"To our right trusty and right wel-beloved Cousins and Councellors, our Keeper of our Great Seale of England, our High Treasurer of England, our Admirall of England, the Master of our Horse, and our Principall Secretary for the tyme being.

"JAMES R.

"Right trusty and right wel-beloved Cousins and Councellors, we greet you well. Your Lettre of the thirteenth we receaved this afternoone about fowre of the clock, being newly arryved here at the house of Mr. William Engleby in our way to York, where we purpose to be to- morow at night, the 16th of this moneth. For answere to the contents of your Lettre we would have you remember, that, you may perceave by our former Lettres that we never urged your personall repaire to us farther or sooner then our affaires there would permitt you; but when we had increased the nomber of you (whereof since yourselves for some causes have suspended th' execution) we did think that some of the yongest of you might have come toward us. But that being now altered, we desire that you do not remove from the charge you have in hand, where we knowe you sustaine double paine, out of the travaile in our affaires, and other for want of our presence, which wee hope shall not be now long from you, for that we purpose not to stay any where above one day untill we come to Theobalds, where we hope to be the 28th or 29th of this moneth at the farthest. Touching the Jewells to be sent for our Wyfe, our meaning is not to have any of the principall Jewells of State to be sent so soone nor so farre of, but only such as, by the opynion of the Ladyes attendant about the late Queene our Syster, you shall fynde to be meet for the ordynarie apparelling and ornament of her; the rest may come after when shee shall be neerer hand. But we have thought good to put you in mynde that it shall be convenyent that besydes Jewells you send some of the Ladyes of all degrees who were about the Queene, as soone as the Funeralles be past, or some others whome you shall thinck meetest, and most willing and able to abyde travaile, to meet her as farre as they can at her entry into the Realme, or soone after; for that we hold needfull for her honor; and that they do speedily enter into their jorney, for that we would have her here with the soonest. And as for horses, lytters, coaches, sadles, and other things of that nature, wherof we have heretofore written for her use, and sent to you our Cousin of Worcester, we have thought good to let you knowe, that the proportion mentioned in your perticuler Lettre to us shall suffice in our opynion for her. And so you may take order for the sending of them away with the Ladyes that are to come, or before, as you

shall thinck meetest. Gyven under our signett at Topcliff, the 15th day of Aprill, in the first yeare of our reigne of England.”

The Warrant for releasing the Prisoners at Newark, as mentioned in p. 89, was in the following terms:

"JAMES KINGE,

"Sheriffe, Undersheriffe of Nottinghamshier, Alderman of our Towne of Newark, and your Deputies, we greete you hartylie well. Whereas we of our Princely power and authoritie doe release and pardon all prisoners, savinge wilfull murder, debt, and recusance; we therefore will and requier you to let at liberty all prisoners deteyned within your jurisdiccion, savinge William Woodroffe, Vincent Brambley, and John Wetherhead, whom you shall deteyne in close prison. It is our will also, that fower honest men, of good conscience and judgment, be chosen as our Commissioners, whoe shall conforme to the dett and abilitie of the dettors, give them dayes of payment without takinge any forfeitures of their handes, and to take such securitie as the said dettors can give; and as we pardon the felonie, the fees to be likewise pardoned, that in defect thereof they be not deteyned longer Prisoners; and theis out of our Princely and Christian commisseracion we graunt this pardon, willinge you as our officers to effect the same, wherein you doe us good service, keepinge this Warrant one of you for the reste whoe shall exacte the same. Newarke, the 22d day of April 1603.

"The Names of the Commissioners: Ric. Hurte, Mayor; Archer Jackson, Humfrie Bouer, Aldermen of Nottingham; Oliver Widdrington, Preacher there?. "I request and requier you in his Majestie's name, to use noe delay in the releasinge of the sayd dettors in forme aforesaid, WILL. HUNTER."

Among the first who addressed the new Sovereign, was Lord Hunsdon 3, on behalf of the Band of Gentlemen Pensioners, of which he was Captain:

"Most mighty and most gracious Liege and Sovereign, among many other honours and duties which I do owe unto the memory of my late deceased Sovereign, this is not the least, that it pleased her Majesty upon the decease of my Lord and Father, and who also enjoyed the same honourable office, to grace me with the Captainship of her Band of Gentlemen Pensioners, which place and dignity I have to this present enjoyed; for the further continuance whereof I

I have been favoured with this from the Coucher of the Corporation of Newark, by William Edward Tallents, Esq. the Town Clerk (see vol. II. p. 459). › See p. *122.

• The townsmen of Newark itself were not apparently trusted.

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humbly desire to understand your Majesty's direction, and withall do think it a matter agreeable to my duty and allegiance plainly and truly to inform your Majesty of the institution, nature, quality, and service of this honourable Band. They are in all Fifty Gentlemen, besides myself, the Lieutenant, Standard-bearer, Clerk of the Cheque, and Gentleman Harbinger, chosen out of the best and antientest families in England, and some of them sons to Earls, Barons, Knights, and Esquires, men thereunto specially recommended for their worthyness and sufficiency, without any stain or taint of dishonour, or disparagement in blood. Her Majesty, and other Princes her predecessors, have found great use of their service, as well in the guard and defence of their Royal persons, as also in sundry other employments, as well Civil as Military, at home and abroad; insomuch as it hath served them always as a nursery to breed up Deputies of Ireland, Ambassadors into foreign parts, Counsellors of State, Captains of the Guard, Governors of places, and Commanders in the wars, both by land and sea. Withall I cannot omit to signify to your Majesty their alacrity and affection wherewith, upon the decease of her Highness, they did embrace your Majesty's title and cause; insomuch that, upon my motion, they did most willingly offer themselves to a strong and settled combination, by a solemn oath and vow, to defend and prosecute your Majesty's lawful right and title by themselves, their friends, allies, and followers (being no contemptible portion of this Kingdom), to the last drop of their blood against all impugners whatsoever; with which humble and dutifull desires of theirs to serve your Majesty, I thought it my part and duty to acquaint you, and withall humbly desire to know your Majesty's pleasure and resolution as concerning them. I have caused them to remain all about the Court with their horses, armour, and men, to attend the body of our late Royal Mistress, and being generally all desirous to wait upon your Majesty at your Entry into this Kingdom, as loth to be second to any in all obsequious and serviceable duties to your Majesty, wherein I humbly desire your Majesty's further direction, and ever desire Almighty God, &c. I"

