1657 - Hiskocks, Mary - To Mr C

Allusion
Date	1657
Author	Hiskocks, Mary
Title	Letter to Mr. C. viz. 240
Mentions	Little John [alias of secret agent]

By Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2013-08-03. Revised by Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2021-01-07.

Allusion

"Mary Hiskocks" (endorsed by Hyde "Little John")
to "Mr. C. viz. 240," addressed within as "Deare sister."
Complaint of Dr. Ned's failing to provide money through the
advice of his brother Robert, who is now at his shop in
Chancery Lane, and of Frederick, who is set up in Fleet Street;
in answer to all applications they delay from time to time,
although the writer sent them the letter which mentions them
most kindly and refers all to her disposal. Was not able to
pay at the day she promised, because the French merchant at
his remove commanded a greater sum than she was willing to
part with, but hopes within a month or five weeks to pay
£100 to the person addressed, and the rest with all possible
speed. Is great with the news of Monsieur George's coming
to England about Michaelmas to choose a wife, which his
father does not approve, and his mother prays that the
Scripture, Forty years long have I been grieved [&c.], may not
be a prophecy of her; hopes a way will be found to divert him,
or to prevail with his father to be more pleased. Mr. "Jamse"
has been in prison this half-year. Has received three little letters.

Source notes

Brackets as in source. Marginal note: '"From my owne house," Apr. 14. [O.S.]'. Letter is item #835. Below letter: "Small seal of arms; quarterly, on an inescutcheon a bend checquy (?); crest, a lion passant."

IRHB comments

The "Hyde" mentioned in the editorial comment is Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon (1609-1674). The letter is a piece of coded, secret correspondence between royalist agents, Mr. C. being the Earl of Clarendon, while the identity of "Little John" (aka Mary Hiskocks) is not commented upon by the editor, W.D. Macray. The allusion has not been noted in previous lists or studies.

Lists

• Not included in Dobson, R. B., ed.; Taylor, J., ed. Rymes of Robyn Hood: an Introduction to the English Outlaw (London, 1976), pp. 293-11.
• Outside scope of Sussex, Lucy, compil. 'References to Robin Hood up to 1600', in: Knight, Stephen. Robin Hood: A Complete Study of the English Outlaw (Oxford, UK; Cambridge, Massachusetts: Blackwell, 1994), pp. 262-88.

Sources

• Macray, William Dunn, ed. Calendar of the Clarendon State Papers Preserved in the Bodleian Library. Vol. III. 1655—1657 (Oxford, 1876), p. 277.

Also see

• 1657 - Hiskocks, Mary - To Mr Chance.

Notes

 Allusionslinks1601-1700texts