CP 152, 157

From Waalt

CP Volume 152 Folio 157-160

HMC Volume 1 Page 226 Number 721

Haynes Page 345 Number 348

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

28 May 1560. Sir Peter Carew's Letter to the Quene's Majesty, inclosed in the former

To comfort the Lordes of Scotland, assuring them that the Quene Majestie will never geve over this Entreprise, untill she have this revenged, and that Land set at Liberty.

MAY it please your Majestie, that, according to suche Instructions as were deliverid me bi Master Secretari Cecell from your Highness, I have trawelid therin acording to my Duti, by all the best Meanes I could, as her after ensuith. It ys supposid bi divers suche as have issued owt of the Towne, that there be within it yet remayning above two thousand and three hundred good Soldiors, wheroff two hundred off them at the lest have heretofore served either in the Place off a Capitayn, a Liewtenant; or Ensigne berer; and off all other Sortes off People within the Towne two thousand and more. The Report off suche as have issued owt, is, that the Solders have had neither Fleshe nor Drink but Water this three Weeks: The plenty off that the have is onli Bred, and salt Salmon, which the have proporcioned in this wise; sixteen Ounzes off Bread for a Man a Day, and a Salmon among six a Weeke. I see no Meanes which waye the may be succoured bi Lond, the Scotts being, as they ar, your Majesties Frinds. For I have not seen a Towne off that gretnis better besieged with so sewe Men: For first from Mr. Waughans Bulwarke downe to the Sea in the East Pert, for lacke off Supply off Futtmen, is warded and watched continuali with Horsmen; from Vaughan's Bulwerk to Somerset's Fort towards the Sitadell, trenched and guarded; from Somerset's Fort to the River, that parteth the Sitadell, and the Towne, trenched and guarded; from the other side off the Water towardes the Sitadell, where the Ordenawnce lieth, and the Moyne allso, trenched and guarded; betwene that and the Sea Coast on the West Side, for lack of Fotemen, warded and watched bi Horsemen: So that I cannot see how the should be relieved but but by Boate in sum stormi Night, at whiche Tymes your Majesties Shippes may not spare theyr Boates, for clearing off theyr tacklings. The strongest Pert off the Towne is from Vawghan's Forte downe to the Sea, for that the Bulwerks on that side ar made bothe withe Cullions and Scourdiches. The weakest Place seameth to be the Sitadell, which haith not yet bin touched, and, is but a Masse off Earthe cast up withowt eni Scourdishe in it; and for the Moyne, as it hitherto hath taken ill Successe, so is it not likli wher it is now, to do eni good; for the Ground being mengled with this Contre Coale is so hard, as it is an endles Work to follow it. The Causes whi the Affault toke not Effect were as gret as might be; for neyther was ther suffisient Breache made where the gave the Assult, nether the Flanke at the Churche Bulwerke taken away, nor yet the Ladders long enowghe bi two Yardes, throrowgh Faulte in not viewing off the Diches: And for lacke off Hacquebziers in ower Trenches, which, might have kept them occupied within, that the should not have loked owt, ther wer more flayne going and coming, then either at the Ditche or at the Assault. The Lord Grey and the rest of the Counsell agreed the Day befor; that the Affault should begin at three off the Clock in the Morning folowing, iff it were fownd faultable; and farther that it should be attempted on thre Parts: To the whiche they appoynted thre Gentilmen to gwyde the Soldiors: Vaugban from the Sea Side up to his Fort, betwine the two Bulwerks; Randall from the Churche Bulwerke to the Water Side; the third to Master Crosts over the Water to the pale Breache; which all, though they wer non good, it was thot most easy to have bin attempted. After this ther agreament, in the Evening, Master Sadler, Master Crosts and the Lord of Grawnge went to view the Breaches, which the fownd, as I am informed bothe bi Master Sadler, the Lord Grawnge, and divers others, veri insufficient: Comoning farther with the Lord Grawnge in this Mater, I fownd that bothe he and Mr. Sadler departed to their Lodgings with this minde, and that it was not to be medled with all. Mr. Crofts after that sent to my Lord Grey; off their Agreement I know not, but his Lordship sent to Vaughan abowt Midnight, willing