Roman Coins The Physicians tamper with him They leave him to Kitchin Physick Goes into the Country Dies Persons attending his Funerals Buried His Monument His Lady dies His Person described CHAP. XVI His last Will. Makes his Will For the finishing his House and Monument To his Lady For preserving good Housekeeping To his Brother His Library to Queen's College or Peter-House Books to his Friends A Cup to the Queen In case of Doubt arising in the Will His Executors The Date of his Will CHAP. XVII Observations upon Sir Thomas Smith His Learning A Platonick A Physician His Recipe for the Plague His Chymical Water sent to the Countess of Oxford His Matthiolus A Chymist A Mathematician An Arithmetician An Astronomer His Iudgment of the Star in Cassiopaeia A Politician A Linguist An Historian An Orator An Architect His Library Books by him written A great Iudge in Learning His Acquaintance The Vogue of his Learning Beneficial to Learning His Places His houses in Chanon-Row In London At Ankerwick Mounthaut His heir Sir William Smith CHAP. XVIII Sir Thomas Smith 's Vertuous Accomplishments His Religion His Principles by which he governed himself His Vertues Vices falsely charged on him His Spirit His Apparel Not oppressive Of an universal Charity His Apophthegms Leland's Copy of Verses to Smith Dr. Byng's Epitaph on him THE LIFE Of the Learned Sir THOMAS SMITH Kt. CHAP. I. Sir THOMAS SMITH's Birth Parentage and Education THE Learned Sir THOMAS SMITH sometimes Secretary of State to K. Edward VI. and afterward to Q. Elizabeth was born at Walden in the County of Essex distinguish'd by the Name of SAFFRON Walden the Lands of that Parish and the Parts adjacent being famous for the Growth of the useful Medicinal Plant whether first brought thither by this Knight's Industry being a great Planter I know not for it was first brought into England as we are told in the Reign of K. Edward III. According to Cambden who writes that Sir Thomas Smith died Anno 1577. in his Climacteric he must have been born in the Year 1514. According to Fox who in his Relation of an Evidence given by the said Knight in February Anno 1551 against Bishop Gardiner assigned his Age then to be Three and Thirty he must have been born in the Year 1518. But himself putteth his Age out of doubt in his Book of the English Commonwealth where he saith that March the 28th 1565 he was in the One and Fiftieth Year of his Age. By which Computation he must have come into the World in the Year 1512. a Year famous to England for building of a Ship the biggest that ever the Sea bore And by the Inscription on his Monument it appears he departed this Life in the 65th Year of his Age. So that Cambden made him Two Years younger than he was and Fox Five unless we should say the Figure 33 is mis-printed for 39 a Fault too common in his Books Our Knight's Father was Iohn Smith of Walden Gentleman a Person of good Rank Quality and Wealth Of which we may take some Measure from two Purchases he made of K. Edward in one Year viz. the Third of his Reign that is to say a Chauntry in the Church of Long Ashton in Somersetshire with other Lands Tenements and Hereditaments in the Counties of Somerset and Glocester which cost him 293 l. 16. s. 8 d. His other Purchase was all the Guild or Fraternity in Great Walden lately dissolved with divers other Lands and Tenements in Essex and London For which he with another Joint-Purchaser paid 531 l. 14 s. 11 d. Of which Fraternity of Walden this by the way must be remembered for the Honour of it that in a Grant made to it by K. Henry VIII as he willed there That he might evermore be remembred in their perpetual Prayers so he charitably desired that he might be admitted a Brother thereof and his dear Wife Q. Katherine to be a Sister And divers others are expressed there to be desirous to be admitted to the same as the Right Worshipful Dr. Wolsey Almoner to the King Richard Nix Bishop of Norwich Henry Earl of Essex and his Lady Lord Brook Chief Justice of England Sir Iohn Cutts Sir Tho. Semer and divers other Gentlemen and Ladies This Iohn Smith if we look further back was in the 30th of King Henry VIII High Sheriff of the Counties of Essex and Hertford For in those Times one Sheriff served both Counties In the year 1545. and the 35th of K. Henry aforesaid his Coat of Arms was granted him by the principal King of Arms or rather confirmed For the said King's Parent specifies That he was descended of honest Lineage and his Ancestors had long continued in Nobility and bearing of Arms and that it was Mr. Smith's Desire that the King of Arms would ratifie unto him his former Coat and Register it in the Records of his Office The Coat therefore granted annexed and attributed unto him was Sables a Fesse Dauncy between three Lionceux regardant Argent Languid Gules pawing with their Left Paws upon as many Altars flaming and burning thereon for that these were Anvils as some have thought alluding to the Name of Smith is a Fancy Upon the Fesse Nine Billets of his Field The Crest an Eagle rising Sable holding in his Right Claw a Pen Argent Flames of Fire issuing thereout This Crest Sir Thomas changed upon a notable Reason as we shall relate in due place Of this Coat of Arms I have laid a Copy of the Original Patent in the Appendix which is in Parchment very well adorned round about with Pictures of Rosâ—â— and Flowers de Lys and the Lively Efsigies of Garter arrayed in his rich Coat standing with a white Wand in his Hand and a Crown on his Head and the Coat of Smith blazonâ—d on the right side of him and pointâ—d to by the said white Wand I have but one thing more to say of this Gentleman and that is That he was an old Favourer of the Religion Reformed in which he brought up his Son Thomas from his Youth He lies buried in the Church of Walden where his Monument is yet remaining that is so much of it as contains his Coat of Arms but the Brass that bore the inscription torn off This for Sir Thomas's Father His Parentagâ— on his Mother's side was also Genule being derived from the ancient Name of the Châ—â—â—ecks of Lancashire his Mother Agnes being a Daughter and Co-heir of that Family By this Gentlewoman Iohn Smith had Issue divers Children of both Sexes viz. Four Daughters Agnes and Margery Alice and Iane which two last were married and three Sons Thomas Iohn and George The Posterity of which last flourish to this Day in Wealth and Honour and possess the Seat and Inheritance of Thomas the Subject of our ensuing History with great Improvements of the Estate Tho' no more Sons are express'd in the Roll
the Work and for Disbursing Money by Accounts And to him the Earl of Leicester had given order for Iron Cask and Lead And one Cole was appointed by Sir Thomas to be over the Works to be the chief Doer and Worker of the Melting and not to go from the Work There was also a Clerk to keep the Reckoning to see what the Labourers did daily and Weekly what was melted and made in Coperas and Allom. But notwithstanding all Smith's hastening the Matter suffered Delay and was retarded by Medley the chief Undertaker who loitered in London till the 7th of March making Excuses of wanting Money to defray his Charges here that he did not perceive that the rest were all agreed that he thought himself hardly dealt withal if he should not be allowed for the Charges in making Experiments now this two Years and more and for his Buildings and Vessels the sum of 400 l. But in reply to him Smith urged that for two Years past Medley and Topcliff who was his Partner had made Crocus of which they might have made Benefit for the Re-embursing of themselves They said they sent it away for Essays and part of it was purloined Smith said again that he might as well as they claim to have his Allowance he and Sir Humphrey Gilbert being out of Purse 400 l. in making Tryals paid into the Hands of Medley and to the Lord Mountjoy And he resented these Prolongations to my Lord Burgbley in this manner That Medley's Skill began by this Time to be known which made him jealous that his Delays would wholly spoil their Business That Sir Iohn Perot had a whole Discourse of the compleat manner of the Work in Writing That the Lord Mountjoy had gotten one of Medley's chief Workmen to him That divers in the Countries knew the Earths and the Working of them And yet said he discontentedly we do nothing and wished that he might go down himself For which he was very earnest undertaking within fourteen Days to bring Things to a full certainty as to the understanding what Truth or Likelihood there was in the Matter Assuring his Lordship that he was not satisfied until they were certified from thence by Order and by Accounts That they might compare the Time the Charge and the Labour with the Gains that came of it and in what kind it was and should arise And that the ill Success which it seems they met with at Poole and at the Lady Mountjoy's Works taught to trust little to Words and Promises nor to Experiments made afar off nor to the Accounts of Men of that Faculty i. e. Alchymists Fain they would be fingering of Money said he But when it is once in their Hands we must seek it in the Ashes I find no more of this but I make no doubt Sir Thomas smarted in his Purse for his Chymical Covetousness and Gilbert seems to have been impoverished by it And Medley was beggered For I find him in the Counter two Years after viz. in the Year 1576. made a Prisoner there by Courtis and some others who were Commissioners from the Lord Burghley Lord Treasurer for Debt I make no Question Tho' the Lady Mary Sydney Wife to Sir Henry Sydney was concerned for him having it is probable some Opinion of his Skill in Chymistry and wrote to the said Lord in his favour and against those that prosecuted him But he gave her his grave and wise Counsel with respect unto him knowing better than she what kind of Man he was Thus did this Matter detain Sir Thomas Smith three or four Years to his no little Care and Cost too CHAP. XII Smith waits upon the Queen at Audley-End Goes on Embassy to France Concludes a League Concerned in Proposals of a Match for the Queen THE Queen was at Audley-End in August this Year Here Sir Thomas Smith now was Perhaps repairing thither to Congratulate her Majesty's Coming so near Walden his native Town or to wait upon her for some Favour for that Place or otherwise At that Juncture a good Portion of Gold was intercepted going into Scotland to the Lord Hâ—rris for the help of the Scotch Queen's Party together with a Letter in Cypher sent by Higfâ—rd the Duke of Norfolk's Secretary By which it was concluded the Duke was again medling in the Matter of Matching with her for which he had a Reprimand some time before this and promised the Queen to concern himself no more in that Affair Higford was upon this taken up and Committed to the Tower in London And Sir Thomas was sent thither on the 1st of September to take his Examination Who confest to him That the Duke commanded him to write to one Lawrence Banister the Duke's Man that he should see secretly conveyed 600 l. to the said Lord Herris to be by him conveyed to Liddington and Graunge Whereupon the Duke was put into the Tower And Smith was one of those that by the Queen 's Appointment attended him thither Another Embassy now fell upon Smith Mr. Francis Walsingham the present Ambassador in France growing very indisposed in his Health desired to be released of his Employment Whereupon tho' Henry Killigrew Esq was sent Ambassador in October thither in November the Lord Grey or Sir Peter Grey were intended to go and assist Walsingham But in December Sir Thomas Smith who was now one of the Privy Council was the Man pitched upon His Business was to Treat of Entrance into a strait League of Amity with that King and withal in case that Court renewed the Motion for Marriage with the Duke of Alanson which was in Transaction the summer past but received some Interruption he was to Treat thereof For however averse or negligent the Queen seemed to be in it before yet now her Courtiers so earnestly calling upon her for her own Surety and that of her State which would be much advanced through the hope of her Issue she shewed so good Disposition thereto that the Earl of Leicester wrote to Sir Thomas that she so earnestly and assuredly affirmed to him the same good Disposition that he verily thought that yet once again with good Handling a good Conclusion would follow Smith received his Dispatch about the 6th of December He plyed the Business he was sent for diligently For it was thought very necessary to join in a good League with France to check the Greatness of Spain and to be the better secured against his Threatnings In this Treaty it is worth taking notice of one Article in Debate Which was that the two Princes should mutually assist each other And if the Queen were invaded for the Cause of Religion that the French King should yield her his Assistance This Article when almost all the rest were well accorded that King declined to have put into the Treaty tho' he promised to perform it most faithfully And tho' it were not expresly mentioned in the League yet such general Words should be used
