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 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
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
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
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
King saith was by the mean people how unmeet it were at this time to motion such a matter unto her Merchants who be now marvellously intimerated and before these murthers did hear not most willingly thereof because of divers evill treatments that they have suffered at Roan and divers other places and therefore this matter is to be suspended untill the Merchants may understand that the King shall have corrected the late murthers at Roan that they shall not attempt the like another time upon them and that they may perceive that the King is so willing to do justice upon the Catholiques which may have the murtherers that they may assure them that under his protection they may go safe and not fear the rage of the furious people As to the sending of the Earl of Leicester or Lord Treasurer after the Queens avouchment her Majesty indeed is very sorry that there is such an alteration of occasion of doing such an office for as her Majesty before had intention to have sent either one of them or such other as should be as agreeable to the King so now there is to all the world one great cause that her Majesty may not with honor nor with law of nature send any whom she loveth to be in danger as it seemeth they may be though the King have never so good a meaning For by the death of so many whom the King doth not avow nor yet punish the murtherers what surety can strangers have especially when the King pretendeth as by his own letters appeareth that it is the fury of the Catholiques against those of the Religion As to the difficulties found by her Ambassadors return and to leave a Secretary there in respect of the danger wherein he is at this time her Majesty thinketh that the King might otherwise think thereof for when he saith he will revoke also his Ambassador from hence if hers should come for a time It is well known with what liberty and surety his Ambassador may and doth travell in this Realm who may go when he will without danger and without fear of mind do his negotiation where contrariwise her Ambassador dare not go out of his doors without a guard being to his great charge and disquieting And so the Queens request is to have her Ambassador from thence but for such a time as the tempest may cease in France and the murtherers be in awe of the King by Justice REQUESTS That the Kings Declarations maintained in his Letters for our Merchants good usage at Burdeaux and elswhere may be published in print as his otheâ— Edicts are That it may be also notified that the King will have the English Merchants restored to their goods which were left in the hands of his subjects that have been murthered for that many of them in Roan and elswhere were by way of Merchandise indebted to the English That for the hearing of English complaints for causes both in Normandy and Gascoigne there might be some extraordinary indifferent Commissioners to hear the same with expedition whereupon if the Merchants shall find favour and justice they may be the more easily induced to allow the Conditions of a Commerce To the right honorable and his very good Lord the Earl of Leicester IT may please your Lordship to understand that by certain that returned from Frankfort Mart I understand that one of the Gentlemen that departed hence with intention to accompany your Nephew Mr. Philip Sidney to Heâ—delberg died by the way at a place called Bladin in Lorain who by divers conjectures I took to be the Dean of Winchester who as I advertised your Lordship by Mr. Argall I employed to encounter the evill practices of your said Nephews servants If therefore your Lordship he now being void shall not speedily take order in that behalf if already it be not done the young Gentleman your Nephew shal be in danger of a very lewd practice which were great pitie in respect of the rare gifts that are in him Touching news I refer your Honor to these inclosed occurents and the report of this Bearer to whom I have given order to communicate certain things unto you And so leaving further to trouble your Honor at this present I most humblie take my leave At Paris the 17 of October 1572. Your Honours to command Fr. Walsingham To the right worshipful Francis Walsingham Esq her Majesties Ambassador resident in France SIR I shewed to the Queens Majesty and my Lords of the Councell both your letters to me written the 8 of this instant the one contained your negotiation the other was a discourse both wisely written and very well liked On Thursday last Monsieur du Crocque was here and had audience given him by my Lord Treasurer my Lord Chamberlain and my Lord of Leicester because the Queens Majesty was not at time perfectly whole of the small Pox as the Physicians did say although her Majesty and a great sort more will not have it so now it makes no matter what it was thanks be to God she is perfectly whole and no sign thereof left in her face On Sunday he had his answer given unto the Steward of his house the sum and substance whereof I send you here inclosed whereby you may know his negotiation which was long in words to make us believe better of that King then yet we can and replied as I understand liberally enough although in that Prince and Countrey who have so openly and injuriously done against Christ who is Truth Sincerity Faith Pitie Mercy Love and Charity nothing can be too sharply and severely answered Yet Princes you know are acquainted with nothing but Doulceur so must be handled with Doulceur especially amongst and between Princes And therefore to temperate as you may perceive not that they may think the Queens Majesty and her Councell such fools that we know not what is to be done and yet that we should not appear so rude and barbarous as to provoke where no profit is to any man I think I for my part do not doubt but you will use this answer as you were wont gravely and wisely for the King there will look to have it as well at your hands as at his Ambassadors You are carefull as wisdom doth lead you of the wel-doing here in England which needs must be well esteemed of her Majesty and all her Councell and I tell you we are not so remiss and negligent as peradventure another that knoweth not would think In time things be done unlooked for as well for mischief as that was in France as to good and remedy where God giveth grace and circumspection Truth it is that God disposeth all whatsoever a man doth purpose as Divines do say and it is his gift if wise men do provide for mischief to to come and yet whatsoever they do devise the event doth come of him onely who is the God of hope and fear beyond hope and expectation because you shall understand that even
Ambassador 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
there was in the marriage which proceeding all should be as her Majestie pleased and that if he had been otherwise understood either he did not deliver his mind so clearly as he did mean or else his meaning was mistaken of us and of his Deputies for that he did never mean but that the league offence and the Marriage should go together and not otherwise Having heard this his Majesties conclusion and repeated it unto him I the Secretary said That seeing his Majestie was so resolved her Highness had in that case commanded me to return home my service being more needful there then here for causes which I remembred unto him and that he might think himself of some â—it time to treat further of these matters praying his Majestie to appoint when I might receive his commandments to her Majestie and to take my leave He said he would gladly have us at this marriage of the Duke of Ioyeuse the eighteenth of this moneth but seeing her Majestie had commanded me to return it should be when I would using many speeches full of affection to her Majestie to be uttered at my return to her Highness Then we went to the Queen Mother and rehearsed unto her what had passed by the King Whereunto she used in substance the like speeches the King had done adding more plainly that they feared such a league being made defensive and offensive the marriage would be clean broken with divers other speeches wherewith I think not needful to trouble her Majestie until my return At this time I the Secretary prayed Queen Mother to think well of these matters being of such importance against the time that I should come to take my leave of the King and her and so for that time we departed And for that we might doubt of some alteration we did forbear to send away this Corrier until we had taken our leave which was upon Thursday the twelfth of this present at which time there passed nothing from the King and Queen Mother but ordinary complements and specially recommending the Marriage Paris the 13 of September 1581. Francis Walsingham Henry Cobham Iohn Sommers Reservatio 12 Septembris NOs Fransciscus Walsingham c. Henricus Cobham c. Johannes Sommers c. Omnibus ad quos presentes pervenerint salutem ut supra Denuo tres integros Menses adjiciendos censemus quos mensis Septembris die 12 incipere intelligimus In cujus rei Testimonium has literas nostras mannuum uostrarum subscriptione munimus Data ex urbe Parisiorum 12 Septemb. 1581. Francis Walsingham Henry Cobham Io. Sommers FINIS AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE of the most Remarkable Things A ALva Duke 40 45 46 48 137 139 268 269 Offers 30000 Ducats to ransom the Earl of Northumberland 75. Plots against the Queen 299 Ambition indures no bridle 143 Anjou Duke Hen. 25. See Hen. 3. and Marriage Anjou and Alanson Duke Francis offered for an Husband to the Queen 195 196 257 297 331 333. Unhandsom 343. Of good parts 413 Against Rochel 308. A great Servant to the Queen 360 361 Answers to the French Embassador 271 By the Lord Burleigh concerning the Match with Duke Francis 335. See 348 Antonio of Portugal 354 379 388 393 394 398 421. 434 Anvile Marshal of France 343 Aremberg Grave 370 Argile Earl 4 36 299. A Traitor 302. Alwayes false 312 Arran Earl 412 Arras â—ardinal 123 Athol Earl 302 Aumale Duke 275 295 306 Austrian House the Popes Champion 121 Austria Don John 137 221 288. B Bedford Earle 13 Bellieure Monsieur 381 Beni Massino 271 Birac 95 Biron Baron 27 258 Bisegno Abbot 358 Bothwel Earle 13 151 Boughquien Lord 302 Brandenburgh Marquiss 301 303 Bricqmault Mons 34 Bricquemont hanged 278 379 282 Brulart Secretary of France 265 Buckhurst Lord 18 20 31 42 49 68. 69 Bull of Rome against the Queen 49 Bullen Duke 258 C Calliac Mons. 21 Cambray besieged by the Prince of Parma 381 384 385 Campian the Iesuite taken betrayes his friends 373 Candale Mons. 343 Capteni Thomas 94 Carew Francis 283. 285 Cassels Arch-Bishop a Traitor 58 73 74 75 77 Cavalcant Mons. 66 69 82 Cavannes Mons. 7. Hanged 279 Cecyl Sir William Baron Burleigh 51 An enemy to Popery 72 Zealous for the French match 81 115 234 153 Wearied with an idle Parliament 94 Complains of the Queens mercy 164 For the English honour ill used in Libels 327 328 Sincere 133 336 Hated by the Spaniards 162 164 Charles the Fifth 123 Arch Duke 98 Charls the Ninth of France 5. Puls down the Cross at Paris 151 The greatest dissembler of his age 49 82 83 118 122 124 125 135 143 144 161 169 173 220 251 252 306. Bloody 279 Chartres Vidam in England 260 263 265 Chastel Herault Duke 4 296 303 315 333 Chasteauneuâ— 333 334 Chastilion Cardinal 51 Clanlicard Earl 238 Cobham Sir Henry 22 67 71 285 356 Colignie Admiral of France 6 122 135 154 233 234 His advice to his King 241 Colonna Prospero 357 Commissioners to treat concerning the French Match 348 Como Cardinal 358 Common Prayer Book of England not indured by Papists 97 Conde Prince 6 17 122 240 Forced to go to Masse 245 Conference between Sir Francis Walsingham and Mons. de Foix 90 Betwixt Queen mother and Sir Francis Walsingham 429 Duke Montmorency and the English Lords 214 Crosse Marshal of France 151 258 388 Will not obey the Kings verbal command 396 Cotton Sir Thomas 57 Croque 165 177 181 202 203 D Dale Doctor 310 311 333 Darlie Lord Husband of the scots Queen 13 Derby Earl 303 De Foix Mons. 62 65 67 69 109. In England 129 218 317 318 De l'Archant 89 De la Guord Baron 266 280 305 332 De la Haye a faithless French man 57 De la Roche 33 34 95 167 168 Denmark King 183 Drake See Fran. 379 Dun Briton Castel taken 78 E Edenburgh the London of Scotland 334 Elizabeth Queen of England favours not the rebels of other Princes careful of the French of the Religion 2 3 19 23 A Monarch 3 Accountable to none for her actions 10 Had a Negative voice as it seems in Parliaments 203 215 219 Seems to desire the Match with Henry of France 29 40 Will not allow him the exercise of his Religion 65 66 89 98 110 111 113 129 130 132. See 330 335 339 340 See 115 116 138 155 199 Will not have the second Marriage go on 374 Pretends the dislike of her subjects to avoid it 354 Against any worship but of her owne Church 99 Irresolute as to the execution of the Duke of Norfolk 165 Enterview Betwixt the Queens of England and France propounded 271 272 277 For the young King of the Scots 178 Her civility to the Navarrois Queen Admiral c. 210 211 How she takes the Massacre 247 248 259 Sick of the Smal-Pox 274 Likes not the proceedings of France against Law 297 Protects the French fugitives and why 319 344. intercedes for them 263 265. Too sparing 372 375 379 387.
See Walsingham Abhors a war 374 377 Forward to advance the revolt of the Low-Countries 379 381 388 Cold in the cause of the Bastard Don Antonio 379 388 Aides him 383 Emden Countess 149 England no Country once so free from impositions 21 English how thought of by the French 325 Zealous Subjects for the Queen 335 341 Escars 8 Este Cardinal 357 F Felton sets up Pius his Bull against the Queen 49 Feria Duke 59 Ferrara Duke 42 43 Fernihurst Lord 373 Fitzmorris Iames 42 167 168 347 Flemming Lord 78 139 181 183 Flushing Rebels 217 Francis the Second of France 12 Francis of Anlanson and Anjou See Anjou Duke French greatness dangerous 127 Disorders in Government 240 246 Spoil the English 265 Their falsenesse and dissembling 276 Desirous to get Leicester and Burleigh into France 277 G Galloway Bishop 77 Gilbert Sir Hâ—mphrey 299 Glasgow Arch Bishop 299 302 Grandmont Mons. 267 Graunge Governour of Edenburgh Castle 151 152 Gray Baron Deputy of Ireland 359 373 389 Guarda Bishop 358 Guise house 36 for the Scots Queen 192 240 Duke 267 269 275 295 314 428. Cardinal 280 H Hamilton Earl 138 Hanging of Gentlemen not used in France 279 282 Harris Baron 134 Hawkins Sir Iohn 126 379 Henry the II King of France 12 Henry the III forbids exercise of Religion to the Hugonots 356 Earnest for the match with his brother and the League 376 Will have no League Offensive without it 440 His great charges in the Treaty 397 Henry the IV Prince of Navarre 16 245 Hosteni Duke 221 Hugonots of France 2 3. run themselves into the Kings nets 122 Their Lands on sale 245 Great servants of the English Queen 135 Love not the Cross 151. See Massacre Hume Lord 214 320 329 Hunsdon Baron 151 Huntley Earl 138 312 315 333 I Jenlis 223. defeated in Henault 225 Jersie Iland 272 Jesuites mortal enemies to the Queen 172 173 Inn Keepers of Kent 21 Inquisition 123 Instructions for the Earl of Worcester 318. For Sir Fra. Walsingham 352 For a League with France 355 Joyeuse Duke 294 440 K Katherine Queen Mother of France 6 12 35. per tot c. Killigrew Henry 145 Kirkaldie Iames 302 L Languedoc Hugoâ—ots rebel 294 Lansac Mons. 24 49 239 La Valette â— Leagues how made 171 414. With France publick and secret 355 Not liked without the Match 364 365 388 366 367 368 399 392. Causes of it 372 374 403 422 423. Leicester his good and pious sentences 47 51 69 82 105 116 324. To be fastned for the Match 104. Slights the Earle of Worcester 312 Lennox Earle 138 Levingston Lord 4 77 244 312 326 334 Liberty under the English Princes heretofore as great as any where 61 Lidington Lord 152 137 244. Lincoln Eâ—â—le Lord Admiral sent into France 201 205 219. Lodowick Count of Nassaw 54 121 123 176 184 333. Notably cheated by the French King 125 258 Longaville Duke 50 Lorrain Cardinal 8 38 73 74 77 123 167 168 314 331. Duke 88 301 Loughleuin Lord 302 Low-Countries the pretence of their Revolt 123 M Maine Duke 395 Malicorn Mons. 27 Mannesiere Mons. 240 265 287 288 297 298 299 301 304 305 307. Mary Queen of Scots 4 10 11 12 13 137 139 152. Not to be spoken for 321 Margaret of France reads the Bible 122 Martinengo Count 306 Marre Earl 138 299 Marriage treated betwixt Henry of Navarre and Margaret of France 122 135. Doubts in it 182 183 Betwixt the Queen and Henry of Anjou designed 55. Instructions concerning it 61 62 63. See 68 69 70 Articles of it 83 84 85 86 131 132. Counsellors imployed in it 66 83. Carryed on inconstantly 133. Not taken in earnest by the French 67. Betwixt the Queen and Francis of Anjou 218 226 227 229 230 330 331 336 339. Eagerly pursued 360 361 362. See 390 Marriage Solemnity betwixt Princes of different Faiths 175 Medina Coeli Duke 189 195 Memorials for Mr. Sommers 384 385 Mendoza thrust out of England for practising against the Queen 163 Mildmay Sir Walter Monluc Marshal 8 Montmorency Duke 8 97 102 108 151 188. In England 201 218 231 240 Monts in Henault besieged 245 taken 258 M organ General 217 M oreton Earl 77 138 244 299 Beheaded 431 Moth Fenelon French Embassador 30 90 138 141 c. Murther on shooters hill 347 N Navarre King turned by his wife 91 Queen 24 176 182 183 Nemours Duke 50 Nevers Duke 238 258 300 New star 299 Norfolk Duke 134. His plots discovered 137 140 148 Norris Sir Henry 19 18 19 20 22 23 Northumberland Earl 3 75 Executed 237 Nouë Mous. 184 297 301. Persidious 332 O Odonnel 359 373 Ogleby Lord 312 Olivarez Conde 40. More grave then wise 56 Orange Prince 48 122 144. To have been 〈…〉 of Bâ—abant c. if the Spaniard could have been beaten out 128. See 225 226 240. Retires into Germany 267 269 295 333 Ormond Earl 238. Discontented 373 Oxford Earl 134. Married to the Lord Burleighs daughter 164 P Parliament of 1571. impertinently busie 94. Bloody 203 219 Parma Prince 381 384 Perrot Sir John 347 Philip the second of Spain entertains the Queens fugitives 58 59. How he carried things towards the Queen 369 370 Pinart Secretary of France 23 31 122 305 309 375 Plots upon Ireland 58 Poigney Mons. 4 Popes Authority in England destructive to the Crown 4. Designs again England 36 Princes have no other bridle but Religion 91 Princes of Germany of the Reformed Churches 301 R Rebellion in the North coloured with Religion 3 Rhee Iland taken by the Rochellers 301 Religion is a constant perswasion confirmed by time 191. Cannot be more then a pretence to invade what is another mans 155 Ridolf 95 137 Rochel in rebellion 280 297 301 302 Besieged 331 Rolph a counterfeiter of the Kings hand 266 Romero Juliano 27 Ross Bishop 5. 77. restrained 107. in the Tower 151 Roulart Canon of Nostre Dam murthered 246 Rutland Earl 39 42 141 S Saint Andrewes Arch-Bishop taken 78 Sancerre besieged 332 348 Savoye Duke 287 293 303 Schomberg Baron 332 Scots Lords come to treat concerning their Queen without a Commission 77. Everlasting Rebels 101. Yet will not live without a Prince of their own 178. Gracious in France 244. Will do any thing for money 249 320 324 329. Seton Baron 27 36 95 177 181 Sidney Sir Henry 82 Sir Philip in France at the time of the Massacre 250. of rare parts 273 Skeldon 36 Smith Sir Thomas 51 54 134 152. imployed in France 153. Thinks Charles the Ninth a faithful Prince 169 180 261 318 Sommers Henry 354 Sora Duke 356 Spaniards of what carriage 56. Ambitious enemies to England 121. Conquer Portugal 358 Spanish greatness dangerous 354 355. Mony arrested 81 Spinoâ—a Cardinal 59 Story Doctor will not swear allegiance Hanged 105 Strozzi Peter 95 188 189 217 251 294 359 Stukeley 36 41. Knighted by the Spaniard 56 59. in disgrace 105 Suffex Earl 5 T Tauannes Viscount 258 Terçaera holds for Don Antonio 421 Tilignie Mons. 276 Time a great advantage in the minority of Princes 298 Throgmorton Sir Nicholas 45 287 Treaties of Princes Of the Queen with Charles the IX 155 156 157 158 c. 185. With Henry the III passages and propositions in it 399 400 401 423 Tresham Sir Thomas 390 Turein Vicount 367 385 V Valentinois Bishop 302 Valx Lord will take no Oath to the Queen 290 Venetians at sea 312 Victory at Lepanto 149 150 Viracque Mons. 137 315. taken 334 342 Vitelli Marquiss of Colona 44 48 223 Vimioso Conde 394 434 W Walsingham Sir Francis Embassador in France 1 c. Received by the King 22 23. Much mistaken in his French Creed 82 83 104 118 122 144 173 252. Calls Charls the IX sincere pius inimicus c. 175. Confesses his overmuch confidence 257. See 270 Thinks the French King the only dissembler 300. Sets spiâ—s over the Lord Seton acts without war◠〈…〉 Earnest for the match 96. Perswades to war with Spain 127. Would turmoil all other Princes and why 128. Undermines a Iesuite 172. Desires only not to lose by his service 188. His opinion of the Spaniards 234. Ill used in France 242. Called off 253. The Queenâ— great opinion of him 263 and love 275. Advises against the Queen of Scots life 267 268. Fearful every where of the Queens sparing 303 c. 357 426 427. Too open 322. Poor in France 326 327. Sent again into France 352. Blames the Queen and why 408. Calls the Scots Queen bosom Serpent 427. returnes 440. War when and what just 127. Necessary where 128 Westmoreland Earl 3 143 275 299 Williams Sir William 313 Worcester Earl 307. Abused by Leicecester 312. His instrnctions for his French Embassy 318. Dishonorably dealt with by the French 327. Will not see his sister the wife of a Rebel 328 Writing to the Scots Queen in linnen 328 * Quâ—re †Quere My Lord of Kildares man in the Tower hath by some fear of the Rack confessed all to be true wherewith he was charged which is to be kept awhile secret until some persons may be apprehended
with sickness or to follow his pleasures refer me over to his mother or to Monsieur his brother Whether it be her Majesties pleasure I shall treat with them For that the King giveth a deaf eare to a long negotiation whether having occasion to deal with him from her Majestie in some matter of weight and length I shall not exhibite the same to him in writing declaring first by mouth the effect thereof and if I shall exhibite it in writing whether her Majestie shall not think it most expedient to deliver the same either in Italian or Latin for avoiding of such Cavelling as may be made upon the translation to French whereof Sir Henry Norris hath had experience How far forth and in what sort from time to time I shall deal with the Rebells that presently are retired into France or hereafter shall retire How I shall behave my self in any publick Assembly towards the Ambassador aswell of Spain as of Portugall either in taking or giving place To my very loving Friend Francis Walsingham Esq appointed for Ambassador to the French King SIr I send you herewith the Queen Majesties instructions as they are finished and her Majesties pleasure is that you should not forbear your journey but proceed and if on the way you come to certain knowledge of the Kings speedier entrie into Paris meet to accelerat my Lord of Buckhurstes comming thither her Majestie would have you send some in haste back And so not well able to write any further but to end with my heartie wishing you a prosperous journey to your hearts desire 23 December 1570. Yours assuredly William Cecil Instructions â—iven to our trusty and wel-beloved servant Fra. Walsingham Esq presently sent to be our Ambassador Resident with our good Brother the French King the 19 of December 1570. ELIZABETH R. FOrasmuch as we are already determined to license our trustie and wel-beloved Sir Henry Norris Knight who hath of a long time served us faithfully as our Ambassador with the French King our good Brother to repaire over unto us and to leave that place and that we have made speciall choice of you upon a singular liking of your vertuousand good conditions to serve us in the same place wherein we trust our expectations shall be well satisfied of your fidelitie and diligence And for the rest also we doubt not but by the experience which you shall daiely have you shall be able to accomplish that which shall be requisite and for the better instruction of you we have thought meet to cause to be delivered unto you in writing these few things hereafter following by way of memoriall After you have delivered you letters and and bin presented to the King by our foresaid Ambassador whom you shall suceed for the doing whereof our said Ambassador can sufficiently direct you and will we doubt not but make good recommendations of you to the French King to the Queen Mother and others such as shall be thought meet we will that you shall use such speech unto them that it may appeare that your special Charge is to be a Minister for the conservation of the good Amitie that is betwixt us and the King and Consequently to preserve Concord and mutuall entercourse betwixt the Subjects of both our Countries according to the good Treaties that remaine betwixt us for that purpose and therefore considering you are so determined for your dutie sake to us and for the good that may ensue thereof you shall require them if at any time any thing to the contrarie shall be conceived of you as we trust shall not because you mean to give no occasion yet it may please them before any such judgement be conceived of you it may be in some wise declared as they may understand our answer wherewith you doubt not but to satisfie them Your office consisting of sundry parts the first and principall shall be to continue there aswell to execute our commandement and to deliver our letters and messages upon matters occurrent as to require and to receive answers and to the best that you can to procure thereupon reasonable and speedy resolutions as the nature of the matter shall import for the well doing whereof we must referre you hereafterwards to such particular directions as we shall send you by our speciall Letters whereby you shall be best directed in manner to proceed The second shall be to have continual regard to all manner of their doings there aswell private as publick that may be prejudiciall to us or our estate And therefore after good consideration and knowledge thereof had to advertise us diligently and secretly and to this end you shall do well to require of our said Ambassador your predecessor some good information by what means you may attaâ—n to the knowledge of things needfull and requisite and whom you may best trust and use to attaine to the more certenitie and if any thing be discovered unto you at any time that shall seem of importance that the information thereof may well abide the time of your advertisement to us and to answer again we leave it to your consideration and discretion to omit no time convenient but to resort to the King or some other as you shall think meet to declare what you understand and mislike and in what sort it is hurtfull to the Amitie betwixt us And therefore to require some information or some plain answer meet to be imparted to us for discharge of your duty And that in this behalf you shall not use by way of complaint upon any light intelligence but you do first by conference of things together find the matter to be true and worthy of complaint least hereafter lesse regard be had to you when you shall have just cause to complain The third is to have regard to such suites as our Subjects using the trade of Merchandise within those Realms shall have cause to make that they may have by your soliciting readie expedition with justice upon causes of depredations or arrests or any such injuries or molestations and therein to solicite such of the Kings Counsell as you shall find to have charge thereof letting them to understand that besides the bond of Justice whereunto they do direct the King such favourable expedition of our Subjects shall provoke us and our ministers to do the like and shall also breed mutuall love betwixt the Subjects on both parties and give cause to a more frequentation of intercourse of Merchants being a thing beneficiall to both the Realms And because you shall be the more able to understand and to treate in your conferences negotiation upon any thing generally touching the Amitie betwixt the King and us or more particularly for the deciding and determining of any causes that may come in controversie for the trade and intercourse of Merchandise betwixt the Subjects of both our Countries kingdoms you shall do well to have with you some Copies of the treaties now remaning in force betwixt us
