Complete Works of Sir Thomas Wyatt

by Thomas Wyatt

  I thank you for your sundry letters, and require you to be diligent in writing of the occurrents there, as you may have opportunity of messengers; putting the King’s Majesty to no further charges than your wisdom shall think expedient.

  Your gentle sister being yet there, desired me to have her commended unto you in these letters. I send your servant a letter, written from Mr. Pate to an Englishman in the Emperor’s Court. When you have received it copy it, and so seal and deliver it, and solicit the answer with all diligence: for the King’s Majesty much desireth to try out that matter of Dignely.

  Thus fare you heartily well. Prom Mortlake, 10th of October. Fail not to get the answer to the matter of Dignely, with such speed as it may be put with the next post if it be possible.

  Your assured loving friend,

  THOMAS CROMWELL.

  To my very loving friend Sir Thomas

  Wyatt, Knight, the King’s Ambas sadour, resident with the Emperor.

  My Lord Privy Seal, in October, by

  Bartholomew, at Barbastra.

  LETTER IV. CROMWELL, LORD PRIVV SEAL, TO SIR THOMAS WYATT.

  AfTER my right hearty commendations: this shall be to advertise you, that since the departure of Rougecroix, which was dispatched to you in post on Wednesday last, here be no news occurred, but very good news, which for surety I have received this morning: that it hath pleased Almighty God, of his goodness, to send unto the Queen’s Grace deliverance of a goodly Prince, to the great comfort, rejoice, and consolation of the King’s Majesty, and of all us his roost humble, loving, and obedient subjects. Whereof we have very great cause to thank our most benign and gracious Creator, who after so long expectation hath discharged our prayers and desires. I have written this letter, having the opportunity of this present courier, to the intent that ye shall advertise the Emperor thereof. I think that with convenient diligence the King’s Highness will write unto him, and to the other Princes of the same, to make them participants of his great joy and comfort, whereof I shall move him tomorrow at my next being with his Grace. Thus fare ye heartily well.

  From St. James besides Westminster, this 12th of October, the 29th of his most prosperous reign. [1537.]

  Your loving assured friend,

  THOMAS CROMWELL.

  A mon très bon et assuré ami Mons.

  Wyatt, Conseillier et Ambassadeur du Roy d’Angleterre, resident en la

  Cour de l’Empereur.

  My Lord Privy Seal, December. De livered long after the date by the sea.

  Of the news of the Prince.

  LETTER V. CROMWELL LORD PRIVV SEAL TO SIR THOMAS WYATT.

