securities, and protests that he did not seek the degree which the Earl had bestowed on him: he had, indeed, received the Earl's assurance that it was the queen's intention he should bestow it. On 26 June, still incarcerated, he thanks Sir Robert for having spoken to the queen. He mentions that the queen had promised him protection when he had told her that he would gain many enemies for obeying a command which she had given to him. He refers to a sum of £6,500 which should have been due to him, and objects that he is being asked to place his information in the hands of "The Lady Carie, mine adversary". Both letters from captivity are endorsed with lists of names. Tasburgh retained his position in the Exchequer until his death in the winter of 1602/03. Patronage In 1602, the poet William Basse published his Three Pastoral Elegies with a dedication to "The Honourable and Virtuous Lady, the Lady Tasburgh". It is believed that Basse had been a servant in the Wenman household. The tenour of the pastorals is that the speaker is a shepherd boy (Anetor) who has been taken under the wing of a courtly young man Anander, whom he greatly admires. Anander, who pines with love for a lady, sends the boy as a go-between to make his declaration to the lady Muridella, who is of surpassing beauty and virtue. In the most gracious fashion the lady declines the offered love, but in so doing arouses a passionate devotion in the heart of the messenger. There is a keynote alluding to Finance in the poet's dedicatory address:"If your Ladyship hath not before this time very iustly expected the best office of my Muse, it is now time for me to be voluntarily ashamed, that you should so long forbeare the vse of so many honourable encouragements. But (alas) finding my abilitie too little to make the meanest satisfaction of so great a Principall as is due to so many fauourable curtesies, I am bold to tender your Ladyship this unworthy Interest, wherewithall I will put in good securitie, that assoone as Time shall relieue the necessitie of my young inuention, I will disburse my Muse to the uttermost mite of my power, to make some more acceptable composition with your bounty: In the meane space, liuing without hope to be euer sufficient inough to yeeld