CP 152, 40

From Waalt

CP Volume 152 Folio 40

HMC Vol 1 Page 169 Number 595

Haynes, Page 223 Number 202

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

11 Jan 1559 From the Queen's Majesty to the Duke of Norfolk

From a Minute of Secretary Cecill.

RIGHT trusty and right entierly beloved Coosyn, we grete yow well. And where we understand by such Lettres, as last cam to your Hands out of Scotland, the Procedings of the French in marchyng toward Sterlyng, and therby enteryng into Fiffe; wheruppon is collected, that ether they mislike the Strength of Lethe, and seke some other Place in Fife of more strength for there Savety; or else meane to assayle the Erle of Arrayn and the Lord James, being in Fife seperated from the rest of the Power of Scotland; or some other such Enterprise: And that by the Letters of Sir Raff Sadler, and Sir James Crofts it appereth, that it shuld be a grete furderance of Service to putt into our Shipps, when they shall come thither, five hundred Harquebussiers to be taken out of Barwyk, to ayde and preserue Protestants in Fiffe: Our Pleasure is that ye shall, with the Advise of the sayd Mr. Sadler, and such other as ye shall think mete to call to Counsell in this Poynt, consider how such a Danger as is feared may best be avoyded, and to what purpose the putting into the Shipps of such a Nombre moo or less may serve; and if there shall appere any lykelehoode of Avantage of Service, and Distress of the Frenchmen, and Preseruation of the Protestants, ye shall gyve order to doo the same, according to that which shall seme to yow best for our Service: For we wold be lothe that by neglectyng of such an ayde in Season, the whole Matter shuld quayle. And yet maye ye cause the Nombre, that be putt into the Shipps, appere to be for the arming the Navy agaynst any Chance; and lett William Wynter take vppon hym the setting of them uppon Land, where nede shall require; and adding to them some Part of his owne Nombers which he maye spare; vsing the Matter alltogither, as vppon his owne Heade: For that vntill your Force be there arryved, it semeth not mete to make any oppen Hostilitie, but, for the present, to helpe such necessities, as otherwise the furder Determynation wolde be much hyndred; and for such secrete, and mayne Aydes to be gyven, we referr to your Discretion, who shall there much etter consider what is mete, than here can be discerned. Our Shipps haue bene layed with contrary Wynds, and so be the French also, but we trust thay will be hortly with you, at the least uppon the first Wynd. We be advertised that Marty is dryven by Wether into Denmark; and one thousand Frenchmen lost by Tempest Zeland; and the Marquis du Boeuf blown back into Depe with nine Shipps of even; so as it shuld seme that God is pleased the French Purposees shuld not so spely be accomplished, as there meaning is. We do presently gyve order that the orsmen which be appoynted to serue there, shall be in redynes at Newcastle by first of February.