enemies Besides I did let her understand that it behoved the Queen my Mistriss if they did not embrace the League but upon such condition as she could not in reason agree unto to take some other way for the establishing of her own estate not doubting but that she would be as well able to withstand the malice of Spain as any other of her neighbours To this after she had declared how earnestly the King her son did affect the marriage considering he had no issue himself and had but one only brother upon whom and such issue as he should have depended the continuance of the house of Valois she prayed me to consider whether the King had not just cause to insist upon the said marriage and as for the League she said she had no Commission to wade therein but a matter that depended onely on the King and therefore because it required for the reasons by me alleadged expedition she advised me to make haste towards him I then prayed her that for as much as I did understand she did not mean to be at Paris in five or six days she would dispose his minde by Letters to imbrace the same which she promised to perform accordingly Touching the Companies that are to follow the Duke I can as yet deliver your Lordship no more but this in generality That he is to have six thousand footmen and two thousand six hundred Lances which as the report goeth are sufficiently appointed and in such good order as the like have not been seen this many yeers in France Their meaning is to joyn with the States Forces that are now in Flanders doubting nothing more then that the enemy will not encounter with them but withdraw himself into his holds I am promised a particular of all the Forces as soon as it cometh to my hands I will with the next dispatch send it to your Lordship Your Lordships assured Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honorable Sir Francis Walsingham SIr your servant Bonham this bearer came hither yesterday being Wednesday the ninth of this month about of the clock at which time I was on the North side of the water to have gone to Theobalds but by good fortune I had word of his arrival so as I returned being not gon from the water-side her Majestie had two or three days before spoken of you marvelling that she could not hear from you I answered always as now it proved true that the Letters or bearer should bring with them reasonable satisfaction For I knew certainly that you would be careful to delay no time of sending I delivered to her Majestie your Letters directed to her shewing her also that I had others directed to my self but she said she would first read her own first Monsieurs Letter and next yours so she having done asked me what you had written to me for said she I finde nothing in mine concerning the matters for which he went then I told her I would read yours to her But she using breath in speech said she would have me make report thereof which I said I could hardly do because you had written at such length what had passed in Colloquie first betwixt Monsieur and you secondly between certain of his Councel and you at several times Lastly between the Queen mother and you and so in the end she was content to hear the whole Negociation adding her self that by your Letters to her you had spoken to Monsieur being in his bed after his Mothers coming thither She added also that she perceived that Monsieur would come hither and receive his answer himself after his journey of Cambray Concerning the Negotiation she saith she would not have had you to have made direct mention of the league but that incidently it should have fallen out upon their objection that if her Majestie would not consent to the marriage with the war that then the war should cease Then thereupon she saith you might have thereto answered that in respect of the King of Spains greatness in growing it were good that there were such a league made betwixt the French King and her To this I answered that your ordâ—r in proceeding was warranted to you both by your instructions and also the same grounded upon the order of the French Kings answer to her Ambassador which was in three points The first to know the day of her marriage which being agreed unto they would enter into a league offensive and defensive And lastly to a secret Treaty for the matters of the Low-Countrey For orderly answer whereunto you were instructed to that which you did herewith I think she was satisfied at your well-doing But I found her touched with some fear that this league and secret treaty should be very chargeable unto her I told her that there would be no great matter managed that was free from charge and if she had no need of assistance to withstand her perils which she knew and so doth all the world besides see it manifestly otherwise she needed not to have sent you at this time Then also she spake of her ayd to Don Anthonio doubting how to use the matter both because the season of the year passeth away and that she could not be assured what course the French King would take therein without whose entring into the action she would be loath to adventure any thing and yet she added that the French Ambassadour told her two days since that the King his Master had willed him to thank her Majestie for the favours and supports that she gave to Don Anthonio but in the end for the matter she would stay until she should hear from you what the French King will do therein For the greatest important matter in the Letter expressed by the Viscount of Turayne I dealt with her Majestie earnestly therein and having made my Lord of Leicester first acquainted with your Letters next my L. Chamberlain and then Mr. Vice-Chamberlain I required the assistance of the said two letters as a matter most necessary for the French cause in hand as that which being neglected neither a league offensive nor yet hereafter any secret treaties could remedy Whereunto she told me as my Lord of Leicester said she told him the like that you had Commission to satisfie Monsieurs need therein but presently upon seeking to perswade her that words were no satisfaction but that deeds must do it and such a thing could not be perfected with words nor thoughts no nor in short time she answered me that you had warrant from her to yield to that which was required when you had found the Kings disposition desperate to help his brother For quoth her Majestie if he should any way open my good will herein to Monsieur afore the French Kings mind were fully known then the whole burthen should fall upon me as for more proof saith she you may see by the speeches of Monsieurs Councellours alledging that Monsieur had mony lent him by divers upon hope of the
was stirred and there forbad resort to be made unto her as before was common for all persons but of her own Countrey and ours we see not why this our dealing in so dangerous a time should be blamed being assured that no Christian Prince in like case would have done less And therein we durst appeal to the judgement of any Prince or Potentate in the world that will profess any indifferencie in judgement yea we dare think that even herself and her most affectionate friends cannot think us here to have dealt unreasonably The like might be thought also in that we have of late restrained one whom she used as her Ambassador being a Bishop whom we used almost as one of our own for her sake upon due information that he hath been a principal motioner and nourisher of this late Rebellion by divers means A matter to be as much allowed for us to do in the stay from subversion of our Realm as were to stay and restrain one that would bring more fire to a Citie which he hath already set on fire In this sort we have so nearly represented to the King our good Brother and the Queen his Mother some part of such circumstances of the Queen of Scots cause as we doubt not but reason honor and good will shall move them to conceive of us as we should be the like to conceive of them if they had the like cause with any other Prince as we have with the Queen of Scots having thought meet to omit a multitude of other circumstances tending also to this end because we would not extend this our letter to overmuch length for wearying the King with Declaration thereof But if the King could but imagine or the Queen Mother for him how some other Prince might have attempted the like dangers to his Estate and Crown and continued the like offences towards him where he had shewed kindness we are assured they might think it somewhat in us if we should after the truth declared move the King for any particular respect of a third person to consent to that which should plainly after hazard his Estate being our Friend and by some such imagination of a like cause we think their judgements shall be best directed thereof Sorry would we be that any like indeed should happen unto him to inform him how to judge in our case When you have thus done if the King or his Mother shall object any thing hereupon as it were in excuse of the Queen of Scots or intreating further for her you may say in answer That whatsover it shall please them to move unto you you will make report thereof and doubt not howsoever the Queen of Scots doings have deserved other dealing yet our natural inclination towards her is by our doings so manifest as in any reasonable request we doubt not but we should be found reasonable to have regard to the King our good Brothers motions and requests that may stand with our honor and safetie to accord unto and so we trust the K. meaneth not to propound any thing unto us otherwise then in good terms of friendship whereby alwaies they that are to make demands or requests to their friends do regard how they may stand to the safetie of their friends and so hath Moulenet and the French Ambassador certified unto us that the intention of our good Brother is to no other end You shall also inform the King that after we had given order to cause thus much to be written his Ambassador came to us and signified the good will of our good Brother in imparting to us the double of such answers as he had made to the Demand of the Queen of Navarre and the Prince of Navarre and Conde and others for the which his dealing with us in such friendly sort to make us participate of his doings we heartily thank him and as we answered his Ambassador so you may say also to the Queen That except we might understand what the said Queen and the rest with others have to say to this offer we cannot give any resolute judgement thereof But we think the King shall do a godly act and both honourable and profitable to himself and his Country if he shall give them assurance of their lives So as they may change that common opinion which is in the World that they have their lives more safe whilest they take up Armes then they were in time when the peace was granted to them such hath bin the insolency of evil ministers to break the Kings commandement and endanger the Credit of his word and promise And in our opinion nothing is so hard in all this matter as assurance to them to enjoy that which shall be granted and if our Credit or opinion with them may help them to accept the Kings favour so as we might see in what sort they might therefore be sure notwithstanding the interruptions of evill ministers we would be glad to be the furtherer of so good an act as thereby the King might have an universall quietness in his Countries The Ambassador also now moved us that we would take Care that no aid of Armor or Weapon should be by us or our license Conveyed to Rotchel to the maintenance of the Kings Subjects there whom he nâ—meth Rebells whereunto our answer was that we did direct no person thither or licensed any to carry any thing thither that might offend the King But generally we must permit our subjects as Merchants to resort for their trade to all places indifferent in France wishing that they might find like trade in others parts for their necessitie as they do by likelyhood in Rotchel and that we would not doubt but they would follow their Comodity in other places and not at Rotchel for generally Merchants follow where gain is most with surety and friendly usage and so you may make report to the King Lastly the Ambassador moved us in the Kings name to understand whether he might assure the King that we made no leavie of Souldiers in Almaigne as it was commonly reported whereunto we answered that presently we made none but yet we have such friendship with sundrie Princes of Almaigne as if we should have need to require any numbers for our service if any unkindness by force should be offered us by any our neighbours we can speedily thereof be furnished and for the state of our Realm we are determined indeed to prepare a force both by Sea and by land whereof if the King shall hear we require him to conceive no jealousie of our evill meaning towards him and his Countries trusting that from him no occasion shall grow to alter our Amitie Given under our signet at our Honour of Hampton Court the 23 of Febr. 1569 in the 12 yeare of our reigne A Note of such doubts as I desired to be resolved of by her Majestie before my entring into my charge WHether I should treat onely with the King and in Case the King either
received a Letter from the Duke of Alva signifying thereby to us that the matter vvhich he had to impart to us from the King his Master vvas only an offer from the said King to do any good office that in him might lie to procure some good end of the cause betvvixt us and the Q. of Scots vvithout any particular respect to himself but only for the common quietness of us both and of our Countries And in this behalf the Duke requireth to understand in what sort we will have the King to deal assuring us of the said Kings earnest intention to pleasure us in any thing he may Of thus much you shall say vve thought good to advertise the Ambassador and to let him understand that vve do very thankfully accept the Kings offer and would be glad to take the good vvill and friendship if there vvere any cause thereof in this office as at this time there is not for he shall understand that we have already entred so far into a treatie with the Q. of Scots for all causes and differences betwixt us and her as there remaineth nothing of any great value or difference betwixt us so as the finall ending thereof resteth upon the execution of the matters accorded and some further treatie remaineth now to compound certain matters betwixt her and her Subjects for which purpose there be commissioners already come hither from her and a part of the Nobility of Scotland and such as are to come as Commissioners from the other part are as we think on their journey hitherward We have also by these last Letters of the Duke in expresse words that he himself is earnestly disposed to do any thing that may maintain the Amitie that is betwixt the King and us and particularly that he hath accorded to have restitution made as our Merchants on both sides have thought it meet and meaneth to send over some speciall person of credit to explain some small differences rising thereof and to put the whole in execution These kinds of dealings and offices you may say are very agreeable unto us who by many means made it appeare that the late differences have not grown of us nor as we think of the Kings own disposition but by untowardness of ministers and now whilest we are well content therevvith vve are sorry to think that certain reports vvhich vve heare of Spain should be true either in whole or in part and as vve vvould be gladest they vvere false so are vve desirous that vve might knovv them certainly from the King to be false And you shall say because vve have seen some proof of that Ambassadors good disposition to the Amitie betvvixt the Kings his Master and us vvherâ—in he is much to be commended and that he may vvith more expedition and readiness by the way of France certifie the King and procure some Answer we have heard and known it to be true that certain savage Rebels being men of no value had fled out of our Realm of Ireland into Spain and to cover their lewdness and to procure both relief for themselves and such like as they be in Ireland they do pretend their departure out of the Realm for matter of Religion when indeed they be neither of one nor other Religion but given to beastuallity and yet have they wit enough to shew hypocrisie for their purpose Sithence the first arrival of these we know also that an Englishman a Subject of ours namely Stewkley not unknown as we think for his former prodigal life both in Spain and other places and notwithstanding great favours shewed unto him divers times upon hope of amendment and some tokens of his repentance he did this last summer pretending to come out of Ireland hither suddenly turn his course into Spain and as we hear hath light into the company of the aforesaid Fugitives and Rebels pretending by his superfluous expences which is altogether of other mens goods to be a person of some quality and estimation and able to do some great thing in Ireland whereas indeed he hath not the value of a Marmaduc in land or livelihood he hath so solicited the King or some about him with vain motions as it is by him bruted and otherwise also with some credit reported unto us which yet we do not believe that the K. will send a Captain of his such a one as Iulian Romero or such like with a number of Souldiers into Ireland to follow some vain device of those Rebels whereof we cannot but marvel that the King or any of his Councel being of experience can so lightly give any credit to such a companion as Stewkley is which could never live long in any quiet condition at home of whom we are not disposed to say much because we cannot say any good of him But may say it shall be sufficient that his conditions may be only enquired of and then we doubt not whosoever shall know them will take heed how to adventure any thing with him And yet whatsoever it is we cannot but find it strange that he or any such Fugitives moving matters of attempt as Rebels either should be allowed or hearkned unto For whatsoever hath been conceived that any person of any degree being the King of Spains Subject coming into our Realm of late years as many have done for safety of their lives for matter of their consciences as we alwaies understood yet we do assure by our Honour that there was never person of any degree that did motion unto us any matter offensive to the King or his Low-Countreys when opportunity served for such purposes that was ever allowed by us or any such motion or that ever received reward or comfort therein but was rejected such hath been our sincerity in these times not to give any comfort to the hurt of the King or of his Countreys And now if these reports which we hear should be true we might think our selves evilly recompenced and should be provoked for our defence to use such means as otherwise of our selves we did never allow or like And so we trust in reason the Ambassador himself might think and the conservation of the Amity betwixt the King and us and the restitution of the former and Trade betwixt our Countreys and Subjects so we pray him to solicite some Answer in this case For whilest we should remain in doubt hereof we cannot but foresee and to procure how to impeach any such attempts wherein would appear that whereof we shall be sure that we have some cause to doubt of the Kings good will Thus you see how we mean to have by this occasion some knowledge if it may be of the Kings intention although we meant not to omit otherway to come to the truth hereof doubting not but you will also use such good means as you can to discover the truth and not forget the former matter concerning that which certain of the French Kings Captains have attempted in Ireland and the bringing from thence a young Boy the son of Iames Fitzmorice a Rebel Given under our Signet at our Pallace of Westminster the 11 of February 1571. in the thirteenth year of our Reign To the Right Honourable Sir William Cecill her Majesties principal Secretary SIr the 14 of this moneth I presented the Earl of Rutland to the King at Madrill taking opportunity thereto by preferring certain Merchants causes The King embraced