1

"We here find," says Mr. Pegge (from whose "Curialia," part II. p. 56, this Letter is transcribed)," a description of the Band as it stood at this period, whence we may discern that its primary intention was then adhered to in discipline, dignity, and in the quality of the Gentlemen themselves, as well as that its original appearance in accoutrements, and other military appendages, was likewise preserved.-The Band lost much of its dignity early in the reign of King James."-Sir John Holles, afterwards Earl of Clare, (of whom see vol. II. p. 374) is reported to have said with regret "that, when he was a Pensioner to the Queen, he did not know a worse man of the whole Band than himself;" and all the world knew he had then an inheritance of £.4000 a year.

In Savile's Account of the King's Entertainment at Theobalds (p. 137), it is mentioned, that on the King's arrival there, "a Petition was delivered him by a yong Gentleman." The following singular production, whether the same I cannot determine, I have obtained from a MS. in the Cathedral Library at Exeter.

"The Poore Man's Petition to the Kinge at Theobalds, the 17th of Aprill 1603'. "Good King, let there be an uniformitie in true religion, without any disturbance of Papist or Puritan.

Good King, let good Preachers be well provided for, and without any briberie come to their Livings.

Good King, let poore Souldiers be paid ther wages whilest they be well emploied, and well provided for when they are maymed.

Good King, let their not be such delaie and craftie proceedings in the Lawe, and let Lawiers have moderate fees. A poxe take the the proude covetous Attornie and merciles Lawyer!

Good King, let noe man have more Offices than one; especially in the case or touching the Lawe.

Good King, let poore Suitors be hard [heard] quietlie, and with speede dispatched favourably.

Good King, let ordinarie Causes be determined in the ordinarie Courts, and let not the Chauncerie be made a common shifting place to prolonge Causes for private gaine.

Good King, cut off those paltry Licences and all Monopolies. Fye upon all close byting Knaverie!

Good King, suffer noe Great Ordinance to be carried out of the Realme to the enemies, as it hath been. A plague upon all covetous griping Treasurers!

Good King, looke to thy Takers and Officers of thy House, and to their exceeding fees, that peele and powle thy Princely allowance.

Good King, let us not be oppressed with so manie impositions, powlings, and paiements.

Good King, make not Lord of good Lincolne Duke of Shorditch, for he is a, &c. Good King, make not Sir Walter Rawleigh Earl of Pancradge, for he is a, &c. Good King, love us and we will love thee, and we will spend our harts' blood for thee."

'This is probably the date of its composition, not its delivery. On the 17th of April the King was no further than York, and did not arrive at Theobalds until May 3.

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The common feares and difficulties, which perplex most confident Orators speaking before Princes, would more confound any distrustful spirit speaking to your high Majestie, most mighty King and our dreade Soveraigne Lord, did I not know that the message which I bring, is to a good King always gratefull. Curiosity of wit and affected straines of oratory, I leave to those who more delight to tickle the Prince's eare than satisfie his deeper judgement.

To me, most gracious Soveraigne, your Majestie's meanest subject, vouchsafe your milde and princely attention, whiles in the names of these grave Majestrates, your Majestie's faithful Sheriffes of London and Middlesex, I offer to your

"At London: Imprinted for Thomas Thorppe, and are to be sould by William Aspley, 1603."There is a MS. copy of this "Speech" in the Cathedral Library at Exeter; and another among the Harleian MSS. in the British Museum, No. 4106. A printed copy is in the Middle Temple Library, from which it is now reprinted.-The manner of its delivery is described in pp. 113 and 139. N.

Richard Martin was born in 1570 at Otterton in Devonshire, and studied at Broadgate's Hall (now Pembroke College), Oxford, where, says Wood, "by natural parts and some industry he proved in a short time a noted Disputant." He left the University, however, without a degree, and went to the Inner Temple, where he became an Inner Barrister. He was elected a Burgess in Parliament in 1601, and his Speeches there delivered were the admiration of all, and were published. From the King's first knowledge of him on the present occasion till his death, James ever entertained the greatest esteem for him, being highly delighted with his facetiousness, as is exemplified in vol. II. p. 589. In 1615 Mr. Martin was Lent Reader of the Inner Temple, and in Sept. 1618, on the death of Sir Anthony Benn, the King recommended him to the City of London for their Recorder. He died in little more than a month after his election, Oct. 31, 1618, and has a monument with his effigies kneeling in his gown in the Temple Church. His eloquence, wit, and graces of conversation were as highly esteemed by all his contemporaries as by his Majesty; and no person, says Wood, was more admired by Selden, Serjeant Hoskins, Ben Jonson, &c. than he;" the latter dedicated his Poetaster to him.-See further in Wood's Athenæ (by Bliss), vol. II. col. 250. N.