THE COKE PAPERS AT MELBOURNE HALL. 59 



Smyth's daughter, of Ashby Fallows in Com. Leicester. They 

 and Sir Francis Englefield, the son, and Sir Thomas Trentham, 

 and others of such fashion were at Hassop a whole week together 

 to the number of one hundred horses. They were also at Etwall at 

 Mrs. Langford's house there, and other places in great troops, so 

 that the whole country took notice thereof, they grew very insolent 

 and kept company among themselves scorning us. Sir Henry 

 Merry refused to pay almost every payment assessed upon him for 

 the country, so that we were forced to complain to my Lord 

 Lieutenant, since which time he paid all but those sums assessed 

 upon him for the soldiers that went out of this county the last 

 winter and the last spring which still he refuseth to pay. Since 

 I had written these letters I understand that his Majesty doth call 

 for the arrearages of the recusants now behind and unpaid which 

 I am glad of; but I fear the most of them will now come to the 

 Church having dispensations from the Pope ; for some of them 

 have prevented this demand of the arrearages by coming to the 

 Church about a month since, perhaps having notice beforehand, 

 whereof Sir Henry Shirley is one, the worst of all being church 

 papists. Now if anything be of use in this letter you may take 

 notice thereof, the rest will be but your labour to weed and then 

 to burn. We think in this country that certainly the papists have 

 some designs in hand the latter end of this summer, whereof we 

 hope they are prevented. For my Lord D'Eyncourt I told him 

 how it would succeed, but I was willing that he should perceive 

 no want in me, that I might receive so much kindness at his 

 hands as to get from him my father's book of pedigrees, which he 

 hath kept as you know, therefore 1 pray you accept this as my 

 excuse though it be not a good one, I confess. And thus with my 

 best love remembered to you and my sister and my prayers to God 

 for you and all yours I take leave.* 



* For many interesting particulars regarding the recusancy of the Merry's of 

 Barton Blount, and of other Derbyshire recusants mentioned in this letter, see 

 Mr. Foley's Records of the Society of the English Province of Jesus, series I. 

 and XII,, passim. 