  AFTER my right hearty commendations: Albeit ye have been hitherto somewhat slack and negligent to write unto me, and advertise me from time to time of your occurrences and successes, yet nevertheless, having opportunity to write unto you by the bearer hereof, Mons de Vaudray, who hath been here with the King’s Majesty from the Queen of Hungary, Regent in the Low Countries, to visit and salute his Highness, and declare her excuses of the conveyance made and given to the traitor Pole to conduct him from Cambray (where, being commanded by the French King to avoid all his dominions he was retired) to the dominion of the Bishop of Liege, which was thought to have been more solemn than the treaties required; it notwithstanding his Grace hath taken their excuses in good part. Now at his departure from home to the Emperor’s Court, I have thought to advertize you, that Don Diego de Mendoza is arrived here. At the Wednesday next after Pentecost resorting to the King’s Majesty, then being at Hampton Court, [he] was very honourably met, received, and entertained after the best sort; with the which, and also the other Ambassadors here resident, I and other of the King’s Council, by his Majesty’s appointment, have had at sundry times conferences together on the causes of coming, touching the marriage. Whereunto, although his Grace be of good inclination, nevertheless as yet there is nothing concluded; as well because the said Don Diego brought no new commission with him, but only such as the Ambassador before time here resident had received long before his coming; as also because they seem to make some difficulty in such things as on our behalf are proposed and demanded, touching the Bishop of Rome: that the said Emperor, on his behalf, shall not stick with his doings, but rather depart from them, and adhere to the King’s Majesty’s in such wise that he should assent nor agree to no manner of thing that the said Bishop or his adherents would attempt against his Majesty’s realm or subjects, or to any displeasure of the same, but rather let it, and withstand all such purposes and enterprises to the uttermost of his power; and as yet have not agreed thereunto. Whereupon the said Ambassadors, and also upon other conferences had with them, have written at this time by the said Monsieur de Vauldray; and upon such answer as they shall have from thence again the whole matter shall be or concluded, or broken off, as the cause shall require. Whereof I think best, and advise you to pretend ignorance; yet nevertheless, if you see good opportunity and occasion offered, you may shew what dispositions ye knew the King’s Highness (upon good causes) was [of] at your departure immutably against the said Bishop; and that ye doubt not but he should not repent, whole, entire, and perfect alliance with any person that would agree, assent, or assist him to any thing that might sound to his Grace’s person, realms, or subjects displeasure; saying and declaring the same as of yourself, with the best circumstances and as discreetly as you can; taking heed evermore to the entertainment and nourishing of the good amity between them, as much as ye shall [find ye] conveniently may; and in all things requisite keeping as close as shall be expedient: using in this your charge such good dexterity and circumspection, as ye know our good opinion and expectation was, and endureth yet ye should.

  As concerning of our news and successes here since your departure; assure you, thanks be to our blessed Creator, the King’s Majesty is in as good health and disposition as I saw his Grace of long season; and the more, because the Queen’s Grace is quick with child. God, by his grace, send her good deliverance of such a Prince, long to live, according to his Majesty’s gracious desire, and the common joy and wealth of all his realm, and good faithful subjects; who for the same, being the news thereof brought from Hampton Court hither to London on Trinity Sunday afternoon, there was great celebrity at Paul’s, and thanks given to God, and in the evening eleven fires made in sundry places, as well of the city as of other towns. The whole estate of the realm, from the highest to the lowest, are in very good rest and quiet, with their hearty obedience and good will [towards] theKing’s Majesty all of one union and concord; such as [were] offenders) very sorry for their offences, and full [of] desirance to have occasion to minister the King’s Majesty some acceptable service, for to shew their true heart to him; the more confirmed for his benign and gracious pardon mercifully extended upon them, which his Majesty hath observed hitherto, and will for ever observe inviolably; for although the Lords Darcy and Hussy, Sirs Robert Constable, Francis Bigot, John Bulmer, Stephen Hamilton, Knights, the Lord Lomley’s son, Robert Aske, Nicholas Tempest, the Abbot of Iereux, the Prior of Birlington, and some other, also Sir Thomas Perry had their pardon, yet because they have been openly condemned and attainted of such conspiracies and high treasons, most ingrately, spitefully, and heinously committed against his benign and so gracious merciful Master unto them, since the pardon granted unto them, (as right was their incurable ingratitudes deserved) have been condemned of high treason, and some of them already executed. Whereof, if there is any communication moved unto you, ye may assuredly affirm, that if they had not highly offended since the King’s pardon, his Master had never remembered their precedent offences nor imputed the same to their charge, being a Prince most honourable observator of his word: but seeing their cankered —— ... heart, he could no less do than to suffer them to have his laws. The example of such ingrate and irremediable obstinate hearts.

  Shortly of all other occurrents, as shall succeed of other conferences, I shall advertise at large by the next that shall be sent thither. Thus fare ye Tight hearti
ly well.

  From the Rolls this 6th of June, the twenty-ninth of our most noble Sovereign Lord his prosperous reign. [1537]

  Your loving assured friend,

  THOMAS CROMWELL.

  To thy very loving friend Sir Thomas

  Wyatt, Knight, the King’s of Eng land his Majesty’s Ambassador, re sident with the Emperor.

