the West Riding of Yorkshire, was founded by William de Percy in 1146 or 1147. The last abbot, William Trafford, was hanged at Lancaster for his opposition to the measures of the court. The site of Sallay was given to Sir Arthur Darcy, the writer of the following letter, who was the second son of Sir Thomas Darcy, created baron Darcy of Darcy, on the accession of Henry VIII. who had been involved also in the Pilgrimage of Grace, and delivered up Pontefract Castle to the rebels. Sir Arthur Darcy appears on the present occasion to have been sent to the North to aid in pacifying the country after the suppression of the rebellion.

LXXVII.

SIR ARTHUR DARCY TO CROMWELL.

[Cott. MS. Cleop. E. iv. p. 240.]

Yt schall lyke your honourabyll lordschypp to be advertyssyd, that I was with my lorde lewtenant att the suppressyon off Gervayes, whyche howes within the gatt ys coveryd wholly with leadd, and ther is oon off the ffayrest chyrches that I have sseen, ffayr medooze, and the ryver runnyng by ytt, and a grett demayne. The kynges hyenes is att greatt charge with hys sstoodes off mares, att Thornbery and other placys, whyche arr ffyne growndes, and I thynke thatt att Gervayes and in the grangyes incydent, with the hellp off ther grett large commones, the kynges hyenes by good oversseers scholld have ther the most best pasture thatt scholld be in Yngland, hard and sownd off kynd; ffor ssurly the breed off Gervayes ffor horses was the tryed breed in the northe, the stallones and marees well ssoortyd, I thynke in no reallme scholld be ffownd the lykes to them, ffor ther is large and hye growndes ffor the ssomer, and in wynter wooddes and low growndes to serve them. My lord, by my lord lewtenant I have restytucyon off a grett part off my goodes att Coverham. From Gervayes I went to Sallay, wher I inqueryd owtt a chalyce thatt was brybbed ffrome the kyng affor the ssuppress yon off the howes, and allso I have ffownd a booke off dettes belongyng to the howes, and ther is a barkhawes stoord with leddyr. I requyre yowr lordschypp to send to me your pleassure whatt I schall doo therin.

My good lord, I requyre yow to gett me lycenes ffor xiiij. dayes to cum upp to dysspache me off dettes thatt I ow. Off my ffaythe, I never brake so muche credence as I have lattly doon. I have dessyrd Mr. Jolymentt to remember yowr lordschypp ffor my cawssys. Off trewthe, my lord, I doo wast the kynges money here att Pomffrett; ffor off a trewthe the contreyes in the northe was never in a moore dredeffull and trew obbeysance.

My lord, I bessyche 30w be good lord to me: ytt is schewd to me thatt the kynges hyenes wolld ageyn survey my landes, and fferther Mr. chanssler dyd send to me thatt ytt was thoght thatt I had dysseyvyd the kyng. My lord, ye know thatt I myght have hadd seynt Lenardes, whiche is better by iije markes then my landes in the ffyrst survey. I dyd reffuze thatt; and on my ffaythe I never knew whatt Salley was, tyll ytt was grauntyd. M. Fermer and M. Montagew wolld have gyffyn syx c. markes yerly ffor Grenessnorton; and in consyderacyon theroff, and with my wyffe in maryage, the kynges hyenes gave me my landes wnssurveyd. Yff ytt be the kynges pleasure to have my rentalles, appon my lyff I schall not lye, butt bryng them my sellfe, and hys grace schall have all thynges att hys conssyence and pleasure, as knowythe God, who ever presserve 30w with myche honorr. The viij. day off Juyn.

30wrs humbly till comandment,

ARTHUR DARCY.

A great stumbling block with King Henry VIII. was the question of the marriage of the clergy. He appears to have been always strongly opposed to the marriage of priests (a sentiment in which his daughter Elizabeth also partook); but having at one time given some reason for thinking that he was not averse to such marriages, many of the clergy acted accordingly, and became thereby involved in considerable embarrassment. The date of the two following letters is somewhat doubtful, but they appear to belong to the present year. The vicar of Mendlesham in Suffolk, and John Foster, present instances of priests who ventured to contract marriages; and the precipitancy with which the latter put away his partner on learning his mistake, is extremely amusing.

LXXVIII.

THOMAS TYRELL TO CROMWELL.

[From MS. Cotton. Cleop. E. iv. fol. 124*.]

