Cecil Papers: February 1593

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: February 1593', in Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 4, 1590-1594, (London, 1892) pp. 287-290. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-cecil-papers/vol4/pp287-290 [accessed 24 April 2024]

February 1593

The Carrack.
1592/3, Feb. 6. Report by Alderman Henry Billingsley, Richard Carmerden, and Thomas Middelton to Lord Burghley, Sir Robert Cecil, and Sir John Fortescue, Commissioners for the Carrack, that, according to commandment, they have drawn an estimate of the Carrack's goods into six equal parts, whereof three to be for the Earl of Cumberland, two for Sir Walter Raleigh, and one for the city of London, deducting from each so much as hath already been paid, or justly can be charged upon them.
They have also made a draft of the said proportions, in brief, with a warrant unto themselves for delivery thereof, if approved by the Commissioners.—6th Feb. 1592.
Signed. ½ p.
Notes from Spain.
[1592/3, Feb. 7.] My friend landed at Bayonne in France, the beginning of June last, where he remained three weeks : afterwards he passed the river of Toleza in Spain to a town called Irun, and from thence he passed the haven of the passage, where he saw fourteen galliasses a making. And from thence he went to St. Sebastians, and so by Victoria and Burgos to Valladolid, where he found the King and with him the Prince and the Infanta. Where he remained about his private affairs six weeks, and there he found divers Hollanders and Zeelanders (being “imbarged” in Bilbao and Fountarabia) suitors at the court for their release, whereof some of them were discharged and others remained. But he heard that the Spanish Council thought it best for the King to restrain them of their traffic, hoping by that means he should cause them to forsake the contract with her Majesty, and so to return to his subjection and require their wonted traffic.
While the King was at Valladolid he went to see the new erected college of English Jesuits, where Don Diego d' Cordua or Don Diedro d' Fonte Zalida or Don John Idiacos did bestow 10,000 ducats on the college, upon condition that when any of them should die a martyr they should say a Pater noster and an Ave Maria for him.
At his return from Valladolid to the passage, he found that of fourteen galliasses ten were gone towards Andolazia, freighted with cables, anchors and other necessaries for shipping, which are for the safe conveying of his Indian fleets going and coming, and for no other purpose.
At the passage, he heard that the King and his daughter were sick of “loosnes” but recovered : and when he was come to Bayona in France, there he heard that the King with the Prince and the Infanta were come to Pamplona, being the head town of Navarra, and caused those of the country to be sworn unto the Prince.
In Aragon he puts many to death, both noblemen and others, and as he wins towns he maketh citadels.
He left the King in good disposition of health, and the Prince well disposed, always going in coach with his father and with the Infant.
The Prince being demanded of a Fleming, one of the king's chamber (for that he came partly of the Flemings and partly of the Spaniards) which part of his body was disposed to each of them, his answer was that all the right part of his body was Spanish and the left part was Flemish. Whereupon the Spaniards that were by rejoiced much that he had given the right part of his body to them. Whereupon the Prince said, but his heart was on the left side.
At his return in the month of December last, he saw on the seas Petro Sabero with twenty-two sail, who had been in Brittany and landed 5000 soldiers at Blavet and then was returning into Biscay.
He doth assure that there is no preparation of any navy more than he speaketh of.
Undated.
Endorsed by Burghley : “7 Feb. 1592. Advertisement of Spain from the lord Cobham.”
Unsigned. 1½ pp.
John Alured and others to the Queen.
1592/3, Feb. 15. Pray for lease in reversion of various lands of the Queen of which they are tenants. — Undated.
Note by J. Herbert that the Queen grants the petition. —15 Feb. 1592.
1 p.
Richard Carmerden to Sir Robert Cecil.
1592/3, Feb. 20. This day is come down a warrant from your honour and Sir John Fortescue that, after the delivery of the portion of carrick goods allowed by her Majesty to the city, we should make stay of the delivery of the rest unto the Earl of Cumberland and Sir Walter Raleigh until her Majesty's pleasure were further known, for that the surplusage of weight that is by some supposed to be found therein may serve to relieve some other of the Adventurers in the action; which, if the same were true, as is informed, would well have served to that purpose. But, as I have already told Sir John Fortescue my opinion therein, which also Mr. Alderman and Mr. Myddelton agree unto, so in duty to your honour I am bold to signify hereby as much to you; that is, if we shall deliver to them all by weight, as once we were of the mind to do, before we received a warrant from your honours under five of your lordships' hands to the contrary, then besides that we should bring in question the under rate of weight of the Queen's pepper, wherein we are of opinion will be a more gain than in all the commodities they take both in weight and prices; we should also be forced then in right to deliver them not only by weight but by kind, wherein we find would grow rather loss than gain to her Majesty; whereas, by the delivery in bulk, they must take the spices as they are sorted; amongst the which we now find no small store of gome lake of xvid. the pound amongst canisters of clove rated at 4s. the pound; beside by proof now great loss in spices in cask by our overrate of weight in the same cask, as the citizens can testify. And I must say to your honour the parties are partly willing to take it by weight and kind. But I would not wish your honour to advise her Majesty so to do, and for my part I must in duty and will advise her highness to the contrary to avoid the apparent hazard of loss.—London, 20th Feb. 1592.
Holograph. 1½ p.
Subsidies.
1592/3, Feb. 21. A brief collection of all such sums of money as hath been paid into the Receipt of her Majesty's Exchequer unto this 21st February 1592, of the subsidies, fifteenths and tenths granted in the 31st year of her majesty's reign.
The total amounts to 297,124l. 3s. 9d. 0b.
Notes and alterations in Burghley's handwriting.
1 p.
Richard Skipwith.
1592/3. Feb. 27. Agreement made between Mr. Richard Skipwith, one of her Majesty's Esquires, and Nicholas Thatcher in the behalf of his brother William Thatcher, before the Right Hon. the Earl of Essex concerning a debt of 1,200l. due unto the said William Thatcher.
Mr. Skipwith shall pay yearly the sum of 200l. until the debt is paid; and, as security, will assign so much out of the rent to be paid by his tenants yearly. If, in the meantime, he obtain any suit from her Majesty whereby he may be able to yield satisfaction sooner, he will hasten the payment.
Signed by both parties. ½ p.
New Inn.
1592/3, Feb. “Matters to be imparted to Mr. Serjeant Owen.”
Lease to be granted from Mrs. Lucy Smith, landlady of New Inn, to E. S. in consideration of the recovery of the same in her right : E. S. to have but so much as the gentlemen of the house now occupy. “Mr. Edmond Smith bought it of one Mr. Phenix, in King Edward the 6th's time, and gave it his daughter Lucy Smith in fee simple. It was then for the westrine carriers especially, and had for the sign the sign of Our Lady, before the gentlemen had it for their house.”
“Clements Inn is holden of Sir William Hollyes by lease, and their covenants read every Whitson Sunday : all the gentlemen to hear the letters read, under pain of 12d. a piece if they depart.”
“Quere likewise of Lyons Inn, which is improved some part of it, and so of other houses of Chancery.”
Endorsed :—“Feb. 1592.” 1 p.
Alum and Copperas Manufacture.
1592/3, Feb. The requests of the Earl of Huntingdon to the Queen and Parliament.
Privilege was granted in 8 Eliz. to James Lord Mountjoy, deceased, for making alum and copperas. Lord Huntingdon now craves that the same privilege may be granted to him. he having bought the privilege and the mines of Mountjoy and other tenants, for over 20,000l. Answers objections raised in the interest of the present Lord Mountjoy, and on other grounds.
The paper contains some details as to the state of the alum and Copperas manufacture.
1 p.