After my due and moost humble commendacons vnto yo^r honorable
good .L. may it please the same tunderstand that I cannot lerne
the certaynetie of all the causes of thoccasions that the duke
was committed to the tower; but thei say one was one was
for sending mony to relive the lordes of the Scotishe quenes
syde, as by mony and lettres intercepted it may appeare; for the
Scotishe quene as thei say. sent the duke a lettre of her owne
hand at good lengthe; requiring him to send ayde to her frendes
in Scotland, or elles thei were hable to hold out no longer;
wheare vpon p^rsently he sent .vj.^Cli in golde w^t a lettre to the
Scotishe Quene an other to the Lordes of Scotland of her
syde, and an other to Banister all his doer in the northe, to
conveaye the same; the ^w^ch^ was broughte to a marchant
man to conveye w^t speed in the name of .l.^li the marchant
annswered that he wold receve it heare, and cause it to be
payd immediatly there; but that cold not be but to be
conveyed as it was seald vp; The marchant marveling
at the earnestnes of chicford; and after he was gonne feling
the waighte of the bagge, being very hevy; brook the
seales and opened the bagge, and found the lettres and the gold;
wheare w^t being very muche a feard; came to the court
and showed the bagge and the lettres; wheare vpon, my cosen
Kipwithe was sent to the duke that no man shold talke
w^t him but in his hearing, and Chicford his Secretary
was sent to the tower on Saterday at the night, and on
sonday in the morning was examined by S.^r Thomas ~
Smythe and m.r Doctor Wilson, and his examinations
sent to the court; and there vpon S.^r Raufe Sadler was
sent to the duke and came thither by .ix. of the clocke
in the morning and discharged his howsehold and
continued w^t him till he went to the tower; and
imediatly after S.^r Raufes comming; according to Chicfords
confession, thei did searche; for their sifer; and he did
appointe a wronge place, and found it not; but
there thei found the Scotishe Quenes lettre; wheare
vpon the ^duke^ was had to the tower; and chicford came from
the tower to the Cherterhowse, and found the sifer in ^the^ rowfe
amongest the tyle stones; whiche discove^rd the hole matter
The laste weeke the duke sent to the Quene, that if her
ma:^tie wold send to him my Lord of Burly he wold declare
the hole matter; and whan he came; he wold nauther say nor
writte, but denyd probable thinges; and the same day came
in to the tower ^Banistar his man;^ and there was examined, and stowtely denyd
matters layd
to his charge; in so muche as chicfordes examinations was sent
to the duke; and chicforde was broughte face to face before
Banister; who was racked on Wednesday ^twysday^ last; and barker
was going to the racked; and vpon his confession was stayed;
yesterday S.^r Thomas Wrothe M.^r Osburne, and others was
sente to the Charterhowse to take an innuentory of all his goodes;
and the saing is that the duke tooke vpon interest .xx.^Mli but
thei cannot fynde wheare abowe .vj.^Ml hathe bine bestowed of
it. His doing is so evident and playne to vndermyne
o^r moost soverayne Lady that if he scape deathe yet never im=
prisonment as longe as she lyvethe; but suerly he will
hardly escape that is to be layd to charge.

Thei say the Quene wilbe at my Lorde of Burlyes howse
besides Waltam, on sonday nexte, wheare my Lord of Oxford
shall marry m.^rs Anne Sicelle his daughter;

Chippine Vitellus is comme in to fflanders agayne out of
the Spanishe court and hathe given him the Contie of
Holstroughte in the Lowe Contryes; and the duke de
Medena seli is comming by sea w^t a .xxx. sale; whereof
is .viij. men of warre.

Thei say the Turke dothe muche harme bothe by sea and
lande; and good newes of good conclusion is looked for
out of ffraunce by the nexte messenger of the consumation
of the mariages; but there is nothing spoken of the
Quenes ma:^ties mariage.

He that murderd the Earle of Linaux and he that let
thennemyes in at the posterne gate be bothe executed.

And thus leaving all my matters to determyne of the
almightie god, that seethe the wronges that is donne
me; who w^t his mightie power will revenge my
cause whan it shall please him. I moost humbly
take my leave of yo^r honorable good .L. wh wishing
my Lord and yo^w all helthe w^t encrease of honor to
godes pleasure scribeld at London the .xxj.^th of September
.1571. I cannot lerne Banisters confession vpon the rack,
as yet, but he was put to the rack for the draying
of moost manifeste trothes at the first.

Hugh ffitzwilliam
§