To our very good lorde the l[ord] Cobham. L[ord] Warden of the five portes/ and Her Ma[jes]tys lieuetin<a>[n]t of the Countie of Kent./
After o[u]r hartie com[m]endac[i]ons to y[ou]r l[ordship]: Wheras it is thought meet. that an exact view should be/ taken aswell of the nombers of furnaces in that Countie (wherof we sende you in a Cedule/ herin inclosed the names of the principall ones that have ben deliv[er]ed to us) as also of the/ numbers and severall kindes of pecs of caste Iron ordnance that ar in any of them nowe readie/ made. we are therfore to praye yo[u]r l[ordship] to appoint some escret gentlemen within that Countie/ dwelling neere the furnaces contained in the saide Cedule or any other newly errected/ within the same to take a p[er]fect Inventorie of the same suche pecs as they shall finde ther/ readie made, and in her Ma[jes]tys name to chardge aswell the owners of the saide furnaces, as also/ the Chief workemen appertayn[i]ng to the same, to forbeare to caste any more suche pecs of Iron/ ordnance untill thei shall receyve expresse direcion from us. And for their better assurance/ therof your l[ordship] shall direct the saide gent[lemen] by vertue of theis o[u]r letters to take bondes of the saide/ owners and workemen in the sum[m]e of two hundred pounds the piece for the due p[e]rformance/ of this order And so we bid yo[u]r L[ordship] hartely farewell from the Courte at Grenew[i]ch the laste/ of October 1588./
Yo[u]r L[ordships]: verey loving frendes
Jo Cant Ch Hatton W Burghley C Howard
J Hunsdon
T Heneage F Walsingham
J Wolley
(with permission of South Staffordshire County Council)
D593/S/4/28/1
John Whitgift, Archbishop of Canterbury
Sir Christopher Hatton
William Cecil, Lord Burghley
Sir Francis Walsingham
Sir Thomas Heneage
John Carey, Baron Hunsdon
John Wooley (Secretary)