entendons, est en service de V. Exce, nous desirerons bien lavoir avesques conge de V. Exce pour nous assister a executer nos desseins, ainsi cognoisant le zele de V. Exce au bien publicq nous avons prins la hardiesse de faire ceste et prier a icelle nous favoriser de sa personne et lui donner conge de nous assister.— Middlebourg, 19 Jan., 1598.

Endorsed:-"19 Jan., 1597." 1 p. (174. 108.)

GEORGE, EARL OF CUMBERLAND to SIR ROBERT CECIL.

1597-8, Jan. 10.-In favour of the bearer Mr. Purfitt in his suit to the Council. He is master of one of the writer's ships which is now ready, and only stays for him.-10 Jan., 1597.

Signed.

1p. (48. 84.)

SIR ROBERT SYDNEY to the EARL OF ESSEX.

The

1597-8, Jan. 10.-"I rejoice very greatly that Her Majesty hath bestowed upon you the office of High Marshal of England, not that it is any so great addition unto your Lordship's estate as that now Her Majesty, having shown in some sort to respect your Lordship's deserts, she shall have your service again, which in these occasions she and the whole realm cannot be without. war causes also, I trust, shall prosper much the better, and among the rest this place here, which as yet seems to be neglected or forsaken, and, in few words, to participate with the fortune of the governor of it." Would be grieved that the town should suffer for his sake.-Flushing, 10 Jan., 1597.

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1 p. (48. 85.)

RIC. SALTONSTALL, Mayor of London, to the LORD CHAMBERLAIN.

1597-8, Jan. 10.-Understands that Mr. Wilfoord, Chamberlain of this city, is in the Queen's displeasure for neglecting to provide the French Ambassador with coaches for his conveyance to Whitehall, and suffering him to pay for the hire of them. "Which, for so much as it concerneth not only the Chamberlain but also myself, who received that charge and direction from your Lordship, in her Majesty's name, I have examined the matter, and finding the information made to her Highness to be very untrue, and that the Ambassador paid no such money for the hire of those coaches, the said Chamberlain discharging his duty as well in that as in other provisions for the said Ambassador, to his great contentment; I am an humble suitor to your good lordship to inform her Majesty of the truth hereof and to move her Highness that he may be discharged as well of the fault as of his imprisonment, being (as I hear) under commitment, whereas indeed he hath deserved thanks for his care and painstaking in performing that duty."-London, 10 Jan., 1598.

Signed. Endorsed:-10 Jan., 1597.

1 p. (48. 88.)

A bill for hire of coaches, each with a pair of horses, at 6s. 8d. each, viz., two or three upon each of the following days, 8, 11, and 19 Nov., 21, 30, and 31 Dec., 1597; total 41. 13s. 4d.

Note in another hand :- -" And over and above the hired coaches there were divers of the Aldermen's coaches that served the Ambassador."

(48. 87.)

RICH. CARMARDEN and R. WRYGHT to the LORD TREASURER and SIR JOHN FORTESCUE, Chancellor of the Exchequer.

1597-8, Jan. 10.-Since their Lordship's letters to the officers of the Custom House "inhibiting interlopers for making their entries in the port of London unless they gave bond to the Merchant Adventurers not to send their cloths into the places of their privileges," these commodities are now carried hence in carts on pretence of being shipped at Sandwich, Dover, Southampton, Ipswich, or other ports. To give colour to this a form of entry is made with the Surveyor of the Custom House, but the goods are carried, not to the ports entered, but to Gravesend, Mylten, and other places, or else new entries are made at the ports of shipment, altering the goods from cloth to baize or cotton, at less custom and subsidy. Besides this, strangers' goods are carried out in Englishmen's names, and other deceits are used to the diminishing of the Queen's customs. Desire their letter to the Lord Mayor of London to suffer no packs nor trusses of cloth to be carried over the Bridge, or out of any gate or suburb of the City, to be shipped at any port, unless packed and sealed by the common packer, and surveyed by the surveyor of the Custom House, the surveyor and packer to keep registers of such goods. -London, 10 Jan., 1597.

