LETTER CLXXII.

Divers Lords of the Council in London, to the Council at Windsor professing their purpose to remove the Duke of Somerset from the Protectorship. A. D. 1549.

[CALIG. B. VII. fol. 404. Orig.]

This and the three following Letters relate to the Conspiracy in the Privy Council of King Edward the Sixth, which brought on the first fall of the Protector Somerset. Stow, in his Annals, edit. 1631. p. 597. has printed two or three other Letters which complete the Series relating to this event. "On the sixt day of October," says Stow, "in the morning, the Earl of Warwick with other Lords of the Council, sent for the Lord Mayor and the Aldermen of London, to his place in Holborne, where was declared to them, by the Lord Chancellor and other of the King's Council, divers abuses of the Lord Protector, concerning the Kings person, and his affairs both in England and also in Scotland, and other his places beyond the Seas. And that afternoon was kept a Court of the Aldermen in the Guildhall, where was shewed a Letter from the King and the Lord Protector, for to have one thousand men of the City well harnessed with weapons, for defence of the King's Majestie's person. And another Letter also from the Lords of the Council, to have two thousand men to ayde them, for defence of the King's person: and also, that the Citie should be well kept with watches both day and night. And the same sixt day, the King being at Hampton Court, the Lord Protector caused Proclamations to be made in divers Townes near to the Court, for men to ayde the King against the Lords, and also sent Letters to divers towns to the same effect; whereupon great assemblies of people were made at Hampton Court. And in the night of the same day he conveyed the King to Windsor, with a great number of horsemen and fotemen."

My Lords, after our right hartie commendacions, understanding what false, untrue, and slaunderous bills, rumors, and reaports be spred in many places, by meanes of the Duke of Somerset and his adherents, of the cause of our assemblee; and being togi

ther, we have first thought good t'assure your Lordships of our honours, trouth, and fidelities to God and the King's Mate; that we mean nothing ells but the suertie of his Majestie's person, our most gracious Sovereign Lord, the preservacion of his honor, and the good governaunce of his Majestie's realmes and dominions; and, for none other cause, we take God to witnes. If the Duke of Somerset woold at any tyme have hard our advises, if he woold have hard reason, and knowledged himself a subject, our meanings was to have quietly communed with him for redresse of all things without any disturbance of the realm; but knowing afterwards that the said Duke goeth about to reyse great forces and nombers of men, to sprede abrode slaunderous and untrue reaports of us moche contrary to our honors and reputations, we wer forced for the meting therwith, against our wills t'assemble, lyke as it greveth us to see what daunger and peril! may ensue to th❜ole Realme thorough division amongs ourselfs, we have lykewise thought good to signifie unto you that if the said Duke will, as becometh a good subject absent himself from his Majestie, be contented to be ordred according to Justice and reason, and disperse that force which is levied by him, we will gladly commen with you touching the suertie of his Majestie's person, and order of all other things, wherin we nothing doubt, whatsoever hath byn otherwise untruely reaported, you shall fynde us bothe conformable and

redy to do as becommeth good subjects and true counsellors; nothing doubting to fynd the like conformitie also on your behalfs. Otherwise, if we shall see that you mynd more the mayntenaunce of that one mans ill doings then th'execution of his Majesties Lawes and commen order, we must make other accompt of you then we trust we shall have cause.

Consider, my Lords, for Godd's sake, we hartely pray you, that we be almost the hole Counsell, men that have byn to moche bounden by sundry benefits to forget our duties to the Kings Majestie, for whom we do that we do, and will gladly spend our lyves for his suertie. If you forsake to come to this good and peaxable agrement, we must protest that the inconveniences which may ensue upon stirre must grow of yow, the daunger wherof we assuredly know is to none of yow unknowen. Thus praying God to send us and yow grace to doo thatt may most conduce to his glorie and wealth of the Realme we bydd yow hartely fare well. From London this vijth of October 1549. Yo' assured loving freends

LETTER CLXXIII.

The Lords of the Council in London to those at Windsor, respecting the care of the King's person.

[MS. COTTON. CALIG. B. VII. fol. 408. Orig.]

My Lords, after our most harty commendacions, we have received your Lettres by Mr. Hobby, and herd such credence as he declared on the King's Majesties and your behaulf unto us. Th'aunswers whereunto becawse they may at more lenngth appere to You both by our Lettres to the Kings Majestie and by report also of the said Mr. Hobbye we forbeare to repete here againe, most hartely prayeng and requiring your Lordships and every of you, and nevertheles charging and comaunding you in the Kings Majesties name to have a contynual earnest wache, respect, and care to the suretie of the Kings Majestie our natural and most gracious Soveranne lords persone, and that he be nat removed from his Majesties castel of Wyndesour, as you tender your dueties to Almighty God and his Majestie, and as you will aunswer for the contrary at your uttermost perills. We are moved to call earnestly upon you herein, nat without grete cawse, and, amongs many others, we can nat but remembre unto you that it appearith very straunge unto us and a grete wonder to all true sub

jects that you will either assent or suffer his Majesties most royall persone to remaine in the garde of the Duke of Somersetts men, sequestred from his old sworne servaunts. It seemith straunge that in his Majesties owne Howse strangers shuld be armed with his Majestie's owne armour, and be nearest abowte his Highnes persone; and those to whome the ordynary charge is committed, sequestred away so as they may nat attende according to their sworne duetyes. If any evyll come thereof ye can consider to whome it must be imputed. Ones the exemple is very straunge and perillous. And now my Lords, if you tender the preservacion of his Majestie and the State, joyne with us to that ende. We have wrytten to the Kings Majestie by which way things may sone be quyetly and moderatly compounded; in the doing whereof we mynde to doo none otherwise then we would be doon unto, and that with as much moderacion and favour as we honorably maye. We trust none of you hath juste cawse to note any oon of us, and much lesse all of such crueltye as you so many tymes make mention of. Oon thing in youre Lettres we mervayle much at, which is that you write that you knowe more than we knowe. If the matters comen to your knowlege and hidden from us be of such waight as you seme to pretende, or if they towche or may touche his Majestie or the State, we thinke you do not as you ought in that ye have not disclosed the same unto us being the