LE SECRÉTAIRE JOHN COKE AU SECRÉTAIRE LORD DORCHESTER

Ri^ht honorable.

I receaved an advertisement that above a dozen young women and boies attended at the ports to get passage under the protection of the Spanish Ambassadors sonne in law and M*^ Rubens. And because I found it was donne w*^out his M*®* knowledge, or anie licence sowght from the State I thougt it my dutie to prevent it & not to sufifer such an affront to bee cast upon us that Ambassadors or Agents of Foren Princes should assume such a libertie w""^ is not

permitted in those contries from whence they are imploied nor was 12 mars i63o. indured hère in former times. I did therefore give notice therof by letter to the Lord Warden of the Cinq Ports whose careful ministers in his absence gave order for their stay. Now this night I received a letter from the Spanish Ambassador taking knowledge that an English gentelwoman was going over in the companie of his sonne in law Don Jean de Vasques & Mon"* Rubens, w"" a maidservant and two other gentelman that had passes from the Lords of the Councel to the end that the said gentelwoman should bee ther maried to a Chevalier of good accompt : in regward wherof his Lordship desired mee to take order for their release & free passage. I answered that his Lordship wel understood that by our lawes none but merchants could pas beyond the seas w*^ out licence from his M^® or his Councel under six of their hands. If hee pleased to make kwown the names and qualities of theis women I would move the Lords who I dowted not would proceed w*^ due respect to his Lordship if they fownd no just cawse for his M^®^ service to refuse their allowance. But this gave him not content & hee purposeth (as his Messinger tould mee) to send presently to his Ma*® for his commands. In regward wherof I thowght fit to give his M*® this accompt, and then to obey what hee shall direct. The advertisment I receaved was that theis women were sent over with good portions to bee put into nunneries w^ they cale mareage w^^ is the ordinarie style of al their letters & this is ment by the mareage of this gentelwoman. The young boies are sent to the schooles of the Jésuites & go not emptie handed. I thowght it a good service to interrupt this libertie in regward of the conséquence.

So I rest Your Lordships humble servant London 2 March 1629. John Coke.

Addressed :

For his M*®^ espetial afïairs To the right honorable the Lord Viscount Dorchester principal Secretarie of State to his M*^ give this at Newmarket

John Coke.

12 mars H^m).

hast hast hast post hast.

London 2 March at seven in the morning.

London. Public Record Office. Dom. Charles I, vol. 162, n® 9.

Publié par NoÈL Sainsbury dans Xotes athi QuerieSj 2*^ S. IX Feb. ir, 1860.

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