great Apprehensions from France who had possessed themselves of Scotland and so were a very formidable Enemy And the more so because they were so near But to provide against them as well as the King could he endeavoured to stop them from the Use of the Ports of the Low Countries which were most commodious for Scotland Then Smith obtained so much from the Emperors Counsellors of the said Low-Countries Tho' the Promise was not so well made good for in the latter end of this same Year both French and Scots came from Scotland and were landed and discharged at Dunkirke Which caused another Embassy in Ianuary by Sir Philip Hoby from the English Court to the Emperor complaining of this and shewing how the Emperor's Counsellors in the Low-Countries had declared to Mr. Secretary Smith at the Court there That the French's going into Scotland or returning thence should have no manner of Favour or Reception at any of the Emperor's Ports This was one of the Business of this Embassy but the chief Matter indeed and End thereof was for the Raising of Soldiers in those Parts which they did to the Number of 2000 and obtained the Emperor's Leave for Passing of them There is a Letter of Smith's remaining in the Cotton-Library to the Protector while he was now Ambassador at Brussels wherein may be perceived the Purport of his Embassy with other News of the Affairs of the World and was an ensueth And I the rather set it down to preserve what Monuments we can of this excellent Man Pleaseth it Your Grace to be advertised THat We received Your Grace's Letters the xijth of Iuly with the good News of the State of Our Things in Scotland For the which We most highly thank Almighty God and Your Grace And as We do not a little rejoice at them our Selves so We shall not fail to communicate them as Occasion shall occurr where it shall be convenient And surely they here have Espials in Scotland as well as We and be not ignorant of our Affairs there Nevertheless as they pretend at least they be very glad to hear them of us The Rumour runneth here still that Mr. Chamberlain and an Ambassador came hither to take up Men And hereupon hath some Offer been made unto us but such as We could not like Yesterday came to us certain Almain who brought to Yarmouth I suppose an Ensign of Foot-men in the King's Days that dead is He liked so well his Pay then as he saith He would gladly serve the King before any other Prince We said Winter was now very near Nevertheless if he would write his Offer We would advertise Your Grace and know further Your Pleasure He is one Groning in Frizeland What Your Grace's Pleasure shall be that We shall answer him and all such we require Your Grace to know so soon as conveniently You may This Man faith If his Request be too much he will be content Your Grace shall mitigate it as shall please You. He is of the Land of Conte de Bury and saith He hath communicated the Matter with Scepperius the Empâ—â—â—â— Admiral and he giveth him good 〈◊〉 that the Queen Regent of Flanders will give him License Two Merchants of Antwerp lately coming from August Augsburgh saith That there the Emperor compelleth every Man to this Interim and that some of the Cities grudging at it he hath referred the Answer to Nerenburgh But that it is not doubted there but that Norenburgh will do as the Emperor will have them They shewed further that the Emperor would have them build up their Monasteries again and Abbeys and all such things And all standeth upon that Answer of Norenburgh Further The Emperor hath already sent 4000 Horsemen to lie about Strasburgh and that he doth intend shortly to come thither and to assay the Switzers Nevertheless they said That at this Counsil was none of the Switzers but only of B. Berne or Basil. They shewed also that there was a Saying that the Emperor and the French King intended to part the Switzers between them of Agreement as they said But if that be it is more like to make Wars than to have any long Amity after that sort c. Thus having none other Thing worthy of Advertisement to write Your Grace I commit the same to Almighty God Your Grace's Most Bounden Orator and Servant T. Smith From Brussels July xixth Our Ambassador Smith came home again in September leaving Chamberlain Resident at that Court. About this Time or perhaps somewhat before Letters passed between some Counsellors touching the weighty Matter of Altering the Religion And in this Smith was concerned one of whose Lettere relating to this Affair yet remains in the Paper-House When Base Moneys as Testons coined in great Quantities under King Henry VIII and other Pieces were near this Time under Consultation to be redressed Smith also was made use of in this and wrote a Letter to the Lord Protector touching the Benefit arising by the Mint while such Moneys were coined to give the better Light unto this Work that was now going in hand with CHAP. V. Sir Thomas Smith in Commission Words between Bishop Boner and him His Fidelity to the Duke of Somerset If we trace Sir Thomas Smith in the ensuing Year viz. 1549 we shall find him employed in certain Commissions of Importance An Ecclesiastical Commission in the Beginning of this Year was issued out for the Examination of Anabaptists and Arians that began now to spring up apace and shew themselves more openly Sir Thomas was one of these Commissioners for he was much employed in the Matters of Religion jointly with the Archbishop of Canterbury Thirsby Bishop of Westminster Dr. Cox Dean of Westminster Dr. May Dean of St. Paul's and Dr. Cooke Dean of the Arches Who sat in Judgment upon divers of these Hereticks in that part of St. Paul's Church commonly called The Altar of our Lady A Visitation being instituted this Summer by the King for the University of Cambridge he was appointed one of the Visitors in conjuction with Ridley Bishop of Rochester May Dean of St. Paul's Sir Iohn Cheke and Dr. Wendy the King's Physician The Business of this Visitation was to abolish such Statutes and Ordinances as maintained Papistry Superstition Blindness and Ignorance and to establish and set forth such as might further God's Word and Food Learning Our Smith with the Dean Of St. Paul's a little before Easter acquaintâ—â— Bishop Ridley with it by sending him a Letter to Rochester and desiring him to make a Sermon at the Opening of the said Visitation Another Commission dated in September from the King was issued out to Sir Thomas Smith together with four more the Archbishop of Canterbury the Bishop of Rochester Sir William Petre and May Dean of St. Paul's to take Tryal and Examination of Boner Bishop of London for certain Incompliances and Disobediences to the King's proceedings in Religion Sir Thomas was
in te transfudit Et propterea abs te non simpliciter petit Benesicium sed meritò repetit Ossicium nec unam aliquam causam tibi proponit sed sua omnia seipsam tibi committit Nec sua necesse habet aparire tibi consilia quorum recessus diverticula nósti universa Age igitur quod scis velis quod potes persice quod debes Sic Literis Academiae Reipublicae Religioni sic Christo Principi rem debitam Expectatam efficies IESUS te diutissmè servet incolumem And this Address had the Success it desired For the Colleges of the Universities and the other Colleges of Learning in the Nation were spared by a Proviso tho' the aforesaid Bills pass'd into an Act which we must attribute in good measure to Smith and his Party stirring in the House to bring it to pass The Lord Protector had set up an Office in his House of a Master of Requests for the better care-taking of poor Mens Sutes and for the more effectual speeding them without the Delays and Charges of Law In this Office was Dr. Smith placed and seems to have been the second Master of Requests to the Protector as Cecil was the first While he was in the Service of this Great Duke he obtained divers other considerable Places As to be Steward of the Stannaries Smith being an excellent Metallist and Chymist Provost of Eaton College wherewith he was very well pleased where whether he were present or absent there was always good Hospitality kept Dean of the Cathedral Church of Carlisle being at least in Deacons Orders And at last Secretary of State to the King with a Knighthood By this time he had purchased two Houses one in Channon-Row Which he bought for Two hundred Mark of Sir Ralph Sadleir sometime Secretary of State to King Henry which he Let to Mr. Comptroller for 30 l. per Ann. And here he lived himself in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth And this was the House where the Commissioners met in the first Year of that Queen to consult for the Reformation of Religion and preparing the Book of Common-Prayer His other House was in Philpot-lane London where his younger Brother a Merchant lived It was a large and fair House He bought it of certain Executors but the Title being doubtful whether the King had not a Right in it he procured of his Lord the Duke to speak to the King in his behalf To this House also another pretended But the Contest between Sir Thomas and that other was referred And so in the End Sir Thomas enjoyed it He also purchased the Mannor of Yarlington in Somersetshire worth 30 l. per Ann. of the Marquis of Northampton it being given to him at the Coronation of Queen Katharine his Sister This Cost Smith 300 l. or thereabouts being Money that he had gotten at Cambridge before he came into the Protectors Service and lent to his Brother the Merchant Of the Commissioners for the Chauntries he also bought the College of Darby which went at 33 l. per Ann. which Cost him a Thousand Marks Which was the Portion he had with his Wife For while he lived in the Dukes Family he Married his first Wife named Elizabeth Daughter of William Karkek or Carkyke of London Gentleman Whose Sister Anne after Married to Sir Thomas Chamberlayn long Embassador Resident in Flanders and Spain Smith's Lady was a little Woman