LETTER VI.
Sir William Kingston to Lord Cromwell, apparently May 18th 1536.
[MS. COTTON, OTHO C. X. fol. 223.]
Syr,
Thys shalbe to advertyse you I have resayved your lettr wherin yo[u wolde] have strangerys conveyed yowt of the Towre and so thay be by the [meanis] of Richard Gressum, & Will-m Loke, & Wythepoll, bot the n̄mbr[229] of stra[ngers past] not XXX. and not mony; Hothe and the inbassitr of the emperor had a [servaunt] ther and honestly put yowt. Sr yf we have not an owre[230] serten [as it may] be knowen in London, I thynke he[re] wilbe bot few and I thynk [a resonable] humbur[231] ware bes: for I suppose she wyll declare hyr self to b[e a good] woman for all men bot for the kyng at the or of hyr de[th. For thys] mornyng she sent for me that I myght be with hyr at [soche tyme] asshe reysayved the gud lord to the in tent I shuld here by[r speke as] towchyng her innosensy alway to be clere. & in the writy[ng of this] she sent for me, and at my commyng she sayd, M. Kyngston, I he[ar saye I shall] not dy affore none, & I am very sory ther fore; for I thowth [than to] be dede [an]d past my payne. I told hyr it shuld be now payne it w[as so sottell. And then she said I] hard say the executr. was very gud, and I have a ly[ttle necke, and put he]r hand abowt it lawyng hartely.
I have sen[e mony men &] also wemen executed and at they have bene in gre[te sorrowe, and to my knowle]ge thys lady hathe meche joye and plesur in dethe. [Sir, hyr Amner is conti]newally with hyr, and hasse byne syns ij of the clo[cke after midnight. This is] the effect of hony thyng that ys here at [thys tyme, and thus fare yow] well.
Your . . . . . .
WILLM̄ KYNG[STON.]
LETTER VII.
From the Earl of Northumberland, addressed “To his beloved Cosyn Thomas Arundel, one of the Gentlemen of my Lord Legates prevy chambre.” It was written soon after the death of the Earl’s father, in 1527. Referred to at p. [339] of Wolsey’s life.
[FROM THE ARCHIVES OF THE DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND.]
Bedfellow, after my most harte recommendacion: Thys Monday the iijd off August I resevyd by my servaunt, Letters from yow beryng datt the XXth day off July, deliveryd unto hym the sayme day at the kyngs town of Newcastell; wher in I do perseayff my lord Cardenalls pleasour ys to have such boks as was in the Chapell of my lat lord and ffayther (wos soll Jhu pardon). To the accomplyshment of which at your desyer I am confformable, notwithstanding I trust to be able ons to set up a chapel off myne owne. But I pray God he may look better upon me than he doth. But me thynk I have lost very moch, ponderyng yt ys no better regardyd; the occasion wher off he shall persayff.
Fyrst, the long lyeng of my tressorer[232], with hys very hasty and unkynd words unto hym, not on my parte deserved.
Also the news off Mr. Manyng, the which ys blon obroud over all Yorksher; that neyther by the kyng[233], nor by my lord cardenall am I regardyd; And that he wyll tell me at my metyng with hym, when I come unto Yorksher; which shall be within thys month, God wyllyng: but I ffer[234] my words to Mr Manyng shall displeas my lord; for I will be no ward.
Also, bedfellow, the payns I tayk and have taykyn sens my comyng hether, are not better regardyd; but by a fflatteryng Byshope of Carel[235] and that fals Worm[236] shall be broth[237] to the messery and carffulness that I am in; and in such slanders, that now and my lord cardenal wold, he cannot bryng me howth[238] thereof.
I shall with all sped send up your lettrs with the books unto my lord’s grace, as to say iiij Anteffonars[239], such as I thynk were not seen a gret wyll; v Gralls; an Ordeorly; a Manuall; viijth Proffessioners, And ffor all the ressidew, they not worth the sending, nor ever was occupyd in my lords chapel. And also I shall wryt at thys time as ye have wylled me.
Yff my lord’s grace wyll be so good Lord unto me, as to gyf me lychens[240] to put Wyllm Worme within a castell of myn off Anwyk in assurty, unto the tyme he have accomptyd ffor more money recd. than ever I recd., I shall gyff hys grace ij Cli. and a benefiss off a C. worth unto hys colleyg, with such other thyngs resserved as his [grace] shall desyre; but unto such tyme as myne Awdytors hayth takyn accompt off him: wher in good bedfellow do your best, ffor els he shall put us to send myselff, as at owr metyng I shall show yow.
And also gyff secuer credens unto this berer, whom I assur yow I have ffonddon a marvellous honest man, as ever I ffownd in my lyff. In hast at my monestary of Hul Park the iijd. day of August. In the owne hand off
Yours ever assured,
H. NORTHUMBERLAND.
To my bedfellow Arundel.
LETTER VIII.
The Earl of Northumberland to Cromwell, denying any contract or promise of marriage between Anne Bullen and himself.
[ORIGINAL, COTT. LIB. OTHO c. 10.]
Mr Secretary, This shall be to signifie unto you that I perceive by Sir Raynold Carnaby, that there is supposed a precontract between the queen and me; wherupon I was not only heretofore examined upon my oath before the Archbishopps of Canterbury and York, but also received the blessed sacrament upon the same before the Duke of Norfolk, and other the king’s highnes’ council learned in the spiritual law; assuring you Mr Secretary, by the said oath, and blessed body which affore I received, and hereafter intend to receive, that the same may be to my damnation, if ever there were any contracte or promise of marriage between her and me. At Newington Green, the xiijth day of Maye, in the 28th year of the reigne of our soveraigne lord King Henry the VIIIth.
Your assured,
NORTHUMBERLAND.