conceiveth it that it may serve your turn And as for the league we were in hand withal if the King would have assented that the same should have proceeded in general terms according to such direction as we have lately received from your Majestie I am for sundry causes led to think that it would have proved unprofitable as generally I know that there is a president to confirm the same but if in that time a King of Scots pretending a title to the Crown of England was like by matching with Spain to have wrought that peril towards your Majesties father as he is towards you he would not then have stood upon generality as your Majestie doth now For in diseased bodies there is not alwaies like use of medicines sometimes when your Majestie doth behold in what doubtful terms you stand with Forreign Princes then you do wish with great affection that opportunities offered had not been slipped But when they are offered to you if they be accompanied with charges they are altogether neglected Common experience teacheth that is as hard in a pollitique body to prevent any mischief without char ges as in a natural body diseased to cure the same without pain Remember I humbly beseech your Majestie the respect of charges hath lost Scotland and I would to God I had no cause to think that it might put your Highness in peril of the loss of England I see it and they stick not to say it that the only cause that moveth them here not to weigh your Majesties friendship is for that they see your Majestie doth fly charges otherwise then by doing somewhat underhand It is strange considering in what state your Majestie standeth that in all the directions that we have now received we have special charge not to yield to any thing that may be accompanied with charges The general Leagùe must be without any certain charges The particular League with a voluntary and no certain charge as also that that is to be attempted in favour of Don Anthonio the best is that if they were as they are not inclined to deal in any of these points then they were like to receive but small comfort for any thing that we have direction to assent unto Heretofore your Majesties predicessors in matters of peril did never look into the charges when their Treasure was neither so great as your Majesties is nor Subjects so wealthy nor so willing to contribute A person that is diseased if he look only upon the medicine without regard of the pain he sustaineth cannot in reason and nature but abhor the same if therefore no peril why then it is in vain to be at any charges but if there be peril it is hard that charges should be preferred before peril I pray God the abatement of the charges towards that Noble man that hath the custody of the bosom-serpent hath not lessened his care in keeping of her To think that in a man of his birth and quality after twelve years travel in charge of such weight to have an abatement of allowance and no recompence otherwise made should not work discontentment no man that hath reason can so judge and therefore to have so special a charge committed to a person discontented every body seeth it standeth no way with pollicy what dangerous effects this loose keeping hath bred the taking away of Morton the alienation of the King and a general revolt in Religion intended only by her charges doth shew And therefore nothing being done to help the same is a manifest argument that the peril that is like to grow thereby is so fatal as it can no way be prevented If this sparing and improvident course be held still the mischief approaching being so apparent as they are I conclude therefore having spoken in heat of duty without offence to your Majestie that no one that serveth in place of a Counceller that either weigheth his own credit or carrieth that sound affection to your Majestie as he ought to do that would not wish himself in the farthest part of Ethiopia rather then enjoy the fairest Palace in England The Lord God therefore direct your Majesties heart to take that way of councel that may be most for your honour and safety September 2. F. Walsingham To the Lord Treasurer MY very good Lord the day following my conference with Queen Mother La Mot repaired unto me sent from her to give me thanks for the speech I had used towards her the day before and prayed me that I would further some good and speedy resolution of the marriage He did acknowledge in talk that passed between us touching my Negotiation with the said Queen that that point which I touched concerning the employment of Monsieur in the Low-Countries for the avoiding of the devision that might grow between the two brethren is a matter that those that wish well unto the King and desire the continuance of the repose of that Realm had great care of which was not the least cause that moved them greatly to desire the marriage which not taking place they saw his employment in the Low-Countries very necessary letting me understand that they found it strange that they heard nothing of 〈…〉 of any intelligence that passed between the Prince of Orange and the Duke 〈◊〉 greatly to the end that the said Duke might be known of the people of the Low-Countries he might be drawn to make his residence at Antwerp 〈◊〉 some of the inward places of the Countrie I see it a general opinion among 〈◊〉 wisest sort here considering the general evil satisfaction that the people have of the present government that it will be very hard to maintain good concord between the two brethren in case the Duke should reside here within the Realm And it is most assured that the affection that the Nobility here do bear to Monsieur which hath appeared by his late Army compounded of voluntaries the same consisting principally of Noblemen and Gentl. hath greatly increased the Kings jealousie towards him and hath not been the least hinderance of that support that otherwise the said King might have been drawn to have given The Duke of Guise is of late crept into a very inward credit with the said King which ought to move her Majestie to be more carefull of the matters of Scotland for that there are daily consultations in the Dukes house especially since advertisements are come hither out of Scotland that the King doth submit himself to any such direction as his mother shall give him even so far forth as the yielding up of the Government to her if she shall think it meet Douglass attendeth some answer from her touching some things that he hath not long since sent unto her upon the return whereof they are to grow to a through resolution for the causes of that Realm I find confirmed by divers that a general hope is conceived of alteration of Religion in that Realm ere a year come about in furtherance whereof
the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Earl of Leicester BY your Lordships of the twentieth of October sent by Mr. Killegrew I conceive great hope of her Majesties consideration of my chargable living here and because your Lordship hath been a most earnest furtherer of the same I most humbly thank you as also for that it pleaseth your Lordship to promise the continuance of your said furtherance when occasion shall be offered wherein the same will stand you in any stead which I will presume with that boldness to use as I hope your Lordship will imploy me wherein your Honour may have any use of my poor service The cause of my present sending is to advertise of the victory had by sea of the Christian against the Turk The Conflict was the seventh of the last moneth not far from Câ—rfu between Morea and Lepanto There escaped as the Venetian Ambassador gave me to understand onely four of two hundred Gallies other particularities as then he knew not I send your Lordship also a little Pamphlet that they have put in print here touching the said victorie of what credit I know not Whatsoever shew the King here giveth of joy outwardly inwardlie he doth not best like of the victorie as that thing which addeth too great an increase of reputation to the King of Spain I think therefore no time more fit to treat of Amitie then at this present I do not therefore doubt but that your Lordship will urge her Majestie most earnestlie to take profit of the time by sending with convenient speed him over whom she meaneth to use in this behalf And so leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present I most humblie take my leave At Paris the seveâ—th of November 1571. Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To my assured Friend Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador in France and my brother in Law Henry Killigrew Esq and to either of them HAving this present occasion to send two of my Lord of Oxfords men to Paris at his Lordships request I thought good also therewith to send to you this little Treatise therewith newly printed in Latine in commending or discommending the Qu. of Scots actions to further her Marriage with Bothwel I hear it is to be translated into English with addition of many other supplements of like condition The Queens Majestie hath sent for my Lord Gray to come thither into France and if his health cannot serve him Sir Peter Gray shall come Her Majestie with furtherance of her whole Councel is certainly resolved to send one thither My Lord of Hunsdon is at Berwick by computation yesternight and his Commission is to set a good face upon the matter to bring Grange and the Castle to the Kings devotion if he cannot we of her Councel are of opinion that England shall inforce them And yet it shall do well that no such thing be notified to the French King My Lord Marquis dyed at Warwick on Sunday the loss of a good Councellour The case of the Duke of Norfolk falleth even out by branches to be more odious The B. of Ross is in the Tower where he uttereth many things right plainly and yet you need not be known thereof I pray let the bearers hereof if they shall have need of your friendship find that your friendship is readier for my commendations I think to marry my daughter at Christmass From Richmond the first of November 1571. Yours assuredly Wil. Burleigh To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh BEsides Mr. Killigâ—â—ws advertisements as from the Court I thought good to give your Lordship to understand what they do here at Paris The Marshal de Coss hath been here imployed of late by the French King in procuring a Loan which is granted and the same is presently in leavying the people murmur much at it and yet do not refuse to pay it Marshal Montmorency repaired to this Town the third of this moneth accompanied with 300 horse The next day after his arrival he and the Marshal de Coss conferred with the chief of this Town about the plucking down of the Cross which was resolved on and the same presently put in execution the Masons employed in that behalf being guarded by certain Harquebusâ—ers The common people ease their stomacks onely by uttering certain seditious words which is born withal for that was doubted the Protestants by the overthrow of this Cross receive greater comfort and the Papists the contrary Touching my particular I find it will be the latter end of the next moneth before I shall return to my charge for that I am diseased by three sundry Carnosities which will require the longer time in the cure Thus much I thought good to give your Lordship to understand for that I fear her Majestie will think somewhat otherwise in my long stay here And so leaving further to trouble your Lordship at this present I most humbly take my leave the seventh of Decemb. 1571. Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq her Majesties Ambassador Resident in France SIr the bearer hereof is one whom you may trust as I am informed And if he shall require you to send any his Letters to be conveyed into Scotland he is content that they shall come into my hands whereby I shall not be the worse informed of things meet to be known He can shew you both of Scotlands causes and of Englands Sir Thomas Smith is ready to depart thitherward from hence to morrow if the French Ambassadors Negotiation here with her Majestie this afternoon whilest I am writing this Letter do not prolong the same My Lord of Oxfords servants were constrained by contrary winds to tarry at Callis so as they came not hither before Sunday last at which time came also Fiasco the Genevoise who had likewise stayed at Callis for the same purpose and at his coming he maketh all to be sound between Spain and France and would not be known of the Spanish Ambassadors passage into the Low Countrey nor of any thing done in Henault and yet he did not understand by us here that he had any knowledge thereof from you And so I end wishing to hear of your amendment by Physick At Greenwich the fifth of December 1571 Yours assuredly William Burleigh To the Right honourable Francis Walsingham Esq her Majestes Ambassador Resident in France SIr such sufficient persons of understanding credit and acquaintance as this bearer Sir Thomas is may serve to excuse me from writing of any long Letters and therefore I mean to touch things by notes and peice-meals He can tell you of the Duke of Norfolks case but percase not when nor how it takes end neither can I help him to inlarge his knowledge but I think the Queens Majestie will therein deal more substantially then many do imagine He can tell you how straitly the Queen of Scots is kept having now but ten persons of her own of all
proves an unreasonable charge to great numbers to the Queens Majestie having her offices of Houshold at Dover and her provisions thereby lost The Earl of Pembroke Lord Windsor and the Lord Buckhurst be at Dover with great and mighty trains Besides hither are come such leavies of Ladies to attend as husbands curse the delay The Queens Majestie is in health The Scotish Queen shall be touched with an Act of Parliament but it will not draw her to any more fear to offend then words will do From S. Iames the sixth of Iune 1572. Your assured loving Friend William Burleigh To my very loving Friend Francis Walsingham Esq her Majestes Ambassador Resident in France MR. Walsingham forasmuch as my Nephew Philip Sidney is licensed to travel and doth presently repair unto those parts with my Lord Admiral I have thought good to commend him by these my Letters friendly unto you as unto one I am well assured will have a special care of him during his abode there He is young and raw and no doubt shall find those Countreys and the demeanors of the people somewhat strange unto him and therefore your good advice and counsel shall greatly behove him for his better direction which I do most heartily pray you to vouchsafe him with any friendly assistance you shall think needful for him His father and I do intend his further travel if the world be quiet and you shall think it convenient for him otherwise we pray you we may be advertised thereof to the end the same his travels may be thereupon directed accordingly As for the boy Clark since I cannot obtain him as I desire I must content me I wish I had one of my Lord Cardinals Monks to see how devoutly he should be kept here But I pray you let it appear that it is great unkindness for one Nobleman to use unto another The boy hath sought sundry ways to return unto me as well by Letters to his Friends as by supplications to my self but I mind not to have him so The cause that I did so earnestly seek him was to punish him in example of others which if it will not be I will leave it for a time and hope to give you knowledge where he is shortly trusting you will give order that he may be suddenly apprehended And thus being forced to trouble you with a triâ—tle amongst so many great causes in these days with my commendations I bid you most heartily farewel From the Court the six and twentieth of May 1572. Your very Friend Ro. Leicester To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh IT hath pleased my Lord of Lincoln to promise me upon his experience had of the intollerable charges here through the daily increase of death to confer with your Lordship in what sort he may best deal with her Majestie for increase of my diet considering otherwise that I shall not be able to hold out my monethly charges drawing now to two hundred pounds the moneth notwithstanding my diet is thin my family reduced to as small a proportion as may be and my horse being onely twelve These things might seem unto your Lordship altogether incredible were there not so many Noblemen and Gentlemen to witness the same by their experience lately had of the extreme dearth here I have made my Lord acquainted how much I am bound to your Lordship and of the fatherly care it pleaseth you to have of me and that therefore I have besought him in moving or not moving her Majestie to yield to such directions as by conference it shall seem good unto you to give him for that I would be loth to procure any thing to be done that may not fall out to your Lordship contentation And so leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present I most humbly take my leave From Paris the two and twentieth of Iune 1572. Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To my very loving friend Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador for the Queens Majestie in France SIr I cannot let any your servants pass hence without some word I have looked for some knowledge of my L. Admirals arrival at Paris and thereupon stayed to send away this bearer until now that I hear by the French Ambassadors Letters hovv my Lord and you have been feasted and entertained which they here do give out with large speeches but how indeed the same is warranted I know not sure I am that they have been so feasted and entreated as none in my memory hath been greater The Queens Majestie before she gave her oath made a protestation that she was not in mind to break any jot of the Treaty and though the Castle of Hume and Fast Castle were not delivered yet the fault was not in her for she had propounded to the Lord Hume and to the Regent also her disposition to deliver it but the Lord Hume required that her Majestie vvould keep it still rather then deliver it so as it bred not an increase of their hateful dissention And hereupon her Majestie hath propounded to the Regent to be content that the Lord Hume may have it if he will be content to acknovvledge the King vvhich the Lord Hume offereth in vvords but the Regent saith that the Lord Hume hath promised to offer his obedience to the King to recover his houses and then he will ayd them of the Castle and this is indeed discovered to be true Besides this Fast Castle was in my Lord Humes hands but as a Tutor to an infant who is come to full age and followeth the Kings part Truly you may thus report to the King and assure him that her Majestie meaneth not to keep the one or the other although she might pretend matters against the Lord Hume for the damage that he did to England in keeping the Rebels in those Houses and invading the Realm From Westminster in haste the twentieth of Iune 1572. Yours assuredly William Burleigh The form of the Communication with the D. Montmorency de Foix and de la Mot which they had to finish matters expressed in the Treaty Iune 1571. present the Lord Keeper the Earls of Suffex and Leicester the Lord Chamberlain and Burleigh Mr. Comptroler Sir Ralph Sadler and Sir Walter Mildmay THe French by de Foix required That the Scotish Queen might have some favour upon the conclusion of this Treaty betwixt the Queens Majestie and the French King and that such favour might be shewed as might be granted with the surety and honour of the Queens Majestie That a surcease of Arms might be made in Scotland and thereupon a Parliament in Scotland and concord to be made for the State and Realm And if a Parliament could not be conveniently had that then there might be sent hither from both parties some persons to treat here a London with Deputies of the Queens Majesties and the French Kings That some order might be made concerning the establishing of a Traffique for Merchants in France wherein
as that thing which she hoped would prove profitable unto her Majestie and beneficial unto her Realm and Subjects To this my Lord answered That the cause why the same grew not to some conclusion either off or on proceeds for that they have not made answer to certain things propounded by the Ambassador here Resident unto them whereunto she answered That she did not remember any thing whereunto they were so give answer whereupon I took occasion to shew her that there were two points to be answered The one concerning Religion the other concerning the interview For the point of Religion I shewed her that her Majestie in respect of the alteration that hath lately hapned in this Realm and that which passed in the Treaty of the Marriage between her and Monsieur de Anjou had cause to accord that point first as that thing which touched generally the quietness and repose of her Realm Touching the interview I told her that for as much as her Majestie could have no other way satisfaction then by the same the point of Religion once accorded some convenient means for the accomplishing of her said interview was to be devised To this she answered that her Son was of the same living that the other was and of the same Religion and therefore hoped should have no less favour then the other should have had touching the point of Religion for that it is a thing dishonourable and unchristian for a Prince to change his Religion upon the sudden To this I replyed that for mine own part I did not remember that while I had the dealing in the matter any liberty in that was accorded to Monsieur de Anjou And if it were Madam said I we see that a thing is tolerable in the other In conclusion my Lord requested in that she desired to grow to an end in this matter that she would roundly set down in her Letters what the King and she required touching that part of Religion To this she answered after some denial made thereof saying that their Ambassador should signifie in that behalf that she would be content so to do And touching the interview when matters of Religion should be once accorded she doubted not but there would be means found for the bringing of the same to pass as should be to her Majesties satisfaction I made her acquainted with the matters of Scotland touching Hume Castle whereunto I received like answer at her hands as at the Kings which was that after conference had with their Councel I should understand what was their mind and resolution in that behalf whereupon these Scottish matters she took occasion to recommend to my Lord the Queen of Scots to whom he gave like answer as before In the end as my Lord was ready to depart she shewed him that she was given to understand that there were certain ships a preparing in England by certain Rebels there whereof she desired her Majestie to give redress as appertained to good amity Whereunto my Lord answered that she might be assured that her Majestie had never any intention to tollerate any thing that might tend to the breach of the same so that if there were any preparation of ships in hand as he knew not of any he was well assured her Majestie was nothing privy thereunto as also that her Majesties Subjects were no dealers in the same who hath forbidden them expresly not to intermeddle Why then said she if they be strangers she ought to banish them and not to permit them to attempt any thing to the prejudice of this Countrey considering that she is as well bound to yield up ayd requiring the same at her hands as we to grant the like unto her upon like occasion and therefore she desired him to put her Majestie in mind that some order might be taken for the remedy of the same which he assured her he would at his return This was as much as passed at the time of my Lords taking of his leave The morning my Lord departed Queen Mother sent for me and shewed me that by Letters sent from Monsieur De la Mot they were given to understand that her Majestie let fall some speech that she could not think that the continuance of the Treaty of Marriage with Monsieur le Duc should be sincerely meant he being now retired from hence and imployed by the King at Rochel she therefore for the satisfaction of her Majestie requested me to desire the Earl of Worcester to signifie unto her that there is nothing that the King and she desireth more then the accomplishment of the said marriage and that to the end that the Earl should see the Duke the King stayed him here until Twelf-tide About which time they attended my Lords coming whereas otherwise he had departed together with Monsieur his brother before Christmass and said she if we had known the certainty of the Earls coming he should have come hither in post to the end he might have seen him I took occasion hereupon to tell her my private opinion if it would have pleased the King not to have imployed him in these wars against those of the Religion he should be in better opinion with her Majestie and more grateful to her Subjects To this she said that a young Prince that hath courage and desire to do his Prince service could not with his honour remain behind seeing his other brother imployed I have made my Lord acquainted with such Occurrents as are here to the end he should impart them to her Majestie by mouth And so leaving c. the 12 of February 1572. To Sir Thomas Smith IT may please your Lordship to advertise her Majestie that the King departed hence to St. Germains en Lay eight days past and that Queen Mother remaineth here still whereof the King hath great need and the same found hard to be recovered here Touching their proceedings against Rochel there repaired hither of late divers Curriers who use great silence which make men to doubt that things fall not out to their liking I learn notwithstanding that there is in the Kings camp great scarcity of victuals and a great number of Soldiers through cold and want of other necessaries are dead and do die daily That the Duke of Nevers hath taken upon him with the help of certain Italian Engineers to make certain Fortresses in the midst of the Haven to impeach all such as by sea would bring to the Rochellois any succour For the two Fortresses lately made at the Entry of the said Haven six ships notwithstanding passed by laden with corn and other munition as it is reported The common opinion is that it will be impossible by any device to make the said Fortresses that the Duke pretendeth to make There is secret whispering here of some intelligence given by Pacues of an intended enterprize by Montgomery in Picardie and that hereupon the King hath given order for the impeachment thereof The Cardinal of Lorrain hath within these
marriage as though the marriage should serve for all this charge and thereto her Majestie with some sharpness of speech added that she knew and saw it now true that the Queen Mother in counsel had before pronounced that if the marriage could be concluded the Queen of England should be put to the whole charges This is the substance of that I can wring from her for that she saith until she hear from you of your Negotiaon with the Kâ—she hath nothing here to 〈◊〉 of But she wished me to write to you as before is mentioned and she meaneth also to write some letters to Monsieur to give him some comfort as I think Marchemont had Letters and as I hear by report the contents are a report of your dealings and of Monsieurs resolute answers to you that the King his brother would in no sort consent to any thing without the marriage and so they stand like good Chapmen without falling in their bargain from the principal but by this time you can best judge what will follow The Queens Majestie asked me whether if in no letter from you to me you had recommended Monsieurs wisdom I said by no express speech I marvel thereof quoth she for to me in this letter he doth greatly commend him and so did by reading pronounce very great commendation of him by you but I saw not the words written I answered that always you above any other of her servants had ever commended him most I pray you remember to send â—s a Callender of Monsieurs Captains and Leaders with the numbers likely of all sorts and what his monethly pay may be in charge and how he hath been furnished of money towards this leavy I am sorry to see so large a time spent from the beginning of his preparations until this time and yet I think far off to put in execution that which he pretendeth I fear the Queen Mother finding the marriage desperate will practice with the Duke of Parma to withdraw his siege and that the Town may be relieved and so Monsieurs Honour saved and thereupon Monsieur may leave his general enterprize wherewith the Spaniards ought to be contented For thereby shall they have their wills in the Low-Countreys and so also the Queen Mother may save her son free from gun-shot and put up all her pretences and live without offence to the King of Spain Thus much of the French matters From Ireland I have not heard but once since you went which was by a letter from Waterhouse that the Lord Gray had advertised them they should send no victuals into Odonels Countrey but onely to Carlinfoord For when the Lord Gray came to the Black-water Tirch fled breaking his two Castles and sent my Lord Gray word that he would be at peace with Odonel and all others by his Lordships order Whereupon the Lord Gray sent Justice Dowdal to him to treat hereupon but more I have not heard My Lord of Ormond findeth himself greatly grieved upon his discharge not as he saith for his discharge but that he hath been wronged in not advertising how great prizes he hath done In Scotland the King pretendeth to keep Amity yet by Ashton secretly I learn that he will be wholly guided by her Majestie whereof she conceiveth hope I pray God she be not deceived therein and hereby I fear her Majestie will be the flower to hearken to the assistance with France and yet her Maj. uttereth not to me these Scotish matters but I learn them otherwise The Lord of Huntley is arived in Scotland and offered to Lord Ferihurst is fully restored and both these well accepted with the King We have gotten from Campian knowledge of all his peregrination in England as in Yorkshire Lancash Denbigh Northampton Warwick Bedford Buckingham c. hereof I am sure Mr. Beal will write unto you who hath herein with Mr. Hamon taken great pains We have sent for his hosts in all Countreys And thus I end doubting I shall weaâ—y you with reading as I am almost with writing This tenth of August 1581. Your assured loving Friend William Burleigh To the Right Honourable and my very good Friend Sir Francis Walsingham SIr after I had yesternight being Thursday written and sealed up my Letters I understand lately that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath informed her Majestie that Monsieur found himself greatly discontented with the manner of dealing with him in making the marriage so desperate as it seemed to him you came of purpose to break it and onely to sollicit the league with the K. upon which matter this forenoon her Majestie told me that she misliketh of your manner of proceedings as though you did not express the causes why she could consent to no marriage but abruptly shewed that she would not marry and so forthwith to deal with Monsieur for a league To this I made answer Madam it is to be seen in Mr. Secretaries Letters to me which I read to you that he did so proceed to open your mind for forbearing to marry as your self did determine with us all and as he is warranted by your instructions for Madam he did not say that you would not marry with him but that as the case standeth he being entred into a war you found it not good either for him or your self to assent to the marriage for so by your marriage your Realm joyntly with your marriage should enter into a war so as your speeches according to your instructions were not absolute to deny the marriage but to shew that the marriage could not content her subjects with a war joyned therewith and so using as many reasons as I could I ended that I could not see that you had done any thing but that I my self in your place would have done the same And I did put her Majestie in remembrance that all her resolutions with us of her Councel was that you should so deal as to acquit her of the marriage and if there might be a good amity made and by a league betwixt France and this Realm to abate the King of Spains greatness vvhich I did object required a present action and to that end you should so proceed as there might appear no hope of marriage For as long as France could perceive any hope thereof they would not assent to any league To this her Majestie could not but assent but finally she changed her opinion in saying that if she should make a league whereby a war might follow she said she had rather be at the charges of a war with the marriage then without a marriage But saith she let Walsingham know my minde to be this that I would gladly enter into a league with the French King onely with these conditions that if I were invaded he should help me and if he were inwaded I would help him and so to abate the King of Spains greatness She said she would concur with the French King to do that by aiding of Monsieur and also the King of
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.