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
the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Earl of Leicester BY your Lordships of the twentieth of October sent by Mr. Killegrew I conceive great hope of her Majesties consideration of my chargable living here and because your Lordship hath been a most earnest furtherer of the same I most humbly thank you as also for that it pleaseth your Lordship to promise the continuance of your said furtherance when occasion shall be offered wherein the same will stand you in any stead which I will presume with that boldness to use as I hope your Lordship will imploy me wherein your Honour may have any use of my poor service The cause of my present sending is to advertise of the victory had by sea of the Christian against the Turk The Conflict was the seventh of the last moneth not far from Câ—rfu between Morea and Lepanto There escaped as the Venetian Ambassador gave me to understand onely four of two hundred Gallies other particularities as then he knew not I send your Lordship also a little Pamphlet that they have put in print here touching the said victorie of what credit I know not Whatsoever shew the King here giveth of joy outwardly inwardlie he doth not best like of the victorie as that thing which addeth too great an increase of reputation to the King of Spain I think therefore no time more fit to treat of Amitie then at this present I do not therefore doubt but that your Lordship will urge her Majestie most earnestlie to take profit of the time by sending with convenient speed him over whom she meaneth to use in this behalf And so leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present I most humblie take my leave At Paris the seveâ—th of November 1571. Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To my assured Friend Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador in France and my brother in Law Henry Killigrew Esq and to either of them HAving this present occasion to send two of my Lord of Oxfords men to Paris at his Lordships request I thought good also therewith to send to you this little Treatise therewith newly printed in Latine in commending or discommending the Qu. of Scots actions to further her Marriage with Bothwel I hear it is to be translated into English with addition of many other supplements of like condition The Queens Majestie hath sent for my Lord Gray to come thither into France and if his health cannot serve him Sir Peter Gray shall come Her Majestie with furtherance of her whole Councel is certainly resolved to send one thither My Lord of Hunsdon is at Berwick by computation yesternight and his Commission is to set a good face upon the matter to bring Grange and the Castle to the Kings devotion if he cannot we of her Councel are of opinion that England shall inforce them And yet it shall do well that no such thing be notified to the French King My Lord Marquis dyed at Warwick on Sunday the loss of a good Councellour The case of the Duke of Norfolk falleth even out by branches to be more odious The B. of Ross is in the Tower where he uttereth many things right plainly and yet you need not be known thereof I pray let the bearers hereof if they shall have need of your friendship find that your friendship is readier for my commendations I think to marry my daughter at Christmass From Richmond the first of November 1571. Yours assuredly Wil. Burleigh To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh BEsides Mr. Killigâ—â—ws advertisements as from the Court I thought good to give your Lordship to understand what they do here at Paris The Marshal de Coss hath been here imployed of late by the French King in procuring a Loan which is granted and the same is presently in leavying the people murmur much at it and yet do not refuse to pay it Marshal Montmorency repaired to this Town the third of this moneth accompanied with 300 horse The next day after his arrival he and the Marshal de Coss conferred with the chief of this Town about the plucking down of the Cross which was resolved on and the same presently put in execution the Masons employed in that behalf being guarded by certain Harquebusâ—ers The common people ease their stomacks onely by uttering certain seditious words which is born withal for that was doubted the Protestants by the overthrow of this Cross receive greater comfort and the Papists the contrary Touching my particular I find it will be the latter end of the next moneth before I shall return to my charge for that I am diseased by three sundry Carnosities which will require the longer time in the cure Thus much I thought good to give your Lordship to understand for that I fear her Majestie will think somewhat otherwise in my long stay here And so leaving further to trouble your Lordship at this present I most humbly take my leave the seventh of Decemb. 1571. Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq her Majesties Ambassador Resident in France SIr the bearer hereof is one whom you may trust as I am informed And if he shall require you to send any his Letters to be conveyed into Scotland he is content that they shall come into my hands whereby I shall not be the worse informed of things meet to be known He can shew you both of Scotlands causes and of Englands Sir Thomas Smith is ready to depart thitherward from hence to morrow if the French Ambassadors Negotiation here with her Majestie this afternoon whilest I am writing this Letter do not prolong the same My Lord of Oxfords servants were constrained by contrary winds to tarry at Callis so as they came not hither before Sunday last at which time came also Fiasco the Genevoise who had likewise stayed at Callis for the same purpose and at his coming he maketh all to be sound between Spain and France and would not be known of the Spanish Ambassadors passage into the Low Countrey nor of any thing done in Henault and yet he did not understand by us here that he had any knowledge thereof from you And so I end wishing to hear of your amendment by Physick At Greenwich the fifth of December 1571 Yours assuredly William Burleigh To the Right honourable Francis Walsingham Esq her Majestes Ambassador Resident in France SIr such sufficient persons of understanding credit and acquaintance as this bearer Sir Thomas is may serve to excuse me from writing of any long Letters and therefore I mean to touch things by notes and peice-meals He can tell you of the Duke of Norfolks case but percase not when nor how it takes end neither can I help him to inlarge his knowledge but I think the Queens Majestie will therein deal more substantially then many do imagine He can tell you how straitly the Queen of Scots is kept having now but ten persons of her own of all
potentissimum principem fratrem nostrum charissimum Gallorum regem residenti salutem Cum in tractatu qui inter Legatos nostros ad praedictam Principem missos ejusque serenissimi Regis Deputatos intercedit de amicitia pace renovanda augenda quae inter praedictum regem nos nostraque regna dominia subditos existit certi articuli de mercatorum nostrorum hinc inde comerciis negotiatione propositi fuerint de quibus propemodum quidem inter utrumque convenit nisi quod ante praefatam rei consummationem necessarium sit quosdam tà m à nostro quà m à praedicti regis parte constitui qui cum mercatorum prudentium consilio deliberent sintne illi articuli satìs ad rem aptè amplè compositi an vero alios quosdam immitores adjici expediat quibus commercii negotiorum ratio commodius regi exerceri possit Nos igitur de homine ad hanc rem idoneo cogitantes deque tua prudentia virtute industria in res nostras fide confidentes mandatorum procuratorum seu deputatum nostruÌ„ creamus constituimus per praesentes ut cum consilio principalium nostrorum si qui in illis partibus fuerit cum Regis praedict deputatis agas tractes unaque cum illis ea consideres statuas quae ad coâ—tinuendam augendam commercii intercessus necessitudinium necessaria vidâ—buntur Itemque de mertium vectigalibus tributis porteriis impositionibus iisque conditionibus quae ad mercatorum comertii libertatem securitatem pertinebunt rationes ineas Deque iis omnibus nos certiores facias ut re prope inspecta considerata quod é re fuerit decernamus concludamus quod ipsum simile à dict ' regis Legato hic fiet qui simile vicissim ab ipso rege mandatum habiturus est Et generaliter ut ea omnia tractes facias quae ad hanc rem necessaria erunt in tam amplis modo forma ac si in singulis magis speciale Mandatum haberes In cujus rei testimonium has litteras patentes â—ieri sigilli nostri impressione communi missimus Dat. in Regia nostra sancti Jacobi die mensis Maii Anno Dom. 1572. Regni vero nostri 14. Instructions given to the Earl of Lincoln Lord Admiral of England and one of the Lords of her Majesties privy Councel appointed by her Majestie to repair to the French King in Ambassage and at his arrival at Paris or elsewhere to be assisted for the execution of the matter underwritten with Sir Th Smith Chancellor of the Order and Fr. Walsingham Ambassador resident for her Majesty with the French King at St. Iames May 25. 1572. THe said L. Admiral shal have with him both Commission under the great Seal of England authorizing him and S. Th. Smith and Fr. Walsingham and Letters also to require the French K. to confirm the last treaty concluded at Blois by his oath whereupon he shall proceed first after his access to the K. obtaining by the Ambass resident for the demand of the said oath as is meet for the honor of the League of amity now concluded between their Maj. using therein all good speeches to assure him that according to such express words as are contained in the same Treaty for a mutual love and amity to be hereafter used and maintained between them her Maj. is fully bent in her heart to maintain the same on her part the rather because she doth assuredly hope that the K. wil do the like whereof his Maj. by his Ambass that he hath sent in the time of the late Treaty and negotiation of the same shewed many manifest arguments of his own special favourable directions of matters at sundry times resting in doubt between her Commissioners and his Maj. to more reasonable ends as appeared then otherwise would have 〈◊〉 ordered by his Ministers And so the L. Admiral having in this manner assured the K. of her Maj. ful and resolute determination to imbrace and hold fast this mutual amity he shal say that his coming thither is to visit the K. on her Maj. behalf and to attend upon his leasure and best oportunity to be present and to receive the K. oath to be made for ratifying of the said Treaty according to a clause in the said Treaty for that purpose And when the K. shal have accorded thereunto the said L. Admiral shal before hand percase by som privat conference had with some of the Secretaries of the State how and in what sort the ceremonies therof shall be observed so as the proceeding may be at the time at the solemnity thereof without any alteration And for the better proceeding herein the Lord Admiral shall have with him both Articles of the Treaties requiring the said oath and the manner form of like oath given by the said K. heretofore in like cases And the instrument also to be demanded in writing for testimony of the said oath with such other things as are thereto requisite so as the like manner may be used as near as may be agreeable to former usages and that there be with him present to assist him S. Th. Smith and the Ambass resident if they may be there to help And as for the place where the said oath should be given the said L. Admiral shal not refuse any that the K. shal appoint foreseeing only that he be not by reason thereof compelled to be present at any Mass to be said for the purpose but if it be in Church or Chappel he shal not refuse to require to take it in the same Furthermore although there is no other cause special of the sending of the L. Admiral at this time to the said K but to require his oath yet for that there may be many occasions offered of speeches in the matters where it shal be looked for that the said L. Admiral should answer the said K. to his satisfaction Therfore he wil in these things following accommodate himself as hereafter is mentioned wherein the said L. Admiral shal as occasion shall serve take the help of Sir Th. Smith who is also herein well acquainted In the matter of Scotland although the said L. Admiral be privy in what sort her Maj. hath hitherto proceeded so as he may by consideration thereof conjecture what is likely further to be her Maj. meaning yet to make her case the more plain he may wel hold opinion tht her Maj. meaneth not any thing more then that the Realm of Scotland may be brought to quietness and remain free from any invasion of any stranger wherby the liberty of that Crown and Nation should be impaired And he may wel remember of his own knowledge how often times since the Scotch Q. coming into our Realm we have bin wel disposed to have obtained an accord betwixt her and her Subjects but always when we were most earnest to have done her pleasure therein she
proves an unreasonable charge to great numbers to the Queens Majestie having her offices of Houshold at Dover and her provisions thereby lost The Earl of Pembroke Lord Windsor and the Lord Buckhurst be at Dover with great and mighty trains Besides hither are come such leavies of Ladies to attend as husbands curse the delay The Queens Majestie is in health The Scotish Queen shall be touched with an Act of Parliament but it will not draw her to any more fear to offend then words will do From S. Iames the sixth of Iune 1572. Your assured loving Friend William Burleigh To my very loving Friend Francis Walsingham Esq her Majestes Ambassador Resident in France MR. Walsingham forasmuch as my Nephew Philip Sidney is licensed to travel and doth presently repair unto those parts with my Lord Admiral I have thought good to commend him by these my Letters friendly unto you as unto one I am well assured will have a special care of him during his abode there He is young and raw and no doubt shall find those Countreys and the demeanors of the people somewhat strange unto him and therefore your good advice and counsel shall greatly behove him for his better direction which I do most heartily pray you to vouchsafe him with any friendly assistance you shall think needful for him His father and I do intend his further travel if the world be quiet and you shall think it convenient for him otherwise we pray you we may be advertised thereof to the end the same his travels may be thereupon directed accordingly As for the boy Clark since I cannot obtain him as I desire I must content me I wish I had one of my Lord Cardinals Monks to see how devoutly he should be kept here But I pray you let it appear that it is great unkindness for one Nobleman to use unto another The boy hath sought sundry ways to return unto me as well by Letters to his Friends as by supplications to my self but I mind not to have him so The cause that I did so earnestly seek him was to punish him in example of others which if it will not be I will leave it for a time and hope to give you knowledge where he is shortly trusting you will give order that he may be suddenly apprehended And thus being forced to trouble you with a triâ—tle amongst so many great causes in these days with my commendations I bid you most heartily farewel From the Court the six and twentieth of May 1572. Your very Friend Ro. Leicester To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh IT hath pleased my Lord of Lincoln to promise me upon his experience had of the intollerable charges here through the daily increase of death to confer with your Lordship in what sort he may best deal with her Majestie for increase of my diet considering otherwise that I shall not be able to hold out my monethly charges drawing now to two hundred pounds the moneth notwithstanding my diet is thin my family reduced to as small a proportion as may be and my horse being onely twelve These things might seem unto your Lordship altogether incredible were there not so many Noblemen and Gentlemen to witness the same by their experience lately had of the extreme dearth here I have made my Lord acquainted how much I am bound to your Lordship and of the fatherly care it pleaseth you to have of me and that therefore I have besought him in moving or not moving her Majestie to yield to such directions as by conference it shall seem good unto you to give him for that I would be loth to procure any thing to be done that may not fall out to your Lordship contentation And so leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present I most humbly take my leave From Paris the two and twentieth of Iune 1572. Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To my very loving friend Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador for the Queens Majestie in France SIr I cannot let any your servants pass hence without some word I have looked for some knowledge of my L. Admirals arrival at Paris and thereupon stayed to send away this bearer until now that I hear by the French Ambassadors Letters hovv my Lord and you have been feasted and entertained which they here do give out with large speeches but how indeed the same is warranted I know not sure I am that they have been so feasted and entreated as none in my memory hath been greater The Queens Majestie before she gave her oath made a protestation that she was not in mind to break any jot of the Treaty and though the Castle of Hume and Fast Castle were not delivered yet the fault was not in her for she had propounded to the Lord Hume and to the Regent also her disposition to deliver it but the Lord Hume required that her Majestie vvould keep it still rather then deliver it so as it bred not an increase of their hateful dissention And hereupon her Majestie hath propounded to the Regent to be content that the Lord Hume may have it if he will be content to acknovvledge the King vvhich the Lord Hume offereth in vvords but the Regent saith that the Lord Hume hath promised to offer his obedience to the King to recover his houses and then he will ayd them of the Castle and this is indeed discovered to be true Besides this Fast Castle was in my Lord Humes hands but as a Tutor to an infant who is come to full age and followeth the Kings part Truly you may thus report to the King and assure him that her Majestie meaneth not to keep the one or the other although she might pretend matters against the Lord Hume for the damage that he did to England in keeping the Rebels in those Houses and invading the Realm From Westminster in haste the twentieth of Iune 1572. Yours assuredly William Burleigh The form of the Communication with the D. Montmorency de Foix and de la Mot which they had to finish matters expressed in the Treaty Iune 1571. present the Lord Keeper the Earls of Suffex and Leicester the Lord Chamberlain and Burleigh Mr. Comptroler Sir Ralph Sadler and Sir Walter Mildmay THe French by de Foix required That the Scotish Queen might have some favour upon the conclusion of this Treaty betwixt the Queens Majestie and the French King and that such favour might be shewed as might be granted with the surety and honour of the Queens Majestie That a surcease of Arms might be made in Scotland and thereupon a Parliament in Scotland and concord to be made for the State and Realm And if a Parliament could not be conveniently had that then there might be sent hither from both parties some persons to treat here a London with Deputies of the Queens Majesties and the French Kings That some order might be made concerning the establishing of a Traffique for Merchants in France wherein
think one of the other nothing doth so much rule both parties as to have their own opinions satisfied and seeing that in respect thereof nothing can make so full a satisfaction to us for our opinion nor percase in him of us in respect of the opinion he may conceive of the excess of our years above his as that either of us might by some convenient means with our own eyes satisfie our own conceits A matter we know somewhat difficult but yet such as in like cases hath been yielded to us though by other impediments not perfected And nevertheless how this may be granted or allowed by the King and the Queen Mother to be done without offence we do leave it to them in whom we perceive by our Ambassadors speech their stay consisted when the Duke himself both by his Letters to the Ambassador as otherwise hath shewed himself thereto disposed that is to come hither in person for the which we cannot but greatly esteem his love and affection that he beareth to us This you may say is as much as we can conceive of the matter and if it were not for the desire we have to deal plainly in this matter being so much provoked by the great good will we find in them there we would not in that sort propound such a matter neither do we otherwise propound it but that it may be friendly interpreted and not to conceive that thereby we mean any abuse to the disgrace of the Duke whom we have great cause to love and esteem but that surely in this sort our opinion by sight may be satisfied which otherwise we perceive cannot be by report of any others for that none of our own dare adventure to deliver their advice for our own liking of him as the case is we plainly affirm that so as the difficulty of the matter of Religion be provided for and that all other points concerning the marriage may be performed as was communed upon in the person of Monsieur de Anjou we find â—o cause of doubt but that the King and Queen Mother shall obtain their desire And after you have declared thus much and because it is likely that they will object that either this purpose of his coming over to us cannot be granted in respect of the honour of the King for that heretofore no like usage hath been in the Marriages of the children of France with any strange Prince or that they shall doubt that this is by us in such sort propounded as thereby to increase our own reputation without any intent to marry him though his person might not mislike us To such objections you may answer thus To the first you may say as of your self that you are not so acquainted with their own stories and with the marriage of the children of France yet you dare affirm that you know there can be no example shewed of the like of this that is that either elder Son of France or any younger was at any time to be matched in Marriage with such a Prince having such Kingdoms as we have by whom such an advancement might have grown as may by Marriage with us both to the Duke himself and to the King and Crown of France and therefore this special cause can have no former example answerable to rule this but this ought to be followed with all manner of means and all respects set aside And as to the second part that may be objected you shall affirm certainly in our name that we have no meaning hereby to gain any particular estimation to our self but do plainly and simply seek hereby to procure the satisfaction of our own mind in this difficulty as touching his person wherein no other of our own dare deal with us nor we can otherwise be satisfied And for the preservation of the Dukes estimation and honour we shall be as carefull as his own brother the King shall be And therefore you shall conclude that howsoever we have thus propounded our own conception in the matter we desire not that the King or the Queen Mother should do or consent to any thing that might any wise seem for them dishonourable to the Duke Finally if you shall perceive that they shall stick only upon the reputation of his honour that is to come and not be allowed for his person you may as of your self propound it as you see cause that the matter of Religion may be outwardly so left in dispence as the breaking off if any so should follow either on his part or on ours may to the world be thereto imputed And besides that his coming may be secretly and privatly without any outward pomp or shew whereof we leave the consideration to themselves Given under our Signet at Gorambury the 25 of July 1572. in the fourteenth year of our Reigne To the right honorable and my very good friend Francis Walsingham Esq her Majesties Ambassador in France SIr I am privately so occupied as I cannot write much and if I had I could not write much more then the Queens Majestie hath done in her Letters by the first you may perceive what was intended and by the second what she would to be amended Surely she findeth the Marriage to be necessary for her and yet the opinion of others misliking of the party for his person doth more hinder her purpose then her own conceit I see such extremities on both sides as I can make no choice for no Marriage all evils must be looked for and by Marriage without liking no good can be hoped therefore to God I leave it I see your Negotiation shall be full of 〈◊〉 God direct you The Queen is very irresolute to these As to country matters I can write no more and now I am out of the Office of the Secretary and yet I cannot be discharged of my ordinary cares From 〈◊〉 the 27 of July 1572. Your assured Friend W. Burleigh To the â—ight Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq her Majesties Ambassador Resident in France SIth my last writing to you there hath been no news worth the writing all mens eyes and ears are now occupied in expectation of the events of Flanders and the Low-Countrie We say here that they of 〈◊〉 be very strong and have sent over Sir Humsrey Gilbert with his Band of Englishmen and some Frenchmen who hath taken certain Towns of Sluse and assieged the Castle That Bruges did consult whether they should receive the Protestants and Sir Humsrey or no and doth incline rather to receive them then the Garrison of the Duke of Alva The Queens Majesty hath begun her Progress and from Havering instead of Enfield lay at Theobakls my Lord Treasurers House three daies now is merry at my Lord Keepers House called Gorambury beside St. Albans and to morrow goeth to Dunstable and the next day to Woborn and endeth her Progress at Windsor the 24 of September What Count Lodovâ—ck doth about â—onsieur in Henuaulâ— we have not so often news as in the