  From my Lord Privy Seal, the first by

  Vaudray, the 26th of June.

  LETTER VI. CROMWELL, LORD PRIVV SEAL, TO SIR THOMAS WYATT.

  MASTER WYATT,

  AFTER my right hearty commendations: because it hath pleased the King’s Majesty to address this bearer to the Emperor, to signify unto him the certain news of the birth of the Prince, knowing that his instruction to you shall be sufficient without further repetition of the same, I shall forbear to molest you with long letters, and only require you to handle your last commission with such dexterity and temperate sort, as at the return of this said bearer Mr. Dudley, your good friend, his Highness may perceive that thing which his Grace desireth to know; that is, the Emperor’s good inclination towards his Majesty; or the contrary of it shall otherwise appear unto you. And thus fare you heartily well.

  From St. James’s besides Westminster, the 20th of October. [1537]

  The King’s Highness desireth you also to send an answer by Master Dudley, of the matter touching Digneley; for his Grace hath it specially to heart: and I pray you report what was last written to you, touching the letters addressed from my Lady Mary.

  Your loving friend,

  THOMAS CROMWELL.

  To mine assured loving friend Sir

  Thomas Wyatt, Knt the King’s

  Ambassador with the Emperor.

  My Lord Privy Seal, in October, by

  Sir John Dudley, at Barbastra.

  LETTER VII. CROMWELL LORD PRIVV SEAL. TO SIR THOMAS WYATT.

  MR. WYATT,

  AFTER my very hearty commendations: I have received by this bearer, Nicholas the courier, the letters directed to the King’s Highness, signed by you and my friend Hobby; and also another letter in cipher, the which have been both delivered unto his Majesty, like as by the answer his Grace sendeth unto you, ye may amply know. Doubtless I think no need to require you to use your accustomed dexterity in setting forth of the same after your best sort, and to utter every point thereof in such terms, order, and place, as upon the disposition, inclination, answers, occurrences, and circumstances there, ye shall by your discretion know most convenient to bring his Majesties purposes to pass, and to the conclusion his Highness most desireth.

  I assure you your diligence and dexterity to be used therein shall be much commended and praised, if, as my hope is, the things by your good setting forth may take effect. Nevertheless the same to be taken thankfully however the matter shall succeed; for it is well known ye want no good heart, and alacrity, and that his Majesty considereth well, and continueth your gracious and benign Lord. For my part ye may be certain that I bear unto you no less good will and sincere affection than I was wont; the effect hath been, and shall be, my witness thereof.

  Concerning the two hundred pounds, which ye lent to Sir Francis Brian, whosoever ought them I have disbursed them, and paid to Mr. Bonvixi. Other men make, in manner of their debts mine own; for very oft where they have borrowed I am fained to pay.

  Ye have, by mine opinion by the way of Flanders, been advertised how the Lord Marquis of Exeter, and the Lord Montagu, with a sort of their adherents of mean estate, and no estimation greatly, have been commanded to the Tower, to prison there for sundry great crimes of lese-majesty traitorously imagined and uttered, as far as they durst, against the King’s royal person, his issue, his council, and the whole realm, so that it abhorreth any man to hear of it: and the same their offences be not known by light suspicion, but by certain proofs and confessions. I doubt not but when their conspirations shall be disclosed, and their ingratitudes towards the King their Sovereign Lord, to the which they give most humble thanks for all that they had, and for that state they were in, all honest hearts shall have abomination at their miserable wretchedness and traitorous malice.

