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Diplomatic Transcription

Hertfordshire, Saint Albans: Hatfield House.

Marquess of Salisbury, Cecil Papers Vol. 172 nos. 91-93: John Dowland to Sir Robert Cecil, Nuremberg, 10^th November 1595; John Scudamore priest to Nicholas Fitzherbert at Rome, Florence 7^th July 1595.

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[172/91 recto] Ryght ho: as I have bin most bounde unto you^r hono^r, so I most humblie | desire your ho: to pdon my boldnes, and mak my choic of your ho: to let | you understand my bounden duty & desire of gods p^reservation of my most | dear soveraigne Quene & Contry: whom I besech god ever to bless & | to Confounde all their enemies what & whomsoever// ffiften yeares | since I was in france Servant to S^r Henry Cobham who was Imba- | {ssador} fo^r the Quenes ma^tie, & lay in parys, wher I fell aquainted w^t on smith | a preist, & on morgan somtims of her ma^ties Chapell, on verstigan who | brake out of Englande beinge aprehended & on moris a welchman that was ou^r | porter, who is at Rome, these men thrust many Idle toies into my hed | of Relygion, sainge that the papists was the truthe & ours in England | all falce, & I being but yonge their faire words overecht me & I beleved | w^t them, w^t in ij years after I cam into Englande wher I saw men | of that faction condemde & executed, w^ch I thought was great InJustic{{e}} taking Relygion fo^r the only cause, & when my best frends wold per | swade me I wold not beleve them, then in time passing on m^r | Johnson died [pen-change], & I becam an humble sutor for his place (thincking my selfe most | worthiest), wherin I found many goode & honorable frends that spake fo^r me, but I saw | that I was like to goe w^tout it, & that any mygt have preferment but I, wherby I | began to sounde the Cause, & gest that my Relygion was my hinderance, whearupon | my mynde beinge trobled, I desired to get beyond the seas, w^ch I durst not attempt | w^tout lycence from som of the privie Counsell, fo^r fear of being taken & so [my del] hav | extreame punishment, & accordinge as I desired ther cam a letter to me out of | Germany from the duke of Brunswicke, wherupon I spake to yo^r hono^r & to my Lord | of Essex, who willingly gav me both yo^r hands (fo^r wch I wold be glad if ther wear | any service in me that yor honors Coulde Comande) when I Cam to the duke of | Brunswicke he usde me kindly, & gave me a Ritch Chaine of golde, xxiij ^l in mony | w^t velvet & saten & gold lace to make me aparell, w^t promyse that if I wolde | serv him he wolde gev me as mutch as any prince in the worlde, from thenc | I went to the lantg^rave of Hessen, (who gav me the gretest welcome that | myght be fo^r on of my qualyty) who sent a Ringe into england to my wiff | valued at xx ^l sterlinge, & gave me a great standing Cupe w^t a Cover gilt, full of | dolers w^t many great offers fo^r my service, & from thence I had great desire to see | Italy & cam to venyce & from thence to florence whear I plaid befo^r the Duke & got | great favors, & on evenynge I was walkinge upon the piazzo in florence a Jentle | man tolde me that he espied a english preist & that his name was skidmore & | sonne & heir to S^r John Skidmore of the Courte, so I being intended to go | {unto} Rome to study w^t a famous musicion named Luca Marenzio :: stept to this | M^r Skidmor the preist & asked him if he was an englysh man, & he told me | yea: & whose sonne he was, & I telling him my name he was very glad to se | me, so I tolde him I wold goe to Rome & desired his help for my saffty, fo^r | said I, if they shold mystake <me> ther, my fo^rtune [my del] wear hard, fo^r I hav bin thrust | of{f} of all good fortunes because I am a catholicke at home, fo^r I hard that her ma^tie | beinge spake to fo^r me, saied, I was a man to serve any princ in the wo^rld, but I | was an obstinat papist, whearunto he answered, m^r dowlande if it be | [172/91 verso] not so, make her words true, so in farther talke we spake of preists, & I told him | that I did not [not del] thinck it true that any preists (as we said in england) wolde | kill the Quen, or onc goe about to touche her finger, and said I whatsoever | my Relygion be will neither medle no^r mak w^t any thyng thear done, so that | they do not any thing against the Quen, whea^runto he answered that I spake | as a good Subiect to her ma^tie, but said he in Rome you shall <hear> englyshmen your | own Contrymen speak most hardly of her & wholy <seek> to overthrow her & all | Englande, & those be the Jesuits said he +<{{+ w}}ho are of the | {{Sp}}anyshe fac | {{ti}}on: added in marg> moreover said he we hav many Jares | w^t them, & w^tall wished to God the Quen wear a Catholycke, & said he, to defend | my Contry against the spanyards I wold com into England and bear a pike on | my sholders, amonge ou^r talk he tolde me that he had order to atache <div del> | dyvers Inglish Jentlemen, & that he had bine iij years {from?