LETTER IV.

Edward Baynton to the Treasurer: declaring that only one person, named Mark, will confess any thing against Queen Anne.

[MS. COTTON, OTHO C. X.fol. 209. b.]

MRTheasurer,

This shalbe to advertyse yow that here is myche communycacion that noman will confesse any thyng agaynst her, but allonly Marke of any actuell thynge. Wherfore (in my folishe conceyte) it shulde myche toche the kings honorif it shulde no farther appeere. And I cannot beleve but that the other two bee as f[ully] culpapull as ever was hee. And I thynke assur[edly] the on kepith the others councell. As many .... conjectures in my mynde causeth me to thynk ... specially of the communycacion that was last bet[wene] the quene and Master Norres. Mr. Aumener [tolde] me as I wolde I myght speke with Mr. S[ecretorie] and yow together more playnely expresse my ... yf case be that they have confessyd like wret ... all thyngs as they shulde do than my n....... at apoynte. I have mewsed myche at ...... of mastres Margery whiche hath used her .... strangely toward me of late, being her fry[nde] as I have ben. But no dowte it cann[ot be] but that she must be of councell therewith, [there] hath ben great fryndeship betwene the q[ene and] her of late. I here farther that the que[ne] standith styfly in her opynyon that she wo...... whiche I thynke is in the trust that she .... ther two. But if yorbusynes be suche .. .... not com, I wolde gladly com and wayte . ...... ke it requysyte. From Grenewy[che] ....... mornyng.

EDWARD.....

Sir William Kyngston to Secretary Cromwell, May 16th. 1536, upon the preparations for the execution of my Lord Rochford and Queen Anne.

[HARL. MS.283. fol. 134.Orig.]

SIR,

Thys day I was with the kyng’s grace and declared the petysyons of my Lord of Rochford, wherin I was answred. Sir, the sayd lord meche desyreth to speke with you, weche towchet hys consyens meche as he sayth, wherin I pray you I may know your plesur, for by cause of my promysse made unto my sayd lord to do the same, and also I shall desyre you further to know the kyngs plesur towchyng the quene, as well for her comfyt as for the preparacion of skefolds and hother necessarys consernyng. The kyng’s grace showed me that my lord of Cantorbury shuld be hyr confessar, and was here thys day with the quene; & not[223]in that mater, sir, the tymeys short, for the kyng supposeth the gentelmen to dy to morow, and my lord of Rocheford with the reysydew of gentelmen, & as zit with yowt [confession] weche I loke for, bot I have told my lord of Rocheford that he be in aredynes to morow to sulfur execusyon, and so he accepse[224]it very well, and will do his best to be redy, Notwithstandyng he wold have reysayved hys ryghts, weche hathe not bene used and in especiall here. Sir, I shall desyre you at[225]we here may know the kyngs plesur here as shortly as may be, at[225]we here may prepayre for the same weche[226]ys necessary, for the same we here have now may for to do execusyon. Sir, I pray you have gud rymembrance in all thys for hus[227]to do, for we shalbe redy al ways to our knowlage. Zit thys day at dyner the quene sayd at[225]she shuld go to Anvures[228]& ys in hope of lyf, and thus far you well.

WILLM KYNGSTON.

Sir William Kingston to Lord Cromwell, apparently May 18th1536.

[MS. COTTON, OTHO C. X.fol. 223.]

Syr,

Thys shalbe to advertyse you I have resayved your lettrwherin yo[u wolde] have strangerys conveyed yowt ofthe Towre and so thay be by the [meanis] of Richard Gressum, & Will-m Loke, & Wythepoll, bot the n̄mbr[229]of stra[ngers past] not XXX. and not mony; Hothe and the inbassitrof the emperor had a [servaunt] ther and honestly put yowt. Sryf we have not an owre[230]serten [as it may] be knowen in London, I thynke he[re] wilbe bot few and I thynk [a resonable] humbur[231]ware bes: for I suppose she wyll declare hyr self to b[e a good] woman for all men bot for the kyng at the orof hyr de[th. For thys] mornyng she sent for me that I myght be with hyr at [soche tyme] asshe reysayved the gud lord to the in tent I shuld here by[r speke as] towchyng her innosensy alway to be clere. & in the writy[ng of this] she sent for me, and at my commyng she sayd, M. Kyngston, I he[ar saye I shall] not dy affore none, & I am very sory ther fore; for I thowth [than to] be dede [an]d past my payne. I told hyr it shuld be now payne it w[as so sottell. And then she said I] hard say the executr. was very gud, and I have a ly[ttle necke, and put he]r hand abowt it lawyng hartely.

I have sen[e mony men&] also wemen executed and at they have bene in gre[te sorrowe, and to my knowle]ge thys lady hathe meche joye and plesur in dethe. [Sir, hyr Amner is conti]newally with hyr, and hasse byne syns ij of the clo[cke after midnight. This is] the effect of hony thyng that ys here at [thys tyme, and thus fare yow] well.

Your . . . . . .

WILLM̄ KYNG[STON.]

