Letters: Earl of Oxford to Baron Burghley, September 1572.

BL Harley 6991/5, ff. 9-10, Oxford to Burghley, September 1572.
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My Lorde, I haue vnderstoode by yowre Lordshipes letters, that Roberte Christmas, acordinge to my appointment, hathe repaired to yowre good Lordship abought my causes, and as yowre Lordship thinkes good therin, as touchinge a new suruaye, so do I determine shalbe done for bothe, as yowre Lordship perceiues; and also mi selfe I haue ben greatlye abusd in the former, by suche as I pute in trust tofore, but for that is past now I haue no other remidie but to loke better to amend the fault in the rest of my delinges hearafter. and as for my timber at Colne parke; therin, I had no other meaninge saue onlie to make, as it weare, a yearlie rente, so as I may, withe ought disparkinge the grounde. But now for the suruaier whiche yowre Lordship hathe named, I must get him by yowre Lordships meanes, and for yowre Lordships sake, for I ame vtterly vnaquantte[d] withe him

And as for those large leases, whiche yowre Lordship hathe bene aduertised ofe, to be graunted by me, I doo assure yowre Lordshipe withe ought dissemblinge my faultes to yow to whome I perceiue my self so muche to be bownd vnto for yowre singouler care ouer my weldoinge: I must confess my negligence and to littell care withe the two two muche trust I haue put to some ouer myn owne doinges; it may be I am greatly abused, but as yet till I searche into those thinges now vpon yowre Lordships most gracious admonissiones I doo nott know. But It is leklier to be as yowre Lordship dothe gesse then otherwise, and if it be not so it is more by good hape then of my prouidence.

The deuice of makinge fre my copihoulders mi Lord I neuer thought of otherwise then [a motion] mad to me by Robert Christmas wherin amonge the other thinges I bad him tell it yowre Lordship at whose lekinge or dislekinge I was to be ruled in ani thinge. knowinge if it weare a thinge fitt or vnfite for me I showld by yowre Lordships good aduise quiklye vnderstand, and so I left it to be not done, or taken in hande, and thuse sir for these matters bothe in this as in all other thinges I am to be gouerned and commanded att yowre lordshipes good deuotion.

I wowld to god yowre lordship wowld lett me vnderstand sume of yowre newes, whiche here dothe ringe doutfullie in the eares of eurie man of the murder of the admirall of Fraunce and a number of noble men and worthie gentelmen, and suche as greatlye haue in there liue times honored the Queens Magestie oure mistris, on whose tragedies we haue an number of frenche AEneases in this citte that tels of theare owne ouerthrowes withe teares fallinge from ther eies, a piteous thinge to heare but a cruell and far more greuous thinge we mus deme it thane to see. all rumores here are but confused, of those tropes that are escaped from Paris, and Rohan where Monsieur hath also bene, and leke a vesper Sicilianus as they sey that crueltie spredes ouer all fraunce. wherof yowre Lordship is better aduertised then we are here. And sithe the world is so full of treasones, and vile instrumentes, daylie to attempt new and vnloktfor thinges, good my Lord, I shall affetiouslye, and hartely desire yowre Lordship to be carfull bothe of yowre self and of her Magestie that yowre friendes may longe enioie yow and yow them. I speake bycause I am not ignorant what practises haue bene made against yowre persone latlye by Madder, and later as I vnderstand by forren practises, if it be tru. And thinke yf the admiral in fraunce was a eysore or[e] beame in the eyes of the papistes, that The lord tresorer of England is a bloke and a crosebare in ther way, whose remoue, they will neuer stikte to attempte, seinge they haue preuailed so well in others.

This estatte hathe depended on yow a great while, as all the world dothe iuge, and now all menes eyes, not beinge ocupid any more on these lost lordes, are as it weare one a soden bent and fixed on yow, as a singular hope and piller wherto the religion hath too leane. And blame me not thought I am boulder withe yowre Lordship at this present then my custome is, for I am on that count my self a follower of yowres now in all fortunes; and what shall hape to yow I count it hap to my selfe; or at the least I will make my self a voluntarie partaker of it.

Thus my Lord I humbli desire yowre Lordship to pardone my yowthe, but to take in good part my zeale and affection towardes yowre Lordship As on whome I haue builded my fowndation ether to stand or fall. And good my Lord think I do not this presumptiouslie as to aduise yow that am but to take aduise of yowre Lordship but to admonishe yow as one withe whome I wowld spend my blud and lyfe so muche yow haue made me yowres. and I do protest ther is nothinge more desired of me then so to be taken an accounted of yow. thus withe my hartie comendationes and yowre daughters we leaue yow to the custodie of Almightie God.

Yowre Lordships affectioned sune in lawe.
(signed) Edward Oxenford (sec. f; 4+7)

Addressed (O): To the right honorable and his singular good Lord the lord Trer of England giue these. [trace of seal]

Endorsed (mixture of two hands): September 1572; [E]dward ye Erle of oxford, to my Lord treasurer; Concerning his Estates. Reflexions vpon ye Paris massacre, the danger his Lordship was in. And ye Earles concern for his weldoing.

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