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and other bagages, and as favorably to be used and intertayned as any victuallers be within the dominions of anie other prince or princes whatsoever they be, without paying anie manner imposicion, toll, exaccion or other demaund for the same as is above said, either within this his said towne and port of Callis, or within anie part of the marches of the same. And all and singuler these premisses the king's highnes commaundeth duely and effectually from this day forward to be executed, upon the avoyding of his high indignacion and displeasure. And over and besides, that the offendor or offendors in the premisses be committed to warde, there to remaine without baile or maineprise, as is above specified. And therefore his highnes straightly chargeth and commaundeth his deputy, with all and singuler his counsellors and captaines of the said towne and marches of Callis, and also the maior and burgesses, bailiffs and constables of his said towne, and all other his faithfull officers, servaunts, and subjects, that they and every of them be ayding, helping, counselling, furthering and assisting the due plaine and effectuall execucion of thi the kinges high pleasure and commaundement, as they will answere unto his grace att their uttermost perills. And to the intent that all marchaunts aswell straungers as others may have perfitt knowledge and notice of every point and article comprised in this proclamacion, the king our soveraigne lord therefore hath ordeyned that the same shall with all diligence and speede be putt in print, so that no man shall or may pretend anie ignoraunce.

Et hoc sub periculo, &c. Teste Rege apud Calis, xiij die Julii anno regni decimo nono.

THE JURISDICTIONS OF THE TWO MAYORS IN CALAIS, AND DECAY OF THE TOWN.

(MS. Cotton. Faustina, E. vII. p. 23.)

The insertion of the following letter has been deferred beyond its proper order, it having no date of the year; but it must have been written within the years 1516-1520, as Wolsey, to whom it is addressed, was not made chancellor until the 7th Dec. 1515, and the duke of Buckingham, mentioned in the schedule, was beheaded on the 17th May, 1521.

The two mayors were the mayor of the town and the mayor of the staple.

The decay of the town of Calais, which is set forth, continued unremedied in the year 1527, as appears from Wolsey's own letter to the king, already quoted in p. 37; but an attempt to arrest it was then made, not only by the proclamation in favour of

merchants, which has been already inserted; but by another proclamation, directly commanding the reparation of decayed houses, &c. a copy of which will be found following the document to which these few remarks form the introduction.

Pleasithe it your grace, where as of long contynuance there hathe bene, and yet is dependinge, within this towne of Calais an old variaunce betwene bothe the jurisdicions, and whiche of the maiors shuld have the preemynence, wherof the maior of this towne claymethe to have the same, as a thinge first graunted and confermed by the kinges graunt royall, and so contynewed tyme out of mynde. And on the other partye they clayme to enjoye it by vertue of the kinges graunt and confirmacion undre his brode seale; the whiche controversye thus enduringe without eny fynall determynacion, hathe caused within this towne intranquylité and disease. And also greate hynderaunce hathe incressed unyversally to the commons of inhabitants by reason of the same. And moche more hereafter is like to be, unto ther greatter enpoverishinge, oneles that sum fynall and clere determynacion be shortly had therein.

For the remedy wherof assuredly to be had, we knowing not how so well to do as by meanys of our right humble supplycacion, mekely to make intercession unto your grace for the same; consydering that this yere the maior of the one jurisdiccion, sir William Fitz-Williams, knyght, is your graces servant and treasurer of your most honorable houshold, and also as we truste that both the saide jurisdicions woll be right glad and fayn to be ordered and ruled by suche direccion as it may please your grace to take therein; We therfore most humbly beseche your grace not onely to be gracyous meane unto the kinges highnes in the same; but also that your pleasure may be of your mere goodnes to putt to your most gracious favorable hands for the reformacyon of the premysses, in avoyding all old murmuracyons, and other inconvenyencys whiche of long tyme hathe here contynewed, to the greate dissease and hyndraunce of all the inhabitantes here within this towne; wherby here shalle encrease and contynew among us perfight cherité, welthe, and prosperité; so that for the same the unyversall prayer of all people shall be dayly unto God for the good preservacyon of your most gracious prosperous estate. In a litille scedule here within closed ben comprised all the names of the noblemen of Ingland havyng possessions and landys within this towne, whiche be fallen in rwyne and decay, wherby not onely the kinges highnes is defeted of his

rentes, but also the sure tuycione of this towne on their behalfes is greatly mynyshed. In consideracion wherof, and in doing our duties as appertaynyth, we do at this tyme advertise your grace therin, that at your graces pleasure the seid noblemen may have monycyon and warnynge for to reedifye and repayre thair seid landis, as of necessity is verily requysite. And in this our advertisinge your grace of the same, we most humbly beseche your grace that your pleasure may be to accept it as a thing by us done onely for the performance of a dutye, wherby our especyall trust is that we may hereafter be excused from all negligens and foly whiche otherwyse myght fortune to be madent* unto us, iff that we shuld not have endevoured our selfes about the same.

