CCXXVIII. Sir Edwin Sandys. A Letter to John Ferrar
April 22, 1622
Ferrar Papers
Document in Magdalene College, Cambridge. Autograph Letter, Signed, with Seale
List of Records No. 315
Sr: As I was setting pen to paper to answer yor letter, & to deliver my opinion
of the writings enclosed, there came to me Mr Bargrave, wth a supersedens
from * * * venting my meditations upon his Articles. ffor (as yu
shall perceive by his to yu enclosed) he prayeth that yu forbeare answering
him till §after§ the beginning of the Term: by wch tyme himself will be wth
yu again, & I as soon as he, or very soon after, if God permitt. But the
answer wilbe easie, & the trowble vanish like a spring mist: & therfore let
not this matter make anie addition to yor iuster cares.
The other matter from the Spaniardℯ is more wicked: conteining in it
matter untrue calumnious, & uniust. ffor it cannot be true, that they
were restrained from going immediately into Spanish §Dominions§, there
beeing no other Ships there then such as were for England. Then it is
palpably calumnious, that concerning their gold: wch was not aleged to
the ends so ridiculous by them set downe: but only to disproove their
former allegation that they were robbed & stripped of all their gold.
Lastly to demand anie composition of the Companie §here§ is most uniust;
whom they cannot so much as charge to have anie way wronged them.
There is nothing therein reasonable, but their demand of leve to be gone:
wch was also needles, there beeing no hinderance given them.
Yu shall doo well in my opinion to make a short answer in writing to their
petition: declaring what pains yu have taken to fynd out the trueth by
examinatiõ, whereby it hath appeared, that their informations were not
true in manie particulars. Howbeit if it please the LL. that the matter
be farther examined in the place where it was doon, & whether yu are very
shortly sending a nue Governor wth other Officers; yu shalbe very readie
to perform their LLps Directions, & to §do§ all things wch may give the
Complainants iust satisfaction from the Delinquents, if anie such be
found, But as for the Companie here, they have no cause to be aggreeved
wth them, having no ways offended them, & having sincerely endevored
to try out the truth by all meanes, & to doo them all good offices wch lay
in their power.
Mr Bargrave telleth me, (si credere dignum) that all the petitions to the
King against the Companie, are set on by Sr T. S. & that wth all he directeth
to get them referred to him & his frends, wch he dooth no dowt to make
tryall of his integritie, how iustly he can carry himself beeing both accuser
& Judge. This next Term I nothing dowt we shall rid or selfs of these
brablements: wch in the end will redound to their great disgrace wch
procure them. It is now late. The blessing of God be always upon yu.
Adieu.
Yors entirely
Edwin Sandys
Northborn 22. April: 1622
[Indorsed:] Sr Edwin Sandys ye 22 Aprill: 1622. from Northborne.
[Addressed by self:] To my very woorthie frend Mr John Ferrar, at his
House in St Sithes Lane in London.