and one that affected not fine gaudy Cloths for which she was taxed by some And by this one might rather judge her to have been a Woman of Prudence and Religion and that affected Retirement rather than the splendor of a Court. For Dr. Smith allowed her what she pleased And she was his Cash-keeper However he used to wear goodly Apparel and went like a Courtier himself For which he said that some might seem to have cause rather to accuse him to go too sumptuously than her of going too meanly This Wife he buried having no Issue by her And Married a second named Philippa the Relict of Sir Iohn Hambden who out-lived him Whose Joynture was Hill-Hall Of this Wife it was that Secretary Cecil spake when in the Year 1565. Smith having been Ambassador in France and earnestly desiring to come home the said Secretary wrote him word that his Wife should either speak or send to the Earl of Leicester that he would dispatch Mr. Thomas Hoby whom the Queen had determined to send Ambassador in his Room but delayed it But we are yet to look upon Smith as one of the Protector 's Family where he fluorished in Places and Honours as we heard before Yet he had his Share of Trouble and Sorrow as the Anger of his haughty Mistriss the Dutchess of Somerset and many unjust Imputations that were raised against him whereto she gave too much Credit Which was the Cause of a large Letter which he address'd unto her Wherein he vindicated himself against many Slanders which were told the Dutchess whereof she had twitted him in the Teeth as Things the World took notice of in him Namely I. Haughtiness and a disregardful proud Temper II. That he was Oppressive and had by Extortion and Griping got a great deal of Money III. Covetousness IV. That he bought and sold Benefices or Spiritual Promotions Add to these That he was a Chopper and Changer of Lands That his Wife went not in so Courtly a Garb as was sitting That he kept no House And That he was a Neuter in Religion But these were mere Aspersions and malicious Insinuations his generous Mind ever abhorring any thing that was base and unjust or unworthy of a Man and a Christian Philosopher And these Calumnies he wiped off assoiling one Particular after another in his said Letter to the Dutchess Indeed she was an Imperious and Ill-natur'd Woman and had taken some Occasion to fall out with him and in her Passion it seems had cast out these Reports before him But Smith was a true and faithful Servant of the Duke and in his Troubles suffer'd with him For he was taken up with him and among those that were sent with the Duke to the Tower Sir Thomas was one Tho' afterwards his Innocency appearing he was delivered and escaped those severe Handlings that some of the Duke's Friends and Retainers underwent In the Year 1548 Dr. Smith was advanced to be the Secretary of State as in September the same Year William Cecil Esq was preferred to the like Office both having been Servants to the Protector Smith was made use of for the Reformation of Religion which was now going in hand with in good earnest as he was afterwards in all the steps of it In the Month of Iuly the same Year 1548 he with Mr. Chamberlain went Ambassador to Brussels to the Emperor's Council there Which was I think the first Embassy he underwent The Business of the State in sending him at this time was the
Highness to be his Gracious Sovereign Lord. Yea answered the Secretary you say well my Lord but I pray you what else have all these Rebels in Norfolk Devon and Cornwal done Have they not said thus We be the King 's true Subjects We acknowledge him for our King and we will obey his Laws and the like And yet when either Commandment Letter or Pardon was brought to them from his Majesty they believed it not but said it was forged under an Hedge and was Gentlemens Doings I perceive your meaning said the Bishop again as who should say the Bishop of London is a Rebel like them Yea by my Troth said the secretary Whereat the Standers by fell into a Laughter How this Bishop was afterwards deprived and committed and how he Protested and Appealed may be seen in other Historians In October the Duke of Somerset the Protector received a terrible Shock almost all the Privy Counsellors making a Defection from the Court and meeting in London combined together against him So that he at last was Imprisoned and lost all his Places Honours and Lands There were only Three then stuck to him in this Time of Adversing viz. Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury Sir William Paget and our Sir Thomas Smith Between whom and the Lords at London Letters past upon this affair carried by Sir Philip Hoby The Peril they ran was not a little For the Lords wrote to them that it seemed strange to them that they should either assist or suffer his Majesty's Royal Person to remain in the Guard of the Duke of Somerset's Men and that Strangers should be armed with the King 's own Armour and be nearest about his Person and those to whom the ordinary Charge was committed to be sequestred away And the Lords sent them word moreover that if any Evil came thereof they must expect it must be imputed to them And whereas the Archbishop Paget and Smith in their Letter to the Lords told them They knew more than they the Lords knew at those Words thay took this advantage as they returned them Answer That if the Matters that came to their knowledge and were hidden from them the Lords were of such weight as they pretended or if they touched or might touch his Majesty or his State they the Lords thought that they did not as they ought to do in not disclosing the same to them the whole Council In fine being over-powered Smith together with the Archbishop and the Comptroller Paget sent another Letter from Windsor where the King and they were that they would not fail to endeavour themselves according to the Contents of the Lord's Letters and that they would convene together when and where the Lords pleased this was a notable instance of Smith's Fidelity to the Duke his old Master who stuck to him as long as he durst and was then glad to comply as fairly as he could And if I mistake not now did some storm fall upon Sir Thomas And I believe he was deprived of his Place of secretary For at this Time it appears by the King's Journal that Dr. Wotton was made Secretary Tho' he seemed soon to be restored again In the Year 1550. Sir Thomas was summoned a Witness together with a great many other Noblemen and Gentlemen of the Court in the great Trial of Gardiner Bishop of Winton He was sworn against him in the Month of February being then 33 Years of Age as it is set down in his Deposition by an Error of the Printer for 39. By which it appeareth that in the Year before viz. 1549. Smith then Secretary was divers times sent by the Lord Protector to the said Bishop to travail with him to agree to the King's Proceedings and that he would promise to set them forth in a Sermon or otherwise And that he often did in the Company of Mr. Cecil repair to him for that purpose That Smith and the said Cecil by Command of the said Council drew up certain Articles to which the Bishop should shew his Consent and to Preach and set forth the same And that after several Attendances upon the Bishop to bring him to this and upon some hope of Conformity thereto the Lords of the Council sent for him to the Palace at Westminster After that was the Lord Wiltshire sent to him to whom he shewed some Conformity herein Soon after that Lord went again accompanied with Smith to know his final Resolution To whom he shewed great readiness to set forth the Articles aforesaid in his Sermon yet prayed not to be tied to the same Words In which the Council at length yielded to him And thus was Secretary Smith employed in that Affair In which he carried himself it seems with so much Discretion and Moderation towards that haughty Bishop that afterwards in his Prosperity under Queen Mary he was a Friend to him when he was such a bloody Enemy to all Protestants besides In this same Year 1550. He made a Purchase of the King of the whole Mannor of Overston alias Overston in the County of Northampton parcel of the Possessions called Richmond Lands and divers other Lands Tenements and Hereditaments in the Counties of Norfolk Suffolk Bucks Surry and Hertford For which he gave 414 l. 10. s. 4 d. and other Lands in Derby and Middlesex The Yearly value of this Purchase was 87 l. 17 s. 9 d. In the Year 1551. the 30th of April Sir Thomas Smith still under the Name of Secretary was appointed one of those that were to go in that great and splendid Embassy to France with a Commission of Treaty concerning a Match for the King with that King 's Eldest Daughter at the same time the Marquess of Northampton went the Order of the Garter to the said King With whom was joyned in Commission the Bishop of Ely Sir Philip Hoby Sir William Pickering and Sir Iohn Mason These two Leiger Embassadors there and two Lawyers whereof Smith was one CHAP. VI. The Condition of Sir Thomas Smith under Queen Mary His wife Advertisements SIR Thomas past the Reign of King Edward in great Reputation and Prosperity But upon the Access of Queen Mary to the Crown as many of the deceased King's Ministers of State especially such as favoured Religion were cast off so were the two Secretaries Sir William Cecil and Sir Thomas Smith And besides the loss of that honourable Station he was deprived also of what he held in the Church For he was a Spiritual Person also and so was invested by the late King with the Provostship of Eton and the Deanry of Carlisle And to spoil him of these and other places with the more Formality he was summoned to appear before certain Persons whom the Queen had Commissionated for these purposes together with Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury and Dr. May Dean of St. Paul's He fell easy for his Life was saved tho' he were a Protestant and had an 100 l. per Ann. allowe him for his
