deceased Sheweth THAT the said Sir Thomas Smith the Petitioner's Ancestor had the Honour to serve as Secretary of State to your Majesty's most Noble Progenitor Queen Elizabeth of happy Memory and served her in that Employment faithfully many Years And in the Thirteenth year of her Reign the said late Queen did make a Grant by Letters Patents under the great Seal to the said Sir Thomas Smith and Thomas his then Son and Heir Apparent of divers Mannors Castles and Lands thereto belonging in the County of Downe in the Realm of Ireland Which were then possest by divers Persons who were in actual Rebellion against her Highness with Command that the said Sir Thomas Smith should enter upon the Parts infested by the said Rebels and by Force of Arms obtain the same from them And the said Sir Thomas Smith did at his great Charge raise an Army and entred those Parts and gained them unto their due Obedience In which said Service the said Thomas his Son was slain And then the said Sir Thomas Smith Assigned the said Sir William Smith his Nephew to take the Charge of Prosecution of that War and came over to England to attend the further Service of her Majesty and to Solicite her Majesty that the Lands might be Surveyed and the Rents ascertained and his Grant and Title perfected And her Majesty taking Notice of such the great Service of the said Sir Thomas Smith was pleased several Times graciously to declare that her Royal Intentions to the said Sir Thomas Smith should be made good But by reason of the many great Troubles falling out in her Time the same was not done during all the time of her Reign And afterwards the said Sir William Smith the Elder was commanded by the said Queen upon Service into Spain And upon his departure out of England he desired Sir Iames Hamiltâ—n Kt. to prosecute his said Grant on the said Sir William's behalf and procure the same for him And the said Sir Iames Hamiltâ—n in the Time of your Noble Grandfather King Iames upon some undue prâ—tences contrary to the Trust in him reposed by the said Sir William Smith obtained the said Lands to be granted to himself upon Pretence of a Valuable Consideration paid which in truth was never paid But in truth according to the Intention of the late Queen the said Lands are the Right of your Petitioner That Sir William Smith died about Fourty years since and Sir William his Son and Heir since dyed and left his Son and Heir an Infant of two years old And until he came at Age nothing could be done And the troublesome times happening since his Death the Petitioner and his Ancestors have sit down by the Loss Yet your Petitioner hopeth that that long Discontinuance shall not be a Bar to his just Right But humbly prayeth your Majesty to cause an Examination of the Premisses to be made and Certified to your Majesty and then the Petitioner hopes that when the Truth of the Fact shall appear your Majesty will be graciously pleased to do therein for the Petitioners Relief what shall be agreable to Justice And your Petitioner shall c. At the Court at Whitehal 14 Nov. 1660. Edw. Nicholas His Majesty is pleased to refer this Petition to the Right Honourable Sir Maurice Eustace Lord Chancellor of Ireland Who having examined and considered the Contents and Allegations of this Petition is to certifie his Majesty how he findeth the same and what his Lordship conceiveth to be just and fit for his Majesty to do therein and then his Majesty will declare his further Pleasure Sir Maurice Eustace his Certificate It may please your Excellent Majesty I have according to your Majesty's gracious Reference considered the Petition of Thomas Smith Esquire And considering that the Petitioner doth ground his Title upon a Patent made 13. Elâ—z unto his Ancestors and that the said Title hath been very much controverted and the Possession gone for a long Time against the Petitioner and some Descents last I humbly conceive that it is neither sit nor convenient for your Majesty to determine this Cause upon a Paper petition But your Majesty in regard your Courts of Justice in Ireland will be soon open may be pleased to leave all Parties pretending Interest to the said Lands to your Majesty's Courts of Justice in that your Kingdom to be procâ—â—ded in as they shall be advised by their Counsel And the rather for that the Earl of Clanbrazil who is interested in the said Lands by Descent from his Father is a Minor and under Years and cannot be concluded by any Order which can be made against him during his Monority All which is humbly submitted to your Majesty's Judgment Maurice Eustace Canc. NUM V. Sir Thomas Smith's Tables of Mony And for the reducing the Roman Monies to the English Standard TABLE I. In the Pound Weight of Silver there is of current Monies  Shil Groats Current Pence At 20 d. 20 60 240 At 2 sh. 24 72 284 At 2 sh. 8 d. 32 96 384 At 2 sh. 9 d. q. Ounce    At â…“ of a q. Ounce 33 4 d. 100 4.00 At 3 sh. 36 108 432 At 3 sh. 4 d. 40 120 480 At 3 sh. 8 d. 44 132 528 At 4 sh. 48 144. 576 At 5 sh. 60 180 720 TABLE VIII The Mark containeth The Ounce at 20 d. Shill Groats Pence 13 4 40 160 The Mark containeth The Ounce at 2 sh. 16 48 192 The Mark containeth The Ounce at 2 sh. 8 d. 21 4 64 256 The Mark containeth The Ounce at 3 sh. 24 72 288 The Mark containeth The Oounce at 3 sh. 4 d. 26 8 80 320 TABLE IX Twenty English Pence of the Standard make one Ounce Twelve Ounces make the English Pound Sterling at 11 Ounces Silver and one Ounce Allay The Pound Containeth The Ounce at 20. Shill Groats Pence 20 60 240 The Pound Containeth The Ounce at 2 8 32 96 484 The Pound Containeth The Ounce at 3 sh. 36 108 432 The Pound Containeth The Ounce at 3 4 40 120 480 The Pound Containeth The Ounce at 3 8 44 132 528 The Pound Containeth The Ounce at 4 sh. 48 144 536 The Pound Containeth The Ounce at 5 sh. 60 180 720 Then Follows a Discourse for demonstrating the Reduction of the Roman Coins to our Money TO Esteem these by the Coins of England which I have I have an old Edward Groat whether the Third or Fourth I know not This Groat weigheth 8 d. ob of the Standard which is Current 1561. Viz. at 5 â— the Ounce Whereby it appeareth that then the Monies went at 2 s. 4 d. q. the Ounce The Pound then contained Shill Groats Pence 21 3 84¾ 339 I have also two Roman Denarii the one intitled Lucius Valerius Flaccus the other Marcus Herennius On the one side Aeneas is pictured carying his Father on the other side Pietas with the Face of Herennius But each of them be too
