to dell with the generall States, for to assyst her Majestie with 20 shyps.

I am bold thus to remember your Lordship, for tyme wyll not be stayed, and the remembrance of 88 maketh me to feere that the coniunction of the planets, decet and trechery, then and now doth deffer lyttell.

I hav bene all this afternon at Wolwyge, and your Lordship must not blame your fotman that he retorneth no sonner to you, for it was nyght befor I cam bak, and he mesed me on the way. God send your Lordship as much

honnor, and all good fortune, as your owne hart cane wyshe, and I wyll with all trew love rest

Your Lordship's Cossyne, and most assured

frend for you to comand,

Dedford, past 7.

NOTINGHAM.*

(No. 3.)

EARL OF NOTTINGHAM TO Lord Burghley AND THE

EARL OF ESSEX.

February, 1597-8.

MAY IT PLAESE YOUR LORDSHIP,-I maed such hast to send Mr. Secretory's letters to your Lordship as I forbare to wryte that wych now I dow. He wryteth that the Vandgard is so foull, as she is not able to mak graet way; it is no marvel, for she hathe bene in the Narro Sees synce the fyrst of June, wych is 9 monts. Those shyps that weer feet to put in her plase being of forse, and to draw by still watter, was in the last sarvis, but synce the Raynbo came hom, she is maed redy to goo in her plase, and had ben ther alredy but the other stayed for the safe transportyng of Mr. Secretory.

He also wryteth that her Majestie's forses are but small, *MS., State Paper Office.

X

that are in the Narro Sees. You my Lord Tresorer knoweth her Majestie comanded me to leson them, so as the Antelop, the Advantage, and a pryncypall Hoy, was browght in, so that, the Vandgard excepted, the rest are small shyps, feet to meet with Donkerkers, but far unfit for this that now hapeneth, a thyng unloked for. In my openyion thees shyps wyll watch a tyme, to dow somthyng on our cost, and yf they shall here of our shyps to be gone to deype, I thynke them beastes yf they dow not burne and spoyll Dover and Sandwyge. What 4000 men may dow on the soden, in sum other plases, I leve to your Lordships' jugments, and it weer good to have care of it in tyme. For her Majestie's shyps in Chatam, I hope it shall cost them dere if they atempt it.

Ther is here at gravesend nothyng to stay, or impech any thyng, but the 2 selly forts, wych can dow lyttell, but this order I have taken, that ther shall be 2 barges of Gravesend that shall goo as far as Tylbery hope, and so geve warnyge, if ther be cause, and to comand all shypes to stay and anker till the Searcher of Gravesend see what they be and what is in them.

I pray your Lordships, that I may know her Majestie's plesure what shalbe done, ether for shyps to goo owt, or in any other sarvys that it shall plaes her Majestie to comand me, wych to my pour shall be done.

As this wynd is, they cannot sees Callys those that be out, so as if my Lord of Comberland make hast out, no questyon but he shall meet with some of them, if it be but with part of his flet: I dout me thees shyps that are come to Callys, the most part wyll tarry all this sommer ther; yf they dow, the Sees must be kept strong, for they wylbe ill nebors. Thus recomendyng my humble sarvys to your Lordships, I humbly take my leve and pray you, my Lord Marshall, that sum stor of monesion may be sent to Rochester with sped, and sum offyser with it, for we are not

able to seet down the proporsions in such hast, and not being

sure what shyps shall out.

Your Lordships' most humbly to comand,

Gravesend, this 17."

(No. 4.)

NOTINGHAM.*

EARL OF NOTTINGHAM TO LORD BURGHLEY AND THE EARL OF ESSEX.

February, 1597-8.

MAY IT PLES YOUR LORDSHIPS,-Mr. Secretoir's pakket passing by me and fyndyng my name on the indosment, I maid bold to open it for on speciall matter that he wryteth of and cheflyest concerneth my care for the safte of heer Majestie's chese under my charge. I have no dowt but if they shuld offer so foulyshe an atempte but they shuld pay derly for it. I have sent out a couple. of Catches that shall ly out as fare as the show becon, the on, and the other on the bake side of the red sand, for over the lands end there is no fere in the neps. Thees shall geve warnynge. The Ayde also rydethe at Quynboro, the Sonn at Ocamnes, Thees gev warnyng on to another, apon cause, and the larom by it to Chatham, and apon 2 peces shot of in the Castell ther ar 2000 men to repayre to the shypes within a hower; besids the shyps are now by reson of the works well manned, I hope her Majestie may slype quyetly for any care or dowt of them.

I wyll this day and to morro see all thyngs seet in good order here, and then repayre to the Court, yf I have no other comandment to stay.

The only want we have here, if ther be any atempte * MS., State Paper Office.

ofered, wylbe want of pouder and other monesion, I meen for the shyps in harboro. Your Lordship my Lord Marshall did honorably wryt to me that we myght youse the pouder in the store house, wyche is 40 barrels, it is not verry good but we wyll make it sarve the torne, but the mustkets be not sarvysable: Also I must pray your Lordships that the proporsion for the Raynbo and the Adventur may in sped be sent down, for the Raynboo shall goo in the Vandgard plase, that is so foull as she cannot styre, and the Advantage in the plase of sum other; they shalbe redy to depart on Wensday if ther monesion and vyttells be redy by that tyme. The gonners be at London all redy if it plaes your Lordship to make on of your offysers to send for them my Lord, the gonners are but ill waytors here, your Lordship must chyd them, for yf they wate no better I must thrust them out of the shyps. I know if you chek them they wyll have care sum wayt well as Hamon and Tyndall and Butler: the rest but badly. And so levyng to truble your Lordships, I rest

Your Lordships most humbly to comand,

NOTINGHAM.*

His attention was now more minutely turned to the judicial duties of his office. Respecting these a long series of autograph letters from the Lord High Admiral "to his loving friend Doctor Julius Cæsar," Judge of the High Court of Admiralty, may be found among the 'Cæsar Papers' in the British Museum. In one letter he desires him to let him have "a briefe note of the priviledges and liberties of the Cinque Ports, howe farre they * MS., State Paper Office.

† See "Drake" concerning some of these papers.

extend into the sea and otherwise; for I desire for some espetiall considerations to be presentlie sattisfied and well informed thereof."

The following letter is worth printing.

THE EARL OF NOTTINGHAM TO DR. CÆSAR.

DOCTOR JULIUS CÆSAR,-I have bin made acquainted that Tompkins, whoe did the great piracye on the Venetians, hath compounded with the Venetians, and his Majestie's pardon is alreadye graunted for his offence, and myself was never made acquainted thereof.

You have often told me that, in like cases, houghe the Kinge maye pardon his life, yet he cannot ffree him from that advantage which I maye take against him. Wherefore I desier, by a wourd or twoe, to receave your opinion what is fittest for me to doe herein, for I assure you I wyll make him alsoe knowe, that I am Lord Admirall of England, with whome he is to make a composition before he shall enjoye his libertye.

Soe I bid you hartely farewell,-ffrom the Courte att Whitehall the second of January, 1605.

Your verie lovinge freinde,

NOTINGHAM.*

And there is some humour in the following:

THE EARL OF NOTTINGHAM TO HIS VERY LOVING FRIEND MR. DOCTOR CESAR.

MR. CÆSAR,―Ther is a proctor, that yousis the court of the Admyralte, that is caled Lew, a verry lewd fello and on that hath spoken largly agaynst me and yourself, not only

* Cæsar Papers, MSS., British Museum.