in this Book INstructions for Sir Francis Walsingham sent Ambassador into France 1 Sir William Cecil Lord Burleigh to Sir Francls Walsingham 5 Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir William Cecil ib. Q. Elizabeth to Sir Francis Walsingham ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir William Cecil 6 To the Earl of Leicester 7 The Queen to Sir Francis Walsingham 9 The Queen to Sir Henry Norris ib. Doubts of Sir Francis Walsingham 17. c. Sir William Cecil to Sir Francis Walsingham 18 Instructions by the Queen to Sir Francis Walsingham ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester 2â— To Sir William Cecil ib. To Sir Walter Mildmay ib. Sir Henry Norris and Sir Francis Walsingham to the Queen 22 Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir William Cecil 26 Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir William Cecil 28 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester 28 29. Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir Walter Mildmay 30 Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir William Cecil 31 Monsieur Pinart to Sir Francis Walsingham 32 Sir William Cecil to Sir Henry Norris and Sir Francis Walsingham ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir William Cecil 33 Earl of Leicester to Sir Francis Walsingham ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester 34 Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir William Cecil ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester 35 Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir Walter Mildmay 38 Sir William Cecil to Sir Francis Walsingham 39 Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir William Cecil ib. The Queen to Sir Francis Walsingham ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir William Cecil 42 Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir William Cecil ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester 43 Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir William Cecil 45 Earl of Leicester to Sir Francis Walsingham 47 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester 48 Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir William Cecil ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester 50 Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham ib. Earl of Leicester to Sir Francis Walsingham 51 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester 52 Sir William Cecil to Sir Francis Walsingham 53 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 55 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 56 The Queen to Sir Francis Walsingham ib Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 57 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord of Burleigh 58 Instructions of the Queen concerning the Match with France 62 c. L. Burleigh to Sir Fr. Walsingham 66 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 67 Earl of Leicester to Sir Francis Walsingham 71 The Queen to Sir Francis Walsingham ib. L. Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 72 Sir Francis Walsingham to the L. Burleigh ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to the L. Burleigh 73 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester 76 The Q. to Sir Francis Walsingham ib. Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 78 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 79 Sir Francis Walsingham to the L. Burleigh 81 Lo. Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to the L. Burleigh ib. Earl of Leicester to Sir Francis Walsingham 82 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester ib. The Q. to Sir Francis Walsingham 83 L. Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 87 L. Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to the L. Burleigh 88 The Q. to Sir Francis Walsingham 93 L. Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 94 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh ib. Earl of Leicester to Sir Fr. Walsingham 96 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester and L. Burleigh 97 The Queen to Sir Francis Walsingham ib. Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 100 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 101 Sir Francis Walsingham to the L. Burleigh 103 Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 104 Earl of Leicester to Sir Francis Walsingham 105 The Queen to Sir Francis Walsingham 106 L. Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 108 Sir Francis Walsingham to the L. Burleigh 109 Earl of Leicester to Sir Francis Walsingham 110 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh ib. The Queen to Sir Francis Walsingham 111 Earl of Leicester and Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 115 Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 115 Earl of Leicester to Sir Francis Walsingham 116 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 117 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir William Cecil 118 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester 119 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester 120 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 121 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 123 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester 127 Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 129 Earl of Leicester to Sir Francis Walsingham ib. The Queen to Sir Francis Walsingham ib. L. Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 134 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 135 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord of Burleigh 136 Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 137 L. Burleigh to Sir Fr. Walsingham 138 Earl of Leicester to Sir Francis Walsingham 139 L. Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 140 Sir Francis Walsingham to the L. Burleigh 141 Sir Francis Walsingham to the L. Burleigh 144 The Q. to Sir Francis Walsingham 145 Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 146 Earl of Leicester to Sir Francis Walsingham ib. Instructions for Hen. Killegrew Esq Ambassador in France during the absence of sir Francis Walsingham 147 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 149 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester 150 Sir William Cecil to Sir Francis Walsingham 151 Sir Francis Walsingham to the L. Burleigh ib. Lo. Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham twice 152 Earl of Leicester to Sir Francis Walsingham 153 Instruction for sir Thomas Smith Ambassador Entraorninary in France 154 Sir Francis Walsingham to the L. Burleigh twice 160 Lord Burleigh to Sir Thomas Smith 161 L. Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 163 L. Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 164 Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham twice 165 Sir Thomas Smith and Sir Francis Walsingham to the Queen 166 169 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 172 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester 173 Sir Francis Walsingham to the L. Burleigh 174 Sir Thomas Smith to the Queen 176 The Queen to Sir Francis Walsingham 180 Sir Francis Walsingham to the L. Burleigh 182 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 184 The Q. to Sir Thomas Smith and Sir Francis Walsingham 185 Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 187 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 188 Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 189 Earl of Leicester to Sir Francis Walsingham 190 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh ib. Sir Tho. Smith to the Lord Burleigh 191 Sir Tho. Smith to the Lord Burleigh 193 Sir Tho. Smith to the Lord Burleigh 198 Sir Tho. Smith to the Lord Burleigh twice 199 Sir Tho. Smith to the Lord Burleigh 200 Sir Tho. Smith to the Lord Burleigh 202 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh ib. Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 203 Earl of Leicester to Sir Francis Walsingham ib.
Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester 204 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh ib. The Queen to Sir Francis Walsingham 205 Instructions for the Earl of Lincoln Ambassador extraordinary to the French King 206 Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 212 Earl of Leicester to sir Francis Walsingham ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 213 Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 214 Conference betwixt Duke Montmorency and some of the Queens Councel ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir William Cecil 216 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester ib. Sir William Cecil to Sir Francis Walsingham 217 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester ib. Sir William Cecil to Sir Francis Walsingham 218 Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir William Cecil ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 219 Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir William Cecil 221 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester 222 Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir William Cecil 223 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester 224 Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir William Cecil ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir William Cecil 225 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester ib. The Queen to Sir Francis Walsingham 226 Q. Elizabeth to Sir Francis Walsingham 228 Sir William Cecil to sir Francis Walsingham 230 Sir Tho. Smith to Sir Francis Walsingham ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir Tho. Smith 231 Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir Tho. Smith 232 Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir William Cecil ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester 234 The Queen to Sir Francis Walsingham 235 Sir Tho. Smith to Sir Francis Walsingham 236 Sir William Cecil to Sir Francis Walsingham 237 Sir Tho. Smith to Sir Francis Walsingham 238 Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir Tho. Smith 239 Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir Tho. Smith ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir Tho. Smith 240 Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir Tho. Smith 243 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 245 Lord Burleigh Earl of Leicester Sir Francis Knowles Sir Tho. Smith to Sir Francis Walsingham 246 Lord Burleigh to sir Francis Walsingham 250 251 Earl of Leicester to sir Francis Walsingham ib. Sir Tho. Smith to sir Francis Walsingham 252 253 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lords of her Majesties Councel ib. The Queen to sir Francis Walsingham 259 Sir Tho. Smith to sir Francis Walsingham 262 The Queen to the French King on the behalfe of the Vidam of Chartres 263 Lord Burleigh to sir Francis Walsingham 264 Earl of Leicester to sir Francis Walsingham ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to sir Tho. Smith 265 Sir Francis Walsingham to sir Tho. Smith 267 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 269 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester 270 Answers to the French Ambassador 271 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester 273 Sir Tho. Smith to sir Francis Walsingham 274 Sir Francis Walsingham to sir Tho. Smith 275 Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir Tho. Smith 276 twice Sir Francis Walsingham to sir Tho. Smith 278 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 281 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester 282 Sir Tho. Smith to Sir Francis Walsingham ib. The Lord Burleigh to sir Francis Walsingham 283 Earl of Leicester to Sir Francis Walsingham 284 285 Sir Francis Walsingham to sir Tho. Smith 86 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 287 Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir Tho. Smith ib. Earl of Leicester to sir Francis Walsingham 288 Lord Burleigh to sir Francis Walsingham 289 Sir Francis Walsingham to sir Tho. Smith ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 290 Sir Francis Walsingham to sir Tho. Smith 291 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 292 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester 293 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 294 Sir Francis Walsingham to sir Tho. Smith 295 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 296 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 297 The Queen to Sir Francis Walsingham ib. Sir Tho. Smith to Sir Francis Walsingham 299 Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 301 Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir Tho. Smith ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester 302 Sir Francis Walsingham to the L. Burleigh 303 Sir Francis Walsingham to the L. Burleigh 304 306 Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir Thomas Smith 307 Sir Fr. Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester 308 Sir Francis VValsingham to the Lords of the Council ib. Sir Thomas Smith to sir Francis Walsingham 310 Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham ib. Earl of Leicester to Sir Francis Walsingham 311 Sir Francis Walsingham to sir Thomas Smith 312 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 313 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 314 Sir Thomas Smith to Sir Francis Walsingham 315 Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 316 317 Instructions for the Earl of VVorcester 318 Earl of Leicester to Sir Francis Walsingham 322 Sir Thomas Smith to sir Francis Walsingham 324 Sir Francis VValsingham to the Earl of Leicester 325 Sir Francis Walsingham to sir Thomas Smith 326 Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 327 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 328 Sir Francis Walsingham to sir Thomas Smith 329 331 332 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 333 Sir Thomas Smith to sir Francis Walsingham ib. Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 334 Answer of the Queen to the French Ambassador comcerning the Duke Alanson 335 Lord Burleigh to the French Ambassador 3â—9 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 343 Sir Francis Walsingham to sir Thomas Smith 344 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl of Leicester 345 Sir Thomas Smith to Sir Francis Walsingham 346 Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 346 347 The Queen to Sir Francis Walsingham 348 Answer to the French Ambassadors ib. The Queen to King Henry of France 351 Instructions for Sir Francis Walsingham in his second French Ambasiy 352 353 c. For a League with France 355 Sir Francis Walsingham to Sir Henry Cobham and Mr. Sommers 356 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh ib. Sir Henry Cobham to Sir Francis Walsingham 357 Francis of Valois Duke of Anjou and Alanson to Sir Francis Walsingham 358 Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 359 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Queen 360 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 363 Lo. Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 372 Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 374 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 375 Sir Francis Walsingham Sir Henry Cobham John Sommers to the Lord Burleigh 376 Lo. Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 377 379 Sir Francis Walsingham Sir Henry Cobham John Sommers to the
discretion and secresie to deal in a matter of such consequence In the end having finished this point to leave the better taste with her of the matter I concluded being so warranted by my instructions that if this motion of hers should take effect the like never happened these many hundred yeares in respect of the great profit that would redound to both the Realms To this she answered that as she never desired any thing with like earnestness as she did this so if the same should not take place nothing could more grieve her For saith she besides the great benefit that will grow hereby unto both the Crowns on the successe of this match dependeth the quietness of all Europe This being all the talk that passed between Queen Mother and me I leave to trouble your Lordship any further humbly taking leave From Paris the second of Aprill Francis Walsingham To my very friend Sir Fr. Walsingham Ambassador for the Queens Majestie in France I Have upon the receipt of your Letter written by Sir E. Gilbert dealt with her Majestie touching your chargeable dwelling there I trust her Majestie will have due consideration thereof You shall perceive by her Majesties Letters her further pleasure touching Monsieur whose cause hath been broken to her by my Lord of Buck from the Queen Mother we perceive they deal very daintily and doubt much her Majesties intention to marriage at least that she had rather hear of it then perform it But assuredly I do verily believe her Majesties mind herein is otherwise then it hath been and more resolutely determined then ever yet at any time before yet doe they mean to deale so secretly on that side as though they will not yet believe it And accordingly her Majestie mindeth not to deal but as privatly as may be devised that if that should not take effect the lesse reproach is to either party her Majestie hath onely broken this matter with my Lord of Burleigh and me and I think will not use any more till some apparance fall out what is like to become of the matter The person of Monsieur is very well liked of his conversation is harder to know I see her Majestie misliketh not of his estate For she is of mind to marry with the greatest and he is left almost alone the greatest to be had The conditions will be all wherein I am right glad and we are bound to thank God to see her Majestie so well to stand to the maintenance of the cause of Religion For as there will be no great difficulty in respect of his person and estate to cause a marriage between them so yet I perceive with the impeachment any way of the true Religion here now established she will for no cause deal with him as you may perceive by her Majesties own Letters to you Albeit she doth not mean in respect of his policy to drive him in open shew in the mean time to renounce his own profession but conditionally that if they should match then wholly to maintain this aswell privatly as publiquely God send her Majestie alwaies during her life so to stand to the defence of so just a cause and withall his blessings upon her for us all that we may live and see her bring forth of her own body as may hereafter suceed her aswell in that happinesse as in the enjoyning of her kingdome So not doubting but we shall shortly hear from you I commit you to God In hast this 23 of March 1571. Your assured friend R. Leicester To our trusty and right welbeloved Francis Walsingham Esq our Ambassador Resident with our good Brother the French King ELIZABETH R. TRusty and welbeloved we greet you well we have seen your Letters of the 11 of this moneth written to the Lord of Burleigh our Secretary and perceive thereby your diligence in exploring further certain matters practised in Spain where you formerly wrot your doings wherein we doe well commend you and according to our former resolution whereof we lately advertised you we do now send unto the King of Spain this bearer our servant Henry Cobham one of our Gentlemen Pensioners for whose speedier and surer passing thither we have directed him to passe by you both to conferre with you and to utter unto you certain things from us wherein you shall give him credit and also to procure from the King our good Brother his passport and surety to passe throughout that Realm into Spain and likewise to return wherein we pray you to use some diligence to obtain the same for our said servant as you can consider the cause doth require we have instructed this said bearer of the Queen of Scots cause and have willed him to impart the same to you and having well conceived it we would have you there to let the Queen Mother understand so much thereof as shall be meet that she may know our sincere dealing therein And in your speech to her you may say that we do somewhat marvell that she doth so often sollicite and presse in the said Queen of Scots cause considering that we have not omitted to do any thing for her benefit which time and commodity would yield and that with reason we might do And specially we do the more marvell of the late urging of us therein considering the motion of the matter which she lately uttered to my Lord of Buckhurst Given under our Signet at our Mannor of Greenwich the 26 of March 1571. in the 13 yeare of our raign To the Queens Majesties Ambassador in France Mr. Fr. Walsingham my assured friend AFter I had sealed up my other Letters with Mr. Cobham I received yours of the 18 by Mr. York whereof I thought good to give you knowledge I am also to ascertain you that although the contrary may be reported my Lord of Leicester finding just occasion thereto doth by all good means to my knowledge further the marriage and therefore I think it reason that by such good means as your self may think meet both the Q. Mother and Monsieur de Anjou might understand his disposition so as he may be well thought of herein And if he find that his doing may be liked there if God be content with the cause it is very probable that it may take effect you see how plain I deal with you and the rather because I find by my Lord of Buckhurst that upon the hope you have of the amendment of Monsieur in Religion you do not mislike of the matter Surely if Monsieur be not rooted in opinion of evill Religion as by his young years it is not likely there might be argument made that marriage here with England would be becoming a Professor of the Gospel considering the towardness of him to be a Martiall Prince he may prove a Noble Conquerer of all Popery in Christendome with such aids as may joyn with him in the Empire and other where I wish he were capable of such a designe You see still the more I
being so small the surety offered sufficient and the benefit that thereby might have risen unto her Majestie so great that the same would not have been denied for saith she Let her Majestie assure her self that Spain will never forget the arrest of the money which she shall find when occasion of revenge shall be offered They do here with great desire expect Mr. Cavalcants coming and as I judge by some Letters received from their Ambassador they conceive great hope to proceed certain speech passed between Tilligney and the King which I have imported to my Lord of Leicester maketh me think that the Religion will be no let c. And so c. Paris the 22 of Aprill 1571. Your Honours to command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honourable Sir Francis Walsingham her Majesties Ambassador Resident in France SIr I most heartily thank you for your so well advised Letters and considering I find them so circumsâ—ectly written and the matters contained so well digested I cannot but give you knowledge of my well liking of your service whereof to my power I will also procure the Q. Majestie to conceive the like good opinion I am sorry that the Q. Majestie findeth occasion to pretermit this late motion whereof it is likely she might reap great fruit to the quietness of her own Countries you must make the best that you can to content the parties I need not vvrite more because this bearer Mr. Beale is so sufficient to vvhom I have also shevved some of our occurrents From Westminster the 14 of Aprill 1571. Your assured loving friend Will. Cecill I forgot my nevv vvord Will. Burleigh To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh I Was glad by your Lordships of the 7 and 14 of April to understand the good liking you have of my ravv dealing in matters of such vveight as I am novv imployed in next her Majestie to your Lordships contentation do I chiefly seek as his vvhom in this calling I see hath chief regard to Gods glory and her Majesties safety I am sorry the request I preferred took no better effect I pray God it may be kept secret that thereby there may grovv no evill effect vvhereof I have some cause to doubt by the experience I have had since my coming hither The fault I knovv but no remedie I hope after The enterprise vvithin this moneth vvill break forth and I hope to good effect by that I have further understood of their matter and surely the match proceeding nothing could be more sit in my poor opinion then for us to have been dealers in the same thereby to have avoided others Thus I am bold to write as a private man in a private Letter having no opinion as an Ambassador And thus having nothing else at this present to trouble your Lordship with I most humbly take my leave From Paris the 22 of Aprill Your Honours to command Fr. Walsingham To my very friend Sir Fr. Walsingham Ambassador Resident for the Queens Majestie in France TOuching the Archb. you shall understand her Majesties pleasure by her Letters My Brother Sidney the Deputy of Ireland is arrived here as farre as we can learn by him there is great jarre between that Prelate and Prince Stewkley which hath caused his great mislike to remain in Spain it may be to good purpose if it be possible to recover him and get him hither For the other greatest matter you shall shortly receive her Majesties full resolution it appeareth her Majestie hath good liking to proceed if reason take place in the conditions God send such speed as may be to the glory of the Almighty God and her Majesties good satisfaction I suppose the dispatch will be ready to depart by Sunday or Monday at the farthest I pray you send me another Cipher more easie then the last So with my hearty commendations I bid you farewell In haste this good Friday Your assured friend R. Leicester To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Earle of Leicester SEeing her Majestie hath good liking to proceed as appeareth by your Lordships Letters dated on Friday last I am glad to conceive great hope by certain speech lately passed between the King and Tillignâ—y that Religion will not be the let which is the chiefest thing I respect in this match About an 8 dayes past the King entring into talke with him concerning this match Tilligney shewed him that it seemed strange to the world that Monsieur considering that this matter was in treaty grew every day more suspicious then the other To that the King replied That his Brother if there fell out no other let but Religion would be ruled by him And because saith he I may the better bring the matter to passe I will have my Brother with me out of this Town and divide him from certain superstitious Fryers that seek to nourish this new holiness in him And I doubt not saith he within these few dayes so to work my Brother as he will yield to any thing that I will require Two dayes after the King called again Tilligney unto him and asked him whether he lately had any talk with his Brother He shewed him that the same day at dinner Monsieur called him unto him whose whole course of talk was onely in commendation of the Q. Majestie and of the great desire he had to have so happy and so honorable a match whereby saith Tilligney I see him so farre in as I hope he will not make any difficulty at Religion which will be the chiefest matter the Queen will stick in No saith the King observe my Brother well you shall see him every day lesse superstitious then other This I thought good at large to set down aswell in respect of the match as also that your Lordship may see the great hope that may be gathered by this speech of the Kings revolt from Papistry Surely I am of opinion that if this match go forward it will set the triple Crown quite aside According to your Lordships request I have sent you this inclosed Cipher and â—o leaving further to trouble your Lordship at this present referring you over for other matters unto my Lord of Burleighs Letters c. From Paris the 22 of Aprill 1571. Your Lordships to Command Fr. â—alsingham To our trusty and welbeloved Sir Francis Walsingham Ambassador Resident in France ELIZABETH R. RIght trusty and welbeloved we greet your well The bearer hereof Sr. Cavalcant hath bin here and imparted to us certain matters as it seemeth committed to his charge whereunto the Ambassador here being also by him made privy they both have received our answer to such Articles as â—â—th been by them propounded And of the same and of our further pleasure how you shall proceed you shall by our other Letters and instructions more amply understand Given under our Signet at our Palace of Westminster the 17 day of Aprill 1571. the 13 year of our Reign To our
him into the fire that he may know what it is to serve against God I would your Lordship knew the Gentleman for courage abroad and counsell at home they give him here the reputation to be another Ol he is in speech eloquent pithy but which is chiefest he is in Religion as Religious in life as he is sincere in profession I hope God hath raised him up in these days to serve for an instrument for the advancement of his glory I beseech your Lordship to credit this bearer touching my particular state To whom leaving to trouble your Honour at this present I refer you I beseech your Lordship to procure out of hand that I may know what her Majestie meaneth to do in this matter At Paris the twelfth of August 1571. Your Honours to command Fr. Walsingham To the Right honourable and my very loving Friend Francis Walsingham Esq her Majestes Ambassador Resident in France SIr this bearer my Lord of Rutlands servant can more commodiously report unto you the arrival of Monsieur de Foix then I can now write and so I refer the report thereof to him Yesterday your long Letters sent by my Cousin Dannet came to my hand even within a quarter of an hour before de Foix came to her Majesties presence I fear the offers of so great Amitie will diminish or divert the former intention of the marriage without which the French Amity shall serve to small purpose but to make us ministers of their appetites and those fulfilled to cast us off Surely I could have wished that the extremity of the marriage had been seen before these baits of Amity had been thrown before us I see those most liked by such as I could not find to like of the marriage But all this is contrary to your self At Hatfield the sixteenth of August 1571. Your assured Friend William Burleigh To my very Friend Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador for the Queen Majestie in France I Have received your Letters written with Cypher by Dannet The matter is of great importance I am most glad to see them at this point I think her Majestie shall be advised not to lose all these good advantages offered her specially when they tend both to the setting up of Gods true Religion and establishing of her own surety with augmentation of her Crown For my part I never found cause since her Reign that moveth me more to further it and be you assured I will do all that is possible that somewhat may come thereof You shall understand as soon as is possible her resolution but I think it will be five or six days near hand first by reason of the other matters which de Foix who had his access yesterday the fifteenth of this moneth and was as graciously used at her Majesties hands as ever I saw any Ambassador he had loving talk and hath already entred into this matter and this day my Lord Keeper my Lord Chamberlain my Lord of Burleigh and my self are appointed to confer with him He standeth stiff to have Religion for Monsieur her Majestie standeth as stiff in denial and so I think meaneth to do For this time I can say no more Your assured Friend Ro Leicester 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 and though we think you had some great desire to hear how Monsieur de Foix hath here proceeded with us in his charge and the rather because we understand that within a few days after the first Speech with us and Conference with our Councel he dispatched Letters or Message thither yet surely until this present we could not ascertain you of any thing certainly concluded with him by reason that he being not satisfied with our answers doth still persist in seeking to induce us to reform our answer more towards his satisfaction But now you shall understand that he and the Ambassador Resident having had sundry Conferences with us and apart with our Councel at all times the weight of the matter hath chiefly depended upon the cause of Religion For they requiring a toleration and we denying they offering to have it tempered and moderated as our Councel shall devise to avoid offence of our Conscience and of the Dukes the same was found always either impossible or so hard as by no device such a mean in plain terms by words or writing could be found to satisfie them or our selves So as in the end they desired as we would be content to agree secretly that he should not be impeached in the secret use of his Religion if we would not consent to a toleration and so you shal see by writing which you shal receive herewith what hath been said by our Councel thereto and with the same writing also two answers to two other matters by them onely propounded because to the same there was no answer satisfactory given in our former writings to their first demands In this writing now delivered to them we perceived them most troubled with a phrase added of great necessity for our purpose and specially for satisfying of our conscience that the Duke shall not be molested for using of any Rites not repugnant unto the word of God which words being in a writing delivered unto them first the one and twentieth of this moneth was afterwards now in the last of August by their importunity as now you see altered from the words Verbo Dei to Ecclesiae Dei which in our judgment is all one and yet finding themselves therewith better content then with the other we yielded to have it so altered Besides this writing because we know not how our answer in the Article of Religion shall be there imparted we have also by express speech declared to Monsieur de Foix that as we shall be well content that our answer may satisfie Monsieur de Anjou for his honour for that we have in some sort yielded to him to use other Ceremonies then ours so that as they be not repugnant to the Church of God and with such other cautions as in our writing are further contained so our meaning is to be declared plainly to Monsieur de Anjou that we cannot permit him at his coming to have the use of any private Mass which speech we have plainly uttered unto him because there should no misconceiving be gathered of our answer whereby the Duke might hope of a sufferance for that we cannot find it without peril of our Estate and quietness to yield thereunto And thus having imparted unto you how we have answered him we will that you also after the consideration of the same and of the answer given unto him in writing which we herewith send shall resort to the King and affirm the same to be our mind And if you shall find them doubtful how to interpret our answer that is whether we having our mind satisfied in the cause of Religion can be content to proceed in
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
Cypher I have I will make new and send it you and then you shall hear of a matter worthy the writing We hear here that Montmoreâ—cy is in some danger Your very Friend Ro. Leicester To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq her Majestes Ambassador Resident in France YOur messenger that brought your dispatch of the five and twentieth of October arrived here the second of November and my Lord Treasurer imparted unto me such matters as you advertised him of by whom again you shall understand her Majesties pleasure for that I think his Cypher is better then mine I am loth to enter into some of tâ—ose things which I am very desirous else to say somewhat to you of but not doubting but his Lordship will signifie the whole I will now forbear and descend to smaller matters And to answer you for the two Captains you wrote to me to move her Majestie for she is now pleased to entertain the one him that hath most means am I lothest to name lest he might be suspected In this mysterie you know whom I mean and shall also by your servant she is content with 50 l. yearly whether it will like him or no I know not if it do not we will do what we can to increase it also the other her Majestie yet is not minded to use his service We perceive the party Saint 4 is very coy in his dealing but surely he is not to be blamed the world being there with you as it is You shall hear of another manner of matter I am sure by my Lord Treasurer which is lately offered me here but we greatly suspect it to be some practise or else the choice is not well made of the party in my opinion And you shall do well to understand it with all expedition as I am sure my said Lord doth advise you throughly therein for it is of consequence and it behoveth us withal speed to know whether it be right or wrong if it be wrong by my consent there shall be right example made of the like c. The Regent of Scotland is dead as we are advertised this day I suppose it to be very true I trust her Majestie will not lose the opportunity offered there If the Emperor be dead also it will make a great change I hope better for Christendom I mean for good Christians I have sent you a letter two days ago by a Scotchman one Dâ—uglas wherein I have sent you my mind touching the Rider whom I desire greatly to have if I may reasonably have him You shal perceive by this Letter at large that if I may have him for 150 Crowns a year for himself and to give him meat and drink and his man with a couple of horse found in my stable I think I shall be worth to him otherwise half as much more if he like me well as I mean he shall try me and I him for a year And if so he be content the sooner he come the better God send him to be an honest man and I warrant you he shall be very well entreated For his sufficiency I leave it to your good enquiry I trust shortly you shall be at home I have not ceased daily since your wives arrival to call upon her Majestie for it and she is fully agreed thereto and hath named some for your successor I think Francis Carew shall be the man as it is yet resolved or Henry Cobham but one of them I care not who shall be hastned for your sake assure your self I pray you shew all the favour and countenance you can to Benedict Spinola he hath a great cause there in hand which he hath heard you have favourably furthered He hath required my thanks he is my dear friend and the best Italian I know in England Her Majestie hath written for him Let his brother know that I have written to you I pray you if the Rider conclude I am sure Spinola ' s brother if he be there will answer his brother here again So good Francis fare you well Your good wife is in health In haste the second of November Your assured Friend Ro Leicester To the Right Honourable Sir Thomas Smith her Majesties principal Secretary IT may please you to advertise her Majestie that Standen arrived here lately in post out of Flanders where he staied onely five daies and had daily conference for the time of his aboâ—e there with the Scotish Ambassador together with Lâ—ggens who at his return which was by post accompanied him into Flanders Those that observed the manner of their conferences his coming and returning by post being accompanied by Liggens at his return maketh the Sotchmen that wish continuance of quiet in their Countrey to fear that there is some dangerous practise in hand The said Ambassador doth now daily repair to the Court and hath often conference with the Queen Mother at an extraordinary time in the morning when as commonly no Ambassador hath access but in the afternoon Not long â—ince in talk apart with his friends he said that if the troubles of Scotland had not been his Mistris had been at libertie and perhaps enjoyed a better Crown then Scotland is He said further that if his Mistris had as many good friends in Scotland as she hath in England she had not long remained in prison as she doth Thus you see how dangerous a ghest her Majestie harboureth The Spanish Marquis who is come hither to congratulate the Queens delivery under the colour of the same as I learned secretly he hath commission to treat secretly of three points The one to cause the King to enter into the League The other to the marriage between Monsieur and his Masters daughter The third to propound some way for the Scotish Queens delivery Being procured thereto by the house of Guise in recompence of the execution done upon them of the Religion whereby the King of Spain acknowledgeth to have saved the Low-Countreys The Cardinal of Lorrain by his Letters procured the King to write earnestly to his Ambassador in Turky to cause him to travel by all means to compound the differences between him and the Princes of the League The Almains do fear much the election of the Emperors second son in Polonia as that thing which will make the house of Austria too great And so for other matters referring your Lordship to these enclosed Occurrents I most humbly take my leave At Paris the twelfth of November Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh MY very good Lord touching the Scotish matters her Majestie desiâ—eth to be advertised of your Lordship shall understand that I should know the partie my self ever since my repair hither who is of the Religion and though not taken heretofore to be very zealous yet always reputed to be very honest He had been slain if he had not been saved by â— in this last broil with whom he is most
