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
Sir Thomas Smith in Commission Words between Bishop Boner and him His Fidelity to the Duke of Somerset Smith in a Commission against Anabaptists One of the Visitors of Cambridge In Commission upon Bishop Boner who would have declined him Smith deals roundly wâ—th him His Word to Boner's Servants Boner enters a Recusation against Smith Who chargeth him wâ—th Disobedience Smith in trouble with the Protector Deposed against Bishop Gardiner Makes a Purchase Goes in Embassy to France CHAP. VI. The Condition of Sir Thomas Smith under Queen Mary His wise Advertisements He loses all his Places He hath an Indulgence from the Pope Bishop Gardiner his Friend Gains Gardiner's Favour upon his first Address to him from Cambridge Ascham favoured by Gardiner Even Bishop Boner pretends to be Smith's Friend Rob. Smith a Retainer of Sir Tho. Smith burnt His Grief at these Times Smith's wise Advertisements and Counsels CHAP. VII Smith called to Queen Elizabeth 's Court. Concerned in the Settlement of Religion His Judgement of the Queen's Marriage Employed in the Reformation and in one of the Committees for the State And in swearing the Officers of Walden His Service in the Commission of the Peace Subscription of the Iustices Smith's Dialogues concerning the Queen's Marriage CHAP. VIII Sir Thomas 's Embassies to France Why not restored to be Secretary Dispatched to France Stops at Calais and why Directions to him from the Council Smith a Peace-mover Confers with the Pope's Legate The Secretary Advice to the Ambassador The Queen's Orders to him Three Evils in France Smith's Behavior in his Embassy Entertains a subtil Spy His Complaint The Ambassador's Instructions concerning the Prince of Conde He sends Nâ—ws to the Council Ordered to speak only in Latin in his Negotiation Contention between Smith and Throgmorton Smith's Plainness pleaseth the Lord Robert Instructions for Smith's Dealing with the Protestants Smith treateth for Peace Doctor Haddon's Advice to Smith CHAP. IX Osorius his Letter to the Queen And Doctor Haddon 's Answer Difference between Smith and Throgmorton the Queen 's joint Ambassadors Smith and Cecyl Friends The Ambassador sends over Books to Cecyl To procure a Book to be Printed in France Osorius's Epistle to the Queen Answered by Haddon This Answer recommended to Smith to revise And publish A Licence for which he labours to obtain from the Chancellor Which â—e will not grant Smith presseth it Argues with the Chancellor of France about it The Progress of this Controversie Difference between the two Ambassadors Some Character of Throgmorton Cecyl's and Smith's Friendship CHAP. X. Peace with France Smith continues Ambassador there His Book of the Commonwealth of England Returns A Review of his Embassy Smith affects a Peace Sollicits the Queen's Debt The Queen Continues him Ambassador A Match for the Queen propounded to him Finisheth his Book of the Commonwealth His extraordinary Expence Smith's Son with him He labours to come home He returns He is Inquisitive how his Negotiation is accepted He follows the Court of France His Reflection upon his Hearing of the Queen's going to Cambridge He composeth his Book of the English Commonwealth at Tholouse He enquireth for Learned men in Paris He procures the Printing of the Answer to Osorius His Correspondence with Haddon Ambassador in Flanders Smith's Opinion of Tully's Philosophy and Law His Reflection on the Troubles occasioned by Hale's Book CHAP. XI Smith goes over Ambassador again to demand Calais His Employment at home Concerned in turning Iron into Copper Smith now at home sent again to demand Calais Take his Son with him The Manner of his demanding Calais Sues for the Place of Chancellor of the Dutchy Sir Thomas in the Country administring Iustice. Witches by him examined Master's wife Ann Vicars Sir Thomas admitted into the Council Labours about Transmuting Iron into Copper His Progress therein Some Lords come into the Project The Projectors formed into a Society The Patent for it signed The Business finds Delay The Chymist a Beggar CHAP. XII Smith waits upon the Queen at Audleyâ— End Goes on Embassy to France Concludes a League Concerned in Proposals of a Match for the Queen He examineth the Duke of Norfolk's Secretary Goes Ambassador