to the tenor of her Letters dated the fifth of May I have given the pretended Archbishop to understand by my Letters who is now at Nantes how her Majestie doth not allow the slender manner of his submission neither can think him worthy of favour or grace unless upon warrant given by me he maketh his repair into Enâ—land and there with all humilitie sue unto her Majestie for the same Of late he hath sent from Nantes certain of his servants as I am enformed to what end I cannot learn I have enformed Captain Thomas how her Majestie upon information given by me doth accept in very good part his late service in the discovery of the pretended Archbishops practises and that she meaneth to consider thereof Whereupon he hath desired me in his name most humbly to desire her Majestie to be so good and gracious a Lady unto him as he may have some charge under her Majestie either in Ireland his native Countrey or elsewhere as one that desireth nothing more then to imploy the experience he hath gathered in these Civil Wars in her Majesties service Here there is very good account made of him And notwithstanding that the most part of the ordinary bands are discharged as well Captains as Souldiers yet hath he allowed by the King sixteen Crowns a moneth pension His Father whose name was Bathe was one of the Justices in Ireland his Brother is Recorder of Drogheda This I write touching his Parentage to the end her Majestie may the better conceive of his loyaltie I am given secretly to understand that Rodolphi had Letters of Credit given him by the Spanish Ambassador unto the Duke de Alva whereupon he had long conference with the Duke and was dispatched in post to Rome with Letters of Credit to the Pope as also with Letters of Credit to the King of Spain promising to be at Madril the 20 of this present moneth Touching the matter of secresie committed unto him I can learn nothing as yet notwithstanding I thought it my part to advertise your Lordship of thus much who perhaps by other advertisements can give some ghess what the same importeth The Scots here have some enterprize in hand as I am informed by the party whom I appointed to observe the Lord Seatons doings The Ambassador of late hath been at Court and is returned from thence with answer not altogether to his liking and saith that so long as the Marriage is in Treaty there is no hope of good here to be done for the help of their cause Birack who lately returned out of Scotland is in hope to return with new Forces which secretly he saith to his Friends dependeth onely upon the resolution of the marriage now in hand The Lord Seaton departeth hence out of hand into Flanders being sent for by her Majesties Rebels there who have somewhat in hand presently to be executed They of late have very importunately been in hand with me for passports but understanding they have such enterprize in hand I thought good in that behalf to make some stay for a time alledging that I have some order from her Majestie to make some stay therein until I be further advertised of her pleasure I hope her Majestie will not dissallow of this my doings though I do it without warrant Out of Brittain I am advertised that la Roche had discovered unto a Kinsman of his that his enterprize in Ireland was to have executed a plot of Conquest devised by Peter Strozza in King Henries time which if the match go not forward he is promised that he shall go in hand withal hereby it doth well appear that the expectation of this match is the onely stay of divers pretended mischiefs Here they are in some perplexitie for that they hear nothing of her Majesties answer being given to understand by the Ambassador that her Majestie had signified her mind unto me in that behalf Queen Mother denieth now that she prefixed a day of answer and that I did mistake her I must needs confess that in requiring the same she used such words as her Majestie hath no cause to be justly offended which omitting to impart unto her Majestie I do most humbly crave pardon at her hands being most heartily sorry that through my default there should grow any unkindness between them Her words were as followeth First she asked me after she had willed me to signifie unto her Majestie the Kings and her resolution in what time I might have answer I shevved her that I hoped vvithin ten or tvvelve days the rather for that I knovv my Mistress to be resolved and therefore the matter required the less deliberation Then she desired me to vvill her Majestie that they might have ansvver within ten dayes if it might be These circumstances by me omitted I perceive her Majestie the rather to mislike the limitation of the time for the vvhich as before so again I most humbly require her Majesties pardon And so c. At Paris the fourteenth of May 1571. Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honorable Sir Francis Walsingham the Queenâ— Majesties Ambassador with the French King THere is nothing yet readie to send you touching the matter of Monsieur The Ambassador resident hath received Letters of late since yours came from the Queen Mother and from Monsieur de Foix touching that cause He shewed his Letter to me and my Lord of Burleigh and it appeareth that de Foix Letter doth qualifie much the dealing which you and Cavalcant had I mean he writeth in sort to continue the matter and as it were that there would be offer made by them But her Majestie hath handled the matter exceeding well with the Ambassador and giveth him no hope without yielding of their part to that she hath reformed in their first demands And as 〈◊〉 as I can perceive they will rather yield then break off God send all to be for his glory and our good and so farewel my good Walsingham In haste this seventh of May 1571. Your assured Friend Ro. Leicester Commend me to my Cousin your wife by the next you shall hear more of this matter To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Earl of Leicester MY very good Lord the Protestants here do so earnestlie desire this match and on the other side the Papists do so earnestlie seek to impeach the same as it maketh me the more earnest in furthering of the same Besides when I particularly consider her Majesties state both at home and abroad so far forth as my poor eye-sight can discern and how she is beset with Forraign peril the execution whereof stayeth onely upon the event of this match I do not see how she can stand if this matter break off No particular respect as God is my witness moveth me to write thus earnestly but only the regard I have to Gods glory and her Majesties safetie They rest here somewhat perplexed for that the answer is so long deferred being
that you should make any mention hereof to the King or any other except it be first moved to you And then in that case you may well say that if it be not demanded by them in Treaty then shall there need no contradiction to be made in Treaty and if they think the honour of Monsieur preserved in that it is not denied him as likewise the honour of us should be preserved in that we have not assented thereto And that there shall not be no further meaning by Monsieur herein but that as it shall not be by way of Treaty demanded before Marriage so he will be also content after marriage to forbear the use of it then may you seem to agree thereto For otherwise you may plainly say either to Monsieur himself or to some other in credit about him whom you may trust that the forbearing of it by way of Treaty shall not content us only but also the forbearing of the use of it And so we require you to express the same plainly where you shall see cause for we cannot esteem it a plain dealing to pass it over with silence in the Treaty and yet to be in doubt whether the same shall be used indeed and thereby move a new controversie between him and us of more danger then is meet to be suffered to follow for lack of plain dealing with them herewith included shall you have in writing the sum of the Conference had at this time by which you may be fully informed And whereas prssport was required by de l' Archant for the Marshal Montmorency Monsieur de Foix and Monsieur de Chiverny we thought once to have sent it unto you to the end if the King would send them you might deliver the same but sithence we have thought better to stay it until we might know the Kings answer to you Given under our Signet at our Honor of Hampton Court the ninth of Iuly 1571. in the thirteenth year of our Reign A summary of the several answers made by the Queens Majestie to the French Ambassador and Mr. ◠' Archant to their Message and Request THey first said That the French King Queen Mother and Monsieur de Anjou thanked her Majestie for her sincere manner of dealing hitherto and that having considered such answers as her Majestie had made to the first demands and the last Articles delivered by her Ambassador containing things to be demanded on her part which her Majestie had done upon earnest solicitation of the King on his part The King their Master and the Queen his Mother thought fit to send this Gentleman to notifie their great liking to proceed and to finish the matter and therefore were determined to send hither an Ambassage of honourable and wise persons that is to say the Marshal of Montmorency Monsieur de Foix and Monsieur de Chiverny Chancellor to Monsieur to treat and conclude the same if so her Majestie would think meet and would grant them her license and conduct to come who also were in such readiness and immediately upon the return of Monsieur de l' Archant they would forthwith take their journey hither To this her Majestie answered That she also thanked the King and the Queen Mother for their manner of friendly dealing in prosecuting this matter so earnestly and for her sincere dealing with them she doubted not but her doings should always thereof make good proof But as to the matter of Monsieur and her she could not understand that it was in such forwardness as by their speeches she gathered that the Ambassadors might come in such sort as by their speeches it seemed to end and conclude it for that she as yet understood not the difficulties risen upon the first answer that were by the King conceived namely in the matter of Religion neither yet how her last Articles of her Demands were accepted by the King althogh she confess that she thought there could be no mislike in those last Articles considering there was nothing contained in them but that which already had been granted by King Philip to Q. Mary her sister so as then her Majestie concluded that except the King would declare his contentation and his Brothers agreeable to her Majasties minde already declared in the matter of Religion that is that she could not grant unto Monsieur liberty to exercise the Roman Religion in any 〈◊〉 contrary to her Laws she saw it but labor lost to send any Ambassadors To this the Ambassador l' Archant for answer used long speeches in declaring how the King Q. Mother and his brother desired nothing more then the honor of her Maj. and the weal of her Estate so likewise hoped that her Maj. would have due regard of the honour and estate of Monsieur that should not be judged by the world to be without a Religion which must needs be if he should live here without the exercise of his Religion and yet his meaning was not to use the same in any sort to be offensive to her Majestie or to breed offence to the quiet estate of the Realm And so further they used many arguments to move her Maj. to yield to their desire But her Maj. persisted in her former determination that she could neither with conscience nor yet in respect of policy grant to Mon. such liberty as was required and added that she was not of mind that Mon. should be constrained to live here without exercise of religion for if the form of the religion in England as it is established by the Laws of the Realm were considered by them as it might easily be considering that it was published and to be seen both in Latin French it should be found that there is nothing in the same contrary to the Roman religion differing only that the same is translated out of the Latin tongue into English and that some things for reasonable respects are omitted and not used in the Church of England so as whosoever shall use the same service cannot be accounted without Religion nor to do any thing repugnant to the Roman Religion In this sort with speeches at more length tending to these ends they departed from her Majestie upon their first access and afterwards they made means that her Maj. would be pleased to give them some better answer and in like manner her Majestie thought her determination so reasonable for her to hold as she rather thought that they had some further power to yield to her And because her Maj. understood that the French King had concluded this matter with the rest of his Councel and by nominating Ambassadors had made the cause patent her Maj. hitherto having not imparted it to any others but with two of her Councel as she was required so to keep it secretly on the French Kings behalf Now she commandeth that the whole proceedings from the beginning should be declared to her Councel and so being done the same were very well allowed by her Councellors and her
Maj. was earnestly moved by them all not to stay in this matter of her marriage with Mon. de Anjon so as he might be induced to consent with her in Religion or at the least not to have any exercise of Religion contrary to hers After this the Ambassador with l' Archant came again on Friday to her Maj. and renewing their former reasons requested of her Maj. to know her answer whether the Marshal Montmorency should not come in ambassage as before was signified to be the Kings desire Whereunto in brief the substance of her Majesties answer was that as she did greatly esteem the Kings amity and was desirous to conserve the same with mutual good will so was she very careful not to accord to any thing that in her opinion might in any wise impair the same by giving to him any cause or colour of unkindness and therefore she wished that the K. would well consider this matter difficulty of Religion before he should send his ambassage for considering with her self on the one part that she could not chang her mind herein nor as she thought could by any perswasion hereafter be moved to alter her determination although in most matters it is doubtful to determine de futurâ— but such was her mind resolute at this present and on the other part if the K. should hope that his Ambassador might by treaty alter her Majesties mind herein and that then indeed they should not be able so to do And thereupon the matter might break off she doubted how the French King might conceive some unkindness â—hereby although she her self were altogether free from giving cause thereof and for that purpose her Majestie required them in her name that the King would accept it for answer in as sincere part as she uttered it which was with aâ— eaâ—nest respect to keep the amity â— well begâ—n inviolated And so still being by the Ambassador instanted to give them a more comfortable answer for that thereby the King and his brother might doubt of her Majesties intention in the principal matter She answered them that truly this cause of Religion was directly for it self and that being assented unto by the K. and his brother she knew no cause in the rest of the things on her paâ—t to move any doubt but by reasonable treaty they might be accorded which said she did the rather declare to them because the K. might not think that if the point of Religion were by him and his brother assented unto that her Maj. had a meaning to make any difficulty in other points and that the rather because she had declar'd her mind plainly in two several writings the one being an answer to the K. demands the other containing demands agreeable to the like as were accorded betwixt K. Philip Q. Mary and so she concluded that she must remit the coming of the Ambassadors to the K. own judgment And thus they departed as it seemed by their speeches doubful of the substance of the matter and therefore they required to have the next day some conference with the E. of Leicester and the L. of Burleigh to declare their conceits upon the Q. Majesties answer and so they had on the next day following being Saturday where they stil pressed to have some reasonable answer that although the Q. would not presently assent to their request yet that if the Ambassador should come the cause might not be thus peremptory desperate but that in some sort it might be obtained that neither on the one part Monsieur should be condemned to the world and taken as a person excommunicated from the rest of Princes if he should not have the use of his Religion neither on the other part the Q. Majestie thereby should take any offence or that the least part of her Estate should be troubled for such was the resolute determination of Monsieur and his profession that from the first time he should enter into the Realm he would in no wise offend the meanest subject the had with many such speeches tending to perswade that Mon. would so use his religion or so forbear it in times and places as not to cause offence They were answered that the Q. Majestie could not give any other answer and that they might well perceive her sincerity in dealing to â—tter plainly her mind as she did and many reasons to maintain her resolution were to them remembred as principally her conscience next the desire she had to preserve the State in quietness which by granting him that should be her husband a power to break her laws in matter of such weight must needs induce an alienation from her of the minds and hearts of her good subjects being of her Râ—ligion â— and indurate the minds of others that though secretly yet truly are loath to obey the Laws if they might have any maintenance to the contrary which though Monsieur would not give them yet they would conceive a boldness to offend in the hope to be allowed by him In the end it was moved to know the opinions of the said E. L. Burleigh whether they thought it good that the Ambassadors should come Whereunto it was answered that the consideration thereof did more directly belong to the K. and that also they two could best give advice therein for they saw what was likely to be the issue of their coming If the stay were not in Religion there was no evident let seen in the matter and to speak truly she said two Lords said they could give them no hope that the â—â—bassage could 〈◊〉 her Majesties mind but that if they would demand of her Majestie a grant or toleration for Monsieur her Majestie would deny it And therefore if they could not like with the denying of it they must forbear to demand it Hereupon there followed some opinions on boâ—h parts that if Monâ—ieur should forbear to require it and thereby her Majesty should not grant it but that the matter should be 〈◊〉 and pass in silence it might be that Monsieurs friends might 〈◊〉 their good opinions of him as of one that hâ—d not changed his Religion and likewise the Q. Majesties good subjects should continue their opinions of her Maj. as of a Prince that would not assent to any thing against her Religion And with this kind of speech we ended To my very loving Friend Francis Walsingham Esq the Queens Majesties Ambassador with the French King AFter our very hearty commendations considering the Queens Majestie hath used our service joyntly in treating of the matter betwixt her Majestie and Monsieur de Anjoâ— and that you are to be burthened in the prosecution thereof we have thought good to write also to you joyntly how her Majestie hath proceeded since the arrival of Monsieur l' Archant you may perceive by her own Letters wherein also somewhat is touched for our dealing with them what the said l' Archant shall of himself report or what he shall bring from the Ambassador we cannot
