advantage of forfeitures of mortgages and bonds wherein himself and others for him stand deeply engaged), and that they may likewise repair to his counsel-at-law for these his affairs.-Yorke House, 2 Oct., 1599. Holograph. Endorsed :—“Lord Keeper." 13 pp. (74. 5.) HENRY, LORD COBHAM to SIR ROBERT CECIL. 1599, Oct. 2.-I send enclosed a letter I received this morning. from my lieutenant of Dover Castle, with the copy of a cocket given by those of Yarmouth. You see his reason why he has made this stay. I pray you let me have present direction from you what herein I shall do. My opinion is to suffer them to pass. With your favour, the officers of Yarmouth would be written unto to know by what authority they give these passports. There have passed by their cocket above 30 horse within this month, and all out of Scotland. I hope to see you to-night.From my house in the Blackfriars, 2 Oct., 1599. Holograph. p. (74. 7.) W. STALLENGE to SIR ROBERT CECIL. 1599, Oct. 3.-This last day I received your letters concerning Gaspar Dias, with whom there shall be order taken according to the Lord Admiral and your commandment. And this next day, God willing, I intend to deal with him in particular concerning the rest. This day here arrived a small bark which about the 16th day of the last month, near the islands of the Tersera, met with 17 sails of the Adelantado's fleet, all very great ships, the most part of them having spent their mainmasts. The captain of this bark reports also that he saw driving at the sea thereabouts divers trunks, chests and such like, whereby he supposes that divers of the said fleet have been last [? lost] at the seas. He says further, that at the Terseras and St. Michells there is a very great plague. From the Groyne, as yet, I hear no further news. -Plymouth, 3 Oct., 1599. Holograph. 1 p. (74. 6.) SIR THOMAS EGERTON to SIR ROBERT CECIL. 1599, Oct. 3.-In this mine unwonted charge I am as careful as I can to keep myself from error. The letters I have received from you I have answered with speed, and haste perhaps hath bred some unwilling oversights in me. If you find any such, I pray you excuse me, and admonish me of it. Her Majesty said unto me that when I had settled the Earl, her pleasure was I should attend upon her. Whether you know any such occasion as may move my stay, I desire to understand. I would be glad also to know what course to hold for the place in the Chancery. The term begins on Tuesday next. It is more than time that one be appointed for the service. I expect only her Majesty's good pleasure. The course I desire is the less gainful to me, but more for the credit of me in the place I hold, and therefore the more to my contentment, and for that respect I prefer it before gain; otherwise gain is as due to me as to him that went last before in the Rolls.-York House, 3 Oct., 1599. Holograph. Endorsed :—“Lord Keeper." 1 p. (74. 8.) DR. JO. BENET to SIR ROBERT CECIL. 1599, Oct. 3.-Expresses his acknowledgements for his appointment to the Council [of the North], but complains that proper precedence has not been given him, and that the name of Mr. Ferne, deputy secretary, has been put into the commission and instructions before his. He is advised that a suggestion has been made by Ferne to Cecil that not only those four of the learned Council (whereof Ferne is none), but such others also as are in ordinary and in fee, have usually had place of all councillors at large, except they were knights; which is utterly untrue. For divers esquires and doctors of law have been of this Council, not bound to contiuual attendance, yet never any of them gave place to the secretary; and at this present, D. Gibson, being but a councillor at large, is placed above Mr. Ferne and Mr. Beale too. Mr. Vuedale, Mr. Eynns, Mr. Blythe, Mr. Cheeke, Mr. Rookeby and Mr. Beale, all until this time [were placed] under all the rest of this Council, and now first of all, not only Mr. Beale but Mr. Ferne his deputy, is placed before the writer. Refers to the testimony on the matter of Mr. Hesketh, Attorney of the Wards, and Mr. Edward Stanhope, two of this Council, and prays Cecil to take information thereon and decide the matter. -York 3, Oct., 1599. Holograph. Endorsed :-" Dr. Bennett." 2 pp. (74. 9.) RICHARD KNYGHTLEY, GEORGE HARMOR, WILLIAM LANE and JOHN SPENCER to SIR ROBERT CECIL. 1599, Oct. 3.--Upon a letter from the Lord President in Mr. Young's behalf, they entertained Young for that time to be their muster master, and dealt with him liberally at his departure. They are desirous to satisfy Cecil, but pray that they may bestow the place upon some gentleman of their acquaintance dwelling amongst them, whom they will find less chargeable and more agreeable to their desires.