THE PILGRIMAGE OF GRACE

and Lancashire, in arms; and likewise to our Cousin of Suffolk,
that he may put himself in like areadiness, with the force of
Lincolnshire; but that you, our Cousins of Norfolk, Shrewsbury,
and others of our Council there, shall immediately levy all the
forces ye be able to make in those parts; putting yourselves in
order with the same to keep the passages of Don, which we will
you shall then travail to cleanse and fortify, in such sort as the
rebels may be stayed, till we may here put ourself in some areadi-
ness to advance towards them. . . .

Post scripta. We have received your sundry letters, the one
written at Newark, the other at Nottingham, Touching your
device contained in those written from Newark, for the taking
of a new day if you shall not agree with the rebels, and the
preparation thereupon of 5 or 600 horses, and 200 or 300 foot-
men; you shall understand, we do not mislike the taking of a
further day; for that is conformable to such advertisement as you
shall now receive from us upon the credence of Sir John Russell
and the letters sent by the same. Concerning the horses and
men to be shipped in Norfolk, we do neither yet condescend to
the device, nor yet disapprove it; for the success thereof may be
good, albeit we trust it shall not come to such extremity. We
would you should, in the mean season, advertise us where you
think meetest to have those horses levied; and thereupon we shall
advertise you of our further mind in that behalf. Now to your
letters written at Nottingham; whereas you think it meet, con-
sidering the fury and areadiness of the rebels, that we should send
unto you some degrees, so that they might, at the least, be stayed
till we might again put our forces in such order as should be con-
venient, supposing it should be meet for us for that purpose; and
for that also that you have no man there that can enter in the
number of the days to be inserted in the safe-conduct, but the
same should appear done of two hands, which might administer
cause of argument, to send unto you sundry safe conducts for
sundry times. To the first, for the degrees, you may perceive by
these our letters that we have therein waded as far as we may
possibly with our honour; conveying the end of your communica-
tion to a delay, though you should certainly condescend upon
the two points of the pardon and the Parliament; and if you,