Letters: Earl of Oxford to Baron Burghley, March 18, 1575

Cecil Papers, 8/24, Oxford to Burghley, 18 March 1575 (bifolium, 295mm x 208mm) (W102-3; F163-4). [Click here for modernized spelling.]

My lord yowre letters haue made me a glad man, for thes last haue put me in asseurance of that good fortune whiche yowre former mentioned doughtfullye. I thank god therfore, withe yowre Lordship that it hathe pleased him to make me a father wher yowre Lordship is a grandfather. and if it be a boij I shall lekwise be the partaker withe yow in a greater contentation. But therby to take an occasion too returne I am far of[f] from that opinion, for now it hathe pleased god to giue me a sune of myne owne (as I hope it is) mithink I haue the better occasion to trauell, sithe whatsoeuer becommethe of me, I leue behind me on[e] to supplie my dutie and seruice either to my prince or els my contrie.

I thanke yowre Lordship I haue receiued farther bils of credite, and letters of great curtesie from Mr Benidic Spinola. I am allso behouldinge here vnto mr Reymondo, that hathe help me greatly withe a number of fauours whom I shall desire yowre Lordship when yow haue leisur and occasion to giue him thankes, for I know the greatest part of his friendshipe towards me hathe bine in respect of yowre Lordshipe.

For feare of the inquisition I dare not pas by Milan, the Bishop wherof exersisethe such tyranie. wherfore I take the way of Germanie, where I mean to aquaint my self withe sturmius, withe [w]home after I passed my iornie now I haue in hand I meane to pas sum time

I haue found here this curtesie, the kinge hathe giuen me his letters of recommendation to his embassadour in the Turks court, lekwise the venetian embassadour that is here knowinge my desire to see those parties hathe giuen me his letters to the Duke, and diuers of his kinsmen in Venice, to procur me ther furtherances to my iornie which I am not yet assured too howld for if the Turkes cum as they be loked for vpon the coste of Italy or els where, if I may I will se the seruice, if he commethe not then perhapes I will bestowe twoo or thre monthes to se Constantinople, and sum part of Grece.

The Englishe imbassadour here greatly complainethe of the deernes of this contrie, and ernestly hathe desired me to craue yowre Lordshipes fauour to consider the difference of his time, from thers whiche were before him, he saiethe the charges are greater, his abilite less the court remoues long and oft, the causes of expences augmented, his allowance not beinge increased. But as concerninge thes matters, now I haue satisfisd his desire I refer them to yowre Lordships discretion, that is better experienced then I perhaps enformed him in th[illegible] negotiations of Embassaders.

My Lord wheras I perceiue by yowr Lordships letters, how hardly monie is to be gotten, and that my man writeth he wowld faine pay vnto my creditours sum part of that monie whiche I haue appointed to be made ouer vnto me, good my Lord let rather my crediters beare withe me awhile and take ther dayes assigned accordinge to that order I left, then I to want in a strange contrie, vnknowinge yet what nede I may haue of mony my self. my revenu I appointed withe the profites of my lands to pay them as I may, and if I cannot yet pay them as I wowld yet as I can I will but preferringe myne own necescite before thers, and if at the end of my travell I shall haue sumthinge left of my prouision they shall haue it amonge them, but before I will not disfurnish my self. good my lord haue an ey vnto my men that I haue put in trust. thus makinge my commendations to yowr Lordship and my Ladie I commite yow to god, and whersoeuer I am I rest at yowr Lordships commandment. written the xvijjht of Marche from Paris

(signed) Edward Oxenford

My Lord this gentellman Mr Corbek, hathe giuen me great cause to leke of him bothe for his curtesies that he hathe showne me in lettinge me vnderstand the dificulties as well as the safties of my trauell, as allso I find him affected bothe to me and yowr Lordshipe I pray yowre Lordship that those whoo ar my friends may seme yowres as yowres I esteme myne, and giuen yowre Lordships good countnance and in short I rest yowres

Addressed: To the righ honorable and his singuler good Lord my Lord Tresorer of England giue thes. [seal]

Endorsed: Martij 1574 [=1575] ye Erle of oxford to me [illegible] knowledg [illegible]

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