Conventum est quod fadus liga is not to be misliked for continuance of this Treaty although the third Article of your writing beginning Tempus vero durationis seemeth plainer and better and agreeth with the like in former times The sixth being imperfect beginning De tempore antem modo would be supplyed with the like Clause and Article at length mutatis mutandis and as you have excerped out of the year 1546. and as in the last of your writing of the 18 of January Now for our opinion of the Articles presented by you to the French the 18. we do like well enough of the Preface and for the first Article you may perceive well enough what we would have added thereto That nothing should be continued in former Treaties being repugnant to this The second for a Covenant of a League to be defensive we think not amiss thereof although the second and third of the French contain them plain enough in fewer words so as the one or the other may serve To the third of yours we like as before is mentioned The fourth beginning Et quamvis supervacuum may be forborn considering the substance thereof is contained in the second delivered by the French the 17 of January The last of yours concerning the manner of aid we like best as before is said according to the Article of the Treaty of An. 1549. As to the third Article delivered by you the 18 of January in one writing to the Kings party concerning the Arrest to be made of the Subjects of other Princes if any other Subjects should be arrested in a strange Country for matter of Religion we would not mislike if you could obtain the same but for that we think it very hard to be granted by the French King as the time is we will not 〈◊〉 you much to press it But as to the other matter of our Merchants we do 〈◊〉 of the manner of Articles presented by you and yet we cannot presently 〈◊〉 in what form to have the same conceived fit for our Merchants and for 〈…〉 and therefore except you shall be shortly advertised from us how to 〈…〉 more particularly we would have you insert some general clause in the Treaty for such a purpose and besides that also to move it to the King that there may be some Colloquie had here betwixt the Kings Ambassador here Râ—sident having authority therefore and such as we shall appoint after conference had with our Merchants to Treat with the said Ambassador thereupon Some other doubts may appear in the Writing sent from you whereof the Ambassador made no mentâ—â—n and yet fit for you to understand or mind therein if you shall thereto be pressed but except you be pressed thereto by the other party we think it good that you should not remember the same but if they will needs move the same unto you then you shall answer as followeth First in the paper intituled with the letter B. and brought to you by Monsieur Pinarts brother the 16. there are two doubts moved in the third Article beginning A este auxi and answer made though not satisfactory in the fourth beginning Sur le premier For the first we do not mislike but that one of the Confederates should be bound to defend the other being invaded although the other Prince may pretend that he hath been thereto provoked by the Prince invaded So as the provocation be not first given by any open War or Invasion made by the Prince that shall require aid for it is not consonant to reason that the one Prince Confederate should be aided by another where he himself that requireth the aid hath by his own Invasion of another Prince provoked himself to be invaded And if they shall not like of that exception where the Prince invaded gave occasion by former invasion then you shall accord to have the words general as have been in former Treaties And for this matter you may gather some light by the Treaty called L'Esclarissement of the peace made in An. 1545. in the exposition of the sixth and seventh Articles betwixt the Emperor Charls and the King our Father The second seemeth doubtfull to be answered that is considering the charges of the aid shall be born by the Prince requirant it may be permitted that the succours given may continue in the pursuit of the Invader out of the Country of the Prince invaded But therein it is reason that some time be thereunto limited that is by the space of 6 or 7 daies at the most to be out of the said Country or rather some distance of a league or two but if the Deputies there treating with you can be content to have the cause so conceived as the aid shall not exceed the limits of the Confederate Country you shall like it best And so you may let it alone in general words as heretofore the same hath been in former Treaties without raising up of such questions The fifth Article beginning Item à este en avant we think it reasonable that the Prince that shall defend the other may continue their treats which he hath with the Prince against whom the aid shall be given and suffer Traffique and Commerce for their Subjects mutually saving only it may be provided that he shall not suffer any Armor nor Munition of Warre or other like things to be carried out of his Countrey to the offence of the Prince whom he shall aid As to the last Clause of the Writing concerning Scotland we do not disallow of the Answer in the Margent made by you in Latin but yet our meaning is not to have any Article in the Treaty comprehending that matter In this sort we have thought meet to instruct you and considering the former Treaties betwixt us and the French King shall continue and be confirmed hereby we see no cause to remember you of the inserting of any other necessary Articles which have been heretofore comprised in former Treaties so as nevertheless it be provided by a special Article that by this Treaty nor by any part thereof any thing be derogatory to such other Treaties as we have and be now in force with any other Prince and namely with the King of Spain and as to the comprehension of any Princes according to the ancient manner of Treaties we would have you to enquire the intention of the French Kings Deputies whom they mean to comprehend and as near as you can to comprehend the same saving only the Bishop of Rome and that Sea and not forget the Emperor besides in person the Princes of the Empire and the Electors of the same and namely the Count and Countess of Embden and the Count and Sonetie of Hanze And if they will needs have mention made of Scotland we can be content that the same shall be if we will not accept the name of the King by the name Regnum Scotiae or Regnum status Scotiae we do for these purposes send
and children Christians as is now suspected and certified that thereabout it goeth and as some say is Master of Rochel when that is done what it will do and whether it will go further or no and if it do to what place I tell you truly many do doubt Divers of our Merchants resorting that way have found small courtesie at their hands no more then if they had been men with Pyrats This maketh our Merchants that they dare not yet adventure for Burdeaux and to doubt whether they may go thither this year or no. And I would mervellous fain know what manner of assurance you can make from thence Fare you well From Reading the six and twentieth of September 1572. YOu may perceive by her Majesties answer that she will not refuse the enterview nor marriage but yet she cometh near to them tam timido suspenso pede that they may have good cause to doubt The answer you see to de la Mot is addulced so much as may for she would have it so You have a busie piece of work to decypher that which in words is designed to the extremity in deeds is more then manifest neither you shall open the one nor they shall cloak the other The best is we stand I thank God upon our guard nor I trust shall be taken and killed asleep as the Admiral was the greatest matter for her Majestie and our safety and defence is earnestly of us attempted nor yet atchieved nor utterly in despair but rather in hope The Queens Majestie is in marvellous doubt for you she taketh as much care for you as any Prince can do for her Subject and she thinketh none can do what she would have done there as well as you You are happy in the one and her Majestie in the other seeing you are advertised so well hitherto God who hath hitherto delivered you will not yet leave you I doubt and I trust I need not fear I doth me good to see the Princely compassion that her Majestie doth take on the poor Vidame who is escaped by good fortune into England her Majestie hath written for him to the King the Copy I send you you shall do well to press the answer and bring it with you I dare say it will do you good if you can do it â—aeâ— est vicissitudo rerum humanarum haec est communis casus hominum All that be not bloody and Antichristian must needs condole and lament the misery and inhumanity of this time God make it short and send his Kingdom amongst us Fare you well once again the seveâ— and twentieth of September which is removing day to Windsore Yours alwayes assured Tho Smith The Copy of the Queens Majesties Letters to the French King for the Vidam de Charâ—res TReshault trespuissant et tresexcellent Prince nostre trescher et tresaimè bon frere et cousin salut Le Vidam de Chartres est retirè en nostre Royaulme et nous a donne a entendre par un sien escript supplicative la cause de sa venue aâ— nous et requirant de nous nostre favoâ—rable recommendation de son cas enuers vous et pour ce que l'avons troâ—ve de cocur loyal et fidel envers vous desirant tousiours sur toutes choses le tenir en repose et que par toutes occâ—sions que se presentoient non cesse de louer vos royalles virtus comme vostre tres affectionne subject dont en pouvons estre bons tesmoins Nous n'avous voulu faire moins aians compassion de l'estat miserable anquel il se troâ—ve pour lè present que recommander affectueusment a vous sa cause qui nous sâ—mble certes fort lamentable et qui merite secours aiant a celle fin envoyè a nostre Ambassadeur aupres de vous sa requeste qui vous la declarera plus amplement en quoy vous prions trescher tresame bon frere et cousin luy donner bonne et favorable aâ—dience et 〈◊〉 bonne response au fin que avec cela nous pussions comme en avons bon espoir consoler le poure desole Vidam a nous y faire gran plaisir comme scait le createur aâ—quel prions tresh ault tresexcellent trespuissant Prince nostre trescher tresame bon frere cousin vous avoir tousiours a tressainte garde De nostre Chasteaâ— de Windsore le 28 de Septemb. 1672. To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador Resident for her Majestie in France SIr the last Letters of yours by me received were those which yong Mr. Hopton brought hither since which time we have understood by report from Roan that on Thursday was sevennight there was a general slaughter made at Roan of all that could be imagined Protestants so as the very channels of the street did run blood we have heard diversly of Rochel by some that it is sacked by Strozzi by some that it holdeth out and that it is like so to do a long time As to the Ambassadors negociation here with us to seek to perswade us that the King was forced for safety of his own life to cause the execution to be done as it was and that thereof we shall see the proofs by the Admirals process you may imagine how hard a thing it is for us to be so perswaded against all our naturall senses and how they will accord these two jars we know not The Kings Letter first written after the Admirals death doth declare it to be done by manner of sedition and privately by the house of Guise who feared the Admiral and his would pursue against them the avenge for his hurt and the Kings own guard about the Admiral was forced and the King himself driven to hold his guards about him in the Louvre for his own defence and now yet it must needs be notified that the King did for his own surety cause the execution to be done By the dispatch that you shall receive from Master Secretary you shall understand what answer is made to the French Ambassador and upon what sort her Majestie hath forborn to resolve upon the enterview whereof her Majestie hath no misliking if it may appear that the King will forbear from persecuting the cause of Religion ACHE Rome A B Glasis nevertheless it will be very hard to perswade 3lca to like thereof I have imparted to her Majestie two things whereof your wife had in charge to make me privy of From Reading the five and twentieth of September 1572. Yours assuredly William Burleigh To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador Resident for her Majestie in France I will now my Lord Ambassador trouble you with some trifles of mine own leaving other matters to other advertisements I am very desirous to recover a Rider if any worthy the entertainment may be had whether there be any more at liberty that were appertaining to any of the late Lords that were murthered it
be not provoked to answer to any of those points mentioned in them he should not minister occasion of talk on them and possibly they will say nothing and yet with you they will be busie which if it come to pass there is no doubt but you can and will answer to the effect of those Instructions and further as occasion shall be ministred But in one point that is for the breach of the abstinence in Scotland which then was not certain and now is certain hard it is if they be not questioning with you for I am sure de la Mâ—t will not be without his intelligence from Scotland nor negligent in advertising to France And upon occasion of time whether you be demanded or not it is thought meet that you take occasion to shew the King that to the grief of the Queens Majestie the Scots have not agreed but be broken again into hostilitie within themselves which although touâ—heth joyntly the Fr. K. and her Majestie because they two being Princes of so great authority and so conjoyned in love and amity and both by mutual consent by their Ambassadors labouring to bring them to unity peace and concord within themselves should be so illuded and scorned of a few petty companions that having all things offered unto them that they could desire reasonable and more yet they would still maintain war in their own Countrey and in the tender age of their young King whom to set up and Crown they were the first doers This injury you may say touched the King as well as the Queens Majestie because joyntly they both like Princes in most amitie agreed in their Leagues together to pacifie and unite Scotland in it self which now by discord intestine being disunited is brought almost to extreme poverty and misery The other cause toucheth more her Majestie because they being her Neighbours next adjoyning and bordering upon her Subjects while the Realm of Scotland was united and peace within it self if any of their Thieves and Out-laws had injury by theft or murther any of her Majesties Subjects upon complaint redress was had the Malefactors punished and he who had the injurie restored and so was it on both sides reciprocally Now in this Civil dissention miseries robberies stealth and murthers be committed daily and then the one part or the other beareth them out so that it were almost as good to have a border war betwixt England and Scotland for the poor men that do dwell thereabouts as civil wars betwixt the Scots themselves and therefore this breach betwixt the two parties must needs grieve her Majesties Subjects more then the French King being so far distant and so consequently her Honor who indeed doth take it and not without cause heavily for that they have not esteemed better her Majesties good will and desire that she had all their strifes and debates among themselves compounded and accorded and that they have set so light by the authoritie of the French King their brothers and heirs The young King is her Majesties near Kinsman and her Highness desireth not onely to have him preserved but also his Realm if it could be in quiet peace and good oâ—der and aboundance which without inward peace cannot be had and must needs think evil of these few petty companions being gotten into the Castle of Edenburgh which for their wilful obstination and private benefits shall keep that Realm still in that dissention and trouble in contempt of such Princes as the French King and her Majestie is whose design tended to nothing but to make unitie and concord among them there And therefore if Hume Castle and Fast Castle which her Highness hath detained hitherto in that hope upon accord to have rendred them to the Lord and owners thereof from whom they were before by just war taken Now her Majestie seeth no longer cause to detain but to render them according as is comprised in the Treatie not to them who have so evil deserved of her Majestie their own King and Countrey by their perverse obstinacy and of the French King also but one of the same Nation who acknowledgeth their King and is desirous of unitie peace concord and good government in that Realm and of this her design her Majestie thought meet to make her good brother the French King first privy unto for the love that she doth bear unto him and according to the Amity and Intelligence betwixt the two Realms I am glad to have this occasion to send this bearer Iohn Farry your man unto you for I assure you I do pitty your case that so many of your men be here together peradventure occasion may serve shortly to send you another yet methinks you forget me to send so often to others without any letters to me Fare you well From Somerset-house the nine and twentieth of January 1572. by English account I thank you for the case of Tools I yet have not leisure to understand them all nor looked not for so many nor on that sort When I shall understand the properties and use of them I shall have more cause to thank you Yours alwayes assured Tho Smith To the Earl of Leicester AFter the inclosing up of my other letters I received at one instant two sundry Letters of your Lordships the one of the eighth and the other of the nine and twentieth Touching the first your Honour doth concur with me in opinion as I conceive by the same that the matter which is the chiefest cause of my stay is but a meer entertainment the matter through misguiding is never like to come to issue If they mean otherwise which is most likely why should her Majestie endure to be any longer abused As your Lordship findeth the partie that dealeth there halting and divers in his tales even like unconstancie and doubleness do I find in him here that dealeth with me To disguise the matter they borrow certain names out of Amadis de Gaule wherein they deal most aptly to adde to a fained thing fained names They judge us to be very gross and do think that every fair and coloured speech is able to abuse us I cannot be otherwise perswaded but some here that rule all are acquainted with the matter for otherwise the partie that last came over would never have medled in the same God send it a better end then I look for For your Lordships good advice in the latter end of your letter I most humbly thank you and do think my self much bound to you for the same as for any other favour I have received at your Lordships hands since I entred into this service The best recompence I can make unto your Lordship as I know is to take profit thereof True it is that sometimes in requital unto some of my Friends who have given me large entertainments of the state of things whereof otherwise I have been ignorant I have also largelie made them partakers how things passed here and somewhat more largelie then I have