the other Anne Vicars of Navstock not far off The Examiration of the former he took in April 1570. Against whom one Evidence deposed that about two Years past she bore her Husband in hand that he was bewitched And as a Remedy thereof she caused a Trivet to be set and certain pieces of Elder and white Hazel Wood to be laid upon the Trivet across with a Fire under it and then him who was at that Time not well in his Wits to kneel down and say certain Prayers as she taught him And thereby she said he should be delivered of his Bewitching or his Witch should consume as the Fire did Which when this Evidence rebuked her for doing as using Witchcraft she conceived an ill Will towards him And he having a Sheep-shearing about that Time and not inviting her thereto being his Neighbour she as he supposed bewitched two of his Sheep For immediately after they were taken with Sickness their hinder Legs so indisposed that they only could crawl and died The same Man had a Sow being well when the Sun went down which the next Morning was found dead with her Nose lying upon the Groundsel of this Woman's House where she never was fâ—d nor wont to come before Another Witness deposed That she being Servant to a Farmer 's Wife in the said Parish of Theydon Mount this Goodwife Malter came to her Mistress who was going to London Market and desired her to bring her home some Sprats but she saying she came always loaden from London denied her Upon this the Deponent then her hired Maid came from Milking and as she set her Milk in the Pan upon a Loft there was a Speckled Bird as she thought which fluttered among the Milk-Pans and with her Feet and Wings slubbered therein Her Mistress in the mean time called her away But she endeavoured by a Broom to sweep or drive away this Bird. But it would not away but went fluttering from Pan to Pan and could not fly but skip and hop At the last it went from the Loft where the Milk and Wheat was into the Cheese Loft And then being often called by her Mistress she came down and being blamed for her long tarrying she related how she was troubled with such a Bird. And then her Mistress came her self into the Milk Loft and found it come down Stairs a very Toad Which after it was once come into the Buttery she could never see it more And for the space of six Weeks after by no Means nor Diligence nor change of Churn nor Cloths could they have any Butter until that her Mistress did bid her carry her Milk and churn at a Neighbours House and there the Milk made Butter as it was wont to do before and in the same Milk Pans Other Evidences there were against this Woman In May Sir Thomas took the Depositions of several against Anne Vicars A Woman deposed that about three Years past she was taken with a strange Sickness Her Body disfigured her Lips great and black and she almost out of her Wits She suspecting that she was bewitched by the said Anne went to one Cobham of Rumford who was thought to be Cunning in such Matters And he declared to her that she was bewitched by the same Woman telling her the Words which past betwixt Anne Vicars and her whereby she conceived displeasure against her and wrought her that Mischief And Cobham promised her that as long as he lived she should have no Power over her And so it happened For during his Life she was recovered and continued well But shortly after his Death she fell again into her Disease Another Woman of Stapleford Abbots said That about three Years past she was coming from Rumford Market with this Anne Vicars And suddenly the said Anne cast up her Nose into the Air and smelt Which the other marvelled at and asked her if she saw any thing or if there were any Carrion there And she said she smelt either a Whore or a Thief At last she espied the Wife of one Ingarsole going a great way before them Whereat the said Vicars cried out with an Oath I told you I smelt either a Whore or a Thief and making great haste to overtake her when she came at her she cast her Apron upon the side of her Face next unto her And then went backwards a great way with her Face towards the said Ingarsole's Wife casting her Apron over it and making many Crosses saying as it were certain Prayers but what this Examinant could not tell but marvelled much at her Behaviour and said she was to blame to slander her that was an honest Woman and so known among her Neighbours for twenty Years But upon this Ingarsole's Wife fell extreamly Sick and lost one of her Eyes with a stroke as she thought that came unto her she could not tell how in the plain Field where neither was Bush nor Tree or other Creature And the said Mawd Ingarsole's Wife examined said that the said Anne Vicars Daughter about the Time that this Calamity befel her did fell Wood that was assigned in the Common to her the said Mawd. Whereupon she forbad her to do so any more or else she would take away her Bill The next Day the said