From the Earl of Northumberland, addressed “To his beloved Cosyn Thomas Arundel, one of the Gentlemen of my Lord Legates prevy chambre.” It was written soon after the death of the Earl’s father, in 1527. Referred to at p.339of Wolsey’s life.

[FROM THE ARCHIVES OF THE DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND.]

Bedfellow, after my most harte recommendacion: Thys Monday the iijd off August I resevyd by my servaunt, Letters from yow beryng datt the XXthday off July, deliveryd unto hym the sayme day at the kyngs town of Newcastell; wher in I do perseayff my lord Cardenalls pleasour ys to have such boks as was in the Chapell of my lat lord and ffayther (wos soll Jhu pardon). To the accomplyshment of which at your desyer I am confformable, notwithstanding I trust to be able ons to set up a chapel off myne owne. But I pray God he may look better upon me than he doth. But me thynk I have lost very moch, ponderyng yt ys no better regardyd; the occasion wher off he shall persayff.

Fyrst, the long lyeng of my tressorer[232], with hys very hasty and unkynd words unto hym, not on my parte deserved.

Also the news off Mr. Manyng, the which ys blon obroud over all Yorksher; that neyther by the kyng[233], nor by my lord cardenall am I regardyd; And that he wyll tell me at my metyng with hym, when I come unto Yorksher; which shall be within thys month, God wyllyng: but I ffer[234]my words to MrManyng shall displeas my lord; for I will be no ward.

Also, bedfellow, the payns I tayk and have taykyn sens my comyng hether, are not better regardyd; but by a fflatteryng Byshope of Carel[235]and that fals Worm[236]shall be broth[237]to the messery and carffulness that I am in; and in such slanders, that now and my lord cardenal wold, he cannot bryng me howth[238]thereof.

I shall with all sped send up your lettrs with the books unto my lord’s grace, as to say iiij Anteffonars[239], such as I thynk were not seen a gret wyll; v Gralls; an Ordeorly; a Manuall; viijthProffessioners, And ffor all the ressidew, they not worth the sending, nor ever was occupyd in my lords chapel. And also I shall wryt at thys time as ye have wylled me.

Yff my lord’s grace wyll be so good Lord unto me, as to gyf me lychens[240]to put WyllmWorme within a castell of myn off Anwyk in assurty, unto the tyme he have accomptyd ffor more money recd. than ever I recd., I shall gyff hys grace ij Cli. and a benefiss off a C. worth unto hys colleyg, with such other thyngs resserved as his [grace] shall desyre; but unto such tyme as myne Awdytors hayth takyn accompt off him: wher in good bedfellow do your best, ffor els he shall put us to send myselff, as at owr metyng I shall show yow.

And also gyff secuer credens unto this berer, whom I assur yow I have ffonddon a marvellous honest man, as ever I ffownd in my lyff. In hast at my monestary of Hul Park the iijd. day of August. In the owne hand off

Yours ever assured,

H. NORTHUMBERLAND.

To my bedfellow Arundel.

The Earl of Northumberland to Cromwell, denying any contract or promise of marriage between Anne Bullen and himself.

[ORIGINAL, COTT. LIB. OTHO c.10.]

MrSecretary, This shall be to signifie unto you that I perceive by Sir Raynold Carnaby, that there is supposed a precontract between the queen and me; wherupon I was not only heretofore examined upon my oath before the Archbishopps of Canterbury and York, but also received the blessed sacrament upon the same before the Duke of Norfolk, and other the king’s highnes’ council learned in the spiritual law; assuring you MrSecretary, by the said oath, and blessed body which affore I received, and hereafter intend to receive, that the same may be to my damnation, if ever there were any contracte or promise of marriage between her and me. At Newington Green, the xiijth day of Maye, in the 28thyear of the reigne of our soveraigne lord King Henry theVIIIth.

Your assured,

NORTHUMBERLAND.

Queen Catherine of Arragon and King Henry VIIIthto Cardinal Wolsey, a joint letter, 1527.

[MS. COTTON, VITELL. B. XII.fol. 4.]

Mr. Ellis has printed this letter in its mutilated condition; I have ventured to supply thelacunæfrom the copy in Burnet’s History of the Reformation, vol. i. p. 55. Burnet obtained his transcript when it was in a perfect state, but has unaccountably attributed the first part of the letter to Anne Boleyn. It is however said by Mr. Ellis to be in the hand-writing of Catherine, and cannot but be considered very interesting.

My Lord, in my moste humblyst wys that my hart can thinke [Idesire you to pardon] me that I am so bold totroubyl yow with my sympyl [&rude wryteng, estemyng] yt to prosed from her that is muche desirus to kno[we that youer grace does well.] I paersave be this berar that you do; the wiche I [praye God long to continewe,] as I am moste bonde to pray, for I do know the g[reate paines and trowbles that] you have taken for me bothe day and nyght [is never like to be recompensyd on] my part, but allonly in loveng you next on to the [kinges grace above all] creatures leveng; and I do not dought but the [dayly proffes of my deades] shall manefestly declaer and aferme my wryte[ng to be trewe, and I do] truste you do thynke the same. My lord, I do assure you I do long to heare from you som newes of the legat, for I do hope and [they come from you they] shall be very good, and I am seur that you deseyre [it as moche as I] and more, and ytt waer possibel as I knowe ytt ys not: And thus remaineing in a stedfast hope I make anend of my letter, [writtyn with the hande] of her that is moste bounde to be——

➔Here Queen Catherine’s part ends, the rest is in the hand-writing of Henry the Eighth.

