CP 138, 20b

From Waalt

CP Vol 138 f.20

HMC Vol 1 p 179 No 615

Haynes Page 240 Number 221

Transcribed by Samuel Haynes in “A Collection of State Papers . . . 1542 to 1570” London, 1740 14 Feb 1559 From my Lord his Grace and the Counsell here, to Mr. Secretarie

From the D. of Norfolk's Book of Entries.

YOUR Lettre of the 11th of this present, with others from my Lords, you, and others of the Counsaile, arrived here the 13th of the same, by the which and also by your other Lettres of the 8th, we do well perceive what Expectation you have ben in there, to hier of the French Procedings, their Retire out of Fiffe, and also of the State of the Quene's Majestie's Shipps: Trusting that, sowne after Bink's Depeche from you, ye received our Lettres of the 8th of this present, wherebye ye are sum what satisfied in that behalf. And as ye were in Expectation ther, so did we longe loke here to have had sum Advertisement from Barwicke; whiche, assowne as it cam, we depeched unto you. Your Determynation there, to have an Eye to the Marques Delbeuf his Preparations hitherwarde, is very good and necessarie; and so is also the Meanying, to renforce the Navie here. And whether we shall have the Shipps here of Newcastle and Hull meet for the Purposse, and in suche arredines, as is supposed, we doubt muche; both, for that ther is sum want of Maryners here, and also, because suche apte and exploit Souldiors, specially Harquebutties, as were meet for the same, cannot so well be hadd here, as in those Parts about London, unlesse we shuld disfurnyshe our Bands here appointed for the intended Journeye; in whiche Caase we shuld over much weaken and demynyshe our Nomber. Fynally, We pray you to take Order that the Posts may use more Diligence in conveyaunce of the Queen's Majesty's Lettres, wherein they be very negligent; the onely Remedy whereofis to give them their old ordiary Wages of two Shillings per Diem. For nowe having but Twelve-pence and ill paid, (whereof they much complayne specially the Posts dwelling in thes North Partes) they cannot be hable to keep Horses to serve the Torne; and therefore if that be notholpen, your Lettres woll passe with slowe spede. And nowe havinge presentlye received these Lettres from Randall alias Barnabye, which we send you herewith, we thought good to retorne this Bearer unto you with the same. And as you shall perceive that the Lords of Scotland have prevented our Daie of meating at Barwicke, so have we consented thereto for the more Expedytion of thes greate and waightie Affayres; looking nowe daylye for your Annswer, whereby we may be the better, and fully instructed howe to proceade, as we before wrote in our other Lettres.

Tho. Norffolk, W. Gray, R. Sadler, G. Howard, F. Leeke.