Good Sir Henry Brounker./ this thursdaye the xth of March about xij of the Clock, Arbell came out of hir chamber, went toward the gates (as she sayde) intending to walke, but being perswaded it was dynner tyme did staye./ about too of the Clock in the afternoone, there came to my gates, my sonne Henry Cavendishe and one master Stapleton, sonne & heire to Stapleton of Carleton in Yorkshire with him./ for that Arbell was desirous to speak with my bad sonne Henry, I was content to suffer him to come into my house and speake with hir, rather then she to goe to him, but sent him worde not to remayne here above too howers./ I woulde not suffer Stapleton to come within my gates for I have disliked him of long for many respectes, it is about viij. yeres since I sawe him./ he hath written to me many tymes to knowe yf he might come, but I misliking him would not suffer him, so far he never durst presume till nowe to offer to come./ Arbell & Henry Cavendishe had not talked as I think a dozen wordes togather, but they both came downe & offred to goe out of my gates./ one of my servauntes intreated them not to offer to goe out vntill they had my consent./ Arbell seemed vnwilling to staye, yet at length by perswasion did staye till worde was brought to me./ when I vnderstoode of it./ I sent to hir that I did not think it good she should speake with Stapleton, and wisht hir to forbeare it for I thought Stapleton no fitt man for hir to Converse or talk withall./ she askt yf she were a prisoner, and sayde she woulde see, and so went to the gates and would have gone out but was not suffred, yet she did speak to Stapleton, looking through the gate, some vayne idle wordes of salutation, and bad him goe to Mannsfeild and staye there till he harde from hir with some more wordes to no purpose, many being present & hearing what they sayd, so with much sending to Stapleton to depart, at length he went from my gates./ she had appoynted Henry Cavendishe to come hither agayne, to morowe, which I forbad and so I think he will not come./ he was no sooner gon out of my gates, but she made hirself reddie to walke abroad, which I thought not Convenient she should doe, and so she stayde./ other dayes she hath walked to take the Ayer in severall places./ one came hither yesterdaye morning post from London to Arbell from hir servant Chaworth./ I here he brought back to hir, a letter which Chaworth should have delyvered to you, which she was seene to burne presently vppon the receit of it & retorned him with other letters to you agayne./ she sayth she hath likewise sent Basset hir page to London poste too dayes since with letters to you./ she never restes wryting and sending vp & downe in the Countrie and to London as she sayth./ Henry Cavendishe here showed to have but three or foure men with him & Stapleton but one, I suffred but one of Henry Cavendishes men to come into the house with him, but I am informed that there were of theyr company whoe kept themselves secret within a quarter of a mile of the house above fortie horsmen well weaponed and some of them had dagges./ they were in foure severall companies, some at Hucknall, viz at one Mistress Iretons xij. at one Chapmans house there, tenn in a bushie grounde nere here called Rowthorne Carr ix or .x. And tenn, at one doves house in Rowthorne where Stapleton hath lurked three dayes as I harde even nowe./ They being thus wickedly disposed, maye aswell have five hundreth men within a myle of the house and I not vnderstand of theyr ill intent./ Arbell threatens and will give it out vppon any little occasion, being intreated not to speak with any bad bodie that she is kept as a prisoner:/ I should not somuch have forgotten my self to have troubled hir Majestie and some of hir Majesties Privie Counsell for Arbells remove hence./ but that I feared the daunger that I was not able for my lyfe to withstand./ and she being here one daye, I feare I shall not have hir here the morowe, yf I shoulde suffer hir but to goe without my gates./ In my opinion it were best she were removed farther from the North, which waye I feare she woulde goe, she shall not of long tyme in the South, be acquaynted with somany to help hir as she is hereaboutes./ I here that one of the Company had a pillion to carry a woman behind him & Covered it with a Cloke./ And so being very late this thursdaye night the xth of Marche I cease wishing you all happynes./ ffrom Hardwick./

EShrouesbury / / / / /