Finds that Gostwick is charged with the sum of £16,032 16s. 8d. due to the King from divers persons, for conveying corn out of the realm. Desires him to collect as much of it as he can.
Mr Gostwyck. Where ye stande Charged in the Bookes of Specialties Betwene you & me made at your furst entrie into your Office subscribed with our handes for the Receipt of Sixtene Thousande thirty & two poundes sixtene shillinges and eight pence, due vnto the Kinges Maiestie by diuerse & sundry personnes, for the Conveyaunce of Corne & other thinges out of this Realme contrary to the Kinges Lawes, as appereth by the condicions of their obligacions, remaynyng in your Custodye, And forasmuche as I do vnderstande and perfitely knowe that a grete parte of the said summe of xviml xxxii li xvi s viii d ys vnlevyable, desperat & cannot be had nor recouered by reason that certain of the saide personnes haue certificaths, somme other fallen in vtter decay, by occasion of the grete losses & hynderaunces that they haue susteyned as well by See, as Lande, And somme of theim dedde, & not knowing of whome to be aunswered Whereby I haue Considered the same to be mattier of Conscience, not intending nor mynding to charge you further than shall stande with the same, nor with nomore sume or summes than hath or herafter shall comme vnto your handes Have therfore thought it good, aswell for your Discharge, and myne, As also for the spedy Recoueryng and Receipt of the Rest of the Money due by the saide specialties, this to devise & wryte, By the same in the Kinges Maiesties name Auctorizing you, to call all the said parties before you, with all seleritie & spede, And by your discrescion, so to vse them, That the kinges highnes may be aunswered of the money, that by your saide discrescion shalbe thought of verey right & Conscience sufficient. Further in the kinges name Auctorizing you by vertue herof, to take newe composicions of suche as hath not their money in arredynesse. And also by the same to deliuer all suche specialties vnto the parties or ther deputies, as shalbe proved of right either to haue Certificate or other sufficient Discharge. And this Subscribed with my hande shalbe vnto you your heires executours & deputies sufficient Discharge at all tymes hereafter, for your so doing. Wrytten the xxti day of Octobre the xxviiti yere of the Reigne of our Soueraigne Lorde king Henry the eight.
Endd. A minute of a lettre to Mr Gostwyke, towching a newe ordre and composicion to be taken with certayn persons standing chardged in grete sommes of monaye vnto the kinges Maiestie whiche be vnleviable and desperate by reason the parties by casualtes be brought to greate pouertie
126. Cromwell to Gardiner.
B.M. Add. MSS. 25,114, f. 110; Cal. ix. 848. Nov. 19 ‹1535›.
Urges him to work diligently in France for the delivery of the ships at Bordeaux. Sends a dozen of Gardiner’s orations and a dozen of those of the Dean of the Chapel Royal also, for him to distribute according to his discretion.
My veray good lorde aftre my moost harty commendacions by maister brian whom the kinges highnes at this tyme sendeth vnto his good brother the frenche king sufficiently instructed to certain purposes, as by his instructions wherunto ye shalbe participant and make him again the semblable to yours, ye shal perceyve, ye shal receyve his highnes letteres, touching matiers of importaunce, whiche as his grace doubteth not but ye wil setfurth with suche dexteritie as shal best conduce his desire to effecte Soo his pleasure is ye shal with suche stomak and courage travail with the frenche king and his counsail in that pointe touching the delyueraye of the shippes as ye maye not onely obteyne the same but also declare and shewe therwith howe ingrately his highnes is handeled therin specially being at this tyme soo secrete and freendly treatie betwene him and his good brother as there is for matiers of soo high consequence, amonges whiche thinges also his grace desireth youe to remembre the declaracion of the french king of tharticles sent by Melancton, luthers epistle in the same, with thother circumstances conteyned in the copies lately sent vnto you. Ye shall also receyve herwith a dosen of your orations and another dosen of the deanes, whiche the kinges pleasure is ye shall by thaduise of Mr. brian and Maister Wallop destribute to suche persounes there as amonges youe ye shal think convenient. In whiche treatie to be had concernyng the shippes ye may not forget to inculce what Joye the subgiettes here conceyved for his recouerye in the procession, and howe they bee again sithens stayed vppon this staye of the shippes whiche hath indede soo contrary a countenaunce to our doinges as it is no mervayl thoughe they be abasshed at it. And this matier the kinges highnes woll haue you chiefly prosecute, leving to Sir John Wallop only the sute for the moneye, bicause the promyse therof was made vnto him. And thus I pray god sende your lordshipp well to fare. From the Rulles the xixth daye of Nouembre
Your lordshippis assuryd
Thomas Crumwell.