the Letters were of his own writing that escaped a late but the superscription the others Lastly he could not tell it for certainty for that it was sent to him But the message was surely delivered by the person himself which we after perceiving the party there to avow did alter the minds of some albeit for my part it would not enter into me Since how great suspicion again is given I refer to your self The matter known to many of his Countrey men as well as to you and yet a shew to be kept secret from the King who will believe it again his often sending his own servants and never none met withal who can think it likely Also the parties chief instruments there to be imployed being so great a Papist and not to take such a matter as was lately offered him in worse part then he doth who will believe there can be plain dealing in this case O it were a happy turn to make some small trial what we were there and that we might have occasion to trounse his companion here for his pains and yet to pay them with their own rod and seem to crave thanks for discovering to the King there such a dangerous practise which we may easily and well do And I dare venture my arm to be cut of that it will fall out a plain practise and in the end the King may take his advantage against her Majestie when he list and say justly that she was willing to offer him such an injury by entertaining such practise I am bold to discover thus much of mine own conceit to you you may use it to as you see cause But truly I for my duties sake do not spare to inform her Majestie what I think of it albeit she is yet somewhat loath to discredit the party there she is born in hand his love is great Now also a little further as your friend I will be bold with you I pray you consider accordingly of it We find certainly that oft-times your advertisements be made more common even of the greatest then is thought convenient You know what opinion is here of you and to what place all men would have you unto even for her Majesties sake besides that the place you alreadie hold is a Counsellours place and more then a Counsellours for a time for oft-times Counsellours are not made partakers of such matters as you are acquainted withal and do advertise hither so much the less are others to be acquainted with your secrets And the more boldlie this for that it hath been friendlie told me and in this sort That you have written sometimes more largelie to some private friends then almost to her Majesties self if it be so then I pray you accept this friendly if not yet I will tell the parties and their names And even upon this your last advertisement which you committed to your messenger to deliver to my Lord Treasurer and me the same was also communicated to others being no Councellors and by your Letters referred to receive the understanding at the Messengers hands and I will tell you what followed and this we speak upon knowledge before we had either imparted your Letters to her Majestie or scarce read them all I assure you the Count Montgomery was advertised being this day here in the Court of the matter which if it should grow further may happilie turn to that Gentlemans destruction besides the like secret matter which you committed to be delivered to my Lord Treasurer and me upon the slaughter when you durst not write was likewise communicated unto others which came also to our knowledge for it was in open talk within ten hours after we had it yet upon our honour we had not delivered it to any Councellour living one or other wherefore you may see it is not good to trust messengers nor to impart any of your weighty causes how near or dear soever they be to you for I assure you they go from friend to friend and my self have had them brought to see and yet I must say I saw no matter of so great weight albeit I saw that such were fitter to receive almost no letters then to send them abroad This I assure you Mr. Walsingham I do upon meer good will and honest friendship towards you and so I pray you take it And I desire you to commit this letter to Vulcan And being weary I commit you to God In haste the eighth of Ianuary 1572. Your assured Friend Ro Leicâ—ster To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador for the Queen's Majestie in France I Have received your letters of the of this moneth and my Lord Treasurer hath imparted unto me his Letter which was sent with the Cypher as also since two other of the four and twentieth of this moneth which all contain matters of importance specially this last which is to be foreseen and for my part I believe the advertisement to be very likely and true the further you may grow into the certain knowledge thereof the better service you may do I perceive the King doth earnestly prosecute the reformation of his Subjects how God will prosper him methinks he should greatly fear for his victory doth not consist in his great numbers My hope and prayer is that our mighty God will shew his wonted mercie and grace towards innocents and his poor afflicted flock Here hath been of late a Gentleman for the partie you wot of one that I know and have seen him here before though he be not forward in Religion yet is he a faithful Gentleman and of great trust with his friend The matter doth stand very tickle and methinks they deal far more unsafely then if they had dealt by you and yet is it the cause of your stay onelie I am glad to hear of the good fortune of the Rochellers God send it to be true as also that the King is of no better credit with the Almains and Switzers I wrote of late to you of some length but it hath pleased Mr. Secretary to forget the sending these ten daies I pray you send me word whether it hath been opened or no. If I thought you should tarry longer there I would send you a Cypher but I think otherwise and therefore in that full hope I will forbear I thank you verie much for your mindfulness of the Rider if he be good your bargain is verie reasonable My Lord of worcester hath great judgement in those matters but I durst trust Claudio my old friend that he would not abuse me What you promise on my behalf shall be performed towards him to the uttermost Thus having no news but of our Mistris's perfect good health I bid you farewell In some haste the nine and twentieth of January 1572. Your very Friend Ro. Leicester To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq her Majesties Ambassador Resident in France SIr the Instructions of my Lord of Worcester have in them such a clause that if he
Lord Burleigh 380 Memorial for Mr. Sommers 384 Private Memorials for him 385 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 386 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Queen 387 Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 388 389 390 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Queen ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh twice 392 Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 392 394 Sir Francis Walsingham Sir Henry Cobham John Sommers to the Lord Burleigh 396 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh ib. Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 397 Points accorded and not according upon the League Offensive and Defensive 400 401 402 403 Sir Francis Walsingham Sir Henry Cobham John Sommers to the Lord Burleigh ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 407 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh ib. Sir Francis Walsingham to the Duke of Anjou 409 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 410 Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 412 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 413 Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 414 Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham Sir Henry Cobham and John Sommers 419 Lord Burleigh to Sir Francis Walsingham 422 423 Answer to the Commissioners concerning the League Offensive ib Sir Francis Walsingham to the Queen 426 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 428 Conference betwixt the Queen Mother and Sir Francis Walsingham 429 Sir Francis Walsingham to the Lord Burleigh 434 439 Sir Francis Walsingham Sir Henry Cobham John Sommers to the Lord Burleigh ibid. NEGOTIATIONS OF STATE AFFAIRS BETWEEN The Lord Burleigh and Sir Francis Walsingham in the Reigns of Qu Elizabeth and Charls the 9. of France Anno Dom 1570. Instructions for Francis Walsingham Esquire sent by the Queens Majesty to the French King for the Matters following the 11 of August 1570. in the 12 year of Her Majesties Reign ELIZABETH R. FIrst you shall conferr with our Ambassador Sir Henry Norris knight upon this Charge now committed unto you and as you two shall think best to proceed therein for our Service so we are well content to allow your doings and for the repair and delivery of our Letters to the French King and to the Queen Mother with such other circumstances thereto belonging you shall also follow the advice and discretion of our said Ambassador The charge which we doe commit to you resteth only and principally upon this speciall Matter following whereunto we will that you direct your whole actions We desire that the Accord betwixt the King our good Brother and the Prince of Navarre Prince of Condé and the Admirall with the rest of the Company being the Kings Subjects might be made as favourable for the reasonable contentation and surety of the said Princes and their party as may be possible to the maintenance and continuance of them in the liberty of their Consciences for the cause of Religion And because we consider that there is no small labour made by some directly to impeach this accord and by some others though not openly to withstand is yet by doubtfull dealing in the granting to their Requests to ruine the said Princes and their party in the end We finde it the more necessary for us to use all good means to countervail such contrary labours and to procure not only a good Accord but therewith a continuance thereof as a matter which in our Conscience and Honor we think good both for the King and his whole Estate And therefore after you shall understand the state of the Negotiation of this matter by the Deputies of the two Princes with the King and wherein it shall be profitable for them that our Ambassador and you shall deal with the King or Queen-Mother in our Name Our meaning is you shall in this manner or the like declare our Intentions as Grounds whereupon you may lay the rest of our Reasons and perswasions that shall be thought good to be propounded to the King First you shall say that we earnestly request the King to set apart all manner of Jealousie that either hath been or may be insinuated to him of our meaning in this cause betwixt him and his Subjects for that we mean as well and so alwayes have to him and his Estate as if we were his naturall Sister and never had any intention to maintain or comfort any of his Subjects against him to move any trouble to his estate or to diminish any parcell of his Crown And yet you shall say That we will in this sort be plain with him thinking yet best to agree with good Friendship and Honor that we could never be well satisfied or content in our minds to have the said Princes and their party for professing of the Religion whereof they have freedom granted to them to be overthrown or distressed by means of partiality of their private Enemies as long as they never required in substance any other thing of the King then a permission to enjoy the benefit of the former Edicts granted unto them for the exercise of their Religion In the which we doe also consider that they had been so long suffered as a great portion of people of his Realm had been in their young years therein nourished and established and without opinion of damnation of their souls they could not change the same so as we pray the King to take this our plain dealing in good part and to interpret of our advice that we are bold to give him as one that meaneth first and principally best to him and his estate and no otherwise to his Subjects then shall in our Judgment further the quietness repose and augmentation of him in Honour Wealth and Surety You shall next to this say that we have partly considered of such Petitions and Demands as we be informed his Subjects have in most humble sort required to be granted to them And we note the substance of them to consist specially upon these points The first that they may be restored to his favour and grace as most humble and faithfull Subjects a thing most meet for a King to be granted both readily and bountifully and consequently to serve him with their lives lands and goods a thing also for a King most profitable to imbrace accept And the next that they may be permitted to serve almighty God by exercise of Christian Religion according to their Profession and to quietness of their Conscience a thing also in the sight of God most commendable and needfull of all Christian Subjects And last that they may have assurance hereof in some better sort then by former experience they have had a matter of most moment to be regarded for a full perfection of all the rest and without the which the rest are of no account In these Suits most humbly presented of Subjects to a most Christian King of so great a multitude of People consisting of such sundry kinds and estates of Princes of his blood of noble Captains of learned men meet for Government and Counsel of valiant
as if by access unto her he might have executed the same for that the let and impediment groweth only from God and for confirmation thereof there was lately sent an Ambassador from Luca to execute the like office who by reason of her sickness could have no access and so was driven to deliver over his Message to the King which was accepted at his hands very graciously and so was dismissed as I heard rewarded with a very honourable Present Thus having been over long in this behalf I leave further to trouble your Honour and most humbly take my leave From Paris the first of February 1571. The Copy of Secretary Pynarts Letter MOnsieur je vous a envoye la pasporte que ce porteâ—r m' ay demandé de vostre parte Et j'ay faict entendre a leur Majestes conme vous m' avez mande que le my Lord de Buckhurst devoit arriver au jourdâ—y à Doâ—ure que desia aâ—cuns des gentlehommes de sa troupe estoient passes à Bullougne que vous desires d' entendre si les dictes Majesties auroient agreable que le dit Seigneur my Lord sa troupe se diminâ—ast que ie vous ferois plasir de vous mander quand feroit l' Entrée Surquoy les dictes Majesties m'ont faict dire que iceluy Sr my Lord de Buckhurst sa dicte troupe seront les tresbiens venus fort voluntiers venus receus mais que la maladie de la Royne avoit esté cause que l'on auise que le Roy seulement feroit sans grand ceremonie son entrée le primier dimanche de Quaresme prochaine que le sacre de la dicte Dame Royne son entrée estoient remis à une autre fois a cause de sa dicte maladie dont ie n'ay voulu faillir de vous advertir Et saluer pour la fin de ceste-cy vre bonne grace de mes bien humbles recommendations priant dieu Monsieur vous doner le bon jour An Chasteau Boulloigne le primier de feuriere 1571. Vre bien humble avous faire service Pynart To the Right Honourable Sir Henry Norris and Mr. Francis Walsingham Ambassadors for the Queens Majesties in France or to either of them I Am presently as this bearer can inform you unable to regard any matter and therefore excusable to you both though I write not any longer Letter this that I write is in my bed and therefore unperfect of necessitie Upon a Letter of yours Sir Henry Norris sent to me last by Nanfaâ—t which I shewed to her Majestie touching the advertisement that you had of the French attempts in Ireland Although her Majestie understood the like from Ireland and hopeth when the season of the year shall mend the same shall be remedied yet she complaineth hereof to the French Ambassador requiring to let the King understand that such kind of obliquites do not accord with the offers of the Kings Amitie so often by him the Ambassador remembred And in like manner her Majestie would that the King should be enformed by you both if your commoditie may serve to negotiate joyntly or else by you Mr. Walsingham if you be entred into your charge requiring the King that her Majestie may know his intention herein so as if those attempts be not speedily redressed and stayed by his Authoritie and according to his friendship that then her Majestie may otherwise provide for the remedie whereof cannot but follow such inconveniences as shall not be meet for their Amities You shall not make the matter dangerous of it self but onely the attempts of such as are his ordinary Subjects do shew a contrary effect of that which it hath pleased the King to offer to her Majestie and whereof her Majestie took great comfort I am utterly tired with this writing and am forced to remit the rest to this bearer In my bed at my house of Westminster the 26 of Ianuary 1571. Your assured loving friend at command William Cecil Totle Right Honourable Sir William Cecil her Majesties principall Secretary SIr the third of this moneth I received a Letter of yours directed to Sir Henry Norris and to me and after that I was entred into my charge and Sir Henry Norris had taken his leave of the King I as a thing pertaining to my charge forthwith sent to the Court for Audience which is appointed me the 6 of this present so soon as I shall receive the Kings answer to the message I shall do unto him in her Majesties name I shall not fail with speed to advertise If la Roches attempt be done with his privity as in reason hardly me thinketh otherwise it nothing agreeth to the great profession of good will he maketh here unto us her Majestities ministers Which to the outward shevv is done in that sincerity as he that trusteth least may right easely thereby be deceived And yet vvhen I consider hovv he is not fully restored to the reputation of a King and that daily many disorders of contempts are here committed I see some cause of stay in condemning but hereof by his ansvver or at least by execution of that vvhich he shall promise her Majestie shall vvhether invvard meaning or outvvard profession doe agree I vvas right sorry to understand that the gout hath of late newly assailed you after so small time of respit Surely Sir seeing that both God and Nature doe so require you must with importunacie desire her Majesty so to use your service as you may long serve of whose lack I pray God she may never have tryall And so leaving further to trouble your Honour beseeching him to send you your health and continuance of the same I most humbly take my leave From Paris the third of February 1571. Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To my very loving friend Mr. Francis Walsingham Ambassador Resident for the Q. Majesty in France MAster Walsingham I thank you for your Letters vvritten at Bullen I doe make no lesse accompt of your good vvill indeed then you have offered and assure your self to find to my power as much Friendship at my hands as at any mans hands in England We have no cause of new matters to write unto you here hath bin and is much speech of the man and matter I talked with you of in my closet at Hampton Court as yet there is no overture made directly of that side and till then little will be said unto it in the mean I pray you inform your self throughly of them and let me hear some pâ—ecâ— of your opinion of them I confesse our estate requireth a match but God send us a good one and meet for all parties My Lord of Buckhurst will set forward in four or five daies after this date so my good Francis farewell in some hast this 16 of Ianuary 1571. Your assured Friend Robert Leicester To the right Honourable my very good Lord the Earl of Leicester YOur Lordships of the
that one Merchant in this Town hath 14000 Câ—owns to be employed in that behalf To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Earl of Leicester MY very good Lord I leave to my Lord of Buckhurst to shew you how every way he hath bâ—n honourably entertained therefore in this behalf this onely will I say That such hath bin my Lords good demeanour as also of the Gentleman of his train as the King and his Court resteth very well satisfied and giveth both him and them great commendations protesting that sithence his coming to the Crown there was not an Ambassador of like Honosur here which I do not learn at those hands that will report otherwise then they hear to speak that which may best content us but from them at whose hands I do assure my self to have received the truth and for the increase of this good report he spareth to use no cost or liberality to such as by the King appointment have given attendance on him Touching other things the Duke of Longueville is lately departed from the Court with discontentment for that the Precedentship is adjudged to the Duke of Nemours protesting That so long as the Queen Mother liveth he will not come to the Court for he judgeth her to be the cause thereof I heare secretly that there is not the best liking between the two Queens whereof the young Q. is like to have the worst by common judgement for that here whatsoever our Mother commandeth taketh place and standeth for law And therefore if her Majestie desire to take any profit of France she must onely be the Messias and Mediatour I could therefore have wished that her Majestie had amongst other things bestowed some Present upon her The Kings Request unto the Pope for Count Galliâ—â—zos delivery is quite rejected who protesteth That if all the Hugonots in France were incamped about Rome he would not deliver him The King with this proud and disdainfull answer is very much offended I would he would give the Hugonots leave to make some proof what they could do for his delivery Touching a Bull set up against the Queen the Kings discontentment therewith and certain requests presented by the Spanish Ambassador here to the King I referre your Honour to Mr. Secretaries Letters And so leaving further to trouble your Honour I most humbly take my leave Paris the 5 of March 1570. To the Right Honourable Mr. Francis Walsingham the Q. Majesties Ambassador in France SIr I would not suffer this bearer passe without my salutations Master Bealâ— came this morning by whom and by your Letters I have understood from you such things as are of moment and so have I imparted them to her Majestie and mean as shortly as I can to procure answer for the return of the bearer her Majestie as there is good cause alloweth well of your service and so I bid you well to do and heartily thank you for your singular care and good will which you shew unto my Lord of Rutland who advertiseth me of very countifull From Westminster primo Martii 1570. By your assured as I was wont William Cecil And as I am now ordered to Write William Burleigh Sir Henry Norris maketh friendly report of you to her Majestie and to all others I write not to my Lord of Buckhurst because I think he is on the way To my very loving friend Sir Francis Walsingham Ambassador Resident for the Queens Majesty in France MY Lord Ambassador since my last Letter unto you I have little new matter worth the writing saving now we are much troubled with the Scotish causes the Commissioners of both parties are now here to write unto you what the end will be certainly as yet I cannot we find both sides very stiffe and hitherto those for the Kings partie very resolute for the maintenance of his Authoritie her Majesties scrupulosity touching his Title and Government we partly know The unworthiness of their Queen to rule she granteth but the instances of their cause to depose her from her dignity she can hardly yet be perswaded in so yet she remaineth much perplexed on the one side she is loth to set her up or to restore to her her estate again On the other side she is as loth to defend that which she is not well perswaded to have justice with it Between these her Counsell chiefly seek for these two things that her self may be preserved in suretie and the true Religion maintained assuredly For as the state of the world standeth and upon through examination of this cause it appeares that both the waies be dangerous touching the Q. of Scots for there is danger for delivering of her to her Government so is there danger in retaining her in prison her friends abroad begin to speak proudly for her we were wont also to have friends of our side if need were but as farre as I can see there is none of that side of the sea to be found that be Princes absolute well our case is the harder and we must say Si Deus nobiscum quis contra nos Touching this matter as soon as it shall grow to any likelihood either of the one side or of the other I will advertise you and withall send you the reasons of the advice In the mean time whatsoever you may hear believe me there is no man in England can tell you which way it will go yet in respect of the King there and his continuall dealing for the said Q. her Majestie rather giveth in words more favorable that way then the other Mr. Norris is arrived here yesterday being Shrove-sunday when Mr. Secretary was created Baron of Burleigh and I think ere it be long shall have the office of privie Seal but as yet remaineth Secretary still and within a day or two Sir Thomas Smith is like to be called to assist him The Parliament is to begin the 2 of Aprill next the Queen Majestie thanks be to God is in very good health so are all your friends as you left them save Sir Nicholas Throckmorton our good friend Your wife was here lately to take her leave of her Majestie who used her very well and graciously I pray you let us hear as often as you can conveniently I would gladly understand of some good for the poore Cardinall Chastillion I desire and also long to heare of the Q. Majesties present how it is liked Thus with my heaâ—tie commendations I bid you heartily farewell the 26 March 1570. Your assured Friend R. Leicester To the Right Honourable my very good Lord the Earl of Leicester BY your Lordships of the 26 of February I find that there is some entrie made in the Scotish matters and that you see them so full of difficulties as whether on retaining or releasing there should be more safety you can hardly diâ—cern things well weighed as well at home as abroad The common opinion of such as are of judgement here and wish well unto her Majestie
unto her that way Her Majestie can of her self well enough judge of the peril besides I know she lacketh not good advice and if sparing be not the let I hope all will do well And so for other matters referring your Honour to the Lord Treasurers Letters and this bearer I most humbly take my leave At Paris the fifth of December 1572. Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honourable and his very good Lord the Lord Treasurer YOur Honour by Master Secretaries Letters shall understand that the Isle of Rez is taken by them of Rochel that there is some hope conceived in Germany of the Elector Brandenburgh to the Kingdom of Polonia That the Ambassador of Spain here giveth out that the fifteenth of the last Moneth Zatphen in Gelderland was taken That certain of the Princes ships are lately distressed and that the two Dukes are at Boisleduc The Legats doings are kept very secret in so much that his Secretary is not made acquainted with them for the avoiding of suspicion The Ambassador of Spain hath no great conference with him but by a third person named L. Angrâ—lettâ— Auditâ—re della Rota who passeth daily to and fro between them he is one in whom the Pope layeth the chiefest weight of his legation in respect of his wisdom and experience The Duke of Savoys repair hither in person maketh men to think that the unity between this Crown and Spain is like to grow great for that he is termed here Lame du Rey du esquire and that therefore the matters of treaty between them are of great weight I know that sithence my coming to the Countrey the King hath openly used some speeches of misliking of the said Duke but this late change changeth all things upside down The doubt of the Turks great preparation for the next year is a great bridle of their intentions For the removing of this impediment the last of this moneth they dispatched hence their Ambassador to make great offers both in Spains and the Venetians behalf to draw him to an accord The Venetians as I am credibly informed have been these three years past at the charge of 800 000 the moneth and therefore would be glad to be rid of so weighty a burthen And so having nothing else to impart unto your Honour at this present I most humbly take my leave At Paris the fifth of December 1572. Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honourable and his very good Lord the Lord Treasurer BEcause this bearer promised to see my letters safely delivered unto your Lordship I thought I would not let him go without them The Legate stayeth here until there come resolution touching that they have lately treated here which they have dispatched both toward Rome and Spain by two sundry Curriors The King is of late advertised that the number of those of the Religion in Lanquedoc is encreased very much and that there are joyned with them 600 horsemen and 1500 footmen that are departed out of their Countrey of Bern who by the way have distressed the most part of Count Ioyeux Company They have taken also upon the edge of Languedoc a certain place called Sanins where their Gun-powder is made this encrease of their number maketh the King irresolute what to do Before these advertisements he was determined to have besieged Sancerre but now he is advised to march toward them in Languedoc The new accidents that happen make them to change their purposes Of late there is one arrived here from the Duke of Baviers whose coming is thought to proceed through the Cardinal of Lorrains perswasions with commission to make great offers to the King from the Duke to the end encourage him both to the imbracing of the league as also to proceed to the rooting out of those of the Religion here Monsieur de la Mot hath of late earnestly recommended to their Majesties here certain requests commended unto him by my Lords of her Majesties Counsel Whereupon Pynartâ—ent â—ent unto me to assure me that there shall be such justice done to her Subjects as her Majestie shall have just cause to rest contented therewith And so having nothing else to impart unto your Honor at this present I most humbly take my leave At Paris the tenth of September 1572. Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honourable Sir Thomas Smith her Majesties principal Secretary SIr It may please you to advertise her Majestie that by advertisement lately come to this Court from Rochel the King is given to undeâ—stand that Strozzâ— hath taken Marans not far from Rochel where he put to the sword two Companies of Souldiers placed there by the Rochellois Further he is given to understand that de la Noue is entred into Rochel being sent thither by the King having beforehand given oath that he would faithfully travel to reduce them to yield who by perswasion hath much wrought with them as they are content to grow to some capitulation which proceedeth chiefly through a disagreement that is between the Rochellois and such strangers as are repaired thither Also it is said that the Baron de le guard hath taken three ships laden with corn by them of Rochel These sundry newes hath put them of this Court in great jollity for that they hope shortly to reduce the Realm to inward quietness There are marched out of Burgundy a Captain footmen and certain horsemen levied by the Duke of Guise and the Duke of Aumale whether they shall be imployed at Sancerre or whether they shall march directly to Languedoc it is not as yet concluded The Duke of Guise arrived here the twelfth of this moneth who is marvellously well accompanided The Cardinal of Lorrain his Uncle is daily looked for here as also the Cardinal of Guise his Cousin By Letters of the fifth of this moneth out of Flanders they write that the D. of Alva doth distribute his Army into Garrisons and that the Roysters do remain at the Forrest of Arden and in the Land of Luxenburg where they commit great spoils and outrages being not yet payed for that the D. of Alva pretendeth not to have wherewithal to discharge them They write further that the Prince of Orange remaineth at Dortrecht where he maketh collection of money for the levying of forces for the next Spring From Cullen they write that there are certain Commissioners repaired thither sent by the Emperor as it is said to treat some accord between the Prince of Orange and the D. of Alva notwithstanding they do give out other causes of their coming By Letters from Vienna they advertise that the Emperor is repaired into Bohemia to procure the election of his Son which being done he meaneth to repair to Germany and there to keep a Diet for the election of the King of Romans Further they advertise that the great Turk of late hath sent unto him a present commending him very much for the keeping of his promise and the
THE Compleat Ambassador OR TWO TREATIES OF THE INTENDED MARRIAGE OF QU ELIZABETH Of GLORIOUS MEMORY Comprised in LETTERS OF NEGOTIATION OF Sir Francis Walsingham her Resident in France TOGETHER With the Answers of the Lord BVRLEIGH the Earl of LEICESTER Sir THO SMITH and others Wherein as in a clear Mirror may be seen the Faces of the two Courts of England and France as they then stood with many remarkable passages of STATE not at all mentioned in any HISTORY Faithfully Collected by the truly Honourable Sir DVDLY DIGGES Knight late Master of the Rolls LONDON Printed by Tho Newcomb for Gabriel Bedell and Thomas Collins and are to be sold at their Shop at the Middle-Temple Gate in Fleetstreet 1655. To the Reader READER YOu are here presented with a PEICE never intended for the Press which hath slept long amongst the Papers of Sir DUDLEY DIGGES late Master of the Rolls a Personage of known Wisdom and Integrity and who understood well the value of this Manuscript which had nothing forged or supposititious in it There is no kind of Writing that men do generally with more greediness look into then LETTERS especially if they be Letters of State from Great and Wise Persons and in a Wise Time as these are And that appears in the Two Volumes of Letters lately printed under the Titles of CABALA and Secrets of Empire which have been very well resented and though indeed they have no Coherence of Time or Matter but are a Rapsodie of the dispersed thoughts of the Dead upon several occasions yet like a Prospect of Various Objects have delighted the Curious Eye This Collection being a continued Negotiation of Sir FRANCIS WALSINGHAM during his three years Residence as Ambassador in that Mysterious Treaty of Queen ELIZABETHS Marriage successively with the two Great Brothers of VALOIS wil without doubt meet with an equal if not a better reception and not onely please the Judicious sight with its Order and Uniformity like a large Prospect at sea but may be of great use to those Gentlemen that shall be bred up to serve Princes hereafter in this kind of Honorable Imployment And though the English have been hitherto so reserved as not to make publike the Treaties and Negotiations of their Ambassadors abroad so that we have hardly any notion of them hut by their Arms which are hung up in Inns where they passed yet the French and Italians who think themselves as wise and as good Polititians have frequently done it which we see and read with delight as giving a better account of Affairs Times and Persons then any History can do unless men of Action and great Statesmen could find leisure as CAESAR and some others did to set down with integrity the several Passages of their Times The Persons who acted this Scene and who speak by their Letters are the QUEEN her self LEICESTER BURLEIGH WALSINGHAM and Sir THOMAS SMITH such a Iuncto for abilities as were sufficient to govern the whole world but the chief ministerial parts lay upon BURLEIGH and WALSINGHAM two such Ministers of State as no age in this Nation hath produced their Equals Of her Royal-self whom all EUROPE did either honor or fear I shall onely say That as she had the judgement to make good choice of her Servants though she rewarded but sparingly like her Grandfather HENRY the seventh yet she had the Fortune to find them more loyal and secret then those Princes that succeeded her notwithstanding their great gifts and effusion of the Treasure of the Crown which now with their bodies lies buried in the Dust. And if at any time it concerned her to be well served it was in this great Treaty of a League and Marriage with FRANCE where she had to do with as cunning a Lady as her self the Queen Mother and with the King her Son CHARLS the ninth the deepest Dissembler that ever wore Crown For the Match it self whether it were really intended by the FRENCH I make some doubt of the first namely that with the D of ANjou afterwards HENRY the third but do rather think it was set on foot with design to amuse our Queen and the Protestant Princes of FRANCE and to breed a Confidence the better to draw them into the Net at Paris I mean the barbarous and bloody Massacre on St. Bartholomews Eve 1572. being the second year of this Negotiation and by reason of the close carriage thereof could never be discovered by our quick-sighted Ambassador with all his Spyes and Intelligencers till he was almost overwhelmed in it himself For the second Treatie which was set on foot in the year 1581. with Monsieur the Duke of ALANSON I do conceive that it was really intended by the FRENCH and by the chief of the ENGLISH Councel except LEICESTER who had pretensions of his own but for her own Mind what that really was I must leave as a thing doubly inscrutable both as she was a Woman and a Queen Concerning that Immortal hatred that grew between her and the Queen of SCOTS occasioned by difference in Religion contrary State-Interest Neighboring Kingdoms Emulation of Greatness and perhaps of Beauty too and wherein all the Princes of Christendom did interpose some one way and some another as will appear by these Letters I can resemble it to nothing better then the Poets faigned quarrel between JUNO and VENUS which did so often trouble the whole Family of their Gods and the Scots Queens assuming the Arms of ENGLAND in the time of her first Husband though she afterwards excused it as an act of constraint she being under obedience was that Manet alta mente Repostum That injury which could never be forgiven till it was expiated with her blood And though these Things were the main part of the Negotiation yet there falls in other important Matters concerning the Protestants of France and Germany the business of Ireland and the Low-Countreys the English Fugitives controversies about Merchant Affairs c. All so well digested and delivered in so plain and clear a stile without any pomp of Words or ostentation of Wit as renders the PEICE much more valuable to those that know a good Hand when they see it And if a man could be beholding to his Cyphers as Sir ROBERT NAUNTON saith speaking of these very LETTERS in his Fragmenta Regalia they would have told pretty Tales of the Times but I must leave the decyphering part to those that have more leisure and dexterity that way and conclude all with this reflection upon our Ambassador which will fall under the careful observers eye how vigilant he was to gather true Intelligence what Means and Persons be used for it how punctual he was in keeping to his Instructions where he was limitted and how wary and judicious where he was left free still advancing upon alloccasions the Reputation and Interest of his Great Mistris with a most lively and indefatigable Devotion October 16. 1654. A. H. A TABLE Of all the Letters contained
