CP, 138, 37

From Waalt

CP Volume 138 Folio 37

HMC Volume 1 Page 229 Number 726

Haynes Page 320 Number 324

Transcribed by Samuel Haynes in “A Collection of State Papers . . . 1542 to 1570” London, 1740

2 June 1560 From my Lord his Grace to the Queen's Majestie

From the D. of Norfolk's Book of Entries.

PLEASETH your Majestie to call to your Remembrance, that before my departure hither, your Highnes willed me that, when anny Matter of Waight did chaunce which was not meete to be made common, I shuld be bolde to scribble my foolishe Opynyon in such like Cases, unto your Highnes; as also that your Majestie did shewe me, howe that you did putt your hoole Confydence in me, that I shuld see your Nombers of Men full furnysshed, according to your Highnes Chardge and Paye; att whiche Tyme your Majestie told me in your Gallerye, alongest your Garden, that Barwick Bandes had ben afore Tyme, farr out of Order, neverthelesse that nowe I shulde fynde them full furnisshed alweis, according to their Dewtyes. In Confideration of which I have, according to my bownden Dewtie, sought all the Meanes I could, wherby I might fullfill this your Highnes Trusle committed unto me; assuring your Majestie that the abomynable Robberic of your Garrison of Barwycke hathe infected your Country Bandes. And your Garrison was first encoraged to robberye by the unsatiable pilling and pollinge of your Capten Sir James Croffts, who has used hymself so suspiciouslye in this your Majestie's last Servyes, (as pardy I did advertise your Highenes by my Cousyn Percye,) as having the Choise putt to me, by your Majestie's Lettres, of sending hym upp or stayeng hym here, I durst doo non other, for avoyding of worse, but delyver hym your Highnes Lettres, for his repayring to the Courte; whose disordynatt Doings if they may skape unpunysshable, lett your Majestie ever thinke hereaster rather to be worse served then better. Thes three Things are hable to be tried to his Face: First, that sythens his goinge into Scotland, he hath gonn about by all Meanes to discorage your Majesty's Freends in Scotland, and, howsoever he was affected at the first, I knowe not, but I fownd hym never but against thes your Majestie's Proceedings; the Daunger whereof, the Caase standing as nowe it dothe, I truste your Majestie doth well ynoughe consider, if he had ben hable to do, according to his good will: Secundarly, as it is to be tryed by all those that were in the Fild, at the Daie of Thassault he did hooly neglect his Dewtie and Charge commytted unto hym: Thirdly his manyfest deceaving of your Majestie, which, consideringe the great Disorder is rysen therbye, I do not accompt for the lest of his ill Doings. All thes are to be tryed to his Face, besides many other greate Presumptions of greter Matters, which when soever your Majestie shall commaunde me, I shall declare to ony one, who may retorne to your Majestie with reporte therof. I trust your Highnes woll waye your own Estate, and the Daungers that may ensewe by suffring of ony suche Diforders to skape unpunysshed. For that I myself do lye in the Towne here tyll the newe Supply do arrive here, I do stay to appointe ony other Capten for the same, till I may understand your Majestie's further Pleasure, but leave the Charge thereof to the Marshall of the Towne, who hath had yt all the Tyme that Mr. Groffts hathe ben in the Filde; assuring your Highnes that neither my Lord of Westmorland nor my Lord Evres, in myn Opynyon, be meete for the same, nor no Nobleman here in the Northe, except yt be my Lord Wharton: Therfore I most humbly beseeche your Majestie, that I may with speede understand to whom I shall comytt the Chardge. Thus hoping that your Majestie woll thinke that this my rude Lettre doth proceede of an ernest Affection that I have, to accomplisshe my Dewtye unto your Majestie and my Countraye, I most humbly take my Leave, wisshing your Majestie good Helthe and long Lyff, with muche increase of Honour, and Quyetnes of you, and your Realme; the ernest remembring of the whiche by your Majestie, as I did perceave by the Message your Majestie sente me by Sir Peter Carco, maks me the willinger to seek all the Meanes I cann, to finde where the Authors of ony suche Disorder shuld be.

Thomas Norffolk.