1590 Neville to William Cecil

Modern Spelling Transcription

To the right honnorable my singular good lorde the lord Burghleygh lord hygh Treasorour of England

May it please your honor to understand: That about Michaelmas last my Lord of Warwick sent a gentleman of his, one Mr Blyncoe, with a letter of Commandment unto all the gun-founders in Sussex to repair up to this City by the vijth of October there to understand his pleasure Concerning their further Continuance in that trade.

Whereupon the most of them appearing, and I among the rest & meeting at his deputy Mr Hockenells house, it was told us by Mr. Hocknell & Mr. Blynco, That upon complaint made by my ??? of the Councell of the abuse of transportation of ordnance into forraine countries, their honors had referred unto my lord of Warwick, to take order for redress of yt, whereupon he had thought good to call vs together, & had authorized them two? to deal with us, & take sufficient security against the like abuses for the time to come, Now because it was thought convenient that some quantity of ordinance should yearly be made for the necessary provision of or own navigacõn, they had as they said upon good advise set down a general rate yerely which should serve the whole realm, and out of that they were content to allotte unto every of vs a certain quantytie. But at our hande they required that not should enter into such bonds as they should think good, not to cast any greater quantity, then should be allotted unto vs, not to sell anye but in this Cyttie, nor to any marchaunt but such as my lord or his deputie should name vs, wth certain other condicõns of taking a stamp for all our peeces, out of the office, & some other small points. All wch I for my part was well content to yelde unto, except that wch did restrain vs to a merchaunt of their appointmt in place whereof I offered to be bound to give my lord or his deputie present notice to what merchaunt I had sold my ordinance, that they might require at his hand sufficient security against transportacõn; But this being rejected, I made them this other offer; That I would retail my pieces in open market vpon tower hill my selfe, & enter into any bonds that they would require at the merchantes handes, that they should name which should be as they said, not to sell anye peece to any that was not a natural borne subject or a denisen. This offer they liked very well of, & my lordes deputie said, that seeing the danger of transporting, should be so well prevented by yt, they could require noe more. So that a day was appointed for me & others to ???? bondes to that effect & to receve our warrants notwthstanding the day after, I know not vpon what occasion mr Blyncoe sent me word that my offer would not be accepted. Wherevpon I desisted a longe tyme, till at length all our gonnefounders havinge proceeded ? the yere passing awaye, I ventured also to caste some suche quantitie as they in our conference had allotted me. For wch I perceive my lo: of Warwick hath now sent for me by a purseavaunt I beseech your good ho: therefore to consyder of my case, & Iudge of my offers / For my part yf [it]? be thought good for the state, that noe ordinance be made, I desire to make none./But yf there be any allowed, I desyre that I maye make some [of] yt as well as other, offering (as I hope I do) sufficient security to prevent the abuse of transportacõn: for this restrayning us to a marchaunt of their choice I for my parte doe greatlie feare that yt tends rather to some pryvat benefit then to the publike good.

And I have some cause to be suspicious of such a matter when I had made suit to my lord for

his licence & he had granted it & referred me for the dispatching of it to one Pistor that then was his deputy, mr Pistor plainly told me, that I should have no license unless I would give (my lord as he said) forty shillings upon every Tonne which I then refused, & I hope may doe still, & herefore I do most humbly recommend my cause & my self whole unto yor ho: as upon whom I doe & will only rely for favor both in this & all other my occacõns, beseeching your honor to stand my good Lorde in this matter And I shall rest in all

yr. honnours most humble to be commaunded Henry Nevell

Original Spelling Transcription

Transcription by John O'Donnell

To the right honnorable my singular good lorde the lord Burghleygh lord hygh Treasorour of England

May yt please yor honor to vnderstande: That about michelmas laste my lorde of Warwicke sent a gentleman of his one mr Blyncoe wth a lre [= letter] of Cõmaundmt vnto all the Gonnefownders in Sussex to repaire vp to this Cyttie by the vijth of October there to vnderstande his pleasure Concerninge theire further Contynuance in that trade / whervpon the moste of them appearing, and I amonge the rest & meetinge at his deputie mr Hockenells howse, yt was told vs by mr Hocknell & mr Blynco, That vpon complaint made by my ??? of the Councell of the abuse of transportacõn of ordinance into forraine countries, their honors had referred vnto my lord of Warwicke, to take order for redresse of yt, wherevpon hee had thought good to call vs togeather, & had autorised them twoe? to deale wth us, & take sufficient securitye against the like abuses for the tyme to come, Nowe because yt was thought convenient that some quantitie of ordinance should yerelie be made for the necessarye provicõn of or owne navigacõn, they had as they said vpon good advise set downe a generall rate yerely wch should serve the whole realme, and out of that they were content to allotte vnto euerye of vs a certaine quantytie. But at our hande they required that not should enter into such bondes as they should thinke good, not to cast any greater quantitie, then should be allotted vnto vs, not to sell anye but in thys Cyttie, nor to any marchaunt but such as my lorde or his deputie should name vs, wth certayne other condicõns of taking a stampe for all our peeces, out of the office, & some other smale pointes. All wch I for my part was well content to yelde vnto, except that wch dyd restraine vs to a merchaunt of their appointmt in place whereof I offered to be bounde to geue my lorde or his deputie present notice to what merchaunt I had sould my ordinance, that they might require at his hande sufficient securitie against transportacõn; But this being reiected, I made them this other offer; That I would retayle my peeces in open market vpon tower hill my selfe, & enter into any bondes that they would require at the marchantes handes, that they should name wch should be as they said, not to sell anye peece to any that was not a naturall borne subiect or a denisen. This offer they liked very well of, & my lordes deputie said, that seeinge the daunger of transportinge, should be so well prevented by yt, they could require noe more. So that a daie was appointed for me & others to ???? bondes to that effect & to receve our warrantes notwthstandinge the daie after, I knowe not vpon what occacõn mr Blyncoe sent me woorde that my offer woulde not be accepted. Wherevpon I desisted a longe tyme, till at length all our gonnefounders havinge proceeded ? the yere passing awaye, I ventured also to caste some suche quantitie as they in our conference had allotted me. For wch I perceve my lo: of Warwicke hath nowe sent for me by a purseavaunt I beseeche yor good ho: therefore to consyder of my case, & Iudge of my offers / For my part yf [it]? be thought good for the state, that noe ordinance be made, I desire to make none./But yf there be any allowed, I desyre that I maye make some [of] yt as well as other, offering (as I hope I do) sufficient security to prevent the abuse of transportacõn: for this restrayning us to a marchaunt of their choice I for my parte doe greatlie feare that yt tendes rather to some pryvat benefyt then to the publike good. And I have some cause to be suspicious of such a matter when I had made suyte to my lorde for his licence & he had graunted yt & referred me for the dispatching of yt to one Pistor that then was his deputie, mr Pistor planelie tould me, that I should have noe licence vnlesse I would geve (my lorde as he said) fortye shillinges vpon euerye Tonne wch I then refused, & I hope may doe still, & herefore I do most humblye recõmende my cause & my selfe wholye vnto yor ho: as vpon whom I doe & will onlye relye for

favor both in this & all other my occacõns, beseeching yor honor to stand my good Lorde in this matter And I shall rest in all

yr. honnours most humble to be commaunded Henry Nevell