Wench came again But she would not suffer her to carry away the Wood. Whereupon the said Anne Vicars fâ—ll out with her and wisht she might not be delivered of that she went with being then great with Child This Falling out was on the Monday and on the Thursday she lost one of her Eyes with a sudden stroke as she thought where no Creature nor thing was by to hurt her Besides that she was extream Sick and in great danger of her Life Also one Agnes Wife of Thomas Combres being examined said That since Michaelmas Iast the said supposed Witch fell out with her and upon that she fell a Cursing and Banning at her and wisht her Eyes out Whereupon within two Days she fell down as Dead extreamly Sick and hardly recovered it And since that Time she had marvellous Pain in her Eyes These and divers more Depositions Sir Thomas now took against this Woman of her supposed Witchcraft exercised upon her Neighbours But we have said enough of this What Prosecutions were made of these Women whom he seemed to have Committed to Jail this is not a Place to enquire into Sir Thomas was in the Month of March talked of to assist Cecil then newly made Baron of Burghley in the Office of Sâ—cretary And so to succeed in that Room as soon as the other should be made Lord Privy Seal which was expected But neither was he made Privy Seal nor was Smith as yet admitted to that Office However he was now admitted into the Council Sir Thomas now divided his Time between the Country and the Court but chiefly in the Former delighted with the Divertisements and easie Cares of his belovâ—d Seat in Essex But he
introducing a Slavery among that free People and very apprehensive he was of the growing Power of that Nation that so threatned their Neighbours France as well as England Especially seeing withal how tender both Realms were to send Succors to those Parts to enable them to Vindicate their own Liberty and Safety from those inhumane and insufferable Practices there prevailing In the mean time the French accused the Sluggishness of the English and the English did the like of the French The Queen had sent some Forces to Flushing But there was a Report that she upon Duke D'Alva's Motion did revoke them But that was not so but he was gently answered with a dilatory and doubtful Answer But indeed more that would have gone from England thither were stayed The English on the other hand had knowledge that the French did Tergiversari hang off and wrought but timorously and under hand with open and outward Edicts and made Excuses at Rome and Venice by the Ambassadors importing their not meddling in Flanders or excusing themselves if they had done any thing there On which Occasion Smith in a Letter to the Ambassador in France gave both Princes a Lash reflecting upon the pretended Activity and warlike Qualities of the French King yet that he should thus waver and be afraid to engage and upon the Slowness and Security of the Queen of England You have saith he a King void of Leisure and that loves Fatigue whose warlike House hath been used to the shedding as well of their own as of foreign Blood What shall we a slothful Nation and accustomed to Peace do Whose supream Governor is a Queen and she a great Lover of Peace and Quietness But to see a little more of his Service and Counsel in the Quality and Place he served under the Queen When in this Year 1572. the Earl of Desmond was in England a Prisoner but reconciled unto the Queen and had promised to do her good Service in Ireland and soon to drive out the Rebels out of the Country the Queen and Court thought he would prove an honest and faithful Subject and so resolved to dismiss him into his Country And she told Sir Thomas that she would give him at his Departure the more to oblige him a piece of Silk for his Apparel and a reward in Money Upon which Sir Thomas's Judgment was That seeing the Queen would tye the Earl to her Service with a Benefit it would be done Amplè liberaliter ac prolixè non malignè parcè i. e. Nobly liberally and largely not grudgingly and meanly Which as he added did so disgrace the Benefit that for Love many times it left a Grudge behind in the Heart of him that received it that marred the whole Benefit A Quarrel happened this Year between the Earl of Clanrichard and Sir Edward Fitton Governor of Connaught who was somewhat rigorous in his Office which had caused the Rebellion of the Earl's Son The Case came before the Deputy and Council in Ireland and at last to the Queen and her Council in England Our Secretary drew up the Loâ—ds of the Councils Order about it to be sent to the Lord Deputy and the Council there to hear and decide it between them and withal was sent the Earl's Book and Sir Edward Fitton 's Answers given into the Council in England The Earl seemed desirous to have Matters sifted to the full Trial. And then each Party might say and prove the most and worst they could But Sir Thomas thought it the best way for the Deputy to perswade them both to wrap up as he exprest it all things by-past and to be Friends as they had promised it seems to be at a Reconciliation formerly made before the Lord Deputy and to joyn faithfully for the Furtherance of the Queen's Majesty's Service and the Quietness and good Order of the Country hereafter And it was in his Judgment as he added The best way to tread all under foot that had gone heretofore with a perpetual 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to begin a new Line without grating upon old Sores Very wise and deliberate Council to avoid all ripping up former Grievances which is not the way to heal so much as to widen the old Differences There was this Year both Massing and Conjuring in great measure