in him and followed in all other Princes who preferre good Goverment and the preservation of their Subjects before tyrannie and destruction of the same I told him further that your Majestie hoped that he now findeth a difference between the advise of those Princes his neighbours that advised him to continue the Warres to the hazarding of his State and destruction of his Subjects and yours and other Princes that exhorted him to the contrary who judged alwaies Peace and concord tending most to his safetie and their preservation And therefore for that experience now the best means hath taught him to know the inconveniences of the one and the profit of the other your Majestie doubteth not but as of his own inclination he hath alwaies bin given rather to peace to preserve his subjects a property of a good and loving Prince then by sword and violence to consume them a thing most fit for a Tyrant So he will continue the said course that tendeth most to the due execution of his said Edict the only meanes to preserve quietness that now reigneth in his kingdome This course unto God so acceptable for himself so honourable and for his subjects so profitable if any should seek to impeach for that it is most commonly seen that good purposes aswell in Princes as privat men have many hinderers be he either a subject unnaturall or a neighbour evill affected as envious at his repose Your Majestie offereth your self with all aid and power to assist him to your uttermost against all such as shall seek or hinder him in so good and godly a purpose And as your Majestie resteth herein affected towards him so you doubt not but God who hath wrought this godly inclination will raise up other Princes to assist him and to be likewise affected towards him in this behalf And that therefore your Majestie prayeth God to blesse him in this course and to remove from him all such as shall hinder him in so noble an enterprise to whom your Majestie wisheth as prosperous successe as ever Prince had that occupied his place and Seat To this he answered that he had right good cause to accept in good part your Majesties advertisement whom he must needs acknowledge to have alwaies as his good Sister and as on carefull of his well doing advised him to that which was best both for himself and his Country he willed me therefore to assure your Majestie that the onely care he presently had was to entertain the peace whereof the Q. of Navar and the Princes of the Religion could well be witnesses as also generally the whole Realm To this I replied that I could not fail to advertise your Majestie both of his well accepting of your advertisment as also of the good inclination towards the sincere observation of the Edict which newes I did assure would be to your Majestie most welcome After I had thus ended with the King and finding the Queen his wife absent who by report the night past had a fit of a fever I signified unto him that I had further Commission from your Majestie to present unto her your Letters and shew unto her notwithstanding you Majestie had made choise of a personage honourable to congratulate their Marriage whose comming onely staied upon the certainty of his entrie yet your pleasure was that in the mean time I should have also executed the said office which I would have gladly done if it might have bin without her trouble whereunto he answered that the night passed she had the fit of a fever which he thought would not long coâ—tinue But hoped that within four or five daies she would be in that good state of health as I might have accesse unto her unto whom he assured me that both your Majesties Letters as also the office of congratulation whereunto I was appointed should be accepted in very good part as from their good and loving Sister This is the effect of my speech unto the King from your Majestie the which ended making our reverences we were conducted by Monsieur de Laâ—sac to the Queen Mother and because incontinent after dinner we understood by Sig. Gondi some alteration of wonted custom and that we should for the Solemnitie visit apart the Queen Mother and her two Sons we thereupon resolved to keep one course in our several speeches to them and coming to the Queen I Sir Henry Norris declaring the qualitie of the Gentleman your Majestie had sent to be presented your Ambassador Resident his good inclination towards the continuance of the Amitie between your Majestie and the King her Son she eftsoons answered that she nothing doubted of your Majesties good election she required the Gentleman to come to her Then I Frâ—ncis Walsingham after due salutation presented your Majesties Letters and used to her speeches as before to the King concerning your Majesties charge given me for the entertaining of the good Amitie between the King her Son and you I also recommended unto her the observation of the Edict being so requested to do by the Deputies of the Princes of the Religion as also so to do the like to the Kings Brethren My speech therefore from your Majestie unto her in this behalf was that you were glad to hear that she had not only the reputation and honour to be a chief maker of Peace and Union lately accorded but also to be a chief Conserver of the same wherefore as one that wished unto her all honour and reputation you could but wish unto her preservation in this course so much to her honour to the Kings safety and to the general benefit of his Countrey Whereunto she answered that she could not but accept in very good part both recommending your choice so well inclined to entertain the Amitie between your Majesties as they were fully assured thereof by their Ambassador Resident in England doubting not but such effects should follow as should redound to both your Majesties contentations Being thus licensed of the Queen we were streight brought to Monsieur de Anjous Chamber where I Sir Henry Norris declaring this Gentleman to be sent by your Majestie to succeed me was not only commanded by you to entertain the good Amitie but likewise to bear that respect unto him and the Duke his Brother as towards your good Cousins and Parsonages of great account and value The Duke thanking me for this my good relation requested the Gentleman to come unto him Whereupon I Francis Walsingham approaching near unto him making reverence I shewed him that you willed me to do your commendations to him and further to tell him that your were glad to understand that he did so honorably concur together with the King his Brother in sincere and due observation of the Edict whereby he did not only get generally with all men the honour to be reputed a Prince of courage in time of war but also of Councel in time of peace which courage you doubted not but he would continue in
prosperitie and thinketh none so great as quietness of Government do not a little rejoyce to heare of the great care he taketh for the due observation of the Edict lately published as that thing which maketh him honourable and of great reputation with all Princes that are not carried away with passion and that you do not a little wonder to see his Majestie in these young years able through his great foresight and wisdome to quench a fire of so great a Consequence and danger as lately was kindled and dispersed through his whole Realm and now through Gods goodness and his good order was at this presence utterly extinguished an example for the rareness shereof worthy to be honoured in him and followed in all other Princes who preserve good Goverment and the preservation of their Subjects before tyrannie and destruction of the same I told him further that your Majestie hoped that he now findeth a difference between the advise of those Princes his neighbours that advised him to continue the Waves to the 〈…〉 of his State and destruction of his Subjects and 〈◊〉 and other Princes that exhorted him to the contrary who judged alwaies Peace and concord tending most to his safetie and their preservation And therefore for that experience now the best means hath taught him to know the inconveniences of the one and the profit of the other your Majestie doubteth not but as of his own inclination he hath alwaies bin given rather to peace to preserve his subjects a property of a good and loving Prince then by sword and violence to consume them a thing most fit for a Tyrant So he will continue the said course that tendeth most to the due execution of his said Edict the only meanes to preserve quietness that now reigneth in his kingdome This course unto God so acceptable for himself so honourable and for his subjects so profitable if any should seek to impeach for that it is most commonly seen that good purposes aswell in Princes as privat men have many hinderers be he either a subject unnaturall or a neighbour evill affected as envious at his repose Your Majestie offereth your self with all aid and power to assist him to your uttermost against all such as shall seek or hinder him in so good and godly a purpose And as your Majestie resteth herein affected towards him so you doubt not but God who hath wrought this godly inclination will raise up other Princes to assist him and to be likewise affected towards him in this behalf And that therefore your Majestie prayeth God to blesse him in this course and to remove from him all such as shall hinder him in so noble an enterprise to whom your Majestie wisheth as prosperous successe as ever Prince had that occupied his place and Seat To this he answered that he had right good cause to accept in good part your Majesties advertisement whom he must needs acknowledge to have alwaies as his good Sister and as on carefull of his well doing advised him to that which was best both for himself and his Country he willed me therefore to assure your Majestie that the onely care he presently had was to entertain the peace whereof the Q. of Navar and the Princes of the Religion could well be witnesses as also generally the whole Realm To this I replied that I could not fail to advertise your Majestie both of his well accepting of your advertisment as also of the good inclination towards the sincere observation of the Edict which newes I did assure would be to your Majestie most welcome After I had thus ended with the King and finding the Queen his wife absent who by report the night past had a fit of a fever I signified unto him that I had further Commission from your Majestie to present unto her your Letters and shew unto her notwithstanding you Majestie had made choise of a personage honourable to congratulate their Marriage whose comming onely staied upon the certainty of his entire yet your pleasure was that in the mean time I should have also executed the said office which I would have gladly done if it might have bin without her trouble whereunto he answered that the night passed she had the fit of a fever which he thought would not long continue But hoped that within four or five daies she would be in that good state of health as I might have accesse unto her unto whom he assured me that both your Majesties Letters as also the office of congratulation whereunto I was appointed should be accepted in very good part as from their good and loving Sister This is the effect of my speech unto the King from your Majestie the which ended making our reverences we were conducted by Monsieur de Lassac to the Queen Mother and because incontinent after dinner we understood by Sig. Gâ—ndi some alteration of wonted custom and that we should for the Solemnitie visit apart the Queen Mother and her two Sons we thereupon resolved to keep one course in our several speeches to them and coming to the Queen I Sir Henry Norris declaring the qualitie of the Gentleman your Majestie had sent to be presented your Ambassador Resident his good inclination towards the continuance of the Amitie between your Majestie and the King her Son she estsoons answered that she nothing doubted of your Majesties good election she required the Gentleman to come to her Then I Frâ—ncis Walsingham after due salutation presented your Majesties Letters and used to her speeches as before to the King concerning your Majesties charge given me for the entertaining of the good Amitie between the King her Son and you I also recommended unto her the observation of the Edict being so requested to do by the Deputies of the Princes of the Religion as also so to do the like to the Kings Brethren My speech therefore from your Majestie unto her in this behalf was that you were glad to hear that she had not only the reputation and honour to be a chief maker of Peace and Union lately accorded but also to be a chief Conserver of the same wherefore as one that wished unto her all honour and reputation you could but wish unto her preservation in this course so much to her honour to the Kings safety and to the general benefit of his Countrey Whereunto she answered that she could not but accept in very good part both recommending your choice so well inclined to entertain the Amitie between your Majesties as they were fully assured thereof by their Ambassador Resident in England doubting not but such effects should follow as should redound to both your Majesties contentations Being thus licensed of the Queen we were streight brought to Monsieur de Anjous Chamber where I Sir Henry Norris declaring this Gentleman to be sent by your Majestie to succeed me was not only commanded by you to entertain the good Amitie but likewise to bear that respect unto him and the Duke his Brother as
towards your good Cousins and Parsonages of great account and value The Duke thanking me for this my good relation requested the Gentleman to come unto him Whereupon I Francis Walsingham approaching near unto him making reverence I shewed him that you willed me to do your commendations to him and furtsher to tell him that your were glad to understand that he did so honorably concur together with the King his Brother in sincere and due observation of the Edict whereby he did not only get generally with all men the honour to be reputed a Prince of courage in time of war but also of Councel in time of peace which courage you doubted not but he would continue in respect of the good will he bare to the King and his Countrey and the regard that he had of his own honour And further I shewed him that your Majestie gave me commandment during my charge here to behave my self towards him and the King his Brother with that good respect as was fit for me towards your Cousins and Princes of that qualitie that they were of Whereunto he answered with great courtesie that he thanked your Majestie for your commendations as from a Princess of that honour you are and whom he so much reverenced Secondarily for the good encouragement you gave him to be a good instrument for the observation of the Edict which thing he was bound to do in respect of his dutie towards the King and his Countrey so shall your advertisement be of no small force with him in that behalf For my self he told me that during the time of my service here I should receive for your Majesties sake any favour he could do for me And after we had taken our leave of the Duke anon we were brought to the Duke of Alansons Chamber to whom after we had used part of such speeches as we thought aptest for his capacity and he making such answer as may be expected of his young years we departed from him returning to the place of our retreat and so that night to Paris This being as near as our memories can serve us of all that in this Presenting and Negotiation hath been either delivered by us or received from them the which we humbly submittting to your Majesties wisdom and consideration beseech the Almighty long to preserve you in all prosperity From Paris the nine and twentieth of Ianuary 1571. Your Majesties most humble Subjects and Servants Henry Norris Francis Walsingham To the Right Honorable Sir William Cecil her Majesties principal Secretary SIr I have received at Sir Henry Norris hands aswel all such Copies as concern the Scotish affairs whereby I may be the better directed hereafter how to proceed therein as also all other instructions as may concern her Majesties affairs Touching common matters I refer your Honour to this inclosed of common Occurrents The matters of secrecie here at the least such and so many as I can learn are these The Pope the King of Spain and the rest of the Confederates upon the doubt of a match between the Queen my Mistress and Monsieur do seek by what means they can to disswade and draw him from the same They offer him to be the head and chief executionar of the League against the Turk a thing now newly renewed though long ago meant vvhich League is thought to stretch to as many as they repute to be Turks although better Christians then themselves The cause of the Cardinal of Lorraigns repair hither from Reyms as it is thought vvas to this purpose The King as lately he uttered to le Sieur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeming very much to mislike hereof utterred these vvords unto him If this matter go forvvard it behoâ—eth me to make some counter-league I find the Germans saith he vvell-affected tovvards me and as for the Queen of England I knovv she hath good cause to mislike of this League as I my self have and therefore I suppose vvould be glad to joyn vvith me To vvhom the other replied that he vvas glad that he savv his danger for that he hoped he vvould provide for the remedy and vvished his Majestie that he vvould not forstovv the matter And therefore advised him for that the Princes Ambassador of Germany vvere not departed that the matâ—er might be broken to them vvhich thing the King thought not convenient for that that he thought their Ansvver vvould be that they had no Commission to deal in any such matteer but rather thought it more meet to send one of his ovvn Then the other told him that if he did did send any body it behoved him to make choice of one that vvas no Catholique for othervvise he should not be to them either grateful or trustful Whereupon the King named Monsieur Biron though he be not thought to be a Hugonot yet is he not taken to be your enemie Whereupon the other answered that he had made choice of a very fit person After he had made me acquainted with this matter he asked me how I thought the King should find the Queen affected I asked him whether he had any Commission so far forth to deal with me He told me no but he desired me to say frankly my opinion how I judged the Queen my Mistress would be inclined To whom I answered that for my own private opinion I thought not but that her Majestie would very well like of it First in respect of the common cause of Religion Secondly in respect of the good will she beareth the King whose friendship above all other Princes she doth chiefly embrace And lastly in respect of her own safety And as for my self for these respects when the matter shall grow to some further moving it shall not lack any furtherance that I can give him The said party the day before this Message came unto me and told me that he was wished from I. to give me to understand that Malicorne who was sent into Spain to congratulate the Marriage and is lately returned reporteth that Iulian Remero at his being here was dispatched from the Court to Ireland where he was to do some great enterprise Further he reported unto me that the King here is angry for that his Congratulation was not accepted of the King of Spain in so good part as he looked for but seemed to take some exception of the Kings Letters for that certain words of controversie to be usually put in such Letters as passed between them were now omitted And further to the increase of this unkindness the King of Portugal to whom the Kings Sister was offered in Marriage sent an answer by Malicorne that they were both young and that therefore about eight years hence that matter might be better talked of which disdainful answer is accepted here in very ill part and is thought not to be done without the counsel of Spain And amongst all others none taketh the matter more grievously then Queen Mother who thinketh her self not a little injured for the late friendship she
accept this enterprise yet notwithstanding it was resolved it should go forward and that the bills of credit for the said some of 100000 are already here if this advertisement prove as true as others that heretofore have bin given by him to my Predecessor then are they not to be neglected By another means I was advertised that Stewkley in Spain presented an instrument unto the King there not onely subscribed with the names of the most part of the Irish Noblity but also the names of divers in England of good quality ready to be at his devotion I learned further that of late fithence the Lord Setons comming hither there hath bin some greater conference between the Spanish Ambassador and the Ambassador of Scotland Further I learned that the greater part of those that are landed in Ireland were Levied by the Earle of Argile in the King of Spains name within the said Earles Government being promised pay by the said King of Spains Ministers they were imbarked at the Mule or streight of Kenutire One Skeldon an ordinary servant of the Q. of Scots arrived lately here with Letters of some importance as it is thought for that oftentimes he hath had accesse to the Court. Thus having made your Honour privy of all such things as I could learne I most humbly take my leave At Paris the 8 of Febr. 1571. To the Right Honourable Sir William Cecil her Majesties principall Secretary SIr I thought good to make you privie to this private Letter directed privatly to your self of certain talke passed between the Queens Mother and me which I desired her by protestation that she should receive at my hands as from a private person not having commission as a publike person to say any more then that which concerned le Roches attempt I protested unto her that the onely mark that I would shoot at during my service here should be to continue so much as might lie in so mean a Minister good Amitie between the two Crowns as a thing profitable unto them both And therefore I desired her Majesty first to consider how necessary it was for the safety of both Realms to have a firm league concluded between the two Princes Then to weigh how fit this present was for the same Touching the first point I shewed her that though France enjoyed now through Gods great goodness a generall peace with all his neighbours yet that it should so continue it was not to be looked for And that therefore in time of peace politique Princes were not unmindfull that after peace wars commonly follow for that the earth is subject to alterations In which consideration they commonly weigh the neighbours who are by consequence of reason likest to attempt any thing against them vvhich they see evidently to be that Prince that is nearest by situation and in forces mightiest against vvhom besides ordinary forces vvhich they have alvvaies prepared they seek to strengthen themselves and the Princes confederats Novv if your Majesty by this measure of mightiness and nearness measure your neighbours you shall then find that it is England whose conderatie is chiefly to be desired he that thinketh himself mightiest will be well advised before he deal with each of you Touching the other point I told her that I thought this time most fit first for that there was in both Princes a like affection being both of their own proper inclinations peaceably inclined with conformity of disposition as one of the best knots of assured friendship Then because there reigneth some unkindness between other 〈◊〉 neighbours with whom her Predecessors heretofore had both long and good unity These circumstances well weighed I concluded with her that the time was now fit and the thing it self most fit to be prosecuted and that her Majesty was most fit to bring the same to good effect as she in whom the King as he had just cause so to do reposed the direction of his whole Government To this she replied That first at my hands both the King and she did look for nothing else but good offices tending to the maintenance of good Amity Secondarily that as at present they enjoyed peace so they had good hope of the maintenance of the same generally with all their neighbours Lastly that she hoped that the Amity between the Q. my Mistris was of all parties very sincerely meant Notwithstanding if she should desire to enter into some streighter league she was of opinion nothing would be more gratefull to the King To this I answered that I was glad to receive at her hands so good hope of the Kings inclination in that behalf This in effect was that that passed between her Majesty and me The reasons that moved me to use this speech were these first for that Spain seemeth not to be at this present very well inclined towards the Q. my Mistris Secondarily for that the King hath no great liking of Spain as before advertised Lastly for that I was advertised how that the Admirall had advised lately the King and Q. Mother by his Letters to seek to strengthen himself by confederacy with the Princes of Germany and the Q. Majesty my Mistris Sir having now made you acquainted with my speech as also with the reasons that moved me thereto I shall most humblie desire you according to your promise to advertise me of my errors either in this or otherwise in this my present service which you shall perceive that I will accept in so good part as you shall think your advise well bestowed and thereby to be better able to serve her Majestie with more skill In my other Letters as that vvhich vvas to be shevved to her Majestie I forbeare to set dovvn the Popes Nuntios persvvasions he used tovvards a disswading Monsieur from the Q. vvhich were First she was an Heretique Secondarily that she was old by whom he could scarse hope after issue And lastly that England which he said he was well assured vvas the mark he chiefly shot at might be atchieved and that right easily by svvord to his great Honour and lesse inconvenience then making so unfit a match Thus you see Sir hovv they make the accompt vvithout their host I hope they shall have more vvill then povver to hurt us and that God vvill still reserve our poore Country for a sanctuary for his poor persecuted flock To vvhose tuition I commit you most humbly taking my leave From Paris the 8 of Febr. 1571. To the Right Honourable my very good Lord the Earle of Leicester SIthence I last wrote unto your Lordship which was the third of this moneth I have learned nothing fit for your knowledge saving of some practise that concerneth Ireland wherein I referre your Lordship to Mr. Secretaries Letters Touching the other matter they think here you do but dally and though no overture hath bin made notwithstanding I find this already hath bin done underhand if the matter go not forward will breed some disdaine for that they take their
and our Country is That if the pretended match between her Majestie and Monsieur should not go forward then nothing can be so dangerous as her delivery for here they stand upon this point that neither the King can be safe nor the Realm â—uiet unlesse Monsieur be provided of some other harborage The places likely to be attained and fit for his calling where they would place him are two England and Scotland if England refuse then is Scotland more ready to receive him This well weighed though your Lorship with the rest of the Comissioners are both wise and of great experience notwithstanding so full of danger is the Cause as no resolution can possibly grow to you that shall be void of perill I pray God therefore in this hard case that that course may be taken wherein is least perill and most safety for her Majesty At this present there is no matter here worthy of your Lordships knowledge only I am to trouble you with mine own particular estate my charges grow here to be so great through the excessive deareness of the place as necessity forceth me at this present to make my moan unto your Lordship and to desire your aid that I may not be as I am overburdened whereby the care how to live may hinder the onely care I ought to have how to serve I have forborn hitherto to expresse my grief to the end that my Lord of Buckhurst's report might add some credit to my complaint And though my service cannot deserve so much as I am allowed yet my place and my estate requireth consideration to be had of the present time for otherwise I shall not be able to do that which shall be for her Majestites Honour and service when men of livelihood were imployed in this calling alwaies change of time bread change and of Allowance If any time therefore required consideration this chiefly for that never was the like dearth here and if any mans estate was to be weighed none more then mine that am far inferior in ability to any other that ever supplied this place I will not longer entertain your Lordship with this private cause but commit it to your good consideration assuring my self of any furtherance that you can give me And so leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present I most humbly take my leave From Paris the 9 of March. Your Honours to command Fr. Walsingham To my very loving friend Mr. Francis Walsingham Esq the Q. Majesties Ambassador in France SIr I have received your Letters both by Mr. Wigmore and Beale as by Hâ—rcourt I did late advertise you And having made her Majesty partaker both by hearing them read and by her own reading I am in this sort directed to answer you To the first of the second that is to that of the 13 of Febr. brought by Beale her Majestie maketh good accompt of the person of him â— mean the 36 T s 4 t 10 30-0 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the intelligence which he gave you but it breedeth some doubt in her that the certainty can be no otherwise understood in that it is informed you that the practise continueth by late dispatching of an Englishman of high stature and lean of visage wherein is such incertainty as no man can thereby attain either to discover the practise or withstand it by apprehending the party and surely Sir her Majesty cannot but think but they that can attain to the knowledge of the practise may aswell attain to the knowledge of the parties name for they that are trusted with the matter may be trusted with the persons and so her Majestie wisheth you to endevour your self with such as you shall think good to come to the knowledge of some persons by stay of whom such a matter might be deciphered For mine own part I think it likely that these practises are devised but without more apparence I see no evident reason to move me that in the time when the Queen of Scots her self and her Factors are in hope to be delivered by treatie and with the favour of our Queen there should be any attempt otherwise for her escape wherein how cunning soever men be in device yet the execution standeth upon many adventures and any mischance hapning might breed ruin to the whole enterprise I have been acquainted with many of these like advertisement But surely I never found any substance in them in the event but yet with them and without them I ever find it good to be circumspect I write not to have you forbear from hearing and reporting of any the like but my experience serveth to move you to procure the givers of such things to discover the matters more certainly and so they are of more value The message sent you from Rochel of some dangerous intent upon Ireland from Spain hath more apparence for that we also hear it from Spain confirmed and it is the same that before I advertised you concerning Stukelie I also smell some purpose of the Count Lodowicks coming with his ships toward the Low-Countries to accompanie the designe for his brother the Prince of Orange whereof I would look for some better successe if I had not understanding thereof so many waies for the force of that enterprize should consist in suddenness and secresie which are not like to take place Thus much for your first Letter Now to the second brought by Wigmore the Q. Majestie liketh well of your proceedings with the Spanish Ambassador there and marvelleth that he should be so coy with you considering the reports of his former curtesies but by likelihood some other accident moved it which by you next speech will be better discovered The cause why that Ambassador could not be answered sooner of the matter whereof he advertised her Majestie from the Duke of Alva was for that her Majestie could not sooner hear thereof from the Duke If you shall find it convenient to impart matters to the said Ambassador you may let him know of these things following One Monsieur Senegen a Low-Countrie-man is comming to end the Treaty for restâ—tution on both sides of the Merchants goods There are lately come into the ports of the West certain Hulks laden from Spain and Portugall driven by Tempest And because they should be well used the Ambassador here for the King though in other things he be not used hath been dealt withall to name certain strangers Merchants to resort to the ports and they have speciall Authoritie from us to put the same in all good safety and that no dealing shall be by any to the impairing of the said goods And this speciall favour is shewed because the time of restitution is at hand And therefore we mean not to give any cause of quarreling There were also certain other ships of Warre that came from Spain being of the company which conducted the Queen of Spain into Spain which being furnished with Souldiers were favourably entertained and permitted to depart at their pleasure Of
