By the Eev. Canon J. E. Jackson, F.S.A. 265 



must nedes send me in your next letres the day, if you can, if no the weke & 

 yere in which he was christened & when I was there. For it will stand me I 

 trust in more sted then you wold thynk. & I am suer you have marked it. I 

 pray you do not forget it. Fare ye well. From Kenelworth the xiij"" of July 

 1575. 



" Your assured Freend 

 " To the right worshipfull "T. Smith." 



my loving freend S' 



John Thyn Knight." 



Docketed : " S' Tho. Smithe xiij*'' of July 1575." 



8. 18th August, 1575, Worcester. The Same to the Same. 



[Having obtained the exact age of Sir John Thynne's son, Sir 

 Thotnas hopes to detect some gross trick that had been played 

 him in a transaction in which the young man's age had been mis- 

 represented.] 



" S' you cowld not have done me a greater pleasure then to have sent me the 

 day of the nativitie & christenyng of my godson Mr. John Thjm / I assuer you 

 I thynk to discover by it as notable a forgery as hath bene committed many a 

 day & to the treble of a good nomber of gentlemen / Thus God bryngeth to light 

 with tyme & enquirie, the trouthe / and discovereth falshod that it may apere in 

 his [i.e., its] own likenes, which is fowle and shamfull. This forgery hath been 

 hidden & lurked these xx yeres at the lest as this wold prewve & iij or iiij yere 

 before my godson was borne / Although it toucheth nothyng neither you nor 

 your son, yet in knowing that tyme I can discover it. For the same time either 

 comyng to you or from you I christened an other child whose nativite will make 

 the forgery playne, either to be all together forged or shamfully antedated if ever 

 eny such thing was. And emongi other jrt towcheth me somewhat nere, who by- 

 no meanes can make myne adversarie to answer, whether it be true or forged. 

 Which if he ones do I requier no more for the lease, I did but as dewty of friend- 

 ship wold, not so mich as I wold, but as in this world (that is so hard) I can f 

 You shall do well to send me the lease so made as you write / 1 will do what I 

 can to get you mo yeres, yf no, as I can / I accompt nothyng done nor had untill 

 you have hir Ma"^^ hand to it. Fare you most hartely well & I pray you do my 

 oomendacions to my Lady. And I would wish my godson married as sone as 

 convenyently you cowld both for avoidyng Inconveniences and that you might 

 se some posteritie & issue from hym to youi- honour & worship. From Worcester 

 the xviii"" of August 1575 



" Yo'. assured old.f reende 

 " To the right worshipfull "T. SMITH." 



my loving fi-eend S' 



John Thynne Knight " 



Seal : same as hefore. 



Docketed : " S^ Th". Smithe the 18 of Aug. 1576 " 



