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Queen Elizabeth's Writ to Coroner William Danby, 15 June 1593
Evidence of court interest in the case Christopher Marlowe
Elizabeth by the grace of God of England France & Ireland Queen Defender of the Faith &c to our well-beloved William Danby, Gentleman, Coroner of our household, greeting.
Wishing for certain causes to be certified upon an indictment made in your presence concerning the death of Christopher Morley, upon view of the body of the same Christopher, at Deptford Stand in our Country of Kent within the verge lying dead and slain, whence a certain Ingram ffrysar, late of London, Gentleman, is indicted (as by the record thence remaining with you it fully appears) And whether the same Ingram slew the aforesaid Christopher in self-defence, & not feloniously or of malice aforethought, so that in no other wise could he avoid his own death, or not; we command you to send the tenor of the indictment aforesaid with everything touching it and whatsoever names the parties aforesaid in that indictment are known by, to us in our Chancery under your seal distinctly and openly without delay, & with this writ. Witness myself at Westminster on the 15th day of June in the year of our reign the thirty-fifth.
POWLEThe tenor of the record mentioned in this writ appears in a certain inquisition annexed to this writ.