II.

BOOK do such an act, indicta causa, as because by right, and upon very just causes, they reckoned him fellow; and bare very Anno 1579.hard the loss of such an one. But take all this more perfectly in their own words, in a well-composed letter in Latin,

No. XXIV. with their own names subscribed, set in the Appendix. The vice- But finally, when this cause could no otherwise be adjustchancellor, ed, Dr. Hawford refusing to revoke what he had done, in heads decide the year 1581, it came to an effectual determination by the versy. vice-chancellor, and two other heads of the university, by

this contro

tion to be decided.

their interpretation of that college statute, by which the said master had proceeded: there being a statute, that made it to belong to the vice-chancellor, and two other heads of houses, (ordinary visitors of that college,) to define and determine the sense of any statute in doubt. So Dr. Perne, vice-chancellor, adjoined to himself John Bell and Robert

The ques- Norgate, doctors of divinity, in this affair. The question was, Whether he that was designed for that fellowship of king Edward's foundation, is held to be of any particular county, as prescribed in a statute of that college; or may be freely taken out of any county, or of such a county, of which some other fellow before was found to be; or not? Their judgment was in the negative; viz. That the statute did not oblige him that had this fellowship to be of any particular county. The college also produced abundant testimony of their custom, from the first founding of the said fellowship, to have been always, or for the most part, so observed by them, (which was the best interpreter of law.) In which college two of the same county had been admitted, upon the account and privilege of that royal foundation.

Their interAnd so the said vice-chancellor and doctors did interpret pretation of the statute, and declare the words of the forementioned foundation. MSS. Aca- "That it shall be lawful for the masters and fellows of that dem. penes

me.

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"college to choose a worthy and learned man for fellow "into that foundation, nulla comitatus habita ratione, ex quo sit oriundus: whether he alone be of any county, or any other before him be found to be fellow of the same "county with him." And then another question among them was, " Who, of all the fellows, was to be held king

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" Edward's fellow?" The vice-chancellor declared that to CHAP. be the place which Mr. Hugh Broughton lately had, and him that afterward should succeed in his room. And upon Anno 1579. this judgment the chancellor sent to Dr. Hawford for Broughton's readmittance to his fellowship. But whatever the reason was, he returned no more (I think) to the college. And though this matter of that fellowship seemed so firmly settled by that decision, yet I find the same contest arose in that college but about four years after, concerning one Osborn, who had obtained king Edward's fellowship. And then it went the other way.

saltpetre in

The names of two or three more occur this year, being 615 persons eminent for their great skill in providing necessaries for the strength and defence of the kingdom. One of these One Engelwas one Leonard Engelbreght. The lord treasurer Burgh-reg breght compounds for ley had before promoted the making of saltpetre in Eng-making land; knowing the great use of it; in order to the being ever England. in a posture of war, since the queen and kingdom had enemies round about them. For this purpose he treated some years past with the said Engelbreght, a gentleman, born at Aken in Germany: who required a commission from the queen, for the making of it within her dominions; and power to sell his saltpetre within the realm, at his most profit, for the space of twenty years; preferring always the queen's majesty's service with such quantities as should be requisite for her, before all others. And that the rest he might transport with the queen's licence. And to give the tenth pound in weight of all such saltpetre to be made by him or his. [This that follows is added by the lord treasurer's hand.] And if he do not continue yearly in the making of saltpetre, so as her majesty may have sufficient quantities for her service, then the licence to cease.

This seemed not to take effect. For the same lord trea-Terms be

tween

surer, in this year, 1579, agreed for the making saltpetre queen and with one Cornelius Stevenson, another foreigner, by articles one Stevenbetween the queen and him; viz. a lease to be made from san for the

her to the said Cornelius, of a portion of ground in the east bailiwick of the New Forest, in the county of Southampton,

II.

BOOK lying together, commonly called Asshers. Whereof fifty acres were set thinly with beeches, oaks, thorns, holly: and Anno 1579. three hundred and fifty acres waste ground, of heaths and furzes. This he was to have and enjoy fifty years; if he, or any of his seven sons, should live so long: yielding and paying unto her majesty and heirs the yearly rent of 10l. And to deliver at the town of Southampton twenty ton of saltpetre, good, perfect, and well refined, for the sum of 40l. for every ton. And to deliver to her majesty twenty ton, before the feast of John Baptist, 1580. And to deliver yearly the same quantity at the said feast...... If at any time the queen may have any quantity of saltpetre, of like goodness, delivered at the city of London upon a less price than 40l. the ton; then Cornelius, or his assigns, to deliver all the saltpetre he shall make at the same price...... If he make defect in delivering yearly the same quantity, then the lease to be void.