Signed.

Endorsed:-" Mr. Carmarthen; Mr. Wright, the packer.' 2 pp. (48. 89.)

GEORGE CARY to SIR ROBERT CECIL.

1597-8, Jan. 11.-The Council wrote to the Mayor of Dartmouth, Mr. Chr. Harris, the vice-admiral, and to myself, to sell the corn brought into Dartmouth in two small flyboats of Flushing and one of Emden; and afterwards wrote to them to release those of Flushing, which was done. Having no further order as to the flyboat of Emden, after waiting a fortnight, they of the flyboat obstinately refusing to oversee the sale of the said corn, and the country calling for it, they appointed two honest men to see to the measure, and sold it all above the market value. Since then the merchants have procured letters from the Council, dated 18 Dec., but only received here the 9th inst., permitting the proprietors to sell it either in Exeter, Dartmouth, or Plymouth at their best profit. It realised. 1,0337. 12s. 6d., but this does not content them. "The country is grieved much at the releasing of

the two small flyboats of Flushing; for I do assure your Honour this country will be in great distress before harvest for want of corn, except by God's goodness some be brought in from other places. These late services hath bared all the old store that was in the country."-Cockington, 11 Jan., 1597.

Signed.

2 pp. (48. 90.)

GEORGE GILPIN to the EARL OF ESSEX.

1597-8, Jan. 11.-All hath been and is yet so quiet in these parts since our camp broke up, and from the enemy's quarters cometh so little, as I have not had any matter worth the troubling. your Honour with, which hath been the only cause of my silence, and not the neglect or forgetfulness of that duty I owe unto your Lordship, in whose good opinion and favour my humble desire is to be continued. The deputies that are now coming over from the States General to her Majesty will acquaint your Lordship not only with their message, but particularise also at large the state of these provinces, and what they think best to be done the next summer to the offending of the enemy, making sure account of your Honour's favour and furtherance, which to requite I am certainly persuaded they will be ready upon any occasion to show all forwardness in that might be required, whensoever any other enterprise or service shall be taken in hand by your Lordship, although the seamen seem not so willing as in times past. Those sent into France are likewise ready, staying only for wind and weather, and purpose to labour what they can to break off the conference between the King and the Cardinal about the peace or "treague," whereof their hope is the greater if it shall like her Majesty to join and second them to the effecting thereof. They do now take order to supply and arm all their companies, and besides, purpose to levy 4 or 500 horse, to which end those provinces that are now freed by this last summer's service from contributing to the enemy's side are besought to contribute and furnish for the same, who yet are very backward, and so the success more doubtful. There is also a meaning to send unto the neutral princes and towns that border on these countries, and by the last summer's service are freed from those invasions and excursions they were subject unto during the time that the enemy was so near, to persuade and require them to join in keeping and hindering the enemy from passing any more the Rhine, and to the end to entertain certain number of horse and foot or to contribute thereunto, and let the Count Maurice levy such forces. And in case of refusal, then shall they be pressed thereunto, and a rate and collection made over their countries to keep some 5 or 6000 foot, and 5 or 600 horse in pay, though the Emperor and Empire will undoubtedly oppose thereagainst. All things else doth continue at one stay.-The Hague, 11 January, 1597. Signed.

2 pp. (174. 105.)

CYPRIAN GABRI to SIR ROBERT CECIL.

1597-8, Jan. 11.-In reply to Cecil's letter of the 8th inst., vindicates his dealings with Leeman in regard to a debt. Refers himself to the report of Mr. Judge Gawdey upon the matter.London, 11 Jan., 1597.

1 p. (174. 106.)

The STATES GENERAL to the EARL OF ESSEX.