â—gain to France to make firm Amity against Spain An Article debated by Smith His Argument with the French Queen Smith perswades the Queen She consents to the League He loved not many Words His hardship in France Communication between the Queen Mother and Smith concerning Queen Elizabeth's Marriage Further Discourse on the same Argument His Thoughts of the Queen's Marrying His Concern for her Sickness And the Irresolutions of the Court The Queen of Navarre sends to Sir Thomas CHAP. XIII Made Chancellor of the Garter Comes home Becomes Secretary of State His Advice for forwarding the Queen's Match His Astonishment upon the Paris Massacre The Queen gives Smith the Chancellorship of the Order Comes home Made Secretary Famed in the Court for his Learning Smith's Device for a View between Monsieur and the Queen His Thoughts of the Massacre at Paris His Detestation of it His Reason of the Manner of answering the French Ambassador His Observation of the Prejudice the French did themselves in Scotland CHAP. XIV Secretary Smith at Windsor dispatching Business His Care of Flanders and Ireland Massmongers and Conjurers ent up to him out of the North. His Colony in Ireland The Secretary at Windsor Dispatching Agents and Irish Matters His Compassion for Flanders His Advice about the Earl of Desmond And the Quarrel between Clanricard and Fitton Mass-mongers and Conjurers sent up to the Secretary His Letter to the Earl of Shrewsbury hereupon Perswades the Queen to send Aid unto Scotland Which upon his Motion she condescends to Two Scotch men by him examined Sir Thomas sends a Colony into Ardes His Patent for it Sir Thomas's Son leads the Colony His Rules and Orders for it Mr. Smith's Care in the Colony Draws up Instructions for his Son Families of English found in the Ardes Mr. Smith's good Service this Winter Mr. Smith slain The Ardes neglected upon Sir Thomas's Death How lost from the Family 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 uneasie at the Queen's Delays The Queen deliberates about Supplies for the Earl of Essex Her Backwardness thereunto troubles the Secretary Conference between the Queen and her Secretary about Ulster and the Earl of Essex His Advice to the Queen concerning him The Secretary with the Queen in Progress She speaks to the Secretary about dangerous Beggars He procures an Act for Schools of Learning The Act. His fatal Distemper seizes him It affected chiefly his Tongue and Throat The Orator now scarce can speak To divert his Sickness he looks over his former Writings His Book of
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
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
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
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
brake her Desire of a Marriage between Queen Elizabeth and her second Son the Duke D'Alenson asking Smith the Ambassador whether he knew how the Queen would fancy the Marriage with her said Son Madam said he you know of old except I have a sure ground I dare affirm nothing to your Majesty When she said again That if the Queen were disposed to Marry she saw not where she might Marry so well That as for those she had heard named as the Emperor's Son or Don Iohn of Austria they were both less than her Son and of less Stature by a good deal And if she would Marry it were pity any more Time were lost Smith liking well enough the Motion replied to this That if it pleased God that the Queen were Married and had a Child all these Brags and all these Treasons he meant of the Queen of Scots and her Party would soon be appalled And on condition she had a Child by Monsieur D'Alenson for his part he cared not if they had the Queen of Scots in France which was an Article propounded by the French King in the fore-mentioned Treaty but by no means allowed by the English Ambassadors For then he said they would be as careful and as jealous over her for the Queen of England's Surety as the Queen's Subjects or she her self was The Queen-Mother then subjoined That it was true and without this Marriage if she should Marry in another Place she could not see how this League and Amity could be so strong as it was Our Ambassador answered It was true the Knot of Blood and Marriage was a stronger Seal than that which was printed in Wax and lasted