PARSONAGE OF LINTON. YORK HOUSE. [Matthew Hutton, the writer of the subsequent letter, having been made Bishop of Durham in 1589, was elevated to the Archbishoprick of York in 1594. His house, called York House, near Charing Cross, had been in the occupation of the late Lord Keeper Puckering, and in 1596 Lord Ellesmere was desirous of becoming tenant to the Archbishop, as in fact he did not long afterwards. Dr. Hutton took the opportunity of recommending a son of his wife to the favour of the Lord Keeper.] To the right honorable my verie good Lorde, Sir Thomas Egerton, Knight, Lo. Keeper of the Great Seal of England. My honorable good Lord. This daie I received your Lo. letter of the last of May, whereby I perceive your Lo. good inclination towardes my Chaplaine, Walter Carrer, to be preferred to the parsonage of Linton when it shall happen to be void, for which I geve your Lo. verie harty thankes. I understand also that your Lo. is desirous to be my tenaunt in my house nere Charing Crosse, &c. The trueth is that I was certainly informed that your Lo. had no inclination that way, because the house standes nere the water, and is thought to be somewhat rheumatike, which is the cause that I have proceaded somewhat farr with some others in that matter. Notwithstanding, because I know that hir Matie hir self hath made espetiall choice of your Lo. to that honorable place, and for that I have had alwaies a verie constant opinion of your zeale in relligion and integritie in ministringe justice, I mean, God willing, to forbeare to deale farther with any, until your Lo. be further acquainted. If the bearer hereof, Richard Barnes, my wives eldest sonne, stand in nede of your Lo. lawfull favour, I pray your Lo. aforde it unto him. Thus beseaching God longe to blesse your Lo. with his manifold graces, that your Lo. may auns were the generall expectation conceived of you, I bid your Lo. moste hartely farewell. From York, the xiij of June, 1596. Your Lo. in Christe moste assured, Watts. Efor YORK HOUSE. RICHARD BARNES. [This communication, from the same to the same, also relates to the letting of York House to the Lord Keeper. He could not commence tenant until the expiration of the term of Lady Puckering, who had a right of occupancy until April 1597. Lord Ellesmere had taken Richard Barnes into his service.] To the right honorable my verie good Lord Sir Thomas My honorable good Lord. Since the writing of my last letter unto your Lp. I did see two letters written by Mr. Thomas Parmenter unto his mother in law, my wife, wherin he is moste earnest with her to solicit me to let a lease of my house nere Charing Crosse unto your Lo.; in which letters he doeth signifie, not onely how much he is bound unto your Lo. himself many waies, but also of your Lo. honorable inclination to receive Richard Barnes, her eldest sonne, into your service, for both which I geve your Lo. most harty thankes. Your Lo. shall finde Mr. Parmenter a verie honest, plaine gentleman, and Richard Barnes a yong gent. of a verie good nature, duetifull to please your Lo. pre As concerning my house, thus it standeth. My Ladie Puckering hathe a state in it for one yere after her husbands death, which is until Aprill next. But I doe not mean that any man shall vent your Lo. in your desire. Thus for this tyme beseaching God to blesse your Lo. with his manifold graces, I bid you moste hartely fare well. From Yorke, the xxth of June, 1596. Your Lo. in Christe moste assured, MATTH. EBOR. THE LETTING OF YORK HOUSE. [The Archbishop having resolved to take Lord Ellesmere for his tenant, wrote the letter of which the following is a copy (transmitted, no doubt, to the Lord Keeper for his satisfaction in the business,) to some person who had previously applied to Dr. Hutton on the subject. It has no address.] Salutem in Christo. I would have bene glad to have granted you my house nere Charing Crosse, accordinge to your desire by letters and the earnest motion by Marmaduke Wilson, but trueth is I have bene so earnestly sued unto by the right honorable my verie good Lord, the Lo. Keeper, and so pressed by others in his behalf, that I can let it to none but unto him. It hathe pleased hir Matie (and that verie worthely) to make him a publique person, to serve her Highnes and the Common