V. "Palatinus Elector proprium apud me nuntium habuit, CHAP. " ut hujus rumoris causam disceret. Optimi quique viri so"liciti sunt de Sereniss. Regis salute et regni tranquillitate." Anno 1551. To the Right Honourable Sir William Petre, or Sir William Cecil, knights, Principal Se- mation prices of A proclamation was set forth in this month of November, A procla declaring, that the King's pleasure was, that the proclama- about cesstion set forth for the cessing the prices of cattle and other ing the victuals, and all pains, forfeitures, &c. therein contained, cattle. should from thenceforth cease, and be put no farther in execution; [some inconvenience, it seems, being found in this stinting the prices of food.] The proclamation for assessing the prices of cattle and provision, to which this seems to refer, came out 1549, and may be read in the foregoing history. For the good service that Sir James Croft had done in Sir J. Croft gratified. Ireland, who was sent over thither the latter end of the last year; now in November a letter was sent to him from the King and Council, that the King had given him 10007. and had received him into his service in the privy chamber; and that he should have in wages of his household servants forty able horsemen, at twelve pence per diem, and sixty footmen, at six pence per diem. ment pro The Parliament that should have met November 4, whe- The Parliather the cause were the remainder of the sweating sickness, rogued. or something else, was put off till a further time. Wherefore the King wrote letters in September to the Lord Chancellor, commanding him to take order for a prorogation until the first of Hilary term; and to learn how many rooms were void by the death of divers knights of the shire, and burgesses, and to signify the same to his Majesty: and that able men might furnish the house, the Council, 287 October 28, made an order, that not young persons, but grave and elderly, should be chosen for the Parliament. The French King now had a third son born, entitled The French Duc d'Engoulesme. For him Jarnac, the French ambas- a third son. King has II. BOOK sador, desired the King from his master to stand godfather: tó which the King gave this answer; That he was glad of Anno 1551. the news, and thanked the King his master that he should be godfather to his son, being a token of the good-will he bore him. And that he would despatch, for the accomplishment thereof, the Lord Clinton, lord admiral. The Lord Clinton goes am France to The Lord Clinton, in this said month of November, was despatched ambassador into France; Sir William Pickering bassador to being ambassador leiger there before, and so continuing. christen the One point of his embassy was, to christen the French King's French son in the King's name: for which that Lord had a parchild: and ticular commission from the King, under seal. And there King's To transact the match. was a letter of order writ, to deliver him 500 marks in French crowns, at six shillings the piece, towards his charges in the voyage. What the expences were, when he stood proxy for the King at this royal infant's baptism, may be seen by this warrant following: "A warrant dated in Ja"nuary to the Lord Treasurer, for the payment of 292 "French crowns to the Lord Admiral; which he gave in "reward to the governor, the nurses, and other ministers "about the King's youngest son, lately christened by him "in the King's name, naming him Edward Alexander.” At this ceremony the Lord Clinton presented the Queen with two gold flagons with chains, weighing 165 ounces, from the King. And for this office that nobleman was gratified by his master, when he came home, with two good lordships, one in Yorkshire, and another in Somersetshire. But there was another great point wherein the present embassy of this Lord consisted, namely, to transact the matter of the match between King Edward and the French King's daughter: for which there was a commission to him and to Sir William Pickering, jointly and severally, to hear all manner matters with the French King, concerning the marriage between the King's Majesty and the Lady Elizabeth, the French King's daughter, and the confirmation thereof according to their instructions, which they must receive. The instructions delivered them consisted in three articles. V. Fitz-Patric France for In the Lord Clinton's company went by order Sir W. CHAP. Stafford, Sir Adrian Poynings, Sir John Norton, Sir John Terry, Sir Richard Corbet, Mr. Brook, Mr. Nevyl; and, Anno 1551. among the rest, Barnaby Fitz-Patric, a young Irish gentleBarnaby man, and one of the chief gentlemen of the King's privy sent into chamber, and much favoured by the King, having been breeding. bred up with him from a child. Him the King, taking this opportunity, sent into the French King's court, furnished him with instructions under his own hand for his behaviour there, which are preserved in Fuller's history; appointed him four servants, gave him 300 French crowns in his purse, and a letter to the French King in his favour, declaring, that the King had sent him thither to remain in his court to learn fashions, for the better serving him at his return. He was instructed to converse with Sir William Pickering, the English ambassador, as much as he could. 