Charles I - volume 523: January 1626

Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Charles I, 1625-49 Addenda. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1897.

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'Charles I - volume 523: January 1626', in Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Charles I, 1625-49 Addenda, (London, 1897) pp. 94-101. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/domestic/chas1/addenda/1625-49/pp94-101 [accessed 24 March 2024]

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January 1626

Jan. 1. 1. Note showing how the New Year's gifts of Secretary Conway were distributed amongst the Household officers and others. Total, 35l. 8s. 10d. [3 pp.]
Jan. 2.
Herriard.
2. Sir Thomas Jervoise to Secretary Conway, as Lord Lieutenant of Hants. Gives an account of the measures taken by himself and the other Deputy-Lieutenants for putting in execution the directions given in your last letter for the marshaling and exercising of the trained bands. For our horse I am ashamed to speak of them, and until you make some exemplary punishment of the offenders at the musters, they will not amend. I desire you to take notice of the gentlemen whose names are subscribed, being in the troop of Captain Kingsmill. Having acquainted you with the state of our foot and horse, I will now particularize some things which concern the safety of this county as much as its forces. The castles upon the sea coast are in very ill case, wanting for ammunition and arms. It has been hitherto disputable whether they belong to the Lieutenancy or Admiralty, but I will not meddle with that. Netley Castle being in the custody of the Marquis of Winchester is to be armed by him with all except ordnance. Importance of these castles, viz., Sowsia [Southsea], Netley, St. Andrew's, and Calshot, for the defence of Portsmouth and Southampton. These places being always in readiness there is no fear of any dangerous attempts being made upon the mainland of Hants, and therefore the forces of this shire have been ever appointed for guarding the Isle of Wight and Portsmouth, and the adjacent counties, Berks., Surrey, and Sussex are appointed to second us upon occasion. The beacons of this county have been both repaired and watched, but they consume a great deal of wood this winter time, so I would be a suitor that we may have order for discharging of the watchers until the extremity of winter be passed. My desire is to advance your noble disposition towards this country so far as no predecessor should have a greater share in the country's affections than yourself. Seal with device. [2 ½pp.]
Jan. 2. 3. Fulke Lord Brooke to Secretary Conway. In yours of this date you desire a burgess-ship of Warwick for my noble cousin your son [Sir Edward Conway]. I am heartily sorry that your letter came so late, for hearing many days since of a Parliament I entreated the first voice here of the bailiffs and burgesses, which they lovingly yielded unto me, for a very worthy gentleman, who is alike allied unto us both, and well able to do His Majesty and country good service, so that now I am so far engaged for him as I know not how to alter this choice. I hope without much trouble you will be able by your power and credit to provide for my cousin in many other places. If it should please you to stand for one of the knight-ships of the shire, the Lord Lieutenant is passing dear to you, besides you have many other friends in this country upon whom I will wait with all the voices of my freeholders, friends, and whatsoever else is in my power to that end. John Norton was my agent to the Bailiff of this town, who will not lie for me, therefore hold me excused in this. [Damaged by damp. 1p.]
Jan. 2.
Luddington.
4. Katherine Lady Conway to her husband, Lord Conway. My servant Elizabeth desired me to write to you to favour the suit of her father John Wyatt, dwelling at Newmarket, to the King, for a renewal of the Statute of Henry VIII., requiring practice in the use of bows and arrows, for which he prays a patent for the lives of himself and son. He would see this done once or twice a year in cos. Suffolk, Essex, Hunts, and Cambridge. [1 p.]
Jan. 2.
Luddington.
5. The same to the same. I thank you for my New Year's gift, and for the piece of holland. I am glad to hear the King will be to-morrow at Whitehall. I hope to come up to London the beginning of February, when the days will be longer and the ways better. I will send somebody before to fetch my goods from Greenwich, and bring them to Little Britain, for I think you cannot get any house in the country. Directions about the beer, claret wine, and sea-coals. Mr. Sutton I hope will satisfy you about the business of Stratford, and Sir Robert Lee and Sir Edward Peto. I thank you for your kindness that you would send your coach 30 miles to meet us, that we might come to London, but I know not yet which way we may come. [Seal with arms broken. 2 pp.]
Jan. 3.
Luddington.
6. Herbert Pelham to the same. Thanks for his New Year's gift. I should think myself happy if I may do you any good service in my care of your son [Ralph Conway], whose return to Oxford had been before this, if the sickness had not affrighted us with its increase there now of late; but diligence and industry will make Luddington as good a seat for the Muses as Oxford. [1 p.]
Jan. 3.
Luddington.
7. Ralph Conway to his father, Lord Conway. The same cause that hath thus long held my hand might now take my pen from the paper, but that I think it better to be troublesome than ungrateful. [Seal with a stag. ½ p.]
