chief place for drinking the waters is still called St. Anne's Well. The abbey of Burton upon Trent, in Staffordshire, was celebrated as the resting place of the bones of St. Modwen. The image alluded to in the following letter probably stood over the well, still known by the name of Modwen's well. LXVI. SIR WILLIAM BASSETT TO CROMWELL. [From MS. Cotton. Cleop. E. IV. fol. 238.] Ryght honorabull my inesspeyciall gud lord, acordyng to my bownden dewte and the teynor of yowre lordschypys lettres lately to me dyrectyd, I have sende unto yowre gud lordschyp by thys beyrer, my brother, Francis Bassett, the ymages off sentt Anne off Buxtone and sentt Mudwen of Burtun apon Trentt, the wych ymages I dyd take frome the place where they dyd stande, and browght them to my owne howss within xlviije. howres after the contemplacion of yowre seyd lordschypis lettres, in as soober maner as my lyttull and rude wytt wollde serve me. And ffor that there schullde no more idollatre and supersticion be there usyd, I dyd nott only deface the tabernaculles and placis where they dyd stande, butt allso dyd take away cruchys, schertes, and schetes, with wax offeryd, being thynges thatt dyd alure and intyse the yngnorantt pepull to the seyd offeryng; allso gyffyng the kepers of bothe placis admonicion and charge thatt no more offeryng schulld be made in those placis tyll the kynges plesure and yowre lordschypis be ffurther knowen in that behallf. My lord, I have allso lokkyd upp and sealyd the bathys and welles at Buxtons, thatt non schall enter to wasche them, tyll yowre lordschypis plesure be further knowne, whereof I besych yowre gud lordschyp that I may be acertanyd off agayn att yowre plesure, and I schall nott fayle to execute yowre lordschipis cummandmentt to the uttermust of my lyttull wytt and power. And, my lord, as concernyng the opynion off the pepull and the ffonde trust that they dyd putt in those ymages, and the vanyte of the thynges, thys beyrer my brother can telle yowre lordschyp much better att large then I can wryte, for he was with me att the doing of all, and in all placis, as knowyth Jhesu, whome ever have yowre gud lordschyp in hys blessyd kepyng. Wrytten att Langley,* with the rewde and sympyll hande of yowre assuryd and feythfull orator, and as on ever att yowre cummandmentt next unto the kyng to the uttermost of my lyttull power. WILLIAM BASSETT, knyght. The following letter relates to Bury St. Edmunds, one of the largest monastic foundations in England, which therefore did not come under the first act of suppression, but it was visited for the purpose of confiscating its superstitious relics, &c. LXVII. THE COMMISSIONERS TO CROMWELL. [From MS. Cotton. Cleop. E. iv. fol. 229*.] Pleasith it your lordship to be advertysed, that wee have ben at saynt Edmondes Bury, where we founde a riche shryne whiche was very comberous to deface. We have takyn in the seyd monastery in golde and sylver m1.m1.m1.m'.m'. markes, and above, over and besydes a well and riche crosse with emereddes, as also dyvers and sundry stones of great value, and yet we have lefte the churche, abbott, and covent very well ffurnesshed with plate of sylver necessary for the same. And forasmuche as we be creadably informyd that ther dyed of late ij. monkes at Ely, whether they dyed of the sykenes or no we knowe not as yet, and there hathe ben great death in the towne, notwithstondyng we entende to make further serche therein, so that if we fynde not the mater to muche daungerous, we wyll prosede, and els * Langley Meynell, about four miles from Derby, was the estate and residence of Sir William Basset. It subsequently passed from the Bassets to the family of Cavendish, not untyll your pleasure be knowyn therein. And this present day we departe from Bury towardes Ely, and we assure your lordship the abbott and convent be very well contented with every thyng that we have done there, as knowith God, woo preserve your lordshipp. Your Lordeshipe moste bownden, JOHN WILLIAMS. The abbey of Woburn did not come within the Act of Parliament, but in the course of the visitation crimes appear to have been laid to the charge of the inmates that were sufficient to call for its dissolution. In the present letter, the abbot and convent attempt to defend themselves; but they were unsuccesful, for early in the year following (1537) the abbot and prior and the parson of Puddington (a parish in the neighbourhood) were executed at Bedford. Robert Hobs, the