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
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
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
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
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
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
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
see not considering it hath been already moved to us by sundry and by some that are by nature bound to the Crown of France and that do think in their conscience the matter to be both honourable and profitable to the Crown of France And you shall say to the Queen Mother that she shall not mislike of us though we think so well of our selves and our estate that if God shall order this her motion to take effect it shall be the best marriage for the honour of the King her Son for the weal of his Crown and for the commendation of the Q. Mother that any Q. attempted this many hundred years for France And yet we are content to keep this motion secret according to the request meaning to make none other privy to the same but to such of our privy Councell as are known we have just cause to trust both for their fidelities and secresie that is our Cousin the Earle of Leicester whom you may say that whatsoever may be otherwise doubted we find ready to allow of any marriage that we shall like and withall marriages with any Prince ' stranger most of all this with the Crown of France the other is Sir William Cecill Lord of Burleigh and our principall Secretary and is well known to be a dutifull servant in any thing meet and agreeable for us and our Realm and so may you make report of them both The sixth is that we would not make delay in answer as we doe not The seventh to understand whether we can be pleased that Master Cavalcant shall be used any further herein which we remit to the consideration of the Q. Mother he being an honest Gentleman and to our knowledge alwaies disposed to do good offices betwixt us and the Crown and therefore not to be dissallowed by us if the Q. Mother shall like of him And yet we require you to have regard that his dealings therein considering that he departed lately from hence may not be conceived as directed by us You shall do well to deal warily with the Q. Mother in the matter of Religion for the D. her Son not as we would presse him to make a change of his Religion although we wish it But that if he should marry with us that he should not be warranted to do any act contrary to our Laws Given under our Signet at Greenwich the 24 of March 1571. To the Queens Majesties Ambassador in France Mr. Francis Walsingham SIr if you consider how weary I may be in the first and second writing of the Queens Majesties Letters to you not being void of other business you will allow a short Letter at this time If I be not much deceived Colly Weston North-hampton 〈…〉 in this wherefore you shall do well not to be over superstitious considering the necessity of this time and the dangers â— wise men there do find this matter for â— not unmeet for C. God onely knoweth the successe We here and the good there have a great losse of the Cardinall Chastillon who is thought to have been poisoned by some French Apostata or Counterâ—eit I pray you hasten Mr. Cobham towards Spain and as soon as you can let us know what you shall receive from thence This case of â— is deferred onely to see some event of the matter for 88. for if that succeed not as is now mentioned the perill is the greater by â— And what is done therein for sparing of writing you shall learn by Master Cobham By your Letter brought by my Lord of Buck. I understaâ—d the excesse of your charges there whereof my Lord of Buckhurst hath not as yet conferred with me But I will further your relief therein to my uttermost and as cause requireth Commend me humbly to my Lord of Rutland to whom I write but a short Letter From Greenwich the 24 of March 157â— Your assured loving friend William Burleigh After I had written this which with the Queens Majesties I meant to have sent by Master Henry Cobham her Majestie commanded for more haste to send some speciall conveyer with them and so I send Harcourt I am in doubt that if this matter for Religion be not well conceived by them there the adversaries to the marriage will take great advantage thereof and urge the persisting in it of purpose to dissolve the same So as I had rather the speech hereof might have come from the Queen Mother or the others to you and so you might answer them as you are warranted then to begin abruptly of your self I wish they would give you occasion so to do which if they doe not then must you needs open it unto them March 25 1570. To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh IT may please your Lordship to advertise her Majestie that hers of the 24 of March I received the 26 of the same the contents whereof after I had well weighed and therewithall considered the great practises that are daily used here to stop that the match between her Majestie and Monsieur might not take effect which lacketh not also any such help as may from her own subjects there with you be ministred to breed an opinion in Monsieur that all is but dalliance and that he is like to march in the end in rank with the number of the forsaken whereupon as it should seem a few dayes past he used this talk with Monsieur de Foix saying Monsieur you and others have brought me to yield to this match but I feare that by the next dispatch you shall well perceive that there is no other meaning in the Queen of England but dalliance and that you and I shall be sorry that ever we waded so far And surely said he for my own part unlesse I shall find the answer direct I will never enter farther into the matter These speeches and practises after I had well weighed and seeing the answers in her Majesties Letters very fit and convenient to be made by her in respect of the quality of her person and sex had not the world mistaken her former proceeding in marriage matters But now in respect of the said mistakings fearing that the same being made according to the course appointed by her Majestie would have seemed more doubtfull then direct and so have utterly overthrown the matter I was very much perplexed what course to take when I my self saw it most safe for me to follow the course by her Majestie prescribed whatsoever came of it But when I beheld her Majesty first how she in her own judgement did think it expedient for her to marry Secondarily that if her Majestie did mean to marry abroad this was the only Gentleman fit for her to marry Thirdly the discontentment of her subjects for not marrying Fourthly how presently she is beset with a number of forrain practices the execution whereof onely stayeth upon the event of this match I then resolved that it was most fit for me to forget my self and
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
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
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
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
other Princes Then she made great protestation of her indifferencie and that she is no less affected in good will towards her Majestie whom it pleaseth saith she to do me the honour as to call me by the name of a Mother then to the Queen of Scots her Daughter in Law And therefore in wishing her liberty I do it saith she as much for the Q. your Mistress quientness sake as for any other respect which without her libertie can hardly grow unto her This Sir in effect was the whole course of the speech that passed from her in that behalf which she had then with me apart the King being then in talk with my Lord Ambassador Then she caused the King to deal with me in that behalf to whom I shewed the state of her cause according to the contents of my Instructions wherewith he seemed to be satisfied He told me that he wished that the Queen his good Sister according to her merciful inclination would have some compassion of her cause and grow to some speedy conclusion in that behalf I told him that I doubted not but that her Majestie would for his sake do that which should be to his contentation so far forth as might stand with her hononr and safetie Then he protested that otherwise he would not desire it Thus having imparted to your honor the effect of my Negotiation to the end you may advertise her Majestie I most humblie take my leave From Paris the 29 of August 1570. Your Honours to command F. Walsingham I have caused by my Lord Ambassadors means according to her Majesties order Monsieur Cavanes one of the Commissioners for the Princes to advertise them of her Majesties intention of sending me into these parts as tending chiefly to their benefits which thing he hath alreadie advertised and as I learn there cometh forthwith a Gentleman from the Queen of Navarre and the rest of the Nobilitie the King here being made privy thereof to give her Majestie thanks for the great favour shewed them in this their troubles Thus Sir having advertised you of the Accomplishment of that which was appointed to me to be done by vertue of my Instructions to the end you may impart the same to her Majestie I most humbly take my leave The Copy of my Letter to the Earl of Leicester RIght Honourable and my very good Lord for that I know my Lord Ambassador here imparteth unto your Lordship the present state of things here I shall need the less to trouble your Lordship in that behalf Touching my Message of Congratulation the King accepteth the same in very good part he professeth good will towards the Queen my Mistress and touching the Peace he protesteth to keep and observe the same inviolably which his proceedings hitherto doth very well confirm the same The mutinous Messiems of Paris he hath fundry times since his repair hither very sharply rebuked and charged them with contempt he adviseth them to take another course and saith he will be known to be a King And therefore for that his meaning is that the Edict should be duly observed he commandeth them straitly to look to the due observations of the same The like advertisement hath he given to the Presidents of his Parliament here who seem as yet to stand in some terms with him For whereas the King would have them sworn to the observation of the Edict they refuse the same alledging that in the entrance into their Government they ordinarily take an oath to observe all such Edicts as by the King shall be published what will be the issue of the refusal I know not The King telleth them that the passions of some of his Councellors hath been of more value then his Authoritie and therefore he assureth them which he confirmeth with many an oath that unless they turn over another leaf he will provide him of new Presidents and extend such punishment towards them as their contempt deserveth and may be admonishment to others to avoid the like As I can gather in the time of my short abode here by such a Conference aâ— I have had with some of judgement I find the grounds of the continuance of the Peace to be in number five his own disposition necessitie pleasure the Kings misliking with certain of his Council and his late favouring of others His disposition of Peace is not grown to-him of late but hath been from the beginning as those that have well observed him do testifie and therefore there is the more hope of continuance of the same His necessity hath two parts first he lacketh treasure to maintain the charges of further Wars Secondly those that have served him in these wars are grown so weary of them as men judge that hardly they could have been drawn to continue them any longer Pleasure and Warrs are direct contraries and he being so much inclined to the one as he is an enemy unto the other it is thought therefore that hardly any thing will bring him to do that that may hinder his pleasure His misliking towards the house of Giuse continueth who have been the nourishers of these wars And though of late the Cardinal of Lorrain hath had access to the Kings presence yet is he not repaired in credit neither dealeth he in Government His favour to Montmorencie a chief worker of this Peace increaseth who now carrieth the whole sway of the Court and is restored to the Government of Paris besides he hath procured the displacing of Monluc Monsieur d'Escars and la Valeâ—t and procured to be placed in their rooms c. These my Lord be the grounds that I can gather of the new accord the doubts of the not continuance are in number three First it is thought that this Marriage with the Emperours daughter may draw him from this peaceable inclination Secondly the great conference that is between the Q. Mother and the Cardinal breedeth some doubt of some practise to impeach the same Lastly it is a common fear that Monsieur can hardly digest to live in the degree of a Subject having already the reputation of a King he seemeth yet to run one course with the King in liking and misliking but so to continue it is altogether thought unlikely I have been desirous underhand to search out somewhat touching the thing your Lordship gave me secret informations of yet I can learn nothing thereof though that would be dangerous yet I pray God there be not a thing attempted of more danger which may with more ease be brought to pass I leave your Lordship to consider by that which hath been shewed both hope and fear of the continuance of this peace What will be the issue of this Tragedy I pray God that fall out that may be to his glory and so committing your Lordship to his tuition I most humbly take my leave From Paris the 29 of August 1570. Yours to Command Francis Walsingham To Master Secretary SIr being in doubt whether I might return before
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