With moste humble recommendacions, plese it your grace, my lord, to be advertysed, that the vicar off Mendyllsham, my neybour, hath nowe at the feste off Penticoste laste passyd browght home hys woman and chyldern into hys vicarage, opynly declaryng how he is mared wnto her, and sche is hys lawfull wyff. Thys acte by hym done is in thys countre a monster, and many do growge at it. But for that he reportyth that the kynges grace doth know he is maryd, men do refrayne to do that theyre harttes wold serve theym to do; and as to our ordynary, he dare do no thyng. I moste lowly beseche your grace that I may know your plesure whatte is beste to be done for the reformacion off hys opyn cryme, whyche is abomynable in the jugement off the laye peopell; and hys ensample wnponnyched shall be occacion for other carnall evyll dysposed prestes to do in lyke maner, whyche God defend, and preserve your grace in helth, with long prosperus lyffe, the joye future trustyd apon not therby in any wyse minysched. Wrytyn the xijth day off June.

Your humble dayly bedysman,

powre THOMAS TYRELL.

LXXIX.

JOHN FOSTER TO CROMWELL.

[From MS. Cotton. Cleop. E. IV. fol. 116*.]

In my moste humblyst wyse, I beyng not so bold as to appere before youre lordschyp untyll your plesure is knowyn, feere

sett appartt, nede compellythe me to wrytt. Thys last Lentt I dyd no lesse then wrytt, and also to your presence I dyd approche, suyng for your lordschyppys gracyous servyce; but now my sute ys muche other, for my dysfortune hathe byn to have conceyvyd untruly Goddys worde, and not only with yntellectyon to have thought yt, but exteryally and really I have fulfyllyd the same. For I as then beyng a presste have accompleschyd maryage, nothyng pretendyng but as an obedyentt subyect; for yf the kyngys grace could have founde yt laufull that prestys mught have byn maryd, they wold have byn to the crowne dubbyll and dubbyll faythefull; furste yn love, secondly for fere that the byschoppe of Rome schuld sette yn hys powre unto ther desolacyon. But now by the noyse of the peopull I perseyve I have dunne amysce, which saythe that the kyngys erudyte yugement with all hys cowncell temperall and spyrytuall hathe stableschyd a contrary order, that all prestys schalbe separat by a day; with which order I have contentyd my selfe, and as sone as I herde yt to be tru I sentt the woman to her frendys iij. score mylys from me, and spedely and with all celeryte I have resortyd hether to desyre the kynges hyghtnes of hys favour and absolucyon for my amysce doyng, prayng and besechyng your lordschypps gracyous cumfort for the optaynyng of hys gracyous pardon, and I schalbe your bounden servauntt yn hartt and also yn contynuall servyce, yf yt schall please your gracyous lordschypp to accept yt, duryng my lyfe. Wryttyn the xviij. day of June.

Youre bounden for ever,

JOHN FOSTER.

The next letter relates to the monks of the Charter House in London, who continued still in the king's displeasure. One or two letters on the same subject have already been given in the earlier part of the present volume.

CAMD. Soc.

Y

LXXX.

BEDYLL TO CROMWELL.

[From MS. Cotton. Cleop. E. iv. fol. 217.]

My very good lord, after my moost hertie commendations, it shall pleace your lordship to understand that the monkes of the Charterhouse here at Londone, whiche were committed to Newgate for thaire traitorus behavor long tyme continued against the kinges grace, be almoost dispeched by thand of God, as it may appere to you by this byll inclosed, whereof, considering thaire behavor and the hole mater, I am not sory, but wold that al suche as love not the kinges hignes and his wordly honor were in like caas. My lord (as ye may) I desire you in the wey of charite, and none other wise, to be good lord to the priour of the said Charterhouse, whiche is as honest a man as ever was in that habite (or els I am muche deceyved), and is one whiche never offended the kinges grace by disobedience of his lawes, but hath labored very sore continually for the reformation of his brethern. And now at the last, at myn exhortation and instigation, constantly moved, and finally persuaded his brethern to surrender thaire house, landes, and goodes into the kinges handes, and to trust only to his mercy and grace. I beseche you, my lord, that the said priour may be so entreated by your help, that he be not sory and repent that he hath fered and folowed your sore wordes and my gentil exhortation made unto him to surrender his said house, and thinke that he might have kept the same, if your lordship and I had not led him to the said surrender. But suerly (I beleve) that I knowe the man so well, that howsoever he be order he wolbe contented without grudge; he is a man of suche charite as I have not seen the like. As towching the house of the Charterhouse, I pray Good, if it shal pleace the king to alter it, that it may be turned into a better use (seing it is in the face of our werls), (?) and muche