if any great thing should be done Scotland is very well come forward to an universall agrement sith Duâ—Crocque and Viraque went away The Duke and Earle of Huntly be come in from them and all their followers to acknowledge the King and his Regent None holds out but Grange and Liddington who keep the Castle The King and the Lord Regent not being able for fair means to get them to the unity of the whole Realm offering unto them all reasonable conditions that they can demand so that they will leave the Castle and to keep no longer Edenburgh which is the London and Paris of Scotland in subjection unto them yet cannot be heard and therefore is required of the Queens Majesty to bring them to order the which the Queen may do for any league treaty or promise heretofore made and so I think will do if there be no remedy Du Viraque who is thought to be sent to keep them still in dissention by good hap and contrary winds was driven with six ships of Scotland into Scarbrough-Haven stayed there by there by the Lord President In the mean while was the Duke and the Earl agreed with the Regent and the Scotish Ships departed He is now thought to be in the way to come to London for so my Lord president appointed but not yet come A man of his taken in Scotland hath confessed that he was sent back under another pretence to cast into the Sea the most part of his writitings the which he did which declareth good plain dealing The Lo. Leviston is now come to London pretending his desire to have his Conscence at liberty but not yet trusted that he meaneth the quiet of Scotland words have escaped him and his Companions by the way which have not fallen to the ground Farewell from Greenwich the nineteenth of March 1572. Your assured friend Tho. Smith To my very loving friend Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador for her Majesty with the French King SIR your letters brought to me were of the 11 of March dated at St. Cloud and the next former were of the 25 of February for which I thank you that you do so carefully advertise me of the state of things as I find you have done when I have been more answerable then now I can be The reason of my frequent absence is the intervall of times when here I am no less mindfull of your causes both such as belong to her Majesty and such as belong to your self then any other to my power is or can be and even now on Wednesday last her Majesty hath signed all things meet to revoke you and to send another in your place wherein I know you haue found cause to think the time long and so have your friends been lately grieved with it but I trust now to see you shortly to your contentation You shall understand that the French Ambassador hath of late time been very earnest with her Majestie in certain causes as first in offering by all good speeches the continuance of the Amitie and with complaining as grievously that the Q. Majesties offering of Montgomery to be aided as he is with mony c. must needs move the â—ing to think his Amity contemned And with some sweet minatories he intrated that he might be staied c. He also reneweth the marriage matter and thereto requireth a resolute answer as a thing necessary to be ended the one way or the other for honor of all parties He also hath seemed greatly offended with the stay of Viraque at Scarborough He hath made suit that for the Queen of Scots some ther in France meaning two or three might come hither to bring the said Queen money and account of her Estate In the end came hither an Agent named Chasteau Neuf from the Camp afore Rochel his coming was as we perceive to disswade Montgomery from going to Rochel but he brought loving letters to her Majesty from M. le Duc. To these things briefly you shall know the Answers His offers of Amity have been thankfully accepted and it hath been told him that his Majesty is more bound to the Queens Majesty for her perseverance then any other upon like cause For though it be manifestly seen and fully discovered by such as are arrived in Scotland out of France having been dealers with the King in France and others there how the King is disposed against the Queens Majesty and this Realm to offend it when his own troubled causes shall be setled and how he persecuteth the Protestants being of the Queens Religion yet her Majesty hath resolved to persevere in her League meaning first to see the breach come indeed first from the French King then she doubteth not by Gods Grace to preserve her and her Realm whereunto she also findeth all her people so willing to withstand all forces force as she hath much ado to detain them from adventuring in great numbers to pass to Rochel of their own charges and those are not of the popular but Noblemen and Gentlemen of Ancient and great livelihoods who surely have offered of their own charges to finde an Army of 20000 footmen and 2000 horsemen for six months in Gascoyn and so earnest they have been that it is already known to themselves both where the men are to be had and the money onely they desire but a permission and truely her Majesty hearing hereof hath shewed her self much offended herewith and with great charge for fear of her indignation of the same the Ambassador confessed he had understanding whereupon he was constrained to confess how much his Master was bound unto her Majestie All this you may notifie unto the King and amplifie it for it is true and meet to be uttered As for the stay of Montgomery it was said that he desired to depart the Realm considering her Majesty refused to aid him and therefore her Majesty thought it a cruel part to stay him whom she was not disposed to aid And for his manner of departure the Ambassador could tell how much he was grieved with that her Majesty had caused all such as were on the Sea for him and Rochel to be apprehended and all that which they had taken from other the French Kings subjects to be restored as indeed the like general speedy restitution hath not been made in my time so as therewith also the King hath cause to commend her Majesties observation of the League For the Marriage her Majesty caused me privately to confer with the Ambassador and her Majesty hath willed me to let him know that you shall make the Answer and yet he shall be acquainted with it and so this it is her Majesty would have you to let the King and his Mother understand that she cannot accord to take any person to her husband whom she shall not first see Secondly she cannot assent that any person which shall be her husband shall with her Authority and assent use any manner of Religion in outward exercise that is
that there are bruits given out here to the contrary but I hope Madam the King and you rest satisfied if your Ambassador hath made you truly acquainted with her Majesties proceedings To that she answered that the King and she was to think themselves beholding to her Majesty notwithstanding that they would have wished that Montgomery had not received at her Majesties subjects hands that he doth though we know that Inhibition is made by her Majesty to the contrary I then shewed her that to the end she might understand how much she was beholding to my Mistris I would with her leave make her privy to such reasons as might have moved any other Prince but my Mistris who is consequently bent to make good Amity with them to yield to C. Montgomory all assistance First I shewed her that divers of her subjects of great quality courage and likelihood had laid before her Majestie sundry reasons to induce her to think that the fire lately kindled in France to the ruine of those of the Religion there if through Gods goodness it be not quenched is also so meant that it shall extend towards her saying that if she forbear to support them and suffer them to quaile she would be the cause of her own ruine and of her Realm besides laying before her danger they have laid before her also honor and profit and have shewed her that now is the time for her to recover such Provinces in this Countrey as appertain to the Crown of England And for the better incouragement have offered her to finde her an Army of 20000 footmen and 2000 horsemen for the space of six months Further I shewed her that late it hath been discovered by such as are in Scotland arrived out of France having been dealers with her Majestie and others here how they are disposed when their own troubled causes shall be setled to attempt somewhat against her Majestie Lastly I shewed her how her Majestie hath been put in minde how little account is had of the recommendations heretofore made by her and the Princes of Germanie of those of the Religion here seeing them persecuted with such extremity contrary to the assurance given by their Majesties unto such their Ministers as did recommend them which may give just cause to think her Amity is little esteemed All these courses notwithstanding which would move any other Prince such is her affection towards this Crown as she is fully resolved to persevere in her League meaning first indeed to see the breach come from the King and then she doubteth not in Gods goodness but that she shall preserve her self and her Realm against him or any other Prince that shall attempt any thing against her finding all her subjects most willing to withstand all forraign forces whatsoever is given out by certain Rebels To this she answered that she knew by advertisement come from the Ambassador that there was great sollicitation made by her subjects as also great offers and that therefore they acknowledged themselves much beholding to her Majestie for her intention to persevere in good Amity Now whereas you say there hath been discovered by certain apprehended in Scotland some intention of ours to disquiet her Majestie I protest saith she that both the King and I know of no such matter and that the parties that so do say do belieâ— us What Commission they have received from others of this Realm I know not but if it may be proved that they have received any they that have given them Commission shall receive such punishment as the Q. your Mistris can desire Our intention saith she touching the matters of Scotland was never other then to perswade them to accord and to acknowledge the â—ueens Majâ—sty their Mistris for their Governor To this I replyed in so doing they break the League for that it was contrary to that which vvas concluded in the same for that it vvas agreed that neither the one nor the other should give Lavv unto Scotland but should joyn in maintenance of that Government That they among themselves should agree upon to be most for their safety vvhich thing may give my â—istris just occasion to suspect that vvhich is discovered in Scotland the rather to be true Then she seeming to be sorry that she uttered so much that she could do no less but say somevvâ—t to recommend her câ—use 〈◊〉 the allyance and yet vvished any accord rather thâ—n they shâ—uld â—â—strâ—y one anoâ—her Upon this occasion she fell in to some purpose about the staying of Viracque and said that it vvas strange Ambassadors should be stayed vvho vvere alvvays persons priviledged vvithin the Dominions of their Confederates To that I ansvvered that it mighâ— seem more strange to the Queen my Mris. considering that it vvas agreed that the matters in Scotland should be treated in common that any should be sent secretly thither her Majesty not being made privy thereof vvhich gave her Majesty a great occasion to suspect that vvhich vvas discovered by certain taken in Scotland to be true seeing such dealing under hand the Queen my Mistris said I wâ—s rather perswaded that Viracque had been sent over by some of this Realm who envyed the good between the two Crowns then by the King and therefore shall be sorry to hear him be avowed to be his Minister To this she answered That the Queen my Mistris had been made acquainted of their intention to send Viâ—acqâ—e long since by their Ambassador to the end to joyn with Mr. Kâ—llegrew in the treaty of accord I told her that I thought that they should finde their Ambassador had failed to let her Majestie understand so much for that as I am informed she understood nothing of his going thither until such time as she heard of his stâ—y And as for his stay Madam quoth I though he avows himself to be the Kings Ambassador yet her Majesty hath given order throughâ—ut all her pâ—rts that all her persons whatsoever they pretend unless they be notoriously known to be Merchants or have pasports or safe-Conduct shall not onely be staied but also sent up to the Court and therefore this stay being generally upon good consideration considering the present state of Europe neither he nor any other that either hath been or shall be stayed can complain of any violating of any privi edge c. that appertaineth to any Ambassador She seemed to be very much intangled with this matter and had not therefore much to say for the staying of him Afterwards falling into Montgomeries matter I declared to her Majesty also at large how much he was aggrieved with that her Majesty had caused all such as were on the Seas for him and Rochel to be apprehended and all that which they had taken from others the French Kings subjects to be restored and that with such speed as the like speedy and general restitution hath not been in my time heretofore Whereby said I your Majesty hath just occasion to commend her Majesties observation of the League which thing she acknowledged to be true and therefore as they had cause did
Instructions bien amples pour traicter avec vous sur quelques points d'importance dout nous attendous plus prompte response pour selon icelle vous esclaircir sur les dites particularitez dedans le terme prefix mais d'autant que les choses que vous avez proposées tant a nostre Ambassadeur qu'a nostre dict et serviteur sommer sont de plus grande consequence que de pouvoir estre plemement considerâ—s dans si peu de temps ayant deliberé de depescher bien â—ost par devers vous un personnage instruict a plein de nostre intention et volunté quant aux dictes choses par vous proposses nous n'avons cependant voulu obâ—ettre a fin que ne recevant nostre response au temps prefix vous n'estimiez que nostre intention n'est de nous tem au contraict de vous tesmoigner par la presente suivant le desir quâ— a nous avoâ—s de vous donnier entiere satisfaction et contentement de tous nous de portements que sera la â—in Instructions for Sir Francis Walsingham Knight her Majesties principal Secretary sent into France to the French King and to Monsieur the Duke of Anjou 22. of July 1581. ELIZABETH R. FOr that you are throughly acquainted with all the Negotiations passed concerning the marriage desired by Mr. and do know the causes of the prolongation of the conclusion thereof not to have proceeded of us without just grounds there shall be less need to enlarge these instructions by writing but to make rather a memorial for you of the matter in your own presence concluded for answer to such things as of late hath been delivered by the French King to Sommers for which purpose we have made special choice of you for the better satisfaction of the French King And our meaning is that you shall make the Duke acquainted with this your message and to cause the French King to accept the same your action in good part The matters propounded by the French King be these 1 A request upon a supposition made by the French King that the marriage was accorded that we would assign a day within which the marriage should be consummate and in some speech he also named a day 2 An offer that the marriage being promised and the day assigned that the King would upon knowlenge thereof enter with us into a League offensive and defensive and ratifie the same and cause it to be delivered at the instant of the consummation of the marriage 3 A motion that a secret agreement might be made apart betwixt the King and us for the matters of Low-Countries To these three you shall shew the Duke what we have resolved for answer to the King whereof we have willed you to make him acquainted and you shall move him by such Reasons as are both true and known to your self how loath we are to deliver any thing to his misliking if the necessity of the time and the matter did not force us thereto Therefore to the first request of the French King grounded upon the supposition that the marriage is accorded you shall shew him how that it is otherwise to be understood for that the whole Treaty indeed is suspended by an act accorded by the Commissioners whereof you can make him a particular declaration and for the purpose you shall shew him the cause of our long prolongation of the time therein limited which also we do give you authority by word in our general Commission further to enlarge as you shall see cause And to the request for assignation of a day for the marriage you shall declare that for divers considerations we cannot finde it good either for Monsieur or for our selves to assent to the marriage with him as the case standeth whereby he being already entred into an open war against the King of Spain should by marriage bring us our Realm also into a war which in no respect our Realm and subjects can accept with the marriageâ— but the same would prove very ingrateful to our people and ingender a misliking of us both as you may well enlarge that point the rather considering it is seen how hardly many have been brought to allow of the marriage without any war And therefore upon this point we nevertheless thus concluded that though the marriage cannot be allowable with a war for those respects yet considering how necessary it is for the Crown of France as well as for ours yea for all Christendom that the King of Spains greatness should be impeached and this account of Monsieurs should be prosecuted in the Low-Countries we shall be content though we do not marry to joyn with the French King to ayd Monsieur with a reasonable portion so as it may not be so overtly as thereby to prâ—voke a war upon us and our Realm and herewith you shall set forth the necessity of the continuance of Monsieurs actions now in hand as if he will answer that he will lean to our marriage you shall answer that there cannot be so much profit either to himself or to the French King and his Realm or to us and our Realm by the marriage as by the continuance of this action to the abating of the Spanish Kings greatness which if it be not interrupted speedily will so incounter both France and England as neither the marriage nor any conjunction of the forces of France and England can hereafter stay or remedy And if it shall be objected by Monsieur that the offer to ayd him secretly will serve him to no purpose For that he knoweth that the King his brother will either not ayd him at all or will not ayd him otherwise then secretly as will not serve him to purpose so as he must be forced to leave his enterprise you shall still maintain our offer to be reasonable But if you shall finde Monsieur so earnest to mislike thereof as you shall perceive him resolute to leave off the enterprize except we will joyn with the King in such manner of ayd as his brother will be content then you may after some pawsing say that if upon conference with the French it shall appear that he cannot be content with our secret ayd We would be content rather then the Dukes actions should utterly quaile to yield to joyn with the French King by League and Contract both to ayd him as shall be thought reasonable betwixt the King and us And also some other ways to impeach the King of Spains greatness but if the Duke could be contented with our secret ayd we think it should be no hinderance to him and yet a great contentation to us for so we might avoid the offence of our people and so you shall earnestly entreat the Duke to be content therewith As to the other two points for making of a League offensive and defensive and for a secret agreement for the matters of the Low-Countries we shall be ready to make with the
