1598. ANNO to be supported with any number of English soldiers, that it may be leeful for them to wage any convenient number of English, without charge of breach of covenant contained in our peace with Spain. [This second condition hath cross set on the side.] Number CCXLVII. The lord treasurer, lord Burghley, slandered by one Johnson, the queen's farmour of Claxby; whereof one Savyl was the bailiff, and Dobby and Goodwin two of the tenants, June 1598, that is, about a month or two before his death. The examination of this slander. THIS farmour and his bailiff raised a slander of the said lord treasurer of which, coming to his ears, he caused examination to be had about it; which was as followeth : 66 66 : Brian Cottingham was sworn. The evidence was, that there being talk with Savyl about Mr. Johnson's affairs, he urged him to know of him for whom the kine were bought; he answered, for one of my lord treasurer's gentlemen. Whereupon Savyl said, “Let me entreat you to say, they "were bought to give to my lord treasurer for a bribe, for "that he had been so good a lord unto them; and I will promise you the best pair of hose that ever came on your legs and if you can do so much for me and my master as to procure one Beck to say the like, I will give you "three shillings more. And if you get a wife, my master "will bestow an house on you, and you shall win his favour "for ever. For the truth is, my master can have neither "law nor justice at my lord treasurer's hands. And said, he hoped my lord would die before the next term, and then "they may go shake their ears like villains." And this deponent denying to do any such thing, he desired him to hold his peace, or else his master and he were undone. 66 William Long sworn, That Savyl, Mr. Johnson's bailiff, told him, that his master said, that Dobby and Goodwin did buy ten kine and a bull, to give my lord treasurer for 1598. a bribe, and that his master said he was like to lose 500l. ANNO and two hundred acres of ground; for that they made such means to my lord treasurer, as that he could not have law 333 nor justice at my lord's hands. And that if he would go to London, and swear, as James Wilson promised him to do, that the same kine were bought for my lord, whereby my lord's displeasure might be had against them, he should have a farm of his master's: otherwise his master was like to lose a deal of his best ground. But he denying to meddle in the cause, he entreated him not to betray it. Harrison sworn, That whereas, as one of Mr. Johnson's men depose, that this deponent said, that Dobby and Goodwin told him, that they bought ten kine to give to my lord treasurer for a bribe, he utterly upon his oath denieth the same. That Mr. Johnson, at Candlemas last, sent to him, and desired him to tell him, if he could, for whom the kine were bought he answered, he heard they bought them to send to Theobald's, [the lord treasurer's house,] to Mr. Stileman. To which Mr. Johnson replied, I can have no law; but I hope, said he, ere long to bring the copyholders about: but if that which is done were to do again, I would never do it. I would rather lie in prison. Another sworn, That Dobby would have bought kine of him, which he proposed, as he said, to send to Mr. Stileman. And was afterwards urged by Savyl to tell him for whom the kine were bought: the said Savyl saying, We hear they are bought for my lord; but would we could prove it. For the truth is, my master saith, he can have no law. The lord treasurer to sir Will. Periam, chief baron: committing this matter to him. After my very hearty commendations to your lordship, I have received from Mr. Irby the examination of certain tenants of Claxby, touching a false report made of me: by which examination it seemeth the poor man Dobby hath cleared himself; and that Johnson hath been the deviser of the slander. And for that Mr. Irby is able to inform your lordship of the particularities thereof, I desire you to hear нһ VOL. IV. ANNO him. And if upon due proof it shall appear that Johnson 1598. hath made this lewd report of me, or procured the same to be made by any others, that your lordship would let me understand the truth thereof, that he may be punished, as he well deserveth. The breviat of the examinations I send herein enclosed, and refer the rest to Mr. Irby's report. From my house in Westminster, the 27th of June, 1598. Your very loving friend, W. Burghley. The lord baron's answer, having perused the depositions at large of the persons mentioned in this abstract or breviat: "I find them to agree with the breef: and as it seemeth "unto me, there is some fault in Mr. Johnson, but much "more in Will. Savyl, his servant and bailiff: who hath "behaved himself very lewdly herein. "Wy. Periam.” This Johnson a little before was laid in the Fleet for some crime, perhaps relating to his farm of Claxby, held of the queen. 