To the most Honorable
Lady the Countesse
of Shrewsbury dougrer
at Hardwike
My most Honorable good Lady vppon occasion
of my continuall followinge of his Majestie in his
iorneys I haue ben longer silent then I
should haue ben: The newes heere is all in
parlament busines The matter of religion
to compell euery man to the communion hath
much trobled them but now they are agreed
that all shall come to the communion within
the space of 2 yeares or else they shalbe
be in the nature of recusants for the
matter of purueance the Kinge is very desierous for the ease of the subiect to haue a
composition and to pay a yearely soome of
monny and to be freed from the purueor
But as yet the Lower house will not heare
of any composition for that they feare they
can haue no assurance from the Kinge
and then they should boeth giue ther
monny and be trobled with the Kinges
takers to/ It is thought the parlament
is like to continew yet a good while
for they must part with on subsidy more
and 2 fiueteenes or else this is nothinge
that they haue don: The prouinciall
of the Iesuites Garnet who is in the
Tower will proue a notorious traytor
and to haue had his hand in all these
treasons and a principall man that caused them to take armes when the powder plott fayled The Earle of Northhumberland will goe cleere in this matter his Lady is permitted to come to him
and ther is expectance of his liberty
shortly But with the rest of the Lords
it will goe hard Ther be many
Traytors sent doune into ther seuerall counties wher
the dwell to be executed ther and some more
arraynments are expected heere The Kinge
of france hath raysed a great army and is
reddy to goe into the feeld but no man knoweth whether or agaynst whom but as it is
thought agaynst the duke of Bullayne who
is at a place called Seydan toward Germany
but he maketh all his neyghbors afrayd
Our Queene and mistresse groweth bigg and looketh her about the latter end of May The Court will tarry heere at White Hall till Easter and then to Greenwich wher the Queene purposeth to lye in
Thus hauinge no other matter at this time to troble your Honor withall with my humble Duty I take my leaue beeseechinge the Lord to keepe your honor longe in health and prosperity from the Court this 7 of March 1605
Our Queene and mistresse groweth bigg and looketh her about the latter end of May The Court will tarry heere at White Hall till Easter and then to Greenwich wher the Queene purposeth to lye in
Thus hauinge no other matter at this time to troble your Honor withall with my humble Duty I take my leaue beeseechinge the Lord to keepe your honor longe in health and prosperity from the Court this 7 of March 1605
Your Honors most assured
and faythfull poore frend
Iames Mountagu