well had Sir Thomas managed his Office and described the Affairs of France so fully that the Letters he wrote thereof to Secretary Cecil did much delight him And in an Answer he told him he had read over his Letters several times Heartily Thanking him for his large Letters which contented him so well as indeed he was delighted to read them twice or some thrice And such was Smith's wise and true English Behaviour and eloquent Utterance that he got himself great Credit and Reputation among the French-men Concerning which the Secretary in one of his Letters to him used these Words That he was glad to see his Credit so good to do good And indeed added he using Wisdom therewith courteous and gracious Speech which was one of Smith's Accomplishments doth much profit And as that Nation was crafty and fine in all their Negotiations with other States so our Ambassador used Art to be a Match for them for he made use of a certain subtil Spy in Orleans whose Letters he received and dispatched into England And by the Intelligence gathered by this means our Ambassador did excellent Service which occasioned the Secretary in a Letter to him speaking of Smith's last Letters and the Copy of others sent to the said Smith from Orleans to say That he saw his great Diligence and to speak in proper Terms that he dealt very cunningly meet for the place he held Advising him to cherish the Party that served his Turn and that he should be kept out of danger whereby his Service might last the longer This he wrote to the Ambassador in Cypher The Secretary added that he had notified him and his Service to the Queen's Majesty and so he bid the Ambassador let him know But notwithstanding the Ambassador could not do that Service he would for he complained that the Instructions from England came not to him and he was perplexed for lack of Intelligence from thence But the Secretary satisfied him in part concerning that Point in the Answer he next made him which was That he knew not what more Instructions he could require than what he already had which was to prosecute no other Ends but the Restitution of Calais And as to his dealing with the Prince of Conde and the Admiral of France whom the Secretary suspected to be about making Peace with the French without the English as they did indeed not long after he advertised him how he ought to urge to them their Promises and Compacts under their Hands and Seals And that if they should have no regard to these they might expect the Judgment of God upon them for their false Dealing The Contents of the Contract between the Queen and them were That She should pay them a great Summ of Money and send them six Thousand Men for their Defence And that they should deliver into Her hands for Caution Nâ—whaven which She should hold in her Hands till Calais should be restored The Letters that past from Sir Thomas in this Embassy this Year are still extant in the Paper-Office in two Bundles One whereof about a General Peace And therein Letters also from Middleton sent from Smith to the Admiral of France Our Ambassador abode still in France until the next Year 1563. Then Monsieur Briquemault came over to the Queen from the Prince of Conde Whose Business was to eadeavour to bring the Queen not to insist upon the Restitution of Calais but to be satisfied with some other Terms But in May when he departed She utterly denied that there was any other way of Satisfaction And the Queen then also wrote Letters to her Ambassador to deal very roundly with the Prince and the Admiral And so the Secretary thought they had deserved as he wrote to the Ambassador And yet as he added he doubted not but the Ambassador would have Consideration how to strike therein whether high or low In Letters our Ambassador Smith had lately sent to the Court he gave great content Wherein as he advertised the Lords of the Council plentifully of the Variety of News in France so he gave good plain Rules how the same Advertisements should be taken and judged And both the one and the other pleased them very well In his Negotiation with France this Year when things were well nigh accorded some Reports came out of France which so offended the Queen that she altered her Resolutions and among other things commanded Sir Thomas that whereas before he Negotiated in one Language which I suppose was the French he should now use no other Language but Latin Concerning which thus the Secretary wrote to him This alteration of your Speech into Latin I thought very strange but surely Her Majesty had occasion ministred by such Reports as now were brought to think the same were best And therefore using no more the vulgar tongue of the Nation but the Learned things for the future might be kept more private and therefore added he I know very well you can do this in the Latin as well as any Man and I nothing doubt but that ye will do it Sir Nicholas Throgmorton who returned into France Iuly 20th and was Ambassador there with Sir Thomas by means of secret practising at the Court was arrested by the French Kings's Order at Caudebee August 3. He was a Favourite of the Lord Robert Duddeley and by his means dispatched thither This Throgmorton was subtile and active and a man of Intrigue He and Sir Thomas a person of more Gravity and Discretion could not well comport together Throgmorton rather hindring than furthering the Queen's Business by his over-practising The Dissension between them came to the Court Throgmorton had a great Friend there namely the Lord Robert Duddeley so Sir Thomas's course was to sue to the Secretary for his good Word The Secretary wrote to him that as he had promised him his Friendship so he saw it well bestowed Smith also desired him to acquaint the Lord Robert with the difference between him and Sir Nicolas writing also the Case This Cecil accordingly caused to be shewn and procured Mr. Somers one who was employed backward and forward in this Treaty between England and France to report his knowledge which it seems made more for Sir Thomas than his own Writing did But the wise Secretary wished as he said such matters to be swallowed up in forgetfulness knowing how by these private Animosities between the Queen's Ambassadors publick Business was hindred Smith also now sent a Letter to the Lord Robert himself which was writ with so much freedom and honest plainness that it pleased the said Lord and set all right between the said Ambassador and him The Lord Robert shewed the Letter to Cecil and much commended his plainness of Writing to him and confessed it to be both wisely and friendly done For Smith was for Truth and Plainness as Throgmorton was for Doubling And the Secretary was of Smith's mind telling him in his
FrenchAmbassador Resident in England to whom he bore a great Malice And yet such was his Fineness and Dissimulation that at the latter end of that Year being at Liberty and here at home he grew very great with the same French Gentleman Cecil took notice of it and wrote to Smith that he thought it strange to see what great Amity now was between the French-Ambassador and Mr. Throgmorton considering the Hate he had before born him It was strange to Cecil a plain-dealing Man and of no Turnings and Windings tho' a great and wise Politician But Throgmorton could play the Courtier and pretend Friendship in colour for some private ends of his own when the same distempered Spirit lurked still within him that did before And happy was Smith in the Friendship of the foresaid Cecil who as he was a wise and good Man so most sincere and cordial in his Nature And yet once had our Ambassador taken something ill at his Hands according to an ill Office that some had done between them representing him as guilty of some Unkindness towards Sir Thomas Whereat he very plainly and freely in his next Letters dated in December told him of it This Freedom the Secretary took in good part and valued in Truth his Friendship the more for it telling him that He had much Cause to thank him for his Friendly Dealing with him and as much more cause to praise him for his open and plain Dealing Which I assure you on my Faith as he said I do allow more in you than any other part of your Friendship And hence he took occasion to give this good piece of Advice to him viz. wishing him to use all Integrity in his Transactions that he might have the Testimony of a good Conscience Notwithstanding which Counsel he reckoned that he needed not to give it him For added he piously and gravely when all the Glory and Wit when all the Wealth and Delight of this World is past we must come before the Judge that will exact this Rule of us to discern us from the Goats CHAP. X. Peace with France Smith continues Ambassador there His Book of the Common-wealth of England Returns A Review of his Embassy IN the Beginning of the Year 1564. by the Means and Labour of Sir Tho. Smith and Sir Nic. Throgmorton his Collegue Peace was concluded with France Which was to take place on the 23d of April It was proclaimed in London the 22d and on the 23d a notable good Sermon was made at St. Paul's with e Deum sung and all incident Solemnitiâ—s The same Day it was published at Windsor in the Queen's presence going to Church and having with her the French-Ambassador So as nothing wanted to shew Contentation The Queen also now sent over the Garter to be presented to that King by the Lord Hunsdon Sir Tho. Smith and Sir Gilb. Dethic King of Arms. After the Peace was concluded Sir Tho. Smith still resided in France And now one of his great Businesses was to get some good Answer for the Money due by the Prince of Conde to the Queen In September Sir Thomas desirous of returning solicited by the Secretary his sending for home But the Secretary could not attain of the Queen a Determination about it perceiving in her a Disposition rather to have him continue till that King should return back from those South Parts where he then was But this Care however she took for him that for avoiding of the Plague which then reigned in France she would have him forbear to follow the Court in dangerous Places Considering as she said the French Ambassador did forbear to follow her Court all her last Progress into the North taking his Ease at London altho' he was by some means moved to the contrary Wherewith her Majesty was somewhat offended Wherefore she admonished Smith in like manner according to his Convenience to forbear so diligent a â—aâ—lowing of that Court as hitherto he haâ— used In this Month of September the Rhinegrave being in France dealt with our Ambassador concerning a Match between the Archduke the Emperor's Son and Queen Elizabeth With which he acquainted the Secretary To which the Secretary replyed That it would be very seasonable if it were honourably propounded Sir Thomas afterwards wrote him that he should hear more of this another way In March the beginning of the Year 1565. did Sir Thomas finish his known Tract of the Common-wealth of England and the Manner of the Government thereof Consisting of three Books The first whereof was concerning the Diversities of Common-wealths or Governments And therein he treated of the Gentlemen of England Which he divided into the Great and Less Nobility and of the other Ranks of Men in this Country The Second Book was taken up in shewing particularly the Laws of the Realm The Third was concerning Appeals of the Courts of Star-Chamber Wards and Liveries c. This excellent Book he wrote at his leisure Hours while he was abroad in this his Embassy in France Occasioned as it seemeth by certain Discourses he had with some Learned Men there concerning the variety of Common-wealths Wherein some did endeavour to under-value the English Government in comparison with that in other Countries where the Civil Law took place His drift herein was as he tells us himself in the Conclusio◠〈◊〉 his Book to set before us the principal Points wherein the English Policy at that Time differed from that used in France Italy Spain Germany and all other Countries which followed the Civil Law of the Râ—mans compiled by Iustinian in his Pandects and Code And this Tract of his being as a Project or Table of a Common-wealth laid before the Reader he recommended to be compared with the Common-wealths which at that Day were in Eâ—â—e or with others which did remain described in true Histories Especially in such Points wherein the one differed from the other To see which had taken the more right truer and more commodious way to Govern the People as well in War as in Peace This he said would be no illiberal Occupation for him that was a Philosopher and had a delight in Disputing nor unprofitable for him that had to do with or had good will to serve the Prince and Common-wealth in giving Counsel for the better Administration thereof This was written in Latin as well as in English and many were the Copies taken of it till at last it was Printed tho' I think not before the Year 1621. when it came forth in English in the old Black Letter From the 5th of August to the 30th of October Smith's extraordinary Charges which he brought in to the Queen amounted to 103 l. 6 s. 8 d. And as a good part of which was for his Servants some sent into England and others to the French Court the King being then in his Progress and Smith not always following the Court so the greatest part was spent in gratifying Spies