said oâ—trage committed he hath justly incurred the Lord Deputies displeasure I shewed him that his confession of his fault was an argument of penitence And therefore that I doubted not that if he would seek pardon at her Majesties hands he should find her Majestie graciously affected towards him who hath alwaies been more naturally inclined to remit then to revenge I asked him how long it was since he departed out of Ireland He shewed me that it vvas about two years past And after he embarqued for Spain where ever since his departure from Nantes he hath continued having received ever after his arrival very honourable entertainment at the Kings hands who yearly gave him 2000 Docats pension He shevved me nothing of his conâ—erence he had at Nantes vvith L. and the C. neither did I seem to understand any thing thereof but made alwayes shew unto him to believe whatsoever he said as though I had never heard of him before nor of his proceedings I proceeded further with him and asked when he departed out of Spain He shewed me about the latter end of Ianury I told him that there were brutes given out here that the King of Spain had some intention to invade Ireland I asked him whether before his departure he heard any such matter Then he brake and shewed me that about September last one Stewkley arrived in Spain who after his access to Madrill before he had conference with the King or any great Personage he sent unto the said Archbishop to desire to come and speak with him To whom he returned answer by his Messenger that if he would come unto him he should be very welcome Whereupon Stewkley repaired unto him and after protestations had how glad he was to see him there whom he knew to be Catholikely bent he shewed him that his intention of his repair into that Countrey was to deal with the King of Spain about the reducing of Ireland unto his Government whereby Heresie might be expelled and true Catholique Religion planted and therefore desired him for that he was well acquainted with the Cardinal Spinoso President of the Councel that he would deal with him to procure him access unto the King To whom he replyed that he thought that the King in respect of the good Amitie between him and the Queens Majestie would be loath to deal therein And further that he for his own part though he desired the Catholique Religion to be there planted yet did he mislike of the means for that he would be loath to see his Countrey under any other Government then that of the Queens Majestie and her Successors And therefore he desired him to hold him excused in that he could not for those respects abovenamed be a mean to bring him acquainted with the said Cardinal President of the Councel Whereupon Stewkley departed from him and went to the Duke Feria and him acquainted with the cause of his repair thither and desired him to procure him access unto the King So the said Duke brought him to the King whom the King after conference had with him used very honourably and appointed him a very fair house and gave him six thousand Docats And besides that he doth give him daily allowance for the maintenance of his table which he taketh to be great for he spendeth at the least Thirty Ducats a day Two dayes after the King had conference with the said Stewkley the King sent for the Archbishop and asked him whether he did know the said Stewkley To whom he answered that he never saw him but here in Spain but by report he had heard that he had been a Pyrate on the sea of life dissolute in expences prodigal of no substance neither a man of any great account in his Countrey notwithstanding he heard he was a Gentleman born and descended from a good House Then the King told him of the offer that he had made touching the request of Ireland assuring him that he had dealt so before his coming with the Irish Nobility as he should find them ready to receive such Forces as he should send He wished the King not to be so light of belief for that Stewkley was not a man of that credit with the Irish Nobility to be able to bring any such matter to pass whom they knew to be but a shifter and one who for the maintenance of his prodigality seeketh to abuse all men With that the King replyed that besides Stewkleys own report of his ability in that behalf he was besides recommended to him by his Ambassador who willed to credit whatsoever he reported Upon the mentioning of the Ambassador he made a digression and told me that the Ambassador did great hurt in England which he did not learn by hearâ— say but by sight of his Letters and therefore wished that her Majestie would not long harbour so ill a gest The grand Prior was at the same time with the King and present at the Communication and said that the Archbishop would be loath that his Countrey should come under the Kings Government which he marvelled at considering the Kings liberality bestowed on him To whom he answered that so far forth as he might with his duty towards God and his Countrey the King should find him serviceable at all times towards him for whose prosperous estate for that his calling so required he would pray And so after this Communication had with the King he departed Not long after D. Feria meeting the said Archbishop entred into talk with him and asked his opinion of Stewkley He answered that he had made the King acquainted with his opinion and that he feared that if the King do deal with him he would abuse him Then D. Feria said that the likelihoods that Stewkley shewed the King of the enterprize were such as there were great cause why the King should imbrace the same For saith he besides the Irish Nobility he hath won a great number of the Queens Garison to be at his devotion as well Souldiers as Captains If the King saith the Archbishop believe what he saith then will there be no great difficulty in the interprize but when it cometh to the tryal it will fall out otherwise Well said the Duke I perceive you are not willing it should go forward and therefore you seek to deface this Gentleman whom we honour here with the name of the Duke of Ireland To that the Archbishop replyed that that Title and Calling was more then ever Ireland was acquainted withal and the more strange it will seem unto them for that he hath there nothing to take unto No saith the Duke I am sure if he might enjoy his own there it would well maintain that Calling Surely saith the Archbishop if the rest of his talk prove no truer then this then shall you see the King much abused by him After this talk passed between the Archbishop and the Duke Stewkley came and challenged the said Archbishop as he saith and told him that if he
to offer the person of Monsieur they might be assured of our continuance in this resolution and whether we will accept this motion in good part and will be pleased to hear further of it To this you may answer That for continuance in our resolution generally to marry we trust there is no cause to doubt the things before affirmed being remembred and how we will accept this offer of Monsieur we cannot but plainly confess it an argument of great good will in the King and the Queen his Mother considering how that the King is married there can be no greater nor worthier offer made by the Crown of France then of Monsieur D. Anjou and therefore we do thankfully accept it But whether we shall be pleased to hear further of this motion is very doubtful for us to answer thereto not that we are ignorant what answer were meet but that the interpretation thereof may be conceived otherwise then we mean And if any impediment shall hereafter justly follow of the cause without our default the same might be imputed to us as others in like cases have been And surely knowing the wisdom of Queen Mother and her experience in such causes of matrimonie we would think that without demanding this point of us she herself can best tell what is meetest to be further done herein For now that she knoweth our resolute determination towards marriage and with what manner of person it is to be considered by her that if such things as are requisite for the contentation of both our persons and for the necessary conditions of the whole cause shall be found agreeable then this offer shall not onely be thankful but by all good probabilitie take the effect that is by the offer intended And if otherwise there should any just and necessary impediment happen either for lack of satisfaction of our own natural expectation concerning our person or of reasonable accord upon the conditions requisite specially for such as may conserve the state and policy of our Realm yet we see not but the good will of either party should be allowed as well in us for yielding to hear and consider of so honourable an offer as for them that made it And herein you shall say that we pray the Queen Mother not to be over curious in requiring so precise an answer until the matter may be further treated upon and explained and not to think it any touch to the honour of her Son to be named a Suitor to us as others of as great degree have been though the motions took no effect rather for other impediments then for any mislike of the persons And thus much we would have her perswaded that as we did at the first honourably forbear to hear of some offers because the impediments were at the first beginning manifest although the persons were worthy to be liked So in this cause if we did perceive any such impediment of weight and apparence or that we had conceived by any report any just cause of misliking of this offer we would surely deal plainly with the King and Queen Mother and would most heartily thank them for so honorable an offer and yet give them manifest occasion to forbear And truly we cannot give any ansvver hereto but leave this point to the vvisdom of Queen Mother vvho is not ignorant vvhat is belonging to such a matter as this is specially tovvards us being a Queen never married and having Kingdomes to be provided for with reasonable conditions for satisfactions of our loving Subjects whom though we know are so desirous to have us marry as they will not mislike of any marriage that may content us yet shall we not take such advantage of their free good will but that they shall plainly understand that we will joyn with our private satisfaction the regard of their quietness and surety The third is not by us dissallowed that this matter may be treated upon between you as our Ambassador and Monsieur de Foix untill the matter may be brought to more ripeness so as the King may without hazarding of his honour send a Noble Ambassador And yet you may add as of your self that you think that the matter would be more readily expedited for the mutuall understanding of our minds on both parties by sending of some such speciall person as Monsieur de Foix upon some other pretence And if you can so compasse it we think many scruples would be avoided better then can be by Letters sent unto you and if Foix may come then shall you do well to advise him to think of all circumstance aforehand And yet afterwards the King if cause shall so permit may send an honourable Ambassage for such a cause The fourth request is that we should send to you certain Articles for you to declare our intent toward Monsieur with authority for you to consent thereto so as the King should first deliver to you other Articles for Monsieur wherein we cannot but find many difficulties For how can we tell what were meet to propound untill we may understand what shall be first propounded by them that make the offer But if they seem not contented with this answer that then by your former motion they will not send any person hither you may say that if they will deliver to you their offers and demands you will promise that the same shall not be revealed to any person but to our self and one or two about us whose advice we will use And if you shall be demanded what you think would be looked for to be offered you may say that you think no lesse can be offered for conditions then was by the Emperour Charles with King Philip to Queen Mary And that further of necessity it must be specially prejudged that Monsieur shall not have Authority to exercise the form of Religion in England that is prohibited by the Laws of our Realm And though you be not instructed hereof yet would we that you should specially open this matter secretly to the Q. Mother and though we mean not to urge her Son to any change of conscience otherwise then we wish him to be directed to the best yet surely we cannot nor may not give him any authority to have any exercise in facts of such Rites as are prohibited by our Laws And as for his allowance of our Religion although we wish he might in conscience like it and if he did understand the form thereof truly we do not mistrust but he would not mislike it yet we shall onely require his presence in our Oratories and Churches And this you may say is one of the matters of greatest importance to be considered by the Queen Mother The fifth that this matter should not be opened to the French Ambassador here Resident which because it is required may be observed for surely we neither to him nor to any other use to deal in such matters but as we are provoked And yet why it should be kept secret we
he may trust are not in number 3000. Fiftly that with a dozen ships beside those that presently they have they will keep the Seas as no Spanish Forces shall come thither by Sea Lastly that the Princes of Germanie are most willing to joyn in the said enterprize so that the King will be content with Flanders and Artois which once pertained to the Crown of France and that Brabant Gelderland and the land Luxenburgh which once were fees of the Empire might be united again to the same and as for Zealand and the rest of the Islands said he they wish the Q. of England had them so that she would be content to joyn in this enterprize Aâ—ter he had made the King acquainted with these likelyhoods he seemed very well to like them especially if the Q. of England might be brought to be a party and to joyn with him and the Princes of Germanie in the said enterprize and therefore wished shee might be moved as from himself to see how she were inclined in that behalf for saith he if she being Lady of the narrow Seas do joyn in the matter with us I weigh not the King of Spain nor all the confederates He told me then that he shewed the King that as he thought she had been moved in that behalf already and that as he heard she was not enclined to be a dealer therein howbeit he knew not how her Majestie upon better consideration might sithence like thereof The matter being thus propounded to the King and Q. Mother afterwards it came to be considered of by certain chosen Councellers who all liked of the enterprize and saw great reason not to negâ—ect it Onely they saw two things to be provided for before they could advise them to enter into the same the one that he should first establish some gooâ— league with England the Princes of Germanie and that he meant presently to send ae Foix into England whose friendship and confederacy imported him very much for that the Princes of Germanie depended onely upon knowing how she would be enclined for that without her they would enter into no confederacy For the help of the second he said the King meant to tax generally through his Realm the Clergie with the payment of one years revenue This is asmuch as he imparted unto me touching his proceeding with the King saving that he shewed me That it is secretly agreed on between him and the King that Strozza who should imbarque about the midst of the next month shall do some enterprize in Spain onely to amaze the King there whom the King here meaneth notwithstanding to disallow openly Touching their State he telleth me they have much to do to bridle the people of the Low-Countrey from discovering of themselves by committing some rash enterprize and that they find the Papists no lesse inclined then the Protestants to seek with hazard of their lives deliverance from their present tyranny They find lack of money the greatest let having been much disapointed by them here the greatest help they have that way is from the D. of F. Before winter they mean to do nothing and then onely their intent is to enter into the T. M. then in the spring following if God shall so direct their intentions they meâ—â— to assâ—ile the Countrey two wayes with two severall Armies After he had thus made me understand both his proceedings with the King 〈◊〉 also their proceedings the present state of thir case and how they mean to proceed he theâ— desired me to propound to her Majestie on his behalf these particular points following First whether her Majestie can be content to joyn with him and the Prince of Orange in the enterpize Secondarily whether upon the former assurance offered her Majestie can be content to lend unto them the sum they required Thirdly that it would please her Majestie to suffer Hawkins underhand to serve them with certain sâ—ips and also to licence him to furnish them with certain victualls to be transported from thence whereof they have present need Lastly that it may please her Majestie to suffer certain Walloons being presently in Rye to the number of 800. to embarque themselves to repaire hither For the first he desireth her Majestie to consider how it will be no less honour for her to unite Zealand to the Crown of England then it was dishonour for her sister to lose Calais and further that by having Zealand she shall have the key of the Low-Countries she shall have a place allwayes for her ships to enter in unto to avoid thereby aswell the danger of the enemie as of the tempest Besides she having Zealand shall be better able to gather the Princes of Germanie enjoying Brabant and the rest of the Countries which were late federatories to the Empire to bridle F. for being overgreat And lastly that this enterprise being done by Protestants they receiving the honour thereof shall be better able by increase of credit with the King to continue his good devotion toward her in respect of the rare favours which they have received at her hands which they both do and alwayes will acknowledge For the second he desireth her Majestie to consider how evill affected Spain is towards her how he thinketh himself injured in respect of the arrest how naturally they are inclined to revenge though outwardly till convenient time do serve they can dissemble their malice how he intertaineth at his great Costs a subject of hers lately departed out of Ireland as also other Rebells of hers that daily repaire into Flanders who onely are stayed from molesting her at home in respect of the fame that the Duke of Alva hath of his Brothers enterprize And lastly how he is become a Protector of the Q. of Scots her dangerous enemy which she knoweth to be true Now if the lending of so small a sum may somewhat enable them to abate the pride of so great an enemy and cause her Majestie to spare the spending of ten times so much besides the hazard of her estate and people he desires her Majestie to weigh it in reason whether the disbursing may not stand with good policy Touching the third he saith that by having those ships of Hawkins he shall be able to keep more Spaniards who being settled there may become dangerous neighbours from landing in Flanders besides the victuals presently required shall serve to furnish Strozza whose enterprize going forward cannot but kindle warre betwixt France and Spain though the King disavow him he being a person of that quality here in respect of his office whereby at the least her Majestie may be looker on with her more safety For the last he hopeth that her Majestie will make no difficulty for that it is to disburden the Realm of so many strangers After he had thus imparted unto me those things which he would have me to propound unto her Majestie as also such reasons as might induce her to like thereof I shewed him that I would do
but it little helpeth the D. case I pray you give little Leicester thanks for his often writing to me and commend me to my Lord of Rutland and his wife Thus having nothing else to write but of her Majesties good health I bid thee farewell this 20 of September Your assured friend Ro. Leicester To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq her Majesties Ambassador Resident in France SIr since Monsieur de Foix departure these things have happened The D. of Norfolk is charged with the countenance of dangerous practises with the Queen of Scots as that he hath sent money into Scotland to maintain her party in the Castle for proof whereof Letters are intercepted in Cipher by one Higgford his Secretary who is now in the Tower and confesseth that the Duke commanded him to write to one Law Banister the Dukes man that he should see secretly conveyed 600 l. to the Lord Harrise to be by him conveyed to Liddington Graunge The Duke at the first denied all manner of knowledge thereof but now at his committing to the Tower he yieldeth and asketh pardon thereofâ— but yet the money is said to have been by the Fr. Ambassador delivered to Barâ—or the Dukes man to be conveyed to Viracque how this is true time must teach sure we are that they in the Castle have been payed divers times with English Angells and Royalls There are also found about the Duke certain writings by which appeareth that the Duke was acquainted with the voiage that Ridolph made to Rome and to Spain hereupon the Queens Majestie is grievously offended both toward the Queen of Scots and the D. and hath strengthned her from intelligence At this time the matters of Scotland are also intricate the Queens party much diminished by the deserting of the 〈◊〉 of Argile Egliton and Cassillâ— and yet by a stratagem on Monday last as night the case had like to have been much altered The Earle of Huntley and Lord Hamilton with Bucklough and Fernichurst accompained with 40 horsemen entred by stealth into the Town of Sterling after midnight they took the Regent in his bed and the Earles Argile Moretâ—n Cassills c. and whilest these being prisoners were at the Town gate to be carried away with their takers the rest of the company spoiling the Town they of the Castle of Sterling issued out and so resued the prisoners saving that in the conflict the Regent and 16 more of his Gentlemen were slain as it is written Thus it is written unto me but I dare not affirm it untill I heare it again As for the motion made by de Foix that some person might be sent thither to affirme his message and to maintain that with the Queen Majesties honour wherein by de Foix I was named the Queens Maâ—estie doth forbeare untill she may heare from you for according to the answer that shall be made her Majestie will send a person either mean or great By reason that I was named I have had lesse occasion to motion it but surely it had done well to have fed the French humour and many things may better be said by an expresse messenger then by the report of an Ambassador Lieger whose commission groweth by writing Truly the more matters are discovered the more necessary it is seen that her Majestie should marry The Queens Majestie returneth towards London from hence to Hundon and so to my house in Chesthunt and so to S. Iame's and hence to Richmond And so having commodity by this honest Gentleman Mr. Clarke I end From Lees the 28 of September 1571. Your assured loving friend W. Burleigh To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh YOur Lordships of the 17 20 of September sent by Har I received the 28 of the same which came in very good time for that there is most earnest soliciting here by the Ambassadors Lord Fleming and Duglas for present aid to be sent into Scotland therefore after I had well perused the contents thereof I took occasion by presenting the Earle of Rutland at his leave taking to make Q. Mother acquainted with so much of the same as I thought â—it for her to know I shewed her that if it might so like her I would declare unto her at large the present state of England as also my private opinion in some points not by Commission as an Ambassador but as a private Gentleman that desireth nothing more then good Amity between both the two Crowns and therefore wish all jealousie to be removed for that there could be no perfection of friendship where jealousie was a party First touching the state of England I made her privy what had passed between their Ambassador Monsieur de la Mot and the Duke of Norfolk touching the money as also the pacquet conveyed by Virague I made her also acquainted with the contents of the discourse 〈◊〉 by the 〈◊〉 of Scotsâ— to the Duke I shewed her further that Monsieur 〈…〉 sending for Audience to have moved her majestie for relief of the Queen of Scots did not best like her In the end I concluded with that point that concerned the Duke of Alva's advice given to the said Queen aswell for her own marriage as her sons as also not to depend any longer upon France Then touching my private opinion I shewed her I was sorry first that their Ambassador should have intelligence with the Duke who was discovered to be a dangerous subject Secondarily That he should be so earnest in seeking the liberty of the Queen of Scots unto the Queen my Mistress a most dangerous enemy these things I feare said I may breed in the Queen my Mistress some opinion that the friendship professed is not altogether sincere and therefore I wished that the King and she in seeking the Queen of Scots liberty would not forget to have regard to the Queen of Englands safety especially now seeing the Queen of Scots seeketh to quit her self of his protection To this she answered That as on the one side she was glad to understand that these practises were discovered so was she sorry that there should fall out any thing that might breed any suspicion in her Majestie of any evill meaning on their behalf who wished asmuch good to her Majestie as to their own selves And as for de la Mots doing I know saith she aswell for his duty towards the King my Son who would not have him deale in any thing that might any way prejudice the Queen your Misterss as also for the particular good will he beareth unto her was altogether void of any evill meaning and so I hope she will interpret it The money saith she as I am informed by the Scots Ambassador was sent by him to de la Mot to be conveyed to the Queen of Scots who as he shewed quite was void of mony I then replied That the money was sent over to another end as the Duke himself had confessed and that therefore the Ambassador
had misinformed her She told me further that the money was none of the Kings but part of that which she hath yearly from hence by virtue of her dowry By this your Lordship may see that the Ambassador dealeth somewhat cunningly in this behalf to gratifie the Queen of Scots Touching the solliciting of her liberty she shewed me that the King and she aswell in respect of the ancient League with Scotland as the alliance by marriage could in honour do no lesse then recommend her cause which she protested they never did with intention any way to perjudice her Majestie I then desired her first to consider whether the Amity of England might not be as beneficiall to France as that of Scotland Secondarily Whether they had that need at this present of the Amity and League of Scotland as heretofore they have had For the first I shewed her that France in respect of the greatness of some of their neer neighbours had need of the Amity of both England and Scotland For the second I told her that England had no foot in France Scotland was rather chargeable then profitable to France She replied That the King notwithstanding in honour could not but continue Amity and League with Scotland though he had not that use as before time I answered her That the King might continue his League with Scotland by joyning with the Queen my Mistris in the maintenance of the young Kings government there To this she answered That the king could not in honour abandon his sister in Law I answered That the Kings band towards his sister in Law is not more then of a naturall father towards his naturall child yet if the child grow to be dissolute and lewd whereby he is shaken off by his father the fault is not to be imputed to the father but to the child even so if the King in respect of the indignities committed by his sisteâ— in Law shall give over the protection of her the cause thereof is onely to be imputed to her misdemeannor unworthy of her calling and not to him I desired her to consider further that whereas she saith the King in Honour is bound to seek her liberty that he is more bound in honour to have regard of the Queen my â—istris safety First for that she is a Princesse of life vertuous in Government guided by Law and Justice in affection toward him sincere Now if by the Queen of Scots liberty procured by him the State should be disquieted what thing could happen that might touch the King more in honour conscience and as for any assurance or protestation that she might make to the King touching her peaceable behaviour toward the Q. my Mistress First I desired her to weigh that she was ambitious and therefore no Capitulation could serve for a bridle Secondly That she is most guided by the advice of those of her kindred who have been the greatest cause of the disquiet of Europe whereof she could be a witness Thirdly how that now she meaneth chiefly to depend upon Spain who will be alwaies provoking her to the disquieting of England and France These considerations said I Madam if you will well weigh I hope they will give you cause not to be over earnest in procuring any enlargment of liberty especially upon this late discovery of her evill meaning towards her Majestie In my private opinion you shall do well therefore to remit the same untill the coming of the Gentleman whom the Queens Majestie my Mistress meaneth to send So in the end she concluded that she would confer with the King her Son whom she assured me would be loath to do any thing that might any way discontent her Majestie or tend to her prejudice J. K. being by me so requested dealt very earnestly with her in that behalf shewing the unseasonableness of the time to commend a matter so unacceptable especially having intention to treat of some straight Amity Douglas in his return hither passed by Flanders he was accompained from Antwerp to Bruxels by the Earle of Westmerland and a dozen other of the Rebells where he had conference with the Duke of Alva and was as he secretly reporteth to a friend of his very Honourably used and put in comfort that there should be somewhat done shortly for the assistance of the Queen of Scots faction in Scotland and further that he doubted not but that there would come a time that there should also be somewhat done for her delivery which had not now to have been executed had not the jealousie of some French enterprize stayed him Iunius the Co. Palatines servant who had his dispatch at the King hands the second of this moneth shewed me that the message he had in commission to deliver to his Mr. and the rest of the Princes was that the said King was glad the said Princes were both content and desirous to enter into some straight League with him a thing necessary for both their preservations and to the end that the same might proceed he desired them that they would consider of the points and Articles to be agreed on as also of some convenient place for the meeting of their Deputies Whereof when he shall be advertised upon his return again he would not faile to send some personage of good calling with Authority to coâ—clude such points as shall be agreed upon After he had received his message he shewed me that he told the King that it were very necessary that the Queen of England were named to joyn in this League whereof he signified unto me that both the King and Queens Mother were most desirous thereof and therefore wished that there might be some means found that her Majestie might be moved in that behalf whereupon he and I after some conference had what way were best to be taken agreed upon a Letter to be sent by me to his Mr. as the best means to bring the same to passe which Letters I caused Mr. Beale to draw and sent to Mr. Iunius according as we resolved whereof I send your Lordship a Copy to the end your Lordship may see the course I have taken which I hope for that it tendeth to her Majesties safety will not mislike her Thus leaving further to trouble your Lordship at this present I most humbly take my leave At Blois the 7 of October 1571. Your Honours to command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh IT may please your Lordship to advertise her Majestie that the 22 of this moneth the King sent for me and at the time of my accesse he shewed me that he was given to understand that her Majestie meant to send certain Souldiers into Scotland which thing he would be sorry it should so fall out for that then he should be forced in respect of the ancient League with Scotland to strengthen the Queens party there by sending of forces thither and that therefore he desired her Majestie to
you a Commission under our great Seal of England wherein we have joyned with you our Ambassador Francis Walsingham and our servant H. Killegrew who is there with you wherein our meaning is that assoon as Walsingham shall come thither he shall joyn with you and within some convenient time Killegrew may return according to our first order given to him at his departure thither And yet untill VValsingham shall come thither Killegrew may remain as joyned And considering the whole burden of the matter of learning in conceiving the Articles of this Treaty shall rest almost wholly in this Treaty we would that when you are proceeded as far as you can and as you think meet that before you shall subscribe the Treaty you shall send the same hither to us to be more circumspectly perused and thereupon we will with like speed return it as we shall think meet and so may you reasonably declare your intention to the French King pretending your instruction of your self and therewith to use the same as they may not suspect it to come of any intention of delay At Westminster the 13 of February 1571. Wil. Burleigh To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh YOur Letters sent by the Scot dated the 6 of this month I have received he willed me to inform you that since his coming hither he hath learned that the King giveth but a deaf ear to their causes notwithstanding that they hope that upon Graunges brothers coming who is now at the Court there will be somewhat obtained for their relief which if it take not place then they mean to repair to Flanders where the Lord Seaton hath received from the Pope 20 thousand Crowns who is putting himself in readiness to repair into Scotland Further he willed me to shew your Lordship that the L. Fleming looketh for a Barque of his own to arrive at New-Haven about the end of this month in the which he meaneth to repair to Scotland with such forces as he can get either by consent from the King or by stealth otherwise This in effect is that which he willed me to impart unto your Lordship I find this he saith confirmed by other Intelligence I have Graunges brother as I learn meaneth to protest to the King that unless they may have Men Money and Munition out of hand for their relief that then they shall be driven to yield to such composition as will be made to the Queen of England which will not much tend to the benefit of France After Sir Tho. Smiths assurance of her Majesties intention I suppose the King will perswade them to fall to agreement among themselves without further intermedling in their causes From all the Ports both innormandy and Picardy Cane only excepted I learn there is no preparation of ships Shortly I hope to understand what is done in Cane And so leaving further to trouble your Lordship I most humbly take my leave at Paris the 29 of December 1571. Your Honours to command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh TOuching your Lordships by Sir Tho. Smith according to her Majesties order I have caused the King to understand as well the trust she hath in him as also how much she desireth his presence at the Court whereby Sir Tho. Smith may be the better assisted by his advice some like office I have also used towords I. who hath alwaies been an especial furtherer of the cause From him who liveth not far from this Town I have received most earnest promise that he will do his uttermost and for that he is here imployed by the King in the punishment of those that committed the late disorder he hath written secretly to his friends to the Court to sound there in what state the matter standeth and as they find secretly to advertise Sir Thomas he protesteth that he would be loath to see her Majesty abused as any Subject she hath that loveth her most dearly He hath great hope that the matter will take good success for that he seeth the state of both Realms doth necessarily require so strait an amity as marriage bringeth He promiseth to use the more expedition in that which is committed to his charge to the end he may repair to the Court with the more speed Lineroles who by the House of Guise and the rest of the Spanish Faction was made an instrument to disswade his Master was slain the ninth of this Month his death yielded no small furtherâ—nce to the Cause I hope therefore Sir Thomas Smiths first dispatch will bring the Olive Branch And so leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present I most humbly take my leave at Paris Decemb. 8. 1571. Your Honours to command Fr. Walsingham Your Lordships of the 8 by Sir Thomas Smith I have received and according to her Majesties order expressed in the same I have by means of a third person who heretofore hath been imployed betwixt us caused the person you know of to understand the great trust her Majestie reposeth in him as also her desire to have him at the Court during the time of Sir Tho. Smiths being there whereby he may the better have the assistance of his advice Touching the matter it self I know not how to judge of it for that I have been two Months absent from the Court as I have cause to doubt so have I cause more to hope to doubt for that her Majesties long deferring in sending may have bred some doubt here of her cold inclination that way and so cause them to give ear to some other offers having small hope of this To hope first for that there is no other match worthy the seeking elsewhere secondarily for that they begin to fear very much the greatness of Spain and therefore desire to be strengthned by the Arm of England and though that may be done by way of League yet they think the marriage the surest knot of amity After Sir Tho. Smith hath had audience it will then soon appear what is to be looked for in that behalf Lastly for that Lineroles the chief disswader of the Marriage is lately slain Marshal M. who is imploy'd here by the King in punishment of the authors of the late disorder meaneth to make the more haste to the Court to the end to further the matter whereof he hopeth there will grow success Thus leaving further to trouble your honour at this present I most humbly take my leave At Paris the last of December 1571. Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham A minute of my Lord of Burleighs Letter to Sir Thomas Smith of the 28 of December SInce your departure from hence there hath no new thing of vallue happened but the discharging of the late Spanish Ambassador who hath both in Office and out of Office used himself very crookedly perniciously and maliciously against the State and namely and openly against me not forbearing but in open Coâ—cel
