Catalogue description LORD WYLLUGHBY to the PRIVY COUNCIL.

--Complaining of outrages offered to him in the county of Lincoln, contrary to her Majesty's laws and the respect due to his place, and praying for a commission to some in the county to examine witnesses and hear the cause upon the articles following:-

Underwritten:-

Articles for examination of witnesses on behalf of the Lord Wyllughby.

1. Of speeches said to be uttered for the pursuing of his Lordship's servants into his own house at Stamford, and entering it, at the time when the first affray against Mr. Wingfield was made by the said servants, since worthily punished.

Item.--Of the words used by Morris Tomsone, the Lord Treasurer's Clerk of the Kitchen, "that the alderman of Stamford should have been borne out if he had laid the Lord Wyllughby by the heels," at the time when his Lordships' servants were committed, and he himself lay sick in his bed.

Item.--If there hath not been privy warning given to the Alderman and others not to visit him as they were accustomed, "for fear of offending such as yet the Lord Wyllughby holdeth honourably disposed towards him, not without noble testimony of hand-writing."

Item.--"Of the reasons why the Lord Wyllughby's servant was committed, who being in the Queen's peace on Sunday the 13th of April in service time, was in most disorderly sort assaulted (when the Lady Wyllughby, great with child, looking out of her window was greatly affrighted) by one but then late servant to Mr. Wingfield, as it appeared by his letter of wonderful kindness and promises" to the Alderman to entertain the said party, which letter the Alderman showed Lord Wyllughby and his lady. "To colour this last breach of peace the better, they put this fellow, as it seemeth to be an ostler in the Bull, to commit no less insolency than of late he did to one of the Lord Wyllughby's servants, who were bound to the good behaviour before your Lordships. Also of the reasons in this case, why they would not as well commit this double injury doer as the simple injured . . . but bound and imprisoned the defendant, and let the peacebreaker go up and down free with his weapons." Also there was one Lovedaie, of the same Corporation, most cruelly stricken with a padell staff, sore wounded and laid for dead, and his house threatened to be fired, which outrage is supposed to be done by one Coye, appertaining, as is said, to Sir Thomas Cicell, and for these injustices, Lovedaie could obtain no justice.

Item.--Moreover, against the statute of Magna Charta, they have chosen persons notorious for forgeries and felonies to be accusers, and have delivered the testimonies to your Lordships as true and sound.

Item.--Their malice has even extended to honourable ladies, and they have given command that none of the women of the town of Stamford should repair to the Lady Wyllughby, being great with child.

Item.--When Morrice Thomson and others had assaulted Sir Francis Allen's man in his lodging at ten o'clock at night, with some dozen at least, they approached within some thirty paces of Lord Wyllughby's house with some fifty or sixty more, with pikes, bills, halberds and such like, "and had not his Lordship stood in his own door with his people in his defence the townsmen in all appearance had assaulted them ; but hearing his Lordship, and seeing him ready to answer, they suddenly scattered and turned back." But the next day and the day following they put all their town in arms, and "it doth appear these poor men of Stamford, partly for fear, because they were sent for up for not imprisoning and pursuing his Lordship's servants . . . and partly for such former reports spread amongst them, would now have taken any colour, against their sessions which presently followed, to have pleased some unjust appetites with more unjust actions" for such bad persons' pleasures as have not spared to misinform both your Lordships and my Lord Treasurer, to whom the town appertaineth, "bringing poor wretches to the danger of liberties breaking, life and laws, where themselves will not be seen."