as he could neither in Honour nor Conscience imbrace nor attempt therefore he thought it fit for him to declare unto him all such necessary circumstances as were fit for him to know in that behalf as well for the satisfying of his Majestie as also for his own honour who would be loath to be so evill an instrument as to perswade a Prince to attempt that thing that might not stand as well with Honour as Conscience First he shewed unto me that the cause of taking up of Arms in the Low-Countreys proceeded onely upon that the King of Spain sought to plant there by Inquisition the foundation of a most horrible Tyranny the overthrow of all freedoms and liberties a thing which his father Charls the fifth went about to have established there but seeing the same so much impugned by the Inhabitants of the said Countrey and that without their consent it could not be received unless he should violently by tyranny seek the establishment of the same contrary both to his Oath and their Priviledges he forbore to proceed in that behalf After the resignation of his Government unto his Son the Cardinal of Lorrain practised secretly with the Cardinal of Arras wars being then between France and the Low Countreys wishing them to advise the King of Spain to grow to peace discovering to him that the King of France his Father was reduced to that extremity as he should be forced to yield to any thing that the said King would request Further he signified unto him that unless there might grow peace between the two Princes the Catholique Religion could not long continue neither in France nor Flanders so great increase was daily here of Protestants which could by no means be suppressed but by establishing of an Inquisition in both Countreys Hereupon by the practise of the said Cardinals there grew a peace how dishonourable for France he referred to the Kings own judgement After the conclusion of the said Peace then did the Cardinal of Arras labour what he might by sundry practises to plant the said Inquisition seeking first by perswasion to induce men to like therof but as well Papists as Protestants misliked it alledging that it was against the Kings oath to seek to establish a thing so prejudicial to their priviledges which they were bound to maintain whereof they could see nothing but mischief would ensue and general destruction of that Countrey forasmuch as it would overthrow all Forreign traffick by which the Countrey was chiefly maintainedâ— when he saw it would not be planted by way of perswasion then sought he to do it by violence which the Nobility foreseeing they joyntly presented unto the Regent a Bill containing a declaration of the great and sundry inconveniences that would ensue if they proceeded in the establishing of the same Further they made choice of two Noble men whom with one consent they sent into Spain to declare in all their names the great mischiefs that should follow if the King should proceed therein and that it lay not in their power to retain the people from taking arms so much were they incensed against the said Inquisition and therefore they desired that the allowing or disallowing of the same might be committed over to the Assembly of the three Estates Of these doubtful means no redress followed but still the said Cardinal and his fautors proceeded in seeking to establish it contrary to all order and equity How afterwards the people took arms how the Nobility that were joyntly united to oppose themselves against the said Inquisition were after by practise and corruption divided what Tyranny hath been used by the Duke of Alva since his coming hither and how insolently he hath behaved himself both towards his Majestie and the Queen of England although unhonourable for them both in respect of their greatness at such a petty companions hands how his brother the Prince of Orange sought their delivery from so miserable a servitude though it pleased God at that time to make him the instrument who onely knoweth a sit time of the deliverance of the oppressed by the said Tyrant seeking by all means to be rid of the same did of late exhibite unto the Emperour at his last Assembly at Spires a book containing their griefs requesting him with all humility to be a means for their delivery from this their oppression a thing appertaining to his calling and the place he beareth in Christendom To this the Emperour in respect of the hope he hath of Spain gave a cold ear They now seeing themselves void of all help their natural Prince being so carried away by corruption of Councel from the due consideration that belongeth to a good Prince to have of good Subjects as he neither regardeth his Oath nor maintenance of such Priviledges as were confirmed by his Predecessors nor the dutiful manner of the proceeding of the Nobility in seeking by way of humble petition redresses of their griefs thinking themselves in conscience discharged from all duty of obedience they now throw themselves down before his Majestie with all humility beseeching him to take them to his protection and to procure their deliverance from the present Tyranny Now your Majestie seeth the state of their cause saith he you shall do well to weigh with your self whether the goodness thereof may incourage you to become Protector of this people reduced by Tyranny to great extremity by seeking their deliverance If you think in Conscience and Honour you may not you shall do well to forbear for otherwise the success cannot be good If you think you may then weigh in policy how beneficial it will be for you and how much your Father would have given to have had the like opportunity offered unto him that is now presented unto