Extract from:
Calendar of the Manuscripts of the most Hon. The Marquis of Salisbury, K.G., Part II. Pub.: 1888
744. Sir Henry Ashley to Lord Burghley
1579, July 25. – Advertises him that one Nicholas le Coxe hath lain at Sineron with the Parson of Parley, within the county of Dorset, (being a French priest), ever since Michaelmas last past. And for that Parley is within his division, he was let to understand that the said Coxe did sundry times use to go to “the Moynes,” and sometimes to Poole. Doubting lest he might be a spy to sound the coasts in those parts, he sent for him and examined him, to know the cause of his repairing to England. He declared that Mons. Matiniau, one of the Governors of Normandy, who used martial law much, was his mortal enemy, and suspected that he was consenting to the murder of a monk in Sherbrook, by the Abbot’s command there, and that he should be the messenger to carry the reward to such persons as did the murder. Further, that the Queen Mother of France had given Mons. Matiniau the said Abbey (in reversion of the said Abbot) for one of his youngest sons. The revenues of the said Abbey are worth (he said) 10,000 francs a year, for which cause Matiniau would fain pick some quarrel with the Abbot, to deprive him, and promised by messengers to shew great favour and liberality to le Coxe (who married the Abbot’s niece), if he would accuse the Abbot of consenting to the said murder. Le Coxe, fearing Matiniau’s tyranny, forsook his country and came to England for a space. Thereupon, Sir Henry took bond of him with sureties, that he should not approach the sea coast any more without his leave, or that of some other justice of the division, whilst he was in England. This done, he left him to his own will, and he returned to the parson of Parley. As soon as Matiniau understood that le Coxe was come into England, he wrote his letters by one Lafoydra and one Lucier Alman, both his servants, and termed his Serjeants in executions, to Viscount Howard, and also to the Mayor of Poole, to have le Coxe delivered to his two servants aforenamed. Lord Howard wrote his precept to the Mayor of Poole to send le Coxe to him, who then for the space of a month after his arrival remained in Poole, until he fell acquainted with the said parson of Parley his countryman. But the Mayor would not send him to my Lord out of their liberty, for that they well knew the cruelty of the said Matiniau, for some of the merchants in Poole did well understand of the killing of the said monk, for they saw one person executed that did the deed, and two others fled, that were at the deed also. What this monk was, and how he led his life, the bearer can advertise ; it is too long to put in writing. Lord Howard was greatly offended with the Mayor of Poole for that he would not send Coxe to him upon his precept, and at his Lordship’s departure towards the court, he took order with Sir Richard Rogers and with Mr. Lawrence, that if the said le Coxe came out of the county of Poole into Dorsetshire, they should make out their warrant and apprehend him, and commit him to safe custody until his return. The said le Coxe came to Wimborne Minster on a market day with the parson of Parley, and presently he was apprehended by two of Lord Howard’s men, by virtue of a warrant from Mr. Andrew Rogers and Mr. Lawrence, and carried to a town called Wareham, where Sir Richard Rogers and Mr. Lawrence chanced to be, who examined him according to such instructions as the Frenchman left behind him, and finding no great cause to detain him, yet upon request made to them by Lord Howard’s two men that they would charge him with sufficient matter within ten days next, the said Justices committed him to ward to the Bailiff of Wimborne at the Frenchman’s request for the said ten days, for that he had intelligence by a secret friend in Wareham, that my Lord’s two men with other of their adherents, having possession of him, if he had been left in Wareham, would have conveyed him by night to the sea, and so transferred him into Normandy, of which their words there is good proof. Now after the ten days were expired, the Bailiff of Wimborne, which had the charge of him, repaired to the aforenamed Justices, who presently willed the said Bailiff to set him at liberty, for that no matter came at the ten days’ end to be objected against him. But soon after my Lord was returned from the Court home to his house, this forenamed Lucier Alman repaired to him with fresh letters again, supposing them to come from the Countess of Montgomery, for the apprehension and punishment of the said le Coxe, for killing of the monk and two Englishmen, as is alleged in the letter. Whereupon my Lord sent out his precept to the Tithing-man of Parley to apprehend Coxe, and bring him to him. But as soon as the Frenchmen were newly landed at Lullworth, le Coxe had secret intelligence of their arrival there, and before my Lord’s precept came to the officers to attach him, Coxe and his sureties came to Sir Henry, and required him, for God’s sake, to protect him from Lord Howard, for else he should be delivered into the hands of his enemies, who, he feared, would perforce carry him into France, as he was informed, according to their former determination, where he was sure to receive present death from Matiniau. As soon as he came, Sir Henry by his letters gave Lord Howard to understand thereof, declaring Coxe’s great fear of transportation to his destruction, and thereupon signified that, for pity’s sake, he would not deliver him out of his possession without the Council’s letters, for he thought it not convenient to deliver him for any fact done in France without special commandment from the Council. Doubts not but by the report of sundry, he is able to deliver himself from any the supposed matters that are objected against him. Notwithstanding, upon the sight of Lord Burghley’s letter to Lord Howard, Sir Henry (although in conscience he thinks him clear of those accusations by report) will, according to commandment, send him to the common gaol, as soon as he recovers health ; he is now sick, as Lord Howard well knows. But if it pleases Lord Burghley, upon his humble suit, being requested by sundry Englishmen who understand the causes, to write for his bailment, Sir Henry does not doubt but he can put in good sureties for his appearance at any time, for the common gaol is a miserable place and of great expenses. Thinks in the end by proof it will fall out that the Countess of Montgomery’s name is abused by the French. If it pleases Lord Burghley to grant this his request for Coxe’s bailment, Lord Howard and he will take such sureties as are directed them. Prays him to take his long and tedious letter in good part, which pity upon the examination of the circumstances moved him to do, thinking it his duty both before God and man to declare this unto him.—“From my howse of Gilis Wymborne,” 25 July 1579.
[Postscript.]—The two Englishmen supposed to be killed in Normandy by the said le Coxe were slain five years past ; of the which one was a servant of Captain Leighton’s, the other a Dorchester man, as Captain Leighton can witness, who prosecuted the death of his man, and found it to be the deed of the host of the house, for covetousness of the money which they had about them.
Seal. 2pp