Even in a modern state with an efficient police force considerable use is made of informers. Indeed the most successful detective is often the one who has the best contacts with members of the underworld who are prepared to provide information in return for cash or for favours. The more primitive the machinery for preserving order in a state the greater the need for such informers. It is no wonder therefore that men of this kind proliferated in Elizabethan and Jacobean England.

Right Honourable my singuler good Lord. The last tyme that your Honour pleased to admitt me to your presence I acquaynted yow with the Archpriest his apprehension as he was comming fromwarde the Charterhouse. As at that tyme I told your Honour nothinge but what was delivered me by him who apprehended the Archpriest, who acquaynted me with it before any other man before iiii a clock in the morning, so when I returned from your Honour I found the case so altered that I might justly be censured (as matters have bin caried) both an absurd dolt and mischevous informer to so worthy a personage. But at that tyme not knowing howe to discharge my self, being infinitely ashamed, and greved at causes caried with such crossnes and contrarietye I have since endevored to make what discoverye I might to fre my self of those imputations wherewith I might at that tyme be charged. I desire right Honourable rather all extremityes then justly to give yow [or any erased] the least cause of offence and therefore I have bin most curious and carefull in this matter to make proffe, that I neither durst nor wold acquaynt your Honour with any thinge without grounde or prob[ab]ilitye. So that I am right humbly to beaseach yow for God’s cause as ever yow tendred the oppression of a pore man to vowchsafe that Jhon Wragge who apprehended the Archpriest may be examined howe far forth he wished and urged me to chalenge any thinge? Who told or named to him the Archpriest’s comming from the Charterhouse? Who urged him to search Mr. Leake’s house within the Charterhouse for the Archpriest’s thing[s] there kept? What speaches he herd that might concerne your Honour about the Archpriest? And then your Honour shall finde rather motives to pitye my hard fortune then to condemne either grossenes or lewdnes in that report I made to yow. Albeit most Honourable this my so humble sute may seame unfitting your regard yet I dare assure yow that the examination will prove fitting your Honourable consideration. Whilest I live, by God’s grace, I will never deliver the speaches of any man more then in generality to direct to the author, ictus piscator sapit.

Right Honourable my singuler good Lord. Agaynst this blessed tyme my extreme wants enforce me most humbly to beaseach yow to consider and to commiserate the same. I have had no realeffe a longe tyme. I endure al[1] extremityes rather then to offend with importunitye. At this present I have found that one Robert Walker, a priest, made an escape out of the Counter in Wodstrete above a yeare agoe. He leaft in the custodye of one Stranguis an innekeper dwelling at the Queene’s Armes above Holborne Brigge. The somme of a xi li. yf it might please your Honour to give order by such meanes as yow please that I might reaceve that money agaynst this tyme I should be most bound unto yow. Yf I had (God is my jugg) either meate or apparell agaynst this tyme I wold have forborne to have troubled your Honour with any sute before I had presented your Honour with some of the longe expected Bibles from Dowaye. But the one partye who went over for the bokes uppon purpose hath bin scarred and imprisoned and discharged under coler of service and none done. A second partye is expected every houre. No man can prevent my first presenting of them to your Honour onlye Doctor Taylor expected. In all prostrate manner committing my self and pore estate to your accostomed most honourable consideration, the rather agaynst this blessed tyme, I remayne beaseaching the Almightye to blesse, prosper and preserve yow and all yours in all wished happines in this world and the world to come.

Right Honourable. Your most honourable acceptance of that boke which yow reaceved by the Bishop of Bristowe bath encorraged me to endevour the performance of some service more worthy to be presented to so honourable a counsellor. Whereuppon I do nowe presume to acquaynt your Honour what I have performed sithence that tyme and what honourable, necessary and most commodious services I may perform for his Majestye yf I may be assisted with your most honourable favour and assistance.

Remembrances touching Recusants and that sort.

A cataloge of books receved from the Lord Ambassader of Venice, taken from the Dutch priest in his howse.