you Gratis which if you refuse the like you must never look for With this he shewed me that both the King and Queen Mother seemed to be very well satisfied and that the King said that like Counsellours by violating of his Edict had well nigh brought him into like terms with his Subjects whereof ensued the late trouble and that therefore now he thanked God that he had opened his eyes to discern what their meaning was The King thus imformed by him touching such circumstances as might induce him to think the enterprize both honorable and just he then proceeded as he shewed me to declare the easiness and great liklihood of good success of the same First he shewed me that all the inhabitants of the Low-Countries generally aswel of the one religion as of the other do mislike the Spanish tyranny and do desire nothing more then to be rid of the same Secondarily that all the Towns M. A. are ready to receive such Garrisons as shall be sent thither by order from his Brother Thirdly that other Towns upon his Frontiers whensoever they shall see any forces approach will be ready to receive them Fourthly that the present forces that the King of Spain hath there whom
Souldiers of great Burgesses rich Merchants yea of Women Children and all inferior sorts almost innumerable we cannot see but the more speedily the more bountifully and assuredly the King shall deal with them as a Father with his Children the more shall be his own quietness his comfort his riches his strength as we doubt not but he seeth without Declaration and glad we are to hear it commonly reported how well disposed he himself is to receive them to his favour And therefore you shall say it needeth not to discourse with him though he be young in years what infinite dis-commodities and lamentable mis-haps hath within a short time grown to his Estate by denying to his Subjects of their reasonable requests And though there be per case by some hard hearted persons cavilations found to reprehend some part of their requests in particular yet we require him to think how meet it is for him the Soveraign Prince not to want profit and honor of so general a Peace in his Kingdom by re-uniting to himself of such a multitude of serviceable Subjects which indeed is of such a moment as no cavilation would be admitted against any particular point that may stand with his Estate and accelerate the Peace But to consider the King being the Soveraign to command and they his Subjects to obey and so by nature alwaies to live in fear are to be rather comforted with a large grant to their requests and a full satisfaction of assurance then by denying any Portions of their demands to be nourished in doubt and anguish of mind whereby neither part should rest in assurance neither the King for he had denyed nor the Subjects for they could not obtain and so as it hapneth in sickness the recidivations might be most perilous And after you have dealt with the King for furtherance of any particular impediments you shall also say that we do promise the King and will be content to make any assurance that he shall require meet to be made betwixt Princes that if it shall please him to be a gracious Lord unto them at this time in their requests and not to abridge the same to their misliking whereby they may gather doubtfulness and fear of continuance of that which shall be granted them if any of them shall contrary to their promises and submissions attempt any thing directly or indirectly to the trouble of the Kings Estate and contrary to the duties of true Subjects we shall not only condemn them in our own judgemenâ— and so pronounce them to the world but shall also as the King shall find it meet prosecute them as common enemies to our selves And for any particular matter that you shall be by the Deputies of the Princes requested to further you shall do well to be instructed how to maintain their Demands which shall be committed to you with such reasons as may be agreeable to be mentioned by you having respect that you shall deal therein for us being a Queen and a Monarch with a like Prince And if any on the Kings behalf shall object to you that our dealing for those Princes and their company being subjects in this sort to have liberty granted to them for exercise of Religion in other sort then the King himself and the common Authority of the Realm doth profess is not agreeable with our own actions and proceedings against our Subjects that have lately sought in like manner liberty to use the Roman Religion contrary to our Profession you may answer thereto very well that if they mean this by a late rebellion stirred up this last year in a part of our North Countrey by the Earls of Northumberland and Westmerland First it is very true that they only coloured outwardly their rebellious attempts with a pretence of Religion And you may say seeing the matter is objected that it is well known and you are warranted to avow it that the principal cause of that Rebellion was wrought you will not say by the Queen of Scots but sure you are by her Ministers both here in England and Scotland and by some of the principal parties of the Nobility in Scotland that do hate Roman Religion Besides that it is evident that the two Earls that were the heads thereof before they did begin their Rebellion did at no time shew themselves unwilling to exercise the rights of the Religion established by Law in this Realm but as they gave their consents when the order thereof was first established in Parliament so did they ordinarily resort from the beginning of our Reign in all open places to the Churches and to Divine Services in the Church without contradiction or shew of misliking