File Clenennau letters and papers 437 [RESTRICTED ACCESS] - John Wynn to William Maurice, high sheriff of Caernarfonshire,

This Friday at 5 in the afternoon John Wynn received letters from the Privy Council. Copies enclosed. Muster day appointed at Caernarvon on Thursday next for the whole country to assemble. He meant to summon every gentleman and principal freeholder, by the pole if need be, at his house, by the constable of every hundred. Means also to press men for service and those of the choicest he can get, and he that will not effectually further it, the writer accounts him no good subject nor true hearted to his country. Urges William Maurice that there is no matter wherein he ought more to respect his credit than this. Therefore he should not either for friend or foe spare the tallest and likeliest men. Either John Wynn or William Maurice or both must see the men delivered to Lord Essex. The taunt which the Lord Lieutenant put in his letter can be borne better by John Wynn and William Maurice if it be general to all lieutenants in North Wales, but if it be special to the writer and his colleague it is not by them to be borne 'for I protest I desyre not to lyve the day wherein I shall be ashamed of my doyngs or must be forced to bear so open a dysgrace, for what could he have saud mor ... to despite us. I am persuaded that it was the secretary messenger that wrought us this blow because we wear not lyberale unto him ... but yf if wear to the expence of half I have I wyll cleere my credyt and wyll tell the secretary to his face that he is a lying knave'. William Maurice is to do the like if he carries the heart of a man. John Wynn does not wish that part of the letter to be read and asks William Maurice to bolt it out of the copy before it is sent to any man. 'For though we be cleere yett geeve not oure enemyes that advantage to understand that we are condemned in our Lord's conceat'.