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
but both in this and all the rest of your Charge you will joyn your self with our Ambassador who for his Acquaintance and his Experience can very sufficiently inform you how to deal If any thing shall be moved to you for the Queen of Scots cause you may say that before your departure and within two or threes daies after that Monsieur de Poigney had been with us we had certain intelligence from Scotland that the Lord Levinston which was sent from the Queen of Scots to solicite the leavying of Arms and to bring some of the Nobilitie to confer both with us and her for ending of the troubles had been with the Duke of Chastelheranlte the Earl of Argile and others joyned with them before the 20 of the last moneth for so his own Letters do testifie to our Cousin the Earl of Sussex our Lieutenant upon our borders towards Scotland and that he found them well content with the Articles accorded by us with the French Ambassador and the Bishop of Ross and that he was well forward in his Commission so as we do look now daily both for a general ceasing of Arms there and for the access of the Noblemen on both parties of that Realm here to treat and conclude upon the Queen of Scots cause And if any further matter be moved unto you in this you shall say that you have no more to say therein When you have been with the King and entred so far into this Charge as our Ambassador and you may see likelihood of the end hereof we would be advertised with all speed possible And if our Ambassador and you think that the hastie yielding of the Deputies in their negociation may bring peril to the cause we think it good that they might be induced to stand somewhat hard therein as policie may serve them without making to them any further aids of money But as yet we do rather give them some countenance to use more earnestness for their own suretie Cecil To the Right Worshipful my very loving Friend Mr. Francis Walsingham Esquire SIr the French Ambassador hath sent hither a Servant of his to demand audience of the Queens Majestie who reporteth that he is to advertise her Majestie of the conclusion of the Peace which was published on Thursday last And for that I could not as yet this morning speak with her Majestie I thought good to give you signification thereof to the intent you might stay until I have herein spoken with her Majestie and by my next Letters advertise you whether her pleasure be that you should wholly stay or otherwise go on your journey with some other Instructions And so I wish you well to do from Chenys this Sundaie morning the 13 of August 1570. Your assured William Cecill To the Right Honorable Sir William Cecill Principal Secretary to her Majestie According to your Honours order I mean to stay till I hear further from you how her Majestie meaneth to dispose of my service and so in the mean time leaving to trouble you I most humblie take my leave From London the 13 of August 1570. Your Honors to Command Francis Walsingham To our trusty and well-beloved F. Walsingham Esq. presently sent unto the French King ELIZABETH R. TRusty and well-beloved we great you well having this daie received Letters from the French King by his Ambassador making mention of towardness of a Peace made with his Subjects so as the Ambassador affirmeth that he taketh it to be assuredly published at Paris the II of this moneth and yet because otherwise we do not make full account thereof but think it meet you shall keep on your journey with this order that if it be not accorded before your coming then you shall proceed as before you were appointed and if it be concluded then shall you deliver these our Letters which we now send directlie to the French King by which we do signifie unto him how we had dispatched you before to move him to make some good end with his subjects and now hearing by his Ambassador of the conclusion we cannot forbear but charge you to proceed specially to congratulate with him for so happy a benefit as by his reconciliation of his Subjects to him we certainly are perswaded that God could not give him a greater And so our pleasure is you shall use all good language to express the joy thereof and to offer all manner of endeavour that is in our power to further the good keeping and continuance thereof And in like manner we would have you by means of our Ambassador to cause the Admiral and his party to understand our intention in the sending of you this time making it appear to them how careful we are of their well-doings and shall be willing to do any thing in our power reasonable to continue to them the fruits of this Accord And to let them also understand that the special sending of you over at this time was chiefly for their cause Given under our Signet at Henly the 15 of August the 12 year of our Reign 1570. A Copy of the Letter sent to Master Secretary touching the negotiation had with the King the 28 of August 1570. SIr it may please your Honour to advertise her Majestie that the King accepted in very good part her Congratulation as from his good Sister and Neighbour who hath alwaies wished his well-doing and prosperity for these were his words after Congratulation done to the King The Queen Mother having inquired of me of the well-doing of her Majestie asked me how the Queen of Scots did I answered her that at my departure for any thing that I knew to the contrary she did very well then she proceeded to enquire of me touching her present estate I answered according to the tenor of my Instructions in what state she stood at my departure wherewith she seemed to rest very well satisfied And then she fell to protestation that for her own part she was so well perswaded of the Queens Majesties merciful disposition as she knew right well that if she did deal any thing hardly with the Queen of Scots it rather proceeded from some of her Ministers then from her Majesties self I replied that I was glad to understand that she conceived so well of the Queen my Mistress's good disposition so was I sorry that she should think that she would be by any of her Ministers or Councellours drawn to any thing eitheâ— towards her or any other that might not stand with her honour for that her skill and years was now to direct and not to be directed I desired her therefore in her Majesties name that she would evermore reserve an ear for her a thing that would not in equity be denied to the meanest person in France who in all her actions hitherto towards the Queen of Scots had dealt with that regard to her honour as she was right able to justifie herself both towards the King her good Brother as also toward all
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
respects if all be so well as outwardlie it sheweth then is he of bodie sound enough And yet at this present I did not finde him so well coloured as I esteemed him to be at my last being here Since my Arrival here there hath been great search made by divers means how I am inclined to Monsieurs attempt My general answer is that I left my private passions behind me and do here submit my self to the passions of my Prince to execute whatsoever she shall command me as precisely as I may not presuming to do any thing further then I shall be commanded And as for her marriage whensoever it shall please God to incline her to that Change I should forget my dutie towards her and my Countrey if I should not like very well thereof though my present calling requiretâ— me to do no more neither in that nor in any other thing further forth then I am prescribed This answer seemeth very well to satisfie those that would further this matter for that I vvas fore-judged to be a very passionate Enemy Touching the pictures your Lordship desired they can by no means be gotten for no man may make any counterfeit of the King or his Brother vvithout license if he do the punishment is great Thus having imparted to your Honour that which at this present I thought worthy the advertisement I most humbly take my leave From Paris the 28 of Ianuary 1571. Your Lordships to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honorable Sir Walter Mildmay of her Majesties Privy Councel SIr I most humbly thank you for your favour promised me by your Letters of the 16 of this Moneth touching my allowance for transportation Surely Sir I find my charges daily increase through the extream prises of things here The expences of my horses at this instant grow to 4 l. the day and yet is my daily diet through the meaness thereof not such as the place I supply requireth True it is the entry causeth the dearth to be so great and some hope there is that hereafter things will be more reasonable but in the mean time I find the burthen over heavie and when things shall be best cheap yet shall I find it heavie enough But herewith I leave further to trouble you at this instant The 25 of this instant moneth I was presented unto the King at Madrill where he now presently lieth being received by him with great courtesie and favour as also by his Mother and Brethren I leave Sir to you to gess the cause of this kindness and yet I should do Monsieur de la Motte Ambassador with her Majestie great wrong if I should not acknowledge some part of this good entertainment to proceed from the good report he hath made of me as one that will do what lieth in me to entertain the Peace Touching the state of things here I refer you to this inclosed Note of Occurrents and though they seem to give some doubt of the Kings sincerity yet surely Sir they that know him throughly are of opinion that if the matters grow to new troubles he will incline to those of the Religion This Oration Sir whereof I send you a Copie pronounced and delivered to him and to the Ambassador of the Princes of Germany hath put him in some good courage whereas before by the faction of the Guises he was put in great fear of the Catholicks aswel Forraign as at home Thus Sir you see for that he is not settled in Religion how he is carried away with wordly respects a common misery to those of his Calling God make those of his calling more truly Religious then we are To whose tuition I most humbly take my leave and commit you to God At Paris the 27 of Ianuary 1571. Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham Sir I beseech you when you have read and perused this Oration that then it would please you to send the same to Sir N. Thorckmorton To the Right Honourable Sir William Cecill her Majesties principal Secretary SIr it may please you to be advertised that the last of Ianuary I received a Letter from my Lord of Buckhurst by one Hollinshed wherein he gave me his notice of proceedings onward on his journey hithervvard Whereupon I sent forth M. Beal to the Court being still at Madrill to advertise the King and Queen Mother from me First that the said Lord of Buckhurst who was deputed from the Queen my Mistress to Congratulate his Marriage had sent over thirty of his Train and that he himself about the first of this moneth was minded to be at Dover there to imbark himself and the residue of his Company Secondarily for that I heard the Queens Majestie was sick whereby it was doubtful when she should be in state able without her trouble or some peril to give the said Lord Buckhurst access unto her to execute his charge from the Queens Majestie my Mistress that therefore I desired to know of his Majestie and the Queen his Mother whether there were any hope of her Majesties speedy recovery whereby the said Nobleman may proceed in his journey to accomplish his said charge or otherwise whether I might not with his advice and favour write unto the said Nobleman some Letters of stay or return if he were passed the sea or onward his voyage until such time as he should be hereafter further advertised of her Majesties speedy recovery In answer whereof I received this inclosed from Secretary Pynart and for that Mr. Beal whom he made privy to his Letter did not see his answer directly touching that point which concerned his access to the Queen he desired to know what was the Kings mind in that behalf To whom he answered for that it was doubtfull by reason of the Queens sickness whether the Lord of Buckhurst should have any access unto her the only stay of her Entry and Coronation therefore the King referreth it to my Lords own judgement whether he will come now or stay until the other Entry I have made my Lord privy of my proceedings herein as also what answer I received from the King referring him to do therein as his Instructions should best direct him I have made him also acquainted with my private opiâ—ion in this behalf which is if her Majesties direction may bear it rather to proceed then otherwise First in respect his coming now will be here accepted in as good part as at any time hereafter Secondarily in respect of her Majesties charges and his own Thirdly in respect that the Governour of Picardie Monsieur de Paâ—ne and other Gentlemen who are appointed to repair to to Bullen to receive him should lose their labour if he should not proceed forward And as touching the Queens sickness whereby his access unto her to congratulate the Marriage growth doubtful judged here the chief cause of her repair hither I do not think the contrary but that her Majesties honourable and good meaning will be accepted in as good part
with my own hand or any long Letter by my enditing of the hand of another and therefore now I am enforced for that â—ittle I have to say to use another hand You shall perceive by the Queens Majesties Letters what I have been inforced with some pain to indite by reason of my restless sickness and business and therefore I mean not to repeat any part thereof unto you wishing you to supplie any defects in the manner of writing with your own natural discretion This I will add that I do hear out of Flanders that one is coming hither named Monsieur Senigam to make an end of the long talk that hath been of the mutual restitution of the Ships and Wares arrested and thereupon it may be that some further Treatie of the opening of the entercouse may follow It is also written from thence that one is come to take the place of this wrangling Ambassador who I think shall be of the low Countries named Seignieur Front one of the long Robe that was here in Commission with the Marquess Vitells Here do daily come into our Ports by drifts of winds certain Hulks of Spain and Portugal with great riches which though they are to be stayed yet surelie I trust there shall lack no diligence to cause the riches of them to be duly preserved for the owners And if you shall hear any other report as it may be I assure you it shall be against the good meaning of her Majestie and her Councel For the matters of Spain besides that which is written in the Queens Letters I do hear that Stewkley hath caused one Mr. Huggins to be imprisoned charging him to the King that he hath advertised sundrie things of that Court to my Lord of Leicester and me wherein Stewkley sheweth his traiterous meaning to his Countrey We find it so hard here by reason of this restraint to send any meet person into Spain to discover things there and I cannot tell whether you might find some there that might be trusted in respect of the common accord of our Religion to be used under some other colour of Errand thither to discover this Kings practises and if you can so do with any reasonable charge I wish you so to to and the same shall be satisfied Since the writing of the Queens Letter I find that the E. Morton was come to Barwick the fifth of this moneth with the rest of the Commissioners of that part so as I look hourly for his arrival here and that may you affirm to the satisfaction of some there that be so greedie in the Queen of Scots cause It is here determined by the Queens Majestie that there shall be a plain somewhat before Easter which is desired not to continue long and so I wish it I doubt not but by this time the Lord of Buckhurst hath either visited the King or known when he shall and I trust my Lord of Rutland hath been a Courtier before this time for whom I dare be bold to thank you upon the presumption I have that you shew him friendship which I know he will of himself deserve yet I cannot but adde thanks to his deserts for the desire I have to see good proof of him to the honour of himself and of his Countrey I have no other thing but that this afternoon God hath called to his mercie Sir Nicholas Throckmorton having been sick not past six or seven daies of a Plurisie joyned with a disease called Periplen he doth but lead the way to us whereof I for my part have had sufficient schooling by my present sickness I pray you commend me to my Lord of Buckhurst and whilest he is there an Ambassador I think you may do well to make him partaker of your charge From Westminster the February 1571. Yours assuredlie William Cecill To the Right Honorable Sir William Cecil her Majesties principal Secretary SIr it may please you to advertise her Majestie that according to her Commandment I repaired to the Spanish Ambassador and declared to him from point to point so much as is prescribed by her Majesties Letters especially not forgetting to dilate that point that concerned her Majesties good opinion conceived of him in respect of the good offices that he had done from time to time to salve the differences and unkindness that depend between her Majestie and his Master His answer was in the Spanish tongue which I understood not and other tongue then Spanish he would not vouchsafe to speak and therefore Sir I may rather tell you by gess then otherwise First he seemed to be agreived that he never heard any thing of the message he sent about three moneths sithence by Sir Henry Norris which concerned that point that the Duke of Alva lately hath communicated to her Majestie touching the Kings offers to be a Mediator between the Queen of Scots and her Majestie he said that she did never use Don Francisco for so he named himself but by fits who from time to time towards her Ambassador had alwaies used himself so sincerely as they could not but report that Don Francisco was a Gentleman of great sinceritie And if it had pleased her Majestie to have used him throughlie he would have done offices worthie of Don Francisco When I came to that point that concerned the brutes touching the King his Masters intention in attempting somewhat that might not best agree to good Amitie whereof though her Majestie had cause somewhat to doubt in regard of his intertaining of her Irish Rebels and the Countenance given to Stewkley yet being of her own nature not easily drawn to condemn upon brutes without good ground especially being lately entertained by friendly offers arguments of good meaning therefore desired him onely to be a mean to procure at the Kings hand some good assurance that these be but vain brutes and that his meaning is to continue good Amitie and to avoid all such occasions as might breed any contrarie effect To this after some time spent in exclamations and admirations he answered That nothing could seem so strange unto him as her Majestie being a Prince of that wisdom and experience that she is of should once give ear to such vain bruits as thereby to doubt that his Master considering the long Amitie that hath been between the House of Burgundy and England would now attempt any thing that might breed any breach thereof And as for sending to his Master he said the way was long and that it would be two moneths at the least before he could have any Answer He said therefore he would write to the Duke of Alva in that behalf I shewed that my Commission was to request to procure satisfaction from the King and as for the Duke of Alva her Majestie lacked no means to send unto him no more she did not to send unto the King but would have been glad as one well perswaded of him to have used his help therein as a thing as beneficial for his Master
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
SIr after I had written my other Letters yesterday there happened some alteration in this great matter of moment Where the Queens Majestie Majestie had determined besides her answer to the French Articles to have also sent you certain other Articles to be demanded of them there whereby the whole cause should be opened and nothing left behind in silence so that both parties might have understood their mutuall intentions Now suddainly her Majestie hath thought good at this time to send onely the French Articles and her answers and for the rest she meaneth to reserve untill she may understand how her answers are taken and specially how the knotty point of Religion will be smoothed And the cause of this change as I conjecture groweth of some late intelligence brought thence that if the Queens Majestie will stand earnestly upon that point for Religion it shall be assented unto which causeth her to proceed thus confidently And for my part I wish most heartily that it may so succeed but that onely I must fear except you shall moderate the matter better they there will imagine that this matter of Religion is but projected to colour the delay in breaking off for indeed in like cause so did the Emperor for his Brother the Arch-Duke Charles As I cannot instruct you how to dissolve this doubt there but as cause shall be given So I know your wisdome sufficient to invent sufficient answers to mollifie their hard conceits Thus you see how inwardly I deale with you and trust you will so use it I find Mr. Cavalcant very well disposed and sorry to see these occasions given though surely he seeth here the Queen Majesties disposition directly to his contentation From Westminster the 19 of Aprill 1571. Your assured friend Williamâ— Burleigh To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh IT may please your Lordship to advertise her Majestie that Mr. Cavalcant arrived here the 24 of this moneth by whom I received her Majesties Letters the contents whereof after I had perused and conferred with him touching his proceedings and for that the King and Queen Mother were departed out of this Town the one to St. Disier the other to Monceaux to bring the Duke and Dutchess of Lorrain onward on their way It was agreed between us that he should repaire the next morning to Monceaux to Queen Mother there to deliver her Majesties Letters as also her answers to the Articles propounded by the King Touching his proceeding with her I referre your Lordship to his own Letters By him I understood at his return that Queen Mother would speak with me at her repaire to the Town if I had any thing to say unto her So the 26 of this moneth she repaired hither and for that during the time of her abode here she could have no leasure she sent me word that the next day in the morning I should repaire unto her to come four English miles from Paris and that there I should have Audience So according to her appointment I repaired thither the next morning and at the time of my accesse unto her presence I shewed her that I was come thither to know how she rested satisfied with the answer she received from her Majestie by Master Cavalcant to those Articles which were propounded by the King and her to the end I might advertise her Majestie She shewed me that the Answers made unto their Articles seemed to her not to be direct saving thaâ— which was made unto the second Article concerning Religion which saith she is very hard and neerly toucheth the honour of my Son so far forth that if he should yield thereto the Queen your Mistress should also receive some part of the blemish by accepting for a husband such a one as by sudden change of Religion might be thought through worldly respects void of all Conscience and Religion I replyed that I was willed to say to her from her Majestie that she doubted not but that Monsieur her Son by her good perswasion would take in good part her said answers who meant not such sudden change of Religion as that he or his houshold should be compelled to use the Rites of the English Church contrary to his or their Consciences But forasmuch as the granting unto him the exercise of his Religion being contrary to her Laws might by an example breed such an offence as was like to kindle such trouble as lately reigned in France whereof both herself and her son had good experience She therefore hoped that he who if the match proceeded was to sail with her in in one ship and to run with her one fortune would not require a thing that she by no means could yield to who tendred nothing more then the quiet and repose of her Subjects and therefore in respect â—hereof could by no means consent to any such permission as might by any likelihood disturb the same To this she replyed that the not having the exercise was as much as to change his Religion which thing he could not do upon a sudden without the note to be of no Religion which dishonour I am sure no respect can draw him to endanger himself And as he in respect of the said ignominie is resolved fully not to yield so can I with no reason perswade him thereto and as for any peril that may happen by the same I think it shall be the best way of safety of your Mistress who alwayes by the way of his Brothers sword should be the better able to correct any such evil Subjects as should go about to disturb the repose and quiet of her Estate which she may assure herself he will do without having respect to any Religion whereof some tryal lately hath been made by his consenting with the King to have some good justice and example of punishment done at Roan In answer whereof I besought her to consider as well the Queens damage as her sons honour I shewed her that of this permission great mischiefs would ensue First the violating of her Laws Secondarily the offence of her good and faithful Subjects And lastly the encouragement of the evil affected Which three mischiefs if you will weigh said I together with your Sons honours you shall finde them of great moment and that the Queens Majestie my Mistress hath great cause to stand to the denial of any such permission whereof is likely to ensue such manifest peril And as for the ayd of the Kings sword I shewed her that the example by permission would do much more hurt then either his own or his Brothers sword could do good for that the issue of our mischief by civil dissention falls out commonly to be sudden and short but very sharp and were not drawn in length as those that happened in other Countreys we having neither walled Towns nor Fortresses to retire to thereby to protract our Wars To this she answered that her Son would soon be overcome by the Queens perswasions in
