1601 Jul 9 Neville to Robert Cecil
In the midst of all my misery I have received great comfort in the assurance of your constant favour towards me. And that, not only for the fruit and benefit I have reaped by it, being no less than the preservation of my life and state from those extreme courses, which otherwise, I doubt, would have been taken against me, but even as much for the hope that I conceived thereby, that you do not in your private judgment condemn me to have been so wicked and disloyal as my folly and misfortune together have made me to seem. I do with all humble thanks acknowledge the benefit, and profess to owe you my life, and that I will be ready to offer it in all occasions where it may do you service to spend it, and in the meantime to employ it by your commandment. And I do with like humbleness beseech you to continue your favourable conceit of me, and whatsoever other opinion I have deserved to lose, that you will vouchsafe still to hold me an honest man, for that is the highest title that I aspire unto, how odious soever I was lately made before you.
Touching my present occasions, I should be ashamed to importune you any more, having been so much bound already, even beyond the possibility of my merit, but that I know your honourable nature delights in doing good, as many have cause to acknowledge that were wrapped in these late misfortunes. And I am assured that you have not carried on the care of me hitherto with such true and honourable kindness, but with a purpose to finish the work that you have begun. I will be bold therefore to lay my state open before you, and so recommend it to that favour that I have had so good proof of.
The sentence that was given against me was, as I conceived, to pay 10,000l. for a fine; to lose all my offices; to forego a pension or yearly payment I receive out of the patent for ordnance, and to suffer imprisonment during her Majesty's pleasure. The offices I held are two parks, a walk in Windsor Forest, the stewardship of the manor of Sonning, and the keeping of the house at Windsor : all which together, in fees and commodities, may amount to 120l. or 200 marks by the year. Out of the patent for ordnance I had a yearly payment of 350l. So as there is taken from me of my present revenue well near 500l. a year. I hold also jointly with Sir Henry Killigrew a tellorship in the Exchequer, but by agreement between us I was not to meddle in it, nor to take any benefit of it during his time. When these things are gone from me, my revenue by my land will not be full 700l. a year. So that if it were in me to sell, two parts of the three sold would not pay the fine. But the truth is, that I have no power to sell any foot of that I have in Berkshire, my estate being only for life, and the inheritance being in my eldest son Henry, with remainders to my younger son, and so to my brother. In Yorkshire I have a parsonage racked out for 53l. a year, which is free for me to dispose of : and two other tithes there, the one let for 30l., the other for 39l., both which King Edward 6 gave to my father and the heirs males of his body, so as I cannot sell them without her Majesty's leave. And these three things are all I have in the world to make any money of. How my fine will arise out of them, I protest I do not know, nor consequently what offer or suit to make. I had more land free, but I have sold it, partly upon my first going into France, and partly since my coming over to pay my debts, so much as in all I received 4,000l. for. In this extremity of mine, I can plead nothing, but appeal to her Majesty's free grace and mercy, seeing all is of mercy. But more than my state will yield cannot be had. Therefore I apprehend nothing but misery and the continuance of her Majesty's indignation, seeing I am not able to make satisfaction in this course that she has been pleased to take with me. I humbly beseech you to afford me your advice and direction how I am to proceed. I beseech you also to grant leave to my wife to come to me, that I may confer and take some order with her about my poor estate, and likewise about suing and soliciting for me, as her infirmity will permit her. And so I end with my prayers to God to render you in full measure the goodness that I have found at your hands.—The Tower, 9 July 1601. Holograph. 2 pp. (86. 146.)