in the North especially and all to create Friends to the Scotch Queen and Enemies to Queen Elizabeth The one to keep the People in the Blindness of Popery and the other to hood-wink them to believe as it were by Prophesy the speedy approaching Death of the Queen The Earl of Shrewsbury was now Lord President of the Council in the North. He employed two sharp Persons to discover these Persons and their Doings Which they did so effectually that in the Month of February many of these Conjurers and Massmongers were seized and by the said Lord Presidents Order were brought up by them that seized them to Secretary Smith good store of their Books which Sir Thomas seeing called Pretty Books and Pamphlets of Conjuring They brought also to him an Account in Writing of their Travail and pains in this behalf There was apprehended danger in these Practices For the Papists earnestly longing for the Queen's Death had cast Figures and consulted with unlawful Arts which they mixt with their Masses to learn when she should die and who should succeed and probably to cause her Death if they could This piece of Service therefore the Queen and Counsel took very thankfully at the Earl of Shrewsbury's Hands Which together with the Course that was intended to be taken with these Criminals the Secretary signified to him in a Letter to this Tenor My very good Lord the Pain that the two to whom you gave Commission viz. Pain and Peg have taken to seek out the Conjurers and Mass-mongers is very well accepted of by my Lords of the Council and they willed me to give your Lordship therefore their most hearty thanks The Queen also not without great Contentation of her Highness hath heard of your careful ordering of those matters The matters be referred touching the Massing and such Disorders to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the rest of the great Commission Ecclesiastical That which shall appear by Examination to touch the State and the Prince to be referred again to my Lords of the Council c. This was dated from Greenwich Feb. 17. 1572. But it was thought highly needful that this dangerous Nest in the North should be searched more narrowly for and the Birds taken that they might no more Exercise these evil Practices or worse hereafter The care of which was therefore committed by the Council to the Justices of those parts out of some secret Favour as it seems in some of the Privy Counsellors to Papists For those Justices were known well enough to be generally Popishly affected Therefore it was the Judgment of the Secretary that these Justices would rather Cloak than Open
Secondly Concerning Laws for the Politick Government of the Country to be possest for the Preservation of it Thirdly In what Orders to proceed in this Journey from the beginning to the End which Sir Thomas called A Noble Enterprise and A Godly Voyage His Son being now with his Colony upon the Place proceeded commendably in order to the Reduction of it He was in a good forwardness of reducing Sarleboy to Obedience For they had much Converse together and came at length to Articles of Agreement The main of which was that he should be made a Denizon of England by the Queen and hold his Land of her and him and the same Privilege should the rest of his Scots enjoy Paying to the Queen a yearly Rent in acknowledgement and he to become Homager to Her by Oath and so to be a faithful Subject or else lose his Right Mr. Smith also began a new Fort in this Country He laboured also to unite the English and Scots that were there who did not it seems very well agree That their strength being united they might be the more able to withstand the Wild Irish. And this the Scots were for promoting as considering that if the English and they should strive together when the one had weakened the other the Wild Irish like the Puthawk it was Sir Thomas's own similitude might drive them out or carry away both Besides the Pains Sir Thomas had already taken for the settlement of the Ardes he drew up this year Instructions to be sent from the Queen to his Son Containing directions upon what terms Sarleboy and his fellows should hold their Lands of her Majesty and him Likewise he drew up a draught for explaining certain Words doubtful in the Indentures between the Queen and him and his Son As about his Sons soldiers if they should Marry in that Country as it was likely they would The Secretary entreated the Lord Treasurer to steal a little leisure to look these Writings over and correct them so that he might make them ready for the Queens signing And this he hoped when once dispatched might be as good to his Son as Five Hundred Irish soldiers At Mr. Smith's first coming hither he found some few that claimed themselves descended of English blood namely the Family of the Smiths and the Savages and two Surnames more And these presently joyned with the English and combined with them against the Wild Irish. But all the rest were mere Irish or Irish Scots and natural Haters of the English The Queen had a Force of men in those Parts for necessary Defence and for the keeping of Knockfergus a very important Place for curbing the Irish. But to retrench her Charge in Ireland she was minded now to discharge them as she had done some already expecting that Smith should secure those Quarters nor would she grant any Foot or Horse to him Sir Thomas therefore in February interceded with her by the means of the Lord Treasurer that at least for that year she would suffer those Bands to be there to Countenance and support the New begun Aid and Fort and not to leave it so naked as it had been it seems all that Winter by Cassing those Bands that were heretofore the Defence of