before you, to the intent they may show reasonable causes why they ought not to deliver them and in thus doing you shall both help to aid justice, and do also unto me singular pleasure, which to recompence I will be at all times ready and glad. This said bringer can further instruct your Lordship in this, to whom I pray you to give credence. Thus fare you well. From my manor at Ottford, the xxiiiith day of October.

To my Lord Chancellor.

LXVIII. To

35.

I greet you well. And where this bearer, my friend Master Harl. MSS. Chesewryght, one of the King's chaplains, hath the benefice 6148. fol. of Wysbeche given unto him, within the diocese of Ely, whose suit unto me is for the agreement of the fruits thereof now in the vacation time, I will, that inasmuch as I can little skill in that behalf, that you, with Master Pottkyns, order the matter according to your discretions with favour. And thus fare you well, &c.

LXIX. TO HIS CHANCELLOR.

6148. fol.

35. b.

Master Chancellor, I greet you well. And forasmuch as Harl. MSS. this bringer, the Vicar of Milton, complaineth and findeth himself aggrieved, as well for that he is overcharged for the King's subsidy, as also for an acre of glebe land withholden from him; which injuries the Abbot of St. Austen'ss doth enforce him to sustain, both contrary to an ancient composition, and also the Act of the Parliament favouring him in that behalf: I will, that you, in consideration hereof, examine

[Probably the subsidy granted by Convocation in 1523, consisting of the half of all spiritual benefices, to be levied in five years. See Wilkins, Concilia, vol. iii. p. 699; and Letter CXLVII. An Act of Parliament for a subsidy was passed in the same year, from which the clergy were graciously excepted, provided that they taxed themselves to a higher amount.]

9

[John Sturvey, alias Essex, Abbot of St. Augustin's Canterbury.]

his said composition, and thereupon send me word how you think the matter standeth, to the intent I may see a redress in that behalf.

Harl. MSS. 6148. fol.

36.

LXX. To

My especial good Lord, I most heartily commend me unto your Lordship. Your loving letter by your servant I have received, whereby I perceive your request therein; which to accomplish I would be as glad as any man living, if it might stand both with my ordinary power and my honesty withal; for I fear me I have gone and proceeded so far already by way of promise herein, that conveniently I cannot fulfil your desire in that behalf, whereof I am right sorry; and yet notwithstanding I will promise you to do that I may therein, as it shall be well known to you hereafter.

Harl. MSS. 6148. fol. 36.

LXXI. To

In my right hearty wise I commend me unto you. And where I am advertised by Master Dean of Lincoln's t letters of your toward mind that you bear unto my kinsman and servant Henry Byngham ", for his preferment unto the office of the auditorship of the Church of Lyncoln, now being in your hands and disposition; to whom, as I understand, in that behalf ye could be right well content to declare your convenient favour, in case you had not made a former grant unto a kinsman of your own; which notwithstanding, as I do again perceive, your mind is to entreat your said kinsman to relinquish his interest therein: Sir, for this your gentle and favourable behaviour hitherto towards my said kinsman, I heartily give unto you condign thanks therefore; requiring

t

[James Mallet, installed in the deanery of Lincoln the 21st of May 1532. Le Neve, Fasti.]

u

[This may have been the Bingham who married Cranmer's sister. See the articles preferred against the Archbishop in 1543, in Strype, Cranmer, p. 17.]

the same, that now the rather at this mine instance and request, ye will as well on your behalf as also for the obtaining the good will of your said kinsman, accomplish your intended purpose herein; and in so doing I shall be at all times ready to acquit and recompense the same accordingly.

LXXII. To

And Harl. MSS. 6148. fol.

you 36.

In my right hearty wise I commend me unto you. where I am advertised by my servant Jefere Eton, that by your deed obligatory did stand bound in xli. to one Thomas Eton his brother, late deceased, to pay to him lxvis. viiid. yearly, unto such time that he were advanced to some spiritual promotion of the clear value of viiili, by the year, over and above all charges and reprises; which said Thomas Eton then afterward for a time exercised the room of the officiallship in Exetre; whereupon you denied the payment of the said pension or annuity, contrary to the right and order of the temporal law, as I am informed by learned counsel: therefore and inasmuch as my said servant, now being sole executor unto his brother, must accom_ plish and perform his testament, I require you, and that the rather at this mine instance and request, that ye will either now pay unto the same all such sums of money, which in the name of a pension or annuity were heretofore due unto the said Thomas Eton his brother, or else to conclude some reasonable agreement with him therefore, to the intent he need not any further attempt the law in this behalf.

