Letter from Lord Burghley to the Lord Mayor

ff 227–7v (15 January) (Richmond)

After my hartie commendacons I haue receued this Daie two lettres from your Lordship the one of the xiiij^th the other of the xv^th. By the former I haue receued answere to my former lettre sent vnto your Lordship concerning a Calendar of the names of howses infected from the begining of the moneth of Nouember to be notified in the Citie of London, whereby such as shall resort to the terme may be warned of the dangers that may growe thereby by resort to the said places infected. And for that it appeareth by your lettre, and also by your Calender that the begining of your accoumpt is but from the xiij^th of Nouember, I perceue thereby that it is ment to haue the two monethes to be accoumpted from thence; and not from the begining of Nouember although at the writing of our lettres to your Lordship, it was ment to be from the begining of Nouember But considering that it will proue more then two monethes backward from the begining of the Terme I doe think for my owne part sufficient to take begining from the xiij^th of Nouember; and so I thinke it good your Lordship cause the Calendar to be made vp, which I doe returne to your Lordship againe, deuised as I take it by mr Norton, and written by his hand. I pray your Lordship to will mr Norton to take paines to put it in some forme of breuitie, that it may be fixed vp in such places as by a paper included in your Lordships letter, and nowe returned seemeth fitt, whereunto I haue added the Barres at Holbern, and that being don by mr Norton I praye your Lordship to cause the officers in the Citie of Westminster, and other officers in the suburbes to be acquainted with the maner and forme thereof, to the intent that the like forme of the Certificat may be kept in all other places about your Citie. And whereas by your Lordships letter yow seeme to require myne opinion whether there shold not be a note or marke made in this howse Calander of howses or Chambers letten out for lodging aswell as for vitailing in myne opinion I thinke it also necessarie that the said places be notefied in the said Calender, and specially for such streetes and lanes as leade from the Citie to Westminster I am also hartely sorry for the mischance whereof I haue vnderstanding bothe by your Lordships lettres and otherwise at my being now at Westminster, mishappened at Parrise Garden on Sonday last, and althoughe | I thinke your learning derely bought by the losse of so many bodies, to haue the Saboth daie so prophaned to see wilde beastes bayted, yet I think it very conuenient, to haue bothe that and other like prophane assemblies prohibited on the Saboth daie, and if it shalbe requisite to haue such like worldly pastimes I think some other daie within the weke meeter for those purposes, and to that ende I minde to treate with my Lordships of the Counsell, that some good order may be taken for that purpose; wishing neuerthelesse that your Lordship in the meane time, hauing rule of the whole Citie might thinke it conuenient to make a generall prohibition within euerie warde of that Citie and liberties that no person vnder your comaundement shold on the Saboth daie resort to any such prophane assemblies or pastimes which I leaue to your Lordships discretion to be considered by the aduise of the aldermen your bretheren. Your other letter of the xv^th conteineth a Certificate of certaine quantitie of wheate of late partly carried, partly intended to be carried out of the Realme, but for what Porte or place the same is carried or ment to be carried your memorial doth not mention. Neuerthelesse I for my part in all Portes where I may staye the carriage owt of such graine I will extend myne aucthoritie, wishing your Lordship to doe asmuche as can for the same in the Port of London And so hauing answered the prinsipall pointes of your Lordships two lettres I wishe your Lordship good successe in your gouerment, ffrom Richmond the xv^the of Ianuary 1582

Your Lordships assured louing frend

(signed) William: Burghley

To my very good Lord the Lord maior of the Citie of London.