and the King by the which you shall be very well informed directed as by certain rules how to treate and deal in all causes that may there come in controversie and thereby be bound to require due observation as cause and matter shall require We doubt not but you do consider how profitable a thing it is for quietness of us and our Realm to have that party in France which hath professed reformation of Religion to be maintained and contained in the favor which the King hath granted them by his Edict And therein vve vvould have you at all times when occasion shall be given you let it appear to the King that vve think nothing can procure more assurance of inward quietness in his Realm then the due observation of those things which he hath granted to his subjects in his Edict and you may say that he hath more cause by experience to believe us therein then any other Prince that is his Allie besides us that shall be of a contrary mind And so experience hath taught us already to think and may well ascertain him considering he hath seen and felt the continuance of the troubles of his Realm whilst he followed the advise of other Princes and Potentates and disswading him from granting such favour as he hath done to his subjects And in any other thing wherein you shall be able at any time to further and advance the observation of the matters of the Edict in favour of them of the Religion we would you should endeavour your self in such sort as may stand with our honour And of this our intention we will that you give understanding to such of the principals of that part as have interest therein which you shall best do by the advise of your predecessor who has best acquaintance with these persons Lastly for certain matters lately treated of here by the French Ambassador as touching the Queen of Scots cause and the preparations of ships and men of war made in Brittanie you shall at your coming to our Ambassador learn in what state he hath left those things and how he hath answered the King and so you may persist in the same course untill you shall be by us otherwise directed We have by our Letters to our foresaid Ambassador willed him to make deliverie unto you of all such our Plate as he had delivered unto him at his entrie into his charge which you shall receive of him by Indenture if you shall have need thereof Where we meant that you should have accompained the Lord of Buckhurst in his journey to the French King so have bin presented with him to the said King now that we cannot understand the certainty of the said Kings entrie into Paris at which time our meaning was and is that the said Lord of Buckhurst should be there we would not that you should abide any longer but proceed in your journey and if on your way you do perceive that the Kings entry will be now in the beginning of Januarie our will is that you shall without attending any longer for the coming of the said Lord of Buckhurst proceed by our Ambassadors means to be presented to the King and to take the place of our ordinarie Ambassador so as our former Ambassador Sir Henry Norris may return at his Commodity We would have you inform your self by the judge of the Admiraltie of all causes depending betwixt our subjects and those of France upon pretence of depredations that you may the better answer complaints which either ours or the others shall make And farther we would have you to acquaint your self by his means with a complaint lately exhibited by the French Ambassador in the name of the Merchants of Roan and what answers hath bin made to the same by such as we did ordain to devise the same whereof the said Judge was one You shall also receive a complaint which certain of our Merchants of London trading to Roan do presently make for the Innovation of certain taxations by the Magistrates of Roan upon the goods of our said subjects contrarie to the common use whereupon you shall being well informed of the inconveniencie thereof and the injustice sollicite the remedie thereof so as time shall conveniently require William Cecil Ended the 22 of December 1570. To the right Honourable and his very good Lord the Earle of Leicester MY very good Lord I write unto you at this present rather to use this as an earnest of my diligence hereafter to follow then for any good matter that I have to write Passing through Canterbury I visited the Cardinal and delivered unto him your Lordships Letters who gave me as much light as he could touching the present state of France concerning the matter whereof it pleased your Lordship to give me a watch-vvord there passed nothing betvvixt us The picture your Lordship desired I vvill take order shall be sent to you vvith vvhat convenient speed may be beseeching your Lordship vvherein my poore service may stand you in stead to use me with such boldness as I may thereby assure my self that your Lordship maketh accompt of me and so further leaving to trouble your Lordship at this present I most humbly take my leave at Bullen the second of Ianuary 1571. Your Lorships to command Fr. Walsingham To the right Honourable Sir William Cecill her Majesties principall Secretary SIr I arrived here at Bullen the first of this month where I could learn nothing worthy the advertisement for you know Sir that frontier news are never of any great value onely this I learned of the Governours Son in law here a Gentleman of good accompt and one of the Order who accompanied with divers other Gentlemen came to visit me from the said governour Monsiuer de Calliac who told me that the Kings entrie is deferred untill the middest of Febr. but hereof for the observing of the time here is no more assurance than there was before of the first of Ianuary Leaving Bullen I have not forgot to enform your honour of the great exactions used by the Inn-keepers at Gravesend Canterbury Dover in the prices of Victualls whereof besides mine own experience I learned by certain strangers that passed over with me they are so great as in no Countrie is used the like where all things bear so unreasonable prices in the market and the people so free from impositions of the Prince Surely Sir it were well done that there might by your good means and furtherance some order be taken for the Redress hereof aswell for her Majesties honour as for the ease of the poore travellers Thus Sir having no further matter worthy the advertisment I leave to trouble your honour most humbly taking my leave from Bullen the second of Ianuary 1571. Your Honours most bounden Fr. Walsingham To the right Honourable Sir Walter Mildmay one of her Majesties privie Counsell SIr you know that Frontiers are commonly better furnished with fables then of matters of truth and
hath professed to Spain He forgot not to renew the speech that passed between us touching the League desiring me to use some means to feel how her Majestie is inclined which I promised to do And therefore I shall desire you to move her Majestie in that behalf that I may receive some direction how to proceed therein And so leaving further to trouble your honor at this present I most humbly take leave From Paris the 28 of Ianuary 1571. Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham The Lord Seton who lately came out of Flanders to demand succour as I am informed is deferred over for answer untill the Entry be past He â—â—eth here as I am given further to understand with good store of Horse and Armour and very well furnished with money To the Right Honorable Sir William Cecill her Majesties Principal Secretary SIr after the closing up of my Letters I was certified by a Gentleman that came presently from the Court that the King is grown very sick of a burning Ague whereupon it is thought that the time appointed for the entry should be put over until after Easter I will seek by what means I can for the certaintie and so afterwards advertise you So leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present I most humblie take my leave From Paris the 28 of Ianuary Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honorable and my very good Lord the Earl of Leicester RIght Honourable and my very good Lord touching the present state of France I refer you to the common Occurrents here inclosed and leave unto you by them to judge what likelihood there is of continuance of the Peace lately here amongst them accorded The best ground of continuance that I can learn by those that can best judge is the Kings own inclination which is thought sincerely to be bent that way Touching his affection towards the Queen my Mistress if outward entertainment may be a just argument of inward affection then surely there is great likelihood of continuance of Amitie and Concord For first I was in all those places where the King had Governors very well received Then at the time when Sir Henry Norris and I were appointed to have access to the Court for my presentment which was at Madrill we were invited to dinner presently upon our Arrival there Laufay by the Kings appointment received us and brought us to the place where our dinner was prepared where we lacked no store of good meat immediately after dinner Chevaleir Thaers sent by the King came and told us that he was readie to give us audience to whom we repaired and were most graciously received at his hands who made great demonstration by outward speech and countenance of great good will towards the Queen my Mistress Besides my ordinarie speeches concerning her Majesties charge to behave my self in such sort as might tend to the best continuance of Amitie between their Majesties I recommended the Peace being so requested by the Deputies of those of the Religion which he seemed to accept in very good part Having thus ended with his Majestie finding the new Q. not there for that it was given out she was sick of a fever I declared unto him that I had Commission from the Queens Majestie to have presented unto her her Majesties Letters as also to have used some office of Congratulation of the late Marriage between them notwithstanding that her Majestie had made choice of a Personage of calling honourable to do that office whose coming stayeth only upon the certaintie of the knowledge of his Majesties entry for that by the Q. Majestie my Mistress he is appointed to honour the same The King alledged sickness for excuse and told me that there should be another time appointed me for the execution of her Majesties Commission in that behalf which both of him and her could not but be accepted in as good part as it was meant Having thus ended with the King whereas before it was customably to be found as I learned by Sir Henry Norris to have present at the Audience both Queen Mother and the Kings Brethren in place with the King we found now each of them to keep their several Estate and so were driven to repair unto them all severally to their Chambers and though from her Majestie I had no further Commission to have done any Message but to the King and unto the two Queens yet for that at my last being there exception was taken at me for omitting my dutie to Monsieur and besides being requested by the Deputies of the Religion to recommend the observation of the Edict unto them severally therefore after access had to Queen Mother my Letters being delivered and certain ordinary speeches used with the recommendation of those of the Religion I repaired to Monsieur who very courteously and with good countenance received me To whom my speech from her Majestie was that she willed me to present unto him her commendations and further to say unto him that she was glad to understand that he did concur together with the King in that good and honourable meaning of the observation of the Edict whereby he did not only win generally the reputation and honour to be thought a Prince of courage in time of War but also of Councel in time of Peace which courage she doubted not but that he would continue in respect of the good will he beareth to the King and his Countrey and the regard he had to his own honour Whereunto he answered with great courtesie that he thanked her Majestie First for her commendations as from a Princess of honour that she was and whom he so much reverenced Secondarily for the good encouragement that she gave him to be a good instrument for the observation of the Edict which thing as he was bound to do in respect of his Duty towards the King and his Countrey so should her Majesties advertisement be of no small force with him in that behalf For my self he told me that during my service here I should receive for her Majesties sake any favour that he could shew me Having thus done I repaired to his Brother to whom I used besides Commendations some short Speech in recommendations of the Edict for manners sake I do rather my very good Lord dwell upon those particularities in respect of your Lordships request In observing Monsieur I had at this present by reason the place served very well for the purpose good occasion to view him in stature by judgement of others that viewed us talking together he was esteemed three fingers higher then my self in complexion somewhat sallow his bodie of very good shape his leg long and small but reasonably well proportioned what helps he had to supply any defects of nature I know not touching the health of his person I find the opinion diverse as I know not what to credit and for my own part I forbear to be over curious in the search threof for divers
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
thence a young Boy the son of Iames Fitzmorice a Rebel Given under our Signet at our Pallace of Westminster the 11 of February 1571. in the thirteenth year of our Reign To the Right Honourable Sir William Cecill her Majesties principal Secretary SIr the 14 of this moneth I presented the Earl of Rutland to the King at Madrill taking opportunity thereto by preferring certain Merchants causes The King embraced him and told him that coming from her Majestie with her Letters of Commendations he could not but be very welcome and should receive at his hands from time to time during his abode here any honour or favour he could shew him and as I was departing he called me unto him and asked me what was done touching the Queen of Scots matter I told him That of late I heard nothing saving by certain Letters that there were Commissioners come out of Scotland from both parties so that as I thought the matter was fallen now to some Treaty He willed me to recommend the matter in his name to the Queens Majestie and to tell her that he doubted not but by her good means it should grow to some speedy end as should be to her honour and his contentment and so promising his Majestie not to fail in that behalf I departed for that present I shall therefore desire your Honour to inform her Majestie thereof as also to procure at her hands what answer I shall make in this behalf Touching the state of things here I learn secretly by the F. that the House of Guise seeketh to make a match between the Cardinal of Este and the Kings Sister for that the Duke of Ferrara hath no issue and by common opinion is like to have none which thing they seek the more earnestly to impeach the likelihood of marriage between the Prince of Navarre and the said Kings Sister The 22 of this moneth my Lord of Buckhurst is looked for here his lodging and all other things fit for his entertainment being provided at the Kings charges if promise be kept The new Queen is now well recovered and removeth from Madril to this Town the 20 of this moneth so that I purpose my Lord of Buckhurst shall have access unto her whereof she is over dangerous a thing not very well liked of this Nation Touching la Roches attempt I can learn nothing more then that I have advertised neither can I learn that in Britain there is any preparation of ships but of such as belong unto Merchants And thus leaving to trouble your Honour I most humbly take my leave From Paris the eighteenth of February 1571. To the Right Honorable Sir William Cecil her Majesties principal Secretary SIr I would be loath in any Letter that is to be shewed unto her Majestie to make mention of any thing that may any way concern Monsieur for that her Majestie doth suspect that I am inclined that way in respect of his Religion and therefore Sir I shall desire you to use this Letter as private to your self and as for my inclination to Monsieur for that I hear he may be drawn to be of any religion I see so great necessitie of her marriage as if it may be her Majesties contentment and the benefit of the Realm by judgement of those that are fit to deal and advise in a matter of so great weight I can be content as becometh me to subscribe the same The matters that I thought to make you privie of in this private Letter are these First I understand that Monsieur not long sithence hath given out certain speeches to those that are nearest about him that he maketh no great account to match with the Queens Majestie through the perswasions of the House of Guise and the Spanish Ambassador who do not stick to use many dishonorable arguments to disswade him from the same Besides they use some arguments of danger towards us making the conquest of England a matter of no great consequence in respect of the intelligence they have there no small number of evil affected Subjects and of those some of no mean quality The A. of late had talk with touching the opinion of the enterprise he shewed me that he whosoever he was that should attempt the matter should fail of his reckoning like him that made accompt without his host The A himself seemeth to to have no great liking thereof but seemeth to be very well inclined towards The Spanish A. to divert them from Flanders would be glad to set them in hand in England and yet would he be loath that France should have any further interest in England then it hath And as for the House of Guise unless they mean to make an unnatural match between Monsieur and their Neece they would be loath in respect of her possibilitie that he should have any further foot in England then he hath but they both think it easilier atchieved by Marriage then by Sword aud would be glad to divert him from the way of likelihood and to direct him to that way that carrieth least possibilitie These being the things I thought worthy of advertisement at this present I leave further to trouble your Honour most humbly take my leave From Paris the Eighteenth of Februarie 1571. To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Earl of Leicester MY very good Lord as there is nothing more desired of one sort then two marriages the one between the Queen my Mistress and Monsieur the other between the Prince of Navarre and the Kings sister so is there nothing more impugned by the contrary part wherein the Popes Nuncio and the Spanish Ambassador do not fail to do what lieth in them for the impeachment thereof And in this behalf they want not what assistance the House of Guise and their adherents can yield For the let of the first they alledge Heresie For the let of the latter they secretly seek to match between the Cardinal of Este and the Kings said Sister for that the Duke of Ferara his Brother hath neither issue nor by common judgement is like to have any This is rather intended then any just cause of hope conceived that it will come so to pass for that as I hear Queen Mother seemeth not to like thereof Touching my Lord of Rutlands access to the King and his Brethren I leave you to the report of his own Letters My Lord of Buckhurst about the two and twentieth of this moneth is looked for here who as I suppose shall be honourably received and as honourably used during the time of his abode here Thus for the rest referring your Lordship to this inclosed of common Occurrents I most humbly take my leave At Paris the seventeenth of February 1571 Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honorable Sir Francis Walsingham the Queens Majesties Ambassador with the French King SIr if my sickness alone were considered or my irksome business laid thereto perused I cannot think but you would excuse my not writing
