Henry VII to the Earl of Oxford

LETTER XXIV.

The Kynge to the Earle of Oxynforde.

     HENRY R.

RYGHT trusty and ryght welbelovyd Cousyn we grete you
well &c Jn that ye desyer all the Dogers of thos p^rtes
schuld haue our licens to dep^rte in the viage towards
Jslond as they haue ben accustomyd to do yerly in tyme
passyd And that ye woll undertak they shall haue w^t them
no more quantites of Graynes then woll only suffice for ther
vitallyng and expensis We late yow witte that owr full
Jnterly belovyd Cousyn the Kyng of Demarke hath showyd
and co˜pleynyd un to us by dyu˜s his letters that when our
subiects come to the seid Islelond beyng in hys obeissiance
they stell Robbe and exstorte his subiects ther ageynse
ryght and conciens wherfore the seyd Doggers fyndyng suf-
ficient surte be forne yow such as y^e will Answer unto us
That they shall not haue with them no graynes mo then
shall only suffice for the vitallyng nor odyr thyng woth
them that ys for bedyn And that also they shall not in
goyng Comyng nor in ther beyng at the seyd Islond take
noo thyng but that they treuly pay or agre for and frendly
entrete our seyd Cousyns subiects withowth eny Robbyng
or exstartyng them in ther bodyes ner goodys we be content
the seyd Doggers make ther viags thedyr at ther lib^rtes
eny our Wrytyng or Co˜andment mad in to the contrary
nat withstandyng And ellys we woll that our Restraynte of
ther thedyr goyng stand styll in his strenthe and vertu
yovyn ondir our signet at our Man^r of Shene the vj^th day
of Ap’le

JOHN VER Erle of Oxynford gret Chamberleyn and Admi-
rall of Ynglond Viscount Bulbek And lord Skalys to all
them that this p’sent writyng shall see or her gretyng and
for asmuch as I late haue recevyd the kyng our sovereyn
lords letters beryng date the vj^th day of this monyth of
Apirle accordyng to a copy of the same signyd with myn
hand wiche my ritht trusty servant John Rowe Marchall of
my Admyralite hath for to showe know ye that J the seyd
Erle and Admirall haue assygned and deputyd my seyd
servant to see our seyd sou˜eyn lords lettyrs pleynly exe-
cutyd acordyng to the tenure of the same And by thys
p’sent wrytyng haue yevyn to hy˜ full autoryte and power to
put undyr Arest all such Doggers as be dysposyd to make
the viage towards Islond to such tyme as they haue fownd
surte afor me accordyng to owr seyd sou^reyn lordys co˜and-
ment for ther demenyng in the seyd viagys yovyn onder
myn Signett and Signee manuell the x^th Day of Ap’le the vj
yer of the Reygne of our seyd sou’eyn lord Kyng Hery
the vij^th.

                                                                          OXYNFORD.

    12¼ by 8½.

            Paper Mark.
      Hand, Star, and Letter R.
           Pl. xxxiii. No. 3.

     The outrageous behaviour of our sailors towards the Danish settlers in Ice-
land, with whom they traded for whale oil and bone, dried fish, &c. made these
regulations necessary, as complaints had arrived from John King of Denmark.

     The restrictions as to grain arose from the scarcity of corn this year in Eng-
land, wheat selling at 1l. 4s. 2d. per quarter.

     All matters relative to our trade and commerce I think worthy preservation,
especially as from the reign of Henry VII. we may date the great extension of
our national character as merchants.

     In this reign the Palace of Sheen was destroyed by fire, but rebuilt, and
called Richmond.

     Royal Autograph, Pl. xxx. No. 1.

     Autograph, Pl. iv. No. 5.

LETTER XXIV.

The King to the Earl of Oxenford.

     HENRY R.

RIGHT trusty and right well-beloved Cousin, we greet you
well, &c. In that ye desire all the Doggers of those parts
should have our license to depart in the voyage towards
Iceland, as they have been accustomed to do yearly in time
past, and that ye will undertake they shall have with them
no more quantities of grains than will only suffice for their
victualling and expenses.

     We let you weet that our full entirely beloved Cousin,
the King of Denmark, hath showed and complained unto
us by divers his letters, that when our subjects come to the
said Iceland, being in his obeysance, they steal, rob, and
extort his subjects there, against right and conscience;
wherefore, the said Doggers finding sufficient surety before
you, such as ye will answer unto us, that they shall not have
with them no grains more than shall only suffice for their
victualling, nor other thing with them that is forbidden;
and that also they shall not, in going, coming, nor in their
being at the said Iceland, take nothing but that they truly
pay or agree for, and friendly entreat our said Cousin’s sub-
jects, without any robbing or extorting them in their bodies
nor goods; we be content the said Doggers make their
voyages thither at their liberties, every our writing or com-
mandment made unto the contrary notwithstanding; and
else we will that our restraint of their thither going stand
still in his strength and virtue.