longer if God gave good Success But yet all Leagues had not Marriage joined with them as this might if it pleased God To which she joined her Wish and added That if it should so happen she would her self make a Start over and see the Queen the which of all things she most desired To which again the Ambassador said That if he had at that present as ample Commission as he had at the first for Monsieur D'Anjou the Matter should soon by God's Grace be at an End The Queen wisht he had And asked him If he should have such an one when he went into England whether he would not come again to execute it Yes Madam said he most gladly on so good an Intent I would pass again the Seas tho' I were never so Sick for it Another Day in the same Month of March the Queen-Mother met Smith the Ambassador in the same Garden and having Discourse concerning other Matters as of the Queen of England's danger from the Queen of Scots who now applied her self to Spain she thus brought in the Talk again of Marriage Asking him whether his Mistress did not see that she should be always in danger until she Married And that once done and that in some good House who dared attempt any thing against her Then said he he thought if she were once Married all in England that had any Traiterous Hearts would be discouraged For one Tree alone as he ingeniously explained the Matter may soon be cut down but when there be two or three together it is longer a doing And one shall watch for the other But if she had a Child then all these bold and troublesome Titles of the Scotch Queen or others that make such Gaping for her Death would be clean choaked up The Queen cryed merrily she saw she might have Five or Six very well Would to God said the Ambassador she had one No said she still merrily two Boys lest the one should die and three or four Daughters to make Alliance with us again and other Princes to strengthen the Realm Why then said Smith as jocularly you think that Monsieur Le Due shall speed With that she laughed and said she desired it infinitely And then she would trust to see threâ— or four at the least of her Race which would make her indeed not to spare Sea and Land to see her Majesty and them And if she could have fansied my Son D'Anjou said she as you told me why not this of the same House Father and Mother and as vigorous and lusty as he or rather more and now he beginneth to have a Beard come forth And as to his Stature she told the Ambassador that the said Duke her Son was as tall as himself or very near For that Matter said he again that for his part he made little account if the Queen's Majesty could fansy him Adding this Story That Pipin the Short Married Bertha the King of Almain's Daughter who was so little to her that he was standing in Aix in a Church there she taking him by the Hand and his Head not reaching to her Girdle And yet he had by her Charlemain the great Emperor and King of France who was reported to be almost a Gyant in Stature To which the Ambassador added the mention of Oliver Glesquin the Britain Constable which the French made so much of and lay buried among the Kings at St. Denys if he were no bigger than he was there pourtrayed upon his Tomb was very short scarce four Foot long But yet he was valiant hardy and courageous above all in his Time and did the English Men most hurt Thus ingeniously did Smith hold the Conference with the Queen-Mother But as to his Opinion of the Queen's Marriage wherein he perceived she was but backward and a Marriage he and the best Statesmen in those Times reckon'd the only Means for the Peace and Safety of the Queen and Kingdom against the Disturbances and Pretences of the Scotch Queen and her Friends the Ambassador was full of sad and uneasy Thoughts For so at this time he opened his Mind to the Lord Burghley That all the World did see that they wished her Majesty's Surety and long Continuance and that Marriage and the Issue of her Highness's Body should be the most Assurance of her Highness and of the Wealth of the Realm The Place and the Person for his part he remitted to her Majesty But what she meant to maintain still her Danger and not to provide for her Surety he assured his Lordship he could see no reason And so prayed God to preserve Her long to Reign by some unlookt for Miracle For he could not see by natural Reason that she went about to provide for it And soon after when Smith had sent Messages two or three for the Resolution of the English Court about the Marriage which the French were so earnest for and in great hopes of and no Answer came He lamented to the aforesaid Lord that he and his Collegue Walsingham could say nothing of it when they were asked And that they were sorry in their Hearts to see such uncertain so negligent and irresolute Provision for the safety of the Queen's Person and of her Reign Praying God Almighty of his Almighty and Miraculous Power to