[Jan. 4.] 8. Petition of John Pulford to the Council. For weighty reasons your Lordships obtained for him a protection for one whole year. In defiance of His Majesty's prerogative one Watkins, a woodmonger and his attorney have commenced a suit against him for a pretended debt of 200l. Prays their protection against Watkins so as to make him withdraw the suit, and further to deal with their disloyal contempt of the Great Seal as shall seem fit. [1 p.]
Jan. 7.
Whitehall.
9. Warrant of Secretary Conway to Messrs. Wainwright, Griffin, and [John] Gray, for apprehending priests. [Already calendared. Draft. 1 p.]
Jan. 7. 10. Stable bill for Lord Conway for the week ending this date. Total, 8l. 18s. Underwritten,
10. i. Receipt for same. [2/3 p.]
Jan. 8.
Tichborne.
11. Sir Benjamin Tichborne to Secretary Conway. Laments that owing to infirmity of age he is no longer able to travel, but is ready with his best assistance to further His Majesty's service. Since the receipt of your letter for billeting the soldiers lately arrived at Portsmouth, I have written to the Lord Treasurer and Chancellor of the Exchequer acquainting them with what money I have in hand, which will be ready to be disposed of according to their directions. [Seal with arms. 2/3 p.]
[Jan. 10.] 12. Petition of Thomas Bowde, Deputy Aulnager and Collector of the Subsidy and Aulnage in the county of Norfolk under the Dowager Duchess of Richmond and Lenox, to the Lords of the Council. That on the 26th of August last, coming to the house of John Durrant, a seller of new draperies in Aylsham, to collect Her Majesty's subsidy thereon due, he was violently resisted by Durrant and Edw. Coffer, a counsellor at law, the former saying that he would not pay him one penny, but turn him off like a knave. Prays a warrant to one of the messengers of the Chamber for bringing up Durrant before your Lordships to answer for his several contempts as well to the Council's letters as to the deputation of the Duchess and the writer's office. [½p.]
Jan. 12.
Hampden.
13. Philip Flemyng to William Weld, Secretary to Lord Conway. Give me leave to make use of your friendship to present my desires to my Lord [Conway] if you can make them fitting. I can make it appear that I have been injuriously dealt with by those who have had the trust to certify names of those competent to lend on Privy Seals. I desire likewise that my Lord should know that the poor town of Newport, which is most observed of him, is more charged with Privy Seals than either Hampton or Salisbury. The letters lately received [for choice of Burgesses] have been delivered to the several corporations. It would be well to send down forthwith [instructions] for the writs are now in the county. More might be granted were forcible and pressing reasons seasonably urged. [Damaged by damp. Seal with arms and crest. 1 p.]
Jan. 16.
Whitehall.
14. William Weld to Philip Flemyng. I communicated your letter to Lord [Conway] who gave me commission to assure you that you may with all freedom come to him in anything wherein you find oppression or wrong done to you. And for the great and disproportionable charge laid upon Newport and the suspicion of a reputation hunted after more than is either for his Lordship's honour or the good of the country [he would have redressed.] The power he hath from the [Council] he can apply for rectifying anything that shall be amiss in that Government. If you shall think good for your own particular or the interest of the public to show yourself in presenting and making good the grievances you mention, [you may rely upon redress]. My Lord hath now written to the three corporations of the Isle of Wight, and hath recommended Sir John Suckling to Newport, Sir Edward Conway to Yarmouth, and Mr. Mallett to Newtown. My Lord makes no question of their accepting his recommendations for one in each town and desires it fairly as a courtesy, pleasing to himself best in that way, so long as he finds an answerable respect; but if they should neglect him in that fair way of asking, he knows how to make use of his authority in such manner as his predecessors have done. But to prevent that he hath written to his Deputy-[Lieutenants] to employ their assistance, and prays you pass [by what you] can. My Lord would have me remind you that though divers pay days [have passed] since he had the Government, yet he hath had but one receipt and that a slender one, and herein he would be glad to receive some account. [Damaged by damp. Copy. 1 p.]
Jan. 16.
Lichfield.
15. Notification by Thomas Thacker and Simon Jasson, Bailiffs of the city of Lichfield, into the Chancery Court. That on the 25th July last Richard Newbold was elected sheriff of Lichfield and Michael Noble, coroner, and that Thomas Thacker is escheator according to the Charter granted by the late King James to the bailiffs and citizens of that city, and that they have duly taken the oaths of office respectively. [Latin. Strip of parchment.]
Jan. 18.
Shorwell in Hants.
