|
March 15.
My poor house,
Antwerp. |
10. Thos. Copley to Lord Burghley. Though I wrote a fortnight
ago, I long so much for an answer to my suit to the Queen, that I
write again by this trusty post, lest in your weighty affairs it may
remove out of your memory. Dispatch is almost as needful to me
as the granting the suit itself, so great is my charge, so extreme
the dearth here, and so deep my debts, from having long forborne
to accept foreign service, out of love to my Prince and country. |
|
I rather hope your favour from my inability to requite it, for
noble minds are beholden to those who give them occasion to
exercise their virtue. The apostle says the law entered and sin
did abound, but my only offence,—the coming away without
licence,—was against a new law, making that an offence which
before was not, so I trust the Queen's grace will the more abound.
Princes should be to citizens what they wish God to be to them.
Complimental, &c. [1 page.] |
March 17.
Antwerp. |
11. John Gage to Lord Burghley. Thanks for your favour in
obtaining my first licence, for which I am the Queen's bedesman;
and now my second, for which I offer you my continual goodwill.
[¾ page.] |
March 20.
Antwerp. |
12. John Lee, prisoner, to Lord Burghley. The bearer, Mr. Vathand, will tell you my unhappy state, the Duke being greatly
incensed against me. I am in great danger, unless the Queen will
write a letter for me to the Duke, or apprehend some one there
of sufficient credit to countervail me here. Pray remember a poor
gentleman distressed only for acknowledging his duty. [¾ page.] |
| March 24. |
13. Edw. Catesby to his nephew, Wm. Catesby, and to his niece.
The bearer, Mr. Coles' servant will pay you 26l., on delivery of the
bond Sir John Spence had of Mr. Richard. Pray seal an obligation
of 40l., for repayment of 20l., as I promised Mr. Coles to get some
friend to be bound with me; this letter shall at all times bind me
to discharge you. The rest of your money you shall receive by my
brother Richard, at his return from Warwick. [½ page.] |
March 29.
Antwerp. |
14. Thos. Brune to Lord Burghley. I wrote you before riding to
Dover with the searcher to receive the money you know of. Meeting at Dover with a letter from Mr. Lee, I came hither to assist
him, and find him in worse state than before; for the Governor of
this town, having often written to the Duke of Alva about him, and
received no reply, has now got one that he deserved hanging;
whereon the Governor had all the letters in Mr. Lee's chest translated into French, presumes to have found weighty matter against
him, will examine him, and handle him the more severely because he
has served you, whom none of that faction can abide. They say
they should have weighed nothing of it, if it had been any or all the
rest of the Council. Still Lady Hungerford sends Mr. Prideaux to
the Duke for his liberty, and hopes and answer of relief. |
|
I hope Mallery's coming over may be stayed; Mr. Lee thinks him
the cause of his troubles. Those of the faction here know that he
is often at Court. [1 page.] Enclosing, |
|
14 I. John Lee, prisoner, to Lord Burghley. My good Lady
Hungerford has procured my friend, Mr. Prideaux, to go
to Court at my cost, to solicit my causes, and he hopes to
help me; therefore stay the sending the Queen's letter,
which I hope you will procure, till I know his success;
but send it to me, and I will not use it without urgent
cause. Thanks for your getting me the money restored,
and for your helping Mr. Brune at my request. [1 page.]
Antwerp, 29 March 1573 |
| March. |
15. Note of tithes in kind or in money paid by 32 tenants
named, at Easter 1573. [2½ pages, damaged.] |