Thirdly if either they or any other of our Subjects would make request to be at liberty to acknowledge the Authority of the Church of Rome as the Pope would challenge it in this Realm and as by his Bulls and Decrees he doth declare his meaning how he would exercise it to the ruine of our Crown it is so manifest and that even by late experience notoriously well proved that such a provision to be granted induceth necessarily the party to be criminal of treason and as in no wise any such permission can be by us granted to any Subjects within our Realm without we would therewith also yield our Right and Royal Title to the will of Traytors wherein manifestly appeareth a notable difference betwixt such a permission as the Kings Subjects do require for exercise of their Religion which also hath been by the Kings Authoritie granted heretofore to them and the permission that were to be granted to any of our Subjects that would exercise the Roman Religion in our Realm and obey the Commandments Decrees and Bulls of the Pope for we never could perceive that the exercise of the Religion professed by the Princes and their adherents in â—rance did any way prejudice the Kings Title and Right to his Crown but that the Professors thereof did alwaies with all humbleness and constancie acknowledge and maintain the same without adhering to any other Power or Authoritie but we see it manifest and have lately proved it and duly punished it in such as seek to erect up the Authoritie of the Pope in our Realm and do directly and manifestly not onely impugn our Estate Royal but labour to remove us from the Throne of our Kingdom whereunto Almightie God hath placed maintained and preserved us a matter so manifestly full of danger as neither we may yield unto no nor none of our good Subjects will never assent thereto but in that quarrel will adventure all their lives lands and estates as of late against the Rebellion that was coloured with a pretence of Romish Religion we did sufficiently prove generally in all parts of our Realm and in all Estates and persons by the readiness of their service And thus you have a general note how to direct you in the prosecution of the purpose intended by this your journey not doubting
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
other Princes Then she made great protestation of her indifferencie and that she is no less affected in good will towards her Majestie whom it pleaseth saith she to do me the honour as to call me by the name of a Mother then to the Queen of Scots her Daughter in Law And therefore in wishing her liberty I do it saith she as much for the Q. your Mistress quientness sake as for any other respect which without her libertie can hardly grow unto her This Sir in effect was the whole course of the speech that passed from her in that behalf which she had then with me apart the King being then in talk with my Lord Ambassador Then she caused the King to deal with me in that behalf to whom I shewed the state of her cause according to the contents of my Instructions wherewith he seemed to be satisfied He told me that he wished that the Queen his good Sister according to her merciful inclination would have some compassion of her cause and grow to some speedy conclusion in that behalf I told him that I doubted not but that her Majestie would for his sake do that which should be to his contentation so far forth as might stand with her hononr and safetie Then he protested that otherwise he would not desire it Thus having imparted to your honor the effect of my Negotiation to the end you may advertise her Majestie I most humblie take my leave From Paris the 29 of August 1570. Your Honours to command F. Walsingham I have caused by my Lord Ambassadors means according to her Majesties order Monsieur Cavanes one of the Commissioners for the Princes to advertise them of her Majesties intention of sending me into these parts as tending chiefly to their benefits which thing he hath alreadie advertised and as I learn there cometh forthwith a Gentleman from the Queen of Navarre and the rest of the Nobilitie the King here being made privy thereof to give her Majestie thanks for the great favour shewed them in this their troubles Thus Sir having advertised you of the Accomplishment of that which was appointed to me to be done by vertue of my Instructions to the end you may impart the same to her Majestie I most humbly take my leave The Copy of my Letter to the Earl of Leicester RIght Honourable and my very good Lord for that I know my Lord Ambassador here imparteth unto your Lordship the present state of things here I shall need the less to trouble your Lordship in that behalf Touching my Message of Congratulation the King accepteth the same in very good part he professeth good will towards the Queen my Mistress and touching the Peace he protesteth to keep and observe the same inviolably which his proceedings hitherto doth very well confirm the same The mutinous Messiems of Paris he hath fundry times since his repair hither very sharply rebuked and charged them with contempt he adviseth them to take another course and saith he will be known to be a King And therefore for that his meaning is that the Edict should be duly observed he commandeth them straitly to look to the due observations of the same The like advertisement hath he given to the Presidents of his Parliament here who seem as yet to stand in some terms with him For whereas the King would have them sworn to the observation of the Edict they refuse the same alledging that in the entrance into their Government they ordinarily take an oath to observe all such Edicts as by the King shall