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
to think onely of her Majestie and of her safety like that Roman that notwithstanding a Law was made that no man should hazard to come on the Wall without consent of the Magistrate yet he seeing the enemy preparing for the scale and that the delay of time in asking the Magistrates consent might have hazarded the losse of the City preferring a publick safety before his private perill repaired to the Walls and repulsed the enemy the matter afterward being called in question he was acquited of the penalty and adjudged a good member of the City like consideration made me to take this course following In my proceeding with Queen Mother somewhat swarving from the precise course of her Majesties instructions yet notwithstanding keeping my self within the compasse of the same with due regard had both to her Honour and the place her Majestie beareth Touching the first point I alleadged precisely and wholly what her Majestie appointed me to say unto her touching the justification of her proceeding in causes of marriage whose answer was that that she did object unto my Lord of Buckhurst she objected rather as a common opinion conceived then that her self believed it being not ignorant that the common sort that understand not the secresie of Princes proceeding are alwaies drawâ— to believe the worst But saith she I hope her sincere and direct proceeding in this now offered match will breed due justification of her former proceedings in those marriage causes Touching the second I shewed her that her Majestie had conceived by my Lord of Buckhurst that she desired to understand whether the King and she making an offer of Monsieur the same would be accepted in good part at her Majesties hand of this second point I left out these words Whether she would be pleased to hear further of it In answer of this second point I shewed her from her Majestie that she did impute it as an argument of great good will in both her and the King considering how that the King being married there could be no greater nor worthier offer made by the Crown of France then Monsieur and that therefore her Majestie doth most thankfully accept the same and further that she willed me to say unto her that if her Majestie did preceive any apparent cause to mislike of the matter she would then deal plainly with the King in thanking him for his good will and in desiring to proceed no further herewith she seemed to be satisfied Notwithstanding for that this match did stand upon two necessary points the satisfaction of both their persons and necessary accord upon certain conditions that therefore her Majestie desir'd her as a Prince indowed with kingdomes could not but with her own private satisfaction have a due regard of her subjects repose and safety by way of Capitulation that if thereupon there should grow any just cause of breach yet that friendship and good Amitie might still continue the good will of either party being to be allowed their 's in making so honourable an offer and her Majestie in yielding to give eare to the same To this she replied that she could have wished that the answer had been more direct not so much for her own satisfaction as for others in whom there rested as yet some scruple and the rather saith she for that if in the handling of this Matter there be used plainness Ceremonies being set apart whatsoever issue the matter taketh yet friendship could not in reason but continue Then I proceeded to the third shewing her that her Majestie was well content that I as her Ambassador should treat upon this matter with Monsieur de Foix which course I shewed her in my private opinion would draw the matter by often sending to and fro to a great length whereby that expedition would not follow thereof that were to be wished And that therefore if that they would not follow thereof that were to be wished And that therefore if that they would make choise of some speciall person to send over upon some other pretence with full commission to treat hereof many scruples thereby would be avoided which otherwise might breed delay of time And touching the person I told her none could be more faithfull unto her Majestie then Monsieur de Foix. In this behalf she told me she would first deal with the King as also touching the fourth point how her Majestie could not tell what to propound untill she saw what was by them first propounded who by order were first to propound and after she had dealt with the King touching these two points she promised I should the next day have answer by Master Cavalcant which she performed whose answer was that for the more expedition the King and she thought it good to send Master Cavalcant both speedily and secretly over who should come fully instructed with their resolute intention touching this match who thinketh that he shall bring with him the Articles they mean to propound unto her Majestie and further that if upon his return they find her by her answers fully resolute to proceed That then for the better ripening of the matter against the time that an Honourable Ambassadge should be sent Monsieur de Foix should come over upon some other pretence I forbeare at this present to deal touching Monsieurs having the exercise of his Religion first for that they finding her Majesties answers not wholly resolute would have suspected it for a quarrel of breach Secondarily for that without all suspition in due place it may be be propounded amongst her Majesties Articles Touching the first point I forbeare to say any thing for that they mean sometimes as I learn to use their Ambassador there Resident with her Majestie as one whom they esteem and trust I did not forget to tell her that her Majestie for the more secret handling of the matter had made choise of two onely Counsellors unto whom she had communicated the matter the one the Earle of Leicester whom she findeth well to allow of any marriage which her Majesty liketh though otherwise wrongfully doubted so specially of this that is now in Treaty The other the Lord of Burleigh of whose fidelity her Majestie hath had tryall ever since she came to her Crown â—o this she answered that these two Councellors being of her Majesties choise she would not but very well allow of and as for my Lord of Leicester she said she had many waies good cause to judge him a furtherer of the match and therefore was glad of her Majesties choise and hoped thereby of the better successe The last point concerning Master Cavalcant she said she thought him fit to deal in it as one that before time had done good offices between the two Crownes and therefore she rather wished him to be admitted a Dealer I may not omit here to say mine opinion of him which is that her Majestie could not have allowed a Gentleman more faithfully inclined to her Majestie nor more fit for his
Right trusty and welbeloved Sr. Fr. Walsingham our Ambassador Resident in France ELIZABETH R. RIght trusty and welbeloved we greet you well you shall understand that the French Ambassador and Cavalcant having speciall credit to move to us the matter of marriage with Monsieur de Anjou have propounded to us certain Articles in French whereof you shall herewith receive a Copy To the which after some conference had by our commandment betwixt our Councellors the Earle of Leicester and the Lord of Burleigh for us and the said Ambassador and Cavalcant of the other party our said Councellors have delivered such answers in writing to them as also we send you herewith In the debating whereof the Ambassador hath with great earnestness misliked sundry of them in this manner following â—hat in the first he maketh doubt that the usage of the matrimony by the orders of this our Realm may contain matters which should be repugnant to the Dukes conscience and namely that he should at that time be urged to receive the Sacrament according to the institution of this our Church whereupon such words as are now at the last agreed in the answer we think ought and doth satisfie them though he pretend still some doubt And yet if by the answer they there shall not be satisfied then you may do well to impart to Monsieur de Foix the very order of the Book for that cause And though the receiving of the Sacrament at that time be in some part there mentioned yet that being not out of necessity you may of your self give them some cause to hope that it may for reasonable respect be forborn and so they shall have reason to be content with it The clause to have the Dukes Ministers in was inserted upon such motion made by the Ambassador In the second he hath found most difficulty for that by our answer he saith no grant is made by us that the Duke shall have liberty for himself and his domestiques to use his own Religion which he saith he would not require but to be permitted withall these cautions and conditions That he should use his Religion in secret place and manner and with such circumspection as thereby no manner of publique offence should grow to our Subjects but hereto he could not have us yield being answered That we doubted not but that Monsieur de Anjou would by the advice of Queen Mother be contented with our answers being well weighed in that we are content that by no means he nor his Domestiques shall be compelled to use the Rites of our Religion otherwise then shall be agreeable with his conscience But as for exercise of his own Religion being specially forbidden by our Laws we cannot without manifest offence and perill to our State accord thereto And so we would have you to use all good perswasions to induce them to be content with our answer in this behalf for the better maintenance whereof you may require that it may be considered what perill it might be to the quietness of our State to have one that should be our husband by his example in our house to give comfort to our Subjects that presently are well devoted to obey our Laws to break them which may so fall out in processe of time as we might repent that ever we had been so evill advised And therefore specially you shall require Queen Mother to have good consideration hereof as one that by her own experience of Government hath tasted of no small trouble growing by such permission although she have now at length prudently brought a stay in the Realm and in any wise you shall give them no other comfort in this behalf but return to us their answer The third Article is agreeable to the like Article conceived in a treaty of marriage betwixt King Philip and our late Sister Q. Mary so as thereto no exception hath been made by the Ambassador The fourth though it was misliked by the Ambassador yet it cannot be otherwise by us ordered and so the Ambassador was peremptorily answered The fifth though it did not like the Ambassador for that there is no expresse sum of yearly revenues named to be allowed to the Duke yet he hath accepted it with generall words And herein to maintain our answer you may truly affirm that King Philip had no manner of thing allowed him but sustained all his own charge and gave also to Noblemen Gentlemen and Yeomen of our Nation good entertainment In the sixth the Ambassador hath alledged no misliking but on our part you may see by the latter part of the Article that it is meet that we should know the interest that the Duke hath in his severall Dominions and how the same are to succeed to his children as well Sons as Daughters if there be no Sons and so you shall require a particular answer thereto The seventh is agreeable to the like clause of an Act of Parliament whereof you shall receive better information in another writing containing such thing as on our part are to be demanded And yet the Ambassador hath earnestly required that if the Duke should overlive us and have a child living that should be Heir to the Crown he might continue the Title of a King with his addition to be called Rex pater and if no child should be living that then he may be called Rex dotarius which we think rather of matters of form then of substance and meeter to be thought of when greater matters are accorded then now and so we have forborn to alter the Article In this sort you see the manner of our answers And although by our Letters yesterday we signified unto you that we would give some instructions how to propound other things to our benefit and so we did also let the French Ambassador understand yet upon some better consideration we have forborn thinking it meet that this matter concerning the point of Religion were first on both parties determined before we should proceed in the rest for this being accorded there is no great difficulty in the rest and this being not accorded to our contentation the rest are not to be dealt in and if it be misliked that we do not give you Commission to propound other things as perchance the Ambassador here will give them some hope that we now meant to do you may confesse that we have indeed considered of other things requisite wherein we think there will rest no difficulty But we hold it most agreeable to the Queen Mothers own intention that the matter might be so dealt in as it might speedily appeare what were to be hoped of herein And considering this matter for the Religion seemeth of such substance as none of the rest is we think it best to have this first treated of And so either to proceed or forbear wherein we trust our sincerity shall well appeare And so we would have you to expresse our good meaning Given under our Signet at our Pallace of
