dence, to thuse of the saide Erle and Countesse, to be broughte public into the Court of Wardes accordinge to the order there, in the presence of theise persons whose names be underwrytten. THOMAS SPENCER. ROBERT CALCOTTE. MICH. DOUGhtie. THE EXCHEQUER AT CHESTER. [The subsequent letter is addressed by Alexander Cotes to Lord Ellesmere in his capacity of Chamberlain of Cheshire, and it refers to certain legal proceedings at this date not very intelligible. From what is said in a subsequent communication from Cotes it appears that Lord Ellesmere's eldest son, Thomas Egerton, at this date held the office of Baron of the Exchequer of Cheshire. The Serjeant, several times mentioned, by other documents we find to have been Serjeant Moore.] Indorsed by Lord Ellesmere, "Rec. 2 Februarij, 1595. Alex. Cotes. The Clerkes office in thexchequer at Chester. Mr. Tatton." To the right wor. Sir Thomas Egerton, knight, Mr. of the Rolles, and her Maties Chamberlein of the Com. Palatyne of Chester, dd. Most humblie (right worll) accordynge to my duetye, it may please you to be advertyzed that Mr. Serjante this shorte vacation hath well ordered about xxtie causes at hearynge and other proceedinges in corte. As also at this quarter sessions begone a good course for the bestoynge of the brydgemonye rem. in his custodye to the resonable good lykynge of the justices of peax. And as by your grave consyderation and his meanes and travaile, this courte of Exchequer is in good sorte reduced to his auncient jurysdiction, so I hartelie wyshe that Mr. Serjant, for his owne good and thencrease of the good wyll of the contreye to you and hymself, wold use mylder speches in hearynge of causes, not to the disgrace of anye in corte or elswhere absent or presente. I contynue my suete for your sonnes offyce that it may be restored to his auncyente right, as well in jurydiction as profett, accordyng to the breyfe articles I left with you and your sonne, wherein I truste he hath often remembered you. I wold wyshe your sonne shold compounde with Mr. Ferdinand to yelde him such yearlie profett as he reapeth clerelye from Mr. Bothe, forr I and my clerkes, which of force I must kepe for the execution of the baron's offyce, can well dyscharge all dueties in examinations to the good lykynge of the contrey. The rest of the wronges your self may reforme by conference with Mr. Serjante. All which do greatlie importe your sonne and his office in credytte and profett. For the effectynge of these my self will travaile as your wor. shall thynke nedefull; and I humblie desyer to knowe your pleasure when I shall attende your wor. and your sonne with thaccomptes of the offyce, half yerelye or otherwyse yf it be your pleasure, and where you shall appoynte. In my suet against Mr. Tatton, I receive slowe proceedinges, yet complayne not of Mr. Serjante, nor doubte his indyfferencye albeit he be nere alied to Mr. Tatton, and that the great men of the contrey do countenance and labor the cause. The order sett downe by your wor. at Mychas (which to performe Mr. Tatton was bounde in ve marks) is in no parte accomplished, and he regardeth not the forfeycture of any landes, nor obeieth any auctorytie or orders. So as I despaire of remedye by any ordynarie meanes in equytie, but by the extremetie of the comen lawe, which I beseche you I may have lybertie to prosecute. I was enforced the daie after my retorne to poste for my suerties, albeit Mr. Serjante told me Mr. Tatton nor any suerties wold come at his daie, and we enforced also to be bounde to Mr. Holcrofte and Mr. Davenporte, which I and my suerties thought to be agaynste reason. Yet, in obedience to Mr. Serjantes opynyon, and that I wold not hynder the good proceding your wor. entended, I hardlie persuaded my suerties to doe yt. I demanded the like bandes of Mr. Holcrofte and Mr. Davenporte to be bound to my suerties to paie so much as Mr. Serjante shold sett downe to be due to me by Mr. Tatton, which wold not be graunted. And sithens that tyme nothynge is done by Mr. Tatton in accomplishment of any order or procedynge, but that this daie he hath paide Mrs. Mary Maynwarynge vili. xiiis. iva. which shold have bene paide by your order at Martelmas last, and by other orders the whole xxli, ij yeres paste. And therefore I besech you with your good favor I may take the benefyte of the lawe, yet alwaies humblie to be ordered by you as your wysdome in equitie will determyne. Thus besechinge pardon and good acceptance of these my letters, readie in any humble service to you and yours, I comende you to your hartes desier, with encrease of honor. From Chester the xyth daie of Januarye, 1595. Yours in all humble dutie, ALEX. COTES. FEES OF PARKER'S OFFICE. [The following