misliking that the Duke should die the next day and said she was and should be disquieted and said she would have a new Warrant made that night to the Sheriffs to forbear untill they should hear further and so they did Gods Will be fulfilled and aid her Majestie to doe her self good I have signed your Bill with your special money which though it be great yet being by you expended I would not but allow This matter of Monsieur is here grievously in secret taken and surely as it was not here well used in drawing it out at length which was pollitiquely done so hath it not been there friendly ordered and yet I do not so show mine opinion of her Majesties stomaking of that part which now is to be dissembled where the amity is so needfull I can write no more From Westminster Feb. 11. 1571. Yours assuredly W. Burliegh Barker being arraigned the last week confessed the Treasons and said That the beginning of his offence was in that he regarded more the love and pleasing of the Duke his Master then of the Prince and of his Countrey and so freely confirmed the Dukes guiltiness The next day Higford did also confess his fault terming it a concealment of his Masters Treasons and added that he did oftentimes disswade the Duke from the same These two open acts have fortified the Dukes Condemnation To the Queens Majesty PLeaseth it your Highnesse Yesterday the 21 of this Month Mr. Walsingham Mr. Killigrew and I had Audience first of the Q. Mother in her Chamber being by the young Queen and Madam Margaret to the Q. Mother I declared That I had received a Packet from your Highness to me and another to the King her Son which I sent immediately Yea saith she we have received it The Queen my Soveraign said I taketh in very good part the good inclination of the King and his Deputies towards a more streight amity and liketh well our doing hitherto so that we proceed to the perfecting and concluding and hath sent unto us a Power and Authority under the great Seal of England to conclude as appertaineth and so we are ready whensoever the Kings Deputies will to proceed as we have began To this the Queen answered That she was glad that her good sister took it well and she may see saith the Queen that we mean good saith and would proceed indeed to the streightest amity and love that can be betwixt two Princes and if you will even to morrow it were best to lose no time we quoth I are ready at all times and would be sorry to protract any time for both the Queen my Mistress would gladly have me at home otherwise to imploy me and I my self would gladly be there and therefore I pray your Majestie let no time be spared but from day to day let us be doing untill it be perfected which God willing shall be shortly Ye say well and it is best said she but Madam quoth I there is a matter which I must shew of among other there is one taken prisoner in Ireland named Stakbold who confesseth that the Card. of Lorain set him up to stirr up a Rebellion in Ireland to the maintenance of Iames Fitzmorris a Traitor and Rebel There you say this quoth she and laughed I am sure of the good will you bear to the Cardinal of Lorain It is true quoth I even for the good will I bear him for I can bear him no good will that attempteth any such thing and especially against the Queen my Mistriss but quoth I he indeed did it in the Kings name and yours the which thing although the Queen my Mistriss doth know well enough for the good will that you both do bear her not to be true yeâ— she willed me to shew it unto you and to pray you to call de la Rocha which is Knight of the Order and Gentleman of the Chamber to the King who was the Conductor of it who can tell your Majestie all the proceedings and that order may be taken in it and of this matter Monsieur L. Ambassador Mr. Walsingham can tell you more Then Mr. Walsingham declared the case unto her and that he had moved her in it almost a year since I am remembred said she that there was such a thing about to be done by the stirring of a Bishop that came out of Spain it was the Arch-Bishop of Cassils quoth I in Ireland as he calleth himself You know Monsieur L Ambassador saith she to Mr. Walsingham that the King my Sonne disavowed it and staied de la Roche that he should not go thither and that he should revoke all his Power Yet saith Mr. Walsingham there be twenty Harquebusiers or thereabouts remaining still and have remained there ever sithence in a Castle if it please you to speak with de la Roche he can tell your Majestie how it doth stand He is here in the Court saith she and goeth away shortly he shall be spoken withall and if any men be there the King my Sonne knoweth not of it and they shall be revoked Then Mr. Walsingham said there was two Hostages taken of that Fitzmorris who were at Nantes in the Governours House he prayed that they might also be delivered the Queen said she would send thither Then Mr. Killigrew delivered your Highness Letters unto her which she read very dilligently and for that matter she writeth to her Majestie I am sure will tell your Majesties Highness From thence we came to the Kings Chamber where I said to the King that we received a Packet from your Majestie and another for him which we sent to Monsieur Pinart and that your Highness was well pleased with our doings I have received the Packet said he and I am glad the Queen my Sister doth like of your doings here I would it were done saith he so soon as could be and if it be the longer a doing so it be well done it is well for I would have it substantially and firmly done as might be I desire nothing more I have also said I such Power sent me under the Great Seal of England as is required howbeit without that whatsoever I had agreed unto â— am sure the Queen my Mistriss would not have gon from it but at the Subscription it was then necessary to have had the power the which I have now and for other matters I trust we shall shortly make an end And for the general matters touching the Merchants to bring that Traffique into your Countrey and the benefit which the Low countrey had by it and would not acknowledge it but for the particularities of the Priviledges and such things because it would have some tract of time the Queens Majestie if it did so please you doth wish that you would send some power to your Ambassador Resident to Treat with her Highness Councel thereupon You say well saith he and my Ambassador hath written so to me and I will send to you when you shall
see the power that I will send him that you may judge of it but when meet you next To morrow Sir quoth I if you please and so from day to day untill we make an end Best of all saith he let it be even so Then I told the King that even now at this time by chance in examining of a prisoner in Ireland it falleth out and appeareth plain that the Cardinal of Lorain had not done enough to raise up troubles to your Majestie in your Realm and to trouble England and Scotland but he could not let the poor Realm of Ireland alone to be in quiet but there he would stirr upon Sedition and Rebellion also at the which the King laughed heartily and quoth I in this he abuseth your Majesties name and as of gift he would give the Counties of Ormond and Oosory to one Iames Fitzmorris a Rebel and promises aid of men and munition for them there to rebel against the Q. my Mistress In my name quoth he I never heard of it Jesus quoth he I could never think any trouble or hurt to my good Sister Sir quoth I here is the Article of Confession of one Stackbold who affirmeth this Here is at the Court as I hear say one de la Roche Knight of the Order and Gentleman of your Chamber who was the doer of it he can inform your Majestie at the full of the matter Well let me alone quoth he with it I will see it redressed well enough Then Mr. Walsingham somewhat more declared what had been done in the matter and shewed the King what the Queen Mother had said to us that de la Roche was now in the Court and therefore prayed him that he might be sent for and see order taken in that matter as appertained to the good will which he had to the amity of both the Realms which the King said he would After he said to the King that Mr. Killigrew should now depart home seeing he was come to his old Room but that we desired him to stay a day or two to heare our next meeting and to see how near we should come to agreement and so to bring to the Q. Majestie some good contentment Whereupon the King said that thing should be ordered and with such expedition that he should come home well-pleased and bring the Queens Majestie such word as she should therewith be contented peradventure more then she would think and so departed for that day This day we looked to be sent for but the King went on hunting and pretence was made to us that the Councel hath had the Bill which we delivered to the King in consideration and that they would have his Majesties advice of the day time and place of our meeting after they had consulted upon it to the intent we might after we once began continually travel untill the end were made This is so much as hitherto is done Thus we commit your Majestie to Almighty God From Blois Feb. 22. 1571. Your Majesties most humble Subjects and Servants Tho. Smith Fra. Walsingham To the Queens Majestie PLeaseth it your Majestie to be advertised the last of February when the Treaty of the League was in manner at a point and Master Killegrew was ready to take his leave of the King and Queen Mother we demanded audience and came all three to the Court we were first brought into the Kings Chamber where was also the Duke of Alanson and other Noblemen where I first declared to the King That his Deputies and we were now almost at a point and in all other things we thought we should agree He said he had understood that and was very glad of it hoping that this was but a beginning and that the Amity should increase daily and bring forth more fruit But Sir quoth I there is yet the matter of Religion not fully agreed upon without the which well provided for I know not how the League can go forward or be sure The King said he could not have it put in the League but it should be in such general words made that the matter of Religion should be contained Sir quoth I that cannot be nor no general words can contain it if the party that is bound will say that it is against his Conscience or he meant it not Why saith the King for that I will write to the Queen my sister with mine own hand what I mean even to that and that I will as well defend her in that case as if it were expressed in words Sir quoth I if you will have it in an Article by it self and as concluded betwixt you so as it be put it writing and sealed with the Great Seal of France as the true interpretation of your meaning in the League then we can be content with it although in the Treaty it be not specially put in but in general words for being so made it shall be of as much force by the Interpretation as the League Then Master Walsingham declared That it was more honourable for the King and more assurance that it were put expresly in the Treaty for then not onely the Princes of Germany but also other Kings which be of the Religion would be right glad to enter into it and by that means onely you should saith he be able to countervail the King of Spain yea and all the rest of Europe that should attempt any thing against you whereas if it be done in general words or underhand they will not trust the matter so much nor have so good colour or occasion to desire to enter into this League with you and what or whom need your Majestie fear being so well proped up and fortified with this so strong a League This may be saith the King hereafter my Councel telleth me it should be dangerous for me at this present to have it in express words but what maketh it matter I mean it so and what I once say I will keep it I will rather dye then not keep my promise Here I say it to you and will write it to the Queen my Sister How do you mean Sir quoth I in a writing after the fashion of a Treaty and sealed with your Great Seal of France or but in a Letter close In a Letter close saith he signed with my hand where I will express the same words are meant as you would have put in the League and I will promise that I will be ready to defend in that case as well as in any other and so I will indeed and that I say I will keep to dye for it Sir quoth I for you I do think no less and I am sure that the Queens Majestie our Mistris and we do take your Majestie to be a faithful Prince and constant in your words as any is living but vvhen we speak Treaties they be not made in words nor in such Letters missive but after another authentical sort sworn and sea led without which order I cannot for my
part take that it is substantially and orderly done and besides that this Treaty is not personal but is perpetual and is for you and your Successors Why saith he it is made for our two lives and one year after and then within that year if I should dye such a letter may be gotten And if my Son or whosoever should come after me should not keep his promise which he hath spoken and written I could wish him strangled and not alive Saith Mr. Walsingham though the Queens Majestie should peradventure be content with such assurance yet some of her Councel would not and leagues must be made not onely to satisfie the Prince but also the Subjects especially of such a one as this which is a comfort and assurance of all parties For when upon this hope they shall traffique here abroad in your Countrey and others and see in the Treaty no assurance for general words is holden for no assurance in this case they will be afraid to traffique or travel abroad And Sir ye had need consider well of it for as there be that do favour this league as we do there be other I warrant you which be of the Spanish faction and would be loth it should go forward and if they taking this advantage should perswade the Queen from it and in the mean while bring her some other offer and then this break off it would be hard to get it again Break off saith he I had rather dye I will satisfie the Queen my Sister well enough I do not doubt it though you be never so stiff I understand she will be content with such assurance as I tell you I do assure you Sir quoth I I do not know so much and think verily she will not be content and until know more from her Majestie I must still think so Well saith the King ye have coursed me a vvhile novv must I course you again for the Queen of Scots I must have that my request put into the Treaty for her make vvhat ansvver you vvill she is my Kinsevvoman and my Sister in lavv and she was my Soveraign and you do knovv the league vvhich is betvvixt that Realm and my Realm I can do no less then have the same inserted into the league Sir quoth I as vve have vvritten to your Deputies vve have no Commissions or Authority to treat of any such matter Touching the late Queen of Scots she vvas your Soveraign thanks be to God she is not novv vvith that he laughed and it is thought vvhen she vvas Queen here she deserved not very vvell neither of your Realm nor of your House and she is your Kinsvvoman so is she also to the Queen my Mistris but if she vvere your daughter or your son if he or she vvould procure your death or to have your Crovvn from you vvould you not see justice done on him or her that should attempt it What is that saith he so I repeated it again that if his son should attempt to depose him from his Crovvn or procure his death that he should be content that justice should rather be done then to be still in that danger Why saith he I do not require to have it put in the same league Saith Mr. Killegrew fire and vvater cannot be together the one is contrary to the other the league is made for a perpetual and strait Amity betvvixt you and the Queens Majestie of England and you vvould treat for the Queens most mortal and dangerous enemy this cannot stand together you must take her novv for dead and you cannot tell vvhether she be dead or alive and vvhy should you then require her to be put in the league And if it be so saith the King vvhat remedy then there can be no more suit made for her and so vve took our leave And from thence vve vvere conveyed to the Queen Mothers Chamber vvhere vvas the Lady Margaret and a great number of other Ladies vvhere first I declared to the Q. that vvhere she had promised me that for the Merchants that be in the Staple or Hanse they might have the exercise of their religion after the maner of the English Church now when we come to put it in the Treaty the Kings Deputies will not agree to it They say they heard nothing of it Yes said she I promised that they might have it in their house with the doors shut and in the English tongue Quoth I I pray you let them know so much for I do not think that ye have told them Yes saith she but you must not have this in the Treaty but by another way So quoth I Madam you still cut us off something as we but half agree to every thing but how shall it be that I might once see the manner of it and judge of it But for the greater matter we have with the King as touching the League in the which except these words be expressed we think the league not to bear the meaning which we do take it should and yet to please the King and to go so near as we could we were content if the King will with another Article or Treaty declarative made apart betwixt his Majestie and the Q. my Mistris under the great Seal of England and France declare that in general words he doth mean also in the matter of Religion to demand nothing else but the King now speaketh to us to do it by a Letter close missive the which for my part I do not esteem in such a case as this is and know not what it is and how it can be Why did you think saith she that the King my son would deceive you the Q. your Mistris my good sister would be content with it we know well enough Madam quoth I we know not so much nor I cannot believe it for my part But if she would what is that for us that be her Ministers which must be so much as our poor capacities will extend that we do wisely surely and substantially in such affairs for her Majestie as she doth put in our credit till we understand her mind be otherwise changed if you understand her mind to be otherwise then we yet do know she is our Soveraign and Mistress we must be content to obey Other talk we had about the matter each of us three with her much after that we had with the King but ever when she was brought to a strait that was her shift she knew well enough her Majestie would be content with such a letter and that so she was given to understand Till at the last I said that except there were further assurance for the matter of Religion we could not nor durst not subscribe the Treaty until we were better certified that your Highness would be so content for my conscience was against it to leave so great a point upon so little a hold Then as the King said he would speak with his Councel and we should know more The Queen
the same time were letters intercepted of the Queen of Scots to the Duke of Alva whereby she giveth her self her Realm and her Son to be in the proâ—ection and government of the King of Spain And with that the L. Seton who had been there and sithence with the Duke of Alva driven by a Tempest into a Haven which by the Conspirators was appointed where the Flemings and Spaniards should arrive disguising himself like a Mariner went from thence and came as I told your Majesty into Scotland and into the Castle of Edenborough with some other of the Queens Majesties Rebels his papers and instructions being â—ound declared that in her Majesties name he had assured the Duke of Alva that with a small power they might bring into their hands the yong King of Scots and so carry him into Spain Then giveth comfort to other of the Rebels by other letters that shortly they shal return into Scotland This Madam quoth I is enough to make the Queen our Mistris to awake and to look about her and even at that same time cometh Monsieur de Crocque with the Kings letters and requireth the Scotch Queen to be set at liberty and to be sent into France Madam quoth I I pray your Majestie consider of the case and imagine you were the Q. of England my Mistris and that all these things at one time came to your consideration what would you think Ah Monsieur L'Ambassador quoth she we did know then of no such intent of the Q. of Scots you may be sure we would be as loath that any such thing should be attempted and rather loather Madam quoth I I do not doubt considering this good amity which is so forward betwixt the two Realms Well saith she she is allyed to the King and to me and brought up here and we for our part could do no less then intreat for her what we could obtain at the Queen my sisters hands She seeketh another way to ruinate her self to hurt her friends to deserve no pity nor favor and sorry we must be for her and if she be so dangerous as it appeareth we cannot nor dare not require liberty for her which is so perilous to the Queen my sisters state yet if it shall please her for our sake to give her her life and for the rest provide for her own safety as reason is she shall do a deed of price and in this matter we will trouble the Q. your Mistris no furthâ—â— Then quoth I one other thing there is touching Monsieur de Crocque his power or Commission for so we call it is not large enough for he hath as he saith but Commission to move them to Peace and Agreement To the which now of late they of the Castle do shew themselvs very obstinate perverse and unreasonable by reason of some offers from the Duke of Alva and some hope peradventure received from hence For where before they were content to require the Queens Majesties aid to come to a good agreement with the adverse faction so that the surety of their Persons Lands Goods and Honors might be provided for now they be so puffed up that they will not come to any abstinence of Civil war amongst themselves And surely the Queen my Mistris meant no other then to have brought them into quietness among themselves To the intent that the Realm might after agreement within it self enter into this League with the other two Realms making as it were for defence one whole Realm and so I have always told you Madam It is so saith she and we desire no other Well Madam quoth I if you then will concur with us the matter will be soon at a point Then Monsieur Crocque must have a larger Commission then yet he hath for he saith he hath but as I said before a Commission to make them to accord amongst themselves to choose a number of men to govern the Realm and never make mention of King nor Queen Why saith Master Walsingham that were a headless Government and when will they agree to it he that knoweth that Nation will never think that will come to pass and therefore that should be to make more dissention amongst them not to make a Peace Madam quoth I that Commission hath no Order nor Authority but as is said to continue trouble But Madam as in all matters hitherto we have well agreed betwixt the two Realms of England and France I pray you let us agree in this And if we speak reasonable the King shall concur with us if not let us hear answer to the contrary and we will answer The Queen my Mistris hath propounded this that they shall all agree to acknowledge the young King for King For as the for Queen she hath good cause not to trust her nor you neither Then for compounding how one shall agree with th' other for their Lands Offices and Goods that to be agreed by the mediation of wise and indifferent men whereof your Ambassador be it Monsieur de Croque or any other to be an Umpire and whom the Q. my Mistris shall appoint to be another So that they shall well know that these two Crowns as friends will make them by perswasion to agree to reason if not to joyn together to make them take reason against their wills Ye say well Monsieur Amb. saith she and you speak roundly and plainly as you were wont to do and I will speak with the K. my son and you shall have answer Madam said Mr. Walsingham Monsieur Amb. saieth here plainly unto you Yea saith she so he is wont I know him well enough Yea saith he but while two shall be at strife if ye would set up again the Scotch Queen whom by reason the Queen our Mistres cannot abide if in the mean time a third should come and set foot in Scotland would it not trouble you and us also Yes saith she and we should be as loath to see that as you Well Madam quoth I then take heed of the pick-thank for he is ready I know whom you mean quoth she and he is ready indeed and loves to be medling in every place but I doubt not but the Queen your Mistris and we shall agree it is our desire and that this amity may increase to make us both strong for all that Coast I hope so quoth I and would be loath that all labour for so little a matter should be lost Lost saith she fear you not your Queen can desire no reasonable thing at our hands but we will agree to it you shall judge your self and to morrow you shall have answer God willing but hear you nothing else of the other matter Madam quoth I I know not what you mean but surely notâ—ing is spoken not so much as from Mr Killegrew nor of the league but we look every day that our Currior should be here and then we shall be able to inform your Majesty Ye shall not marvail saith she that I
be so inquisitive for gladly would I learn somewhat of the Queen my sisters minde and make this Amity Si estroictè as may be This is the sum of that which passed at that time viz. the last day of March betwixt the Queen mother and us The next day the first of April Monsieur de Foix came to our lodging at afternoon and shewed that upon our talk with Q. mother of the which she had at large declared unto the King because some things were in doubt the King according to the promise of the Q. mother had sent them to us both to be satisfyed in our doubts and to give us a reasonable answer betwixt them and Mr. Walsingham and me all was repeated again The doubt your Majestie and your Councel found and the insufficiency of his Commission was at all points debated again at full each of us serving others turn to make probable what we said and they what they said And first we beat them with reason from the choosing of indifferent men that should rule neither in the Princes nor the Queens name that we said was rather the Aristocratia as they would have it First the Scots will never choose such they of that Nation were never wont to be governed but under a King yea and hardly would their Kings govern of whom the most part they have slain themselves Then they have elected already and Crowned their King to whom by right it is due For as for their Queen she is by them deposed She is in England and worthily kept so straightly that when it pleased her Majesty she might justly have the reward of her deserts and if they were too earnest to set her up or for her liberty they may peradventure be an occasion to shorten her life It was also brought in that the League that France had was not with the person but with the Realm and seat thereof They said the King could not with his honor so long as she lived consent to the deposing of her being his Allie and confederate nor to the setting up of her son who is not a Kings son but hath all his right from her onely Why quoth we then you do wrong will you interrupt the doings of the Realm whosoever is King there and acknowledged King to him are you allyed They came to this that if the Scots did universally agree to it they must be content And as for the Q. they had heard and known too much by her and although some excuse may be made for her by the grief of her long imprisonment yet she hath gone about too much and against her own friends and her own safety and her sons and the whole Realms But say they Scotland is a free Nation and we do claim no superiority over them and therefore the King cannot command them nor compel them but by perswasion and by intreaty what can be gotten by them to be done that is reasonable and now that the Q. is prisoner with you and not like to come to them why should they not obey the yong Prince whom if his mother were dead they must needs obey and why should not all be done in his name as when we had King Iohn prisoner did not all France obey to Charles the fifth his son To him quoth we as Regent but now if the one shall obey as to the Prince the other as to the King there shall be no rule nor order Upon this was some dispute between us In fine we concluded consulere in Commune that they should send such Instructions to Mr. de Croque for that purpose to make the Realm of Scotland so in accord that they may perfectly agree to â—oyn with the amity betwixt England and France and that the Articles of his Instructions might be such as your Majesty shall think them reasonable for your Majesties surety And those to be shewed to your Majesty to judge upon upon which your Majesty shall also joyn for the same purpose with the same or such Articles as ye shall devise that by common consent of both the Realms such an accord shall be made by the consents of the Scots themselves or by the mediation common of both your Ambassadors That neither your Majesty nor the King shall be accounted to lose any thing of the old Amity of Scotland but joyntly to aid them to be of one accord in subjection to one K. that both your Commissioners or Ambassadors shal declare that as Princes united in most straight Amity that which shal please the one shal please the other and to the contrary who shall displease either shall displease both And if any shall be so obstinate that they will not come to accord by good and reasonable conditions that they shall look for no ayd from hence by any means but rather the contrary 〈◊〉 second of April becâ—use I and Mr. Walsingham both were somewhat sick that night both Mr. de Limoges and de Foix came to us and said that Q. mother having again conferred with the King and they both likeing well our frank and round dealing willed them to shew us what Articles or Instructions their Majesties had devised for the matter of Scotland to be compounded because from henceforth there should be plain dealing and full union betwixt the two Realms and all one desire to quiet all parties that way we seeing the Articles said that for so much as we could understand we liked them well and they had gone as far as yesterday they told us they could go But to give judgment of liking or not liking them we referred to your Majesty And if du Crocque do shew the same to your Majesty we doubted not but whosoever the Q. did send by her commandment also should be shewn to him or to the Ambassador the Instructions and Commission which your Majesty would send by him so that there may appear plain dealing and perfect union and intelligence betwixt these two Princes and that no other subtlety or craft was meant but sincerely to follow the true amity which now was begun That both in heart words and deeds it was meant it should go forward to the benefit of all the three Realms and we trust to the great assurance and contentation of your Majesty And if it shall please your Majesty to hear our poor advice that which is for the assurance of your Person and Crown as ye are a Prince lawful and natural and have a Crown Imperial so to do it by your Laws as Gods Laws and yours will it to be done Foraign Princes that be your friends will and must take it well Such as be not shall rather laugh at you and be glad of it that you do it not and when they shall see time take occasion to indanger your Majesty thereby God long preserve your Majesty to his honor and your Majesties contentation From Blois the third of April 1573. To the Queens Majesty PLease it your Highness to be advertised At the last Mr.
