Endd. mr. Lord my mr. to my lord Chauncellour, etc.
86. Cromwell to Lord Lisle.
R.O. Cal. vii. 1438. Nov. 17 ‹1534›.
A letter of gentle reproof for failing to discharge his office, as his duty to the King demands. Points out that his ‘excess of living’ has brought him into contempt.
My very good lorde aftre my right harty commendacions I am now enforced to write my mynde plainly vnto youe as to him the preseruation of whose honour I desire Bothe for the discharge of my dueuty to the kinges highnes, and for the declaration of myn hartye good will whiche I bere vnto you, and therfor I require you my lorde to take it in good parte. First I trust you consider what a charge you haue there vnder the kinges Maiestie and I woold youe should remember Both what besemeth a man to doo being in that place, and that the same conteineth in it no state of inheritaunce, ne terme for lief But vppon the good Behauiour of the personne having it. Nowe if you shuld waye the thing and the nature of it indifferently, Wold you thinke it mete that a man shuld haue that charge, which wold Bring himself to suche necessitie that he shuld be constrayned to put all thinges to sale, that be commytted vppon speciall trust to his discreation, neglecting of thone parte the kinges highnes honour to be preserued in the satisfaction of his graunttes, of thother parte as it were contempnyng all frieendeship in giving place to a litle Lucre. Surely my lorde suche a gouernour as you Be shuld not Bynde himself at any manes request to performe that shall not percase lye in him, ne by any his excesse in living make himself soo nedye, that whenne the present thing shuld happen, he shuld be forced to haue more estimacion of money thenne regarde to the tayle it Bringeth with it. If I were not determyned to contynue your lordships assured Freende I wold not worke this plainly with you, neither thinke that I doo it vppon any affection, for I wold ‹do› that I maywil honestly. oon man I haue often tymes recommended that is the Surveyour whom the Kinges Maieste woold haue serued of foure men according to his graunte and Late commaundement made for the same. But yet I write not this so moche for him alone as for others and chiefly for yourself, and after for the poore man that is berer herof who hathe your Bonde. Whiche your honour shalbe to performe and accomplishe, and Bothe myn aduise and desire shal concurre with the same, lest it might be taken yvel where percase you did it vppon an honest grounde. Finally my lorde I remayne your harty Freende, and desire you to expresse your Freendeship again towardes me in your honourable proceedinges, and the helping of such as the kinges Maieste wold shuld be there preferred, amonges the Whiche the Surveyr is not the last, and yet I wold he shuld haue nothing onles his seruice deserue it. Thus most hartely Fare you wel From the Nete the xviith of Nouembr
Your lordshippis assuryd
Thomas Crumwell.
Add. To my very good Lorde the Viscounte Lisle Deputie ‹of› the kinges towne and the Marches of Calays.
Endd. by Lisle. Tochyng the gyft of romys