when convenience shall serve, yet, considering how rawly things stand at this present upon those borders, her Majesty thinketh not convenient the said Lord Grey do yet remove thence; and, nevertheless, upon your coming hither her Highness will be pleased, when she shall understand the state of all things there, to license him to repair hither as soon as her Majesty shall perceive the same may be with the surety of her service.

No. XV.

(Talbot Papers, Vol. E. fol. 109.)

FRANCIS ALEN

TO THE EARL OF SHREWSBURY.

Right honourable, and my singular good Lord, I ACCOUNT myself so much bounden unto your good Lordship as methinks I cannot without breach of my duty towards you hide any thing from you that may either hinder or avail your good Lordship, of whose wisdom, nevertheless, it becomes me not to doubt, for the using of your knowledge thereafter of any such thing without communicating the same to others.

There is like to be a calling down of the base money,* I understand, very shortly; and the Queen's Majesty has sworn that the day and time

The silver coin, which had been shamefully adulterated by Hen. VIII., was called in soon after this time, and recoined. Alen's apprehensions of private loss proved groundless, for the Queen was the only sufferer, as she purchased the money at its nominal value.

shall be kept secret to herself, and that few besides shall know; so as the very time, whensoever it chances, will be so short and sudden, that men are like to have small warning of the matter. I doubt not but your Lordship will foresee and provide, for one; and if my signifying hereof may anywise please your Lordship, whom I have always found so much my good Lord, I shall be very glad to have so well bestowed these few lines, and shall most humbly beseech your Lordship to take my good meaning towards your Lordship in very good part.

The Queen's Highness upon Friday last came to Windsor; and, being every hour in a continual expectation of the King of Sweden's coming, is looked for to be shortly here at Westminster; and so much the sooner as the works now there in hand may be finished and brought to any perfection; where they work both night and day. It is reported that against Allhallowtide her Majesty will call a Parliament, and that her Highness said she would do so when she was at Winchester. She liked so well my Lord Treasurer's house, and his great cheer at Basing, that she openly and merrily bemoaned him to be so old, "for else, by my troth," said she, "if my Lord Treasurer were a young man, I could find in my heart to have him to my husband before any man in England.”

My poor wife, your Lordship's gossip, has her

Eric XIV., one of Elizabeth's first suitors. This Prince, who, as we are here informed, was now hourly expected in London, neither made his visit, nor even left his own capital. Such was the uncertainty of intelligence at that time.

most humbly commended; and your god-son Francis, I thank God, waxes a jolly boy. I beseech God long preserve your good Lordship.

At Westminster, the 3rd of September, 1560. Your good Lordship's, most bounden to command, FRANCIS ALEN.

To the right honourable and my very good Lord the Earl of Shrewsbury.

No. XVI.

(Talbot Papers, Vol. P. fol. 409.)

SIR ROBERT DUDLEY

TO THE EARL OF SHREWSBURY.

AFTER my most hearty commendations unto your Lordship. I thought good, having reposed a special confidence in your Lordship's friendship and good will towards my brother Ambrose and me, to participate unto your Lordship this comfortable news; which are that it hath pleased the Queen's Majesty, of her great bounty and goodness, to restore our house to the name of Warwick, and as yesterday has created my said brother Earl thereof, to the gladness, I trust, of your Lordship, and such other as are our friends. So I bid your Lordship most heartily farewell. At the Court, the 27th of December, 1561. Your Lordship's assuredly,

R. DUDLEY.

To

my very good Lord the Earl

of Shrewsbury.

No. XVII.

(Talbot Papers, Vol. P. fol. 422.)

THE EARL OF SHREWSBURY TO

AFTER my hearty commendations. Where I perceive by your letters the fruitless and unadvised answers of my freeholders within Hallomshire, and other places, touching their relief, or lawful aid,* which they ought to pay unto me at the marriage of my daughter; I have thereof no little marvel, considering that at their hands I do desire no more than of right they owe,and but that which the laws

* This was one of the many services anciently exacted from tenants in capite. It is called in the old law books ayde pur file marier, but could only be claimed on the marriage of the eldest daughter of the lord, in like manner as the ayde pur fair filz Chevalier was on the knighthood of the eldest son. See the act of the 12th of C. II. by which these tenures were abolished. The refractory tenants soon after submitted to the Earl's demand, as appears by the following paper (Talbot papers, vol. P. fol. 431.) "A brief note of the benevolence received by Edward Hatfield of my Lord's offices and tenants within the said counties, given unto his Lordship towards the marriage of the Lady Catherine, his eldest daughter, Anno Reginis Domine Elizabeth Regnie quinto; as particularly appears by a book made of the same. 1563."

Com. Ebor. Nott. et Derb.

"Southey, £23. 16. 6.-Bradfield, £20. 10. 8.-Ecclesfield, £23.8.7. -Sheffield, £22. 4. Sheffield Park, £ 8.7.2. Whiston, £16. 19. 2.-Treton and aliis, £18. 8. 1.-Terr. fornic. £35. 8. 3.-Chesterfield, £11.9.6.-Dronefield Guild, £11. 13. 1. -Totley, £1. 16. 7.-Plesley, £4. 13. 10.-Gledleys, £3.13.4. -Rotherham, £ 26. 5. 4.—Kimberworth, £ 23. 11. 8.—Bolsterton, £ 25. 17.-Worksop, cum membris, £28. 12. 8.-Rufford and aliis, nihil.-Spondon, nihil.-Winfield, and aliis, nihil.— Cryche, and aliis, nihil.-Kirbywoodhouse, nihil.-Chantry of the Monastery of Longsdon and Helmdon, Pilesbury and Crookston, £14. 2. 1."

of this realm do both give me and will compel them to pay, as all my learned counsel have fully resolved with me. Whereof throughout all Shropshire, and other places where my lands do lie, I have not been so answered as most nearest home, albeit the case, through long sufferance, be grown to as great doubt amongst them as where you have been. Wherefore I will you declare unto such as you shall think most expedient of them, that I am determined by law to constrain those obstinate persons to pay that which by fair means I have demanded, and would thankfully have received at their hands, which being declared, you may stay your further dealing with them, and you shall eftsoons hear from me therein, which you shall very shortly.

And, perceiving also that you have moved those of Hartington in this matter; my meaning was in no wise you should do so, but only to have made that request to my freeholders, farmers, and copyholders, and not unto such as were tenants unto me as a farmer; wherefore I will you stay your further proceeding with them until you shall eftsoons hear from me therein. And so, with thanks for the residue of your doings and diligence, for this time I bid you farewell.

From Coldharbour, the 20th of March, 1562.