order of knighthood of St. Michael, he answered, That, when the French King did offer the same unto him, he refused it, being minded never to accept thereof: and afterward the Duke of Bouillon and Monsieur De Sancy told him that, if he did not accept of the King's honourable offer, the King would take it in ill part, and to be done to his dishonour: but not being persuaded to accept thereof, he repaired to her Majesty's Ambassador, who advised him to refuse the same if he could; but if he were earnestly pressed, and could not refuse it, then to accept it without the oath, reserving always his duty and service to her Majesty: and, being afterwards earnestly pressed by the King, he did accept the said order of knighthood; and, kneeling, (his hands between the King's,) the statutes of the order being read, he took the oath, saving always his duty and allegiance to her Majesty; and made no account of the said order otherwise than to satisfy the King's pleasure therein. And being sharply reprehended by us for accepting that order, to the dividing of his service by oath given to another Prince, notwithstanding the reserving of his allegiance and duty to her Majesty, without her Highness' pleasure being first known, he saith he is heartily sorry for his offending her Majesty therein, having never any meaning to have offended her Majesty thereby. We have committed

him close prisoner in the Fleet until her Majesty shall otherwise command. We have also called before us Sir Thomas Sherley, the father, and charged him that he hath encouraged his son herein, and hath persuaded him to take the place and precedence of other Knights. He answereth, That he hath not any ways encouraged him, but hath counselled and charged him to be very curious and circumspect in taking place to the offence of any, and is most heartily sorry that his son hath thus done, to the offence of her Majesty. Which our doings, according to our duties, we desire you to let her Majesty understand, until ourselves may wait on her Highness, to make more particular relation thereof. And so we bid you right heartily farewell, this 12th of March 1593. "Your very loving friends,

"Jo. PUCKERING, C.J. "T.BUCKHURST."

This does not appear to have been satisfactory, and a further examination took place, the result of which is communicated by Mr. Carew in the succeeding letter:

"14th of March, 1593.

"Being sent from the Lord Keeper and the Lord Buckhurst unto Mr. Sherley in the Fleet, to understand what oath he took at the receiving of the order

of St. Michael, and the manner thereof; at the first I willed him to set down in writing as much of it as he could call to his remembrance; and thereupon he wrote a side of a leaf of paper, containing in effect these things: :

"That oath he took none, for he only made answer to the King's demands, and had no book presented him to swear by.

"That the King's demands were two. 1st; That he would promise never to bear arms against him for the service of any prince Christian, but only his sovereign, or by her commandment. 2d; That he should never spot himself with any infamy unworthy of so high an order. Both which he promised to perform.

“This, upon his life and reputation, he affirmeth to be all, being so short a matter to be remembered, that he doth assure the truth of the report thereof.

"But, supposing that so short a report would give little satisfaction; I desired him that I might set down from his mouth by my writing some more circumstances and particularities, the which he granted: and then upon my questions unto him (which I framed from a copy of the manner of receiving of that order by the Duke of Norfolk and Earl of Leicester, in anno 1566, that I had of Mr. Garter, by my Lord Keeper's direction,) he answered as follows:

"That the King, at ten of the clock in the night, sent for him into his cabinet by le première Secretaire de Navarre ; and, at his coming thither, he found with the king the L. Chancellor, who is also Chancellor of the order, the Bishop of Bourges that is Prelate of the order, Le Sieur de Beaulieu, that is Secretary of the order and of estate, Le Sieur de Sancy, Mons. Le Grand, and sundry other gentlemen, the Notary of the order, (that afterwards entered his name into the register,) and the four ushers of the same.

" That being come into that presence, the King, before them all, declared the good opinion his majesty held of him, the love he had towards him, and the good service he had done unto his highness; for requital whereof, when he came to be peaceable King of France, he should receive further recompence. In the mean time his majesty would bestow an honour upon him, by the receiving whereof, the King assured him he should be tied to use no

ceremony.

"Thirdly; That the form of giving the said order was in this sort: First; his spurs and sword wer taken from about him, then he kneeled down and putting his hands within the King's, Monsr. Beaulieu, the Secretary of the order, made unto him, in the King's name, the two demands aforementioned in his own declaration. Then the King himself asked him,

'promettez vous cela?' his answer was, 'oüi, Sire, je le promets.' Then the King drew out his sword, and laid it on Mr. Sherley's shoulder, saying, 'Soyez Chevalier de St. Michael au nom de St. George, car vous l'avez bien meritè.' And whiles he was yet kneeling, the King put on his sword about him himself; but his spurs were put on by the Sieur Rocolour, Premiere Gentlehomme de la Garderobe. That done, the King kissed him on both his cheeks, and, at his rising again, put on about his neck the lace and collar of St. Michael that he wore himself. And these things, besides the paying of fees, were all the ceremonies, "Fourthly; I asked him whether the book of the statutes of the order were not read unto him at the time of his creation. His answer was,That he receiving the order in the night, because the next morning he was purposed to have gone away, by the break of day, with the convoy of the Duke Mempensier, the book containing the said Statutes being at the Chancellor's house, two leagues from Chartres, was not then sent for; but, afterwards, the Count Chiverny, the Chancellor's son, shewed it unto him, being a little book, of some twenty leaves, written in letters, wherein, to his remembrance, here is nothing contained which may not be referred to one of these two heads set down in his declaration, being for the most part matters of honour, touching the defence