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
was not idle For he had a busy active Mind and a Philosophical Head And this put him among other Things upon a Project of Alchimy about the Year 1571. Hoping to transmute Iron into Copper Into this Chargeable but as was hoped gainful Business he brought the Secretary Cecil who had also a Philosophical Genius the Earl of Leicester Sir Humsrey Gilbert and others The first Occasion of this Business was by one Medley who had by Vitriol changed Iron into true Copper at Sir Thomas Smith's House at London and after at his House in Essex But this was too costly as Sir Thomas saw to make a Benefit by Therefore he propounded to find out here in England the Primum Eus Vitrioli and therewith to do the same Work at a cheaper Rate Upon which Sir Thomas Sir Humphrey Gilbert a Learned Kt. also and of a projecting Head and our Medley entred into a Company under Articles to sind this out That is to say That Medlâ—y should be employed in this Business at the Charge of the two other till by the Profit he should reap from the thing found out he might bear his Proportion The Place where this was to be attempted and laboured was in the Isle of Wight or at Poole or elsewhere But at Winchelsey he had made the first Tryal because of the Plenty and readiness of Wood. He received of Sir Thomas and Sir Humphrey an Hundred and One Pounds apiece for the buying of Vessels and Necessaries They removed to Poole thinking this Ens of Vitriol to be there and took a Lease of Land of the Lady Mountjoy of 300 l. per Annum For the Payment of which Sir Thomas with the other two entred into a Bond of 1000 l. While these Things were in this State Smith was sent Ambassador beyond Sea Which was in 1572. as we shall see in due place And a Quarrel then happening between Medley and Sir Humphrey and Medley gone to Ireland being reported to be run away the Business lay asleep for some time But Sir Thomas revived it at his Return Going down himself to Poole where he found Arrears of Rent due to the Lady Mountjoy and above 60 l. due to Workmen and no Copper nor any Crocus of Copper made The satisfying of which Debts and other Charges cost him 200 l. And after for clearing of things at Poole sending down at several times his Nephews William Smith and Iohn Wood thither And moveover Smith had perswaded the Lord Treasurer and the Earl of Leicester to enter into the Society This was now about December Anno 1574. leaving them to satisfie themselves by sending some able or knowing Person to Medley to see his Method and Ability and so accordingly to report it to them And if they were satisfied he could do it then to consider of the Terms Medley had propounded and if they thought good to yield unto them In sine these Lords were willing to come into the Society and they deposited each of them an 100 l. towards the carrying it on And it was to be ratifiâ—d by a Patent to be obtained from the Queen Medley was now removed to Anglesey where was Fuel Earth and Water proper for his Business being sufficient to do it for ever or at the least for a very long Time The Things which he undertook to do were these 1. To make of raw Iron good Copper and of the same Weight and Proportion abating one Part in Six As Six hundred Tun of Iron should by Boyling make Five hundred Tun of perfect Copper II. The Liquor wherein the Iron was boyled to make Coperas and Allom ready for the Merchant Which keeping the Price they then bore should of the Liquor of Five hundred Tun of Copper be worth 10000 l. that is for every Tun 2000 l. Sir Thomas was satisfied that true Copper was made of Iron but whether all the other incident Expences which would be considerable would countervail that was the Matter to be examined The Society had seen the Tryal of Crocus at London which might be satisfaction in part Smith for his own part made no doubt that Copper might be made that way and two or three other ways also as he told the Lords But of the whole Work which rested in many other Points as of the Proportion of Iron to the Crocus of the Crocus to the Copper of the Allom and Coperas that came of it with what time of Boyling what Expences of Fire and Men's Labour Carriage Buildings Vessels and all other things which be many this he said could not be done nor well esteemed nor judged upon at London but at the Place Whereupon he propounded to the two Lords to send down two Persons and he and Sir Humphrey Gilbert one or two others whom they might trust These together to viâ—w and see the Doings and one be Witness to the other and so all Parties to be fully satisfied by the Answer of these Viewers to every Part of their Instructions and Articles what they should find true according to Medley's Promise and what not and the Occasion thereof That so the Society might be broken if it were Deceit and Abuse or gone forward with if it were not so At length there arising so much Probability of Success in the Project he got the Patent of the Society Signed in Ianuary 1574. And therein it was Stilâ—d The Society of the new Art And the two Lords put into the Stock an 100 l. a piâ—ce more Now when the Patent was signed and the Great Seal obtained their next Work was to forward the Business with all speed that they might lie no longer at great Expence Smith excited the Lord Burghley that they might proceed to a perfect Beginning of the Work in the manner of a Society The Earl of Leicester was very forward offering Iron and Lead and Money also and making more Vessels Smith also put on the Lord Burghley to make Orders when and how it should begin and that one Man or two should be fixed upon as chief Overseers to take Care and Charge of the Works who should be answerable to the whole Society Making clear Books for one Day prefixed what the Daily Ordinary and Extraordinary Expences be and what the Comings in again Weekly of Copper Allom Coperas and other Things be and were like to be Then what common Seal for the whole Society And that Burghley also would out of other Statutes for other Societies cull out some good and wholsome Statutes and Orders for this Which without a Society he said could not well stand And the fewer Statutes and well kept the better And lastly he desired that all might be ready so as by the 10th or 15th of February the Work might be fully begun That so by the last of March a sure Guess might be made what were like to ensue thereof One Sir Iohn Hibbord was the Man agreed upon to have the chief Charge of the Provisions for all things necessary for
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
Excuse than Accuse them who were worthy of Accusation and very doubtful he was whether they would hinder the Discovery of the Nest that would be broken As he broke his Mind to the Lord Treasurer who was of the same Judgment and so also the Lord Chamberlain shewed himself to be in Conference with the Secretary But the said Treasurer who was for doing all things with Doulceur and with as little opposition to others as could be judged that for this time the doings of these Justices should be tried to which Opinion the Secretary did shew himself to condescend and agree There came soon after to his hands more Indicia of these Conjurers which were taken and withall a foul knot of Papistical Justices of Peace discovered and of Massing Priests which made him signify his judgment to the Lord Treasurer that it would be well done some of them should be sent for out of hand and laid hold on if they could be found And accordingly Letters were dispatched into the North for that purpose About this time it was that Sir Thomas was earnest with the Queen to send aid to reduce the Rebels in Scotland who had fortified Edenburgh Castle against the King and Regent and for that purpose he let the Queen understand from Mr. Killigrew her Ambassador in Scotland how dangerously things stood there and therefore that it was his desire that the Peace-makers as he phrased it might shortly be transported thither to whom when the Queen asked who be they Marry said he Your Majesty's Cannons they must do it and make a final Conclusion Then said the Queen I warrant you and that shortly Whereupon Sir Thomas said he was glad for it was better to prevent than to be prevented such was his Facetious way sometimes of getting his designs and Council to the Queen to succeed For it is to be understood that the Queen for the securing of her Affairs with respect to Scotland had by her Interest there procured the Earl of Morton a Protestant to be Regent of Scotland But the Papists and Frenchified Party resisted and took Edenburgh Castle the reducing of which so expeditely before the French could come in to their assistance was owing to the Managery of the Lord Treasurer and the Secretary His part was to urge the Queen to send speedy supply thither and the Lord Treasurer would have Men Ammunition and other Necessaries and a Ship immediately ready at Newcastle to go for Scotland upon the Queen's Order So about the 11 th or 12 th of February the Secretary moved the Queen for aiding the said Regent to reduce that place into the young King's Hands But she considered the Expence and told Smith of a device she had to do it without any such charge that is by a Letter to be written it seems to them that held the Castle thinking to bring them to yielding by some good words and promises But this the Secretary shewed her the inconvenience of namely that it would be a protracting of time being the very thing which they desired that the French might have time to come to them with their Succours He shewed her moreover that now the French King being thorowly occupied was the best time to perform that enterprize that was to be done and in fine she consented to his opinion and shewed her self very well pleased with the Lord Treasures making Provision in this mean while to have Powder and a ship of Newcastle and other things necessary provided beforehand for the doing it as the Secretary had signified to Her And she told him that upon that Lords coming to Court which then was at Greenwich she would fully determine with him all those Matters to be set forward with speed About this time were two Scotch men coming from France stopt at Rye by the Mayor and sent up to the Secretary who examined them They related what confident Report went in France what the French would do in Scotland and with what a mighty hand they would bring their Desires to pass there in spight of the English and such like But this the Secretary saw was but such Talk as might appear to be common in France For that Nation he said was full of Babble and Words and all for magnifying of their doings and Threatning what they would do rather than what they could do These men who called themselves Merchants were searched at Rye and no Letters nor other things suspicious found about them Yet the Secretary advised that Mr. Randal the Queens Ambassadour in Scotland or some other who knew Scotch Manners and Matters better should somewhat consider of them and if there were no matters against them to dismiss them in his Mind were best This year Sir Thomas procured a Colony to be sent into a Land of his in Ireland called The Ardes It was a rich and pleasant Country on the Eastern Coast of Ulster and of considerable Extent lying well for Trade by Sea Bordering upon a Country where Sarleboy contained himself