-Northampton, 3 Oct., 1599. Signed as above. Endorsed:-"Commissioners for the Musters in NorthamptonAnswer to your Honour's letter in favour of Mr. Young." shire. 1 p. (74. 10.) SIR FRANCIS VERE to the EARL of NOTTINGHAM and 1599, Oct. 3.-Your commandment concerning Sir Henry Dockra shall be obeyed. Though he hath wronged me to my Lori of Essex. I had no purpose to call him to such an account, for I have no ambition to satisfy by private quarrels, especially with such an enemy, but shall reserve my sword so much as I may for better uses-London, 3 Oct., '99. Hˆraj'. 1 p. 74. 11.) NIE GEORGE CAREY to the LORD LIEUTENANT of IRELAND. 1599, Oct. 5.—On Tuesday last Sir William Warren returned from Tyrone to his own house. On Wednesday he came unto me, and delivered unto me the substance of his negociation. And then we both vent to my Lord Chancellor, and caused Sir William wet 1 −1 an ber his Land what he had done or could gather in this his late journey, the true copy whereof your Lordship shall receive end sei in our letter to your Lordship. But after I found no certainty to be gathered by him of Tyrone's resolution, but only that this cessation for six weeks (being near almost expired he would keep the same inviolable, and that he would give no farther direct answer until he had spoken with O'Donell, which seemed to me but a temporising answer, considering that I know that O'Donell had been with Tyrone not past four or five days before Sir William came unto him; and farther, by Sir William Warren's relation, that Tyrone proposed to come to the borders forthwith upon the delivery of his wife (which was daily expected and bring with him all his creatures and with greater forces than he had been accustomed, with some other circumstances that liked me not of the best; therefore, taking Sir Willam apart. I put him in mind of the favours your Lordship had done him in making him knight, by increasing his company of 25 horse, with the government of Caryfergus, and the special choice your Lordship had made of him in this business. These respects ought to bind him very deeply unto your Lordship. I toll him farther that the State in England (as himself knew very well held but a jealous conceit of him; and therefore bade him advise himself well of his own credit and your Lordship's honour; having up on full confidence that Tyrone would willingly desire her Majesty's gracious favour, your Lordship had purposely made a posting journey into England. thereby the better to effect that by your Lordship's presence which otherwise by letters would hardly be brought to pass: and himself well known to be inward with Tyrone, if he should now of the sudden break out again before he had made his petitions known to her Majesty, and her Highness's resolution thereon, the world would judge him very treacherous from the beginning, and himself to be suspected in the carriage of that matter. I found that those speeches did amaze and perplex him, being matters (as he said) that he dreamt not of before, and therefore would in shorter time than was formerly appointed betwixt Tyrone and him, ride to Tyrone again, and would so work that he would bring that direct answer which should, he hoped, content your Lordship. Our general letter was written to the dissent of some of us, and some question whether it were better to write particular to your Lordship or to the Lords. or to both. I desire a speedy despatch of your business, and I wish a short return for your Lordship hither. Sir Edward Wynkefyld being sick and in great want, he hath already at several times one hundred and ten pounds. Captain Sym Merick is this day buried.-Dublin, 5 October, 1599. Holograph. Endorsed: Sir George Carew." 1p. (74. 12.) HENRY, LORD COBHAM to SIR ROBERT CECIL. 1599, Oct. 5.-Recommends the petition presented by the bearer for the release of a poor Scottishman, a Capuchin which came out of France in company of an Englishman of the same order, who is prisoner in the Marshalsea and in extremity of sickness. -From my house in the Blackfriars, 5 Oct., 1599. Signed.p. (74. 13.) RY. AILWARDE, Sheriff, to the EARL of ESSEX. 1599, Oct. 6.