} Englande, so I brought | him to his lodging dore, whear he told me that thear was ix prests com from | Rome to go fo^r Englande, he cam but the day before to florenc, & I thinck they | cam altogether, he told me that he wold stay ther in the town and study in an | abby Caled Sancta maria nouella, & that he must kep in fo^r on monethe, & that | he wold writ letters of me to Rome, w^ch I shold receve very shortly, but I | heard not of him in a moneth after, and then there came two [englysh del] friers | to my lodging the on was an englishman named balye, a yorksheirman, | The next day after my spech w^t skydmore, I dyned w^t my lord gray and | dyvers other Jentlemen, whom I told of my speach w^t skidmor gevinge | them warnynge, wherupon my lord gray went to Siena, and the Rest | dispersed them selves, more over I tolde my lord gray howsoever I was | fo^r Relygion, if I did perceve anything in Rome y^t ether toucht her | ma^tie [of del] <or> the state of England I wold gev nottice of it thoughe it wer | the loss of my liff, w^ch he liked well & bade me kepe that secret// | This ffrier Baylie before named delivered me a letter w^ch I hav | hear sent unto yo^r hono^r, w^ch letter I brake open befo^r m^r [bodly del] | Josias Bodly, & shewed what was written in it to him & divers | other, after this, this frier Bayly tolde he had Receved letters | ffrom Rom to hasten me forward, & tolde me that my disconte{nt}ment | was knowne at Rom, & that I sholde hav a large pention of the | pope, & that his holynes & all the cardinales woulde make wonder | full mutch of me, therupon I tolde him of my wiff & children how | to get them to me, wherunto he tolde me that I shold have acquain= | tance w^t sutche as sholde bringe them over if she had any wilingnes | or elce they wolde lose ther lives, for ther cam those into englande | fo^r sutch purposes, fo^r quothe he m^r Skidmor brought out of englande | at his last being ther xvij persons both men & women, fo^r w^ch the | Bishope wepes when he sees him for Joy, after my departure | I caled to mynde our Conference & got me by my self & wept hartely, to [172/92 recto] se my fo^rtun so harde that I sholde becom sarvant to the gretest enemye of my prince · | Contry : wiff . children : and ffrends : for wante, & to make me like them selves, god he knoweth I never loved treason no^r trechery no^r never knew any, no^r | never heard any mass in englande, w^ch I finde is great abuse of the peple | fo^r on my soule I understande it not, wherfor I have reformed my self to lyve | acording to her ma^ties lawes as I was borne under her highnes, & that most | humbly I doe Crave pdon, ptstinge if ther wer any abylitie in me, I wold | be most <redy> to make amends, at Bolona I met w^t ij men the on named pierce an | Iryshman, theother named dracot, the{y} are gon both to Rome, In venice I hard | an Italyan say, that he marveled that king Phillip had never a good | frend in Inglande that w^t his dager wolde dispatch the quens ma^tie, but said | he, god suffers her, in thend to gev her the greter overthrowe// Right honorable | this hav I written that her ma^tie may knowe the vilany of thes most wicked | prests & Jesuits, & to bewar of them, I thanck god I hav both forsaken them & | their Relygion w^ch tendeth to nothing but distruction/ Thus I beseche god nyght | & day to blesse and defend the quens matie, & to confonde all her enemies | & to preserve yo^r honor & all the Rest of her ma^ties most honorable privie coun= | sell, I thinck that skidmore & the other preists ar all in england, for he staid not at | florenc as he said he wolde to me, & frier baylie tolde me that he was gon into | france to study the lawe, at venyce & all along as I com in Germany{men} say that | the kinge of spain is making <gret> preparation to com for England this next somer, | wher if it pleasde yo^r honor to advise me by my poore wyff I wolde most wilingly | lose my lyffe against them, most humbly besechinge yo^r honor to pdon my ill | writinge, & worse inditinge, & to thinke that I desir to serve my Contry, & | hope to hear of yo^r good opinyon of me // ffrom nurnberge : this xth of november | 1595 :|

