Letters: Earl of Oxford to Queen Elizabeth; June 1599. [Spelling modernized.]

Cecil Papers 71/26, Oxford to Elizabeth; June 1599. [Click here for original spelling.]

I beseech your Majesty to pardon my importunity, at this present, and once again in this cause to trouble you with my letters. Also for my short writing, since I rather am now in so short a time to possess you with the matter, then with the Circumstance.

There were with me a few days past sent from your Majesty Sir John Foscue & my Lord Chief Justice about the matter of Tin, who declared to me that your Majesty was resolved to take into your hands the preemption of Tin, and that it was your pleasure I should proceed in that which I had advertised your Majesty to get you the money with which the Tin might be bought of the country.

I declared to them that I had in readiness merchants very sufficient which were willing and ready to lend their money but for that I had not of long hard from your Majesty I feared lest you had forgotten it or at the least not determined to proceed any further by some persuasion. Wherefore I had neglected this time to entertain the Merchants in the same humor. I therefore desired a day or two again to refresh it again with them, whereto they agreed.

I did so. I found the merchants steadfast in their mind willing and with great alacrity forward to do your Majesty’s service in this. Alderman Banning was the messenger between them and me, he did their message, I received we parted, then after for that I could not travel up and down myself, I made Alderman Banning once again to reiterate their resolution as repeated from me to know whither I mistook any word or speech, they all sent me word back again that I rightly conceived them and I mistook them in no one point or word.

Hereupon I advertised my lord Chief Justice, in which advertisement I sent their requests and conditions, concerning which I referred some to his opinion and required to hear from him.

These conditions and such matters at this time for brevity sake I am to refer to a fitter time hereafter to inform your Majesty. Only this I am here to let you understand, that the Merchants were willing and in readiness with their money to have lent you the money which should be a stock for the whole Commodity, your Majesty should not lay out one penny, you shall pay no interest, every six months they [....] would have paid you five thousand pound, which is ten thousand pound a year. They would take no years but when they had done your Majesty this service, and that you had proof of the same, and that they had restored the ancient price in Turkey of this commodity then to accepted such conditions as your Majesty should think most profitable for yourself .

These things I advertised, time ran on, the Merchants were moved I wondered. And to make me more wonder, my wife coming from the court, told me that your Majesty said to her you heard not that there was any money gotten.

On Wednesday last the Merchants were resolved to meet together for the collection of the money and to portion every man’s part with great willingness and forwardness. But then strange to me to hear it, a commandment delivered from the Lord Mayor that they should no further think of that matter, for her Majesty had no money and therefore was determined this year to let it alone and they might buy as they had done before.

How your Majesty is persuaded I am not privy, but by your Majesty’s favour I muse what eloquence should move you, to leave seven thousand ^l^ gained so easily that you are put to no further cost than telling it in your exchequer.

Again I think myself very evil recompensed for my service to be employed and when I have performed it, with all the faith and diligence I can; then, it, and myself upon no reason with so great a loss to your Majesty to be rejected and neglected.

I dare not say how much your Majesty is abused, but I find myself much grieved to be set on to compass this money, and having compassed it to be turned out with such a mockery. I beseech your Majesty in whose service I have faithfully employed myself, (I will not entreat that you suffer it yourself thus to be abused,) but that you will not suffer me thus to be flouted scorned & mocked.

I fear I am too long and that my hand is too troublesome to read, further the letter too long, wherefore I will end adding this only. That to inform your Majesty that you were to lay out any one penny is a foul abuse, and this on my credit and duty I do affirm to your Majesty in whomsoever the fault is so far to abuse themselves. How can it be said you have no money, when behold so sufficient Merchants are ready without any Interest to lend you the money?

Perhaps they have told you that they have heard none named, or know of any. How can Sir John Foscue say so? How can my lord Chief Justice say it when I did assure them I had gotten Merchants and the money to be ready whensoever they should give me warning to bring forth these Merchants with their money?

They may say they had none named to them, they know that I told them the Merchants desired not to be seen in it till your Majesty had taken the preemption. They mislike it not they told me that that order for the preemption should be done within two or three days? I never hard since from them. I prepared the Merchants to be ready till now this new alteration hath confounded all.

Wherefore if your Majesty will have it done I am to advertise you it will be done. Money is to be had that shall stand you in never a penny. And therefore if it stand with your pleasure, it behooves your Majesty to make a stay again of this new deceit, and to suffer the former order of preemption to go forward, which in a year or two will be fifteen thousand pound a year.

Thus in haste I crave your Majesty’s pardon, for I thought it better for me to make a fault in my writing, than that your Majesty should suffer any loss by so great abuse and to inform your Majesty how necessary that it is if your pleasure be not to lease a commodity, made ^so^ ready to your hands, to  countermand this last order, and to give commandment that the order of your preemption be not altered, least the Merchants having prepared this money and being provided to furnish your service, disposing it otherwise and upon some other employments, the like facility and opportunity to effect it be never had again.

Your Majesty’s

most humble

subject and servant

(signed) Edward Oxenford

Addressed (in Oxford’s hand): for her most excellent Majesty. [seal]

Endorsed: June 1599; Earl of Oxford to her Majesty; concerning Tin.

 

 

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