Correspondence, etc., mainly between Savile family and Earls of Shrewsbury, 1545-1611

A small Collection of Letters (stitched together), of the sixteen and early seventeenth centuries, chiefly addressed to the Earls of Shrewsbury, of which the following are abstracts:-

Francis Earl of Shrewsbury to Sir Henry Seyvill, knight. About musters and arms in the West Riding 21 Apr 1545

Tankersley. Sir Henry Savile to the Earl of Shrewsbury. Has been killing stags at Tankersley and Wharncliff, in company with Lord Talbot. Other personal matters 1 Aug 1546

Pontefract. Sir Henry Savile to -. Encloses a paper of advice and instructions as to his conduct, etc 6 Apr 1547

Soothill. Sir Henry Savile to the Earl of Shrewsbury, lord president of the north parts. Asking repayment of loan 19 Feb 1552/53

Soothill. Sir Henry Savile to the Earl of Shrewsbury, President of the North. Has continued in great sickness, yearly decaying from worse to worse. "By longe advyse I have de .... at the spryng to enter the new dyett" ..... "butt suerly I accountt myselff a dead man this yere or the next at the ferthyst" 24 Mar 1555/56

Soothill. Sir Hy Savile, John Nevyll and John Lacy to the Earl of Shrewsbury, President of the King and Queen's most honourable Council in the north parts. 11 May 1556

"Our duties remembred. Accordyng to the kynge and quene's commandement from your lordship to us directed, we have travelled in the mater for the murder of Doctor Haldisworth. First we have send unto you William Haworth which is taken of suspect for the said murder. Also we have appoynted certen other persons for dyverse causes to be examyned at such tyme as we most convenyently thynk it requisite for the same. Also for so much as we thynk that the wachemen in Halifax did not their duties that nyght, we have taken surties of theyme to appere before your lordship in the kyng and quene's counsell upon ten dayes warnyng to be giffen by Jamys Stanesfelde bayliff of Halifax or his laufull deputie in the church, or any other laufull warnyng that your lodship shall giff theyme"

Soothill. Sir Henry Savile to the Earl of Shrewsbury, President of King and Queen's Council assembled in the North. On some business concerning William Haworth which the Council wished Mr Nevile and himself to attend to. Edward Savile will wait upon his lordship that night with other prisoners; he went to Ferrybridge to know whether the Earl was as York or Sheffield. Mr Nevile and Mr Lacy will dine that day at Soothill, and he expects to hear of more prisoners 15 May 1556

Sir William Cordell to the Earl of Shrewsbury, President of the North. "After my moste humble dewtye unto your good lordeshipp beynge glad to here that the same ys somwhat recoveryd of your disease. I thynke er this my letter shall come unto your hands you have receyved letters from my lordes of the Councell to send upp Bradford, the which made the traytorous proclamation thatt was sett forth by Stafford and likewyse the traytorous and hereticall book set forth agaynst the King's and the Queen's (majesties?). And I most humble requyre your L.L. to procede with the endytyng & arreignment of the rest that remayne with you of the Rebellyon with as (moche?) spede as conveyently yow maye accordyng to the tenor of ther former letters. And that thendytements of Stafford, Bradford, Peter Sanders, Stowell & the Frenchman, the which be now in the Towre, maye be sent upp hether with all spede to procede agaynst them accordynge to justice. The king & the queen's majesties our lord be praysed are in good helthes, and wyshyng unto your L. the like good helth, etc. From London this ixth of Maye 1557" 9 May 1557

The Court at Richmond. Same to same. On behalf of his cousin Whalley of Notts, who has been directed by his lordship to put himself in order with his servants, tenants, etc to be employed in such service as should be appointed them. Whalley's ability, owing to his long imprisonment and tedious suits, agreeth nothing with the forwardness of his heart to serve the king and the queen 20 Jul 1557

Court at St James. Same to same. Complimentary. "Occurrents here be none but that yt ys reported that the kyng's majestie with his ... ys gone towards ... tterell. The quenes majestie our lord be praysed ys well recovered" 9 Sep 1558