16. Sir John Leigh to Secretary Conway. In October last there was cast away and split in pieces on the coast of the Isle of Wight a ship of Lisbon taken by Hollanders. That certain of his neighbours, Robert Urrey, John Horden, William Orchard, and Edward Blieth, dwelling near the place, having assisted the crew and helped to save such goods as would have been carried away by the sea, were invited by the captain and master of the ship to purchase the same as by their bills of sale appeareth. I understand these parties are now arrested by order of your Deputy Vice-Admiral, Captain Ersfield, and are to appear in the High Court of Admiralty to answer the premises. They have requested me to write to you in their behalf; and I can say that they are men of very good and honest repute in the country, and being ignorant in these causes would not have dealt in this had not the poor sailors in their necessity cast it on them. [Seal with devise. 1 p.]
Jan. 18. 17. George, Duke of Buckingham, to Sackville Crow. I received your letter concerning the jewels, and am to return you this answer, that there is no exputation of any collateral assurance for their redemption at the times contracted for from particular merchants. Only Mr. Burlamachi writes to Mr. Calandrini and Sir Peter Vanlore to his brother and correspondents on that side to give all the satisfaction they can, and to engage themselves for the clearing of these scruples. And besides this His Majesty has made a declaration under his own hand and Privy Signet directed to you and Mr. Calandrini to approve, ratify, and confirm as his own acts, what you have done or shall do by directions from me; and that declaration comes to you by an address from Mr. Secretary Conway. What offices have been passed by the States' Ambassador, here you will see by the enclosed paper which was presented to him, and he promised to move his superiors effectually in the points therein contained, which may serve you as a rule to guide your solicitations by as there shall be occasion; and these you must press home to let the States see that His Majesty finds these difficulties strange, that if encouragement had not been given to leave the jewels there, but that they were now on this side, he might be furnished with money from his own subjects upon as good conditions and with less charge, less hazard, and less ado. But things standing as they do you must assure the States that it is to their interest equally with His Majesty to apply themselves effectually to the removing of the present difficulties, and providing the money lest those important affairs to which these moneys are designed do fall into any hazard by the delay. If you find means to procure the money I do then hereby authorise you according to His Majesty's directions to me, whereof I send you copies, to accept bills of exchange from Mr. Burlamachi to the value of 23,000l. and pay the money according as he shall direct. You are also to pay 30,000l. for one month's entertainment due to the King of Denmark, together with the interest due for money furnished by the States to Count Mansfeldt on His Majesty's behalf, and 5,000l. of the principal of those moneys. This being agreeable to His Majesty's directions, together with the due acquittances to be taken by you for these payments, shall be your sufficient warrant and discharge. Postscript.—There can be no certain rate set down here for the interest, but you and Mr. Calandrini are to deal with the States to regulate the same, and you are to use your best endeavours to draw it down as low as can be. [Draft. 1½ pp.]
Jan. 20. 18. The King to John, Earl of Bristol. We have read your letter addressed to us by Buckingham, and we cannot but wonder that you should, through neglectfulness, make such a request to us of favour, as if you stood evenly capable of it, when you know what your behaviour in Spain deserved of us, which you are to examine by the observations we made; and [we] know you will remember how at our first coming into Spain, taking upon you to be so wise as to foresee our intentions to change our religion, you were so far from dissuading us that you offered your service and secrecy to concur in it, and in manie other open conferences pressing to show how convenient it was for us to be a Roman Catholike, it being impossible in your opinion to doc anie greate actions otherwais. How much wrong disadvantage and disservice you did to the treaty, and to the right and interest of our dear brother and sister [King and Queen of Bohemia] and their children; what disadvantage, inconvenience, and hazard you entangled us in by your artifices, putting off and delaying our return home. [Originally written in this draft "putting off and delaying that lady's coming home with us, the better to cover the frauds of that Court, or that you might have the honour to conduct her."] The great estimation you made of that State, and the vile price you set this kingdom at, still maintaining that we under culler of frendship to Spain did what was in our power against them which you said they knew verrie well. [Originally written "as if it were impossible for us to do any great and notable thing without change of our religion, in confirmation of which you easily yielded to advise that the eldest son of our dear brother and sister should be brought up in the Roman Catholic religion."] And last of all your approoving of those conditions that our nephew should be brought up in the Emperor's Court to which Sir Wa. Aiton then said he durst not give his consent to for fear of his hed, you replying to him that without som such great action nether Mariag nor peace could be had. Endorsed: Copy of His Majesty's letter to the Earl of Bristol as it was corrected with His Majesty's own hand. [This draft preservea amongst the Conway Papers, being interlined and corrected in the King's own handwriting, as indicated by the passages in italics, is given here in its entirety. Calendared under date. 1¼ pp.]
Jan 21.
Weymouth.