and looking for more Buls from Rome and partly fearing that some change may come and then it may be laid to their charge would needs shift it from them and let the King do it alone And when once they had hope given them by their Ambassador in England that the Queens Majestie would so be content to have it in general words you might be sure we should never get them further but to be delivered as slightly as they could of that matter ye shall receive that fashion that we required in the figure O. delivered to Monsieur de Foix Feb. 28. ye shall receive also that which Monsieur de Foix delivered to us as a copie of a Letter whereby the King doth think wâ— should be satisfied noted and delivered to us the 29 of February and to it we have put what fault we do find with that Letter although the Queens Majestie should be content with that form This is the issue whereupon we do now stand The other great debatement was for the Queen of Scots which held us almost at every meeting to have her mentioned in the Treatie and that earnestly handled of them the 23 and 26 of February that I was fain once again to declare the evil deserts of the late Queen of Scots towards the Queens Majestie with her other behaviour at the whole length because Marshal Montmorency was not at the first Declaration and there Mr. Walsingham and Mr. Killigrew helped me with supply so far that at that present they seemed to give over and we in no wise would have her mentioned in this Treaty yet the 28 of February Mr. de Foix brought to us a writing for her which we send you noted M. to which you sent him the next day a Coppie of the same noted with our answer N. The same day at the afternoon we had audience of the King where he was also earnest with us as you may perceive by our Letters to the Queens Majestie B. the Queen Mother that day as good chance was had forgotten her self but the next day the first of March Mr. de Foix came to us and brought us a draught of the whole League in French because he said he was commanded to translate it into French that the King might understand it and so he gathered it as he thought of that which we were accorded we perused it with our Pamphils as Mr. Hall termeth them schediae or adversaria I mean those which one way or other by yea and nay had gone betwixt us some other tho will have them called pieces as some Frenchmen do name them and we did not much disagree and although he had made a new Preface in such matters we do not stick I am old I love not much talk and I would fain be dispatched honestly homewards so the effect be there indeed and our Queen not deceived I care for no more that done and referred again for again seeing they were offered unto us in Latine he came to us with a new Charge of the late Queen of Scots in the Queen Mothers name saying that by our other talk she had clean forgotten her but to do that thing which should do our friend he meant the King his Master good and us no hurt vve could not say nay he for affinity and consanguinity and that she vvas once his Soveraigne vvas bound in conscience and respect of the vvorld to require so much and to have it testified to the vvorld that he had done those good offices vve may ansvver as vve vvould it should not touch us they vvould take our ansvver vvhatsoever it vvas I told him vve had ansvvered first to the Deputies in vvords and had good causes vvhy vve could not do it of which she was one after that we had given our answer to him in writing Thirdly we had also spoken with the King and made him a direct answer that we could not meddle in any wise with that matter in the League we had no Commission we were precisely forbidden to meddle in that matter And therefore I never spake more of that matter to have that put in the Treaty for that will not be Upon that he began to amplifie in another long Oration for all his Reasons I was fain to say he must pardon me I know he is a good Rhetorician and he had Rhetorical ornaments at will to make and so had I on the contrary side if I would bestow my time on that sort We were the Queens Maâ—esties Servants we have shewed our Reasons so good that no man could deny that we should not agree upto it We have written the sum of our answer also wherewith they ought to be content Oh saith he she hath great kindred and alliance here in the Court and they will say that the King nor we have done our duties Will ye see the ansvver quoth I I thought once to send mary I vvould not have it sent This I send your Lordship to see it N. noted not to be declared quoth I because we would be dispatched of such matters yet as gently as we could and with as little evil speeches especially of such persons This I like well saith he let me have it I pray you belike quoth I you vvould please Mr. d' Aumale and the Cardinal of Lorrain vvith it It is even for that saith he they shall see that the King hath done so much as he can No quoth I it shall not need you have our ansvver already and if you doubt of it you It is no marvel though other would Inire gratiam cum anula hoste ejus quam aliquando regnaturam putant culpa sua and we thought not good to leave in their hands in writing tam acerbum de illa testimonium But surely if her Majestie go no better about to establish her Crown and surety she doth not then follow Solomon in making away Adonias and Ioab for the same purpose And I am afraid quod erit novissimus error pejor priori I thank your Lordship for your Letters of the 16 of February by Edwards and also of the 22 of the same by the Post. Although you write not so many Letters as I yet if you write so much stuff and answer all it is all one to me but in two things I yet find fault the one that in the Letter of the 22. you wrote nothing of the Office and that you make no mention at all of the Duke of Alanson They here look very undoubtedly for some hope The other grieveth me most of all that now the League is full done as I take it and almost as well as we can with yet I must not come home but tarry here still in this Countrie where I have felt since Candlemas the greatest cold that ever I felt and most continual except it were at Tholous where it did almost cost me my life and there had made an end of it if it had not been for the strong matters which I do use
for my stomack morning and evening and yet it is scarce able to resist the extream cold of the weather and now about 30 daies continual frost and snow and here is neither wood plenty nor good chimneys for fire and in my bed-chamber I can make no fire Good my Lord dispatch this Bearer with as much speed again as may be as it is promised in the Instructions This day the Queen of Navarr is looked for in the Court and hoped that the marriage shall go forward The foolish Cardinal went away as wise as he came he neither brake the marriage with Navarr nor got no Dismes of the Church of France nor perswaded the King to enter into the League with the Turk nor to accept the Tridentine or to break off Treaty with us and the foolishest part of all at his going away he refused a Diamond which the King offered him of 600 Crowns yet he was here highly feasted he and his Train cost the King above 300 Crowns a day as they said Thus I bid your Lordship heartily farewell From Blois March 3. by English account Th. Smith To my Lord Burleigh MY very good Lord I received your Letters by Monsieur de Crocques Kinsman after Mid-Lent-Sunday which was dated the sixth of March the King had then entred into a Diet which he keepeth still in his Câ—amber Some said it is because he had some hurt in one of his leggs which I could never perceive but he was one of the activest in all his actions as the Barriers Justs and other such Martial feats which were simulachra belli of all the rest in the Company Other of whose opinion I am think it is the Mothers drift to make him take under pretence of Phisick some rest from his inordinate hunting so early in the morning and so late at night without sparing frost snow or rain and in so desperate doings as makes her and them that love him to be often in great fear And the Queen possibly being now undoubtedly with child to cause her also to rest from that travel that both he may get somewhat more flesh and the Queen to retain more surety of that which is conceived Because of that Mr. Walsingham and I wiâ—t not what to do but Monsieur de Malvosire coming to us as he is appointed to see that we lack nothing and suppeth and dineth commonly with us we told him merrily that his Mistress for so we call the Scotch Queen had played now a wise part for she hath opened her self again and the good favour she beareth to Spain to make a perpetâ—al broil if she could betwixt England Scotland and France for she hath practised by Letters of late and sith the Dukes trouble which Letters are now come to light and known to have practised with the Duke of Alva to convey the young King out of Scotland into Spain the which thing I am sure you would like as ill as wee Yea saith he they may be counterfeit and made to hurt the poor Queen No quoth I the original Letters were shewed to Monsieur de Crocque and de la Mott and yet by the same de Crocque the King wrote to the Queens Majestie for her deliverance and sending of her into France What would she do here at liberty if being streightly kept and the matter so plainly known for the Bishop of Ross wrote sith he was in the Tower to her that all was discovered which he could not denie Well saith he indeed I have heard of such a thing but will you tell the King quoth I that so much I have told you and that the Queens Majestie is not very well pleased that she â—hould write so earnestly for her who will never cease to seek mischief and trouble to her Majestie and her Realm yea and set all the Princes together by the ears if she could he said he would and when we would come home to walk in the Garden at such time as the Queen Mother doth customarily walk there he would find the means we should speak with her when he came again he brought us word that it was true that he said for de la Mott had written the same to the King and the King so told him that it was true and said Ah! the poor fool will never cease while she lose her head In faith they will put her to death I see it is her own fault and follie I see no remedie for it I meant to help but if she will not be helped Ie ne puis mais that is I cannot do withall The 17 of this Month at afternoon Mr. Walsingham and I went with Mr. Malvosire into the Kings Garden at Blois and after a while walking the Queen Mother came to us to whom we declared That of late there was Letters intercepted of the Queen of Scots to the Duke of Alva the effect whereof we were willing to declare to the Kings Majestie or to her which was indeed to make a perpetual pique betwixt England Scotland France and Spain for that it was that he should take and convey away by his practise the young King and convey him into Spain And so quoth I where now by Gods grace we go about to make a perpetual amity betwixt England and France and by that joyntly to make a good union and peace in Scotland that the civil Wars might be compounded and cease and so these 3 Realms to be as it were all one for mutual defence this is a devise to make a perpetual pique broil and jealousie amongst us all and Spain Saitâ— Mr. Walsingham betwixt England and France thanks be to God no quarrels be pretended We demand nothing of you at this time nor you of us The occasion vvhy your League vvas so sure vvith Scotland to annoy us novv there is no such cause standing so sure on amity and therefore belike Spain vvould make that a pique to trouble us vvithall both and make us Warr and trouble that vvaies Saith the Queen There is no doubt but they vvill do vvhat they can for the King my Son is advertised that there is nothing that grieveth him more then to understand of this good League and perfect Amity vvhich is begun and I trust novv at an end betvvixt us they vvote not vvhich vvaies to turn them to break it But Madam quoth I these tvvo things coming together she to go about that disturbing of Scotland and England and that thing which should be as much displeasant to you as to us if your Majestie do well mark it and at the same time the King here to write for her delivery and to come into France and that when the chief treating of amity is in hand you shall not marvel though her Majestie do take it ill and I assure you that it is written to us that but that her Majestie hath known of long time the good affection that you Madam and the King your Son did bear to her and that we that are
here now Ambassadors and Mr. Killegrew all with one tenor have written so much of the sincerity and sound dealing of the King and you and bound our credit therein that good faith was meant in all points her Majestie would have doubted and so we are willed to tell you The King my Son saith she meant no evil in it she is allied to him she hath many friends here and I tell you she hath one of the fairest Roses or Diamonds in France she meant her Dowry which is as is reported 120000 Franks by the year and therefore my son could no less doe then write earnestly for her mary not to offend my good sister the Queen We think surely that the Queen your Mistress will shew mercy unto her she is of so good nature and then if she were here she should be the less able to trouble you Yes Madam quoth I and you to she is now kept streighter then ever she was and hath not past ten as I hear say allowed about her of her own and yet she can do this and still practice the disturbing of the Queens Majestie and her Realm what would she doe being here at libertie it would not be long before she convey her self into Spain and then I doubt whether you or we should be long without Warr. Because you say so saith she he that is the King my sons Ambassador in Spain now wrote of late that the Duke de Medina Celi is yet in coming and taketh in men daily but he doth it with more leasure because he doth attend to hear word of some attempt to be done in England and then he cometh away strait This they look for still there whatsoever it be and so you may write to the Q. your Mistress Then she asked whether the Duke were executed we said no that we could learn No saith she belike the Queen will pardon him We answered we could not tell I would saith she she were in quiet from all these broils doe you know nothing how she can fancie the marriage with my Son the Duke of Alanson Madam you know me of old except I have a sure ground I dare affirm nothing to your Majestie Why saith she if she be disposed to marrie I do not see where she shall marrie so well and yet saith she I may as a Mother justly be accounted partial but as for those which I have heard named as the Emperors Son or Don Iohn d' Austria they be both lesser then my Son is and of less stature by a good deal and if she should marrie it were pitty any more time were lost Madam quoth I If it pleased God that she were married and had a child all these braggs and all these Treasons would soon be appaled and on condition she had a child by Mr. d' Alanson for my part I cared not if ye had the Q. of Scots here for ye then would be as carefull and jealous over her for the Q. my Mistresses suretie as we or as her self is That is true saith she and without this marriage saith she if she should marrie in another place I cannot see how this League and Amity would be so strong as it is True Madam quoth I the knot of bloud and marriage is a stronger Seal then that which is printed in wax and lasteth longer if God give good successe but yet all Leagues have not Marriage joyned with them as this may if it please God I would it had saith she then surely would I make a start over and see her my self the which I do most desire of all things Madam quoth I if I had now as ample a Commission for Mr. de Alanson as I had at the first for Monsieur the matter should soon by Gods grace be at an end Would you had saith she and if you had such a one when you are in England would you not come over again to execute it Yes Madam quoth I most gladly to so good an intent I would pass again the Sea if I were never so sick for it Then saith Mr. Walsingham And surely it was no Religion that made that stop in the marriage of Monsieur but some other thing No surely saith she he never shewed to me any other cause I assure you Madam saith Mr. Walsingham I can marvelous hardly believe it for at Gallion he was so willing and so well affected that me thought it did me much good when he spake of the Queen my Mistress or with any of her Ministers I perceived it in his words in his countenance in his gesture and all things but again when he came to Paris all was clean changed It is true Monsieur L. Ambassadeur saith she and it made me much to marvel at it but even at Gallion all other things liked him well but at the Religion he made a little stop but nothing so as he did after Upon this I bare him in hand for it grieved me not a little and the King my Son also as you know that of all evil rumors and tales of naughty persons such as would break the matter and were spread abroad of the Queen that those he did believe and that made him so backward And I told him it is all the hurt that evil men can do to Noble women and Princes to spread abroad lies and dishonourable tales of them and that we of all Princes that be women are subject to be slandered wrongfully of them that be our adversaries other hurt they cannot do us he said and swore to me he gave no credit to them he knew she had so vertuously Governed her Realm this long time that she must needs be a good and vertuous Princesse and full of honour and other opinion of her he could not have but that his conscience and his Religion did trouble him that he could not be in quiet and nothing else Other communication there was as is commonly wont to be in such meetings but this is the sum of that which is worth the writing that passed betvvixt us The 21 of this Month I received your Lordships Letters dated the 10. of the same The next day I spake again with the Queen Mother in the Garden and shewed her that the Queens Majestie did perceive that the King and she were carefull to advertise any such occurrents as might trouble her Highness and estate the which as she must needs take in most thankfull part so she had a desire to acquite the same with as much carefulness as may be and therefore willed me to signifie unto their Maj. such things as now of late be come to her knowledge And say that at Harvvich vvhich vvas the Port that Rodolph and other of that conspiracy appointed that the Spaniards and Flemings should arrive at from the Duke of Alva if the Treason had gon forvvard At that Port arrived the Lord Seaton whom she knevv vvell enough and from thence vvith tvvo other of the Earl of Northumberlands men disguised vvent into Scotland
and novv be in the Castle of Edenburgh and this being understood the Ship vvas stayed and searched and amongst other the confirmation of that vvhich I told you before vvas in the Scotch Queens Letters that she gave her self and her son novv the young King of Scotland vvholly into the hands of the King of Spain to be governed and ruled only by him and assure him that if he vvould send any povver the young King should be delivered into his hands For in the Ship it doth appear that the Lord Seton by his instructions is named the Scotch Queens Ambassador tovvards the Duke of Alva A goodly Ambassador saith the Queen And there in his Ambass he offereth the young King to be delivered into his hands to be conveyed into Spain And to animate him more to set up again the Scotch Queen and take the protection of her that she hath right both by Gods Law and mans Law to be Queen of England and also of Scotland and that she hath not only all those that be in trouble now but a great sort more in England on her part so that the King by setting her up should not only govern both these Realms but shall also set up in both again the Catholique Religion Alas saith the Queen that head of hers shall be never in quiet This quoth I toucheth us most the next toucheth the King your son I will shew unto you as I have it my Lord Burleigh writeth it unto me In the same ship amongst other was found a Letter of the Countess of Northumberland who was one of the chief stirrers in the last Rebellion Her husband the Earl is now prisoner in Scotland for the same purpose The Countess in her Letter writeth to her husband that the Duke of Guise hath of late been with the D. of Alva disguised and she affirmeth to her husband for certainty all the house of Guise and that faction will follow in all points the direction of the King of Spain Saith the Queen he was not for by reason of his Treaty of accord she meant between the Admiral and him which hath been long time in doing and yet taketh that small success every four daies we either hear from him or send to him so that we know certainly where he is and that he hath not been there he might well enough send some other person but somewhat there is we know well enough saith she that they incline somewhat that way of Spain and it may be nothing for it is the Spanish practice to aid themselves with lies and spread abroad that those and those be of the Faction to bring other in when indeed it is nothing so that used the Emperor Charls and so brought some by this means unto his lure before they were aware and that is a shrewd art quoth I to abuse rash fools Yes saith she but when at the last it is espied it makes them the more to be hated and other the harder to be abused by them Then she left that matter Jesu saith she and doth not your Mistress see that she shall be alwaies in danger untill she marry That once done and in some good House who dare attempt any thing against her Madam quoth I I think if she were once married all in England that had any traiterous hearts would be discouraged for one Tree alone may soon be cut down but when there be two or three together it is longer a doing and one shall watch for the other but if she had a child then all these bold and troublesome Titles of the Scotch Queen or other that make such gapings for her death will be clean choaked up I see she may have five or six saith she very well I would to God we had one No saith she two boys leâ—t the one should die and three or four daughters to make alliance with us again and other Princes to strengthen the Realm Why then quoth I you think that Monsieur le Duc shall speed With that she laughed and said Ie le desire infinitement and I would trust then to see three or four my self at the least of her race which would make me indeed not to spare Sea nor Land to see her and them And if she could have fancied my son d'Anjou saith she as you told me why not this of the same house Father and Mother and as vigorous and lusty as he and rather more and now he beginneth to have a beard come forth so that I told him the last day that I was angry with it for now I was afraid he would not be so high as his brethren Yea Madam quoth I a man doth commonly grow in height to his years the beard maketh nothing Nay saith she he is not so little he is so high as you or very near For that matter Madam quoth I I for my part make small account if the Queens Majestie can fancie him For Pipinus Brevis who married Bertha the King of Almains Daughter was so little to her that he is standing in Aquisgrave or Moguerre a Church in Almani she taking him by the hand and his head not reaching to her girdle and yet he had by her Charlemain the great Emperor and King of France which is reported to be almost a Giants stature And your Oliver Glesquim the Briton Constable that you make so much of and lieth buried amongst the Kings at St. Dennis if he were no bigger then is there pourtrayed upon his Tomb was very short scarcely four foot long but yet he was valiant hardly and couragious above all in his time and did us English men most hurt It is true saith she it is the heart courage and activity that is to be looked for in a man but hear you word of the Queens affection that way can you give me no comfort No I assure your Majestie quoth I for the Letters were written the 11 of this Month the same day or the next that our Currier went with the dispatch from hence Thus with much other talk in such sort the time was passed that day betwixt her Majestie and me All the world doth see that we doe wish her Majestie surety and long continuance that her marriage and issue of her Highness body should be the most assurance of her Highness and of the Wealth of the Realm The place where and the person whom I for my part remit to her Majestie but what doth her Majestie mean to maintain still her danger and not provide for her surety I assure your Lordship I can see no reason God preserve her Majestie long to Reigne over us by some unlooked for miracle for I cannot see by natural reason that her Highness goeth about to provide for it Thus I commit your Lordship to Almighty God From Blois March 22. 1571. by English account Th. Smith To my Lord of Burleigh MY Lord You must excuse us if the Queens Majestie or any other body do find fault that we send this man away
potentissimum principem fratrem nostrum charissimum Gallorum regem residenti salutem Cum in tractatu qui inter Legatos nostros ad praedictam Principem missos ejusque serenissimi Regis Deputatos intercedit de amicitia pace renovanda augenda quae inter praedictum regem nos nostraque regna dominia subditos existit certi articuli de mercatorum nostrorum hinc inde comerciis negotiatione propositi fuerint de quibus propemodum quidem inter utrumque convenit nisi quod ante praefatam rei consummationem necessarium sit quosdam tà m à nostro quà m à praedicti regis parte constitui qui cum mercatorum prudentium consilio deliberent sintne illi articuli satìs ad rem aptè amplè compositi an vero alios quosdam immitores adjici expediat quibus commercii negotiorum ratio commodius regi exerceri possit Nos igitur de homine ad hanc rem idoneo cogitantes deque tua prudentia virtute industria in res nostras fide confidentes mandatorum procuratorum seu deputatum nostruÌ„ creamus constituimus per praesentes ut cum consilio principalium nostrorum si qui in illis partibus fuerit cum Regis praedict deputatis agas tractes unaque cum illis ea consideres statuas quae ad coâ—tinuendam augendam commercii intercessus necessitudinium necessaria vidâ—buntur Itemque de mertium vectigalibus tributis porteriis impositionibus iisque conditionibus quae ad mercatorum comertii libertatem securitatem pertinebunt rationes ineas Deque iis omnibus nos certiores facias ut re prope inspecta considerata quod é re fuerit decernamus concludamus quod ipsum simile à dict ' regis Legato hic fiet qui simile vicissim ab ipso rege mandatum habiturus est Et generaliter ut ea omnia tractes facias quae ad hanc rem necessaria erunt in tam amplis modo forma ac si in singulis magis speciale Mandatum haberes In cujus rei testimonium has litteras patentes â—ieri sigilli nostri impressione communi missimus Dat. in Regia nostra sancti Jacobi die mensis Maii Anno Dom. 1572. Regni vero nostri 14. Instructions given to the Earl of Lincoln Lord Admiral of England and one of the Lords of her Majesties privy Councel appointed by her Majestie to repair to the French King in Ambassage and at his arrival at Paris or elsewhere to be assisted for the execution of the matter underwritten with Sir Th Smith Chancellor of the Order and Fr. Walsingham Ambassador resident for her Majesty with the French King at St. Iames May 25. 1572. THe said L. Admiral shal have with him both Commission under the great Seal of England authorizing him and S. Th. Smith and Fr. Walsingham and Letters also to require the French K. to confirm the last treaty concluded at Blois by his oath whereupon he shall proceed first after his access to the K. obtaining by the Ambass resident for the demand of the said oath as is meet for the honor of the League of amity now concluded between their Maj. using therein all good speeches to assure him that according to such express words as are contained in the same Treaty for a mutual love and amity to be hereafter used and maintained between them her Maj. is fully bent in her heart to maintain the same on her part the rather because she doth assuredly hope that the K. wil do the like whereof his Maj. by his Ambass that he hath sent in the time of the late Treaty and negotiation of the same shewed many manifest arguments of his own special favourable directions of matters at sundry times resting in doubt between her Commissioners and his Maj. to more reasonable ends as appeared then otherwise would have 〈◊〉 ordered by his Ministers And so the L. Admiral having in this manner assured the K. of her Maj. ful and resolute determination to imbrace and hold fast this mutual amity he shal say that his coming thither is to visit the K. on her Maj. behalf and to attend upon his leasure and best oportunity to be present and to receive the K. oath to be made for ratifying of the said Treaty according to a clause in the said Treaty for that purpose And when the K. shal have accorded thereunto the said L. Admiral shal before hand percase by som privat conference had with some of the Secretaries of the State how and in what sort the ceremonies therof shall be observed so as the proceeding may be at the time at the solemnity thereof without any alteration And for the better proceeding herein the Lord Admiral shall have with him both Articles of the Treaties requiring the said oath and the manner form of like oath given by the said K. heretofore in like cases And the instrument also to be demanded in writing for testimony of the said oath with such other things as are thereto requisite so as the like manner may be used as near as may be agreeable to former usages and that there be with him present to assist him S. Th. Smith and the Ambass resident if they may be there to help And as for the place where the said oath should be given the said L. Admiral shal not refuse any that the K. shal appoint foreseeing only that he be not by reason thereof compelled to be present at any Mass to be said for the purpose but if it be in Church or Chappel he shal not refuse to require to take it in the same Furthermore although there is no other cause special of the sending of the L. Admiral at this time to the said K but to require his oath yet for that there may be many occasions offered of speeches in the matters where it shal be looked for that the said L. Admiral should answer the said K. to his satisfaction Therfore he wil in these things following accommodate himself as hereafter is mentioned wherein the said L. Admiral shal as occasion shall serve take the help of Sir Th. Smith who is also herein well acquainted In the matter of Scotland although the said L. Admiral be privy in what sort her Maj. hath hitherto proceeded so as he may by consideration thereof conjecture what is likely further to be her Maj. meaning yet to make her case the more plain he may wel hold opinion tht her Maj. meaneth not any thing more then that the Realm of Scotland may be brought to quietness and remain free from any invasion of any stranger wherby the liberty of that Crown and Nation should be impaired And he may wel remember of his own knowledge how often times since the Scotch Q. coming into our Realm we have bin wel disposed to have obtained an accord betwixt her and her Subjects but always when we were most earnest to have done her pleasure therein she
