Cecil Papers: 1625 | British History Online

Pages 204-209

Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 22, 1612-1668. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1971.

Citation:

1625



	Edward Hide to Christopher Keighley.
1624–25, February 16.	Since Keighley's departure from London he and Lord Wotton's agents have met at Serjeant Crawley's to discuss the arrears of £20 due to the Earl of Salisbury. "The said Lord Woottons agents alleage that there was a graunte made in the tyme of Kinge Henry the viiith of fower poundes per annum unto to churches in Canterbury in liewe of certen glebe lands belonginge unto the said churches, which lands Kinge Henry the viiith cawsed to be inclosed and taken into Canterbury parke." Lord Wotton's agents have made an offer, which Serjeant Crawley favours, to liquidate the arrears and avoid litigation. He has not heard that Sir William Herrick has been in London, and so, by Serjeant Crawley's advice, he has obtained a summons against him and the other executors of Sir Roger Ashton. Refers to other legal matters. "I cannot learne that any of Markett Jewe are in towne."—Ffetter Lane, this 16th of Ffebruary, 1624. Holograph. Seal. 1½ pp. (General 83/29.)
	Thomas Harris to Christopher Keighley.
1625, April 13.	"I understand that your are credablely (sic) enformed that there is a rich myne of tynn within our Mount. These are to lett you understand that my Lord and your self are enformed with an untruth, for I parswade my self that you will give more creaditt to this my letter then to the false reports of your enformers for there is noe more tynn there then is in our church, saving that some poore peopell following the tyde doe beat and hammer out of the hard rocks, which will scarse paie the charges of there towles; for if there had bine any other I would have acquainted you long eare this. As consearning the measoradge, if you will have anie good thereof I would have you, if you pleased, to send a debitation eather to my self or to Wm Chigwine under my Lords hand and seale, for when wee doe demaund the dewes they doe demaund by what authority we should receave the same and we cane showe none, and therefore is much lost."— Mount, the 13th of Aprill, 1625. Holograph. Seal. Endorsed: "13 April 1625. Mr Harres unto me aboute the tyne works." 1 p. (General 84/1.)
	Christopher Keighley to Mr Conesbie.
[1625, April].	Informs him that the Earl of Salisbury wishes him to speak to the freeholders within the hundred of Cashoe and the Liberty of St. Albans, who have votes in the election of knights of the shire. "My Lord would have them to be at Baldocke upon Thursday come senight beinge the xxviiith of this moneth, to geve there voyces there for Sir J. Botler, (fn. 1) kt and baronet, and Mr Jo. Botler, to be knights of the shere for Hertfordshere; thes desireinge yowe to be careful herein to give his Lordship good satisfaction."—Undated. Draft in Keighley's hand. 1 p. (General 74/10.)
	On reverse: A similar draft letter by Keighley to Edward Nutley to speak with the freeholders of Clothall and Quixwood, and to urge them to be present at Baldocke on the abovementioned date to vote for Sir John Boteler and John Boteler. He is to note down the names of those who go there and send the list to Keighley. ¾ p.
	The Earl of Salisbury to the Bishop of Lincoln.
[Before May, 1625].	"I have received your letter, and it trobleth me that your Lordship should write unto me for anie thinge wherein I cannot give your Lordship that full satisfaction that I desire, haveinge ingaged my selfe the last Parliament for Mr Ashton, (fn. 2) and had that Parliament continewed a smale space longer the writte had gone forth for an election." In the circumstances he is bound by his former promise to Ashton. "For the other place diverse of the towne in the begininge of the last Parliament have desired me to give my best furtherance for Mr Fanshawe, (fn. 2) one whome I verie well respect." He has undertaken not to recommend any one who might challenge Fanshawe to that place. "Thus haveinge set downe the true state of this busines I assure my selfe that your Lordship will excuse me in regard of my former promeses." Draft. Unsigned but in Keighley's hand. Endorsed: "Copy of a letter to my Lo. Bishop of Lincolne." 1 p. (General 101/7.)
	John Southworth to Christopher Keighley.