I as you know are to Protestants and Catholiques either of these two would be glad to be assured of Monsieur In reason now it is to be weighed with which of these two he is to joyn with the Protestants he shall favour those whom the Queen especially favoureth he shall concur with her in the maintenance of the present State and Government he shall gain the favour of her Majesties Councellours in whom she reposeth her greatest trust and lastly he shall continue the Realm in repose and quietness Iâ— on the other side he persist in his Religion first he shall not gain the Catholiques unless they may have the like libertie as he himself enjoyeth Secondarily they are already devoted unto the Queen of Scots and so misliking nothing more then of his Marriage doubting thereby to grow the prejudice of her Title whereby we may conclude that by all likelihood by having of it he shall not joyn the good wills of the Catholiques unless they may participate with him in like liberty and on the other side it will breed misliking of him with the Protestants doubting the exercise of his Religion will breed some unquietness in the State and consequently he will be misliked of both which inconvenience of misliking I wished him to perswade Monsieur well to weigh Touching the inconvenience that would grow to the Queen I shewed him the same would rise three manner of ways First by breach of Law Secondly by offence of her good Subjects and Thirdly by the encouragement of evil Subjects Which said I if you will well weigh are of much more moment then any may happen to Monsieur he being only touched by relenting in honour the Queens Majestie my Mistress both in honour and safety he as a private person she being as a Monarch and a Prince whose Kingdoms were to participate any inconvenience that might befall unto her To this he replyed that his relenting in Religion being matter of conscience was an inconvenience of more weight then any that might happen to the Queen In the end after many replications on both sides to and fro he concluded that he was well assured that Monsieur in no case would be brought upon a sudden to yield to any change of Religion for no respect and yet that he doubted not but within a â—mall timâ— after the Match the same would easily be brought to pass without any great difficulty He willed me to consider how much this match was misliked by the Catholiques and how much on the other side desired of those of the Religion here and that in his opinion and conscience nothing could more further Religion throughout Christendom then this match To this I answered that her Majestie was on the other side fully bent to maintain her answer to the second Article or otherwise resolved not to proceed and so we ended This Conference was between us the day after Master Cavalcants arrival Master Cavalcant being present And so c. From Paris the eight and twentieth of April 1571. Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham To our right trusty and well-beloved Francis Walsingham Esquire our Ambassador Resident with our good Brother the French King ELIZABETH R. RIght trusty and well-beloved we greet you well By your Letters of the two and twentieth of April sent to the Lord of Burleigh we perceive in what sort you have dealt with the Irish Fugitive Morris fitz-Gibbons naming himself Archbishop of Cassel and having considered his request in a Paper subscribed with his hand we do not so much disallow his request to have our pardon and his restitution of his Bishoprick if we shall so please as the slender manner of his suit being void of all recognition of his offences and therewith his desire to repair out of that Countrey into Ireland without first coming hither where he ought by his submission to recover his pardon And therefore we would that you should inform him by Letters or by Message and upon your informations of his petitions we do not allow of his manner of so slender submission and petition And if he will not humblie require pardon for his offences and shew himself repentant and disposed to live hereafter in Ireland like a faithful Subject we mean not to bestow upon him either pardon or Bishoprick But if he will upon your warrant come hither into England he shall find us ready to shew him grace according to his humbleness in suing for it This you may let him know and express the same unto him in such sort as you shall see cause for except you shall understand certainly of him we understand there is no great account to be made of him as he pretendeth for himself neither is he of kin to the Earl of Desmond as he alledgeth nor of any credit in England And yet we are content to draw him home by means not dishonourable We do well allow of the Irish man whom you have imployed to attend upon him but whether it be Captain Thomas or Henry is not expressed and we would have you to assure him that he shall be considered by us And we pray you to advertise us in what sort you think best to have him rewarded Given under our Signet at our Pallace of Westminster the fifth of May 1571. and in the thirteenth year of our Reign To the Right Honourable Sir Francis Walsingham Ambassador for the Queens Majestie in France SIr for answer to your Letters concerning the Iewd Lozell of Ireland intituling himself Archbishop of Cassels the Queens Majesties will serve And for reward of the Irish man I pray you advertise your opinion by your next I hear by many means out of Spain that the King is therein rather counselled by Epimetheus then Prometheus he hath imployed much money upon Stewkley and now findeth him not worthie of any more Our Parliament is dailie new with child with projects for Laws that I was never more wearie Your Letters for the matters of D. hath driven us to the wall and particularly offended the Queens Majestie But the French Ambassador hath Letters from the Queen Mother and from de Foix wherein the matters are more tempered and I think he hath Commission to qualifie that hard Article that cannot be there digested It is too true that I perceive that you wrote to Master Hennage that some comfort here hath made you hardlier answered Indeed I wish things were not subject to sudden changes but Gods will be done for I cannot tell how to satisfie doubts but must refer me to his power to direct me As I received news out of Scotland so I send you them we have matters revealed which will shortly disgrace â—8 and offend â—2 and yet nothing shall be justly imployed to the Queens Majestie but that she is of meer necessity forced in extremities to use new remedies Yours assuredly William Burleigh To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh IT may please your Lordship to advertise her Majestie that according
to the tenor of her Letters dated the fifth of May I have given the pretended Archbishop to understand by my Letters who is now at Nantes how her Majestie doth not allow the slender manner of his submission neither can think him worthy of favour or grace unless upon warrant given by me he maketh his repair into Enâ—land and there with all humilitie sue unto her Majestie for the same Of late he hath sent from Nantes certain of his servants as I am enformed to what end I cannot learn I have enformed Captain Thomas how her Majestie upon information given by me doth accept in very good part his late service in the discovery of the pretended Archbishops practises and that she meaneth to consider thereof Whereupon he hath desired me in his name most humbly to desire her Majestie to be so good and gracious a Lady unto him as he may have some charge under her Majestie either in Ireland his native Countrey or elsewhere as one that desireth nothing more then to imploy the experience he hath gathered in these Civil Wars in her Majesties service Here there is very good account made of him And notwithstanding that the most part of the ordinary bands are discharged as well Captains as Souldiers yet hath he allowed by the King sixteen Crowns a moneth pension His Father whose name was Bathe was one of the Justices in Ireland his Brother is Recorder of Drogheda This I write touching his Parentage to the end her Majestie may the better conceive of his loyaltie I am given secretly to understand that Rodolphi had Letters of Credit given him by the Spanish Ambassador unto the Duke de Alva whereupon he had long conference with the Duke and was dispatched in post to Rome with Letters of Credit to the Pope as also with Letters of Credit to the King of Spain promising to be at Madril the 20 of this present moneth Touching the matter of secresie committed unto him I can learn nothing as yet notwithstanding I thought it my part to advertise your Lordship of thus much who perhaps by other advertisements can give some ghess what the same importeth The Scots here have some enterprize in hand as I am informed by the party whom I appointed to observe the Lord Seatons doings The Ambassador of late hath been at Court and is returned from thence with answer not altogether to his liking and saith that so long as the Marriage is in Treaty there is no hope of good here to be done for the help of their cause Birack who lately returned out of Scotland is in hope to return with new Forces which secretly he saith to his Friends dependeth onely upon the resolution of the marriage now in hand The Lord Seaton departeth hence out of hand into Flanders being sent for by her Majesties Rebels there who have somewhat in hand presently to be executed They of late have very importunately been in hand with me for passports but understanding they have such enterprize in hand I thought good in that behalf to make some stay for a time alledging that I have some order from her Majestie to make some stay therein until I be further advertised of her pleasure I hope her Majestie will not dissallow of this my doings though I do it without warrant Out of Brittain I am advertised that la Roche had discovered unto a Kinsman of his that his enterprize in Ireland was to have executed a plot of Conquest devised by Peter Strozza in King Henries time which if the match go not forward he is promised that he shall go in hand withal hereby it doth well appear that the expectation of this match is the onely stay of divers pretended mischiefs Here they are in some perplexitie for that they hear nothing of her Majesties answer being given to understand by the Ambassador that her Majestie had signified her mind unto me in that behalf Queen Mother denieth now that she prefixed a day of answer and that I did mistake her I must needs confess that in requiring the same she used such words as her Majestie hath no cause to be justly offended which omitting to impart unto her Majestie I do most humbly crave pardon at her hands being most heartily sorry that through my default there should grow any unkindness between them Her words were as followeth First she asked me after she had willed me to signifie unto her Majestie the Kings and her resolution in what time I might have answer I shevved her that I hoped vvithin ten or tvvelve days the rather for that I knovv my Mistress to be resolved and therefore the matter required the less deliberation Then she desired me to vvill her Majestie that they might have ansvver within ten dayes if it might be These circumstances by me omitted I perceive her Majestie the rather to mislike the limitation of the time for the vvhich as before so again I most humbly require her Majesties pardon And so c. At Paris the fourteenth of May 1571. Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honorable Sir Francis Walsingham the Queenâ— Majesties Ambassador with the French King THere is nothing yet readie to send you touching the matter of Monsieur The Ambassador resident hath received Letters of late since yours came from the Queen Mother and from Monsieur de Foix touching that cause He shewed his Letter to me and my Lord of Burleigh and it appeareth that de Foix Letter doth qualifie much the dealing which you and Cavalcant had I mean he writeth in sort to continue the matter and as it were that there would be offer made by them But her Majestie hath handled the matter exceeding well with the Ambassador and giveth him no hope without yielding of their part to that she hath reformed in their first demands And as 〈◊〉 as I can perceive they will rather yield then break off God send all to be for his glory and our good and so farewel my good Walsingham In haste this seventh of May 1571. Your assured Friend Ro. Leicester Commend me to my Cousin your wife by the next you shall hear more of this matter To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Earl of Leicester MY very good Lord the Protestants here do so earnestlie desire this match and on the other side the Papists do so earnestlie seek to impeach the same as it maketh me the more earnest in furthering of the same Besides when I particularly consider her Majesties state both at home and abroad so far forth as my poor eye-sight can discern and how she is beset with Forraign peril the execution whereof stayeth onely upon the event of this match I do not see how she can stand if this matter break off No particular respect as God is my witness moveth me to write thus earnestly but only the regard I have to Gods glory and her Majesties safetie They rest here somewhat perplexed for that the answer is so long deferred being
that the same is also in the Latin tâ—â—gue as the service of the Church of Rome and so ordered to be used in our Universities And if the Latin tongue should not content it is also or may be translated into the French either of which his own ministers might use at his pleasure in places convenient whereby he might serve God devoutly and thereby not to be counted irreligious or an Atheist And if it should be objected that by this means it might be esteemed that he might make a change of his faith in matters of questions in Religion certainly herein it might also be truly answered that although we can be glad that all persons should by Gods inspiration change from ignorance or errour to knowledge and truth yet mean we not to prescribe to him or any person that they should at our motion or in respect of us change their Religion in matters of faith Neither doth the usage of the divine Service of England properly compell any man to alter his opinion in the great matters now in controversie in the Church Onely the usage thereof doth direct men daily to heare and read the Scriptures to pray to almighty God by daily use of the Psalter of David and of the ancient Prayers Anthemes and Collects of the Church even the same which the universall Church hath used and doth yet use Lastly if any one part of our Articles and Ceremonies should mislike him as surely we cannot conjecture of any such Yet therein the rest not being by him misliked some tolleration might be to forbear the same untill he might better consider thereof And to that which is said That we permit Ambassadors to use the Religion of Rome First we never made any grant thereof to any whereby in that respect his conscience is free But being suffered that is to say not molested therein by any of our ministers of our Laws the difference is apparent between another Princes servant comming onely but as a Messenger or tarrying to do Messages which is the office of an Ambassador and one that is to be our husband that is in respect of Religion our head and in order to be joynt Governor of our Realms and subjects with us that is to assist us in maintenance of our Laws in punishing offenders in giving good example to our Subjects in counselling us how to maintain the quietness of our estate and preserve to us and to himself for our sake the love which he shall find is born to us by our subjects And how contrary it shall be to all those that he may doe as Ambassadors are suffred to doe in whom neither we nor our People can have any such Opinion of carriage for us or them or for our Laws or quietness every person understandeth Yea commonly Subjects think the contrary of all Ambassadors of strange Princes though all give not like cause Thus you see what we think meet to answer at this time having some reasonable Causes to move us to think That if the matter be as earnestly meant as is by the Ambassadors words pretended they will not be so precise as to demand any conditions in the case of Religion whereof our estate may come in danger or our present quietness come in doubt And therefore you shall be the more earnest in setting forth the dangers that necessarily may follow The Ambassador hath required us to send you the rest of such demands as is meet for our part whereunto we were once inclined and have them in readiness But now we find it convenient first to understand the resolution of this matter of Religion before we will propound the rest whereby no delay of time shall follow if in the first we may accord for we may speedily by Post send you the same demands if cause so require Given under our signet at our Pallace of Westminister the 11 day of May 1571 and in the 13 year of our Reign To the Right Honourable Fr. Walsingham Esq her Majesties Ambassador Resident in France SIr by the Queens Majesties Letters you shall understand what you are directed to do and say and therefore I must forbear to deal therein with you considering you are prescribed But I will friendly let you know how the answer hath proceeded and so the cause and circumstance known you may the better conceive the inward sense of the Message At the first coming of your Letters hither with the answer from Queen Mother In A was very sorry to judge the matter so perplexed and almost desperate Whereby I then judged there was here a plaine forward intention to proceed in the cause if this let for Religion should not be a stay After two daies the French Ambassador had Letters and the Queens Majestie was by some informed that saw the Letters that there was no such difficulty in that matter of Religion Nevertheless the Ambassador himself being appointed to conferr with my Lord of Leicester and me made the cause very hard alledging directly that Monsieur would never sustaine that dishonour as to come hither with an accompt to the world that he should have no Religion and then I answered as is contained in the Queens Majesties Letters setting out the neerness of ours to such as was good and found in the Roman adding that we omitted nothing but those which were impious and doubtfull to be against the Scriptures And so with us he ended with this request that the Queens Majestie would grant these words quod which sentence I found imperfect and so yet do I reported this to the Queens Majestie After this I was by one of some value secretly informed that if this matter of Religion were earnestly sticked unto and peremptorily pressed it would be obtained whereupon the answer was conceived and I commanded to report it to the French Ambassador who hearing it seemed much dismayed and concluded That he saw not but this answer should make a breach and end of the whole For if the answer saith he be grounded upon the Queens conscience then saith he there is no qualification to be hoped for Thus I reported and thereupon I saw her Majestie was perplexed and wished I had forborn to have made the principall foundation upon her Majesties conscience which I was commanded to do and therefore no fault in me And to remedie the matter I was willed speedily to advertise the Ambassador secretly that I was larger in explication of her Majesties conscience then I see since my speaking with him was meant and that the principall reasons were the other of the misliking of her good subjects and of the danger to lose their good wills c. And so did I by a little writing advertise him whereby what conceit he gathereth I know not but by some others I heare that he still judgeth it broken After this I was commanded also to temper the sentence in the Queens Majesties Letters as you perceive for it is not as it was an assertion of direct necessity but of possibility
Thus having some circumstances to give you some light but what you shall find by your light God knoweth I doubt the worst and so I have said but yet the opinion conceived by her Majestie maketh her to believe the contrary It were strange that any one man should give comfort to the Ambassador in the cause and yet the same man to perswade the Queens Majestie that she should persist both these things are done but I dare not affirm by any one and thus I end In Scotland the Q. partie have recovered Edenburgh Town by Granges favour And yet presently he tearmeth himself the Kings subject and so they are like to fray together or else to come to consultation amongst themselves to govern the Realm without deciding the Kings title or the Queens I cannot tell whether the greater part like better a or of none for so their writings and words purport making no mention of King or Queen but of Magistrates to conserve the peace and liberty of their Country And so I am forced to leave of and so I end from Westminster the 11 of May 1571. Your assured loving friend Wil. Burleigh To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh IT may please your Lordship to advertise her Majestie That the 20 of this month I repaired to Galleon where I had Audience at the Queen Mothers hands to whom I declared at large such reasons as moved her Majestie to maintain her first answer touching the Article of Religion the repetition whereof I leave at this present to put down the same containing no other thing then that which was perscribed me by her Majesties last Letters dated the 11 of May. To this the Queen Mother answered That she saw very well that the reasons alleadged by her Majestie were not lightly to be weighed and that therefore she would consult with the King and Monsieur in that behalf and that the next day I should receive answer By certain that wish well to the cause I was advised to deal with Monsieur himself so repairing unto him I shewed him That I was appointed by her Majestie to make him understand the great inconvenience that would follow by such permission as he required touching the exercise of his Religion as also that her Majestie though otherwise she could wish him reduced from error to truth yet did not presse him to any such sodaine change of Religion as might cause him to be reputed for an Atheist onely this she desired that he would forbear the use of his private Masse in respect of the great inconvenience that would follow and that further he would examine whether he might not with good devotion serve God with such form of prayer as publiquely is used in our Realm being in effect nothing else c. To this he answered That he rather desired to be a meane to redresse inconveniencies then to breed any to be a comfort then a discomfort and that he thought it would otherwise fall out After he had thus ended he replyed That though he was of years young yet any time these five years there have been overtures of marriage made unto him and that he found in himself no inclination untill this present to yield to any But saith he I must needs confesse that through the great commendations that is made of the Q. your Mistress for her rare guifts aswell of mind as of body being as even her very enemies say the rarest creature that was in Europe these 500. years my affection grounded upon so good respects hath now made me yield to be wholly hers And that therefore saith he if I thought that there could ensue any inconvenience to her disquiet through me I would rather wish my self never to have been born Touching my request for the exercise of my Religion considering the same toucheth my soul conscience being but private for my self in some private place I suppose there will grow no such offence thereof as will breed any disquiet oâ— alteration of state and therefore I hope she will dispence with me in that behalf I replyed That I hoped that when he had well weighed the inconvenience that would follow that without scruple of conscience he might well with good devotion frequent the exercise of our Church service he would not insist upon any dispensation To that he answered that he knew not how God hereafter would dispose his heart and that therefore for the present he desired her to weigh in her own conscience what it were to do any thing with scruple and remorse of conscience and so desired me to present on his behalf his most affectionate and humble commendation and to assure her That she onely had Authority to command him The next day as I was appointed I repaired to the Court and there having accesse unto the King I shewed that I doubted not but that his Mother had made him acquainted with such reasons as lead the Q. Majesty my Mistris to maintain her former answer in respect of the great inconveniences that would ensue aswell perjudiciall to Monsieur his brother as to her Majestie I shewed him That I was now onely to request him from her Majestie that he would perswade his Brother that in respect of the said inconveniences not to be so resolute in requiring a tolleration that might prove so dangerous as also to advise him to examine whether he might not with good conscience serve God according to such form of prayers as is usually practised throughout her Dominious To this the King answered That the reasons alleadged by her Majestie were of great moment he willed me therefore to desire her Majestie in his name that the Articles by her to be propounded might be sent that the whole matter might be joyntly considered of And to assure her that he doubted not but that his Brother would be ruled by him so farre forth as might stand with honour reason and conscience After I had thus euded with the King I repaired to Q. Mother to whom I made report of such answer as I received from the Kings hands which she said I had well conceived for that it was the self same that they had resolved on between themselves she willed me to desire her Majestie that her demand might be at the first propounded reasonable and well qualified to the end this matter might come the sooner to conclusion and therefore she wished that if it might so lie in her that the Ambassador might be made acquainted with them before the sending of them over who can give before hand some light what the King in reason will consent unto whereby to breed the more expedition she concluded with me that I should assure her Majestie that aswell touching Religion as other points reason should decide on their parts all such difficulties as should rise It is thought that Monsieur de Foix shall be sent over with the Kings answers unto her Majesties demands he sheweth himself not unthankfull for such honour
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.