with his Party He was an Hebidian Scot the Hebrides bordering upon this Province a long time detained prisoner by Shan O Neal the chief Prince in Ulster This Country was called Clandeboy where these Scots lived but they were beaten out once by this Shan who called himself Earl of Tir Oen and had killed two of the Brethren of Mac Conel Of which Family was Sarleboy whom he then had taken Prisoner but afterwards in an Extremity gave him his liberty This Shan was afterwards in a revenge slain by Sarleboy and his Party A Prospect of these Parts this Map will give In this Patent his base and only son Thomas Smith was joyned with him And under his Conduct Sir Thomas this year sent thither the Colony beforesaid having this good Design therein that those half barbarous People might be taught some Civility And his hope was that the Place might easily be defended by Garrisons placed in a strait neck of Land by which it was joyned to the rest of the Island And there was a Reward of Land to every Footman and Horseman But this extensive Project took not its desired effect For the hopeful Gentleman his Son had not been long there but he was unhappily and treacherously slain It was pity it had no better Issue For Sir Thomas a great while had set his Thoughts upon it undertaking to people that North Part of the Island with Natives of this Nation But for his more regular and convenient Doing of it and Continuance thereof he invented divers Rules and Orders The Orders were of two kinds I. For the management of the Wars against the Rebels and the preserving the Colony continually from the Danger of them II. For the Civil Government To preserve their Homeâ—manners Laws and Customs that they degenerated not into the Rudeness and Barbarity of that Country He divided his Discourse into thâ—â—e Parts First to speak of Wars And therein of Military Officers to be used there
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
he might well enjoy a Part especially with the Concurrence and Interest of some of the Powerful men about the King when they begged for themselves And never after could Sir William Smith nor any of his Posterity recover it For the Premises had been so long possest by others that neither Sir Thomas Smith who had suffered much for his unshaken Loyalty to King Charles I. had success in his Petition preferred to King Charles II. upon his Return nor yet Sir Edward Smith still surviving in his upon the late Revolution He that is minded to know more at large how this Case stood may in the Appendix find the Petition of the foresaid Sir Thomas Smith exemplified as it was humanely communicated to me by his Son together with the Kings order thereupon CHAP. XV. The Secretary Oppressed with business His Discourse with the Queen about Ireland and the Earl of Essex His Act in the behalf of Colleges of Learning His Sickness and Death THE Secretary could not want for Care and Toyl in these busie and most dangerous Days wherein the Nation was exposed to the Malice and Envy of the Pope and the mighty Kings of Spain and France the one more Covertly the other more professedly but both fatal Enemies to the Queen and the Religion established the Irish backed in their Rebellion by a Foreign Power and at home a great many Malecontents To trace him a little in his Pains and Diligence To them he devoted himself even to quite Tyring after he had been a year or two exercised therein For when once in the year 1574. he had a few Play-days and was ready to go home to his House in Essex he told his Friends that he was thorowly weary tam Animo quam Corpore and could scarce endure any longer And thaâ— which increas'd his Weariness was the Queens Wariness for she did not use to be hasty in Dispatch of Matters which was Smith's great Desire should not hang in hand This he would call among his intimate Friends the Queens Irresolution and in some Heat as he was somewhat hasty and quick in his Temper complained at this time to the Lord Treasurer That it was sometimes So and sometimes No and in all times uncertain and ready to Stays and Revocation And sometimes she would not be spoken with upon Business and Access to the Queen was clean shut up Which made him between jest and earnest say That he thought her Majesty supposed that he would chide as he dared But indeed he said that he could not but Lament and complain of this her Irresolution which did weary and kill her Ministers destroy her Actions and overthrew all good Designs and Counsels And again in this Discontent he cryed out I wait while I have neither Eyes to see nor Legs to stand upon And yet these Delays grieve me more and will not let me sleep in the Night The Occasion of this present Distaste of Smith was that the Queen had commanded the Earl of Leicester and Sir Christopher Hatton her chief Favourites to forbear moving suits to her And when the Secretary went to her with private Suits he could get neither Yea nor Nay And if these Two aforesaid Persons were forbidden to move Suits Then said he had we need within a while to have a Horse or an Ass to carry Bills after us encreasing daily and never dispatched as he angerly and wittily spake to one of his Friends Of these Practices of the Queen he would say These Resolutions and Revocations of Resolutions will be the undoing of any good Action Matters in Ireland being in an ill Condition the Lord Treasurer and the Secretary dealt earnestly with the Queen to supply the Earl of Essex an honest Gentleman and an excellent Commander in Ulster with Men and Money those Northern Parts of Ireland being now in great Disturbance and Essex forced by reason of secret Enemies in the Court to lie still and do but little to the purpose for want of both The Queen resolved and revoked her Resolutions again This created the Secretary a great deal of Vexation For she would say she would consult with the Lord Treasurer when he came to Court tho' she had done it and had his Opinion in that behalf before The Earl of Leicester privately hindred all having no Love for Essex Thus the Earl of Essex's Plat stuck with the Queen But about 10 or 12 days passing in March the Secretary comforted himself by the Perswasion that she was come to a full Resolution to go forward with it without any going back and that she would send for him and signifie the same to him And had it indeed been so to use the Secretaries Expression the Realm and she had past a great and troublesome Ague and especially the Lord Treasurer and himself and such others as they who had Doings in that Matter But the Queen took respite again until she heard again from the Lord Treasurer Whereat the Secretary was so bold as to tell her that she knew his Lordships Mind full many times told her before And this he signified unto that Lord and in Conclusion told him That Coming unsent for to have Resolution he was sent back again without Resolution He prayed God to send it that Night or to morrow And added that it was high time to resolve one Way or other Which done he would be bold to take a little rest and make some start home into Essex being thorowly weary he said am animo quam corpore and could scarce endure any longer But at last in the Month of March 1575. Anno incipiente Sir Thomas and the Lord Burghley got the Earl of Essex's Business to come to a Resolution Which was to send a good supply with a Plat how he was to manage himself The Queen had first entred into a discourse one night with her Secretary about Ireland and declared her dislike of the Enterprise of Ulster for default of them who should execute it asking him what Men of Counsel or Wisdom there were into whose Hands might be committed so great a Mass of Money and so great a Charge as should be sent The Secretary answered her Majesty That the Counsel what and how to do herein was already taken And that a Plat was laid down by my Lord of Essex and allowed of by the Lord Deputy and Council there and liked of by the Lords of her Council here as she her self had heard of the Lords and all their Reasons so that said he whereas it is said Priusquam incipias consulto that had been Maturely and Deliberately done And to which as he subjoyned her Highness by Letters to the Lord Deputy and the Earl of Essex had given her Consent And now there rested nothing but Ubi consulueris mature opus est facto To which her Majesty had set a good Beginning giving a Warrant for the half Years Charges Now said Sir Thomas Counsels be commonly of Old men
Grave men and full of Experience and at home the Execution is to be done by young men Captains and Soldiers abroad And said he my Lord of Essex hath shewed great Wisdom Courage and Boldness hitherto and brought it to a very good Pass for a beginning And now having more Experience and Malby and other Captains with him of Courage it was to be hoped that he should bring it to a good End Yea said the Queen but who hath he with him but Malby Shall I trust so great a Matter to him and such a Mass of Money Who shall have the Charge of it and the laying out of it Madam answered the Secretary the Money is to be committed to the Treasurer there and upon his Accounts to be employed upon the Captains and Soldiers for their Wages and Victuals and upon Fortifications If he do keep his Plat then he followeth that which the Wisest Heads of the Counsellours in England think fit and best to be done Otherwise he deceiveth them and your Highness and most of all himself Which it is not likely that he should and I trust he will not do But the Queen still harped upon that string that there was lacking able Ministers and shewed her self notwithstanding at this Discourse desirous to consult with the Treasurer But tho' the Commission and Order for the Earl of Essex was by her signed at last still she was doubtful of the success of her Irish affairs thus committed to that Nobleman some about her Enemies to him lessening his Worth to the Queen Whereupon the Secretary entreated the Treasurer whose Opinion she greatly valued in Matters of State that he would perswade her to think no more of it till Michaelmas that is till half a year were past And by that Time he trusted she should see such good success that she should be glad and sorry only that it was not set upon before Thus earnestly did Sir Thomas solicite his Royal Mistress for the Good of Ireland and labour'd to release and satisfie her Mind anxious about her successes and loth to part with her Money without fair Probability of succeeding And perhaps he was the more earnest herein the safety and good Estate of his Lands in the Ardes depending upon this Expedition of that Noble Lord. The Secretary was this Year with the Queen in her Progress And in the Month of August he was with her at Charteley Whence she went to Stafford Castle and thence to one Mr. Giffords the Secretary attending her This being some part of her Progress It was now lately grown a common Practice to ride with Daggs or Pistols Whereby it came to pass that Thieves wearing weapons did more boldly rob true men travailing upon their Occasions And there were now also common Routs of roguing Beggars by the high way side naming themselves Soldiers of Ireland lately disbanded Of both these the Queen Decemb. 