Transcript

[fol. 30r] Sir though I have had litle comfort to wryte unto you since my returne yet will I not leave my promis altogether unsatisfied. On sonday last I arryved here & the same day repayred to the Court wheare I found a very cold welcome our doings strangely interpreted my Lords fact utterly condempned & Sir Thomas Henneage uppon his dispatch to undoe & overthrow all that was done my first repayer was to master secretary & from him to master vice Chamberlain whither her majestie taking knowledge of myne arrivall sent for me. The begyneng of our C [omedy] was exceding sharp. not only against my L. for proceding thus farr without her previty or consent & that which she often [ ... ] against her express comaundement but also in [myne] owne respect for not diffroading & opposyng my self unto yt. how I laboured to satisfye her & with what success you may presently ghes by my lres to my L. & understand more by others but thus much I dare be bold to assure you that yf I had ^not^ arryved as I did both my L had bene utterly dishonored & the Cause overthrowen. It were to long if safe, to enter here into all the particulers yet thus much may I tell you notwithstanding for the comfort that you have borne also your part in the [Comedy] as a principall Actor for which both you & my self are beholding to the favorable [recomendacion] of our good frends theare. notwithstanding the first dayes travaill as I thoght with some [ ... ] Sir Thomas Henneage was the next morning with great heat dispatched & presently departed but the second audience wroght some better effect. The same night her Majestie gave order to stay him till he heare her further pleasure. I hoped it would have growen to a repealing of him ^altogeather^ but it hath not yet so happely fallen out. The next morning my L Thresurer came to the Court whome I acquainted with the whole history of our proceadings. I left him to the [seeing] very well satisfied & resolved to deale very honnorably in the Cause. He found her Majestie utterly undisposed to revoke Sir Thomas & therfore insisted on a qualleficacon of his message which was yelded to ^in such termes^ nonetheless ^as^ wilbe litle acceptable to my L. or proffitable to the cause if it be not on his behaulf the more discretely handeled./ He remaynes yet in Kent. for wynd & weather & ^intending^ as I think to come by flushing if his journey hold./

of the change wherof I leve in some hope if he tary long bycause I find her Majestie to declare daily in the vehemence of her offence against [his] Lp. but of all this you shall have more certainly & particularily from master Secretary for whome I my L. oweth more for his constant frendshipp & sufferaunce for his sake then to all the men in Courte./ my lady your wife & the rest of your frends do well. my poore self being now in some sort unburdened of my [promise] in preparing to go towarde the Bathe about the [mydlest] of the next moneth wheare I shalbe more ready to pray for you the abler to do you service yet as occasion shalbe offered you let me beseching you to use me still as a poore man asmuch at your [ ... ] as any frend you have [leving] . And so comending you & your honorable travailles to the blessing of God do here hastely take my leave. At my poore howse in London the xvij ^th^ of february 1585. your owne assured to do you service W Davison.