MSS. CCVI. To Crumwell. My very singular good Lord, in my most hearty wise I commend me to your lordship. And whereas this last Westmin- year I became a suitor for this bearer John Culpeper, unto Crumwell's the King's Majesty, requiring his Grace to accept into his Corres- service the said Culpeper, and farther, to be so gracious pondence. Original. lord unto him, as in time convenient to make him one of the ster; grooms of his privy chamber, his Grace most benignly tendering my suit and request at that time not only accepted him into the room of a gentleman waiter, but thereunto also said, that he would see for him upon convenient opportunity: now, my lord, these shall be most heartily to desire and pray you to be so good lord unto the said John Culpeper, as to renew my suit unto the King's Majesty for him at such time as any alteration shall be made within the King's Grace's privy chamber, not doubting at all, but that he shall not only do unto the King's Highness his most true and faithful service, but also be at your lordship's commandment during his life. Thus our Lord have your good lordship in his most blessed tuition. At Ford, the xxviiith day of January. Your own ever assured, To the Right Honourable and my Thomas Cantuarien. MSS. Chapter CCVII. To CRUMWELL. My very singular good Lord, in my most hearty wise I commend me unto your lordship. And where of late a I "Privy Seal's." Ellis, Orig. Letters, 2nd series, Lett. cxx. It appears from the State Papers, vol. i. p. 577. that in the July following she was recognized as Duchess of Richmond, and that suit was then made to the King for securing to this "desolate widow," not only a jointure, but another husband.] a [See Letter ccv.] ster; wrote unto you, how that one of those seditious persons Westminwhich here spread false bruits of the King's Highness, was Crumwell's punished at Canterbury: this shall be to certify your lord- Correspondence. ship that another of them was likewise punished at Sande-Original. wiche, as this bearer Sir Edward Ryngisley b, knight, can more at large inform your lordship of the manner thereof; for he was present at Sandwiche to see all things executed according to the King's commandment: and he was also very diligent always in examination of divers persons to see the matters tried out, so that no man could be more willing and ready to satisfy the King's commandment. To whom I beseech your lordship for his pains taken in this behalf to give unto him your hearty thanks, which will be unto him (I dare well say) no small courage and pleasure: and as for the priest not yet punished, this day, with the assistance of Mr. Sheriff and this said bearer, we have appointed him to be punished at Asheforth the next market day. Thus, my lord, right heartily fare you well. At Forde, the 29th day of January. Your own assured ever, T. Cantuarien. To my very singular good lord, my CCVIII. TO CRUMWELL. ster; Crum ence. Ori My very singular good Lord, in my most hearty wise I MSS. Chapter commend me to your lordship. And whereas the benefice House, of Sutton Magna, within the County of Essex, of the Westmin.. patronage of Margaret Wyate, widow, and George Coverte, well's Coralternis vicibus, being void this last year, came in contro- respondversy of the law, which of them should present the incum-ginal. bent, so that either of them presented one to the said benefice; the said Margaret Wiate presenting Sir John Gylderde of Rayley, in the county of Essex, a man, as I am credibly informed, both for his literature, good judg[See Letter cxc.] ment, and honest conversation, worthy of commendation and preferment; and the said George Coverte presenting one Sir Heugh Payne, late Observant, whom I knew neither to be of good learning nor judgment, but a seditious person, and I suppose your lordship knew the same: of the which two persons so presented, the Bishop of London, notwithstanding that the matter was then in controversy, and not favouring so much the learning and judgment of the said Sir John of Rayly as he did Sir Heugh Payne's, gave the institution unto the said Sir Heugh Payned, leaving the patroness in suit at the common law for the same; which said suit hath ever since continued, until now that at this time the said Sir Heugh Payne, being in the Marshalsea for his demerits, is departed: and now, forasmuch as the said Margery Wiate pretending the maintenance not only of her just title unto the said benefice, but also the discharging of her conscience in the same, hath once again presented the said Sir John of Rayley, being very loth that the benefice should be bestowed upon such as afore time have been drowned in superstitious religion, as partly she feareth that one Roche, late Observant, will promote himself thereunto as much as in him lieth: these shall be therefore to beseech your lordship, in consideration of her godly mind in this behalf, and to the intent that the said Bishop of London may with better will accept the said Sir John of Raily, to direct your