last abbot, is mentioned as holding that office as early as 1524. Woburn abbey was founded in 1145 by Hugh de Bolebeck. The estate was given to John lord Russell in the first year of the reign of Edward VI., and the site of the abbey is now the seat of the duke of Bedford. The following letter is not dated, but it must have been written in the latter part of the year 1536. LXVIII. THE ABBOT AND CONVENT OF WOBURN TO THE KING. [From MS. Cotton. Cleop. E. iv. fol. 96.] In most humble and obedient wise shewithe unto your most excellent highnes your contynuall orators and daily bedemen thabbot and covent of your monasterie of Woburn, that whereas we do apperceyve by the relation of your graces commissioners Mr. doctour Legh and Mr. Williams, that diverse and sondrye accusementes have ben made upon us unto your highnes and your CAMD. SOC. U graces most honorable counsell, concernynge manyfolde crymes, enormites, and high treason to your excellent maiesty, we beynge inwardely stryken with sorowe and hevynes four that our desertes shulde be suche that any jote of dewe obedience unto your grace (whom under God we do aguise to be our supreme heed, our comfort and joye) shulde be notyd in us, seynge we be and ever have ben, as we trust in God, cleane frome any suche crymes and enormites, and therfor judging nothing to be so expedient and behovefull unto us as clerely to renounce all pretext of excuse or triall with your grace, by whiche we might percase in our default incurre your majesties high indignacion to our utter undoynge, do in moost humble wise and upon our knees with harte and mynde submytt owr selfes and our monasterye, with all the moveables and unmovables therof, unto your majesties accustomede grace and mercy, mekely desirynge the same to shewe your pitie and compassion upon us in suche godly wise that we maye deserve to contynewe (as we trust we have ben) your perpetuall orators and bedemen, and to contynewe utile membres of your commen wealthe, to the high lawde and praise of allmightie God, and perpetuall merite and renowne of your excellent majestie, whom almightie God of his infinite grace preserve longe to endure. Your humble and most obedient oratours and dayly bedesmen, Thabbot and convent of Woburn. Richard Cromwell, the nephew of Lord Cromwell, was one of the commissioners employed to visit Cambridgeshire and the monastic houses in the Fen district. The following letter leaves him at Ramsey. The date of the month would seem to show that this letter was written in 1538, when the 15th of October would be on a Tuesday. LXIX. RICHARD CROMWELL TO LORD CROMWELL. [From MS. Cotton. Cleop. E. IV. fol. 204*.] I have me most humbly commendyd unto your lordshipp, I rode one Sondaye to Cambrige to my bedd, and the next mornyng was upe betymes, supposyng to have found at Elye Mr. Pollard and Mr. Williams, but they were departyd bifore my commyng, and se beyng at dynner at Somersham with the busshop of Elye I overtoke theym, at which tyme I openyd your pleasure unto them in every thyng. Your lordshipp, I thynke, shall shortely apparseyve the pryour of Elye to be of a frowarde sorte, by evydent tokens, as at our commyng home shalbe at large relatyde unto youe. At the makyng herof we hadd done nothyng at Ramseye, savyng that over nyght I commenyd with the abbot, whome I found conformable to every thyng as shalbe at this tyme put in ure, accordyng as your lordshipps will is. Assone as we have done at Ramsey we go to Peterborough, and frome thense to my house, and so home, the which I trust shalbe at the farthest one this daye come sevyn days. Thus the blessyd Thrynytye preserve your lordshipps helth. From Ramseye, on Tewysday in the mornyng, beyng the xvth of Octobre. Your lordshipps most bounden nephewe, RICH. CRUMWELL. The two next letters are from Hugh Latimer, bishop of Worcester, and relate chiefly to the religious matters and to the monastic houses towards the borders of Wales. They bear no date of year, but they must belong to the last months of 1536. LXX. BISHOP LATYMER TO CROMWell. [From MS. Cotton. Cleop. E. iv. fol. 139.] Ryght honorable, salutem in Christo, and, syr, when I was with your lordshype laste you were desyrows to kno where you myght have good monkes. I tellyd you of too with my lord of Westmyster, I colde natt then name them to you, butt now I can; the won ys callyd Goorson, the other Clarke, both bachelars of divinite, well lernyd, of ryght jugment, and very honeste men. The |