his said house, and it appeareth that in old tyme there hathe bene within a quarter of a mile of the same place greate woorkinge, but noe man to this daye knoweth to what purpose. Onelie this I heare, that there was an olde recorde found mencioninge that those hilles thereaboutes were called riche mounts or divites montes, whereof the towne of Richmont took the name and was called Richmounts. And thus I am bolde to declare the reporte thereof to your honnour as yt was tolde unto me; and I doubte not to discover manie profitable thinges bothe there and in other places in that countrey, if I had occasion to remaine thereaboute. And if it please your honnour to use my service in this or anie other thinges according to my skill, I am at youre honnors comaundemente, havinge founde you my good lord at all times. For by your good meanes I was placed in the tower to serve the Quene in the mynte to doe the servyces perteyninge to the mill, that, when Eloy the ffrenchman shoulde be taken therefrom by death or otherwise, I should enjoye the same. And towarde my staie of livinge till that office shoulde fall, there was alowed unto me the ffee of the sincker of the stampes, being £20 by yere; and he that nowe exerciseth that place hath not other thing to live on but the half of my ffee. And nowe he refuseth to serve in it anie longer, wherefore I humblie besech your honour to continewe my good lorde, that I maye be established in that house, office and ffee, which the said Eloy had, which I have staied for theis xx^tie. yeres, and thereby spente the best of my tyme to my greate hindraunce, lackinge sufficiente maintenaunce for me and my family. Albeit that I hoped, by the service whiche I have donne and can doe, both in this respecte and in manie other thinges, if I were called thereto, to have obteigned some suche prefermente before this time, as that I should not nowe have bene destitute of livinge in this my olde age. And thus remayninge alwaies readie to serve the Quenes Majesty, and to die in hir service, I praie God that hir noble highnes maie have a longe lief, that I and manie other maie serve hir manie yeres, and that your honnours health and prosperous estate maye longe contynewe.

 From London this iiij.th of December, 1578.

To the right honourable and his singuler
 good Lorde the L. Burghley, Lorde
 Highe Treasorer of England.