yo^r honors most bounden
for ever
JJo: doulande /
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(---/
(-/
/

[172/92 verso: endorsements]

[Hand of Dowland]

To the Right honorable | S^r Robert Cicell knyghte | on of the Quenes ma^ties most | honorable privie Counsell | gev thes

[Hand of Cecil’s clerk]

Jo. Dowland to my M^r | ffrom Noremberg ./. | [w^th Mr ffitzherbert this line del] | w^th Jo. Scudamore Priests | lter to Nich ffitzherbert

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[172/93 recto]

Right worshipfull

m^r ffitzherbert

I know the fame of m^r Douland our Countryman | for his exquisitenes upon the lute and his | conninge in musick hath come to yo^r eares | longe ago and now shortely you are like to see hym in pson and be iudge yo^r self | of his musicke wherein he will I answer | geve you content : my request to you his that | you according to yo^r louing natuer <wold> geeue | all kynd and courteous enterteinement | to hym w^ch that you may the safer do, though | his coming from England might be some occason of hynderaunce I do assure <you> in | verbo sacerdotis that he <is> no meddler but | rather enclined to the good and oneli | for the fame of lucca Emarentiana | and loue of musick hath undertaken | this voyage so that I hope there wilbe | no occasion to hynder you from doing | hym what fauours you can wch I pray | you againe and againe to shew hym for | my sake ' and I shalbe allwayes bound | to you for this as for many other yo^r | exceading courtesies to me shewed | —so praying god to bless you and us all | do take leaue Fiorenza 7^o Julii 1595

yo^r allwayes at Commaunde
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John Scudamore priest
====

[172/93 verso: endorsements]

[Hand of Scudamore] Al Ill^re Sig^re e prone mio oss^mo il sig^re
Nicolo fiarberti
Roma