advise given or no my Negociation being done in the end I concluded with my self that it was better to stay and to attend her Majesties order then to return home at all adventure This therefore shall be to desire your Honor that I may by your good means understand her Majesties pleasure in this behalf Touching the state of things here I forbear to write unto your honour for that I know my Lord Ambassador hath fully advertised you And so leaving further to trouble you at this present I most humbly take my leave To our trusty and well-beloved Francis Walsingham Esq present in the Court of France about our affairs ELIZABETH R. TRusty and well-beloved we great you well we perceive by your Letters written from Paris the 29 of the last moneth unto our Secretary how diligently and orderly you have performed the Message and Charge committed unto you which we take in very good and acceptable part being glad to understand your abilitie and fitness to do us further service hereafter And where among other things you desire to know our pleasure for your return unto us or further stay there Forasmuch as we have made choice of you to be our Ambassador Resident with our good Brother the French King instead of Sir Henry Norris whom we are very shortly to revoke we would be very glad so it would stand with your commoditie and without returning back hither you did remain there still for that purpose which if you can do upon signification thereof unto us we shall give order for our Letters of Credence to be addressed unto the said King and to be sent forthwith unto you for your placing with him as our Ambassador Resident there Howbeit if the necessitie of your business be such as you must of force be driven to return over and to settle your things here before you can be able to do us service there then are we well contented if there be no other remedie that you repair over some short while to prepare your self to return back again for our service with as convenient speed as may be Given under our signet at Rycot the 7 of September the 12 year of our Reign 1570. To our Right trusty and well-beloved Sir Henry Norris our Ambassador Resident with our good Brother the French King ELIZABETH R. TRusty and right well-beloved we greet you well whereas Monsieur Moulenet being lately with us did not only bring several Letters from the French King our good Brother and the Queen Mother by which the said King and she expresly required us to use towards the Queen of Scots all honest and favourable treatment due to a Queen of her quality and to set her at libertie and aid her to be restored to her Realm with Authoritie due to her but also according to the credit given by the said Letters he the said Moulenet did at length with very earnest speech deal with us therein alledging that in this doing we should much satisfie the King his Master and procure to our self great honor adding many other Allegations to induce thereunto to the maintenance of the said Moulenets speeches and negotiations Thereunto we have made some brief Answers as the time then served and as we thought meet to satisfie them But yet finding them to continue in their earnest solicitations and in the end earnestly requesting our Answer to the French King we told them that the time did not then conveniently serve us to send such an answer to them as the case required to our good Brother but we would shortly impart our meaning herein more at large by you being our Ambassador there Resident in such sort as we trusted our said Brother and the Queen Mother should find the same reasonable And so will we that you shall with your best opportunitie resort to them both and declare unto them that because of the length and varietie of the matters which we have committed unto you to be declared yet per case it be hard for you to express the same so orderly and readily in speech as you gladly would do you may require of the King license to read unto them in such sort as you have turned it into French a thing usual to this their Ambassador and not to be misliked especially in you that most herein use their language and not your own natural as their Ambassador doth here to his great commoditie And this being granted when you read it our meaning is not you shall deliver the same out of your hands to be kept or copied unless it be very earnestly prest by them And thus it followeth that you shall declare We have considered of the Letters sent unto us by Moulenet from them both with also the further explanation of the Contents thereof by him according to the credit given unto him The sum whereof was to require our favour towards the Queen of Scots in using her with favourable treatment due to a Queen of her qualitie and aiding her with our power to be restored to her Realm and obedience of her Subjects And though we did suddenly say somewhat to Moulenet on our own part to have satisfied him as we have done the like at sundrie other times to their Ambassador here Resident yet not knowing how they have conceived or delivered our speeches to the King our good brother nor how therewith he is satisfied which we are desirous to do in all reasonable requests according to the good Amitie that is and ought to be between us we have thought good at some more length to impart to our good Brother and Queen Mother both our doing and meanings in all this case of the Queen of Scots nothing doubting but the same being by them considered with their indifferent judgements it shall appear that we have done nothing hitherto in this case contrary to honour and reason or otherwise then very necessary and urgent cause hath moved us or might have moved any other Prince having the like cause neither yet in deeming the request of our good Brother the King in such sort and condition as it it made have we given him any occasion of offence towards us And this to do we are moved in good will in respect of the mutual Amitie that is betwixt the King and us and not of any necessitie we have to be accountable to any person for our actions and so we trust the King will accept the same in friendly manner And before he shall know what is to be said on our part we do earnestly require them both as a good Brother and a good Sister according to the fervent offers of their good amitie and perfect love made to us not only by their Letters but by Messages that they both will give ear hereunto as Princes and Persons standing indifferent in this cause without declination of their affection or adverting their judgements to the instigations of any particular persons that are more affectionate of nature to the person of the said Queen
peny to be so good silver as they think them evill used if it may not passe as current To the end that there may grow lesse harm thereof as some there must needs your Lordship shall do well to hasten it to some 〈◊〉 with what speed you may which I pray God may be as good as ever happened in like case And so leaving further to trouble your Lordship at this present I most humbly take my leave committing you to his protection From Paris 8 February Your Lordships to command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable Sir Walter Mildmay one of her Majesties privy Counsell SIr I understand by my servant Mills who followeth my suite how it hath pleased you of late both to recomend the same unto Mr. Secretarie as also to the B. of London so that the hinderance I was like to receive by Mr. Haddo's death is now Sir by your good means remedied whereby I hope my cause will grow both to a speedy and a good end Sithence I last wrote to you there hath faln out here no alteration saving that the entrie which should have bin performed with preat solemnitie is now like to go forward the 6 of this next moneth being so published with the sound of the Trumpet without any great pompe of Ceremonies by reason of the new Queens sickness who is now in way of recovery Of late by her Majesties commandment I dealt with the King about de la Roches attempt in Ireland who denieth that ever he was acquainted with the matter and therefore promiseth to see him or any other that hath dealt in that behalf punished whensoever I shall enforme him of their names if the redresse hereof fall out to be better then heretofore was wont to be yielded by his predecessors of like promises in like cases it will be but all in words for such is the expedition of this Court in promise speedy in performing slow At this time surely there are great practises in hand for the invasion of Ireland wherein the Pope and Spain joyn And as for the Cardinall de Lorrain as he may may underhand he faileth not to further the same to his uttermost I have herein advertised her Majesty what I can learn in that behalf hoping that there will be good eye had thereto in time least Ireland through too much securetie be neglected as Callis was And so leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present with my humble commendations to my Lady I commit you to Gods protection From Paris the 8 of Febr. 1571. To the right Honourable Mr. Francis Walsingham Ambassadâ—r Resident for the Q. Majestie of England SIr my Lord of Rutland hath such confidence in your friendship as I think it superfluous otherwise therein then to thank you for the good offers you made him at your departure whereof he hath made to me on your behalf very good report In my opinion you shall do his Lordship a great pleasure to take occasion to present him to the King as soon as you may that he may be known before my Lord of Burkhâ—rst comming In expressing of his linage you may boldly affirme him to be a kin to the Q. Majestie both by King Henry the eight her Father and also by the Q. Mother and he is of the blood Royall in the same degree that my Lord of Huntingdon is the difference being onely that my Lord of Huntingdon is of a Brother of King Edward the 4. and my Lord Rutland of the Sâ—ster of the same King and indeed thereby he is as near in blood though further in danger of fortunes wheel which is busie with carriage of Kings Crowns to and fro I am not able to write any more by weakness of my bodie presently tormented with pain from my house at Westminster the 28 Ianuary 1571. Yours assuredly William Cecil To the right Honourable Sir William Cecil her Majesties principal Secretary SIr any that you shall at any time recommend cannot but receive at my hands any favour or friendship that I can shew them But my Lord of Rutland who besides your commendations and his own calling hath so many good parts in himself that do recommend him as he may well assure himself of any honour or aid that I can procure him Sithence my last which were dated the 8 of this moneth I have learned nothing to any great purpose The complaints of those of the Religion have here but a very deaf eare given unto them The King committeth them over to the Q. his Mother and to Monsieur his Brother being himself altogether given to pleasure To our trusty and welbeloved Francis Walsingham Esq our Ambassador Resident with the French King ELIZABETH R. TRusty and welbeloved we greet you well we have received Letters jointly from Sir Henry Norris our late Ambassador and you dated the 29 of the last moneth by the which we perceive in what sort you were presented to the King there by Sir Henry Norris as to remain our Ambassador And in what sort you did orderly proceed in declaration of our good will to continue the good Amitie with the King and to appoint you as minister for the same wherein we do not mislike of such speech as by our Letter appeared to us you used to the King to comfort him in the maintenance and continuance of the inward peace of his Realm according to the benefit of his Edict lately granted to his Subjects for the matter of Religionâ— We have also seen and considerâ—d another matter of some weight whereof you willed our Secretary by your private Letters to him to advertise us concerning some motion made unto you by le Sieurs de upon certain conferences had by the King with him and therein we find that which you answered to the said Sir J. A. to be discreet and agreable to our mind and and if you shall find any likelihood that such a matter may be further dealt in and that it be meant bona fide to proceed further we would have you not only as of your self but as occasion shall be given to further it in our name for we do hold it so good and beneficiall as we rather doubt that some impediment may grow to hinder the successe thereof then of any speedie furtherance And therefore you shall do well to look well into the matter what likelihood there may be to have it go forward before you discover our intention to the King otherwise then as you find necessary to provoke him thereto By some other your Letters we perceive that the King there is well content that the Lord of Buckhurst shall come forward notwithstanding the sickness of the Q. and so we would have him proceed notwithstanding the same After we had caused thus much to be written hereof we thought good to will you to take some occasion of speech with the King of Spains Ambassador there Resident and first to let him understand that now about the tenth of this moneth we have here
as for her Majestie In the end he said he would write but that it would be two moneths before he could receive answer in the mean time he wished her Majestie to think of his Master as she would wish him to think of her Stewkley he protested never to have heard of If in the rest he be no sincerer then in this then is he Don Francisco not so sincere as he protesteth As for any attempts by Iulio Romero to be done in Ireland tell your Mistress saith he in few words that you her Ambassador â—ere knoweth that they be no Spaniards that have the enterprize in hand I told him that whatsoever I knew he might assure himself her Majestie could not be ignorant of And whereas said I you think that they be Frenchmen I assure my self to the contrarie for that the King hath so assured me He shewed me that he thought the King in that behalf sincere and that if there were any such matter it proceeded not from him but from others This Sir was in effect what I could ghess proceeded between us never spake I with a prouder man or with one more disdainful in countenance and in speech I suppose he is somewhat disquieted to see the honourable entertainment used towards my Lord of Buckhurst and therefore think him the rather to be excused besides he seemeth to be no better affected towards me then I am towards him which is such and no further forth then may concern her Majesties service I mean to have little else to do with him Sir touching de la Roches matter before my Lord of Buckhursts repair to the Court we upon conference agreed that he should make some entry into the matter and then afterwards cause the King to call me to inform what I had learned touching Roches proceeding in that behalf And so at the time of access according to the order agreed between us being called by the King I shewed his Majestie that notwithstanding he was otherwise informed the said de la Roch had been in Ireland and that he had left certain Souldiers there For whose safety he had brought hither two sons of one Fitzmorice to be here in place of hostages who remain now in Brest in Britain at a Kinsmans of the said de la Roch. And fuâ—ther I shewed him that the said de la Roch was lately departed out of the Town who before his going secretly gave out that he was dispatched about some enterprise I desired therefore his Majestie that according to his promise and the great Amitie he professed to her Majestie my Mistress he would procure some redress in that behalf which he with great earnestness protested to us I also desired his Majestie that it would please him to give me leave to deliver to some one about him a memorial to put him in remembrance thereof which his Majestie willingly granted and appointed one Gerâ—lomo Gondi a Gentleman of his Chamber to be the partie The like speech I used to the Queen Mother who gave great assurance that there should be speedy redress thereof I look shortly out of Britain to be advertised throughly by a Messenger that I sent expresly for that purpose touching the enterprise where also I have taken such order as I shall not fail to be advertised from time to time of such preparations as there shall be made whereof there may grow any suspition of any intention to attempt any thing that may touch her Majesties Dominions Concerning the having of any intelligence in Spain I hope to procure that one of the Kings Ambassadors men upon some pension shall advertise from time to time how things pass there According as her Majestie hath commanded me I will not be unmindful touching the league hoping not to omit any occasion or opportunitie that may serve that purpose so far forth as my poor skill and experience may stretch Touching my Lord of Buckhursts entertainment here which is very honorable and such as the like hath not been used towards any other I refer you to his Lordships own Letters I find him a Gentleman very wise and discreet and very careful to do that thing that may be for her Majesties Honour wherein he spares no cost And leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present I most humbly take my leave beseeching God to send you better health then by your Letters I perceive you have From Paris the 25 of Febr. 1571. Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham To my very Friend Sir Francis Walsingham Ambassador Resident for the Queens Majestie in France MY Lord Ambassador I thank you for your Letters lately received from you the last being the ninth of Febr. wherein you give very good advice touching the matter of Monsieur and for my own part I am of the same mind to wish sinceritie and honourable dealing in it that either upon very good deliberation it may be embraced or in time and in best sort put from too much entrance for neither is our case meet to dally nor his person for to be abused as he will think if he miss his desire how fair soever we speak him Therefore for my own part I wish all things to be throughly considered of him that her Majestie may fully understand the condition of his person before-hand which is one of the causes that moved me to say unto you as I did before your departure for I find matter that is like to come in question and I perceive her Majestie more bent to marry then heretofore she hath been God make her fortunate therein to his glory and our comforts Touching the matter of Ireland Master Secretary made me privy to your Letters and you do well to follow the matter earnestly and to enquire further thereof by all means you can devise for her Majestie is also advertised that the King of Spain hath like intention and almost ready to put his practise in execution whereupon her Majestie doth mean forthwith to take some order for that Realm We have lost on Monday our good Friend Sir Nicholas Throckmorton who dyed in my house being there taken suddenly in great extremity on Tuesday before his lungs were perished but a sudden cold he had taken was the cause of his speedy death God hath his soul and we his friends great loss of his body The Queens Majestie God be thanked hath her health well and hath summonded a Parliament which shall begin the 13 of April next Thus with my hearty commendations I bid you heartily farewel this 14 of Febr. 1571. Your assured Friend R. Leicester To the Right Honourable my very good Lord the Earl of Leicester YOur Lordships of the 14 I received the 16 of this present and was most sorry as I had just cause by the same to understand of the loss of so dear a friend as Sir Nicholas was unto me whose lack if it were but private only to his Friends the loss were great but if it be weighed generally in respect of her
that the King his Master was glad to entertain any Gentleman of countenance that offered him service as also to honour them with the honour of Knighthood I then made him acquainted with the couse of Stenklies life as also how little he had to take to and therefore willed him to consider how unworthy he was of any honour or entertainment in respect of himself But said I being as he is a Rebell unto the Queens Majestie with whom the house of Burgundy hath had so long Amitie and to be used with that honour and entertainment at his Masters hand gave her occasion to think that kind of Amitie not to answer best to such good will as outwardly is professed and so c. At Paris the 19 of March 1571. Your Honours to command Francis Walsingham To our trusty and welbeloved Sir Francis Walsingham Ambassador Resident with the French King ELIZABETH R. TRusty and welbeloved we greet you well we have seen the severall Letters which you lastely wrote of the 5 of this moneth to the Lord of Burleigh our Secretary together with a Letter sent to you out of Spain of the 25 of Ianuary and do like well of your dilligence used herein and having well considered and looked further into â—he matter and comparing your advertisement with others of like sort and finding the same to be of great importance we have resolved to send out of hand a Gentleman to the King of Spain both to decipher by speech with him and by other means to understand the Kings intention herein and also to deal roundly and plainly vvith him in the matter and in the mean time vve do give order for all events for vvithstanding of any enterprize as vvell by sending of our ships to the sea-coast of Ireland as by other Forces to be sent into Ireland And for that much time may pass before vve can have ansvver from thence we pray you continue your travel and care to understand further as much as you may thereof and to advertise as matter may be further discovered worthy of knowledge Touching the matter of Credit sent to you from Rochel whereof you gave knowledge by Beal we pray you as of your self to learn further thereof and to discover their intentions and the likelihood of their intentions and what are the meanest sums of money to be demanded and what are best assurance and assoon as you can to advertise us without giving any token that you are thus directed to do For other matters we refer you to the advertisements of our pleasure signified lately by the Letters of the Lord of Burleigh And whereas an ancient and very good servant of ours Sir Thomas Cotton Knight hath occasion to complain as he informeth of the evil dealing of one Loen de la Hay a Subject of the French King who being once our Prisoner of War and licensed to depart upon his faith upon condition to redeem and send home freely a son of the said Sir Thomas Cotten then Prisoner or else within a time limitted to return again as his Prisoner hath performed neither of both besides a good sum of money which he lent to de la Hay at his departure yet unpaid We have thought good to recommend the same matter unto you and for the better instruction therein you shall receive herewith the request of the said Sir Thomas Cotten praying you to take some convenient time to open the matter to such of the Kings Councel or to himself if occasion may serve and to such other as you shall think able and well-affected to do any good therein and to seek by all good means that some reason may be had of the said de la Hay in this so plain and justificable a case so as our said Servant may have no further cause of Suit to the King for lack of justice the partie being well able to pay as is enformed If you shall have any occasion to deal with the Spanish Ambassador there you may be bold to shew him of these reports that we hear from Spain and if he shall hear of any our preparations by Sea and Land that the same is for our defence and if we shall be offended we will use them not onely for defence but to offend for our Revenge Given under our Signet at our Mannor of Greenwich the tenth of March 1570. in the thirteenth year of our Reign To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Ambassador for the Queens Majestie in France SIr by the Queens Majesties Letters you may understand how well she liketh your diligence and besides that which is therein contained I am commanded specially to write to you that it is to her related that certain reports are made there as she thinketh by practice from thence of such as do not in with that a meaneth and so much in any place affirme And if L. shall by any occasion deal vvith you A. vvill that you do so assure him for A. knovveth not of any 0234 colour that doth mislike hereof Herein I am commanded to to vvrite earnestly unto you and to vvill you by no means to hinder the proceeding for it is meant as to me it appeareth very earnest and some offence here taken vvith H. for an opinion of cold dealing After the signing of her Majesties Letters she commanded me as she reposed trust in me that I should not be remiss herâ—in And so I pray you consider thereof and advertise me vvhat you hear and find thereof I make haste to end because I have many things to do From Greenvvich the tenth of March 1570. Your assured loving Friend Will. Burleigh I have no more leisure but to pray you to commend me to my Lord of Rutland To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh HEr Majesties of the tenth of March I received the vvhich I perceive her Majestie hath sundrie vvaies advertisements of the Irish enterprize vvhereof as I had cause before to doubt so have I novv more cause then before and therefore am glad to understand that there is order taken for the vvithstanding of all events that may happen in that behalf It may therefore please your Lordship to signifie unto her Majestie that the 24 of this moneth the Archbishop of Cassels sent unto me two of his Servants to know whether he might come to speak with me or no. I answered them that whensoever he would come he should be verie welcome and for that he should not lose his labour in coming I shewed them that he should find me at home both that day and the day following So the next day being the 25. he repaired unto me his first speech tended to his justification for departing out of Ireland without her Majesties leave saying that being deprived from his living and another substitute in his place who he confessed to have outraged before his departure necessitie inforced him to depart to seek maintenance some other where and the rather for that in respect of the
were not as he was a man of the Church he would be revenged of him for the report he made of him In the end after report made of this talk passed touching Stewkleys proceedings he concluded that the cause of his departure out of Spain was onely that he saw great likelihood that this enterprize should go forward and therefore would be loath as one descended from the house of Desmond to be suspected by his abode there to be a favourer of the said enterprize hating nothing more then the name of a Traytor I told him that I was very glad to here this talk pass from him whereof I promised him not to fail to make her Majestie privy hoping that he meant sincerely touching the practice I shewed him that her Majestie was neither ignorant nor unprovided of the remedy notwithstanding I did assure him that her Majestie could not but take it in good part if his meaning and words agreed both his withdrawing himself from thence as also in that he did discover unto me her Minister here what he knew touching the same I prayed him therefore to use plainness with me and told him that if it fall out otherwise First he should be reputed a Traytor and so little trusted of those whose turn he should seek to serve it being held for a common rule That a Traytor to his own Countrey came never to be true to another Secondarily that if he were partaker of the enterprize the matter was provided for and so their attempt not like to take effect whereby he should grow odious to those that he should procure to enter into the same And lastly I willed him to consider what benefit would grow to Ireland his Countrey if it should be reduced to the Spanish Government who doth rule altogether by Tyranny as divers of the Countreys where they do govern witness whereof he as a Traveller could not be ignorant whereas now they enjoy as great liberty as any Nation doth and if there be any defect it proceedeth frâ—m themselves who cannot yield to imbrace such good orders as her Majestie carefully for their benefit hath sought lately to place there amongst them to reduce them from Barbarousness to Civility He then protested that her Majestie should find him sincere though he were out of hope of all favour in respect of his honour and the love that he bare to his own Countrey But saith he if it might please her Majestie so far forth to be my good and gracious Lady and Soveraign as for that my Successor is dead to restore me to my Countrey and Place I will then give to you in writing her Ambassador here both the manner of the Conspiracy as also the remedy I shewed him that I would not fail to advertise her Majestie thereof notwithstanding I thought good to desire his return at this present considering the suspicion conceived of him would breed some doubt of sincerity for that it might be thought that his coming home now was rather to give notice to the evil affected Subjects of his Countrey how things passed in Spain then otherwise He replyed that if he had meant any such matter he might have gone directly from Spain into Ireland Then he told me that he feared that your Lordship had not conceived very well of him through Huggins report I made as though I never heard of Huggins and shewed him that your Lordship was not one that would lightly condemn any man and therefore willed him not to doubt that if you might find him sincere none would be more ready to further him in getting her Majesties favour then your Lordship Unasked he shewed me that Huggins was returned again to Prison which thing I seemed not to regard I asked him vvhen Stewkley vvas to imbark He thought not much before the end of April I asked him vvhether it vvas true that Iulian Romerâ— vvas appointed to that enterprize He told me that he heard so This vvas in effect the talk that passed betvveen us vvhich I thought good to set dovvn at length to the end that your Lordship might the better judge both of the matters and of the man For my ovvn opinion I cannot tell vvhat to think of him to suspect that he meaneth not good faith I have these causes First I am informed that tvvo Irish men sent from him out of Spain vvere the cause of Roches enterprize Secondarily I am also informed that he vvas sent for out of Spain by the Cardinal of Lorain Thirdly for that he vvisheth the young Boy Fitzmâ—rice's son in Spain that is novv at Brest in Brittain Lastly I do not forget his Nation and Religion I have placed some especially about him to vvhom he repaireth as also vvho repairs to him I find the Irish Captain here vvhom I desired my Lord of Buckhurst to recommend unto her Majestie serviceable in this behalf It shall go very hard but I vvill give a great ghess of the cause of his coming He desireth to knovv vvithin tvventy daies hovv her Majestie inclineth to his request The onely hope I have of him is that I imagine that he mislikes that Stewkley should have the glory of the enterprize that they both pretended and that he first set abroach and therefore vvould be glad to do any thing vvhich might impeach the same Novv having made your Lordship acquainted vvith that vvhich passed betvveen us I attend her Majesties pleasure herein how I shall direct my self And so leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present I most humbly take my leave From Paris the 19 of March 1570. Your Lordships to Command Francis Walsingham Touching the other matter of credit committed to B. relation I hope to be able to advertise in what estate things stand within these ten daies To our Right trusty and well-beloved Sir Francis Walsingham our Ambassador Resident with our good Brother the French King ELIZABETH R. TRusty and well-beloved we greet you well forasmuch as by the Lord of Buckhurst we do understand in what sort the Queen Mother hath moved unto him the matter of marriage for her son Monsieur D' Anjou with us and in what sort both the King her Son her Self and Monsieur being the party are desirous that the same might take place and that for the first entry into the matter in respect of the doubtfulness that is generally conceived of our resolute determination to marry that is by the Queen Mother required that none might deal there in the same betwixt them and us but you as our Ambassador and that with none of their Councel but with Monsieur de Foix we have thought meet plainly to inform you in what sort you shall deal not doubting but you will so use the same to all respects as may concern our estimation in due honour according to the place we hold and for the quality of our person and sex And because you shall the more orderly proceed herein we do conceive our answer by way of Articles which we
and so of late in respect of this imploying of him have taken upon me to assure him that he shall receive some comfortable words from her Majestie and therefore I am to desire your Lordship to move her Majestie therein The 29 of March the Archbishop sent one of his men to me willing me to send some trustie servant of mine to whom from time to time he might communicate the Spanish Enterprize and so gave me knowledge thereof between whom passed this speech following After ordinary salutations done I shewed him that your Lordship willed me to signifie unto him that you had written to the Queens Majestie in his behalf and that you hoped shortly to receive some answer and that after receipt had thereof you would not fail to advertise him Further that you willed him to deal plainly with you as you for your part minded to deal honourably with him and that if it pleased him to advertise your Lordship of any thing either by word of mouth or by writing that you promised of your honour to to keep the same with all secresie and that you offered your self most ready to pleasure him in any thing that you could do for him I thank my Lord Ambassador quoth he in that it pleaseth his Lordship thus honourably to deal with me and if that by his good means I may be brought into my Princess's favour and enjoy my living I should think my self most bound unto him and besides make him privie of all Stewkleys practises The onely cause of my coming out of Spain was to obtain license to return into my Countrey with my Princess's favour if it might be and to â—schew the name of a Traytor although one Huggins whom for certain unseemly words he used against Mr. the Queens Majesties Ambassador I reprehended hath written divers Letters to Master Secretarie Cecil and the rest of the Councel and so incensed them against me as that they have me in great suspicion After this he asked me whether I knew if any should be sent into Spain about this matter I told him I knew not Yes quoth he your Lordship told him so I answered that it might well be so but that I knew nothing thereof Well saith he it is more then time that she did send both for that the Queens Majestie hath many Traytors in Ireland of the Irish men and English Souldiers there and also because the King of Spain doth what he can to win the French Kings Brother on his side And surely saith he if the match go not forward between her Majestie and Monsieur it is to be feared that he will joyn with the King of Spain in that enterprize I told him that the common report was here that Mounsieur did concur in all things with the King and that the King himself had made such Protestations of Amitie and Friendship towards the Queens Majestie as that he in respect of his honour would not nor any of his Subjects for fear of his displeasure durst not attempt any thing to infringe the same Well saith he I beseech God they may long continue in Amitie In the mean time I will remain here as one not known until I know her Majesties pleasure If I might go into my Countrey with her good leave and license I doubt not but what I could do much good there for that the most part of the Nobility are of some affinity with me and will I am assured be much ruled by my counsel If I cannot obtain this benefit at her Majesties hands after I have dispatched my business here I will return into Spain where I have been most honourably entertained at the Kings hands having had during the time of my abode there besides two two thousand Ducats for my annual pension sometimes one hundred Ducats sometimes two hundred Ducats and sometimes three hundred Ducats when the Court did remove And to this end saith he have I left four of my train at Nantes in Brittain with some part of my goods to the end that if I go into England I might send for them hither if not I might take them with me when I go into Spain He told me further that Fitzmorice ' s son was at Morles in Brittain that Stewkley had sent one out of Spain to learn what he did there and to discredit him if it were possible That the Duke D'alva hath offered thirty thousand Ducats for the Earl of Northumberlands ransome And so fearing that I have over troubled your Honour I most humbly take my leave From Paris the fourth of April 1571. Your Lordships to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Earl of Leicester MAdam de Mâ—vie desired me to recommend unto your Lordship the Petition of her Daughter hoping by your good means unto her Majestie there shall be no deliverie made of her without her special consent in respect of the interest she hath in her in right of a Mother the cause of her staying there being such as it is I did assure her that she could not lack any protection that you could give who did honour in her the religious respect that she had in the match of her daughter Touching the provision of Mules your Lordship sent me word of I will not fail to cause some care to be used for the procuring of them I hear the King maketh provision for some to present unto her Majestie notwithstanding because the same is not certain I think it not fit to stay to proceed otherwise And so c. At Paris the fifth of April 1571. Your Lordships to Command Fr. Walsingham To our trusly and well-beloved Sir Francis Walsingham our Ambassador Râ—sident with our good Brother the French King ELIZABETH R. TRustie and well-beloved we greet you well we have perceived by your Letters written to the Lord of Burleigh in what sort you have lately conferred with an Irish man naming himself the Archbishop of Cassels upon occasion sought by him to make his submission and suit to us for his offence in departing out of Ireland And considering the conditions of the party and the profit that might follow by his discovering of the practices wherewith he is so throughly acquainted we can be content that if you shall find it likely that he meaneth dutifully to ask pardon as he pretendeth by his speech that then you shall give him comfort to continue with the same dutifulness and loyal meaning and provoke him to make repair hither into England where you may assure him he shall not find lack of grace if he humblie desire it and by his truth hereafter deserve it And if you find him very difficult to be perswaded with such general speech without further assurance from us you shall say that you have written so effectually unto us with assirmation of your good liking of his dealing with you in so plain terms as he had done as ye have power from us to warrant him to come into this our Realm safely