is another letter from Lord Buckhurst to the Master of the Rolls on behalf of his Lordship's “cousin, John Parker." At this date the Lord Keeper, Sir John Puckering, and the Master of the Rolls, had undertaken the task of reforming abuses, fees, &c. among the officers of the Court of Chancery, and Lord Buckhurst was in apprehension lest the emoluments of Parker should be reduced. At the same time he admits the inquiry to be a work of "great good and benefit to the commonweal." The Lord Keeper and the Master of the Rolls, it appears, were proceeding in their duty under the authority of a royal commission.] To my very loving frend the Mr. of the Rolles, be theas given. SIR. Understanding that my Lord Kepar and your self ar now in consideration, as well for understanding of the state of officers and clerkes within the Court of Chauncery, and of their fees, rewardes, and wages, as also for the reformation of abuses among the same officers and clerkes, with intention to set downe and make into a table such and so many orders, ordinances, and constitutions as shalbe thought convenient and necessary, according to the effect of her Maties comession in that behalf addressed [to you] (a work in my opinion of so great good and benefit to the comon weale, as I do not know a greater); I am bold to recomend unto you (like as I have doon the like to my very good Lord, the Lord Kepar) the graunt and office of my cosin John Parkar, that as it pleased her Matie, of her special favour towards my said cosin, to recomend the same both to you and to my said lorde, when it pleased her Matie to bestow the same upon him, being the only reward of his 22 yeares servis, and for the expens of far much more in the servis of her Matie then the value therof may in any sort amount unto, so now that as I dout not but that among the orders, ordinances, and constitutions, which in a comon Table for all her Maties subjectes to know and behold shalbe made and set downe, the fees, rewardes, and wages by you to be established and alowed shalbe therein expressed, so likewise the office and fee by her Maties letters patents to my said cosin graunted and given, may be likewise among your said orders be ratefied and set downe, wherby the poore gentelman may have his graunt the better fortefied, and the same therby to the subjectes the more fully manifested. He shalbe very much bound unto you therby, and by his servis redy to deserve yt, and I shall acknowledge it as an increse of your desert towardes me, I assure you, of much more bond unto you then if it were a benefit doon unto me self. And so I wish to you as to me self. This of March, 1595. Your very loving and assured frend, CAMD. SOC. 12. T. BUCKEHurst. 2 E 210 PRESIDENCY OF THE NORTH. [The ensuing document enables us to correct an error in Camden (" Annals " in Kennett, II. 596), where he fixes the death of the Earl of Huntingdon (President of the North since 1574)“ towards the end of the year 1596." These Instructions speak of him as dead in Feb. 1595-6, and there can be little doubt that they were issued soon after that event. They were directed to Mathew Hutton, Archbishop of York, and others, authorising them to execute the duties of President of the Council of the North in consequence of the demise of the Earl of Huntingdon, and until another President should be appointed.] Indorsed "Copie of the Instructions sent to the L. Archb. of Yorke, 26 Februar. 1595." Instructions given by her Matie to the most reverend father in God Mathew, Archb. of York, and to all others apointed by her Maties speciall Commission under her great Seale of England to be her Commissioners in the North parts of her Realme, bearing date the xxvjth of Feb. 1595, to be observed by the Archb. and every of them according to the tenor of the said Commission and to these Articles following. For as much as by the death of her right trustie and right welbeloved Cousin, Henry Earl of Huntingdon, who was President of her Highnes Councell in those partes, the said Commission is determined by which he was constituted P[resident], and that her Majestie hath not yet made her certaine determynation for any one to be President of the Councell there: and yet considering how necessary it is to have a convenient nomber authorised to be in Commission, for hearing and determyning of all such causes as have been apointed in the former Commission, for the quyet government of her subjectes in those Northern partes, her Matie hath therefore caused her Commission under her great Seale of England to be presently directed to the said Archb. and others in the said Commission named, and hath by the same referred them to proceed, as well according to the lawes and custome of her |