We have no more to you, but to will you not to live too sumptuously as an ambassador, but so as your proportion of living may demean you, we mean; because we know many will resort to you, and desire to serve you. I told you how many I thought convenient you should keep.

After you have ordered your things at Paris, go to the court, and learn to have more intelligence, if you can; and after to the wars, to learn somewhat to

serve us.

News from hence I shall write you, when you send us some; in the mean season none but that (thanks be to God!) all is well for the present. Fare you well.

From Westminster, the 28th of February, in the year of our Lord 1551.1

Edward VI. to his young friend Barnaby Fitzpatrick.2 22nd August, 1552.

The cause why we have not hitherto written unto you hath partly been the lack of a convenient messenger, partly because we meant to have something worthy writing, ere we would write anything; and therefore being now almost in the midst of our journey, which we have undertaken this summer,3 we have

1 This letter is much worn by frequent doubling and folding. It is directed by the king himself.

2 Strawberry Hill Collection, 1772.

3" The young king this year made a journey in some of the southern parts of the kingdom; but it was observed on all sides how sickly he looked, and general pity was felt for him by the people."-Letter, Cottonian Manuscripts.

thought good to advertise you. Since our last letters, dated at Greenwich, we departed from thence towards a thing far contrary to that, wherein (as we perceive) by your diligent advertisement, you, and all the country you are in, are occupied. For, whereas you have all been occupied in killing of your enemies, in long marchings, in painful' journeys, in extreme heat, in sore skirmishings, in divers assaults; we have been occupied in killing of wild beasts, in pleasant journeys, in good fare, in viewing of fair countries, and rather have sought how to fortify our own than to spoil another man's; and being this determined, we came to Guildford, from thence to Petworth, and so to Coudray, a goodly house of Sir Anthony Browne's, where we were marvellously, yea, rather excessively banqueted. From thence we went to Halvenaker, a pretty house, beside Chichester. From thence we went to Warblington, a fair house of Sir Richard Cotton's; and so to Waltham, a fair, great old house, in times past the bishop of Winchester's, and now my Lord Treasurer's house. In all these places we had both good hunting and good cheer. From thence we went to Portsmouth town, and there viewed not only the town itself and the haven, but also divers bulwarks, as Chatterton's, Waselford, with other; in viewing of which we found the bulwarks chargeable, massy, well rampaired, but ill-fashioned, ill-flanked, and set in unmeet places; the town weak in comparison of what it ought to be, too huge great (for within the walls are fair and large closes, and much vacant room); the haven notable, great, and Fatiguing.

standing by nature easy to be fortified; and for the more strength thereof we have devised two strong castles on either side of the haven, at the mouth thereof; for at the mouth the haven is not past ten score over, but in the middle almost a mile over; and in length, for a mile and a half, able to bear the greatest ship in Christendom. From thence we went to Titchfield, the earl of Southampton's house, and so to Southampton town. The citizens had bestowed for our coming great cost in painting, repairing, and rampairing1 of their walls. The town is handsome, and for the bigness of it as fair houses as be at London. The citizens made great cheer, and many of them kept costly tables. From Southampton we came to Bewley,2 a little village in the middle of the New Forest; and so to Christchurch, another little town in the same forest, where we now be.

And having advertised you of all this, we think it not good to trouble you any further with news of this country; but only that, at this time, the most part of England (thanks be to God!) is clear of any dangerous or infectious sickness.

We have received all your letters of 26th May, 19th June, and 1st August. Thus fare you well.

From Christchurch, the 22nd of August, 1552.3

1 Rampairing, fortifying.

2 Beaulieu.

A book

3 There is no record at Christchurch of the visit of Edward. belonging to the corporation, and containing accounts of their proceedings, is still preserved; but it does not commence till the year 1586, although the book itself has the date of 1485. The list of expenses incurred at his visit to Southampton is in the Town records.

Edward VI. to Barnaby Fitzpatrick.1

24th September, 1552.

After our right hearty recommendations unto you, this shall be to signify to you how that, as well upon consideration of your long absence from us, one whole year almost being expired, as also for divers other causes us thereunto moving, which you shall the perfectlier know at your coming hither, we have thought good to call you home again at this present, with as much expedition as you with your ease can conveniently make. And for that purpose, you, or Mr. Pickering for you (if you so think good) to declare to the French king, that whereas you have waited on his majesty for this year past, now considering the dead time of the year, for wars draweth near, you are determined to repair homeward to your country, to visit your friends, declaring that, for your part, you will at any other time, when he shall have need, with leave of your master, serve him with all you can make, with other such good words, requiring his majesty's good leave for the same purpose, which, when you have, you shall repair to our presence with as much haste as you conveniently can make.

For occurrences here, we leave to write them, because of your soon access hither, save only that, since our last2 letters, dated at Christchurch, the 7th of August, we have seen our towns of Salisbury and Winchester,

1 Strawberry Hill Collection, 1772.

2 This seems to be an error, as there is a letter from Edward, dated August 22nd, the same year.

Newbury, and Reading, and so returned to this castle, in good health.

Further for sickness, I hear of no place where any sweat or plague hath reigned, but only in Bristol and in the country near about. Some suspected it to be among a few in the town of Poole, in Dorsetshire; but I think rather not; for I was within three miles of it and less, and yet no man feared it. And thus God have you in his keeping.

Written at our castle of Windsor, the 24th day of September, and sixth year of our reign, A.D. 1552.

King Edward VI. to Barnaby Fitzpatrick.1

Having now despatched one to our ambassador for certain our affairs, we have thought by him to write unto you, how we, hitherto hearing the French king rather seeketh to keep home than to rescue his towns, do now look for you here shortly. And we, therefore, write this letter to you, because you might understand that we give you leave to come home at such time, and upon such occasion, as unto you and our ambassador shall be thought most convenient.

Send me word, or bring tidings yourself, whether our letters of the last month, sent by Mons. Villandry, be come to your hands. And thus we bid you farewell.

From Westminster, the 14th of November, 1552.

1 From the Strawberry Hill Collection. On the back of this letter is written in a different hand from the direction and letter, both of which are in the king's own writing, "From the King's Majesty."