we were content to pass over the same with hope that he would attend his causes only according to the place he held to be as an Agent or Minister for her and not to intermeddle as he had done with our Affairs and to trouble our State nevertheless within a few moneths after he did eftsoons secretly by night which was the last Summer enter into such intelligences and practises with some of our Nobility as we could not endure the same but for a time restrained him of his libertie until he promised never to be found in the like to offend us Contrary whereunto he hath now of new entred into practises by his Letters and Ministers to stir up secretly some new Rebellion in our Realm and hath for that purpose dealt by his Ministers with certain our Fugitives and Rebels in the the King of Spains Low-Countreys As also with the Duke of Alva and further prosecuted his intentions to that purpose by sending both to the Pope and to the King of Spain of all which his doing we have full proof and in certain part to prove the same his own Confessions and manifestly argue his guiltiness Now therefore you shall require the King or his Mother if they shall deal with you herein to interpret well of our doings for that we may not endure such kind of dealing as may so indanger or at the least trouble our Estate And for this purpose if you shall be required why we do refuse to grant to the Bishop of Glascow passport you shall say it is upon the self same ground for we do well know his conditions and specially how unmeet a man he is to come hither to do any good office betwixt the Queen his Mistress and us who we know hath rather been a maintainer then a pacifier of discord betwixt us in times past And for our intention towards the Queens of Scots although her Minister the Bishop of Ross hath otherwise deserved yet we do continue in minde to proceed to the hearing and ordering of her cause upon the coming of certain Noblemen out of Scotland both for her and the King her Son the delay whereof hath lately grown by the renewing of arms on both sides whereof being by an express Messenger of ours now very lately sent into Scotland to both parties earnestly charged by us either of the parties do charge the other and excuse themselves and yet at length they are now content to re-enter again into Treaty offering to send hither their Commissioners For which purpose we have even this day returned answer to them of our contentation to hear them and have required both parties to lay down their Arms which we doubt not but they will and so doing we trust shortly some good end will follow for so is our desire and full purpose and so shall it appear by our actions Of all this we thought good to inform you to the end you may the better answer thereto if speech be moved thereof or else not Given at Osterley the eighth of Iune 1571. and in the thirteenth year of our Reign To the Right Honourable and my very loving Friend Mr. Francis Walsingham Esquire Ambassador Resident in France SIr as I promised by my last Letters sent by your Italian so do I now dispatch Harcourt By her Majesties Letters you shall see your charge wherein God give you good success as I for my part sincerely mean even for his glory and for the surety of the Queen my Soveraign and weal of my Countrey wherein if I do dissemble I wish as I am writing the indignation of the Almighty Lord of Hosts The cause of the Queens Majesties persisting so hard in the cause of Religion wherein I rejoyce as the allowance of the matter is as I find and do disclose secretly an opinion that her Majestie conceiveth that if she will stand fast they will utterly yield Now how true that will fall out in the event or why she is so informed if it be not too certain you may ghess I hear by some other that du Pine saith so unto me he neither saith so nor doth answer to it though I do ask him thereof directly But this he saith that Monsieur will be content to have the point of Religion left free without any Capitulation This I pray you keep to your self for it may be mistaken of some I send you a a Book in French of the Common-prayer which is hardly gotten as this bearer can shew you I fear the first Articles were mistaken in that the Ambassador saith they lacked some clauses And I perusing my Copies find both sorts remaining with me that is one sort without these clauses added and another with them whereof I do now send you one I did name to the Ambassadour for the Queens Majesties Dowry Fourty thousand Crowns and since I find the Queens Majestie content with Thirty thousand for so was Queen Maries by the name of Three thousand pounds Flemish after fourty grooz to the pound which maketh but Thirty thousand Crowns French The Ambassador since he had his answer wrote to me to procure a more certain Answer what Monsieur should have and though it be not expressed in the first answers where properly it was to be answered yet I think it shall be no less then the Dowry of Kings Wives here hath been which is Ten thousand Marks or Twenty thousand Nobles Now I must wearily being assaulted with business of Scotland which is now in Arms and dangerously for our part and also fore Ireland which is onely in trouble for want of money give over c. From Osterly where the Queens Majestie is retired for this day and to morrow the seventh of Iune 1571. To the â—ight Hoâ—â—â—raâ—le and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh IT may please your Honour to advertise her Majestie that the 19 of this Moneth having access unto the King I shewed unto the King her Majesties Articles using such speech before the delivery of the same as by mine instructions from her Majestie I was directed The King shewed me that he could not but accept in the best part her Majesties frank and confident dealing and that therefore he found himself most bound unto her willing me to assure her Majestie from him that this sincere and direct dealing should receive the like aquital at his hands Touching his answer unto the said demands he told me he would confer with his Councel and would within a day or two send for me to the Court to understand what would be his resolution The eighteenth of this Moneth he sent for me and there shewed me that upon conference with his Councel he was resolved forthwith to dispatch a Gentleman of his Chamber named de l' Archant being Captain of his Brothers guard to give her Majestie thanks for that it pleased her to deal so frankly with him and so sincerely as she had done in the Treaty of this weighty cause in hand which honourable proceeding of hers
move the same but finding now that he hath secretly named me for that place I do coldlieâ— deal therein knowing both my insufficiency and doubting of the success thereof but whether any shall come or who shall I surely cannot gess The Queens Majestie would have you to enquire what becometh of Liggons my Lord of Norfolks servant that hath of long time been about Paris and the Court. Here is some matter presently discovered that my Lord of Norfolk should still mind this matter of the Scotish Queen for there is intercepted a good portion of money in gold that was and by Letters in Cypher directed to my Lord of Harrife for help of the Scotish Queens party in Scotland and the same was sent by one Higford the Dukes Secretary who was by order from hence taken and committed at London and this day is examined by Sir Thomas Smith who yesterday went thither for that purpose What will follow I cannot now write but sorry I shall be that my Lord of Norfolk shall be found undutiful and yet if he be I am glad it shall be known and so I end with my prayer From Audeley-Inne by Walden the second day of September 1571. Your assured Friend William Burleigh I send you something from Scotland whereby you may see how small the Queen of Scots party is in Scotland To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh IT may please your Lordship to advertise her Majestie that according to her order prescribed me by her Letters bearing date the second of September I made report unto the King here of that which passed in sundry Conferences between her Majestie and his Ministers Monsieur de Foix and his Ambassador Resident as also apart with her Majesties Councel His answer was that he had great cause to give her Majestie thanks for her honourable enterâ—ainment given unto de Foix. until whose coming he could say nothing in answer of that which had passed by conference He protested that he desired nothing more then straight Amity with her Majestie and therefore thinking marriage the best means for the accomplishing thereof it should be no small grief unto him if the same should not take place whereby that perfect Amity might ensue that might be beneficial to both the Crowns This was the effect of this present answer Her Majestie is very much beholding to the D 3. who standeth most earnestly in defence of her honour against any that seek any way to touch the same she seemeth to think her self much bound to her Majestie for that it pleased her Majestie to vouchsafe once to write I suppose a few lines of thanks bestowed on her again from her Majestie would win her to be a good instrument to give advertisements of such things as are sit for her Majestie to know Queen Mother is much governed by her and therefore she may be the better able to do the greater good And if may further please her Majestie to bestow some ring on her I think the profit that would grow thereof in time will make her Majestie think it well bestowed Of late there is a great sum of money to the sum of 15000 franks made here in Poictu by the Queen of Scots Officers an the same barrel'd up and sent to Paris and from thence as I hear it shall be conveyed into Scotland to those of her faction there yet as I am informed that ill success that the money that they sent before had maketh them to stand in doubt to convey it by sea and therefore if they may conveniently they would rather make it over to London by exchange whereunto by your Lordships order if there may an eye be had it will easily be discovered the sum being so great The Admiral arrived here the twelfth of this Moneth Touching the manner of his receiving I refer you to the report of this Gentleman Mr. Lyster her Majesties servant whom I have throughly instructed what I have truly learned in that behalf The day after his arrival he sent a Gentleman unto me with this Message that in respect of the place I hold he was bound for the great favour shewed by her Majestie generally unto them of the Religion in the time of their necessity as also particularly unto his Brother to have come and visited me but he desired me to consider what suspicion would grow thereof which might rather do harm then good notwithstanding he assured me that her Majestie should always find him ready to serve her with the hazard both of life and goods whensoever any occasion should be presented to shew the affection and good will he beareth her Majestie in respect of the bond he oweth her Generally all those of the religion who are the flower of France do make like protestation assuring her Majestie that when occasion or tryal shall be offered she shall find them no less ready to serve her then if they were her own natural Subjects The Marriage between the Prince of Navarre is not so forward as Queen Mother was in preparation at Paris who had provided both Jewels and Wedding-garments The onely impediment as I hear is Religion There departeth shortly towards the concluding of this matte towards the Q. of Navarre who is now gone to Arragon to certain Baynes there for her health Byron and Beaâ—voys Co. Lo. left a man here of purpose to attend her Majesties answer touching those things that I propounded on his behalf in my letter sent by Mr. Dannet The resolution of that enterprize stayeth onely upon the expectation what her Majestie will do and it is feared that the matter will be so long protracted as the opportunity of the enterprize will be let slip which if it so fall out the unkindness between this Crown and Spain will be reconciled which I fear will not tend most to her Majesties safety and so do as many fear as love her Majesty here The house of Guise secretly doth travel by all means to break the Amity with England for that they think nothing will more prejudice the Queen of Scots their Kinswoman then the same Touching my own private estate my disease groweth so dangerously upon me as I most humbly desire her Majestie to take some speedy order for some to supply my place I hope my life shall stand her Majestie in more stead then my death and upon these extream points standeth the defering of the cure I hope therefore her Majestie will have consideration of it accordingly Thus leaving further to trouble your Lordship at this present I most humbly take my leave At Blois the sixteenth of September 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 within three days after Monsieur de Foix arrival the King sent for me and after my access unto him he willed me first in his name to thank her Majestie for the honourable entertainment
directing his Speech to me saying that I had been and was the cause of all the unkindnesse that had chanced betwixt the King his Master and the Q. Maj. whereunto as it became me for truths sake I answer'd with more modest terms then he deserved and referred my self to all the Lords in Councel to report of me whether any thing had beene said or done by me from the beginning of these broils concerning him or his Master or the Arrest that had not been ordered and directed by her Majestie in Councel all which the whole Lords did affirm and my Lord of Sussex in the Italian tongue did very plainly and very earnestly confirm it but yet his cholor would not be so tempered and so he was dismissed and Mr. Knolls appointed to tend on him at his house This was done the thirteenth of this Month and untill the 24 he could not be gotten out of the Town and then he went to Greenwich and on Saint Stephens day to Gravesend where he yet remaineth but this day or to morrow he is to remove to Canterbury and Iohn Hawkins with whom he is well enough agreed notwithstanding the braw that had been for Hawkins spoyl in the Indies is now appointed to pass him over at Dover to Callais in a Ship of the Queens Majesties and to confirm the continuance of his mallice where there was a full determination made by Treaty by one Monsieur of the Low-Countrie and Thomas Fiascio a Genevoise for a mutual restitution on both parts and the same part in writing to have been sealed and subscribed he hath so handled the matter as by his addition of certain words the whole is become void For if our Merchants should admit his device they should be without all surety of their Goods in Spain and contrariwise the Spaniards should first have theirs arrested here whereby it is likely that the intent of this Treaty will break off and therewith our Merchants are best contented For now considering the breaking off proceedeth from the other party it is intended that there shall be a speedy sale of the strangers Commodities and therewith our own Merchants shall be duely recompenced At this present there is another come from the King of Portugal to move an end of all arrest and renew the Traffique between this Realm and his whereby it is manifestly seen that there shall follow a very good vent for all Commodities that Spain was wont to expend As yet there is no accord known to us betwixt the Kings party in Scotland and them of the Castle for that they of the Castle cannot have their reasonable demands for the restitution of their Lands and Goods well assured The French Ambassador lately by the Queens Majesties appointment dealt with my Lord of Leicester and me upon these Points following which he said he was willed to doe by his Masters Letters of the first of this Moneth For offer of Amity by Marriage or League To complain of the intention of her Majestie to send force into Scotland to aid the Kings party with a kind of threatning that the King might not endure but aid the other party with force and in speech hereof a request that some expedition might be made to procure the Queen of Scots restitution with the Queens Majesties assurance To demand restitution of money that was intercepted being sent towards Scotland for Viraque alleadging that the one half was the Kings money and that though the Queen Mother had otherwise at the first spoken to Mr Walsingham yet she now understandeth the contrary by the Kings Treasurers who sent it To these was answered To the first That you had Commission amply to satisfie the King To the second That nothing was intended to be done by force if they that were of the Castle would abide by their own offers which they had made to the Queens Majestie by Messages and Letters viz. That they would accord with the other party so as the Queens Majestie would provide for their honours lives and their Lands and Goods which her Majestie intended to doe and therein to doe nothing that should be prejudicial to the ancient League betwixt the French King and the Crowne of Scotland and so was told him that you had Commission to declare to the King wherewith the Ambassador seemed very well content As to devise any way expedient for the Scotch Queen absolutely was answered That the Queens Majestie would never assent thereto neither would any Counceller of this estate willingly permit any consultation to be made thereof such was her known malice to the Queens Majestie The third for the money we told him as plain a tale to the contrary and vouched the Bishop of Ross his Confession thereof but the Ambassador would still have us believe him which he could not obtain This Treaty was long on both sides and ended in good sort and friendly In the end he was earnest for his freedom of impost for 30 tonn we said that he should be free from as much as he should spend in his house but that contented him not finally considering the terms of towardness to friendship he shall have his own desire whereby spending seven or eight tonn the rest shall pay for his expences Of all these things I have thought good to scribble to you this Childermas day in my bed and am bold to send this Letter unsealed in a Letter of Mr. Walsinghams because he shall not be ignorant I think the Duke shall be arraigned on Monday the 14 of the next Month. At Westminster the 28 of December 1571. Your assured friend W. Burleigh To the right honorable and my very good friend Mr. Francis Walsingham her Majesties Ambassador in France SIr You shall understand that immediately after Sir Tho. Smith had taken his leave of the Court a servant of my brother Killigrews named Geofery came to the Court with Letters from you and from the Court and before this bearer can come to you I doubt not but you shall have understanding by Mr. Smith what charge he hath and therein here is now an earnest determination to spend time no longer then honour will spare and so I thinâ— this bearer will say of his knowledge who surely maketh good demonstration of his honest meaning to all Parties and therein he is to be comforted On Friday last the Spanish Ambassador was sent for to the Councell and in the Queens name commanded to depart the Realme the same hath beene oftentimes intended but never put in execution before this present and now provoked by intelligence of certain new practises within this Realm to perswade the Subjects that the King his Master would aid them with power this Spring c. he hath also lately searched for certain Barons Walls he shall depart by Dover into the Low-Country I can write no more for lack of leasure being occasioned to write at this time divers waies and not unoccupied with feasting my friends at the marriage of my daughter who is
this day married to the Earl of Oxford to my comfort by reason of the Queens Majestie who hath very honourably with her presence and great favour accompanied it I am sorry that your health is not more sperable to be speedily recovered but I trust after you have rested so in convenient time the Medicines shall have more power to do their effects My Lord Gray of Wilton hath had the like disease this Summer and seemeth to be cured or eased by the industry of an Italian Phisitian here in London called Silva he is thought to be more experimented in Surgery then in Phisick for so is his father who lieth in the Savoy with the Duke if you will send me some note or description and therewith a note of their method in curing of you I would confer with this Silva and advertise you of my opinion I wish to hear more life of the matter of 57. And thus ending with my most hearty commendations c. From Westminster December 1571. Yours most assured Will. Burliegh To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq her Majesties Ambassador Resident in France SIr Though I had no great matter to you yet if I had my health being now subject to a combat with a Feaver whereof this day I have had an assault of a second fit I must be excused to hold my hand where my head is not able to command it as this bearer can inform you Since your Letters which came when Sir Tho. Smiths were brought I received from you two other of the 17. by which I see you are advertised from good places how things passed at the Court there and in that matter of the third person newly offered his age and other qualities unknown maketh me doubtfull how to use speech thereof The Ambassador hath dealt as he saith secretly with me And I have shewed no argument to one hand or other as I may learn further from thence I will deal but fear occupieth me more in this cause of her Marriage whom God hath suffered to lose so much time then for my next fit and yet truely I have more cause then before time for it cometh of a great cold and a Rhume fallen into my Lungs where it is lodged as yet without moving but in respect of other things I see and suffer I weigh not my own carcase The Queens Majesty hath been alwaies a merciful Lady and by mercy she hath taken more harm then by justice and yet she thinks that she is more beloved in doing her self harm God save her to his honour long among us Mather hath in presence of my Lord of Leicester Mr. Treasuror Mr. Mildmay manfully charged Borgest the Spanish Ambassadors Secretary that his Master and he both inticed Mather to murther me and Borgest denying it Mather hath offered to try it Con la spada c. From Westminster the 23 of January 1571. Your loving Friend Will. Burleigh To Francis Walsingham Esq the Queens Majesties Ambassador Resident in France SIr I have nothing to write worth your good hearing for that I might write is not to my liking but Gods will be fulfilled This day the Marshal of Berwick and Mr. Randolph are gone for Scotland matters I mistrust not the matter by their handling but they lack that which others should handle you know what I mean and yet here hath lacked no solicitation I have not been able by a cold to see her Majestie these eight daies and this day I am in Phisick throughly sick and I write as you see like one unsetled and surely in mine opinion others though very few lack not to sollicite by speech oportune importune The Spanish late Ambassador passed hardly over conducted by Hawkins to Callais and like himself at Gravelin he turned out all the English men that he found and yet he knoweth that here remaineth Monsieur Sweringham at the request of the Duke of Alva Here is no small expectation whether the Duke shall die or continue prisoner I know not how to write for I am here in my Chamber subject to reports which are contrariwise Mather and Berny besides that they intended to kill me have now plainly confessed their intention and desire to have been rid of the Queens Majesty but I think she may by justice be rid of them Mather denieth not but that he was a 8 2 0 6 and now saith he is a 0 2 1 0 6. I wish him grace From Westminster the second of February 1571. Yours assuredly W. Burliegh To the right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq her Majesties Ambassador Resident in France SIr I heartily thank you for your frequent Letters and especially for that of the 9. whereby you will not be afraid of the Scotch preparation of force out of that Country indeed they should much disturb our proceedings there privatly for Mr. Drury and Mr. Randolph are there about this instant labouring to reconcile them of the Castle to the Kings side but this French Ambassador understandeth the matter to be only about the Treaty of abstinence untill la Croque may come whose haste I wish were retarded with a fit of my gout The Queens Majesty is very earnest that you should return to the Court specially because she would have you joyn with Sir Tho. Smith in this Treatie and when I excused your absence for the recovery of your full healing she said that she understood that you were healed almost one month past and thereto I said that as you were healed so was there as much need for you to rest for the confirmation of your healing or otherwise you should suffer a relapse with as great peril as before Well quoth she see you write to him that it is my desire and will him to find means to repair gently to the Court and there he may rest him But for all this it were better her Majestie should mislike of your tarrying if it be necessary whereby you may after that serve her better then by going now to doe one piece of service thereby be made unable to do the rest of many I cannot write you what is the inward cause of the stay of the Duke of Norfolks death only I find her Majestie diversly disposed sometime when she speaketh of her Majesties danger she concludeth that justice should be done another time when she speaketh of his nearness of bloud of his superiority in honour c. she stayeth As upon Saturday she signed a Warrant for the Writs to the Sheriffs of London for his execution on Monday and so all preparations were made with the expectation of all London and concourse of many thousands yesterday in the morning but their coming was answered with another ordinary execution of Mather and Berny for conspiring the Queens Majesties death and of one Rolph for counterfeiting the Queens Majesties hand twice to get concealed Lands And the cause of this disappointment was this suddenly on Sunday 〈◊〉 in the night the â—ueens Majestie sent for me and entred into a great