1625, May 12.	"Whearas I writt this morninge that his Ma^tie would take his jorney towards Dover upon Monday next, since dinner is Mr Grymes comon from my Lord Duke with letters to his Ma^tie which hath staid his jorney untill this day seaven night att the sownest, and itt is thought the Kinge will sitt in Parlement before he goeth: of which I will make enquirie, and if I heare to the contrarie I will send by the coetchman to morrowe." —Salisburie Howse, 12 May, 1625. Holograph. Seal. ½ p. (General 84/4.)
	Lord Chief Justice R[andolff] C[rewe] to Sir John Garrat and Sir William Lytton.
1625, May 29.	I am informed one Fabian Phillips is in the gaol at St. Albans for speaking scandalous words against the Earl of Salisbury, a noble peer of this realm. The flux of such foul mouths ought to be stopped by severe justice and corporal punishment. I desire you to take some pains to examine him, what words he used, upon what occasion, whether the Earl had at any time wronged him, who set him on to use these words and upon such other circumstances as you think meet. If you find him malicious and stubborn, keep him for some time in prison, and then give him liberty upon good caution to appear at the next assizes at Hertford, and in the meantime to be of good behaviour. But if you find him penitent, and the words he used were in drink or some such distemper, and that he will under his hand acknowledge his fault and submit himself to the mercy of my Lord, then I wish you to give order for his discharge, myself presuming so much upon my Lord's nobleness that he will remit this man's fault upon his sorrow and submission.—29 May, 1625. Endorsed: "Copy of a letter from my Lord Chief Justice to Sir Jo. Garratt and Sir William Litton." 1 p. (131. 1.)
	The Earl of Suffolk (fn. 3) to the Earl of Salisbury.
[1625 or before] July 7.	"Mr Kuynscroft of the Alyenation Offyce hath bene with me to entreate you to bestow a buck on hym in Enfeeld chase, to have yt agaynst Monday come seenyght, beinge neer to hys howse which ys a myle beyond Barnett. He doth marry at that tyme a dawghter which ys the cause that he ys so importunate." Requests a warrant to that effect. "He tells me he hath a very good survey of your manour of Hatfeeld which you shall have."—Suffolke howse, this 7 of July. Holograph. Seal. 1 p. (200. 41.)
	Sir Edward Coke.
1625, August 5.	"The contents of a speech made by Sir Edw. Cooke, knight for Norfolk, in the Parliament House of Commons, August 4 [sic 5], 1625." Endorsed: "A copy of Sir Edw. Cook's speech in the Parliament House at Oxford, 1625." 1½ pp. (131. 28.) [Printed in substance in Commons' Journals, I, 810, by which it appears that it was spoken on August 5.]
	Richard Sherfield to the Earl of Salisbury.
1625, August 5.	Submits a number of grievances for Salisbury's consideration. Despite assurances about his occupation of the parsonage house at Cranborne and other properties and buildings there which he holds by a lease, he has been expelled from part of the land by Samuel Stillingfleet on an alleged warrant from Salisbury. Also Stillingfleet threatens to deny him the use of a barn to thresh his wheat, and to evict him from the dwelling house. Stillingfleet has improperly allowed a number of local inhabitants wrongfully to spoil Cranborne and Alderholt commons by cutting turf for fuel, with the result that the rabbit warren is likely to be destroyed for lack of grass. Refers to the arrogant behaviour of the ringleader in this affair who is tolerated by Stillingfleet, "whereby hee hath not soe fewe as fortye carte loades of turfe and soe manye more of heath and some loades of stone, and the turfe and the heath hee taketh not in the accustomed places but dispightfully in the warren and bringeth in abundance of other like usurpers. Hee uppon the xiiith of June laste came to the Conye lodge and sware that hee and his companye would plucke yt downe, and afterwardes in the hearinge of diverse persons spake theis wordes followinge, videlt, what hath my lorde to doe to maynteyne a conye warren heere in our common. Yt is an upstart thinge. And yf the tenants will bee ruled by mee wee will come and digge downe all the burrowghes. And when wee have done wee will justifie yt to my Lordes nose." Stillingfleet has moreover allowed more mills to be erected in Cranborne than ever before, to the detriment of Salisbury's mill and his [Sherfield's] loss. All these activities and plots have redounded to his disgrace and to the discredit of his family and relations, who are hampered by them in their efforts to improve their position in the world. "I am a lawghinge stocke to the worlde. . . . Was there ever man that uppon promises of one noble man would offende suche and soe manye powerfull men and such multitudes besides of all