|
| 1600 ? |
55. Warrant for a grant to Sir Rob. Carey, gentleman of the
Privy Chamber, of lands in fee farm, value, 100 marks a year.
[1 page, damaged.] |
|
56. Brief from the Queen for Rich. Grafton to make a collection
throughout England. He had lands and revenues worth 600l. a
year in Spain, which were all confiscated, his wife and children put
in prison, where they died, he hardly escaping, because he came
over to disclose dangerous practises against the realm, and on his
return, Mendoza, the Spanish ambassador, advertised his proceedings.
For these services, office and other means were given him in Ireland,
of which he has been spoiled in this late rebellion, and is now old
and unable to maintain himself; Her Majesty, being unable to
relieve from her own purse all sufferers in a universal rebellion,
commends him to the charity of her loyal people. [Imperfect draft,
corrected by Cecil, 3 pages.] |
|
57. Valentine Blake to Sec. Cecil. I lost my ship and goods in
Spain for having done much hurt to the Irish rebels. I justified myself
before the Council of Spain, showing the irreligious causes that moved
the Irish to rebellion, however they pretended religion; so I was
condemned to 16 months' imprisonment, and my ship and goods
forfeited. |
|
I observed that during the embargo, the Spaniards had great odds
of us. |
|
1. They use our English, especially those taken about the Indies
and Brazil, cruelly, yoking them in prisons, condemning them to
the galleys, torturing and racking them even to death; so I have
seen 300 English, most of them captains, gentlemen, and shipmasters
treated; some have endured servitude five, eight, or ten years. On
our side the Spaniards we take are presently released, through the
greediness of them that take them, and to save their charges,
whereas their very ransoms might surmount all the other prizes
that we get, and the charge of their maintenance might be defrayed
by allowing a sum out of every prize. They could live better
here at 4d. or 6d. a day, than there at 12d. This looking well to
the prisoners would gall the Spaniards, when they see their men of
greatest wealth and account kept in durance, and so our English
will be better used, or sooner released by exchange. |
|
2. In Spain they seize on all English wares as confiscated to
the King, but the Queen permits all Spanish wares to be brought in,
though England could live well enough without their wines, fruit
and oil, and the commonwealth receives hurt by the gain made by
Scots, Dutch, and French in bringing in Spanish merchandise; thus
the nations who would else oppose the Spaniard as much as we are
in league with them, England impoverished, and these strangers
enriched and trained in navigation. |
|
If trafic hither from Spain were interdicted, the very common
people of Spain would be driven to take arms against their King,
being unable else to buy their bread; for France, Scotland, and
the Low Countries will take no Spanish commodities, but only their
silver, so that England is the only vent; if it were stopped they
would run mad, for they grow mutinous on a temporary embargo. |
|
During the last revolt in Ireland, the Irish from our cities and
towns have been trading with the arch-traitors, and thus many
abuses committed. There should be four good men, besides the
mayor, appointed in each corporation, to take notice of such dealing.
[1½ pages.] |
|
58. John Bredgate to Otwell Smith, merchant. I entreat you to get
back a packet of letters sent from Fras. Vander Tombe of Calais
and Sir Wm. Williston, of Rouen, to MM. Bellievre and De Baras.
Being addressed only "Mr. Secretary," I sent them to the secretary of the French ambassador, instead of to Sir Robt. Cecil, Her
Majesty's secretary, to whom I entreat they may now be delivered,
finding that he was the person intended. [1 page.] |
|
59. E. Reynoldes to his "best friend." Private affairs. I have
taken a house and garden for us both, in an "airy neighbourhood,"
St. John's Street, above Smithfield; rent 20l. My office is full of
trouble and of little profit. [1 page.] |
|
60. Edw. Reynolds to his "best friend." Keep secret the contents of the enclosed, and prepare to remove, alleging you intend
to go to London, to be near your friends. [½ page.] |
|
61. Edw. Reynoldes to his wife. Directions for the preservation
of her health during his necessary absence in London. [1 page.] |
|
62. R. Williams to Lord Cobham. I have paid 400l. to Mr. Sackford's man, and send his mistress's acquittance for the whole 1,500l.