him to keape his Appointment, and he himself abowt the same Howre repayrid to the Trenches, wher Someset's Forte doth stand; wher when he sawe Vaughan preparing to the Affault, he sent Worde to Mr. Crosts on the other Side of the Water imediately to hasten his Men forward, according to the first Agreament; who were put owt at the bateri Place, where the Ordenawnce stoode, with suche ill Instructions, as the never approched the pall Breache, which was chiefest to be attempted, but ran up betwen Churche and the Water. By a Note taken owt off the Tresorers Booke, which I send unto your Majestie herewith, yt apperith that, notwithstanding suche as ar dead and such as ar licenced to depart home, yet with the new Suppli off nine hundred Fortemen browght by Sir Francis Leke synce the Assault, and five hundred Scotts, yowr Majestie is more charged at this present then you were at the first enteraunce off yowr Highness Arme into Scotand. It appeareth allso by thys Note off the Tresorers, that yowr Majestie is at this present charged with eight thousand eight hundred thirteen Fortemen; but I affure your Highness there be not five thousand serving in the Campe: Which I have tried bi thies wayes following: First, I learned by the Marshalls Booke to know how often the Ward and Watches went abowt at the Trenches, where the Ordenawnce lieth, wherin watcheth and wardeth all the Bands of Fotemen, except thirten hundred, divided into Vaughan's and Somerset's Forts, and bi the fame Booke fownde that they warded and watched every fourth Day and Night, and so divided in thyes Nombres following: The first should have had one thousand three hundred and nine, the second one thousand and seven, the third one thousand three hundred and forty-nine, and the fourth one thousand two hundred and twenty two; whyche Wards, when I had perused thre Dayes together, I could not finde in the best off them, when the wer most, not eight hundred Men; and so adding unto it also the thirteen hundred allowed in Vaughan's and Somerset's Forts, (which I could not view because they bring not their Men openli to the Warde, who bee, bi Reaport, as lykeli to want as any in the Army) the hole Nombre cannot amount above four thousand and five hundred Persons, wherbi I gather that yowr Majestie is marveloussi robbed. I have not serched neither the Horsemen, Pioners, nor Carters, as well for that I heare those to have least deceved yowr Highness, as also for that I could not have doon it without suspicion. There was divers hurt at the Assault, and, as far as I can learne, flayne betwene an hundred and sixe Score at the most, wherof the third Part at the least were Scotts. They all agree in Opinion that Bateri prevayleth not, but that the onli Way to winne it, is eyther bi the Sapp, or Famine. The Master off the Ordenaunce saythe, he was directed by the Generall whose Comaundement he did fulfill in that Case. He sayeth that yowr Majestie's Counsell knoweth better then he, what necessiti they be for him; but for himself, he thinketh they may be well spared; for the which my Lord off Norfolk taketh Ordre with them ymediatelie, as well for dischardging of all the sayd Shippes, saving two little Barks, which he requireth for Posts, as also for supplieng the Wants off such Men as he lacketh, to be taken owt off those Shippes so dischardged. So moche as is conteyned in this Article I have declared unto sondri and divers, according to your Majestie's Commaundement. I have spoken onto my Lord off Norffolk and other your Majestie's Officers here, to see all Things in a readynes for Service accordingli. The Lords dispayr not, but stand most assured off yowr Majesties helpe, unto whome they thinke them selfs, under God, most bounden, bothe for ther Countre, themselfs, and theirs. The Lordes off Scotland sent unto me aftre mi departure from the Campe, defiring me to be meanes, as off miself, unto yowr Majestie for hastening off my Lord off Norsolk's going into Scotand. Yf it my please yowr Highnes, confer with Master Secretari herein, who hath Plat off the Towne, yowr Majestie shall the better understand what I have written. And thus most humblie beseching yowr Highnes to accept thees mi simple Doings in good parte, I wishe unto the same long Lief, with most happi and prosperous Reign. From Berwick the 28th off Maii. Your Majesties most bumble and abedient Subject,

P. Carew.