LXXIII. THE EARL OF ESSEX X TO CRANMER.

My very good Lord, in my right hearty manner I commend me Harl. MSS. unto your Grace; and where it hath pleased you to write unto 6148. fol.

[Henry Bourchier; by whose death by a fall from his horse in 1539, without male issue, the title of Earl of Essex became extinct. This correspondence confirms Burnet's account of his being a severe man. Burn. Ref. vol. iii. p.276.]

36.

me in favour of one Richard Stansbye, that is to admit him fa...
vourably to his declaration against a bill of complaint offered to
me against him, so that if he were found faultless of such things
as be surmised in the said complaint, he might with my favour en-
joy such as conscience would require; or else, if he be found faulty,
that then upon his submission I would weigh the matter with
some charitable favour, the sooner at your request: my Lord, so it
is, that there is no such complaint offered to me against the said
Richard Stansbie, wherefore I might accomplish your said re-
quest. But the said Stansbie was of late my baily, and also my
copyholder of certain lands in Bilston, in Suffolk, for the favour
that of long time I did bear unto him, until that now of late, at
my court holden at Bilston foresaid, as well his dissimulate and
cloaked untruth in misusing of his office both as against me and
my tenants there, as his misdemeaning of his copyhold against the
customs used within the said manor was by the whole homage
presented. Wherefore I have seized into my hands his said copy-
hold, according to right, conscience, and custom, and have also
deprived him of his office, intending never hereafter to bear him
no such favour, that he shall have any thing of me more than
right and conscience shall require; praying your Grace so to be
contented therewith, nothing doubting the same, if your Grace
knew the said misdemeanours. And what pleasure I may show
to any
other person at your request hereafter, I shall be glad to
do the same, as our Lord knoweth; who have you in his blessed
tuition. The xiii. day of October.

By my Lord of Essex.

Harl. MSS.

36. b.

In my right hearty wise I commend me unto your good 6148. fol. Lordship. These be to advertise you, that I have received your letters dated at Stansted the xiii. day of October. Whereby I perceive that you intend not to do any wrong to Richard Stansbye, notwithstanding any complaint or presentment made against him, which is my very trust, and the rather at my request. Wherefore eftsoons, I will desire you to be so good lord unto him, that two well learned

men and indifferent may have the hearing of all matters, that your Lordship is informed that he hath misordered himself against you. And so be it, that the said Stansby by any such misdemeanour hath not forfeit any of his land or copyhold, then I trust your Lordship will be contented that he may enjoy his lands and copyhold according to right and conscience. And if the said two indifferent learned men shall reasonably think that he hath misordered himself in any point, the same Richarde Stansby shall humbly require you to be his good lord, and shall to his small power make such amends for his offences, as shall be by the said two learned men thought reasonable. Trusting that in this his age ye will the rather be good lord unto him, and have herein the less regard to his negligence. Which to recompense I doubt not but that you shall have now no less good service of him, than ever you had of the same heretofore; and of my behalf such pleasure and commodity as you shall at any time require of me accordingly. An answer to the same by my Lord.

y [The Earl, it seems, paid no attention to this and some other letters; and at length provoked the following peremptory order from Henry VIII.

"To our right trusty and right wellbeloved Cousin and Counsellor, the Harl. MSS.

"Earl of Essex.

6148. fol. "Right trusty and right wellbeloved cousin, we greet you well. And 37. b. "where upon complaint made unto us by our subject Richarde Stansby "for putting him out of certain copyholds, lands, and tenements, in your town of Bylston, which he and his ancestors have holden of you and your ancestors many years, it was thought by our Council upon the examination of the matter to be reasonable, that our said subject should be restored to the possession of the said customary "lands and tenements, paying his rents and services to you for the 66 same, as hath been accustomed, till such time as the cause of seizure "thereof were examined by our said Council, and an order therein "taken as to justice and equity should appertain; and that afterward our right trusty and right wellbeloved counsellor, Sir Thomas Audeley, Knight our Chancellor of England, and other of our counsellors, have "directed unto you their several loving letters, advertising you of the "mind of the residue of our Council in the premises, and advising you "rather of yourself, upon the humble suit of our said subject, to restore "him accordingly, than it should be done by any order of compulsion; "which notwithstanding, ye, neither following their wholesome admo"nitions, nor yet the mind and order of our said Council, will not in