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July 8.
Rouen. |
21. Sir Thomas Copley to Sec. Walsingham. Thanks for your
letter. I lament that your favour with Her Majesty, which has
pleasured so many, should not be able to do me any good, but
heartily thank you for your goodwill. The hearts of princes are in
God's hands; He permits them to be hardened, and makes them to
relent, as His Providence sees will be most for His glory. The
errors of my youth towards Him, not any offence against Her
Highness, has deserved this. When these in His sight shall be
sufficiently corrected, He will incline Her Majesty to extend also
to me her natural clemency. Till then I must graze where I am
tied, and return to the service of that good King who feeds me. |
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The reasons which Mr. Heron has delivered to persuade my stay
here are weighty, but being but words, and accompanied with no
deeds, as I expected, they are all answered in one word, which is,
necessity. Venter non habet aures. No reason can persuade a man to
starve himself, and I have word sent me that I should spend no more
Spanish crowns in France, nor have one penny of relief more out of
Flanders, except I return thither; so having no relief from home, nor
in hope of any more from the Prince of Parma without returning to
my place about his person, necessity forces me so to do. Nevertheless, I shall not be there any further from Her Majesty, either in
person or in dutiful heart, than I am here; for St. Omer, where I
now think to stay with my wife and my household, until Bourges
or Antwerp be reduced to obedience, is as near to England as Rouen,
and as soon may I receive joyful news from you there as here, if God
sends any; I see so little hope of good from home, that in my principal suit for restitution of my living, with Her Majesty's licence to
remain abroad, I mean not to trouble you any further, but trust so
to pass my exile that you may favour me in things of less weight.
[1 page.] |
1583 ?
July ? |
22. Suggestions by Christ. Dacre, for furnishing the West Borders
with armour, archers, shot, &c., for their better defence:— |
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That Her Majesty, by some device of the Lord Chancellor and
Privy Council, should be induced to issue a commission to Lord
Scrope, Lord Warden of the West Marches, the Bishop of Carlisle,
and the sheriff and justices of peace of Cumberland and Westmoreland, to take the examinations of any inhabitants against whom
informations shall be exhibited upon the statute of 33 Hen. VIII.
touching the maintenance of artillery, and dealing in unlawful
games; also upon the statute of 4 & 5 Phil. & Mary, touching the
maintenance of horse, armour, and weapons. |
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That the commissioners be authorised to compound with all
offenders who submit, touching what by the said statutes is due
to Her Majesty and the informers, having respect to the reforming of the defaults, and to the ability of the offenders, so that the
service in other respects be not hindered. |
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That they be authorised to appoint persons to take up and disburse, for defence of the Borders, the sums by such composition
due to Her Majesty, taking the collectors' bonds, and giving bonds
to the Queen to account for them. |
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That according to a clause in the statute of 4 & 5 Phil. & Mary,
the commissioners be authorised to appoint what arms and weapons
shall be found and maintained by all such within the said counties
as are not charged by the said statute. |
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That as such good purposes require some time, the said commission continue during pleasure. [12/3 pages.] |
1583.
July 21.
Greenwich. |
23. The Council to the Commissioners for the Borders. In last
session of Parliament, upon information that the forces of the
Borders, both horse and foot, were decayed, and likely to grow
weaker by decay of sundry habitations,—whereof some were rather
employed to the pasturing of cattle than to the maintenance of men
of service, and some so diminished by division that not one present
of them was able to keep a man of service,—it was solicited that
Her Majesty would address her commission to fit persons, to examine
the causes of those decays, and wants and evil furniture of horse
and foot, and redress them. As Her Majesty has directed such a
commission to you, we signify to you that her pleasure is that, for
the first time after you have taken the oath required by the statute,
you shall only make inquiry by jury or otherwise of articles
collected out of the said statute, and contained in a schedule enclosed; and before you proceed to the execution of the statute,
send us your opinion concerning certain articles therein contained,
that you may receive Her Majesty's resolution and proceed accordingly; wherein we pray you to use care and diligence. |
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In case there be any scruple made about the execution of the commission in the county palatine of Durham, seeing it is provided by statute that the like should be observed in this case as was appointed by
another like statute of 3 Phil. & Mary,—when it was ordained that
upon sight of the commission under the Great Seal, the Chancellor or
such other as should have the custody of the seals of the said
bishopric should make another commission under the seal of the
county palatine, of the same tenor and to the same commissioners,—that no delay may happen, we require you, the bishop of Durham,
if needful, to direct such a commission, and we have also ordered
Mr. Chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster to send down the like
commission, under the seal of the duchy, to be used if occasion shall
require. Use all expedition in returning your answers. [1¾ pages,
copy.] |
| [July.] |
Account of the hearse, pall, cloth of state, &c., provided for the
funeral of Edm. Grindal, Archbishop of Canterbury, who died
Saturday, 6 July 1583. With note that the executors compounded
with Garter king at arms for 100l., for all fees, hearse, and liveries.
[Dom. Corresp., James I., Vol. LXXXIX., No. 7, p. 76.] |
