Having provided introductory material (“Introduction to The Cecil-Penn Correspondence Regarding Charles Chester” [link]), we may proceed
with minimal commentary. Robert Cecil's first letter is conciliatory, but firm:
Mistress Penn because you are my very good friend, I have
thought good to make a difference between your house and others in like cases
presuming so much upon your discretion as that you will surely deliver up all
such papers, books, caskets or other things belonging to Charles Chester (who
is by my Lord Admiral and me committed close prisoner to the Gate-house), upon
this my private letter as if I had sent expressly a Pursuivant to make a search
: which I will not offer unto you, although it be creditably informed that your
house hath been of long time his chief receptacle, and that there are in your
house divers things of his fit to be reviewed. And thus requiring you that they
may be all forthcoming, I leave you to God. From the Court, this 20th of
June 1592.
Your loving friend Ro. Cecill. "
You shall do well to deal clearly in the discovery of such
things as be in your house, for his confession will otherwise discredit your
denial.[1]
The next letter is that quoted in my earlier “Juliana Penn! Robert Cecil! Who Knew?” [link]. Cecil writes to her from Theobald's, his father's country house :
good Mrs. Penn. I am very sorry to hear how extreme sick you
are by your son Michael my friend; and the rather understanding that you have
not been well ever since you were here. If you took any cold by coming to my
lord's house, being not very accustomed to stir abroad of long time, I hope it
will away with discreet and warm keeping. If any other conception should
trouble you, surely this letter may assure you that there was not, nor is, the
least suspicion conceived of any privity of yours to any ill of his who is now
a Prisoner in the Gate-house. For my part I do wish the poor soul no harm. Some
things there are found out of his lewd disposition to the State, which is the
cause of his Restraint. With time it may be qualified; wherein, though no
private respects shall make better or worse my conception of any man's
offences, yet shall I be the more apt in pity to deal for him (I must confess)
if he do forbear, according to his vile humour, to rail at my (?) Henry Cecil
out of prison by letters whereof I am imformed; being of my blood, and one who
never deserved of him but too well. For the letter you sent, it showed your
sincerity, of which I was never doubtful, as I have told your son often when he
sued to me for him.
I wish you health and contentment and so do bid you
heartily farewell. Your loving friend Ro : Cecyll."[2]
Suspecting that he has been toyed-with by the hostess of a
rooming house, Cecil begins to show his teeth.
Had Mrs. Penn not been the mother of his friend, and an acquaintance of
some years, he would have sent an agent to take what he demanded and she would be
answering any further queries from inside a cell.
I have foreborne for your children's sake to do by you as I
would have done by your betters. And, in that your answer was that you wanted
spectacles, I have forborne to send to you. But I do fear it will prove that
your house has fostered him to no good purpose. And it will go near to be
proved that in your hearing his tongue hath walked further than to speak of
subjects. Your silence in answering me, as though you scorned me for dealing
friendly with you, and your privy intelligence with him since his apprehension,
I can assure you must be answered. I love (I confess) your sons well, but do
not imagine that any of their credits with me shall make me blind when I am
ill-used. And thus I bid you Farewell.
Ro : Cecyll.
I will expect your answer, and that such you will affirm in
writing to be true. And if it come not the sooner I will send a Pursuivant to
your house which would be loath (to do)!
One can only assume that Cecil now promptly received the
papers and effects he demanded. As Hicks-Beach points out in her volume, there
are numerous signs that Mrs. Penn and Robert Cecil remained on friendly terms
after this affair.[3]
[2]
Ibid., 76-7.
[3] Purdy,
Gilbert Wesley. “Introduction to The Cecil-Penn Correspondence RegardingCharles Chester”.
- Introduction to TheCecil-Penn Correspondence Regarding Charles Chester. March 05, 2018. “It was at that time that Mrs. Penn wrote her infamous letter to the Earl demanding he and/or Thomas Churchyard pay the back bills one or both of them owed to her.”
- Juliana Penn, Robert Cecil and the Silver Bell, &c. February 25, 2018. “You know my Lord you had anything in my house whatsoever you or your men would demand, if it were in my house; if it had been a thousand times more, I would have been glad to pleasure your lordship withall.”
- Juliana Penn! Robert Cecil! Who Knew? February 11, 2018. “…there was not, nor is, the least suspicion conceaved of any privity of yours to any ill of his who is now a prisoner in the Gate-house.”
- Check out the English Renaissance Article Index for many more articles and reviews about this fascinating time and about the Shakespeare Authorship Question.
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