Imagens da página
PDF
ePub

KEEPERS OF CHANCERY RECORDS.

[It appears, by the annexed letter of Gilbert Gerrard (which was probably sent to the Solicitor General for him to confirm it by his opinion), that some dispute had arisen between the Clerk of the Hanaper (or Hamper) respecting the fees due to Sir Thomas Henneage and his brother Michael, as Keepers of the Records of Chancery in the Tower. The right of those Keepers to certain gratuities is distinctly stated, on the ground that the two Henneages were "members and ministers" of the Court of Chancery. Sir William Cordell, who had bestowed the offices upon Sir Thomas and Michael Henneage, had been Speaker of the fifth Parliament of Queen Mary, and had been knighted and made Master of the Rolls by her. The "ancient records of the Chancery" were of the nature of those to which the first document in the present collection of papers applies.]

To his very lovinge frend the Clarke of the Hamper, or his
Deputie.

AFTER my hartie recommendations. Whereas Sir Thomas Henneage, Knighte, together with Mychell Henneage, his brother, have the custodye of the auncyente Recordes of the Chauncerye remayninge within the Tower, of the gyefte of Sir Willm Cordell, Knighte, late Mr of the Rolles; and for that cause both are and ought to be reputed as members and mynisters of the same courte, and to have all suche priviledges and allowances as belongeth to other persons priviledged in the same courte; I have thought good, therefore, at theire request, hereby to signifye the same unto you, that you, beinge thereof advertysed, maye yelde them suche like ordinarye favours for fees or other duties of privilege within your office, as you knowe to be usuall to other in And so I bydde you farewell. From London, this

like cases.

xxijd of Julye, 1582.

Your loving frende,

G. GERRARD.

[ocr errors]

SIR P. SIDNEY AND THE ORDNANCE.

[In the Life of Sir Philip Sidney by Dr. Zouch, p. 207, is inserted a letter from the subject of the memoir to Lord Burghley, requesting to be joined with his uncle, Lord Warwick, as "Master of the Ordnance." The date is 27th January, 1582, and Dr. Zouch adds, "This application, though urged with great modesty, failed of success. The following letter from Sir F. Walsingham to Lord Ellesmere, desiring him, in his capacity of Solicitor General, to prepare "a joint patent for her Majesty's signature," would shew that the application was successful. It is very possible, however, that the joint patent was never prepared, but Dr. Zouch cites no authority for his statement that the wishes of Sidney and Walsingham were not fulfilled. The charge of secrecy, near the end, will not escape observation. In the year the letter bears date, 1582-3, Sir P. Sidney was married to the only daughter of Sir F. Walsingham, which may account for that statesman's interference and urgency in the business. The precise date of the marriage does not seem to be ascertained, but the probability is that it was subsequent to February 1582-3.]

To the right worshipfull my verie loving frend Mr. Edgerton, her Maties Sollicitor Generall.

SIR. Wheras there hath ben a motion made unto her Maty for the joint patencie of th'office of th❜ordnaunce with my L. of Warwick for Sir Philippe Sydney, whom her Maty is willing to gratefye in the sute with the good lyking and consent of my L. of Warwick. These are to desire youe that you will prepare such a joint patent for her Matys signature, and to send yt me as soone as yt is engrossed, for which purpos I send youe herewith my Lords patent, praying youe withall that for some considerations youe will keepe the matter secret, and geve especiall chardge unto your clerk that shall engrosse the booke, to use the same in like sorte. And so I comit you to God. At Richmond, the xiiijth of February, 1582.

Your very loving frend,

FRA. WALSYNGHAM.

ALNAGER OF DEVONSHIRE AND CORNWALL.

[Thomas Sackville, Lord Buckhurst, had relations of the name of Parker for whom, as will be seen hereafter, he interested himself; but whether the Mr. Parker mentioned below (and who was to have the reversion of the " Alnagership of Devonshire and Cornwall" twenty years earlier), was of the same family cannot now perhaps be ascertained. According to a letter from Lady Shrewsbury dated August 1570, printed in Wright's “Elizabeth and her Times,” i. 371, a person of the name of Parker was a witness in the case of Throckmorton, but he is not likely to have been the person who was to be benefited by the ensuing communication. He repaired to the Solicitor General, as was not unusual, with his "book" for the appointment ready drawn in order to avoid delay, and if that were not approved by the law-officer of the Crown, Sir F. Walsingham charges that another shall be "forthwith made ready."]