-The wicked rebels here within this country of Waterford little respect the peace or cessation of war, I mean the bastard Thomas Fitz James of the Decies, who now hath many Connaught and Ulster men as bonaghts or cessed there in the barony of Decies, and also filching, robbing in the highway and stealing, and no less bad and wicked course holden by the bastard Thomas Poer, and the Lord Poer's brothers, named David and Maurice Poer, who keep rebels and notorious malefactors and nightly spoil me and other civil gentlemen here. I did write to your Honour to Dublin of the burning of towns, spoiling and ravishing of women, and to appoint some other garrison of English soldiers at Kilmanehym, for the Lord Poer and his brother David's men that lie in garrison at the Castle of Kylmanehym doth but spoil Waterford gentlemen of their cattle, and the said Lord Poer and David his brother keep there but apparent traitors and notorious malefactors, albeit, my good Lord, I had 11 towns burnt and spoiled by the Poer's rebels, and for nought else but for apprehending and executing of Thomas Poer and Thomas Fitz James his men. Yet will I follow truly and sincerely her Majesty's service, and disclose to your Honour, and such as be put in trust for her Majesty, the faults and defects of this my bailiwick, I mean in this county of Waterford. This honourable knight Sir Robert Mancefield, Admiral of her Highness's shipping, saved me and many gentlemen, and our tenants a good portion of cattle and some towns unburnt. These "petite" lords of Ireland seek by tyranny to suppress poor and good conditioned gentlemen of better ability than some of these Irish lords are, to get them Irish accustomed captaincy, viz., to have the gentlemen and good subjects to be attendant to them, and not to her Majesty, which divers good statutes and laws in this land utterly forbid. I as a poor sheriff of her Majesty, and being afflicted by rebels and their secret maintainers for cleaving so fast and earnest to her Majesty's service, do beseech you to have and procure great care f us, the true loyal subjects in this land, and specially of us the Corporation of Waterford, where this 400 and odd years, since King Henry the Second's time, my ancestor hath been placed with the gh of 40 plow land (as appears by the said King Henry'letters potents which I have to show at this time present), all the citizens continue loyal and faithful, saving backward in relidon. ani given some to maintain dangerous priests, and they to not to ehurch, none of that city, excepting Sir NIERIES WISHe and myself. Have care of us to appoint soldiers f her Majesty's at Kilmanehym. All these two days I stood here at Fassage to stop the passage of Ulster rebels that came hither into this eruntry 140 strong as bonaght to the Earl of Tyron, that they should not pass over into the county of Weixford, where I had the great and good assistance of Sir Robert Mansell, and by that means those rebels were driven to return back, and I sen i word to the noble Earl of Ormond who was near to Waterford and encountered them, and had the killing of 120 of those traitors, and this was done by that noble Earl this present evening. Thomas Fitz James would needs keep the like Ulster and Connaught rebels in the Decies as bonaght to Tirone, and I hope will come to the like end. Good my Lord, hasten over and have care of this kingdom, and ever consider and advise of the speediest way to eut off the traitors and their masters; and look to search out the secret priests out of cities and towns. The camping of the army have spoiled me and my tenants. Near Passage, the rebels of the Poers burnt and wasted 14 towns of mine, and all for serving her Majesty, yet in despite of all rebellious hearts I will cleave fast to her Majesty. I advised that a garrison should be appointed in time at Lismore and at Dongarvan, and none as yet is placed: that Thomas Fitz James of the Decies and the Lord Poer's brothers David and Maurice should be fast committed, or put upon sure and fast able sureties, and none is done. Many a poor true subject that pays her Majesty's cess and charge has paid, by the spoil of their cattle within this my bailiwick, for not performing that course I advised and your Honour (as I hear) directed.—6 Oct., 1599. Postscript.-Comfort me with a few lines and some help here to be at my command to serve her Highness, albeit it were but the pay of ten horses. Such haply as less deserve it may have it. Holograph. 3 pp. (74. 15.) W. STALLENGE to SIR ROBERT CECIL. 1599, Oct. 6.-I have had conference with Gaspar Diaz and find him very willing to accomplish your desire, protesting to deal faithfully therein; but whereas, by the Lord Admiral and your letters, Captain Oselie and I are commanded to send him with the Alferez and the rest of the Spanish prisoners, he desires rather to go by way of France, so that I intend to send him for Bayon in a bark of my own that is here ready, and will give order to my man to furnish him there with 30 crowns which he demands towards his charges. He has promised to go to |