The wrytter of thys letter wolde not cease tyll she had [caused me likewise] to set to my hand desyryng yow thowgh it be short to t[ake it in good part.] I ensure yow ther is nother of us but that grettly desyry[th to see you, and] muche more rejoyse to heare that you have scapyd thys plage [so well, trustyng] the fury thereof to be passyd, specially with them that k[epyth good diett] as I trust you doo. The not heryng of the legates arywall [in Franse causeth] us sumwhat to muse; nottwithstandyng we trust by your dily[gens and vigilancy](with the assystence of Almyghty God) shortly to be easyd owght [of that trouble.] No more to yow at thys tyme but that I pray God send yow [as good health] and prosperity as the wryters wolde.

By your lovyng so[veraign & frende]

HENR[Y R.]

Anne Boleyn to Cardinal Wolsey.

[FIDDES’ COLLECTIONS, p. 256.]

My Lord, after my most humble recommendations this shall be to gyve unto your grace as I am most bownd my humble thanks for the gret payn & travelle that your grace doth take in steudyeng by your wysdome and gret dylygens how to bryng to pas honerably the gretyst welth that is possyble to come to any creator lyving, and in especyall remembryng howe wretchyd and unworthy I am in comparyng to his hyghnes. And for you I do know my selfe never to have deservyd by my desertys that you shuld take this gret payn for me, yet dayly of your goodnes I do perceyve by all my frends, and though that I had nott knowlege by them the dayly proffe of your deds doth declare your words and wrytyng toward me to be trewe; nowe good my Lord your dyscressyon may consyder as yet how lytle it is in my power to recompence you but all onely wyth my good wyl, the whiche I assewer you that after this matter is brought to pas you shall fynd me as I am: bownde in the mean tym to owe you my servyse, and then looke what a thyng in thys woreldI can immagen to do you pleasor in, you shall fynd me the gladyst woman in the woreld to do yt, and next unto the kyngs grace of one thyng I make you full promes to be assewryd to have yt and that is my harty love unfaynydly deweryng my lyf, and beying fully determynd with Godds grace never to change thys porpos, I make an end of thys my reude and trewe meanyd letter, praying ower Lord to send you moche increase of honer with long lyfe. Wrytten with the hand of her that besechys your grace to except this letter as prosydyng from one that is most bownde to be

Your humble and

obedient servante,

ANNE BOLEYN.

Anne Boleyn to Cardinal Wolsey.

FROM FIDDES’ COLLECTIONS, p. 255.

Collated with the Original in the Cottonian Collection. Brit. Mus. OthoC. X. fol. 218.

My Lord, in my most humblyst wyse that my powuer hart can thynke I do thanke your grace for your kind letter, and for youer rych and goodly present, the whyche I shall never be able to desarve wyth owt your gret helpe, of the whyche I have hetherto hade so grete plente that all the dayes of my lyfe I ame moaste bownd of all creators next the kyngs grace to love and serve your grace, of the whyche I besyche you never to dowte that ever I shalle vary frome this thought as long as ony brethe is inmy body. And as tochyng your grace’s troble with the swet I thanke ower Lord that them that I desyerd and prayed for ar scapyd, and that is the kyng and you. Not doughthyng bot that God has preservyd you bothe for grete cawsys knowen allonly to his hygh wysdome. And as for the commyng of the legate I desyer that moche; and yf it be Goddis pleasor I pray him to send this matter shortly to a good ende; and then I trust my lord to recompense part of your grete panys, the whych I must requyer you in the meane tyme to excepte my good wyll in the stede of the power, the whyche must prosede partly from you as ower Lourd knoweth to whome I be syche to sende you longe lyfe with continewance in honor. Wrytten wyth the hande of her that is most bound to be

Your humble and

obedyent servante,

ANNE BOLEYN.

Cardinal Wolsey in his Distress to Thomas Cromwell.

MS. COTTON. VESP. F. XIII.fol. 76.

From Fiddes’ Collections, p. 256. Collated with the Original.

Myn owne enterly belovyd Cromwell,

I beseche you as ye love me and wyl evyr do any thyng for me, repare hyther thys day as sone as the parlement ys brokyn up, leyng aparte all thyngs for that tyme; for I wold nat onely commynycat thyngs unto yow wherin for my comfort & relief I wold have your good sad,dyscret advyse & counsell, but also opon the same commytt sertyng thyngs requyryng expedicion to yow, on my behalf to be solycytyd: this I pray you therfor, to hast your commyng hyther assafore, with owt omyttyng so to do, as ye tendyr my socor, reliff & comfort, and quyetnes of mynde. And thus fare ye well: from Asher, in hast, thys Satyrday in the mornyng, with the rude hande & sorrowful hert of your assuryd lover

T. CARLISEBOR.

I have also serteyn thyngs consernyng yowr sylf wych I am suere ye wolbe glad to here & knowe: fayle not therfore to be here thys nygth, ye may retorne early in the mornyng ageyn yf nede shul so requyre.Et iterum vale.

