CP 138, 16b

CP Vol 138 f. 16

HMC Vol 1 p 174 No 603

Haynes Page 230 Number 209

Transcribed by Samuel Haynes in “A Collection of State Papers . . . 1542 to 1570” London, 1740

24 Jan 1559 From my Lord his Grace, and Sir Ralph Sadler, to Mr. Secretarie

From the Duke of Norfolk's Book of Entries

I HAVE received your Lettres of the 20th of Januarie, with suche others as cam from my Lords and others of the Counsaile. By yours I do understand that you doubt of tharrivall of the Horsemen here by the first of February; and howe gladd the Quene's Majeste wold be that the Scotts wold expell the French of themselfs, without their oppen Aide; and that sum Persuasions ther are used, to putt Doubts, whether this Controversie betwen the French and Scotts, be a Traine to betrappe us Wherein to say my poore Opynyon, to the first, I am sorye that any Time shuld be prottracted, that might further this Servyce; and yet considering that it requyreth sum Tyme to make Provision for Cariags, and draught Horses for greate Ordynaunce, (for the whiche I have alredy taken Order to be provided in Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, and other Placs thereunto adjacente, for that we connot have them in thes Parts;) and also, considering that I must have a Tyme to conferr with suche of the Nobilitie of Scottes, as I looke for to repayre to Barwick or Carlisle, (with whom we must devise and conclude, howe this Enterprise may be accomplisshed, and in what Sorte our Aid may stand them in the best steade, for the expell the French, with such other Circumstauncs, as may concern the same.) I judg therefore that if the Horsemen shall arrive here the 5th of February, the same shall com in good Tyme to serve the Purposse. To the second, howe the Scotts be hable to expell the French of themselfs, you have had Experience, for you may be sure that if their Power could have extended therto, neyther wold they have requyred our Aid, ne yet had it ben to do at this Tyme. Wherfore considering howe farre here Majeste hath proceeded with them, and what Hope they stonde in of her Majestie's Aid, which hath ben so assuredly promessed unto them, I cannot see howe the same cann nowe be staid, without sum dishonour, and also greate Daunger of bothe these Realmes. To the thirde, whosoever useth any such Persuasion, as I woll not judge amysse of hym, because I do assure myself that his Zeale and Dewtie to the Quene's Majesty and his Countrey moveth hym to be so persuaded; so neverthelesse I see no Reason wherbye to meynteyne the same, considering the ennemytie and dailye hostylytie betwene the French and the Protestants be so manyfeste; which is so rooted and confirmed by the sheddinge of their Bludde, on both Sides, as I cannot judge that they wold make any suche Traine to betrappe us. Fynally, whether the French purpose to repeyre to St. Andews, or retorne to Lethe, we have no certeintye; but it is thought unpossible for them to kepe bothe; and sum conjecture ther is, that they woll retorne to Leethe, as you shall perceive by a Lettre wryten to me the 22d of the present, from Sir James Croffts, the Copie wherof I send you herewith. And nowe I thinke uppon tharrivall of our Ships in the Fryth, the French Determynacions woll appear, whereof you shall be advertised; and then you may the better resolve what is to be donn in sending of our Aid, eyther by Land or by Sea. And if the French woll remeyne in Fiffe, I see not howe they cann be annoyed with our Aide, but by Sea; and in that Caase also, I cannott tell what is to be donne to Lethe; for thoughe I thinke it were easye to surprise it, the French being in the Fiffe, yet I see not, what we shuld doo with yt, considering that, as I have harde, it is not to be ffortyfied and made stronge without a long Tyme, and an exceading Chardge; and yet to sum yt is thought, that it cannot be made stronge: And besides, that I think yt not expedyent that we shuld seame to go aboute, to occupie any Parte of Scotland, lest the Scotts might therbye take Occasion to myslike and feare our Conqueste, as nowe they doo the French, whereby in deede, we might the rather cause our Freends to becum our Ennemyes; whiche I heave to be better considered by your Wisdoms. Touching the Matter signyfied unto me, for the Erle of Lenoux, I shall, Godd willing, have regarde therunto, and take Order for the same accordinglye. At the wryting hereof I received a Pacquett of Lettres from Sir James Croffts addressed from the Erle of Arraine, and the Lord James, amongest whiche is on of them dyrected to the seid Sir James and Sir Ralph Sadleyr in Ciphre, whiche being deciphred, I send you herwith amongest the reste. It seameth that the seid Erle of Arraine; and Lord James, had, by their former Lettres, advertised the seid Sir Ralph Sadleyr and Sir James, of sum Enterprise by them intended; whiche Lettres are not as yet comme to theyr Handes. And so, &c.

Tho. Norffolk. R. Sadleyr.