Tower of London, and he reports to Dudley the conduct of certain persons then in custody for being connected with the plot for marrying Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk, to Mary, Queen of Scots. The names in the letter are Powell, Bannister the Duke's counsellor at law, Barker, a secretary, Hyckford (Higford), Sir Henry Percy, Gudyere, Lowder, the Bishop of Rosse (John Lesley the champion of Mary, Queen of Scots), and Lord Lumley. All these names are mentioned in Camden's history of this affair (Camden's Elizabeth, pp. 162, 163, edit. 1675.) The sarcasm about "a Horse-keeper becoming Lord Steward of England," which Powell is here stated to have used, has generally been attributed to Mary, Queen of Scots. Dudley was Master of the Horse; a title which on his monument in the Beauchamp Chapel, Warwick, is rendered " Hippocomus.' وو In this letter, dated 8th May, 1572, Bannister is called "the late Dewk's man." The Duke of Norfolk was not actually beheaded until 2nd June following, but his title would have ceased on his attainder.] "Yn most humeble wyse and yt may please yow" honor to pdon my bowldnes yn troblyg yow Lordshyp wt thys my symple lett'. wh. ys to advetes yow yt Powell layte pencyoner ye ii day of thys istat moth or thereabouts sayd unto Bannystr ye layte Dewks man, 'How say yow, yow shall se shortly a horse kepper made Ld. steward of Ingland, and dyd speake ye same wt so lowd a voyce, yt those words were herdd of syche as stode wtowt ye Tower apon ye Wherff, and as thay say y1 herd yt myght easyly have been herd to yo furth' syde of Tems This ys to be proved by dyvers persons wh. herd ye sayd words / Hys Lybbertye is syche that he hayth dayllye used conferans of talk to all ye presoners that lyeth both about the upper and nether gardyngs. Powell's lodgig ys yn thed of ye gallarye betweyn ye sayd gardygs allso hys mother, hys wyff, and hys brother hayth comed to se him dyvers and many tymes to the Wherff nere to hys lodgyg, hayth spoken together and thay have used bowld and manyfest toknes and sygnes [signs] and sendyng of messayges to hym and from hym att there pllesewres by hys keypper Mr. Levetenad's servad, and as for Powells brother he hayth comed dyvers tymes bowldly yn to the Tower to ye getleman portter's howse. “Forther, y vi day of thys ystat moth ye sayd Bannester dyd say to Powell yt he was burdened to have resseved letters yn syffers [cyphers], but Bannester sayd yt he cofessed but one letter wh. my L. and Berker and Hyckford had cofessed 1 1 See Wilts Magazine, vol. xiv., p. 196. affore and he sayd Thus yt ys to have to doo wyth syche weake men / Allso Bannester sayd yt he was burdened to have ressay ved dyvers letters and bowks from beyond y see but that he cofessed none / Howbeyt he sayd he thoght that thay cowld not have dryven yt so ferr as thay have done. Thes words of Bannyster I dyd here and so dyd a gerdiner yt wrowght yn ye Qweynes gerden. 66 "Moreover, S. Herrye Persaye and Gudyere hayth had great coferans together both yn ye day tyms and ye nyghts / Allso my Ladye Persaye was one tyme secretlye browght to Sr. Herrye by Mr. Levetenad and so cotenewed one day wyth hyr husband and wythyn ij days after yt she toke hyr yorney ynto ye North. Allso gudyere's Keypper whose name ys Gowdge hayth rydne ynto Suffolk and Norffolk dyvers tyms yn great hayst and retorned agayn as he did now laytely and at hys last retorn home Mr. Leveteñad semed to dyschardge hym forth of hys servis, but yett he werrethe hys Lyveray and hayth dally recours yn to ye Tower and yesternyght layt yn ye evenyg ye sayd Gowdge presed to gett so nere as he could unto ye waytter syde agayst Gudyers lodgeyng there to have spokene wt. Gudyere and mayd dyvers synes to hym yn so mych as one of ye qweyns gunners whose name ys Geordge Fawkener challenged Gowdge for maykyng syche synes and toknes, but Gowdge asked Fawkener what he had to doo withall? Fawkener answered yt he had to doo therewith for yt he ys ye qweyns sworn servant and sayd, I tayke not yow to be ye qweyns frend yt mayks syche synes and toknes to hyr enemyse at so unlawfull a tyme, and another lesser man of Mr. Levetenads stode thereby ryddye to have done ye lyke as semed for he dyssyred Fawkener not to say any thyg of hym, syche a like man named Hoklay of layte Keypt th erll of Sowthampton ye wh Hoklay dyd come wthyn thes ij days forth of Suffolk and Northfolk but senst hys comyg home last Mr. Levetenad semes not to soffer hym to Keype ye sayd Erll. ye sayd earll and Mr. Hare may have conferanse wt Sr. Henry Persye and Gudyere everye day at ther plesewres. Allso Mr. Hares wyff and hys men hayth daylly recours to hym and rydes oftne yn to Suffolke and Northfolke and other playces and retorn to ther Mr. agayn at there plesewres. 