Warrant can the French make now Seals and Words of Princes being Traps to catch Innocents and bring them to the Butchery If the Admiral and all those Martyred on that bloody Bartholomew Day were guilty why were they not apprehended imprisoned interrogated and judged but so much made of as might be within two Hours of the Assassination Is that the manner to handle Men either culpable or suspected So is the Journier slain by the Robber so is the Hen of the Fox so the Hind of the Lion so Abel of Cain so the Innocent of the Wicked so Abner of Ioab But grant they were guilty they dreamt Treason that night in their Sleep what did the Innocents Men Women and Children at Lions What did the Sucking Children and their Mothers at Roan deserve at Caen at Rochel What is done yet we have not heard but I think shortly we shall hear Will God think you still sleep Shall not their Blood ask Vengeance Shall not the Earth be accursed that hath sucked up the innocent Blood poured out like Water upon it I am most sorry for the King whom I love whom I esteem the most worthy the most faithful Prince of the World the most sincere Monarch now Living Ironically spoken no question by Smith because to him that King used to profess so much Integrity I am glad you shall come home and would wish you were at home out of that Country so contaminate with innocent Blood that the Sun cannot look upon it but to prognosticate the Wrath and Vengeance of God The Ruin and Desolation of Ierusalem could not come till all the Christians were either killed there or expelled from thence But whither do I run driven with just Passions and Heats And in another Letter All that be not Bloody and Antichistian must needs condole and lament the Misery and Inhumanity of this Time God make it short and send his Kingdom among us La Crocque was now in England Ambassador from France and notwithstanding this base bloody Action of France and the Jealousies that the Queen now justly conceived of that King yet she gave him a soft Answer to be returned to his Master being ready to go to his own Country Of which Ambassador's Negotiation and the Queen's Answer thus Secretary Smith spake His Negotiation was long in Words to make us believe better of that King than as yet we can and replied to on the English side liberally eenough Altho' to that Prince or Country who have so openly and injuriously done against Christ who is Truth Sincerity Faith Pity Mercy Love and Charity nothing can be too sharply and severely answered Yet Princes you know are acquainted with nothing but Doulceur so must be handled with Doulceur especially among and between Princes And therefore to temperate as you may perceive Not that they should think the Queen's Majesty and her Council such Fools as we know not what is to be done and yet that we should not appear so rude and barbarous as to provoke where no Profit is to any Man Upon the Preparations that were made in England against the feared Attempts of the French or other Roman Catholicks at this critical Time of the Murthers committed upon the Protestants in France the Secretary thus piously spake Truth it is that God disposeth all whatsoever a Man does purpose as Divines speak And it is his Gift if Wise Men do provide for Mischief to come And yet whatsoever they do devise the Event doth come of him only who is the God of Hope and Fear beyond Hope and Expectation This he spake in reference to the Scots who hearing of this Havock in France whereas the Lords there were in Civil Wars amongst themselves fomâ—nted by the French did now begin to come to Accord dreading these Doings and fearing some Danger near themselves For it was the Desire of the English to have Scotland in Peace and Union under the present