be published what will be the issue of the refusal I know not The King telleth them that the passions of some of his Councellors hath been of more value then his Authoritie and therefore he assureth them which he confirmeth with many an oath that unless they turn over another leaf he will provide him of new Presidents and extend such punishment towards them as their contempt deserveth and may be admonishment to others to avoid the like As I can gather in the time of my short abode here by such a Conference aâ— I have had with some of judgement I find the grounds of the continuance of the Peace to be in number five his own disposition necessitie pleasure the Kings misliking with certain of his Council and his late favouring of others His disposition of Peace is not grown to-him of late but hath been from the beginning as those that have well observed him do testifie and therefore there is the more hope of continuance of the same His necessity hath two parts first he lacketh treasure to maintain the charges of further Wars Secondly those that have served him in these wars are grown so weary of them as men judge that hardly they could have been drawn to continue them any longer Pleasure and Warrs are direct contraries and he being so much inclined to the one as he is an enemy unto the other it is thought therefore that hardly any thing will bring him to do that that may hinder his pleasure His misliking towards the house of Giuse continueth who have been the nourishers of these wars And though of late the Cardinal of Lorrain hath had access to the Kings presence yet is he not repaired in credit neither dealeth he in Government His favour to Montmorencie a chief worker of this Peace increaseth who now carrieth the whole sway of the Court and is restored to the Government of Paris besides he hath procured the displacing of Monluc Monsieur d'Escars and la Valeâ—t and procured to be placed in their rooms c. These my Lord be the grounds that I can gather of the new accord the doubts of the not continuance are in number three First it is thought that this Marriage with the Emperours daughter may draw him from this peaceable inclination Secondly the great conference that is between the Q. Mother and the Cardinal breedeth some doubt of some practise to impeach the same Lastly it is a common fear that Monsieur can hardly digest to live in the degree of a Subject having already the reputation of a King he seemeth yet to run one course with the King in liking and misliking but so to continue it is altogether thought unlikely I have been desirous underhand to search out somewhat touching the thing your Lordship gave me secret informations of yet I can learn nothing thereof though that would be dangerous yet I pray God there be not a thing attempted of more danger which may with more ease be brought to pass I leave your Lordship to consider by that which hath been shewed both hope and fear of the continuance of this peace What will be the issue of this Tragedy I pray God that fall out that may be to his glory and so committing your Lordship to his tuition I most humbly take my leave From Paris the 29 of August 1570. Yours to Command Francis Walsingham To Master Secretary SIr being in doubt whether I might return before
then to the truth of the matter and this being granted as in honour it cannot be denied specially betwixt friends as we make account of them both in all our honorable causes we doubt not but we shall well see that in stead of request or expostulation made to us we shall be found to have deserved praise and thanks for our doings past and shall not be disallowed in forbearing hereafter to grant simply to the requests as they are made And after the King and his Mother shall grant to us this reasonable request you shall proceed and say First we require our good Brother to consider what part of his request hath been alreadie accomplished of our natural disposition and next what part we have not as yet yielded unto and then also he shall see uponwhat just reasons we forbear to assent to the rest of their requests as it is made where we are required to use all honest and gracious treatment due to a Queen of her qualitie The truth is since her flying into our Realm where she escaped an evident danger of her life we caused her to be alwaies honorably attended by persons of Nobilitie and such as were of the ancient Families of our Realm we have entertained her at our charges with a company of her own of such Lords and Ladies as she her self made choice of to remain with her and appointed her houses of such Commoditie of pleasures and pastimes as the Countrey would afford And herein being constrained to say somewhat more for our self then otherwise we would but to answer calumniations we are assuredly informed that for her own Person her Diet and commoditie of Pastâ—me meet for the conservation of her health she for the most part when she lived at her own will in Scotland had no better Entertainment or Diet but rather many times worse and baser as it is well known to all persons that understand both So as for the state and honest and favourable treatment of her own Person we are sure no lack can be found suppressed or rather untrulie reported of us wherein we have been much wronged contrary to our deserts the King our good Brother aâ—d his Mother not a little abused with such untruths If fault have been found that she hath not been used according as a Q. of her quality if therein be meant that she hath not such honour done in the services of her as are due to a Queen she herself is to answer to the same for by her own servants she hath been and is continually served And