Knockfergus and the Bar of the North. And he told the Lord Treasurer upon this Occasion that it was certain if his Son had not retrieved a Band of the Lord of Harvey's at his own Charge Knockfergus had been in great danger or else clean lost But while these matters thus fairly and hopefully went on Mr. Smith was intercepted and slain by a wild Irish man Yet Sir Thomas did not wholly desist but carried on the Colony and procured more Force to pass over there For in March Anno exeunte his Son being but newly if yet dead there were Harrington Clark and some others Adventurers on this Design that gave certain Summs of Money for Lands there to be assured to them In the beginning of March 1572 the Ships Captains and Soldiers were ready to be wasted over When unhappily some Persons concerned had started some new Matter in regard of the Bargain Which put a stop to their Departure And one Edward Higgins the Chief of the Gentlemen and Captains that were going over and forward in this generous Expedition was hindred for want of the money agreed upon Hence it came to pass that the Captains lay at great Charges when their Ships Mariners and Soldiers were ready and they did nothing but dispend their Money This troubled Sir Thomas not a little as appears by a Letter he wrote to one Mrs. Penne a Gentlewoman that had an Influence upon some of these Persons that made the stop To whom therefore Sir Thomas applied himself praying her to call upon them to consider at what Charge the Captains did lie and to do what she could in any wise to help them away Whereby she should do the Queens Majesty good service and him and them great Pleasure It being a matter said he which indeed for the goodness of it I take much to heart This was writ from Greenwich the 6th of March This Care the Secretary continued For a year or two after I find him drawing out other Passports and Licences for transportation of Victuals for certain that went to the Ardes and expressing himself then to a Friend that it stood him upon both in Profit and Honesty not to let the present Month pass which was May An. 1574. And so during his Life Sir Tho. laboured in the Civilizing and Settlement of this his Colony But upon his Death it seems to have lain neglected for some Time And tho' the Family and Heirs of Sir Thomas who are extant to this day have often claimed their Interest in this Land which their Ancestor did so dearly purchase and well deserve yet they enjoy not a foot of it at this present For as I have been informed by some of that Worshipful Family Sir William Smith Nephew and Heir to our Sir Thomas Smith was meerly tricked out of it by the Knavery of a Scot one Hamilton who was once a Schoolmaster tho' afterwards made a Person of Honour with whom the said Sir William was acquainted Upon the first coming in of King Iames I. He minded to get these Lands confirmed to him by that King which had cost Sir Thomas besides the death of his only Son 10000 l. being to go into Spain with the English Ambassador left this Hamilton to solicite this his Cause at Court and get it dispatch'd But Sir William being gone Hamilton discovered the Matter to some other of the Scotch Nobility And he and some of them begged it of the King for themselves pretending to his Majesty that it was too much for any one Subject to enjoy And this Hamilton did craftily thinking that if he should have begged it all for himself he might perhaps have failed of success being so great a Thing but that
the Chapters in manner as they were at the first But the Tables or any Draughts of them he could not find And he doubted that neither his Leisure nor Wit nor Memory of old Books and the Places of them which were formerly more ready and fresh â—o him than they were at present would serve him to make the Instructions again Wherefore he prayed that Lord to look out the Book but especially the Tables This he wrote from his House at Chanon Row April 22d This Book as it seems the Lord Treasurer found out among his Papers and sent it to the Secretary according to his Request which he had desired to see as he said to the said Lord anquam filium postliminio redeuntem perditum quasi iterum inventum This Book is mentioned and no more but mentioned in the History of Queen Elizabeth by Mr. Cambdâ—n only that he calls it an exact Commentary and worth the publishing After I had made great Enquiry after it without success at length I fortunately met with Sir Thomas his own rude Draught of it in several Tables of his own hand shewn and communicated to me by the obliging Favour and kindness of Sir Edward Smith A true Extract whereof I have made and presented to the Readers in the Appendix April 25th the Lord Burghley sent a Gentlemen to Sir Thomas to visit him in this his Valetudinary State Which he took kindly and gave him an account of his Sickness and of his Progress in Physic. Which was to this Tenor That he had put himself into the Physicians hands and they according to their Method first fell to Purging him to free his Body from peccant Humours as a Preparatory to other Physic. A Practice which he did not like of because it would make a great Disturbance of the whole Body and affect the Parts that were well and in a good State And so indeed it happened to him For this Physic put his whole Body and all the Parts of it into a Commotion and Indisposition When it was perfectly well before as appeared by his Urine and by his own Feeling and Apprehension of himself But after he had taken this Preparatory Physic there was no part of his Body which was not brought out of Frame His Urine so troubled so high coloured and so confused Which did bespeak a Seditious Rout of Humours raised in his Body