  Other occurrences of importance we have none here. The King’s Majesty, my Lord Prince’s Grace, my Ladies his daughters, and the rest of his Council be all merry, and in good prosperity, the 16th day of this present. The King’s Majesty, for the reverence of the Holy Sacrament of the altar, did sit openly in his hall, and there presided at the disputation, process, and judgment of a miserable heretic Sacramentary, who was burnt the 20th of the same month. It was a wonder to see how princely, with how excellent gravity, and inestimable majesty, his Majesty exercised there the very office of a superior head of his Church of England: how benignly his Grace essayed to convert the miserable man; how strong and manifest reasons his Highness alleged against him. I wished the Princes and Potentates of Christendom to have had a meet place for them there to have seen it. Undoubtedly they should have much marvelled at his Majesty’s most high wisdom and judgement, and reputed him none otherwise after the same than in manner the mirror and light of all other Kings and Princes in Christendom. The same was openly done with great solemnity; whereby I doubt not but some of your friends that have good leisure, shall by their letters advertise you of the whole discourse thereof, so, without further recite, save to signify unto you that forasmuch as it is by sundry complaints shewed unto his King’s Majesty, that his Grace’s subjects John Toles, Richard Fermor, and other consorts, merchants of London, and besides them sundry of his Grace’s subjects, both of this realm and other dominions, be protracted there without any expedition of sundry process and suits they have, touching many depredations and bribes by the Emperor’s subjects committed against [them], as it is like they have had recourse some of them unto you, ye shall at your opportunity so solicit the Emperor to ordain that they may have brief justice and reason by his judges ministered unto them there; and that they may be no longer tracted and delayed in their suits, to the utter undoing of some of them. The King’s Highness hath granted unto them a letter to the said Emperor of the same tenor, requiring him to cause justice to be ministered, with declaration that his Majesty hath appointed you to solicit their expedition. Ye shall do well and charitably to help them of your intercession, both to the Emperor and to his privy Council, to obtain short judgment and final end in these matters. Also to desire that ye shall call upon the Emperor to send instructions full and ample into Flanders for expedition of the matters; and that the King’s Highness’s Ambassadors shall not remain there without business, but evermore proceed to the expedition of their affairs. Not failing after your accustomed fashion to use diligence in giving advertisement of all the answers ye shall have there, occurrences, and other things whereof ye may attain any knowledge being of any importance. I commit you to our blessed Lord’s custody and keeping, who preserve you.

  From London this 28th day of November A. 38°. At the time of the condemnation of the Sacramentary, the King’s Highness caused some proclamation to be made» the copy of which in print ye shall receive therewith. [1537.]

  Your assured loving friend,

  THOMAS CROMWELL.

  To my very loving friend Sir Thomas

  Wyatt, Knight, the King’s Amba ssador with the Emperor.

  From my Lord Privy Seal, the 28th of

  November, by Nicholas the courier.

  LETTER VIII. CROMWELL, LORD PRIVV SEAL, TO SIR THOMAS WYATT.

  MASTER WYATT.

  AFTER my right hearty commendations. Albeit I have at this time no matter of importance to be written unto you; yet having the opportunity of this messenger, being, as I understand, dispatched unto you for your own private affairs, I thought meet to signify that your last letters containing your conferences with the Emperor and with Mons de Grandvele, were taken and accepted in as thankful part, as I have lightly seen the letters of any the King’s Majesties orators, residing in outward parts. And whereas in the letters with the same addressed to me, you make instant request
and suit for money for your diet, as upon the arrival of the said letters I took order for the payment of your diet for six months before hand, for the present payment of all such money as you had laid out for posts and for your further diet, for two months to be received in the lieu of a prest for the dispatch of such posts as you should address hither; so if your agents here would have called for money before the coming of your said letters, or of Rouge croix, [who] would have taken your bills of exchange with him, the same might long before have been dispatched. And one thing I much marvelled of, that you would put the King’s Highness to the charge of the interests: the precedent were too evil to be admitted. And for your part I would have you in no wise to desire any such matter; it would be taken in evil part, and yet you shall never therein obtain your purpose. Mistrust not but you shall have as much favour as I may extend unto you. And indeed you had need of friendship; for I have not seen a wise man leave his things so rawly, as yours be left.