ranckes?" All this is the direct consequence of his attempts to protect Salisbury's interests, and therefore it is with dismay that he hears that Salisbury is critical of him. He would welcome an opportunity to submit his case to him in person. Complains further of abuses at Burwood where cattle are kept in the coppices, trees of great value cut down and outhouses built by Hooper who, "maketh haye whiles the sunne shineth" at the expense of Salisbury. Again turf digging on the commons of Cranborne and Holwell has resulted in the spoliation of pasture which could cost Salisbury as much as £2000. Stillingfleet has made no effort to oppose the turf diggers. "Hee will not offence a multitude nor any particular man in suche respects, especiallye when tenants to other greate persons hereabouts and diverse ffreeholders thoughe without righte or culler of righte are the greatest offendors." He is of the opinion that this is one reason for the break down of the projected enclosure of the commons, "which hadd bine effected longe agoe had there not byne an underhande dealinge by Stillingefleete, whoe was sett into yt by a neerer attend^t, to ffrighte and feare the tenants by spreddinge a false report of that purpose to thende that I should not bee the man to effecte soe greate a busines for your Lordshipp as I verely thincke."—Cramborne, 5 Augustii, 1625. Signed only. Endorsed: "August 1625. Richard Sherfild to my lord from Oxford." 5½ pp. (General 21/6.)
	At bottom: A postscript in Sherfield's hand to the effect that he had journeyed to Oxford to see Salisbury rather than send the letter. But having failed to meet him, he now forwards it. Begs to be allowed to remain in the parsonage house in view of his long and faithful service, at least until he sees Salisbury.—Oxon, this Ffridaye, 12 Aug. 1625. 1½ pp.
	Parliament.
1625, August 8.	The Commons' address to the King (August 8, 1625) with speeches by the Lord Keeper, the Lord Admiral and my Lord Duke. 10 pp. (206. 101.)
	Parliament.
[1625] August 9.	Address of the Houses of Parliament to the King with respect to the Papacy. Begins. "It being infallibly true that nothing can more establish your Throne, etc." 4 pp. (140. 262.) [Printed in Lords' Journals, III, 479.]
	Ralph Cox to Christopher Keighley.
1625, August 10.	"I think you take unkindley that all this tyme I have never written unto you." He protests that his silence was due to lack of news in London. He has not been well all the summer. "But I woulde not have you to thinke that I have the plague nor aney parte of yt, for then be you sure I woulde not write nor presume to write, for yf yt please God of his mercey and goodnes to me to houlde out with my liffe this grievous time, I will never be in servitude to aneye. Allthough I must confesse I have a most honorable good lord and Laedye to my M^r M^rs. For here is nothinge but lamentacions and cryenges of children for ther ffathers and their mothers all night longe in the streetes. Mr Sillis the barber his house is infected of the plague, and are shut up he and his wiffe and their tenant Batte, for Robert his man is dead. My lord of Rutlans house is shut upp. Bedford House there is 2 ded out of yt. Mr Roger Crooke he lefte a mayd to keepe his house and she is sick of the plague in yt, but is like to recover. As for Crooke he comes not at yt. Andrew Batey is shut up and divers about us whiche I cannot name to you, a showmakers house next to the holey lambe and boethe sides the blacke bull gatte." He sends his regards from "our grevous infection of the plague at London".—Salisbury House, this 10th of August 1625.
P.S.	There died of all diseases this weeke,	4855
	Where of the plague,	4115
	Parishes cleare without the plague,	10
	Parishes infected,	112
	Christned this weeke,	122
	Holograph. 1 p. (General 84/21.)
	The Earl of Salisbury to Samuel Stillingfleet.
1625, August 13.	Authorizes him to pay the poor of Cranborne £10 every year, in conformity with the decisions of Thomas Hooper and Christopher Keighley as to how the money should be distributed. Also that Mr Filer, the preacher at Cranborne, should receive £40 to be paid him every quarter.—Hatfield, 13 August, 1625. Endorsed: "A copie of my Lo: warrant to Stillingfleet for the payeinge of the poore and Mr Ffiller." ½ p. (General 84/14.)
	The King's Gentlemen Pensioners.
[? 1625].	The oath administered to Theophilus Howard, Lord Walden, as Captain of King Charles I's Honourable Band of Gentlemen Pensioners.—Undated. Endorsed: "Oath of y^e Capt^s of y^e Hon^able Band of Pensioners." ½ p. (200. 17.)