LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 31 



THOMAS HOOD TO LORD BURGHLEY. 



[MS. Lansd. No. 101, Art. 12.] 

 To the righte honorable Sir William Cecill, Knighte ; Lorde 



Burleighe, Lorde Treasurer of Englande. 

 Male it please you, righte Honorable, to understande, That 

 forsomuche as the maintenance of the mathematicall lecture, 

 and other necessaries belonginge thereunto dependeth espe- 

 ciallie upon the execution of certaine articles confirmed by the 

 right honorable the lords of her Majesties Privie Counsell con- 

 cerninge the capitanes of the trained bandes in the citie of 

 London, and the erectinge of a mathematicall lecture therein, 

 I did therefore in humble manner request theire favorable 

 letters to the Lord Maior and his bretheren for the speedie 

 execution of the said articles. To my peticion I receaved this 

 answeare : That it pleased the right honorable lords in my 

 behalfe to directe theire letters to the Lord Maior and his 

 bretheren, requestinge them to move those which had binne 

 contributaries to my lecture to continew theire benevolence 

 towarde the same as they had begonne. The which answere, 

 Righte Honorable, as it seemed greatlie to favour my prefer- 

 ment, so am I bownde to be thanckfull for the same. But 

 consideringe that my wages dependeth not upon the contri- 

 bution of anie certaine number of men, but upon the promise 

 of the Lord Maior and the citie, I feared that their Honours 

 letters so directed wolde be an hinderance to my purpose, I 

 was bolde therefore to renew my peticion unto theire Lords, 

 whereunto an answere was retorned in these wordes. That 

 theire Honours were readie to grante the same, so farre forthe 

 as your Honour wolde consent thereunto, wherefore my re- 

 quest unto you, Right Honorable, is this, That consideringe 

 my peticion containeth nothinge prejudiciall to the honour 

 and profite of the common wealth, or that hathe not by your 

 Lordships hande binne adjudged convenient, and earnestlie 

 requested by the whole citie, it wolde please your Lordship 

 to further the same ; and I doubte not but as I shall thincke 

 myselfe bounde unto your Honour, and the rest for your 

 greate and singuler favour, so you shall have just occasion to 

 saie (in respecte of that good which by mine endevour shall 

 arise to the common wealth) that your benefite was bestowed 

 upon a painefull thanckfull and well deservinge man*. 

 Your Honours, 

 Most humble, 



THOMAS HOOD. 



* Towards the end of Elizabeth's reign, there was a mathematical lecture read 



