all speed, for the said effect accordingly. And thus we bid your good Lordship right heartily well to fare. From Baynard's Castle, the 27th of January, 1544. Your Lordship's assured loving friends, THOMAS WRIOTHESLEY, Cancel. JOHN GAGE. To our very good Lord the Earl of Shrewsbury, No. XXXVI. (Talbot Papers, Vol. A. fol. 253.) * POST Scripta. We send herewith a letter to be conveyed with diligence to the Warden of the Middle Marches, by the contents whereof your Lordship may perceive our proceedings with one Reed, an Alderman of London, who repairs down thither to serve in those parts; praying your Lordship, at his passing by you, northwards, to make him as strange countenance as the letter appoints him strange service, for a man of that sort, THOS. WRIOTHESLEY, Cancel. WILLIAM PAGET. * To a long letter, containing no other matter of importance, from the Council to the Earl of Shrewsbury. It is dated Jan. 27, 1544, and inclosed the curious epistle which follows it. Indorsed, "Copy of the Letter to SIR RALPH EURE." (Talbot Papers, Vol. A. fol. 255. 1544.) AFTER our right hearty commendations. Whereas the King's Highness, being burdened, as you know, with the inestimable charge of his wars, (which his Grace has prosperously followed the space almost of one whole year, and must perforce, for the necessary defence of the realm, therein continue it is not known how long) has, for the maintenance thereof, required lately a contribution by way of benevolence of his Highness's loving subjects; and begun the execution thereof, first, with us of his Grace's Council, whom his Majesty, according unto our most bounden duties, found in such conformity as we trust was to his Grace's content; and from us, proceeding unto the citizens of London, found them also, upon such declaration as was made unto them of the necessity of the thing, as honestly inclined, to the uttermost of their powers, as they saw the request to be grounded upon most reasonable causes; only one there was, named Richard Reed, an Alderman of London, the said city, who (nothwithstanding both such necessary persuasions and declarations as for the purpose at great length were shewed unto him; and the consent also, and the conformity thereunto, of all his company) stood alone in the refusal of the same; not only himself, upon a disobedient stomach, utterly denying to grow therein to the accomplishment of his duty in that part, but thereby also giving example, as much as in one man may lie, to breed a like difformity in a great many of the rest. And, forasmuch as for the defence of the realm, and himself, and for the continuance of his quiet life, he could not find in his heart to disburse a little quantity of his substance, his Majesty has thought it much reason to cause him to do some service for his country with his body, whereby he might somewhat be instructed of the difference between the sitting quietly in his house, and the travail and danger which others daily do sustain, whereby he hath been hitherto maintained in the same; and for this purpose his Grace has thought good to send him unto your school, as you shall perceive by such letters as he shall deliver unto you, there to serve as a soldier, and yet both he and his men at his own charge; requiring you, not only as you shall have occasion to send forth to any place for the doing of any enterprise upon the enemies, to cause him to ride forth to the same, and to do in all things as other soldiers are appointed to do, without respect, but also to bestow him in such a place in garrison as he may feel what pains other poor soldiers abide abroad in the King's service, and know the smart of his folly and sturdy disobedience. Finally, you must use him in all things after the sharp military discipline of the northern And thus, &c. wars. To our very good Lord the Earl of No. XXXVII. (Howard Papers. 1544.) LORD WHARTON TO THE EARL OF SHREWSBURY. PLEASED your honourable Lordship to be advertised that I have received your Lordship's letters of the 5th of this instant, signifying the King's Majesty's pleasure concerning the order of the tower of Langholme, which is that such number of footmen as are already there, and a convenient number also of horsemen (his Grace thinking that fifty will be sufficient), be entertained there; which number I have in readiness, with a convenient person to have the especial charge of the same, to be at the said tower upon Monday next, the 16th of this instant, and shall order the horsemen and footmen at your Lordship's commandment; trusting that they shall serve the King's Majesty as much to the annoyance of his Highness's enemies as any like number shall do upon the borders. Advertising also your Lordship that my Lord of Lennox, Thomas Bishop, and I, are practising for the sending up to the Court of the Lord Tulybardine, and shall proceed therein with as much expedition as we can conveniently; and in the mean time shall note as much matter as can be gathered to charge him with, and further after his departure I shall send the same unto your Lordship in post, as your Lordship has commanded. I have also declared unto my Lord of Lennox, and Thomas Bishop, the effect of your Lordship's let ters unto me in that point; that the King's Majesty has appointed to my Lord of Lennox four marks by the day, and to Thomas Bishop ten shillings by the day, for their debts during their abode in these parts, and since their arrival at Carlisle, which was the 17th day of December, at after noon. The said Earl taketh the same in most thankful part; and hath required me to solicit your Lordship to give thanks to the King's Majesty on his Lordship's behalf, for that and all other his Highness's most abundant and liberal goodness shewed unto him, as yet, as he said, undeserved. I have also, according to your Lordship's said letters, taken order for the discharge of the Earl of Cassilis's pledges, and returned my Lord President's men homewards who conveyed the pledges hither; and did also appoint for conveyance of the pledges a good part within Scotland, as they desired; and so they entered the same the 9th of February. Advertising your Lordship that there is a Scotchman whom the Laird Johnston chiefly trusts, whom I have used as a spy a long time, I have, with such policy as I could, practised with him that he, as of himself, should continue the division between the said Johnston and Robert Maxwell; and, likewise of himself, to move the Laird Johnston to seek at my hand for his relief and aid; which, hitherto, he has handled to that effect, and they both are at this present before the Council of Scotland, at Edinburgh, for their agreements, as was appointed, like as they have been sundry times. before this. Howbeit, before the Laird Johnston |