letters in his favour unto the said Bishop of London, requiring him to induct the said Sir John without farther interruption; forasmuch as the said Coverte can claim no more at the most, but to present once against the said Mistress Wiate twice; and therefore it seemeth to me, that he can have no colour of interest in the said benefice at this time, Sir Heugh Payne dying in possession, who [See Letter CLXXVII.] d [Hugh Payne became Rector of Sutton Magna the 23d of Nov. 1536. Newcourt, Repertorium, vol. ii. p. 567.] e [Cranmer was baffled in this case, and the widow Wyat defrauded: for Geo. Covert succeeded in appointing Thomas Roche to the rectory of Sutton Magna the 10th of Feb. 1538. Newcourt, who states with Cranmer, that the Wyats possessed two parts of the advowson, has re was by him last presented. And in thus doing your lordship shall do for the advancement of God's word, which I think is but easily set forward in Essex. Thus, my lord, right heartily fare you well. At Forde, the viith day of February. [1538.] Your own assured ever, To the Right Honourable and my singular good lord, my Lord Privy Seal. T. Cantuarien. CCIX. To CRUMWELL. My very singular good Lord, in my most hearty wise I MSS. commend me unto your lordship. And whereas divers House, ence. Ori of Cran Chapter times I have been desirous and minded to sue unto the Westminster; CrumKing's Majesty for some preferment for John Wakefelde, well's Corgentleman, Controller of my household, a man of good respondjudgment and affection towards God's word, which I have ginal. known him for the space of these twelve years always ready Todd, Life to promote in his country, not rashly nor seditiously, but mer, vol. i. gently and soberly, so that his own country could neither P. 205. greatly hate him nor love him: they could not hate him for his kindness and gentilness, being ready to do every man good as much as in his power was; and yet they could not heartily love him, by cause he ever commended the knowledge of God's word, studied in himself diligently, and exhorted them unto the same, and spake many times against the abusions of the clergy; for which he had all the hate that most of the clergy could procure against him: and partly for his sincere mind which he beareth towards God's word, partly for his true and faithful heart which he hath borne towards his prince and such things as from time to course to the conjecture, that Covert presented under their authority. But his conjecture is negatived by this Letter; and the fact seems to be, that Stokesley, Bishop of London, attended more to the tenets of the presentee, than to the right of the presenter. See Newcourt, Re time his Highness hath set forth, and specially in this last commotion in the north parties, for so much as he so unfeignedly declared his true and faithful allegiance unto the King's Highness, refusing the confederacy of the Lord Darcye and other being gathered together unto the castle of Pomfrete, which Lord Darcie had trained him thither, (as further your lordship shall perceive by the said Lord Darcy's letters herein enclosed,) and yet that notwithstanding, after that my said Controller by communication had with the said Lord Darcie f, had perceived that there was no towardness of fidelity in him, he withdrew himself out of the said castle, to his great jeopardy and loss of all his goods, which at that time were specially spoiled, because he was so unobedient unto their minds; for the which spoil of his goods he hath been partly recompensed by my Lord of Norfolk, but not in comparison to his loss: I say therefore, for this cause of his vexation and other the premises, I was many times minded to sue for his preferment, saving that hitherto I saw nothing meet for his commodity. And now forasmuch as I am informed that the Priory of Pomfercte & shall be surrendered unto the King's Grace's hands, and that both the situation and the demesne lands of that house lieth very commodiously for him, specially in the town where he dwelleth: these shall be to beseech your lordship to be so good lord unto him, as to be a mean unto the King's Majesty that he may have the preferment of the said priory with the demesnes in farm, doing in that behalf as any other will do for the King's Grace's advantage. It is for no man so meet as for him, and I think there will be but small suit for it, by reason that the lands are valued to the uttermost, and not only lieth in tillage, saving certain f [Lord Darcy was executed on Tower Hill on the 20th of June 1537, for taking part in Aske's rebellion; respecting which, see, besides the historians, State Papers, vol. i. Letters XLVII-LXXXIX.] [A Priory of Dominicans at Pontefract was surrendered on the 26th of November 1538, (Burnet, vol. i. App. B. iii. No. 3.) and granted, 36 Hen. VIII, to W. Clifford and Mich. Wildbore. But the principal religious house at Pontefract was the Cluniac Priory, the site of which was granted to Edward Lord Talbot, 7 Edw. VI. Tanner, Notitia Monast.] |