[hand of Cecil’s clerk]
7. Julij 1595
Jo: Scudamore ye Preist

Text

Ryght honorable: as I have bin most bounde unto your honor, so I most humblie desire your honor to pardon my boldnes, and mak my choic of your honor to let you understand my bounden duty and desire of Gods preservation of my most dear soveraigne Quene and contry: whom I besech God ever to bless and to confounde all their enemies what and whomsoever. Fiften yeares since I was in France Servant to Sir Henry Cobham who was Imbassador for the Quenes majestie, and lay in Parys, wher I fell aquainted with on Smith a preist, and on Morgan somtims of her majesties chapell, on Verstigan who brake out of Englande beinge aprehended, and on Moris a Welchman that was our porter, who is at Rome, these men thrust many idle toies into my hed of relygion, sainge that the papists was the truthe and ours in England all falce, and I being but yonge their faire words overecht me and I beleved with them. Within ij years after I cam into Englande wher I saw men of that faction condemde and executed, which I thought was great injustice taking relygion for the only cause, and when my best frends wold perswade me I wold not beleve them. Then in time passing on Mr. Johnson died, and I becam an humble sutor for his place (thincking my selfe most worthiest), wherin I found many goode and honorable frends that spake for me, but I saw that I was like to goe without it, and that any mygt have preferment but I. Wherby I began to sounde the cause, and gest that my relygion was my hinderance. Whearupon, my mynde beinge trobled, I desired to get beyond the seas, which I durst not attempt without lycence from som of the Privie Counsell, for fear of being taken and so my hav extreame punishment. And accordinge as I desired ther cam a letter to me out of Germany from the Duke of Brunswicke, wherupon I spake to your honor and to my Lord of Essex, who willingly gav me both your hands (for which I wold be glad if ther wear any service in me that yor honors coulde comande). When I cam to the Duke of Brunswicke he usde me kindly, and gave me a ritch chaine of golde, xxiij £ in mony with velvet and saten and gold lace to make me aparell, with promyse that if I wolde serv him he wolde gev me as mutch as any prince in the worlde. From thenc I went to the Landgrave of Hessen, (who gav me the gretest welcome that myght be for on of my qualyty) who sent a ringe into England to my wiff valued at xx £ sterlinge, and gave me a great standing cupe with a cover gilt, full of dolers with many great offers for my service. And from thence I had great desire to see Italy and cam to Venyce and from thence to Florence whear I plaid befor the Duke and got great favors. And on evenynge I was walkinge upon the piazzo in Florence a jentle man tolde me that he espied a English preist and that his name was Skidmore and sonne and heir to Sir John Skidmore of the Courte, so I being intended to go unto Rome to study with a famous musicion named Luca Marenzio, stept to this Mr. Skidmor the preist and asked him if he was an Englysh man, and he told me yea: and whose sonne he was, and I telling him my name he was very glad to se me, so I tolde him I wold goe to Rome and desired his help for my saffty. For said I, “if they shold mystake <me> ther, my fortune wear hard, for I hav bin thrust off of all good fortunes because I am a Catholicke at home. For I hard that Her Majestie beinge spake to for me, saied, I was a man to serve any princ in the world, but I was an obstinat papist.” Whearunto he answered, “Mr. Dowlande, if it be not so, make her words true.” So in farther talke we spake of preists, and I told him that I did not thinck thinck it true that any preists (as we said in England) wolde kill the Quen, or onc goe about to touche her finger, and said I whatsoever my Relygion be will neither medle nor mak with any thyng thear done, so that they do not any thing against the Quen. Whearunto he answered that I spake as a good Subiect to her majestie, but said he in Rome you shall <hear> Englyshmen your own Contrymen speak most hardly of her and wholy <seek> to overthrow her and all Englande, and those be the Jesuits, said he, who are of the Spanyshe faction: moreover said he we hav many Jares with them, and withall wished to God the Quen wear a Catholycke. And said he, “to defend my Contry against the Spanyards I wold com into England and bear a pike on my sholders.” Amonge our talk he tolde me that he had order to atache div dyvers Inglish Jentlemen, and that he had bine iij years from Englande. So I brought him to his lodging dore, whear he told me that thear was ix prests com from Rome to go for Englande. He cam but the day before to Florenc, and I thinck they cam altogether. He told me that he wold stay ther in the town and study in an abby caled Sancta Maria Nouella, and that he must kep in for on monethe, and that he wold writ letters of me to Rome, which I shold receve very shortly. But I heard not of him in a moneth after, and then there came two English friers to my lodging the on was an Englishman named Balye, a Yorksheirman. The next day after my spech with Skydmore, I dyned with my Lord Gray and dyvers other jentlemen, whom I told of my speach with Skidmor, gevinge them warnynge. Wherupon my Lord Gray went to Siena, and the rest dispersed them selves. More over I tolde my Lord Gray howsoever I was for relygion, if I did perceve anything in Rome that ether toucht her majestie of <or> the state of England I wold gev nottice of it thoughe it wer the loss of my liff. Which he liked well and bade me kepe that secret. This Frier Baylie before named delivered me a letter which I hav hear sent unto your honor, which letter I brake open befor Mr. bodly Josias Bodly, and shewed what was written in it to him and divers other, after this, this frier Bayly tolde he had Receved letters From Rom to hasten me forward, and tolde me that my discontentment was knowne at Rom, and that I sholde hav a large pention of the Pope, and that His Holynes and all the Cardinales woulde make wonder full mutch of me. Therupon I tolde him of my wiff and children how to get them to me, wherunto he tolde me that I shold have acquaintance with sutche as sholde bringe them over if she had any wilingnes, or elce they wolde lose ther lives. For ther cam those into Englande for sutch purposes. “For,” quothe he “Mr. Skidmor brought out of Englande at his last being ther xvij persons both men and women, for which the Bishope wepes when he sees him for Joy.” After my departure I caled to mynde our conference and got me by my self and wept hartely, to se my fortun so harde that I sholde becom sarvant to the gretest enemye of my prince, contry, wiff, children, and frends, for wante, and to make me like them selves. God He knoweth I never loved treason nor trechery nor never knew any, nor never heard any Mass in Englande, which I finde is great abuse of the peple for on my soule I understande it not, wherfor I have reformed my self to lyve acording to Her Majesties lawes as I was borne under Her Highnes, and that most humbly I doe crave pardon, protestinge if ther wer any abylitie in me, I wold be most redy to make amends. At Bolona I met with ij men the on named pierce an Iryshman, the other named Dracot, they are gon both to Rome, In Venice I hard an Italyan say, that he marveled that king Phillip had never a good frend in Inglande that with his dager wolde dispatch the Quens Majestie, but said he, God suffers her, in the end to gev her the greter overthrowe. Right honorable, this hav I written that Her Majestie may knowe the vilany of thes most wicked prests and Jesuits, and to bewar of them. I thanck God I hav both forsaken them and their relygion which tendeth to nothing but distruction. Thus I beseche God nyght and day to blesse and defend the Quens Majestie, and to confonde all her enemies and to preserve your honor and all the rest of her majesties most honorable Privie Counsell. I thinck that Skidmore and the other preists ar all in England, for he staid not at Florenc as he said he wolde to me, and Frier Baylie tolde me that he was gon into France to study the lawe. At Venyce and all along as I com in Germany men say that the Kinge of Spain is making gret preparation to com for England this next somer, wher if it pleasde your honor to advise me by my poore wyff I wolde most wilingly lose my lyffe against them, most humbly besechinge your honor to pardon my ill writinge, and worse inditinge, and to thinke that I desir to serve my contry, and hope to hear of your good opinyon of me. From Nurnberge, this xth of November 1595.

