the King’s behalf, that Robert Derknall and John Bryges ‘shulde fulfill the seid rom_es_.’ On the following morning the sheriff directed a humble letter to Cromwell[261], stating the facts, and begging that the election of Starky and Levyns might be allowed to stand, as the King’s wishes were not known until too late; ‘if your seid l_ette_re had come to me byfore the seid eleccion,’ he pleaded, ‘I wolde haue done the best that had been in my powr to ‹have› Accomplished our Souereigne lord the King_es_ pleasure and yo_ur_s in the p_re_mysses.’ But the King’s minister gave no heed to the representations of John Hobbys: the fact that an election had already been held did not trouble him in the least: the King’s will was to be accomplished at all costs. On May 18 he addressed a significant letter to the Mayor and Burgesses of Canterbury, which was quite sufficient to induce the recipients to nullify their former proceedings. The phraseology of the letter is noteworthy: the King’s minister did not discuss the fact that his first message had arrived too late. He simply reminded the burgesses that the King’s pleasure had been signified to them, and that they ‘the same litle or nothynge regardynge but rather co_n_temny_n_g’ had elected their own candidates, according to their ‘owne wylles and myndes co_n_trarie to the king_es_ plesure and comandeme_n_t in that behalfe.’ This of course was a thing whereat the King did ‘not a lytell marvell,’ and the burgesses were admonished ‘notwythstondynge the seyd elecc_i_on’ to ‘p_ro_cede to a new and electe thosse other, accordyng to the tenure of the former l_ette_res’: they were also desired to notify Cromwell at once ‘if any p_er_sone wyll obstynatly gaynsay the same,’ so that the King’s minister might deal with the refractory burgess according to his master’s pleasure. Two days later Mayor Alcok replied with the following dutiful letter. ‘In humble Wise certefie you that the xx^{th} Day of this p_re_sent monyth of Maye at vi of the Clok in the mornyng I John Alcok mayre of Cauntebury receyved your lette_re_ Dyrected to me the seid mayre Sheryf and Comynaltie of the seid Citie sygnyfying to vs therby the kyng_es_ plesure and co_m_maundement is that Robert Darknall and John Bryges shoulde be burgesses of the P_ar_lyament for thesame Citie of Cauntebury by Vertue wherof accordyng to our bounde Dutye immedyatly vppon the syght of your seid l_ette_re and conten_tes_ thereof p_er_ceyved caused the Comynaltye of the seid Citie to Assemble in the Court Hall ther wher appered the nombre of Fower score and xvii p_er_sones Citizens and Inhabit_au_nt_es_ of theseid Citie And accordyng to the Kyng_es_ plesure and Co_m_maundement frely with one voyce and w_i_t_h_out any contradiccon haue elected and chosen the fore-seid Robert Darkenall and John Bryges to be burgesses of the p_ar_lyament for thesame Citie which shalbe duly certefied by Indenture vnder the seales