4. willed the Lords to write unto the Lord Treasurer for the Redress of them And she shewed the Secretary that some of them had said they were in Company 1500. which were fain now to go a begging The Secretary by a private Letter let the Lord Treasurer understand this and added that it was honourable and almost necessary that some good Order were taken for these two Disorders And for the Remedy hereof Sir Thomas drew out a Proclamation shewing how great and heinous Robberies and Murders had been committed both in the Highways and other Places in divers Parts of the Realm by such as did carry about with them Daggs or Pistols contrary to the good and wholesome Statutes of the Realm That the Queen therefore of a great Zeal and Care that she had to the Safety and Preservation of her Subjects and to the good Government of the Realm in all Peace and Surety calling to mind how unseemly a thing it was in so quiet and peaceable a Realm to have men go armed with such offensive Weapons as tho' it were in Time of Hostility and how prohibited by her Noble Progenitors did charge and command all her Subjects of what Estate or Degree soever they were that in no wise in their journeying going or riding they carried about them privily or openly any Dag or Pistol or any other Harquebuse Gun or such Weapon for Fire under the Lengths exprest by the Statute made by the Queens most Noble Father upon pain of Imprisonment or other Punishment And the Justices Mayors Bailiffs and Constables were to arrest such as should come to any Town with such Weapons And all Keepers of Inns Taverns c. should have care and regard that no man should bring into their Houses any such prohibited Weapons and if they did to seize upon the same and to bring the Persons to the Constable to be arrested But because for the multitude of those evil disposed Persons which carried about them such Weapons for mischievous and unlawful Intents some of her good Subjects had been compelled for their own Defence and to avoid the danger of such Thieves to provide them Daggs and Pistols and carry them openly she was contented for a certain time specified that all Noble men and such known Gentlemen which were without Spot or Doubt of evil Behaviour if they carried Daggs or Pistolets about them in their Journeys openly at their Saddle Bows and in no other close manner And such of their Servants as rid in their Company Sir Thomas Smith in a Parliament this Eighteenth year of the Queen procured an Act to pass for the Universities and the two Colleges of Eaton and Winchester for which his Memory will be always dear to Scholars which was that a third part of the Rent upon Leases made by Colleges should be reserved in Corn paying after the Rate of Six Shillings and Eight pence the Quarter or under for good Wheat and Five Shillings a Quarter or under for good Malt. This Corn the Tenants were yearly to deliver to the Colleges either in Kind or in Money as the Colleges pleased after the Rate of the best Wheat and Malt in the Markets of Cambridge and Oxford at the day prefixed for the Payment thereof Fuller in his History of Cambridge maketh this Remark here That Sir Thomas Smith was said by some to have surprised the House herein Where many could not conceive how this would be at all profitable to the Colleges but still the same on the Point whether they had it in Money or Wares But the Knight took the Advantage of the present cheapness knowing hereafter Grain would grow dearer Mankind daily multiplying and Licence being lately given for Transportation So that at this day much Emolument redouudeth to the Colleges in each University by the passing of this Act and tho' their Rents stand still their Revenues do encrease The Act ran For the bearer Maintenance of Learning and the better Relief of Scholars That no Master Provost President Warden Dean Governor Rector or chief Ruler of any
College Hall or House of Learning after the End of that Sessions of Parliament should make any Lease for Life or Years of any of their Lands Tenements or other Hereditaments to which any Tithe Arable Lands Medow or Pasture did appertain Except that one Third Part at the least of the old Rent were reserved and paid in Corn that is to say in good Wheat after Six Shillings and Eight Pence the Quarter or under and good Malt after Five Shillings the Quarter or under To be delivered Yearly upon Days perfixed at the said Colleges c And for default thereof to pay the said Colleges in ready Mony at the Election of the said Leasees after the Rate as the best Wheat and Malt in the Market of Cambridge and in the Market of Oxford and of Winchester and Windsor for the Rents that were to be paid to the use of the Houses there were or should be sold the next Market day before the said Rent should be due without Fraud or Deceit And that all Leases otherwise hereafter to be made and all Collateral Bonds and Assurances to the Contrary by any of the said Corporations should be void in Law to all intents and purposes And the same Wheat Malt or Money coming of the same to be expended to the Use of the Relief of the Commons and Diet of the said Colleges And by no Fraud or Colour 〈◊〉 or fold away from the Profit of the said Colleges and the Fellows and Scholars of the same and the Use aforesaid upon pain of Deprivation to the Governors or chief Rulers of the said Colleges and all others thereto consenting And this was no more than Sir Thomas himself had practised long before when he was Provost of Eaton whensoever he made or renewed the Leases of that College The Benefit of which he had well experienced by the rising of the Prizes of Corn even in his Remembrance For this Eternal Benefit to the Houses of Learning he deserved an eternal Monument and so a member of one of them in a Poetical Flight wrote O! Statua dignum Inventum Phrygiaque Columna About the year 1576. Sir Thomas Smith began to be afflicted with that Sickness and the publick Cares of the Queen and State As it is a Thing that is wont to create a true Friendship I mean the Proportion and Likeness of Tempers so it is not without Remark that Sir Thomas and the Lord Treasurer Burghley their Distempers were the same And which was more remakable still they used to seize upon these two Persons at the same Time Their Distemper was a Rheum The Rheum as he wrote to the same Lord which is my natural Enemy is commonly wont to assault me most when your Lordship is also grievously troubled with yours For April 22d 1576. at which time the Lord Burghley was very ill of his Distemper Sir Thomas wrote him a Letter that he was then seized with his And which was an ill Sign whereas before it used to take him either in his Jaw or Teeth or in the Lower Body with Loosness and all over with Sweat now it fastned it self in his Throat and Tongue and would not by any Art be removed So that he was almost out of Hope of any Amendment but clearly without Hope of any speedy Help tho' he never took so much Advice as he wrote nor used so many Physicians nor observed so much their Rules which he styled their Preciseness But when all is done added he piously that man may or ought to do the Sequel and Event of Health and the End of Life is in Gods Will and Pleasure That which he shall appoint is best to me Surely all is one being as willing now to Die as to Live and I trust with Gods Mercy and Hope therein as ready For it grieveth me to Live unserviceable to my Prince and unprofitable to my Country Heavy and unpleasant to my self For what Pleasure can a man have of my years when he cannot speak as he would For his chief Grief was in Eating and Drinking and Speaking and in the last especially While his Legs he said his Hands his Memory and his Wit served as much as need be desired It was indeed a great Grief to him that it so affected his Tongue And he avowed That if it were at his own Choice he had rather his Disease had taken hold of any other Part of his Body So that that Piece only as he called it which is contained in an handful space were at quiet Which yet was without pain or grief but when he Eat or Drank or Spake The continual Defluxion and falling down of tough Flegm still vexing it and interrupting the most necessary uses of the Throat This envious Disease stopt that Eloquent Tongue of his And that Sweet and streaming Rhetoric which was wont to flow to the Delight and Admiration of all received now a Fatal Check and Sir Thomas must play the Orator no more no nor scarce utter a single Word For to that Extremity he was brought at last Which the Poet that wrote the Muses Tears for him thus expresses Nescio quis subito Morbus sic occupat artus 〈◊〉 quâ—â—lim mellita din jam verba solebat Fundâ—re vix aliquam possit transmittere vocem Gutturis ast imis latitans radicibus intus Haereret nullumque Sonum Lingua ederet illo Qâ—o solita esl Splendore decus laudemque merente He foresaw that he was like to continue a long while in this Condition And be so disablied from his common Function and to attend the Queen's Business But he could not be idle which he said was contrary to his Nature He was therefore minded to follow his Study and take a Review of what he had formerly done and in this â—eathful Leisure as he called it among other Occupations and Pastimes he would remember the Days of his Youth and look back again to his Doings then and now being Old Quasi repueraseâ—re i. e. hereby as it were to grow a Child again When he was Secretary in King Edwards Days he wrote a Book of the Value of the Roman Coins to our English Standard upon a Question Cecil his fellow Secretary had moved to him viz. What was the Ordinary Wages of a Soldier at Rome This Book as many others which he wrote in his Youth he had now lost Two of these he had sent he remembred one to Sir Robert Dudley now Earl of Leicester and the other to Sir Will. Cecil now Lord Treasurer Now he had lately desired Mr. Wolley to search in the said Earl's Study for it but it could not be found He desired therefore the Lord Treasurer to see for it who he thought had not laid it up so negligently And especially he desired the Tables which were exactly and plainly set forth For searching among his old Papers he could find the first Draught of the said Book and the Adversaria Whereby he was able to fill up all
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