Friend William Burleigh Excuse me to my Lord of Rutland for not writing To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh BEfore the receit of her Majesties bearing date the eighth day of April the Archbishops enterprize offered up to this State through the discreet usage of the Irish Captain was quite overthrown For the same day that he should have conference with Monsieur about the matter the said Captain procured the Archbishop to send him unto Monsieur to know when it would be his pleasure that he might wait upon him and so he according repaired unto Monsieur Monsieur asked him divers questions touching the situation of Ireland the manner of the Government of the same to whom it appertained and divers other such like questions At the length he asked him if the Countrey were fruitful and what commodity the Q. Majestie received by the same Whereunto he answered that the Countrey was very poor and that her Majestie was at continual and yearly charges in keeping of the same without receiving any commoditie from thence Then he asked him what the Bishop was He answered him that he was banished out of his Countrey for certain disorders there committed And that sithence his departure from thence he hath been in divers Countreys seeking at Princes hands such relief as he might get bearing them in hand that he is able to do much in his Countrey And after that Monsieur had heard this report giving him credit as one whom he knew he willed him to tell the Arthbishop that he doubted that he should not be at any leisure to confer with him being now entertained in Counsel with matters of great wait and further to say unto him that if he did lack any thing upon knowledge thereof given he would be a mean unto the King for the same Whereupon the Bishop by his Letters made Monsieur acquainted with his poverty and order was taken that he had sent him two hundred Crowns This I thought good to set down unto your Lordship at large for two respects the one to the end you might the better know the Archbishop the other for that there may be by your good means unto her Majestie some consideration had of this Irish Captain who from time to time hath been a very good instrument for the discoverie of the practises against Ireland which he hath done with the hazarding of his life if his dealing with me or with Sir Henry 〈◊〉 were known I have taken upon me to put him out of doubt that this service of his will not be unconsidered by her Majestie Surely my good Lord if when we promise in these causes consideration and no regard be had thereto neither can those of my calling promise reward nor they to whom we promise give credit to our words when no fruits follow I beseech your Lordship therefore deal earnestly with her Majestie in this behalf he without respect of this present service as I have before written deserveth entertainment in respect of his sufficiency and hability to serve her Majestie through the skill he hath gotten by experience had of these latter wars here After the receipt of her Majesties Letters of the eighth of April according to the charge given me in them I dealt with the Archbishop in respect of the secret practises he promised to reveal Such perswasions as I could I used to procure him to make his repair into Eâ—gland shewing him that her Majestie promised grace and pardon if he would humbly desire it at her hands and purposed by his dutiful loyal meaning hereafter to deserve it And to the end that he should not doubt of her Majesties sincere dealing herein I offered him my safe conduct having authority from her Majesties so to do to warrant him to go safely into the Realm thereby to obtain her Majesties favour with more safety of his person and to return in like case safely out of the Realm if he should misuse the same whereunto he once willingly accorded but afterwards by what sinister counsel I know not he changed his mind in the end he came to this issue that unless it would please her Majestie to grant him this rude request which also I send your Lordship signed with his own hands he would never return either into England or into Ireland I told him that it became not a Subject and an offendor as he was to stand in such terms with his Prince but with humble submission and acknowledging of his fault to crave pardon and to esteem this favour offered as rare and not to be refused but with thankfulness to be received If it shall please her Majestie to grant him his pardon his request is that he might have knowledge thereof within these twenty dayes for that otherwise he is minded to repair again into Spain At this present he is gone to Nantes in Brittain there to dispatch certain businesses as he saith promising to return and not to depart out of this Countrey these twenty days The 19 of this month there arrived here two Gentlemen named Conniers and one other named Beamont who said they imbarqued at Newcastle the 12 of the same and they escaped very narrowly After they had stayed here a day departed by Post into Flanders And so leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present I most humbly take my leave at Paris the 22 of April 1571. To our right trusty and well-beloved Sir Francis Walsingham our Ambassador Resident with our good Brother the French King ELIZABETH R. TRusty and well-beloved we greet you well we understand such Message and credit you lately sent and gave to Robert Beal to be declared by the Lord of Burleigh to us according as we did heretofore will you to explore the circumstance of the matter now revealed to you You shall as much as may be say to the party that hath made the demand that we are sorry that we cannot satisfie their demand at this present neither for the place where they require to be satisfied nor for the same with such speed the same being indeed impossible unto us both for place and time And so you may conclude with assurance that the revealing of their intent to you shall in no wayes by our means prejudice their purpose And so we pray you use the matter as they report our answer to the best we mean with expedition to return Mr. Cavalcant thither with so much of our resolution as we can conveniently open unto him And for the rest we mean to commit to your charge by our other more special Letter Given under our Signet at our Pallace of Westminster the thirteenth of April 1571. the thirteenth year of our Reign To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh HEr Majesties answer contained in her Letters bearing date the 13 of Aprill I delivered unto the party who awaited for the same using the best words I might to breed contentation The reply was that he hoped the suit
I as you know are to Protestants and Catholiques either of these two would be glad to be assured of Monsieur In reason now it is to be weighed with which of these two he is to joyn with the Protestants he shall favour those whom the Queen especially favoureth he shall concur with her in the maintenance of the present State and Government he shall gain the favour of her Majesties Councellours in whom she reposeth her greatest trust and lastly he shall continue the Realm in repose and quietness Iâ— on the other side he persist in his Religion first he shall not gain the Catholiques unless they may have the like libertie as he himself enjoyeth Secondarily they are already devoted unto the Queen of Scots and so misliking nothing more then of his Marriage doubting thereby to grow the prejudice of her Title whereby we may conclude that by all likelihood by having of it he shall not joyn the good wills of the Catholiques unless they may participate with him in like liberty and on the other side it will breed misliking of him with the Protestants doubting the exercise of his Religion will breed some unquietness in the State and consequently he will be misliked of both which inconvenience of misliking I wished him to perswade Monsieur well to weigh Touching the inconvenience that would grow to the Queen I shewed him the same would rise three manner of ways First by breach of Law Secondly by offence of her good Subjects and Thirdly by the encouragement of evil Subjects Which said I if you will well weigh are of much more moment then any may happen to Monsieur he being only touched by relenting in honour the Queens Majestie my Mistress both in honour and safety he as a private person she being as a Monarch and a Prince whose Kingdoms were to participate any inconvenience that might befall unto her To this he replyed that his relenting in Religion being matter of conscience was an inconvenience of more weight then any that might happen to the Queen In the end after many replications on both sides to and fro he concluded that he was well assured that Monsieur in no case would be brought upon a sudden to yield to any change of Religion for no respect and yet that he doubted not but within a â—mall timâ— after the Match the same would easily be brought to pass without any great difficulty He willed me to consider how much this match was misliked by the Catholiques and how much on the other side desired of those of the Religion here and that in his opinion and conscience nothing could more further Religion throughout Christendom then this match To this I answered that her Majestie was on the other side fully bent to maintain her answer to the second Article or otherwise resolved not to proceed and so we ended This Conference was between us the day after Master Cavalcants arrival Master Cavalcant being present And so c. From Paris the eight and twentieth of April 1571. Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham To our right trusty and well-beloved Francis Walsingham Esquire our Ambassador Resident with our good Brother the French King ELIZABETH R. RIght trusty and well-beloved we greet you well By your Letters of the two and twentieth of April sent to the Lord of Burleigh we perceive in what sort you have dealt with the Irish Fugitive Morris fitz-Gibbons naming himself Archbishop of Cassel and having considered his request in a Paper subscribed with his hand we do not so much disallow his request to have our pardon and his restitution of his Bishoprick if we shall so please as the slender manner of his suit being void of all recognition of his offences and therewith his desire to repair out of that Countrey into Ireland without first coming hither where he ought by his submission to recover his pardon And therefore we would that you should inform him by Letters or by Message and upon your informations of his petitions we do not allow of his manner of so slender submission and petition And if he will not humblie require pardon for his offences and shew himself repentant and disposed to live hereafter in Ireland like a faithful Subject we mean not to bestow upon him either pardon or Bishoprick But if he will upon your warrant come hither into England he shall find us ready to shew him grace according to his humbleness in suing for it This you may let him know and express the same unto him in such sort as you shall see cause for except you shall understand certainly of him we understand there is no great account to be made of him as he pretendeth for himself neither is he of kin to the Earl of Desmond as he alledgeth nor of any credit in England And yet we are content to draw him home by means not dishonourable We do well allow of the Irish man whom you have imployed to attend upon him but whether it be Captain Thomas or Henry is not expressed and we would have you to assure him that he shall be considered by us And we pray you to advertise us in what sort you think best to have him rewarded Given under our Signet at our Pallace of Westminster the fifth of May 1571. and in the thirteenth year of our Reign To the Right Honourable Sir Francis Walsingham Ambassador for the Queens Majestie in France SIr for answer to your Letters concerning the Iewd Lozell of Ireland intituling himself Archbishop of Cassels the Queens Majesties will serve And for reward of the Irish man I pray you advertise your opinion by your next I hear by many means out of Spain that the King is therein rather counselled by Epimetheus then Prometheus he hath imployed much money upon Stewkley and now findeth him not worthie of any more Our Parliament is dailie new with child with projects for Laws that I was never more wearie Your Letters for the matters of D. hath driven us to the wall and particularly offended the Queens Majestie But the French Ambassador hath Letters from the Queen Mother and from de Foix wherein the matters are more tempered and I think he hath Commission to qualifie that hard Article that cannot be there digested It is too true that I perceive that you wrote to Master Hennage that some comfort here hath made you hardlier answered Indeed I wish things were not subject to sudden changes but Gods will be done for I cannot tell how to satisfie doubts but must refer me to his power to direct me As I received news out of Scotland so I send you them we have matters revealed which will shortly disgrace â—8 and offend â—2 and yet nothing shall be justly imployed to the Queens Majestie but that she is of meer necessity forced in extremities to use new remedies Yours assuredly William Burleigh To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh IT may please your Lordship to advertise her Majestie that according
Currier who overtook him at Bullen arived here a day or two before him After the arrival of the said Currier it was given out here that l' â—â—chant brought but a cold answer whereby it might appear to them that his first assurance was not without good ground With this those that favored the marriage were very much appaled L' â—rchant being come and making so honourable a report of her Majesties sincerity and honourable dealing the same also being confirmed by Monsieur de la Mâ—ts Letters as a matter though desperate begaâ— again to revive Hereupon they have with certain choise Counsellors conferred what resolution is to be taken they have continued in Councel chiefly about this matter about the space of five or six days and yet cannot resolve what to do I am put in hope that though the matter proceed not yet that the Kings intention is to send some person of good quality as well to thank her Majestie for her honourable proceeding in this cause as also to desire continuance of good amity Of thus much I thought good to advertise her Majestie before hand and when they have fully resolved what they will do I mean to dispatch another And thus leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present I most humbly take leave From Melun the seven and twentieth of Iuly 1571. Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Earl of Leicester I Most humbly thank your Lordship for your frank and plain dealing towards me touching your opinion of their cause There is bred in them here now of late such a doubt before l' Archants arrival of her Majesties disposition to marry as they know not how to proceed This doubt is nourished by advertisements come from the Scotish Ambassador there with you who pretendeth to know all secrets of State If this distrust were not no doubt of it Religion would not be the let but to yield in Religion and afterwards to miss of their purpose they think would be a great touch in her This difference I fear me will quite overthrow the matter and therefore it behoveth her Majestie to look about her being invironed with many practises the executions whereof have staid upon the event of the match I do what I can to procure continuance or rather increase of amity The King himself as I learn is very well inclined thereto the rather through a mislike he hath of Spain I had well hoped there would have grown some broyâ— between them but that matter as far as I can learn will prove but a dream and now this match not proceeding as they seem much to doubt it the King as I suppose will be loath to attempt any thing against Spain though his will that way be good Her Majesties liberality bestowed on l' Archant was very well imployed for none can speak more honourably of her then he doth and as for your Lordship you have no cause to repent any courteâ—ie shewed unto him so good a report doth he make The like also doth one Cornet make that accompanied l' Archant The Ambassador there Monsieur de la Mot doth seek to salve all things that may breed an opinion in them here that her Majestie dealeth otherwise then sincerely his good offices that he hath done as well in this cause as otherwise deserve honourable considerations at her Majesties hands They have by the space of five or six days sate very hard in Councel about this matter no Councel dare devise as I can learn any thing in respect of the distrust they have I am put in good hope that if they mind not to proceed yet they purpose to make choice of some one of good calling to send over as well to thank her Majestie for her sincere dealing in this matter as also to desire continuance of amity This is as much as hitherto I can learn touching their intention concerning this matter wherewith I thought good to dispatch this bearer and after the through conclusion what they mind to do then â—orthwith I minde to dispatch another And so leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present I most humbly take my leave From Melun the seven and twentieth of Iuly 1571. Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh IT may please your Lordship to advertise her Majestie that after I had closed up my first packet thinking to have sent this Bearer presently with the same Mr. Cavalcant came unto me sent by the Queen Mother to request me to forbear to sent to her Majestie for a day or two in which time they would grow to some through conclusion touching their answer and that then it was the Kings meaning to send for me and to impart the same unto me whereupon I thought good to stay for the satisfying of her request According to her promise I was sent for by the King at my access he told me that they had deliberated upon the answer received from her Majestie by l' Archant for that the same was of great weight and that his resolution after long deliberation was to send Monsieur de Foix forthwith unto her Majestie with his full intention touching the same who he hoped should find her not so resolute touching the point of Religion And further he willed me to tell her Majestie whatsoever should come of the cause that in respect of her honourable and sincere dealing in the same and the greaâ— confidence she shâ—â—â—d to repose in him she might assure herself as much of his friendship as of any other bodies in the earth and that she had full power to dispose of him and of his Realm to the benefit of her self and of her Subjects whose sword should be always ready to defend her against any that should attempt any thing against her He joyned his words and countenance so together as great demonstration outwardly of inward good will could not but be seen Having ended with the King I repaired to Queen Mother who used long speech in shewing the great affection she bare to the cause and that she was sorry that so hard a point as Religion should be the let to hinder a match whereof there would grow so great benefit to both the 〈◊〉 I told 〈◊〉 that if it pleased her she might remove that 〈◊〉 by the perâ—wading of 〈◊〉 Son to content himself with the exercise of our Religion She told me she could hardly do that for that it was a thing that touched his 〈◊〉 and reputation I willed her again on the other side to weigh what great reason the â—ueen my Mistress had not to yield to that point She shewed me that she could not deny but that her Majestie had some cause so to do notwithstanding she hoped there would be some â—elp found the party whom the King meant to send being so grateful unto her Majestie and having sundry reasons to alledge to shew
see the experience thereof to renew traffick with them before they do think themselves revenged or that their pride or greatness be some way abated were but to present them a fit opportunity of revenge Now if the dangerous greatness of the house of Austria be well considered the miscontentment they have in respect of the injuries received their natural inclination to revenge and the unseen traffick of our Merchants as yet These considerations well weighed the case may seem somewhat altered And though France cannot yield like profit that Flanders doth yet may it yield some profit with less hazard and more safety In this case two things I consider chiefly First That the house of Austria is become the Popes Champion and professed enemy unto the Gospel and daily practiseth the rooting out of the same And therefore we that are Professors of the Gospel ought to oppose ouâ— selves against it The other that the entrance into the league with France will not onely be an advancement of the Gospel there but also elsewhere and therefore though it yieldeth â—ot so much temporal profit yet in respect of the spiritual fruit that thereby may ensue I think it worthy the imbracing or rather to say better I think we have cause to thank God that offereth us so good occasion both to advance his glory and also for her Majesties safety I doubt not but your Lordship will do your uttermost that this occasion offered may not grow to be fruitless And so most humbly desiring your Lordship to pardon these my scribled lines I leave further to trouble your Honour At Melun the third of August 1571. Your Lordships to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh THe Spanish Ambassador having audience the sixth of this moneth declared to the King that his Master could not endure the great spoils made by certain ships of the P. of Orange harboured in Rochel where they made open sale of the said spoils they take contrary to all good amity Besides he shewed the King that he heard that C. L. had secret conference with his Majestie who was a Rebel and sought to disquiet his Master by his indirect practises therefore he protested that unless there grew some speedie redress thereof there could not but grow was betwixt him and his Master To this the King answered that the Prince of Orange was a P. of the Empire with whom he had good amity and therefore could not deny him the use of his Ports no more then he doth to all other Princes his Confederates And as for conference had with the Count Lewiâ— of Nassaw he told him that he was misinformed But if it were so said he what just cause should your Master have to complain or to think himself injured he being also a Prince of Germany and neither Pensionary nor Subject of his Masters and therefore he may not look to give Laws to France And as for fearing us with wars you do mistake us let every one saith he do therein what best liketh him At Queen Mothers hands he found the like answer who is very much incensed against Spain being throughly perswaded that her daughter was poysoned They here of the Religion do most humbly desire her Majestie that in talk with Monsieur de Foix it would please her to use some speech of liking of the Kings calling of the Princes and the Admiral to the Court and that it would further like her Majestie to say that so rare a Subject as the Admiral is was not to be suffered to live in such a corner as Rochel and though the King be now very well affected towards him yet they do assure themselves that her Majesties commendations in respect of the great good will and reverence the King beareth her will very much advance his credit for as I am informed sundry waies the King is glad when he may take occasion to praise her Majestie and to express how much he is bound unto her The King requested me by Secretary Pynart to recommend unto her Majestie one Morris Chamails suit whereof I send your Lordship herein enclosed a copy of the Bill he exhibited unto the King I find them here reasonably inclined to do justice with such expedition as this Countrey yieldeth in such causes as I recommended We have received order from the King to repair to Blois where the Princes and the Admiral are to meet him about the first of this next moneth There are many practises to overthrow this journey but the King sheweth himself to be very resolute I am most constantly assured that the King conceiveth of no subject that he hath better then of the Admiral and great hope there is that the King will use him in matters of greatest trust for of himself he beginneth to see the insufficiency of others some for that they are more addicted to others then to himself others for that they are more Spanish then French or else given more to private pleasures then publike There is none of any account within this Realm whose aswel imperfections as vertues he knoweth not Those that do love him do lament that he is so much given to pleasure they hope the Admirals access unto the Court will yield some redress in that case Q. Mother seeing her son so well affected towards him laboureth by all means to cause him to think well of her she seemeth much to further the meeting The marriage between the P. of Navarre and the L. Margaret is not yet throughly concluded Religion being the onely let the Gentlewoman being most desirous thereof falleth to reading of the Bible and to the use of the Prayers used by them of the Religion The marriage between the P. of Conde and the Marquis of List is throughly concluded as I hear I refer your Lordship touching the privat state of my diseased body as also of my purs unto the bearers report whom I shall desire you to credit And so leaving further to trouble your Lordship at this present I most humbly take my leave At Paris this twelfth of August 1571. Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh IT may please your Lordship to understand that after C. L. had had sundry secret Conferences with the King and Queen Mother as also with certain chosen Counsellours he sent unto me desiring me to devise some means how we might meet secretly whereupon we agreed upon the means and so came to conference First he protested unto me that upon the great good opinion he conceived of me by the report of those whom he did well credit he did frankly discover unto me both what passed between him and the King and also the present state of their cause First he shewed unto me that he declared unto him that he enterprize wherewith he had been made acquainted by others as also he was presently to recommend unto him might seem to be such
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
that the same cometh about by the corruption of M. a Burgonian who altogether ruleth the K. He therefore adviseth the K here to enter into amity of Suevia who shall always be ablâ— to bridle Denmark and that he findeth by advice had from Suevia that the K. will most willingly enter into league with him Standen who lately came out of Spain and arrived here secretly the 23 of this month gave out some speech unto a Frenchman whom he trusted of some hope there would be in England of change or ever Summer ended He staid here only one night I have written to Paris to have his doings observed to which place he is repaired At our access unto the Q. mother I shewed her what I had heard out of Britain touching the L. Flemings doings I therefore desired her M. to move the K. to write to the Governor of Britain to have an eye unto him and not to permit him to do any thing more then his pasport beareth lest otherwise it might breed some jealousie which thing she promiseth to do I know the K. hath lately written to the Governor of Newhaven to suffer none to imbarque for Scot. nor to do any thing that may any way offend her M. I send your Lp. here inclosed that lately I received from Paris from a Spaniard of mine acquaintance who is both wise and religious honest and learned The only cause why I send it is for that it toucheth an imprisonment I refer it to your Lp. to judge thereof as you shall think good I used the less hast in advertising for that otherwise advice hath been given in that behalf The Navar marriage is not yet concluded notwithstanding there is great hope that the same wil take place I forbear to send with the Ks. pacquer for that I attended the dispatch of Count Lodowicks man thinking to have sent by him but after that he understood her M. had banished these leud sea-robers it caused him to stay and yet he meaneth to send a gentleman to thank her M. for that undeserved favor she had shewed to these lewd Ministers He hath great conference with Q. mother and Monsr daily which maketh men to discourse diversly As soon as he is grown to some through conclusion he telleth me that he will send a gentleman over to her M. The Admiral is shortly to be looked for here and great hopes conceived of the compounding of the discord between him and the house of Guise For the conclusion of the Navar marriage there is 8 chosen to whom the matter is committed 4 for the K. and 4 for the Q. of Navar. For the K is chosen Birage Count de Rets Biron Malalieur For the Q. Count Lodowick Francourt her Chancellor De La Nove and her Secretary They are all as it is thought so well affected to the marriage as there is no doubt made of some good conclusion and so having nothing else to impart to your honor at present I most humbly take my leave At Blois March 29. 1571. Yours to command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honorable and his very good Lord the Lord Burleigh YOur Lp. may perceive by Sir T. Smiths letter unto her M. what we have done touching the inlargement of La Crocques Commission if the doubt of the Q. of Scots possibility were taken away the K. here would be content to yield to any thing that may tend to her M. safety but the same still hanging in suspence her M. must neither look for sound subjects at home not sure friendship abroad By letters from Paris March 28 I learn that Higgins is returned thither who as I am informed hath been at Rome he resorteth to the Scotch Ambassador as he was accustomed to which place also Standen repaireth since his return out of Spain where they have their conferences Higgius at his departure from Paris protested secretly to a friend of his that he would not return thither in 1 or 2 yeers seeing he saw no way with his Mr but one his sudden return shews there is somwhat a brewing At present there is also there Egmont Râ—teliff and Genny they past lately out of Spain this way One Chamberlain who conferred here with the K. Secretary of Spain is now repaired to the D. Alva Stukely is returned into Spain in company of I Doria he received great honor from the K. is put in hope shortly to be employ'd I send you by W Williams advertisements out of Britain touching the L Flemings doings besides I have twice moved the Q Mother in that behalf I did also at our conference with Mr. Limoges and du Foix make them acquainted with the matter who did assure us there should be redress 〈◊〉 out of hand From Bloys April 4. 1571. Fr Walsingham By the Queen ELIZABETH R. TRusty and right well-beloved We greet you well Since the receit of your Letters to us from you both joyntly dated the first of March and other your later Letters of the 8 directed to the Lord Burleigh in which your later Letters you did at length expresse your Negotiation in this matter of Treaty with the points not resolved we have had some cause to prolong our answer otherwise then we thought at the first partly at the request of the French Ambassador here who motioned unto us not to proceed to a final resolution of the matters in doubt untill he might receive some direction from the King his Master which when he had then were we also impeached from consideration of the same by reason of sudden sharp accident of sickness which as it continued with us some time so nevertheless in 7 or 8 daies by Gods goodness we were eased and do now take our selves to be very well recovered both of the danger and trouble thereof â— lacking nothing but some small time to recover the strength which we lost with the sharpness of the sickness And so now we have after some conference had with the Kings Ambassador resolved upon the matters in doubt and all the rest of the Articles of the Treaty which you shall understand to be in this manner following Where you did move to have inserted into the said Article the Clause of the mutual defence to be by special name for Invasion upon colour of Religion considering upon debate thereof the King hath offered to expound the same Clause to be meant by a special Letter according to a Coppy sent to us by you dated the 8 of March and on the backside marked with us We do not mislike the Contents of the Letter saving we would wish the effect thereof to be written in Latine as the Treaty is with the Kings stile so as it may also have the great Seal annexed thereunto The like thereof we will for our part accomplish and deliver to this Ambassador And so have we caused our resolution to be declared to their Ambassador and in some part of the Letter we have added some words to make the same both plainer and
we do long so much for answer out of England it being 22 daies since Mr. Beal departed from hence and we thought but upon 15. the thing being here so desired of them so necessary as we think for us that the fault we find there we will not have found in us but rather send all that we have here and be sick for grief that we hear nothing from you then you would excuse us there by our like doings here Your Lordship may be well assured there is nothing more expected and looked for then the Queens Majesties resolution in these two points whereof for the one the League is accounted aâ— sure both of us and them the other for the marriage although in suspence yet in great hope so much as they get in uncertainly in such a matter on their side for our parts as we have said we can say nothing whereof we are more sorry and do lament in our hearts to see such uncertain so negligent and irresolute provision for the safety of the Queens Majesties person and of her Reigne over us God of his almighty and miraculous power preserve her long to Reigne over us What shall we say more that is done heretofore even to this day is written fully what shall be written fully what shall be written for you and what God hath disposed to be done we cannot know till we hear from you His grace and mercy turn all to the best and preserve her Majestie and your Lordship with long life and felicity From Blois this Palm Sunday 1571. Th. Smith To my Lord Burleigh YOur Lordships Letters of the 20 of March made us both Mr. Walsingham and me in the reading for we read them both together in a marvelous agony but having the medicine ready that her Majestie was within an hour recovered it did in part heal us again but as your Lordship writeth the care doth not yet cease in you you may be assured it doth as little cease in us calling to our remembrance and laying before our eyes the trouble the uncertainty the disorder the peril and danger which had been like to follow if at that time God had taken from us that stay of the Commonwealth and hope of our repose that Lanthorn of our light next God whom to follow nor certainly where to light another Candle but if the Queens Majestie do still continue in extremities to promise in recoveries to forget what shall we say but as Italians do Passato il pericolo gabbato il fanto And you shall perceive by our proceedings what justly may be required is easie to be done and done if her Majesty deceive her self and with irresolution make all Princes understand that there is no certainty in her Majestie nor her Councel but dallianâ—e and farding off of time her Majestie shall first discredit her Ministers which is not much but next and by them discredit her self to be counted as uncertain irresolute unconstant and for no Prince to trust unto but as to a Courtier who hath words at will and true deeds none Your Lordship must pardon me for I have here kept so long that I am now in an Ague both in body and spirit nor seeing no cause why Mr. Beal cometh not nor any reason shewed neither in her Majesties Letters nor yours why he doth not come as the humours in my body maketh an Ague in my body whereof I would it should make an end so this irresolution there with you I hope will help to conclude that I shall feel no more miseries which I fear those that come after us shall feel Quia non videbimus tempus visitationis nostrae Thus I commit your Lordship to Almighty God From Blois this Good-Friday 1571. Because the French King doth deal so plainly faithfully and frankly with the Q. Majestie at this time touching the matters in Scotland I pray move her Majestie to deal as frankly with him and let de Crocque be privy to your Instructions and let them be conformable to his and if he shall think so meet you may add more to them for they would have the Commission to be joyntly to doe and with common consent all things To my Lord Burleigh MY very good Lord With much difficulty at the last we have concluded the League and â—r Walsingham and I were fain to stand even to the breaking of all together The last Instructions seemed to us so precise for the Scotch matters we taking them as concluded between the Queens Majestie and Mr. de la Mot their Ambassador Resident there that he did not so conclude nor had no such authority but that it was referred again to us In fine after five or six daies debating the 14 of this month we came to this We yielded to put out and in those words as be in the Instructions as de la Mott required and to change one or two more which varied not the sentence but made it more clear and remitting to us the last Article of reservation to the Scots we remitted also to them the 24. because we would once be at a point And where reservation is needless in a League defensive where is â—o derogation to other Leagues defensives yet we would not that the Queens Majestie should seem any more to relent to them then they to her Highness All the rest they accorded to us as we would desire and in all points as is required in her Highness Letters to us as ye may perceive by the Treaty and by our demand in Latine and that which we followed or gave us reason why not which we send unto you indeed that word present is not so necessary nor effectual for when we speak Statum Scotiae and if you put praesentem and now it is in trouble and doubt may be made whether you would maintain the troubled State or no and so present shall be Determinatio diminuens as homo furibundus seminectus moribundus moriens somniens for so is a Commonwealth in sedition And again when you say Contra publicas Soctiae Leges consuetudines Parliamenta it is understood by common sense praesentes for Laws and Statutes abrogated or antiquated be not Laws so they confessed unto us that they got nothing by putting out praesentem or praesentis but that it lay not so open unto cavillations as though they should by special words maintain the troubled State or allow the Parlament whereby the Queen was deprived and the King allowed although indeed in tacite they would not deny but it was allowed and in the plain sense of the words wherein they said they did much for the Q. Maj. that they were content to make no mention of the Q. of being so their friend and allie but gave her over to the Q. Maj. and in all things relent to her Highness desires so they may have any colour to sâ—ve the K. their Masters honour Likewise where the maintaining of Rebels done by the Scots and the expulsion to expell them was set