Protestant King And now by a way not thought on they drew nearer and nearer to an Accord To which the Cruelty in France helped not a little and now continuing much more would Which he exprest in thâ—se Words The Scots our Neighbours he awakened by their Beacons in France And the Scots to shew their Resentment of these foul Doings there issued out a Proclamation to that purpose which the Secretary sent to Walsingham CHAP. XIV Secretary Smith at Windsor dispatching Business His Care of Flanders and Ireland Mass-mongers and Conjurers sent up to him out of the North. His Colony in Ireland IN the very beginning of November Secretary Smith was with the Queen at Windsor the Lord Treasurer Burghley and most of the Lords of the Council being gone to London to the Solemnization of some great Wedding at which the Secretary also should have been but he thought it not convenient to go to be present with the Queen whatsoever Chance might happen There were now in England Walwick an Agent from the Earls of East Freezeland who was very importune for an Answer to his Masters Requests and another Agent from the Town of Embden who came about Matters of Trade The Consideration of whose Business the Queen committed to Aldersay and some other Merchants of London who had objected against the Agents Proposals and were to give in their Reasons Smith who was ever for Dispatch of Business desired the Lord Burghley to call upon these Merchants to hasten and to forward the Dismission of both those Agents Irish Businesses also lying before the Queen at this Time were taken care of by him Signifying to the said Lord Treasurer how the Lord Deputy of Ireland wanted Comfort and Direction in Answer to his Letters And he desired the Treasurer to send him the Draught of the Answer from the Lords to the said Deputy which he would cause to be written fair and made ready to be Signed against his and the rest of the Lords Return to Windsor He further wrote to the Treasurer that he should have the Privy Seal sent him for 5200 l. for Corn and Money for the use of the Deputy He mentioned two Letters withal to be sent by the same Dispatch into Ireland for three Bishopricks void there to which the Lord Deputy had recommended certain Persons as able and fit Men for those Places And taking care of his Friend Walsingham Ambassador in France he obtained leave from the Queen for his Return home And when among several named to her Majesty to succeed him she had her thoughts upon Mr. Francis Carce as liking him most he enformed the Treasurer of it and prayed him to send for the said Carce and commune with him to put himself in a readiness Whereby as he said he should do Mr. Walsingham a great Pleasure These were some of the State Matters Smith's Hands were full of in the Month of November Sir Thomas Smith was nettled to see the proud Spaniard Domineering in Flanders and Holland and exercising their Cruelties there and
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
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
see him burie in his Astronomy Nay if we may believe his Poet and that he did not take too much Poetical Liberty Smith was arrived to the very Top of the Astronomical Skill and might be a companion for Ptolomy Alphonsus and Zacutus if they were alive Nec Polus aut Tillus mâ—gâ—â— ulli cognâ—ta cuiquam Quorsum â—go dâ—ssâ—mulâ—m Fuit unus unicus ille Fâ—lâ—us Uraniâ— Ptolomâ— major utroque Et centum Alphonsis plusquam mille Zacutis And perhaps the Love and Study of the Stars might be one Reason that he delighted so much in his high Seat at Mounthaut where he might have a more spacious Prospect of the Skies In State-Policy he was a great Master Which by long Experience in State matters at home in the Reigns of four Princes and Embassies abroad he had acquired Walsingham that most compleat and happy Secretary of State improved himself much by making his Observations of Smith how quick and sharp his Apprehension of things how grave and sound his Counsels and with what Dexterity and admirable Parts he managed publick Affairs and yet with clean and just hands So he sung that made his Funeral Verses Sâ—cius tâ—nâ—orum insignis Honorum Qui vigilanti oculo SMITHI observasset Acumen Sensissâ—tque acres sensus animumque virilem Consiliumque grave pectus moresque colendos