King his Brother a League offensive and defensive and for the matters of the Low-Countries we will therein do as before is expressed if the secret aiding may in no sort be accepted by the French King And thus leaving to your discretion how to perswade Monsieur that thâ—s not assenting to the marriage proceedeth not of lack of Love or Good-will towards him but of meer necessity to avoid the just offence of our people you shall use all good perswasions to temper his misliking thereof with the assurance of the continuance of our love towards him in all his fortunes hereafter to follow And now when you shall return from Monsieur to the French King you are for answering the first point to shew our minde thereto with the like Arguments and Reasons as before is contained in that you shall have said to Monsieur which need not here to be repeated in writing And if the French King shall not allow of our foremost offer for our secret aiding of Monsieur in his actions but will refuse the same peremptorily and so procure Monsieur to leave his enterprize for lack of our further yielding then you shall yield to the second afore remembred that we will rather then the enterprize should fail and thereby the King of Spains greatness encrease joyn with the King as is remembred But except Monsieur shall object against the manner of our ayd in secret sort as is before remembred you shall not need to yield ours to offer to Monsieur that second degree nor make any mention thereof for after that being opened and the French King being therewith acqnainted before your access unto him it shall be in vain to stand with the French King upon the offer of the first degree for a secret ayd so as if you shall be urged by Monsieurs answers to fall to the second to yield to an open ayd then you may onely repeat the first to the King and therewith to add that if that manner of ayd shall neither content the French King nor Monsieur then we will assent to joyn with the French King in such manner as shall be found reasonable for us both and for the cause And so our meaning is that you shall if you can possible in this sort put of the marriage with yielding to this latter open sort of aiding if the secret ayd shall not be allowed and therewith you shall declare by this our Answer the other two points for a League offensive and defensive and for a secret accord for the Low Countries to be in a sort answered But for more particular instructions of you how to proceed in these two latter matters you shall have for them both a Commission general for your self and our Ambassador and Sommers to treat therupon and with the said Commission you shall have some other particular instructions such as the short time may yield And whensoever you shall enter to treat thereon after knowledge had from you there shall be more particular matters called to remembrance and sent unto you But now if you shall after all good Reasons used to perswade the staying of the marriage with the offers to joyn with the French King and both with aiding of his Brother and if it be moved to you or otherwise thought reasonable to be by you mentioned to joyn also in the ayding of Dâ—n Anthonio pretending to be the King of Portugal that notwithstanding this your proceeding that the King will yield to none of these but with the marriage as hitherto by his former Answers have appeared he would not you should persist in setting forth the necessities of the Crown of France both presently and for time to come as also you shall confess the like for England to begin timely to abate the King of Sp. greatness and that though there had been never marriage spoken of yea that wheresoever Monsieur may marry in an other place yet it shall prove a great error both in the Frinch King and us to leave the King of Spain to encrease to such greatness as hereafter neither the force of France nor England no nor any that may be confederate with them shall be able to withstand any thing that the King of Spain shall attempt And if these Reasons cannot prevail you shall leave off declaring your great grief that the forbearing of the marriage grounded upon the evident misliking of our subjects should be the cause of the forbearing to do so great a good to Christendom as the conjunction of the King and us might bring though the matter took not place and so you shall end and speedily advertise us of your proceedings Instructions for the treaty of a League offensive and defensive betwixt us and the French King and for other things depending thereupon ELIZABETH R. WHen it shall appear upon your other treating with the K. according to such other instructions as you have that it shal be required and found convenient that there be a League made for a strict Amity between us and the French King and that the same shall be found good for us both in respect of the King of Spains growing overgreat to continue a peaceable neighbor you shal require first that the Treaty made for a mutual defence betwixt the French Kings brother Charles the ninth and us and which also hath been confirmed by a special clause in the Treaty that shall now be newly made and thereupon shall it be considered what other new Covenants that are not already contained in the former Treaty shall be made to make our Amity streighter against any that shall commit any hostile act by invasion of any of our Countries which we now possess or have possessed any time these 20 yeers and to that end you shall move an assent that from henceforth we and the King shall during our lives be united in heart and minde for confirmation of our honors persons states dignities kingdoms and dominions to either of us belonging so as from henceforth we and the King shall be against all persons friends to friends and enemies to enemies notwithstanding any former Leagues or Confederations with any other or notwithstanding any Councels Perswasions or Motions to be made to either of us by any Potentate or person spiritual or temporal to the contrary of the tenour of this League Item You shall Covenant that if any King Potentate or other person shall offend or procure offence to us in our person honor dignity or estate or shall take away or impeach and 〈◊〉 any of our Kingdoms or Countries the French King shall repute and accept the same offence as done to himself or his Countries and shall in like manner with all his power impugn the same as though the offence were made to himself and we also shall be bound in like sort to the French King mutatis mutandis Item It shall be mutually covenanted that all Traytors and manifest Rebels against either of us shall be declared and used as enemies or Rebels of the other
great forwardness to have taken effect whereof I had never doubt so that it might have pleased her Majestie to have kept a consonant course there In like sort as your Lordship can well remember was Sir Francis Bryans Negotiation crossed at Rome I cannot but pray to God so to bless her Majesties resolution to marry with that good effect that may be to her own comfort and the benefit of her Realm Your Lordships Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable Sir Francis Walsingham SIr I thank you for acquainting me with that you write to her Majestie whereof you sent me a copy but until this afternoon I had it not whereas the original from your self was delivered to her Majestie the delay as Mr. Mills told me of the delivery grew for that your Cousin had not time to deliver it yesterday to Mr. Mills who also was absent But having now read it I see you have great cause why her Majestie should be well content with your actions in all occurring with the course appointed you and lo now this evening without using any token of sight of your letters I repeated to her Majestie that the course you held to procure the League without marriage was specially committed to you to obtain against which it was certain that Monsieur for his particular and all his Ministers for his sake would spurn and so in doing your duty you were subject to their misliking Hereupon I found heâ— to assent to that I said But she added that she wished that Monsieâ—r might have been perswaded thereto I answered that she her self should not be able to perswade him to content himself and much less her Ministers This afternoon finding her Majestie unwilling to send the Fleet to the Azores whereby charge should grow without profit it was motioned that in the mean time that her Majestie should be assured of the French Kings actions to concur with hers two or three of the ships with a Bark should forthwith repair to the Tercera with some Captains Souldiers Powder and Munition to comfort the â—slanders to stand fast and to direct to be furnished for the defence of the Island until more forces might come a matter as my Lord of Leicester saith Don â—nthonio desireth Whereupon this evening Sir Francis Drake and Hâ—wkins are gone to him and so I think the ships shall away to morrow if it alter not By the next you shall know though the French King to our Ambassador there and by his own said that he would aid Don Anthonio yet these being but words changeably by a Prince if now he shall reveal to you his minde it is reasonable to say that though it will require some longer time to contract a treaty hereupon yet if it please him to write a letter to her Majestie to assure her that he will joyn with her in aiding Don Anthonio and if for her action the King of Spain shall offer offence to her Majestie or her subjects he shall repute the quarrel his own joyntly with her in defence of her and offence of the King of Spain such a writing may animate her Majestie to that which I think otherwise she will not resolve Her Majestie mâ—â—neth to send the Lord Howard to Monsieur to visit him Yours assuredly William Bâ—rleigh To Mr Secretary SIR when I had made up your Packet being come late this Evening about the many matters spoken of in one of my Letters The â—ueens Majestie sent Mr Mâ—ldmay to inform me to wâ—ite as followeth This day the French Ambassador with the Fr Portuguese Consul Perdonâ— were with her Majestie with Letters from the Qu. mother of great earnestness to her Majestie to aide Don Anthonio by that name but not by that of the K. Anthony whereof the Fr Ambassador made reason for the Q. mothers pretence but from the French King her Majestie had no Letter Thereupon her Majestie is scrupulous doubting to give occasion of a Warr to be born by her self alone and the more She doubteth finding the Fr King so precise in his Brothers cause We finde in a Letter of Tuyns here decyphered that the King sent Gondy to him with ample Commission to carry away the 300000 Crowns wherewith the Prince of Parma became so lusty Her Majestie would have you decypher in this matter of Portugal Tâ—is day Don or King Anthonio hath pressed the Q. Majestie to have restitution of his Diamond and by Mr Weldmore he would have sent to my Lady for it but I mean my Ladies answer shall be that it was left with her by you and that without your commandment she may not deliver it except such money be paid as she knoweth you have borrowed upon it Her Majestie will not have it detained for her â—000 l. which I see she could be content to lose so he were satisfied Surely Mr Secretary the cause hath been but lightly conducted and many things overcharged For I have seen a Note of yours amounting not much above 3000 l. and it is brought almost to 14000 l. and the King Anthony regardeth nothing therein done but remitteth his payment to the Island or rather to the pay of the King of Spa Indies yet we here do what we can to content him I hear that the Count Vimioso will be here within these two dayes he is altogether French and will seek to draw this King into France where his life I fear will be vendible From my House the 24 night of August at eleven of the Clock Your assured Friend W Burghley To the Right Honorable Sir Francis Walsingham SIR where by my last Letters I made doubt unto you of the going forth of the Ships in the Voyage intended as before your going over you were acquainted with yet now at the last her Majestie is resolved that 4. onely shall goe forth under the charge of William Hawkins wherof the Primrose is the chiefest And least occasion should fall out of service by Land Capt. Norris is appointed for that purpose It is thought meet that such Victuals as were provided for tâ—e other Ships and cannot well be kept should forthwith be uttered and sold. Nevertheless the ships to be in a readiness upon a short warning as further shall be advertised from you of the French Kings resolution Her Majestie seemeth resolutely bent not to exceed 5000 l. whereby your charge is the greater which I have assayed to qualifie as if it had been my own case And thus constrained to be shorter then I would otherwise for the dispatch of this Bearer c. Greenwich late in the night August 24. 1581. William Burleigh To the Lord Treasurer IT may please your Lordship after the long stay from proceeding in our Negotiation upon such reasons as in our former letters we have advertised Du Vray came unto us on Friday to acquaint us with such answer as he had received from the Duke his Master touching the furtherance of the league desired The sum of the speeches that he delivered unto us being this
person in such sort as it appeareth he shall in the Low-Countreys and so with many other like speeches of his own conceit without affirmation of any such thing to proceed from her Majestie as hath been alledged there to you to be written by him he doth confess that his own principal desire is to have the marriage take place but doth not affirm any thing certain of her Majesties speech delivered unto him to move him to give any assurance by his writing to the King or to Monsieur neither yet to move them to despair thereof And to this end her Majestie hath required him to certifie the King how he hath been herewith by her Majestie charged and in what sort he hath answered for discharge of her Majestie so as hereupon her Majestie hopeth that the King will give order to his Commissioners to continue the Treaty begun with you which her Majestie would have you earnestly to press forward as a matter profitable as well for the French King and his Countreys as for her Majestie and not to interpret the proceeding therein to tend to the breaking off the marriage which you can tell upon what terms and just causes her Majestie hath suspended being therein not satisfied with any direct answer from the French King to clear the doubts and difficulties committed to the charge of you Master Secretary to deliver both to the French King and Monsieur Now concerning your several articles sent contained in your papers First of the general articles propounded Secondly of so many as you have already accorded and Thirdly of certain points not fully answered by you but reserved until you might receive some further direction from her Majestie for the same you shall understand that all these your writings have been here perused by such of the Councel as are present and report thereof here at the Court made to her Majestie with their several opinions which shall most properly appear by marginal notes in every of the same and if so be it shall chance that you cannot obtain of the French King that his Commissioners and you her Majesties Commissioners shall proceed in the Treaty for a league as you did begin and as the French did twice yield thereunto that is at your first coming to him from Monsieur and secondly after that by Pynart for the King and you Master Sommers for her Majesties part returned from Monsieur with his contentation that the Treaty might pass so as nothing thereby might be prejudicial to the cause of the marriage Then you may say to the King That your abode there is but superfluous and more chargeable for the said King then serviceable and therefore you shall desire him to license you to return which you may say will be by such as mislike of the good amity between her Majestie and the King be interpreted to the worst and will give them more comfort then were convenient at this time And if notwithstanding this allegation and reason yielded they will not proceed in the Treaty her Majesties pleasure is that you shall return and so also shall Master Sommers except you your selves see any cause probable for your abode until you may advertise us and know our pleasure Her Majestie commanded me to write to you that it is greatly misliked is greatly misliked that you have not more particularly and more earnestly moved the French King to give supprt to the Duke his brother in a cause so honourable for the honour of France and the Crown thereof And her Majestie understandeth that the King himself may think you as her Majecties Ministers careless herein of Monsieurs well doing And as I have heretofore written to you hereof so did I impart to her Majestie your answer that you had moved to the King at your first coming thither and of the French Kings answer But her Majestie thinketh you might have solicited such a matter both more earnestly and more often And so now I do notifie unto you her Majesties opinion at this time concerning the cause of Don Anthonio King of Portugal You shall declare either to the French King or Queen Mother if they shall give you any cause to speak thereof that there hath been no lack nor default in her Majestie that he hath not been in other sort relieved For as your self knoweth before your departure it was by us agreed what support he should have had of ships and men and munition according to his own desire and demand And to that end great sums of money have been laid out as therein you have a part of the burthen and accordingly the ships and men with victual and munition was ready two moneths past and as you also know it was by the King Don Anthonio agreed that he would not press us to grant him this support thereby to provoke the King of Spain to some hostility against our subjects trading in his Countreys except the French King should joyn with us in this action and thereof give us assurance Whereupon Don Anthonio sent himself a Count of his and other Messengers to sollicite the same to the French King but so the matter hath fallen out that we never could have any perfect answer from the King whereby we might be assured that he would joyn with us in this support But his Ambassadour here hath said that the King his Master especially thanketh us for our courtesies and reliefs towards Don Anthonio his Kinsman and exhorted us to proceed and he said there should be ships of France for his ayd And in like sort the Queen Mother required our Ambassador there to advertise us the like disposition in her but all this time we had no direct answer of assurance that the King would give him support Whereupon with very great charges the preparations of the ships and men in wages and in expence of victuals hath continued almost two whole moneths and thereby the said Don Anthonio hath lost the whole opportunity of the time of the year over-slipping the recovery of the good Isle Madera and of other Isles of the Azores saving Terceras which by Gods goodness was preserved by the Islanders and indeed not by any aid of the force of the French men For in very deed at the time of the repulse of the Spaniard which was on St. Iames day there were no French men there but onely An. Scabiny had been there before and was gone Westward as was supposed to make some profit of the straglers of the Italian fleet for otherwise he was not able to incounter the Fleet it self nor yet to offer fight with the Kings Armado sent under Pedro de Valdes besides this by this delay for lack of good answer from thence this King Anthonio doubteth of the constancy of a great number of his subjects in Portugal who secretly hoped upon his support and so now in the end though we could have no answer from thence whereby her Majestie might be build with assurance of the French Kings conjunction to adventure the