one of his Note-books under his own Hand for a Sickness in the Years 1558. and 1559. among the People Watercresses Scabious Pileworth Egremony Boyl these with Early of each a good handful saving Egrimony but a little Two Sticks of Liquorish bruised with an Hammer in running Water two Gallons till the one half be consumed Drink warm Morning and Evening half a Pint or thereabouts at a Draught and at other times of the Day cold If they sweat after it it is the better This purifieth the Bloud and taketh away that kind of Plague or Sickness But there is the Name of Mr. Gale set under this Recipe from whence perhaps therefore he had it Once more I find him playing the Physician with the Countess of Oxon the Lord Treasurers beloved Daughter when in the Month of December 157â— she lay under Sickness and far gone in it her Stomach gone and not able to digest any thing which made her refuse all Physic. Sir Thomas sent her a Water to take in a Spoon at once and so to use it from time to time Of his sending this Water to her he gave her Noble and disconsolate Father to understand and withall let him know the Properties of it and that if she took no other sustâ—â—â—nce in three days it would nourish hâ—r sufficiently And within 2â— hours he doubted not but his Lordship would see great Effects and pâ—radventure some Apâ— pitite to Meat to begin to come to her within that space Adding that there was never any one yet but felt good by it He was very conâ—ersant in the Commentâ—ries of Matthiolus upon Dâ—scorides and had interspersed his own Book of Matthâ—olus with many Notes and obsâ—rvâ—tions of his own It was a Book that was never wont to go from him But some Body it seems once had stollen it which grieved him not a little complaining to his Friends that he had rather have lost a far better thing Nor could another be bought any where in Londâ—n Therefore in the year 1572. Walsingham being Ambassador in France he prayed him to procure him the said Book there translated into French and to let it be bound with two or three sheets of Paper before and in the End to serve him for inserting his Notes This Book Walsingham accordingly bought and sent him over And Smith liked it well but yet as he told him if he could have recovered his own noted through with his own Hand he should have liked that far better By his conversing in these Books we may judge of his Learning that Way And as Câ—ymistry is but an Handmaid of Physic and usually accompanieth it so he was as well Skilled in that Art also And had Apartments in his House for his Stills and Laboratories Which were going to his great Cost But especially in Labouring to tranâ—mâ—te coarser Mâ—ttals into those of more Fineness and greater Value He was an excellent Mathematician and for his Recreation therein made a large Globe by his own Hand It was his Love and Practice of the Mathematicks that made him desire of Wâ—lsingham at the same time he sent to him to bâ—y him Matthiolus to procure him also a Case of Mathematical Instruments dirâ—cting him to the Place where they were sold that is at the Palace in Paris He meant that it should contain two Compasses or three a Square a Pâ—n of Metal and other things He had two already But he was minded to have another of the biggest size with the Case a foot long Walsingham accordingly in Ian. 1572. sent him a Case of Tools But such it seems as were extraordinary for Smith himself understood not them all nor lookt for so many nor of that sort But this was proper Employment for him and at his leisure he intended to find out the Property and Use of them What an Arithmetician he was appears by his Money Tables Nor was he a Smatterer in Astronomy The new Star which in the Year 1572. appeared in Cassiopeia exercised much his thoughts as it did the rest of the Learned men of the World And he could almost have been willing to believe it to be the Soul of that brave Admiral of France that had been a little before that time so basely murthered in the Parisiâ—n Massacre Smith was mighty desirous to know what foreign Learned Men judged of this new Star Therefore Decemb. 11 1572. he wrote to Walsingham thus of it That he was sure he had heard of it and he thought had seen the new fair Star or Comet but without Beard or Tayl which appeared in England these three Weeks on the backside of the Chair Cassiopeia and on the Edge of Via laâ—tâ—a The bigness was betwixt the bigness of Iupiter and Venus and kept there to his Appearance who hâ—d no Instrument then to observe it and because oâ— that cold weather also dared not observe the precise Order of the fixed Stars Such aâ— one he had never observed nor read of He therefore praâ—ed Walsingham to let him know what their Wise men of Paris did judg upon it He knew they would not think it that Admirals Soul as the Romans did of the Comet next appearing after the Murder of Iulius Caesar that it was his Soul It might be Astraea said he now peaking out afar in the North to see what Revenge shall be done upon so much innocent Bloud shed in France at a marriage Banquet and reer Suppers after it Yet that it would be acceptable to him to understand what their Astronomers and Heaven-gazers there did judge of it He added that if he were not so much occupied as he was he would turn over all his old Books but he would say something of it himself and guess by chance even as wisely as they tho' he would not publish it but to his Friends Walsingham in Answer to this of the Secretary sent him certain Notes and a new Book from France of this new Comet For which he thanked him but withal he observed to him that in the placing of it their Astronomers and these in England differed exceedingly Theirs placing it in the 29 of Pisces and ours in the 7th degr of aurus So they varied one whole Sign and Eight Degrees He observed moreover that the printed Book went upon it Suspensâ— pede and prayed the Ambassador that if any had writ upon it more boldly he might see it He added further that our Men did not deny that it arose in that Degree of Pisces or the first of aurus but that it was one thing to rise with the Degree of the Zodiack and to stand in a place after Section of the Zodiack and that our Men did find him far above the Moon and above the height of the Sphere of Venus And then it could not be a Temporary Comet Concluding Now things above the Moon do rise and die which was never believed afore but either a new Star madâ— or an old Star new seen Thus we
their Ensample others shuld the more perseverantly enforce themselves to use their Tyme in honourable Wirkes and vertuose Dedes to purchase and get the Renoume of auncient Noblesse not onely for themselves but also for ther Lynge and Posteritie of theym descended according to ther Demerits and valiaunt Actions to be taken furth and reputed among al Nobylls and Gentylls And albeyt Iohn Smythe of Walden in the Countie of Essex is descended of honest Lignage and all his Auncestors and Predecessours hath long continued in Nobylite and beryng Armes lawful and convenyent Yet nevertheless he beyng uncertayne thereof and not willyng to do any thing prejudicial to no manner of Person hath requyred and instantlie desyred me the foresaid Garter to ratifie and confirme unto him and also to Register in my Recorde the true Armes and Blazon of his seyd Auncestours And therefore I the foreseyd Garter by Vertue Power and Authorite of myne Office as Principal King of Armes granted annexed and attributed by the King our Soveraign Lord have appointed and confirmed unto the seyd Iohn Smythe thesse Armes and Crest with thappurtenances hereafter following Viz. Sables a Fece dauncye betwixt III Lyonceux Regardant Argent Langes Goules Pawsing with their lyft Pawes upon an Awlter Gold Flaming and Bourning thereon Upon the Fece IX Bellets of his Felde Upon his Crest an Eagle rysing Sables holding in his Right Cley a Pen Argent Issuing thereout Flames of Fyer Set upon a Wreath Argent and Azure Mantelles Goules Lined Argent Botoned Gold To have and to hold to the same Iohn Smythe and to his Posteryte with other due Difference therin to be revested to his Honour for ever In wytnes hereof I the â—oresevd Garter Principal King of Aâ—mes as aâ—oâ—â—seyd hath signed these Preseâ—◠〈◊〉 mine own Hand and thereunto hath 〈◊〉 the Seal of my Office and also the Seal of mine Armes â—even at London the xii day of March in the yere of our Lord God MV cXLV and in the XXXV yere of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord King Henry VIII by the Grace of God King of England France and Ireland Defendour of the Faith and in Erthe of the Church of England and Ireland Supreme Head Cb. alias Gartier Num. III. Sir Thomas Smith's Orations for and against the Queens Marriage I. Agamus or Wedspite This Oration for the Queens single Life ALTHO' I know saith he that I speak now first at a great Disadvantage as to such as have their Tongues at Wil their Wits fresh and be good Confuters as I have known them by experience in the Parliament House that whatsoever I shall say they can with Words make that it shall appear quite overthrown and dashed in pieces Yet because I my self would gladly learn whether I be in a right Opinion or no and hear either my Opinion weakned or thother strengthned with good Reasons that I may by comparing th one with thother know my Error which I could never yet do I am content to speak first I pray you that do note my Opinion so strange a while suspend your Judgments of me until you have heard al my Reasons which moveth me to take this part First I say that in this Matter either we must have respect to God to the Prince her Self or to the Commonwealth or rather to al these For as for vain Talk of the People and the common Opinion of every Man in this our Disputation I think little regard to be had to them For neither I speak in Pulpit before all Rascalls that cometh nor I do reason with such as I must needs say as they say or else hold my Peace but with them who wil look to have no further Credit to be given to their Authority and Mind than just Reason doth require And therefore to Godwards yee must needs confes that Virginity is above Matrimony which Christ himself being our Head King and Master did follow And St. Paul allowing both th one and thother Marriage I mean and the Sole Life yet preferreth the sole Life far above Matrimony And I cannot see that he maketh any Distinction or Difference whether they be Men or Women Young or Old Princes or Subjects Rulers or private Persons but as in Bondage or Freedom whether it be of Men or Women Young or Old he preferreth Liberty not excluding Bondage from the Gospel So doth he rather allow and exhort unto and wish thaâ— Men would chuse and take hold of Virginity and sole Life rather than Marriage with such Elogium as would seem slanderous iâ— it were not of his speaking The Virgin saith he and single Man have care how they should â—lease God The married Woman hath chosen infinite ways the worse Person to be pleased and the sole Woman the better Wherefore as I did say at the beginning to define what is good and most for the Queen if we shall try it by the best truest and more sure Ballance that is to Godwards St. Paul seemeth to be with me and the example of Christ himself and his most happy Mother St. Iohn Baptist and other the Heads of our Christian Religion who ensued that kind of Life as best and most acceptable to Godwards You see I do not bring you Histories of certain Emperors and Empresses Kings and Queens married who notwithstanding their Marriage yet lived continently lest perhaps you should doubt of the Truth of the History Or if the History were true yet of the Perfection and Sincerities of the Persons Or whether therin they pleased God altho it liked them best Nor yet I bring in that infinite number of Names of Virgins and Widdows which at the very Beginning of Christs Religion professed and kept Chastity as a thing whereby they thought most to please God and made their choice of that as of the most godly Life Lest peradventure with the evil Example again of the Nonns Monks and Friars of our Days who likewise have as holily vowed and yet so lewdly have and do keep the same you should have occasion to derogate Faith from all the rest but sincerely and plainly and of Principles most certain I have proved that to God the best most commendable and most allowable Life of these two is to be sole and chast It is hard ve will say in that Liberty Ease and Plenty of all things which Monarchy and Princely State doth bring to keep moderation and much more to keep Chastity Mary the harder the better and as the Greek Proverb is that which is laudable is hard to attain Ye be al learned and know Hesiods Verse What is that that men may take up by Heaps and case me by And how streit and hard a Path is left to creep to Vertue Wherefore when we speak of the Goodness of a thing or compare which of the Two is better the Hardness is no Objection but rather a Proof of the Goodness thereof And because I am yet in that Part which is to God-ward Why shall I go any further
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