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To the contesses his letter of
the 25th of September 1595.
Francis Willoughby to
morgage Dunsby &c
& to redeeme
Arabellas lands.
37 Elizabeth
complaining of Percival Willoughby
and desiring a copie
of ye Morgage.
26 September
1595
6/171/48
Right honorable/ I doe not knowe howe your Ladyshipp: hathe bene
enformed by your officers, of the valew of those Lordshipps which
they have taken surwaye of. and of the abylitie of the man
to whom I especiallie committed yat service in truste: or of.
my owne inclynation bothe for the sale of them, and in yeeldinge vnto
your ho:nour the refusall of them before all others/ But what reporte soever.
or estimat they have delivered vnto yow, this farre of my poore
credit I will assure yow. yat they doe either make a verie vnequall
rate of. these landes, or els they are meerly ignourant of the worth
of dunsby, for neyther in contynent of land, meade, pasture, ore
woodes yat dothe come neere yt, by 4000 3000 acres at the least, nor is
of equall valew, by 6000li I dare warrant yow. ffor my man yf
he made any offence, yt ys vnexcusable, for I knowe him able &
well armed for yat purpos, & to yat ende I did only appointe him.
ffor my self and my owne resolution I best knowe, & therefore yf they
have made any other report of me, then yowr Ladyshipp ys privie
vnto by my self, they have done me great wronnge, for I remaine
the same man and of the same mynd still irremovable, yf yt
will please your ho:nour to accepte of yt. Although there have bene
& be verie great persons and men of good accoumpt and abylitye
yat are verie importenat suters for the preferment of them &
I have refused verie great offers of divers & I am sorie to
saie yat which I may Iustly protest, that there is not the like quantyty of land of the like commoditie and goodnes, by any on man
subiect in England in Nottes Sheere to be sould at this daie which yf yt would
please your ho:nour to accept in morgage beinge at the least the treble
valewe of the money, I should take my self muche bound:
for by yat meanes, I should be well able to paie my debtes
and performe my wief a Ionyter in Convenient tyme.
which by meanes of that Covenant which Percivall hathe Conyngly
tyed me vnto in Master Sutton. & in my La:dy Arbella there assurannces, I shalbe driven
to great extreamyties to effect. I doe not thinke there can be
a more honorable parte then to delyver me my dewe which in equity
and conscience I may require, and to ryght him yat is vnnaturallie wronnged by those of whom he hathe best deserved as your
Ladyshipp is not ignorant of. Good madam yeeld me soe muche fav.our
at the least as to grant me a coppie of the assurance, or at a note
the least of suche covenanntes as doe imparte me. yat my reposed.
trust in them (which made me secure) be not the cause of
my overthrow, ffor the which your Ladyshipp I hope will not be made
the instrumennt, Especiallie beinge your poore kinsman yat hathe
ever honored yow. & on yat will endevour iustlie & kindly to repay
all your dewes and desertes which I have receaved from yow in
as readie and full measure as I shalbe any waie able to discharge
it And thus relyinge my self of your ho:nour’s refuge & patronage
as vpon the suer ancor & harbor of my hoped good, wishinge to
your ho:nour the prorogation of many happie yeare, and a fortunat accesse
of deserved honor I humbly take my leave Wollaton
this xxvjth of September/ 1595.
To the Right ho:nourable my verie good
La:dy the countesse of Shreusburie
these be delivered
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