Mr. Augusteyn[241]shewyd me how ye had wryttyn onto me a lettre wherin ye shuld advrtyse of the comyng hyther of the Duke of Norfolke: I assure you ther cam to my hands no suche lettre.

From Wolsey to Dr. Stephen Gardener, Secretary of State.

Communicated to Mr. Grove by Mr. Littleton, afterwards Lord Littleton, who possessed the original. It is now in theAshmole Museumat Oxford.

My owne goode Mastyr Secretary,

Goyng this day out of my pue to sey masse, your lettres datyd yesternygth at London wer delyveryd unto me; by the contynue wherof I undyrstand, that the kyng’s hyhnes, of hys excellent goodnes & cheryte ys contentyd, that I shall injoy & have the admynystracion of Yorke merly, with the gyftts of the promocyons spiritual & temporall of the same, reservyd onely onto his nobyll grace the gyft of v or vj of the best promocions. And that hys pleasure ys, I shal leve Wynchester & Saynt Albons. As hereonto Mr. Secretary, I can nat expresse howe moche I am bowndyn to the kyng’s royal majeste for thys hys gret & bowntawse liberalyte, reputyng the same to be moche more then I shal ever be abyl to deserve. Howbeyt yf hys majeste, consyderyng the short & lyttyl tyme that I shal lyve here in thys world, by the reason of such hevynes as I have conceyved in my hert, with the ruinyuose of the olde howsys & the decay of the said archbyshopryck at the best to the sum of viii C Marcke yearly, by the reason of the act passyd for Fynys of Testaments, wth also myn long paynful servys and poore degre; and for the declaration of hys grace’s excellent cheryte, yf hys hyhnes be myndyd I shal leve Wynchester & Saynt Albon’s, wych I supposyd, when Imaid my submyssyon, not offendying in my trewth towards hys royal parson, dygnyte, or majeste royal, I should not now have desyrvyd to have left; and much the more knowyng his grace’s excellent propensyon to pyte & mercy, & rememberyng the francke departyng with of all that I had in thys world, that I may have summe convenyent pension reservyd unto me, suche as the kyng’s hyhnes of hys nobyll charite shal thynke mete, so orderyng his that shal succede and my lyvyng, that the same may be of lyck valew yeerly and exstent. Whereat my trust ys, and my herte so gevyth me, that hys majeste wold make no dyffyculte, yf yt may lycke yow friendly to propone the same, assuryng yow that I desyre not thys for any mynde (God ys my judge), that I have to accumulate good, or desyre that I have to the muke of world; for, God be thankyd, at thys ower I set no more by the ryches & promocyons of the world, then by the roshe undyr my fote; but onely for the declaration of the kyng’s favor & hyhe cheryte, & to have wherewith to do good dedys, & to helpe my poore servants and kynnysfolks. And furthermore that yt wold please the kyng’s excellent goodnes by your freindly medyacion, consyderyng how slendyrly I am furnyshyed in my howse, nowe specially that the apparell of Wynchester and Saynt Albons shal be takyn from me, to geve and appoynt unto me a convenyent fernyture for the same,non ad pompam, sed necessariam honestatem. And yf I may have the free gyft and dysposycion of the benefyces, yt shalbe gretly to my comfort. And yet when any of the v or vi pryncypall shal fortune to be voyd, the kyng’s grace being myndyd to have any of them, hys hyhnes shalbe as sure of the same, as though they wer reservyd. And thus by his nobyl & mercyful goodnes delyveredowt of extreme calamite, & restoryd to a newe fredome, I shal, with God’s mercy & help, so ordyr my lyff, that I trust hys majeste shal take special comfort therin, & be pleasyd with the same:Spero quod hoc, quæ peto, non videbitur magna. Howbeyt I most humbly submyt and referre all my petytions,immo ipsam vitam, to his gracyous ordynance & pleasure, praying yow to declare & sygnify the same, supplying myn indysposycion & lacke of wyt, conceyvyd by reason of my extreme sorowe & hevynes, that the same may be to the kyng’s contentacion, wherin I had lever be ded then to offende in word, thowght, or dede, and as towching the grantyng of the fee of one c li. for Mr. Nores duryng hys lyff for hys good servys done unto the kyng’s hyhnes, for the wych I have always lovyd him, and for the singuler good hert and mynde, that I knowe he hath alweys borne unto me, I am content to make out my grawnte upon the same, ye & it wol please the kyng to inlarge it one c. li. more; and semblably cause Mr. Thesauror hath the kepyng of the kyng’s game nygh to Fernam, I wold gladly, if it may stand with the kyng’s pleasure, grawnte unto hym the reversion of such thinges as the Lord Sands hath there, with the ampliacon of the fee above that wych is oldely accustomyd, to the sum of xl. li. by the yeere; & also I wold gladly geve to Mr. Comptroller a lycke fee, & to Mr. Russel, another of xx. li. by the yeere. Remyttyng thys and all other my sutes to the kyng’s hyhnes pleasure, mercy, pity, & compassion, moste holly. Beseechyng hys Hyhnes so nowe gracyously to ordyr me, that I may from hensforth serve God quietly & with repose of mynd, & pray as I am most bowndyn, for the conservacyon & increase of his most nobyll and royal astate. Andthus with my dayly prayer I byd yow farewell. From Asher hastely with the rude hand and moste hevy herte of

Yowr assuryd frende & bedysman,

T. CARLISEBOR.

Cardinal Wolsey to Dr. Stephen Gardener.

