, Merchant, in aplea of trespass, as in their original Letters of Process to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen directed was declared. Wherefore they prayed, and in a friendly manner required, the Court of Aldermen to cause Needham to come before them, and to examine him upon the contents of their original Letters of Process, and if need be compel him to pay the debt and damages therein mentioned, with reasonable costs, or else, by writing under the seal of the Office of Mayoralty of the City of London, to signify sufficient cause why of right their friendly request should not be accomplished, according to the ancient liberties, privileges, and customs of the Cinque Ports.
Dated from Dover, under the Seal of the Office of Mayoralty there, the 22nd April, 1616.

V. 10. Letter from Lord Verulam, Lord Chancellor, to the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen, on behalf of Mary Walthall, widow, concerning certain pending suits against her.
(Circa 1618.)

V. 75. Petition of the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen to Lord Verulam, Lord Chancellor, reciting that great grievance was felt by themselves and the Citizens, by reason of His Majesty's references in cases of persons insolvent, and his proceedings thereupon, whereby the course of justice was frequently stopped. They had petitioned His Majesty, who, having been informed that by such proceedings all commerce was in danger of being stopped, when men knew not how to be secured for money lent, had declared himself utterly averse to such references as either compelled the creditor or stopped justice, and had informed them that they were not granted with his privity or consent, but were presented for his signature in other forms, and afterwards received some tincture from other hands. The Petitioners, therefore, fearing that such adulterate references might come before his Lordship, had thought fit to inform him thereof, that he might be confirmed in the honourable courses he had lately held, for the suppression of such references and bills of conformity.
Dated in margin 17th July, 1620.

V. 90. Letter from the Lords of the Council to the Lord Mayor, enclosing a Petition from Richard Husband, a Merchant of the City, for a protection for himself, his sureties and goods, for one year. As they understood he had been a merchant of trade and credit, they were willing to afford him their mediation with the King for preserving his estate from ruin, if the allegations in his Petition were true, of which they requested the Lord Mayor to inform himself, and to certify them.
17th November, 1620.

V. 122. Letter from "John Lincoln," Lord Keeper (fn. 12) to the Lord Mayor. Upon the Petition of Henry Lowe, Matthew Broad, and others, complaining that Sir William St. John and others (contractors for discovery), who had employed them in a voyage as factors for Gambia, had, upon their return, refused to pay them anything, although some of the contractors were willing to do so, he had thought good to request the Lord Mayor to call the parties before him for settlement of their differences, if possible, or otherwise to certify him of the truth of the matter, that such further order might be taken as should be agreeable to equity and good conscience.
Westminster College, 17th December, 1621.

VI. 3. Petition of Zachary Alley, of London, to the King, complaining that having been steward to Mr. Alderman James Cambell (fn. 13) during his Shrievalty, Abraham Taylor being at the same time his cashier, Taylor had not only refused to pay him for daily disbursements for provision of his house and money lent, but had obtained the money again from his master. Taylor had refused to have the matter settled, either by his master or by reference to indifferent persons, by which means the Petitioner was in daily danger of arrest. He therefore prayed that the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen might be directed to call Taylor before them and end the differences, or take such course for the Petitioner's relief as to the Court should seem equitable.
(Circa 1622.)

VI. 4. Order from the King thereon, signed by Sir Edward Powell, (fn. 14) referring the above Petition to the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen, or any two of them, to call the parties before them, and mediate some agreement for the Complainant's relief.
Whitehall, 19th January, 1622.

VI. 5. Letter of the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen to Sir Edward Powell thereon. They had called the parties before them and endeavoured to pursue His Majesty's direction. Although they had received certificate from very able accountants that there was great probability the Petitioner had been wronged, they could not induce Taylor to refer himself either to the Court of Aldermen, or any of them, or his late master Alderman Cambell.
(Circa 1622.)

VI. 18. Letter from the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen to the Lord Keeper. They had received by Mr. Jones, the Common Serjeant, a motion made by his Lordship for further consideration by way of recompense to one William Wright, for some wrong pretended to have been received by him from the Court of Aldermen, and of which he had made complaint to His Majesty. They forwarded him particulars of the steps taken by them in the matter.
17th July, 1623.