There was due to me on 6th of March last past, upon my ordinary
entertainment, the sum of two thousand pounds, of which I have not yet
received one shilling, notwithstanding that I was forced to run myself
in debt for my late journey to Portugal; as I have written long since
to my Lord Arlington, requesting I might, by his Lordship's means,
obtain a particular Privy Seal for the reimbursement of my laying-out
therein, as was promised when that case should arrive.
Moreover, I have both pawned and sold plate for my present
subsistence, and if immediately I do not receive a supply of all that
is due to me upon amount of ordinaries, the which I do hopefully
expect upon former addresses to that purpose, I cannot subsist longer
in this Court, nor yet know how to remove out of it, if such should be
his Majesty's orders of revocation, by my Lord of Sandwich: a thing
intimated to me here by more than common persons, whether with or
without ground I cannot say, having not heard one word from any
Minister of our Court for the space of above seven weeks last past, or
concerning myself anything out of England, save what I read in a
London diurnal, that letters from me out of Portugal, by sea,
signifying my then immediate return for Madrid, were come to hand. The
like whereof having never happened to me before, so much as for a
fortnight's time, I am utterly to seek what to impute it to, unless it
be interceptings in France since the war hath been declared. In the
meantime, it puts me to a great confusion in many respects,
particularly for the want of monies; and thus farther I crave leave to
inform you upon the same point, which is, that if my brother Turnor's
kindness had not advanced out of his own purse, to comply with my
bills, above a thousand pounds, before he received the last tallies on
my behalf, whereof I have not had any notice, I had been reduced to
yet greater extremities than these I am contending with.
Having thus delivered the truth of my condition in matter of fact, I
presume there will need nothing farther of argument, with so good a
friend and brother, to quicken and keep alive your constant endeavours
for me, or indeed with such others whose concurrence is necessary to
render your brotherly offices effectual, to afford the same
accordingly, upon the mere account of our Master's honour and service,
without other relation to the person that bears his image in this
particular.
I pray you, as you have done hitherto, permit my brother Turnor to
remind you of these things as often as occasion shall require.
My Lord Sandwich, according to our computation here, will begin his
journey towards us to-morrow from the Corunna, and if his Excellency
makes no stop by the way will arrive in this Court about twenty days
hence, hardly sooner. I rest, dear brother, your most affectionate
brother and faithful servant,
RICHARD FANSHAWE.--Ibid.