we think not but that they have therein accomplished their duties according to her desire at the least to speak the truth we are crediblie informed that in Scotland she had commonly less reverence done to her in her services by the self same servants then hath been by them here And as to such of ours as have attended upon her we think they have not forborn to do their duties at all times agreeable to her estate except per case she her self have of her courtesie at sometimes remitted some part thereof to them But for our part truly notwithstanding such great offences as she hath diversly made unto us we have been alwaâ—es careful of her person to be honorably used and of her health to be by all possible good means preserved esteeming it our honor so to have her treated and used being brought into calamity and flying into our Realm as she did But now if the rest that be required be not granted that is to have her aided with our power to the restitution of her Realm we trust to make it manifestly appear that to consent thereunto as is required were not only a great follie in us and dangerous to our Estate but against all common reason and such an errour that neither Prince nor private person having any sense of understanding would commit the circumstances being well considered And though many things be well known commonly to the world for maintenance of this our judgment yet the beginning of these things could not be known to the King our good Brother in respect of his young years and to the Q. Mother though they have been well known yet either her time since occupied with her own dangerous causes or the continuance of perpetual informations for the Scotish Queen or else some part thereof touching the time of her worthie husband King Henry and her son also King Francis may per case have brought the most part of things to oblivion or at least have altered her judgement or else move her to give the less heed to them being now remembred nevertheless as briefly as we can with passing over of a great number of accidents and scruples of offences and especially such as concerned the time of King Henry or King Francis the â—econd which were of no less importance then the assailing of our Crown and Title as the world knoweth we will lay before their eyes these things following to shew how the acts and dealings of the Scotish Q. towards us have provoked us to deal in another manner with her then hitherto we have First she is the person by whom and for whom only it is manifestly known that our Kingdom and Crown was Challenged almost as soon as Almightie God called us by right thereunto And how many waies that Challenge was furthered and maintained prosecuted and published needeth not to be recited for all Nations of Christendom understand it And if we should enter to inform our good Brother the King of the particularities thereof howsoever the same should touch the time of his noble Father King Henry and his Brother King Francis it may be thought he being Son and Brother of such Kings yet he would in his judgement inwardly with himself think us not well used But for avoiding of things displeasant and considering since the same unkindness was shewed in his Fathers and Brothers times a reconciliation of Amitie hath followed which we observe firmlâ— we will omit all other parts and remember only the things done by the Scotish Queen after the death of her husband King Francis when she was at her own libertie We sent our Ambassador to her and being in France we required according to a certain Tâ—eatie of Peace concluded in Iuly 156C by sufficient Commission from King Francis the second her husband and the Q. her self under the several hands and seals aswel of Scotland as of France to confirm the said Treaty as was by their Commissioners having Authoritie covenanted and concluded In which Treatie was concluded Articles of good Amitie betwixt us and her in our Countreys and those as beneficial for her as for us And also a provision and especial Covenant that she should forbear from thenceforth to attempt or offer us any like wrong by challenging of our Crown as she had done before time To this our request delay was made not with alledging any thing to the contrary of our right or maintenance of her former
in him and followed in all other Princes who preferre good Goverment and the preservation of their Subjects before tyrannie and destruction of the same I told him further that your Majestie hoped that he now findeth a difference between the advise of those Princes his neighbours that advised him to continue the Warres to the hazarding of his State and destruction of his Subjects and yours and other Princes that exhorted him to the contrary who judged alwaies Peace and concord tending most to his safetie and their preservation And therefore for that experience now the best means hath taught him to know the inconveniences of the one and the profit of the other your Majestie doubteth not but as of his own inclination he hath alwaies bin given rather to peace to preserve his subjects a property of a good and loving Prince then by sword and violence to consume them a thing most fit for a Tyrant So he will continue the said course that tendeth most to the due execution of his said Edict the only meanes to preserve quietness that now reigneth in his kingdome This course unto God so acceptable for himself so honourable and for his subjects so profitable if any should seek to impeach for that it is most commonly seen that good purposes aswell in Princes as privat men have many hinderers be he either a subject unnaturall or a neighbour evill affected as envious at his repose Your Majestie