of Dublins house, in his jorney towards Balhuglas to mete Th'Erle of Ormounde accompanyed with the Chauncelor, the last of August.

I was moche abowte him in the later ende of his sycknes, and behelt suche true tokynes of Nobilitie conjoyned with a most godly and vertuos mynde to the yelding upp of his breathe, as is rare to be sene.

Two daies before he died he had speche with me of your Lordship, and sayd he thoght he was borne to do you and your's good. But nowe sayd he I must comytt the oversight of my son and all to him. He likewise spoke lovingly of my Lord of Sussex, with many other things which for prolixitie and otherwise I omytt to write. He doubted that he had bene poysoned by reason of the violent evacuation which he had, and of that suspicion acquitted this Lande, saying no not Tirrelaghe Lunnaghe a him selfe wolde do no villany to his person. But upon the openyng of him, which I coulde not abyde, the Chauncelor tolde me that all his inwarde parts were sounde saving that his hart was somewhate consumed, and the blader of his gall empty. Suche as toke upon theme to be his phisicians, as Chaloner, Knell a preacher, and the Deputies phisician called Doctor Trever, applied him with many glisters, and therby filled his body full of winde which was perceyved: so as ether ther ignorance, or some violent cause beyonde ther skill ended

a The chief, at that time, of the rebel bands in Ulster.

his life. His fleashe and complexion did not decay, his memory and speche was so perfitt that, at the last yelding upp of his breathe, he cryed Cowradge, Cowradge. I am a soyldor that must fight under the banor of my Savior Christe.' And as he prayed alwaies to be dissolved, so was he lothe to dye in his bed; which made me to remember your Lordship's tale of your Father.

Emong others he had care of my seconde son, which is all this while brought upp with the young Erle his son, without any chardge to me, bicause his mother was a Lenox. And required Mr Waterhouse to move your honor that he might still attende on his son and be broght upp with him, wherin I refer his case to your accustomed goodnes.

His Lordship comytted to my keping the patents of his creation and countreyes here: and made me one of his feoffees of Trust. hope with the Deputie's favour to turne those lands to a reasonable

ditie to his son.

yere como

I do sende your Lordship here inclosed the names of suche of Th'Erles servaunts as were abowte him in the tyme of his sycknes, and served him moste painfully and diligently; for with respect I thinke them worthy the favor of all men.

It is doubted whate ende the deputie will make of this great sturr in Conaght.

*

From St Kathrins besyds Dublin, this last of Sep

William Fleetwood Recorder of London, to Lord Burghley, upon the apprehending of a number of rogues and masterless men in the neighbourhood of London.

[MS LANSD. 34. art. 3. Orig.]

William Fleetwood, the natural son of Richard Fleetwood, descended from the Fleetwoods of Penwortham in Lancashire, was a lawyer of great eminence in his time; learned; and active as a magistrate. The Earl of Leicester appears to have been his patron.

He became Recorder of London in 1569, and continued in that office till 1591. He was called to the degree of Serjeant in 1580; and in 1592, was made one of the Queen's Serjeants.

While Recorder of London, Serjt. Fleetwood was in the habit of writing weekly Letters to Lord Burghley respecting the transactions of the Police; acquainting him with the crimes which were committed and punished daily, as well as with the chief occurrences in London. One of these Reports is here laid before the reader, and at least shows the activity of the Police upon some occasions.

Serjeant Fleetwood died at his house in Noble Street Aldersgate, February the 28th 1594.

My singuler good Lord, uppon Thurs lay at even, her Majestie in her Cooche, near Islyngton, taking of

the aicr, her Highnes was environed with a nosmber of Rooges. One Mr Stone a footeman cam in all hast to my Lord Maior, and after to me, and told us of the same. I dyd the same night send warrants owt into the seyd quarters and in to Westminster and the Duchie: and in the mornyng I went a brood my selff, and I tooke that daye lxxiiij. roogs, whereof some were blynd and yet great usurers, and very riche: and the same daye towards night I sent for M: Harrys and M: Smithe and the governors of Bridwell, and tooke all the names of the roogs; and sent theym frome the Sessions Hall unto Bridwell where they remayned that night. Upon Twelff daye in the forenoone, the Master of the Rolls, my selff, and others receyved a charge before my Lords of the Counsell as towching roogs and masterles men, and to have a pryvie searche. The same daye at after dyner (for I dyned at the Rolls) I mett the governors of Bridwell, and so that after nowne we examined all the seyd roogs and gave theym substanciall payment. And the strongest we bestowed in the mylne and the lighters. The rest wee desmyssed with a promise of a dooble paye if we mett with theym agayne. Upon Sounday being crastino of the Twelfth daye, I dyned with Mr Deane of Westminster, where I conferred with hym towching Westminster and the Duchie, and then I tooke order for Southwarke, Lambeth, and Newyngton, from whence I receyved a shooll of xl. rooggs, men and women, and

above. I bestowed theym in Bridwell. I dyd the same after nowne peruse Pooles, where I tooke abowt xxti cloked roogs that there use to kepe standing. I placed theym also in Bridwell. The next mornyng, being Mounday, the M' of the Roolls and the rest tooke order with the Constables for a privie searche ageynst Thursdaye at night, and to have the offendors browght to the Sessions Hall upon Frydaye in the mornyng where wee the Justices shold mete. And agaynst the same tyme my Lo. Maior and I dyd the lyke in London and Sowth worke. The same afternowne the Masters of Bridwell and I mett, and, after every man being examined, eche one receyved his payment according to his deserts; at whiche tyme the strongest were put to worke and the other dismissed into theire Countries. The same daye the Mr. of the Savoye was with us and sayd he was sworne to lodge "claudicantes, egrotantes, et peregrinantes ;" and the next mornyng I sent the Constables of the Duchie to the Hospitall and they browght unto me at Bridewell vj. tall fellowes that were draymen unto bruers and were neither "claudicantes, egrotantes, nor peregrinantes.” The Constables if they might have had theyre owen wills wold have browght as many moo. The Master dyd wryte a very curtese letter unto us to produce theym: and although he wrott charitably unto us, yet were they all sowndly payed, and sent home to thare

a St. Pauls.