the French shewed themselves ready to assent to assent to all reasonable requests and for that purpose they produced and delivered a Commission under the Great Seal of France Answers to these Points This case was not pursuant upon the Treaty The Scotish Queen had more favour then she deserved or then did well stand with the surety of the Queens Majestie Her evil parts against the Queens Majestie had been amply declared to the French and to the D. Montmorency and de Foix in France by our Ambassador The Nobility also and People now assembled in this Parliament had considered that the Queens Majesties surety could not be preserved without some severe proceeding against the Queen of Scots whereunto her Majestie had not yielded in such extremity And so the Scotish Queen had more favour indeed then either she deserved or then was thought meet by the whole Realm The second for surcease of Arms her Majestie had done therein as much as possibly she could by her Minister Sir Will Drury which she hath sent with le Crocque whereunto the Ambassador did assent with very good words of Sir Will Drury To the third it was thought that no Parliament should be holden whilest they were on both sides in arms and therefore the procuring of persons to come was not misliked To the fourth the Merchants should be spoken withal who had but small liking to any trade of Merchandize with France by reason they had by experience some evil usage of them in France specially at Roaâ— Replies of the French with some new matters As to the Scotish Queen de Foix confessed that he had no warrant to speak for her by force of the Treaty but by a special commandment apart And as to specifie the requests that be made for favour to her they said they meant no favour to be shewed to her against the Queens Majesties surety and therefore they desired only these things following That she might have brought to her all things necessary for her apparel and money also for the purpose That she might have a convenient number of Servants about her That her state might not be impaired That the Duke and the rest might be licensed to send to her certain letters from the French King and Queen Mother so as the same might be done with the privity of the Earl of Sâ—rewsbâ—ry As to the Commerce they agreed that it might be treated upon by the Ambassador Resident New Additions That according to the second article in the Treaty they might have the Queens Majesties Letter answerable to the Kings Letters That the third Article concerning the manner of redress of wrongs done by Scots men upon England that the same might be altered according to a writing which was devised by them to insert in the place of the said Article Answers to the new Requests They should have the Queens Majesties Letters The Article as it is ought to continue and is reasonable having respect to Scotland when private men do great injuries and spoils which if the King of that Realm cannot or will not amend of necessity the Kings of England must revenge upon the offenders To the Right Hononrable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh YOur Lordships of the twentieth of Iune sent by my servant Williams I have received touching her Majesties protestation before the giving of her oath For the not delivery of Hume and Fast Castle in Scotland according to the Treaty I will not fail to inform their Majesties when fit occasion shall be offered of the cause thereof The Ambassador of Scotland with the Lord Graunges brother since the Earl of Lincolns departure hath been often at the Court and are very importunate to have somewhat done for their Mistris As also in perswading their Majesties here to consent to the establishment of their Government of their said Mistris what their importunacy hath won I know not as yet but surely I fear as long as the woman liveth there will never grow good accord in Scotland nor continuance of repose in England nor perfect and sound amity between her Majestie and this Crown What is resolved here touching the enterprise of Flanders this bearer is throughly instructed who is to impart the same unto your Lordship And so leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present I most humbly take my leave From Paris the eight and twentieth of Iune 1572. Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Earl of Leicester THis bearer cometh so throughly instructed touching the state of the Countrey and the Flanders proceedings as I forbear to trouble your Lordship to make recital of that by writing which he shall tell you by mouth After your Lordship hath throughly debated with him I hope it shall manifestly appear unto you that upon the good success or evil success of this common cause of Religion And besides the same not well proceeding her Majestie cannot promise to her self any great safety having so dangerous a neighbour whose greatness shall receive no small increase if he overcome this brunt I pray God therefore that her Majestie may incline to do that which may be for her safety And so leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present referring you wholly to this bearer I most humbly take my leave From Paris the eight and twentieth of May 1572. Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable and his very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh MAy it please your Lordship to understand that upon advertisement come hither from Flushing of the discords there for want of good Governor they have made choice of Monsieur Iunius to go thither out of hand with Commission to establish some policy there until the arrival of the Prince of Orange his brother He shall also have Commission for the sale of such goods as were lately taken For his better assistance in this behalf desireth your Lordships letter unto Captain Morgan there to assist him what lieth in him in the execution of the said Commission and that further it would please your Lordship to admonish him to retain his Souldiers in such order as may answer to the defence of a good cause For that he desireth very much to confer with Mr. Killegrew to make him fully acquainted with the state of their cause he meaneth to repair to Dover and there to imbarque where he hopeth to meet with him I perceive by him that if there be no assistance given underhand by her Majestie they shall be driven to yield to such inconveniences as shall be laid upon them by this Nation And further that they shall be forced to consent to have Strozi in Zealand unless they may have some supplies elsewhere For this cause chiefly the Gentleman who wisely respecteth the liberty of his Countrey and foreseeth the mischief that may follow if the necessity be not relieved disereth much to confer with Mr. Killegrew a thing most necessary and would himself
Alva It is thought for the help of this matter that his Majestie can be content to lend asmuch to the contrary party And so for forreign news referring your Honour to the Italian Occurrents I most humbly take my leave At Paris the eighteenth of Iuly 1572. Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh IT may please your Lordship to understand that the King dispatched one Monsieur de la Mole servant to Monsieur le Duc d' Alanson with Letters from their Majesties here unto the Q. Majestie to render unto her thanks for the rare entertainment and great honour done unto the Marshal as also to give her notice of the marriage to be solemnized between the King of Navarre and the Lady Margaret I think also he hath Letters from his Master to her Majestie as also some charge to say somewhat to her on his behalf He gave me but Scarborough warning and therefore your Lordship must bear with these scribled lines The Gentleman is a Provintial and so of a very good House and a very well qualified Courtier as I hear Yesterday I wrote at large unto your Lordship by Hollingshead who is returned by way of Diepe And therefore I defer to trouble you with many lines at this present I most humbly take my leave At Paris the one and twentieth of Iuly Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Earl of Leceister BY a Gentleman called Monsieur de la Mole servant unto Monsieur le Duc D' Alanson sent by the King to her Majestie with Letters I had very short warning given me and therefore am driven to afford your Lordship the fewer lines The pretence of his coming is with letters of thanks for the honour done unto the Marshal as also to make her Majestie acquainted with the appointed time for the solemnization of the King of Navarres marriage But I take it the chief end of his coming is to present his Masters letters unto her Majestie as also to say somewhat unto her on his behalf The Gentleman is a Provintial and of a good house and one as I learn very well qualified Touching Flanders matters I wrote unto your Lordship at large by Holling-shead who departed yesterday homewards by way of Diepe And so leaving to impart unto your Honour at this present I most humbly take my leave At Paris the one and twentieth of Iuly Yours Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honourable and his very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh IT may please your Lordship to understand that a certain Scottishman called George Torris who appertaineth as he saith to the Q. of Scots hath of late robbed here in Paris one Emanuel d' Ambugo a Portugal who heretofore about ten years past hath been imployed in message between the King of Portugal and her Majestie as by his passport may appear Now for that he is given to understand that he is retired into England he hath desired divers Gentlemen of this Court to request me to write unto your Lordship that by your good means such as he shall appoint to pursue the party may have authority so far forth as may stand with the Laws of the Realm to arrest him and such goods and Jewels as shall be found to appertain to the said Portugal To this effect and purpose he hath likewise procured the Kings Letters here And so leaving further to trouble your Honour in this behalf I most humbly take my leave From Paris the 22 of Iuly 1572. Yours Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honourable his very good Lord the Lord Treasurer TOuching the particulars of Ianlys overthrow I refer your Lordship to such incertainties as I have set down in the inclosed occurents Such of the Religion as before slept in security begin now to awake and to see their danger and do therefore conclude that unless this enterprise in the Low Countries have good success their cause groweth desperate They have therefore of late sent to the King who is absent from home to shew him than if the Prince of Orange quail it shal not lie in him to maintain him in his protection by vertue of his Edict they desire him therefore out of hand to resolve upon something that may be of his assistance offering themselves to imploy therein their lives lands and goods They see by the assistance given on the other side as by the Pope Florence Triers Baviers and Câ—lleyn who are not otherwise interessed in the Low Countrey or in this Cause but in respect of Religion who proceed roundly and resolutely in the matter that unlesse her Majesty and the Princes of Germany in like sort joyn with this Crown there is great doubt what shall be the even of this enterprise They have therefore requested me to desire your Lordship as you tender Gods glory and her Majesties safety to see if you can induce her upon overture first to be made by the King in this behalf to joyn with him in yeilding assistance They think to make the so that they might be in some assurance that her Majesty would give ear thereto They have also dispatched one of late to such Princes of Germany as favour the Cause to provoke them to proceed more resolutely and roundly in this matter laying before them the evident dangers that otherwise will ensue By one lately come from thence they understand that the said Princes begin to see the danger and are well bent to do any thing that may tend to remedy The parties above written desire to know with some speed how her Majesty will incline to the said overture for that thereafter they are to direct their affairs As I was writing I received the copie of a letter sent from Mounts which I send to your Lordship here inclosed by the which you may both perceive the state of the Countrey as also how many are retired thither of Ianlys company And so leaving further to trouble your Honor at this present beseeching God to bless you in your late honorable Calling with as good success as ever any that occupied that place I most humbly take my leave From Paris the 26 of July 1572. Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable his very good Lord the Earl of Leicester YOur Lordship by these inclosed occurrents may perceive that Ianlys is overthrown whose it never could but breed danger to the cause so could it never breed more danger then presently upon the presently upon the Prince of Orangâ—s first entry into the Country a mean to discourage him and to encourage the enemy How much his well doing or evill doing importeth us I need not say any thing to your Lordship the thing being so apparant how dangerous it were to suffer him to quail it is no less evident how little hope there is he shall receive relief from us especially from the news of
heart that may be for her Majesties safety And so leaving to trouble your Honor any further at this present I most humbly take my leave At Paris the tenth of August 1572. Your Honours to command Fr. Walsingham Sir I beseech you to signifie unto her Majesty that the Count Montgomery doth shew himself by sundry demonstrations worthy of the favour and honor he hath received at her Majesties hands I beseech your Honor therefore to put her Majesty in mind to use some such speeches towards his daughter at the Court as he may perceive that I do not forget to advertise her Majesty of the good will he beareth towards her To the right honorable Sir Thomas Smith her Majesties principall Secretary SIR in this my private Letter I thought good to tell you that how coldly soever you are affected towards marriage we mean not here to give you over but do think that time may work somewhat to the satisfying of our desire They think in the end necessity must make you yield thereto in respect of your safety which is the best ground of the hope they have they know well enough the coldness of your affection and therefore they hope that force will bring that to pass which love cannot This Sir for marriage matter I have earnestly written both to the Lord Treasurer and the Earl of Leicester to procure a stay of the revocation of those that are imployed in Flanders without the which the whole enterprise is in hazard in respect of the discouragement that will grow thereby And surely if the same take not good success it is evident what will be our danger to as many as will list to see I need not use towards you any perswasions to put to your helping hand which is forward enough in this case as one that foreseeth the mischief that otherwise will follow Whereas you write now that the Scots began somwhat to incline to an abstinence it seemeth very strange considering the issue of our Parliament and the late inlargement of the Queen of Scots liberty unless the Scots mean thereupon to establish the Government in their Queen if her Majesty had accepted the provision of her safety by her subjects in Parliament and not so soon have yielded to any enlargement those Scotch matters had been ere this accorded but we use to build with one hand and overthrow with another I can rather lament it then hope after any remedy And therefore to God I commit it And so leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present I most humbly take my leave At Paris the 10. of August 1572. Your Honours to command Fr. Walsingham To the right Honourable his very good Lord the Lord Treasurer I Refer your Honour to Sir Th. Smiths Letters touching that which hath past concerning the delivery of her Majesties resolution unto their Majesties thereof the offer propounded by the M. Montmorency and M. de Foix. They easily could be induced to hazard an enterview if they thought there were any earnest intention in her Majesty to marry but the doubt thereof maketh them stay to condiscend in that behalf notwithstanding they mean not to give over the matter utterly but do hope that necessity in time may induce her Majesty in respect of her safety and the gratifying of her subjects to yield her consent seeing that the difficulty consisteth in opinion chiefly I do what I can to nourish this opinion in them considering the broken state of Europe and how tickle her Majesty standeth if by an enterview there might grow any good I think I could easily bring it to pass but the experience I have had how this case of marriage is subject to many things maketh me to proceed warily according as I shall receive direction at your Lordships hands who shall guide my doings in this behalf Touching Flanders matters the King had proceeded to an open dealing had he not received advertisement out of England that her Majestie meant to revoke such of her subjects as are presently in Flanders whereupon such of his Councel here as incline to Spain have put the Queen Mother in such a fear that the enterprise cannot but miscarry without the assistance of England as she with tears had disswaded the King for the time who otherwise was very resolute Thus your Lordship seeth how the bruit of your fear there hath bred fear here whereof I fear there will follow fearfull effects unless God put to his helping hand The Admiral in this brunt whose mind is invincible and foreseeth what is like to insue doth not now give over but layeth before the King his peril if the Prince of Orange quail or at the least if the matter by composition may not be induced to that good pass as the Spaniards may be removed further off and the Country restored to its liberty and yet remain under the Government of Spain And though he cannot obtain what were requisite and necessary for the advancement of the Cause yet doth he obtain somewhat in conference with him He desired me to tell your Lordship that there is nothing in respect of himself that he desireth more after long troubles unless he saw the danger great and evident to as many as profess the Gospel as also particularly to the King his Master and to the Q. Majestie my Mistress whom he is bound to honour and serve during his life and if these Low-Country matters be not reduced to some good issue he would not now expose himself to new perils But the case now standing as it doth and foreseeing the mischief that will follow he saith he should be a Traitor to God and to his Country and unthankful to her Maj. if he should forbear to do what lieth in him to prevent the same and for that he knoweth your Lordship doth concur with him in the like desire he doth most earnestly desire you to be a mean to stay her Maj. revocation of those that be in Flanders which thing will breed no less incouragement to the enemies then discouragement to those that seek to further this cause the welldoing whereof saith he if I do not mistake doth as much import her Maj. as any one thing that hapned unto her since her coming to the Crown and therefore requireth rather assistance then hinderance Other particularities he willed me to impart unto your Lordship which for that I would be loath to trouble your Lordship with Cypher I have desired Mr. Killegrew to make you understand the same And so leaving to impart to your Honour any thing further at this time I most humbly take my leave At Paris August 10. 1572. Your Honours to command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable his very good Lord the Earl of Leicester IT may please your Lordship to understand that upon advertisement com from the parties that her Maj. meant to revoke such as are imployed in the Low-Countries of her subjects the King here through the perswasions of such as are inclined to Spain
strange being we had heard before of the daily murdering of those of the Religion there in France not only at Paris and Orleans but also at Lyons and Roan and divers other places and Cities of that Realm all the which was done by the Kings appointment and commandment whereupon when we had heard what he could say unto us he heard us so reply at that time as we do think he found himself unable to satisfie us And nevertheless we told him that we would be further advised for our answer which he should have within three or four daies whereupon communicating his Negotiation with our Councel upon their French tongue An answer was made as appeareth by this here inclosed which is the copy of that we delivered to Nicasius to interpret in French to the said de la Mott as our ful answer resolution at that time with the which as Nicasius reporteth de la Mott seemed very well content and satisfied In the which yet you may perceive that divers things are left to be ascertained to us by you wherefore you shall do well with convenient speed to demand audience of the King and there to declare both to him and to the Queen mother what hath passed betwixt his Ambassador and us and upon the points we did at that time stand and you may say as touching any worthy punishment executed upon his own Subjects we have not to deal therein but if they have worthily suffered we are sorry for their evil doings But yet the King to destroy and utterly root out of his Realm all those of that Religion that we profess and to desire us in marriage for his brother must needs seem unto us at the first a thing very repugnant in it self especially having before confirmed that liberty to them of the Religion by an Edict of his perpetual and irrevocable Of the which to whom that liberty was granted if any were partakers of any evil conspiracies against him specially women and children who we do understand are not yet spared And therefore if that Religion of it self be so odious unto him that he thinks he must root out all the professers of it how should we think his brother a fit husband for us or how should we think that the love may grow continue and increase betwixt his brother and us which ought to be betwixt the husband and the wife You had in our former Letters unto you things that we required you to decypher by all means that you could especially whether the King himself be inclined and bent to all these cruelties and the rooting out of true Religion or whether he be but overruled to the which Article hitherto you have not answered and yet these things might give great light unto us how to direct our actions in the conferences and talks with his Ambassador and we would have you to be earnest with him in that matter of Strozzi praying him frankly and roundly what he meaneth with that great Army of Ships and men of War which hath been kept a long time close and undiscovered to what intent or to what place it should be bent You may say we have the more desire to know his meaning and dealing herein because that of latâ— they of Strozzies Company there have spoiled divers of our Merchants some of their Artillery and Victuals other of their goods and Merchandizes as was accustomed betwixt the two Realms in times past the which kind of dealing is very much contrary to the amity and to such things as by his Ambassador is propounded unto us wherefore as we do go roundly and plainly to work with him to shew flatly that which we do think or doubt hereupon so we pray him with the same flatness and roundness to deal with us for that is the way to make continuance of amity and also increase and may induce us the sooner to come to a further resolution of such things as be required of us The Vidam of Chartres of whom we have great compassion is come into this Realm at whose humble and lamentable suit we have been content to write this Letter to my brother the French King in his favour which you shall deliver with as good words as you may to the French King and require his answer If this our Letter do chance to come to you in Paris or in the way coming from Paris towards England after you have obtained licence of the King to come away by favour of our Letters which we wrote unto him yet if you be not too far on the way or very near the sea-coast we would you should return in Poste or otherwise to the Court to have a direct answer of these Letters except that great and unfeigned danger of your self do move you to keep on your journey In which case you shall commit the doing of this message and receiving of answer to your Secretary whom you shall leave behind so that he be a man able to do this charge Given at Reading the 28 of September 1572. in the fourteenth year of our Reigne T. Smith The Ambassadors Message in three Points THat the King was of necessity for safeguard of his own life forced to cause such execution to be done upon the Admiral and his complices as was done for that he and they had conspired the death of the King of which matter the King was very well able to make a verification and that her Majesty should shortly see by the process of the Admiral now in making and that nothing was meant by the King against the cause of Religion That the King was most earnestly disposed to keep the League That he desired to have the marriage of his brother of Alanzon to proceed and to that end the Queen mother was content to come into the Realm with her son at such place and with such numbers as her Majesty here should allow Answers To the first That although the killing of the Admiral and the rest might probably move her Majestie to think ill thereof and to be right sorry that the King should suffer such an act to be done without order of justice yet her Majestie being advertised from the King that he was forced thereunto for safety of his own life and that thereof her Majestie should see good proof by such a process thereof to be sent to her Majestie as should verifie the same her Majestie is content to suspend her judgement against the King untill by the process she may see the truth and by the Kings further proceedings hereafter for continuance of his Edict for tolleration of Religion she may perceive what to judge of his intention for the cause of Religion To the second her Majestie thanketh the King for his so earnest an offer to continue the amity according to the late League made and doth again assure the King of her mind to keep it for her part so as howsoever the King shall by his deeds shew his affection therein her Majestie will
may by some inquiry be known unto you one of those I had leevest have if he may be had if not you know one Morret an Italian that served sometimes Mr. Denny I am informed that he is willing to come into this Countrey again so as his pardon may be obtained the fellow when he was here was thought honest onely his fact being set apart vvhich vvas not of pretended malice I knovv and therefore I can vvith a better will be a mean for him if he will be content to serve me And for his behaviour there I trust you will understand of it â—â—â—ce his coming whether he have well â—sed himself or no and whether as he is an Iâ—alian his hand be free from this last action or no if he were and that you may know no cause to the contrary I will be very glad to entertain him and will give thirty poâ—â—d a year meat and driâ—k and his horse found in my stable which offer if you shall think too little I will refer it to you praying your Lordship to do me thus much pleasure as to deal in this matter effectually for me to procure either this fellow or some other that may be a sufficient man of that profession and as he shall be I doubt not well contented and intreated so shall I also think my self beholding unto you and the sooner I may hear from yoâ— touching the same the better So with my right hearty commendatioâ—s I bid you farewell From Reading the two and twentieth of September 1573. Your very Friend Ro. Leicester To the Right Honourable Sir Thomas Smith her Majesties principal Secretary IT may please you to advertise her Majestie that at the time of the receit of her Letters of the seven and twentieth of September being through my late sickness in that state of strength as I could not without danger go out of my lodging I desired Monsieur Maâ—â—esirâ— who at that instant was sent by Queen Mother to visit me that I had by Letters lately received somewhat to communicate to her Majestie which thing I could not do in person without some peril and therefore desired him to know of the King and Queen Mother whether it were their pleasures that I should communicate it unto them by my Secretary or whether it would please them otherwise to send some hither to my lodging to receive that I had to say unto them whereof when Monsieur Mannesire had made relation unto their Majesties which was the fourth of this present the next day they sent Brulart one of the Secretaries of the Estate and the said Mannesire to receive that which I had to propound unto their Majesties here from her Majestie So aâ— their access I communicated unto them what was propounded by their Ambassador to her Majestie and what was her Majesties answer unto the same I also shewed them how hard it was for her Majestie to think considering the great severity intended towards those who professed one Religion with her that the King should think his brother a fit husband for her or that there could grow continue and increase that love that ought to be between the husband and the wife I also shewed them that she desired to understand roundly and frankly what the King meant by the great Army of Ships and Men of War which have been so long time betwixt Rochel and Burdeaux under the conduct of Strozzie which she desired to know the rather for that divers of her Merchants have been spoiled some of their Goods and Merchandizes others of their Artillery and some also slain for that the same kind of dealing is very much contrary to the Amity professed lately Lastly I did recommend the Vidams case according to such instructions as I received from him delivering her Majesties Letters unto Brulart to preseâ—â— unto the King The seventh of the same Brulart onely came unto me with the King and Queen Mothers answer After some speech had that the King and Queen Mother were sorry for my sickness he shewed me that Monsieur la Mot and I did agree touching the relation of that which passed betwixt her Majestie and him And as touching the first point the King and Queen Mothers answer wâ—s the process of the Admiral was still in hand which so soon as it shall be finished shall be sent to her according to his promise notwithstanding he had well hoped that her Majestie without any further suspence would have given credit to his word as he would have done in like case Touching the second his answer was that he was glad as well by la Mot as by me to understand that her Majestie did accept in so good part his assurance touching his intention to continue good amity with her and so she doth concur with him in like affection Concerning the third that as he desired the continuance of Amity so did he desire the marriage propounded for the encrease of the same and therefore wisheth that the enterview might proceed as a mean to accomplish the same and that whereas la Mot declared that the Queen Mothers intention was to come over that they misliked the same for that her meaning was rightly conceived by me in this sort that if her Majestie would be content to come to Dover she would then repair to Callis or Bulloign and conclude between them some certain mean for the enterview And as concerning that point whereas her Majestie doth desire to understand the Kings intention touching Strozzies Army his answer is that he hath lately given order for the disposition of the same whereof two thousand of them are drawn to other parts to furnish the Frontiers in Picardie in respect of the two great Armies that are in the Low-Countreys and that the King had never intention to imploy them any way to the disturbance of her Majestie whose amity he meaneth earnestly to imbrace And further his answer was That whereas violence had been used towards her Merchants aswel in body as in goods that he was most sorry for the same and therefore he had expresly written to the Baron de la Guarde as also to the Governors of the rest of the Ports to see her Majesties Subjects well and friendly used as appertained to good amity and that the King of late had caused a ship of Acerbo Velutellis one abiding in England to be released Touching her Majesties request for the Vidam his answer was That as he would be glad any way to gratifie her Majestie so could he not grant this her request without touch of his honour to suffer any of his Subjects to live in a Forreign Countrey with a kind of defiance of his sincerity and therefore he hoped that her Majestie would not desire the Vidams benefit with his prejudice notwithstanding for the gratefying of her Majestie he can be content that the Vidam shall return home and enjoy his livings here with such surety as he shall have no occasion to doubt his safety This was the Answer
