ing heart to the best of my power. Other matters I have not to write to you upon; but I pray our Lord all powerful to have you in his most holy keeping, and grant you happy life, and long to continue. Written at Eresby, the Tuesday after the Feast of the Nativity of our Lady.

Entirely your son, Robert de
Wylughby Sire de Eresby.

The ensuing letter, though very short, discloses one or two facts connected with a subject of unfading interest-the death of Mary Queen of Scots. The writer was John Wolley, the clerk of the council; and, as the superscription states, it was addressed to the Earl of Leicester. Our readers do not require to be informed, that Queen Elizabeth's conduct with respect to the execution of Mary was a mixture of unrelenting cruelty, despicable cowardice, and flagitious hypocrisy; that whilst it was the dearest wish of her heart to deprive her kinswoman of her existence, she attempted to remove the odium of the act from herself, by endeavouring to induce those to whose custody she was intrusted to assassinate their prisoner; that when she found she could not succeed, she commanded the warrant to be forwarded; and that when she knew it was too late to recall it, asserted that she never intended it should be carried into execution, threw herself into a paroxysm of affected rage and grief, upbraided her counsellors, and first imprisoned and then sacrificed the fortunes of Secretary Davison, one of her most virtuous servants, as a victim to her own fame, and the resentment of the King of Scots. These damning facts in the character of Elizabeth are too well known to require to be dilated on: they have eclipsed the few noble actions of her life, and remain indelible spots on her reputation as a woman and a sovereign ; but we learn from this letter the humiliating efforts made by her ministers to appease her fury, and her implacable resolution to overwhelm the unfortunate Davison with the effect of her assumed, or perhaps, real repentance. In his "Apology," that statesman informs us that on the Friday after Mary's execution, namely, on the 10th of February, arriving at the court he learnt the manner in which the queen had expressed herself relative to the event; but being advised by the council to "absent himself for a day or two1;" and being moreover extremely ill, he left the court and returned to London. Wolsey's communication, if dated on Sunday, for the manuscript is so excessively badly written, as to be almost illegible, shows that Elizabeth did not summon her council, and evince her displeasure at their conduct, until Saturday the 13th of February, two

days after she was informed of Mary's fate. Davison had been attacked with a stroke of the palsy shortly before; and all he says of his committal is, that he was not sent to the Tower until Tuesday the 14th, on account of his illness, though some days previous, probably on Saturday the 10th, the queen assembled her council. This letter also exhibits a specimen of Leicester's characteristic meanness; for, notwithstanding that he was a party to the act of forwarding the warrant for Mary's death, as his name occurs among those of the council who signed the letters to the Earl of Shrewsbury, the Earl Marshal, and to the Earl of Kent, both of which were dated on the 3rd February, 1586-7', commanding them to cause it to be put into execution; he took care to withdraw from court before Elizabeth performed the role which has so justly excited the scorn of posterity. It may also be remarked, as another example of the official duplicity of the period, that Sir Francis Walsingham likewise affected not to have been concerned in the affair of despatching the warrant, as, in his letter to Lord Thirlstone, the secretary to King James, dated at Greenwich, on the 4th March 1586-7, less than a month afterwards, he says, " Being absent from court when the late execution of the queen your sovereign's mother happened," though we find that he signed both the letters just mentioned.

[Cottonian MSS. Caligula, C. IX. f. 168. Original.]

TO THE RIGHTE HONORABLE MY SINGULAR GOOD LORDE THE EARLE OF LEYCESTER ONE OF HER MATIES MOSTE HONORABLE PRYVIE COUNCELL.

Ryght Honorable and my most especiall good L. It pleased her M'tye yesterday night to call the L. L. and other of her Counsell before her into her withdrawing chamber, where she rebuked us all excedingly for our concealing from her our proceding in the Queen of Scotts case; but her indignation particularlye lighteth most upon my L. Treasorer and Mr. Davison, who called us togeather and delivered the commission; for she protesteth she gave expresse commandement to the contrarye and therefore hath taken order for the committing of Mr. Secretarye Davison to the tower yf she contenew this morning in the mynd she was yesterday night, albeit we all kneled upon our knees to praye her to the contrarye. I thinke your L. happy to be absent from those broiles, and thought it my dewtye to lett you understand them. And so in haste I humblye take my leave. At the courte this present Sonday, 15863, Your L. ever most bounden

J. WOLLEY.

Life of Davison, p. 96, and Ellis's Original Letters, second series, vol. iii. p. 111.

