|
| May 19. |
1. Account showing the receipts and issues of the Exchequer
from the 12th to 19th May. Remaining on the 12th May,
1,107l. 2s. 6½d.; received since, 35,200l. 6s. 5d.; total,
36,307l. 8s. 11½d.; issued, 35,545l. 7s. 7d.; so remains this day
from recusants, 121l. 2s. 3½d.; from others sources, 640l. 19s. 1d.
Total, 762l. 1s. 4½d. [4 pp.] |
| May 19. |
2. Certificate by Bishop Morton of Lichfield and Coventry.
That John Wilson, innkeeper and Alderman, of Stafford, within
my diocese, hath ever frequented his parish church, and has never
been presented for matter of recusancy. [Signed and sealed.
½ p.] |
May 20.
London. |
3. Gabriel Browne [to a priest in Spain]. [Already calendared
from a more perfect copy. See Vol. XXVII., No. 36. Original,
but much destroyed by rats. 4½ pp.] |
May 21.
Whitehall. |
4. The Council to Lord Conway, as Lord Lieutenant of Hants.
Direct a general view and muster to be taken of the trained
bands within that county, both horse and foot. You are to take
order that all defects both in men and arms be made good, and
give directions for the ordering and exercising of the trained
bands. The maritime towns to be guarded. Postscript.—We
hold it very requisite that the musters for showing of horses be
fixed on the same day as in the adjacent counties. The certificate
to give a particular description of the colour and stature of every
horse. [Signed and sealed. 2 pp.] |
| May 21. |
Patent creating Olive St. John, Viscount Grandison, to the
dignity of Baron Tregoz of Highworth, co. Wilts, to him and his
heirs males. [Docquet. See 29th March 1626.] |
| May 25. |
5. Secretary Conway to Sir Ferdinando Gorges. [Minute of
this already calendared. Copy. ⅓ p.] |
| May 26. |
6. Account furnished by the four Tellers of the Exchequer,
viz., John Brook, Edward Carne, Arthur Squibb, and Edward
Pitt. Showing the receipts and issues of the Exchequer from the
19th to 26th May. General remain on the 19th May, 762l. 1s. 4½d.;
received since, 17,202l. 8s. 6d. Total, 17,964l. 9s. 10½d. Issued,
17,323l. 14s. 10d.; so remains this 26th of May, 640l. 15s. 0½d.;
fees, 7,635l. 15s. 1½d. Thence recusants, 190l. 14s. 2d. [4 pp.] |
May 29.
Whitehall. |
7. The Council to Lord Conway, as Lord Lieutenant of Hants.
By our letter of 15th February we prayed the Bishop of
Winchester to spare such part of Wolvesey House at Winchester,
for which he had no necessary use, to be employed for the safe
keeping of the ordnance, powder, and arms belonging to the
Marquis of Winchester, and which were taken thither from
Basing House, including four barrels of gunpowder. Let these
four barrels be delivered to the Captain of Netley Castle. [1 p.] |
May 29.
Whitehall. |
8. Lord Conway to the Deputy Lieutenants of Hants. Commends to their consideration Captain [Francis] Coningsby, who
was coming down as Muster-master to attend the musters to be
presently held for that county. [Copy. ½ p.] |
May 29.
From my house. |
9. Edmund Bolton to George, Duke of Buckingham. Your
Lordship has great cause to be most circumspect. I dare assure
you upon my certain knowledge that whatsoever [William de]
Valence, Earl of Pembroke [temp. Henry III.], underwent, is at
least-wise wished, I will not say designed, to be practised after
that pattern upon your Lordship. As for the proxies which the
Earl of Arundel hath, if they be freed, one or more will be at your
disposal, for I have the Earl's promise for that purpose. My other
friend, whose preparation for a speech I showed you, meditates
answers also after a parliamentary way to every parliamentary
charge. Endeavours to get his friends to appear on the Duke's
defence. The verses against that villain [Dr. George] Eglesham
are spread in another's name, who is a Catholic, and ambitious of
the service; you are well known to contend with your adversaries
at great disadvantage; they are not only armed with most popular
pretences, but with all sorts of wit and weapons, both natural and
acquired, to all which you oppose your conscience only and the
King. They have fresh orators, they have smart poets, they have
wise historians, they have searching antiquaries, they have specious
philosophers, they have observant travellers, &c., briefly, what is it
which they have not? You want the like, nothing is surer than
that in this great duel, wherein you are the single defendant
against a multitude, all the choice of a nation, your Lordship fights
with fewer weapons. By your favour, I would say there is
scarcely any greater cause of your loss of favour with the gentry
and better bred sort, who universally delight in books, than that of
late your Lordship hath not seemed to value the generously and
soberly well learned, famous for free studies and liberal cyclopædie.