Mother said she would speak with her son in the matter Then I required her that she would do so much as call for Monsieur de Foix and shew him how she was agreed for the Merchants and that he would make haste with the Treaty as it was agreed upon saving for the mending of three or four words for I saw novv I must be fain to send into England before I can subscribe it She said she would not fail but that said she if it be but that doubt or some such small thing it might be let alone till one should come out of England The King my son will send over the Marshal Montmorency because the Queen your Mistris desired it and he desireth again that she would send hither my Lord of Leicester whom he desireth to see and honour for the good affection that he beareth to the Amity betwixt the two Realms and to acquit himself for the presents which he hath divers times sent unto him and then she doubted not all things should be done as your Majestie would desire Nay Madam quoth I I know the fashion of leagues it must be first agreed upon betwixt the Commissioners that no words be altered then subscribed with the hands of both the parties your Commissioners delivering the part signed with their hands to us and ours next to them then the Prince causeth it to be made under the great Seal of the Realm and so causeth it to be delivered each to others Ambassador he that cometh to see it sworn to may make a new League if the Princes will so to alter that he cannot for the Princes be bound to ratifie and swear to that the which the Commissioners were agreed upon And it were not wisdom to send such personages as your Majestie speaks of to an uncertain League you may consider my Mistress will not do it Well saith she I will speak with the King my self and send you Monsieur de Foix who shall treat with you of all these matters Then Mr Walsingham asked her if any thing were done as touching de la Roche and the matters in Ireland And she said yea and that de la Roche saith it is nothing and that there is not a French man there and that he will lay his head on it I pray you send home word that it may be tried out and if he do not say truth that he may feel smart for it and be well punished Then Mr. Killegrew took his leave of the Queen Mother and the Lady Margaret as he did before in the Kings Chamber of the King and the Duke for so they name the Duke d'Alanson of all whom he had gracious and gentle words as he can shew your Majestie he could not for divers respects conveniently have taken his leave before The younger Queen is taken here to be undoubtedly with child for she hath all the tokens of a woman that hath conceived and they gess she hath gone three moneths and more whereof the King and Queen Mother is not a little joyful Thus we most humbly commit your Highness to the tuition of Almightie God From Bloys the first of March 1571. Your Majesties most humble Subjects and Servants Tho Smith Fra Walsingham To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh YOur Lordship by Sir Tho Smithes Letters unto her Majestie shall be fully informed what hath passed in Conference as well with the King as his Deputies touching the League to which I refer you Of late I caused one under the colour of a Catholique to repair unto one Darbishire an English Jesuit in Paris for that I understood that there is a concurrency of intelligence between him and those of Lorrain as also with those of the Scotish Queens faction The party I sent did seem very much to bewail the evil success that the late practises took in Scotland and that now he did fear their case will grow desperate especially for that Mathers enterprize was also discovered To this the Jesuit answered that the evil handling of matters was the cause that they took no better effect notwithstanding saith he be of good comfort and assure your self there are more Mathers in England then one who will not admit when time shall conveniently serve to adventure their lives in seeking to acquit us of that lewd woman meaning her Majestie For saith he if she were gone then would the hedge lie open whereby the good Queen that now is prisoner in whom resteth the present the right of this Crown should easily enjoy the same For besides that all the Catholiques within the Realm of England are at her devotion there are saith he God be thanked divers Heretiques that are well-affected towards her which is no small miracle that God hath so blinded theâ— eyes as that they should be inclined to her that in the end shall yeild unto theâ— their just desert unless they return unto the Catholique faith The other replyeâ— that for his part he could never hope to see her at liberty nor long to see her keâ—â— her head upon her shoulders and therefore could receive no great comfort 〈◊〉 way Well saith the Jesuit I tell you truly that I dare assure you she shall have no harm for she lacketh no friends in the English Court And as for her liberty saith he it standeth all good Catholiques in hand â—o much to seek it either by hook or by crook as no doubt but there are some good men that will venter a joynt to bring it to pass For if she were once possessed of the Crown of England it will be the onely way and mean to reform all Christendom in reducing them to the Catholique faith and therefore you must think that there are more heads occupied in this matter then English heads and that there are moe ways to the wood then one and therefore be of good courage and ere ever one year be at an end you shall know more Besides his villainous and undutiful language of her Majestie he used very lewd and bitter speeches against the Earl of Leicester and your Lordship This was the sum of their talk which I conferring and weighing with the former intended practises made me think it worth the advertisement that her Majestie may see how much they build upon the possibility of that dangerous woman whose life is a step unto her Majesties death for that they repute her for an undoubtable successor or rather which is a more danger for a right Inheritor And though I know her mischievous intentions are limitted that they can reach no further to her Majesties harm or prejudice then shall seem good to Gods providence yet is her Majestie bound for her own safety and her Subejcts to adde to the same his good providence her just policy so far forth as may stand with justice And so leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present I most humbly take my leave At Bloys the second of March 1571. Your Honours to
that the same cometh about by the corruption of M. a Burgonian who altogether ruleth the K. He therefore adviseth the K here to enter into amity of Suevia who shall always be ablâ— to bridle Denmark and that he findeth by advice had from Suevia that the K. will most willingly enter into league with him Standen who lately came out of Spain and arrived here secretly the 23 of this month gave out some speech unto a Frenchman whom he trusted of some hope there would be in England of change or ever Summer ended He staid here only one night I have written to Paris to have his doings observed to which place he is repaired At our access unto the Q. mother I shewed her what I had heard out of Britain touching the L. Flemings doings I therefore desired her M. to move the K. to write to the Governor of Britain to have an eye unto him and not to permit him to do any thing more then his pasport beareth lest otherwise it might breed some jealousie which thing she promiseth to do I know the K. hath lately written to the Governor of Newhaven to suffer none to imbarque for Scot. nor to do any thing that may any way offend her M. I send your Lp. here inclosed that lately I received from Paris from a Spaniard of mine acquaintance who is both wise and religious honest and learned The only cause why I send it is for that it toucheth an imprisonment I refer it to your Lp. to judge thereof as you shall think good I used the less hast in advertising for that otherwise advice hath been given in that behalf The Navar marriage is not yet concluded notwithstanding there is great hope that the same wil take place I forbear to send with the Ks. pacquer for that I attended the dispatch of Count Lodowicks man thinking to have sent by him but after that he understood her M. had banished these leud sea-robers it caused him to stay and yet he meaneth to send a gentleman to thank her M. for that undeserved favor she had shewed to these lewd Ministers He hath great conference with Q. mother and Monsr daily which maketh men to discourse diversly As soon as he is grown to some through conclusion he telleth me that he will send a gentleman over to her M. The Admiral is shortly to be looked for here and great hopes conceived of the compounding of the discord between him and the house of Guise For the conclusion of the Navar marriage there is 8 chosen to whom the matter is committed 4 for the K. and 4 for the Q. of Navar. For the K is chosen Birage Count de Rets Biron Malalieur For the Q. Count Lodowick Francourt her Chancellor De La Nove and her Secretary They are all as it is thought so well affected to the marriage as there is no doubt made of some good conclusion and so having nothing else to impart to your honor at present I most humbly take my leave At Blois March 29. 1571. Yours to command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honorable and his very good Lord the Lord Burleigh YOur Lp. may perceive by Sir T. Smiths letter unto her M. what we have done touching the inlargement of La Crocques Commission if the doubt of the Q. of Scots possibility were taken away the K. here would be content to yield to any thing that may tend to her M. safety but the same still hanging in suspence her M. must neither look for sound subjects at home not sure friendship abroad By letters from Paris March 28 I learn that Higgins is returned thither who as I am informed hath been at Rome he resorteth to the Scotch Ambassador as he was accustomed to which place also Standen repaireth since his return out of Spain where they have their conferences Higgius at his departure from Paris protested secretly to a friend of his that he would not return thither in 1 or 2 yeers seeing he saw no way with his Mr but one his sudden return shews there is somwhat a brewing At present there is also there Egmont Râ—teliff and Genny they past lately out of Spain this way One Chamberlain who conferred here with the K. Secretary of Spain is now repaired to the D. Alva Stukely is returned into Spain in company of I Doria he received great honor from the K. is put in hope shortly to be employ'd I send you by W Williams advertisements out of Britain touching the L Flemings doings besides I have twice moved the Q Mother in that behalf I did also at our conference with Mr. Limoges and du Foix make them acquainted with the matter who did assure us there should be redress 〈◊〉 out of hand From Bloys April 4. 1571. Fr Walsingham By the Queen ELIZABETH R. TRusty and right well-beloved We greet you well Since the receit of your Letters to us from you both joyntly dated the first of March and other your later Letters of the 8 directed to the Lord Burleigh in which your later Letters you did at length expresse your Negotiation in this matter of Treaty with the points not resolved we have had some cause to prolong our answer otherwise then we thought at the first partly at the request of the French Ambassador here who motioned unto us not to proceed to a final resolution of the matters in doubt untill he might receive some direction from the King his Master which when he had then were we also impeached from consideration of the same by reason of sudden sharp accident of sickness which as it continued with us some time so nevertheless in 7 or 8 daies by Gods goodness we were eased and do now take our selves to be very well recovered both of the danger and trouble thereof â— lacking nothing but some small time to recover the strength which we lost with the sharpness of the sickness And so now we have after some conference had with the Kings Ambassador resolved upon the matters in doubt and all the rest of the Articles of the Treaty which you shall understand to be in this manner following Where you did move to have inserted into the said Article the Clause of the mutual defence to be by special name for Invasion upon colour of Religion considering upon debate thereof the King hath offered to expound the same Clause to be meant by a special Letter according to a Coppy sent to us by you dated the 8 of March and on the backside marked with us We do not mislike the Contents of the Letter saving we would wish the effect thereof to be written in Latine as the Treaty is with the Kings stile so as it may also have the great Seal annexed thereunto The like thereof we will for our part accomplish and deliver to this Ambassador And so have we caused our resolution to be declared to their Ambassador and in some part of the Letter we have added some words to make the same both plainer and
and novv be in the Castle of Edenburgh and this being understood the Ship vvas stayed and searched and amongst other the confirmation of that vvhich I told you before vvas in the Scotch Queens Letters that she gave her self and her son novv the young King of Scotland vvholly into the hands of the King of Spain to be governed and ruled only by him and assure him that if he vvould send any povver the young King should be delivered into his hands For in the Ship it doth appear that the Lord Seton by his instructions is named the Scotch Queens Ambassador tovvards the Duke of Alva A goodly Ambassador saith the Queen And there in his Ambass he offereth the young King to be delivered into his hands to be conveyed into Spain And to animate him more to set up again the Scotch Queen and take the protection of her that she hath right both by Gods Law and mans Law to be Queen of England and also of Scotland and that she hath not only all those that be in trouble now but a great sort more in England on her part so that the King by setting her up should not only govern both these Realms but shall also set up in both again the Catholique Religion Alas saith the Queen that head of hers shall be never in quiet This quoth I toucheth us most the next toucheth the King your son I will shew unto you as I have it my Lord Burleigh writeth it unto me In the same ship amongst other was found a Letter of the Countess of Northumberland who was one of the chief stirrers in the last Rebellion Her husband the Earl is now prisoner in Scotland for the same purpose The Countess in her Letter writeth to her husband that the Duke of Guise hath of late been with the D. of Alva disguised and she affirmeth to her husband for certainty all the house of Guise and that faction will follow in all points the direction of the King of Spain Saith the Queen he was not for by reason of his Treaty of accord she meant between the Admiral and him which hath been long time in doing and yet taketh that small success every four daies we either hear from him or send to him so that we know certainly where he is and that he hath not been there he might well enough send some other person but somewhat there is we know well enough saith she that they incline somewhat that way of Spain and it may be nothing for it is the Spanish practice to aid themselves with lies and spread abroad that those and those be of the Faction to bring other in when indeed it is nothing so that used the Emperor Charls and so brought some by this means unto his lure before they were aware and that is a shrewd art quoth I to abuse rash fools Yes saith she but when at the last it is espied it makes them the more to be hated and other the harder to be abused by them Then she left that matter Jesu saith she and doth not your Mistress see that she shall be alwaies in danger untill she marry That once done and in some good House who dare attempt any thing against her Madam quoth I I think if she were once married all in England that had any traiterous hearts would be discouraged for one Tree alone may soon be cut down but when there be two or three together it is longer a doing and one shall watch for the other but if she had a child then all these bold and troublesome Titles of the Scotch Queen or other that make such gapings for her death will be clean choaked up I see she may have five or six saith she very well I would to God we had one No saith she two boys leâ—t the one should die and three or four daughters to make alliance with us again and other Princes to strengthen the Realm Why then quoth I you think that Monsieur le Duc shall speed With that she laughed and said Ie le desire infinitement and I would trust then to see three or four my self at the least of her race which would make me indeed not to spare Sea nor Land to see her and them And if she could have fancied my son d'Anjou saith she as you told me why not this of the same house Father and Mother and as vigorous and lusty as he and rather more and now he beginneth to have a beard come forth so that I told him the last day that I was angry with it for now I was afraid he would not be so high as his brethren Yea Madam quoth I a man doth commonly grow in height to his years the beard maketh nothing Nay saith she he is not so little he is so high as you or very near For that matter Madam quoth I I for my part make small account if the Queens Majestie can fancie him For Pipinus Brevis who married Bertha the King of Almains Daughter was so little to her that he is standing in Aquisgrave or Moguerre a Church in Almani she taking him by the hand and his head not reaching to her girdle and yet he had by her Charlemain the great Emperor and King of France which is reported to be almost a Giants stature And your Oliver Glesquim the Briton Constable that you make so much of and lieth buried amongst the Kings at St. Dennis if he were no bigger then is there pourtrayed upon his Tomb was very short scarcely four foot long but yet he was valiant hardly and couragious above all in his time and did us English men most hurt It is true saith she it is the heart courage and activity that is to be looked for in a man but hear you word of the Queens affection that way can you give me no comfort No I assure your Majestie quoth I for the Letters were written the 11 of this Month the same day or the next that our Currier went with the dispatch from hence Thus with much other talk in such sort the time was passed that day betwixt her Majestie and me All the world doth see that we doe wish her Majestie surety and long continuance that her marriage and issue of her Highness body should be the most assurance of her Highness and of the Wealth of the Realm The place where and the person whom I for my part remit to her Majestie but what doth her Majestie mean to maintain still her danger and not provide for her surety I assure your Lordship I can see no reason God preserve her Majestie long to Reigne over us by some unlooked for miracle for I cannot see by natural reason that her Highness goeth about to provide for it Thus I commit your Lordship to Almighty God From Blois March 22. 1571. by English account Th. Smith To my Lord of Burleigh MY Lord You must excuse us if the Queens Majestie or any other body do find fault that we send this man away
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
perswasions they were induced to accord with her Majestie that a Parliament should be holden with such speed as it might be and there these her Majesties motions were propounded and certain persons should have authority to treat hereof with her Majesties Councellours Whereupon her Majestie did look for some good success and before it could be granted thereunto to proceed her Majestie discovered daily most dangerous attempts of Treason both against her Person and Realm wholly and onely set forth by the said Queen of Scots And her Majestie found these new Treasons intended and almost brought to their mischievous perfection by not onely renewing of the former marriage with the Duke of Norfolk and by giving order for a Rebellion and Invasion of this Realm All which was by her devised set forth and delivered to be executed even in the very same time that her Majestie did deal so earnestly for her with her Subjects and was in hope to have obtained some reasonable end for her So also did she now discover the truth of her former practises in stirring of the first Rebellion onely to have by force obtained the marriage and with the same force sought the Crown All the which attempts the said Lord Admiral and Sir Tho Smith can orderly declare and so they shall do And they may well say That her Majestie cannot think any person to mean well towards her safetie that would after these things thus notified move her Majestie to hold her former course in favour of the said Scotish Queen And this hath been the cause why her Majestie hath not since this last discovery of these dangers in such sort answered both to the King and his Ministers upon their motions made in her favour And the Lord Admiral shall conclude that seeing the case is thus that to shew such favour to the Scotish Queen as is desired is most dangerous to her Majesties Crown and her Majestie cannot like of any motion to hazard her own Estate And besides the things intended by the Scotish Queen against her Majestie it is apparent she doth wholly give her self to the Duke of Alva and to the King of Spain which as it is many waies fully to be proved so may the Lord Admiral say That he can make it manifest by her own hand writing for which end he shall shew to the King a Letter of hers in Cypher to the Duke of Alva All which the Lord Admiral shall shew to the King to this end that both he may see the just causes her Majestie hath to hold the course she doth and that he also wil not molest her Maj. with any motions tending for favour of the Scotish Q. so greatly to her Maj. danger And to the matter of le Crocques stay here for a time before his departure into Scotland if any mention be thereof made by the King the said L. Admiral can tel the occasion thereof to have grown of the letters which le Crocque brought from the King to her Majestie in favour of the Scotish Queen for her liberty and return into France notwithstanding the king had been duly informed by her Majesties Ambassador that her Majestie could not with her surety suffer the same And threfore at that time she could not think that le Crocques negotiation coming with such letters could tend to pacifie the Realm of Scotland for her Majesties surety when before his â—nlay he was found to have charge from the Q. of Scots If any motion be made to the L. Admiral of a matter lately devised to offer to her Maj. Marriage with the Duke of Alanson the L. Admiral may well say that he hath no charge to speak thereof at this time but he may say that he is willed if occasion be so given to him to report what he heard her Majestie say that he was not so well used in the Treaty for the other brother the Duke of Anjou as was meet in the time of motion made for Amity both by that marriage and otherwise for that Monsieur de Foix being in England and dealing therein her Majestie did proceed honourably and plainly with him and with the French Ambassador that she would not assent to marry with him or with any other that would not consent with her in Religion contrary to the order of the Realm or at the least that would use any other Religion in any sort then might stand with the Church of God whereupon her Majestie was by them pressed but to consent to a sufferance of some secret usage of his Religion without offence of the Realm until he might be otherwise induced and perswaded in conscience It may be remembred that when her Majesties Ambassador made a report at de Foix return of her Majesties answer the King seemed not willing to receive that answer but that he desired that some might be sent to commune thereof with him who should find that the matter should be made clearer of these difficulties whereunto when her Majestie did not fully consent it was afterward by the Ambassador Resident oftentimes pressed that her Majestie would send some special person of trust for her self to the French King promising her Majestie that this matter should be facillitated and made easie to her contentation According whereunto her Majestie upon many solicitations specially by the said Ambassador in the King his Masters name did send Sir Tho Smith to understand the Kings meaning herein who can best tell how at the first entry he was answered with a direct contrary course to her Majesties expectation and otherwise then was mentioned by any Ambassador that ever treated therein with her Majestie or that ever Monsieur de Foix did ever speak or require which was that Monsieur de Anjou would in any wise have the exercise of his Religion here in England in like sort as he had in France A matter strange to be heard at that time when her Majestie was provoked to send one with hope that in the case of Religion she should receive such an answer as should content her Majestie Of this matter the L. Admiral shall inform himself more largely of Sir Tho Smith to the end that if the same be communed of he may both with the King and the Queen Mother so deal as it may be seen to them that her Majestie had cause to think very strangely thereof And were it not that she is entred into a streight Amity with the King she might justly challenge lack of friendship herein but so as the King be not ignorant but that her Majestie hath cause to think her self not well dealt withal she is content to pass it over without keeping the same in memory to nourish any unkindness And so the L. Admiral shall use his speech that the King may not think his speech to move any new offence Furthermore the said L. Admiral shall in all his speech with the King and also with the Queen Mother let it appear how much her Majestie esteemeth sundry offers
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
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
square a pen of metal and other things I have two of them already one of the least and the other of Copper or Latyn and the manner of Iron Now I desire to have of the biggest volume which is with the case a foot long or thereabouts and if more it were not the worse whether the instruments be of Iron or Latyn I care not I have shewed your man mine to the intent he might know what I mean I have sent you by him five French Crowns of the Sun to pay for my book of Matthiolus and the case of Tools and if it come to more I will pay whatsoever it be with most hearty thanks I am sure you have heard of and I think you have seen the new fair Star or Comet but without beard or tail which hath appeared here these three weeks on the backside of the Chair of Cassiopeia and on the edge of Lactea via The bigness is betwixt the bigness of Iupiter and Venus and keeps there to my appearance who have no instruments to observe it and because of this cold weather also dare not observe the precise order of the fixed stars such a one I never have observed nor read of I pray you let me know what your wise men of Paris do judge upon it I know they will not think it is the Admirals soul as the Romans did of the Comet next appearing after the murther of Iulius Caesar that it was his soul. It may be Astraea now peaking out afar off in the North to see what revenge shall be done upon so much innocent blood-shed in France at a marriage banquet and reer suppers after it It would be to me good yet to understand what your Astronomers and Heaven-gazers there do judge of it If I were not so much occupied as I am I would turn over all my old books but I would say somewhat of it my self and gess by chance even as wisely as they though I would not publish it but to my friends for folly the more it is kept in the better Methinks I hear you say what a mischief meaneth he to write to me of new Stars and Astronomers and telleth me nothing of my coming home Sir if I should tell you any thing thereof de die tempore I should but guess as Astronomers do but this I can tell you all your friends have not onely been diligent but more then importunate to bring you home and your wife with tears and lamentations And the Queens Majestie seemeth to incline and grant our requests but when a pin is set fast in a hole till we have another to thrust that out and tarry there it self it is hard to get it out Your successor cannot yet be found yes find enough but we cannot get one that will â—tick fast till he might be thrust in indeed and so you to be thrust out and ye know how long we be here a resolving and how easie to be altered At the signing of her Majesties letters to you this morning I said to the Queen Madam my Lord Ambassador looks now to have some word from your Majestie of his return it would comfort him very much Why faith she he shall come Yea quoth I when the poor Gentleman is almost dismaid your Majestie hath heard enough with what grief he doth tarry there Well saith she you may write unto him that he shall come home shortly we think with my Lord of Worcester I said indeed my Lords train should be the more honourable if he had one Ambassador to go with him and another to return with him Yea saith her Majestie there be some make excuses that they would not go but their excuses shall not serve them I thanked her Majestie and came my ways for she made haste to go a walking with the Ladies because it was a frost Fare you well From Hampton Court this eleventh of December 1572. Your assured Friend Th. Smith Her Highness appointeth still upon Mr. Carew to be your successor but he maketh great labour to the contrary by Ladies of the privy Chamber and others but as I can perceive by this last speech and others he shall succeed you To the Right Honoâ—rable Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador Resident for her Majestie in France THis bearer your servant cometh onely with credit for I have no leisure to write but this Mannesire hath gotten knowledge for which Glasco 9 sent Marcellis le davison hither as Davison this present night telleth me whereby he saith that if Mannesire shall come hither before this bringer then shall 9 Glasco and he be in great danger and therefore Davison doth write by this bringer to Steward as I think and to 9 who as Davison thinketh will surely come hither For which purpose he hath required me to provide a passenger to attend at Harwieh Le the Port of 2 0 â— 6 â—â— The rest of things your servant shall shew unto you and this do I depeach without knowledge of the Queens Majestie until I may have answer From Westminister this eleventh of December at Midnight 1572. Yours assuredly William Burleigh To the Right Honorable Sir Thomas Smith her Majesties principal Secretary SIr her Majesties of the eleventh of this moneth I have received but have not yet communicated to their Majesties here such answers as were made unto the things propounded unto her by Monsieur de Mannesire both for that he is not yet returned as also for that the Queen Mother at this present is not in the best health whereby Ambassadors can have no access to her as yet Her sickness is onely a Catarrh so that I think by his return she will be in state able to give access seeing the Government resteth wholly in her hands without committing the matter unto her as well as unto the King it will be to no great purpose for that he receiveth his light from thence The eighteenth of this moneth the King by mischance of another mans sword received a little hurt in his left arm which is not great but that every small hurt is great in a Prince The hope of the Rochellois is yielding is now worn away they having lately received advertisements from them that Monsieur de la Noue can do no good and that they imprison as many as do perswade them to yield as those whom they hold suspected so that now being out of all hope to obtain the same by composition they here consult of the means to obtain the same by force and therefore it is said that Monsieur and Monsieur le Duc shall march thitherwards about the latter end of Ianuary Yesterday as I am credibly informed they received news that did not best content them out of Switzerland which is that the last Diet holden there they have concluded not to suffer the King to have any succors fâ—om thence for that they suspect that the fire lately kindled here is to extend to themselves The Souldiers here do conclude that without either Switzers or