This Letter was also communicated to Mr. Grove by Mr. Littleton. It is now in the Ashmole Museum at Oxford.

MY OWNE GOODE MASTYR SECRETARY,

Aftyr my moste herty commendacions I pray yow at the reverens of God to helpe, that expedicion be usyd in my persuts, the delay wherof so replenyshyth my herte with hevynes, that I can take no reste; nat for any vayne fere, but onely for the miserable condycion, that I am presently yn, and lyclyhod to contynue yn the same, onles that yow, in whom ys myn assuryd truste, do help & releve me therin; For fyrst, contynuyng here in this mowest & corrupt ayer, beyng enteryd into the passyon of the dropsy.Cum prostatione appetitus et continuo insomnio.I cannat lyve: Wherfor of necessyte I must be removyd to some other dryer ayer and place, where I may have comodyte of physycyans. Secondly, havyng but Yorke, wych is now decayd, by viii C. li. by the yeere, I cannot tell how to lyve, & kepe the poore nombyr of folks wych I nowe have, my howsys ther be in decay, and of evry thyng mete for howssold onprovydyd and furnyshyd. I have non apparell for my howsys ther, nor money to bring me thether, nor to lyve wyth tyl the propysse tyme of the yeere shall come to remove thether. Thes thyngs consyderyd, Mr. Secretary, must nedys make me yn agony and hevynes, myn age therwith & sycknes consyderyd, alas Mr. Secretary, ye with other my lordys shewyd me, that I shuld otherwyse be furnyshyd & seyn unto, ye knowe in your lernyng & consyens, whether I shuld forfet my spiritualties of Wynchester or no. Alas! the qualytes of myn offencys consyderyd, with the gret punishment & losse of goodes that I have sustaynyd, owt to move petyfull hertys; and the moste nobyl kyng, to whom yf yt wold please yow of your cherytable goodnes to shewe the premyses aftyr your accustomable wysdome & dexteryte, yt ys not to be dowbtyd, but his highnes wold have consyderacyon & compassyon, aggmentyng my lyvyng, & appoyntyng such thyngs as shuld be convenient for my furniture, wych to do shalbe to the kyng’s high honor, meryte, & dyscharge of consyens, & to yow gret prayse for the bryngyng of the same to passe for your olde brynger up and lovying frende. Thys kyndnes exibite from the kyng’s hyghnes shal prolong my lyff for some lytyl whyl, thow yt shall nat be long, by the meane whereof hys grace shal take profygtt, & by my deth non. What ys yt to hys hyhnes to give some convenyent porcion owt of Wynchester, & Seynt Albons, hys grace takyng with my herty good wyl the resydew. Remember, good Mr. Secretary, my poore degre, & what servys I have done, and how nowe approchyng to deth, I must begyn the world ageyn. I besech you therfore, movyd with pity and compassyon soker me in thys my calamyte, and to your power wych I knowe ys gret, releve me; and I wyth all myn shal not onely ascrybethys my relef unto yow, but also praye to God for the increase of your honor, & as my poore shal increase, so I shal not fayle to requyte your kyndnes. Wryttyn hastely at Asher, with the rude and shackyng hand of

Your dayly bedysman,

And assuryd frend,

T. CARLISEBOR.

To the ryght honorable and my assuryd frende Mastyr Secretary.

Cardinal Wolsey to Secretary Gardener,

Desiring him to write to him and give him an account of the king’s intentions with regard to him. (From Strype.)

Myn own good mastyr secretary, albeit I am in such altiration and indisposition of my hede & body, by the meansse of my dayly sorowe & hevynesse, that I am fen omit to writ any long lr̅e̅s. Yet my trustyng frend, Thomas Crowmwel, retornyng & reparyng unto yow, I cowde nat forbere, but brively to put yow in remembrance: how that aftyr the consultation takyn by the kyngs hyghnes opon myn orderyng, which ye supposyd shulde be on Sunday was sevennyght, ye wolde not fayle to advertyse me at the length of the specialties thereof. Of the w̄ch to here & have knowleg, I have & dayly do looke for. I pray yow therefore at the reverens of God, & of this holy tyme, & as ye love & tendyr my poore lyf,do so moche as to wrytt onto me your seyd lr̅e̅s: wherby I may take some cumfort & rest: nat dowting but your hert is so gentyl & pityful, that havyng knowleg in what agony I am yn, ye wole take the payne to send onto me your seyd consollatory lr̅e̅s. Wherby ye shal nat onely deserve toward God, but also bynde me to be as I am, your contynual bedysman. Wrytten this mornyng at Asher, with the rude hand and sorroweful hert of yours with hert and prayer.