To meet with that evil you had an offer made timely enough for
the use of style and studies, such as I know is needful; for no
sort of people under heaven are finally masters over fame and
report, but the able writer only. Cherish it, my Lord, as you would
cherish a second life; I know you too wise and too noble to credit
or run any course to the contrary. In this high kind what is done
and meditated to be done you shall not fail to see at my next
attendance. [2 pp.] |
| May. |
10. Discourse [probably by Secretary Conway], illustrative of the
charges against the Earl of Bristol. The writer's design is to show
that he "neither hates nor wishes ill to the Earl for his own
private," but that he hath given disturbance to the King's affairs
and voluntarily brought his cause before the Parliament. In this
discourse some observations and arguments will be found conducive of better counsels on His Majesty's behalf, and to show the
weakness of the Earl's answer to His Majesty's charge. The
ground of the charge is acknowledged to grow from the employment of an ambassador who was trusted by the late King
[James] in several treaties and negotiations, as the Earl himself
affirmeth, by the space of 14 years, and it consists chiefly of the
issues and effects of that employment, and of other consequences
and accidents resulting from the same. These grounds being laid
by way of preface and precognition, before I come to consider
the Earl's answer to the King's charge, I hold it fitting to make
answer to certain particulars not mentioned in his said answer,
but delivered by him to the Lords on the 6th of this present May
by word of mouth. The Earl first labouring to plant an opinion
in that House, that there was much art and some labour used
by His Majesty, then Prince, but most especially by the Duke
of Buckingham, to keep him, the Earl, from the presence of
the late King after his return from Spain, intimating also
thereby his own earnest desire to have come to a speedy trial, but
their unwillingness he should do so, and making it consequently
an argument of his innocence. To which the answer is plain, it
being acknowledged that both His Majesty, then Prince, and the
Duke of Buckingham, were desirous to keep the Earl from the
presence of King James; but not for the reasons or ends pretended by the Earl, and framed by him, both in this and sundry
other particulars according to his own imagination and overweening conceit of himself, which hath made him to overvalue
and think himself of more consideration to them than indeed he
was, as will in due time appear. But the true end wherefore they
desired to keep him from the King was that his now Majesty's
former belief touching the intentions of Spain being strongly
confirmed by his experience, and his heart totally alienated from
the ways of Spain by the many indignities and neglects which
were put upon him being there in person, but well knowing that
the heart of the King his father was still bent that way, [King
James], having by the Earl's insinuations, and upon certain
seeming fair motives, been induced to promise to himself peace and
plenty, and sundry conveniences by that match, so his present
Majesty after his return found it no easy task to disenchant, and
withdrew his father's affection from the same; but having gotten
ground upon his judgment, and at length prevailed in a good
measure, he feared nevertheless to admit the Earl to confer with
him, lest thereupon he should relapse unto his former affections,
and therefore resolved and accordingly used the means to keep the
Earl from him, though with some difficulty on both sides, by
reason of his blessed father's inclination as aforesaid, and of the
Earl's continual fetches and pressing importunities, only to kiss
the King's hands as he pretended. And whereas the Earl's importunity is now by himself interpreted for a forwardness to come
