CP 138, 16a

CP Vol 138 f.16

HMC Vol 1 p 172 No 600

Haynes Page 228 Number 207

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

23 Jan 1559 From my Lord his Grace to Mr. Secretarye

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

FOR that, gentell Mr. Secretarie, in my generall Lettre, the ordynarie Matters here have ben suffyciently remembred, I woll not trouble you with any Thinge, but myn own Fancies and Opynyons conceived uppon the Sight of Barwycke; of whiche, though that my Experience and Understandinge is quytt unhable to judge, yet for my Promise sake unto you before my departure from London, I could do no lesse but wryte thes few Lynes unto you, as a Declaracion of my Remembraunce thereof. First for the Situacion of Barwycke. I assure you by Nature I find yt mervelous unapte for to be fortyfied, without greate Payne, Travaile and Industrye; of whiche, that whiche is alredy begonne of the Works, I fynd greate Dylygence, and, as is supposed by wiser then I here, as muche as any Man with so lytell Chardge coulde bringe to passe; in whiche I thinke Mr. Lee hath donn his Parte. The Thing though it be never so chardgeable is nowe to synysh, or else it had ben better it had never ben begonn; for the lack of perfecting, if the Towne were presentlye to be defended, wold, for wante thereof, rather, be annoyaunce to the Desendor, then to them any Strength or Succour; and yet, if the Ennemye shuld prevaile, a marvelous forwardenes for the strengthenyng thereof, whiche in small Tyme by them might so be wroughte, that, ere we shuld geate the same agein, yt woold coste many a broken Hedd. Ther is on Thing here nowe in Question, the whiche, (when Sir Ja. Croffts and Men of grete Experience here and otherwere, dare not give their Opynyon,) you woll not merveile though I advise nothinge therein, but only wishe, that if there be any about the Courte or other where, that hath more skill then other in Fortyfycation, he shuld rather be sent hither; whereby his Opynyon might be harde in so weightie a Cause, whiche is disputable, and with so good Reasons of both Sides: I mean, whether it be more Expedient to have Side of the old Towne next to the Haven cutt of awey, wherein consisteth all the Quene's Storehouses, and the best Houses of the Towne; orese to fortysye the old Wall, and by that means to save all the Houses: But the Reasons of both Sides are so greate that I can judge nothing. The Tyme of the Yere draweth so fast on, that on wey must nedes be agreed uppon, wherein you knowe best what is to be donn; and Sir R. Lee I daresay, for his own Discharge sake, woll call fast ynoughe upon you, who I thinke of this last Matter is not resolved. Thus wisshing you to thinke that, if it were not for a singuler Freendship I repose in you, I wold not take upon me to Skryble these folyshe Fantasies, being so unskillfull in so weightye a Cause, I bydd you, &c.

Thomas Norffolk.