288 And when he was there, the King held a correspondence by letters with him. Letters were sent this same November to the said Pick-Letters of thanks to ering, that it was the King's pleasure, that at his next going the French to the French court, he would pray the King to permit his King. Majesty to have a thousand tun of wheat, which the citizens of London desired to buy of him, for the dearth was great in the city. This was readily complied with by the French King; and more than the King's request, that is, twelve hundred tun, was permitted to be transported. The said King likewise paid civilities to Fitz-Patric, taking him into his court. This caused King Edward in December to write a letter of thanks to him, both for his liberal grant of twelve hundred tun of wheat to be bought in France for the relief of the city of London, and for his gentle receiving of Barnaby Fitz-Patric into his service, and placing of him in his privy chamber. In February following, I find, orders were given to pay Barnaby Fitz-Patric his annuity of 1501. A letter in this above-named month of December was Guisnes to sent to the Lord Clinton, to repair, immediately at his re- be surveyed. turn from the French King, to the castle of Guisnes; and II. BOOK there calling to him the captain of the same, to view and consider the same castle, the town, the buildings, and the Anno 1551. fortifications, and the wants, decays, or needs there: and thereupon to weigh what buildings and fortifications were already begun, and of what importance; and whether they needed to be altered, or what else might be better devised: and that he should set order with the surveyors there, for the going in hand with the same. This order was sent, I suppose, upon information of some defects of that town and castle. And now the Lord Clinton being in France, it was thought fit to take that opportunity to send this great and expert captain to view the strength and weakness of that piece, and to give his orders for the security thereof; the English court having always a jealous eye upon the French, lest they might, some time or other, take their advantage against those places in France belonging to the English. A commis- Guisnes and The Lord comes There was also, in the same month of December, a commission given forth to Sir Richard Cotton and Sir Richard Bray, knights, to repair with certain instructions to the said castle and county of Guisnes, as also to the town of Calais, and to certain other pieces on that side of the seas. And there shewing their commission, to hear their opinions and advice, as well of the counsellors in each of the said pieces, as of other officers there, concerning the works, buildings, and fortifications of the said pieces. Such was the circumspection of the King and his Council, over their confines upon France, notwithstanding this present appearing friendship with that king. The Lord Admiral returned from his embassy, and these other charges committed to him, December 30, and then delivered to the Lords the ratifications of the marriage between the King's Majesty and the Lady Elizabeth, the French King's daughter, under the great seal of France. And it was resolved, that the same treaty should be delivered to the Lord Treasurer, to be by him reposed in the treasury of the Exchequer, to remain there of record in safe keeping. CHAP. VI. The English jealous of the Emperor. The Bishop of Ely hath the great seal: delivered up by the Lord Rich. His rise and wealth. Some account of the Bishop of Ely. Richard Turner, B. D. A mint at York. Merchants of the Stilyard. འའ 289 peror pre was hardly practicable for the King to keep all fair Anno 1551. at once with France and the Emperor: but as the King's The Emfriendship seemed to become cordial with one prince, the pares a other grew into jealousy, as though the friendship dimi- winter. fleet in thereof. nished towards him. And this was the case at this time with the Emperor, after these mutual respects with France before-mentioned. And the good understanding with the England Emperor began to be much doubted, especially now in De-jealous cember, upon account of a fleet that was setting forth immediately by the Emperor's order. Mons. de Bever, a sea officer, was newly come to the Emperor, and after six or eight days was despatched towards Zealand, to rig out, as the speech went, a great number of ships, at this unseasonable time of the year; some reported sixty sail, others, thirty and that he was to go with the same for Spain in all haste; or, according to others, after Christmas. Skipperius, the Emperor's admiral, lay then also in Zealand about maritime affairs. Of this, Sir Thomas Chamberlain, the King's ordinary ambassador, wrote to the Lords of the Council in much doubt about it: for he could not tell what to make of that bruit, that ships should be sent to Spain; considering the Emperor had as good ships in Biscay, and enow, and meeter ships for the wars, than those in that country: which made him remember the year 1536, or 1537, when the Emperor being then in Spain, a number of hulks were bruited to be sent out of Flanders thither, and after were discovered to have sought landing in England, as he heard then say; praying God they did not mean to attempt again. And to encourage some such purpose of invasion, reports were thrown up and down in the Low Countries, of the |