I beg your Lordship's acquittance of the 400l. for myself. I send
you 10l. in silver in lieu of so much had in gold. [⅓ page.] |
|
63. R. Williams to Lord Cobham. I advise you to sell your
woods, but to send down a surveyor, and seem unwilling to sell, so
as to gain a larger price. Randoll wood should be sold; the trees
are 18 years' growth, but it should not be known that they are
under 20, or people will fear to buy, because the parson can claim
tithes of trees under 20 years. [1 page.] |
|
64. Account [by R. Williams] of "buildings necessary to be done
at Cobham House this year, and an estimate of the charges thereof,"
e.g., building the fourth turret and covering the other three with
lead, flooring rooms, making stairs, &c.; total, 221l. With note
that Giles de Whitt should be set to work either on some new
chimney piece, or his lordship's father's tomb, that he may maintain
himself. [1¾ pages.] |
|
65. List [by Lord Admiral Nottingham] of 14 gentlemen in
Berkshire, nine in Bedfordshire, 17 in Buckinghamshire, and 11 in
Cambridgeshire, who are to raise horses for the service. [1 page.] |
|
66. Statement addressed to Cecil of the names of the Spanish
admirals of the fleet that came for England last October, the
Adelantado, Don Diego Brochero, Pedro Suriago, Veila Veishosa,
Bryton Donia. Also the Marquis de Rambo, and Don Pedro de
Gabar, master of ordnance. With names of three Italian ships and
11 new ships. [1page.] |
|
67. Certificate by Sir Jo. Gilbert of the burden and valuation of
Captain Parker's pinnance the New-year's Gift, cast away in Her
Majesty's service, in 1601, viz., 41l. in addition to 14l. spent in trimming her for the service; and request for payment of this sum, as
also the hire of the vessel. [¾ page.] |
|
68. Treatise by John Wheeler on commerce, detailing the origin
and progress of the Merchant Adventurers' company and its foreign
relationships. [8 pages.] |
|
69. Account of exactions imposed on the merchants of London
at Bordeaux and in the river of Sherrant since 1589; viz., on
goods sent to Bordeaux, 1589 to 1598, 57,000l.; on wines, &c. brought
from Bordeaux, 1590–1601, 78,100l.; in the river of Sherrant, 1593–1598, 18,700l.; goods taken from merchants, &c. in Bordeaux
river, 5,919l. 6s. 8d.; other losses and exactions, 1590–1598,
159,719l. 6s. 8d. By means of all which many merchants have
been forced from their trade, and others utterly overthrown.
[2 pages.] |
|
70. Notes [by Att.-Gen. Coke] concerning the management of the
revenue, the nature and extent of the Queen's income, and the expedients to be adopted to pay the debts; viz., issuing no money but
by warrant; spending only 16,000l. a year for two years; having
money beforehand and buying nothing on trust; having faithful and
good stewards, and orderly accounts, and paying the pressing debtors,
lest they trouble the Queen by petitions and suits. [1 page.] |
|
71. "Special reasons to move Her Majesty to grant the patent of
appraisements of goods, viz., that the goods of felons and traitors will
come to light, now so concealed that hardly the twentieth part is
paid; the subject, especially poor men whose goods are liable to
executions for debt and are often underrated, will be relieved; creditors, who often lose their debts by underprizing, will have their
rights, and also fatherless children, who lose the greatest part of their
goods by their falling into unconscionable hands. [½ page.] |
|
72. Account of intelligencers employed abroad this year, and the
sums they have respectively received, viz:— |
|
George Kendall and George Weekes, in the archduke's dominions, 161l. |
|
Mr. Fox, in Venice, 20l. |
|
Mr. Wilson, in Florence, 30l. |
|
Rich. Brookman, and Mr. Douglas a Scottish gentleman, in Spain,
80l. |
|
Rob. Suff, and Thos. Bradshaw, in Spain, 41l. 18s. 6d. |
|
Rich. Cooke and Fras. Lambert, at Bayonne, 66l. [1½ pages.] |
