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| [Oct.] | 566. Italian Merchants. |
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| "A declaration of the misdemeanours, practices, and abuses
which diverse merchants, Italians, do daily use, to the great
detriment of the Queen, by withdrawing her custom," by the
export and import of cloths and other merchandise. |
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| Orig. Pp. 4. |
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| Oct. | 567. Italian Merchants. |
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| List of "cloths, kerseys, and cottons shipped from this port
of London, and received in Antwerp in Brabant by the
merchants of Italy and other their factors and agents there,
within one year from October 1560, and ending at October
1561." Appended are certain details respecting the above
charges. |
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| Copy. Endd. Pp. 4. |
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| Oct. 2. | 568. The Queen to Throckmorton. |
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| 1. Has received by Sommer the instrument for the
ratification of the treaty with the Queen of Scots. She has
also seen the twelve medallions of the Emperors, whereof
she does not make such estimation as the price assigned. She
returns them, and wills him to thank Vergetius for the same,
telling him that she has caused certain closets and cabinets of
her father to be searched, wherein a great number of such
monuments in gold, silver, and copper have been found, and
amongst them very fair monuments of the said Emperors. |
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| 2. She wishes him to prosecute the suppression of Sacconaye's
lewd and slanderous book, and have the author of the preface
punished for slandering King Henry VIII. and her. |
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| 3. The French Ambassador here has presented her with a
letter from one John De Vallett, who is Master of the Hospital
of Jerusalem, by which he signifies their desire to send one
of their order to her to solicit her favour towards them. They
intend to send hither their hospitaller, as may appear by a
copy of the letter sent herewith. For answer, (although she
satisfied the French Ambassador, who is one of the order,) she
thinks meet that the hospitaller being about the Court, should
know her pleasure by the English Ambassador. He is to state
that she has received the letter from the master, but thinks it
not meet for sundry causes, that he should come hither; if he
will state his message, the Ambassador will procure an answer
thereto. For any favour to be shown towards certain of her
subjects, being of that order and remaining at Malta, he is to
say they have not deserved the same, in not recognizing her
as their Sovereign since the beginning of her reign. |
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| 4. She will be content that De Vomynye shall come hither,
she having heard such commendations for his playing on the
lute, and singing, without any other assurance of entertainment, but as she shall like of him. |
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| Draft in Cecil's hol. and endd. by his secretary: 2 Oct.
1561. Pp. 4. |
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| Oct. 2. | 569. Nicolas De Gallars to Throckmorton. |
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| Since last writing the plan of the conference has been
changed. Five persons have been appointed by the Queen
and agreed to by the clergy to confer with them; namely,
the Bishops of Valence and Sens and M. M. Salignac, D'Espence,
and Bouteillier. On their own side they have appointed
Martyr, Beza, De Gallars, Marlorat, and D'Espine. They have
met twice, and have agreed on the principal point of the
Lord's Supper, viz., the presence of Christ's Body to those
who communicate in faith. Does not think that the Bishops
will agree to anything that comes from them except through
force.—St. Germain-en-Laye, 2 Oct. 1561. Signed. |
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| Copy. Endd.: The copy of M. De Saul's letter to me.
Fr. Pp. 2. |
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| Oct. 3. | 570. Cecil to Windebank. |
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| 1. Thanks for "applying the profiting of Thomas Cecil in
learning." Returns his letter in French, corrected. Let him
use writing and translating in French. "In anywise, considering his youth, have great regard that he may return
with a chaste body." Duty and honesty do not permit
Windebank to keep Thomas's faults from Cecil. Hopes that
his cousin Dannett will soon revoke Throckmorton. Looks
daily for Candalle's coming home, who will bring Windebank's
accounts. Asks for some registers of books, from which he
may make choice to garnish his library.—St. James's, 3 Oct.
1561. Signed. |
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| 2. P. S.—Wishes to know where they lodge, and the distance
of the place from Paris. |
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| Orig. Hol. Add. Endd. by Windebank. Pp. 2. |
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| [Oct. 3.] | 571. Cecil to Windebank. |
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| Asks to be informed of the prices of certain books and
charts which are specified. Requests that Thomas Cecil will
write to him in French, specifying, "how and in what studies
or exercises he spendeth the whole day." Signed. |
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| Orig., in Cecil's hol. and add. by him. Endd.: Received
by Hawkins. Pp. 2. |
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| Oct. 3. | 572. Valentine Brown to Cecil. |
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| 1. Lord Grey's entertainment for the wardenry having by
means of Capel been paid both at the exchequer and by the
writer (which was the reason of his breaking with him for
the money that he promised), asks that order be taken with
Lord Grey for satisfaction of the Queen; otherwise, if the
writer should offer the stay of so much as is double received,
for his own indemnity, it will be a means that his Lordship
will still continue his displeasure against him, whereby the
service may be hindered. Nothing doubts the pacifying of the
soldiers, albeit their lack for pay is great, if he might have his
Lordship indifferent; as (were it not for money matters), he
trusts he would. If a letter of commandment were sent from
the Lords to the writer, that forasmuch as Lord Grey's fees
are payable in the exchequer, he should forbear to pay any of
his fees for the wardenry due since Midsummer, it would cause
Grey to think that there was no fault in him, but that he
only ensued such order as is prescribed to him. The pays are
great that are behind, yet may they the better be forborne as
long as the store of provision is able to give relief; which,
unless it be speedily renewed, will be utterly disfurnished.