1572. Your Lordships to Command Fr. Walsingham To the right Honoâ—rable my very good Lord the Lord Treasurer IT may please your Lordship to understand that B. who hath great conference with B. G. in matters of greatest importance did discover to a friend of his who imparted the same unto me that he learned at his hands that the 19 of this moneth Queen Mother held a secret Councel at which was present onely the Cardinall of Lorain and two others In the which it was debated what course was to be taken for the appeasing of their troubles here And after long deliberation it was concluded That untill such time as England might be kept occupied there could grow no through redress here without hazarding of the whole estate and that therefore it was requisite now to yeild to them of Rochel any reasonable kind of surety they would require as also to other Towns in France that would not yeild And rather then fail to yeild to them so far as to let them have the liberty of their Religion to suffer the Nobility of the Country that inhabit near the Towns to live in the same to keep such Garrisons in the same as they may think fit for their surety with condition that the said Nobility shall deliver some of their children to be Hostages with the King for his assurance that the said Towns shall be kept to his use And amongst others it was agreed that the offers should be made to Count Mango to retire himself to Rochel with condition to yeild his son to be a Pledge These offers they think to be so large as they make full account they will be accepted This thing being done it is then concluded to send under the conduct of the Marquis de Maine 1000 shot which thing shall be done as proceeding from him himself in respect that he is the Queen of Scots kinsman and disavowed by the King who shall land at a place called Aier shall after they have joyned with the Qu. party repair to Edenburgh where Liddington and Grange Kirkaldie have promised to deliver up the Castle unto such as the King shall appoint upon recompence to receive some living here in France there leaving a sufficient Garrison they shall besides fortifie themselvs in the town of Loâ—ghbreton at Brochty besides Dundee at Haymouth And that this being done the Duke of Guyse and Chevalies shal come over with other forces to procure the delivery of the Queen of Scots such of the Queens friends as are in England wil incontinently take Arms who do give out to them here that her party and forces are so great there that having good Leaders munition they shal be able to make their party good enough to deliver the Queen of Scots in despite of her Majesty In the mean time till the King hath compounded with those Towns that now hold out they are resolved that the D. of Chastelrâ—â—lt and the â— of Huntly shall seem to yeild to any composition that the Regent will have them onely to keep out that her Majesty shall send thither no forces in assisting of the Regent which thing they have advertisements from their Ambassador that she hath meaning to do And for the communicating of those matters unto the Queens party there it is determined that Viraque shall depart thither forthwith he shall also have commission to bear the Regent in hand that the King here doth not mislike of the present government there nor that he is chosent Regent and to use all such like speeches as may entertain him for a time untill such things here be setled He shall also have charge to offer him the entertainment of men of Arms to all such young Gentlemen as are serviceable as well to them of one part as to those of the other Other particularities he said he learned of him which he might not utter and were of great consequence The Gentleman to whom this was discovered being a Scot is one whom I do very well credit and for that he is thought to incline towards the Queen of Scots the party above named did deal the more frankly with him and because I thought it necessary for her Majesty to understand so much I thought good to send this Messenger of purpose withall and have promised for his recompence to have 6 pounds 13 shillings 4 pence For that mine own men are not returned I am driven to use him If her Majesty desire to hear often from hence then must there be order taken for the sending back of those I send thither And so leaving c. At Paris the 24 of January 1572. Your Honors to command Fr. Walsingham Viraque is already departed and commanded to use all expedition possible To the right honourable Mr. Francis Walsingham Esquire her Majesties Ambassador in France SIR as Dido said Non ignara mali miser is succâ—rrere disco so I who know what things they be whch Ambassadors do most desire will not let you want that intelligence which I can give you by your man I send you the occurrents of the Scot. By my L. of Worcesters instruction you shal understand what is to be answered to all questions likely to be moved either to you or to him yet that all things might be perfect I have sent you a Peer of my L. Treasurers sent to me because the French Ambassador shewed the â— â—ajesty that the Emperours Master of the Horse who cometh for the Emperesse doth intend to hold the Child himself The Queens Majesty to save money will have my Lord do so too except as in the Instructions The childs name as the Ambassador told her Majesty should have the name of both the Godmothers and so be called Mary Elizabeth so neither shal strive with others for the name This is all I can say for that matter And for your return and successor as much as I could know I wrot to you by your servant Iacomo We have had intelligence lately from Rochel that there was a servant of the late Cardinall Chastillans put to death there for going about and conspiring to betray the town of Rochel and the same as he went to execution confessed that it was he that poisoned the same Cardinal in Eâ—gland whereby it may appear that this design of murdering had the plot laid long before and a man may doubt whether the Queen of Navarre passed out the same way I thank you for your notes which you sent me of the Comet or new Starre but in the placing of it your Astronomers and ours differ exceedingly Yours do place it in the 29 of Piscis and ours in the 7 degree of Taurus so they vary one whole sign and 8 degrees Your printed Book goeth upon it 〈…〉 If any hath more boldly written of it in print I pray you let me see it Our men do not deny but that he riseth in that degree of Piscis or the first of â— but it is one thing to rise with the degree
of the Zodiack and to stand in a place after Sexion of the Zodiack and our men do find him far above the Moon and above the height of the Sphere of Venus Then it cannot be a temporarie Comet Now things above the Moon do rise and die which was never believed afore but either a new star made or an old star new seen Fare you well From Hampton Court the 13 of January 1572. Your assured friend Tho. Smith Part of my Lord Treasurers letter to me touching the enterview and such things as have passed for marriage FIrst for the matter of Monsieur d' Anjou and next to the Duke of Alanson I trust I need not make any other rehearsall then your self can gather by the instructions you had when you were sent into France after that Du Foix had been here who departed fully answered saving in the Article of Religion which was also so tempered as that he pleaded no misliking but but that it was restrained with the words that the Duke should use no Religion that was contrary or repugnant Ecâ—lesiae vel verbo Dei and how you found Monsieur altered from the offers of du Foix in that he would have his Religioâ— wholly as he had in France Now you can also tell how the Offer of the Duke of Alanson was begun and how prosecuted here by Monsieur and du Foix. And since that time this Ambassadour there could find the Queen Mother It ought to be remembred with what absurd Offers it hath been handled To have an Enterview it was required that the Queens Majesty would repair to Dover and the Queen Mother and the Duke should come to Bulloigne and the advice that they should meet upon the Sea in October All which was taken off and utterly misliked as vain and ridiculous A more foolish motion was made that the Queen would meet with the â—ueen Mother at Iersey such a device as argued either a gross ignorance in them that named Iersey as not knowing how farre it was by Sea from England or else a flat mock in offering a thing so unreasonable and to say the truth impossible And surely it could not have been better acquitted then to have required the Queen Mother â—o come into the Isle of Scotland to have spoken with the Queens Majesty the next year if she would make her progress to Berwick Since these follies passed they have by the Ambassadour generally pressed the Queens Majesty to the Duke but no special dealing hath been for any enterview or for answer how he will accord in Religion in which last consisteth the greatest difficulty of treating so as his person might by sight be first allowed Thus much of this matter To my very loving friend Francis Walsingham Esq the Queens Majesties Ambassadour with the French King SIR this day I received your Letters with two French Books the one of Carpenter the Apostate the other by an unknown malicious French Writer taught by a rebellious crafty Papist of England wherein though he meant maliciously to the State yet he rometh his choler and despite chiefly against me and my Lord Keeper by Nick-names God amend his spirit and confound his malice And for my part if I have any such malicious or malignant spirit God presently so confound my body to ashes and my soul to perpetuall torment in hell I know not whether you shall be able to understand the Author but if by the Printer it might be found out I would gladly bestow any reward upon the discovery if it cannot be found then I wish that some means were used as of your self to Queen Mother that the print may be destroyed For otherwise we shall think our selves considering the places we do hold in this estate not well considered by that estate I have not imparted any thing to my Lord of Worcester but leave the order of the whole to your direction This licentiousness to inveigh against men by name in printed bookes that use not by books to provoke any is in all good Estates intolerable God send this Estate no worse meaning servants in all respects then we two have been who indeed spared not labour nor care to serve our Queen and Countrey and if we had not we may truly avow neither our Queen nor Countrey had enjoyed that common repose that it hath done I am required to recommend my Lord of Worcester unto you which I need not because you know his Office and cause of coming and besides you shall find him a Nobleman of great gentleness and thankfulness And therefore you shall find cause to shew him all good Offices and favours And if my hearty commendations of his Lordship may do any thing in his gratification I pray you his Lordship may understand my good will for in very truth I love him dearly And so I end From my House at Theobals where are with me Mr. Ralph Sadler and divers others as Mr. Denny your good friend The 14 of January 1572. Your assured loving friend W. Burleigh Sir when I consider of this lewd Book I think it will be replied unto you That it is reason that answer be made to such books as are published for the condemning of the Queen of Scots And so for my part I yield that Writers answer matters But to have the Duke of Norfolks cause brought in question and Us that are Councellors to the Queen to be so maliciously and falsly calumnied may not wel stand with the term of the Amity professed But yet I leave all to your consideration and wisdom Instructions for the Earl of Worcester ELIZABETH R. FIrst you shall make our Ambassador there resident Mr. Francis Walsingham privy of the office which at this time you have to do and the Letters which you have to deliver and confer with him of the manner of the Court and the use at this present and as he shall be able to inform you and you of your wisdom and discretion do understand with all convenient Honour Amity and Love you shall deliver our Letters and do such offices as to our Ambassage doth appertain And if the Emperors Ambassador hold the child himself you may also do it but if that you shall perceive that any device or other sinister means shall be given about to bring you to their mass or any other superstitious ceremonies which the order of our Realm doth not allow you shall not consent nor assist it but rather absent your self and understanding that before with honourable excuse require the Queen Mother that the Queen of Navarre to whom we have in this case written our special Letters to be our deputy for you or in the absence or let of her any other Princess or Noblewoman whom it shall please the Queen Mother to appoint and address to it according as we have also written to the said Queen Mother And you shall not need to break neither with the King nor Q. Mother nor any other or any matter but of such courtesies and other Court-like
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
hath brought the most of them to hearken to his pipe I have let her Majesty see and consider of your letters saving some concerning our occurrents here I will move her Majesty to be more earnest then yet she hath been There lacketh no no sollicitation for your revocation and untill my Lord of Worcesters return it shall be hard to obtain any resolute answer If the French King shall follow towards Rochel I would wish you to procure means to tarry in some convenient place near Paris and to send a Secretary to follow the Court with some pretence of lack of your health But hereof you shall best counsell your self And so I end From Westminster the 29 of January late in the night After I had supped here at my house all the Lords of the Councell and by their means 20 Lords more to the which I had commodity by the Queens Majesties being here at Somerset House Yours assuredly W. Burghley To my Lord of Burghley the 11 of February THis Letter I received the day of my Lord of Worcesters departure and because I doubted your Lordship would not wel read the same I thought good to copie it out what the effect thereof should be I know not it seemeth to me but a Riddle The party that brought them was as vain as vanity it self he shewed me that La. Motts departure without taking of his leave was for that he durst not repair unto me being very much suspected I told him he needed not fear so much for that he dealt not with me in any matter but that he might repair unto me any time safely without any danger for any thing that I know I have of late discovered one that carrieth a box of Linnen to the Queen of Scots who departeth not this town these three or four days I think your Lordship shall see somwhat written in some of the linnen contained in the same that shall be worth the reading Her Majesty under colour of seeing of the fashion of the Ruffes may cause the severall pieces of linnen to be held afore a fire whereby the writing may appear for I judge there will be some matter discovered which made me the more willingly grant the Pasport To my Lord of Burleigh I Should do my Lord of Worcester wrong if should not impart unto your Lordship both his dutifulness and discreet usage of the La. of Northumberland His sister sent unto him at the time of his abode here to the end your Lordship may make her Majesty acquainted with all First as soon as he heard of the said parties coming his Lordship made me privie thereof and shewed that though she was his sister yet in respect of her undutifull usage towards her Majesty he did respect her as a meer stranger and so meant to do untill such time as her peace were made He would not so much as vouchsafe to give ear to any Messenger or Message sent from her and therefore willed him to forbear to repair unto him The like usage towards the said Messenger did Charls Somerset use utterly refusing to speak with him And leaving c. At Paris the 12 of February 1572. To Sir Tho. Smith SIR According to your direction of your Letters the 29 of the last I shewed the King of the great grief that her Majestie had conceived that the travel both of his and her Ministers took no better effect touching the appeasing of the matters in Scotland as a thing dishonourable for them both to be deluded and scorned by such petty companions as those are that are in the Castle to whom was offered as much as they themselves could desire reasonable and more yet so are they carried away with their particular passions as they desired nothing more then to maintain still Warr in their Countrie not having such a respect to the tender age of their young King as they ought especially seeing that they were the first and chief doers in deposing of the Queen and setting up of him I shewed him also That though the Kings civil Warr and hostility touched both their Majesties generally as they that desired the repose of that Realm yet it touched the Queens Majestie more particularly for that during the time of these civil troubles amongst them her Majesties Subjects that are borderers are marvelously charged by outlaws and thieves whereof no redress can be had by reason of their inward troubles amongst themselves I declared unto him also that her Majestie in regard of the kindred betwixt the young King and her could not but wish his Realm to be in quiet and peace in this his minority which thing would not be brought to pass so long as these petty companions in the Castle through their own wilfulness obstinacy and private respects shall keep that Realm still in dissention and trouble in contempt of both him and her Majestie whose designe tended to no other end but to make unity and concord amongst them And therefore the King to this answered that he was sorry that their intentions in according of them took no better effect And as for Hume Castle he said that though by the League it was not expresly mentioned to be delivered to the L. Hume yet the meaning of it was so Whereunto I reply'd that the meaning of the clause in the League touching the rendring of Hume Castle had not respect to any particular person but generally to set that Country free from all forein forces and that therefore her Majestie might render the same to whom she would of that Nation To that the King replyed that he had rather it should remain in the Queens Majesties hands who saith he is a Prince honourable and sincere then to be delivered into the hands of any of the other party But herein saith he I will advise my self with my Councel and within a day or two make you acquainted with mine answer I told him according to my Lord of Worcesters Instructions that her Majestie delivering the same would capitulate with those to whom it should be delivered to restore the same to the L. Hume when he shall recognize the Kings authority as heretofore he hath done The King took occasion upon these Scottish matters to recommend unto the Earl of Worcester the Queen of Scots case To whom my Lord answered that such was their dangerous and unkind dealing towards her Majestie as he should forget the duty of a good Subject if he should once open his lips for her and therefore desired his Majestie to pardon him in that he refused to be a dealer in that behalf To this the King answered That he did not desire any favour to be shewed unto her otherwise then might be with the Queens Majesties safety At our access unto Queen Mother she desired my Lord that whereas there hath been long in Treaty a marriage between her Majestie and her Son M. Le Duc de Alanzon that he would therefore move her at his return that the same may grow to some conclusion
as that thing which she hoped would prove profitable unto her Majestie and beneficial unto her Realm and Subjects To this my Lord answered That the cause why the same grew not to some conclusion either off or on proceeds for that they have not made answer to certain things propounded by the Ambassador here Resident unto them whereunto she answered That she did not remember any thing whereunto they were so give answer whereupon I took occasion to shew her that there were two points to be answered The one concerning Religion the other concerning the interview For the point of Religion I shewed her that her Majestie in respect of the alteration that hath lately hapned in this Realm and that which passed in the Treaty of the Marriage between her and Monsieur de Anjou had cause to accord that point first as that thing which touched generally the quietness and repose of her Realm Touching the interview I told her that for as much as her Majestie could have no other way satisfaction then by the same the point of Religion once accorded some convenient means for the accomplishing of her said interview was to be devised To this she answered that her Son was of the same living that the other was and of the same Religion and therefore hoped should have no less favour then the other should have had touching the point of Religion for that it is a thing dishonourable and unchristian for a Prince to change his Religion upon the sudden To this I replyed that for mine own part I did not remember that while I had the dealing in the matter any liberty in that was accorded to Monsieur de Anjou And if it were Madam said I we see that a thing is tolerable in the other In conclusion my Lord requested in that she desired to grow to an end in this matter that she would roundly set down in her Letters what the King and she required touching that part of Religion To this she answered after some denial made thereof saying that their Ambassador should signifie in that behalf that she would be content so to do And touching the interview when matters of Religion should be once accorded she doubted not but there would be means found for the bringing of the same to pass as should be to her Majesties satisfaction I made her acquainted with the matters of Scotland touching Hume Castle whereunto I received like answer at her hands as at the Kings which was that after conference had with their Councel I should understand what was their mind and resolution in that behalf whereupon these Scottish matters she took occasion to recommend to my Lord the Queen of Scots to whom he gave like answer as before In the end as my Lord was ready to depart she shewed him that she was given to understand that there were certain ships a preparing in England by certain Rebels there whereof she desired her Majestie to give redress as appertained to good amity Whereunto my Lord answered that she might be assured that her Majestie had never any intention to tollerate any thing that might tend to the breach of the same so that if there were any preparation of ships in hand as he knew not of any he was well assured her Majestie was nothing privy thereunto as also that her Majesties Subjects were no dealers in the same who hath forbidden them expresly not to intermeddle Why then said she if they be strangers she ought to banish them and not to permit them to attempt any thing to the prejudice of this Countrey considering that she is as well bound to yield up ayd requiring the same at her hands as we to grant the like unto her upon like occasion and therefore she desired him to put her Majestie in mind that some order might be taken for the remedy of the same which he assured her he would at his return This was as much as passed at the time of my Lords taking of his leave The morning my Lord departed Queen Mother sent for me and shewed me that by Letters sent from Monsieur De la Mot they were given to understand that her Majestie let fall some speech that she could not think that the continuance of the Treaty of Marriage with Monsieur le Duc should be sincerely meant he being now retired from hence and imployed by the King at Rochel she therefore for the satisfaction of her Majestie requested me to desire the Earl of Worcester to signifie unto her that there is nothing that the King and she desireth more then the accomplishment of the said marriage and that to the end that the Earl should see the Duke the King stayed him here until Twelf-tide About which time they attended my Lords coming whereas otherwise he had departed together with Monsieur his brother before Christmass and said she if we had known the certainty of the Earls coming he should have come hither in post to the end he might have seen him I took occasion hereupon to tell her my private opinion if it would have pleased the King not to have imployed him in these wars against those of the Religion he should be in better opinion with her Majestie and more grateful to her Subjects To this she said that a young Prince that hath courage and desire to do his Prince service could not with his honour remain behind seeing his other brother imployed I have made my Lord acquainted with such Occurrents as are here to the end he should impart them to her Majestie by mouth And so leaving c. the 12 of February 1572. To Sir Thomas Smith IT may please your Lordship to advertise her Majestie that the King departed hence to St. Germains en Lay eight days past and that Queen Mother remaineth here still whereof the King hath great need and the same found hard to be recovered here Touching their proceedings against Rochel there repaired hither of late divers Curriers who use great silence which make men to doubt that things fall not out to their liking I learn notwithstanding that there is in the Kings camp great scarcity of victuals and a great number of Soldiers through cold and want of other necessaries are dead and do die daily That the Duke of Nevers hath taken upon him with the help of certain Italian Engineers to make certain Fortresses in the midst of the Haven to impeach all such as by sea would bring to the Rochellois any succour For the two Fortresses lately made at the Entry of the said Haven six ships notwithstanding passed by laden with corn and other munition as it is reported The common opinion is that it will be impossible by any device to make the said Fortresses that the Duke pretendeth to make There is secret whispering here of some intelligence given by Pacues of an intended enterprize by Montgomery in Picardie and that hereupon the King hath given order for the impeachment thereof The Cardinal of Lorrain hath within these
two days taken up the enchange of certain Treasures of the Town 300000 franks to what end I know not He is now retired from hence to Rome the cause of his departure as it is thought is to remove the suspicion from the Protestants that they suspect nothing of the great conferences had at sundry times between Queen Mother and him Here since the departure of the King upon the good assurance that hath been given me by divers of the good offices that the Lord Levingston will do in Scotland at his return I have taken upon me to give to him a passport with condition that if her Majestie shall not like thereof then he to return hither back again who promiseth to yield such satisfaction to her Majestie as she shall not repent her of any favour she shall shew him The Gentleman feareth that if he should not depart hence before Easter he should be constrained to yield to their superstition or to hazard his life in refusing the same which is the cause why I grant him the same pasport without hearing from her Majestie Schomberg is lately sent hence into Germany as it is thought to two purposes the one to observe their doings there the other to make some levy of both horsemen and footmen if he shall see any preparations of succours for them of the Religion here There arrived lately a noble Gentleman sent hither by the King of Portugal to congratulate the Queens delivery and as it is said to renew the offer of succour by sea It is said that the Baron de la Guard is dead and that Monsieur le Duc d' Alanson desired to have the charge by sea whereto Queen Mother would by no means consent as Mannesire shewed me It is also reported that Monsieur De la Noue hath discharged himself to Monsieur of his promise made to the King and professeth to live and dye with those of Rochel And so leaving c. hoping that her Majestie will take order by sending over Mr. Dale that I shall be the next Messenger my self I most humbly take my leave At Paris the 26 of February 1572. To Mr. Secretary SIr this Gentleman the bearer hereof whom I dispatch in all haste shall shew you the particularities of the late skirmish happened between the Camp and those of Rochel to the end you may impart the same unto her Majestie In the which skirmish D. d' Aumale and Schavigur were slain two of the chiefest executors of the late murthers here God of his good beginning doth give us some hope that the blood of the innocent shall not beunrevenged They of Sancerre the night after the breach was made which was about the latter end of the last moneth issued out of the Town and gave the Camp a Camisadâ— who kept very negligent watch so that they entred into their Trenches as it is said and slew 200 at the least and three or four Captains of good conduct Hereupon it is said that Shaâ—ers who is the General for the King is commanded to levy the siege and to repair to Rochel I am credibly informed that there should be certain Letters entercepted sent out of Germany from Count Lodowick amongst the which there was one directed to Count Montgomery wherein was mention made of assurance of succours to be given to them of the Religion here out of Germany I have divers causes to conjecture that the party which brought these Letters was directed unto me This interception maketh them here much doubt Germany Sir Mr. Dale had need to bring with him over a greater train then he shall be well able to maintain if her Majestie look to hear often from him and if his servants shall be stayed ordinarily as mine are And so c. At Paris the tenth of March. To my Lord Treasurer IT may please your Lordship to understand as I was upon my departure from this town towards the Court I received this inclosed from my Scretary Thevewes the things contained in the same are here very rife and confirmed with great earnestness and others notwithstanding some here of judgment considedering what good success they have lately had at Rochel how much their enemies are therewith appalled and how the giving out of these bruits may serve the Kings turn many ways do not credit them for my own opinion I assure your Lordship I know not what to judge I have seen within these few moneths so many strange and unlikely things come to pass as I do rather suspend my judgment then utterly not believe it If her Majesty do not hear from me with that speed that were requisite when there falleth out here matters worthy advertisement I am justly to be excused for that I have none to send my servants being all staid there and not one sent over which thing if it be not by some device remedied I know not to what use an Ambassador will serve And so having c. To the right honorable Francis Walsingham Esquire her Majesties Ambassador in France SIR you may think it strange that I have writ no oftner to you then I have done and that I have no sooner dispatched your successor unto you but I think you know well enough the stile and order of the Court. Yesterday was the first day that I could get your dispatch signed and the same night I sent word to your wife and sent word to Dr. Dale who hath been with me in the morning and prepareth to take his journey straight after the holidays towards you whereof I thought good to give you warning by your servant for before her Majesty had signed I durst never adventure to affirm any thing for fear of contrary winds the which is no news in this Court Well now I trust you be pleased if with nothing else yet at the least with your return Montgomery is gone from hence whether he hath taken shipping or no I know not but I suppose he hath With his tarrying so long here the Queens Majestie was fain to send to apprehend the Pirats of all nations thereabouts who under the colour of the Prince of Orange and the Count Montgomery robed all manner of Englishmen and strangers some of them are like to pay for it and the rest be gone or will be glad to go for it was time for justice to awake Of Casteauneufs coming hither on D' la Motts errand I think my Lord Treasurer hath written unto you who is privater of it then I am and the answer The pretence was to bring recommendations and excuse from the Duke of Alanson of his absence at my Lo. of Worcesters being there the cause not pretended what preparation was here to help Rochel And he might easily see there was none by common consent and the Princes avow What Montgomery for commiseration or love of private men especially strangers can get is hard and I fear by the event will not appear so much as is thought and spoken of and were expedient at this time