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
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
repair to London but the discords raigning presently in Flushing cannot abide a long delay of redress And thus having nothing else whereof to advertise your Honour at this present I most humbly take my leave From Paris the second of July 1572. Your Honours to Command Fra Walsingham To the Right Honourable and his very good Lord the Earl of Leicester I Hope your Lordship upon report made unto you by Mr. Beal of the present state of things here how matters fall out in Germany and how necessary a thing it is that the Enterprize of Flanders should not be slacked both in respect of the common cause of Religion as also of her Majesties safety will not suffer that the same shall lack any ayd of assistance that your Lordship can yield Upon report come hither of the disorder at Flushing for lack of a good head there is choice made of Monsieur Iunius whom your Lordship knoweth is servant to the Count Palatine to repair thither to reduce the loose and disordered Government there to some better form of Policy as also to take order for the sale of the goods lately taken that the same may be imployed in the maintenance of the cause and not converted to private spoil And because he may receive assistance in this behalf of such of our Nation as are there he desireth me to procure your Lordships letters to Cap. Morgan to that effect as also to advise him to keep his charge in such warlike Discipline as may appertain to the furtherance of so good a cause which beside the reputation will grow unto him thereby his travel and hazard shall not be unconsidered by the Prince of Orange Mr. Iunius meaneth to imbarque at Dover for Flushing where he desireth to confer with Mr. Killegrew before his imbarquing whom he will make acquainted in what state things presently are As he himself is one of the Low-Countreys so doth he wisely desire the liberty of the same in such sort as by removing of one evil they may not draw on themselves another no less prejudicial surely unless some assistance be given underhand necessity will inforce them to yield to some great inconvenience And so thinking this sufficient in this behalf I most humbly take my leave leaving further to trouble your Honour From Paris the second of Iuly 1572. Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham To my very Friend Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador for the Queens Majestie in France SIr now that D. Montmorency is gone I thought good briefly to write somewhat to you by this bearer the French Ambassadors servant because none of yours are here that I can learn of nor any other so ready as this bearer is The Duke with all his train to the number of forty have been entertained here for their meat and drink each in their degrees as it is to be affirmed that the like hath not been seen in any mans memory The honour also done to him hath been such as surely her Majestie could do no more I mean in her courteous usage of him in appointing sundry sorts of the Nobility of the highest sort to attend on him onely the difference from my Lord Admirals intertertainment was that no other Lord but my Lord of Leicester did feast him as in France was done saving I did upon Midsummer even feast him and all his Gentlemen with a Collation of all things that I could procure being not flesh to observe their manner As for his reward though it be not so great as I wish it had been yet this it was the D. had a Cupbord of Plate gilt of a great Cup of gold of a hundred and eleven onces and Monsieur de Foix had a Cupbord of Plate of This for their rewards Now Sir afore there going hence they had done what they could in the matter of the D. D'alanson whereunto they had neither yea nor nay but a delay onely for one moneth which they interpreted diversly They mentioned certain things which I do send you here in a Paper inclosed with that which was answered I also send you in another writing other things at their departure whereunto as we gave them answers so shall you also receive note thereof I am willed to require you to use all good means possibly to understand what you can of the Duke D' Alanson of his age in certainty of his stature of his conditions his inclination to Religion his devotion this way the devotion of his followers and servitors hereof her Majestie seeketh speedily to be advertised that she may resolve before the moneth And surely I cannot see in her any lack towards this but in opinion for his age which defect if it might be supplyed with some recompences it were meet to be thought of I could wish we might have Callis to the issue of their bodies and he to be Governor thereof during his life so as we might have security for our Staple there I wish also that secretly the Queens Majestie might be assured that although there be no contract therefore that he would here no Mass after his marriage If somewhat be not advised to recompence the opinion that her Majestie conceiveth as that she should be misliked to make choice of so young a Prince I doubt the end Now for our Parliament I cannot write patiently all that we laboured for and had with full consent brought to fashion I mean a Law to make the Scotish Queen unable and unworthy of succession of the Crown was by her Majeste neither assented to nor rejected but deferred until the Feast of all Saints but what all other wise and good men may think thereof you may gess Some here have as it seemeth abused their favour about her Majestie to make her self her most enemy God amend them I will not write to you who are suspected I am sorry for them and so would you also if you thought the suspicion to be true Your assured loving Friend William Burleigh To my very loving Friend Francis Walsingham Esq her Majesties Ambassador Resident in France MY Lord Ambassador This day my Lord Admiral came to the Queens speech and reporteth well of his entertainment there I am sorry that the opinion groweth here of the French Kings recoil from the Flanders enterprize it breedeth coldness here Some that are come home bear us in hand that â—3 reneweth the in o A. D. F. â—4 whereby the last matter B â—9 is hindred I marvel much therefore indeed â— is more given to Millane â—4 then to â—5 And I am commanded to write to you hereof and to require some answer of your opinion which I pray you do with all good haste that you can I see no means by worldly means but Florence in â—3 God send it some way I have done my best as by others you shall perceive an end for you with your Mr. Worseley whom I found wisely and wilful but I provided convenient medicines for him and so his humors were altered Fare you well From Westminster
move them that so bear her Majestie in hand and so to think having no other ground thereof but such vain conjectures Thus having made answer to such things as by you were propounded on her Majesties behalf I most humble take my leave At Paris the thirteenth of Iuly 1572. Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh YOur Lordship by this inclosed Letter sent from Ennius the Count Palatines chief Counsellour unto Dr. Innius which I had Commission to open as also another sent unto him from the Count himself may perceive how the Prince of Orange proceedeth in his doings as also that the Forces of the Duke of Alva so much talked of are not in so much readiness as was spoken of I do much marvel that the Duke of Holst being her Majesties Pensioner and knowing in what doubtful terms her Majestie stood with the King of Spain will in any way yield to serve the Duke of Alva I hope your Lordship will deal earnestly with her Majestie for redress thereof the rather for that it is conceived that the said Duke will have some occasion to deny the same The sight of the said inclosed Letter which I send unto your Lordship to communicate with her Majestie hath given them here no small incouragement to proceed in yielding assistance as they made underhand The stay of their lingering in that behalf proceeded for that they wished Don Iohnd ' Austria on his way towards Morsa before they made any great demonstration to be any dealers in the said enterprize For the help and better disguising of this matter there was proclamation made for revoking such of the Kings Subjects as were already at Montz as also inhibition for any other to repair thither upon forfeiture of life lands and goods and another Edict also was published to prohibite the Kings subjects not to buy such goods as lately were taken by them of Flushing The King is so far forward in this matter that no disguising will serve neither her Majestie in policy considering underhand those that are gone to Flushing may suffer the cause to be abandoned especially for that her Majestie lately to the grief of as many as love her both at home and abroad hath forborn the necessary use of the remedy offered to bridle the Queen of Scots practises which received there from Spain 13 in talk with me about this matter shewed me that he hath declared his opinion since his return that it behoveth both his Honour and the Queen my Mistris to consult joyntly in the maintenance of the Prince of Oranges enterprize for that otherwise he saw many reasons to induce him to think that it would be dangerous to them both specially for her Mejestie considering the practises that raign in her Countrey And so ceasing to trouble your Lordship any further at this present I most humbly take my leave From Paris the thirteenth of Iuly 1572. Your Lordships to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Earl of Leicester SInce I last wrote unto your Lordship there arrived here a Gentleman sent hither from the Prince of Orange who brought word that the eight of this present the said Prince passed the River of Rhine with seven thousand horse and fifty Ensigns of footmen and that about the fifteenth or sixteenth of the same he was to pass the River of Mose at a Town called Ruremond which Town together with another called Venlo is at his devotion It is thought that he will march toward Holland there to receive money for the payment of Reysters as also to plant Garisons in such Towns as are revolted unto him There arrived of late here a Gentleman that is come from Constantinople from the Kings Ambassador there who reporteth that the preparations that the Turk maketh for the next year by sea are very great that he promiseth this King of money if he will break with Spain that he is content that the King shall be a mean to accord the difference betwixt him and the Venetians Other particularities he brings but these be those of most importance The Venetians as I hear do find themselves agrieved with the King of Spains dealing towards them therefore it is thought that they will grow to accord with the Turk especially upon the evil success that lately they have had at the siege of Caselnuovo They write from Antwerp that Chiapina Vitelli should be hurt with a Harquebush in winning of Moniz and that he is in peril of his life For Italian news I refer your Honor to these inclosed Occurrents And so I leave further to trouble you most humbly taking my leave At Paris the eighteenth of Iuly 1572. Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh IT may please your Lordship to understand that the eighth of this moneth the Prince of Orange passed the River of Rhine at a place beneath Cullen called Asburgh and that about the fifteenth or sixteenth he determined to pass the River of Mose at a place called Ruremond which Town with another called Venlo scituate upon the said River is at his devotion This news is brought to this Court by a Gentleman sent hither by the Prince himself His Army consisteth of seven thousand horse and fifty Ensigns of footmen It is thought they will march towards Holland with intention to plant Garisons in such Towns as are revolted to him as also to receive money there towards the payment of his Army It is thought here for certain that Ianlis hath either fought or is arrived in safety at Montz Upon advertisement come lately out of Italy that Don Iohn d' Austria is not yet departed they make fair weather with the Ambassador of Spain who in outward shew doth bear them in hand he believeth all they say There is great suspicion that Florence 4 is underhand enemy to these wars but dare not shew for fear of A. who doth very much affect it otherwise all had quailed long sithence Rome 3 is not free from suspicion There is lately arrived a Gentleman sent hither from the King Ambassador at Constantinople who giveth to his very friends these particularities First that the Turk maketh great preparations by Sea for the next year greater then any of his Predecessors ever made That he offereth the King here great sums of money to break with Spain That he remitteth unto the Kings hands the according of the difference between him and the Venetians Other particularities he giveth out but these are of greatest weight As I learn the Venetians are so weary of Spains promises as they will not be loth to agree upon any hard conditions From Antwerp they write that Chiapini Vitelli in viewing Montz hath received an Harquebush shot and is in danger of his life The Ambassador of Florence doth what he can to excuse the loan of W m unto the Duke of
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
and children Christians as is now suspected and certified that thereabout it goeth and as some say is Master of Rochel when that is done what it will do and whether it will go further or no and if it do to what place I tell you truly many do doubt Divers of our Merchants resorting that way have found small courtesie at their hands no more then if they had been men with Pyrats This maketh our Merchants that they dare not yet adventure for Burdeaux and to doubt whether they may go thither this year or no. And I would mervellous fain know what manner of assurance you can make from thence Fare you well From Reading the six and twentieth of September 1572. YOu may perceive by her Majesties answer that she will not refuse the enterview nor marriage but yet she cometh near to them tam timido suspenso pede that they may have good cause to doubt The answer you see to de la Mot is addulced so much as may for she would have it so You have a busie piece of work to decypher that which in words is designed to the extremity in deeds is more then manifest neither you shall open the one nor they shall cloak the other The best is we stand I thank God upon our guard nor I trust shall be taken and killed asleep as the Admiral was the greatest matter for her Majestie and our safety and defence is earnestly of us attempted nor yet atchieved nor utterly in despair but rather in hope The Queens Majestie is in marvellous doubt for you she taketh as much care for you as any Prince can do for her Subject and she thinketh none can do what she would have done there as well as you You are happy in the one and her Majestie in the other seeing you are advertised so well hitherto God who hath hitherto delivered you will not yet leave you I doubt and I trust I need not fear I doth me good to see the Princely compassion that her Majestie doth take on the poor Vidame who is escaped by good fortune into England her Majestie hath written for him to the King the Copy I send you you shall do well to press the answer and bring it with you I dare say it will do you good if you can do it â—aeâ— est vicissitudo rerum humanarum haec est communis casus hominum All that be not bloody and Antichristian must needs condole and lament the misery and inhumanity of this time God make it short and send his Kingdom amongst us Fare you well once again the seveâ— and twentieth of September which is removing day to Windsore Yours alwayes assured Tho Smith The Copy of the Queens Majesties Letters to the French King for the Vidam de Charâ—res TReshault trespuissant et tresexcellent Prince nostre trescher et tresaimè bon frere et cousin salut Le Vidam de Chartres est retirè en nostre Royaulme et nous a donne a entendre par un sien escript supplicative la cause de sa venue aâ— nous et requirant de nous nostre favoâ—rable recommendation de son cas enuers vous et pour ce que l'avons troâ—ve de cocur loyal et fidel envers vous desirant tousiours sur toutes choses le tenir en repose et que par toutes occâ—sions que se presentoient non cesse de louer vos royalles virtus comme vostre tres affectionne subject dont en pouvons estre bons tesmoins Nous n'avous voulu faire moins aians compassion de l'estat miserable anquel il se troâ—ve pour lè present que recommander affectueusment a vous sa cause qui nous sâ—mble certes fort lamentable et qui merite secours aiant a celle fin envoyè a nostre Ambassadeur aupres de vous sa requeste qui vous la declarera plus amplement en quoy vous prions trescher tresame bon frere et cousin luy donner bonne et favorable aâ—dience et 〈◊〉 bonne response au fin que avec cela nous pussions comme en avons bon espoir consoler le poure desole Vidam a nous y faire gran plaisir comme scait le createur aâ—quel prions tresh ault tresexcellent trespuissant Prince nostre trescher tresame bon frere cousin vous avoir tousiours a tressainte garde De nostre Chasteaâ— de Windsore le 28 de Septemb. 1672. To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador Resident for her Majestie in France SIr the last Letters of yours by me received were those which yong Mr. Hopton brought hither since which time we have understood by report from Roan that on Thursday was sevennight there was a general slaughter made at Roan of all that could be imagined Protestants so as the very channels of the street did run blood we have heard diversly of Rochel by some that it is sacked by Strozzi by some that it holdeth out and that it is like so to do a long time As to the Ambassadors negociation here with us to seek to perswade us that the King was forced for safety of his own life to cause the execution to be done as it was and that thereof we shall see the proofs by the Admirals process you may imagine how hard a thing it is for us to be so perswaded against all our naturall senses and how they will accord these two jars we know not The Kings Letter first written after the Admirals death doth declare it to be done by manner of sedition and privately by the house of Guise who feared the Admiral and his would pursue against them the avenge for his hurt and the Kings own guard about the Admiral was forced and the King himself driven to hold his guards about him in the Louvre for his own defence and now yet it must needs be notified that the King did for his own surety cause the execution to be done By the dispatch that you shall receive from Master Secretary you shall understand what answer is made to the French Ambassador and upon what sort her Majestie hath forborn to resolve upon the enterview whereof her Majestie hath no misliking if it may appear that the King will forbear from persecuting the cause of Religion ACHE Rome A B Glasis nevertheless it will be very hard to perswade 3lca to like thereof I have imparted to her Majestie two things whereof your wife had in charge to make me privy of From Reading the five and twentieth of September 1572. Yours assuredly William Burleigh To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador Resident for her Majestie in France I will now my Lord Ambassador trouble you with some trifles of mine own leaving other matters to other advertisements I am very desirous to recover a Rider if any worthy the entertainment may be had whether there be any more at liberty that were appertaining to any of the late Lords that were murthered it
some unplaced and in that profession very excellent but the entertainment they require is so unreasonable and so far exceedeth your Lordships offer as I dare not deal with them They ask 300 Crowns a year besides meat and drink and the finding of their horse and the least they can be reduced unto is 200 Crowns True it is that such of the Noblemen as entertain them do give them no less wages He useth towards them what perswasions he may to induce them to think that 150 Crowns in England will go further then 300 here but as yet no perswasions will serve to make them so to think I say therefore to conclude any thing with them I mind not until I hear further from your Lordship Of late doubting that there is no good meant towards you from hence and having some cause to suspect some Irish practises and knowing that Capt. Lassetty doth understand the state and weakness of that Countrey I have entertained him with some hope to be entertained of her Majestie his imperfections I know well enough notwithstanding his service may be profitable and if it be to no other end yet were the entertainment of him necessary in respect of the harm he may do At all times when any danger did seem to grow towards her Majesty he hath requested me to present to her his service though that Nation be very much inclined to treason yet surely I think him in that point to stand much upon his honor Because I would be loath long in vain to entertain him with that hope I beseech your Lordship that I may by the next hear what your opinion is in this behalf Captain Massino del Beni whom your Lordship knoweth who is now retired into Germany requested me to desire your Lordship to offer his service unto her Majesty who in respect of Religion and the zeal and honor he beareth towards her Majesty would be glad to sacrifice his life in her defence If your Lordship think the same might be received then would he repair thither if otherwise he would be glad to know it because he meaneth to take some other course to direct himself I am the willinger at this point to offer the service of Souldiers for that I fear her Maiesty shall have iust cause to use them considering how slenderly we are furnished at home for now that the Prince of Orange is retired her Majesty may not long look to live in repose I am sorry that the union of Scotland is not already made which I fear will be cause of both their and our ruine If that footing-place were taken away from our foraign enemies our danger would be the lesse Money will do any thing with that Nation as your Lordship knoweth which if her Majesty stick to disburse she shall find neither profit nor surety in it The tempest that hangeth over our head is to mans judgment apparent so great as if she overslip any remedy that may be used she must not long look to keep the State that she now enjoyeth If the great strength and power of her enemies be weighed with her weakness the danger cannot but seem the greater if any thing be omitted to be done that may â—end to her safety If England and Scotland be united and such unsound members cut off as have been the cause of inward corruption both her enemies shall have less will to attempt any thing against her safety and she remain in less perill of such mischiefs as otherwise are like to fall upon her Violent diseases must have violent remedies if her Majesty do not not now think her State to stand in extremity things at home well considered both she and the same are in more danger I beseech your Lordship to pardon my passion in this behalf the suspition I have of the evill meaning here towards her Majesty maketh me to be thus carried away as I am And so leaving further to trouble your Lordship at this present I must humbly take my leave At Paris the 8 of October 1572. Your Honours to command Francis Walsingham Answers to the French Ambassador given by word of mouth by my Lord Treasurer in the Councell Chamber in Octob. 1572 FOr the Kings answer to the advice of her Majesty given in two points viz. that the King would cause the world to understand of his deed upon the Admirals death somwhat better then yet it did Secondarily that he would see that his Edicts be better observed her Majesty meaneth not to reply thereto wishing that both in the one and the other the King find good success To the motion of the Enterview to be before the 20 of October and iâ— to the Queen Mothers letter is to be at the Isle of Iersey seemed to her majesty so strange both for the time and place as if the Admirall had not shewed the Letters from the King and Qu. Mother to that effect her Majesty should either not have believed it or that the Ambassador had mistaken the same as without long speech the Ambassador may easily perceive for the 20 day of October is not 14 days off from the time of the motion nor one month from the date of the Kings letter and Iersey is a place so far distant as neither King of this land would adventure to sail unto for many causes nor yet any Merchant would take upon him to pass thither almost in that time Besides that the late proceedings in France to the destruction of all sorts of her Majesties Religion which also is not ceased to her Majesties understanding cannot but argue this manner of motion very absurd and besides ingender in the subjects of this Realm such conceits as it were a dangerous thing for Councellors to be so careless of their Prince as to give ear to such motions and it is the stranger now to make this motion by letters of the 23 of September when the French Ambassador the same 23 of September did say at Reading to the Queens Majesty that the Queen Mother was content to come into any place of this Realm which is now strangely changed that the â—ueens Majesty should come to her over the Sea to the coast of France being more then three days sailing except she might have wind at her commandment And in this matter also the Queens Majesty can give no answer untill she hear answer from her Ambassador to her letters sent after the Kings letters were dated As to the offer of continuance of Amity renewing the League by a new Oath the Queens Majesty meaneth nothing more then to continue the Amity And for renewing of any Oath she knoweth no cause of her part to be required a new Oath for that she hath not violated the same nor meaneth to do and trusteth as much in the Kings part that he will keep it without any new Oath As for the proceeding for the establishing of a commerce in certain Towns in France it is over-evident by the late murther in Roan which the
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
Ambassador of Spain who beginneth now to shew great magnificency and hath lately clad fourteen of his servants with Cloaks of Scarlet garded with Velvet and given them other apparel suitable thereto Before the arrival of the said Currier there was some unkindness grown betwixt Spain and this Crown upon a complaint made by the Captain of Callis of a Barque cast up this Summer by the sluce which is like upon the next glut of water to drown the whole Gountrey of Oye but now there is a promise made that all shall be addressed so that it is thought that there was never so great amity between Spain and this Crown as presently is like to be The Italians discourse that the King must leave no means unattempted to procure the having of the young King of Scots for a match for his daughter which thing they think with disbursing of an hundred thousand Crowns amongst the needy Scotish Nobility will easily be brought to pass The Scotish Ambassador the eight and twentieth and nine and twentieth of the last had often conference with the Cardinal of Guise and the Duke Aumale his abode in Court was more then ordinary for an Ambassador for he continued there two whole days which maketh men to judge that the matter was of importance and therefore required present expedition It is looked for here that her Majestie should send some body to congratulate the nativity of this young Princes for all other Princess do the like And so leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present I humbly take my leave At Paris the first of November 1572. Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham It is thought la Crocque shall succeed la Mote who laboureth most earnestly presently to return To the Right Honourable his very good Lord the Lord Treasurer TOuching the present estate of things here I refer your Lordship to these enclosed Occurences and to my Letters directed unto Master Secretary As they have been alwayes constant here in their doings so were they never so inconstant as at this present Not two days before the execution of Briquemont they were resolved not to have executed him and seemed very much to lament that which already hath been done as a thing which hath much weakned the Realm and made them odious to other Nations The alteration now of this humor for themselves most honourable and profitable is thought to proceed of advertisements lately out of Spain who promiseth great things so that it is now thought their cruelty will rather increase then asswage which all men do foresee will prove more profitable for Spain then for themselves The wisest sort are now least acquainted with matters of great moment such as are parties and passionate are they that bear greatest sway in the greatest matters who in respect of their private passion and revenge care not what becomes of the Prince and the Realm The long Gowns who are men of the greatest experience are onely employed in the expedition of ordinary causes All men do look for some mischievous issue of their kind of Government There lacketh but the Cardinal of Lorrains presence to hasten the same to his full ripeness If the mischief might only reach to themselves the harm were the less but it is feared that their neighbours shall participate some part of the smart of their folly amongst other none is more threatned then poor England I pray God therefore her Majestie take profit of your Lordships good care and counsel and then shall I fear the less The Emperours death which was made so assured groweth now to be doubtful for that Letters of the seventh of the last from Auspurg make no mention thereof And so leaving to trouble your Honour at this present I most humbly take my leave At Paris the first of November 1572. Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honourable and his very good Lord the Earl of Leicester I Have not at this present much more to say unto your Lordship then that that is contained in my Letters directed to Master Secretary in these inclosed Occurrents Briquemants death through his constancy and earnest protestation made of his innocency hath bred in all men a general compassion of him as also a general misliking of the kind of his death for that men of his quality and service whatsoever their offence hath been have not accustomably been hanged Generally all men do cry out and say that the liberty of France is lost yea and of some the most vehement Catholiques do wish both themselves and that they have out of this Countrey Some here do perswade the King to stand upon the greatness of Spain and not to suffer men to have that free access into his Chamber as accustomably they are wont to have here Surely if he continue his severity it will not be much for his safety to suffer men so freely to come near him What will be the issue of these Tragical doings here God onely knoweth but generally every man feareth that all will go to ruine In the mean time considering the late greatness of Spain with this Crown I fear they cannot be content to do that thing that may tend to their own ruine but also they will seek the ruine of their neighbours I am therefore glad to hear that your Lordship with the rest of my Lords of the Councel do so carefully take order to withstand the malice of those that envy your present quietness and repose And so leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present I most humbly take my leave At Paris the first of November 1572. Your Honours to command F. Walsingham To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador for the Queens Majestie in France SIr I have nothing worthy to write unto you at this time but because this bearer promiseth to see you I would not let him pass without my letters What was done in Scotland he can best tell you sithence de Crocque and Viracqâ—e went from thence they grow nearer to accord then they did before yet what they will do in the end it is hard to say Mr. Killegrew hopeth for the best wisdom would teach them for all considerations to agree within themselves and amongst themselves and by themselves and that they may do as far as they can see now no more lets them Here at home we stand looking somewhat to our security against sudden attempts and expecting what new occurrents time will bring The Parliament is prolonged until the twelfth of January which should have begun the first of November When we hear again from you you are like to have another dispatch and not before as far as I can see I and your friends do not cease to call for a successor for you but as yet her Majestie cannot resolve on the person and that once known and he commanded and provided you may assuredly then hope upon your return I am acquainted with these matters before that time arm your self with patience
and that time we will hasten as we may I pray you buy me the Commentaries of Mathiolus upon Dioscorides translated into French and let it be bound there with two or three sheets of paper before and in the end That book was never wont to go from me and now I cannot tell how it is stoln from me because it was noted with my observations and notes I had rather have lost a far better thing and in London I cannot buy any other and therefore I pray you help me to one and I wil repay it where you will appoint in French Crowns with a hundred thanks Fare you well From Windsore the thirtieth of October 1572. Your assured Friend Th. Smith To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq her Majesties Ambassador Resident in France SIr yesterday came Williams your servant to Windsore with your Letters and Advertisements of that which he had to declare concerning Lions Florence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein I see strange dealing for the party once offered to remain Prisoner until the truth might be tryed and so to lose his head if the tale were not true wherefore I see it is good reason to be slow in credit to such matters Presently there is here one York come as he saith with Letters from Lyons of credit to the Queens Majestie and his message is to declare secretly the danger of and that if 3 would be so content E would come to lie into hall 2 with such other fond devices as for many respects the party is greatly suspected wherefore her Majestie hath willed me with all haste to will you by some good means to understand the truth of the party himself that is to say of Glasco and if he have not sent any such then with speed to advertise for I think it will be necessary for 3 in honour and for in safety to utter the matter or the party to Florence This messenger pretendeth great devotion in Religion and we understand that he is of great levity and fully meet for any dangerous enterprize I cannot write any more for haste of sending away this Pacquet because her Majestie would have speedy answer I trust you shall shortly hear of some comfort of a successor The Queens Majestie is content that I shall speak to Mr. Frâ—â—â—is Carew to supply that place with whom to morrow I will speak and that earnestly We are wont to have all evil news from thence but now we have also very evil news in our North parts The nine and twentieth of the last the good Regent of Scotland dyed as I think by a natural sickness and yet the certâ—â—nty is not known This will make our cause the worse in Scotland for I fear the conveyance away of the King and yet there is care taken for his safety but I can almost hope for no good using our selves â—all by heâ—ps and why the heaps fall not upon our selves personâ—lly I seâ— nothing to the let thereof in our selves God be merciful unto us Yesterday the French Ambassador sent me word to declare to her Majestie that the French Queen hath brought forth a Daughter and to know wheâ—her the Queens Majestie would be content to Christen it with her own name and to send my Lord of Leicester or me thither Her Majesties answer was That she would not desire to Christen it nor would send my Lord of Lâ—â—â—ester oâ— me but if the King would desâ—â—e her Majestie to be God-mother she would not refuse it but would send some person quâ—lified What will follow hereof I know not From my house at Westminster the third of November 1572. Your assured loving Friend William Burleigh To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador for the Queens Majestie in France MY Lord I do thank you for the speedy answer to my former letters which I wrote touching a Rider and I perceive you used so much care as you have already hearkned out one that is recommended very sufficient but his demands you think are very great and so they be indeed But as I am desirous to have such a man so am I loth to pay too dearly for him I would gladly hear how Moâ—ret doth imploy him now or whether you think him not a meet man for that purpose If he be of his wonted mind he is very desirous to return again hither and to serve very reasonable and I am given to understand that he hath profited very well in his profession since his being there If he be to be had reasonably and that you hear of his ability therewith of men of judgement to be confirmed I had rather have him then any other If he be not then this I say for the other whom I thank you again for I will give him 150 Crowns a year wages and his meat and drink and lodging in my house for him and his man and allowance in my stable for two horses and if he prove a man to my liking I think you do believe I can find in my heart to be better worth to him one way or another then 50 Crowns besides his wages If you can thus agree with him the sooner he come to me the better not doubting but that you will in the mean time make good inquiry of his trade and life and what his conditions be And if ever he have been honest I trust to keep him so and if his nature be not too bad I hope he shall be contented here with his usage as I mean he shall be treated And so Sir I most humbly desire you to let me have some description of the man by your next and what you think he will do Now Sir Touching our estate here First thanks be to God our Mistris is in very good health and I trust in God ere it be long will shew some care over us all The matters in Scotland stand but in tickle terms between the parties I mean between the King and the Queens side and so have they Agents for that the King left them who be now returned with better hope I think then in the end they shall have cause to bring their practises to pass Other particular news of weight here is none at this present worth the writing but that we are all here yet quiet and by Gods good assistance I trust shortly more certain hope we shall have of the continuance of it We your poor friends here are continually labourers for your coming home and surely I trust you shall return ere it be long For my own part I will not cease till it be granted and in hope of that I will forbear to write somewhat now which when you come home if you will affirm â— will tell you So my good Francis fare you well In some haste the seven and twentieth of October At Windsore I mean to morrow or next day being at London to visit your wife ceaseth vvho not to call daily upon all your friends here by your letters for your coming home I like not my
