My very good Lord
Upon your message unto me by your
servant Hickes, I received no small comfort, that God putting into your heart
to favour and assist me in my suites to her Majesty after a long travail and
doubtful labor, I might obtain some end to my contentment. Wherefore I most earnestly,
and heartily desire your Lordship to have a feeling of my unfortunate estate,
which although it be far unfit to endure delays, yet have consumed four or five
years, in a flattering hope of idle words. But now having received this
comfortable message of furtherance & favour from Lordship although her majesty,
be forgetful of herself, yet by such a good mean, I do not doubt, if you list
but that I may receive some fruit of all my travail.
This last year past I have bene a
suiter to her Majesty that I might farm her Tins, giving 3000l a year
more than she had made. If I had not done this, there were which thought to
have had it for a thousand marks a year. I persevered, and if I would have given
it over to such, I might have been recompensed to my content. But for that I did
not a show has bene made to her Majesty of 10 thousand pounds of year, only
determining thereby, to stop her Majesty from harking to my suite, and so to
wear me out thereof, which being compassed, to bring it to there first point or
at the least to an easier rent, they demanded 30 or 40 thousand pounds, to be
lent them for one year, which they thought her Majesty would absolutely refuse.
And so having color to break of all, and myself forgotten it might be, and as
they thought most likely, her Majesty would yield and be brought to be contented
with a small sum, or at the most with so much as I had offered. Thus I was to
have beaten the bush, whilst another holding the net, had taken the bird.
But as I perceive, a rude copy of
mine, altogether undigested, came to her Majesty’s hands, whereby she is not so
discouraged as they have made their account. This copy as I perceive your
Lordship has seen. Yet I am sure, although you may discern some lights of reasonable
matter, it is so ill ^appearing^ as it will rather encumber you, then comfort
yow of any possibility.
Yet understanding thus much by your
servant Hickes, I framed one other plot, which for that the other stood all upon
likelihoods, & probabilities, might upon a more assured ground be built, if
her Majesty any kind of way can be persuaded to disburse forth her money. For
whereas that for which was demanded 40tie or 30tie thousand pounds, stood
altogether upon conjectures, this did only rely upon that which was certain
& what was by her majesty’s information of the year past certified in her
rates how it might be made with a far smaller some of money laid out, and so
what difference is between doubt and certainty between a great cost and lesser
charge that difference is apparent between that imperfect note and that I last
sent your Lordship.
But if it be so that her Majesty
likes a way whereby she shall lay forth no money & can be contented to have
those revenues which already are made to be lifted up and increased to ten thousand
pound by year.
Then I have discovered such a one
as if your Lordship like thereof, I will be glad to do her Majesty service therein,
& so to proceed as I shall be encouraged by you.
And this it is. Those merchants
which first set me on work, will give her Majesty four thousand pound a year advancement
of rent in her custom, if she will grant me the farm thereof, and to me a fifth
part. They are to lay out in stock 20 thousand pound. I only bearing but the
name of the suite, lay out never a penny but have as is said a fifth part. This
fifth part is assured me to be 2000l which indeed although I seem to
receive at their hands, yet it shall run into her Majesty’s coffers. So that
here is 6000l for her Majesty without laying forth one penny & I
dare undertake presently to be performed, so that this 6000l added to
the 3283l wants but little of 10 thousand, to make up which if it shall
pleas her Majesty to grant my suite for the license of transportation, I am to
give her 500l more, and will what I can strain myself to make it up full
10 thousand which is some 200 or 300l
more.
Also for your Lordship’s
furtherance of my suite concerning the license for the transportation of Tin
and, according to the statute, which defends none to be carried out of the Realm
without license unless it be to Calais etc., I will assure your lordship towards
the help of my daughter’s marriage, or otherwise as it shall pleas your
Lordship to assign, to pay yearly where and to whom you shall appoint 500l.
And if her Majesty sees that the
other ways are all intricate and troublesome then she may be assured of this
last way to be presently performed, & it is without trouble, to her Majesty
or laying out any money, to take this course last set down. And although the Merchant
is to be thought thereby to gain, yet it is to be considered the some of money
which he must lay out, the hazard of the times, of war of peace whereto he must
stand, the doubt whither the Mines will continue their proportion or no. And
what he does gain, her Majesty shall always be able to look into by my fifth,
whereof though I bear the name yet ^it^ is hers. Thus desiring pardon for my earnest
and long writing, I commit your Lordship to the Almighty. This 20tie of Marche.
Your Lordship’s always to
Command.
(signed) Edward Oxenford
Addressed (in Oxford’s hand): To
the right honorable and his very good lord the Lord Treasurer of England [seal]
Endorsed: 20 March 1594; The Earl
of Oxford to my Lord; Tin.
Also at Virtual Grub Street:
- Oxburgh Hall, Rats’ Nests and Hamlet’s Book. January 31, 2021. “Among the little things that could be done was to scavenge for the centuries of dreck that had found its way between the floorboards.”
- On the Question “Who knew Edward de Vere was Shakespeare?” December 14, 2020. “But was the word going around that his wife, the Countess of Oxford, conceived two children in his absence?”
- The Fascinating Itinerary of the Gelosi Troupe, 1576. June 10, 2019. “The Spanish soldiers had not been paid and unpaid soldiers tend to rob and loot. The citizens were prepared to give them a fight. Violent flare ups were occurring everywhere.”
- The Battle Over Shakespeare's Early and Late Plays. September 24, 2018. “The answers to the post-Oxford dilemma, of course, are three.”
- Check out the English Renaissance Article Index for many more articles and reviews about this fascinating time and about the Shakespeare Authorship Question.
- Check out the Letters Index: Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford for many letters from this fascinating time, some related to the Shakespeare Authorship Question.
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