to the tenor of her Letters dated the fifth of May I have given the pretended Archbishop to understand by my Letters who is now at Nantes how her Majestie doth not allow the slender manner of his submission neither can think him worthy of favour or grace unless upon warrant given by me he maketh his repair into Enâ—land and there with all humilitie sue unto her Majestie for the same Of late he hath sent from Nantes certain of his servants as I am enformed to what end I cannot learn I have enformed Captain Thomas how her Majestie upon information given by me doth accept in very good part his late service in the discovery of the pretended Archbishops practises and that she meaneth to consider thereof Whereupon he hath desired me in his name most humbly to desire her Majestie to be so good and gracious a Lady unto him as he may have some charge under her Majestie either in Ireland his native Countrey or elsewhere as one that desireth nothing more then to imploy the experience he hath gathered in these Civil Wars in her Majesties service Here there is very good account made of him And notwithstanding that the most part of the ordinary bands are discharged as well Captains as Souldiers yet hath he allowed by the King sixteen Crowns a moneth pension His Father whose name was Bathe was one of the Justices in Ireland his Brother is Recorder of Drogheda This I write touching his Parentage to the end her Majestie may the better conceive of his loyaltie I am given secretly to understand that Rodolphi had Letters of Credit given him by the Spanish Ambassador unto the Duke de Alva whereupon he had long conference with the Duke and was dispatched in post to Rome with Letters of Credit to the Pope as also with Letters of Credit to the King of Spain promising to be at Madril the 20 of this present moneth Touching the matter of secresie committed unto him I can learn nothing as yet notwithstanding I thought it my part to advertise your Lordship of thus much who perhaps by other advertisements can give some ghess what the same importeth The Scots here have some enterprize in hand as I am informed by the party whom I appointed to observe the Lord Seatons doings The Ambassador of late hath been at Court and is returned from thence with answer not altogether to his liking and saith that so long as the Marriage is in Treaty there is no hope of good here to be done for the help of their cause Birack who lately returned out of Scotland is in hope to return with new Forces which secretly he saith to his Friends dependeth onely upon the resolution of the marriage now in hand The Lord Seaton departeth hence out of hand into Flanders being sent for by her Majesties Rebels there who have somewhat in hand presently to be executed They of late have very importunately been in hand with me for passports but understanding they have such enterprize in hand I thought good in that behalf to make some stay for a time alledging that I have some order from her Majestie to make some stay therein until I be further advertised of her pleasure I hope her Majestie will not dissallow of this my doings though I do it without warrant Out of Brittain I am advertised that la Roche had discovered unto a Kinsman of his that his enterprize in Ireland was to have executed a plot of Conquest devised by Peter Strozza in King Henries time which if the match go not forward he is promised that he shall go in hand withal hereby it doth well appear that the expectation of this match is the onely stay of divers pretended mischiefs Here they are in some perplexitie for that they hear nothing of her Majesties answer being given to understand by the Ambassador that her Majestie had signified her mind unto me in that behalf Queen Mother denieth now that she prefixed a day of answer and that I did mistake her I must needs confess that in requiring the same she used such words as her Majestie hath no cause to be justly offended which omitting to impart unto her Majestie I do most humbly crave pardon at her hands being most heartily sorry that through my default there should grow any unkindness between them Her words were as followeth First she asked me after she had willed me to signifie unto her Majestie the Kings and her resolution in what time I might have answer I shevved her that I hoped vvithin ten or tvvelve days the rather for that I knovv my Mistress to be resolved and therefore the matter required the less deliberation Then she desired me to vvill her Majestie that they might have ansvver within ten dayes if it might be These circumstances by me omitted I perceive her Majestie the rather to mislike the limitation of the time for the vvhich as before so again I most humbly require her Majesties pardon And so c. At Paris the fourteenth of May 1571. Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honorable Sir Francis Walsingham the Queenâ— Majesties Ambassador with the French King THere is nothing yet readie to send you touching the matter of Monsieur The Ambassador resident hath received Letters of late since yours came from the Queen Mother and from Monsieur de Foix touching that cause He shewed his Letter to me and my Lord of Burleigh and it appeareth that de Foix Letter doth qualifie much the dealing which you and Cavalcant had I mean he writeth in sort to continue the matter and as it were that there would be offer made by them But her Majestie hath handled the matter exceeding well with the Ambassador and giveth him no hope without yielding of their part to that she hath reformed in their first demands And as 〈◊〉 as I can perceive they will rather yield then break off God send all to be for his glory and our good and so farewel my good Walsingham In haste this seventh of May 1571. Your assured Friend Ro. Leicester Commend me to my Cousin your wife by the next you shall hear more of this matter To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Earl of Leicester MY very good Lord the Protestants here do so earnestlie desire this match and on the other side the Papists do so earnestlie seek to impeach the same as it maketh me the more earnest in furthering of the same Besides when I particularly consider her Majesties state both at home and abroad so far forth as my poor eye-sight can discern and how she is beset with Forraign peril the execution whereof stayeth onely upon the event of this match I do not see how she can stand if this matter break off No particular respect as God is my witness moveth me to write thus earnestly but only the regard I have to Gods glory and her Majesties safetie They rest here somewhat perplexed for that the answer is so long deferred being
advertised from their Ambassador I had order from her Majestie in that behalf Your Lordship therefore shall do well if there be none sent before the arrival of this Messenger to hasten the same with all speed And so leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present I most humbly take my leave at Paris the fourteenth of May 1571. Your Lordships to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable and my very good Lords the Earle of Leicester and my Lord of Burleigh I Thought good to advertise her Majestie with speed that they rest here in very good opinion of the matter and that if the Articles were here that are to be propounded by her Majestie it would make them more reasonable in the point of Religion Thus farre I hear they are come on that they are content that that Article shall be left out uncapitulated Montmorency who is now at the Court hath done very good offices herein They stand upon this as I learn that her Majestie promised to deliver her Articles assoon as she could receive the King and that therefore without the having of them will not deal so frankly as otherwise they would for that the same being promised and not come breedeth mistrust I beseech your Lordships therefore for putting away all jealousie to deal earnestly with her Majestie for the present sending of them with all speed for that by her Majesties Letters I perceive they are in a readiness To morrow I repaire to the Court to deliver my message whereof they have an inkling by the Ambassadors Letters who doth deal very honorably towards her Majestie Thus for haste leaving further to trouble your Lordships at this present I most humbly take my leave At Vernon the 19 of May 1571. Your Honours to command Fr. Walsingham To our Right trusty and well beloved Francis Walsingham Esq our Ambassador Resident with our good Brother the French King ELIZABETH R. RIght trusty and welbeloved we greet you well after we heard the contents of your Letters sent hither concerning your communication with the Queen Mother and also with Monsieur de Foix upon the answer we sent you by Cavalcant to the Articles brought by him we understood also by the French Ambassador here resident that he had received Letters from the Q. Mother and de Foix concerning the same matters And though the answer made to you as by your Letters we conceive were more peremptory then such as the Letters to this Ambassador which we have seen did purport adding thereunto some dulcimes to qualifie the same especally in answering that which we could not but object as strange that the Q. Mother required to have answer from us within the space of ten dayes yet to omit rehearsalls either the contents of your Letters or of the Letters sent to this Ambassador we think best to impart unto you which we will you shall impart to the Q. Mother or to the King which is thus we find more great and urgent causes to move us to persist in our former answer in the Article of Religion both for our conscience our safety honour and quietness then can be be alledged or imagined for the conscience and honour of Monsieur de Anjou and the reasons hereof as apparent in this sort following First if we shall grant a permission to Monsieur to have the use of his Religion which we take principally to consist in the having saying and hearing of the private Masse though the same should be secret for the place and rarely for the time and not frequented with numbers yet it might seem doubtfull to us how without offence of conscience such a tolleration might be by us permitted Secondarily though our conscience should not be offended yet we are well assured that our realm being not void of diversities of opinions herein though indeed presently we find no disobedience worthy of any accompt against our Laws there could not any such exercise of Religion be used by our sufferance by a person of such estimation as one being allowed to be our husband should be but that the same would breed such a misliking to our best subjects and servants as surely should diminish their great love toward us and consequently hazard some inward troubles within our Realm by occasion that one part now dutifully obeying us would grow doubtfull of our conscience in the observations of our Laws and another part would be imboldened by example of that which our husband should be permitted to do should attempt to neglect our Laws and multiply occasions discords and seditions and these perills are so evident to follow and so dangerous if they should follow as surely if we should not aforehand so consider them we might condemn our selves of great folly as not having due regard either to our own particular estate or to the common quietness of our Realm whereof hitherto we thank Almighty God through his speciall goodness we have had the effects of much contentation On the other part we see no such matter of weight to be considered for Monsieur that either his conscience his honour or safety should be troubled impeached or indangered although we perceive that the Queen Mothers speeches seem to tend thereto for where it is said and that by answer if he should come hither and live without his own Religion he should be accompted as one of no Religion and in time comming he should be as de Foix saith an Atheist and so neither could we in right esteem him to have any faith neither should he keep the reputation that he hath Of all which certainly if we could think that by our answer and his yielding thereto any hurt might happen to him we should utterly condemn our selves and readily Reform the same or else forbear to give any answer at all but you shall say That we require the Queen Mother or the King or if the cause so require Monsieur himself to consider better of our answer we leave him freedome to use our Religion in that we are content not to constrain him or any of his otherwise to use it then it shall please him saying That we think it expedient that if he should be our husband he should accompany us to the Church and why he should not or may not use our manner of prayers and divine Service certainly we think no reason can be yielded by any that knoweth the same and will compare it to that which the Church of Rome doeth use For in ours there is no part that hath not been yea that is not at this day used in the Church of Rome as of late the same hath been allowed by the last Councell at Trent and if any thing be more in ours the same is part of the holy Scripture Now therefore why it should be objected That Monsieur should live here without Religion if he shall be present at ours there is no cause except it may be objected that ours is in the English tongue and not understood but to satisfie
Mother and Monsieur which will much further the matter and it is reason that my Lord of Leicester be assured of favours both there and at home for some that like not this match may otherwise engender doubts in his Lordship And yet surely at this present he dealeth earnestly with her Majestie in the furtherance of the match you shall do well to let his Lordship understand what good opinion is had of him for so doing The matters in Scotland go hardly for us the Queens party by Granges means occupieth Edenburgh and the King is constrained to keep in Sterling both parties are in arms which yet are used defensive The Queen party hath had Money and Ammunitions from France The Bishop of Ross is still restrained and so deserveth The Queen liketh not of the Bishop of Glascows coming into the Realm Dr Story suffered at Tyborn on Fryday and there refused to give alleagiance to the Queens Majestie and professed to dye as the King of Spains Subject and so being arraigned on the Tuesday before at the Kings Bench he would not answer to the Indictment alledging that he was not a Subject of the Realm whereupon without further Tryal he was condemned as guilty of the Treasons contained in the Indictments The practises of Stewkley are abated in Spain by discovery of his lewdness and insufficiency Huggins is here arrived and so fare you well From Westminster the fifth of Iune 1571. Yours assuredly William Burleigh I send you a Note of our late Acts in Parliament To my very Friend Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador for the Queen Majestie in France I Have received your Letters by this Bearer who brought me also Letters from the King Queen Mother and Monsieur whom I perceived hath conceived good opinion of my devotion for the furtherance of the matter of marriage with the Queens Majestie I have thought good to return this Bearer again for that he desired speedy dispatch to whom I have imparted the state of that matter which onely doth stand upon the Article of Religion to which her Majestie will by no means relent All other Articles are reasonable and her Majestie hath shewed her Demands to this Ambassador and hath dispatched the same to you which I think will be with you before this For the other point touching Religion if I might advise them thereof they should not speak of it at all for sooner will her Majestie yield to reason himself that shall have that interest in her that shall be her husband then by any Contract or other Declaration And finding her Majestie disappointed upon the argument of that point to proceed as she hath seemed in the matter I cannot but hope of very good success to which for my part in respect of her Majesties surety and hope of universal good to the cause of Religion I must with well and further the best I can according to your advice whereof I thank you and