CP 138, 14c
CP Vol 138 f. 14-15
HMC Vol 1 p 171 No 599
Haynes Page 225 Number 205
Transcribed by Samuel Haynes in “A Collection of State Papers . . . 1542 to 1570” London, 1740
Jan 20 1559 From my Lord his Grace, Sir R. Sadleyr, and Sir Ja. Croffts to Mr. Secretarie
From the D. Norfolk's Book of Entries.
UPON Thirsdaie laste arrived here the Lord Brynston with the Quene's Majesty's Lettres, and yours of the 13th of this present, and also the Aunswers, made by Lethington, to such Questions, as were to hym proponed by my Lords of the Counsaile; which I have considered. And as our Doings here must reste muche uppon the Determynacions and Procedings of the Protestants, and uppon their arredynes to joyne with us in the Fildes, as the Caase shall requyre; so shall I in the meane Season, as muche as in me is, omytt nothinge that may tende to the makinge readie of suche Force, as hathe ben before determyned, without putting the Quene's Majestie to more charge then nedeth. And yesterdaie I depeched from hens the seid Lord of Brynston, whom, bycause the Way and Passaige throughe Lowdian is very deficile, I was forced to send by Carlisle, and depeched a speciall Man with hym, to my Lord Dacre, who shall conveye hym to the Master of Maxwell, where he shall thenbe out of all Dainger. I have required the said Brynston to haste hither, suche of the Nobylytie of Scotland, as shall cum to conferr with us (which may percase delay the Matter) uppon thes Necessaries; till whiche tyme we cann make no certein Resolutions of our Purposes here. And, because the French lyeng still on the Fiffe do hold the Protestants much occuped at this tyme, we doubt muche, how they shall attende eyther the sending in of their Hostags, or any others to conferr with us; whiche may percase delay the Matter longer then were expedyent, and therefore ytt shall be good to avoide all superstuous Chardgs, whiche I woll do asmuche as convenyently may be. Nevertheleffe the said Brinston hath promysed to use therein all the Speede and Expedytion that may be: And as we shall hier therof further, or if occasion be of any Alteracion, so you shalbe advertised with suche dylygence, as the Caase shall requyre. I have also sent, by the seid speciall Man, Instructions to my Lord Dacre, to conferr with the Master of Maxwell, and to give hym good Countenaunce, and staie the Borders, according to your Advertisment, which I trust he woll accomplishe in such Sorte, as apperteynethe. Yesterday arrived here with me an Harauld of Arms, sent to me out of Scotland by the Dowagier, who shewed an Instruccion signed with here Hand, wherbye she seamethe to complaine of the taking of la Marque, whom she supposeth to have been taken within the Bownds of Barwycke; which I answered according to Truthe, in such Sorte as the said Herauld could not but judge us innocente of the same, as in deede we be; and the Trewthe is, that he was taken in Scotland, and not within the Bowndes of Berwicke. Also she seamed to complaine of the Staie of a French Shippe in Newcastell, which was but a fayned Matter, and no suche Thinge in deede, as I hereunto aunswered the seid Herauld accordinglye. He also brought me a Lettre from la Brosse, which I send you herewith, and shewed me the Queen's Majesty's saffe Conducte for his Passaige through Ingland: And to that I aunswered, that as I could not lett Men to spreade untrewe and vayne Bruts, whereunto, I thought the seid la Brosse was so wise, as he would give no Credytt, so he needed not to doubte, but that he might saffly use the Commodytie of his seid saff Conducte, when it shuld please hym. But I could not perceive by the seid Herauld that he is aboute to departe out of Scotland. And with thes Auswers I dismyssed the Harauld, who I thinke was rather sent hither to espie, and harken to our doings, then for any speciall Matter. We heere nothinge as yet of Winter, ne of the Quene's Majestie's Navie; ne yet is ther any of her Majestie's Provision for Grayne arryved here; whereof ther is greate lacke, and wolbe greater, if the same be not shortly supplyed.
POSTSCRIPT. Here arryved on Roberte Rosse with a Lettre in cipher from the Erle of Arraine, and the Lord James, which you shall receive herwith. And the seid Roberte hathe shewed us, that the seid Lords do lye with five hundred Horse, three Myles of the French, and do sustayne muche Payne, Travaile, and Chardge, and hetherto have holden in the French so straigtly, that they dare not wander farr from the Waterside: And theyr purpos is, as he saithe, to take St. Andrews, and to fortysie ther; whiche the seid Lords meane to empeclie to thuttermost of their Power: But all their hope is in the Aide of our Shippes, the Sight whereof in the Frieth wold (as he saith) double their Courage, and cause a greate Nomber to rise and take parte with them, that nowe do sytt still. He sayeth also that they looke for sum aide of Horsemen from the Duke of Chastellerault, and so they trust to kepe and defend themselfs, and to annoye their Ennemys, as they may, till our Ships cum to aide them; which they seam most cheffely to defire: Wereupon Sir R. Sadler, and Sir James Croffts have wryten to them, to encorage and any mayte them to stande faste; as, you shall perceive, by the Copie of their Lettres sent herewith unto you. Tho. Norffolk, R. Sadleyr, Ja. Croffts.
