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third dayes of this monith of May, Wher appered befor us at
the said dayes, thinhabitaunts of diverse hundreds of this
shire of Kent, to whom we stewed yor gracs hiegh pleasor,
according
to your gracs commission, and other yor gracs honorable lres to theym directed; and to write unto yor grace all
our communications, exhortations, and other sayings, it shuld
be very tediouse to yor grace to rede; Not wtstauding,
finally,
all yor said subjects kindly, frely, and willingly offerd ther
bodies, lyves, and gudds, to serve yor grace as far as ther
bodies, lyves, and gudds will extend, as yor trewe, liege, and
naturall subjects oweth to doo; And if ther powr and substaunnce
wer as good as ther willes, they wold depart wt every
thing that yor grace wold demaund of theym. It was said
emongs them that yor grace did take great displeasor ayenst theym, which thing they takith hevely and
sorowfully, humble
beseching yor grace to take no ferther displeasor ayenst theym,
thowgli at the first demaund they made difficultie, ffor they
thowght it better so to do, then expressely to promesse any
certaine Somme to yor grace, and when yor grace having nede
of the same, they shuld not be able to pay and satisfy according
to ther promesse, wch thing mought cause yor grace to tak
more displeasor wt theym, then for thair first refusall. And all
thoes yor subjects wth we have already called befor us,
knoweth
right well that yor grace take yor selfe as born in Kent, and
alwayes have born yor gracs speciall favors to the same. Wherfor
they thinkkith theymselves the more bound to serve yor
grace with ther bodyes, lives and gudds, and so in ther most
humble wise they besechith yor hieghnes to accepte theym,
notw'standing any enformation made to the contrary, wch yor
said subjects desiere us to certify yor grace of this ther
mynds
and offertures, wishing that they hadd now asmoch goodds as
ever they hadd in ther lives, and then yor grace shuld right
well perceive howe liberally they wold contribute to yor grace,
ffor they say openly ther be no subjects leving that have a more
loving, mor kind, and mor valiant Prince then they have of yor grace; and so in thair most humble wise they besechith
yor
grace to contynue the same. And this ther offertures and answers
preceded only of theymselves, and not by enducyng of
us or any other yor gracs commissioners, ffor we shewed theym
we hadd no such Instructions to admytt ther offertures, albeyt
we shewed theym that we wold certifye yor grace of thair good |