am glad to see your consideration thereof This Bearer shall further declare some part of my minde unto you for that I know him to be honest and trusty and well devoted to her Majestie and the cause of Religion Thus with my most hearty commendations I bid you farewel In haste this seventh of Iune 1571. Your assured Friend Ro Leicester By the QUEEN To our Right Trusty and Well-beloved Francis Walsingham our Ambassador Resident with our good Brother the French King ELIZABETH R. RIght Trusty and Well-beloved we greet you well although we did heretofore think it reasonable to forbear the sending of any Articles to contain the Demands on our part until we might have a resolute Answer from the King to our former Answers made to his Articles sent hither by Cavalcant and namely to the Article touching Religion Yet finding by your Letters and the continual solicitation of the French Ambassador here Resident how earnestly the King desireth to see our Demands which when he shall have he will make answer to the former we are contrary to our own disposition induced by these means to send the same at this time as you shall receive the same in Articles whereof you shall advertise the King and Queen Mother and let them understand that were it not for the earnest solicitation of the Ambassador we would have forborn so to have done for that we take it it may be interpreted in some manner to touch us in honour that not having knowledge how the King will satisfie us in the matter of Religion which is the principal we should pass further into the Treaty of all the rest altogether upon uncertainty what to hope in the principal But to their satisfaction herein you shall say that we not onely caused the Earl of Leicester and Lord Burleigh whom onely of our Councel we have used herein according to our former agreement to impart our Demands in certain Articles to the French Ambassador but have also sent them now in writing to be by you shewed unto them having therein followed for the most part the form of things granted to our late Sister of Noble Memory Queen Mary as by the Treaty of Marriage betwixt King Philip and her may appear And further you shall say that these Articles are but briefly and summarily conceived by our foresaid Counsellours who have not the knowledge of the forms of Law requisite in such case so as we reserve to our selves power if the substance of them shall be granted to cause the same to be in form of Law inlarged by such others of our Councel as by learning can better do the same Besides we do deliver these Demands to be joyntly considered with the Articles of our first Answer to the Demands on their part brought by Cavalcant We perceive by the French Ambassador that certain Clauses which we agreed should be added to some of the first Articles were not contained in the Writing by you there shewed And not knowing whether in the writing of them there the same Clauses were omitted for more surety we send you a new Copy hereof to be shewed as you shall have occasion And if indeed those Clauses shall appear to have been omitted in the former the same was omitted but by the Writer If the King or any other shall press you to understand of our proceedings with the Queen of Scots as in misliking the restraint of the Bishop of Ross or in not determining her cause you shall for the first say that the evil parts done by the Bishop of Ross are such and so dangerous to us and our State as no Prince could suffer as we think the like without some sharp revenge For where in the late Rebellion in the North we understood that he had given the Heads of that Rebellion comfort to enter into the same which he could not deny being charged therewith but that secretly they had sent to him for ayd and comfort afore their Rebellion although he yield the same unto them nor thought it meet to utter the same and so
he willed me to assure her that he would never forget and further to signifie unto her that he made choise of the Marshal Montmâ—rency and Monsieur de Foix to send over with his full mind touching the Articles that have been propounded of either side and that he therefore desired by the said Gentlemen to understand when it shall be her Majesties pleasure that they shall come over to treat in that behalf Having then done with the King the Queen Mother called me unto her and told me that of late certain had gone about to perswade the King her Son that her Majestie meant nothing less then to proceed in this marriage using sundry perswasions to induce her to believe the same Notwithstanding she assured me that such is the great good opinion that they all have of her Majesties sincerity upon good grounds in respect of her Majesties honourable dealing as no such brutes and sinister practises can prevail with them to make them think otherwise then honourable of her Majestie and yet she did assure me that the same did proceed from such persons as they might easily have been abused had not her Majesties own sincere dealing assured them of the contrary I shewed her that if she or the King should otherwise think of her Majestie they should do her great wrong and give her just cause to think her sincere dealing unsincerely requited This was the effect of my present negotiation And so c. At â— the twentieth of Iune 1571. Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To my very loving Friend Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador for the Queens Majestie in France I Have written by du Pine of late to you and before that as I think you have received her Majesties Answer and such Articles as she doth think meet to be demanded Her Majestie doth stand still very stiff touching the point of Religion required of that side and as far as I can perceive she will hardly relent to any other qualification then you know of and that being granted to her I suppose there will be no other difficultie And surely in this if Monsieur remit the whole to her Majestie there is no doubt but by that means he shall obtain more then we wish and more then is reasonable or at the least convenient to be openly contracted by them For as by the one that may be had which is to be born withal for a time in hope of better so by the other it will altogether encourage such as are already too high and most meetest to be kept under even for both their sureties For this cause it is onely to be wished for these respects the first to the universal good of the cause of Religion the other for the quietness of our present Estate And for these causes sake I pray God to prosper it accordingly and I see no cause grâ—atly to doubt if that point of Religion be yielded on that side unto The Ambassador here doth very honestly and well in the matter and surely doth good offices between their Majesties For my part I perceive by you that I have cause to thank him for his particular affection towards me I can but thank him here And I pray you as you may have occasion use this favour for me as it may appear to the Kings Majestie there how much his Ambassador hath made me know of his good acceptance of my good devotion towards the encrease of the good Amitie between our good Soveraign and him which doth give me great encouragement to go alway the more forward so far forth as with my duty to her Majestie I may Thus having no other matter presently to write to you I bid you farewel in haste the ninth of June 1571. Your assured Friend Ro. Leicester To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh THe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shewed me his Mistresses Letters dated the seventh of this moneth him to advertise A. that their of great moment in hand to impart he seeketh with England and therefore roundly forward with the matter furthe to advertise A. that there is a practise in the stealing away of the Scotish Q. whereunto him to have regard This as I can gather come from â—54 who discovereth it to his Master he hath not yet imparted the same unto A. by the reason of his absence about ten days past it was bruted here for most certain truth that the Scotish Queen was escaped into Flanders Of late days of these common brutes there have followed shrewd effects whereof your Lordship shall do well to advertise her Majestie to have an eye that way The King is not yet returned to Galleon but remaineth still at Paris which divers of my fellows find themselves agrieved withal especially Spain There rise daily new causes of unkindness between the two Princes Spain seemeth to set the King here very light which ingendreth in him a great desire of revenge and lacketh but treasure to make open demonstration thereof And so c. At Loveirs the five and twentieth of June 1571. Your Lordships to Command Fr. Walsingham By the QUEEN To our Right Trusty and Well-beloved Francis Walsingham Esq our Ambassador Resident with our good Brother the French King ELIZABETH R. RIght Trusty and Well-beloved we greet you well Forasmuch as the French Ambassador here joyntly with Monsieur de l' Archant Captain of the Guard of Monsier D. Anjoâ— treated with us to have our consent that the Marshal Montmorency and others nominated with him for the French King might come hither as they say to treat and conclude the matter moved betwixt us and the said Monsieur we think it necessary to impart unto you what hath passed therein at some length which we have ordered to be put in writing by the Lord of Burleigh to the intent that on the one part you should not be ignorant and on the other part you should be better instructed how to treat upon the matter both with the King or any other that shall in this matter have Commission to treat with you In all our dealings with them you shall find that we have in no wise yielded to grant to Monsieur a liberty for exercise of his Romish Religion neither have we any inclination to yield thereto and yet for the benefit of our Realm rather then for any particular inclination to marriage we have resolved this marriage to be meet for us so as the difficulty of Religion be well accorded And where in the last end upon conference had by the Ambassador and Lord of Archant with the Earl of Leicester and the Lord of Burleigh it may appear to you that they finding a resolute determination of their Ambassadors should demand of us a liberty for Monsieur in the cause of Religion it should be denied then did they thereupon seem to yield and by way of demand require to know how it might be liked if the demand of Religion were utterly forborn and put to silence Our meaning is not
tell but percase you shall hear somewhat thereof Indeed we were informed that her Majesties answer did not content them whereupon we being desirous that they should not conceive thereof worse then was meant did confer with them on Saturday last as is mentioned in the Q. Majesties Letter and after long maintenance of her Majesties reasons and therewith giving them sufficient hope so as the matter of Religion might be concluded they descended to the devise of forbearing that article whereunto her Majestie hath directed you what to say if it be treated upon and thereto we refer you As for the inward intention of her Majestie in this case we cannot certainly give you to understand more then it pleaseth her to utter To the matter it self she yieldeth as to a matter necessary for her Estate and Realm otherwise we see no particular forwardness such as is commonly between persons that are to â—e married And now her Majestie sheweth no let but this matter of Religion as if either that may be well accorded or well buried we see no impediment of any moment we can but counsel you as we use do our selves that is to do and serve as she directeth us and for the rest to commit the success to Almighty God who direct you in this service to her Majesties contentation with regard of Gods honour and the weal of our Countrey From Hampton Court the eighth of July 1571. Your very loving Friends Ro Leicester Will Burleigh To the Right Honourable and my very loving Friend Francis Walsingham Es abque her Majesties Ambassador Resident in France SIr I am in doubt whether to write or no for to write nothing were to discomfort you and to write something with uncertainty cannot comfort and yet in extremities the lesser is to be admitted I assure you that I cannot assure you from hence what is to be looked for by the Q. Majesties manner of answers as this time she is not unwarned how dangerous it were if in her default the matter taketh not success and she seemeth to conceive thereof and pretendeth that she seemeth that if the matter of Religion may be granted there will be no other difficulty but whether she is perswaded that therein the breach will be on that side and so she to escape the reproof I cannot tell God direct the matter for I have done my uttermost and so hath other Councellours here My Lord Keeper hath earnestly dealt in it and so hath my Lord of Sussex my Lord of Leicester hath in my dealings also joyned earnestly with me and among the rest of the Councellours I know none directly against it From Spain we have no good answer and therefore this amity were needful to us but God hath determined to plague us the hour is at hand his will be done with mercy The Gentleman hath a Chain of one hundred and sixty pound which was not easily had The Queens Majestie hath sent her Letters to the King Queen Mother and Monsieur l' Archant From Hampton Court the ninth of Iuly 1571. Yours assuredly William Burlâ—igh Chesholâ— the Queen of Scots servant that passed lately from Diepe with money and munition is taken by the Regent at Lethe To my very Friend Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador for the Queens Majestie in France MR. Walsingham you shall at length understand her Majesties resolution touching her answer to the Gentleman Monsieur l' Archant for mine own part what opinion I have of this great matter I will deal plainly with you even as I find her Majesties disposition For her desire to marriage I perceive it continueth still as it was which is very cold nevertheless she seeth it is so necessary as I believe she yieldeth rather to think it fit to have a husband then willing to have any found indeed for her And I fear so it will appear in this matter with Monsieur For as you shall perceive by the Articles passed already there is among them all but one that maketh the difficulty which is his demand to have his private exercise of his Religion so it doth appear if he would omit that demand and put it in silence yet will her Majestie straitly capitulate with him that he shall in no way demand it hereafter at her hands Which scruple I believe will utterly break off the matter wherefore I am in small hope that any marriage will grow this way I pray God that some other amity may be accepted and yet I was at the first in full conceit that her Majesty meant earnestly to proceed therein and that she had so advisedly thought of the matter as any reason being offered it should not be refused whereupon as my part was I did deal to the furtherance thereof by all the good means I could which not taking effect accordingly I shall be most sorry albeit I do not mistrust the goodness of God but whatsoever shall fall out it is his providence for the best or at the least for our just scourge for our deserts towards him I can say no more but Almighty God strengthen her Majesties true zeal to Religion and failing of this match that she will allie her self with such other Princes abroad as will earnestly joyn with her therein And for this matter of her Majesties marriage you shall do well to observe all their doings upon this answer and gather the certainty as you may what they intend whether to yield to her Majestie absolutely or no if they will yield then it must needs proceed if not then must we provide in other sort and the sooner the better and if they do accord to her Majesties request touching the cause of Religion certainly she saith there shall be no other difficulty God direct us to his glory and so I make an end of it Mr. Cobham is returned out of Spain where we have no cause to look for any friendship The King used him gently but those of Authority and Credit about him most proudly and arrogantly What terms we stand in in other places is easily known Thus are we with our neighbor in all places without friendship God protect and defend us who is onely able and must do it for any policy is used Thus with my most hearty commendations I bid you heartily farewel In haste this seventh of Iuly 1571. Your assured Friend Râ— Leicester To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh IT may please your Lordship to advertise her Majestie that within two or three days after l' Archantâ— departure from hence there came Letters hither out of England sent as I am informed from the Ambassador there by the which he did assure those that are enemies to the match that her Majestie had nothing less then intention to marry whereof he was well assured by those about her and therefore willed them to be of good comfort and never to doubt of the matter After l' Archants leave taking and departing out of England the said Ambassador dispatched a