2 Sanderson's Mary Queen of Scots, p. 128.

3

Sunday, 12th February, 1586-7.

VOL. 1.-PART I.

K

I have often times sent unto John your old servant Mr. Norld to pray humbly your L. orders for the ordering of his case: he hath been long in prison and desirith your L. orders for the hearing of his which it may please your L. to express unto me.

case

The last letter which will be given in this place chiefly derives interest from its describing a very similar event to one which has lately possessed so much of public attention, the abduction of a young girl from her parents.

LETTER FROM PETER COOKE, RECTOR OF SUTTON UPON DERWENT IN YORKSHIRE, TO HIS SON-IN-LAW MILES DODSON, ESQ. OF KIRKBY OVERBLOWS IN THE SAME COUNTY, RESPECTING THE ABDUCTION OF AN HEIRESS IN THE REIGN OF JAMES I.

[From the original. Communicated by the Rev. Joseph Hunter, F. S. A.]

Sonne,

I am glad that I sent you worde of the stealing away of the mayd before Mr. Ashton and his wife came unto you. The thinge that I writ was true in substance; and now bicause I have better leysure I will shew you as I have hard of the same busines more particularly.

I was at Yorke the day after the act was done; and beinge at dinner with Sir Robert Askwith, his brother told him of the stealinge away of this mayd and of her cryinge, for he was upon Heworth Moore when they tooke her up, but he could not tell whose daughter she was, nor who stole her. Cominge from theire I mett Mr. Crashaw, and he told me that my daughter was blamed for inticinge of a young mayd into the feilds to that end she might be taken away. I told him, my daughter was at home with her children; neyther wold she take any such ungodly and unlawfull acts in hand. He laughed and said it was Mrs. Dodson that was blamed ; and so the bruit went it was my daughter, but, sayth he, I have answered that matter to all those I hard speake of it, that your daughter was of that behaviour she woold not have to doe with any such business and then streight after, it was knowne to be Mr. Mildred Dodson. And so the talke ceased of her, and your wife was in no blame.

The maid's father was one Spinke who dwelt at Great Driffeild upon the Wold. He was a petty grocer by his trade and kept a shop in Driffeild; but he got his wealth by bargayninge and takinge of tythes to farme. He dyinge havinge children, this daughter's portion came to betwixt five and six hundred pounds. Her mother may make it a great some for she is very rich; but she vowed as I have hard to spend more then they ar all worth but she will have the law against them; and I heare she is a very wilful and obstinate woman. The mayd is but about twelve yeares of age. She was put to schole at Yorke with one Mr. Solomon Daye's wife. Thither Mrs. Mildred resorted, and took acquaintance with a gentleman's daughter whom she never knew, and told her that her father and mother were

well. She wold needes bestow a quart of wine of the mistress; and intreated the mistress, seinge it was about foure of the cloke, that they might goe play, never takinge notice of Spink's daughter. Then she inticed them into the feilds; and then she gave notice to them that were appoynted for the matter, they beinge at Mrs. Davye's, an inn hard by the posterne that goeth to Heworth Moore. In all hast they take horse; and Davye one of the conspiracy gott Richard Dodson's horse: and so he and Miles and the Captain marshall away. Myles seased upon the mayd. At the first she laughed: but when she saw they were in good earnest she cryed extremely out, [and when] she was layd over the horsback, she cryed out " Murder, Murder! Alas! I shall never se my mother." Leonard Swan, my host Wadsworth, and one other offred to stay them. They drew their swords and showted and halowed, that her crying might not be hard. She lost her shoes. And after they had got her from company, they sett her up behind one of them. She twyse or thrice gott from behind him, and then, as I thinke, they bound her. Judge you whether this mayd was stolen agaynst her will or no.

