Letters: Earl of Oxford to Baron Burghley; June 15, 1595.

PRO SP12/252/76, ff. 144-5, Oxford to Burghley; 15 June 1595. [Click here for modernized spelling.]

My very good Lord, yf yowre meanynge be onlye that the Alderman showlde goo downe to ioyne wythe Middeltone, whose Iornie in myne opinion is to small furtherance of her Magestys seruice, then I thinke as yowre Lordship yat yt ys nott so convenient for an Alderman to be sent for yf yt be to inquyre of the quantetye of Tyne, whervpon as the matter is now, yt ys not to be so muche stood vpone, sythe her Magestye myght have hade with lesse troble, a more perfect intelligence, and wythe lesse charge here at home by pervsinge the Bookes of the Exchecker, the receytes of Sir Frances Guydolphines, and conferringe them with the Marchantes bookes, which have vsed the trade, at what prizes they bowght and have sowld thys fowre or fyve yeares past.

But yf the mayne and chiefest poynt ys to bee hadd in consideratione, whyche ys that her Magesty be nott put by the benifite of thys yeare, then I am wholy of the opinion, yat in a matter of suche importance, no man to good for to serve her Magesty and the more experienced & practised in the cause the meter to be imployed.

And yf yowre Lordship stand in dowte of the contentment in the Contrye, then yt ys easie inoughe for yowre Lordship to be resolued.

Sythe the last yeare bothe the Contrie, and ^companie of peutrers^ made an agrement and gave assent vnto 24l the thowsande.

And then they hadd reasone as the case stood wythe them, for Tynne wythein this 18 monthes was as good cheape, as yt was fortye yeares agoo, by the meanes of fyve or syx marchant ingrossers, whoo kept yt at a lowe ratte, for there gayne a dozen yeares. yet now have put yt vp, for the lettinge of good causes whyche showld take effect.

Whearfore yf her Magesty giue them 20s more, which is 25l or 26l or 40tie marckes, whiche will content them, to be assured yearlye, & may have twoo or thre thowsande pounde at fyve or six in the hundred at the Agentes handes, puttinge in good assurance, whiche monye will cause the quantite to be greate, by meanes they shall want no monye to sett there people one worke; Then ther is no lett but her Magesty may make her benyfite thys summer; so therbe sent wythe speed sumeone to stey the sale tyll St Iemses tyde, in whiche tyme the Agentes and suche others may goo to accomplishe the cause.

As for yowre Lordships mistakinge of the puttinge of the Coynage to St Iameses day, yt ys no puttinge of, for yt ys the very day, by order of the stannerye, wherby her Magesty shall rather reforme a late abuse browght in by the ingrossers, then seme to innovat.

Myne intent ys no more but that there myght be a cople of Agers and suche others thys summer appoynted to take in the Tynne for the Queens vse at the prizes aboue sayed. and they to sell yt but as yt ys now woorthe in Londone, very nere fowre pownd a hundred whiche ys nere 40l a thowsande, and makes of every twoo thowsand three. The quantetye of Tynne beinge woorthe neare fortye thowsand pownde, makes very neare three scoore thowsand pounde whiche ys 20tye thowsand l gayne.

Now my Lord I leaue to yowre iugment whyther ten thowsand pound a yeare be better to the Queen then fowre. And yett suche a bargayne for the Agents and others, as few marchantes can attayne vnto, whoo make greater aduentures for less gayne. This 15 Iune 1595.

Yowre Lordships to commande.

(Signed) Edward Oxenford

Addressed (in Oxford’s hand): To the ryght honorable my very good Lord the Lord Thresorer of Englande [seal]

Endorsed: 15 Iunij 1595; Tyn; Erle of Oxford to my lord

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