offereth your self with all aid and power to assist him to your uttermost against all such as shall seek or hinder him in so good and godly a purpose And as your Majestie resteth herein affected towards him so you doubt not but God who hath wrought this godly inclination will raise up other Princes to assist him and to be likewise affected towards him in this behalf And that therefore your Majestie prayeth God to blesse him in this course and to remove from him all such as shall hinder him in so noble an enterprise to whom your Majestie wisheth as prosperous successe as ever Prince had that occupied his place and Seat To this he answered that he had right good cause to accept in good part your Majesties advertisement whom he must needs acknowledge to have alwaies as his good Sister and as on carefull of his well doing advised him to that which was best both for himself and his Country he willed me therefore to assure your Majestie that the onely care he presently had was to entertain the peace whereof the Q. of Navar and the Princes of the Religion could well be witnesses as also generally the whole Realm To this I replied that I could not fail to advertise your Majestie both of his well accepting of your advertisment as also of the good inclination towards the sincere observation of the Edict which newes I did assure would be to your Majestie most welcome After I had thus ended with the King and finding the Queen his wife absent who by report the night past had a fit of a fever I signified unto him that I had further Commission from your Majestie to present unto her your Letters and shew unto her notwithstanding you Majestie had made choise of a personage honourable to congratulate their Marriage whose comming onely staied upon the certainty of his entrie yet your pleasure was that in the mean time I should have also executed the said office which I would have gladly done if it might have bin without her trouble whereunto he answered that the night passed she had the fit of a fever which he thought would not long coâ—tinue But hoped that within four or five daies she would be in that good state of health as I might have accesse unto her unto whom he assured me that both your Majesties Letters as also the office of congratulation whereunto I was appointed should be accepted in very good part as from their good and loving Sister This is the effect of my speech unto the King from your Majestie the which ended making our reverences we were conducted by Monsieur de Laâ—sac to the Queen Mother and because incontinent after dinner we understood by Sig. Gondi some alteration of wonted custom and that we should for the Solemnitie visit apart the Queen Mother and her two Sons we thereupon resolved to keep one course in our several speeches to them and coming to the Queen I Sir Henry Norris declaring the qualitie of the Gentleman your Majestie had sent to be presented your Ambassador Resident his good inclination towards the continuance of the Amitie between your Majestie and the King her Son she eftsoons answered that she nothing doubted of your Majesties good election she required the Gentleman to come to her Then I Frâ—ncis Walsingham after due salutation presented your Majesties Letters and used to her speeches as before to the King concerning your Majesties charge given me for the entertaining of the good Amitie between the King her Son and you I also recommended unto her the observation of the Edict being so requested to do by the Deputies of the Princes of the Religion as also so to do the like to the Kings Brethren My speech therefore from your Majestie unto her in this behalf was that you were glad to hear that she had not only the reputation and honour to be a chief maker of Peace and Union lately accorded but also to be a chief Conserver of the same wherefore as one that wished unto her all honour and reputation you could but wish unto her preservation in this course so much to her honour to the Kings safety and to the general benefit of his Countrey Whereunto she answered that she could not but accept in very good part both recommending your choice so well inclined to entertain the Amitie between your Majesties as they were fully assured thereof by their Ambassador Resident in England doubting not but such effects should follow as should redound to both your Majesties contentations Being thus licensed of the Queen we were streight brought to Monsieur de Anjous Chamber where I Sir Henry Norris declaring this Gentleman to be sent by your Majestie to succeed me was not only commanded by you to entertain the good Amitie but likewise to bear that respect unto him and the Duke his Brother as towards your good Cousins and Parsonages of great account and value The Duke thanking me for this my good relation requested the Gentleman to come unto him Whereupon I Francis Walsingham approaching near unto him making reverence I shewed him that you willed me to do your commendations to him and further to tell him that your were glad to understand that he did so honorably concur together with the King his Brother in sincere and due observation of the Edict whereby he did not only get generally with all men the honour to be reputed a Prince of courage in time of war but also of Councel in time of peace which courage you doubted not but he would continue in
