CP 153, 41

From Waalt
Revision as of 22:42, 9 July 2012 by Hgood (talk | contribs)
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)

CP Volume 153 Folio 41

HMC Volume 1 Page 249 Number 782.

Haynes Page 357-359 Number 355

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

15 July 1560 Mr. Secretary Cecill to the Lords of the Counsell

From the Original.

MAY it please your good Lordships, I doo perceve that your Plesures is, upon Consyderations therto moving you, that the Queene's Majestie's Ships shall not enter into the Thames upon their retourne, but shall kepe their Course to Portesmouthe, where the rest of her Majestie's Ships presentlye remanethe. According to your direction in this behalfe, Mr. Wynter will not fayle but applye himself therto. In deede the former Determynation to have tourned into the Thames, arose upon Mr. Wynter's conference and myne, who, for certain Consyderations seeming to us, before your Pleasures now signified, more convenient, dyd therupon determyne, and yet now shall follow your Lordships Order. As for the dressing and grounding of the Ships, Mr. Wynter cannot as yet be persuaded but Gillingham is better; but my Opinion was, that (considering it will be the end of this Monethe or they shall com home, and so with August the Season of the Yeere will growe out for furder Sea Service; and that it is accorded by us here, that on bother Parts, bothe of England and France, the Preparations shuld cease, as by Lettres sent by Sir Peter Carow of the 19th hereof doth appeere, which accorde being observid, I saw no Occasion of Service, and so consequently I thought it meete to avoyde Charges,) that these Ships shulde com to their Wynter Place now, rather than to sayle to Portesmouth, and within twenty Dayes to retourne to Gillingham, as last Yere all the Ships dide; adding hereto also that, wherin I am presently not a little occupyed, the Deminution of her Majesty's Chargs with Consyderation of Suertye. Nevertheless I doo now change myne Opinion, and thinke surely that some furder greater Matter hathe moved your Lordships hereunto, and so now thinke your Lordships determination beste. And as for the Entrie of any the Queene's Majestie's Ships into any Haven of France, yt was so much consydered here, as there shall not one of them have any Frenche Person in them. And as to the Prymrose and Mynion, we wear forced with importunitye of Martigues and d'Oysell that eyther of them might sayle in them with sixty Persons only: And yet none of the same Vessels shall enter into any Frenche Haven. The Nombre of the Frenche be so many, and, except they may all departe at once, they wolde not embarke, that there is no small shifts made to provide Equipage for them. Yt is well knowen to your Lordships that ther nedith a greate Nomber of Merchand Ships, (wherof none will take at the moste above two hundred, and the most not above fourscore or one hundred Parsons besyde the Maryners) to transporte four thousand and odde Persons with their Armure and Baggage. This Daye the Toune was demanteled rounde aboute, and made saltable, with the Foundations of som Points of the Bullwarks undermyned. We truste to morrow to see som Parte lye flatte, and commit the reste to the Scotts. By this Night there will be a thousand French imbarked, and I trust the rest will be imbarked by to Morrow at Night. here is good Will of all Parts, the French to be gone, we to carry them, and the Scotts to cursse them hence, so as by Wednesdaye at Night we Men of Peace trust to lodge at Haddington. I am occasioned to entermeddle here with cassing of dyvers unnecessary Bands, and receave no more Thanks therfore than I looked for. I assure your Lordships there shall of eight thousand Footemen departe in the Morning three thousand, and yf the fyve be well ordered they will doo as muche service as the eight. Lyke Manner of the Horssmen, I have given Advise to leave but three hundred Lances, and two hundred light Horsmen, cassing five hundred awaye, wherby the Burden shall be lesse, and for any Thing that I see, the Lances may at theyr arrivall at Barwick departe also. For good Order there may remayne at Barwick four or five thousand Fotemen, but longer than one Monthe, I see not here any Reason: Therefore, yf your Lordships see any there, yt may be well to order it by your Lordships direction to my Lord of Norfolke. And so I humbly take my leave of your honotable good Lordships, with my Prayer for yourPreservation to the Mayntenance of her Majestie in Honor and long Peace. From Edenboroughe 15 of July 1560. Your Lordships humble at Commandment To the Right Honorable and my very good Lords, the Lords of the Queene's Maiestie's Pryvie-Counsayle.

W. Cecill.