T. Cardinalis Ebor.Miserrimus.

To the right honorable Mr. Secretary.

Cardinal Wolsey to Secretary Gardener.

To draw up his pardon. (From Strype.)

Myn owne good Mastyr Secretary,

Aftyr my moste herty recommendations, with lycke thanks for your goodnes towards me, thes shal be to advertyse yow that I have beyn informyd by my trusty frend Thomas Cromwell that ye have signifyed onto hym to my syngular consolation how that the kynges highnes movyd with pety & compassyon, & of hys excellent goodnes & cheryte consyderyng the lamentable condition & stat that I stand yn, hath wyllyd yow with other lords and mastyrs of hys honorable cownsell, tointende to the perfyghtyng & absolvyng without further tract or delay of myn end & appoyntement; and that my pardon shulde be made in the moste ample forme that my counsell cowde devise. For thys the kyngs moste gracyous remembrance, procedyng of hymself, I accompt my sylf not onely moste bowndyn to serve & pray for the preservation of hys moste royal majestie, but also thancke God that ye have occasion given onto you to be a sollycyter & setter forth of such thynges as do & shall conserve my seyde ende. In the makyng & compowndyng wherof myn assured truste is, that ye wole shewe the love & affection wych ye have & bere towards me, your olde lover & frende: so declaryng your self therin, that the worlde may parceyve that by your good meanys the kyng ys the bettyr goode lorde unto me; & that nowe newly in maner comyng to the world, ther maye be such respect had to my poore degree, olde age & longe contynued servys, as shal be to the kyngs hygh honor & your gret prayse & laude. Wych ondowtydly shall folowe yf ye optinde yowre benyvolens towards me, & men perceive that by your wisdome & dexterite I shalbe relevyd, & in this my calamyte holpen. At the reverens therefore of God myn owne goode Mr. Secretary, & refugy, nowe set to your hande, that I may come to a laudable end & repos, seyng that I may be furnyshyd aftyr such a sorte & maner as I may ende my short tyme & lyff to the honor of Crystes churche & the prince. And besides my dayly prayer & true hert I shal so requyte your kyndnes, as ye shall have cause to thyncke the same to be well imployde, lycke as my seyd trusty frende shall more amply shewe onto you. To whom yt may please yow to geve firme credens andlovyng audyens. And I shall pray for the increase of your honour. Wryttyn at Assher with the tremyllyng hand & hevy hert of your assuryd lover & bedysman

T. CARDLISEBOR.

To the ryght honorable and my singular good frende Mayster Secretary.

Cardinal Wolsey to Secretary Gardener,

Desiring him to favour the cause of the Provost of Beverly, and to intercede with the king for him and his colleges. (From Strype.)

Myne awne gentil Maister Secretary,

After my mooste herty recommendations, these shal be to thanke you for the greate humanite, lovyng & gentil recule, that ye have made unto the poore Provost of Beverly: & specialy, for that ye have in such wise addressed hym unto the kings highnes presence, that his grace not onely hath shewed unto hym, that he is his goode & gracious lorde, but also that it hath pleased hys majeste to admitte & accepte hym as his poore orator & scholer. Wherby both he & I accompte our selfs so bounden unto you, that we cannot telle how to requite this your gratitude & kyndenes; mooste hartely praying you to contynue in your good favour towards hym, & to take hym & his pore causis into your patrocynye & protection. And, as myne assured expectation & trust is, to remember the poor state & condition that I stond in,& to be a meane to the kyngs highness for my relefe in the same. In doyng wherof ye shal not onely deserve thanks of God, but also declare to your perpetual laud and prayse, that ye beyng in auctorite, have not forgoten your olde maister & frynde. And in the wey of charite, & for the love that ye bere to virtue, &ad bona studia, be meane to the kyngs highnes for my poore colleges; and specially for the college of Oxford. Suffer not the things, which by your greate lernyng, studie, counsaile & travaile, hath bene erected, founden, & with good statutes & ordinances, to the honour of God, increase of vertue & lernyng established, to be dissolved or dismembred. Ye do know, no man better, to what use the monasteries, suppressed by the popis licence, the kyngs consente concurryng with the same, & a pardon for the premoneri[242], be converted. It is nat to be doubted, but the kyngs highnes, of his high vertue & equite, beyng informed how every thing is passed, his mooste gracious license & consente (as is aforesaid) adhibited therunto, wol never go aboute to dissolve the said incorporations or bodyes, wherof so greate benefite & commodite shal insue unto his realme & subjects. Superfluities, if any such shal be thought & founden, may be resecat; but to destroy the hole, it were to greate pitie.

Eftsones therefore, good Maister Secretaire, I beseche you to be good maister & patrone to the said colleges: “Et non sinas opus manuum tuarum perire, aut ad nihilum redige.” Thus doyng, both I, & they shal not onely pray for you, but in such wise deserve your paynes, as ye shal have cause to thinke the same to be wel bestowed & imployed, like as this present berer shal more at the large shewe unto you. To whom it may please the same to geve firme credence. And thus mooste hartely fare ye wel. From Sothewell, the xxiijthday of July.

