return with that speed I can, either thither or to Newcastle, I am enforced to crave at her Majesty's hands my entertainment of a Lieutenant; without which I am not able to serve, that had in the like service by one whole year together, at Darneton, as I think you know, £ 5 a day allowed for my own diet and 100 men, in wages, horsemen, after the 9d. the day a-piece, (for that all my men of necessity must needs have their horses with them) at which time neither my charges were so great by far, nor my travels so many, as now they are. In which matter, as in all others I have, I heartily pray you I may have your furtherance and friendship as you may; for that without it I can by no means be able to maintain that estate, neither for her Highness's honour, nor my own poor honesty ; as knoweth Almighty God, who send you, as my assured friend, as well to do as I would myself. From York, the 11th of September, 1557.

No. XLVIII.

(Talbot Papers, Vol. D. fol. 173.)

THE EARL OF SHREWSBURY

TO THE EARL OF NORTHUMBERLAND.

My very good Lord,

AFTER my right hearty commendations to your good Lordship with like thanks for your gentle advertisements, whereby perceiving, in one point, your earnest request to know what wages, and other rewards, the Captains of horsemen and foot

men, with their soldiers shall have; of which matter albeit by the example of Sir Thomas Wharton's band, I thought your Lordship should have been long before this time ascertained, by their order and usage prescribed by the Queen's Majesty unto them; yet forasmuch as I perceive your Lordship does not know the certainty thereof, I have thought meet to signify the same that since my being at Brauncepeth I have received letters from my Lords of the Council, and there enclosed a schedule of rates of some particular furniture for the army. Wherein it appears her Highness is pleased that the captain of 100 horsemen has for his entertainment 6s. by the day, his petty-captain 3s.; the captain of 100 footmen, 4s. by the day, his petty-captain, 2s.; the horseman, 9d. by the day for his wages, and at the pay-day, 3d. reward, of her Majesty's mere liberality; the footmen by day, 6d., and at the pay-day, 2d. in reward, of her Highness's like liberality, which rates I think your Lordship may well execute and follow. And, where I perceive by your Lordship's said letters, the good success of the exploit taken in hand by my cousin your brother, I do not a little rejoice thereat; and have by my letters signified the same to my Lords of the Privy Council, whom I have desired to make report thereof to her Highness. And so for this time I commit your good Lordship to the tuition of Almighty God.

From York, the 15th of September, 1557.

No. XLIX.

(Talbot Papers, Vol. D. fol. 177.)

LORD WHARTON

TO THE EARL OF SHREWSBURY.

Right honourable and my singular good Lord, Ir may please your Lordship to be advertised that by all intelligence I can learn from out of Scotland, the Scots prepared an army, to be levied throughout their whole realm, and to be near Edinburgh upon Michaelmas day. I am informed, also, that they carted 12 great pieces of ordnance at Edinburgh, to be brought with the army, besides that they have in their fort at Aymouth. Mons. Docell moves to assail Berwick (the Scot's say Norham and Wark) with devastating the country. Their warnings are to have forty days' victuals, and to come forward to meet the army of England at the river Tweed. The Duke of Chatelherault is moved to take the chief leading of that army. An espial this last night has told me that the Scots much grudge against this war, occasioned by the French; and say that there are sundry noblemen in Scotland who would have peace with this realm. And, as he says to me, if device were made they would treat therefor, setting France apart, for presently they are discomfited with the great victories the King's Majesty has had over the French; and that the Scots do not trust the fair promises of the French, nor in their assistance as the Scots looked for. I have advertised my very good

Lord of Northumberland of these, and such intelligence as I have had from time to time since my last letters to your Lordship of the 7th of this instant; and have given knowledge, and conferred with my friends, Sir James Croft, and Sir Ralph Bulmer ;* whereof I think my said Lord of Northumberland, and they, have made advertisements to your Lordship.

The Scots make inroads almost nightly, and do great annoyance. And, resting at your Lordship's honourable commandment, I beseech Almighty God send unto the same most prosperous success in all the King's and Queen's Majesties' affairs.

From the King and Queen's Majestie's castle of Berwick, the 18th of September, 1557.

Your Lordship's at commandment,

To the right honourable and my singular good Lord the Earl of Shrewsbury, Lord Lieutenant in the North. Post haste, haste, for thy life, for thy life, for thy life.

THOMAS WHARTON.

* Sir James Crofts, or Croft, a Member of the Council in the North. Elizabeth appointed this gentleman Comptroller of her Household, and trusted him with the management of several important affairs.-Sir Ralph Bulmer, eldest son of Sir John Bulmer, of Wilton in Durham, who was attainted in the preceding reign.

No. L.

(Talbot Papers, Vol. D. fol. 194.)

LORDS OF THE COUNCIL

TO THE EARL OF SHREWSBURY.

AFTER our right hearty commendations to your good Lordship; we have received your letters of the 19th of this month, together with the copies as well of our very good Lord the Earl of Northumberland's letter written unto you, as also of the French and Scot's instructions touching the taking and ransoming of prisoners on either side; upon the perusing whereof, and of such other letters as you lately sent unto us touching the Scots' doings, we have thought meet for answer unto the same to signify unto you as followeth. First, the Queen's Majesty (considering the several advertisements that have been sent hither, both from your Lordship, and from the Lord Dacres, and others, of the preparation that the spies say that the Scots do make to have the whole force of that realm in a readiness against the 2nd of October) thinks good, and so requires your Lordship, that you do not only write unto every of the Wardens, and to the Lord Wharton also, to have continual spies in Scotland, and to understand from day to day, and time to time, the said Scots' assemblies; what their numbers shall be; what purpose or enterprise they mind to take in hand; against what time; who shall have the cl.arge; with such like; but also