King of Spains offence yet she did offer to the King â—nthonio the service of certain good Vessels well armed victualled and furnished with men and munition largely to repair now in the latter end of August But the King prudently considering that the time was past for this year to recover any more Isles then he hath already and that such as hold for him could not be by the enmity assailed from henceforth until the next year did not accept our offer but finding the default of answer from the French King to have been the cause of our stay he meant onely to send away a few ships which himself had bought and armed here for the which her Majestie hath already yielded him a pass-port When you shall again deal with the King to have care of his Brother now entred into the Low-Countreys whose actions for the honour of that Crown are to be maintained you may shew him that we think he was not well counselled by such as moved him to yield to * Tanis the King of Spains Agent that 300000 or 400000 Crowns were by his special license carried from Lyons to the Prince of Parma which if the King had stayed but one moneth or twenty days to give license as he did to Tanis there had manifestly followed in the Prince of Parma's Army such a disaster as is notoriously known before the coming of that money that the said Army was ready for want of pay to have broken and especially all the Almaignes had revolted to the service of Monsieur le Duc which by the ayd of that money was altered to the disadvantage of the Duke his Brother And you may say to the King that by considering of this her Majestie doubteth that there are some in credit with him that regard not in their counsels what should be the means to stay the greatness of the King of Spain which causeth her Majestie to be more doubtful how she shal deal in any action tending to stay the said greatness except she might evidently see some more appearance of the French Kings determination to the same end which in this cause of his Brothers actions in the Low-Countreys both ought and might best appear by some honourable good support to be given to the Duke his Brother Greenwich the second of Sept. 1581. Will. Burleigh To Mr. Secretary SIR notwithstanding your later letters of the 28 of August importing many reasons to move her Majestie to give some better answers in particularities yet her Majestie reading them and being reasoned withal will admit no other answer then was directed by the letters written though not sealed up before your last What may further move her Majestie hereafter I know not but I see it common to great and small not to think of adversity in time of prosperity and so adversity cometh with double peril At this present Don Antâ—onio is come to take his leave of her Majestie he will press to have his jewel and so that you may be satisfied I agree to it and so sometimes doth her Majestie but in conclusion he would have the jewel answer for all the losses which of the 13000 l. I think will be about 3600 l. whereof 170 l. is desperate imprest and wages and victuals spent the rest falleth out in the resail of the victuals I appoint Mr. Mills to be in commission about this dissolution and sail who will better satisfie you then I can And so c. Septemb. 2. William Burleigh The Article onely enlarged in words I Tem it is good to covenant That neither of the Princes now confederated shall at any time hereafter the conclusion of this Treaty give open aid to any enemy of any third Prince with whom at the conclusion of this league they are in peace thereby manifestly to provoke the other third Prince for such aid so given to make war or invasion against the Prince that shall give such aid for that cause of aid given but that before the aid shall be so openly given the Prince meaning to give such aid should first advertise by his letters the other Confederate and have his allowance thereof in writing In which word of aiding shall not be meant any other kind of ayd but such open aid as shall make the enemy aided thereby able by such aid to use open hostility and to make war against the third Prince Will Burleigh Her Majestie doth not mislike of this Article but yet she can be content it be forborn The Queens Majestie commanded me to set down a case upon the Article herewith I Tem to covenant with the French King that he shall not give open ayd to any enemy of the King of Spain thereby to provoke him to make war upon the said French King but that he shall first advertise her Majestie thereof and have her allowance otherwise her Majestie shall not be bound to aid the French King or to make war upon the King of Spain In like manner the Queen of England shall not c. Ut supra mutatis mutandis An Answer of such things as are desired by her Majesties Commissioners to be resolved touching the League offensive consisting in three points To the first AT this time here is no other thing remembred necessary to be added To the second Her Majestie thinketh it better for you to offer a covenant such as you shall find contained in a treaty betwixt Henry the eighth and Charls the fifth 1522. in the second Article the sum whereof is That if any Prince or other person should offend the Emperor Charls in his Person Dignitie or States or shall take any thing from the said Emperour in that case he shall repute the same offence or wrong as done to himself and shall repell the same with all his power and shall yield at his own charges aids convenient to withstand the same and to the reciprock the Emperour was bound but for tempering these words which are in the Article Totis virâ—bus potentia sua propulsabit her Majestie would have these kind of words added Prout commodo id fieri possit habita ratione temporis loci ac etiam faâ—ultatis suae and the cause that moveth her Majestie to have rather such an Article of a general resistance then a particular Covenant for numbers of men or money is even as your selves made you answer to the first For until the manner of the Prince Invader be known and thereby consideration had what manner of ayd defensive shall be needful to withstand the same invasion or to revenge it the resolution cannot be particularly set down what numbers shall be requisite But if the French Commissioners shall mislike of such a kind of Article you may say the like hath been between Henry the eighth and Charls the fifth and yet if that will not satisfie it may be further covenanted That upon notification of the invasion and of the greatness thereof by the Prince invaded the Prince not invaded shall give such ayd
and the King by the which you shall be very well informed directed as by certain rules how to treate and deal in all causes that may there come in controversie and thereby be bound to require due observation as cause and matter shall require We doubt not but you do consider how profitable a thing it is for quietness of us and our Realm to have that party in France which hath professed reformation of Religion to be maintained and contained in the favor which the King hath granted them by his Edict And therein vve vvould have you at all times when occasion shall be given you let it appear to the King that vve think nothing can procure more assurance of inward quietness in his Realm then the due observation of those things which he hath granted to his subjects in his Edict and you may say that he hath more cause by experience to believe us therein then any other Prince that is his Allie besides us that shall be of a contrary mind And so experience hath taught us already to think and may well ascertain him considering he hath seen and felt the continuance of the troubles of his Realm whilst he followed the advise of other Princes and Potentates and disswading him from granting such favour as he hath done to his subjects And in any other thing wherein you shall be able at any time to further and advance the observation of the matters of the Edict in favour of them of the Religion we would you should endeavour your self in such sort as may stand with our honour And of this our intention we will that you give understanding to such of the principals of that part as have interest therein which you shall best do by the advise of your predecessor who has best acquaintance with these persons Lastly for certain matters lately treated of here by the French Ambassador as touching the Queen of Scots cause and the preparations of ships and men of war made in Brittanie you shall at your coming to our Ambassador learn in what state he hath left those things and how he hath answered the King and so you may persist in the same course untill you shall be by us otherwise directed We have by our Letters to our foresaid Ambassador willed him to make deliverie unto you of all such our Plate as he had delivered unto him at his entrie into his charge which you shall receive of him by Indenture if you shall have need thereof Where we meant that you should have accompained the Lord of Buckhurst in his journey to the French King so have bin presented with him to the said King now that we cannot understand the certainty of the said Kings entrie into Paris at which time our meaning was and is that the said Lord of Buckhurst should be there we would not that you should abide any longer but proceed in your journey and if on your way you do perceive that the Kings entry will be now in the beginning of Januarie our will is that you shall without attending any longer for the coming of the said Lord of Buckhurst proceed by our Ambassadors means to be presented to the King and to take the place of our ordinarie Ambassador so as our former Ambassador Sir Henry Norris may return at his Commodity We would have you inform your self by the judge of the Admiraltie of all causes depending betwixt our subjects and those of France upon pretence of depredations that you may the better answer complaints which either ours or the others shall make And farther we would have you to acquaint your self by his means with a complaint lately exhibited by the French Ambassador in the name of the Merchants of Roan and what answers hath bin made to the same by such as we did ordain to devise the same whereof the said Judge was one You shall also receive a complaint which certain of our Merchants of London trading to Roan do presently make for the Innovation of certain taxations by the Magistrates of Roan upon the goods of our said subjects contrarie to the common use whereupon you shall being well informed of the inconveniencie thereof and the injustice sollicite the remedie thereof so as time shall conveniently require William Cecil Ended the 22 of December 1570. To the right Honourable and his very good Lord the Earle of Leicester MY very good Lord I write unto you at this present rather to use this as an earnest of my diligence hereafter to follow then for any good matter that I have to write Passing through Canterbury I visited the Cardinal and delivered unto him your Lordships Letters who gave me as much light as he could touching the present state of France concerning the matter whereof it pleased your Lordship to give me a watch-vvord there passed nothing betvvixt us The picture your Lordship desired I vvill take order shall be sent to you vvith vvhat convenient speed may be beseeching your Lordship vvherein my poore service may stand you in stead to use me with such boldness as I may thereby assure my self that your Lordship maketh accompt of me and so further leaving to trouble your Lordship at this present I most humbly take my leave at Bullen the second of Ianuary 1571. Your Lorships to command Fr. Walsingham To the right Honourable Sir William Cecill her Majesties principall Secretary SIr I arrived here at Bullen the first of this month where I could learn nothing worthy the advertisement for you know Sir that frontier news are never of any great value onely this I learned of the Governours Son in law here a Gentleman of good accompt and one of the Order who accompanied with divers other Gentlemen came to visit me from the said governour Monsiuer de Calliac who told me that the Kings entrie is deferred untill the middest of Febr. but hereof for the observing of the time here is no more assurance than there was before of the first of Ianuary Leaving Bullen I have not forgot to enform your honour of the great exactions used by the Inn-keepers at Gravesend Canterbury Dover in the prices of Victualls whereof besides mine own experience I learned by certain strangers that passed over with me they are so great as in no Countrie is used the like where all things bear so unreasonable prices in the market and the people so free from impositions of the Prince Surely Sir it were well done that there might by your good means and furtherance some order be taken for the Redress hereof aswell for her Majesties honour as for the ease of the poore travellers Thus Sir having no further matter worthy the advertisment I leave to trouble your honour most humbly taking my leave from Bullen the second of Ianuary 1571. Your Honours most bounden Fr. Walsingham To the right Honourable Sir Walter Mildmay one of her Majesties privie Counsell SIr you know that Frontiers are commonly better furnished with fables then of matters of truth and
SIr after I had written my other Letters yesterday there happened some alteration in this great matter of moment Where the Queens Majestie Majestie had determined besides her answer to the French Articles to have also sent you certain other Articles to be demanded of them there whereby the whole cause should be opened and nothing left behind in silence so that both parties might have understood their mutuall intentions Now suddainly her Majestie hath thought good at this time to send onely the French Articles and her answers and for the rest she meaneth to reserve untill she may understand how her answers are taken and specially how the knotty point of Religion will be smoothed And the cause of this change as I conjecture groweth of some late intelligence brought thence that if the Queens Majestie will stand earnestly upon that point for Religion it shall be assented unto which causeth her to proceed thus confidently And for my part I wish most heartily that it may so succeed but that onely I must fear except you shall moderate the matter better they there will imagine that this matter of Religion is but projected to colour the delay in breaking off for indeed in like cause so did the Emperor for his Brother the Arch-Duke Charles As I cannot instruct you how to dissolve this doubt there but as cause shall be given So I know your wisdome sufficient to invent sufficient answers to mollifie their hard conceits Thus you see how inwardly I deale with you and trust you will so use it I find Mr. Cavalcant very well disposed and sorry to see these occasions given though surely he seeth here the Queen Majesties disposition directly to his contentation From Westminster the 19 of Aprill 1571. Your assured friend Williamâ— Burleigh To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh IT may please your Lordship to advertise her Majestie that Mr. Cavalcant arrived here the 24 of this moneth by whom I received her Majesties Letters the contents whereof after I had perused and conferred with him touching his proceedings and for that the King and Queen Mother were departed out of this Town the one to St. Disier the other to Monceaux to bring the Duke and Dutchess of Lorrain onward on their way It was agreed between us that he should repaire the next morning to Monceaux to Queen Mother there to deliver her Majesties Letters as also her answers to the Articles propounded by the King Touching his proceeding with her I referre your Lordship to his own Letters By him I understood at his return that Queen Mother would speak with me at her repaire to the Town if I had any thing to say unto her So the 26 of this moneth she repaired hither and for that during the time of her abode here she could have no leasure she sent me word that the next day in the morning I should repaire unto her to come four English miles from Paris and that there I should have Audience So according to her appointment I repaired thither the next morning and at the time of my accesse unto her presence I shewed her that I was come thither to know how she rested satisfied with the answer she received from her Majestie by Master Cavalcant to those Articles which were propounded by the King and her to the end I might advertise her Majestie She shewed me that the Answers made unto their Articles seemed to her not to be direct saving thaâ— which was made unto the second Article concerning Religion which saith she is very hard and neerly toucheth the honour of my Son so far forth that if he should yield thereto the Queen your Mistress should also receive some part of the blemish by accepting for a husband such a one as by sudden change of Religion might be thought through worldly respects void of all Conscience and Religion I replyed that I was willed to say to her from her Majestie that she doubted not but that Monsieur her Son by her good perswasion would take in good part her said answers who meant not such sudden change of Religion as that he or his houshold should be compelled to use the Rites of the English Church contrary to his or their Consciences But forasmuch as the granting unto him the exercise of his Religion being contrary to her Laws might by an example breed such an offence as was like to kindle such trouble as lately reigned in France whereof both herself and her son had good experience She therefore hoped that he who if the match proceeded was to sail with her in in one ship and to run with her one fortune would not require a thing that she by no means could yield to who tendred nothing more then the quiet and repose of her Subjects and therefore in respect â—hereof could by no means consent to any such permission as might by any likelihood disturb the same To this she replyed that the not having the exercise was as much as to change his Religion which thing he could not do upon a sudden without the note to be of no Religion which dishonour I am sure no respect can draw him to endanger himself And as he in respect of the said ignominie is resolved fully not to yield so can I with no reason perswade him thereto and as for any peril that may happen by the same I think it shall be the best way of safety of your Mistress who alwayes by the way of his Brothers sword should be the better able to correct any such evil Subjects as should go about to disturb the repose and quiet of her Estate which she may assure herself he will do without having respect to any Religion whereof some tryal lately hath been made by his consenting with the King to have some good justice and example of punishment done at Roan In answer whereof I besought her to consider as well the Queens damage as her sons honour I shewed her that of this permission great mischiefs would ensue First the violating of her Laws Secondarily the offence of her good and faithful Subjects And lastly the encouragement of the evil affected Which three mischiefs if you will weigh said I together with your Sons honours you shall finde them of great moment and that the Queens Majestie my Mistress hath great cause to stand to the denial of any such permission whereof is likely to ensue such manifest peril And as for the ayd of the Kings sword I shewed her that the example by permission would do much more hurt then either his own or his Brothers sword could do good for that the issue of our mischief by civil dissention falls out commonly to be sudden and short but very sharp and were not drawn in length as those that happened in other Countreys we having neither walled Towns nor Fortresses to retire to thereby to protract our Wars To this she answered that her Son would soon be overcome by the Queens perswasions in