Virtutes etiam raras Dotesque stupendas He was also an excellent Linguist and a Master in the knowledge of the Latin Greek French Italian and English Tongues A great Historian especially in the Roman History An Orator equal to the best and a perfect Ciceronian A Notable Specimen of whose Oratory and History as well as of his Polities appears in his Discursive Orations about Queen Elizabeth's Marriage He had also a very good Genius in Architecture which that Noble Pile of Building at Hilhal doth sufficiently demonstrate And in the Art of Gardening he was very curious and exact Employing his own Hands sometimes for his diversion in grafting and planting At which work I find him when he was making an Orchard for his new House about the latter end of 1572. having made an Escape from the Court tho' the Winds then were very unkind to him Of which complaining to the Lord Treasurer he said he should soon be weary of Mounthaut because he could not graft nor transplant any Trees the Winds that then brought over the Earl of Worcester from France who had been lately sent to Christen that Kings Child being as he said the worst Enemy to all Cutting Paring or breaking of Trees here in England that could be or for setting of Herbs And as he was an universal and thorow-paced Scholar so he had a most compleat Library and kept a Learned Correspondence and was of a very accurate Judgment in matters of Learning His Library consisted of a thousand Books of various Learning and Arts as we are told by the Learned man his Friend that made his Parentalia Which noble Treasure he bestowed upon his own College where at least the Remainders of them are to this day besides some Italian and French Books which he gave to the Queens Library Libros Monumentaque mille Graeca Latina omnis generis nova prisca profana Religiosa dedit Italicos praeter quosdam Francosque libellos Elizabeteae pius Heros Bibliothecae A Catalogue of the Books which he had at Hilhal in the Year 1566. may be seen in the Appendix And as he was Owner of many Books so he composed not a few himself Three whereof are Printed I. His Commonwealth of England both in Latin and English II. Of the right and correct Writing of the English Tongue This I suppose is the same Book with that which Fuller in his History of Cambridge mentions Of his more compendious way of Printing which would defalcate a fifth part of the Cost in Paper and Ink besides as much of the Pains in Composing and Printing only by discharging many superflous Letters and accommodating the Sounds of long and short Vowels with distinct Characters III. Of the right and correct Pronouncing of the Greek Language Both these last mentioned were published by himself in Latin when he was Ambassador in Paris There is a Fourth Book lately Printed viz. 1685. which some make him the Author of namely Of the Authority Form and Manner of holding Parliaments Other Tracts there be of his that have lain hitherto unpublished As his Orations about the Queens Marriage His discourse of Money and his Tables for the reducing the Roman Coins to the just English Standard I have also seen another large Writing which by the hand seems to be his shewing certain ways and means for the taking care of and for the maintaining the Poor of the Nation And many more whereof as yet neither the sight nor the particular Subjects have come unto me To which I add several excellent Letters of his when Ambassador in France to the Lord Burghley and being Secretary of State to Sr. Francis Walsingham Ambassador in the same Court which are Printed in the Compleat Ambassador And a Bundle of other Letters writ to the Court when he was Ambassador with the French King Ann. 1562. the Earl of Warwick going then in the famous Expedition to New-haven which are yet reserved in the Kings Paper House He was a great Judge of Learning and Applications were often made to him for his Judgment in Matters of that Nature So Dr. Haddon appealed once to him in a sharp Controversie between the French Ambassador and himself Whether Tully were a good Lawyer Which that Ambassador had denied And how learnedly this was decided by Sir Thomas Smith may be seen in this History And both Cecil and the said Haddon would not allow the Answer to Osorius to come abroad till it had past his accurate Perusal and Correction