all be in trouble, at the Queen Dowager's of Scotland commandment.

Your Lordship's at commandment,

THOMAS WHARTON.

To the right honourable my singular good Lord the Earl of Shrewsbury, Lord President of the King and Queen's Majesties' honourable Council in the North. Haste post, haste post, haste with diligence.

No. XIII.

(Talbot Papers, Vol. C. fol. 139.)

SIR WILLIAM PETRE

TO THE EARL OF SHREWSBURY.

AFTER my humble commendations unto your good Lordship. This bearer, your servant, bringing unto you the Queen's Majesty's letters for your licence to be absent from the Parliament, I thought good also by these few lines to signify unto your Lordship that her Majesty is very sorry for this your sickness, and trusts that, giving yourself well to the recovery of your health, you shall, by God's grace, shortly grow strong again. In your proxy her Majesty prays you to name the Lord Montague, and Bishop of Ely, jointly and severally.*

For the matter you wrote me, to have one of the Council there in Mr. Chaloner's place; my Lords have not yet resolved, nor moved the Queen's Majesty; and therefore nothing could be

* We have here a curious anecdote for parliamentary history. It may be fairly inferred from the manner in which this request is here made, and the terms in which the Earl mentions it in the next letter, that it was not an uncommon one in those days.

do

pointly answered therein. If in anything I may your Lordship service, you may always command me. From Greenwich, this 25th of Sept. 1555. Your good Lordship's to command, WILLIAM PETRE.

To the right honourable and my very good Lord the Earl of Shrewsbury, Lord President of the Council in the North, and of the King and Queen's Majesties' Privy Council.

No. XIV.

(Talbot Papers, Vol. C. fol. 157.)

THE EARL OF SHREWSBURY

ΤΟ

My very good Lord,

AFTER my most hearty commendations to your good Lordship. Where it hath pleased the Queen's Majesty, of her accustomed goodness, and in consideration of my sickness wherewith I have been lately evil vexed, and my continuing imbecility by the reason thereof, to license me by her gracious letters to be absent from this Parliament for this winter season; and, likewise, by the same, has commanded me to assign my proxy to some such noblemen of honour there as in this mine absence might condescend mine agreement, and give my voice to such things as in the said Parliament shall be treated and agreed upon; these shall be to signify unto your good Lordship that I have so done accordingly, and sent the same by my son, this bearer; to whom I heartily beseech your Lordship to be good Lord, and, likewise,

that it will please you to give credit to the same. And thus I beseech Almighty God to send you, my very good Lord, as good and short recovery of your health as I would have myself. From Sheffield, the 13th day of October, 1555.

No. XV.

(Talbot Papers, Vol. C. fol. 175.)

JOHN CRYCHE

TO THE EARL OF SHREWSBURY.

PLEASE it your good Lordship to be advertised that I have received your Lordship's letters by John Skafe; being very desirous to know your further pleasure in all such matters as I have ascertained your Lordship of in my letters, so that I might make the better expedition in all things accordingly. I have spoken with Mr. Gunter for eight pieces of green seyes, which he cannot yet well come by, but he has sent unto Norwich, thinking to be sped there very shortly. He willed me to know your Lordship's pleasure (for that it will be hard to get eight pieces fit for the purpose) if that your Lordship would have any other kind of hangings to furnish forth the lack of the seyes. I have received £26 for the fee of Chamberlainship, and trust shortly to receive the other two fees, which amount to £109. 13s. 3d.; for Mr. Fawnshaw has promised me that he will make such provision as is possible to be made for the obtaining of the same, by one mean or other. Mr. Honnings has been with me, and is very desirous to hear from

your Lordship. Also the sadler is very earnest to have money for the horse-litter; howbeit I have the payment thereof until I know further of your Lordship's pleasure.

I can at this time ascertain your Lordship of no news, but that Mr. Ridley and Mr. Latimer are burnt at Oxford,* who died in like manner as others heretofore have done. Thus, beseeching your Lordship to pardon my hasty writing for lack of time, I pray God to keep your good Lordship in long health, and honour. From London, the last day of October, 1555.

Your Lordship's humble and obedient servant, JOHN CRYCHE.

MOST humbly beseeching your Lordship's blessing may it please your Lordship that the cause of my writing at this time is for that it should not seem for nor like of duty more than

the advertisement to your Lordship. This day, being All-Souls' day, there is a subsidy granted in the Lower House to the Queen's Majesty, and the saying is it is from £5 upwards, 4s. in the pound, to be levied in two years; and where the Common House would have granted her since

* On the 16th.

two fifteens, she has of her liberality refused it, and says she will not take any more of them at this time. And for my suit which it pleased your Lordship to make to the Queen's Majesty, as yet I have no answer, but so soon as I know I shall send your Lordship immediately word. And to ascertain your Lordship what bills are past in the Lords' House; as yet there are none past, but I think there will a bill pass on Tuesday, touching the enclosure of the frontiers foranenst Scotland ; and, as yet, there are no more bills put to engrossing. Other bills, there have been ready; one touching the Duchess of Suffolk,* and others who have gone beyond the seas without license; that if they come not home by a day appointed, the Queen's Majesty shall have the benefit of their livings during their abode forth of the realm. I could advertise your Lordship of three or four more bills, but I omit the declaration till I see how they go forward; and as occurrences come to my knowledge, I shall not fail, according to my duty, to certify your Lordship accordingly. And of your Lordship,

thus

this 3rd of November

your

To the right honourable and my very good Lord and father the Earl of Shrewsbury, give this.

G. TALBOT.

* Frances, widow of Henry Grey Duke of Suffolk, after whose execution she withdrew herself out of the realm. Her name was particularly inserted in this act, perhaps in order to disguise its peculiar tendency, which was to prevent the daily emigrations of the Protestants.