Wealth in most honorable place, and therefore I am moved in conscience to have more care that he may be fitly placed for that service, then of my private gaine or commoditie. Thus beseaching God to blesse you with his manifold graces, I bid you right hartely farewell. From Yorke, the xxvij of June 1596. Yours in Christe verie assured, QUEEN ELIZABETH TO KING JAMES. [The subsequent copy of a letter from Elizabeth to James, is in the handwriting of Lord Ellesmere, but from the style it does not read as if it had been prepared by him for the Queen's signature. There is some error at the close of the third paragraph which it would not be difficult to set right, but the passage is here given exactly as it stands in the MS. As to its subject, the document speaks for itself, and about this date the affairs of the borders between England and Scotland were attracting much attention. We shall see hereafter (p. 229) that eight Commissioners (four on each side) were appointed to investigate and report upon the matter. It is clear therefore that Elizabeth did not adhere to her determination, expressed in the following letter, not to grant a Commission. The Commissioners met at Carlisle and prepared a very elaborate report, in which they suggested various modes of putting an end to the bloodshed and plunder on the Borders.] Indorsed by Lord Ellesmere," Junij 1596, Rena Sco. Regi." My deare brother. I am to seke with what argumentes my letters shoulde be fraught, synce such theames be gyven me as I am loathe to fynde and slowe to receyve; yet synce I must needes treate of and unwyllinglye receyve, I can not omitte to sett before you a [word not legible] example of a seduced Kynge by evill information. Was yt ever sene that a Prince, from his cradle preserved from the slaughter, helde upp in royalle dignitye, conserved from many treasons, maynteyned in all sorte of kyndnes, shoulde remunerate with so foule measure such deere desertes, with doubt to yelde a juste treatie uppon a lawfull frendes demande ? Ought yt to be put to a question whether a Kynge shoulde doe an other his lyke a right? or shoulde a consell be demanded theyre good pleasure what he hym selfe shoulde doe? Were yt in the nonage of the Prince yt might have some colour, but in a father age it seemeth strange, and I dare saye without example. I am sorye for the cause that constreynes this speche, speciallye in so apert a matter, whose note groweth farre, and ys of that nature that yt (I feare me) wyll more harme the wronger nor the wronged: for how litle regarde soever be helde of me, yet I shoulde greve too much to see you neglecte your selfe, whose honour ys touched in such degree as the Inglysh (whose regarde I doubt not but you have in some esteme for their good thoughtes of you) wyll measure your love by your dedes, not your wordes in your paper. Therfore for fine let this suffice you, that I am as evill treated by my named frende, as I coulde be by my knowne foe. Shall any castell or habitacle of myne be assayled by a night larcinie, and shall not my confederate sende the offender to his due punysher? Shall a frende stycke at that demaunde that he ought rather to prevent? The lawe of the kyngelye love woulde have sayed No; and not (for persuasion of such as never can nor wyll stede you, but dishonor you to kepe their owne rule) burye behynde you the due regarde of me, and in yt of your selfe; who, as long as you use this trade, wyll be thought nought of, your selfe ought, but with conventions what they wylle. For Commissyons I wyll never graunt for an acte that he can not denye they made; for whatso the cause be made, no cause shoulde have done yt. And when you with a better wayed judgement shall consider, I am sure my aunswere shall be more honourable and juste, which I expecte with moost spede, as well for you as for my selfe. For other doubtfull and litigious causes upon our bourders, I wyll be redye to permytte Commissyoners, yf I shall fynde it nedefull; but for this matter of so vyllaynous an usage, assure you, I wyll never be so answered as hearers shall nede. In this and many other matters I requyre your trust to my Imbr, who faythfullye wyll worde theym. So praying God for your saffe kepinge, Junij, 1596. Your lovinge Sister and Cosen, CAMD. SOC. 12. 2 G |