James I 'Letter Written at Newcastle to the Peers of England and the Privy Council (10 April 1603)'

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An[n]o .j. Jacobij The Kinges Letter written at Newcastle to the peeres of [th]e Realme of [th]e Engl= ande and to the priuie Counsell of [th]e late Queene Elizabeth for an addicone of new Counselores and discharge of [th]e rest of [th]e Peeres in the action of stat, and a Comaund of the Lord Thomas Howard of Walden to supplie the Rowme of Lorde Chamberle in respect of [th]e Lo[rd] Hunsdones indisposition of body [th]e .x. of Aprill. 1603.

Right Trustye and Right welbeloued Cousenes & Counselores. Since the Writinge of many of our formor letters, we haue Considered of the Number and state of you, w[hi]ch by our Comission alredy sente we haue established to be of our privie Counsell in that our kingdome; And we find that when the Rest of our peers w[i]th whom you are ioyned, shall be seuered from you hereafter, those that remaine wilbe a verie small Nomber to attende to the governement of our affaires, w[hi]ch doe require Now more to be added to that societie. In w[hi]ch respecte, we haue thought good first to begine W[i]th some of our Nobillitie, Namlye our right trustie and welbeloued Cousines the Earles of Northumberland, and Comberland, and o[u]r Right trustie and welbeloued the Lord Mountioye our deputie of Ireland, and the Lord Thomas Howard of Walden of whose Choise as we intende that you the Peeres of o[u]r Realme shall take Notice, So we doe herby require and Authorize you that be of our priuy Counsell or as109v or as many of them as be presente w[i]th you, vpo[n] the receipte herof, to admitt vnto our privie counsell, and to give them the oath accustomed to be given to Privie Counselores. And for the Lord Mounteioye his Name may be entered into the liste of our priuie Counsellors and the still So given him in all directiones that you shall shende to him, and his oathe hereafter minestred when he shalbe present: In the meane time we haue signefyed somuch vnto him by our l[ett]res. And then our Nomber beinge thus encreased, you may holde yo[u]r sittings in Counsell aparte as you were wont to doe in o[u]r latte Sisters tyme from the Rest of our peeres, to whom ere it be longe, we shall give the acquitall of their vertues and dutifull endevors, w[hi]ch presentlye we cannot do, vntill by o[u]r Conversacon w[i]th you, and personall knowledg of the Nobillitie and others, we may make choise of those whom we shall find then meete to be Called, either to our privie Counsell or to any other honores, wherof they haue soe well deserved, As we are more in paine to haue remunerated them, then any of them can be in desire to receaue suche testemonyes, wishinge them (excepte some Charges they haue vnder vs, or some Necessarie occasions to severe) that they will staye there at, or about o[u]r Cittie of London, as well to be redie to assist o[u]r privie Counsell vpon any soddaine occasions (whereof No man knowes what occasione110r occasion may happen) as also to attend the Funeralls, the honoringe wherof we shall more regarde for the presente then the repaire of any hether at this tyme, vntill we be mett as is fitt by them and you; wherof the More shall come to gether of you, the more it will agree w[i]th yo[u]r duties and our dignetie. And forasmuch as for many services Necessarilie to be attended, both about the late Queene our Sisters Funeralls; o[u]r reception into the Citties and Townes of this o[u]r Realme, and our Coronaton, the vse of a lord Chamberlaine is verie Needefull; and that the Lord Hunsdon who Now hath that place, is Not able by reason of his indisposition to execute the service belonginge to his Charge, as either his zeale thervnto will moue him, or may stand w[i]th our Honor, at such atyme when so great an observacon wilbe made of all the Ceremonyes due to the dead as well as to the Livinge; we haue thought good to constitute and Authorize our right trustie and welbeloued the Lord Thomas Howard of Walden to exercis{e} that place for the said Lord Hunsdon, both Nowe and then, in respecte of many things fitt to be prepared and executed for our service; wherof we doe requir you our right trustie and wellbeloued the Lord Hunsdon to take notice Not doubtinge but ye will thinke this to stand both w[i]th the Necessitie and Honor of o[u]r service. Given vnder o[u]r signett at our Towne of NeweCastle110v Newecastle the x of Aprill, the firste yeare of our Raigne of England, Fraunce and Irelande and of Scotland the .xxxvjth.

:Ja: Rex:/

Directed thus

To our Right trustye and Righte welbeloued the Peeres of o[u]r Realmes of England and Ireland, and to o[u]r trustie and right welbeloued our privy Counsell assembled at our pallace of Whitehall. / .