No. 38.

Another letter from King Henry VIII to the same urging him to part with property required for an Exchange, on reasonable terms. No Date [1538].

Id. ibid.

By the Kyng

Trusty and welbelovyd we grete you well And where as we have lately dyrected to you o^r letters hartely desyeryng you at o^r request frankely and frely to gyve certeyn yo^r howses that ye have in lombardstrete yn that o^r Cytye of London for a burse or place apte for merchauntes to resorte to orelles upon suche a reasonable agreament and convencõn as ye cowlde fynde yn your harte for o^r sake to conclude w^t theym yn that byhalf wheryn ye shulde doo unto us acceptable pleasure not to be forgotten whensoever oportunytye shall requyre Wherupon as we be enfo^rmed o^r trusty and Ryght welbelovyd servaunt Sir Rychard Gresham Knight late Maio^r of o^r sayd Cytye have w^t other of hys brethern Aldermen of the same bene lately w^t you for thaccomplysshement therof at whiche tyme ye hooly remytted the matter to thorderyng of o^r trusty and welbelovyd counsailo^r Sir Richard Ryche chauncelo^r of o^r co^rte thaugmentacõns of o^r crowne w^t whome also the sayd Sir Rychard Gresham w^t other of hys brethern thaldermen of that o^r Cytye concluded and agreed to pay yerely for ever an annuall rent of twenty markes by yere for the sayd howses yet thys notw^tstandyng thorough the evell counsayll and dethortacõn of certayn persones of frowarde disposicõn whiche lytle regarde o^r pleasure and yo^r estymacõn contrary to o^r expectacõn and lesse to the furtherance of the common wealth of that o^r Cytye have dysturbed the sayd good purpose to o^r no lytill marvell we therfore muche desyeryng the same to take effect do eftsones desyre and hartely requyre you that ponderyng and weyng w^t yo^rself the benefite and commodytye that shall ensue therof to o^r common wealth and to the beautifitye of that o^r cytie and chamber of London to condescende to o^r desyre and conclude the sayd graunte accordyngly w^tout further delaye Requyryng you that of yo^r gentle conformytie herein to be used on yo^r behalf (the contrary wherof we nothyng loke for) ye woll advertyse us w^t convenyent dylygence by thys brynger Sir Rychard Gresham to thintent that accordyng to yo^r procedynges hereyn we maye gyve unto you o^r condigne thankes and also remember the same whan occasyon shall serve to yo^r no lytle benefit accordyngly Yeven under o^r Signet &c.