the duty of an Ambassador I would advertise them and referre it to her Majestie to resolve therein as might seeme unto her best to resolve with her honour and safety and that for my part I could neither put him in comfort or discomfort He requested me to beseech her Majestie in his behalf that it would please her to send her resolution to those points with some convenient speed for that their case required to know her intention in that behalf out of hand and therefore she would hold him excused for his importunity being pressed thereto by necessity Furthermore he desired me to advertise her Majestie whereas he understood that divers under colour of serving his Brother and him by sea had committed sundry ouâ—rages upon her subjects and Merchants whom he and his Brother doth utterly dissavow wishing her Majestie to extend towards them such punishment as they deserve And for the avoiding of such inconveniences they mind hereafter to send some secret token to the L. Admirall wherby they indeed that do serve them may be discerned from them that falsely do usurpe their names leaving the same for a colour having no other intention then to spoile aswell friends as foes Thus leaving further to trouble your honour at this present I most humbly take my leave From Paris the 12 of August 1571. Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Leicester I Referre your Lordship to my Letters written to my Lord of Burleigh touching my conference with A. I beseech your Lordship so farre forth as you may further his requests as those that tend to the advancement of Gods glory and the Q. Majesties safety I think it dangerous to advise a Prince to wars for that the issue of wars is doubtfull notwithstanding things may so fall out sometimes as nothing can be more dangerous then not to enter into wars wars grounded on ambition for increase of Dominion are alwayes unjust but warres grounded on necessity for safety sake are necessary I leave to your Lordship to judge by consideration of the state of things aswell at home as abroad whether necessity doth not urge us thereto at this present one supplying my place onely beholding the state of things abroad and not understanding the inward secrets of home matters may rather gesse then presently know what is meet in so weighty a cause notwithstanding I am bold privately to discover unto your Lordship my folly in setting down mine opinion of a matter both without the compasse of my calling as also my understanding First I conclude that we rest in evill terms with Spain whereof there must grow redresse either by composition or by sword Redresse by composition may seeme scarce sure as that which will serve their turn but for awhile they can disguise their malice for a time Redresse by sword comparing our forces with theirs may appeare at the first sight to be void of all possibility but if you consider the oppertunity that this present time offereth that doubt to mans judgment may soone be avoided though victory aswell as other things else are is in the hands of God who many times disposeth the same contrary to mans judgment but foreseeing and judging of likelihoods as men may foresee and judge there is great appearance that the pride of Spain may be so presently daunted as we need not feare their mallice The remedie perhaps may seeme more dangerous then the disease for in seeking to abate the pride of Spain we may advance another whose greatness will contain no less danger For the answering whereof your Lordship shall understand that thus standeth the case The Princes of Germanie who can be content to be parties in the enterprize do foresee that if the whole Low-Countrey might be united to the Crown of France it would grow too great they mean to capitulate with him to content himself with Flanders and Arâ—ois which once pertained to the Crown And as for Brabant and other parts which once pertained to the Empire they mean to reduce them to their old state committing the goverment thereof to some P. of Germanie which in reason cannot be but to the Prince of Orange Holland and Zealand they wish were united to the Crown of England which they desire for two respects the one to make the enterprize more easie by having her assistance the other the better to bridle France if he seek to exceed his portion If the enterprize might proceed in this order both the remedie will prove lesse dangerous and also the successe more likely to be proseperous These 3 united all circumstances considered to mans judgement the matter cannot but take for whiles this is a doing in the Low-Countrys Spain must not look to be quiet in Italy but if her Majestie will not be a party then neither can there grow unto her that honour profit and surety that otherwise were to be wished If these then may take place upon the likelihoods two mischiefs may thereby be avoided First the malice of him that is mighty and hath good will to revenge Secondly the greatness of another who perhaps otherwise may grow a dangerous neighbour A third mischief may be avoided of no lesse or rather greater consequence which is that those who otherwise will not perhaps live quietly at home may be kept occupied by being imployed abroad For the avoidance of these three great mischiefs it seemeth that to enter into wars hath necessity for ground These as I protested unto your Lordship to one that seeth but the outward bark of things may seeme to carry great consequence of reason but to your Lordship who seeth inwardly into the matter it may appeare to contain more danger then safety howsoever it be our diseased state through inward division well considered though her Majestie be no dealer in the matter yet it behoveth her to incourage others and that she may as heretofore she hath done take profit of others troubles for surely we must make this accompt that their peace will be the beginning of our wars In my opinion we are rather to weigh inward then outward mischiefs the outward greatness of France cannot endanger us so much as the inward dissention at home which lacketh but some foreign aid to bring the matter to some dangerous triall the case then standeth so as for the staying of our inward mischiefs we are to seek for outward remedies which is to grow by other mens harms I do not doubt but that your Lordship will do what you may so to deale with her Majestie as that some of the C. requests may take place whereby the fire that is now a kindling may grow a flame and we take comfort of the heat thereof I preceive nothing will so much advance the matter as for her Majestie to give some countenance to the same The proud Spaniard whom God hath long used for the rod of his wrath I see great hope that he will now cast
Prince invaded To which motion of the said Ambassador our Councel made such Answers by imparting to him the forms of former Treaties made both with the house of Burgundy and with the French Kings as he in the end seemed satisfied with such form of aid to be mutually agreed upon as you your self have propounded to them in your Paper delivered the 18 of the last in an Article verbatim taken out of a Treaty betwixt the Emperor Charls and the King our Father in the year 1548. being before that first devised in a Treaty at Cambray in the year 1529 and one principal reason to appoint that manner of aid better then any other was this If the aid should be given in a certainty and at the cost of the Prince that was not invaded upon every request of a Confederate there might great inconvenience follow in that one Prince might oftner burthen his Confederate in demanding succours without great necessity and in greater numbers then needfull was if the charges of the said succours should be maintained by the Confederate that so sent them and not by himself Whereas on the other part if the Prince that should demand succours should bear the charges of them himself he would never demand the same oftner nor in greater numbers nor keep them longer in pay then should be needfull And accordingly to this reason it was declared to the Ambassador That in all Treaties betwixt this Realm and France and also Burgundy the like Covenants were made in all Leagues saving one time with the Emperor Charls 1543. at which time the Treaty was made both Offensive and Defensive against the French King and yet in the same year 1546. the same clause for aid was by Treaty betwixt the said Princes revoked having not been at any time put in execution and the ancient manner of aid to be at the charges of the Prince demandant and with these and such like reasons the Ambassador seemed to be fully satisfied The third matter of doubt moved by the Ambassador was for the cause of Scotland that is in what sort that State might be comprehended in this Treaty and thereupon it was said to the Ambassador That we had no other intention in the matter of Scotland but to have the hostility and civil wars to cease and the Government of the Realm to be established to the contentation of the Nation for which purpose we had sent to both parties at difference to accord upon an abstinence from war so as they might the better Treat and accord amongst themselves which if they would not we would be content that any such whom the French King our brother should send thither should joyntly with some of ours imploy themselves with the credit and amity amongst us two to direct them to accord amongst themselves and therein we had no meaning to withdraw them from the ancient Intelligence with the Crown of France but that they might have and keep the amity with us both With which answer and resolution the Ambassador seemed well content requiring as the King his Master had forborn at our request to send any force to either party whereby to hinder any accord so we would do the like which was agreed unto him Lastly He moved the matter concerning the Article for the resort of our Merchants to some Ports of France with such liberties and securities as they had in other Regions offering that the King his Master was content to yield therein to any reasonable demand to the benefit of our Subjects To which answer was made That the Case did belong to our Merchants to consider what was meet for them who should be spoken withall and thereupon answer should be given This was the sum of that which passed betwixt the Ambassador and such of our Councel as were appointed to deal with him who were the Lord Keeper of our great Seal the Earl of Leicester the Lord Admiral the Lord of Burghly and Sr. Walter Mildmay And now although you may perceive by this Conference had with the Ambassador what be the things that we have cause to like or mislike upon the questions moved yet upon some further instruction of you we will summarily inform you what we like of the substance of the Articles sent unto us from you being propounded as well by the Kings Deputies as by your self First to the Articles in Latine delivered by the French Ambassador dated the 17 of January we mislike not of the first Article for the continuance of former Treaties in their force which is necessary to be specially for the saving of our rights and pretences to Callais according to the Treaty therefore made and remaining yet in force so as it be added to the end of the Article with Condition that nothing in any former Treaty be by this clause continued that shall be repugnant or derogatory to the Articles of this present Treaty The second and third prohibiting any aid to be given to any persons that shall invade and to make a League for a mutual defence against all persons that shall invade upon any cause We mislike not the Tenor of the said Articles so as the words added in the second Article of your Writing dated the 18 of January which are these Etiamsi fuerit religionâ—â— causa praetextu aut colore which we would have you earnestly press upon such reasons to be inserted as your self hath already remembred and therein we would have you secretly to cause them of the Religion there to understand of your demand and to help to further it and yet if you cannot have the same words to be specially inserted then you may according to your own offers insert into the Article these words â—ub quocunque praetextu vel colore quavis de causa nulla omnino qualicunque excepta and besides these you shall in secret manner move and most earnestly press it that some special promise may be made in a secret writing betwixt the King and us signed and sealed mutually with both our hands for that purpose expresly if any Invasion should be made as though the same had been expressed in the Treaty without which secret provision to be made considering the matter hath been in question we would be very loath that you should accord We do not like that which is devised by them which beginneth Conventum est quod quotiescunque ullus princeps c. wherein they would have aid given if any person go about to change or alter any Laws or Edicts against the will of the Prince but we rather like to have the aid only given in case of invasion or purpose of invading For by the words of this Article we may percase hereafter be required to aid that King in the breaking of his own Edicts for Religion in case he himself shall be thereto willing and that either of this Subjects or any others shall attempt or alter the Edicts that may be made against the Religion reformed The Article beginning
