No. 44.

Letter from Queen Mary to the City asking for 500 men to be immediately dispatched for the relief of Calais. Dated Greenwich, 2 Jan. [1557-8].

Journal 17, fo. 55.

Trustie and welbeloved we greate you well and where ye did this last Sommer put in a readynes the nomeber of one thowsande men to attend upon o^r person at all tymes whan we shuld calle for the same Havinge receyved certein advertisementes from o^r Towne of Callice that the Frenche hathe approched theither and myndeth to attempte sum exployte on o^r said Towne and other o^r pieces there we have thought good for the better metinge w^th suche attemptates as shalbe by them offered to sende a furder supplye of men thither and therfore requyre & comaunde yow furthw^th upon the recipte of theise o^r letters w^th as muche dylygente spede as ye may possyblye to putt in a reddynes the number of fyve hundreth hable footemen and to se them furnyshed w^th armure and weapon, whereof as many of them to be harquebutters as yo^w can gett and the rest to be furnyshed w^th bowes and pykes so as the said number be ready to sett fourthe towardes o^r said Towne under the conducte of suche captaynes as we shall appoynte by Frydaye nexte at the furthest For whose conducte money we have alredy given order they shall receyve the same at o^r said Towne of Callyce at their arryvall there And because this o^r servyce requyrethe moche expedycõn and haste, ye shall not neade to staye for the makinge of any cotes for the said number but to send them fourthe withe all spede Wereof we requyer you not to fayle as we specyallye truste yo^w And theise o^r lettres shalbe yo^r suffycient warraunte & dyscharge in this behalfe. Yeoven under o^r Sygnet at o^r Manno^r of Grenewiche the seconde of January in the fourth and fyfthe yeres of o^r raignes [1557-8].