Smith College: Elizabeth I, Queen of England, 1533-1603. [Letter, 1560] May 18 [to] Lord North (1560) (MiscMS 256)

To our right trusty and welbeloued the Lord North our Lieutenaunt of our County of Cambridge [Bottom of page in pencil:] Misc MS 256 [Right page:] By the Quene

Elizabeth R

Right trustie and welbeloued we grete yo^w well. fforasmuche as o^ur right trustie and right entirely beloued cousin the Duke of Norffolk our Lieutenaunte generall in the northe now residinge vpon oure frontieres at oure towne of Barwick hathe not with him suche a convenient power as is mete for the savetie of oure sayd frontiers and defence of our Realme against thattempte and practises of the frenche and that we meane for our owne hono^r and for ~ suretie specially of that parte of our Realme to haue a further nomber sent to him. We haue by aduyse of oure counsell resolued to haue the nomber of two hundred hable foote men for the warre, to be levied wi^th all speede in that our countie of Cambridge And therefore we will and commaund yow all delayes set aparte by auctority of thies our [lettre] to levye, or cause to be levied wi^thin that our countie aswell wi^thin places exempted as other whatsoever they be the number of two hundred footemen ^and to be sent to our said cousin wi^th all speede, In choyse whereof ye shall cause regard to be hadd specially to these thinges followinge. First, that they may be of the ablest and strongest persons, and that the choyse be not made of husbandmen, or laborers Where otherwise, the same may be made of servinge men artificers and yomen that be not occupied in husbandry withe their owne hand labors / And finally to foresee, that mete and hable men be not spared or discharged by favor or rewarde to be gevin to the captaines or others that shall muster them And for choyse of captaines our pleasure is that the charge hereof be committed to somme of our trustie and welbeloued knightes or Squyers of that countie beinge of woorshippe estimacion and [creditt...] to leade suche nomber as ye shall thinke mete to assigne to their charge Whereof we requyre yo^w to certefye vs that we may retayne them and their service in our good memory Requyring the same also in our name not to spare any travaile, or labor in this case of service wi^th our said cousin of Norffolk, our Lieutenaunt, the same beinge for the [Operacion] of this oure Realme from violation or invasion by the ffrenche w^ch they have of late tyme most notoriously ~ and daungerously devised to execute this present [sommes] of resistance had not ben, and were not provided in good tyme And for money for coates and [conducs], ye shall receave lettres herewith by oure commaundement from our treasurer of England to our [Recewvers] or suche others as shall [s...] the same satisfied and contented And yf it shall happen that the said numbers cannot all be furnyshed withe armo^r and weapons in that countie, then the

Thirde parte of them shalbe furnyshed withe oure armo^r at Newcastell or Barwicke at reasonable prices, And the hole nomber (as nede so require) shalbe furnysshed of all maner of weapons vppon reasonable prices. And thus our lettres shalbe your sufficient warraunt and discharge in this behalf Yeven vnder our Signet at our Palays of Westminster the xiiii^th day of May the Second year of our reigne 18 day May Palace of Westminster [Right page, right margin in pencil:] Elizabeth I, Queen of England 1533-1603. Misc MS 256 [Typed at bottom of page:] ELIZABETH (QUEEN), an Order to Lord North, Lieutenant of the county of Cambridge, respecting the arming of Persons on the Frontiers in consequences of the ATTEMPT OF INVASION OF THE FRENCH, geven under our Signet at the Palace of Westminster. a very interesting document quite perfect 1