from A. he will by no means make me to understand any particularities for fear of w. he dares not repair to me And so leaving any further to trouble your Honour at this present I most humbly take my leave from Blois the 22 of April 1571. Your Honours to command F. Walsingham To the right honorable and my very good friend Francis Walsingham Esq her Majesties Ambassador in France SIr Now that this Treaty is so well concluded to the apparent contentation of her Majestie and with the good liking of the French King I wish all good means used on all parts to nourish your planting that first the glory of God and next the two Realms and Princes may long see the fruits to grow thereof The matters of the Low-Countries are now in farther terms to relieve themselves of Pharaohs cruelties used by Duke Alva then when you wrote last hither of the Communication which you had with the Count. Here is all covert means to let them of the Low-Countries pass home to the help of the liberty of the Countrie and I wish it were done rather by themselves then by others that percase would not suffer them long to enjoy their liberty when it should be recovered percase it will not be liked here I cannot write more presently for I do this in haste being absent from the Court and have not your Cypher about me I have written of more matters to Sir Tho. Smith who will make you thereof partaker From my house in Westminster the 23 of April 1571. Your assured friend W. Burleigh To Francis Walsingham Esq the Queens Majesties Ambassador Resident in France Mr. Walsingham Like as I am to yield you my hearty thanks for your pains and travel bestowed about the recovery of Clerk my boy so do I most earnestly pray you to present my humble thanks unto the Kings Majestie there for the honour and favour it hath pleased him to do me in that behalf I understand by the Post of Roan he is retained with the Cardinal of Burbon in which respect because I have not my self any acquaintance with the said Cardinal I have written my earnest Letter to Monsieur D' Anville requesting him to deal earnestly with the said Cardinal for restitution of the boy which I do not desire so much for any account I make of him as to make him an Example unto other our servants not to persume hereafter so to abuse their Masters The truth is he was a poor mans son being left unto me I had some care to see him well brought up in vertue and good qualities especially in Musick wherein finding himself to have a little cunning away he is thus run from me desirous belike of more liberty without having been any waies evil intreated or for any other cause in the world the which if I should over-slightly let slip it would no doubt give too much encouragement to others his like after to play the like lewd part Therefore as you began so I pray you continue your friendly travel therein that I may have him sent over unto me again which I only desire as I said for example sake For if I wisht that the said Cardinal or any other Noble man in those parts had any liking to him I would most willingly either send him again or some other of that profession perhaps better quallified then he and so I pray it may be signified unto them from me Thus with my hearty commendations I bid you farewell From the Court the 23 of April 1571. Your assured Friend Ro Leicester To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh IT may please your Lordship to understand that La Croques long stay bred in them here some strange imaginations as also the slow proceeding in the Treaty Touching Merchants Causes I hope by the Ambassadors last dispatch by the which I received your Lordships of the 22 of April all will be salved whereby this last Treaty lately concluded may yield that good fruit that is hoped for I send your Lordship here inclosed Mr. Mounts Letters to the Contents whereof I refer you The Count Palatine by a servant lately sent hither desired me to write unto your Lordship that he may be informed what Pacieco is and whether he appertain to her Majestie as he pretendeth This he desired me to procure with as much convenient expedition as I might I beseech your Lordship therefore by the next that I may understand what I shall write to him in that behalf These advises out of Germany and Swisserland I received from your Lordship thereby may perceive that the holy Fathers intention is not only to trouble England but all other places that profess the Gospel For the avoiding to trouble your Lordship with C. within the I send you herewith inclosed you shall find what I know concerning Blasco Monsieur Montmorency stayeth his setting forward from hence untill I know the certain day of my Lord Admirals departure from hence The King as Monsieur Lansac told me who came lately from the Court about the latter end of this Month will be at Madrill So leaving to trouble your Lordship any further I most humbly take my leave From Paris the 9 of May 1571. Your Honours to command Fr. Walsingham Letters to my Lord of Burleigh MY very good Lord what hath passed between the King here and Q. Mother and us we have at large written to the Q. Maj. what hath past between the Deputies and us You shal perceive by the whole draught of the League now ready to be signed unto us But because in the instructions we were commanded to signe it before it were sent thither into England to be better considered we thought best to make the stay thereupon that except the express words for Religion were in it we durst not signe it and unless we did first understand her Majesties pleasure whether so she would be content there is no alteration from the Article of 1546. in the Esclaircissement which Article is also in three Treaties with France 1515. and 1546. saving they have specified the number of Souldiers both by Sea and Land The which we could by no means obtain of them to leave it in generality After that we had gotten of them that it should not be sumptibus requisitis which to bring to pas we had very much to do And seeing it is reciproque and no great number we thought it not much amiss All the rest went easie enough even that of the Merchants and they confessed that in these general words the matter of Religion is also contained So that if for the inquisition our matters be staied if the Queens Majestie do require that aid for their deliverance as is there expressed the King is bound to do it because there is Iusserit aut permiserit The greatest debating was for two things The one to have Religion expresly mentioned in the Treatie the which I perceive some of the Deputies partly having benefices
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
Q. of treason and yet we fear our Q. will scant agree to it Great suit is made by the nether house to have execution of the Duke but I see no likelihood I have no leisure therefore I commit you to God In haste this 21 of May 1572. Yours assured Ro Leicester To the Right Honourable his very good Lord the Earl of Leicester YOur Lordships of the 21. I have received touching your servant I shall not need say more then was contained in my last Letters Here at this present we are altogether entertained with Flanders matters having received certain news from thence that certain by order from Count Lodovick are seised of Valentiennes and Monts in Henault where it is said the Court remaineth and that from thence he sent Mr. de la Nue in great diligence towards Bruxels with six hundred horses where if he hap to find the Duke de Alva he hopeth to make short Wars the Town of Bruxels being better affected to the Count then to the D. It is said here that Doway and Lisle should also be taken by certain appointed by him for the purpose but that is not certain If the Duke of Alva retire to Antwerp as it is thought he will then those of judgement here are of opinion that the whole Country will revolt The heads of those that he doth imploy of his Country are Ianlis de la Nue Buckanans the number of his horsemen are twelve hundred the most part of them Gentlemen Of footmen he hath only five thousand the most part of them Gascoins It will shortly be seen to what issue this Tragedy will come If occasion so fall out I mean to advertise often thinking it necessary for her Majestie to know how things proceed there and yet when I consider how things of moment tending to safety proceed at home I know not what to judge necessary unless it be for every man particularly to provide for the cross And so leaving further to trouble your Lordshop at this present I most humbly take my leave From Paris the 29 of May 1571. Your Honours to command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh AS I wrote unto your Lordship in my last Letters that I thought it necessary for her Majesty to know how things proceeded in Flanders so I thought good to put the same in execution at this present upon certain advertisements lately come from thence A Currier past this way as I am credibly informed the 27 of this month sent by the D. of Longueville to the King with this news that on Saterday last the 24 of the same Valentiennes should be taken and the next day after Monts in Henault and that from thence with great celerity the C. Lodovick should send five hundred horse to Bruxels under the conduct of Mr. de la Nue where if he hap to find the D. of Alva it will grow to short Wars in respect of the intelligence they have with the Town who undertook with the aid of 100 soldiers to take the D. prisoner if he retire to Antwerp as it is thought he wil then is it likely that all the whole Country will revolt I the rather credit this news for that it agreeth with the plot laid by C. Lodovick before his departure from hence who told me that he hoped to give the Duke of Alva an alarm ere 8 daies came to an end in place where he should least look for it There will shortly be great guess given what wil be the event of these matters The Prince of Orange most assuredly is onward on his way with 4000 horse whose enterprise on the other side is like to have the better success upon this good beginning laid by his brother I hope things will be so ordered as others shall not grow over great wherein I have been no evil instrument I send your Lordship by this bearer a note of the names of those of quality which doe accompany the Marshal as also the number which I had sent before with this bearer to deliver a note thereof to such as shall be appointed by her Majestie to receive the Marshal at Dover M. de Battaliâ— who was the third Commissioned is departed this world who before his death did much lament the dissembling of his religion and advised to resort to the reformed Churchs and to bring up his children in the Religion professed in the same I forgat in my last that Mr. Montmorency at the request of certain Italians whom he favoureth moved me to write unto her Majestie that it would please her to write a Letter unto his Master desiring him to write unto his Ambassador at Rome to deal with his friends there to procure the delivery of Guidi Giovetti who is imprisoned there by the Inquisitors a thing that his service done unto the Crown of England did as it were crave at her Majesties hands who he knew being naturally pittifully inclined would do any thing that might seem to tend to his delivery For mine own opinion I think her Majesties Letters unto Queen Mother would do a great deal more good who by the Duke of Florence his means may bring it the more easily to pass especially this Pope being his Creature And so leaving to trouble your Lordship any further I humbly take my leave From Paris May 29. 1571. Yours Honours to command F. Walsingham To our trusty and well-beloved Francis Walsingham Esq our Ambassador Resident with our good brother the French King TRrusty and well-beloved we greet you well Where in the last Treaty concluded at Blois betwixt our trusty and well-beloved Councellor Sir Th. Smith and you as our Ambassador and the Duke of Montmorency and other of the Commissioners and Deputies of the French King our good brother it was amongst other things covenanted That within four months after the date of the said Treaty the same should be by us ratified authorized and confirmed by our Letters Patents signed with our own hand and sealed with our great Seal and delivered to the Ambassador of the French King having authority to require the same For this purpose we would first have you to understand of some of the Kings Councel or of the Queen Mother the Kings pleasure at what time you might attend on him to receive the same ratification For the receiving whereof you shall say you are authorized by our Letters directed to the said King being in your custody which we therefore do now send you and so you shall at time convenient receive it and safely send it to us affirming that we on our part are also ready to deliver the like ratification to his Ambassador whensoever he shall require the same Given under our signet at our Mannor of St. James the 26 of May 1571. ELIZABETH ELizabethae Dei gratia Angliae Franciae Hiberniae Regina fidei Defensor c. Fideli praedilectissimo Consiliario nostro Francisco Walsingham Legato nostro apud serenissimum
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
is this day at Provence five leagues besides Chasteau Thiery It is advertised that the Emperour doth by little little amend of his disease having been carried to his Garden to take the ayre but no assurance of his full recovery The Cardinal d Este is returned to Rome having been met with the Duke of Sora the Popes son They do prepare ten Galleys at Naples besides others at Genua to transport the Empress into Spain Prospero Colonna is appointed General of the Men of War which are levied in the Dutchies of Milan and Tuscan There hath been a quarrel betwixt the Spaniards and Gentlemen Millanoises The King of Spain hath been received in Lisbona and held there his estate called Cortes There is a deprivation passed against the Bishop of Guarda for following the partie of Don Anthonio The Abbot of Bisegno Agent for the Catholike King at Rome hath with the Cardinal of Como sollicited the Pope for to intreat the French King to withdraw his brother from the enterprise of Flanders so as the Pope is resolved to send two Legats to the French King to continue the peace between the French King and the Catholike King Onchibli is departed from Constantinople with twenty five Galleys towards Affrica They advertise out of Spain that the Corn doth fail them this Harvest so as they doubt of famine c. Your Honours to Command Henry Cobham A son bon ami Mr. François de Walsingham M Onsieur de Walsingham j'ay une extreme contentement quand la Royne m a voula tant favouriser de vous avoir choisy pour faire ce royage vers le Roy mon Seignieur et frere me faisant bien par cela cognoistre les effectes de ses bonnes voluntés me comblant de tant d'obligations que je ne m'en pouroy jamais retirer si ce n'est par le continuel desir et inviolable affection que je ay de luy faire service Et ce suistres-aise de m'estre trouve y a propos que n'estant que fort peuesloigne de votre chemni vous me passies veoir sans perie de beaucoup de temps vous priant que se suit La Fere en Tartinois ou je seray aujourdhuy a coucher et croyez que vous seres le tres-bien venu comme iceluy que tient l'un de primiers bieux apres de celle que je honore et estime plus que Princesse que soit sus la terre et que tiens pour l'un de mes mieux amis Vous attendant en bon devotion de supplieray le Createur qu'il vous ayd Monsieur de Walsingham en sa tes Saincte et digne garde a Chasteau Thiery le dernier jour de Iuliel 1581. Votre bien affectione ami François To the right honorable Sir Francis Walsingham SIR The sending of this away by Mr. Mills to you moveth me to accompany him with a few lines We here have nothing to write unto you about the Negotiation but doe now from this day forward look to hear from you whereupon I think her Majestie will have some matter to be occupied withall VVe hear nothing of Monsieurs proceedings but the Spanish Ambassador warneth that the Prince of Parma is so strong and so bent to fight with Monsieur as he pretendeth that at the least Monsieur will forbear to adventure his own person He did yesterday by her Majesties appointment speak at Leicester House with my Lord of Ley and me to expostulate for her Majesties refusal to speak with him requiring to know the cause and being answered That we doubted not but that he oftentimes had been made privy that it was for that her Majestie had not received any Letters from the King Catholique for her satisfaction in the case of Invasion in Holland c. He saith that he never promised to procure Letters from the King neither was he ever required of her Majesties behalf but the Speeches were alwaies delivered to him that her Majestie would not speak with him untill she might be satisfied of those things in the case of Holland but saith it was not required that he should send to the King for any such satisfaction and yet he did for his own part write to the King and upon answer from the King he did let her Majestie understand that the Collection of the Souldiers the Arming and Victualing of the Ships and men were wholly by the directions of the Pope whom he could not deny and he had also cause to think that her Majestie meant not that he should procure Letters from the King for that Mr. Wilks said that her Majestie would send a Gentleman to the King or else write to him by the way of trade And for confirmation hereof he said that he heard that a kinsman of the Earl of Arundels and Master of the â— whom we took to be Tilney was named to go into Spain By the way he saith that you told him in presence of the Councel at Nonsuch that her Majestie had no League with the King of Spain but the States of the Low Countries I told him I was assured he mistook you for you might say that the League which was the greatest was with the Emperor Charls and so with the King of Spain in respect of the Dutchy of Burgundy and the Low-Countries but he flung away after his hot manner Now to end these matters for the discovery of a multitude of Popish subjects I think Mr. Beal writeth to you of a number of choice persons who being at least but fined upon that que Dam noble wil yield a great sum of money My Lord Grey and Tyrwick were about a Peace the 29 of July finding my Lord Deputies forces ready to enter one way and Sir Nicholas Malt by another way offering to my Lord Deputy to abide his Order for the matters between Odonell and the whole Countrie he hath wasted pretending to set upon Odonels son begotten of Tirleghes wives daughter which he had by Mac Connel by Ashton that came from Ireland we secretly understand that the new Earl Arrig with a great number are determined to keep Darbique from his intentions against the Religion and the King doth secretly assent thereto whether Ashton be deceived time will prove The King hath sent to Seffade 200 souldiers to enable him to compel his people to answer to Justice upon demand of England and great promises are made in the Kings behalf to keep amity with her Majestie And thus almost wearied I end expecting shortly to hear of your progress in your Ambassage which they there may enterprise a regress or a recess Her Majestie is in very good health thanked be God Greenwich where I am tyed by your absence and yet do little good Augâ—st 6. 