334 From his Life, MS. at Burleighhouse. Number CCXLVIII. The lord Burghley, lord high treasurer of England, was born the 13th of September, 1521, and died the 4th of August, 1598: and was interred at Stamford, under a fair monument. The pious preface to his will, bearing date October 20, 1579, and revised afterwards, April 7, 1580, and June 1, 1580, and February 22, 1582, was as follows. CONSIDERING by the goodness of Almighty God, I have been created a reasonable creature, and thereby ordained to serve him, and born of Christian parents, and christened in the name of the Father, of the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and consequently, brought up and instructed, in my young years, in the knowledge of the gospel of our 1598. Saviour Jesus Christ; which was more clearly revealed in ANNO the times of my young years than it had been many years before; being thereby taught, that there was no other means for the salvation of my soul but by the death and resurrection of Christ the Son of God, wherein I do put my whole confidence and trust, and do desire the assistance of his holy Spirit to have grace to be thankful for the same, and to have a desire to obey his will and commandment, as far forth as the infirmity of my flesh will suffer, in living religiously and virtuously; whereunto adding the inevitable certainty of the death of my body, though I am uncertain of the time; and yet by the increase of time, and infirmities of my body, necessarily induced to look shortly by order of nature for my worldly end; and that whatsoever worldly goods God hath given, or rather lent unto me, I do certainly know that by death I must leave them all to the world; and that whatsoever godly and spiritual graces and gifts hath been by God's special grace bestowed upon me, I hope certainly by God's goodness and mercy, though my body shall be committed to earth, yet to enjoy the fruits thereof in heaven, after this mortal life, if I shall use and dispose them in this life to God's glory; acknowledging them to have proceeded of his mere goodness, and that more plenteously than to many others. Upon all these, and many other like considerations, I being at this present time occupied with the cogitations of my mortality, and yet of whole mind and memory, (for which I humbly thank Almighty God,) do determine, as many times heretofore I have done, to declare my last will and testament in writing, concerning the disposition of my lands and goods, which are worldly; what my mind is therein, and to whom I will and desire that the same shall remain after my decease, in such sort as by the laws of the realm I may, and as I hope shall not offend God, the giver of them all to me: considering, as it is in the Psalm, Cœlum cœli Domino, terram dedit filiis hominum. And therefore first, this 20th day of October, in the year of our Lord 1579, 1598. ANNO and of queen Elizabeth the 22d, I do revoke all my former wills in writing, which are many, and do mean that none shall, from this time forward, be of any force, but this now written, and that which shall from time to time be added hereunto. 335 Number CCXLIX. August the 3d, 1598. Oratio expirantis Domini. So is the title of the prayer, made by Mr. Thompson, the lord treasurer's chaplain, the night before he died. O GOD of heaven, father of spirits, thou founder and restorer of mortality and immortality, open thine ears at this time to our humble requests, and favour the deep sighs and last prayers of us sinful men, for this thy true and faithful servant, our honourable lord and master, so deeply strucken, and so grievously wounded with the arrows of sickness, and the terror of death, that the venom thereof hath drunk up his spirits, and so utterly consumed him, that he refuseth all hope but in thy protection, and will not have any rest but under the shadow of thy wings. Look down, O Lord, from heaven upon him, with the eye of thy pity and compassion in this his last extremity. Let the saving beams of thy mercy shine upon him in this day of his redemption. Assuage the fury of his sickness with the joyful remembrance and present hope of a better life at hand: support his weakness with thy right hand, and assist him now and evermore with thy blessed Spirit, which is his only comfort in the hour of death. And because the day of his death is the day of his judgment, and the hour of his dissolution the entrance into another estate, grant him, O Lord, grant him a joyful passage from death to life. Forgive him, O Father of mercies, forgive him all that is amiss. Wash away his sins in the blood of the unspotted lamb, Christ Jesus, his redeemer. Let his obedience take away the guilt of his sin. O! let the day |