Cecil Papers: September 1592

Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 4, 1590-1594. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1892.

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'Cecil Papers: September 1592', in Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 4, 1590-1594, ed. R A Roberts( London, 1892), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-cecil-papers/vol4/pp226-232 [accessed 8 December 2024].

'Cecil Papers: September 1592', in Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 4, 1590-1594. Edited by R A Roberts( London, 1892), British History Online, accessed December 8, 2024, https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-cecil-papers/vol4/pp226-232.

"Cecil Papers: September 1592". Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 4, 1590-1594. Ed. R A Roberts(London, 1892), , British History Online. Web. 8 December 2024. https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-cecil-papers/vol4/pp226-232.

September 1592

Ordnance for Caen.
1592, Sept. 4. Warrant authorising the inhabitants of the town of Caen in Normandy, on the request of Mons. de Beauvoir, ambassador for the French King, to buy in this realm so much metal of copper as may suffice to make for defence of their town two culverins, four sakers, six minions, and six falcons. The lieutenant or other officers of ordnance shall cause the same to be cast into the several sizes and weight of pieces above specified and none other, and give licence for the same being so made to be transported to the said town of Caen, taking caution that the same be not carried to any other place not being in amity with the Queen, or under the obedience of the French king.—Cirencester, 4th Sept. 1592.
Privy signet. Sign manual. 1 p.
Lord Buckhurst to the Commissioners for the Carrack.
1592, Sept. 4. Sending Henry Hargrave, his servant, to make choice of such pearls, stones, and other goods brought in the Carrack as are appointed and appraised to be sold, and shall be thought fit for him to buy. Prays that he may receive the preferment before strangers ac cording to the appraisement of such things as he shall choose. He can also give notice to them of all such as are come down contrary to the order and are the most likely men to buy such wares of pearls and stones, wherein, if the Commissioners think fit, they may use him for her Majesty's better service.—4th Sept. 1592.
Holograph. Seal. 1 p.
Captain Robert Crosse, to his brother John Crosse, Dartmouth.
1592, Sept. 20. The lords of the Council will send for you, I think, to know what men you set ashore of the “portengales,” and what things you carried to the Isle of Wight in a barque, which I have already said things of mine, 10 bags of anylle and 2 bags of cloves, with some casts of armoury and other things, I know not what, and that you left it with a friend of yours; you must name Mr. Cotten. If you can, come presently to me at London to my house. All my things are stayed and seized, and so tell Sir Walter Raleigh if he be not good to me, I shall be the worse by this voyage. Cate Marchent will be sent for too. In haste.—Woodstoke, 20th Sept. 1592.
Holograph. Seal. ½ p.
Commissioners for the Carrack.
1592,. Sept. 15–21. Instructions to Sir Robert Cecil, knight, and to Thomas Middleton, appointed by the Queen to be respectively Commissioner for her and Treasurer on the Commission lately sent to Dartmouth to provide for the safety of the carrack brought in thither as a prize.—Sherborn, 15 Sept. 1592.
Endorsed :—“Copy of her Majesty's instructions about the carrick.”
3 pp.
1592, Sept. 16. Appointment of Sir Robert Cecil, Commissioner as above.—Sherburn, 16 Sept. 1592.
1 p.
1592, Sept. 21. Orders made by Sir Robert Cecil and the other Commissioners sent to Dartmouth to provide for the safety of the carrack and her lading.—Dartmouth, 21 Sept. 1592.
Copy. 3 pp.
The Queen to the King of Scotland.