as he spake This being a little setled they gave him a Pill which was as insuccesful as the other For it gave him scarcely a Stool and that with abundance of Wrack and Torment and left such an unpleasant and bitter Relish in the Stomach that he was forced to vomit it up again The next Course that was taken with him was Shaving his Head and wearing a Cap Which one Dr. Langton was the chief Prescriber of accounted of Excellent Use for those that were troubled with great Rheums And was himself present when it was laid on The Effect whereof was to be seen after Eight or Ten Days Sir Thomas was very unsatisfied with his Physicians who for two or three Months had been thus tampering with his Body and with no manner of success whereas he was for a speedier Work and declared himself of the Smiths mind his Namesake in Plato who willed the Physician to give him a thing that would speedily rid him of his Diseasâ— that he might again Sustain his Wife and Family with his Labour or else be rid quickly For he had no leisure to attend the long Prorogation of thin Diet and protracting Phisic That Mind said he which the Smith had of necessity I have of Will and Desire and ever had Not to live being unserviceable to my Prince and the Common Wealth In the beginning of May his Physic having greatly weakned his Body and all his good Humours dryed therewith and his Sickness so obstinate that it little cared for Medicine all his Physicians with one accord agreed advising him to forbear all further Medicaments and to apply himself to Kitchin Physic giving him leave to Eat and Drink what he would and what his Appeite desired And so he resolved to retire home to his House called Mounthaut in Essex a Mannor House of his where now stands Hill Hall the present Dwelling of Sir Edward Smith Baronet before mentioned And here he trusted to leave his Sickness or his Life Whether pleaseth God said he that is best But if it were in my Choice I would leave them both at once Yet must I keep life so long as I can and not leave the Station wherein God hath set me by my default and without his Calling And so mind I to do Trusting very shortly to have some plain signification from his Majesty to whither Haven I shall apply my Ship of Death or Health Blessed be his Holy Will God gave not our Knight his Desire that is a Speedy Death or speedy Recovery For he continued in a decaying consumptive Wasting Condition all this Year and onward the next till August putting a Conclusion to his generous and most useful Life at his beloved Retirement of Mounthal or Mounthaut as he delighted to call it on the 12th day of the said Month in the Year 1577. in the Sixty Fifth Year of his Age in an easie and quiet Departure And he never was afraid of Death He was attended to his Grave with a Decency and Splendor becoming the high Place and Figure he had made There assisted in Mourning at his Funerals George Smith his Brother and William the said Georges Son Wood Sir Thomas's Nephew Altham Nicols Recordor of Walden Wilford Goldweâ— Dr. Pern Dr. Levine and many more Of whom as some were his Relations others the Neighbouring Gentry and his Worshipful Friends so several were Learned men that came as it seems from the University to pay their last respects to that Grave Head Venerable for his profound and Universal Learning and that had so well merited of the Learned World He was Buried in the Chancel of the Parish Church of Theydon Mount where he dyed On the North side whereof at the upper end there still remains a fair Monument dedicated to his Memory Tho' the Church hath since been beat down by Lightning and rebuilt by his Nephew Sir William Smith He is represented by a Statue of Marble lying upon his right side in Armour a loose Robe about him with the Arms of the Knighthood of the Garter upon the left Arm of the said Robe denoting him Chancellor of the Garter Placed under an Arch or Semicircle on which is Engraven this English Stanza What Earth or Sea or Skies contain What Creatures in them be My Mind did seek to know My Soul the Heavens continuallie Upward on the highest part of the Monument was placed his Coat of Armes which was three Altars flaming supported with as many Lions Round which were these two Verses Written alluding to the Fire or Flame there Tabisicus quamvis
than Christs saying who willed us to enter in at the streight Gate where few go in and to leave the easy way where there be many gon and going before which bringeth eternal Destruction But I think this Part enough proved till I hear the contrary of you The next that I promised you to take in hand was that to the Prince her self this is the best First either all the Women in the World do wonderfully dissemble or els bringing forth of Children besides the often Irksomeness Loathsomeness of Meats Appetite of strange Meats Morfew and other such Troubles that they have al the Time from the Conception to the Childbirth they be in such Danger of Death as at no time Men be more For we se by common Order they are wont to take the Communion to take their leave of the Church and prepare themselves even to it as Persons that were neither Alive nor Dead but betwixt both And al I am sure do not dissemble For I pray you what number of Women every houre even in their Travail or shortly after be dispatched and sent from their Childbed to their Burial Not only poor Folks Wives in whom Negligence or Poverty might have some excuse but Countesses Dutchesses Empresses and Queens Farther Examples we need not seek than the Mother of our late K. Edward Q. Iane and of the Q. Dowager Katharin Parr I can compare the danger of Childbed to nothing more aptly than to a foughten Battail save that there