Has in like manner written to the Lord Treasurer. |
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| 2. Has not received in money and stores above 8,000l.,
and there is owing by the soldiers and workmen 6,500l. and
odd, whereby it must appear that the remain cannot be much.
They have received on Michaelmas day letters from the Lords,
dated the 18th Sept. to certify the state of the works and the
pays thereof, which shall be done within two days.—Berwick,
3 Oct. 1561. Signed. |
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| Orig., with seal. Add. Endd. by Cecil's secretary. Pp. 3. |
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| Oct. 4. | 573. Mary, Queen of Scots, to Elizabeth. |
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| Encloses the complaint of certain inhabitants of Leith, that
Mr. Holstock and other Englishmen had wrongfully taken
their ships and goods, and detained them prisoners. She
desires that they, their ships and goods, may be set at liberty.
—Holyrood, 4 Oct., 19 Mariæ. Signed. |
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| Orig. Endd. by Cecil's secretary. Broadside. |
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| Oct. 4. | 574. Carvell and Colwiche to Lord Grey. |
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| Enclose a letter from Cecil to his Lordship and his deputies
of the Admiralty, whereby it seems that the Earl of Northumberland has stated that the writers use extremity to his
tenants, forcing guiltless men to pay for the spoil of the
Scots ship. They are sorry that he should make any such
information, as his tenants have been most favoured and
forborne, notwithstanding they have many times disobeyed
letters of Grey and the Deputy Wardens written to them
for appearance, and such as have paid anything confessed
their townships guilty. The residue of his tenants that
have not paid will not appear upon any commandment, and
are the cause that all the country people use disobedience.
They now forbear levying anything until his Lordship shall
have declared the truth to Cecil. They do not deal with
any particular tenants of the Earl, but suffer the officers of
his townships guilty to rate the inhabitants at their discretion, so if any guiltless man be rated they are not in fault.
They desire him to declare to Cecil how unworthily they are
reported with such as can both bite and whine.—Berwick,
4 Oct. 1561. Signed: John Carvell, Humfry Colwiche. |
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| Orig. Add. Endd. by Cecil's secretary. Pp. 3. |
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| Oct. 4. | 575. Works at Berwick. |
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| Provisions required for the fortifications at Berwick before
the next spring; consisting of spades, iron, steel, planks, necessaries for the carts, sieves, and three steel anvils of Flanders
for the smith's forge, for that those made in Sussex are not
good; amounting with expenses of freight and carriage to
153l. 6s. 8d. |
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| Orig. Endd. Pp. 4. |
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| Oct. 5. | 576. The Earl of Argyll to Cecil. |
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| Has lately written to him to be a means that Cormack
O'Conocher, gentleman of Ireland, might obtain the Queen's
pardon; whereunto he was not so much moved by his earnest
suit, as by the good opinion he had of his unfeigned repentance. Hopes to profit him not only in obtaining the said
pardon, but also to purchase such favours as a reasonable life
may be granted to him in his native country. Desires to know
the Queen's mind therein.—Edinburgh, 5 Oct. 1561. Signed. |
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| Orig., stained by damp. Add. Endd. by Cecil's secretary.
Pp. 2. |
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| Oct. 5. | 577. Rowland Johnson to Cecil. |
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| 1. Has received commandment from the Lord Treasurer
to advertise him of the state of Norham and Wark castles,
which he has done accordingly, having both written to him
and sent plats of the pieces. Sends several plats of these
houses and of the town of Berwick to Cecil. Wark is so
ruinous, being in most places fallen down, and having no
flankers, and the rest that yet stands more like to fall than
to continue, that there can be no account made of any force
either as it is, or as it may be; for besides the ruin, the very
site is subject to divers places within a quarter of a mile,
and there is no quarry anything worth near it. Norham is
unserviceable, unless it be for spear and shield of the sudden.
If the Queen would have it repaired there is stone enough,
but no lime. Has set forth how it may be made most
serviceable in his opinion. If were better for the Queen to
have it built anew 1,000 feet off; for a piece of ground 400
feet square and entrenched twenty feet broad and twelve
deep, but half flanked, would be of more force than both
Wark and Norham. For the help of Wark about a quarter
of a mile off there may be made force; but for the present
place, the ground will in no ways serve it. The better of
them both may be taken without shot of great ordnance, and
digged down with pickaxes. In accordance with the desire
of the Lords of the Council he sends certain estimates.