that the same is also in the Latin tâ—â—gue as the service of the Church of Rome and so ordered to be used in our Universities And if the Latin tongue should not content it is also or may be translated into the French either of which his own ministers might use at his pleasure in places convenient whereby he might serve God devoutly and thereby not to be counted irreligious or an Atheist And if it should be objected that by this means it might be esteemed that he might make a change of his faith in matters of questions in Religion certainly herein it might also be truly answered that although we can be glad that all persons should by Gods inspiration change from ignorance or errour to knowledge and truth yet mean we not to prescribe to him or any person that they should at our motion or in respect of us change their Religion in matters of faith Neither doth the usage of the divine Service of England properly compell any man to alter his opinion in the great matters now in controversie in the Church Onely the usage thereof doth direct men daily to heare and read the Scriptures to pray to almighty God by daily use of the Psalter of David and of the ancient Prayers Anthemes and Collects of the Church even the same which the universall Church hath used and doth yet use Lastly if any one part of our Articles and Ceremonies should mislike him as surely we cannot conjecture of any such Yet therein the rest not being by him misliked some tolleration might be to forbear the same untill he might better consider thereof And to that which is said That we permit Ambassadors to use the Religion of Rome First we never made any grant thereof to any whereby in that respect his conscience is free But being suffered that is to say not molested therein by any of our ministers of our Laws the difference is apparent between another Princes servant comming onely but as a Messenger or tarrying to do Messages which is the office of an Ambassador and one that is to be our husband that is in respect of Religion our head and in order to be joynt Governor of our Realms and subjects with us that is to assist us in maintenance of our Laws in punishing offenders in giving good example to our Subjects in counselling us how to maintain the quietness of our estate and preserve to us and to himself for our sake the love which he shall find is born to us by our subjects And how contrary it shall be to all those that he may doe as Ambassadors are suffred to doe in whom neither we nor our People can have any such Opinion of carriage for us or them or for our Laws or quietness every person understandeth Yea commonly Subjects think the contrary of all Ambassadors of strange Princes though all give not like cause Thus you see what we think meet to answer at this time having some reasonable Causes to move us to think That if the matter be as earnestly meant as is by the Ambassadors words pretended they will not be so precise as to demand any conditions in the case of Religion whereof our estate may come in danger or our present quietness come in doubt And therefore you shall be the more earnest in setting forth the dangers that necessarily may follow The Ambassador hath required us to send you the rest of such demands as is meet for our part whereunto we were once inclined and have them in readiness But now we find it convenient first to understand the resolution of this matter of Religion before we will propound the rest whereby no delay of time shall follow if in the first we may accord for we may speedily by Post send you the same demands if cause so require Given under our signet at our Pallace of Westminister the 11 day of May 1571 and in the 13 year of our Reign To the Right Honourable Fr. Walsingham Esq her Majesties Ambassador Resident in France SIr by the Queens Majesties Letters you shall understand what you are directed to do and say and therefore I must forbear to deal therein with you considering you are prescribed But I will friendly let you know how the answer hath proceeded and so the cause and circumstance known you may the better conceive the inward sense of the Message At the first coming of your Letters hither with the answer from Queen Mother In A was very sorry to judge the matter so perplexed and almost desperate Whereby I then judged there was here a plaine forward intention to proceed in the cause if this let for Religion should not be a stay After two daies the French Ambassador had Letters and the Queens Majestie was by some informed that saw the Letters that there was no such difficulty in that matter of Religion Nevertheless the Ambassador himself being appointed to conferr with my Lord of Leicester and me made the cause very hard alledging directly that Monsieur would never sustaine that dishonour as to come hither with an accompt to the world that he should have no Religion and then I answered as is contained in the Queens Majesties Letters setting out the neerness of ours to such as was good and found in the Roman adding that we omitted nothing but those which were impious and doubtfull to be against the Scriptures And so with us he ended with this request that the Queens Majestie would grant these words quod which sentence I found imperfect and so yet do I reported this to the Queens Majestie After this I was by one of some value secretly informed that if this matter of Religion were earnestly sticked unto and peremptorily pressed it would be obtained whereupon the answer was conceived and I commanded to report it to the French Ambassador who hearing it seemed much dismayed and concluded That he saw not but this answer should make a breach and end of the whole For if the answer saith he be grounded upon the Queens conscience then saith he there is no qualification to be hoped for Thus I reported and thereupon I saw her Majestie was perplexed and wished I had forborn to have made the principall foundation upon her Majesties conscience which I was commanded to do and therefore no fault in me And to remedie the matter I was willed speedily to advertise the Ambassador secretly that I was larger in explication of her Majesties conscience then I see since my speaking with him was meant and that the principall reasons were the other of the misliking of her good subjects and of the danger to lose their good wills c. And so did I by a little writing advertise him whereby what conceit he gathereth I know not but by some others I heare that he still judgeth it broken After this I was commanded also to temper the sentence in the Queens Majesties Letters as you perceive for it is not as it was an assertion of direct necessity but of possibility
given unto de Foix which he did repute to be done unto himself for that it was done for his sake Secondarily he willed me to shew unto her that he was glad to understand by him and receive at so good restimony of the great affection that her Majestie beareth unto him and of the desire she had not onely to continue in good Amity with him but also to encrease the same Lastly he willed me to shew unto her that her answer touching the point of Religion is very hard and that therefore he trusteth that the Gentleman whom he is put in hope she will send over shall have authority to qualifie the same as also to treat of some other matters to be propounded that may tend to the encrease of further Amity which he above all things desireth who shall be unto him very welcome and that he will strive with her in honouring of such Ministers as shall come from her Majestie whereby the good will he hath to honour her may appear After he had ended in this behalf he desired me to recommend again unto her Majestie Moris Chamails the Brittain on whose behalf he had lately written and sent his Letters unto his Ambassador to be delivered unto her Majesty and that he hoped for his sake that the said party should receive redress and come to an end of his long suit whereby he might have more cause to yield like justice to her Majesties Subjects at such time as they shall have recourse unto him for the same In this behalf I understand that the Councel here have promised him that if by the Ambassadors means his cause shall receive no end that then he shall have a Letter of Mart given him I find him very importunate and one that maketh very lewd reports how that he hath been put in fear of his life and that therefore he dare not return to follow his suit I beseech your Lordship that by your means I may receive some order from her Majestie how to answer him I was sent unto by the Lord Admirall to desire your Lordship to be a mean unto her Majestie that whereas there was delivered unto his late brother the Cardinall a Bill signed with her Majesties hand for the receipt of certain Jewells engaged that it would please her Majestie for that the said Bill is onely signed and not sealed which being sent unto me they will deliver the other unsealed upon the receipt of the same This he willed me to shew you that he doth it rather to content the Queen of Navarre then that he thinketh the other bill insufficient who thinketh his said Brother to have used some negligence in this behalf Thus leaving further to trouble your Lordship at this present I most humbly take my leave At Blois the 23 of September 1571. Your Honour to command Fr. Walsingham To Fr Walsingham Esq the Q. Majesties Ambassador Resident in France SIr you see that our Northern Planets have their influences to make changes as others in the Meridionall have howsoever Monsieur de Foix or the French Ambassador shall advertise of the cause now happened concerning the Duke of Norfolk this is the truth and so you may avow it The money was taken being by the Dukes commandment as he avoweth and confesseth received by Barker his man from the French Ambassador to have been sent to Banister the Dukes man dwelling about Shrewsbury to one Lowther and other of the Dukes servants secretly kept upon the West-borders and by him should have been sent to the Lord Harries and by him to Riddington There was in the Bag also Letters from the French Ambassador to Viraque in Cipher hereof Monsieur de Foix made mention before his departure and did think there was no other matter against the Duke which I would there had not but sith there was much other of great danger God is to be thanked that it is discovered as now it is There is found a long discourse about the D. sent from the Queen of Scots in Cipher to him the 7 of February last by which the said Q. layeth before the D. how she is Councelled from Spain to fly into Spain misliking utterly of the French by reason of the doubt of the Q. marriage with Anjou She doth also use hard words against the Queen Mother she doth also in this discourse conclude that she will make a semblance to the Spaniard of the liking of Don Iohn of Austria although she assureth the Duke of Norfolk of her countenance she moveth that Ridolf may be sent to Rome and to be directed wholly by the Duke of Norfolk with many moe things of such sort The Duke hath confessed the receipt of this from the Queen of Scots but denieth he was privie of Ridolfs going otherwise then that he was earnestly required by the Bishop of Ross to instruct him and write by him to the Duke of Alva to require aid of men and money for the Queens party in Scotland wherein he saith he did refuse to deal for the perill thereof He confessed that he had received four Letters from the Scotish Queen within this Twelve months and did answer them by Writing and all in Cyphering but his were only of Thanks and to move the Queen of Scots to depend only upon the Queens Majesty but herein the Duke can make none of us to credit him He saith also that before the sending of this money he helped the French Ambassador to send his Packet to Viracque in July We have also found his Cypher betwixt the Scotish Queen and him but all his writings are conveyed which he saith were by him burnt Now have we great cause to think that he was privy to the dangerous practise whereof we found Ridolph to have dealt in with the Duke of Alva in offering him that a Rebellion should be moved here this Summer if the Duke of Alva would assist it but of this the Duke will not be known But we do find more presently a smell that 258. Deep whereas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 28 at 740 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are at this time much perplexed herewith and secretly disposed to no good but there is waite laid upon them Now for Scotland the fourth of this moneth Huntley and Hamilton with others to the number of 300 secretly stole into Sterling in the night by Corruption of one Bell of Sterling who had a postern of a wall into the privy Garden they addressed themselves to the lodging of the Earle of Lennox the Regent Morton Glencarn Lord Rithill Mookgill and suddenly without any great resistance took them and was carrying them out of the Town with intent to have killed them but rescue came out of the Castle and so they were all saved but the Regent who was slain with a pistolet by one Calder who being taken confessed that Huntley and Lord Hamilton did so command him he is executed and so also is Bell that betrayed the Town the Regent lived 8 houres and died stoutly and godly The Earle
to any such Councel whose nature we took to be more humane and noble but when more was added unto it that women children maids young infants and sucking babes were at the same time murthered and cast into the river and that liberty of execution was given to the vilest and basest sort of the popular without punishment or revenge of such cruelty done afterwards by Law upon those cruel murtherers of such innocents this encreased our grief and sorrow in our good brothers behalf that he should suffer himself to be led by such inhumane Councellours And now sithence it doth appear by all doings both by the Edicts and otherwise that the rigor is used onely against them of the Religion reformed whether they were of any conspiracy or no and that contrary to the Edict of Pacification so oftentimes repeated they of the reformed Religion are either driven to fly to dye or to recant or lose their offices whereby it doth appear by all actions now used by our good brother that his scope and intent doth tend only to subvert that Religion that we do profess and to root it out of his Realm at the least all the strangers of all Nations and Religions so doth interpret it as may appear by the triumphs and rejoycings set out aswel in the Realm of France as others which maketh that it must needs seem very strange both to us and to all other that our good brother should require us to be Godmother to his dear childe we being of that Religion which he doth now persecute and cannot abide within his Realm And if we should believe the perswasion of others and the opinion of all strangers our friends who be not our Subjects we should in no case condescend to any association in that or any other matter But as we have always hitherto had special love to our good brother in his younger age and a desire to the consideration of his good estate and quietness which we have in deeds manifestly shewed never seeking any advantage of time against him as peradventure other Princes would have done but ever sought to preserve his Estate and his Subjects of what estate or condition in Religion whatsoever they were exhorting them to unity and concord and with loyal hearts to live together in quiet under our good brother without offering injury the one to the other glad of their agreement and sorry of their division and discord so the late league of straiter amity made betwixt our good brother and us to the which he did so frankly and lovingly condescend or rather procure it at our hands is so fresh in our memory that we cannot suffer that in any jot it should be diminiished but rather encreased daily so long as our good brother doth shew the like unto us and that maketh us to interpret all things in better part then otherwise by any means they can appear such is our love to our good brother and so can we be content to perswade our selves for the love that we do bear unto him and for the hope of his continuance in our begun amity without faintness or dissimulation And this for the matter of Amity For continuance of declaration of which amity we said to Mannesire we would not be slack in any good office doing at the request of our good brother And so notwithstanding the doubts and impediments beforementioned we intend to send a worthy personage a noble man of our Realm to repair to his Court and to visit the King our good brother and the Queen Mother and the rest who have written in our behalfs and to do that office which is required as appertaineth wishing that these spiritual alliances may be to us our comfort and conservation of the amity begun betwixt us To the motion of the marriage with the Dâ—ke of Alanson wherein de Mannesire seemed somewhat earnest after declaration of inconveniences that might come in that marriage by the diversity of age and Religion which we termed in our talk extream and true impediments we made this final resolution and answer That forasmuch as we had given to our Ambassador resident there charge to demand and make relation of certain things touching that matter to the King and Queen Mother to the which you had no answer but of the Queen Mother in a certain generallity before that we shall have a special answer to them we cannot well resolve the which once being done we shall the better understand what to answer for any other proceeding in that request To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador Resident for her Majestie in France SIr I heartily thank you for your often advertisements and also that you are so careful for our estate the which so far as I can learn dependeth only upon the providence of God as it hath done always but is easily sustained by the policy of men and yet hath sped better then any man would think and so I pray God it may do still De Mannesire hath been honourably received and friendly and yet to say the truth sith those late and execrable murthers of the true servants of God there the minds of the most number are much alienated from that Nation even of the very Papists much more of the Protestants here and if in countenance and entertainment some coldness might appear it must be ascribed to our English nature which as yet cannot dissemble so deeply as the French can and hath done but I am sure De Mannesire hath no cause to complain In Scotland after the death of the Earl of Marre the late Regent about the four and twentieth of November they chose the Earl of Morton Regent with a great common consent of the Lords Bâ—rgesses in Scotland who as we hear say doth very carefully and wisely endeavor himself to reconcile as much as may be the Lords one with another and to appease both the factions which I fear will not be but with some charge to the Queens Majestie and some grief to the French Ministers and Procurers who can least abide quietness in that Realm Mr. Killâ—grew is yet there still who assoon as they appear to agree within themselves shall return as he would gladly do hither to receive some thanks for his pains I pray God for so much as he hath deserved for his integrity and diligence Our men be all come from Flushing either before or at or sith their returning the most part all sick Sir Humphrey Gilberts sickness is turned into a Quartain some of them that came with him be buried at London I thank you for the Matthiolus you sent unto me I like it well but yet if I could recover mine own I noted through with mine own hands I would like it far better but he that stole it from me doth think that I shall have it again of that price I pray you buy me a case of Instruments such as be to be sold in the Palace I mean containing two compasses or three a