the answer as I cannot write any more I trust your old acquaintance Mr. Carew shall borrow your room shortly From my house in Westminster the seventh of November Yours assuredly William Burleigh To the right Honorable Sir Thomas Smith her Majesties principal Secretary SIr it may please you to advertise her Majestie that the King dispatched within these ten days Viracque with a good sum of money to entertain a party in Scotland until such time as he hath propounded the matter here in France One William Seers servant to the Earl of Westmerland arrived here the four and twentieth of this moneth sent hither by the said Earl Immediately upon his arrival Viracque went with him to the Court which is at this present at Monceaux He reporeth that in the North Countrey from York to the borders all the whole Countrey is at the Earls devotion so that a few men imployed there by the King may assure him that her Majestie shall be kept so occupied as she shall have no leisure to send any supply to Rochel I learn further that one Stephen Wilson a Scotish man taketh upon him to draw the Earl of Argile to be wholly at the Kings devotion so that the said Earl may receive that estate and honour that his Father had at the King his Predecessors hands The Bishop of Glasco hath had long and several conferences with the Legate since his last arrival If her Majestie do not compound the matter of Scotland before Viracque his coming she shall find more difficulty in the matter It is evident how much money may do with that Nation therefore it were well before his coming her Majestie took the benefit of the Market for that many Chapmen maketh deerer wares Such Noblemen of Scotland as are here were never so much made of I am well assured that the Duke of Alva not long sithence did write unto the King here in recommendation of the practice that tended to the disquiet of her Majestie but what it was or what answer was made I cannot learn At this present there is not that entertainment used towards the Legate that appertaineth to his calling and as heretofore hath been used which maketh all men of judgement to suspect that the same is done for the nonce to blind the eyes of all the Princes Protestants And that those speeches that were given out that the Marquis of Egremont departed without good satisfaction for that he obtained nothing of those things he propounded and that the Legate is like to obtain nothing of those things he is to propound are but to abuse the world Things do not pass here as they were wont to do through many hands besides the Duke of Nevers not many Counsellours that are made privy to the affairs of most secrecy As I learn secretly their Ambassador there findeth himself agrieved for that he receiveth not that good countenance and entertainment that he was wont to do Though I have most just cause to think that there is but little good meant towards her Majestie whatsoever outward shew is made yet in my poor opinion it were not amiss for her Majestie to use all outward shew and entertainment that may seem to appertain to good amity and yet not to omit any thing that tendeth to her safety And so for other matters referring your honour to these enclosed Occurrents I most humbly take my leave At Paris the seven and twentieth of November 1572. Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honourable and his very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh YOur Lordships of the seventh I have received the Letters enclosed I have delivered to Steward for that Glascow â—8 was not here he therefore desired me to tell Davison that his absence is the cause why he hath not answer but by the next he shall hear from him in the mean time he bideth me tell him nn â—3 that he is now without fear of danger but that he hath many good friends who will suffer him to take no wrong He telleth me further that he is resolved to revenge the death of his friends hap what may hap He wisheth â—3 to look well to Scotland and that Munnesire is sent but to abuse her Majestie with 〈◊〉 words If Steward himself of the â—9 shall learn any thing that toucheth 〈◊〉 I shall be advertised from time to time I see more great cause now to nouriâ—h this humor contrary to my opinion in my last Letters for surely there are great mischiefs a brewing I am assured that within these eight days Florence 〈◊〉 protested that he should never be quiet so long as the exercise of Religion continued in any one place of Christendom I know further particularly that he said he will never forget New haven until revenge be made I never knew so deep a dissembler I am sure that the murther of the Admiral should have been executed at Bloys but that they saw him too well accompanied It is agreed that both he and Spain shall for the avoiding of suspicion of the Legats coming entertain the â—3 with good words and that Spain should make some shew to be glad to grow to some accord â— did send expresly Gentlemen unto me to know in what state and terms things do stand here being requested so to do by the Princes of Germany for that there are many contrary brutes there He sendeth me word that they mean shortly to call a Dyet to consult for their safety and for the revenge I have not yet dispatched the Gentleman but mean to do out of hand in such sort instructed as I hope shall rather heat then cool them I have requested H to be throughly advertised with all convenient speed how things do pass there c. Paris the six and twentieth of November 1572. Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honourable Sir Thomas Smith her Majesties principal Secretary IT may please your honour to advertise her Majestie that the King here is given to understand from the Count de Lude who lieth at Morte how that they of Rochel have of late taken the Isle of Rez which hath bred great content here for it is a place of great importance by the having whereof they are Masters of the Haven and may thereby receive any succor by sea They have also taken in the same divers ships He doth further advertise that they have taken eight or ten Brittains laden with corn Touching the Kings intention for the besieging of Rochel this bearer shall inform you at the full who hath talked with one who knoweth what is resolved in that behalf There is daily here looked for the Master of the Emperors horse being sent hither to congratulate the Queens delivery as also to bring word that the Emperor hath chosen Monsieur and the Duke of Lorrain Knights of the Order of Toison By letters out of Germany they write that it was determined upon the news of the execution of those of the Religion here to have slain
as many Catholiques of the French as were found there which afterwards upon better consideration was stayed for that they thought the same would prove but a poor revenge notwithstanding this Nation groweth so hateful there as for avoiding of danger such of them as travel in those parts are driven to take upon them the names of Burgundians They write also that there is hope that the Elector Brandenburgh shall be chosen King of Polonia which news doth nothing content those here Further they do advertise that the Princes of Germany are in great jealousie of the Legats repair hither and that thereupon they do put themselves in order of defence for that they think his repair hither cannot be but to continue some dangerous practise A day or two after the Legat had made his entry the Court of Parliament sent unto him according to the ancient custom to see his faculties To whom he answered that the intention of his coming was not to execute the office of a Legat but only to visit the King and to treat with him certain private and particular matters Touching the manner of his receiving and entertainment since his access to the King this bearer shall enform you They do all what they can to make the world believe that his coming is not grateful unto them The Ambassador of Spain doth give out that the five and twentieth of the last moneth Zutphen was taken by the Duke of Alva and that eight or ten of the Princes ships have been also lately distressed Pynart of late willed my Secretary to tell me that whereas heretofore Monsieur de la Mot had usually certain imposts of wine granted to him he is afraid that he shall be debarred of the same or at the least some part of the quantity cut off which thing he wisheth not to be done at this time for that it may give the King occasion to think that his Ministers are not so grateful towards her Majestie as heretofore they have been Seeing that the Gentleman is not to make any long abode there being in hope of revocation me thinks it should be well done if he were used as he may return with good satisfaction And so having nothing further to impart unto your Honour at this time I most humbly take my leave AT Paris the fifth of December Your Honours to Command Fra Walsingham To the Right Honourble and his very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh SInce I last wrote unto your Lordship Steward repaired not unto me for that there is an eye had to such as resort to my house He sendeth me word that Glasco 4 â—9 party increaseth in strength which will well appear when the season shall serve His letters of advice this bearer shall deliver you The party that is recommended unto you from Berwick telleth me that Iames Kirkaldy departeth hence out of hand with such money as Viracque should have carried into Scotland for that he hath gotten license to stay here for a moneth for that the King mindeth to imploy him there as an Ambassador Resident Further he telleth me that de la Mot hath advertised the King how that the Lord Athol is won to be of the Queens party which now sithence the death of the Regent is grown far the stronger And to the end that Liddington may travel more earnestly in strengthening the faction there is some offer made unto him of some great pension he saith mâ—â—eover that the Bishop of Glasco giveth him to understand that with some assistance of money the Lord Athol and the Lord Argile being revolted from the Kings side as they are they shall be more able to make their party good against any force her Majestie shall send until such time as he hath setled his things here Touching Seers the Earl of Westmerlands man I can by no means learn what answer he received at the Kings hands He telleth me only that he stayed here four days These his advertisements I have confirmed otherwise and therefore I do the rather credit them They have written to the Ambassador to use all the means that may be possible whatsoever it cost to have the Queen of Scots spoken withal willing him in any case to beware to use in that behalf any Hugonot The B. of Glasco hath lately divers times conference for the devising of some good means for that purpose one whom he meant to imploy in that behalf discovered no less unto me who thinketh that there is some practise for the stealing of her away They caused of late Briquemont and Cavannes a little before their death to subscribe to certain blanks which they have filled up with such matter as may best prove that there was a conspiracy pretended Which blanks so filled up they sent by Fregoz and one Carpenter into Germany to shew some unto the Princes there for the better justifying of the late execution If Kirkaldy be well used by Mr. Killegrew he will be no evil instrument he desireth much the revenge of that that hath been lately done here At Paris the fifth of December Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honourable and his very good Lord the Earl of Leicester RIght Honourable the King here is advertised that they of Rochel have of late taken the Isle of Rez and divers ships in the same a thing that imported the Rochellois much for that thereby they have the Haven free and at their commandment and may receive such succours as may come unto them by sea This Court is much agrieved with all aswell in this as in other matters that things frame so untowardly and go backwards The wisest sort do not stick to say that the greatest troubles are now but a beginning If it shall prove true that they write out of Germany which is that the Marquis of Brandenburgh is like to be chosen King of Polonia they may perhaps have just cause to repent their late doings but howsoever that fall out we shall see that God will work somewhat whereby it may appear the blood of his Saints to be dear unto him Perhaps we did build too much before upon the courage and wisdom of them that be dead He can raise up stones to set forth his glory so that we need not doubt to see the revenge unless our sins be the let What is meant by the King touching the besieging of Rochel this bearer shall impart unto your Lordship as also the manner of the entertainment of the Legat and how they seek to make the world believe that they are not content with his coming nor he with his entertainment They say here that the Kings side in Scotland is much weakned and the other side far the stronger they have therefore dispatched of late from hence some to keep the Queens party in courage until they have setled things at home I find therefore her Majestie shall have great difficulty to settle things here in such sort as may prevent such mischiefs as hereafter may grow
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
Almains the King can besiege neither Rochel nor any other Town for the Frenchmen are not fir for the keeping of Artillery nor to make the body of the battel of footmen The King doth send into Germany to see if he can appease the Almains as also to procure succours if he shall need them He hath received at their hands many a churlish answer and notwithstanding without respect had of the difference of their degrees he for beareth not to woo them The nineteenth of this moneth there arrived here the Bishop of Valences Secretary out of Polonia who giveth them great hope of the Election of Monsieur and yet some part of his tale giveth men cause to judge that there is no great reason so to think for that he saith by the reason of the plague that there reigneth the Nobility to whom the election appertaineth have not yet assembled so that all this hope seemeth to be grounded upon some particular conference that the Bishop hath had with some of the said Electors who perhaps when the matter shall come to through debating will change their opinion Men of judgement here that know that Countrey do think that if the Bishop of Valence had had a million of gold accompanied with his eloquence to be stow amongst them he might then be able to do somewhat but otherwise they think that eloquence without treasure will gain no Kingdom The Venetians of late have taken four French ships and have put some of them to torture to make them confess the colouring of certain Turkish goods as which news the King was very much offended and therefore hath given them leave of Marseilles to use all means of revenge From Antwerp they write that the Duke of Alva by the benefit of the last frost hath taken certain Towns in Holland which thing is not altogether believed for that the Ambassador here hath received no letters for confirmation of the same The news of the Earl of Morton to be chosen Regent Boughan and the Lords of Lougâ—leuin to have the Government of the King doth very much mislike them and therefore her Majestie hath cause the more to like of it And so leaving to trouble your Honour any further at this present I most humbly take my leave At Paris the two and twentieth of December 1572. Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable and his very good Lord the Earl of Leicester MY very good Lord I had very well hoped that the reasons for my return would have countervailed any that Mr. Carew could alledge for his stay I forbear to express my grief for that I am somewhat in hope some other shall be choâ—en that shall not slip his head out of the collar I beseech your Lordship therefore to continue your assistance in that behalf Touching the hope of having Rochel by composition the wind is come about they being now perswaded that there is no way to have it but by force whatsoever her Majestie saith to the contrary they cannot here but believe that they of Rochel receive encouragement from her Majestie to hold out The Switzers as I am given to understand have concluded at a late Diet held by them to give no succour this way which falleth out contrary to their way Those people are not so gross but that they foresee the end that the late accident here tendeth to I would others whom it toucheth as nearly would so think The late election of the Regent in Scotland doth altogether miscontent them here and some threatnings are given out that it shall not so long stand for good for that the same passed not with the content of both parties but onely by the choice of one faction So leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present I most humbly take my leave At Paris the two and twentieth of December 1572. Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh STeward being made acquainted with the contents of your Lordships Letters telleth me that 9 meaneth to stand upon the denial and therefore requested me with all diligence to dispatch this messenger and in his name 3 to deny also if any question shall be moved in that behalf That Davison never propounded any such matter notwithstanding he desireth that the ship may stay at 2 â—â— 6 ry 9 or 10 days that if upon better consideration reason shall move him to alter his opinion he may take the benefit thereof if necessity shall force him thereto He willeth me further to advertise your Honour that 9 meaneth to send a Gentleman expresly with full mind unto Davison with order to communicate the same from him to 3 to whom he desireth that there may be credit given I perceive by them that they cannot tell well what to resolve until there be conference had with â— if they mean not to take profit of the ship I have taken order with them to send one to the Port to cause him to depart Because your Lordship is sometimes absent from the Court I thought good to send your Lordship the Copy of the Letter I write to Master Secretary besides the contents whereof I learn that Monsieur D'Aux is stoln away from Constantinople and is presently retired to Ragusa where he remaineth the cause of his departure from thence is unknown unto the King who is very much offended withal He hath expresly sent a messenger unto him to will him upon his allegiance to return unto Constantinople and to continue his charge there Some do gâ—ess that the cause of his departure from thence was for that he feared that the King would take some order for the murthering of him there as suspected of Religion The Cardinal of Lorrain hath took upon him before his departure from Rome to promise the Pope that the King here should enter into the League which thing is thought not fit at this time until the King hath appeased his troubles at home It is thought that one chief cause of the Duke of Savoys coming tendeth to make some complot against Geneva as also to conclude some straiter amity then heretofore hath been between this Crown and Spain the means whereof is thought to be the marriage of Monsieur and the King of Spains daughter They seem here to be no less sorry for the E. of Derby then for D. Chasteirault what moveth them so to be I know not Though there hath grown some alteration in her Majesties resolution touching my return by the choice of Mr. Carew yet I hear there lacketh no care in your Lordship to find out some other to supply the room for the which I have most just cause to render unto your Lordship most humble thanks And thus having nothing else to impart unto your Lordship I most humbly take my leave At Paris the two and twentieth of December 1572. Your Honours to command F. Walsingham SIr the day after Monsieur Mannesires arrival which was the 23 of this
see my successor in company with the Nobleman that repaireth hither And so leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present I most humbly take my leave Paris the five and twentieth of December 1572. Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honourable and his very good Lord the Lord Burleigh IT may please your Lordship to understand that since the writing of my last Letter I have spoken with Steward who knoweth not by whose procurement he was set on that discharged the Dagg against La Motte but doth ghess the party named in my last Letters should be the Authour thereof For other matters he saith all goeth well as you shall further understand by one sent for the purpose who imbarqueth at B. his name is R. he is of good quality and one that accompanied 8 I am warily dealt withal in the matter And for my self I dare not desire to know more then they are willing to make me acquainted withal Steward telleth me for certain that there are of late 800 at least of Strozzies company cut in piece which thing is kept very close for by others I can learn no such thing There arrived lately here a Gentleman out of Languedoc sent from Monsieur D'Aumale who reporteth that they of the Religion do hold at least in Town and Castle to the number of chosen Souldiers which Town can no way be taken but by famine for that they cannot possibly make any trenches about it the soil and seat being rocky Both the Admiral and De la Aumile do send the King word to send them both men and money or else there being there is to no purpose Upon these advertisements lately come from thence it is now thought that Monsieur shal go to Languedoc and that Monsieur Le Duc shall be imployed at Rochel Howsoever they shall be imployed it is held for certain that they depart from this Town about five or six days hence as well the two brethren as also the King of Navarre with the Prince of Conde I send unto your Lordship a lewd Letter written by Carpenter in defence of the late doings here the original written in Latin and afterwards translated into French Divers of those in Latin have been sent into Germany but the Authors lewdness is so well known as it will but little help their case They have also sent of them into Polonia for that the Bishop of Valence writeth that the late accident here will be one of the greatest lets of that they seek there It is reported also by Letters lately received out of Flanders that the Duke of Alva is so dangerously sick at ‑ Nunege as men do doubt of his recovery Furthermore they give out that there hath been of late a Conflict in Holland between the said Duke and the Prince of Orange in the which there were slain of the Dukes side 500 Spaniards and as they say a double number of the other but as yet the certainty is unknown And so beseeching your Honour to impart these Letters to the Earl of Leicester for that through the hasty departure of this messenger I had no leisure to write particularly unto him I leave c. At Paris the second of Ianuary 1572. Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honoâ—rable Sir Thomas Smith her Majesties principal Sâ—â—retary SIr it may please you to advertise her Majestie that Monsieur Maâ—nâ—sire gave me to understand how that their Majesties here were given to understand from the Ambassador there that there should be certain ships to the number of fourteen preparing to repair to Rocâ—el and that though French men and Flemings bear the name of them yet were they not unfurnished of some English Marriners and that therefore they deâ—ire that it may please her Majestie to give order for the restraint thereof as to good amity appertaineth To this I answered that I would not fail to advertise her Majestie thereof notwithstanding I said it would be very hard to restrain them forasmuch as at this present there are a number of marriners and ships unset a work in respect of the unkindness between Spain and England which kind of people will hardly be restrained I willed him also to desire their Majesties to consider how the like falleth out in their Government here for that divers Gentlemen of good quality notwithstanding the League between the Turk and this Crown and notwithstanding an express inhibition of things did serve this last summer under those of the League some be conducted by the Marquis dâ— Mâ—in others under the conduct of the Count Martineâ—go the Kings Pensioner the which thing the Turk doth interpret in good part for that he knoweth that the same is done without the Kings consent the like consideration must their Majesties have also of her Majestie who is not able so to bridle her Subjects but that some of them will hazard themselves without having any regard to her Majesties commandment that unto their duties appertaineth To this Monsieur Mannesirâ— shewed me that he used like speech and perswasion towards the Queen Mother wherewith she seemed to be reasonably well satisfied The sixth of this moneth he was dispatched hence towards Câ—llis with certâ—in Coaches to meet the Barl of Worcester They have often sent unto me to know whether I heard anything of his coming wherein I have answered that since the twelfth of the last I heard nothing out of England which seemeth strange unto them considering that their Ambassador hath advertised that my Lord of Worcester should be forward the second of this Moneth Touching Monsieurs speedy departure from hence towards Rochel men of judgement do think it rather to fear the Rochellois to make them to condescend to an accord then indeed to have an intention to besiege them as yet considering that this time of the year is very unapt to besiege a Town scituate in a marsh Of late there hath been some purpose held with me whether I did not think that her Majestie by some perswasion used by me might be induced to be a Mediator unto the K. Whereunto I answered that I my self could hardly be perswaded to be a dealer in that behalf having that regard that a servant and a subject ought to have to the honour of his Prince and Mistris considering what evil success such Compositions heretofore have had as have passed between them King and his Subjects especially seeing those to enjoy the Kings ear who have both abused his ear and his honour having had more regard to their own particular passions then to that reverence and duty that becometh good Subjects to bear towards their Prince When I shall see said I such removed then I can tell what to answer in this behalf Our Merchants at the beginning here sith the last troubles received good expectation so far forth as concerned the obtaining of the Kings Letters but now that it â—â—meth to execution they find it but expedition in words so that I perceive
it were better for our â—erchants to lose that they sue for then to continue their suits The Kings Letters Patents sent to Roan to certain Presidents to see such Merchants there restored to their goods as sustained loss at the time of the late troubles are as much regarded as if â— had sent my Letters thither Our Nation is so evil liked here as whatsoever fair speech they use they think it injustice to do them justice Monsieur I a Mot as I learn hath sometimes written most earnestly to them here to cause them to do better justice then they do notwithstanding I see it prevaileth nothing at all And so leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present I most humbly take my leave At Paris the eleventh of January 1572. Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honoâ—rable and my very good Lord the Earl of Leicester THis bearer besides the enclosed Occurents hath charge to communicate certain things unto your Lordship by mouth and therefore at this present I leave to troâ—ble your Lordship with many lines saving that I cannot but renew my old suit most humbly beseeehing your Lordship to continue the furtherance of my revocation Touching a Rider Captain Lassetty hath written both to Millan and Florence from the last he hath received answer that one worthy of entertainment will not be hired under 300 â— the year and such other benefit as by our Lordship is offered He looketh shortly to have answer from Millan I fear your Lordship shall hardly be furnished of such a one as you desire of that calling unless it would please God to make one of that profession to be of the Religion who then would be glad to have such an offer and to live in so good a Sanctuary as England is I do imploy divers in this behalf and by some I am put in hope to have your Lordships turn served And so having nothing to impart at this present I most humbly take my leave At Paris the eleventh of January 1572. Your Honours to command Fra Walsingham To the Right Honourable his very good Lords the Lords of her Majesties most honourable privy Councel ACcording to your Honours order by letters of the six and twentieth of October I recommended unto the King here this bearers brothers cause whereupon he directed his Letters to certain Presidents at Roan appointed by Commission to see such of our Merchants as sustained loss in the last troubles restored to their goods At whose hands neither by virtue of the Commission directed to them nor by the Kings particular recommendation he could receive any other answer then that they had advertised the King touching such information as they had received of the injury he pretended to be done unto his brother wheâ—â—by it may well appear that there is nothing less meant then to make restitution of the spoils as were made in the time of the disorders besides this bearer notwithstanding he had the Kings safe-guard which I procured him was sundry times like to have been assaulted as he informeth me by such as outraged his brother and his host also where he lay was threatned because he received him He making complaint thereof there could have no redress and I making complaint of it here unto the King and his Councel found as little Ere he could receive answer what information was sent hither he was driven to attend a moneth In the end he was answered that one of the Presidents deputed their Commissioner was repaired hither and had informed them how that this bearers brother was a lewd young man and riotously consumed his substance and therefore used this as a mean to defraud his Creditors and that he onely payed twenty Crowns for ransome to such as had imprisoned him and that the cause of imprisonment proceeded upon certain quarrels about a wife he had married at Roan contrary to the will of her friends Whereupon I sent word to Secretary Pynart who gave this answer that he might be well able to discern by this kind of proceeding what will they have to do justice in that the answer was not made at Roaâ— where he might have procured justification of his brothers behaviâ—ur and that therefore in apparence there is no other reason why the party should be driven to attend answer here but that they think onely by such kind of delays to make him weary of prosecuting the matter To this Pynart answered that forasmuch as the President was a publique person and of such integrity and uprightness as he could not be charged with any untruth or wrong done to any person and â—n the other side Stallenge one that was touched in his life and behaviour he could do nothing in his behalf Nevertheless he said that to gratifie me he would write again to the President if I thought his Letter would prevail any thing to the furtherance of the poor mans cause Your Honours may perceive by these answers what good will they bear to do justice considering that they had authority granted unto them to have determined the cause there But this answer they used for a delay to make him weary of prosecuting the matter I find them of late very slow to yield any expidition not onely in this bearers cause but also to such other of our Merchants as lately I have preferred and therefore considering how chargeable it would be for him to continue his suit here any longer and little hope there is of redress in the end I have advised him to repair to Roan to procure a testimonial as wel of his brothers behaviour and conversation as also of the evil usage he received during his abode there to the end that having informed your Honours thereof accordingly Your Honours may take order as to the same shall seem fit And so leaving to trouble your Honors any further at this present I most humbly take my leave At Paris the thirteenth of Ianuary 1572. Your Honours to command Fra Walsingham To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq her Majesties Ambassador Resident in France SIr I am sorry that I wot not what to write unto you things do fall out so here Dr. Dale was warned to dispatch and your revocation ready When it came to signing no such thing meant Dr. Dale wrote unto me he had provided half a score horse in his stable men to go with them and their own horses their liveries already bought and he altogether ready at my Lord Treasurers warning and mine and now understanding that he should not go the effect of this Letter I shewed this day unto her Majestie She beshrewed them it was long of Dr. Dale could not go before Midlent or Easter there was other matters which she would trust to no new men but to you and to none other Well Madam quoth I the poor man hath been already at these charges and chargeable it will be yet to him to put them away is loss to keep them charge besides my Lord
Ambassador in France your Majestie knoweth in what state he is and the poor Gentlewoman his wife Yea saith she that pity of her is that maketh all this haste and I am sorry for her but there is no remedy he cannot now go before Midlent or Easter Well Madam quoth I seeing it be so may it please you may he be sure to go at Easter and may I write so to my Lord Ambassador Yea saith her Majestie now you have my Commission and so much I can say judge of it as you shall please but I assure you my Lord of Leicester my Lord Treasurer my Lord Admiral and I and some other of your friends have done what they can for your return but whether it be Fatis or what else hath letted I know not nor can guess but I perceive what is the issue at this time You are a wise man and can comfort your self with wisdom and patience and the rather if the promise do hold that by Easter you may return My Lord of Worcester bringeth full instructions for that he hath to do or may fall out in communication the which he must and will communicate unto you and use therein your advice I send you some Occurrents out of Scotland If you would know what we do here we play at tables dance and keep Christmas The Queens Majestie and all the rest of my Lords thanks be to God be in good health My Lord Privy-Seal what with age and sickness is not thought long to abide in this world and the Earl of Kents health is almost desperate Farewel From Hampton Court the twelfth of Ianuary 1572. Yours alwayes assured Tho Smith To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador Resident for her Majestie in France SIr I am both sorry and ashamed that I cannot write of any matter meet for satisfaction in your own case as I would and as I know you have had occasion to expect but the impediments thereof I know you shall understand by other your friends and therewith do assure you that whatsoever any of them do write of my former care taken for you and that I have now promised to follow I have as much or more and will continue and persevere to the utmost of my power and so wish you as much patience as you have cause of grief This bearer finding me here at my house at Westminster telleth me that he is dispatched from the Court I think iâ— needless to advertise you of the coming of my Lord of Worcester and for that I think surely that Mr. â—â—cretary doth advertise you of all things I do forbear Glasco Davisoâ— longeth to heâ—â— from Lyoâ—s 9 the ship abode in the place appoiâ—â—ed 23 days And so I end trusting to see you here amongst your friends within this â—ix weeks at the least to be revoked at that time From Westminster the â—2 of January 1572. Your assured friend Will. Burleigh To my very loving friend Mr. Francis Walsingham the Queens Majesties Ambassador in France THe cause of her Majesties longer stay of your abode there and not to send presently D. Dale is onely in respect of some persons you have there to deal withall which you may easily conceive whom I mean though I name them not the cause I write it not plain is lack of a cypher having worn mine to pieces this progress time in carriage and pray you to bear the more with this dark writing but it concerneth such as you wrote a little of to my Lord Treasurer Her Majesty doubteth greatly the state of that person and hath in expectation that some great matter will proceed from them and neither doth she think Dale to be a fit man to be imployed neither that the other will deal frankly with him as with you For my part I am perswaded that great matters will fall that way and surely you shall do well to enter the more speedily and deeply with them for the knowing of their whole intent I must but tell you mine own conceit I fear it be but a practice to dandle us for so many are acquainted here with the cause I mean of that Nation but it is impossible but that the Ambassador here must know it Besides I see that the hope of the marriage is still entertained here and our Mistres made to think it is ever â—incerely meant which if it were indeed and the other matters true of the parties disposition what could with-hold to put that in execution which were most like for him to get it for his own value must sue more for him then his friends commendation or else his party here will be little as I think But this manner of dealing I see serveth to no purpose but winneth them time and loseth us all good opportunities and hindreth your returâ— where your friends wish you both for your self and chiefly for her Majesties better service You shall do well therefore for her Majesty for I cannot imagine what good this great suspence will do her to seek by all means you can at their hands to know their full mind and the scope of their intent for by these the dealing of the Ministers here with her Majesty hath no cause to find any way direct or substantiall she takes great hinderance otherwise and no good shall come to them neither in this sort of proceedings And as none here are privy to the matter but my Lord Treasurer and I so is it too great a burthen so long to conceal her Majesties so great hindrance of her greater causeâ— as the time wants for lack of certainty through understanding the intent and bottom of this Cause which surely hitherto giveth more cause of suspition of practise then of good meaning And yet if it were minded as they pretend except they proceed otherwise then I perceive yet they do they shall rather hurt themselves and us both then further any good purpose that may bring hope of that good success we would wish Thus as well as I can utter my poor conceit both for your self and us and do wish you to deal accordingly with all speed and to return your answer thereof with all diligence you can and thereupon we wil take occasion again to procure your return which if staying might yield service to her Majesty and good to the Countrey I would no way hinder if you were my brother Otherwise finding no more cause then I do you have no friend here will further sooner the other My Lord of Worcester hath desired me to write to you that you would deal friendly and frankly with him he disableth himself and trusteth to your advice in all such sort as belongeth to his place I heartily require it for him onely it may suffice you to know he is a Papist and a favourer of all such especially a â— otherwise a good simple Gentleman and fit for the Christning Shew him I pray all the courtesie you can as I doubt not of it My Lord Privy Seal is dead this
