Cecil Papers: April 1606 | British History Online

Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 24, Addenda, 1605-1668. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1976.

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Citation:

'Cecil Papers: April 1606', in Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 24, Addenda, 1605-1668, ed. G Dyfnallt Owen (London, 1976), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-cecil-papers/vol24/pp72-77 [accessed 3 April 2025].

April 1606



	John Francton to the Privy Council.
[After April 3, 1606].	He is the King's printer in Ireland. If he is to put up with the damage done to him by the stationers of London, of whose Company he is a freeman, he asks the Council to ratify the letters patent which granted him his office, and send letters to the Lord Deputy and Council of Ireland that he be given a commission to provide such churches in Ireland as need them with books in English for divine service. These, he says, "the inhabitants are unwilling to receave unles it be by such course". His predecessor was awarded the same commission by the late Earl of Devonshire. Petitioner also requests that the Council call in a bond in which the London stationers "have compelled me to become bound unto his Ma^tie before I could be released out of prison, not to bringe anie booke out of Ireland into this realme".— Undated. ½ p. (P. 1810.)
	Sir Randall Macdonell to the Queen.
[After April 3, 1606].	He has written to her to intervene with the Earl of Salisbury on behalf of his suit, but the death of the Earl of Devonshire has suspended all operations concerning it. Petitioner renews his appeal that through her Vice-Chamberlain, Lord Carew, the Queen communicate to Salisbury her support for him, and her wish that the matter be despatched in his favour with expedition.—Undated. ½ p. (P. 1513.)
	Henry Baker to—.
[After April 3, 1606.]	"Objections against the byll of Mr Throckmorton (fn. 1) for the assurance of the mannor of Rye against the heires of the late Earle of Devonshire."
	A list of reasons is given as to why the House of Lords should reject a bill brought by Throckmorton against Baker who is a King's ward.—Undated. ¾ p. (P. 2147.)
	John Bucke to the Earl of Salisbury.
[After April 4, 1606].	He is a prisoner in the Gatehouse at Westminster, and begs to be released. He informs Salisbury that as soon as he landed at Dover he notified Sir Thomas Fane that he had come to Calais in the company of a number of priests making their way to England, whose names he had revealed. He mentioned in particular one Butler, who had taken post horse and crossed the Channel three days before him. The priests had, however, suspected petitioner and had refused to cross in the same boat. (fn. 2)
	Petitioner assures Salisbury that if he had not been in debt and thereby obliged to conceal himself, he would have conveyed all this information to the Privy Council in person. He refers to two other visitors, of whom he had also given a detailed description to Sir Thomas Fane, and who were "to come over the next tyde, that sayd thay weare scollers at Dowaye, that wente by the name of Yardley and Okee". As soon as he had arrived in Calais, "fynding one Askue of Dover, the booteman, I tould him as muche and carried him to the house where those preasts weare and did will him to have regard therof. And also declared as muche to one Captain Turner who sayd he had your warrand to loke after such men and did lend him mony". He protests that he was never a Catholic, but has always been a loyal and obedient Protestant.— Undated. 1 p. (P. 1453.)
	Robert Morgan to the Earl of Salisbury.
[After April 7, 1606].	He is the Keeper of the gaol at Worcester. Last March certain prisoners were sent down from London by the Privy Council to stand their trial at Worcester, and he was charged with their security. Later they were executed for high treason. (fn. 3) He incurred certain expenses for their diet and detention, since he had to hire watchmen "the prison of it selfe being very weake". He has since petitioned the Privy Council for the repayment of the money he disbursed, but has received no satisfaction. He now begs Salisbury to further his suit in this respect.—Undated. ½ p. (P. 536.)
	Agnes Walworth to the Earl of Salisbury.
[After April 7, 1606].	She was formerly employed in Salisbury's household, and is now a poor widow. Her natural brother, Thomas Love, a Protestant, was servant to John Winter, lately executed at Worcester for his part in the Gunpowder conspiracy, and was imprisoned in London and Stafford for his master's offence. During his detention in Stafford prison, petitioner went to visit him and found him loaded with irons and in a miserable condition, although Mr Stephen Littleton had compounded with the gaoler for his diet and lodging, and those of two others with him, until the following Assizes. "Notwithstanding which composition the jeyler exacted uppon the poor people and in particuler threatned the sayd Thomas that he should bagg in the chaine." To prevent such cruel treatment petitioner was forced to enter into a bond of £4 for the payment of 40/-, and is now being threatened with arrest for the debt. She has been forced to flee from her own house to escape the attention of creditors and complains that, "sergeants lye in wayt for her". She asks for some relief in her extremity, so that she may not be arrested or her goods confiscated.—Undated. 1 p. (P. 1514.)
	Agnes Walworth to the Earl of Salisbury.
