Sir Nicholas Vaux to Cardinal Wolsey, May 18, 1520.

[MS. Cotton. Calig. D. VII. fol. 218.]
(The upper part is injured by fire.)

and borde owte of Holand by the

putteth us in comfort bi his writing that we [shall receive in] brief tyme soche tymbre, borde, and glasse, as was committed to hys charge. And that done, we shall doo the beste we can to fynisshe al the buyldyng that shal stonde withyn the square courte at Gwysnes by the laste day of May, so that John Rastell, Clement Urmeston, and John Browne, the kynges paynters, do make and garnisshe all the rofes sufficientlye by the same daye, whiche ys a mervelous greate charge and busynes, for the rofes be large and statelye. We be certifyed by the said Rastell, Urmeston, Browne, and also by Hery Sadeler, their purveuour, that alsoche monye as was delevered unto them in preste with more ys emploied abowte the said busines, and that they cannot fynisshe the said rofes except they have more mony shortlye, for lakke wherof their busynes is greatlye hyndred. And here ys no monye but crownes, and they be not valued at somoche in London as they goo for here; and so it shuldbe bothe losse, daungier, and charge to convey corones to London; wherfor we beseche your grace to gyve in commandement to sir John Heron, that he with all diligence take a declaracion of them how that they have emploied soche summes of mony as was delyverd unto them in prest, that is to say, to John Browne the kynges paynter c. markes, to Clement Urmeston xxl., and to Henry Sadeler their purveuour cccc. marks. The sayde Urmeston hathe sent to us an estimate bill what charges the sayd rofes woll amount unto, whiche ys a mervelous greate summe of monye, as shall particularlye appere to your grace by the said Urmeston's bill, whiche we have sent to you by this berer, with thier further demaundes contented in the same; humblye besecheng your grace to call the sayd Urmeston, Rastell, and Browne before you, and to take a direction with them further, and to cause to be delyverd unto them other stuffe or monye soch as shalbe thought by your grace mooste expedient for the furtheraunce of the warkes, so that they fayle not to fynisshe theire warkes by the laste daye of Maye, so that the king be not disapointed of his rofes.

And further we be enformed, that the duke of Suffolke hathe manye batons of Urmeston's making, and also divers of the kinges armes and

bestes caste in moldes, whiche wold doo greate ease and furtheraunce to the kinges busynes. And if yt may stonde with your pleasure to move hym to lende to the king al soche batons, armes, and bestes as he now hathe, he shal surelye have them delyverd agayne, and no charge to hym.

And if the kinges pleasure be determined to have the bankett-howse, then his grace mooste be contented that yt shal be after the xxxti dayes lymeted for his justes to be expired. And elles it sh[all not] be in our powers to make it redye. And also we beseche your grace to send commandement to Hopton that he delyver to Henry Comptroller by b[ill ind]ented alsoche cables, ropes, and cordes as he hathe in ke[pyng of] the kinges, and may be now convenientlye spared to serve the k[inges present] busynes. It woll save the king moche monye. And m[ost humbly we beseeche] your grace to send us answer of our laste lettre knowlege of your

iiij. howses of the towne and a greate peace of the abbaye there called Anderne. And entendeth to make greate [buildings,] wherin moche of his pastymes shalbe showed, as the maistre [of the] workes there didd report. And that there ys provided and redy at Rouen certein tymbre redye framed for the same buyldinges. the same tylt, counterlistes, stages, and bariers that were set upp in Parys. And so by soche meanes they be in a greate forwardnes of thier provisions. And as touching the meting of my lord chamberlayne with monsr Chastillon, oone of the marishalles of [France,] for the viewyng of the grounde where the metuella metyng of the kinges highenes and the Frenche kinge shalbe, and also of the [tilt,] this beyrer can certifye your grace of everye thinge, and of soche [other] thinges as we thinke necessarye for the fortheraunce of the [king's] buyldinges here, which to be accomplisshed to the kinges honour and pleasur, we daily pray to Godd, who ever preserve your [grace] in prosperous estate. Writen at Gwysnes the xviijth daye [of May]. In haste, as appereth.

(Signed) NICHOLAS VAUS.

i.e. mutual.

The Earl of Worcester to Henry VIII. respecting the preparations for the Tilt, dated Calais, May 19.

your

[MS. Cotton. Calig. D. vII. p. 219.]

Pleas it excellent highnes to be advertised that the marshalle Chastillon and I, with dyverse of your carpenters and of the king his maister's, have caste the gronde in brede and lenght of the campe in the furst place chosyn by the said Chastillon and me, as by our wrytyng your grace was advertised therof, and aftre the platt that your grace delyvered me, and of that that your grace sende me by Clarenceux (wiche be lyke) and the said grounde agreable to yt as is aforesaid.

