match for the widow of an Alderman of London. This was usual, where Widows were the King's wards. Widow of the King, vidua Regis, says Cowel, was she, who, after her husband's death, being the King's tenant in capite, was forced to recover her dower by the writ" de Dote assignanda," and could not marry again without the King's consent. The present is a sort of wooing Letter from the King, in which His Majesty announces to a widow that he has fixed upon a husband for her.

HENRY R.

By the King.

DERE and welbelovede we grete you wele, lating you wete our trusty and welbeloved servant Stephen Mylles hath shewed unto us how that he, for the longe experience and knowlege of your vertuous demeanor, sadnesse, and womanly demeanure, is greatly mynded towards you, to honor you by wey of maryage befor all other. We considering his honest intent and porpose in this behalf, exhorte and desire you to shewe yourself of like towardnes and herty love to our said servaunt for the solempnisacion of matrimonie betwene you, to Godd's pleasour. And in your thus doing, ye shall nat oonly cause us to bee good and gracious liege Lord unto you booth in any your reasonable porsuytts to be made unto us, but also thinke yourself in our opinion right wele bestowed to your herts ease and comfort hereafter. Yeven under our Signet at our

To our dere and welbelovede the Lady Anne Savon, widowe.

See the Stat. of the Prerog. an. 17 Edw. II. Mag. Chart. cap. vii. and 32 Hen. VIII. cap. xlvi.

LETTER CXXIV.

King Henry the Eighth to the Mayor and Aldermen of London, respecting the Office of Metership of Linen Cloth and Canvas in London.

RYGHT trustie and welbiloved We gret you well. And where as our trustye and welbeloved servaunt William Blakenhale, chief clerke of our Spicerye was in possession of the office of metershippe of lynyn clothe and canvas within our Cytie of London and subburbis of the same, as ye now being Mayre know and can testifie, till of late, without cause or deserte, both contrarye to the gift to hyme made, and also against justice and equytie, you have evictyd hym of the possessyon of the same, and also have taken the profetts to hym apperteynyng to your own use. We therefore marveling nott a lyttyll of your ingratitude to us and to our servaunt in that case exhibited, by these our Lettres requyre you, and nevertheles commaunde you that you not alonly put our sayd servaunt in full possessyon of the said office immediatlye apon the syght hereof, according to the gift to hym gevyn, but also to restore

hyme to all suche profetts and sommes of money as you have receyved by reason of the said office; fayling nott therof as you tendre our pleasor. Yeven at our manor of Westm'. the xvjth, day of Maij the xxviijti, yere of our Reign.

To our trusty and right welbiloved Councellor Sir John Allen knyght Mayor of our Citie of London, and to the Aldermen of the same.

LETTER CXXV.

Thomas Cumptun to Lord Cromwell, upon the dismissal of the Franciscan Monks of Guernsey, who had refused to take the oaths required by the King. A. D. 1537.

[MS. COTTON. VESPASIAN F. XIII. fol. 138. Orig.]

PLEASE hit your Lordship how that I have accordyng to our souverain Lord the Kinges gracious commission, and to the instruccions to me delivered by your Lordship uppon the same, don my debuera accordyng to the teneur of hit. And have called unto me all the Freres Observantes straungers whiche were left in the Convent of the Freres Observantes of Sainct Fraunces

a devoir.

within the Isle of Guernesey at my departyng, and accordyng to the same commission and instruccions have infourmed them to be sworn to our souverain lord the Kinges Hyghnes, to his Lawes & Actes, declaryng unto them the hoole continu of the same; the whiche Freres after that they had understanded the teneur of the said commission and actes, and after that they had communiked together and taken avisement, refused to take the said Othe, I avysing them how that they wold abyde the rigor of our said soverain Lord the Kynges Lawes and Statutes in that behalf; wheruppon they required me to let them goo in to Normandy theyr naturall contre; saying howe that they had heretofore made an Othe, whiche othe they wold not change, but rather forsake the Convent and Countrey than to make any outher. Wherfore accordyng to your Lordship instruccions I caused a Bote to conducte and passe theym into Normandy, their naturall contre, takyng the conductours of them conducte mony to pay for the frayght of the boote & for them until they were come to their next Convent. Also certifying your Lordship that I have send you by this present berrer the very true and veritable Inventory of all suche goodes mouvable and stuff of howsehold as were within the said Convent of Freres, made in the presence of the Deane & of too Jurattes of thes Isle as hit shall apere to your Lordship under their sealles and signes: and have set the said goodes in sufficient custody & surete until the

tyme I knowe further of our souverain Lord the Kynges Majeste most gracieux plaesur in hit. Suplying your Lordship to admytte my symplesse for I have don in hit the moost of my power, submyttyng myself to fulfill allwayes your Lordship his plaeser when hit shall plaese you to commande me. Written in Guernesey the xx th. day of September by yours

THOMAS CUMPTUN,

Leutenaunt.

LETTER CXXVI.

Robert Cowley, one of the Council in Ireland, to the Duke of Norfolk, a Discussion on the Finances of Ireland.

[MS. COTTON. TIT. B. XI. fol. 401. Orig.]

From internal evidence this Letter must have been written about 1538. It affords a striking picture of the state of Ireland at that time; and among the facts which it puts upon record, none is probably more remarkable than that which acquaints us that whilst the Exchequer of England was so complete in its official arrangements, that of Ireland was destitute even of Books of the Revenue.

My humble duety premysid to your noble Grace, it may pleas the same to bee advertised, that I, beeing oon of the Kinges majesties Counsail here, unworthy, seeing the Kinges great Thesaure sundry times sent oute of his Graces coffers from England hither, the