season we truste also to here of the commyng downe of the said King of Romayns. Soo that al our metynges may be toguyders to our more singlier reioysing and comfortes. Howbeit, the said matiers wele debated and dryven to a nere conclusion, we woulde be right gladde (God sending us helthe) to reasorte to our said towne to visite the said Duchesse, though the King hir fader cam nat downe to those lowe parties. Shewing furthermore, that though ther were noon other matiers to bee treated betwixt us and her, wee coude bee righte wele contented to reasort to our said towne oonly to see her, for the honourable reapports that wee daily here of hir. The premisses therfor considered, we wol that ye endevour yourself for the knowlege of hir mynde in the deputing of Ambassadours to commune uppon those matiers, and to understande in what place the same shal mete, whether within this our reame or at our towne of Calays. Whiche knowen, we shal auctorise ours with sufficient instrucions there to assemble with theym to treate and conclude uppon the said matiers as the caas shal require. And for your certificat made unto us of suche newes as bee conteigned in your said writing concerning the principall rulers abowte the said Duchesse, we can you good thanke, willing you in semblable maner to ascertaigne us of suche other newes as shalbe occurraunt there from tyme to tyme. Whereby ye shall deserve our further thankes. Yeven under our signet at our manor of Grenwiche, the xxiiij. day of May.

To our trusty and welbeloved servaunt John

Wilteshire, Comptroller of our towne and marches of Calays.

[P. 7.] PREPARATIONS FOR THE MARRIAGE OF THE PRINCESS MARY TO CHARLES PRINCE OF CASTILLE, 1508.

[The following documents (from the MS. Cotton. Vitell. C. XI. p. 145) relate to the outfit provided for the Princess Mary, in contemplation of her intended marriage with the Prince of Castille (respecting which see the note in p. 7), the preparations to be made in Calais on that occasion for her reception, and for the Emperor, the Archduchess Margaret, the King, and the Bridegroom. The alterations in the first paper (which are printed in Italics) appear to be in the handwriting of Henry the Seventh himself, and the date of the documents is probably during the last year of that monarch (1508). In 1514, according to Hall, Henry VIII. renewed the preparations for his sister's "transporting," but, being again put off, he hastily consummated her alliance with the French king.] (Title in a later hand,) "For the transporting of my lady the Princess of Castill, 1507."

Hereaftur ensuyth suche stuff as is nedef[ull to] be provided for my ladie

the princesse of [Castille], and aswelle for her wardrope of beddes as [for] her stable, against the solempnization of her Mariage.

All these parcels to be had out of the kinges wardrop, or, in default therof, in London.

vided in Flaundres.

Firste, her bedde chambur to be hanged with clothe of golde, with a bordre embrodred with hir bages, or som other devise.a

Item, for the said chambur a large trussing bedde, with celor, testor, and counterpoint of the same clothe of golde, with curteyns of damaske.

Item, a chayar of clothe of golde.

Item,b iiij. longe and large carpettes to cover the floure of the same chambur.

Item, v. cossions of fyne clothe of golde, i. rycher then the other, iij. longe and ij. shorte.

Item, smale carpettes for windowes borde and cobordes, v. at the lest, of velet of cramosyne, and as many carpettes of wolle for every day.

Item, a fethirbed of fyne downe, with a bolster, ij. pillowes, and v. small pillowes, for to take the say, and for every of them iij. pilowe-beers off fyne holland clothe.

Item, iiij. peir of fyne shetes, and ij. peir of fustians. for the said trussing bedde.

Item, a palet bed of feddurs with bolster, furnisshed with shetes ij. payr, fustians oon payre, and counterpoint

oon, for the gentil women that shall lie in the said chambur.

For the second chambour.

First, a riche story of Aras golde and silke of iij yerdes depe, with a bordor of her armys and bagies for a remem

Theis muste be pro- braunce, of ij. feet di. depe, price the Flemmyshe elne xx, and that the same storye conteigne in toto . . .. Flemish elnes.... the bordor.

Item, a large sparver of clothe of golde and cramosyn

This insertion is made in lieu of the following words erased, orels clothe of golde and velvet purpall, the velvet to be imbrodred with her bagies or some other devise.

b Erased, iij. or.

Erased, of cloth of golde or velvet.

Erased, damaske.

vellet perpale, the vellette embrodred with her bages and other devise, with a counterpoint of the same, the curteyns of the same sparver to be of double sarcenet a perpaled with the colours that the cloth of golde and vellet shalbe.