19. Andrew Kellway to Mrs. Ward, at Sir Henry Fanshaw's Office in Warwick Lane, London. This late dangerous time of sickness having prevented him from coming to town to pass the account of Robert Naper, collector of the last three subsidies granted to King James, he has sent by messenger the certificates which he desires Ward to examine, so that he may the sooner go through his account when he comes to London at the end of the week. [½ p.]
Jan. 21. 20. Stable bill for Lord Conway for the week ending this date; total, 8l. 16s. 2d. Receipt for same. [½ p.]
Jan. 24.
Whitehall.
21. The Council to Lord Conway as Lord Lieutenant of Hants. To take order for instructing and exercising the trained bands of that county. [Minute of this circular letter to the Lords Lieutenants already calendared under date. Signed by the Lords and sealed. 1 p.]
Jan. 24. 22. [Sackville Crow and Philip Calandrini] to Philip Burlamachi. The credit given us by the Lord Treasurer and yourself at our coming away for the 2,000l. is already exhausted, we being forced in this business to employ much money here for his Majesty's service, as represented in our letter to the Lord Treasurer, which we pray you to deliver into the Lord Treasurer's own hands and to move him tosee us provided accordingly. We send copies likewise to the Duke of Buckingham and the Earl of Carlisle, entreating them so to deal with the King and the Lord Treasurer that neither in his honour nor service he suffer by our wants. [Probably translated from Italian. ½ p.]
Jan. 24.
Whitehall.
23. The Council to Lord Conway. We sent you a list of the companies of Sir Edward Conway's regiment which are to be lodged in the maritime towns of Hants to be ready upon all occasions for present defence, as also for such employments abroad as his Majesty may resolve on. You are required to take order for their billeting in a fit manner according to their several distributions. It being thought requisite that they should keep military watch as well for exercise as for preventing a sudden surprise, they are to be supplied with firing while upon their guards during the sharpness of this winter, the charge whereof shall be repaid, it being His Majesty's pleasure that the country shall not be burdened with any expense in that kind. [1 p.]
[Jan. 27.] 24. The King to William, Earl of Pembroke, Chancellor of Oxford University. For reformation in the government of the University. [Docquet of this already calendared. Draft. 1 p.]
Jan. 30.
Copthall.
25. Lionel, Earl of Middlesex, to Lord Conway. Desires him to get Buckingham to move the King for leave to come to London, but for three or four days having a suit in Chancery concerning his lands at Wiston. My stay there will not be long, for I am so far from desiring to converse with the world that I would not be in it if by the rules of christianity I could go out of it. [Seal with coronet and crest. 1 p.]
[Jan. 30.] 26. Statement of the cause between Lord Brooke and Sir Hatton Fermor touching their respective claims to [the manor of] Pebworth, co. Gloucester. There is a sleeping patent lately set on foot by Sir Hatton Fermor made to his ancestors in 36 Henry VIII., and a suit commenced in the Common Pleas to try his title. Against Sir Hatton we do allege as here stated. This matter was heretofore put to compromise, but now again this term Sir Hatton hath moved to have the cause proceed, and the 4th February is appointed for hearing. Arguments to move Mr. Justice Y[elverton] to grant a delay, and fix a convenient time for hearing; and to justify their now proceeding in the Exchequer. The title being set afoot for the King's benefit we do hope Mr. Justice will have the more respect to it, and to this purpose your Lordship may please to move him. [1½ pp.]
Jan. 30. Report by Sir Thomas Roe, English Ambassador at Constantinople, of the certificates of consulage paid to the French Ambassador [there] for Englishmen's goods laden or reladen upon French ships. These certificates extend from 1621 to January 1625–26. [Levant Company, Vol. I., No. 42. = 4 pp.]
Jan. 30. Report by Sir Thomas Roe on the state of the controversy between the English and Venetian Consuls in Aleppo. [Ibid, Vol. I., No. 43.]
[Jan.] 27. Philip Flemyng to William Weld, Secretary to Lord Conway. At my coming to London shortly I will justify the charge which I have made, but must leave to Lord Conway to take notice of such abuses or misgovernment as may be feared [in the Isle of Wight]. I am sorry that my neighbours of Newport have so little respect to my Lord as to proceed so hastily to an election [for the next Parliament] without expecting a particular nomination. This precipitation was ventured on during my absence; but rather than that it should frustrate my Lord's desires, that interest which I have shall be rendered back, and I will gladly sit down if a new election may be made. The other corporations will conform to my Lord's letters, as I am informed. Mr. Stiant, a lawyer of the Inner Temple, is receiver and paymaster here in the Island, and from him my lord is to be paid and to receive accompt. [Seal with arms and crest. 1 p.]
[Jan.] 28. Note of means by which an augmentation of the King's revenue may be secured, and a majority be obtained for the King in the Lower House of Parliament. [Amongst the Conway Papers. 1 p.]