Albeyt we finde by the said platt that the tylt shalbe two hondred and eight foot from the scaffold wher the quenys and ladies shalle stonde, and the said tyllte shall be but iiijxx and viij. foot from the scaffold that shalbe made at the further syde of the feld ayenst the quenys scaffold, wiche the said lorde Chastillon and I with other here thynk yt not requisite nor resonable, becaus the said quenys and ladies can have noo good sighte nor knowleges of theym that shalle rynne at the tilte, forsomoche as yt stondeth ije and viij foott from the place wher they shalle stonde. Wherfore we propose and have concluded, your grace soo contented, to sett the said tylte nyghe in the myddelle of the said campe. And nevertheles the place to fighte on fote to stonde wher your grace have appointed, wherewith we trust, and soo dothe all your artificers and other that can skylle, that yt shalbe moost to your honour and plesure, and also to the contentacion of the quenys and ladies, and all your particions and railles to be in better order and sight [over] the feld than yt shalbe yf it were made as is in your [said platt.] In lykewyse the said marashalle and every man that loketh [at the] said platt, thinketh the lytelle diche wich your grace have made within the campe alonge by the scaffoldes [shall] rather doo hurte than gode, for I assure your grace if it r[ain] yt wolle hurte the fowndacion of the scaffoldes on both [sides,] and cause the grounde to falle in yt. Also it wolbe [a great] cherge to cary the yerthe out of the campe, and a [long] seasson to do yt; and also the yerthe may not be ca[rried over] the campe, for it woll marr all the gronde, that [n]one shalle galop nor renne surely upon yt. It is thought [that] a rayle made of viij foot from the said scaffold to keep the] people that they shalle not come nygh the same, w[ill serve] as well, for a diche of iiij fote depe and viij fote [wide] is noo strenght yf

eville disposed personnes wille enterprise any evill mater, as I trust to God there shall be noon soche. Also the maryshall Chastillon sent me word that [his] mynde was that the tylte shuld be better and up[on] surer gronde set in the ende of the campe towardes Ardes than wher I had appointed, towardes Guy [snes,] for the gronde ther was not sure nor cowde be [made] with a thousand men in a monethe. Upon this [I was] longe with hym, and at the last conclude hym [in the] mater, for I shewed hym a shorte remedye, [to make] the campe 1. foot in lenght more towardes [Ardres], then the gronde shuld be gode and sure, [and he was] contented. Then he desired that the barr[yer for the] feattes of armes a-fote might be made in the campe towardes Ardes, wher your grace hathe appointed the tourney to be for the tylte, and that place shuld be to nighe to-geder, and he wold undertake that the said baryer shuld be taken up in a nighte and set ageyn at altymes that any tourney shuld be in the morneng. I auns werd hym ageyn that I wold not change the place wher yt was appointed, for I sawe noo cause why to remove yt from the place wher your grace had appointed, and that the tylte and the said place of baryers shuld stande welle inough of your grace wold be contented the tylte be removed in the myddelle as is aforesaid, and as they desire. He said that alle the campe was made upon your graces gronde, and therfor yt made no matter wher yt was appointed, and yf I wold wryte to your grace therof, his maister thought ye wold be content withalle. I answerd hym that I wold not wryte theryn, for I knew alle redy your plesur, but touching the lytelle diche and the making of the tylte in the medell of the campe between bothe scaffoldes, as is aforesaid, I wold wryte to your grace to knowe your plesure; and with this aunswer he was content and so departed; and yf your grace be soo plesed, I doubte not but yt shalle be doon, and the said lord Chastillon welle contented therwith. Therfor in my most humble wyse I beseche your grace that I may knowe your gracioux mynde and plesure, what ye wille I sh[old do in these] maters, for tille I have answer ayen of your grace, I wille respyte the making therof. Alle other thinges [are] and shalbe made in alle diligens possible of bothe parties, for the lord Chastillon and I be agreyd in [all] savyng the said two maters, and in lyke maner are [the] said artificers. But I fere greatly that yt shall not be possible alle the scaffoldes to be fenysshed by [the] day appoynted; but I assure your grace ther shall not lacke any

diligens possible to be doon to the uttermoste of my lytelle power, with the helpe of God, to whome I pray to sende your most excellent highnes [a] victorious and longe lyfe, with the fulle accomplyshment of your moost noble desires. From your towne of Caleys the xixth day of May.

Your most (the rest of the signature burnt off.)

Two letters of the marshall Chastillon to the earl of Worcester, relating to the preparation of the field for the tilt, and dressing of the tree of chivalry, dated the 23d and 24th May.

(MS. Cotton. Caligula D. vII. pp. 221, 222.)

soir sont venus quelques gentilhommes qui venoient pour toucher aux escuz de Lentreprise. Je leur ay fait responce que les perons n'estoient encores dressez ne les escuz penduz. Il3 m'ont dit quil en vient plusieurs aultres, parquoy sera besoing faire dresser lesdits perons le plustost quil sera possible; et pour ce que me distes hier que ne seriez de retour jusques a mardi que ne fera lesdits perons entre cy et la, ce sera bien tard, et aussi mardi sera le derrenier jour de ce mois, et croy que le Roy mon maistre sera icy lundi au soir ainsi qu'il a promis, et dira que nous n'auvons point fait de dilligence, vous m'en manderez s'il vous plaist par ce porteur votre advi3; qui sera la fin, mons', apres me estre recommander a votre bonne grace, priant Dieu qu'il vous donne ce que desirez. a Ardre le xxiijme jour de May. Signé L'entierement votre, CHASTILLON. Et au dessus de la lettre, A Mons le conte de Worcestre, grant chambellan d'Angleterre.

a mons le chambellan. Mons', J'ay presentement receu voz lettres par ce porteur secretaire de Calais, et par luy entendu ce que dictes que est le plaisir du Roy votre maistre touchant de faire le petit fousse et une pallice dessus, on je ne trouve grant propos, et suffiroit bien si nous povons faire dedans le temps que avons ce qui est necessaire pour accomplir, ce qui est traicté et accordé entre no3 deux maistres, et comme au jour d'huy vous ay escript par ung gentilhomme que vous ay envoyé.

Il est beaucoup plus necessaire de dresser le peron et arbre et y pendre