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
marriage as though the marriage should serve for all this charge and thereto her Majestie with some sharpness of speech added that she knew and saw it now true that the Queen Mother in counsel had before pronounced that if the marriage could be concluded the Queen of England should be put to the whole charges This is the substance of that I can wring from her for that she saith until she hear from you of your Negotiaon with the Kâ—she hath nothing here to 〈◊〉 of But she wished me to write to you as before is mentioned and she meaneth also to write some letters to Monsieur to give him some comfort as I think Marchemont had Letters and as I hear by report the contents are a report of your dealings and of Monsieurs resolute answers to you that the King his brother would in no sort consent to any thing without the marriage and so they stand like good Chapmen without falling in their bargain from the principal but by this time you can best judge what will follow The Queens Majestie asked me whether if in no letter from you to me you had recommended Monsieurs wisdom I said by no express speech I marvel thereof quoth she for to me in this letter he doth greatly commend him and so did by reading pronounce very great commendation of him by you but I saw not the words written I answered that always you above any other of her servants had ever commended him most I pray you remember to send â—s a Callender of Monsieurs Captains and Leaders with the numbers likely of all sorts and what his monethly pay may be in charge and how he hath been furnished of money towards this leavy I am sorry to see so large a time spent from the beginning of his preparations until this time and yet I think far off to put in execution that which he pretendeth I fear the Queen Mother finding the marriage desperate will practice with the Duke of Parma to withdraw his siege and that the Town may be relieved and so Monsieurs Honour saved and thereupon Monsieur may leave his general enterprize wherewith the Spaniards ought to be contented For thereby shall they have their wills in the Low-Countreys and so also the Queen Mother may save her son free from gun-shot and put up all her pretences and live without offence to the King of Spain Thus much of the French matters From Ireland I have not heard but once since you went which was by a letter from Waterhouse that the Lord Gray had advertised them they should send no victuals into Odonels Countrey but onely to Carlinfoord For when the Lord Gray came to the Black-water Tirch fled breaking his two Castles and sent my Lord Gray word that he would be at peace with Odonel and all others by his Lordships order Whereupon the Lord Gray sent Justice Dowdal to him to treat hereupon but more I have not heard My Lord of Ormond findeth himself greatly grieved upon his discharge not as he saith for his discharge but that he hath been wronged in not advertising how great prizes he hath done In Scotland the King pretendeth to keep Amity yet by Ashton secretly I learn that he will be wholly guided by her Majestie whereof she conceiveth hope I pray God she be not deceived therein and hereby I fear her Majestie will be the flower to hearken to the assistance with France and yet her Maj. uttereth not to me these Scotish matters but I learn them otherwise The Lord of Huntley is arived in Scotland and offered to Lord Ferihurst is fully restored and both these well accepted with the King We have gotten from Campian knowledge of all his peregrination in England as in Yorkshire Lancash Denbigh Northampton Warwick Bedford Buckingham c. hereof I am sure Mr. Beal will write unto you who hath herein with Mr. Hamon taken great pains We have sent for his hosts in all Countreys And thus I end doubting I shall weaâ—y you with reading as I am almost with writing This tenth of August 1581. Your assured loving Friend William Burleigh To the Right Honourable and my very good Friend Sir Francis Walsingham SIr after I had yesternight being Thursday written and sealed up my Letters I understand lately that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath informed her Majestie that Monsieur found himself greatly discontented with the manner of dealing with him in making the marriage so desperate as it seemed to him you came of purpose to break it and onely to sollicit the league with the K. upon which matter this forenoon her Majestie told me that she misliketh of your manner of proceedings as though you did not express the causes why she could consent to no marriage but abruptly shewed that she would not marry and so forthwith to deal with Monsieur for a league To this I made answer Madam it is to be seen in Mr. Secretaries Letters to me which I read to you that he did so proceed to open your mind for forbearing to marry as your self did determine with us all and as he is warranted by your instructions for Madam he did not say that you would not marry with him but that as the case standeth he being entred into a war you found it not good either for him or your self to assent to the marriage for so by your marriage your Realm joyntly with your marriage should enter into a war so as your speeches according to your instructions were not absolute to deny the marriage but to shew that the marriage could not content her subjects with a war joyned therewith and so using as many reasons as I could I ended that I could not see that you had done any thing but that I my self in your place would have done the same And I did put her Majestie in remembrance that all her resolutions with us of her Councel was that you should so deal as to acquit her of the marriage and if there might be a good amity made and by a league betwixt France and this Realm to abate the King of Spains greatness vvhich I did object required a present action and to that end you should so proceed as there might appear no hope of marriage For as long as France could perceive any hope thereof they would not assent to any league To this her Majestie could not but assent but finally she changed her opinion in saying that if she should make a league whereby a war might follow she said she had rather be at the charges of a war with the marriage then without a marriage But saith she let Walsingham know my minde to be this that I would gladly enter into a league with the French King onely with these conditions that if I were invaded he should help me and if he were inwaded I would help him and so to abate the King of Spains greatness She said she would concur with the French King to do that by aiding of Monsieur and also the King of
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
and to make his means unto us for our favour If he shall shew himself repentant of his former fault and disposed to live hereafter dutiful he shall be provided of as good a living as heretofore he hath had And if he shall not obtain our favour as he desireth at his coming your warrant shall serve him to return safely out of our Realm which manner of usage you shall say is very rare in us but upon your instance we have yielded thereunto And so we pray you use it and give him warrant under your hand accordingly And if you shall find that he hath sought to abuse you as we perceive by your Letters you have some reason to doubt then shall you forbear to deal with him in the former sort and yet procure so much intelligence as you may at his hands and after you shall discover his continuance in falshood and practise there as you can see occasion and can gather matter against him so deal with the King there as by all good means that may be specially considering the Amitie so often of late time assured to us by the King he may be delivered as an open known Rebel and Traytor especially in these practises used by him in Spâ—â—n however he himself hath discovered his evils with the excuses And we have some cause the more to doubt his lewdness there for that Rogers who brought your Letters reported that after he was come from Paris about St. Dennis he met with an Irish man who told him that this Archbishop had been secretly at the Court and was readie to be dispatched away into Spain by the means of the Cardinal of Lorrain which if it were true we cannot think but you have within a short time after been made privie hereof by the Irish man And so according as you shall find the matter we leave it to your discretion The Scotish Ambassadors who have been here with us the Bishop of Ross the Bishop of Gallaway and the the Lord Leviston as from their Queen the Earl Mâ—rton and others as from her son now amongst them accepted as King the said Queen as they think being justly deposed have been long here and troubled not a little us and our Councel After much debating of the cause we minding to make if it might be a final end to the assurance of our selves our Estates and to the reducing of that Realm into quiet in it self without bloodshed or further occasion of intestine War and continual dissention in a Realm so near adjoyning to us found at the last that the said Earl Morton and his Colleagues had no sufficient Commission to treat of that matter which as we thought was most necessarie to be treated of if we should do any good in it which was my final end and purpose that is the ayding of our Sister the Scots Queen without impairing of our estate and â—uretie and without putting the Realm of Scotland in an extriâ—able danger of sedition and intestine war Whereupon we were inforced now at the 〈◊〉 after much debating with both the parties so to leave the matter 〈◊〉 with each of their contentations as we think both by going home for a time the one to have ample Commission to treat with us as appertaineth to that effect we may do that good herein that we desire the other to refresh themselves for a time till the other having Commission may be made a partie which hitherâ—o without Commission from their partie which be on the young Kings side can be accounted but as private persons and not to be dealt withal in reason to do any thing which may be accounted of just moment and effectual in Law And they â—ffirm that without Parliament there can be made no Commission neither to them nor to any other to treat of such matter Whereupon their Parliament begun and for fear of prejudicing the Queens partie in that behalf at our motion surceased and prorogued until May day next They go home to it there to have such ample Power Commission and Authoritie given to them or others to treat with us and the Queen of Scots partie for a final end which done and and 〈◊〉 we 〈◊〉 shortlie to make an end of this controversie to the pleasure of God and contentation of all parties if it might be This you may shew to the King our good Brother that it is our design and purpose and hitherto in this sort we have travelled and have good hope to bring it to pass And if the King shall thus reply But if they will give no Commission or otherwise defer it of purpose without answering any thing what we will then do you may say that we have thought upon that case That if they shall seek to look onely but upon delaies and upon set purpose and obstinatelie go about to defraud our intent which is to unitie and quiet there we must leave that partie which is unreasonable and obstinate and conclude with the other partie which will hear and understand reason And so God willing we intend to do the good success whereof we do not doubt but the King our good Brother shall see and well allow of Given under our Signet at our Pallace of Westminster the eighth day of April in the thirteenth year of our Reign To the Right Honourable my very good Friend Sir Francis Walsingham Ambassador Resident for the Queens Majestie in France SIr my hard case is such as either by business in health or by dolour in sickness I cannot account my self a freeman but a slave to serve or an offender to suffer torment The will of God be fulfilled in me to his honour for otherwise I find no comfort in this world of this enough I am forced to write this in my bed with my hand whilest I groan for pain in my knee and foot and therefore I must be short I could no sooner get answer to your Letters brought by Rogers Your Lordships brought yesterday by Harcourt were I think welcome and well interpreted by her Majestie for I sent them with my own sentence aforehand of my good allowance of your discretion in your choise of taking and leaving The Queen of Scots you see is deferred whereof that portion which is written was for my ease indited by Sir Thomas Smith You must make the best of it and seek out reasons to satisfie them there that will mislike the delay Indeed it hath been onely devised to win delay I thank you for your private Letter Even now we have very good news from the borders that Dun-Britten Castle was taken on Monday last in the night by cunning where was taken the Archbishop of Saint Andrews and the Lord Flenning the manner how it was taken is not signified But it is of a greater importance then Edenborough Castle considering it was receptaculum to all the Scotish Queens Forraign ayd From Westminster out of my bed this Saturday at five of the clock the seventh of March 1571. Your assured
Friend William Burleigh Excuse me to my Lord of Rutland for not writing To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh BEfore the receit of her Majesties bearing date the eighth day of April the Archbishops enterprize offered up to this State through the discreet usage of the Irish Captain was quite overthrown For the same day that he should have conference with Monsieur about the matter the said Captain procured the Archbishop to send him unto Monsieur to know when it would be his pleasure that he might wait upon him and so he according repaired unto Monsieur Monsieur asked him divers questions touching the situation of Ireland the manner of the Government of the same to whom it appertained and divers other such like questions At the length he asked him if the Countrey were fruitful and what commodity the Q. Majestie received by the same Whereunto he answered that the Countrey was very poor and that her Majestie was at continual and yearly charges in keeping of the same without receiving any commoditie from thence Then he asked him what the Bishop was He answered him that he was banished out of his Countrey for certain disorders there committed And that sithence his departure from thence he hath been in divers Countreys seeking at Princes hands such relief as he might get bearing them in hand that he is able to do much in his Countrey And after that Monsieur had heard this report giving him credit as one whom he knew he willed him to tell the Arthbishop that he doubted that he should not be at any leisure to confer with him being now entertained in Counsel with matters of great wait and further to say unto him that if he did lack any thing upon knowledge thereof given he would be a mean unto the King for the same Whereupon the Bishop by his Letters made Monsieur acquainted with his poverty and order was taken that he had sent him two hundred Crowns This I thought good to set down unto your Lordship at large for two respects the one to the end you might the better know the Archbishop the other for that there may be by your good means unto her Majestie some consideration had of this Irish Captain who from time to time hath been a very good instrument for the discoverie of the practises against Ireland which he hath done with the hazarding of his life if his dealing with me or with Sir Henry 〈◊〉 were known I have taken upon me to put him out of doubt that this service of his will not be unconsidered by her Majestie Surely my good Lord if when we promise in these causes consideration and no regard be had thereto neither can those of my calling promise reward nor they to whom we promise give credit to our words when no fruits follow I beseech your Lordship therefore deal earnestly with her Majestie in this behalf he without respect of this present service as I have before written deserveth entertainment in respect of his sufficiency and hability to serve her Majestie through the skill he hath gotten by experience had of these latter wars here After the receipt of her Majesties Letters of the eighth of April according to the charge given me in them I dealt with the Archbishop in respect of the secret practises he promised to reveal Such perswasions as I could I used to procure him to make his repair into Eâ—gland shewing him that her Majestie promised grace and pardon if he would humbly desire it at her hands and purposed by his dutiful loyal meaning hereafter to deserve it And to the end that he should not doubt of her Majesties sincere dealing herein I offered him my safe conduct having authority from her Majesties so to do to warrant him to go safely into the Realm thereby to obtain her Majesties favour with more safety of his person and to return in like case safely out of the Realm if he should misuse the same whereunto he once willingly accorded but afterwards by what sinister counsel I know not he changed his mind in the end he came to this issue that unless it would please her Majestie to grant him this rude request which also I send your Lordship signed with his own hands he would never return either into England or into Ireland I told him that it became not a Subject and an offendor as he was to stand in such terms with his Prince but with humble submission and acknowledging of his fault to crave pardon and to esteem this favour offered as rare and not to be refused but with thankfulness to be received If it shall please her Majestie to grant him his pardon his request is that he might have knowledge thereof within these twenty dayes for that otherwise he is minded to repair again into Spain At this present he is gone to Nantes in Brittain there to dispatch certain businesses as he saith promising to return and not to depart out of this Countrey these twenty days The 19 of this month there arrived here two Gentlemen named Conniers and one other named Beamont who said they imbarqued at Newcastle the 12 of the same and they escaped very narrowly After they had stayed here a day departed by Post into Flanders And so leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present I most humbly take my leave at Paris the 22 of April 1571. To our right trusty and well-beloved Sir Francis Walsingham our Ambassador Resident with our good Brother the French King ELIZABETH R. TRusty and well-beloved we greet you well we understand such Message and credit you lately sent and gave to Robert Beal to be declared by the Lord of Burleigh to us according as we did heretofore will you to explore the circumstance of the matter now revealed to you You shall as much as may be say to the party that hath made the demand that we are sorry that we cannot satisfie their demand at this present neither for the place where they require to be satisfied nor for the same with such speed the same being indeed impossible unto us both for place and time And so you may conclude with assurance that the revealing of their intent to you shall in no wayes by our means prejudice their purpose And so we pray you use the matter as they report our answer to the best we mean with expedition to return Mr. Cavalcant thither with so much of our resolution as we can conveniently open unto him And for the rest we mean to commit to your charge by our other more special Letter Given under our Signet at our Pallace of Westminster the thirteenth of April 1571. the thirteenth year of our Reign To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh HEr Majesties answer contained in her Letters bearing date the 13 of Aprill I delivered unto the party who awaited for the same using the best words I might to breed contentation The reply was that he hoped the suit
morning Her Majesty in good health So God be with you In all haste this 12 of January 1572. Your assured friend Ro. Leicester To the Right honorable Sir Thomas Smith her Majesties principall Secretary SIR if the cause of my stay here grow onely in respect of her Majesties service as by your Letters I am assured though I have as much cause to desire my return as any other that ever was imployed in the like service yet can I with more patience digest the same as he that thinketh both his travell substance and life as well imployed in her service as any other subject she hath I hope when her Majesty shall find my stay here not needfull she will tender my case and yeild to my Revocation Sithence the Cardinall of Lorains arrivall here the direction of Scotish matters are committed to his charge The Lord Levingston and the Lord Ogleby look shortly to be dispatched hence who receive at the Cardinals hands great entertainment and great promises of great good that they and divers others of their Nation shall receive at the Kings hands here Amongst others they have commission to assure D. Castelherault to be retored to the Kingdom here and that the Marshall Montmorency shall be otherwise recompenced That the Lo. Arboth shall be General of the Scotish men at Arms. That the Lo. Clade shall have the reversion after Losses death of the Captainship of the Guard That the Lo. Huntley and the Earle of Argile shall have the great Order sent unto them and assurance of great pensions And though it seemeth by the occurrents out of Scotland that the said Earle of Argile inclineth to the King yet the best there are of another opinion and think him to favour the Queens part which they are resolved to maintain I am advertised by one at whose hands I have received advertisements that the Cardinall of Lorain hath brought from Rome for Monsieur to marry with his Neece who as I hear as he doth hope after the marriage of Polonie so he doth not greatly like thereof and would be loath that Monsieur should be removed so far off The Marshall Tavannes who was held here for dead is now in some hope of recovery And so c. At Paris the 21 of January 1572. Your Honours to command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord Treasurer YOur Lordships of the 14 of this moneth I have received by the which I perceived two sundry Letters which I sent you by the Vidams man with certain books are not come to your hands which maketh me to mistrust some some wrong measure for that he departed the second of this moneth The matter of most importance contained in the same was touching a Gentleman of â— departed hence to 2 â— 6. 4 with intention to imbarque there if the Barque were not departed Steward who is gone to Rochel as I sent your Lordship word by my servant William Williams promised before his departure to have come and seen me and to have had some conference with me which he did not but sent onely his man unto me with a fond Cypher requesting me to hear often from me To whom I answered That the Cypher he sent me was not for the purpose and as for writing often I told him I could not tell what to answer untill I might speak with his Master and that therefore I desired most earnestly to confer with him before his departure as well of that as of other matters notwithstanding his own promise and my request he is now departed so that considering his loose kind of dealing I cannot tell what to judge of the matter If the party that cometh over do not deal more orderly and roundly there then I am dealt with here I think it were well if it were at some end for that I fear the issue will prove such as the parties are that deal in it who are over young and lack experience that were fit to guide a matter of so great weight I serve in the same but for a distributer of Letters and yet as it should seem the chief cause of Religion groweth thereby If I thought there were good faith meant therein or that by good guiding there might grow good effect to the benefit of her Majesty I should then with the less grief continue my abode here Such Letters as I received lately from Davison I know not what to do with having no sure means how to convey them for one of mine own cannot with safety travell that way And as for any of this Nation I find none whom I may trust in that behalf and therefore untill such time as I hear further from your Lordship what liking you have of the overture that shall be made by them that I sent over who as I am informed by Steward is to grow to some through resolution I mean not to deal any further with them unless I see they proceed more orderly Of this loose kind of dealing I thought good to advertise to the end you may rather grow to some through conclusion with the said party there At Paris the 20 of January 1572. Your Honours to command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honourable my very good Lord the Earl of Leicester YOur Lordships of the 12 of this present I have received and though I cannot at large write unto you touching the contents of the same through this Bearers hast for his own particular affairs yet I thought to write these few scribled lines in answer Touching Stewards matter which as I perceive is the chiefest cause of my stay here I assure your Lordship I know not what to think of it They deal very warily with me and seem to have more will to deal with you there then with me here I stand but in stead of a Post to receâ—ve to deliver Letters By one that departed from thence I am shewed that you shal be ful informed what is their intention in that behalf I fear the issue thereof will be such as are the dealers therein In my Lord Treasurers Letter in respect of the Cypher you shall more plainly know my meaning If my stay here imported her Majesties service I could not so importunately seek my return though I have more them just cause so to do being rather overpressed then over-charged But seeing I do but servâ— here to entertain a broken matter having no great credit with the parties otherwise then in generall terms I hope through your Lordships good assistance her Majesty will tender my cause by sending over my successor Now that the Cardinall of Lorain is arrived here who beareth the whole sway in the affairs they conclude somwhat touching Scotish matters In the mean time there is one lately dispatched hence with great offers to entertain the Queens party as your Lordship may perceive by the inclosed And so leaving further to trouble your Honor at this present I most humbly take my leave At Paris the 20 of January