is this Difference that in foughten Battails the Prince by thold Examples as one saith of Pyrrhus provide for themselves out of the Foreward and most Danger But in this whatsoever Estate they be Queen or Empress she must fight with Death Hand to Hand There is no Champion to stand betwixt or to bestride them when they are down or to take the Stroke into their Bodies to defend them as hath been done before this by faithful Esquires to the safety of their Prince And if the faithful Friends of David after he was at one time by chance in great Hazzard in a certain foughten Battail would not suffer him in Person to come no more into Battail lest peradventure as they said the Light of Israel should be quenched How should I think that I should have so much regard to the Queens Persons as they had to Davids if I should not also with and desire yea and counsil too that her Grace should never enter into that Danger and Battail wherein she her self hand to hand and without Aid must Fight with Death himself a more perillous Fight than is any set Battail And if her Majesly be fruitful as there is no Cause to think the contrary then if she escape one she must within one year or a little more prepare for the next and so still be within the Danger of that Extremity which I do tremble to think upon Wel may I think as a great learned Man altho merrily writeth that unless God had given a certain notable Quantity of Foolishness and Forgetfulness to al Women after once they had assayed the Pains and Travails and Danger of Childbirth they would never company with Men again For altho Souldiers who put their Life to sale for mony do not fear to continue war and skirmishes and will adventure at the Capitains Commandment hardily upon the Spear-point to win or loose And altho some Warlike Princes as Alexander and Iulius Caesar thought themselves never so wel as when they had sowen one War upon another and were courageously in the Field themselves yet can it not be denyed but it had been more safty to their Persons to have lived quietly and justly at home with their own and made Peace with their Neighbours Nor tho they dyed at home amongst their Friends th one by Surfeit thother by Conspiracy yet can it not be understanded by the common Intendment but that they were in more Danger in the Battail and so the Success we must leave to Destyny and Gods Judgments What is by the common Course of Causes thereof we may conclude as far as natural Reason and Mans wisdom will go Wherefore in my Mind the Queens Highness Person by course of Nature being subject as al Mortal Mens and Womens â—e to Feavers Plurisies to Pestilence to the Sweat and infinite other sorts of Sicknesses and Diseases which the Physicians can descâ—ibe from the which whensoever it pleaseth God to send them as I pray God long to keep her from them no mans Power can rescue her methinks willingly and wittingly to bring in one other which shall be as dangerous as any one or al those it is not the part of him that professeth a Care of her Highness Person Hitherto I have spoken of her Person but as touching the Body nevertheles by her Person I mean all such Things as touch her privatly and altho it is now hard to make a separation of this but that which toucheth her Person should also touch al the whole Realm yet because I speak amongst you whom I know to be both Learned and Wise ye will I dare say take what I mean by the Order of my Talk Let us grant that her Majesty doth Marry if he be a Subject then she should seem to disparage her self For what shall she do other than that which is found fault with in certain Dutchesses and Countesses which have married with those which were their Servants If she marry a Stranger then must he needs by Gods Laws be her Head and where she was highest before now she hath made one higher than her self If she study to please him then is she in Subjection of him If she mind not to please him why should she then marry him And this is the best But if there should arise any Dissension betwixt her Majesty and her Husband and Part-takings who should rule as there hath been ere this in other Countreys what a Misery shall her Majesty bring her self unto from so great a Felicity To what a Disquietnes from so great a Quietness Now al dependeth upon her only Wil and Pleasure She only commandeth and it is done She saith the Word and every one obeyeth Then is no Grace to be looked for but at her Husbands hands only Then there shall be two to sue unto tho not equal yet such as each of other would not like well to have a Nay So that their Requests one of another shall be as it were Commandments of th one to thother So that if the good and loving Wife loth to displease her Husband and the loving Husband his Wife when one of them shall ask and require of the other that which thother would not gladly do if it be not done who is displeased ye perceive And if it be done who is aggrieved ye se. And so much the more as th one desireth in his or her mind to have it don thother in his or her mind that it should not be done so much the more Grief the Granting
