BL MSS La 102, 41

BL MSS La. 102, 41 [f.76]

Transcribed by Dr Caroline Bowden for the project The Health of the Cecils [1]

Sr W Cecill to Sr T Smith 30 Aug 1563

Sir: sence Barloos arryvall here the 23 of this month, we can here of no manner of letter or messages brought to the French embascador who lyeth her at Eaton, better lodged than ever. He was in England at liberty to walk and ryde wher he will, and so he useth to ryde much abrode and therfore if he doo not make very good report, he doth not deserve so good handlyng. He percase thynketh yt some body regardeth hym, but he is not therof sure. My Lord of Hertford and my Lady Catharine by cause of the plague ar thus delyvered: he with his mother as prisoner; she with hir uncle my Lord Jhon/Thom? Grey. The hostages, also being afrayd of the plague, shall be putt to some custody abrode, but not as prisoners. I thynk ii of them to Sir Rich Blunts house nere Redding the other to Mr Kenelm Throgmorton and Mr Caroo. All our determinations depend uppon such matter as we shall here from this Fr. Embassador who semeth much to muse yt he can here nothyng. We here of sondry attempts intended agaynst the Iles of Jersey and Gernsaye for which purpoos we have sent thither shipps and men. They dye in London above [see note in index] in a weke. I can wryte no more by this bryngar..

BL MSS Lansdowne 102, 41
Wright: Queen Elizabeth and her Times Vol 1, 1838, No. 62 Page 137
Cecil to Sir Thomas Smith. Aug. 20, 1563

Transcribed by Thomas Wright

Sir, Sence Barloo's arryvall here, the 23 of this month, we can here of no manner of letters or message brought to the French ambassador (1), who lyeth here at Eaton, better lodged than ever he was in England, at liberty to walk and ryde wher he will, and so he useth to ryde much abrode. And therfor if he do not make very good report, he doth not deserve so good handlyng. He percase thynketh that somebody regardeth him, but he is not therof sure.
My Lord of Hertford and my Lady Catharine, because of the plague, are thus delyvered : he with his mother, as prisoner, she with her uncle my Lord John Grey. (2)
The hostages, also being afrayd of the plague, shall be put to some custody abrode, but not as prisoners (3). I thynk two of them to Sir Richard Blunt's howse, nere Reddyng, the other to Mr. Kenelm Throgmorton and Mr. Caroo (4). All our determinations depend upon such matter as we shall here from this French ambassador, who semeth much to muse that he can here nothyng.
We here of sondry attempts intended against the lies of Jcrsay and Gemsaye, for which purpose we have sent thither shipps and men.
They dye in London above one thousand in a weke. (5)
I can wryte no more by this brynger. 20 August, 1563.
Yours assured,

W. Cecill

(1) The French ambassador had been put under restraint on account of the imprisonment of Sir Nicholas Throgmorton by the French.
(2) In whose custody she died no long time after, and then the Earl of Hertford was set at liberty.
(3) Given by the French for the delivery of Calais. They had lately made an attempt to escape. " June 19. All the hostages were taken going away with John Ribald."
(4) Perhaps one of the family of the Carcws, seated at the splendid residence of Beddington, in Surrey.
(5) The plague began in London on the 2nd of August. It had been imported from Newhaven, and made its appearance first in Kent. The whole number who died of the infection this year in London and the out-parishes, was 20,136. In the churchwarden's accounts of St. Margaret's, Westminster, printed in Nichols's Illustrations of Manners and Expenses, under this year, we have the following entry : "1563, Item, to John Welch, for the killing and carrying away of dogs during the plague, and for the putting of them into the ground and covering of the same, 3s. 2d"
And so again in 1592, when there was another very severe visitation by this destructive scourge.
"1592, Item, paid to the dog-killer for killing dogs the first time of infection, 16s.
Item, paid more to the dog-killer, for killing more dogs, 10s. 4d.
Item, paid more to the poor men for the killing of dogs, by Mr. Dean's appointment, 10s. 4d.
Item, paid more to the poor men for killing of dogs, 17s. 6d."
The dogs were supposed to spread the infection a similar notion is said to exist in the East. The most curious thing, however, is the number of dogs which, by the sums of money paid, must have been killed in this latter year. It would almost seem as though at that time troops of dogs who had no masters, but lived on the offal which was thrown into the streets, infested London, as is still the case in many towns in the East.