Catalogue description JOHN STANHOPE to LORD WILLOUGHBYE.

--"This berer offerynge me occatyon to salute your Lordship by his goynge downe, I thought fytt to acquaynte your Lordship with the state of your owne cause. The last tyme I moved her Majestie in your behalfe, which was not long synce, I founde her as I had done, gratyuslye to harken to whatt I saed touchynge your Lordship's estate, and with a pryncely commyseration to be very sensyble thereof, to use very favorable speches in your behalfe, commending both such servyces and such good partes in your Lordship as she plesde to take knowledge of. Butt saed her present actyons of charge were manye and costlye and did daylye encrese, and she was forst with a carefull regarde to have a watche both of her neighborynge prynces and her owne estate, how her selfe stoode alone, without any contrybutyon from any butt her owne subjectes, how unfytt yt were to take of them and not besto the same for the common cause, how she had restrayned her bountye for a whyle from such as served her nerest for the forenamed respectes, and therfore she was well assured, you who were wyse and honorable would expecte sum fytter tyme both for her to gyve and your selfe to aske. Of late yt hath plesed her to satisfye my Lord of Essex with that was promysed hertofore, butt so (as I gesse) that others maye not be enboldened to presse her in the lyke. Yett my Lord your grounde is so good, and her Majestie so gratyus, as yf you gayne Sir Jhon Foskue [Fortescue] to be well informed of your cause, and to be wyllynge to deale therin, ther are good lyklyhoodes yt maye succeede to youre contentmente. My selfe shalbe ever redy to besto my labor to furder yt, and to do your Lordship whatt servyce I can."