1592, Sept. 21. The dear care, my dear brother, that ever I carried from your infancy of your prosperous estate and quiet could not permit hear of so many, yea so traiterous, attempts, without unspeakable dolour and unexpressfull woe, of which to be by your own messenger ascertained breeds my infinite thanks, with many a grateful thought for so kind a part. To redouble crimes so oft, I lay, with your pardon, most to your charge, which never durst have been renewed if the first had received the condign reward; for slacking of due correction engenders the bold minds for new crimes. And if my counsels had as well been followed as they were truly meant, your subjects had now better known their king, and you no more need of further justice. You find by sour experience what this neglect hath bred you. I hear of so uncouth a way taken by some of your conventions, yea, agreed to by yourself, that I muse how you will be clerk to such a lessoner. Must a king be prescribed what councillors he shall take, as if you were their ward? Shall you be obliged to tie or undo what they list make or revoke? O Lord ! what strange dreams hear I, that would God they were so, for then at my waking I should find them fables. If you mean therefore to reign, I exhort you to show you worthy the place, which never can be surely settled without a steady course held to make you loved and feared. I assure myself many have escaped your hands more for dread of your remissness than for love of the escaped, so oft they see your cherishing sundry for open crimes; and so they mistrust more their revenge than your assurance. My affection for your best hies on this my plainness, whose patience is too much moved with these like everlasting faults, and since it so likes you to demand my counsel, I find so many ways your estate so unjointed, that it needs a skilfuller bone-setter than I to join each part in his right place. But to fulfil your will take, in short, these few words for all : Whoso you know assailers of your court, the shameful attempters of your sacred doors, if ever you pardon, I will never be the suitor; who to peril a king were inventors or actors, they should crack a halter, if I were king, such is my charity; who under pretence of bettering your estate endangers the king or needs will be his schoolmasters, if 1 might appoint their university, they should be assigned to learn first to obey, so should they better teach you next. I am not so unskilful of a kingly rule that I would wink at no fault, yet would be open-eyed at public indignity; neither should all have the whip, though some were scourged. But if, like a toy, of a king's life so oft endangered nought shall follow but a scorn, what sequel I may doubt of such contempt I dread to think and dare not name. The rest I bequeath to the trust of your faithful servant, and pray the Almighty to inspire you in time, afore too late, to cut their combs whose crests may danger you. I am void of malice, God is judge; I know them not. Forgive this too too long a writing.
Endorsed :—“21 September 1592.—M. of her majesty's letter to the Scottish king.”
Corrections and last two sentences in the Queens handwriting.
pp. [Bruce, p. 75.]
The Carrack.
1592, Sept. 22. List of things apparently taken from the carrack.
¼ p.
Goods taken from the Carrack.
1592, Sept. 24–25. Depositions of Robert Leyton, captain of the Samson, otherwise called the Assurance, taken at Plymouth before Commissioners nominated to enquire concerning the Carrack.
Signed by Capt. Leyton and the Commissioners. 1 p.
1592, Sept. 24. The like of John Norton, caplain of the Tiger, one of Lord Cumberland's ships.
Signed by Capt. Norton and the Commissioners. 4 pp.
1592, Sept. 25. The like of Abraham Cocke, master and captain of the Golden Dragon.
Signed by Capt. Cocke and the Commissioners. 3 pp.
D. Anderson to Archibald Douglas.
1592, Sept. 26. Professes his desire to serve him. Is at present at Reading for recreation, where he finds great good entertainment not only by the mayor and aldermen of the town, but also of all the knights and gentlemen of the shire. Hopes to see Douglas soon, and beseeches him to be mindful of two things, first, to have special care over Mr. James Douglas, who was in trouble when he left London, and the other, to see him released of his bond to Mr. Drinkell in the behalf of Stephenson for whom he stands bound in 100l.—Reading, 26th Sept. 1592.
Holograph. Part of seal. 1 p.
Sir John Gilbert to the Lords of the Council.
1592, Sept. 26. I have received your honors' letters of the 6th of this month, wherein I perceive Mr. Carye hath informed your honors that he cannot proceed in the putting of his regiment in a readiness for service by reason that I interrupt him in taking from him certain parishes of Haytor hundred, nearest to his house according to the lord lieutenant's allotments; and that Mr. Carye should have the leading of his tenants, and to proceed to the viewing and ordering of his regiment, or else that I should forthwith send unto your honors the causes and reasons that moves me to the contrary.