Your honors most bounden for ever
John Doulande

[endorsements: Hand of Dowland]

To the Right honorable Sir^r Robert Cicell, Knyghte, on of the Quenes majesties^s most honorable Privie Counsell gev thes

[Hand of Cecil’s clerk]

John Dowland to my master from Noremberg
with Mr ffitzherbert
with John Scudamore priests letter to Nicholas Fitzherbert

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Right worshipfull Mr. Fitzherbert

I know the fame of Mr Douland our countryman for his exquisitenes upon the lute and his conninge in musick hath come to your eares longe ago, and now shortely you are like to see hym in person and be iudge your self of his musicke wherein he will I answer geve you content. My request to you his that you according to your loving natuer wold geeue all kynd and courteous enterteinement to hym which that you may the safer do, though his comming from England might be some occason of hynderaunce. I do assure you in verbo sacerdotis that he is no meddler but rather enclined to the good and oneli for the fame of Lucca Emarentiana and loue of musick hath undertaken this voyage so that I hope there wilbe no occasion to hynder you from doing hym what fauours you can, which I pray you againe and againe to shew hym for my sake, and I shalbe allwayes bound to you for this as for many other your exceading courtesies to me shewed — so praying God to bless you and us all do take leaue Fiorenza 7^o Julii 1595

yours^r allwayes at commaunde
John Scudamore priest

====

Al Ill^re Sig^re e prone mio oss^mo il sig^re
Nicolo fiarberti
Roma

[hand of Cecil’s clerk]

7. Julij 1595
Jo: Scudamore ye Preist
to Nicholas Fitzherbert

From Florence