And iff there be any other thinge that it may please your grace to commaund us, we wolle be at alle tymes redy to the same, to the best of our powers duringe our lives, as knoweth the blessed Trynyté, who preserve your grace in his eternalle proteccion. At Calais the viijth day of December.

Directed, To my [lord cardinal's] grace legate de latere]

and chauncelar of [Ingland]+

Your assured servauntes,

JOH'N PECCHE.

WYLL'M SANDYS.

RICHARD CAREW.

CHRISTOFFER GARNEYS.

(Schedule, inclosed,) The names of alle the noble men in Ingland havynge. landes in Calais that ben fallen in decay.

* So the MS. qu. made.

The duke of Buckyngam

The lord marques

The erle of Northumbreland

The erle of Kent

The erle of Arundelle

The lord Darcy

Syr Edward a Borowgh.

+ Part of the direction is lost, having been written on the slip of paper with which the letter was fastened,

A Proclamation for reparacion of the decayed houses and buildinges in the towne of Calys. (Oct. 12, 1527.)

Henricus Octavus, &c.

(MS. Harl. 442, p. 85.)

The king our soveraigne lord, calling to his remembraunce and by experience perfectlie knowing the great deformities and many other inconveniencies evidently appearing and daily ensueing within his towne of Caleys, by meane of the decaies of houses and mansions and inhabitacions to sundry lords and others apperteyning within the said towne, suffering the same by thier negligence for lack of reparacion to fall in extreame ruyne, decaye, and desolacion, Therefore straightly chargeth and commaundeth that all and singuler the said lords and others haveing such lands, houses, mansyons, and inhabitacions in ruyne, desolacion, and decaie, within the space of (blank) at the furthest after the daie of this present proclamacion sufficientlie to repaire, builde, and re-edifie the same. So that by meane thereof not onlie the deformities of the said towne may be holpen and amended, but also the habitacion of the same continued, advaunced, and encreased. Not fayling so to doo upon paine of such forfeitures and other damages as be conteyned aswell in the acts and statutes made and ordeyned in that case by authoritie of parliament, as also by other provisions and ordinances pollitiquely devised, provided and made for the reformacion of ruynes and decaies, and the maintenaunce of the kinges said towne, which the kinges grace purposeth to put in effectuall execucion, without anie further delaie, respite, or favour. Charging also and straightlie commaunding all and singuler his good officers of this his said towne, not onlie to register this the kinges proclamacion in the booke of acts and ordinaunces, but also to be put in due and effectuall execucion and accomplishment thereof according to the tenor of the said statutes and ordinaunces, and the purport of this the kinges proclamacion, as they and every of them will answer to the king at their perilles.

Et hoc sub periculo, &c. Dated at Westminster xii. Oct. Ao Reg. 19.

[P. 37.] LETTER OF CARDINAL WOLSEY, COMING ON A SPECIAL AMBASSAGE, TO THE AMBASSADORS IN FRANCE, 1527.

(MS. Harl. 283, p. 66.)

The following letter of Wolsey, not having been included in the collection of his correspondence published by the Royal Commission in 1830, appears worthy of being brought forward.

Cardinall Wolsey to the Bushope of Bathe and Sir Anthony Broune, Imbassadores in Fraunce, sygnefyeng of his comyng of a spessyall Ambassage to the Frenche Kynge in Ano. 1527. (A transcript.)

My Lord of Bathe and Mr. Broune, I comend me unto you in my moste harty maner, advertysynge the same that takying my jurney towardes the Frenche kyng I arryved heare at Canterbury + upon satordaye last paste, intendynge to morowe to take my jurneye towardes Dovere, and so uppon we[dne]sdaye, yf the wind will serve, and be good and prosperos, to passe to Callys, whear, forasmuch as my trayne extendeth me to the nombere of one thousand horses, which cannote in shorte tyme be transported, I intend to tarry by the space of 7 or 8 [days] and so take my jurney towardes Amyanse, wheare as ye write in your last leters, dated at Parris the 2. daye of this monthe, which yesterday aryved heare at Canterbury, the Frenche kynge intendeth to meete with me; purposynge to order and dispos my jurney aftere suche a fashion as I maye be theare by the xxvj. daye of this monthe; praying you therfor that, repayring unto the Frenche kynge, and makyng unto him my most homble and harty comendaciones, with like congratulatyones of his good recoverye, whearof ye may saye I am as glad as of any thing that could otherwise chaunce, supposyng verely that this letle febere unto him being shalbe to him a goode purgasyone to the contynuaunce of his healthe hearafter, and howe that it is muche to my comfort to understand that he regardethe so muche my labores and travelles in this jurneye, myndyng for shortening and abridging thearof to meete with me at Amyans, albeit rather then his grace shold take any hurte in his body, or

* John Clerk.

The letter must have been written on Monday the 8th of July.

This despatch of the Ambassadors is printed by Strype, Memorials, Vol. 1. App. p. 31, No. XIV.

CAMD. SOC.

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