[After April 7, 1606].	"A medicine cometh to late when the diseased is past cure." She informed him in a recent petition that her natural brother, a Protestant, was servant to John Winter who was executed at Worcester. (fn. 4) Because of Winter's attainder and death for treason, her brother forfeited his horse, money and apparel, and was imprisoned at Stafford, being eventually cleared of treason. Stephen Littleton committed himself to the gaoler of Stafford to pay £14 for the diet and lodging of her brother and two other prisoners until the Assizes there. Nevertheless, the gaoler obliged her to sign a bond for £4 for the payment of 40/-, and she is now being threatened with arrest if she does not pay it. As in the previous petition, she begs Salisbury to prevent her being arrested, and to prohibit any distraining of her goods. She reminds him that she was the "first woman servant that ever your Honour enterteyned, being your landres preferred by your worshipful Aunte Mrs White".—Undated. ½ p. (P. 567.)
	The Merchants and Sergemakers of Southampton to the Earl of Salisbury.
[Before April 9, 1606].	They have communicated their grievances to the Lower House, which has incorporated them in the general grievance of tonnage and poundage. Sergemakers in Southampton and elsewhere, who employ a great many people in their manufactures and in the coarse canvas trade with Brittany, have been overcharged by the new rates lately imposed (whereby serges have increased from 12d the piece to 5/-, and Breton coarse canvas from 15d the fardel to 10/-). If these charges be not moderated, petitioners will be obliged to abandon their trade, as some have already done, and a multitude of people will become unemployed. They ask Salisbury to consider their case with sympathy.—Undated. ½ p. (P. 2083.) [See The Journals of the House of Commons, Vol. I, p. 295.]
	George Rocliffe to Duke Brooke
[1606 or before] April 16.	"Mr Ffoster will praie your worship that he maye see that draughte of your answere to Mr Gilberts bill, which bothe he and I must also answere, as Mr Ffoyle will enforme your worship." He has sent Brooke (fn. 5) the copy of Gilbert's lease and the draft of the indenture, "that dothe expresse the use of the ffyne levied to Mr Ffoster. In Hillarie terme last Mr Ffords man was with me as he was rydinge towards London, and was verie earnest to have me receive the fyftie pound he paied your worship, which I perceive nowe was but only a devise to strengthen this assignement of Sir Walter Rawlighes, wherein I see he hath notablelie [sic] abused your worships kynde dealinge with him, which I hope in thend will appeare to his shame. The assigneinge over of this deed of Sir Walters could have bene noe good to him nor hurt to anie other. . . . By reason of some jarrs betwene Sir Walter and Mr Gilbert now at the assises at Exeter, yt was discovered how that Mr Gilbert had assigned over that lease to Sir Walter long since, and thereof hath Mr Fford notice so that the whole interest was in Sir Walter."—Templecomb, this xvith of Aprill. Holograph. 1 p. (General 103/5.)
	William Okey to the Earl of Salisbury.
[Before April 18, 1606].	In view of his faithful service, he begs Salisbury to extend his patronage to his wife and son, and permit them to reside in the house as they have done hitherto, and undertake the duties which he has performed. (fn. 6) —Undated. ½ p. (P. 321.)
	Viscount Lisle to the King.
[April 20, 1606].	He requests to be nominated general examiner "for the examinatione of all deponents uppon all commissions to be directed out of all and everie your Highnes Englishe courts into all and everie your Highnes counties in England and Wales". He also asks to be authorized to appoint deputies who will not charge higher fees than those customarily received by the examiners in all courts which issue commissions. Petitioner claims that such a grant would not prejudice the place or profit of existing officials in any court. On the contrary, "yt wilbe a wonderfull ease to your subjects in generall, both in their travell and charge. And the business more indifferentlie and justlie performed and neither partie outcountenanced".
	At bottom: "His Ma^ties pleasure is that the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Treasurer, the Earl of Salisbury, the Lord Cheefe Justice of Englande and his Ma^ties Atturney generall or any 3 of them shall consider of this petition and report unto his Ma^tie howe it maye be convenyent for his Ma^tie to graunt it unto the Lord Viscount Lysle without anie prejudice to the Common Wealthe."—Undated. Endorsed: "The swte of the L. Lisle." Copy. 1 p. (197. 19.) [See H.M.C. Salisbury MSS, Vol. XVIII, p. 116.]
	John Danson and Edward Thomasin to the Earl of Salisbury.
[After April 24, 1606].	They refer to the recent election of Salisbury as Knight of the Garter, (fn. 7) and to the fact that there is an allowance due to him out of the Wardrobe for his robes. The making of these robes has been conveyed to them by patent, and they regard it as incumbent upon them to impart this information to him. They now offer their services and their experience, which in the case of one of them covers a period of forty years of robemaking.—Undated. ½ p. (P. 297.)
	William Boothowse to the Earl of Salisbury.
[April, 1606].	Thomas Alabaster, merchant, has procured a protection for himself under cover of which he detains money which he owes to petitioner amongst many other creditors. The sum involved is £105, and petitioner requests that Alabaster be compelled to repay it.—Undated. ½ p. (P. 335.) [See PRO, Privy Seal Office, Ind. 6744, April, 1606, No. 56.]
	— to —.
[After April, 1606].	Private letters from Venice say that the Signory has incarcerated certain prelates for having visited a convent of Beguines and persuaded them to believe that they could not be saved because of the excommunication by the Pope (fn. 8), and that consequently it was necessary to wall up all the gates of the convent, leaving only one open over which they should maintain special guard. Brother Paola Servita preached a lengthy sermon on this subject in order to publicize the erroneous opinions of the imprisoned prelates, adding that those who called themselves Roman Catholics were sectaries if they did not declare themselves so in conformity with the articles of our Christian faith: I believe in one universal Christian church. Cologne.—Undated. Flemish. ½ p. (205. 62.)