CP 138, 22b

CP Vol 138 f.22

HMC Vol 1 p 186 No 625

Haynes Page 251 Number 231

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

26 February 1559 From my Lord's Grace and the Counsell here to the Privy Counsell

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

IT may like your good Lordships to understand, that your Lettres of the 20th of this present we received the 23d of the same. And for annswer to suche Points, as be annswerable therein, we have thought good to signyfie unto you: Fyrst, that touching the setting forthe to the Seas of suche Shipps, as be appointed at Newcastle and Hull, for the reenforcing of Mr. Winter, we doubt not but, or this Tyme, your Lordships have perceived by our Lettres of the 20th hereof, what Order we have taken therein with Bartram Anderson, and Geoff. Vaughan; and we shall not saile to follow the effectuall Execution of the same with all Diligence to us possible, according to your Lordships Order and Direction. And likewise we shall furthwith give warnyinge to the said Mr. Winter of the Marques D'elbeuf's hartie Preparations hither, and shall advise hym therfore to stand uppon his Guarde, and to lye in good awayte, with one Barke uppon the Coaste of Lowthian, and another uppon the Fiffe Side, as your Lordships have advised: We have also furnyshed hym with two hundred Harquebuttiers of the Garrison of this Towne; so as we thinke hym well strengthened to meete with any evell Evente. Secondarely, touching the Cariage and draught Horses, as we perceive that your Lords be sum what perplexed for lack of the same, for that you thinke they cannot be provided and sent hither in Tyme, to serve this torne, so yt may please you to thinke, we have not neglected our Office and Dewtie in that Part; for I the Duke of Norffolk more than a Moneth passed, sent my Lettres into sundry Shires, within the Lymits of my Commyssion, for the Provysyon of the seid Horses, and with muche adoo we have gotten som of the best that be in thes Partes; and yet we be informed that they be so weke and insuffycyente for the Service, that we doubte they woll deceive us: And therefore unlesse your Lordships do helpe us with that Nomber of two hundred and fifty out of those south Shiers, as you write, suerly, we shall have greate lacke, in that behalf; and we trust, that, if Diligence be used therein, they may be here within thes ten Daies, whiche woll be tyme enoughe to serve the torne. And as to the Nomber appointed to the Draught of the Cannon and dimy Cannon, and so in the rest, we used therin the Advise of the Offycers of the Ordynaunce here, whiche gave us that Dyrection; and likewise they told us, that they be not hable to furnyshe the seid Horses with Harnes and draught Geare, for that the old Store, here and at Newcastell, is so old and rotten that it woll not serve for the Purpos; whiche moved us to wayte for the same: And we be in Mynd still to carye our grete Peices of Ordynance by Sea, with other Munycons, if yt may be convenyentlye; but yet, when we shall Lande the same, we must have Horses to carry them from the Sea Side, to the Place where they must be occupied: And in that Caase, if we trust to the Carriage of Scotland, we may chaunce to be deceived; wherein neverthelesse, as we desier to provyde for the worste, so we woll seeke all the Help besids we cann gett at theyr Hands. Thirdlye, touching the Bands here of Horsemen, where your Lordships do hier it reported, that ther be one hundred Launcs more in Chardge, then was appoynted, and six hundred light Horsemen also presently in Wages: The trewth is, that as we doubt your Lordships do remember ther wer six hundred Launces and Pistoletts appoynted and levied out of sundry Shires and Counties of the Realme, which be all arrived; and besides the houndreth, appointed to be made by us, the Duke of Norffolk and the Lord Graye; whiche indeede we have furnyshed, not intending to make any gaine by them, but to employ them amongst the reste in this Service; trusting that no one hundreth of all the rest is better appointed: And the Occasion, whiche moved us further to make them, was, for that, by myn Instructions, is lymyted to this Service seven hundred Launces. And for the Light Horsmen, we have thought it here good to levye four hundred in Yorkshire, and two hundred here on the Marches, whereof ther is not yet past three hundred in Wages; and the seid four hundred we have devised to use with Curriars or Harquebushes; and therfore did the sooner levie the seid three hundred being in Wages, to Thintent they might have sum Tyme to use the Feate of the Curriar, and by exercise thereof becom the more perfect therein. The Cause why we thought good to levye the seid Nomber of Light Horsemen, is, for that we be yet in no Sewertie of the Marches, Tyvydale, and Lowthian, whether they woll be Freends, Ennemyes, or Newtrals. And therfore when the Lord Graye shalbe in Scotland, I the said Duke of Norffolk intende to lye at Barwick, and, besides suche Nomber as shall remeyne here of the Guarrison, to have a convenyent Power of Horsemen in Wages, besides the Power of the Countrey; we thinke we shall the better kepe our seid Neighbours in awe, if they woll shewe themselfs otherwise then as Freends or Newtrals. And the rather do we thinke yt meete to have a convenyent Power here on the Borders, when my Lord Gray shalbe in Scotland, because we understand, that the Frenche begynne to Fortyfye at Dumbarre; wherby we may conjecture, that the Dowagier meaneth upon som hope to recover to here Parte the Marshe and Lowthian, to remayne there for annoyaunce, if we do not prevent the same. And besids this, at all tymes heretofore, when any Army of Ingland hath invaded Scotland, there was ever a convenyent Power, bothe of Horsemen and Footmen, lest to guard the Frontiers; which hath moved us to levie the seid Light Horsemen; referring to your Lordships the further Consideration of the same. Fourthly, As we doubt not but your Lordships do understand from Valentine Browne the Charge of the last Moneth, so lykewise, as soon as the next Pay shalbe made for February, we woll advertise you of the Chardgs thereof, according to your Pleasure. Albeit the Warres be alweys so chardgeable, as woll exhaust moche Treasure, yet be your Lordships assured, that we have donn and woll do, as muche as lyeth in us, that the Quene's Majestie shalbe put to no further Chardges then of Force must be, having such Respect to the Sewertie of this Service, as in our Opynyons we shall thinke meet and convenyent. Ther be also certein Officers meete for this Journey, omytted and not appoynted by your Lordships, as a Marshall, and a Coronell of the Footmen; which I the seid Duke do intend to appointe, when the Armye shall enter into Scotland, with as little Chardge, as may be, to the Quene's Majesty. Fynally we have had sum Conference with the Lords of Scotland, and according to such Instructions as we received from the Quene's Majestie by here Highnes Lettres of the 15th hereof, we proceeded with them, and made it strange, that they could not expell the Frenche, being no greater Power then they are, out of Scotland; and that the hoole Nobylyte and others of the Realme do not concurr and joine togither in this their common Cause; wherby they might the more easely achieve their Purposse agenste the Frenche. They aunswered us thereunto right discreatly, as wise and grave Men, that seamed to lament their insuffycyency in that behalf: But what their Aunswer was; we doubt not but your Lordships cann easely consider, as, in effecte, it is touched in the Quene's Majesties seid Lettres, and also in others, whiche I the Duke of Norffolk have received from Mr. Secretarye: Assuringe your Lordships that, as yt appereth unto us, they are not hable of themselfs to expell the Frenche without the Quene's Majestie's Ayde, because, as they say, if they shuld gather any Power togither, that might be an overmatche to the Frenche in the Fild, they wold streight resorte to their holds, where the Scotts be not hable to deale with them. We have nowe proposed certein Questions unto them, to the whiche, this Day, we looke for their Aunswers. And as we shall growe to any Conclusyon with them, we shall in the next Depeche advertise your Lordships with spede. And so, &c.

Tho. Norfolk, W. Grey, R. Sadler, G. Howard, Ja. Croffts, F. Leeke.