Letter from Henry VIII to the City requesting a benevolence. Dated Greenwich, 25 April [1525]. Letter Book N, fo. 278. Trusty and right welbiloved we grete you well. Lattyng you wytte that by the reaporte and relacioun of the moost reverende fadre in God our most trusty and mooste enterly welbiloved counsaillor the lorde legate Cardynall Archebisshope of Yorke Primate of Englande and Chauncellor of the same Whom we appoynted to practyse wt you for an amyable graunte to be made unto us towards the supportacõn of or charges for our intended vyage in to Fraunce for recoverey and atteignynge of our crown and rightes there We to our singuler contentation understonde that ye lyke most lovynge and kynde subgettes have shewed yor selffes as conformable and well mynded to accomplyshe our desire purposed and shewed unto you by the sayde moost reverende fadre in that behalffe as cowde be imagined or devised And that there lakketh yn none of you any maner towardnes or herty good wille with all effecte to performe the same For the whiche your good demontracõn evidently provynge the feithfull and mooste lovynge myndes that you alwaies have borne and contynually doo bere unto us, ye do geve us right good cause to devise and studie howe we may be as gracious soverayne lorde unto yow, as ye bee good subgettes unto us: and surely yor towarde conformytes & demeanors heryn be so imprynted in our harte and mynde that we shall never forgett the same but yn all your resonable causes and pursuytes woll have suche consideracõn and respecte therunto as shalbe to yor comfortes gevyng you for this yor benevolent demeanor our right hartye thankys. Nevertheless in asmoche as by reaporte and informacõn of the said moost reverende fader we perceyve that albeyt ye be of this towarde molinacõn and disposicioun as is aforesaid, yet your powers and abilities be not equyvalent and correspondent unto yor good myndes ne ye may commodiously performe the same without your grete detryment and extreme hynderance & decay: We moche more esteme the prosperite of this our realme and the weale of you or lovynge and kynde subgettes then we doo ten suche realmes as Fraunce is. And not willynge you in any wise to be so overcharged in this benyvolent graunte as shulde be to yor extreme impoverishing have of our herty affeccõn and love towardes you at this tyme directed our other lettres and instruccõns unto the said most reverend fader willyng and desirynge hym to shewe and declare unto you what waies of moderacõn we have devysed to be taken with you in this behalff. By whome ye shall perceyve that we noo lesse doo tendre your weales then we doo the attaynynge of or said rights and crown whiche of necessite in avoydynge the greate dishonor that by the contrary may ensue to us and this our realme and subgettes we must attempte to recover. Trustyng therefor verelye that lyke as we have tendre respecte unto you and your commoditie soo ye will as liberall