66 Moreover Lowdder useth dayly to walk upon ye Leads above hys Lodgyg and ther he maykes synes and toknes to ye Buysshop of Rosse wh. bysshop useth dayly to walk yn Mr Levetenads gardidg and lykewyse mayks synes and toknes to Lawdder and thys have I and others dyvers tyms seyn "Allso ye iij day of thys ystat moth my Lo. Lumlay walked upon ye Leads above hys lodgyg opnely, sayd to a presoner yn ye nether gardyng, I wyll tell Mr. Levetenad, ye presoner answered, I care not one hallfpenye for Mr. Levetenad. "Thus for ye dyscherdge of my most bowndayn dewtye unto ye qweyns mayesty and to yowr honor I have presumed to troble your Lo. yn thys rude manner maykyg bowld to send for your L. Servad Robert Constable on Monday last and wylled hym to declare thes prowd and hanos words of Powell agayst yowr hono", besechyg God yt he and all other trators may have strayte Jvstes accordyg to ther Just dysserts, and for the more tryall of my dewty and gudwill to bryg to Lyght so mych as hayth lyne yn my power thes layte tresone even from ye begynnyg yt ys not unknowen to ye ryght honorable Sr. Francis Knowlls and Sr. Walt. Myldmay besechyg yowr L. to stad my gud L. yt I may susteyne no dysplesewre for thys doyg so I shall dayly as my accostomed man' ys pray for ye qweyns mayestyes pres'vatyon and for th ecrease fellyssetye and honor long to cotenewe. from ye tower of London thys eght day of may 1572, "Yow". honors most humeble "To ye Ryght honorable my vray sigler gud L. th erlle of Layster M' of the qweyns mayestyes horse one of noble ordd' of ye gertt'. assewred at yow'. comandmet and of hyr mayestys most honorable Cowsell dellyv' thes : wt speyd." "RYCHARD FARMAR." XX.-1572, June 12th. SIR THOMAS WROTHE, alias WRIOTHESLEY, GARTER KING AT ARMS, TO THE SAME, ABOUT THE COMMITTAL OF ONE RAWLINS, FOR UNLAWFULLY PLAYING AT THE GAME OF RIFFE. “Mine humble dutie done to yo'. Lordship; concerninge the comittinge of John Rawlins otherwise Yonge this is the truthe. / On sondaie was sennight he cam to me aboute ix of the clock or som thinge before to speake wth, me being in my bed, sicklie as I am still. I sent to him to sende me worde what the the matter was, he sent me that it was aboute a licence, to playe at games which yo'. lordship, and others of the Councell had graunted him / and that he desyred to speake wth me his self. So I sent for him to my bedds syde, and Loked uppon his License and fyndinge there a greate meanye of Lawfull games named, and in the ende and laste this worde Riffe was written; and after generall words to kepe playe at all other Lawfull and usuall games. I then asked him (Yonge I meane) what game this Riffe was, he sayd it was a game at Dise cast out of a dishe, and so forthe, a thinge I knewe well enough. Then I tolde him that that word putting in had hurt his Licence and made it suspitiouse: albeit I knew ther hands that were at it for I tolde him I thoughte he had begyled y'. Lordships in thrustinge in that worde Riffe, which is not onelie an unlawfull game, but also a disceytfull game: wherein he did somewhat stand with me in the defence of the game. Well, in the ende after Longe talk, I tolde him that I did honor all ye Lords of the Councell doing as became me, and wold further then as became me, and to them that had sett ther hands to his Licence I was so bounde, and especiallie to y'. Lordship, as, they might comande me bie message to do in anye thing what I might Lawfullie doo / And so sayd unto him that for all his Lawfull games, he shuld not onelie have mye furtherance for yo1 Lordshipps sakes, but I wolde also comaunde the highe constable and other offycers to assist and further him the best they colde, but for the Riffe because it was an unlawfull game and an evell example to the Queene's people and that I thought yo1 Ll. were scante previe to that worde and the meaninge of it, I told him that I colde in no wise suffer him to Kepe play at that game: he answered me flatlye that except he might have playe at that game he wolde Kepe playe at none, for all the games he said were losse to him, his gayne was onelie at that. I told him it was unlawfull, and therefore he must not playe at it. He urged me verrie moch. I tolde him then somewhat shortlier, but with good words that he shulde not Kepe playe at that game in Midd3. if I might knowe it, and said unto him that I was lothe to hurte him and therefore praied him to forbeare that game, for I assured him if he Kept plaie at that game in Midd3. I wolde comit him which I wolde be sorrie to doo. So he departed moch greved, saying that he thought I wolde deale better than I spake. So when he was gone I sent for the constables and willed them to attend upon Yonge and to assist him and further him in Kepinge plaie at all the games named in his Licence savinge the Riffe but that they shulde not in anye wise suffer him to Kepe plaie at that game. They did SOO. After dinner tyme Yonge went owt with his drom to call the players togither into the felde the Constables attended unto him and told him that they had commaundment not to suffer him to play at the Riffe which they wolde execute, so becawse he might not plaie at the Riffe he wolde plaie at nothing, and so passed that daye and the Sondaye following