Life and Letters of Thomas Cromwell, Vol. 1 of 2 / Life, Letters to 1535

by Roger Bigelow Merriman

Begs him to make speed in his journey. Bonner’s commission is ready, and Mr. Gostwick will deliver to him the Duke of Holstein’s letter.

Mr. Boner I commende me vnto you. Signefieng vnto the same that the Kynges pleasure is ye with your college shall with all spede and possible haste set your selffes forward towardes thaccomplisshement of your iourney, and cause your Ship also to be rigged and made redy so as ye haue no cause of Delaye. Your commission I vnderstonde ye haue alredy made and sealed, and touching the Duke of Holstes lettere if ye haue not yet receyued it Mr. gostwike shall delyuer it you or to Cauendish accordinglie. Prayeng you ones agayne to make all thacceleracion and hast forwardes that ye can possiblie as ye intende to please the Kinges highnes. And so Fare ye well. At Wynchcombe the xxiii day of Julie

Your Freend Thomas

Crumwell.

Maister Boner the Kinges highnes nothing dowtyth in your wysedom polyce and discrecyon But that ye wooll Vse your Self according to his trust and expectacyon.

Add. To his louing frende Doctour Boner be this youen with spede.

111. Cromwell to Mr. Riche.

R.O. Cal. viii. 1130. July 29 ‹1535›.

Desires him to express to the Duke of Suffolk the King’s displeasure at the ‘decay’ of certain places, which the Duke affirms he has repaired. Urges him to request the Duke to part with certain reversions which are desired by the King.

After my right hertie commendacions these shalbe to aduertise you that the kinges highnes hauyng receyued your letteres hathe youen me in commaundement to make you answer as here insueth. First touching suche leases as it is supposed shoulde be made by the Duke of Suffolke, the kinges highnes seyeth that he knoweth not that the saide Duke or his officers haue made any lease syns the communycacion had betwixt them of this bargayn, but his highnes is certenly infourmed that the saide Duke or his officers haue offered to make fourth certen leases syns the tyme of the saide communycacion had. Whereof his maieste can not but mervaile and for the same conceyueth som ingratitude and vnkyndenes in the said Duke if it can so be proved. Secondely touching the Decay of Ewelme and Donyngton the kinges highnes answered that what soeuer the saide Duke hathe spent vppon them, it may well appere in what decay they stonde, and who soeuer shall view them shall facilly perceyue that grete somes of money will not sufficientlie repaire them as his highnes himself with his eye hath vewed the saide Ewelme at his graces late being there. And for Donyngton the house is not onelie in decay but also the keper of the same Mr. Fetyplace hath both consumed and distroyed the Dere and game there and also wasted the woodes in such wise as it is thought he hathe not onelie forfaited his patent but also right ill deserued to haue eyther fee or thanke for any good service he hathe don there. And semblablie the kinges highnes hauing ben at Hokenorton whiche his grace lyketh veray well can not perceyue ne also his Surueyours sent thither can not see how that xv^e li should be employed there as it is affirmed by the saide Duke, so as it is not vnlike but that the saide Duke hathe ben deceyued by his officers. And whatsoeuer hath ben spent there, yet will it requyre no small sommes of money to repare and buylde it after the kinges mynde and pleasure whiche wilbe chargeable to his highnes. And touching the game of the red Dere at Hokenorton aforsaide, his maiestie Doubtith not but that the saide Duke will iustefie his couuenaunte and agrement with the keper for the keping of lxxx red dere there accordinglie. Thirdely concerning the reuersions of the lady Gordon and John Verney the kinges highnes perceyuing the conformyte of the saide Duke in that behalf and also your travaile and diligence in the same gyueth vnto him and you both therefore his graces hertie and condigne thankes. Trusting that like as his highnes hathe heretofore mynystered grete benefites and commodytees vnto the saide Duke, who hathe atteyned this degree honour and astate that he now is in by the meanes and onely aduauncement of the kinges saide highnes. So the saide Duke wilbe contented to departe with the saide reuersions frankely and frely to his highnes of his mere lyberalite to extende towardes him, and to permytte his maiestee to haue the saide reuersions within his bargayn alredy made as his grace thought he had had, onely trusting to his graces bountie and goodnes for the recompence of the same. Wherein the kinges pleasure is ye shalbe playne with the saide Duke, vttering and declaring vnto him the good opynyon which the kinges highnes hathe conceyved in his conformyte towardes all his gracious requestes and affairees, and how he of all men is thereunto bounde if he do well consider the manyfold benefites that he hath receyued at the kinges hande. Wherefore ye may counsaile him not to gyue any cause or occasion in this behalf to the kynges highnes to conceyve any Jalousie or mistrust in him but that rather he will shew herein his frankenes and liberall herte towardes his maiestie without stycking with his grace in so small a matier. And so doing let him be assured that like as the kinges highnes heretofore for lesse cause youen on the saide Dukes parte, hathe aduaunced him to this honour and astate that he now is at, So shall his maiestee the rather now be Dryven to consider the frankenes and gentill liberalite of the saide Duke in this behalf if he frankely do com forwardes with the same. And Fynally I pray you on my behalf to say somwhat to the saide Duke in this matier alledging vnto him that as I am, alwayes haue been, and euer wilbe his graces poure frende so I requere him not to stycke with the kinges highnes in this matier, and pray his grace not to doubte but that the kinges highnes wilbe as good lorde to him in recompence of the saide reuersions as if his highnes Did now parte and couuenaunte with him for the same aforehand. Wherein eftesones I pray you shew him on my behalf that my poure and frendelie aduise is that his grace shall liberally wryte to the kinges highnes in this matier so as his highnes may thereby perceyue the saide Dukes gentill herte and naturall zele towardes his maieste aswell in this as in all other thinges. Which be ye assured in myn opynyon shalbe more beneficyall vnto the saide Duke then x tymes so moche lande as the saide reuersions Do amount vnto. Requering you so to shew his grace fro me as from him that wold be as glad of his graces welth and prosperyte as any one of his poure frendes. So knoweth our lorde who send you well to fare. From the Monastery of Tewkesbury the xxix^ti Day of Julie.