What suc

And for the more probability of its taking effect, sir Edw. cess he had Horsey, governor of the Isle of Wight, wrote to the lord dertaking. treasurer, about May 25, this year, that Cornelius had

in his un

made a good quantity of saltpetre; which he saw himself in the vessels a-boiling about twenty days past; and was then come to perfection. And that five or six days past, one of the officers of the forest brought him some of the same stuff, which was not then refined; but by this, he thought, it might be, and more made. That Cornelius promised it would take good effect: and that otherwise it would be his utter undoing: for his charge was great. He went then for a time to Dorsetshire, to another work he had there, for making of alum: such a genius this man had towards such works.

Cornelius, in June, 1580, writes to the lord treasurer to this import: "That whatsoever good might happen to the "commonwealth, by his service, must needs be imputed to

616" his lordship. For as at the first his great care and " zealous good-will to further such a service for his coun"try, was such as did much encourage him to attempt " so chargeable and hard a thing; which the multitude

ΧΙΧ.

" thought impossible to be done; so if his wisdom had not CHAP. "been the only means, whereby his great faults [in failing " in his terms] had been borne withal, it had been long ago Anno 1579. " overthrown, to his utter shame and undoing. And that " sir. Edw. Horsey had lent him money to go on. That he " had with much ado brought to work this point; that he "found, that the earth which had been housed but since "Christmas last, yielded such quantities of stuff, as assured " him of treble increase in continuance. That at first he lost " all that he had ever bestowed in one whole year, by reason " of unseasonable weather. He requested the supply of "100l. without which he was unable to finish this great "work: whereupon, he said, he had bestowed 1000l." What success this business further had, I know not.

vices for

For the same end and purpose, viz. the safety of the land, Lane's defortification was also necessary. One Rafe Lane, a project-fortificaing gentleman of these times, (especially in martial affairs,) tions. offers to the lord treasurer devices for fortification: now especially for the seaports, when some invasion was this year expected. What he would undertake, and what satisfaction he would give, to assure the queen to make good what he offered, let his letter to that lord speak, as follows:

the lord treasurer.

"Knowing how grateful a thing it hath been to all princes His letter to " in any necessity, to have in time special service offered unto "them: and how lamentable ruins by hostile invasion or at"tempts may befall to a whole kingdom, for want of a timely " provision, (in appearance though small.) Forasmuch as I " understand, by no vulgar report, her majesty is likely this "year to be attempted in more places than one'; I have "therefore presumed at this present, for her majesty's ser"vice, and for the safety of the whole estate, against any " foreign force whatsoever, to put your lordship (as my most " special good lord) in remembrance of such a mean, as shall, " with the favour of the Almighty, to the end aforesaid, be " of great force, of small charge; and in very short time to " be accomplished and finished.

" Sir, my plat briefly doth concern an ordinance and for" tification of all the harbours that her majesty hath, either

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" in England or Ireland. The same to be for three months " tenable, against any power or battery royal, either by sea Anno 1579. " or land ...... The work of the said fortification to be both " begun and also to be accomplished, ready for the said de"fence, within the space of one month after the first spade " shall be put in the ground: and that without further set" tling and seasoning...... And because neither her majesty " shall adventure any charge, nor your lordship any speech " or commendation of any my sufficiency, without some " apparent proof and ocular testimony beforehand; I am, " (having warrant for the same,) in any convenient place of " ground, wheresoever to be assigned unto me, to make a " demonstration of my aforesaid offer; by rearing the first " turf, and laying forth the first ground-plot, both spacious " and massive, ready afterwards, and easy to be finished and " perfected by every common labourer, even with common "direction, for the defence above-mentioned.

617 "The time of this my trial shall be seven days. The " charges 20l. to be laid out upon eighty labourers. The " time for finishing and perfecting the same for defence one " month. The charge of the whole; the first 201. three " times triplicated; and four times doubled. The first proof " whereof, viz. of the first seven days, shall be at my charge : "being no less desirous to do her majesty some effectual, " important service, than glad, that her majesty should not "altogether be ignorant, both of my dutiful devotion any " way to serve her majesty, and of some sufficiency (more " than looked for at my hands) in some effectual sort to per"form the same."

I end this year with the names, titles, and offices of those that were now of her majesty's privy-council.

1. Sir Thomas Bromley, kt. lord chancellor of England.

2. Lord Burghley, lord treasurer of England.

3. Earl of Shrewsbury.

4. Earl of Lincoln, lord admiral.

5. Earl of Sussex, lord chamberlain of the household.