STAC 5/F3/19

From Waalt

STAC 5/F3/19 - B A Rr - Hli 38 Eliz - Norfolk - Thomas Fermor v Christopher Grymston STAC Farmer

Transcribed by Helen Good

To the Quenes most excellent Majestie

Humblie sheweth and informeth your moste excellent Majestie your moste dutifull, loyall, and obedient servaunt Thomas Fermor esquire. That whereas duringe all the tyme of your moste princelie peaceable and happie raigne godes true religion throughout all your highnes Domynyons is moste laudablye trulie and reverentlie adorned planted and established and the holie gospell sincerelie purelie and openlie preached and taught, And thereby your Majesties loving subjectes thoroughlie instructed and edefyed in the true faith & knowledge of almightie god; and the great multitude of the Romishe and other Daungerous and vicious heresies & errors overthrowen rooted out and cleared to the magnificent glorie & honor of the moste true and everliving god. Nevertheles nowe so it is (moste excellent princesse, that sithence your Mates last generall and free pardon, one Chrstofer Grymston of Gonton in the Countie of Norfolk gent a moste sedicious and daungerous person to the present state and good governement of this your highnes Comon Wealth, neither respecting his allegeaunce to your Majestie nor having the feare of god before his eyes, Did moste maliciouslye and of a divelishe intente and purpose in the open assemblie and hearing of Dyvers and sundrye of your Mates lovinge subjectes videlicet in or about the Thirtenth daye of Jannuarie in the six and thirtieth yere of your highneses most happie raine at Gonton aforesaid speake say utter and pronounce these disobedient, contemptuous,and illoyal speaches following, That if your Majestie were dead, and a papist should come to be kinge, he (the said Grymston) would be and become a papist that present daye, And the said Christofer Grymston at another tyme videlicet in in or about the fouretenth daye of Januarie in the said sixe and thirtieth yere of your Majesties raigne at Gonton aforesaid of a like divelishe & malicious intent & purpose did then utter these words, videlicet, That one Sixtius is a greate politician and a very wise man, and one that is a very great place, for (quoth the said Grymston he is the popes secreatorie, and he propheseth or fortelleth that the king of Spayne shalbe Emperor of all the West partes, And at another tyme videlicet in or aboute the fiftenth daye of Januarye in the yere aforesaid, at the Citie of Norwiche the said Christofer Grimston did also utter and speak these /\ infamous & scandalous /\ words, videlt, that the mariages of Priests vicars and ministers are unlawfull, And that the Children of their bodyes begotten in suche wedlock are bastards and not legittimate, And at another tyme videlicet in or about the Twentith daye of Februarie in the said sixe and thirtieth yere of your Majesties most Joyefull and blessed raigne, at Gonton aforesaid, he the said Grymston did also utter and speak these words videlicet, That the peece of Scripture written in the newe testament, videlicet in the Eightenth verse of the sixtenth Chapter of the Gospell written by Saint Mathew ought to be Super hunc Petrus, and not Super hanc Petram. In derogacion of your Majesties princelie Crowne and dignitie, and to the pernicious and evill example of others that will attempt and be provoked and stirred upp to doe the like, yf speedye reformacion and condigne ponishement be not had in tyme. / In Consideracion whereof, and forasmuche as dyvers good and wholesome lawes and statutes are made and provided for the Condigne punishement of such heynous misdemeanours and offences being verie daungerous and hurtfull to be tollerated in a quiet and happie Comon Wealth. Maie it therefore please your most excellent Majestie to vouchsafe your most gracious Writt of Subpena to be directed to the said Christopher Grymston Commaundinge him thereby at a certayne daye and under a Certaine payne therein to be lymitted personallie to be and appeare before your Majestie in your highness high Court of Starrechamber at Westminster then and there to aunswere the premisses. And further to stand to and abide suche order and direccion thereon as to your highnes shalbe thought fitt. And your said servant shall according to his bounden Dutie daylie praie to god for the longe preservacion of your most Royall Majestie with victorie over your Enemyes long to raigne over us.

The Answer of Christopher Grimston gent to the Bill of Complaint of Thomas Farmor

The said Defendant sayeth that touchinge the said scandalous and Sidyous speeches and opyinions in the said Bill of Complaint [fa]lslye and most wickedlye by the said Complainant against him the said defendant surmised he the said defendant is utterlie not guiltie / And the said defendant verelye beleveth that the said Complainant in his owne Conscyence is fullye assured that his said accusacions are most false. For he sayth that one George Carre a man foulye detected and with whom the said Complainant hath more familiarytie and Freindshipp then is fitt for a man that esteemes his Creditte was the first devyser of those hatefull slanders who both before the late Reverent Father the Bishoppe of Norwich deceased and before Sir John Popham Lord Cheif Justice at a generall assyse for the said Countye upon both which accusacions the said defendant was houlden Cleare and att the said Hearinge by the said Lord Cheif Justice the said Carre was bound to his good behavious which is well knowen to the said Complainant for that he was present and some waye a medler in the said Cause. And the malice of the said Complainant and his Confederates with the said George Carre against the said defendant is the more Apparant in that the said George Carre notwithstanding his said former byles hath exhibited B[ill] of Complainant against this defendant into this Honorable Courte Conteyninge the lyke matter of Accusacion as doth this Bill of the newe Complaint wherunto the said defendant hath Answered which said suite so dependinge the said Complainant nevertheless upon a most Malycious Rancour hath nowe exhibted this Bill of lyke effect as is aforesaid for vexacion and to put the said defendant to contynuall trouble and Chardge of which thinges the said defendant is Readye to averre and prove and In respect then of the said defendant prayeth to be dismissed out of this most Honorable Court with his Reasonable Charges in this behalf wrongfullye susteyned