King saith was by the mean people how unmeet it were at this time to motion such a matter unto her Merchants who be now marvellously intimerated and before these murthers did hear not most willingly thereof because of divers evill treatments that they have suffered at Roan and divers other places and therefore this matter is to be suspended untill the Merchants may understand that the King shall have corrected the late murthers at Roan that they shall not attempt the like another time upon them and that they may perceive that the King is so willing to do justice upon the Catholiques which may have the murtherers that they may assure them that under his protection they may go safe and not fear the rage of the furious people As to the sending of the Earl of Leicester or Lord Treasurer after the Queens avouchment her Majesty indeed is very sorry that there is such an alteration of occasion of doing such an office for as her Majesty before had intention to have sent either one of them or such other as should be as agreeable to the King so now there is to all the world one great cause that her Majesty may not with honor nor with law of nature send any whom she loveth to be in danger as it seemeth they may be though the King have never so good a meaning For by the death of so many whom the King doth not avow nor yet punish the murtherers what surety can strangers have especially when the King pretendeth as by his own letters appeareth that it is the fury of the Catholiques against those of the Religion As to the difficulties found by her Ambassadors return and to leave a Secretary there in respect of the danger wherein he is at this time her Majesty thinketh that the King might otherwise think thereof for when he saith he will revoke also his Ambassador from hence if hers should come for a time It is well known with what liberty and surety his Ambassador may and doth travell in this Realm who may go when he will without danger and without fear of mind do his negotiation where contrariwise her Ambassador dare not go out of his doors without a guard being to his great charge and disquieting And so the Queens request is to have her Ambassador from thence but for such a time as the tempest may cease in France and the murtherers be in awe of the King by Justice REQUESTS That the Kings Declarations maintained in his Letters for our Merchants good usage at Burdeaux and elswhere may be published in print as his otheâ— Edicts are That it may be also notified that the King will have the English Merchants restored to their goods which were left in the hands of his subjects that have been murthered for that many of them in Roan and elswhere were by way of Merchandise indebted to the English That for the hearing of English complaints for causes both in Normandy and Gascoigne there might be some extraordinary indifferent Commissioners to hear the same with expedition whereupon if the Merchants shall find favour and justice they may be the more easily induced to allow the Conditions of a Commerce To the right honorable and his very good Lord the Earl of Leicester IT may please your Lordship to understand that by certain that returned from Frankfort Mart I understand that one of the Gentlemen that departed hence with intention to accompany your Nephew Mr. Philip Sidney to Heâ—delberg died by the way at a place called Bladin in Lorain who by divers conjectures I took to be the Dean of Winchester who as I advertised your Lordship by Mr. Argall I employed to encounter the evill practices of your said Nephews servants If therefore your Lordship he now being void shall not speedily take order in that behalf if already it be not done the young Gentleman your Nephew shal be in danger of a very lewd practice which were great pitie in respect of the rare gifts that are in him Touching news I refer your Honor to these inclosed occurents and the report of this Bearer to whom I have given order to communicate certain things unto you And so leaving further to trouble your Honor at this present I most humblie take my leave At Paris the 17 of October 1572. Your Honours to command Fr. Walsingham To the right worshipful Francis Walsingham Esq her Majesties Ambassador resident in France SIR I shewed to the Queens Majesty and my Lords of the Councell both your letters to me written the 8 of this instant the one contained your negotiation the other was a discourse both wisely written and very well liked On Thursday last Monsieur du Crocque was here and had audience given him by my Lord Treasurer my Lord Chamberlain and my Lord of Leicester because the Queens Majesty was not at time perfectly whole of the small Pox as the Physicians did say although her Majesty and a great sort more will not have it so now it makes no matter what it was thanks be to God she is perfectly whole and no sign thereof left in her face On Sunday he had his answer given unto the Steward of his house the sum and substance whereof I send you here inclosed whereby you may know his negotiation which was long in words to make us believe better of that King then yet we can and replied as I understand liberally enough although in that Prince and Countrey who have so openly and injuriously done against Christ who is Truth Sincerity Faith Pitie Mercy Love and Charity nothing can be too sharply and severely answered Yet Princes you know are acquainted with nothing but Doulceur so must be handled with Doulceur especially amongst and between Princes And therefore to temperate as you may perceive not that they may think the Queens Majesty and her Councell such fools that we know not what is to be done and yet that we should not appear so rude and barbarous as to provoke where no profit is to any man I think I for my part do not doubt but you will use this answer as you were wont gravely and wisely for the King there will look to have it as well at your hands as at his Ambassadors You are carefull as wisdom doth lead you of the wel-doing here in England which needs must be well esteemed of her Majesty and all her Councell and I tell you we are not so remiss and negligent as peradventure another that knoweth not would think In time things be done unlooked for as well for mischief as that was in France as to good and remedy where God giveth grace and circumspection Truth it is that God disposeth all whatsoever a man doth purpose as Divines do say and it is his gift if wise men do provide for mischief to to come and yet whatsoever they do devise the event doth come of him onely who is the God of hope and fear beyond hope and expectation because you shall understand that even
the Scots our neighbours be awakened by your Beacons in France I have sent you a Scotish proclamation herewith Du Crocque and Viracque have already taken their leave of Scotland and be come to Barwick The 20 of this moneth they appointed to be here at Court. By that we can see the Lords in Scotland draw neerer and neerer to an accord that rather it is in hope then in despair These cruelties in France have helped not a little and now continuing much more will You gave good advice that all Scotish men should not be stayed no more they be not some of the late Commers have given the rest in Scotland a good to make them awake yet there may also be false brethren come amongst them which as reason is shall be stayed and sent back if they may be known Yet it is true That much water goeth by the Mill that the Miller knoweth not of but mans wisdom must provide as much as may be as it would always it cannot The answer of the Ambassador may justly seem to you to debar your coming home and to prolong it longer then you would yet I assure you your friends do not cease by all means possible to provoke her Majesty so much as may be for your Revocation and her Majesty is as carefull for you as any Prince may be for such a subject as you are of whom assure you her Highness maketh no small account and so it is reason You know that things go here slowly with much respect of irresolution but for my part I hope to see you here shortly there shall no occasion be left which I will not take to further it Although your friends here be as forward as may be yet your wife ceaseth not continually to cry on them Fare you well From Windsor the 13. of October 1572. Your assured friend Thomas Smith To the right Honorable Sir Thomas Smith her Majesties principall Secretary SIR it may please you to advertise her Majesty that of late the King and Queen mother have had sundry conferences with the Scotish Ambassador to whom there is repaired out of Flanders one English Gentleman called Tempest and another called Musgrave servant unto the Earl of Westmerland they both have also access unto the Duke de Aumale and to his Nephew the the Duke of Guyse Davy Chambers since his return out of England hath had also conference both with the King and the House of Guyse who hath let fall these words how that the death and execution of the Earl of Northumberland hath increased the number of the Queen of Scots friends and that she is now grown to have such a party in England as that five or six thousand shot with some good Leaders will make her strong enough to encounter any forces her Majesty can make It is also secretly whispered in Court that there is some new practice in hand for the Queen of Scots delivery the particularities I can by no means decipher but the circumstances of these conferences well weighed the conjecture is great that there 's somwhat a hatching Little Douglas who conveyed the Queen of Scots out of Loughtean departeth out of hand into Scotland who besides other conference with the King hath had long conference with the Queen mother the Ambassador being present And so for other matters referring your Honor to this Bearers report touching divers particularities I most humbly take my leave Sir I most humbly desire your Honor to further a most reasonable suit that this Bearer my Secretary is to prefer unto her Majesty as wel in respect of his great travell already taken under me in her Majesties service as also for that thereby he may receive encouâ—agement to continue the same and in time through the experience of his service and the good parts that are in him may hereafter grow able to serve her Majesty in a better calling For my own part I have no means to recompence him as you Sir well know and if therefore the consideration grow not by her Majesty neither he nor any other shall have courage to serve in aservice both so dangerous and painfull as this is wherein he serveth And so not doubting of any furtherance you may yeid him I leave to trouble your Honor any further taking my leave At Paris 18 of October 1572. Your Honors to command Fr. Walsingham To the right Honorable Sir Thomas Smith her Majestiess principall Secretary SIR I am glad by your Letters to receive some hope that there is good care taken to prevent such mischiefs as may happen notwithstanding untill such time as the root of the evill be removed it is rather to dream of remedies then to apply such as the disease requireth I am glad to hear that there is some hope that they will grow to an accord in Scotland if that postern gate were shut up and other inward medicines applied and her Majesty strengthened with the outward Amity of the Almain Princes she should be the more esteemed and feared of those that mean her not great good And though the remedies may seem chargeable yet considering the necessity of the same and that they may avoid both great charges and no small danger I hope her Majesty will prefer safety before cost especially when the diâ—bursing of one pound may save a thousand Surely Sir the more I observe their doings here the more I increase my jealousie of their evill meaning They never spake more fair to the Admirall then a few dayes before he died nothing was demanded by him that was not granted insomuch that Tilligni said to a Gentleman a friend of his a few days before the execution that their liberall granting of requests without any difficulty did make him to suspect some unsound and hollow meaning and thereupon alledged that Italian Proverb They never used fairer speech then presently they do nor greater protestations of Amity and because it is more then was accustomed and is now at such time as we have cause to suspect the contrary I cannot but be jealous of her Majesties safety so long as any thing is left undone that tendeth to her Majesties preservation And so leaving further to entertain your honour with my jealousies and fears I most humbly take my leave beseeching you to continue your assistance in procuring my revocation At Paris the 25 of October 1572. Your Honors to command Fran. Walsingham To the right Honorable Sir Thomas Smith her Majesties principall Secretary SIR although I had no express commandement from her Majesty to communicate unto the King and Queen Mother such an answer as was yeilded unto those things that were propounded by their Ambassador here notwithstanding I thought it convenient to impart the same unto Queen Mother as she that hath the Helm in hand to see in what sort the said answer would be interpreted at my access unto her I shewed her at large that the Ambassador had propounded four things unto certain Deputies by her Majesty of her Councell
observation of the accord between them requesting him to continue the same Touching the election of the King of Polonia they write that the Elector Brandenburg is most like to be chosen notwithstanding they have great hope of Monsieurs election which men of great judgement do think to be void of any good ground By letters out of Italy they write that the Turk will have in a readiness against the next Spring 400 Gallies whereof they are very much afraid the rather for that their own Forces by sea do decay the greatest part of their slaves for the furniture being decayed by sickness this last voyage And so leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present I most humbly take my leave At Paris the eighteenth of December 1572. Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable and his very good Lord the Lord of Treasurer BEcause Steward is absent from the Court I can by no means decypher what is the end of Monsieur de la Noue's travel If there be no mystery in the matter then are others doing not so well grounded as they make men believe So soon as I shall be able to decypher any further of the matter I will not fail to advertise your Lordship It is here said that Monsieur de la Mot hath advertised how that her Majesties meaning is to execute the Queen of Scots Whereupon such as favour her do discourse that it were good to stay the Noblemen that shall be sent hither by her Majestie for the Christening as a pledge for the said Queens safety that their Majesties here should have such intention I know not The Legate as I am most credibly informed hath amongst other Articles of his Instructions commandment earnestly to commend the Queen of Scots cause to the King here and to devise with him some mean for her delivery whereby England may be reduced to the Catholique faith The Scotish Ambassador hath more often recourse unto him then any other Ambassador here which maketh me the rather to doubt some practise Hamilton brother to him that killed the Regent hath sent this message unto D. Chasteauherauld following that is to do what he may to keep the Castle of Edenburgh and to maintain his party until Whitsundy next assuring him that by that time they shall have assistance both from the Pope Spain and this Crown The party himself that is to do the message made me acquainted with all which is now departed towards Scotland and hath promised me to declare no less to Mr. Randolph who knoweth him And so leaving further to trouble your Honor at this present I most humbly take my leave At Paris the eigh and twentieth of December 1572. Your Honours to Command Fra Walsingham To the Right Honourable and his very good Lord the Earl of Leicester WHat hope they have here to compound with Rochel and by what means your Lordship shall understand by Mr. Secretaries Letters as also what is written from Flanders Germany and Italy If Rochel may be reduced to compound as they hope for they think it will be a means to cause the other Towns to yield the sooner It is said that the Rochellois are drawn the rather to give ear to a composition for that they see there is no hope of Forreign succours and yet when a man considereth what is past a man would think there could grow unto him no greater danger no other way then to grow to composition I cannot therefore think but that there is some other mysterie in the matter more then I can as yet decypher The hope of composition doth put them in great comfort that they shall shortly settle their inward troubles which I fear will breed some troubles to their neighbors And so having nothing else to advertise your Lordship at this present I most humbly take my leave At Paris the eighteenth of December 1572. Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honourable and his very good Lord the Lord Treasurer IT may please your Lordship to understand that after the closing up of my Letters to Mr. Secretary I was given to understand that by a Currier lately repaired hither from Rochel they have received from Monsieur de la Noue certain Articles of composition propounded by them of Rochel unto the King Amongst the rest I do understand First that they may have the free exercise of their Religion as heretofore they have had Secondly that they may keep inviolably the old and ancient liberties of their Town Thirdly that instead of Monsieur de Byron they may have la Noue to be their Governor It is though there that the King will consent unto their Articles with intention to observe them as he hath done others before He thinketh that the Composition with Râ—chel will serve for an introduction to others that hold out to do the like the hope whereof doth make them here very merry For other advertisements out of Germany Flanders and Italy I refer your Lordship to Master Secretaries Letters At Paris the eighteenth of December 1572. Your Honours to command Francis Walsingham To our Right Trusty and Well-beloved Francis Walsingham Esq our Ambassador Resident in France ELIZABETH R. TRusty and well-beloved we greet you well there hath been with us Monsieur de Mannesire with the Letters from the King and Queen Mother and the Duke of Alanson His credence was in three points The continuance of the Amity That we should be God-mother to the Infant and to pursue still the request of marriage with the Duke of Alanson To whom we answered First that as for amity having it of late by league so straitly made betwixt us on our behalf we never attempted nor minded to attempt any thing that should impair it but rather do study and wish to encrease the same if we could and therefore you may say it is that and the good will appertaining to that Amity that made us by you before and now by de Mannesire to declare what we have heard of our good brotheâ— which we are sorry to hear First the great slaughter made in France of Noblemen and Gentlemen unconvicted and untryed So suddenly as it is said at his commandment did seem so much to touch the honour of our good brother as we could not but with lamentation and with tears of our heart hear it of a Prince so near allied unto us and in a chain of undissoluble love knit unto us by league and oath That being after excused by a conspiracy and treason wrought against our good Brothers own person which whether it were true or false being in another Princes Kingdom and Jurisdiction where we have nothing to do we mind not to be curious yet that they were not brought to answer to Law and Judgement before they were executed those who were found guilty We do hear it marvellously ill taken as a thing of a terrible and dangerous example and are sorry that our good brother was so ready to condescend
of the Zodiack and to stand in a place after Sexion of the Zodiack and our men do find him far above the Moon and above the height of the Sphere of Venus Then it cannot be a temporarie Comet Now things above the Moon do rise and die which was never believed afore but either a new star made or an old star new seen Fare you well From Hampton Court the 13 of January 1572. Your assured friend Tho. Smith Part of my Lord Treasurers letter to me touching the enterview and such things as have passed for marriage FIrst for the matter of Monsieur d' Anjou and next to the Duke of Alanson I trust I need not make any other rehearsall then your self can gather by the instructions you had when you were sent into France after that Du Foix had been here who departed fully answered saving in the Article of Religion which was also so tempered as that he pleaded no misliking but but that it was restrained with the words that the Duke should use no Religion that was contrary or repugnant Ecâ—lesiae vel verbo Dei and how you found Monsieur altered from the offers of du Foix in that he would have his Religioâ— wholly as he had in France Now you can also tell how the Offer of the Duke of Alanson was begun and how prosecuted here by Monsieur and du Foix. And since that time this Ambassadour there could find the Queen Mother It ought to be remembred with what absurd Offers it hath been handled To have an Enterview it was required that the Queens Majesty would repair to Dover and the Queen Mother and the Duke should come to Bulloigne and the advice that they should meet upon the Sea in October All which was taken off and utterly misliked as vain and ridiculous A more foolish motion was made that the Queen would meet with the â—ueen Mother at Iersey such a device as argued either a gross ignorance in them that named Iersey as not knowing how farre it was by Sea from England or else a flat mock in offering a thing so unreasonable and to say the truth impossible And surely it could not have been better acquitted then to have required the Queen Mother â—o come into the Isle of Scotland to have spoken with the Queens Majesty the next year if she would make her progress to Berwick Since these follies passed they have by the Ambassadour generally pressed the Queens Majesty to the Duke but no special dealing hath been for any enterview or for answer how he will accord in Religion in which last consisteth the greatest difficulty of treating so as his person might by sight be first allowed Thus much of this matter To my very loving friend Francis Walsingham Esq the Queens Majesties Ambassadour with the French King SIR this day I received your Letters with two French Books the one of Carpenter the Apostate the other by an unknown malicious French Writer taught by a rebellious crafty Papist of England wherein though he meant maliciously to the State yet he rometh his choler and despite chiefly against me and my Lord Keeper by Nick-names God amend his spirit and confound his malice And for my part if I have any such malicious or malignant spirit God presently so confound my body to ashes and my soul to perpetuall torment in hell I know not whether you shall be able to understand the Author but if by the Printer it might be found out I would gladly bestow any reward upon the discovery if it cannot be found then I wish that some means were used as of your self to Queen Mother that the print may be destroyed For otherwise we shall think our selves considering the places we do hold in this estate not well considered by that estate I have not imparted any thing to my Lord of Worcester but leave the order of the whole to your direction This licentiousness to inveigh against men by name in printed bookes that use not by books to provoke any is in all good Estates intolerable God send this Estate no worse meaning servants in all respects then we two have been who indeed spared not labour nor care to serve our Queen and Countrey and if we had not we may truly avow neither our Queen nor Countrey had enjoyed that common repose that it hath done I am required to recommend my Lord of Worcester unto you which I need not because you know his Office and cause of coming and besides you shall find him a Nobleman of great gentleness and thankfulness And therefore you shall find cause to shew him all good Offices and favours And if my hearty commendations of his Lordship may do any thing in his gratification I pray you his Lordship may understand my good will for in very truth I love him dearly And so I end From my House at Theobals where are with me Mr. Ralph Sadler and divers others as Mr. Denny your good friend The 14 of January 1572. Your assured loving friend W. Burleigh Sir when I consider of this lewd Book I think it will be replied unto you That it is reason that answer be made to such books as are published for the condemning of the Queen of Scots And so for my part I yield that Writers answer matters But to have the Duke of Norfolks cause brought in question and Us that are Councellors to the Queen to be so maliciously and falsly calumnied may not wel stand with the term of the Amity professed But yet I leave all to your consideration and wisdom Instructions for the Earl of Worcester ELIZABETH R. FIrst you shall make our Ambassador there resident Mr. Francis Walsingham privy of the office which at this time you have to do and the Letters which you have to deliver and confer with him of the manner of the Court and the use at this present and as he shall be able to inform you and you of your wisdom and discretion do understand with all convenient Honour Amity and Love you shall deliver our Letters and do such offices as to our Ambassage doth appertain And if the Emperors Ambassador hold the child himself you may also do it but if that you shall perceive that any device or other sinister means shall be given about to bring you to their mass or any other superstitious ceremonies which the order of our Realm doth not allow you shall not consent nor assist it but rather absent your self and understanding that before with honourable excuse require the Queen Mother that the Queen of Navarre to whom we have in this case written our special Letters to be our deputy for you or in the absence or let of her any other Princess or Noblewoman whom it shall please the Queen Mother to appoint and address to it according as we have also written to the said Queen Mother And you shall not need to break neither with the King nor Q. Mother nor any other or any matter but of such courtesies and other Court-like
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
is this day at Provence five leagues besides Chasteau Thiery It is advertised that the Emperour doth by little little amend of his disease having been carried to his Garden to take the ayre but no assurance of his full recovery The Cardinal d Este is returned to Rome having been met with the Duke of Sora the Popes son They do prepare ten Galleys at Naples besides others at Genua to transport the Empress into Spain Prospero Colonna is appointed General of the Men of War which are levied in the Dutchies of Milan and Tuscan There hath been a quarrel betwixt the Spaniards and Gentlemen Millanoises The King of Spain hath been received in Lisbona and held there his estate called Cortes There is a deprivation passed against the Bishop of Guarda for following the partie of Don Anthonio The Abbot of Bisegno Agent for the Catholike King at Rome hath with the Cardinal of Como sollicited the Pope for to intreat the French King to withdraw his brother from the enterprise of Flanders so as the Pope is resolved to send two Legats to the French King to continue the peace between the French King and the Catholike King Onchibli is departed from Constantinople with twenty five Galleys towards Affrica They advertise out of Spain that the Corn doth fail them this Harvest so as they doubt of famine c. Your Honours to Command Henry Cobham A son bon ami Mr. François de Walsingham M Onsieur de Walsingham j'ay une extreme contentement quand la Royne m a voula tant favouriser de vous avoir choisy pour faire ce royage vers le Roy mon Seignieur et frere me faisant bien par cela cognoistre les effectes de ses bonnes voluntés me comblant de tant d'obligations que je ne m'en pouroy jamais retirer si ce n'est par le continuel desir et inviolable affection que je ay de luy faire service Et ce suistres-aise de m'estre trouve y a propos que n'estant que fort peuesloigne de votre chemni vous me passies veoir sans perie de beaucoup de temps vous priant que se suit La Fere en Tartinois ou je seray aujourdhuy a coucher et croyez que vous seres le tres-bien venu comme iceluy que tient l'un de primiers bieux apres de celle que je honore et estime plus que Princesse que soit sus la terre et que tiens pour l'un de mes mieux amis Vous attendant en bon devotion de supplieray le Createur qu'il vous ayd Monsieur de Walsingham en sa tes Saincte et digne garde a Chasteau Thiery le dernier jour de Iuliel 1581. Votre bien affectione ami François To the right honorable Sir Francis Walsingham SIR The sending of this away by Mr. Mills to you moveth me to accompany him with a few lines We here have nothing to write unto you about the Negotiation but doe now from this day forward look to hear from you whereupon I think her Majestie will have some matter to be occupied withall VVe hear nothing of Monsieurs proceedings but the Spanish Ambassador warneth that the Prince of Parma is so strong and so bent to fight with Monsieur as he pretendeth that at the least Monsieur will forbear to adventure his own person He did yesterday by her Majesties appointment speak at Leicester House with my Lord of Ley and me to expostulate for her Majesties refusal to speak with him requiring to know the cause and being answered That we doubted not but that he oftentimes had been made privy that it was for that her Majestie had not received any Letters from the King Catholique for her satisfaction in the case of Invasion in Holland c. He saith that he never promised to procure Letters from the King neither was he ever required of her Majesties behalf but the Speeches were alwaies delivered to him that her Majestie would not speak with him untill she might be satisfied of those things in the case of Holland but saith it was not required that he should send to the King for any such satisfaction and yet he did for his own part write to the King and upon answer from the King he did let her Majestie understand that the Collection of the Souldiers the Arming and Victualing of the Ships and men were wholly by the directions of the Pope whom he could not deny and he had also cause to think that her Majestie meant not that he should procure Letters from the King for that Mr. Wilks said that her Majestie would send a Gentleman to the King or else write to him by the way of trade And for confirmation hereof he said that he heard that a kinsman of the Earl of Arundels and Master of the â— whom we took to be Tilney was named to go into Spain By the way he saith that you told him in presence of the Councel at Nonsuch that her Majestie had no League with the King of Spain but the States of the Low Countries I told him I was assured he mistook you for you might say that the League which was the greatest was with the Emperor Charls and so with the King of Spain in respect of the Dutchy of Burgundy and the Low-Countries but he flung away after his hot manner Now to end these matters for the discovery of a multitude of Popish subjects I think Mr. Beal writeth to you of a number of choice persons who being at least but fined upon that que Dam noble wil yield a great sum of money My Lord Grey and Tyrwick were about a Peace the 29 of July finding my Lord Deputies forces ready to enter one way and Sir Nicholas Malt by another way offering to my Lord Deputy to abide his Order for the matters between Odonell and the whole Countrie he hath wasted pretending to set upon Odonels son begotten of Tirleghes wives daughter which he had by Mac Connel by Ashton that came from Ireland we secretly understand that the new Earl Arrig with a great number are determined to keep Darbique from his intentions against the Religion and the King doth secretly assent thereto whether Ashton be deceived time will prove The King hath sent to Seffade 200 souldiers to enable him to compel his people to answer to Justice upon demand of England and great promises are made in the Kings behalf to keep amity with her Majestie And thus almost wearied I end expecting shortly to hear of your progress in your Ambassage which they there may enterprise a regress or a recess Her Majestie is in very good health thanked be God Greenwich where I am tyed by your absence and yet do little good Augâ—st 6. 1581. Your assured friend Will. Burleigh To her Majestie August 6. IT may please your most excellent Majestie I have imparted in my Letters directed to my Lord Treasurer the substance of that which passed