Upon receipt of your honors' letters to the lord lieutenant for the dividing of the trained soldiers under more captains there was a meeting at Exeter of my lord lieutenant and his deputies where my lord took order for placing captains accordingly, and there I took the two hundreds of Haytor and Coleridge for my private band, with my lord's consent and the rest, and delivered my lord the muster roll of the rest of the hundreds under my charge; and, in my absence at the Baths, Mr. Carye altered that order and made choice of every parish in those two hundreds. Whereupon,. I advertised your honors, praying your directions to the lord lieutenant that the first order might stand for that I had trained them from the beginning with great travail and charges. Whereupon your honors directed your favorable letters of 29 May 1590 to the lord lieutenant that I might make choice of my own company out of these hundreds nearest unto me. And for that these letters took not effect by Mr. Carye's means with my lord lieutenant, I procured her Majesty's favour for the having of my band according to the first order, the lord lieutenant receiving directions from her majesty by Mr. Wolley's letter that those two hundreds of Haytor and Coleridge should be allotted to me for my private band; which I have these three years, by her Majesty's command and the lord lieutenant's allowance, dealt in, and have placed gentleman of the best credit and worth, and well affected in religion, over all the able men in those hundreds, who hath viewed them and placed officers of their bands according to your lordships' directions by letter of 16 and 26 May 1591, and have delivered Sir Francis Drake a perfect roll of all captains and whole forces under my charge for the guarding of Plymouth, according to their letter likewise of 26 October 1590. And in this last musters have supplied all defects of armour, and increased muskets and calivers for the better furnishing of every captain's private band. 1 trust your lordships will allow these to be sufficient causes that I should hold my band that hath been allowed, first by the lord lieutenant, then by your lordships, lastly by her Majesty's special favour, and not to be displaced by the pride of Mr. Carye, who hath neither been at any days' travail nor yet at any charge in all these services. Mr. Carye wrong informs you that 1 take from him his parishioners and tenants. I have no one tenant of his nor trained man out of his parish, and for the rest of the parishes they are as near me as to him, for our dwellings are not a mile distant. Considering my travail, charge and continual care, and being older in years than Mr. Carye, and not so well able to travel, [I trust] that neither myself nor these gentlemen appointed captains, my good friends and companions, all ready with our lives for her Majesty's service, shall not after so long continuance be displaced to content Mr. Carye. I have only Haytor and Coleridge for my band, Mr. Carye hath three other hundreds and part of the fourth for his 250 men, which if they had been by her Majesty and your lordships appointed unto me, I had not dared so long to have neglected her Majesty's service.—Grenewaye, 26 Sept. 1592.
Signed. Seal. 1 p.
Heenando de Mendoza, Captain of the Carrack, to Capt. Sir George Jefforde.
[1592, Sept. 27.] Of right there cannot be expected from the honorable but to have pity on the conquered, according to the which I was dealt with by Sir John [Borough] and have been by your worship.
By reason of my weakness, I go not to your ship, as I was willed by those that came from you.
Since I departed from Sir John, I have been very ill dealt with by two English ships I met with, the which would not obey the passport he gave me.
As touching Sir John, he would have given me what I would for myself, bu't I would nothing, neither brought more than my own person. Others of my company, after they were well searched saved some things, all which the first ship took from them, and might be worth 2,000 ducats, and besides dealt cruelly with us.
The second ship did us no more hurt, but took away our victuals. My own person they used well, albeit the mariners did their office, which was, take away my company's clothes.
That which I beseech your worship is to cause my compass, map and astroiaby to be returned me, without the which I cannot proceed, and in so doing I make account your worship shall deliver me out of troubles.
As touching Sir John, he was the first that boarded me and he that best fought and took nothing from the prize; for that, when he came to the carrack, she was rifled of all. This I say because I know it very well.
Undated. Copy. 1 p.
The Carrack.
1592, Sept. 27. Depositions of John Crosse taken at Dartmouth touching goods removed from the carrick.
Signed. 2 pp.
1592, Sept. 28. The like of Capt. Cawefield of the Roebuck, a Lieut.-Col. by land, taken before Sir Robert Cecil.