Humbly beseeches that in all like cases he may receive commandment in writing. |
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| 2. There cannot be any workmen well spared, except they
should convert to labourers such as be aged or least skilful
for needful service at the limekilns. All the workmen they
have are few enough for the advancement of the height
aforesaid. If he wishes these things to go speedily forward,
he desires to have commission for breaking the gate of
St. Nicholas' ward, for the furtherance of their carriages, and
plain instructions of all the proceedings here for his discharge.
—Berwick, 5 Oct. 1561. Signed. |
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| Orig. Add. Endd. by Cecil's secretary. Pp. 4. |
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| [Oct. 5.] | 578. State of Norham Castle. |
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| One half of the donjon is clean down to the vaults, the
other is sixty feet high with a platform that carries certain
small ordnance, as sakers and falcons. The hall has a flat roof,
whereon stand certain small pieces; the side next the Tweed
is in some places twenty-eight, in others thirty, and twentyfour feet high, and cannot be flanked. The smaller towers
are only fit for harquebusses; the gate has no flanker, but
a little hole for a harquebuss. Under some of the walls
there are arches, so that a man could dig through them in
half an hour. There is a stone quarry not past 1,000 feet
from the castle. Signed: Rowland Johnson. |
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| Orig. Endd. Pp. 3. |
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[Oct. 5.]
Hist. of Wark Castle, by Rev. P. Mearns, p. 50. (fn. 1) | 579. State of Wark Castle. |
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| 1. The wall round the donjon is twenty-four feet high and
six broad, and between it and the donjon is a platform about
twenty-four-feet broad that all the ordnance stands on. |
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| 2. The donjon is about the height of the platform, thirtyfour feet, with a flat roof of lead, which is in great decay. |
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| 3. The square wall towards the inside is twenty-three feet
high, and is in decay. |
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| 4. A new wall made by M. Pettie, the surveyor of Calais,
inside the old wall, where there is a little rampart between
the two walls of the south side, is in great decay. |
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| 5. The south side of the round wall to the gate is in some
places twenty feet high and in others twenty-two; and
cannot be flanked but with harquebusses at the gate to the
next point, 100 feet long. |
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| 6. From the gate to the next point towards the water
is twenty feet high, and at that point a little angle that
scant a man can make shift to stand in with his harquebus to flank towards the gate of the height of the
wall. |
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| 7. From the point all along the cliff by the water side is
for the most part made of earth and is in marvellous decay,
and fallen down almost to the point that turns up towards
the postern. |
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| 8. The wall from the point next the postern to the round
platform is twenty feet high and not flanked, but of the height
of the platform. |
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| 9. There is a wall dividing one court from the other, and
not flanked. |
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| 10. There is a long storehouse in good reparation, wherein
they brew and bake. Signed: Rowland Johnson. |
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| Orig. Endd. Pp. 3. |
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| [Oct. 5.] | 580. Fortifications of Berwick. |
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| "A brief declaration made to the Queen not only of the
present state of the new fortifications, but also of the state
of the old town in like manner, with my opinion of what
things are most requisite to be first put in hand for to bring
the same fortifications to some strength to avoid any danger
or attempt of the sudden." |
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| Endd. Pp. 5. |
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| [Oct. 5.] | 581. Fortifications of Berwick. |
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| "A note of the charges for finishing of the foss, or fore
part of the new fortifications there, as well the bullwarks
as the curtains of the same, with yerthe and hatherwork,
being measured after twenty feet in length, twenty feet in
breadth, and twenty feet high, the pole; all which earthwork to begin at the west bullwark towards Tweed, and
ending at the south bullwark called St. Nicolas' ward."
Estimated "polles of yerthe," 262; estimated cost, 3,119l.
19s. 6d. |
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| Orig. Endd.: Fleming, the master gunners' estimate.
Pp. 4. |
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| Oct. 5. | 582. Fortifications of Berwick. |
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| Gives the height of the walls in various parts, specifying
how much is not yet begun, and also a calculation of how
much hewn stone will be required to raise the walls to the
height of twenty feet; amounting to 71,238 feet. This
declaration is said to be "according to the plat." Signed:
Roland Johnson. |
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| Pp. 4. |
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| Oct. 5. | 583. Nicolas Des Gallars to Throckmorton. |
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| Was unable to send him a copy of the accord yesterday,
being obliged to go immediately to the Prince. They agreed
about the first writing with scarcely any difficulty with the
deputies, who merely required to communicate it to the
Bishops. Not being able to obtain their consent, they endeavoured on the morrow to put it in such ambiguous terms as
to imply a belief in the actual presence of the Body of Christ
in the Supper, declaring that it was to induce the Bishops to
some accord. The reformers on their part said that they
could not come to a resolution without communicating with
their party. Plainly perceive that they merely want to break
with them. They complain that the collocutors of the reformers have exceeded their charge.—St. Germain-en-Laye,
5 Oct. 1561. Signed. |
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| Copy. Endd.: The copy of M. De Saul's letter to me.
Fr. Pp. 2. |
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