II.

plesure, keep close or discover the same, as time shall re- BOOK quire; to whom and in such sort, either in open council, or in other open assembly, or in this parlament; or, if time will not serve, at another time of parlament, as your majesty shall think convenient, after a full and mature consideration had thereof. And your majesty may know the opinions, if it please you, also of other, though they be not of your council, grave and learned men in the laws of this realm; for the better conducing thereof, to effect a pedegree, to be delivered by your majesty to your said judges and learned council, with such objections as may be alledged against any person that hath at this time any maner of pretence to the suc

cession.

In this wise your majesty shall both preserve the dignity, prerogative, and majesty of your estate royal; and also satisfy the desire of your good subjects: avoiding thereby also all such partiality as at this day peradventure leads divers men to lean to divers, upon divers respects. And finally, so order the matter, as your majesty shall never be disquieted in mind. And so procede by your wisdom with good advice taken and followed, as the case shall so require. That neither the state of the laws of the realm at this day (which divers much do fear) neither yet any other thing, shall not be in any part or member altered or changed, contrary to the government already established.

marry.

And if it will please your majesty to be after a sort a Exhorts the Christ unto us, a redeemer and a saviour of us, by mortify-queen to ing your own affections for us and for our sakes, take the mariage, take the pains to bring forth princely children; then should you not need to fear the entail; then should your majesty be quiet; then should we be happy; and then might your majesty, with a better security, and with longer deliberation, (by understanding of every bodies pretence, and whatever each one of them could say for themselves,) establish the matter rightfully. But in this point I speak the less touching marriage, because I have heretofore, by your majesties goodness, presumed, not only to write unto you at large, but also presently to move your majesty eftsónes by

II.

BOOK word of mouth therein. And I pray God direct your heart in these two points especially; and in all other your doings, according to his will and plesure.

Thus ceasing to trouble your majesty any longer, I make my refuge where I began, to your majesties clemency; trusting that you will take this my writing in gracious part, ac131 cording to my true meaning. For I take God to record, I have no maner of respect in this matter to any maner of person, but only unto the right, upon whomsoever it shall fall by the laws of this land; for getting of you knowledge; whereof I have briefly declared mine opinion, for a mean to be used by your majesty, if it shall so please you. And I have summarily set forth before your eyes the civil wars within this realm, with their causes, times, and persons. And this I have done for the discharge of my conscience towards God, and my duty towards your majesty and my country. And I have done it rather, because I was appointed by your writ to be at your parlament with other noblemen, to give counsil in great and weighty matters concerning the publick weal of this realm. From whence being inforced by sickness to be absent, and having your majesties licence, (as my good lord Robert [Dudley] hath declared unto me on your majesties behalf,) I have thought it my part to write thus unto The words your majesty; and to your majesty alone: [a And therewithin these withal my poor opinion, that as soon as the subsidy shall be crossed out, granted to your majesty, and some such other thing brought to pass as your majesty liketh, it shall not be amiss that your majesty prorogue the parlament.] And so trusting, and also beseeching your majesty most humbly, that it will please you to take this my writing into your protection, as a thing submitted in every point to your majesties judgment and correction, I pray God preserve your majesty long, to his honour, your own contentation, and the comfort and quietness of us all, and of our posterity.

crotchets

Cox, bishop of Ely, to the lord treasurer: upon the queen's leave to resign his bishopric.

INCREDIBILIS ista tua humanitas, et benignitas, qua Epist. ep'al. veterem tuum amicum, licet jam tandem membrum invali- penes me. dum atque inutile, candide prosequeris, solidum mihi adfert gaudium. Probe autem intelligere te rationes meas omnes fere, quomodo tractatus fuerim in episcopatu meo hisce fere xxti. annis, tuam prudentiam non fugit. Somersamia aliquid negotii mihi facessivit. Jucundæ fuerunt nonnullis maneriorum meorum aucupationes. Nec te latet quanta pecuniæ summa mihi constiterit multiplex et frivola delatio illa ad regiam majestatem; cujus tua prudentia probe conscia est. Alia minutiora prudens prætereo. Tandem injustissima illa querela ex dni. Goodrici indentura, nihil minus sentiente, quam quod Richardus Bruchinus, magna aulicorum turba fultus, conatur invertere, vix dum in cancellaria finem obtinere potest. Nec unquam obtinebit, nisi ipsa majestas, sicut olim mandavit, ut in sua curia cancellariæ terminaretur, hoc negotium præceperit atque mandaverit: ita nunc pro æquitate et clementia sua, qua tantam litis materiam præbuerit, ut ipsa jubeat istam indenturam evacuari atque cancellari. Hoc enim postulat æquitas et bonitas. Atque hujus rei probe conscius est regius cancellarius.

Quod vero regia majestas adeo candide acceperit literas meas qualescunque animi pii significationes, illius majestati me plurimum debere fateor: imo, alias, pro innumeris ipsius beneficiis. Maxime vero ingentem illam benevolentiam, nuper in me exhibitam ingenue agnosco, quod ætatis atque imbecillitatis memor, tanquam pia matrona, imo, indulgentissima mater, mei rationem habet, ut ab onere episcopali, longe quam olim ad id muneris ineptiorem, eximat, alterisque benigne concedat. Et quoniam facile credo illius animum non esse alienatum ab episcopo Norvicense; teque non alienum ab eo animum gerere; equidem, si ita ipsius majestati æquum esse videatur, non ipsum successorem recusavero. Quod ad petitiones meas attinet, eas omnes exaravi, tuæ

BOOK que prudentiæ examinandas proposui: et per tabulam per II. filium meum tuæ celsitudini examinandas [misi.] Quicquid 132 autem regiæ sublimitati approbatum fuerit, mihique concessum, si ipsum, quicquid est significare mihi non dedigneris, imprimis curabo, ut consiliorum meorum prudentia in ordinem redigatur, et ipsius majestatis judicio submittatur. Deus Opt. Max. pietatem tuam utraque benedictione, hoc est, hujus vitæ et æternæ, beare dignetur, cum toto tuo famulitio. Ex ædibus meis Dodingtoniensibus, decimo sexto die Decembris, 1579.

Tuus pro sua tenuitate fidiss. amicus,

Richardus Eliens.

[ Number XXI.]

A list of papists imprisoned, anno 1579, in divers places in
the realm. Their names, qualities, and ages.

MSS. Foxii. In the Tower of London.
D. Rich. archbishop of Ar-
magh in Ireland; about 50
years old.
D.Thomas Methamus,priest,
licentiate in divinity; qua-
dragenarius.

In the custody of the bishop
of Roff.

D. Thomas Watson, bishop
of Lincoln; about 60.
In the custody of the bishop
of Ely.

D. John Fecknam, late ab-
bot of Westminster; about
60.

In the Fleet, London.
D. Henry Cole, priest, D. D.
octogenarius.

D. Robert Cook, priest; a-
bout 50.

D. Windam, LL.D. 50.
Ambrose Edmund, nobilis,
[i. e. gent.] about 50.
Erasm. Saunders, nobilis,
[gent.]

William Iveson, gent. about
50.

Cotton, gent.

In the Marshalsea, London. D. Thomas Wood, priest; about 80.

D. Leonard Bilson, priest; about 50.

D. Thomas Cook, monk; about 70.

D. Thomas Bluet, priest; about 40.

D. Christopher Thomson, priest.

D. William Allen, priest; about 70.