1581. Your assured friend Will. Burleigh To her Majestie August 6. IT may please your most excellent Majestie I have imparted in my Letters directed to my Lord Treasurer the substance of that which passed
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
to do and then prayed us all again particularly as he had done before thereto I the Secretary said that her Majestie should be speedily advertised of this his Answer and request praying his Majestie that because these other things required speedy resolution and among other the case of Don Anthonio it would please him to deliver his pleasure so soon as might be whereunto he consented Then we went to the Queen his mother being in her Chamber where I the Secretary remembring unto her what had passed between her and me before and how I had at this time proceeded with the King and what answer his Majestie had made I prayed her to procure the Kings resolution therein with speed which she promised she would do this was the effect of our Negotiation at this time whereof we have thought meet to advertise her Majestie in the mean time until we may further understand of the Kings Deputies how other things will be answered and offered to be treated upon And so we take our leave of your Lordship from Paris this tenth of August 1581. Your Lordships to Command Fr. Walsingham Henry Cobham Iohn Sommers To the Right Honorable my good friend Sir Francis Walsingham SIR Your servant Watson brought hither at dinner time this day being Sunday the thirteenth your Letters that is your common Letter dated the tenth from you the ordinary Ambassador and Master Sommers containing your Negotiation with the French King and your private Letter dated the eleventh with another of your own to her Majestie and one from Pinart as her Majestie informed me by the Treaty with the King it seemeth the King refuseth not to have a Treaty of streighter Amity and yet he carpeth upon the marriage by your Letter to her Majestie as she telleth me you think there may be a Treaty without the marriage but not without charge And therein her Majestie saith she had as good be as charge with a marriage as without and therefore she hath again willed me to write unto you That if Monsieurs action may be continued towards the Low-Countries she can be content to be at some reasonable charge by Contribution with the French King to maintain the same so it be underhand to bring her into no war otherwise she will not you shall consent without making her privy and having her answer and for a Treaty offensive and defensive she can also be content therewith but not thereby directly to enter into a war in this sort she hath willed me expresly to write unto you not allowing any Argument to the contrary whereof I made divers and those apparant necessary for by these means the King of Spains greatness shall grow to such ripeness as hereafter no open force shall withstand it And it is not likely that the French King will aide his brother which he cannot to any purpose do secretly where her Majestie will do it but underhand For the matter mentioned by the Viscount Turraign both my Lord of Leicester and I have dealâ— very earnestly with her and she hath answered my Lord of Leicester that she hath given a full order to you for the same but by me she answereth that you know her meaning to be that if the French King shall not ayd his Brother she will not see him abandoned But I desired to know how she would ayd him and the Viscounts motion importeth both necessity and speed to be relieved she answereth that until she may hear from you what the French King will do for his brother she will answer no more particularly This evening she willed me to advertise you that she is in great doubt that the Queen mother will induce Monsieur to leave the enterprise of Cambray with an intention to compass the marriage and then she saith if the marriage shall not follow Monsieur shall be dishonored and the King of Spain shall prosper hereof she commanded me to write to you that you should have thereof good regard In this sort I am commanded to write unto you but in what sort you shall deal to remedy this inconvenience neither by her Majestie can I direct you nor of my self can I inform you but I know you will do your best as the place and time shall serve and more cannot be required Her Majestie would have Master Sommers to return and so she willed me to signifie her pleasure and yet I told her that he was in Commission and might hardly be spared but yet she commanded me so to write if his being there cannot be spared you may do well to write so otherwise I do leave the matter to your consideration I know it will greatly grieve you not to have a good Answer to the matter for the Loan moved by the Viscount but surely all means are used here to help but none prevail as yet The Letter written from Master Cobham the ninth of August consisted on two points very contrary the first shewed the French Kings allowance to have Don Anthonies case furthered here as also it was there The second contained matter of great appearance that Monsieur should be withdrawn from offending of Spain and contrariwise to marry which two points cannot concur Master Beal hath the ciphered Letter of Twyns to procure to be interpreted but as yet it is not done and so with my paper I end From Greenwich the 13 of August 1581. Yours assured William Burleigh To the Right Honourable and my very good Friend Sir Francis Walsingham SIR since my writing yesternight though the Letters be not gone yet her Majestie by way of repetition hath willed me again to warn you that you be not overtaken with this that her Majestie doubteth that the Queen mother will withdraw Monsieur from the Low-Countries actions meaning thereby to obtain the marriage which her Majestie cannot allow in any sort to have the action left how you shall be able to order this you must there seek the way For ayding of Monsieur these are her Majesties words that if you finde the King not willing to support his brother rather then the action shall fail you shall say that her Majestie will not see him destitute but the sum she will not name till she hear from you we are desirous to hear how the King will deal to ayd Don Anthonio for her Majestie here is in such a suspence as at this present the journey stayeth namely because besides her 5000. l. there is demanded 2500. l. more which she will not yield and neither Drake nor Hawkins will go onward further and upon some scruples Mr. Bingham York Fenton and Ward do forbear her Majestie saith you know some cause why Mr. York should not be trusted She speaketh of a practisement by him in the Thames mouth whereof she hath willed me to write to you that you should call it to memory I renewed my opinion that you could not spare Mr. Sommers whereunto she answered that if you could not you should do as you thought best although she said she would
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
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
as he hath received at her Majesties hands who earnestly travelleth to remove such difficulties as do rise in this matter and to stand in her Majesties defence against those that seek any way to touch her in honour your Lordship shall therefore do well to move her Majestie that you by your private Letters may signifie unto him that her Majestie doth accept those good offices done by him in very good part It is further thought that Monsieur Montmorency shall be the Nobleman that shall be sent to ratifie such Articles as shall be accorded unto by the King he hath since his repaire unto the Court marvelously furthered this matter and hath caused them to grow so reasonable Monsieur de la Mot doth continually by his Letters make very honourable report of her Majestie touching her proceedings in this cause Monsieur de Foix hath willed me to advertise your Lordship that her Majesties direction to me and her speech delivered to their Ambassador did not agree for he writeth That her Majestie promiseth some qualification of her answer unto the second Article and I deny the receipt of any such thing he writeth that I should deliver unto the King her Majesties demand and I deny to have received any he therefore wisheth for the advoiding of jealousie that the same were reformed that the Articles be sent before the return of this bearer I do not mean to be known of the receipt of them untill I hear further of her Majesties pleasure Your Lordship shall do well by the next to send a Book of Common praiers translated in the French that I may present it unto Monsieur I have seen of them printed at Garnesey C. Lodowick desired me most earnestly to move her Majestie that it would please her to licence Hawkins underhand to serve him with certain ships which favour if it please her Majestie to shew him he hopeth she shall not have cause to forethink the same which Letter shall well appeare whensoever occasion shall be offered wherein he may do her service Mr. Cavalcant is here a very good instrument in this cause in hand and doth deal therein both sinceerly and discreetly and worthy of the trust that her Majestie doth put in him whose assistance by no means I could have lacked Thus leaving further to trouble your honour c. At Vernon the 25 of May 1571. Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh IT may please your Lordship to advertise her Majestie That Q. Mother sent lately unto me this Memoriall which I send your Lordship here inclosed requesting me that some good justice might be done therein The Memoriall is unperfect making no mention at all either of personship or place but he saith that Monsieur de la Mot can declare unto you at large the whole circumstance of the matter of late I find here in like causes reasonable expedition of Justice and therefore it may please your Lordship to take order that they may receive like measure Further she willed me to signifie unto her Majestie that touching the information given unto her how that the Scotish Ambassador here had dealt with her and Monsieur about some attempt against Ireland that she and Monsieur for his justification do avow that he never moved any such thing unto them And for that she understood that this report should be some let why the Scotish Ambassador obtained not a Pasporâ— lately demanded at her Majesties hand she desireth her for that she avoweth the report to be untrue to grant him the said Pasport with free egresse and regresse for her sake she willed me further to advertise her Majestie that he assureth her that his repaire thither to the Q. his Mistress is for no evill intent but chiefly to deal with her in some particular causes touching himself wherein if he should falsify his faith his comodity would be but small in respect of the living he presently enjoyeth in France I have of late granted Pasport alleadging that I am now so warned from home to certain Scotish men for that I see there is no cause of feare France being so well enclined toward us as they are And as for Flanders they begin now to stand upon their guard c. At Nantes the 26 of May 1571. Your Honours to command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honourable Fr. Walsingham Esq the Queen Majesties Ambassador in France SIr you must beare with my slow dispatches in returning your servants for that I cannot obtain such resolutions as may give cause to write whereupon I am forced to beare here patiently the lack I find and you must do the like on your part hoping that Deus dabit meliora Now I send away this bearer meaning and hoping to send herewith the great answer and to give you some light hereof Thus it is the French Ambassador upon the receipt of his last answers agreeable with your Letters pressed the Queens Majestie to have the rest of the Articles on her part which in no wise she would agree unto pretending that without a resolute answer to the Article of Religion this could not be wherewith the Ambassador was so wounded as indeed in conference with him I found him desperate of the matter and entred into passions But after some speechs used with him I pacified him with hope that the Q. Majestie might be by further perswasions induced to shew the rest of the Articles and so with some long labourious perswasions her Majestie was induced to agree that the Articles should be made ready and shewed as things earnestly pressed by that King and his Ambassador here with which pretence her Majestie thought her honour saved well hereof I was appointed to inform the Ambassador and then was I also commanded to put the Articles in readiness which were not unready as I conceived but ere I could finish them I was commanded to conclude them with a request to have Calais restored a matter so inconvenient to bring forth a marriage as indeed I thought it meant to procure a breach and so the matter continued in my opinion desperate but with good help it was remedied I desired that the Queens Majestie would let my Lord Marques the Earles of suffex and Leicester to see the Articles and so they did and very honorably and wisely gave counsell to forbeare that Toy of Calais and generally did further the prosecution of the marriage as a matter of all other most necessary at this time And now we take it that her Majestie intendeth it earnestly whereupon yesterday in the afternoone my Lord of Leicester and I have delivered unto the Ambassador a Copy of the Articles which at the first hearing he did not mislike what he will do this day I know not but certainly they are very reasonable Thus farre are we passed so I trust on Wednesday to dispatch Harcourt Yesterday came de Pine with Letters to my Lord of Leicester from the King the Q.