morning Her Majesty in good health So God be with you In all haste this 12 of January 1572. Your assured friend Ro. Leicester To the Right honorable Sir Thomas Smith her Majesties principall Secretary SIR if the cause of my stay here grow onely in respect of her Majesties service as by your Letters I am assured though I have as much cause to desire my return as any other that ever was imployed in the like service yet can I with more patience digest the same as he that thinketh both his travell substance and life as well imployed in her service as any other subject she hath I hope when her Majesty shall find my stay here not needfull she will tender my case and yeild to my Revocation Sithence the Cardinall of Lorains arrivall here the direction of Scotish matters are committed to his charge The Lord Levingston and the Lord Ogleby look shortly to be dispatched hence who receive at the Cardinals hands great entertainment and great promises of great good that they and divers others of their Nation shall receive at the Kings hands here Amongst others they have commission to assure D. Castelherault to be retored to the Kingdom here and that the Marshall Montmorency shall be otherwise recompenced That the Lo. Arboth shall be General of the Scotish men at Arms. That the Lo. Clade shall have the reversion after Losses death of the Captainship of the Guard That the Lo. Huntley and the Earle of Argile shall have the great Order sent unto them and assurance of great pensions And though it seemeth by the occurrents out of Scotland that the said Earle of Argile inclineth to the King yet the best there are of another opinion and think him to favour the Queens part which they are resolved to maintain I am advertised by one at whose hands I have received advertisements that the Cardinall of Lorain hath brought from Rome for Monsieur to marry with his Neece who as I hear as he doth hope after the marriage of Polonie so he doth not greatly like thereof and would be loath that Monsieur should be removed so far off The Marshall Tavannes who was held here for dead is now in some hope of recovery And so c. At Paris the 21 of January 1572. Your Honours to command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord Treasurer YOur Lordships of the 14 of this moneth I have received by the which I perceived two sundry Letters which I sent you by the Vidams man with certain books are not come to your hands which maketh me to mistrust some some wrong measure for that he departed the second of this moneth The matter of most importance contained in the same was touching a Gentleman of â— departed hence to 2 â— 6. 4 with intention to imbarque there if the Barque were not departed Steward who is gone to Rochel as I sent your Lordship word by my servant William Williams promised before his departure to have come and seen me and to have had some conference with me which he did not but sent onely his man unto me with a fond Cypher requesting me to hear often from me To whom I answered That the Cypher he sent me was not for the purpose and as for writing often I told him I could not tell what to answer untill I might speak with his Master and that therefore I desired most earnestly to confer with him before his departure as well of that as of other matters notwithstanding his own promise and my request he is now departed so that considering his loose kind of dealing I cannot tell what to judge of the matter If the party that cometh over do not deal more orderly and roundly there then I am dealt with here I think it were well if it were at some end for that I fear the issue will prove such as the parties are that deal in it who are over young and lack experience that were fit to guide a matter of so great weight I serve in the same but for a distributer of Letters and yet as it should seem the chief cause of Religion groweth thereby If I thought there were good faith meant therein or that by good guiding there might grow good effect to the benefit of her Majesty I should then with the less grief continue my abode here Such Letters as I received lately from Davison I know not what to do with having no sure means how to convey them for one of mine own cannot with safety travell that way And as for any of this Nation I find none whom I may trust in that behalf and therefore untill such time as I hear further from your Lordship what liking you have of the overture that shall be made by them that I sent over who as I am informed by Steward is to grow to some through resolution I mean not to deal any further with them unless I see they proceed more orderly Of this loose kind of dealing I thought good to advertise to the end you may rather grow to some through conclusion with the said party there At Paris the 20 of January 1572. Your Honours to command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honourable my very good Lord the Earl of Leicester YOur Lordships of the 12 of this present I have received and though I cannot at large write unto you touching the contents of the same through this Bearers hast for his own particular affairs yet I thought to write these few scribled lines in answer Touching Stewards matter which as I perceive is the chiefest cause of my stay here I assure your Lordship I know not what to think of it They deal very warily with me and seem to have more will to deal with you there then with me here I stand but in stead of a Post to receâ—ve to deliver Letters By one that departed from thence I am shewed that you shal be ful informed what is their intention in that behalf I fear the issue thereof will be such as are the dealers therein In my Lord Treasurers Letter in respect of the Cypher you shall more plainly know my meaning If my stay here imported her Majesties service I could not so importunately seek my return though I have more them just cause so to do being rather overpressed then over-charged But seeing I do but servâ— here to entertain a broken matter having no great credit with the parties otherwise then in generall terms I hope through your Lordships good assistance her Majesty will tender my cause by sending over my successor Now that the Cardinall of Lorain is arrived here who beareth the whole sway in the affairs they conclude somwhat touching Scotish matters In the mean time there is one lately dispatched hence with great offers to entertain the Queens party as your Lordship may perceive by the inclosed And so leaving further to trouble your Honor at this present I most humbly take my leave At Paris the 20 of January
Amitie betwixt us and our Realmes be left unperfect and unaccomplished on our behalf For Scotland you may say that Monsieur de Crocque ' s going away so soon wherefore we were very sorry because he tarried not until the peace was concluded we suffered our servant Henry Killegrew to sollicite the conclusion of peace And although there appeared great likelihood from time to time to follow of an universal peace and very reasonable conditions offered yet they of the Castle as appeareth not minding to have any peace would not agree to them wherefore as it appeareth they are like again to have civil Wars a thing most displeasant to us being their next Neighbours and for our part we think they have misused both him our good brother and us the King to imploy Monsieur de Crocque and us the Marshal of Berwiâ—k first and now Henry Killegrew whereas it appeareth they meant nothing less then agreement especially two or three of them in the Castle who have offered unto them all humanitie their lands livings and offices and whatsoever could be reasaonably desired yet will not condescend for common quiet to acknowledge their King and to deliver him that hold having as good offered them for their own suerty which in common peace should seem needless so that for ought that can appear unto us we think it not fit that we or our good brother should suffer such outrage at their hands or our two travels being Princes to be had in so little reguard besides that we have kept in our hands the Castle of Hume at our charge being to us no profit or commoditie but that we desire to bridle both the parties to come to an accord For being by the League bounden to deliver it but any of the Scotish if we should have delivered it to any of the adverse party though the peace had followed we know not how to compel them to render the same to the natural Lord thereof to whom we most desired to render the same although he had smally deserved that kindness at our hands if we had delivered it to him before we doubted there should have bin occasion to make him hold out more obstinately from the Agreement and Peace who as it appeareth is too much obstinate without it And as we have divers times by our Ambassador there and writing declared to them that assoon as they were come to a full Agreement and Peace within themselves we would most willingly render the same Castle and the Territory thereof to the said Lord Huâ—â— So you may say that our good brother shall well perceive that if yet they will grow to common peace within themselves the Castle of Hume shall be streight restored to the Lord Hume as it hath been often declared both to him and them before And if he and the rest will not come to Peace and Accord peradventure we shall deliver it as we may well do unto them of that Nation out of whose hands the Lord Hume shall have enough to do to get it which is nothing in our default which desires them most earnestly to have them at quiet and peace within themselves and to be ruled by justice so should our Subjects near adjoyning to them be in more rest and have better justice upon the Out-laws and Thieves who do offer daily injury to our Subjects without redress because of the civil troubles And if any mention be made unto you of the Scotish Queen either for her life or for her deliverance that you should be a mean to us for her You shall answer that her attempts be known to have been such both towards us and our Realm as you cannot gladly hear her spoken of and that you could not think your self a good Subject if once you should open your lips for her and therefore you shall require that they will no more speak to you of her nor of any such matters Given at our Mannour of Hampton Court the eleventh of January 1572. in the one and twentieth year of our Reign Thomas Smith I think it shall not be against the Queens Majestie to offer that if Hume Castle shall be delivered to the Kings party that there shall be assurance given to restore it to the Lord Hume when he shall recognize the King as heretofore he did William Burleigh To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador Resident for her Majestie in France MR. Walsingham I have received your Letters sent by Williams I perceive it is hard to recover a Rider but to pay too dearly for him I will stay therefore till better occasion shall serve and do heartily thank you for your good remembrance and travel therein I wrote of late to you which Letter I hope be come safely to your hands the rather for that I write somewhat openly for want of a ready cypher for these causes I have since considered more of the person and the matter and surely I can no way perswade my self that the cause you should stay for is any way sincerely meant there but rather a meer practise to entertain us here and to discover of the other side what may be under the hope that by that means many may be drawn unto for no other way but this have they left to beguil the world especially us and those they seek to destroy seek narrowly and deeply into it and in the mean time consider how slightly the great post haste matter was slipt off that our ship tarried so long for what was it else but a plain work to hold us with such a sudden amazed chance the same in their opinion we should believe their case to be as dangerous as they would make it Weigh also the pretty escape of the disguised attempt of the party that seemed to be in so great peril who can believe other then that it was a made matter to continue a belief whom they think they have inchaunted at their wills Let us examine also the instruments what they be those of the most arrantest sort of Papists those here never counted setled or informed in Religion Besides the process of the doings over both sides doth shew no good end towards but even a stratagem it will prove in my opinion and therefore I am the more careful that we may so espy it and so use it as it may return upon their own necks For my own part I promise you I did suspect it the first time of his opening of the matter for truth will seek no angles Truly he was fain to seek all his brains to make any matter worthy of credit for these suspicions were found even at the first he was divers in his tales his Letters delivered assuredlie were counterfeit and so was driven in the end to confess in a manner albeit in a sort they were after confirmed there from you to his better credit for first he avowed they were all the parties own hands Next he said after the Letters were compared with others of the parties
by Merchants of France with the English Merchants for money to be given for salt c. Hereof the Ambassador desireth that you will inform the King that his report may accord with the same We do also stay the Lord Levingstone for like respect as we do Viracque And thus I â—nd not doubting but Mr-Secretary writeth of other common things Yours assuredly William Burleigh Iames Fitz-morice the Rebel with all his sequel submitted himself to Sir Iohn Parrot in Ireland so that all Munster is free from Rebellion Here hâ—th been a murther committed about Shooters-hill somewhat to the reproof of this place and herein I have used such care as the party is taken being one Brown an Irish man who had served and is put from my Lord of Oxfords seruice To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador Resident for her Majestie in France SIr now cometh your Successor so long desired I doubt not but both for his own comfort that he may willingly enter into that charge which for the Queens Majesties service you will sufficiently instruct him how he shall best serve and therein so deal with him And if in conference you find any rawness and imperfection you do not forbear but like a Tutor teach him to inform for so I know he shall be greatly bound to you and so it is necessary Let him also understand whom he may trust and so to use them that it good will and conscience be they take no harm wherein I have straitly charged him to be religious Procure the Queen Mother to think well of him I am very fearful that he shall do well for many causes but for none more then to avoid the Queens Majesties displeasure which I am assured of for that I did chuse him to relieve you If he should not content her Majestie in this service he hath required me that you would give leave and perswade that your Secretary might continue with him a while Now I end because he is going From London the first of April 1572. Yours assuredly William Burleigh By the QUEEN To our Right Trusty and Well-beloved Francis Walsingham our Ambassador Resident with our good Brother the French King ELIZABETH R. TRusty and well-beloved we greet you well Whereas you often made suit unto us to be revoked from that charge albeit we could have been well pleased that you should have tarried there still for the great sufficiency that we know in you and the faithful and discreet handling for our service yet we have thought good at your friends requests and desires for your return to yield unto your suit And therefore we let you wot That seeing you are so desirous to return home we have made choice of our trustie and well-beloved Valentine Dale Doctor of the Law and one of our Masters of the Requests extraordinarie this bearer to be your Successor there and to that end have written our Letters to the King our good brother and to the Queen Mother Wherefore our pleasure is That you do not onely repair with him unto them with the delivery of our said Letters but also before your departure from thence participate unto him all your instructions and such other things as you shall think meet and expedient for him to know for the furtherance of our service And also as you can bring him acquainted with those by whom he may have best understanding of that Court and the affairs necessary for us to be known And that you do leave with him such vessel plate and other furniture that you have of ours taking his writing under his hand and seal of the receit of the same for your discharge These things done we are pleasedâ— that you make your repair unto us with some convenient speed as you shall think meet Given under our Signet at our Mannor of Richmond the nineteenth of March 1572. in the fifteenth year of our Reign Response faicte aux Messieurs les Ambassadeur de France 20 August 1573. PRemierement que le Message qu'a este envâ—yé d'icy a l'Amb de la Royne resident en France on a esté mal rapporté on mal entendu par le dict Ambassadeur Car il ne s'accorde pas avec ce qu'en a esté faict dans les Lettres du Roy treschrestiâ—n escripts a son Ambassadeur En ce seroyt vrayment une grande absurdité si sa Majeste premierement a son Ambassadeur eust mandé dire qu'il estoit impossible que le mariage eust en effect et puis apres incontinent eust demandé ou parlé d'une entreveue vray est que par les premiers le dit Ambassadeur avoit charge de dire que pour la difference des aages sa Majeste trouve la chose fort difficile de'accorder tel mariage Et que pour raison de cés difficultés son entendement ne se pouvoit de faire de doubtes qu'on y trouvoit si ne se pouvoit trouver quelque aide expedient pour recompense Et ce fut la somme des premieres Lettres comme il pourroit apparoistre par la copie Les secondes que suyvoyent les aide incontinent apres avoyent cecy en somme a l'Ambassadeur qu'il avoit en charge de dire que sa Majeste voyant la continuelle sollicitation du Roy et de la Royne mere du Roy en ce cas de marriage Et mesmes plus fresches Lettre bayllees par l'Ambassadeur du dit Sr Roy environ le 23 Iuin a la maison de Monsieur Tresorier trouve bon apres avoir escript sa premiere lettre de adjouster encores cecy a la seconde a finde fairâ— apparoistre l'esgard qu'elle avoit des asâ—iduelles requestes du dit Sr. Roy. Cest quelle trouve deux principax empeschements entre aultres l'une la cause de la Religion se pourroit remedier par quelque conformitâ— procedant du Duc mesme Ainsi l'autre pourroit sembler estre difficile plust osten opinion qu'en substance Et qu'anssi elle veoit pour le plus souvent que rien ne governe pluâ— aux mariges ou doibt bien considerer comment une pourroit estre agreeable a l autre que de satisfaire leurs opinions par la veüe de l'un et l'autre especialement en ce cas icy considerant que ceulx que ont veâ— le Duc n'osent affirmer s'il pourroit estre agreeable ou non a sa Majeste combien qu en plusieurs choses ils se prisent fort semblablement sa Majeste y adjouste encores pour estre aussi declaré par son Ambassadeur que d'autant quelle pensoit cecy estre chose qu'on luy accorderent pas facilement combien toutesfois qu'on l uy a faict personage d'aussi grand estat qu est le Duc D Alanâ—on quelle le remectoit a la consideration du dit Roy et Royne dont elle luy donne charge de dire qu'elle n'avoit pensé d'en faire
Majestie had been already mindfull thereof and I would not fail to sollicite it at mine access unto the King Du Uray returning to me after the report that he and his associates appointed to confer with me had made to conferr with his Highness told me that whereas they had perswaded him seeing your Majesties resolution was signified to forbear to prosecute it any further they found his affection so setled that he minded not so to give it over and how that they perceived by him that after he had once taken order for the matters of Cambray he will make a voyage over to your Majestie to lay down before you his own reasons himself with this affection notwithstanding that if his reasons and perswasions shall not be found meet to take place he will never hate where he once loved but will for ever imbrace the amity of your Majestie and the Realm Also your Majestie by these Letters written to my Lord Treasurer shall understand what passed this day between Queen Mother and me at the time of my audience which I thought meet to impart unto the Duke who being then in bed when I had finished with Queen Mother I desired that I might have the honour as to speak with him at his bed-side which it pleased him to assent unto who after I had let him understand the substance of that which passed between his mother and me praying his assistance to remove the impediments that I saw she did stand upon which was to have the League accompanied with the marriage for that it greatly imported the action he had in hand that the League were presently proceeded in To this he answered That the matter of a League partained to his brother the matter of marriage saith he is the only matter that concerneth me which notwithstanding the small hope I put him in yet was he resolute not to give it over And thereupon fell into very earnest request with me that I would plainly let him know whether I had not some further matter to deliver then that I had yet imparted unto him touching the marriage whereof when I assured him I had none to impart unto him he did then declare unto me as he did before that I should find the King very resolute not to imbrace the League without the marriage I did then shew him that I hoped that if he and his mother with that affection that the cause it self did merit did joyn together they might so dispose the Kings mind before hand to give better ear to the League then his Highness did put me in comfort wherein I shewed him that I should hope he would deal the more effectually if he could lay aside his affection and look into the cause as a politique Prince ought to do preferring the publique especially his honour being so farr ingaged as it was before his private desires but in the humor I found now I shewed him that I greatly suspected the Kings resolution grew through his perswasion wherewithall he was very merry and did let me understand again that it was very hard for a man upon the sudden to lay aside an affection which he had harbored in his breast so long a season Touching this subject there passed many pleasant speeches from his Highness which he delivered with a singular grace as any person that ever I knew I presume the rather to write these particularities to your Majestie for that by some speech that passed from him I perceived I should do a thing very agreeable to him to acquaint your Majestie withall Amidst these publique matters I may not forget with all humility to signifie unto your Majestie how infinitely I think my self bound unto you for the gracious usage of the she-Ethiopian your comfortable Postscript in the Earl of Leicesters Letters other your most gracious and favourable speeches given out publiquely since my departure of the good opinion it pleaseth your most excellent Majestie to hold of your poor and unprofitable servant which though the undeserved favours cannot increase my wonted care yet do they minister unto me a most singular comfort by making my service less burthenous through your Highness gracious acceptation of the same The Lord bless the rest of your Majesties years with that happiness of Government which hitherto through Gods goodness you have enjoyed and confound those which wish the contrary Your Majesties most humble Subject Fran. Walsingham To the right honorable my very good Lord the Lord Treasurer MY very good Lord It may please your Lordship to advertise her Majestie that on Wednesday last being the 20 day of August I arrived at the Castle of Fere in Tartinois a house of Montmorencies about the 11 in the morning somewhat sooner then the Duke looked for me through the negligence of the Gentleman whom he sent to visit me at Meaulx whom I prayed to advertise the said Duke that I meant to be at the place above mentioned the self-same morning I arrived there notwithstanding I found before my coming thither a Lodging very well furnished prepared for me and order given for my Diet and for the placing of my horses in the stable belonging to the said Castle immediately upon my repair thither the Duke sent his Chancellor Mr. le President Reyne and Kingsey his Secretary to excuse the Duke that there was sent no body to meet me After that divers Gentlemen as Farmangues and other of quality came by his order to visit me so that there lacked no good will in his Highness to make it appear that he was most ready to honour such as should be sent unto him from her Majestie I doe the rather dwell upon the setting forth of the manner of the entertainment lest perhaps some other might advertise that forasmuch as there was no body sent to meet me by the way the Ministers sent from thence be not received here with the like regard and care as they are there I do assure your Lordship that no man could have more care to excuse the omitting of the ceremony in that there was none sent me by the way then the Duke had Besides in this time his Highness is to be excused for omitting of ceremonies being overcharged with affairs having especially to direct an Army compounded of voluntaries about three of the clock the same afternoon I had access unto him and after I had acquainted him with the points propounded by the King to her Majesties Ambassador and Mr. Sommers before I did let him understand what answer was made by her Majestie to the same he shewed me that the King his brother was most resolute not to proceed in the amity untill it might appear what might become of the marriage and therefore he advised me to think how I might be able to satisfie him therein for that otherwise he saw no likelihood that the other two points touching the League and the secret Treaty should take any effect Wherein I replyed that I doubted not but that the King his brother being
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
day since her Majestie received your Letters my Lord Chamberlain and my Lord of Leicester by a former appointment were at Westminster to examin the Lord Vaux Sir Thomas Tresham and Mr. Griffin of which three the first two are close-prisoners in the Fleet who deny Campians being with them but they will take no oath the other confesseth plainly and simply By this occasion her Majestie forbeareth without advice to make any censure of your Letters or to give me any charge what to write to you She saith untill she shall hear what Mr. Bellieure shall do with the Prince of Parma and Pinart and Mr. Sommers with Monsieur she cannot guess what will be the event She denieth that any one here had any cause to give comfort to the marriage But truly I think some have had such a conceit and whether they have sent it over since I know not you shall do well to write to her Majestie or to me of the state and proceedings of Monsieur with his Army for she findeth fault therewith August 18. Yours assuredly W Burleigh Postscript I pray you in my name to thank Sir Henry Cobham for his Letters to me excusing me for not writing for want of leasure and matter To her Majestie August 16. 1581. MOst gracious Soveraigne The particular Letter it pleased your Highness of your Princely favour to voughsafe to write unto me did minister unto me two singular comforts The one that your mislike conceived of my dealing with the Duke is in part quallified The other for that it hath pleased your Majestie to lay open unto me your disposition touching the charge committed unto me whereby I may use the same as a load-star the beter to direct my course Touching the first I hope when your Majestie shall be throughly informed of my proceedings you shall find that I swerved not from your instructions I received nor yet had cause that indiscretion might lead me to take another course The principal cause why I was sent over as I conceive it and as I trust your Majestie can call it to remembrance was to procure a streighter degree of amity between the King and you without marriage and yet to carry my self in the procuring thereof as might not altogether break off the matter of marriage yet the success of my travel fell out so through Gods goodness as I did assuredly not without good ground make account that the amity would have taken place had it not been crossed by some practice as your Majestie may perceive by some former advertisements not yet discovered and yet both the King his Mother and Monsieur resolute to continue their former determination for the prosecutiou of the marriage which if I had made the case so desperate as I perceive your Majestie hath been informed then surely would they not have continued their disposition to follow the matter I was sundry times pressed both by them and their Ministers to yield a resolute answer whether I had power to say that your Majestie would not marry Whereunto I answered as I was directed that I had no such authority otherwise then to lay before them the impediments that made your Majestie doubtfull to proceed in the marriage which was to have the same accompanied with a Warr. This then being true as the effects do shew I hope your Majestie in the goodness of your own Princely nature and uprightness in your judgement will rest satisfied For otherwise If â— or any other like Minister imployed shall be condemned unheard it cannot but minister great cause of grief and discouragement Touching the other benefit received by your Majesties particular Letter by which you have so farr forth opened your self as if you shall of necessity be thrown into a Warr you find it more agreeable with your surety to have it accompanied with marriage then without I cannot but let your Majestie understand as I declared to you before my departure that if your Majestie shall be content to yield to marriage I am fully perswaded that the King will be induced to covenant with you that you shall be discharged of such burthen as the 〈◊〉 may cast upon you which is the only matter that we have presently to deal in considering that now your Majestie hath so far forth opened your self to Monsienr Marchiamont as to let him understand that if the impediment of the charges that the Warr may cast upon you may be removed your Highness seeth no cause why the marriage should not proceed For this thing being known to their Majesties all hope to procure the League without marriage is excluded I beseech your Majestie therefore we may receive your speedy direction in this case as also what other thing you would have annexed unto the marriage besides the removing of the impediments above mentioned And so with all humbleness do beseech God of his great and infinite goodness to bless all your Maâ—esties proceedings with that happy success as may be to your Highness particular content and the comfort of your best affected Subjects Your Highness poor Subject and Servant Francis Walsingham To the Right Honourable and his very good Lord the Lord Treasurer MY very good Lord finding in a Letter written to me by Monsieur Marchiamont whereof I send your Lordship a copy that her Majestie hath so farr forth opened her self as that she hath signified unto him That so the burthen of the charges that the War may cast upon her be born by the King she seeth no impediment why she should not proceed to the marriage I see our Treaty of League without marriage utterly overthrown so that now there resteth nothing for us to doe here but to perswade the King to take upon him the burthen of the Warr as the only impediment in the marriage and therefore we are to pray your Lordship to procure her Majesties Warrant under her own Hand in plain and clear termes to proceed therein And if there shall be any thing besides that her Majestie shall desire to have annexed to her marriage that is not contained in the former Contract then we beseech your Lordship that we may understand her Majesties further pleasure therein for untill such time as we shall hear from her Majestie we have nothing to doe here the League without marriage being utterly broken off Your Honours to command Fra Walsingham To the Right Honourable and his very good Lord the Lord Treasurer MY very good Lord I have cause 〈◊〉 think my self infinitely bound to your Lordship for your honorable standing for my defence touching my proceedings here which my Lord of Leicester hath testified unto me that youâ— Lordship hath performed in most friendly sort If her Majestie upon this new resolution taken with Marchiamont be not resolved to marry then is she entred into a very dangerous course For as in mine other Letter I have written to your Lordship all hope of League is taken away which as your Lordship mâ—y perceive by former advertisements was in a very
That the Duke was contented that the treaty should go forward as a thing found necessary by her Majestie so that it might be no prejudice to the marriage And for that the Duke his Master rested assured of her Majestie that she had no such meaning as by the one to prejudice the other he did let us understand that by the said Dukes order he had imparted so much unto the King and that he thought upon the return of Monsieur Pynart who was looked for that evening we should know the Kings further pleasure touching our proceeding This report of Du Vray we thought good not to advertise before the 〈…〉 Mr. Sommers from the D by whom we did look to be throughly 〈◊〉 of the truth who returning this last night delivered as much to us from 〈◊〉 Duke as your Lordship may perceive by his reports set down in writing sent down herewith This day la Mot and Pynart sent unto us to let us understand that the King meaneth to morrow in the morning to confer with his Councel about the cause we are come for praying us to excuse the delay that the King by reason of letters from the Duke his brother and others from the Duke du Main was so entertained as he had no leisure to consult touchiâ—g our said cause As for the manner of our proceeding in the Treaty with the French King or his Ministers we mean to observe the course prescribed by her Majestie as well contained in our Instructions as also in your Lordships letters of the 13 of this present And as touching the contents of the said letters whereas her Highness conceiveth by a letter written by me the Secretary the 10 of this present that a treaty without drawing her Majestie into charges will not be effected which causeth her Highness to put on a resolution that it is as good for her to be at charge with a marriage as without In which behalf for that the one seemeth to us to depend upon the other and both of them doubtful we neither receive perfect direction for the marriage nor for the charges without the marriage especially what sum her Majestie can be content to yield unto in case the contribution shall be accorded to be done underhand We humbly pray your Lordship that we may speedily have her Majesties resolution herein for that otherwise the treaty will be drawn into great length both to her Majesties and the Kings charge here besides that we know that it will breed some misliking and will be found strange that we should have authoâ—ity to deal in general terms onely without entring into particularities but must be driven to send over for resolution in such points as might well be considered of before hand we are the rather moved to pray your Lordship to move her Majestie in these points for that we are given to understand they mean to grow here to deliberation in Counsel whether it shall be fitter for Monsieur to continue the prosecution of his action in the Low-Countreys or else having discharged his promise by releeving of Cambray to give over further proceeding therein In the debating whereof such as are affected to Spâ—in as we are informed mean to lay before the King such reasons as may induce him to think it not fit to concur with his brother in assisting him in his action in respect of the great charges which the following thereof wil require Besides divers other inconveniences that may accompany a war against such a Potent Prince as the King of Spain Others that consider the danger that may grow to this Crown if his greatness be not impeached do mean on the other side to perswade him to joyn with her Majestie upon the present occasions given for the abating of the said greatness Now to the end the King may stand assured how her Majestie will proceed in that behalf it is meant that we shall be effectually dealt withal both for the manner of the attempt and also for the charges wherein if we shall not be able to yield sufficient satisfaction it is to be doubted that the resolution will fall out that Monsieur shall be persvvaded to give over the enterprize whereunto without support and by the great offers likely to be made unto him he shall be of necessity forced to yield and run some such course as shall not be good for her Majesties safety Thus much we have thought good to impart unto your Lordship referring the same to her Majesties consideration praying your Lordship to procure her speedy resolution which may be without alteration or else it shall be thought here that all our doings are but dalliances Paris 21 of August Francis Walsingham Henry Cobham I. Sommers To the Lord Treasurer MY very good Lord your letter of the 17 sent hy Mr. Vice-Chamberlains man I have received the contents vvhereof I mean to send by the next Sorry I am to see her Majesty so apt to take offence against me which falleth not out contrary to my expectation and therefore I did protest unto her after it had pleased her to make choice of me to employ me this way that I should repute it a greater favour to be committed unto the Tower unless her Majesty may grow more certain in her Resolutions there Instead of Amity I fear her Highness shall receive enmity and we her Ministers here be greatly discomforted having no certain direction what to follow The Kings charges here are great for my Diet amounting to One hundred pound per diem And the charges of his Ambassador that he last sent over stood him in well near 60000 Crownes now in the end of it prove neither Marriage nor honourable Amity he may besides the dishonor think his charges hardly employed To think that the Amity such as may bring surety will be compassed we here see no reason so to conceive Now her Majesty finding it more for her surety to have the charges accompanied with marriage then without I pray your Lordship that we may have warrant to proceed accordingly and then by experience her Highness shall not finde that any particular passion beareth that sway with me as I finde She conceiveth it doth Whereas her Majesty would have me to signifie my knowledg touching Mr Gilbert York surely for mine own part I cannot but report well of the Gentleman and therefore her Majesty hath received information some other way The Marshall de Coss is greatly condemned here for that he did not accompany the Duke he required at the Kings hands a Warrant not contenting himself with a verball commandment The King answered him That he might as well without Warrant accompany his Brother in this Voyage as to take a Pension of him of 12000 Francks yearly which no Marshall of France ought to doe Besides this pension he hath in Abbies and other benefits bestowed on him by the Duke as I am informed 15000 Francks The rest of the Marshals Monsieur doth not desire And so c. August 21.