secretly given to understand that the King here is offered by the Princes of the League support of money upon condition that the next year he will enter into the League if by his mediation the peace of the Turk and them of the League shall not follow And so for Italian news referring your Honour to these inclosed occurrents I most humbly take my leave To the Earl of Leicâ—ster YOur Lordship by Mr. Secretaries Letters shall understand at large what success the Marshal hath had in Provence how he hath prospered at the siege of Sansarra and what is lately done at Rochel who as yet continue still resolute never to yield Notwithstanding le Noues abandoning of them I am very sorry to condemn that Gentleman though he be generally condemned by others until I hear what he can say for himself If he be not well able to excuse this his doing in this behalf I will learn thereby the less to build upon any man who I perceive when God withdraweth his staying hand are more weak then weakness itself This Example therefore and others are to teach us to build upon God and to weigh man as he is They are much perplexed here with the Count Montgomeries preparation they have therefore given order all along the sea-coasts to withstand his Landing fearing that if he once land he will draw great numbers unto him They give it out that it will not be possible for him to enter the Haven of Rochel through certain ships sunk in the channel But if he enter it is certainly thought that Monsieur shal be driven to leavie his siege Upoâ— the event of his Entry wise men shall be able to judge what shall be the issue of this trouble here Howsoever he speed I believe most assuredly this Realm shall not be free from trouble until there be vengeance taken for the innocent blood shed here and peradventure God will have it to be the work of his own hand for that we are so ready to depend rather upon men then upon him I am glad that the accord in Scotland is in so good forwardness for I fear if their own troubles here were settled we should not long be free from troubles that way Touching a Rider your Lordship shall understand that there is by the procurement of the Italian Captain one stayed for you in Italie for that here is none worth the having who is both skilful and honest If your Lordship will have him then must you send into Italy a Bill of Credit for so much money as may defray his charge into England C. Massino shal inform your Lordship of the means how to send to the Gentleman that hath provided the said Rider who is acquainted with the matter by the Italian Captain and therefore shall repair to your Lordship to know your mind in this behalf To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador Resident for her Majestie in France AFter my hearty commendations At the last we have not onely gotten your revocation and Doctor Dales dispatch signed but have also set him forward and am glad that you shall now come out of that bloody Countrey and so be all your friends The news of Iames Kirkaldy was not altogether true but true it was that by treason of the Souldiers he was two or three days in Blackness and the Keeper thereof Alexander Stuard and his brother prisoners but by the same sleight was the â— day taken away again and Alexander Stuard and his brother delivered and so Iames Kirkaldy brought prisoner to the Regent and all the money which he brought out of France and was unspent which was 33000 Crowns delivered to the Regents hands and the Castle of Blackness to Alexander Stuard to keep it to the Kings use sith which time also the Duke of Chastelherauld and the Earl of Huntley be come in and sworn to the King for themselves and all their kinn and followers and very friendly agreed with the Regent who hath behaved himself in all his actions very wisely and very moderately There is none left now but Lidington and Grange in the Castle of Edenburgh which refuse the King and the Regents authority in all Scotland who must either yield or else they will be pulled out by the ears De la Noues revolting doth seem strange and maketh some men to suspect that he hath been of longer time such a one I trust you shall come now into a quieter Countrey And so I bid you most heartily farewell Your very Friend Thomas Smith To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador for the Queen's Majestie in France SIr the best news I can send you is that Mr. Dale your successor taketh his journey hence on Wednesday next I dare say you will wish him a speedy passage Since I wrote to you by Walter Williams this French Ambassador hath had new conference with her Majestie to have procured some alteration for his advantage of such speeches as I delivered to him in conference of the matters of the Duke of Alanson whereof I wrote to you And because he would obtain the same he offered his dispatch which I thought he would have made before me and now you may see how late it is for on Friday last he was here with her Majestie and in the end her Majestie yielded she would consider with me what might be altered upon the former answer which he had put in good length in writing whereof I send you the Copy the same being drawn by the Ambassadour as you may ghess to his advantage yet agreeable with the substance of my speeches Hereupon the Queens Majestie considering the writing and finding it of some length willed me to return it to the Ambassadour and to write to him as I did the Copy as I first conceived it in English so I did send it him and now ye may see what is passed in this matter wherewith the Ambassador doth send this his servant He did also on Friday sollicite Viracques dispatch whereunto her Majestie assented but since that yesterday her Majestie had Letters from Berwick by which she understandeth that his coming into Scotland is so much misliked both of the Hamiltons Huntley and the rest The Regent will not license him to come in so as his journey shall be lost and to tarry at Berwick were not convenient so I think this is not to depart so soon The Ambassador saith that the Duke his Master writeth vehemently to move the Queens Majestie about ayding of the Count Mountgomery wherein her Majestie hath throughly answered him that he is departed without any her ayd directly and indirectly and truly he departed with great mislking in that all his French ships were taken as Pyrats the men to the number of 〈◊〉 imprisoned and many died some hanged and all their prizes taken from them so as you may avow that the C. had cause of no small offence And if he have any favour without her Majs kowledge it is by some bargain made
there was in the marriage which proceeding all should be as her Majestie pleased and that if he had been otherwise understood either he did not deliver his mind so clearly as he did mean or else his meaning was mistaken of us and of his Deputies for that he did never mean but that the league offence and the Marriage should go together and not otherwise Having heard this his Majesties conclusion and repeated it unto him I the Secretary said That seeing his Majestie was so resolved her Highness had in that case commanded me to return home my service being more needful there then here for causes which I remembred unto him and that he might think himself of some â—it time to treat further of these matters praying his Majestie to appoint when I might receive his commandments to her Majestie and to take my leave He said he would gladly have us at this marriage of the Duke of Ioyeuse the eighteenth of this moneth but seeing her Majestie had commanded me to return it should be when I would using many speeches full of affection to her Majestie to be uttered at my return to her Highness Then we went to the Queen Mother and rehearsed unto her what had passed by the King Whereunto she used in substance the like speeches the King had done adding more plainly that they feared such a league being made defensive and offensive the marriage would be clean broken with divers other speeches wherewith I think not needful to trouble her Majestie until my return At this time I the Secretary prayed Queen Mother to think well of these matters being of such importance against the time that I should come to take my leave of the King and her and so for that time we departed And for that we might doubt of some alteration we did forbear to send away this Corrier until we had taken our leave which was upon Thursday the twelfth of this present at which time there passed nothing from the King and Queen Mother but ordinary complements and specially recommending the Marriage Paris the 13 of September 1581. Francis Walsingham Henry Cobham Iohn Sommers Reservatio 12 Septembris NOs Fransciscus Walsingham c. Henricus Cobham c. Johannes Sommers c. Omnibus ad quos presentes pervenerint salutem ut supra Denuo tres integros Menses adjiciendos censemus quos mensis Septembris die 12 incipere intelligimus In cujus rei Testimonium has literas nostras mannuum uostrarum subscriptione munimus Data ex urbe Parisiorum 12 Septemb. 1581. Francis Walsingham Henry Cobham Io. Sommers FINIS AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE of the most Remarkable Things A ALva Duke 40 45 46 48 137 139 268 269 Offers 30000 Ducats to ransom the Earl of Northumberland 75. Plots against the Queen 299 Ambition indures no bridle 143 Anjou Duke Hen. 25. See Hen. 3. and Marriage Anjou and Alanson Duke Francis offered for an Husband to the Queen 195 196 257 297 331 333. Unhandsom 343. Of good parts 413 Against Rochel 308. A great Servant to the Queen 360 361 Answers to the French Embassador 271 By the Lord Burleigh concerning the Match with Duke Francis 335. See 348 Antonio of Portugal 354 379 388 393 394 398 421. 434 Anvile Marshal of France 343 Aremberg Grave 370 Argile Earl 4 36 299. A Traitor 302. Alwayes false 312 Arran Earl 412 Arras â—ardinal 123 Athol Earl 302 Aumale Duke 275 295 306 Austrian House the Popes Champion 121 Austria Don John 137 221 288. B Bedford Earle 13 Bellieure Monsieur 381 Beni Massino 271 Birac 95 Biron Baron 27 258 Bisegno Abbot 358 Bothwel Earle 13 151 Boughquien Lord 302 Brandenburgh Marquiss 301 303 Bricqmault Mons 34 Bricquemont hanged 278 379 282 Brulart Secretary of France 265 Buckhurst Lord 18 20 31 42 49 68. 69 Bull of Rome against the Queen 49 Bullen Duke 258 C Calliac Mons. 21 Cambray besieged by the Prince of Parma 381 384 385 Campian the Iesuite taken betrayes his friends 373 Candale Mons. 343 Capteni Thomas 94 Carew Francis 283. 285 Cassels Arch-Bishop a Traitor 58 73 74 75 77 Cavalcant Mons. 66 69 82 Cavannes Mons. 7. Hanged 279 Cecyl Sir William Baron Burleigh 51 An enemy to Popery 72 Zealous for the French match 81 115 234 153 Wearied with an idle Parliament 94 Complains of the Queens mercy 164 For the English honour ill used in Libels 327 328 Sincere 133 336 Hated by the Spaniards 162 164 Charles the Fifth 123 Arch Duke 98 Charls the Ninth of France 5. Puls down the Cross at Paris 151 The greatest dissembler of his age 49 82 83 118 122 124 125 135 143 144 161 169 173 220 251 252 306. Bloody 279 Chartres Vidam in England 260 263 265 Chastel Herault Duke 4 296 303 315 333 Chasteauneuâ— 333 334 Chastilion Cardinal 51 Clanlicard Earl 238 Cobham Sir Henry 22 67 71 285 356 Colignie Admiral of France 6 122 135 154 233 234 His advice to his King 241 Colonna Prospero 357 Commissioners to treat concerning the French Match 348 Como Cardinal 358 Common Prayer Book of England not indured by Papists 97 Conde Prince 6 17 122 240 Forced to go to Masse 245 Conference between Sir Francis Walsingham and Mons. de Foix 90 Betwixt Queen mother and Sir Francis Walsingham 429 Duke Montmorency and the English Lords 214 Crosse Marshal of France 151 258 388 Will not obey the Kings verbal command 396 Cotton Sir Thomas 57 Croque 165 177 181 202 203 D Dale Doctor 310 311 333 Darlie Lord Husband of the scots Queen 13 Derby Earl 303 De Foix Mons. 62 65 67 69 109. In England 129 218 317 318 De l'Archant 89 De la Guord Baron 266 280 305 332 De la Haye a faithless French man 57 De la Roche 33 34 95 167 168 Denmark King 183 Drake See Fran. 379 Dun Briton Castel taken 78 E Edenburgh the London of Scotland 334 Elizabeth Queen of England favours not the rebels of other Princes careful of the French of the Religion 2 3 19 23 A Monarch 3 Accountable to none for her actions 10 Had a Negative voice as it seems in Parliaments 203 215 219 Seems to desire the Match with Henry of France 29 40 Will not allow him the exercise of his Religion 65 66 89 98 110 111 113 129 130 132. See 330 335 339 340 See 115 116 138 155 199 Will not have the second Marriage go on 374 Pretends the dislike of her subjects to avoid it 354 Against any worship but of her owne Church 99 Irresolute as to the execution of the Duke of Norfolk 165 Enterview Betwixt the Queens of England and France propounded 271 272 277 For the young King of the Scots 178 Her civility to the Navarrois Queen Admiral c. 210 211 How she takes the Massacre 247 248 259 Sick of the Smal-Pox 274 Likes not the proceedings of France against Law 297 Protects the French fugitives and why 319 344. intercedes for them 263 265. Too sparing 372 375 379 387.
See Walsingham Abhors a war 374 377 Forward to advance the revolt of the Low-Countries 379 381 388 Cold in the cause of the Bastard Don Antonio 379 388 Aides him 383 Emden Countess 149 England no Country once so free from impositions 21 English how thought of by the French 325 Zealous Subjects for the Queen 335 341 Escars 8 Este Cardinal 357 F Felton sets up Pius his Bull against the Queen 49 Feria Duke 59 Ferrara Duke 42 43 Fernihurst Lord 373 Fitzmorris Iames 42 167 168 347 Flemming Lord 78 139 181 183 Flushing Rebels 217 Francis the Second of France 12 Francis of Anlanson and Anjou See Anjou Duke French greatness dangerous 127 Disorders in Government 240 246 Spoil the English 265 Their falsenesse and dissembling 276 Desirous to get Leicester and Burleigh into France 277 G Galloway Bishop 77 Gilbert Sir Hâ—mphrey 299 Glasgow Arch Bishop 299 302 Grandmont Mons. 267 Graunge Governour of Edenburgh Castle 151 152 Gray Baron Deputy of Ireland 359 373 389 Guarda Bishop 358 Guise house 36 for the Scots Queen 192 240 Duke 267 269 275 295 314 428. Cardinal 280 H Hamilton Earl 138 Hanging of Gentlemen not used in France 279 282 Harris Baron 134 Hawkins Sir Iohn 126 379 Henry the II King of France 12 Henry the III forbids exercise of Religion to the Hugonots 356 Earnest for the match with his brother and the League 376 Will have no League Offensive without it 440 His great charges in the Treaty 397 Henry the IV Prince of Navarre 16 245 Hosteni Duke 221 Hugonots of France 2 3. run themselves into the Kings nets 122 Their Lands on sale 245 Great servants of the English Queen 135 Love not the Cross 151. See Massacre Hume Lord 214 320 329 Hunsdon Baron 151 Huntley Earl 138 312 315 333 I Jenlis 223. defeated in Henault 225 Jersie Iland 272 Jesuites mortal enemies to the Queen 172 173 Inn Keepers of Kent 21 Inquisition 123 Instructions for the Earl of Worcester 318. For Sir Fra. Walsingham 352 For a League with France 355 Joyeuse Duke 294 440 K Katherine Queen Mother of France 6 12 35. per tot c. Killigrew Henry 145 Kirkaldie Iames 302 L Languedoc Hugoâ—ots rebel 294 Lansac Mons. 24 49 239 La Valette â— Leagues how made 171 414. With France publick and secret 355 Not liked without the Match 364 365 388 366 367 368 399 392. Causes of it 372 374 403 422 423. Leicester his good and pious sentences 47 51 69 82 105 116 324. To be fastned for the Match 104. Slights the Earle of Worcester 312 Lennox Earle 138 Levingston Lord 4 77 244 312 326 334 Liberty under the English Princes heretofore as great as any where 61 Lidington Lord 152 137 244. Lincoln Eâ—â—le Lord Admiral sent into France 201 205 219. Lodowick Count of Nassaw 54 121 123 176 184 333. Notably cheated by the French King 125 258 Longaville Duke 50 Lorrain Cardinal 8 38 73 74 77 123 167 168 314 331. Duke 88 301 Loughleuin Lord 302 Low-Countries the pretence of their Revolt 123 M Maine Duke 395 Malicorn Mons. 27 Mannesiere Mons. 240 265 287 288 297 298 299 301 304 305 307. Mary Queen of Scots 4 10 11 12 13 137 139 152. Not to be spoken for 321 Margaret of France reads the Bible 122 Martinengo Count 306 Marre Earl 138 299 Marriage treated betwixt Henry of Navarre and Margaret of France 122 135. Doubts in it 182 183 Betwixt the Queen and Henry of Anjou designed 55. Instructions concerning it 61 62 63. See 68 69 70 Articles of it 83 84 85 86 131 132. Counsellors imployed in it 66 83. Carryed on inconstantly 133. Not taken in earnest by the French 67. Betwixt the Queen and Francis of Anjou 218 226 227 229 230 330 331 336 339. Eagerly pursued 360 361 362. See 390 Marriage Solemnity betwixt Princes of different Faiths 175 Medina Coeli Duke 189 195 Memorials for Mr. Sommers 384 385 Mendoza thrust out of England for practising against the Queen 163 Mildmay Sir Walter Monluc Marshal 8 Montmorency Duke 8 97 102 108 151 188. In England 201 218 231 240 Monts in Henault besieged 245 taken 258 M organ General 217 M oreton Earl 77 138 244 299 Beheaded 431 Moth Fenelon French Embassador 30 90 138 141 c. Murther on shooters hill 347 N Navarre King turned by his wife 91 Queen 24 176 182 183 Nemours Duke 50 Nevers Duke 238 258 300 New star 299 Norfolk Duke 134. His plots discovered 137 140 148 Norris Sir Henry 19 18 19 20 22 23 Northumberland Earl 3 75 Executed 237 Nouë Mous. 184 297 301. Persidious 332 O Odonnel 359 373 Ogleby Lord 312 Olivarez Conde 40. More grave then wise 56 Orange Prince 48 122 144. To have been 〈…〉 of Bâ—abant c. if the Spaniard could have been beaten out 128. See 225 226 240. Retires into Germany 267 269 295 333 Ormond Earl 238. Discontented 373 Oxford Earl 134. Married to the Lord Burleighs daughter 164 P Parliament of 1571. impertinently busie 94. Bloody 203 219 Parma Prince 381 384 Perrot Sir John 347 Philip the second of Spain entertains the Queens fugitives 58 59. How he carried things towards the Queen 369 370 Pinart Secretary of France 23 31 122 305 309 375 Plots upon Ireland 58 Poigney Mons. 4 Popes Authority in England destructive to the Crown 4. Designs again England 36 Princes have no other bridle but Religion 91 Princes of Germany of the Reformed Churches 301 R Rebellion in the North coloured with Religion 3 Rhee Iland taken by the Rochellers 301 Religion is a constant perswasion confirmed by time 191. Cannot be more then a pretence to invade what is another mans 155 Ridolf 95 137 Rochel in rebellion 280 297 301 302 Besieged 331 Rolph a counterfeiter of the Kings hand 266 Romero Juliano 27 Ross Bishop 5. 77. restrained 107. in the Tower 151 Roulart Canon of Nostre Dam murthered 246 Rutland Earl 39 42 141 S Saint Andrewes Arch-Bishop taken 78 Sancerre besieged 332 348 Savoye Duke 287 293 303 Schomberg Baron 332 Scots Lords come to treat concerning their Queen without a Commission 77. Everlasting Rebels 101. Yet will not live without a Prince of their own 178. Gracious in France 244. Will do any thing for money 249 320 324 329. Seton Baron 27 36 95 177 181 Sidney Sir Henry 82 Sir Philip in France at the time of the Massacre 250. of rare parts 273 Skeldon 36 Smith Sir Thomas 51 54 134 152. imployed in France 153. Thinks Charles the Ninth a faithful Prince 169 180 261 318 Sommers Henry 354 Sora Duke 356 Spaniards of what carriage 56. Ambitious enemies to England 121. Conquer Portugal 358 Spanish greatness dangerous 354 355. Mony arrested 81 Spinoâ—a Cardinal 59 Story Doctor will not swear allegiance Hanged 105 Strozzi Peter 95 188 189 217 251 294 359 Stukeley 36 41. Knighted by the Spaniard 56 59. in disgrace 105 Suffex Earl 5 T Tauannes Viscount 258 Terçaera holds for Don Antonio 421 Tilignie Mons. 276 Time a great advantage in the minority of Princes 298 Throgmorton Sir Nicholas 45 287 Treaties of Princes Of the Queen with Charles the IX 155 156 157 158 c. 185. With Henry the III passages and propositions in it 399 400 401 423 Tresham Sir Thomas 390 Turein Vicount 367 385 V Valentinois Bishop 302 Valx Lord will take no Oath to the Queen 290 Venetians at sea 312 Victory at Lepanto 149 150 Viracque Mons. 137 315. taken 334 342 Vitelli Marquiss of Colona 44 48 223 Vimioso Conde 394 434 W Walsingham Sir Francis Embassador in France 1 c. Received by the King 22 23. Much mistaken in his French Creed 82 83 104 118 122 144 173 252. Calls Charls the IX sincere pius inimicus c. 175. Confesses his overmuch confidence 257. See 270 Thinks the French King the only dissembler 300. Sets spiâ—s over the Lord Seton acts without war◠〈…〉 Earnest for the match 96. Perswades to war with Spain 127. Would turmoil all other Princes and why 128. Undermines a Iesuite 172. Desires only not to lose by his service 188. His opinion of the Spaniards 234. Ill used in France 242. Called off 253. The Queenâ— great opinion of him 263 and love 275. Advises against the Queen of Scots life 267 268. Fearful every where of the Queens sparing 303 c. 357 426 427. Too open 322. Poor in France 326 327. Sent again into France 352. Blames the Queen and why 408. Calls the Scots Queen bosom Serpent 427. returnes 440. War when and what just 127. Necessary where 128 Westmoreland Earl 3 143 275 299 Williams Sir William 313 Worcester Earl 307. Abused by Leicecester 312. His instrnctions for his French Embassy 318. Dishonorably dealt with by the French 327. Will not see his sister the wife of a Rebel 328 Writing to the Scots Queen in linnen 328 * Quâ—re †Quere My Lord of Kildares man in the Tower hath by some fear of the Rack confessed all to be true wherewith he was charged which is to be kept awhile secret until some persons may be apprehended