From my house at the Rolls. Same to same. A long letter referring to his lordship's sickness, and to an interview with Lady Pope about the debts of Sir Thomas Pope 25 Apr 1560

From my house at the Rolls. Same to same. Referring to the marriage of Lord Shrewsbury's eldest son to the Earl of Pembroke's daughter 24 Feb 1561/62

Articles of Agreement between Sir George Savile, of Heath, co York, knt, and John Savile, of Howley, in the said county, Esq 27 May 33 Eliz (1591)

Accounts of Mr Averey Copley, receiver to Mr Edward Savile, esq, of all his rents and revenues due to him the said Edward for all his manors, etc for one whole year, etc 30 Dec 1573

From my poor house in Suffolk. Sir Wm Cordell to the Earl of Shrewsbury, Earl Marshal of England. Acknowledging his efforts to compound the unnatural and unkind difference and questions between his cousin Francis Peake, and his brothers and sisters, although there had not hitherto grown such fruit thereof as the pains and travail deserved 3 Sep 1580

Paper endorsed. - A note of Leases sealed at Sheffield to Sir George Savile's use out of Mr Edward Savile's lands 11 Mar 1589/90

Thornhill. Sir Henry Savile to the Earl of Shrewsbury. Being informed that his lordship is about to remove the keeper of Pontefract Castle, recommends Mr Richard Bunny, "a gentillman of good habylytye & muche honestye", for the place 7 Mar 1564/65

Bond of Elizabeth Countess of Shrewsbury. "Be yet knowen to all menne that I Elyzabethe Contys of Shrobery have resavyd of my lorde my hosbande towardes the pamente of my detes one thosante ponde, whyche thosante ponde I convente and bynde me my eares executoryes and asynes to repaye unto my sade lorde and hosbande yn maner and forme foloynge, that ys to say, two-honderythe ponde yn the yeere of owre god one thosante fyve honderythe forescore, twohondryth ponde and .. that day twelve monte other two honderyth, and so yerly two hondery the ponde tyll the wolle some of one thosante ponde by payd yn wetenes therof I have potte to my hande and seal and wretyne thys with my owne hande

E SHROUESBURY

Sealed and delevered the xth of Marche 1577 in presens of us here underwritten knowldginge the dett above mentioned

WALTER GROSVENOR

DAVID OWEN

THO BAYLY 10 Mar 1577/78

Court at Farnham. Lord Burghley to Earl of Shrewsbury (holograph).

"My very good Lord, I am right sorry that I am not hable as I am right willyng, to make your lo. a better satisfaction in this cases of your lieutenancyes. I shall hartely reteyne your letters patents for Darbyshyre being passed the Great Seal, but I will aventur to do it, untill I may farder consider theof, how and by what pretence I may staye it. I have attempted of late to have her Majesty apoynt you to be the lieutenant of Nottyngham as my L. your father was, but she is induced to alledg that whan the Erles of Rutland lyved, they war lieutenants ther. I answered that sometyme it was so, and sometymes not, and so I cold not obteyn it, and the rather as I se for that when Mr Thos Markham alledged some thyngs ageynst Sir Thomas Stanhop, hir Majesty hath sene his letters wherin he doth so flatly deny the complaynts to be trew, as hir Majesty semeth to creditt hym therin.

At this tyme I am also sorry that I cold not differ any longar the direction from hir Majesty, which now I do sygnefy by hir express commandment, for the sendyng upp of Mr Savell, whose fortune is hard at (1x?) yers of age to be examyned whyther he be a naturall foole or noe. As I perceave ther will be some errors fownd in the fynes and recoveryes passed ageynst Mr Savell. An so I humbly tak my leave" 14 Aug 1591

From my house in Phillpott Lane. Sir Edward Osborne to the Earl of Shrewsbury. Reminds his lordship that he had become bound unto one Henry Lee for £105 to be paid on Feb 2 last past, for the which he had Lord Shrewsbury's hand and Sir G Savile's to hold him harmless; and presses for payment of the amount 15 Feb 1590/91