Indorsed by Lord Ellesmere, "Mr. Secretaryes letter for Mr. Parker, for the Alnager of Devon."

To the right worshipful my very loving frend Mr. Thomas
Egerton, her Maties Sollicitour.

SIR. Wheras her Matie hath bestowed upon the bearer, Mr. Parker, her servaunt, the reversion of the Alnagershippe for Devonshyre and Cornewall, and to that end hath willed me to signifye unto you that her pleasure is you shold frame a booke according to the forme of lawe, as in those cases is accustomed. Forasmuch as he hath to present unto you a booke alredy drawen for the said office, I haue thought good to pray [you] to peruse the same; or if it shall not be found agreeable to lawe, to cause another to be forthwith made ready, and after being confirmed by your signature, to be sent hither to be signed according to her Matys order. And so I commit you to God. From the Court at Richmond, the vth of Aprill, 1583.

Your very loving frend,

FRA. WALSYNGHAM.

GRANT TO SIR WALTER RALEIGH.

[From what follows we gather that All Souls' College, Oxford, had granted to Queen Elizabeth leases of Stolney and Newland, which she subsequently conferred upon Sir Walter Raleigh or his appointee. Raleigh having "bargained" with two persons for Stolney, requests, in the subsequent letter, the passing of the assignment to them. At this date (April 1583) Sir Walter was accustomed to spell his name in a different manner to that which he employed afterwards (Vide " Bridgewater Catalogue,” p. 248), but even later in life he was by no means uniform, judging from the few autographs that remain of him. The circumstance alluded to below is not adverted to by his biographers.]

66

To my worshipfull frende Mr. Egerton, Esquier, Solycyter to her Highnes.

MR. Solycyter, yt hathe pleased her Matie to bestowe the leases of Stolney and Newlande, lately graunted vnto her from Al-Solne Colledge in Oxon, vppon me or any other that I shall agree withall. And for that of late I have bargande with Willm Touse and Clemente Stupney for the lease of Stolney, I ame to request you that the assignement maye passe by your good helpe from her Matie to them, they payenge all fees and chardges thereto belonging. And soe with hartie thanks for many other courtesyes, I byd you farewell, from the Courte, the xth of Aprille, 1583.

your very longe force to remande

WRauler

LICENCE TO SPORT.

[Lord Ellesmere appears in early life to have been fond of the sports of the field, and the annexed "Warrant" to the Lord Paget's keepers in Staffordshire affords evidence of this propensity. His biographers do not appear to have been in possession of any information tending to such a conclusion. He was also to be supplied with "summer or winter deer" at any time, on directing his letters to the keepers. Indorsed "The L. Pagettes Warraunt."

THESE are to will and commaunde youe, and every of youe, that whensoever my verie good frend Mr. Thomas Egerton, Esquier, hir Maties Sollycitour Generall, shall come into any my parkes in Staffordshier within your severall chardges, thatt youe attend uppon him and make him the best sporte that youe maie, geving him free libertie to hunt and kill within the same parkes att his pleasure. And likewise whensoever he shall dyrect his letters to youe, or anie of youe, for the having off anie somer or wynter deare, that youe deliver the same unto such persons as he shall appointe, takinge care thatt he be verie well served theroff. And these letters shalbe a suffycyent warrant, from tyme to tyme, to youe and euerie of youe in this behalfe. Fare youe well. From Draiton, this xxiiijth off Maie, 1583.

To Richard Sneade, keper of my parke at Beaudesert. Willm Crispe, keper of my parke att Seney. And to John Godwin, keper of my great parke att Bromley Pagett. And to every of them, and in ther absence, to the deputie and deputies, and to everie of them.

Yor. mar.

J. PAGET.

« AnteriorContinuar »