1597-8, Jan. 1.-"Monsieur, comme il a pleu a sa Maté nous advertir et faire communiquer la negociation du Sr de Maysse, Ambassadeur du Roy de France, avec icelle touchant la conference passee d'entre la S de Villeroy, secretaire d'estat d'icelluy Sr Roy, et les ministres du Cardinal, assavoir Richardot, et que, des le commencement, ceste mattiere de proceder dudit seigneur Roy a este par nous trouvee tres dangeureuse, nous envoyons presentement vers sa Maté les Srs de D'Uvenvoorde, seigneur de Warmont Woude et admiral d'Hollande, de Vander Warch, docteur es loix, conseillier et pensionaire de la ville de Middelbourg, et de Hottinga, escuier, nos deputez, pour avec le Sr de Caron, notre agent, remonstrer a icelle sa Maté la presente constitution de notre estat et combien dangereuse avons trouvee lad. conference, et les grandes et necessaires occasions qu'avons lues d'envoyer en un mesme temps tant vers sa Maté que le Roy de France." Are sure the deputies will have Essex's assistance and have directed them to wait upon him and offer their congratulations upon his advancement to the state of Great Marshal of England. -La Haye, 21 Jan., 1598.

Endorsed:-Jan. 21, '97. 2 pp. (48. 106.)

THOMAS [BILSON], BISHOP OF WINCHESTER, to SIR ROBERT CECIL.

1597-8, Jan. 12.-Upon Cecil's letters dated 10th Aug., intimating the Queen's pleasure that he should continue Bishop Horne's pension to Captain Shute as his predecessors have done, he willingly conformed himself. Points out that Captain Shute, though he at first asked for payment quarterly, agreed to take it half yearly, which as the revenues of the bishopric are payable half yearly seems more reasonable. As to renewing Bishop Horne's patent, the Act of 1 Eliz. forbids it, and the parchment would therefore be worthless.-London, 12 Jan., 1597. Signed.

2 pp. (48. 91.)

LORD MOUNTJOY to SIR ROBERT CECIL.

1597-8, Jan. 13.-This bearer was brought from St. Malo in a boat that belonged to a servant of mine and belike directed by

him unto me to help him to speak with some of my lords of the Council, to discover somewhat he pretendeth to know that concerneth her Majesty's service.-January.

Holograph. Seal.

p. (58. 115.)

SIR EDWARD COKE, Attorney General, to SIR ROBERT CECIL.

1597-8, Jan. 13.-Concerning Mr. Harecourt's cause, I think that neither the testimony is sufficient (the same being by a felon after his apprehension), neither in respect of the time prescribed he can be convicted. Howbeit, for that the matter is great, if it would please you to give direction to my Lord Chief Justice to bail him in open court this next term, I think that were the fittest way.-13 Jan., 1597.

Holograph.

p. (174. 107.)

SIR JOHN CUTTS to SIR ROBERT CECIL.

1597-8, Jan. 14.-Begs to present the service of his son in this journey to so worthy an inheritor of the exceeding worthiness of his most honourable father.-Childerley, 14 Jan., 1597.

Signed.

Endorsed:-" That you would be pleased to have his son with you into France."

1 p. (48. 93.)

SIR ROBERT CROSSE to SIR ROBERT CECIL.

1597-8, Jan. 14.-Upon Cecil's letters of the 7th inst., to learn when the States' [deputies] would pass into France, sent the Moone to that coast, who next day met some Flemish war-ships and learnt that the Princess of Orange was gone to Deipe and that the States' were ready to go the next fair wind. On the 8th, at night, the French Ambassador took shipping, and landed at Deipe next forenoon. On the 10th sent the Moone to convoy Mr. Wroth and Mr. Lezure to Vlishing, and return with the first wind upon the States' departure. The same wind will carry them to France. "This time will be most convenient for your honour to pass over (if the wind come fair), because the nights are yet very light, whereby your passage will be less tedious."-From aboard her Majesty's ship the Vanguard, in the Downs, 14 Jan., 1597. Signed.

Signed on the back and docketed as Delivered aboard at 2 p.m. on Jan. 14th; Sandwich, past 4; Canterbury, past 7 (?) p.m.; Sittingbourne, at 11 p.m.; Rochester, past one at night; Dartford, at half-past four in the morning.

Seal.

1 p. (48. 94.)