CP 138, 13

From Waalt
Revision as of 20:38, 10 July 2012 by Hgood (talk | contribs)
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)

Cecil Papers Vol 138 f. 13

HMC Vol 1 p 167 No 592

Haynes Page 220 Number 200

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

From the Duke of Norfolk's Book of Entries.

10 Jan 1559 From my Lord his Grace to Mr. Secretary

Mr. Secretary,

AFTER my veraie hartie Commendations. I have received the Quene's Majesties Lettres of the 30th of December, and yours of the last of the same And as I do well perceyve her Majestie's Determynation for the Staye of the Nombre of Horsemen and Footmen for a Tyme, and that here Majesties Pleasure is, that, for suche as were on their Waie towards this Frontier, I shuld take Order to laye them in severall Places within the Lande, so as they may be victualled, without Expence of suche Victuall, as is provyded nighe the Borders; so ye shall understand that before myn arryvall here, sixteen hundred of the Footmen, of the first appointed Nomber, were passed the Towne, and placed in Northumber land in dyvers Townes and Villags; where they remeyne and be victualled in the Countrey without spending any of her Majestie's Provision. And I thought it not conveniente, sins they were allredy placed, to revoke or drawe them back ageine, for avoyding of suche Bruits as might arrive thereof. Suche others, as have arrived sithens my commynge hither, I have staied and placed hereabouts, and have given to their Captens Order to see them trayned and taught to use their Weapons, so as they may be the more apt for Service. And for Money to preste them before hand, for their Provision and Paymente for their Victuall, because the Treasuror of Barwicke hath no Money in his Hands, but rather had skarsely suffyciente wherewith to paye the Guarrisons of Barwicke, for that whiche was dewe to him the 25th of July last, whiche he had paid unto them, before myne arrivall here; I have therefore according to here Majestie's Pleasure borowed of the Marchaunts of this Towne five hundred Pounds for that Purpose, to be repaid within thes ten Daies; and the same shalbe prested to thes newe Bands, as the Caase shall requyre; trusting that yow will so hast here Maiestie's Treasure, as my Credytt here be not enpaired. And where I am restrayned by myn Instructions to employe any Part of the Treasure, which Valentin Browne bringethe, uppon any of the said Guarrisons of Berwick, being nolesse then nine or ten thousand Pounds dewe to them presente, I must needs say unto you my poor Opynyon in that behalf, that, if the intended exployte in Scotland do take Place, the Service of the seid Garrison shalbe most meet and necessarie for that Purpose; for that they be well trayned, and for the most Part olde Souldiors, and, as I understand, so skillfull, specially for the Harquebuserie, and for the Pike also, as ther be no better; and if their Servyce shalbe used, as I am sure, if my Lord Gray may have his choice, he woll not leave them behind hym, then must they nedes have paymente, orelse, judge you with what good Will, or howe they cann serve, having no Money wherwith to provide them of suche Necessaries, as is requysytte, and to pay for their Victuals, where they shall have non uppon credytte; praying you to have sum Consideration hereof, and to advertise me of the Quene's Majestie's Pleasure herein, assown as ye may convenyentlye. Also I have conferred with Sir Ralph Sadlier, according to here Majestie's Pleasure, touchinge the Expulsion of the French in suche sorte, as is conteyned in here Majestie's Lettres. And uppon conference, it seameth to me, that som alteracion may followe of your former Purposes, by Reason the French have abandoned Edinborghe, and seame to make lytell Accompte of Leeghe, having lefte not past two or three Ensignes ther, and having nowe also (as we understand) lefte Sterlinge, and be entred into Fiffe, as you shall perceive by a Lettre of Sir James Croffts, sent to the said Sir Ralph sins his comynge hither; so that till yt may appere what the Frenche intende, it is harde to devise howe the Quene's Majestie may beste aide the Scotts. In the meane Season, if here Majestie's Navie were arryved (whereof hetherto we hier nothinge) the same being in the Friethe, might mynyster unto them greate aid and comforte, specially at this Tyme, bothe in the Impechement of the French Succors, whiche are to arrive; and also otherweis, if they be so furnysshed as they maye sett sum convenyent Nomber on Lande; for as it appeareth the Protestants do hooly depende uppon your Succour, whiche they thinke wold be the onely meane to cause all suche, as be newtrall, to take playne Parte with them. It will appear shortlie what the French intende to doo in the Fiffe. And as it is thought here, that, if they retorne to Leghe, the intended Exployt by Lande is the best aide that cann be mynystred unto the seid Protestants; so if the French be hable to plante themselfs on the other Side of the Frythe, and to abid ther, maugre the Power of their adverse Partie, we see not then, but the best and onely Waye to aide them must be by the Sea; which we referr to be better considered ther as apperteynethe. But howe the mynystringe of Aide unto them, in suche sorte as is devised in the Quene's Majestie's Lettres, cann be suffycyent, or so coloured as it shall not be constrewed and taken for a plaine Breche of Peaxe, and seame to be open hostylytye, (speciallye when here Majesties Shipps shall lye in the Friethe to annoye the French and impeche their landinge, thoughe it seame to be donn of themselfs) I doubt not but you well judge, and also discerne what the Sequele thereof is like to be; wherein nevertheles I shall ensewe (Godd willinge) here Highenes Pleasure, and do that apperteynethe to my Dewtie, to the uttermost of my Wytt and Power. Hetherto here is no Victuall, ne Munycion arryved; praying you to send me a Scedule of the Prises of suche Armour and Munytion, as is commyng hither; to Thintent I maye knowe howe the same shalbe sould to the Souldiers. Fynallye ye shall understand, by the seid Lettres of the seid Sir James, how la Marque is dystressed by certen Scottishmen, and carried to the Duke of Chastelleraut, whereof I take no grete Care.

POSTSCRIPT. Forasmuche as I do finde this Towne and Countrye hereabouts farr out of Order in Matters of Religion; and the Aultars standing still in the Churches, contrarye to the Quene's Majestie's Proceedings; it shall be well donn that you procure here Majesties Commyssion, to be addressed to the Deane of Duresme, and suche others, as shalbe thought meete ther, authorysing them to see thes Things reformed in suche forte, as shall annswer to the Advauncement of Godd's trewe Religion, and the Confirmation of the Quene's Majestie's goldly Zeale therunto. Also whereas Sir F. Leeke is appointed to serve here with a Band of four hundred Souldiors, whom I finde of greate good Will to doo Service, and do also judge hym to be a wise Man, and of good Experience of this Country, I could be well contented therfore to use hym, amongest others appoynted unto me, in the Quene's Majesties Affayres here, as the Caase shall requyre, if it may please here Highnes to Lisence me therunto; praying you to lett me understand here Majestie's Pleasure in this behalf. Although I thinke it be to troblesum to troble you with so long a Lettre of myn own Hande, yet for feare lest ye shuld loose your cunning in reading it, I thought good to wryte these fewe Lynes; declaring to you, the greate ease that I find by Sir R. Sadleir's Presence, aswell for his greate Experience and Counsaile in the Quene's Majesties Affairs, as for the perfecte and greate good Freendship I find in hym towards me Mr. John Fitzwilliams, whensoever he commeth, shall not be unwelcum: You knowe best when his comynge shalbe requysyte. Thus for haste once agein I bidd you most hartely fare well.

Tho. Norffolk.