 Given under our Signet, at our Manor of Shene [Rich-
mond], the 6th day of April.

JOHN VERE, Earl of Oxynford, Great Chamberlain and
Admiral of England, Viscount Bulbec, and Lord Scales, to
all them that this present writing shall see or hear, greet-
ing; and for as much as I late have received the King our
Sovereign Lord’s letters, bearing date the 6th day of this
month of April, according to a copy of the same signed with
mine hand, which my right trusty servant John Rowe,
Marshal of my Admiralty, hath for to show.

     Know ye, that I, the said Earl and Admiral, have assigned
and deputed my said servant to see our said Sovereign
Lord’s letters plainly executed, according to the tenor of
the same; and by this present writing have given to him
full authority and power to put under arrest all such Doggers
as be disposed to make the voyage towards Iceland, to such
time as they have found surety afore me, according to our
said Sovereign Lord’s commandment, for their demeaning in
the said voyage.

     Given under mine Signet and Sign Manual, the 10th day
of April, the 6th year of the reign of our said Sovereign Lord
King Harry the VIIth.

                                                                                  OXYNFORD.

          Wednesday, 6th
          Sunday, 10th        April,
               1491. 6 H. vii.

  The outrageous behaviour of our sailors towards the Danish settlers in Ice-
land, with whom they traded for whale oil and bone, dried fish, &c. made these
regulations necessary, as complaints had arrived from John King of Denmark.

     The restrictions as to grain arose from the scarcity of corn this year in Eng-
land, wheat selling at 1l. 4s. 2d. per quarter.

     All matters relative to our trade and commerce I think worthy preservation,
especially as from the reign of Henry VII. we may date the great extension of
our national character as merchants.

     In this reign the Palace of Sheen was destroyed by fire, but rebuilt, and
called Richmond.

     Royal Autograph, Pl. xxx. No. 1.

     Autograph, Pl. iv. No. 5.

     1046

HENRY VII. TO THE EARL OF OXFORD³

      RYGHT trusty and ryght welbelovyd cousyn, we grete
           yow well, &c. In that ye desyer all the dogers
          [fishing smacks] of thos partes schuld have our licens
to departe in the viage towardes Islond, as they have ben
accustommyd to do yerly in tyme passyd, and that ye woll
undertak they shall have with them no more quantites of
graynes then woll only suffice for ther vitallyng and expensis;
we late yow witte that owr fully interly belovyd cousyn the
Kyng of Demarke hath showyd and compleynyd un to us by
dyverse his letters, that when our subjectes come to the seid
Islelond, beyng in hys obeissiance, they stelle, robbe, and
exstorte his subjectes ther ageynse ryght and conciens. Wher-
fore, the seyd doggeres fyndyng sufficient surte be forne yow,
such as ye will answer unto us, that they shall not have with
them no graynes mo then shall only suffice for ther vitallyng,
nor odyr thyng woth them that ys for bedyn, and that also
they shall not in goyng, comyng, nor in ther beyng at the seyd
Islond, take noo thyng but that they treuly pay or agre for,
and frendly entrete our seyd cousyns subjectes withowth eny
robbyng or exstartyng them in there bodyes ner goodys; we
be content the seyd doggeres make ther viages thedyr at ther
libertes, eny our wrytyng or comandment mad in to the con-
trary nat withstandyng; and ellys we woll that our restraynte
of ther thedyr goyng stond styll in his strenthe and vertu.

     Yovyn ondir our signet, at our maner of Shene, the vj^th
day of Aprile.

     JOHN VER, Erle of Oxynford, Gret Chambyrleyn and
Admirall of Ynglond, Viscount Bulbek, and Lord Skalys, to
all them that this present writyng shall see or here, gretyng.
And for asmuch as I late have recevyd the Kyng our Sovereyn
Lords letters, beryng date the vj^th day of this monyth of
Aprile, accordyng to a copy of the same, signyd with myn
hand, wiche my ritht trusty servant, John Rowe, Marchall of
my Admyralite, hath for to showe;

     Know ye that I, the seyd Erle and Admirall, have assygned
and deputyd my seyd servant to see our seyd Sovereyn Lordes
lettyrs pleynly executyd acordyng to the tenure of the same,
and by thys present wrytyng have yevyn to hym full autoryte
and pouer to put undyr arest all such doggeres as be dysposyd
to mak the viage towardes Islond, to such tyme as they have
fownd surte afor me, accordyng to owr seyd Sovereyn Lordys
comandment, for ther demenyng in the seyd viagys.

     Yovyn under myn signett and signee manuell, the x^th day
of Aprile the vj. yere of the reygne of our seyd Sovereyn Lord
Kyng Hery the vij^th

          ³ [From Paston MSS., B.M.]

1491
APRIL 6

1491
APRIL 6