BL MSS La 7, 31

BL MSS La 7, 31 [f.64] part

[Transcribed by Dr Caroline Bowden for the project The Health of the Cecils]

[John Abington to the Lord Treasurer 15 Aug 1563]

My dewtie most humblie remembred, it pleaseth god to contynue his visytacion towards those that serve under me two theat came from Newhaven thence called James Baker an ordynrye yoman of the bakers and order of the bred at Newhaven and one John Mull one of the quenes servants also who had the chardge of the butter chiese and fisshe there be both fallen sycke synce their comynge hither. And thise daye one of my clerks called John Bernaye borne in Norffolke and put to me by Mr Weldon an honest yonge gentilman of good qualytys and condicions, is fallen sicke of the plage and it appereth upon him. Wherof I wold his frends had knowledge for he is in great danger. And sewrlye my Lord it doth evydentlie appeare by the sequell of this plage, that if I do contynue here, I can not escape: dewtye and obedyence constrayneth me to do that in the quenes case that I wold not do in my owne. For if all the victuells that nowe remayne were my owne I wolde lose all, althoughe I shulde after duringe my lief lyve as a plowman or other then to tarye here for it. In this dangerous tyme yor Lordship have alwaies helped and instructed me in all dangers of service. And nowe if it maye please yor Lordship to helpe me owt of this towne I shalbe bownd to praye for yor Lordship duringe my lief. My dwellinge is besydes Egham within iiiity myles of the cowrt, where I thinke it not meete that I shulde make enye abode when infeccion is so great. And therfore I do entende to goe into Herefordshire for a moneth or vi wieks where I was borne and to staye at a howse of mye owne lefte me by my father, where I kepte howseholde this xxii yeres. And I do neither knowe my owne servants nor my owne cattell, by reason that I have had no tyme to be there. And when it shall please yor Lordship to wryte unto me if it be delyvered unto any of the cytie of Worcester it wilbe brought unto me….