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To our right trusty and welbeloued the Lord North o Lieutenaunt of our County of Cambridge [Bottom of page in pencil:] Misc MS 256 [Right page:] By the Quene
Elizabeth R
Right trustie and welbeloued we grete yow well. fforasmuche as our right trustie and right entirely beloued cousin the Duke of Norff our Lieutenaunte generall in the northe now residinge vpon oure frontieres at oure towne of Barwick hathe not with him suche a convenient power as is mete for the savetie of oure sayd frontiers and defence of our Realme against thattempte and practises of the frenche and that we meane for our owne honor and for ~ suretie specially of that p te of our Realme to haue a further nomber sent to him. We haue by aduyse of oure counsell resolued to haue the nomber of two hundred hable foote men for the warre, to be levied w t all speede in that our countie of Cambridge And therefore we will and co maund yow all delayes set aparte by auctority of thies o [lettre] to levye, or cause to be levied w thin that our countie aswell w thin plac exempted as other whatsoever they be the number of two hundred footemen ^and to be sent to o, In choyse whereof ye shall cause regard to be hadd said cousin w t all speede specially to these thing followinge. First, that they may be of the ablest and strongest p sons, and that the choyse be not made of husbandmen, or laborers Where oth wise, the same may be made of servinge men artificers and yomen that be not occupied in husbandry withe their owne hand labors / And finally to foresee, that mete and hable men be not spared or discharged by favor or rewarde to be gevin to the captaines or others that shall muster them And for choyse of captaines our pleasure is that the charge hereof be com itted to som e of our trustie and welbeloued knight or Squyers of that countie beinge of woorshippe estimac on and [creditt...] to leade suche nomber as ye shall thinke mete to assigne to their charge Whereof we requyre yow to certefye vs that we may retayne them and their service in our good memory Requyring the same also in our name not to spare any travaile, or labor in this case of service w t our said cousin of Norff , o Lieutenaunt, the same beinge for the [Operacion] of this oure Realme from violation or invasion by the ffrenche wch they have of late tyme most notoriously ~ and daungerously devised to execute this present [som of es] resistance had not ben, and were not provided in good tyme And for money for coates and [conducs], ye shall receave l res herewith by oure com aundeme t from our treasurer of England to our [Recewvers] or suche oth s as shall [s...] the same satisfied and contented And yf it shall happen that the said numbers cannot all be furnyshed withe armor and weapons in that countie, then the
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Thirde parte of them shalbe furnyshed withe oure armor at Newcastell or Barwicke at reasonable prices, And the hole nomber (as nede so require) shalbe furnysshed of all maner of weapons vppon reasonable prices. And thus our l res shalbe your sufficient warraunt and discharge in this behalf Yeven vnder our Signet at o Palays of Westm the xiiiith day of May the Second year of o reigne 18 day May Palace of Westm [Right page, right margin in pencil:] Elizabeth I, Queen of England 1533-1603. Misc MS 256 [Typed at bottom of page:] ELIZABETH (QUEEN), an Order to Lord North, Lieutenant of the county of Cambridge, respecting the arming of Persons on the Frontiers in consequences of the ATTEMPT OF INVASION OF THE FRENCH, geven under our Signet at the Palace of Westminster. a very interesting document quite perfect 1