MR. LAKE. I have receyved by Mr. G. Carden the Kinges Maties bylle, signed with signe manuelle, for the dispatche of his services under his Great Seale of Englande, aswell for ordinarye justice generally, as for sundrye Commissions speciallye mentioned in the same. In this I moost humbly acknowledge with exceeding joy and comfourt the great honour and favour which it hath pleased his sacred Matye to conferre upon me, and will attende his Highnes services with all the diligence and fidelitye I can possibly performe. In this multitude and varietye of busynes all can not be foreseene and provided for at once. Somethinges there are, whether omitted in the memoriall or in the ingrossinge of the bylle I knowe not, which requyre spedye dispatche for the administration of justice, and his Maties service; as namelye all the Justices of the Assises and great Sessions in Wales and the countie Palatyne of Chester (all which helde theyr places duringe the Q. pleasure, saving onlye the Chiefe Justice of Chester, who hath his office duringe his lyfe); so the Chamberlayne of the countie palatyne of Chester, who hath the charge and custodye of the seale of that countie palatyne and the countie of Flynte. Lykewyse the severall Chamberlaynes of the 12 shyres of Wales, who have the custodye and charge of the Kynges seales in those shyres, under which seales all writtes and processe for ordinarye justice there, according to the [not legible] of the common lawe, are to be passed. Also the seales of the Courtes of Kynges Bench, Common Place, and Exchequer, and the seales for the reconisances in the nature of statutes of the staple; and lastlye for the Kynges Serjeant and the Kynges Attorney and Solicitor Generall. These I note as cases omitted, and for all these I have caused a shorte bylle to be drawne, for these places to be supplyed provisionally untill his Maties pleasure shall be further knowne, which I present you herwith, leaving the dispatche therof to your good consideration and to his Highnes gracious pleasure. I have thought good to sende you a mynute of the 12 shyres of Wales, shewinge how they stande divyded and lymited to the severall charge of the severall Judges and Chamberlaynes, and also the severall seales before mentioned, to the ende you may the better informe and satisfye his Matie yf occasion serve. And so I commende you to the grace of God, restinge your very assured and lovinge frende, THO. E. C. S. Besydes, I thynke yt not amysse to put you in remembrance that the late Queene, consideringe that moost of the Judges are aged, and the Serjeantes at Lawe now servinge at the barre not so sufficyent to supplye judiciall places as were to be wyshed, (ne quid dicam durius,) made choyse of certen persons of great learninge and sufficiencye fitte to be called to that degree, and awarded writtes unto theym for that purpose returnable the seconde returne of next terme, which writtes are now by her deceasse abated, and the gent. alredye bene at very great charge to prepare themselves as they were commanded. Wherefore, de bene esse, I have provisionally made a warrant redy for his Matyes signature, but how or when it shall be mete to be spoken of, or whether not at all, I determyne nothinge, but also remember it and referre it to you. RECEIVERSHIP OF MIDDLESEX. [We might be led by Stowe to suppose that the King and Court did not remove to Greenwich until about the 20th May, but the eusuing letter from the Duke of Lenox to the Lord Keeper shows that they were there on the 14th May. It proves also how the King was beset for offices, and that in his confusion he gave away some of them twice over.] Indorsed by Lord Ellesmere, "The Duke of Lenox letter for Sir Henry Bromley to be Receyver of Midd." To my verie good Lord, the Lord Keeper of his Maties Great My verie good Lord, I moved his Matie in the behalf of one Sir Henry Bromleyis frendes for the place of Receivership of London, Middlesex, &c. and found his Heighnes well pleased to bestowe the said place upon him; and now being advertised that some other hath obtayned a graunt of the same frome his Matie, and hath passed a warrant of it, I am to entreat your L. that it may not passe the Great Seall till his Maties further pleasure concerning the same be knowen. And thus I do rest, Your to most Lowing and assured Frend Беспож Frome the Court at Greenwitch, this 14 of May, 1603. PATENT TO JOHN NORTON. [John Norton was a Printer and Bookseller, who under the Privy Seal had obtained a license for printing and publishing certain books. Why the grant was stayed, or to what books it referred do not appear in the following letter, nor in any other extant authority.] Indorsed by Lord Ellesmere," Mr. Lake, 18mo Maij, 1603, to staye John Norton's Patente." To the right honorable Sir Thomas Egerton, Knight, Lo. My duety to your Lo. humbly rememberd. There is passed the Privy Seale a grant for printing of certaine bookes to John Norton, which uppon a petition exhibited to his Maty this morning he hath willed me should be stayd untill the matter be examyned of the equity of his grant. Whereof I have thought good to advertise your Lo., because it is fett from hence this morning, to th'end your Lo. may stay it at the Greate Seale. And so I humbly take my leave. This 18th May, 1603. Your Lo. humbly to command, THO. LAKE. GRANT TO MICHAEL HICKES. [The office referred to in the following warrant had probably been procured for Michael Hickes (who was made a Baronet soon afterwards), through the recommendation of Sir Robert Cecill, to whom he had been very useful, and with whom he was on intimate terms many years before the accession of King James. It appears that the appointment had been previously made but deferred.] Indorsed by Lord Ellesmere "Mr. Hickes, by the K." To our trustie and welbeloved Counsailor the L. Keper of our Great Seale of England. JAMES R. WHEREAS we have graunted the office of our Receyvour Generall of all our Reveniues within our counties of Essex, &c. unto our welbeloved servante Michaell Hickes, which our graunte is passed our signett, and Privey Seale (as we understand). Our pleasure is that yow fourthwith passe the same under our Greate Seale of England, notwithstanding any staye thereof. At our Court at Grenewiche, the xxth of Maye, 1603. BISHOPRICKS OF BRISTOL AND OXFORD. [James was disposed to translate the Bishop of Limerick to the See of Bristol, and we may gather from the ensuing document that it had been his intention to make some change respecting the Bishoprick of Oxford, but that some reason had occurred for delaying it. It is misdated 1602 for 1603. The Bishop of Limerick was Dr. John Thornborough, who was subsequently translated from Bristol to Worcester in 1616.] Indorsed "Bushops," and in Lord Ellesmere's handwriting “ Lymerike and Bristolle." To our right trusty and welbeloved Counsellor Sir Thomas JAMES R. RIGHT trustie and right welbeloved, wee greet yow well. Whereas wee understande that yow have made staie of the passage of the Busshopricke of Bristoll undre our Great Seal unto the Bisshopp of Lymericke. Our will and expresse pleasure is that yow do furthwith cawse the said our graunt of the said Busshoprick of Bristoll be passed undre our Great Seale unto the said Busshop of Lymericke. And as touchinge the graunt of the Busshoprick of Oxfort, oure pleasure is that yow make staie thereof untill yow shalbe further advertised from us how the same shalbe disposed of. Yeven at the Courte at our mannor of Este Grenwiche, the xxiiij of May, 1602. And in the firste yere of our reigne. EXAMINERSHIP OF WALES. [The following order arrived too late, for Lord Ellesmere notes in the indorsement that not only had the Patent been sealed, but delivered to the party on the day preceding its date. Importance was obviously attached to the subject, and the letter itself bears the signatures of five of the Council.] Indorsed by Lord Ellesmere, "For staying the grant of the Examiners office in Wales. I receyved this letter on Mondaye at 9 in the evenyng, 30th Maij, and the patent was sealed and delivered to the partye on Sonday evening before." |