to trial and made an argument of his integrity, it is probable the
true state of that particular before set down that his aim and
end reached not then so far, but if it did, I conceive there might be
good cause why they should not then be forward to bring him to
trial. Why the Earl was not brought to a trial. In what state
the Earl was when he petitioned the Parliament. The motives
which probably incited the Earl to bring his cause to the
Parliament. [Copy amongst the Conway Papers. Imperfect at
end. 8 pp.] |
| May. |
11. Theophilus, Earl of Suffolk, to George, Duke of Buckingham.
Were it not that I am tied by duty and nature to perform the
rites and ceremonies of a son to a dear father [Thomas Howard,
who died 28th May 1626], I had not failed long ere this to have
waited on you and returned thanks for favours as to the person
now living to whom I owe most love and respect. Postscript.—
At the next meeting of Parliament, as I conceive, it will be the
time for all your friends and servants to show themselves worthy
of that title, therefore, let me not be absent my noble Lord, but
handle the matter so as either the Lord Keeper [Coventry] shall
call for me, or His Majesty command my attendance notwithstanding
my mournful occasion. [Seal with crest. 1 p.] |
| [May.] |
12. Memorandum touching the suit of Thomas Meautys, Clerk
of the Council, to His Majesty [for presentation by the Duke of
Buckingham], [see Vol. XXVII., No. 100]. This suit consists of
two parts: first, that Edmund Trench, the present possessor of
the office of making all processes, &c., issuing out of the Star
Chamber, may transfer his interest therein to Mr. Meautys, upon
valuable consideration agreed on between them; and, secondly,
that Mr. Meautys' brother John may be granted the reversion in
lieu of Thomas Cotton, one of the former patentees, who is newly
dead. This last would be no increase of lives, yet it is a suit of
grace and bounty from His Majesty, and must be the work of your
Grace's accustomed noble favour and mediation on Mr. Meautys'
behalf. [Amongst the Conway Papers. 1 p.] |
| [May.] |
13. Petition of John Hall, His Majesty's servant, to the Council.
For examination of a charge brought against him by Sir Charles
Wilson three years before for using threatening language, Wilson
having injured him much by false accusations and by detaining
his due from him. [1 p.] |
| [May.] |
14. Petition of Warwick Fowness of London, merchant, to the
Council. That in December last he shipped 25 pigs of lead in a
bark of London, then bound for Calais, which, going to Dover to
look for convoy, she was stayed there by order from the Duke of
Buckingham. Forasmuch as due entries were made, and the
King's Customs paid in the time of the Old Farmers of the
Customs, he prays warrant to Sir John Hippesley to suffer the
lead to be conveyed to Calais or some other ports in France.
[2/3 p.] |
| [May ?] |
15. Petition of the Mariners of the "Constant Reformation" to
the Council. Petitioners, being 160 in number, having 22 months'
pay due unto them, were constrained, being ready to starve, to
repair to London for their pay, where they have lain four or five
days in great distress. Their ship having lost her masts put into
Ireland. The Council sent by warrant for two of their number,
but not only those two, but all the rest were forced to repair
for their pay as is aforesaid. Pray that their pay may be satisfied.
[1 p.] |
| May. |
16. Invoice of the lading of the ship "Faith," Robert Watson,
master. In her voyage from Venice to Lisbon they touched at
Carthagena and stayed there four days. Notes by Secretary Coke
of her bills of lading with the merchants' marks. [2 pp.] |
| May. |
17. Justices of the Peace for co. Southampton to the Council.
About fortifying the Isle of Wight. In accordance with your
directions of 18th March we have viewed the castles and forts
with their artillery, munition, and stores, the particulars whereof
are enclosed. The repair of the late breach in the platform at
Sandham Castle is estimated at 900l. Brading Haven we take to
be the most dangerous landing-place for an enemy in all the Isle,
by reason it lies in a flat. We conceive it would be not only a
great charge for the King to erect two forts for the defence of that
place, but a perpetual charge in retaining soldiers in pay. So
that in our opinions it is far safer that the sea be let in again, no
fortifications being so defensive for the country as it was before the
taking in thereof. [Seal with arms and crest. 1 p.] |
| [May.] |
18. Petition of Francis Bassett, Vice-Admiral of North Cornwall,
on behalf of himself and the inhabitants of St. Ives, to the
Council. Last year these parts received much damage, and divers
of the inhabitants were carried away captives by Turkish pirates
from Sallee. This year 30 of these Turkish pirates have been
brought into St. Ives as prisoners, and are maintained at great
charge to petitioner, while the inhabitants are fearful lest they
should effect their escape, and having got a knowledge of that
coast return to their further annoyance. Desires that they may be
sent to the common gaol at Launceston, to be kept until further
order. [2/3 p.] |
| [May ?] |
19. Note of a speech made or intended to be made in the
House of Commons, recommending caution in the examination of
alleged errors committed in the management of recent enterprises.
[½ p.] |
| [May.] |
20. Note of a similar speech made or intended to be made in the
House of Lords in the Committee appointed to consider evils, causes
and remedies. [1 p.] |
| [May ?] |
21. Notes of a speech or personal declaration made or intended to
be made in the House of Lords. I shall now for the present apply
myself only to the clearing of my reputation, and for the future to
those actions and endeavours which may repossess me of that I have
accounted one of my greatest losses their good opinions. I would
not speak nor profess this before their Lordships, if reason and my
own disposition did not counsel and warrant the performance of it.
For first, who accused me? Common Fame. Who gave me up to
your Lordships? The House of Commons! The one is too subtle a
body, if a body; the other too great for me to contest with. [Amongst
the Conway Papers. Imperfect. 2 pp.] |