to bed not so nicely as the Ladies and Gentlewomen be here but either in a Tent or a wide Barn after the maner of her Country Ireland And I'tell you said she I felt in a maner no pain at al these Births Nor I se no Cause why I should make so nice of the Matter as you do here in England We do not so in our Country Whereat an old Lady was wonderfully offended and said they were Beasts and she was but a Beast to say so Then she as a witty Lady turned the Matter and said It was a Gift which St. Patrick begged for her Country-folk the Irish Women of our Lady But the Truth is al Women that stir about to travail and to labour as they do there and do not use themselves to Rest and Ease as they can better away with Travail because of use so they bear that Travail of Childbirth with much more Ease and in maner with no pain Which we do se also in these idle Runnagates Egyptians whose Women be always trudging from place to place as they be and be brought to bed in the Straw in some Barn or Out-house without any great Curiosity And within three or four days after yea sometimes the second day they ride away with the rest of that beggarly Train I remember I read when I was a Boy in Aristotle and I trow it be in his Politicks he would that those that should make Laws for a Common-wealth should have regard also to Women that were great with Child that they should not use themselves to over-fine ' Diet nor to over-much Rest. Which saith he may be don if they do appoint them certain Pilgrimages to be don to such Gods as have the Honor of such Matters Meaning such Gods as the Gentils did Sacrifice unto for such things as Gemini Lucina Parcae Iuno c. His purpose is that when the Time of Birth draweth nigh they should by gentle means be brought to a kind of Exercise and Travail either on Horseback or on Foot or both to the intent that they might the easilier bear the Travail of Childbirth And thought that they could by no means so wel be perswaded unto them which then he somewhat heavy because of their Burden as by Colour of Holiness and Religion So that our Pilgrimage also which we had of late years was not much out of the Way for such an Effect as may appear But I tary long about these Matters To bear Children is painful I do not deny It is the Threat of God to Eve and to al her Posterity as wel as to Adam and al Men to get his Living with the Sweat of his Brows And yet some Men sweat but easily And why should not I think also that her Highness should bring forth her Children more easily than a great sort of other Women I se nothing leadeth me to the contrary Many things do encourage me to think so Her Learning Discretion Judgment her store of Physicians and of al things necessary for them to use That where other by their Folly do make that Travail to them more painful and dangerous than naturally it should be her Highness by her Noble Vertues and Wisdom should make it more easie yea than of natural Course it should be For as there be ways to augment so there be ways to diminish Pain or Grief Wherein standeth the Difference of Wisdom or Folly But why do I stand upon this Would not her Majesty be glad think you to take some pain to make a Prince To make one who should be a part of her who should mâ—ke her alive after her Death Reign in her stead when by Course of Nature she can tarry no longer Who shall continue and transplant her Name and Posterity for many an hundred years here Kings in England and leave such a Row of that Race as is the Root of Iesse Was it nor you of whom I heard even now that all fair and laudable things be painful to come by Will you not grant unto me that this which I speak of now to have a Prince born of her own Body who should Reign after her Highness here in England in whom she might se her own Image not painted in a Table but lively expressed every Joint yea both Body and Soul who should cal her Highness Queen Mother and whom al England should cal King and Father Whom it you do not think more to be esteemed than al the Treasure that the wise and rich Prince her Grandfather K. Henry the VII left at his Death or that the Noble and Magnificent Prince her Father K. Henry VIII spent in his Life ye are in a contrary Opinion to all English men Whom when she shall behold kiss and embrace she shall take more Comfort and more Pleasure in than of all the Riches and Jewels which her Highness had or ever was Lady of Do you not think I say such a Jewel worthy to have the pains taken for the getting of it and bringing it to life Are you he that was even now so stout that if the Thing were good laudable and necessary to be had the harder it were to obtain the more you thought it were to be laboured for And so you Counsilled and proved by many Reasons and Authorities Are you I say now again so weak and so womanly hearted that for a little pains in the Birth peradventure of one Hour or two or at the most of one Day for the Extremity of the Pain cannot lightly be longer wil counsil us to cast down our Courage and run away like Cowards and leave al this so rich and so precious a Treasure ungotten and unlaboured for for the Travail of one hour I wis Foloign cost more the getting and Calais the loosing And yet this Treasure were more worth than both those Holds to her Majesty I dare say and unto the Realm of England if it should be esteemed by true value Mary yet ye go neerer me and bring in certain Queens who have dyed in Childbirth And herein you had good Advantage to have two Examples so neer and in so fresh Memory that they must needs make much indeed to the Terror of Mischance And yet this is but another Startbugg that you have gotten to make us afraid It is sineâ— the Conquest five hundred years little under or over In which time our Chronicles have indifferently wel been kept and many Kings and Queens have dyed and al not after one sort I pray you how many more have you read of that have dyed in Child-bed And yet one of those was not the Queen but Dowager as you know well enough And some men would say it was thought that that did distress her then and bring her to her End as much as Travail of the Birth But of that I will not Dispute But if in five hundred years in which space so many Queens have had so many Children and only one or two have dyed in Childbed would you make