when upon the continent, Cromwell was enabled to come to England. His treatment of Frescobald exceeded the generosity of common gratitude.

The site of Laund Abbey was granted to Lord Cromwell in the thirtyfirst of Henry the Eighth.

RIGHT worshipfull my singuler good Master my duety humbly premised with my prayer. Pleasith it your good Mastership of your goodnes to call to your remembraunce when ye laye here with us at Launde Abbey some tyme ye wolde take the payne to walke with me or my brethern abowt owr busynes; and as you and I cam on day from Withcoke I had a fall backeward in the Snowe in a place called the Dammes, betwen Launde and Withcoke; and by the same tokyn I doo send you by this berar vj. Chesys of this contre makyng, praying you to accepte the same that the old acquentaunce somme thyng myght be renewed. You shall nott nede to gyve our Mr. prior eny thanks for the same. Other newellies a have I not to doo your Mastership pleasur with all, but with my prayer which all wayes ye shalbe assuryd of to the pleasure of God, who all wayes have you in his blessid kepyng, to your harts ease and your worship daily encreasyng. At Laund Abbey this xiiijth daye of January

To the right worshipfull

By your beadisman

THOMAS FRYSBY chanon,

M. Cromwell be this delyvered.

anowellis, news.

LETTER CIX.

Thomas Audeley Lord Keeper, to Secretary Cromwell on King Henry the Eighth's return from his Interview with the French King. A. D. 1532,

[MS. COTTON. TITUS B. I. fol. 346.]

The ostensible design of the second Interview between Henry the Eighth and Francis the First was to concert measures for a joint Expedition against the Turk; but the real intention was, by alarming the Pope and the Emperor, to accelerate the business of the Divorce.

Francis entreated Henry to bring the Lady Anne Boleyn with him, to which he consented; and, accompanied by her, landed at Calais by ten o'Clock in the forenoon of the 11th, of October. 66 Henry," says Hall, was honourably received with procession, and brought to St. Nicholas's church, where he heard mass, and so to his place called the Exchequer where he lodged."

66

Calais, on this occasion, provided no fewer than twenty four hundred beds, with stabling for two thousand horses.

On the 20th of October, the two Kings met in a valley near Sandyfield, between Calais and Boulogne. "The Kings train," says Hall," waved on the left hand, to give the French King and his train the right hand; likewise did the French part, to give the Englishmen the right hand: so the two Kings, with all lovely honor met, with bare heads, and each embrased other in such fashion, that all that beheld them rejoiced. The King of England was apparelled in a coat of great riches, in braids of gold laid loose on russet velvet, and set with trefoils, full of pearl and stone. The French King was in a coat of crimson velvet, all to cut, lined with slender cloth of gold plucked out through the cuts. The noblemen on both parties were richly apparelled; and, as was reported, the French King said openly to the King of England, Sir, you be the same person that I am most bound to in the world; and sith it hath pleased you in person to visit I am bound in person to seek you, and, for the very friendship that I have found in you I am yours and will be, and so I require you to take 'me'; and with that put off his bonnet. The King of England soberly answered, If ever I did thing to your liking I am glad, and as touching ⚫ the pain to come hither to see you, I assure you it is my great comfort, yea, and I had come farther to have visited you.' Then the Kings embraced the lords and estates; as the French King the lords of England,

•

me,

and the King of England the lords of France; and that done, they set forward toward Boulogne, and in riding they cast off Hawks called Sakers to the Kites, which made to them great sport. And in a valley beyond Sandyfield the King of Navarre met the Kings, and there they alighted and drank, and, after that, they mounted on horsback, and with hawking and other princely pastime they came near to Boulogne, where on a hill stood ranged, in a fair band, the number of five hundred men on horsback, of whom the chief were the French King's three sons, the dauphin, the duke of Orleans and the duke of Angoulesme, and on them gave attendance the admiral of France and three cardinals with divers other nobles of France. These three Princes marched forward and welcomed the King of England, which them well beheld, and lovingly them received, as he that could as much nurture as any Prince that ever was. Then the French King said to his children openly, 'My children, I am your father, but to this Prince ⚫here you are as much bound as to me your natural father, for he redeemed me and you from captivity: wherefore on my blessing I charge you to 'be to him loving always.' The King of England ceased the French King's tale, and embraced the young Princes each after other."