Lambeth Marsh. Richard Topclyffe to the Earl of Shrewsbury. Business matters 6 Jul 1593

Gainsborough. Robert Somerscales to the Earl of Shrewsbury. Business matters 17 Jul 1593

Pomfret. Sir George Savile to the Earl of Shrewsbury at Sheffield Lodge 16 Dec 1592

Thornhill. Same to same. About his patent for the stewardship of the Isle of Axholme 22 Sep 1593

Same to same 12 May 1598

Newington. Same to same. "Behold inclosed the manner of her Majesty's late entertainment at my Lord Keeper's house, whereunto I must add the doughty playing of 'Barly Breaks,' dancing of country dances by the boys of the Chapel, and excellent 'vawtinge of tumblers.' The feast so great, as six dishes upon head stood so furnished through the whole service which by report is greatly spoken of in London." The Queen likely to go forward from Oatlands to Lord Hertford's. The gifts many and great, the jewel presented by the Lord Keeper held richly worth, £1,000, another jewel worth £600; and the gown of rainbows very rich embroidered 14 Aug 1602

Newington. George Savile to the Earl of Shrewsbury. Concerning Sir Henry Bromley, Mr Curzon, and other personal matters. His father is come to Barrowby 14 Sep 1602

Same to same. On like business [1603]

Cottesbrooke. George Savile to his aunt the Countess of Shrewsbury. Has come to this place to deliver the pill her ladyship had sent to Mr Reade, whose senses and memory fail him. Concerning his affection for Mr Reade's daughter, and her portion 2 Apr 1604

Thornhill. George Savile to his uncle the Earl of Shrewsbury. Is informed Sir Carey Reynolds (having got a book of £50 of the King in reversion for 41 years) hath put therein the three principal pastures his father (Sir G S) has in his lease of Wakefield mills, the taking whereof again his father will not meddle with, as he says the lease he has will serve his time, and therefore leaves the writer to take proceedings in the matter, who has no means of procuring money to take them again. Desires his lordship's advice therein. His father has begun to set up a saw mill in Emley park, and also smithies, if the water can be made to serve both 4 Mar 1604/05

Howley. Sir John Savile to the Earl of Shrewsbury at Worsopp. Describes his bad state of health. Regrets that his lordship has no intention to return to Sheffield before going to London, having a great desire to see him 21 Sep 1605

Thornhill. Sir Geo Savile to the Earl of Shrewsbury at Sheffield Lodge. Thanks him for his good offices at court. His cousin Baron [Savile?] told him he thought his (the Baron's) disease was the gout; but he hears it was rather feared to be the palsy. Hears not of any "Poss" of Frison horses or mares to be gotten in these parts, but yet Lord Darcy bought one by chance at York of a captain. Has sent to York to enquire of captain, merchant, lawyer, gent, & c if such can be found. Fray in Emley park between two bucks, one so sore wounded that the keeper easily took him 30 Sep 1606

Welbeck. Charles Cavendish to Henry Butler. On business matters. Also an undated letter signed - "Ca Cavendysshe" to the same 1 Oct 1611 and 11 mar 1611/12

Howley. Sir John Savile to the Earl of Shrewsbury at Worsopp. Describes his bad state of health. Regrets that his lordship has no intention to return to Sheffield before going to London, having a great desire to see him 21 Sep 1605

Thornhill. Sir Geo Savile to the Earl of Shrewsbury at Sheffield Lodge. Thanks him for his good offices at court. His cousin Baron [Savile?] told him he thought his (the Baron's) disease was the gout; but he hears it was rather feared to be the palsy. Hears not of any "Poss" of Frison horses or mares to be gotten in these parts, but yet Lord Darcy bought one by chance at York of a captain. Has sent to York to enquire of captain, merchant, lawyer, gent, & c if such can be found. Fray in Emley park between two bucks, one so sore wounded that the keeper easily took him 30 Sep 1606

Welbeck. Charles Cavendish to Henry Butler. On business matters. Also an undated letter signed - "Ca Cavendysshe" to the same 1 Oct 1611 and 11 Mar 1611/12