They left the ordinary way by Kexby and came to Elvington, and so by my doore. My sonne Henry and tow of my men were standinge at the doore. They sange: yet notwithstandinge they hard the mayd mourne. The formost man they say was hoded. I suppose she was then past cryinge. After that, they mett my mayds cominge from Kye. One of them asked how I and my wife did: and so they kept on their journey to Goodmadame. Richard Dodson, after he had got an horse brought his sister Mildred behind him: but he went by Kexby; for ther he was inquiring whether any such people had gone that way.

The morow after, the Pursevant was sent with commission to Mr. Sudabie to apprehend them all. He beinge sicke sent his sonne with the Pursevant with other company. At the first, they wold not open the doores: but when they were told they must rayse the town and country, they opened: and the three worthies stode with their swords drawne. When they were told what danger they were in if they did resist, they yelded. They could not see the bridegrome nor the bride. So these thre was caryed to York, and committed to Cutlawes the Pursevant. The next day Mr. Ashton voluntarily went to York to see what was become of them, and there was he committed. And the next day was a warrant sent for the bringinge in of the bridegrome and the bride, and Mrs. Mildred as I suppose. Mr. Ashton writ a letter to his wife, by the name of Mrs. Katharine Fowberye to deliver the bodies of Richard Dodson and.... Spinke. So they came to Yorke upon Sunday about eleven of the cloke. The mayd was delivered to her mother, and so to the schole againe. The mayd beinge asked whether they threatened to kill her or no, she answered, they did not, but they sayd, if she wold not be content and be quiet they wold one of them kill an other. The minister that married them is one Lee, reader at Shipton. He overrunne the Pursevant, and so he is not as yet taken. It is sayd, that ther was a supper provided at Sparow's at Goodmadam for them, and so it is thought he is in some danger. I wish that it were otherwise in

respect of the money that he stands bound to me for. Mr. Ashton, in regard he is a minister and his church must be served, was allowed to departe upon securitie. So likewise Mrs. Mildred, bicause she was a Lincolneshire woman, Sir William Ellis, being of Lincolne tooke bayle of her. The other foure ar in the Castle as I heare. Miles is in hope that Sir Edwin Sands and Sir Myles will procure them ther pardons: but I feare they will have nothinge to doe with such a fowle offense. All the country cryes shame of this act, and expects the rigour of the law to be ministred unto them, that they nede not live in feare of the stealinge away of ther children.

I was at dinner upon Thursday last at Sir Henry Vaghan's, wher were Sir Guy Palmes, Sir George Palmes, Sir John Bouchier, Sir William Acklam, and Sir Richard Darley. A great parte of the talke at dinner was of this bad busines. Sir Guy sayd, by a statute Henrici 7 it was fellony: wherfore I am glad you intend to have nothinge to doe with them.

I have sent you tenn pounds accordinge to your desire. I expect you and my daughter at your day. My wife and I both have a great desire to see her. I pray you send me a wollman to buy my woll, that will pay me before my day.

Thus being now in some haste, with our loves remembered unto you, desiring God to blesse your wife and children, I betake you to God. Sutton upon Darwent this 20 of 7ber 1620. Yor ever assured lovinge father in law,

PETER COOKE.

FURNITURE IN THE PALACES OF KING HENRY THE EIGHTH.

AMONG the MSS. in the British Museum are two very large volumes, marked No. 1419, A. and B. entitled," The Seconde Parte of the Inventorye of our late Soveraigne Lorde King Henry the Eighth conteyning his Guarderobes, Housholde Stuffe and other Implementes; made by vertue of a Commyssion undre the Greate Seale of England bearing date at Westminster the 14th daye of Septembre in the firste yere of the reign of our Soveraigne Lord King Edward the Sixte [1547], directed to the Lorde Seynt John, Great Mastre of the Kinges Housholde, President of the Counsaill, and Keaper of the Great Seale; the Lord Russell, Keeper of the Privey Seale; the Erle of Warwicke; and to Sir Walter Mildmay Knight, or to three or two of theym. Which Commyssion in the Boke conteyning the firste parte of the saide Inventorye at length is conteyned. All whiche Goodes, Cattalles, and Stuffe were examyned by the Commyssioners at sundrie tymes and seasons in the saide firste yeare of the Kinges Majesties reign; as by dyvers perticuler and rough