he went over the other syde Enfield Chase neere to Hadley but in Enfeld parishe, and there wth sounde of the drom he Kept his playe at the Riffe, that daye which when I herde of, I wrote to the highe Constable to bringe him and the players, with his partners unto me whiche they did the next daye: the players were gone because it was late before the constable had my letter: but having Yonge and one Thomas Carter a shomaker of London (who sayth he is Yonge's partner) before me, I sayd unto them that they had doble offended, being warned and forbidden, yet wold purposelie break the lawe to the offence and hurte of the Quene's people. My dutie therefore was to commit them which I wold doo....They intreated me: I said, I must doo the lawe. In the ende I said, if they had seuerties to answer the doinge I wold bayle them. Yonge said he had no seuerties: his partner the shomaker desyred that one of them might be taken to be bounde for an other: I was contented (for in deede I was lothe to comytt them) and so the recognizance was writinge [i.e., being written]: then Yonge after a longe pause sayd-He wold be bounde for no man, nor no man shulde be bounde for him: he had rather be comitted, I tolde him it was better to be bayled and used some perswasions but he wolde not, he wolde rather goo to prison, and so I committedd them bothe: Seure, mye Lorde, I thought it a dangerouse example chefely at this tyme of the yere, to suffer a sorte of lawles persons to caule bie sounde of Drom all the unthrifts in a countrie to gither to do unlawfullie. This is my whole doing in this matter and the causes of it. If I have offended my Lords of the Councell or yo'. Lordship in it, I am verrie sorrie for it. My devotion to her Matie and her Lawe, mye-thought bounde me to it. Your Lordship I trust dothe knowe not onelie howe lothe I am to offende yow but also howe glad I wolde be to honor or pleasure you, which opinion I humblye beseech you to continew: you shall never have cause to the contrarie of my part. And thus wisshing your Lordship Increase of God's good gifts in you I will humblie take mye leave. From my howse in Enfelde this 12th of Jun. 1572. "To ye righte honorable my Docketted: "xij Junii. 1572 Sr. Tho. Wrothe." "Your Lordships humblie to comaunde "THOMAS WROTHE" XXI.-1572, June 21. JOHN BULLINGHAM TO THE EARL OF LEICESTER, APPLYING FOR THE BENEFICE OF UPTON UPON SEvern, Co. WORC., IN EXCHANGE FOR BRINGTON, CO. HUNTINGDON. "My bounden deutie towards your honour in maner most humble premised. May it please the same to be advertised that aboute a yeere paste a certen gentleman of yo1 honours, named Mr. Drewell did me to understand that yo' honour's pleasure was, yf I were mynded to geve over at any tyme my benefice of Brington in the countie of Huntingdon (being valewed aboute £xxxvi in the Queen's Maties booke) that then I should signifie the same unto your honour. O wold to God I poore Bullingham were hable any thing to dooe that might be acceptable unto yo honour, Whiles lyefe lastethe I must remember howe courteouslie and carefullie yo'. honour obteined of the Queen's matie for mee, my prebend of Woorceter. my natieve countreye, wheare I am resident, and wheare my worldlie joye is to bee. I shall never forgett howe honourablie yowre honour did boethe speake for me to the queenes highnes, and write alsoe to my lorde of Canterburie in my behalfe, comaunding me at that tyme to repayre to yo1 honour, if I have anie suite to the Queene's Matie, who standeth my most gratious Ladie: the Kyng of heaven preserve her, and all her welwillers. Nowe I am redie and wylling to comitte to yowre honour's disposition my benefice of Brington, lying in countreye farr of from mee, for a meaner benefice being within seaven myles of Woorceter: the name of it is Upton upon Syverne. Boethe Brington and Upton are of the queene's Maties gyefte. God knoweth I seeke this chieflie for the quieting of my conscience for nerenes and partlie for the maintenance of my poor hospitalitie, whereunto whether I be geven, or not, I report mee to God and the countrye. I have byn at charges this yere in repayring the Chauncell and howse of Brington, and nowe all the fruites are to be receaved, wch, yowre good honour may dispose as to the same shall seeme good, soe that it maye lieke yo' honour to obteine the gyefte of Upton upon Syverne in the Countie of Woorceter at the Queenes Mates hands for mee poore Bullingham. The late incumbent's name was Dee alias Dye, who ys dead, as we are crediblie enformed here in the Countreye. I am unhable (my good Lord) to travell at this present: otherwise to ryede and runne had byn my part, quia mora trahit periculum: but soe soone as god shall hable mee I will wayete on your honour to dooe my deutie. The resignation of Brington I am redie to yeld upp imediatelie, the gyefte of Upton being obteined. Thus craving pardon most humblie of yo'. honour for my boldness, I beseche the lyving Lorde to be yowre honours defendour boethe here and hereafter. |