No. 45.

Letter from Queen Elizabeth to the City desiring 250 soldiers for service at sea under the High Admiral, Lord Clinton, against the French. Dated Greenwich, 17 May, 2 Eliz. [1560].

Journal 17, fol. 238b.

ELIZABETH R.

Right Trustie and welbeloved we grete you well. Because we certaynly understand that notw^thstandinge our desire and good contentacõn at diverse tymes declared to have a treatie w^th the frenche for the redresse and staye of the notable Iniuries and attemptes commytted agaynst us and the right of our Crowne and for the w^thdrawinge of their forces out of Scotland the whiche can not be permytted there as they be w^thout greate daunger not onlie to o^r towne of Barwick but also to the state of o^r realme consideringe the false pretence made and certeyne other depe practises by them agaynst this Realme. To the furderaunce of whiche treatie they offer in speche and good wordes accesse of personages to mete w^th somme of ours; yet their preparations to the seas be daylie so great as greater can not well be whiche surely with convenient providence on our parte and by goodes goodnes we nede not feare. Thearfore meanynge to be ready for the defense and honour of o^r Realme aswell to treate w^th the frenche for accorde and quietnes as for w^thstandinge of there furder attemptes specially by sea we have by advyse of our Counsell thought convenient to send our navie furthw^th to the seas, and therw^th o^r right trustie and right welbeloved Counsellor the lord Clynton our highe Admirall to governe the same, and w^th o^r said Navie to w^thstande suche force as he shall fynde on the frenche parte upon the seas to damage either our owne subiectes and marchauntes tradynge the seas or the subiectes of any other our frendes or to invade or attempte to lande upon any parte of o^r sea costes. And for the better furnyture of o^r said navie w^th souldiores we will that there shalbe levyed w^thin that our Cytie of London and the liberties of the same the nomber of two hundred and fyftie hable men whereof o^r meanynge ys, that the one halfe shoulde be archers and thother harquebuttiers, and as sone as ye have levied the same, our pleasure is that ye shall commytt them to several captaynes for every hundred, and cause them to be arrayed w^th armoure and weapon mete for that service to be redy in o^r Cytie of London the xxiiij^th of this monethe and to departe to o^r navie w^th o^r Admirall at suche tyme as he shall prescribe and for their conducte money the same shalbe delivered to you by order of o^r Treasorer of Englande. And theise o^r lettres shalbe yo^r sufficient warrant for the levyenge of the said nomber of two hundred and fyftie men accordinglie. Yeoven under o^r signet at our mannor of Grenewiche the xvij^th of Maye the seconde yere of o^r reigne [1560].