CP 152, 91
CP Volume 152 Folio 91-92
HMC Vol 1 Page 160 Number 586
Haynes Page 217 Number 196
Transcribed by Samuel Haynes in “A Collection of State Papers . . . 1542 to 1570” London, 1740
The Queen's Majesty to the Duke of Norfolk 4 Dec 1559 but HMC says 29 December
RIGHT trusty and right entierly beloved Coosyn, we grete yow well. Sence your Departure, uppon Considerations of dyvers Things mete to be imparted unto yow, we haue thought convenient to advertise yow as followeth. Ye know that untill the Horssmen shall arryve at Newcastell, which be appoynted, ye cannot well take in Hand any such Exploit into Scotland, as was thought of: And for that, at your departure, it was thought, the same might haue bene in good reddynees by the 25th January next, which now cannot be performed so soone, but will be the 30th of the sayd Moneth, or the Horsemen can be at Newcastle: We have thought mete for dyvers Respects to give Order to certen Shyrees, from whence the Nomber of Footmen shold be sent thyther, that as many of the same, as be not passed out of the Contrees, shuld not departe before such convenient Tyme, as they may be uppon the Frontyer about the same Tyme. And for such as be gone and ar come towards those Frontiers, we thynk that ye shall doo well to cause them to be layed in severall Bands and Places, so farr from the Borders within the Land, as that they may be both victelled without Expence of such Victell as is provided nigh the Border, and yet may be reddy to be at some convenient Place nigh the Frontyer about the said 30th of January; by this meane shall our Victell be saved for our seruice following, and the Men also better used. And in the meane Tyme ye may doo well to gyve order, that they may be traned and tought to use there Weapons and become hable to serue. As for Money to prest to them asore hand for their Provision and Payment for there Victell, although Valeneyne Browne is in reddynes to depart, yet considering the Carriadg of our Treasure will in this Wynter tyme ask some longer tyme, we praye yow ether to borrow seven or eight hundred Pounds of some Merchants of Newcastle, for fifteen Days at the most, untill the Treasure come, or els lett the Tresoror of Berwyk, if, he can possible, forbeare in some payment at Barwyk a lyke Some or less, to emprest to the Captayns of the Footemen, so as they maye be better victelleid. In this meane Season ye shall doo well to conserr with Sir Ralph Sadler, how it may be best understand, whyther it shall not be a sufficient ayd to the Scottes for the Expulsion of the French, if our Shippes may lye in the Fryth, and prohibite the entryng of any French Succors there; which they shall doo rather of themselves, than to declare any oppen hostilite: And as for there furder ayde uppon the Land, to lett certen good Englishe Captains secretly depart to them, to lead there Men; and some Vessell fraught with Powder, small Feld Ordynance, and Shott to be collorably taken by the Scotteshmen in the Fryth, ether on Louthyan Syde or Fiffe Side; and some Gonners also, by the lyke Collor, to serve the same Purpose: And so furder to give them in other Thyngs such ayde, as myght serue there torne to expell the French, and yet not to haue any oppen Hostilite shewed on our Part now at the surst; which although the French doo gyve us just Occasion to shew, yet be there certen Respects that move us to forbeare the same for one or two Moneths, if it may conveniently be. This Conference may be used in this meane Tyme, and yet not to delaye therbye the Preparations of all Thyngs before accorded uppon, and uppon answer hereof we shall fuder direct yow. Furdermore, consideryng the Daye is somwhat prolonged for assemblee, we praye yow to haue Consideration hereof, and forbeare, as much as ye maye, to take into our paye any moo Officers for the Feld, or any moo Soldiers, than of necessite shall be requesite to putt Thyngs in order ageynst that Daye. Wheruppon also our Counsell here doth take Order, that Sir G. Howard, and the rest, which ought to departe home, shall not make such hast, but as they may be there about the 25th of January. Ye can well consider, that seeing when Service shall begyn, it will be very chargeable, how mete it is that it be not made over chargeable before. And where William Wynter for hast at his departure had not his full Furniture of Men, and yet some of them which he had, may happ by sickness fayle, we wold that ye shold gyve Order that his lack may be supplyed uppon that Shore nigh Barwyk; and that he also be advised to use his doings, in impeachyng of the French Succors, as the same maye appere to come of himself, and not by any Direction.
POSTSCRIPT.
Sence the Wryting herof we haue thought mete to command the Horssmen and Footmen also, that be not departed, to be rather putt in a redynes to sett forward upon a warning ether by us or by yow, than uppon a certayn Daye; for that we desyre first to here from yow of the State of Thyngs there, and of the arryuall of our Victell and Munition, which was sent by our Shipps, wheruppon we may more certenly appoynt a Daye. And this our letter Order ye shall perceaue by a Copy of such second Lettre as we send to severall Shires.
