shall be the better served, and every of yourselves,
in your own particular, the more honoured, loved,
and esteemed. When I remember what you both
are, I cannot conceive that by any possibility the
one of you would willingly do any fact whereby the
other might have just cause to conceive offence;
and then I certainly think the mistrust, on either
side, must grow by sinister reports; wherein there
is no remedy so good as to discover the untruth in
the beginning. Therefore, good Mr. Secretary,
seeing God hath dealt so liberally to you his gifts
of patience, wisdom, and other virtues, I exhort
you,
in visceribus Domini nostri Jesu Christi, that
you will plainly and fully rip up this matter from
the bottom with the Duke himself, in whom you
know you shall find honour, truth, wisdom, and
plainness; and as I trust by this dealing there
shall need no third person to interpose, so if I
knew a need thereof, I would leave all other mat-
ters, and, upon some feigned cause, ride post to
London, yea to Jerusalem, to do the good I desire
therein; and surely I think it presently to be one
of my greatest misfortunes to be absent in such a
time; and so I end, and wish unto you as to
myself.

From York, the 15th of May, 1569.
Your's assuredly,

T. SUSSEX.

No. XXXVII.

(Cecil Papers.)

THE EARL OF SUSSEX TO SIR WILLIAM CECIL.

I AM heartily glad, good Mr. Secretary, to perceive by your letters of the 30th of the last, and by my Lord of Norfolk's of the 31st, the good and hearty reconcilement between you, which I trust shall long continue; and your faithful promises of love and trust, made on both sides, shall I hope remain so sure as no practisers by evil offices shall undermine any of you. His Grace writeth very frankly of the assured trust and confidence he reposes in your good will; and surely I was very glad to receive knowledge thereof, not only in respect of you both, whom I protest I have loved, do love, and will love, better than any two other subjects in the realm, but also, and principally, for the service of our good Queen, whose surety and honour I weigh above all other things in the world, and hath been, is, and must be, chiefly supported by you two, whom the world hath always judged to be void of private motives, and to respect only her, and the realm, in all your actions. In respect whereof a great number of honourable and wise, in all parts of the realm, will gladly, and of good conscience, aid, assist, and set forth, all your intents and doings, by all the good means they may, for the more honour and surety, and the better service of her Majesty. And if the ground whereupon they build their actions (which is your amities, and knitting together in the true service

of her Majesty, and the realm) should fail, although their zeals should remain good, yet their exertions, for lack of such maintenance, should take small effect; and, therefore, I will end this matter with the old proverb, valeant qui inter vos dissidium velint; and betake you to the Almighty, who guide you with the same spirit that he hath ever done. From Cawood, the 9th of June, 1569.

Your's assuredly,

T. SUSSEX.

No. XXXVIII.

(Howard Papers.)

SIR WILLIAM CECIL TO THE EARL OF SHREWSBURY.

It may please your Lordship,

I CANNOT but, according to my duty which I do bear you, advertise your Lordship of things necessarily belonging unto you. The Queen's Majesty, hearing doubtfully of uncertain reports that you should be, or would shortly, depart to the baths at Buxton, demanded of me what I heard thereof from your Lordship; whereunto I could not make any certain answer but in this sort-that I knew (as indeed I did by Mr. Bacon and your Secretary) that you were earnestly advised of your physicians to go thither for the recovery of your health; and, therefore, I thought if you were gone thither, necessity compelled you; and yet I was assured in so doing you had left a substantial order for attendance upon the Queen of Scots, as should be both honourable and sure. Whereupon I found her

Majesty somewhat troubled what to think hereof; and therefore, as in a cause uncertain, she commanded me to send some person expressly with speed to understand the very truth hereof, and therewith to give your Lordship my poor advice, that if you were not departed to Buxton, you would stay that journey until knowledge had from her Majesty; and if you were gone (which she said she would hardly believe) then I should seek to understand what order your Lordship had left for attendance upon the said Queen, and that yourself should not be long absent thence; which her Majesty said she did as much esteem for her own honour, to have the Queen of Scots to be honourably attended, as for any matter of surety.

And thus, being directed by her Majesty's earnest speech with me, I am bold to write to your 1 Lordship in this manner; praying you to take the same according to my good meaning; assuring your Lordship that divers do think it very strange, if it be true, that you have departed to Buxton without making the Queen's Majesty privy thereof, and somewhat the more (if it be true that is also said) that my Lady of Shrewsbury should be also gone thither with your Lordship. And so, having occasion to send away the bearer hereof, Robert Gascoigne, the Queen's Majesty's servant, I humbly take my leave.

From Farnham Castle, the 14th of August, 1569.

Your Lordship's humbly at commandment,

W. CECIL.

No. XXXIX.

(Talbot Papers, Vol. P. fol. 543.)

THE EARL OF LEICESTER AND SIR WILLIAM CECIL TO THE EARL OF SHREWSBURY.

AFTER Our hearty commendations to your good Lordship. Upon motion made to the Queen's Majesty, by reason of your letters written to me William Cecil, for licensing of you to remove the Queen of Scots to your Lordship's house at Sheffield, her Majesty has willed us both to write unto you, that as she was contented therewith, upon such necessity as you had expressed in your letter, so would she have you warned that you should foresee that in the removing of the said Queen there should no open pomp be used, nor assembly of strangers, but to be done circumspectly and quietly.

Her Majesty also, by her words, seemed to be informed that your Lordship and the Lady your wife should permit all persons coming to either of you to have resort to the Queen of Scots' presence; whereof, for our own part, we answered that we heard of no such thing; but thought your Lordship did observe such orders as had been prescribed to you by her Majesty; and thought, also, that the Queen of Scots did so much esteem her favour as she would not attempt any thing to miscontent her Majesty. And so we take our leave of your Lordship, being glad to hear of your good amendment, and wish you continuance thereof.

VOL. I.

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