His Acquaintance was with the Learned men of his Age. As Ramus and other Professors in Paris while he was there and with Cheke Cecil Haddon Wilson Ascham men of the finest Wits and purest Learning Of this last in a Letter to Haddon from France he enquired diligently after and complained that for two years and Six Months he had heard nothing from him and then added merrily That his Cocks for he was a great Cock Master ita illum excantâ—sse i.e. had so enchanted him that he had quite forgotten his Friends And I find the Correspondence between him and Ascham continued after for in 1â—68 Ascham requested of Smith to borrow a Book of his own Writing To which Smith answered by a Letter that he had sent it to Walden to be Transcribed least the first Copy and the whole Invention should perish together And Haddon being lately dead Smith in the same Letter told Ascham that his Epistles were found but not all and that his own Epistles to Haddon were more uncertain For they reckoned it pity any thing of that most Humane and Learned
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
Eliz. Smith employed in the Reformation And in one of the Committees for the State An. 1559 And in Swearing the Officers of Walden Sir Thomas This Service in the Commission of the Peace Subscription of the Iustices Ann. 1560. Smith's Dialogue concerning the Queen's Marriage 〈◊〉 III Aâ— 1562. Q. Eliz. 〈…〉 D. 〈◊〉 to France Stops at Calais and why Directions to him from the Council Smith 〈…〉 〈◊〉 with the Pope's Legate The Secretaries Aâ—viâ—e to the 〈…〉 The Queen's Orders to him Three Evils in France Smith's Behaviour in his Embassy Entertains a Subtil Spy His Complaint An. 1563. The Ambassadors Instructions concerning the Prince of Câ—nde The Ambassador sends News to the Council Ordered to speak only in Latin in his Negotiation Contention between Smith and Throgmorton Smith's Plainness pleaseth the Lord Robert Instruâ—â—â—ons â—â— Smith's â—â—inâ—ng with the Proâ—â—stanâ—â— Smith reateth for Peace Dr. Haddons Advice to Smith The Ambassador sâ—nds over Books to Cecil Smith o procure a Book to be Printed in France Osorius's Episâ—le to the Queen Answered by Haddon This Answer recommendâ—d to Smith o revise And Publâ—sh A Licence for which he labours to obtain from the Chancâ—â—lor Which he will not grant Smith presseâ—h it Argues with the Chancellor of France about it The Progress of this Controversy Difference between the two Ambassadors Some Character of Throgmorton Cecil's and Smith's Friendship An. 1564. Smith effects a Peace Solicits the Queen's Debt The Queen continues him Ambassador A Match for the Queen propounded to him An. 1565. Q. Eliz. Smith finisheth his Book of the Common-wealth His extraordinary Expenâ—es Smith 's Son with his Father He laâ—â—urâ— to come home He returns He is inquisitive how his Negotiation is accepted He follows the Court in France His Reflâ—ction upon his hearing of the Queen's going to Cambridge Hâ— composeth his Book of thâ— Common-wealth at Tholouse 〈…〉 〈…〉 He procures the printing of the Answer to Osorius His 〈…〉 Haddon 〈…〉 Plato e non siâ—it esse tuus nâ—â— meus me Cicero qui Patriae nos servire volunt illi read omnia unde universa pâ—ius accâ—pimus Smith's Opinion of Tullies Philosophy and Law His Reflection on the Troubles occasioned by Hales 's Book Ita homo sum vexari nolim quemquam quietus esse cuperem omnes mortales liberè Philosophari qui velint caeteros suam quemque rem agere Video periculosum esse in Rebus arcanis Principum Regnorum nimis velle sapere An. 1566. Smith now at home Tu patriam principem conjugem amicos otium praeclarissimam legationis laudem paeriter recuperavisti Mea singularis Infelicitas haec omnia mea â—itae solatia detraxit An. 1567. Sent again to demand Calais Cecil 's Letters to Sir Henry Norris Cabal p. 137. Takes his Son with him The manner of his demanding Calais Cam. Eliz. p. 98. c. An. 1568. Q. Eliz. Sues for the place of Chancellor of the Dutchy Ut inter glebas ille Ego inter mendicos consenescam An. 1570. Sir Thomas in the Country administring Iustice. Witches by him examined Malter 's Wife ' Anne Vicars ' Sir Thomas comitted into the Council An. 1571. Labours about transmuting Iron into Copper Hâ—s Progress thereâ—n Some Lords come into the Project The Projectâ—rs formed into a Society