Your lovyng frende,

T. CARLISEBOR.

To the right honorable & my singular good frende MrDoctor Stephyns, Secretory to the Kings Highnes.

Cardinal Wolsey to Secretary Gardener,

Desiring his favour in a suit against him for a debt of 700l.by one Strangwish. (From Strype.)

Myne awne good Maister Secretary,

After my mooste harty recommendations, these shal be to desire, & mooste effectuelly to pray you to be good maister & friende unto me, concernyng the uncharitable sute of Strangwishe for vij C li., which he pretendith that I shulde owe unto hym, for the ward of Bowes. And albeit there was at his fyrste comyng to my service, by our mutual consents, a perfecte end made between hym & me for the same, yet nowe digressyng therfrom, perceyvyng that I am out of favour, destitute of socour, & in calamite, he not onely newly demaundyth the said vij C li. but also hath made complaint unto the kyngs highnes, surmittyng, that I shulde, contrary to justice, deteyne from hym the said vij C li. For the redressewhereof, it hath pleased the kyngs majeste to direct his mooste honorable letters unto me; the contents wherof I am sure be nat unknown unto you. And insuing the purporte therof, & afore the delyvere of the same thre days by past, notwithstanding my greate necessite & poverte, onely to be out of his exclamation & inquietnes, I have written to my trusty friende, MrCromwel, to make certeyn reasonable offres unto hym for that intent and purpose; moost hartely beseching you to helpe, that upon declaration of such things, as upon my part shal be signified unto you by the said Maister Cromwell, some such end, by your friendely dexterite, may bee made betwixt us, as shal accorde with good congruence, & as I may supporte & be hable (myne other debts and charges considered) to bere. In the doyng wherof, ye shall bynde me to be your dayly bedesman, as knoweth God, who alwayes preserve you. From Sothewell, the xxvthday of August.

Yours with hert & prayer,

T. CARLISEBOR.

To my right entierly welbiloved frende MrStephyn Gardener, Secretory to kyngs highnes.

Lettre de Monsieur de Bellay Evesque de Bayonne à Mrle Grant Maistre.De Londres le xvij Oct. 1529.

[MSS. DE BETHUNE BIBLIOTH. DU ROY, V.8603. f. 113.]

Monseigneur, depuis les lettres du Roy & les aultres vostres que je pensoye sur l’heure envoyer, cette depeschea estée retardé jusques à présent, parce qu’il a fallu faire & refaire les lettres que je vous envoyé tout plein de fois, & pour ce aller & venir souvent, tant les Ducs mêmes qu’aultres de ce conseil à Windesore, dont toute à cette heure ils les m’ont envoyées en la forme que verrez par le double d’iceux. Ils me prient le plus fort du monde de faire qu’on ne trouve mauvais si en ces expéditions, & mesmement en ce que touche le principal de la depesche, je ne suis de tout satisfait comme je vouldroye, & aussi eulx mesmes, s’excusans que leur manière de négocier envers leur maistre n’est encore bien dressée, mais pour l’advenir doibvent faire merveilles, & en baillent de si grands asseurances & si bien jurées, que je ne puis me garder de les croire; je n’ay point refreschy mes lettres au Roy, car je ne voy point qu’il y en ait matière.