she should repair hither during 〈…〉 my being here to the end he might be informed what hope there was 〈◊〉 be had of the marriage without the 〈◊〉 he saw that his brothers enterprise would throw him into a Warr whereof 〈◊〉 was to bear the only 〈◊〉 Whereupon I did let her understand that 〈◊〉 the marriage I could say no â—ore to her then that which I had 〈◊〉 both unto her and to the Duke her son And as touching the doubt 〈◊〉 â—he King and she conceived 〈◊〉 he should be 〈◊〉 to bear the 〈◊〉 of the Wars alone I shewed 〈◊〉 that if it pleased her to call to 〈◊〉 the offer that had been made by the Ambassador resident and Mr. 〈◊〉 as also renewed by me both unto her and to the Duke both the King and she 〈◊〉 have cause to rest satisfied for that the said League proceeded and the other secret League for the matter of the Low-Countries there was such remedy offered as 〈◊〉 the King 〈◊〉 she 〈◊〉 have no â—ause to 〈◊〉 I did 〈◊〉 let her understand that the question was Whether it were 〈◊〉 to take some course for the resisting of the King of Spains greatness 〈◊〉 being confessed I shewed her it was then fit to consider whether the same might not be done without marriage seeing the said marriage 〈◊〉 to be accompanied with so many difficulties as there could be no present resolution taken 〈◊〉 whereunto she answered that there could not be so great a◠〈◊〉 for the maintenance of the association they were now to enter in by League as there was by marriage For said she the same 〈◊〉 that moved the 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 to proceed to the conclusion of the 〈◊〉 which is the misliking of the people in respect of the 〈◊〉 that the 〈…〉 bring withall may also draw her to leave off the association and some 〈…〉 that the Crown hath always carâ—ied unto Spain Whereupon â— decâ—ared â—nto her 〈◊〉 it was hard to make sound friendship which I thought might be performed best two waies The one to shew how little cause she 〈◊〉 to affect 〈◊〉 the other to set down before her such reasons as might 〈◊〉 the King and her to believe that the 〈◊〉 proceeding the same should be sincerely observed on her 〈…〉 unless there should be given some great cause by 〈…〉 contrary For the first I shewed her that the King of Spain 〈◊〉 long after that her Majestie did enter into the possession of the 〈◊〉 being solicited in a kind of sort by her Majesties Ambassador sent 〈◊〉 him to renew such Treaties as had passed between the House of 〈◊〉 and the Crown of England he could not be drawn to assenâ— thereto since which time as he was unwilling to renew the said Treaties so hath he not slackened to yeeld such fruites of enmitie against her Majestie as were publiquely known to the world as might appear by his Ministers dealing in furthering of the marriage between the Duke of Norfolk and the Queen of Scots the practising of the Rebellion in the North his nourishing since that time and maintaining of those that were then the principal Rebels being retired out of England And lastly the attempt of Ireland coloured with the Visor of the Popes Authority These things being then considered I did leave it unto her Majestie to judge what cause the Queen my Mistriss had to seek to reconcile her self or to trust Spain Touching the reasons that might induce them to think her Majestie would inviolably observe the intended league First she was to understand that the Amitie that we made most account of was that which this Crown had with the house of Burgundy and not with Spain and therefore those Countries being alienated from Spain and now reduced by a composition between the Duke and the States of that Country under the Government of her son and traffique being there established whereby there remaineth there commonly Goods appertaining to her Majesties subjects to the value neer of half a Million I did leave that unto her Majestie to judge whether it were not a good caution for the performance of that which should be promised on her Majesties behalf Secondarily If that would not serve to remove the diffidence then might there be Hostages given interchangeably on both parties whose promises her Majestie would not violate for the greatest kingdom in Europe Lastly I shewed her that I doubted not but that the Duke her son would become cautionary for the due observation of the same I prayed her then as I had laid before her such reasons as might induce them to stand more assured of the Queen my Mistresses performance of the said League then it seemed they were so I might without offence put the Queen my Mistress to stand in doubt of them First It was known that divers great personages of this Realm were more affected to the Amity of Spain then England whom the world thought would omit no means that they might put in execution to dissolve or rather to hinder before the Conclusion of the said Association Secondly Spain challengeth as of right in respect of assistance given in the time of the Civil war when the Count of Aremberg was sent into this Realm to that purpose to have the Amitie of that Crown preferred before England Lastly The consent in Religion between Spain and France which shall not lack any perswations that the Pope and other Catholike Princes can use to dissolve or hinder the intended Amitie may give just cause to the Queen to be doubtful of the performance on their behalfs of the said Association then any reason that may be alleadged on the other side Concerning the Queen my Mistris I prayed her that if the King and she did finde it necessary to abridge the King of Spains greatness and could confidently enter into the intended Association to consider that there were two occasions privately offered that required speedy resolution The one the assisting of Don Anthonio the other the prosecuting of the enterprise in Flanders for the first I shewed her that the Queen my Mistriss had assented to the preparing of certain ships with condition that the King her son would concur in the action or that she might be assured by the intended League to be assisted in case Spain in respect of the said support should attempt any thing against her Now forasmuch as the King and she seem to be resolute not to enter into the League without marriage I saw apparently that the enterprise which was privately to be put in execution or else would privately serve to no purpose would be quite overthrown Touching the enterprise of Flanders so honorably attempted by the Duke her son tending so greatly to the benefit of this Crown when the States shall see the said League not to take place whereby it was not likely to be accompanied with success that otherwise it might be the League going forword it would be no less discontentment to them then encouragement to their
that he returned Greenwich this 13 of August Yours assuredly William Burleigh NOs Franciscus Walsingham eques auratus serenissimae Reginae Angliae primarius Secretarius ac praenobilis Ordinis Garterii Cancellarius Henricus Cobham Eques item auratus ejusdem serenissimae Reginaeapud Christianissimum Regem Legatus residens Johannes Sommer Armiger ejusdem serenissimae Reginae Clericorum sigilli unus Omnibus ad quos presentes litterae pervenerint salutem Câ—m pro authoritate nobis in hac parte data a serenissima Regina Angliae Domina nostra clementissima reservationem eam quae erat a sua Majestate in 12 dies rejecta per literas suas ad Christianissimum Regem scriptas de data ix diei mensis Julii proxime praeteriti propter quasdam causas maxime urgentes prolongavimus in decem alios dies continue post praefatos 12 dies finitos sequentes Testibus literis nostris ex opido Lusarci datis 31 dicti Mensis Julii proxime praeteriti quibus 10 diebuâ— cum par nobis esse non queat ad ea exequenda quae a dicta serenissima Regina Domina nostra clementissima habemus in mandatis neque voluntati suae Regiae quicquid injuriae facere aut committere pro observantiae nostrae in eam officio debeamus Nos supra nominati Ambassadores Commissarii deputati dictae serenissimae Reginae sufficienti ad id praeter caetera authoritate muniti cupientes quantum in nobis est incommodis quibuscumque praecavere temporumque momenta sic disponere ut toti tam serenissimae Reginae Angliae Dominae nostrae Clementissimae quam Christianissimae Majestatis voluntati desiderioque fiat satis praefatis 10 diebus alios 10 dies adjiciendos putamus adjicimus quibus pro parte dictae serinissimae Reginae dictam reservationem prorogatam continuatum esse cupimus ita quod durante dicto termino dictarum x dieruÌ„ post dictos x dies finitos tractatus ille cujus gratia dicta reservatio facta fuit pro parte dictae serenissimae Reginae in suo robore permaneat sine ulla laesione aut diminutione quacunque In cujus rei testimonium has litteras nostras manuum nostrarum subscriptione munivimus Datae ex Urbe Parisiorum 12 Mensis Augusti 1581. Francis Walsingham Henry Cobham Iohn Sommers To the Right Honourable and his very good Lord the Lord Treasurer IT may please your Lordship to advertise her Majestie that the next day after our Audience in the afternoon there repaired by the Kings Commandment unto us Mr. Chivergni Villeguier President Brissac la mothe Fenelon Secretary Pynart and Du Uray where Mr. Chivergni in the name of the rest did declare unto us that they were sent by the King to let us understand the great hope he conceived of me the Secretary serving her Majestie in that place of trust I should have brought her Highnesses full resolution for the proceeding in the marriage considering how far forth the matter had been already proceeded in the benefit that would have ensued thereby as well for her Majesties own Realm as for the knitting the two Crowns in an Amitie indissolluble that now finding the matter to fall out otherwise his Majestie was greatly grieved withal for that he did not see how there could be any sound or perfect Amitie without marriage To which speech after I the Secretary had declared unto them at length the manner of the proceeding in the prosecution of the marriage and the Reasons that did move her Majestie to take that resolution as she did presently send me withal We shewed them that we found it very strange considering the speeches used to us the day before by the King by the which he declared that he was content that the Treatie of the League should proceed without annexing thereto the condition of the marriage that there should now fall out an alteration thereof and therefore prayed them to acquaint us with the reasons of the change whereby we might advertise her Majestie thereof who might think great lightness in us to give her an assurance of a thing proceeding from the Kings own moâ—th which afterward should not fill out so in effect Upon which speech Du Uray made a very long discourse touching the earnestness of his Masters affection the full assurance he made of the marriage and the touch of credit that would grow unto him if the same should not take effect And did declare unto us that the Duke his Master had given express commandment to be an humble suitor to the King that he would not proceed to the Treaty of the League before assurance given that the marriage should take place thereupon the rest of the Commissioners in excuse of the King did declare how that Du Uray had not delivered his charge unto his Majestie until the morning following in audience who if he had understood before his brothers request in that behalf could not have yielded that that Treatie should have been proceeded in without the marriage Then I the Secretary shewed the Commissioners how that I found Du Urays speech strange for that the Duke himself at the time of my being with him did promise that he would not oppose himself to any thing that her Majestie did desire and so concluded that though he could not be a furtherer of the League without marriage yet would he not hinder the same Then Pynart as he said by the Kings commandment and his mothers did let us understand that whereas they did finde that the principal difficultie whereupon the stay of the marriage grew proceeded through the enterprise that Monsieur had in the Low-Countries their Majesties being desirous that the marriage should take place had dispatched that afternoon Monsieur de Bellieure to the Prince of Parma to procure that the said Prince might withdraw his siege fom Cambray and that the Town might be left in a newtrality as a member of the Empire and further to perswade that there might be a general abstinence of war for the space of five or six months in the which time there might be some composition treated between the King of Spain and his Subjects That the King and his Mother were in good hope that the same might be brought to pass which they did the rather desire to the end Monsieur might in the mean time go over into England and finish that which had happily been begun Upon this overture we did let them understand that if there might be such a peace procured as might be accompanied with safety none would be more glad of it then the Queen our mistress Notwithstanding we did signifie unto them that there were many apparent reasons to shew that the same was not likely to take place but to the great prejudice and peril of those of the Low-Countries and therefore prayed them to call to remembrance how that her Majesty at the time of his Ministers being in England did protest unto them at such time as they did let
sent 2. Whether her Majestie can yield to the support of the 6000 men named in the Treaty defensive for the space of four moneths at her charges and if we be by the Commissioners pressed to assent that her Majestie shall bear the charges any longer time then four months how farr forth she will yield in that case and if they shall require greater numbers then are above specified then to what numbers we shall yield and for how long time to be continued at her Majesties charges 3. If in case the said Commissioners not content with our answer shall insist still upon joynt Forces to be yielded to the Princes Confederates as by them was propounded we desire to know how far forth we shall yield therein and whether her Majestie in that behalf will be content to contribute a third or fourth part either in men or money and whether it shall not be meet to have the said joynt forces to be limitted by a certain number as also to a time in which they shall be imployed A Note of such things as are to be resolved by her Majestie touching the secret League 1. WHat summ of money her Majestie will be content to contribute and in what sort openly or secretly 2. To what summ we shall press the King to yield unto in proportion of that summ which her Majestie shall be pleased to supply whether double or trebble more then her Highness shall be content to contribute 3. How long her Majestie will be pleased to contribute the said summ and upon what considerations whether by way of loan or otherwise and if by way of loan what caution she will require and whether it were not meet to covenant with him to procure the bonds of the States ad majorem cautelam within some convenient time for the repayment of the same 4. Whether her Majestie could not best like that this secret Treaty between the King and her should pass only by mutual promise contained in privat Letters under their own hands To the Lord Treasurer IT may please your Lordship to advertise her Majestie that as by our last Letters to you of the 21 of this present we advertised of the Kings and Monsieurs consents that a League should be treated of without speaking of the marriage So the same day Messieurs Villquier la Mott Bellieur Brisson Pinart and Du. Uray coming to us from the King said that his Majestie desiring much the Queens Majesties amity and to have the same augmented by Treaties by marriage and by all other good means and finding some impediments in the matter of the marriage he had sent them to confer with us about such other means as might best serve to encrease the amity And so after divers speeches used to them again to signifie his H. reciproque inclination in that behalf We entred into talk of League defensive remembring the last made at Bloys in King Charles his time which they said if we found not to be sufficient it should be altered or enlarged And that they thought it good for both the Realms to add an Article to it to meet with dissentions and disorders committed on the Sea whereof they had heard very many Somewhat they also said touching a Staple to be established at Roan as is mentioned in the said Treaty but after they had heard good reasons which moved against the occasion of that Article they said little to it but earnestly desired that other for the maintenance of good intelligence and sure Trade between the Realms and Subjects Then something was also propounded for a League offensive where it was also remembred that there were two kinds of Leagues offensive the one where two Princes or more doe combine themselves against another Prince by name the other in general terms for conservation of Estates And for as much as France and England were at this time in amity with all Princes that League for conservation of Estates was thought but to be Treated of and argued and so no Prince could have just cause to be openly offended therewith And so without further entring into particularities untill our next meeting they departed On Wednesday the twentithird they came again and having shewed their Commission it was propounded That for a League offensive they said it was to be first accorded that either Princes should be friend to friends and enemy to enemies after invasion made upon either of them And for a second it was propounded That if either of the Princes Confederate should be assaâ—led the Prince assailed should be bound thereof to advertise the other Prince his Confederate who should send streight to the Prince that hath assailed to warne him to cease his Invasion and to repaire forthwith the wrongs done or else in case of refusal that the said Prince Confederate will denounce Warre to him that did assaile as he shall doe indeed if the Invader will not retire and repaire the wrongs within seven weeks This motion being found indifferent for both parts I the Secretary delivered to them certain other Notes taken out of other Treaties which they said they would answer at our next meeting Your Lordship doth herewith receive the copy thereof Here it was propounded by them That if either of the Princes Confederate should be invaded by another Prince and that the Prince invaded shall require his Confederate to declare open Warr and to enter into open acts of hostility with him against the Invader as bound by League after due admonition and summons made who shall bear the charge of the Forces of the Prince required whether shall he bear them alone or the Prince requiring to bear a portion thereof according to his quality and greatness These things being very considerable we deferred to answer them untill our next meeting and so did provide to answer as your Lordship shall see by notes sent herewith Beseeching your Lordship to procure her Majesties resolution and answer to us and that by her Highness direction and warrant these and other points that shall be thought meet may be resolved upon to be agreed unto here to come to an end without unnecessary spending of time and charges The next day the 24. whilst we looked for them according to appointment they sent us word that upon occasion of Letters which the King had received that day from his Ambassador in England the King had deferred their coming untill the next day and then they came and said VVe might well remember that from the beginning of this Negotiation and long before the King desired nothing more then the marriage which would bring with it all other good things for Leagues and streight bonds of amity such as her Majestie would desire and that since their being with us his Majestie had received Letters from his Ambassador Mr. Mannisiere on the 24. and another the 25. dated the 22. of this month by the which he gave the King very great hope of the marriage upon speeches proceeding from her Majestie in a long
conference had of late with her Highness whereupon the King had commanded them to tell us that seeing that matter was now in so good terms he thought good to stay further proceeding in the Treaty of a League But to end first that which was first begun and in such forwardness which was the Marriage and that they thought we should have commandment from her Majestie very shortly in this behalf whereunto it was answered unto them that though we heard nothing thereof from her Majestie yet we would believe what they had said as written to the King from his Ambassador and that untill we might understand her Majesties pleasure herein we thought that this Negotiation for a League might well proceed to bring it to some good point and to win so much time seeing the King had consented and desired to have such a League with her Majestie Mr. de Chevereny said that the time would not be so long ere we should receive her Majesties pleasure and that they could not proceed any further in the Treaty seeing this was the Kings pleasure Then it was said by Pinart that the Ambassador had then written as so spoken by her Highness to him that she had rather marry a mean Gentleman of France then go now from that which was so farr proceeded in between her Highness and Monsieur Thus we being put off from our Negotiation and at a stay knew not how to proceed any further in any thing untill we may understand her Majesties pleasure which we beseech you to procure to be sent unto us in some certainty that an orderly and honourable course may be holden to grow to an end At this time Pinart as so commanded he said by the Queen Mother did very specially recommend to her Majesties consideration the estate of poor Don Anthonio and to remember the great charges he hath been at in providing shipping in England to be sent and to joyn with the French Kings ships under Captain Carles who he assured they had advertisement was gon to the sea seven daies ago thinking to meet with Don Anthonio's ships rigged in England at a Cape which he could not name And that unless the same depart not out of hand all the charge will be lost and that the King shall be fain to venture his ships alone if no other aid joyn with them He shewed there an advertisement came that day from the Isle of Tercera that the French have landed there taken the Isle and certain ships and put to the Sword 800 Spaniards among whom were they whose names were here in a scedule and that he thinketh they are gon to meet with the rest of the Spanish Fleet. And thus c. Paris the 27 of August Fr. Walsingham Henry Cobham Iohn Sommers To the Lord Treasurer MY very good Lord I send your Lordship here inclosed the last Article contained in mine instructions for the League which we have forborne to adde to those heads of a League which we exhibited to the Commissioners for that we find it somewhat darke and therefore doe pray your Lordships explanation therein For as we conceive of it it will restrain the French King from aiding of the Duke his brother which I think is not meant considering her Majesties promise to assist the Duke in the action I beseech your Lordship that we may have speedy resolution by way of Post or otherwise as by your Lordship shall be thought meet to such things as we send your Lordship by this dispatch After I had proceeded thus far in my Letter thinking that our conference with the Kings Commissioners would have bred some good accord touching the most parts of those points which were by us propounded unto them Upon the hope the King is put in by Letters lately come from his Ambassador resident there our further conference is staid as your Lordship may perceive by our general Letters which if it be not so throughly resolved on as the Ambassador conceiveth and as he hath reported to the King his Master whereof we her Majesties Ministers here stand in doubt having no confirmation thereof Then surely this report will doe a great deal of harm many waies and ministers to the persons named in mine other Letters matters of strange discourse Besides we that serve here cannot but be infinitely grieved to see the weighty cause we have in hand subject to so many interruptions especially of the alteration of proceeding upon occasion given from thence It were well her Majestie did capitulate with the Ambassador in these great matters not to advertise any thing without first making her privy thereunto as also that upon any such resolution taken with him we here might be acquainted withall to the end there might be concurrency with us Touching her Majesties pleasure for the return of Mr. Sommers I hope when her Majestie shall consider the weightiness of the cause we deal in and the number and sufficiency of the persons we are matched withall her Highness shall see more cause to send some other well chosen Civilians to assist us then to withdraw him from us Upon the perusing of a Letter that the Ambassador resident wrote unto me much to the same effect he had written to the King I thought good to send to Pinart to acquaint him with the contents of the said Letter which as I gave order to be declared unto him caried no other substance but a report of such speeches as her Majestie had delivered to the said Ambassador the same evening that he waited on her Majestie when she road abroad to take the aire wherein her Majestie did rather lay open unto him how she stood affected to the marriage then delivered him any resolution and that it was so it might well appear hereby for that her Highness doth not use to give her resolution in any matter of importance without the privity of her Councel and acquainting her Ambassador on this side therewith to the end there may be a concurrency between her Majesties Ministers and the King which being otherwise in this case I could not but rest doubtfull of the substance of the report And therefore was desirous if it might stand with the Kings pleasure considering the great charges his Majesties is at with us and the time that passeth away fruitlesly the Treaty might go on until we might receive further matter from her Majesty To this Pinart answered that he thought the request reasonable for that it was grounded upon great probability and would therefore the next morning move the King in the matter requiring in the mean season that as much might be delivered to some other of the Commissioners as had been to him especially to Chivergni Villequire which was offered to be done by the messenger I sent but they being in conference with the Queen mother and therefore for that time not to be dealt withal at his motion it was delivered to Bellieure whom they found in the utter Chamber of Queen mother who in like sort
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
no reason that should move him to attempt the same considering how he hath been dealt withall especially upon the Kings denial to write his Letters to her Majestie if my first advice touching his repair into the Low-Countries had been followed both theâ—sles of the Asores had been preserved and also the East and West Indian Fleet defeated This day there is come advertisement out of Spain that the Fleet is arrived from the Moluccaes who besides the bringing of great quantity of Treasure have brought advertisements that the said Islanders have yielded to the Kings obedience I am very glad that the poor Prince resteth so well satisfied of my dealing towards him for I was in doubt that the Count Vinniâ—so who is a very vain man had sought to cause him to conceive otherwise of me then I deserved notwithstanding that it is apparent to all the world that the stay for the preparations for the Islands hath grown from hence no man being better acquainted with all then himself yet doth he blame her Majestie being carried away with a vain hope that the King here is greatly disposed to assist his Majestie when he shall repair thither which in the end will prove bnt an abuse and I pray God it be not with the peril of his person September 1581. Fr. Walsingham To the Lord Treasurer MY very good Lord by the general Letter your Lordship may perceive what resolution the King is grown unto touching the Treatie which considering the naked direction we received in case the Treatie had held falleth out very well Surely unless her Majestie shall hereafter be better inclined to prefer safetie before charges it shall be but in vain for her to have any dealing with forreign Princes and I would to God her Majestie had no need of forreign assistance Notwithstanding I see she is not disposed to redeem her peril otherwise then necessity shall lead her who is one of the most dangerous Pilots that can take the helm in hand for where necessity ruleth election and councel can take no place and though dealing underhand heretofore hath accidentally in respect of the weakness of the Princes her neighbours continued her Majestie in a peaceable kind of Government yet now that Scotland is aliened from her Highness and the King well near of years fit to match with the daughter of some Prince that may stand with him for his pretended title her Majestie is to look for another kind of reckoning That house that is most affected here to the said King and doth above others imbrace his cause never carryed greater sway then it doth presently upon such causes as I will open to her Majestie and your Lordship at my return I hope to depart hence on Thursday next and in the way to visit the Duke de Anjou with whom I think meet besides common dutie in respect of the good will he beareth to her Majestie to confer before my departure out of this Realm And therefore being doubtful where to find him and how long he will stay me I cannot certainly let your Lordship understand at what time I shall return to the Court there Septemb. 13. Fr. Walsingham To the Lord Treasurer IT may please your Lordship to understand that on Sunday the tenth of this moneth we had audience of the King where I the Secretary did remember unto him how far we and his Deputies had proceeded in the Treatie of the League defensive and offensive by his consent where by means of letters from his Ambassador in England the same was broken off for such causes as it was said as he had written whereof her Majestie being advertised from us and she having conferred thereupon with the said Ambassador found by the Copy of his Letters which he shewed for his excuse that the same was not in such terms as had been reported to have come from him as we thought his Majestie had been advertised from his said Ambassador by his last dispatch And therefore her Majestie had given us in charge to pray his Highness in her name that we might proceed with his Ministers in the treaty of that League being so necessary for both Realms for the causes which his Majestie had heretofore propounded The King answered with long speeches how much he desired her Majesties amity and especially to see the effect of this marriage upon condition to be shortned of six years of his life and how happy he would think himself if it might please her Majestie to think his brother worthy of that favour therein The great good which such a conjunction would bring to both Realms and further in effect the like speeches of affection as he had used before time and in this matter continuing still upon the point of the marriage as the strongest bond of amitie of all other And as for a league he said there was a already a league defensive between them which he was content to enlarge for the more assurance of his good will in any thing that might be found to lack or were meet to be added thereto But as for a league offensive he did alwaies wish and mean that it might go with the marriage Thereunto in answer divers reasons were used to move him to proceed to the Treaty begun and among other that there was none so strong a bond as that which was grounded upon necessity and that the cause of the necessity thereof at this time was not unknown to him that by the concluding of such leagues the marriage was not put back that the great benefit that this Realm was like to receive by it was not small by assuring a Countrey unto it where and by the help whereof this Realm had taken great loss of late years by two overthrows in the King his fathers time letting him also understand that her Majestie seeing the Duke in an enterprize so profitable for this Realm and honourable for himself instead of assistance to receive rather overthwarts and impediments had just cause to confirm her opinion touching the difficulty propounded for the stay in not proceeding in the marriage for seeing that if the same had proceeded the greatest burthen of the war must have lighted on her self the ability of the Duke and of the Sates being not such as was able to encounter the forces of so puissant a Prince as the King of Spain And therefore seeing his Majestie upon answer from his brother had consented that such league should be treated upon without speaking of the Marriage and Deputies appointed by him the same well begun and some particularities for a league offensive agreed upon her Majestie and all the world may find this alteration now to be very strange Hereunto after he had used many speeches of the former substance in general terms without answering any particularities offering himself and all his means to be at her Majesties devotion whose good will he sought with his soul and affection he concluded that there was no such surety in a league offensive as
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