LORD ELLESMERE TO LORD ERSKINE. [The following reply to the preceding has been preserved in Lord Ellesmere's writing, for he seems usually, when he kept copies of his letters, &c. to have made them with his own hand. At this date, when he speaks of his "old years," he was about sixtyfour, but had suffered much from the gout.] Indorsed by Lord Ellesmere, "28 Februarij, 1604. The copy of my letter to my L. Erskine." My very good L. There coulde not have beene brought unto me greater comfort then I receyved by your late kynde letter; first, that you did thereby advertise me of his Maties healthe and good amendment of his coulde: next, in that you relate unto me his Highnes moost gracious approbation and benigne acceptation of my poore services. I know not what greatter blessinge coulde in this worlde have happened to myne owlde yeares, then to have lyved tyll this tyme, that now when I am almost past tyme, I lyve to this tyme to serve so religious, virtuous, prudent, and gracious a Soveraigne, who interpreteth all thinges to the best, and out of his swete and blessed nature is pleased to remember often the humble duetyes of his poore servantes as merite and deserte. In performyng these dueties to his Matie I shall never satisfye my selfe, and yet my best indevours shall never want, and in faythfulnes I will never fayle nor gyve place to anye. God blesse hym with long contynuall and prosperous health and eternall happines. This your favour I wyll adde to many other kynde offices which I acknowledge to have receyved from you, and wish I were as hable to requite the same, as I will be alwayes redye and desirous. So commending you to the Almighty, I rest Your moost assured true friende, CAMD. SOC. 12. T. E. C. 3 F ALTERATION OF THE GREAT SEAL. [On the 19th July, 1603, King James caused the Great Seal used by Queen Elizabeth to be broken (vide Rymer Feed. xvi. 496), and delivered a new one into the hands of Lord Ellesmere, at that time created a peer. It seems from what follows that the new seal was defective in one part, and the Lord Chancellor was authorised to have it altered in his own house, by Charles Anthony, the King's Engraver of Seals, who registered the fact upon the Privy Seal.] To our right trusty and right welbeloved Councellor the Lord JAMES R. RIGHT trusty and right welbeloved Councellor, we greet you well. Forasmuch as in our Great Seale lately made for our realme of England, the canape over the picture of our face is so lowe imbossed, that therby the same seale in that place therof doth easely bruse and take disgrace, which (as we understand) may be soone amended without new making or alteracion of our said seale in any other part of the same, saving in the said canape only. These are therfore to authorise you to give order to our servant Charles Anthony, Graver of our Seales, by himself and other sufficient woorkmen (in your howse and in the presence of yourself, or such others as you shall in that behalf assigne and appoint,) to imbosse and engrave the said canape, over the picture of our face in the foresyde of our said great seale, higher and deeper, that thereby our said seale may in all partes therof be the better preserved and contynewed from brusing and battering. And to allow unto him for his workmanship and other charges incident such reward as you shall think reasonable. And these our lettres shall be, aswell unto you our Chauncellor, as unto our saide graver and such as he shall employ about the foresaid woork, sufficient warrant and discharge. Given under our signet, at our manor of Greenwich, the xxyth day of June, in the third yeare of our raigne of England, France, and Ireland, and of Scotland the xxxviijth. Great Seale to be amended. Ex. T. LAKE. This amendment within mentioned was done and perfected before twelve of the clock the xxviijth daye of June, the yere within written, By me, CHARLES ANTHONY. PATENT FOR SIR NICHOLAS MOLINE. [Nicholas Moline, a foreigner in whose favour the following Privy Seal was issued, had been knighted by the King in his eagerness to augment the list of persons upon whom that distinction was conferred. He was also to have "a canton to his arms," confirmed to him under the Great Seal of England. From the indorsement of the Lord Chancellor we should be led to suppose that Moline, at the date of the instrument, was Ambassador from Venice, but he had ceased to be so, and in the Privy Seal itself he is called "late Ambassador."] Indorsed by Lord Ellesmere, "Rec. 23 Januarij, 1605. A Warrant for Nicolas Molin, Amb of Venice." To our right trusty and right welbeloved Councellor the JAMES R. RIGHT trusty and right welbeloved Councellor, we greet you well. Where we have upon the good opinion by us conceaved of Nicholas Molin, gentleman, of Venice, and late Ambassador with us from the Duke and State of that citie, bestowed upon him the honor of Knighthood, and an addition of a canton to his armes, and are pleased to give him the same by our lettres patentes under our Great Seale for the better manifestation thereof to all men. Our pleasure therefore is, that unto the bill contayning the said graunt, which is signed with our hand, you shall cause our Great Seale of England to be put, and the same so delyvered to the saide Nicholas Molyn. And these our lettres shalbe your sufficient warrant and discharge in this behalf. Given under our signet, at our Pallace of Westminster, the xxiijth day of January, in the third yeare of our raigne of Great Brytaine, France, and Irland. Ex. T. LAKE. LIBERTIES OF THE TOWER. [The original document here printed has neither address nor indorsement, but they are not at all necessary for its intelligibility. What was the result of the inquiry by the five Commissioners is not stated, but it is to be inferred that their report put an end to the dispute respecting the bounds of the Liberties of the Tower of London, and to the "tumult and disorder" consequent upon it. Parties pursued by officers had taken shelter within the liberties of the Tower of London, and had claimed exemption on the ground that it was a privileged place, as a royal residence. Dr. Hickes, Dissert. Epistol. 114, quotes a fragment of the Textus Roffensis, by which it appears that by the ancient Saxon Constitution the limits of the pax regia were most exactly defined, viz. from the palace gate to the distance of three miles, three furlongs, three acres, nine feet, nine palms, and nine barley-corns. The Curia Palatii was erected by Charles I. under Patent in 1631.] AFTER our right harty commendations to your good Lp. Whereas there hath beene of longe time great controversy betweene the Citty and the Tower of London about the boundes, limitts, and liberties of each place, by reason whereof there hath oftentimes tumult and disorder happened. For avoiding of which inconvenience it is thought meete that the boundes and liberties of that his Maties auncient howse, and of the jurisdiction the Cittie doth hould by charter from his Maties progenitors, might be sett out, distinguished, and knowne. For as his Matie hath no meaning to take from the Cittie of London any parte of that which hath beene formerly graunted unto them, soe it is reason that the Tower, beeing his Maties Castle Royall, should enjoy those liberties and extent of ground that aunciently did appertaine unto it. For the deciding whereof it is thought fitt that a Commission under the Greate Seale of England should bee directed to the twoe Lordes Chiefe Justices, the Lo. Chiefe Baron, the Chancellor of Thexchequer, and Sir Roger Wilbraham, Knight, to heare the allegations and see recordes, and that which can bee said for the right of his Matie and in behalfe of the Cittie for the liberties, boundes, and jurisdictions of both places, how the same hath beene carried in time past, wherein his Maties Councell learned may bee heard for the right of his Matie, and the Councell of the Citty for them, soe that reservation be made to his Maties Castle Royall of the liberties and royaltie which the same aunciently hath used and in right doth appertaine. Therefore wee pray your Lp. to give direction that a Commission may be graunted to the forenamed Commissioners to heare and determine the foresaid controversies. And these shalbee sufficient warrant unto your Lp. And soe we wish your Lp. right hartely well to fare. From Whitehall, the 13th of October, 1606. |