Signed by Cecil. ½ p.
James VI., King of Scotland, to Roger Ashton.
1592, Sept. 28. He is to inform the Queen that Francis, sometime Earl of Bothwell, and others, declared traitors to the King, have been of late received in the house of the Mott and, on the 26 inst., accompanied by the Grahams of Eskwater and others of the West Border, they came openly to Hawick. Besides, they have been secretly at Carlisle. Begs that the offenders may not have further impunity.—Dalkeith, 28 Sept. 1592.
2/3 p.
Sir Robert Cecil to the Queen.
1592, Sept. 29. [See p. 632.]
Stone Pots and Heath Brush.
1592, Sept. 29. “A note what quantity of stone pots and heath brush hath been brought into the port of London from Michaelmas 1591 to Michaelmas 1592,” showing that between 2 Oct. 1591 and 3 Aug. 1592 the value of these commodities imported at various times was 250l. 15s. 4d., the subsidy whereof amounted to 12l. 10s. 9d., and the petty custom to 3l. 2s. 8d. Also a memorandum signed by Alderman Billingsley that none were brought in by Englishmen in this time.
1 p.
Canterbury Park.
1592, Sept. 29. Warham Jemmett's account for the rents and commodities arising in Canterbury Park for the year ending Michael mas 1592. .
3 pp.
Goods taken from the Carrack.
1592, Sept. Summary of Depositions taken at Dartmouth before Sir John Gilbert, knt., Mr. Richard Grevill, mayor of the said town, Carew Rawleigh, Esqr and John Newton of London, merchant, commissioners in that behalf appointed by the right honorable Sir Robert Cecil.
Then follows a list of those that had commodity out of the carrack, and of the articles which they had, comprising mother of pearl, porcelain dishes, raw silk, cloves, calicuts, pearls, rubies, mice, cinnamon, nutmegs, pepper, elephants' tusks, turkey carpets, white calicut quilts, sarcenet, and other similar things.
“A list of merchants which have been here and at Plymouth to buy, but what they have bought is unknown.”
“A list of inhabitants of Dartmouth who upon their examinations have confessed nothing.”
pp.
Cargo of the Carrack.
1592, Sept. List of goods on board the carrack, with their values.
1592, Sept. A similar list by Vincentio de Fonseca, concerning such jewels, stones, pearls, musk, ambergris and other things as were taken out of the carrack, with an estimate of the value thereof (114,150 crusados in all), and also the parties' names that had the same.
Both Spanish. 2 pp.
1592, Sept. The same in English, with the following note, “The which after 4 crusados the pound maketh sterling money, 28,537l. 10s. These crusados are reckoned but x ryalls.”
Ships from Portuguese India.
1592, Sept. List of the cargo of five ships—named as follows :—Bon Jesus, St. Paul, Ste. Croix, St. Bernard, and St. Mary or Mother of God, which sailed from Portuguese India on the twelfth of January, 1592.
Endorsed :—“La charge de la carraque.”
French. ½ p.
[The Queen to the Lord Deputy of Ireland.]
1592 [? Sept.]. Our well beloved servant Sir Jeffery Fenton, knt., our principal Secretary there, hath long time attended here about our especial services, which he hath many ways performed to our good liking; and the same being finished, we think it convenient to dismiss him to his place of charge in that our realm. And towards some recompense of his charges in attendance and services here, our pleasure is to grant him under the Great Seal of that realm a lease of so much our lands or hereditaments in that our realm, in possession or reversion, as shall be of [the] clear yearly value of . . . . .or there abouts, for term of . . . . .years, without fine, reserving to us the best rent that hath been at any time paid for the same.
And our further pleasure is that orders from time to time be given to our Treasurer there that the said Sir Jeffery, serving as our Secretary there, may be paid every half year all fees and entertainments due unto him, as far forth as our treasure there shall conveniently permit.
Endorsed :—“1592. Minute of a letter from her Majesty to the Lord Deputy for Sir Jeffery Fenton.”
Draft, with corrections by Burghley.
pp.