Item, a chaiar of clothe of golde for the same chambour, with v. cossions of clothe of golde, iij. longe and ij. shorte.

Item, a fetherbedde of fyne downe, with a bolster and ij. pilowes with shetes, fustians, and pillowe beers as is appointed for the trussing bedde.

Item, a longe large carpet for the borde under the fote, and iij. for windowes and cupbord.c

Item, a traverse of cramosyn sarcenet.

For the iijde chambour.

First, a hangynge of fyne tapessherye,d withe bagies and armys in the bordour of vj c. Flemmysshe elnes in

toto.

Item, a bedde of astate with a counterpoint e of clothe of velvet and clothe of golde of her colours purpale. Item, a chaiar of clothe of cramosyn vellet embrodred,s and v. cossions of the same.h

Item, a large fedderbed, with a bolster for the said bedde of astate.

Item, a large and a longe carpett, and iiij. smale carpettes for the said chambur.

b It may be noted that the term board answered to our modern table (but was usually moveable, and placed on trestles); that the cupboard was an open sideboard; and that the covers of both were carpets.

Here these words are erased, the velvet imbrodered with some bagies and other devise. 8 Erased, golde.

h or els the said chaiar to be kevered withe crymsyne felvet and cossions of the same, erased.

Item, ij. clothes of astate, the oone richer then the other, of clothe of golde.

The iiijth chambour.

First, a story of good and fyne tapicery, for to hange the same chambur, with a bordour of her armys and bagies, of vj. elnes with the bordour, price every iiij. st.

Item, viij. paillat feder beddes, every of them stuffed, with bolster, fustians, and counterpoint, and iij. peir of shetes for every paillat.

Item, a stole covered with crymsyne velvet naylled with gilt nailles, and a smale canape with curteyns of crymsyne double sarcenet to hange aboute the same stole.

Item, a basyn for the said stole, of silver.

Item, ij. or iij. longe carpettes and xij. smale carpettes in store, to serve alwaies when nede is.

Item, as many peces of fyne verdour or tapicerie werke as will serve for hangyng of ij. or iij chambours when she rides by the waye, or ellys the same that she hathe, if it be thoughte holle and welle colored and honest.a

Item, a trussinge bedde to cary with her by the way, with celour, testour, and counterpoint of velvet or damaske perpale of her colours, with bedd, bolster, pillowes, fustians, shetes, and other necessaries therfor.

Item, ij. cofres for her juels.

Item, iiij. cofres for her plate.

Item, iij. large cofres for the warderobe for beddes, shetes, and fustians.

Item, iiij. clothe sackes at the lest, and casis for the trussinge bedde.

For the stable.

First, a riche litter of clothe of golde, lyned with satan or damaske, with iiij. cossions of the same clothe of golde, with horse harneis of the same.

This passage may be thought characteristic of the parsimony of the royal writer.

CAMD. SOC.

Item, a charriet for herre or her principalle ladies, covered with clothe of golde, with iiij. cossions of the same, and the horse harneis in likewise.

Item, ij. other charrietts for ladies or gentilwomen, covered with crymsyne velvet, and for every chariot iiij. cossions of the same, and the horse harneis in likewise.

Item, a large and a goodlie palfray to be ledde in hande, with a sadill and pillion, covered with riche clothe of golde, the bordres richelie imbrodred, orels of goldsmithe worke, and harnes of the same.

Item, another goodlie palfray, with a like riche sidesadille, for the said ladie princesse to ride alone; the harneis like.

Item, viij. other palfrais to folowe her with side-sadils richelie covered with clothe of gold, orels imbrodred upon velvet, with harnes of the same.

Item, iij, or iiij. fotemen with riche cotes of goldsmyth worke to goo aboute her litter, or about her palfray. Item, a pase to lifte her upon her palfray, covered with silver plates gilte, as the qwene is grace is.

Item, a chaunge for a the said palfrays, that is to say, as well pilions, sadils, and harneis, and also coveringes for the said litter and chariottes, to cover them when it is foule wedder, and a chaunge of harneis for every of the horsis of the said litter and ladies chariottes.

Item, a closed carre for her warderobe of the robes, and ij chariottes for the warderobe of the robes, ij. large cannavas and ij berehides for the said chariottes to save the stuf drie.

Item, a bottell horse and sadell for her flagons.
Item, a sompter horse for her trussinge bedde.

Item, another for her cofers.

Item, a male horse.

Item, another horse for the grome of the sta[bles.]

Item, the said palfrais to be provided for betymes, and in likewise horses for the litter, the ladies' charriottes, and for all other cariages befor specified.