The Patent for it Signâ—d The Business finds Delays The Chymist a Bâ—ggar Smith examinâ—th the Duke of Norfolk's Secretary Goes Ambassador again to France To make a firm Amity against Spain An Article debated by Smith His Argument with the French Queen Smith perswades thâ— Queen She consents to the League He loved not many Words His Hardship in France Communication between the Queen-Mother and Smith concerning the Queen's Marriage Further Discourse on the same Argument His Thoughts of the Queen's Marrying His Concern for the Queen's Sickness And the Irresolutions of the Court. The Queen of Navarre sends to Sir Thomas The Queen gives him the Chancellorship of the Order Comes home Made Secretary Famed in the Court for his Learning Smith's Device for a View between Mounsieur and the Queen Hit Thoughts the Massâ—cre at Pâ—ris His Detestation of it His Reaâ—on of the manner of Anwering the Prench Ambassador His Observation of the Prejudice the French did themselve in Scotland The Secretary at Windsor 〈◊〉 Aâ—â—nts and Irish Matters His â—â—â—passion for Flanders Regem expertem otii laboris amantem cujus gens bellicosa jampridem assueta est caedibus tam exterioris quam vestri Sanguinis Quid faciemus Gens otiosa Pacis assueta quibus imperat Regina ipsa Pacis atque Quietis amantissima His Advice about the Earl of Desmond And the Quarrel between Clanrichard and Fitton Mass-mongers and Conjurers sent up to the Secretary His Letter to the Earl of Shrewsbury hereupon Ex Offic. Armorum Perswades the Queen to send aid into Scotland Which upon his Motion she condescends to Two Scotch men by him examined Thomas sends a Colony into Ardes Sir Thomas's son leads the Colony His Rules and Orders for it Mr. Smiths care in the Colony Draws up Iâ—structins for his Son Families of English found in the Ardes Mr. Smiths good service this Winter Mr. Smith slain â— The Arde neglected upon Sir Thomas's Death How lost from the Family N. W. An. 1574. Q. Eliz. The Secretary uneasie At the Queens Delays The Queen deliberates about supplies for the Earl of Essex The Queens backwardness thereunto troubles the Secretary An. 1575. Conference between the Queon and her Secretary about Ulster And tho Earl of Essex His Advice vice to the Queen concerning him The Secretary with the Queen in Progress The Queen speaks to the Secretary about dangerous beggars He precures an Act for Schools of Learning Hist of Cambr. p. 144. The Act. An. 1576. Q. Eliz. that the next Year ended his Life Overprest with continual Watchings Sir Thomas 's fatal Dâ—stemper seizes him It affected 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 and Throat The Orator now scaâ—â—â— can speak To divert 〈◊〉 sickness he looks over his former Writings His book of Roman Câ—â—ns 〈…〉 The Physicians tamper with him Hi Physicâ—â—â—s leave 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 Physick 〈◊〉 into th Country An. 1577. Q. Eliz. Dyes Persons attending his Funerals Buried His Monument His Lady diet His Person described Makes his Will For the finishing of his House and Monument To his Lady For preserving good housekeeping To his Brother His Library to Queens 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 His Learning A Platonick A Physician Hâ—â— Recipe for the Plaguâ— His Câ—â—mâ—cal Water sâ—â—t to tâ—â— Câ—mâ—ss of Oxford â—â— Mâ—thiolus A Chymist A Mathematician An Arithmeticâ—an An Astronomer His judâ—â—ment of the Star â—n Cassiopâ—ia A Polâ—cian A Linguist An Historian An Orator An Architect His Library N. VI. Books by him written Pa. 81. A great Iudge in Learning His Acquaintance The Vogue of his Learning Beneficial to Learning Hâ—s Places His Wealth His House In Chanon Row In London Ankerwicâ— Mounthaut 〈…〉 〈◊〉 William Smith His Pâ—â— gâ—on His Principles by which he governed himself His Vertues Vices falsely charged on him His Spirit great His Apparel Not Opressive Of an Universal Charity His Apophthegms Lelaud's Copy of verses to Smith Dr. Byng's Epitaphon him Ex Original Pat. penes D. Ed. Smith E. Mâ—S D. Richar. Gibbs Eque Aurat Et Rev. D. Johan Laughton a This Budaeus maketh the Roman Standard adding to it half an Oun. b This I take to be the Roman Stand. c The Standard 1568. Reg. Eliz. 9. a This is next to the Roman Supputation
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