Letters: Earl of Oxford to Baron Burghley; March 28, 1595.

Cecil Papers 31/52, Oxford to Burghley; 28 March 1595. [Click here for modernized spelling.]

My very good Lord. I doo fully perceyve how muche I am bound vnto yowre Lordship wherfore I am sorye that the shortnes of the tyme this day which I hadd with yowre Lordship and the presence of ye Alderman made me to forbeare sumthinges of importance in this matter of ye Tynnes. It ys trwe that I have found the Lord of Buchurst to have delt with me very stranglye, and otherwise, then tyll this experience, hadd of his dispositione, I wowld have beleved, or otherwise suspected. But In effect I showlde have assured yowre Lordship that I have nott ignorantly or rashly entered into this sute, for a licence of transportatione, but vpon the solititatione of Mr Carmarden, and ye conference of suche as have hadd longe experience in Tyne matters. He I say is the only man yat sett me in hand with this swte, & by whome I hadd the fyrst lyght of the great quantite of Tynnes wherof 

her Magestie is yerely deceyvede in her Custome. Wherfore accordingly I have of longe tyme soo well as I cowld by wryghtinge and sendinge made all the meanes I cowld to her Magestie yat by that wayes I myght bothe doo her maiestie seruice and my self plesure, which thinge Carmarden wowld have done himself yf the feares of sume counceleres wherofe one I have named dyd not discorage him. wherfore what he durst not enter into himself, yat hathe he frome tyme to tyme incoraged me, showinge me the small matter which is yerly answered to her Magestie as yowre Lordship may perceyve in my nootes which is agreable with yat of hys the last yeare. for myne were taken owt of hys. And assure yowre Lordship yf her Maiestie will but giue me lesure to agree with them that have sett me one, and to make my bargeynes with them, I doo nott dowt but to bringe very shortly good assurance to yowre Lordship for her Magestie to performe so muche as I have promised. I have all redie agreed with sume, and I only stey but to finishe with the rest that whatt they shall pay to me to turne there bondes to yowre Lordship for her Magesties assurance grauntinge me the swt.

It ys trwe that my gaynes shalbe very lyttell or nothinge yet sythe my Lord of Buchurst hathe so hardly dealt with me as I will enforme yowre Lordship whensoever I shall have oportunite therfore I rather will content my self with nothinge and make vp the sume I have promised then he showld effect his crosse, and overthwart towards me.

But I dyd alwayes take, that he wowld have given 7 thowsand l more then her maiestie yett hadd, and yat made me offer the more which by gods grace I meane to performe. But considering he is fallen 3000l of yat account yf I may be therfore spared, my gayne wilbe sumthinge, and wheras he bringes yt to 7000l, yf I may have yt for 8000l, which is a thowsand l more then I shall not be so muche aferd of the decay of ye Mynes, nor of ye selfwill of ye People and suche feares as are not forcast in vayne.

Yet yf her Maiestie will have the vttermost rather then be thus put owt I doo not dowt but to answer in all respects my promes. So yat I may be assured none shall have yt frome me. and that I have sume smalle tyme gyvene me to make ane end of those agrementes wherof sume I have allredie fynished. thus to informe yowre Lordship that which I forgott to day. I feare I am to longe.

Yowre Lordships to Commande.

(signed) Edward Oxenford

Addressed (in Oxford’s hand): To the ryght honorable & my very good Lord my Lord Thresorer of England.

Endorsed (in Burghley’s hand): 28 March 1595; Erle of oxford

 

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