found the message and request teasonable and concluded with Pinart that the next morning the King shall be moved in it when Pinart delivered this answer to my messenger he told him withal that the King upon the receit of this letter from his Ambassador had put on a resolution not to proceed in any League offensive unless the marriage were first fully accorded and that being done he would make a Treaty offensive not onely against one Prince but against all whatsoever With this I thought good to acquaint your Lordship notwithstanding I finde them full of alterations to the end that in case the King should dwell in this resolution I might receive her Majesties pleasure for my return humbly praying your Lordship to use the matter so that it may be no cause of stay in her Majestie with this dispatch For my own opinion I think that the King will stay in this resolution until he may hear from his brother to whom Du Uray this day hath dispatched a pacquet the 26 of August Francis Walsingham To the Lord Treasurer MY very good Lord whereas I perceive by your letters of the seventeenth of this present that her Majestie doth marvail that she heareth nothing of my moving of the King to assist his brother it may please your Lordship therefore to let her Highness understand that at the time of my first access unto the King I did very effectually recommend the same in general terms unto him and did receive from him assurance that he would have care of his brother as in honor and in nature he was bound thinking at the time of our conference when we should enter into the dealing for the secret Treaty the time would then have served most aptly to have furthered the same in a more particular sort which being stayed as your Lordship knoweth by a request made by Du Uray in the Duke his Masters name and being given to understand by good means that the King protested that unless he had been assured that the marriage would have taken place he would never have suffered his brother to have proceeded so far in the enterprise of the Low-Countries I thought it out of time to use any perswasion in furtherance of the assistance to be given to the said Duke unless I might have had some Authority to assure him of the marriage Besides If he should have demanded as it is probable he would what support her Majesty would have yielded for the good will she professeth to bear towards his said brother I was restrained to put him in any comfort thereof by her Majesties special direction for that as your Lordship knoweth her pleasure was I should make no offer of support unto the Duke unless I were assured that the King would not ayd him as also for that her Majesty did conceive that if the said King should know that his brother should be supported by her he would then forbear to yield any relief The case then standeth thus as I was neither able to assure him of the marriage without the which as it seemed he was altogether unwilling to imbark himself any way nor acquaint him with her Majesties determinations to assist his said brother whereby to have provoked him to have concurred with her Majesty being restrained as your Lordship seeth by her Majesty for the reasons above mentioned to make any offer of assistance in her Highnesses behalf I hope her Majesty upon due consideration thereof will rest satisfied it is a great grief to any minister that shall be imployed in any matter of that weight as those that are committed to any charge to have no certain directions I would to God her Highness would resolve one way or other touching the matter of her marriage the uncertain course that is now held in that behalf besides that it doth offend the Prince here and discredit her servants that deal therein especially being perswaded as they are that I have more authority then I have doth minister unto the Secretaries of forraign Princes matters of discourse greatly to her Majesties dishonor and extreme grief of us here that are acquainted withal as that when her Majesty is pressed to marry then she seemeth to affect a League and when a League is yielded unto then she liketh better of a marriage And when thereupon she is moved to assent to marriage then she hath recourse to the League when the motion for the League or any request is made for mony then her Majesty returneth to marriage as these things are delivered out here in discourse among the said Secretaries so are they all so conveyed and distributed into other Conrts through Europe whereof her enemies will make their profit to throw her into the hatred of all the world it shall be therefore most necessary for your Lordship and the rest of the Councel whose advice she doth use in this cause to move her Majesty earnestly to grow to some earnest resolution in that behalf as a thing that doth import her greatly both in honor and safety Paris August 20. Francis Walsingham Au Duc d'Anjou M On seigneur ayant tout a ceste heure receu lettres de la part de sa Maj. par lesquelles suis adverty que sa dite Maj. a accordée de fournir a vostre altesse la somme de 100000 escus n'ay voulu laisser l'opportunité d'en advertir icelle en toute diligence en estant pour ma part bien joyeula ne desirant chose plus au monde que de faire tres humbles services a s'on Altesse et esperant que ce bon fondement que sa Majestè a mais se combler á d'aultres fruicts a vostre souhait Au reste il plaira a vâ—stre Altesse d'estre adverti que par le moyen d'icelle estant les commissaires de la Maj. tres-christiens Et nous autres entres bien avant au traicte des l'amitie perpetuelle que sa Maj desire veoir establie entre ces deux couronnes comme chose fort a propos et duisantè a l'advancement des affaires que vostre A. a presentement en main et y ayant travaillé en sorte qu'estions bien prés a couronner l'ouurages tout soudain le 25 de se present mois par le commandement du Roy le dict traicté se rompt et demeure en suspens a l'occasion de quelque advertisement que par ses lettres l'un va donner Monsieur de la Muanissiere comme si la Maj. de la Royne ma maistresse auroit conclus entre elle et luy de donner vostre A sans plus de remises promesse reale de mariage entendant proceder si rondement et de bonne foy que la consummation ne demeureroit gueres a paracheuer dont peu le estre que Mr. Du Uray a desia adverty V. A. Chose que nous sembloit bien estrange n'en ayant receu mot de la part de sa Maj. comme n'en avons encores
per ses dernieres qui furent escriptes deux jours Apres celles de son ministre ne se veult en oultre eslargir en l endroit du dit traite premier que vâ—oir le dit mariage tout touchè et arrestteé de sorte que demeurons maintenant oysifs et demeurerons si nonque V. A. sera servir de faire cest honneur a la Royne nostre Maistresse et a nous ses ministres et vostres trâ—shumbles servit eurs si bien que de moyenner envers la Maj. tres-christienela procedure du dit traicte comme chose bien duisante a l advancement du dit mariage et ne pouvant en sorte du monde l'empescher ou retarder Que sera la fin en apres avoir tres-humblement supplié V. A. vouloir donner foy et credit a ce porteur en quelques particularitez qu'a icelle il dira de ma part et l'avoir aussi tres-humblement ceusti a icelle lâ—s mains Ie prie le creator vous avoir et tousjoâ—rs tenir Mon signeur en sa tres-saincte et tres-digne garde Escrit a Paris ce 27 jour d'Aoust par moy vostre fidele serviteur Francis Walsingham To the Lord Treasurer MY very good Lord the contents of your Letter written unto me the 24 of this present and received the 26. I conceive to consist principally in the points following First that her Majesties pleasure is that speedy knowledge should be given to Monsieur of the regard her Highness hath of his cause and of the support it pleaseth her to yield him to which points is added the dislike she conceiveth that at Mr. Sommers being with Monsieur and understanding the necessity he stood in he had no direction to make him a more comfortable Answer Secondarily That in the Treaty of a general League offensive there is no cause to speak particularly in what quality or sum her Majestie should be contributary Lastly That in the secret Treatie no offer should be made in her Highnesses behalf before the particularites of the forces that shall be imployed and of the charges that Mousieur himself the King and States will be at be delivered and set down unto us for Answer whereunto it may please your Lordship to understand that immediately upon the receit of the Letters as soon as I could dispatch the messenger I sent to Monsieur to acquaint him with her Majesties good meaning towards him and by what means and with what expedition it should be made over unto him and as touching the dislike for that the Answer unto the Duke was not more uncomfortable It may please your Lordship to inform her Majestie that at the time of the sending of Mr. Sommers unto his Highness because I could not be throughly informed according to the directions received from her Majestie how far the King meant to inlarge himself towards him and finding also in all former letters received from thence I was willed not to be over forward in promising of assistance without good intelligence first had of the Kings intention in that behalf and being not ignorant what conceits her Majestie hath taken of my service since my being in these parts It made me to deal the more warily in the Commission I gave Mr. Sommers and yet was it not such as your Lordship may perceive by the inclosed Copy but that the Duke might take comfort thereby Besides your Lordship can be a witness with me how upon the motion made to me by the Viscount Turaign touching the necessity the Duke stood in how earnestly I dealt for private support to be yielded him so as if by occasion of want he should have been constrained to have given over the enterprise or had carried it otherwise then her Majestie would I were not to be charged with Secondarily Whereas in a general League offensive it is thought that there needeth no particular Contribution to be spoken of Your Lordship may see by our last dispatch that such a motion is already made unto us and that thing thought needful having besides the presidents of all former Leagues offensive thought it will be long before the Contributions shall be imployed yea happily never And therefore seeing it is material for their satisfaction and a matter of no new president we could do no less but desire to know her Majesties pleasure therein which we hope to receive by the next dispatch Lastly For the particularties of the secret Treaty our opinion is that a certain proportion set down such as her Majestie can be content were very necessary and greatly for the furtherance of the service intended whereby in our Treatie with them we might frame our course the better in seeking to be informed of their several Contributions For to stay the resolution whereof until the certain numbers be set down wherewith the service of the Low-Countries shall be prosecuted which is a matter very hard and found by experience that it never holdeth in any certainty will draw the Treaty into an unnecessary length Besides We are perswaded that it will be much more chargeable for her Majesty in case she should capitulate with them to furnish them either with men or mony according to such proportions as they shall set down for that there cannot but grow some variance for the numbers of men and for the time of service wherein they shall be imployed whereby her Majestie shall be driven to pay for greater numbers and for longer time of employment then in Reason and Equity she ought And herein experience doth teach us that in former Leagues of Association there hath risen always great controversies about the above named Circumstanstes For the avoiding whereof it were necessary some certain Contribution were set down and without yielding Contribution it will be but in vain to enter into any speech of the League though for the Reasons contained in your Lordships letter it ought not to be great considering that besides the benefit that this Crown doth receive to have the King of Spain kept under they are like to â—eceive some particular benefit otherways which if it be true as Du Uray informeth me the same also being confirmed by President Neve and Secretary Qâ—insey at my being at La Fere the benefit is only to redound unto Monsieur in the state that he is now for when he shall come to be King of France if that for default of issue in the King should happen they of the Low-Countries have capitulated with him that they may be at their own choice to choose their Soveraign But herein such direction as it shall please her Majesty to givâ— us we will follow putting your Lordship onely in minde that the longer tract of time it shall receive the more subject shall it be to practises Whereby upon great offers to be made they may be drawn to run some other course And therefore the more expedition is used the better success it is likely to take And as touching the
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
let pass the permission given to the King of Spains Ministers for passing of mony without saying any thing to it whereon I forbear to press for that I was informed that the same was done without her privity to the other points of her reply I did onely touch two things the one that at the time of our Conference between the Ambassadors and the Deputies there was no mention made of marriage and so I shewed her that this impediment hath been found out but of late the other that I marvel seeing she her self did confess that it did greatly import to keep the King of Spain from the Island of Tercera that the King her son made so great difficulty in so necessary a matter to concur with her Majesty To the latter point she saith as hath been alledged before that the King had already given order for certain ships to be sent thither and prayed that her Majesty would be content to do the like In which point I concluded that though I would according to her request move her Majesty in that behalf yet I did shew her that I did greatly doubt that her Majesty would hardly be drawn to assent thereto without some letter of assurance from the King unto her as had been before moved And so leaving the matter of Portugal I descended to the third point touching the cold assistance given to the Duke letting her understand that I had special charge from her Majesty from time to time to recommend both unto the King and unto her his cause and therefore being given to understand that notwithstanding the earnest motion made on her Majesties behalf unto the King at my first audience he was weakly furnished of two principal matters incident to the enterprise he had in hand that is of Treasure and martial counsel I prayed her to have due consideration both of the person and of the action of the person for that he was her son and such a one as was like to yield as great honor as ever did childe to mother and for the action if the damage were considered that the Low-Countries have brought to this Crown since it was joyned with Spain having within the space of 24 years given them two notable overthrows as also ministred within three yeers time toward the charges of the war 360000000 florens It shall then appear that to reduce that Country to yield yeerly 3000000 towards the abating of the pride of him that gave the said overthrows to remove so potent an enemy from them and to transport the civil wars into a forraign Country out of this Realm that both the action and the Author is worthy of maintenance and therefore must needs follow that if so great benefits be neglected it seemeth that there hangeth some secret judgement of God over this Crown I did also put her in remembrance how happily this forrein imployment of the Duke her son did fall out to put by a thing that might have proved no less grievous to her Majesty then dangerous to the Realm and that was the division that might fall out between her two sons a matter that hardly would have been avoided if either he should live in the Court or out of the Court within this Realm considering that this said Realm in respect of the civil troubles is full of persons discontented and also of such as have no other virtue to get credit then by breeding of dissentions and though for the present it was known that there was good liking between the two Princes in outward appearance yet it is evidently known unto the world that the King heretofore hath stood in some jealousie of him which sparks being not throughly extinguished by evil disposed persons might easily kindle again With this speech she seemed to be greatly moved and letting me understand that she had care thereof and did what she might to procure him that support that was necessary acknowledging the enterprise to be both honorable and profitable But said she the King without the assurance of the marriage will not be drawn into any open breach with the King of Spain which he should hardly avoid if he should assist his brother in such sort as was meet she did also in a sort acknowledge that though heretofore there had been some jealousie between her two sons yet now there was great good-will and love between them notwithstanding that by some evil instruments there might be some disunion bred between them she did for the avoiding thereof amongst other respects greatly wish that the marriage might take place In the end of my speech I did lay before her such Reasons as might induce her to use some mediation towards the King for the removing of the impediment of our Treaty for that the same could no way prejudice the marriage whereunto she answered that the King was resolved touching the continuance of the stay until such time as he might hear from his Ambassador This in effect was that which past between us August 30. 1581. Francis Walsingham To the Lord Treasurer MY very good Lord I received by the last Messenger two Letters from your Lordship the one of the last of August and the other of the second of this present For the first I am very sorry that the King of Portugal is so greatly grieved as he is and yet if the answer made of the conference by those that were appointed to deal with Don Diego de Rotelia and Don Emanuel de Silva be by him well remembred he hath more cause to blame France then he Q. Majestie being at that time resolved that the preparation should not go forward unless the French King would concur as also that he himself should bear such loss as should fall out through the said preparation And whereas he findeth himself grieved for that his loss falleth out to be greater then he looked for whereof the greatest part of the blame is laid upon me surely no man is so much to be charged therewith as Doctor Lopes who sundry times in the Kings name desired me that the preparations might be greater then was first agreed upon for that the King doubted that those forces would not be sufficient And for the defraying of the charges he did assure me that the King did mean to procure some money out of the Low-Countries upon Jewels Seeing then that this encrease of charges grew upon the Kings own motion he cannot in reason be offended either with her Majestie nor with any of those that have been dealers in the same notwithstanding it were a very Princely part considering into what a perplexed estate the poor Prince is thrown for her Majestie to take upon her the discharge of the loss that is sustained in the said preparations whose estate I do not think yet so desperate but that God will one day raise him up again to pluck down the pride of him who is the sworn enemy both to God and her Majestie I do utterly mislike of his repair hither seeing
there was in the marriage which proceeding all should be as her Majestie pleased and that if he had been otherwise understood either he did not deliver his mind so clearly as he did mean or else his meaning was mistaken of us and of his Deputies for that he did never mean but that the league offence and the Marriage should go together and not otherwise Having heard this his Majesties conclusion and repeated it unto him I the Secretary said That seeing his Majestie was so resolved her Highness had in that case commanded me to return home my service being more needful there then here for causes which I remembred unto him and that he might think himself of some â—it time to treat further of these matters praying his Majestie to appoint when I might receive his commandments to her Majestie and to take my leave He said he would gladly have us at this marriage of the Duke of Ioyeuse the eighteenth of this moneth but seeing her Majestie had commanded me to return it should be when I would using many speeches full of affection to her Majestie to be uttered at my return to her Highness Then we went to the Queen Mother and rehearsed unto her what had passed by the King Whereunto she used in substance the like speeches the King had done adding more plainly that they feared such a league being made defensive and offensive the marriage would be clean broken with divers other speeches wherewith I think not needful to trouble her Majestie until my return At this time I the Secretary prayed Queen Mother to think well of these matters being of such importance against the time that I should come to take my leave of the King and her and so for that time we departed And for that we might doubt of some alteration we did forbear to send away this Corrier until we had taken our leave which was upon Thursday the twelfth of this present at which time there passed nothing from the King and Queen Mother but ordinary complements and specially recommending the Marriage Paris the 13 of September 1581. Francis Walsingham Henry Cobham Iohn Sommers Reservatio 12 Septembris NOs Fransciscus Walsingham c. Henricus Cobham c. Johannes Sommers c. Omnibus ad quos presentes pervenerint salutem ut supra Denuo tres integros Menses adjiciendos censemus quos mensis Septembris die 12 incipere intelligimus In cujus rei Testimonium has literas nostras mannuum uostrarum subscriptione munimus Data ex urbe Parisiorum 12 Septemb. 1581. Francis Walsingham Henry Cobham Io. Sommers FINIS AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE of the most Remarkable Things A ALva Duke 40 45 46 48 137 139 268 269 Offers 30000 Ducats to ransom the Earl of Northumberland 75. Plots against the Queen 299 Ambition indures no bridle 143 Anjou Duke Hen. 25. See Hen. 3. and Marriage Anjou and Alanson Duke Francis offered for an Husband to the Queen 195 196 257 297 331 333. Unhandsom 343. Of good parts 413 Against Rochel 308. A great Servant to the Queen 360 361 Answers to the French Embassador 271 By the Lord Burleigh concerning the Match with Duke Francis 335. See 348 Antonio of Portugal 354 379 388 393 394 398 421. 434 Anvile Marshal of France 343 Aremberg Grave 370 Argile Earl 4 36 299. A Traitor 302. Alwayes false 312 Arran Earl 412 Arras â—ardinal 123 Athol Earl 302 Aumale Duke 275 295 306 Austrian House the Popes Champion 121 Austria Don John 137 221 288. B Bedford Earle 13 Bellieure Monsieur 381 Beni Massino 271 Birac 95 Biron Baron 27 258 Bisegno Abbot 358 Bothwel Earle 13 151 Boughquien Lord 302 Brandenburgh Marquiss 301 303 Bricqmault Mons 34 Bricquemont hanged 278 379 282 Brulart Secretary of France 265 Buckhurst Lord 18 20 31 42 49 68. 69 Bull of Rome against the Queen 49 Bullen Duke 258 C Calliac Mons. 21 Cambray besieged by the Prince of Parma 381 384 385 Campian the Iesuite taken betrayes his friends 373 Candale Mons. 343 Capteni Thomas 94 Carew Francis 283. 285 Cassels Arch-Bishop a Traitor 58 73 74 75 77 Cavalcant Mons. 66 69 82 Cavannes Mons. 7. Hanged 279 Cecyl Sir William Baron Burleigh 51 An enemy to Popery 72 Zealous for the French match 81 115 234 153 Wearied with an idle Parliament 94 Complains of the Queens mercy 164 For the English honour ill used in Libels 327 328 Sincere 133 336 Hated by the Spaniards 162 164 Charles the Fifth 123 Arch Duke 98 Charls the Ninth of France 5. Puls down the Cross at Paris 151 The greatest dissembler of his age 49 82 83 118 122 124 125 135 143 144 161 169 173 220 251 252 306. Bloody 279 Chartres Vidam in England 260 263 265 Chastel Herault Duke 4 296 303 315 333 Chasteauneuâ— 333 334 Chastilion Cardinal 51 Clanlicard Earl 238 Cobham Sir Henry 22 67 71 285 356 Colignie Admiral of France 6 122 135 154 233 234 His advice to his King 241 Colonna Prospero 357 Commissioners to treat concerning the French Match 348 Como Cardinal 358 Common Prayer Book of England not indured by Papists 97 Conde Prince 6 17 122 240 Forced to go to Masse 245 Conference between Sir Francis Walsingham and Mons. de Foix 90 Betwixt Queen mother and Sir Francis Walsingham 429 Duke Montmorency and the English Lords 214 Crosse Marshal of France 151 258 388 Will not obey the Kings verbal command 396 Cotton Sir Thomas 57 Croque 165 177 181 202 203 D Dale Doctor 310 311 333 Darlie Lord Husband of the scots Queen 13 Derby Earl 303 De Foix Mons. 62 65 67 69 109. In England 129 218 317 318 De l'Archant 89 De la Guord Baron 266 280 305 332 De la Haye a faithless French man 57 De la Roche 33 34 95 167 168 Denmark King 183 Drake See Fran. 379 Dun Briton Castel taken 78 E Edenburgh the London of Scotland 334 Elizabeth Queen of England favours not the rebels of other Princes careful of the French of the Religion 2 3 19 23 A Monarch 3 Accountable to none for her actions 10 Had a Negative voice as it seems in Parliaments 203 215 219 Seems to desire the Match with Henry of France 29 40 Will not allow him the exercise of his Religion 65 66 89 98 110 111 113 129 130 132. See 330 335 339 340 See 115 116 138 155 199 Will not have the second Marriage go on 374 Pretends the dislike of her subjects to avoid it 354 Against any worship but of her owne Church 99 Irresolute as to the execution of the Duke of Norfolk 165 Enterview Betwixt the Queens of England and France propounded 271 272 277 For the young King of the Scots 178 Her civility to the Navarrois Queen Admiral c. 210 211 How she takes the Massacre 247 248 259 Sick of the Smal-Pox 274 Likes not the proceedings of France against Law 297 Protects the French fugitives and why 319 344. intercedes for them 263 265. Too sparing 372 375 379 387.
See Walsingham Abhors a war 374 377 Forward to advance the revolt of the Low-Countries 379 381 388 Cold in the cause of the Bastard Don Antonio 379 388 Aides him 383 Emden Countess 149 England no Country once so free from impositions 21 English how thought of by the French 325 Zealous Subjects for the Queen 335 341 Escars 8 Este Cardinal 357 F Felton sets up Pius his Bull against the Queen 49 Feria Duke 59 Ferrara Duke 42 43 Fernihurst Lord 373 Fitzmorris Iames 42 167 168 347 Flemming Lord 78 139 181 183 Flushing Rebels 217 Francis the Second of France 12 Francis of Anlanson and Anjou See Anjou Duke French greatness dangerous 127 Disorders in Government 240 246 Spoil the English 265 Their falsenesse and dissembling 276 Desirous to get Leicester and Burleigh into France 277 G Galloway Bishop 77 Gilbert Sir Hâ—mphrey 299 Glasgow Arch Bishop 299 302 Grandmont Mons. 267 Graunge Governour of Edenburgh Castle 151 152 Gray Baron Deputy of Ireland 359 373 389 Guarda Bishop 358 Guise house 36 for the Scots Queen 192 240 Duke 267 269 275 295 314 428. Cardinal 280 H Hamilton Earl 138 Hanging of Gentlemen not used in France 279 282 Harris Baron 134 Hawkins Sir Iohn 126 379 Henry the II King of France 12 Henry the III forbids exercise of Religion to the Hugonots 356 Earnest for the match with his brother and the League 376 Will have no League Offensive without it 440 His great charges in the Treaty 397 Henry the IV Prince of Navarre 16 245 Hosteni Duke 221 Hugonots of France 2 3. run themselves into the Kings nets 122 Their Lands on sale 245 Great servants of the English Queen 135 Love not the Cross 151. See Massacre Hume Lord 214 320 329 Hunsdon Baron 151 Huntley Earl 138 312 315 333 I Jenlis 223. defeated in Henault 225 Jersie Iland 272 Jesuites mortal enemies to the Queen 172 173 Inn Keepers of Kent 21 Inquisition 123 Instructions for the Earl of Worcester 318. For Sir Fra. Walsingham 352 For a League with France 355 Joyeuse Duke 294 440 K Katherine Queen Mother of France 6 12 35. per tot c. Killigrew Henry 145 Kirkaldie Iames 302 L Languedoc Hugoâ—ots rebel 294 Lansac Mons. 24 49 239 La Valette â— Leagues how made 171 414. With France publick and secret 355 Not liked without the Match 364 365 388 366 367 368 399 392. Causes of it 372 374 403 422 423. Leicester his good and pious sentences 47 51 69 82 105 116 324. To be fastned for the Match 104. Slights the Earle of Worcester 312 Lennox Earle 138 Levingston Lord 4 77 244 312 326 334 Liberty under the English Princes heretofore as great as any where 61 Lidington Lord 152 137 244. Lincoln Eâ—â—le Lord Admiral sent into France 201 205 219. Lodowick Count of Nassaw 54 121 123 176 184 333. Notably cheated by the French King 125 258 Longaville Duke 50 Lorrain Cardinal 8 38 73 74 77 123 167 168 314 331. Duke 88 301 Loughleuin Lord 302 Low-Countries the pretence of their Revolt 123 M Maine Duke 395 Malicorn Mons. 27 Mannesiere Mons. 240 265 287 288 297 298 299 301 304 305 307. Mary Queen of Scots 4 10 11 12 13 137 139 152. Not to be spoken for 321 Margaret of France reads the Bible 122 Martinengo Count 306 Marre Earl 138 299 Marriage treated betwixt Henry of Navarre and Margaret of France 122 135. Doubts in it 182 183 Betwixt the Queen and Henry of Anjou designed 55. Instructions concerning it 61 62 63. See 68 69 70 Articles of it 83 84 85 86 131 132. Counsellors imployed in it 66 83. Carryed on inconstantly 133. Not taken in earnest by the French 67. Betwixt the Queen and Francis of Anjou 218 226 227 229 230 330 331 336 339. Eagerly pursued 360 361 362. See 390 Marriage Solemnity betwixt Princes of different Faiths 175 Medina Coeli Duke 189 195 Memorials for Mr. Sommers 384 385 Mendoza thrust out of England for practising against the Queen 163 Mildmay Sir Walter Monluc Marshal 8 Montmorency Duke 8 97 102 108 151 188. In England 201 218 231 240 Monts in Henault besieged 245 taken 258 M organ General 217 M oreton Earl 77 138 244 299 Beheaded 431 Moth Fenelon French Embassador 30 90 138 141 c. Murther on shooters hill 347 N Navarre King turned by his wife 91 Queen 24 176 182 183 Nemours Duke 50 Nevers Duke 238 258 300 New star 299 Norfolk Duke 134. His plots discovered 137 140 148 Norris Sir Henry 19 18 19 20 22 23 Northumberland Earl 3 75 Executed 237 Nouë Mous. 184 297 301. Persidious 332 O Odonnel 359 373 Ogleby Lord 312 Olivarez Conde 40. More grave then wise 56 Orange Prince 48 122 144. To have been 〈…〉 of Bâ—abant c. if the Spaniard could have been beaten out 128. See 225 226 240. Retires into Germany 267 269 295 333 Ormond Earl 238. Discontented 373 Oxford Earl 134. Married to the Lord Burleighs daughter 164 P Parliament of 1571. impertinently busie 94. Bloody 203 219 Parma Prince 381 384 Perrot Sir John 347 Philip the second of Spain entertains the Queens fugitives 58 59. How he carried things towards the Queen 369 370 Pinart Secretary of France 23 31 122 305 309 375 Plots upon Ireland 58 Poigney Mons. 4 Popes Authority in England destructive to the Crown 4. Designs again England 36 Princes have no other bridle but Religion 91 Princes of Germany of the Reformed Churches 301 R Rebellion in the North coloured with Religion 3 Rhee Iland taken by the Rochellers 301 Religion is a constant perswasion confirmed by time 191. Cannot be more then a pretence to invade what is another mans 155 Ridolf 95 137 Rochel in rebellion 280 297 301 302 Besieged 331 Rolph a counterfeiter of the Kings hand 266 Romero Juliano 27 Ross Bishop 5. 77. restrained 107. in the Tower 151 Roulart Canon of Nostre Dam murthered 246 Rutland Earl 39 42 141 S Saint Andrewes Arch-Bishop taken 78 Sancerre besieged 332 348 Savoye Duke 287 293 303 Schomberg Baron 332 Scots Lords come to treat concerning their Queen without a Commission 77. Everlasting Rebels 101. Yet will not live without a Prince of their own 178. Gracious in France 244. Will do any thing for money 249 320 324 329. Seton Baron 27 36 95 177 181 Sidney Sir Henry 82 Sir Philip in France at the time of the Massacre 250. of rare parts 273 Skeldon 36 Smith Sir Thomas 51 54 134 152. imployed in France 153. Thinks Charles the Ninth a faithful Prince 169 180 261 318 Sommers Henry 354 Sora Duke 356 Spaniards of what carriage 56. Ambitious enemies to England 121. Conquer Portugal 358 Spanish greatness dangerous 354 355. Mony arrested 81 Spinoâ—a Cardinal 59 Story Doctor will not swear allegiance Hanged 105 Strozzi Peter 95 188 189 217 251 294 359 Stukeley 36 41. Knighted by the Spaniard 56 59. in disgrace 105 Suffex Earl 5 T Tauannes Viscount 258 Terçaera holds for Don Antonio 421 Tilignie Mons. 276 Time a great advantage in the minority of Princes 298 Throgmorton Sir Nicholas 45 287 Treaties of Princes Of the Queen with Charles the IX 155 156 157 158 c. 185. With Henry the III passages and propositions in it 399 400 401 423 Tresham Sir Thomas 390 Turein Vicount 367 385 V Valentinois Bishop 302 Valx Lord will take no Oath to the Queen 290 Venetians at sea 312 Victory at Lepanto 149 150 Viracque Mons. 137 315. taken 334 342 Vitelli Marquiss of Colona 44 48 223 Vimioso Conde 394 434 W Walsingham Sir Francis Embassador in France 1 c. Received by the King 22 23. Much mistaken in his French Creed 82 83 104 118 122 144 173 252. Calls Charls the IX sincere pius inimicus c. 175. Confesses his overmuch confidence 257. See 270 Thinks the French King the only dissembler 300. Sets spiâ—s over the Lord Seton acts without war◠〈…〉 Earnest for the match 96. Perswades to war with Spain 127. Would turmoil all other Princes and why 128. Undermines a Iesuite 172. Desires only not to lose by his service 188. His opinion of the Spaniards 234. Ill used in France 242. Called off 253. The Queenâ— great opinion of him 263 and love 275. Advises against the Queen of Scots life 267 268. Fearful every where of the Queens sparing 303 c. 357 426 427. Too open 322. Poor in France 326 327. Sent again into France 352. Blames the Queen and why 408. Calls the Scots Queen bosom Serpent 427. returnes 440. War when and what just 127. Necessary where 128 Westmoreland Earl 3 143 275 299 Williams Sir William 313 Worcester Earl 307. Abused by Leicecester 312. His instrnctions for his French Embassy 318. Dishonorably dealt with by the French 327. Will not see his sister the wife of a Rebel 328 Writing to the Scots Queen in linnen 328 * Quâ—re †Quere My Lord of Kildares man in the Tower hath by some fear of the Rack confessed all to be true wherewith he was charged which is to be kept awhile secret until some persons may be apprehended