From the 20th to the 25th of October, Francis entertained Henry at Boulogne; from the 25th to the 30th. Henry entertained Francis at Calais. Here, as has been before mentioned, they were joined by the young duke of Richmond. At one of the disguisings too, Anne Boleyn, who previous to her leaving England had been created marchioness of Pembroke, danced with Francis.

On the 30th of October, Henry attended his royal guest to the place where they had met on the 20th; they alighted on a green spot, and were served with wine, ipocras, fruit, and spices; when, having communed a little, they again mounted on their horses," and at the very entering of the French ground, they took hands, and with princely countenance, loving behaviour, and hearty words, each embrased other and so there departed." Storms and contrary winds detained Henry and his suite at Calais till the 13th of November; on which day, at midnight, he took ship, "and landed at Dover the morrow after, being the 14th day of November, at five o'clock in the morning.' "a Hall says, that on the Saturday following, the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, the Mayor of London, and the Council of Regency, attended the singing of Te Deum at St. Paul's; but Lord Audley's Letter makes it on the Friday.

AFTER my most hertie commendacions it may lik you too vnderstond that other knowledge have we

a Compare Hall, Edit. 1809. p. 789-794. Stowe, Annales Ed. 1592. p. 944.

none, but the fame is firme and constaunte here that the Kings Highnes (thanks be to our Lord) is arryved within this his owne realme, which is no litle joye and comfort to the Counsaile here, and not onlie to theym but to all the subjects of the realme. And for asmiche as we have byne enfourmed by sundry Lettres from beyond the see, aswell by you as other, of the good and prosperous passages that the Kings Highnes hath had aswell in his going outward as in his retourn, and of the most joyous and amycable assemblie and meting of his Grace and the French Kinge, their nobles and trayne, in such wise as the lik hath not byn seen hertofore, We therfore, the Counsaile here, think we can do no lesse but now uppon the Kyngs revenue a into his owne realme to gyve congratulacion and thanks to Almightie God for the same, for the which the Counsaile here be determyned to morowe to assemble theym selffs at Polls wher the Maier of London with his brethern, of their own offre, entend likewise to bee; wher it is devised that Te Deum shalbe song by the quier of Poulls, and we render our prayers to Allmightie God for the good successes that the Kings Grace hath had, and for his prosperous and ioyous revenue into his own realme; beseching you to sett forth thes our good purposes and intents as it is by us ment, to th'entent that it maye be accepted as we trust it will in good part. Asserteynyng you furder that many of

a return.

a

the King's Counsaile here wold have attended uppon the Kings Grace uppon his first revenue into the realme, but bycause they have byn conversant in the ayer here they dare nott approche to his presence till his pleasure be furder knowen in that behalf. Other nues ther be none here worthie advertisement; but this day I have byn enfourmed that if I had not devised a . . . . into Warwikshire for Spencers mattier, it wold have byn founde agaynst the King, by beryng and mayntenaunce; wherof ye shall knowe more uppon our next meating which now I long for; as knoweth almightye God who kepe you. Written at London the xvth day of November.

Yo! assured to his litell po! THOMAS AUDELEY Custos Sigilli.

"To his hartie beloved frinde

Mr. Crumwell."

LETTER CX.

Sir William Fitzwilliam Treasurer of the Household to Secretary Cromwell.

[MS. COTTON. OTHO c. x. fol. 178 b. Orig.]

On the day before Good Friday, usually called Shere or Maundy Thursday, it was a custom both in this and other countries for the King

a Stow, speaking of the Parliament after Easter this year says, "there was a fifteenth granted but not exacted at this season, because that suddenly began a pestilence in Westminster; wherefore the parliament was prorogued." Annales, Edit. 1592. p. 944.