Au demourant, j’ay esté voir le Cardinal en ses ennuis, où j’ay trouvé les plus grand exemple de fortune que on ne scauroit voir, il m’a remonstré son cas en la plus mauvaise rhétorique que je viz jamais, car cueur & parolle luy failloient entièrement; il a bien plouré & prié que le Roy & Madame voulsissent avoir pitié de luy, s’ils avoyent trouvé qu’il leur eust guardé promesse de leur estre bon serviteur autant que son honneur & povoir se y est peu estendre, mais il me à la fin laissé sans me pouvoir dire autre chose qui vallist mieux que son visage, qui est bien descheu de la moitié de juste pris: & vous promets, Monseigneur, que sa fortune est telle que ses ennemis, encore qu’ils soyent Angloys, ne se scauroyent guarder d’en avoir pitié, ce nonobstant ne le laisseront de le poursuivre jusques au bout, & ne voyt de moyen de son salut, aussi ne fais-je sinon qu’il plaise au Roy & à Madame de l’ayder. De légation, de sceau d’auctorité,de crédit il n’en demande point, il est prest de laisser tout jusques à la chemise, & que on le laisse vivre en ung hermitage, ne le tenant ce Roy en sa mal grâce: Je l’ay reconforté au mieulx que j’ay peu, mais je n’y ay sceu faire grant chose: Depuis par un en qui il se fie, il m’a mandé ce qu’il vouldroit qu’on feist pour luy de la plus grand partie, luy voyant qu’il ne touchoit au bien des affaires du Roy qu’on luy accordast la plus raisonnable chose qui demande, c’est que le Roy escripvist à ce Roy qu’il est un grand bruit de par delà qu’il l’ait recullé d’autour de luy, & fort eslongé de la bonne grâce, en sorte qu’on dict qu’il doibve estre destruict, ce que ne pense totalement estre comme on le dict; toutefois pour la bonne fraternité, qu’ils ont ensemble, & si grant communication de tous leurs plus grans affaires, l’a bien voulu prier de y avoir égard, affin qu’il n’en entre souldainement quelque mauvaise fantasie envers ceulx qui ont veu qu’en si grant solemnité & auctorité, il ait servy d’instrument en cette perpétuelle amitié tant renommée par toute la Chrétienté; & que si d’adventure il estoit entré en quelque malcontentement de luy, il veüille ung peu modérer son affection, comme il est bien sûr que luy vouldront conseiller ceulx qui sont autour de sa personne & au maniement de ses plus grandes affaires. Voilà, Monseigneur, la plus raisonable de toutes ses demandes, en laquelle ne me veulx ingérer de dire mon advis, si diray-je bien qu’il n’y a personne ici qui deust prendre à mal telle lettre; & mesment là où ils considéreront, comme de facit ils font, qu’il sont forcés de prendre & tenir plus que jamais votre party, & d’advantage asseureray bien que la plus grant prinse qu’ils ayent peû avoir suz luy du commencement, & qui plus leur a servi à le brouiller envers le Roy, a esté qu’il déclara à ma venuë decza tropouvertement de vouloir aller à Cambray, car les aultres persuaderent au maistre ce que c’estoient, seulement pour éviter d’estre à l’expédition du mariage, & outre cela vous promets que sans luy les aultres mectoyent ce Roy en ung terrible train de rompre la pratique de paix dont vous escripvis quelque mot en ce temps-la, mais j’en laissay dix fois en la plume, voyant que tout estoit rabillé, je vous les diray estant là, & je suis seur que le trouverez fort estrange: Il me semble, Monsieur, que à tout cela, & plusieurs aultres choses que bien entendez de vous-mesmes, on doibt avoir quelque égard, vous donnerez, s’il vous plaist, advis au Roy & à Madame de tout cecy, affin qu’ils advisent ce qu’il leur plaira en faire, s’ils pensent n’empirer par cela leurs affaires, je croy que voulentiers, outre ce que sera quelque charité, ils vouldront qu’on cognoisse qu’ils ayent retiré ung leur affectionné serviteur, & tenu pour tel par chescun, des portes d’enfer; mais sur tout, Monseigneur, il desire que ce Roy ne connoisse qu’ils en ayent esté requis, & que il les en ay fait requerir en façon du monde, cela l’acheveroit d’affoller; car pour vous dire le vray, & hormis toute affection, je vous asseure que la plus grant prinse que ses ennemis ayent euë sur luy, outre celle du mariage, ce a esté de persuader ce Roy que il avoit tousjours eu en temps de paix et de guerre intelligence secrette à Madame, de laquelle ladite guerre durant il avoit eu des grants presens, qui furent cause que Suffolc estant à Montdidier, il ne le secourut d’argent comme il debvoit, dont avint que il ne prit Paris; mais ils en parlent en l’oreille de ce propos, afin que je n’en soy adverty. Quant auxdits presens, il espère que Madame ne le nuyra où il en sera parlé, de toutes aultres choses il s’en recommande en sa bonne grâce. La fantaisie de ces seigneurs est que luy mort ou ruiné, il deffèrent incontinent icy l’estat del’Eglise, & prendront tous leurs biens, qu’il seroit ja besoing que je misse en chiffre, car ils le crient en plaine table; je croy qu’ils feront de beaux miracles, si m’a dict vostre grant prophète au visaige bronsé, que ce Roy ne vivre gueres plus que........ au quel, comme vous sçavez, à ce que je voy par ses escriptures, il n’a baillé terme que de la monstre de May. Je ne veulx oublier à vous dire que si le Roy & Madame veullent faire quelque chose pour le Légat, il faudroit se haster, encores ne seront jamais icy ses lettres que il n’ait perdu le sceau, toutefois il ne pense plus à cela, elles serviront pour le demourant, aussi venant icy mon successeur, comme chascun s’attend qu’il viendra dans peu des jours, ils luy donnassent charge d’en parler; le pis de son mal est que Mademoiselle de Boulen a faict promettre à son amy que il ne l’escoutera jamais parler; car elle pense bien qu’il ne le pourrait garder d’en avoir pitié.

Monseigneur, tout ce qui sera de bon en tout ce discours, vous le sçaurez prendre comme tel; s’il y aura riens qui semble party de trop d’affection, je vous supplie m’ayder à en excuser, & qu’il soit pris de bon part, car là où la matière seroit mauvaise si vous assureray-je bien que l’intention n’est telle, et la dessus est bien temps pour vous & pour moy que je facze fin à la présente, me recommande humblement en vostre bonne grâce, & pryant nostre Seigneur qu’il vous doint bonne vie & longue.

Vostre humble Serviteur,

J. DU BELLAY,Evesque de Bayonne.

De Londres, le xvij d’Octobre.

à Monsiegneur

Monseigneur

Le Grant Maistre & Marechal de France.

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