prosperitie and thinketh none so great as quietness of Government do not a little rejoyce to heare of the great care he taketh for the due observation of the Edict lately published as that thing which maketh him honourable and of great reputation with all Princes that are not carried away with passion and that you do not a little wonder to see his Majestie in these young years able through his great foresight and wisdome to quench a fire of so great a Consequence and danger as lately was kindled and dispersed through his whole Realm and now through Gods goodness and his good order was at this presence utterly extinguished an example for the rareness shereof worthy to be honoured in him and followed in all other Princes who preserve good Goverment and the preservation of their Subjects before tyrannie and destruction of the same I told him further that your Majestie hoped that he now findeth a difference between the advise of those Princes his neighbours that advised him to continue the Waves to the 〈…〉 of his State and destruction of his Subjects and 〈◊〉 and other Princes that exhorted him to the contrary who judged alwaies Peace and concord tending most to his safetie and their preservation And therefore for that experience now the best means hath taught him to know the inconveniences of the one and the profit of the other your Majestie doubteth not but as of his own inclination he hath alwaies bin given rather to peace to preserve his subjects a property of a good and loving Prince then by sword and violence to consume them a thing most fit for a Tyrant So he will continue the said course that tendeth most to the due execution of his said Edict the only meanes to preserve quietness that now reigneth in his kingdome This course unto God so acceptable for himself so honourable and for his subjects so profitable if any should seek to impeach for that it is most commonly seen that good purposes aswell in Princes as privat men have many hinderers be he either a subject unnaturall or a neighbour evill affected as envious at his repose Your Majestie offereth your self with all aid and power to assist him to your uttermost against all such as shall seek or hinder him in so good and godly a purpose And as your Majestie resteth herein affected towards him so you doubt not but God who hath wrought this godly inclination will raise up other Princes to assist him and to be likewise affected towards him in this behalf And that therefore your Majestie prayeth God to blesse him in this course and to remove from him all such as shall hinder him in so noble an enterprise to whom your Majestie wisheth as prosperous successe as ever Prince had that occupied his place and Seat To this he answered that he had right good cause to accept in good part your Majesties advertisement whom he must needs acknowledge to have alwaies as his good Sister and as on carefull of his well doing advised him to that which was best both for himself and his Country he willed me therefore to assure your Majestie that the onely care he presently had was to entertain the peace whereof the Q. of Navar and the Princes of the Religion could well be witnesses as also generally the whole Realm To this I replied that I could not fail to advertise your Majestie both of his well accepting of your advertisment as also of the good inclination towards the sincere observation of the Edict which newes I did assure would be to your Majestie most welcome After I had thus ended with the King and finding the Queen his wife absent who by report the night past had a fit of a fever I signified unto him that I had further Commission from your Majestie to present unto her your Letters and shew unto her notwithstanding you Majestie had made choise of a personage honourable to congratulate their Marriage whose comming onely staied upon the certainty of his entire yet your pleasure was that in the mean time I should have also executed the said office which I would have gladly done if it might have bin without her trouble whereunto he answered that the night passed she had the fit of a fever which he thought would not long continue But hoped that within four or five daies she would be in that good state of health as I might have accesse unto her unto whom he assured me that both your Majesties Letters as also the office of congratulation whereunto I was appointed should be accepted in very good part as from their good and loving Sister This is the effect of my speech unto the King from your Majestie the which ended making our reverences we were conducted by Monsieur de Lassac to the Queen Mother and because incontinent after dinner we understood by Sig. Gâ—ndi some alteration of wonted custom and that we should for the Solemnitie visit apart the Queen Mother and her two Sons we thereupon resolved to keep one course in our several speeches to them and coming to the Queen I Sir Henry Norris declaring the qualitie of the Gentleman your Majestie had sent to be presented your Ambassador Resident his good inclination towards the continuance of the Amitie between your Majestie and the King her Son she estsoons answered that she nothing doubted of your Majesties good election she required the Gentleman to come to her Then I Frâ—ncis Walsingham after due salutation presented your Majesties Letters and used to her speeches as before to the King concerning your Majesties charge given me for the entertaining of the good Amitie between the King her Son and you I also recommended unto her the observation of the Edict being so requested to do by the Deputies of the Princes of the Religion as also so to do the like to the Kings Brethren My speech therefore from your Majestie unto her in this behalf was that you were glad to hear that she had not only the reputation and honour to be a chief maker of Peace and Union lately accorded but also to be a chief Conserver of the same wherefore as one that wished unto her all honour and reputation you could but wish unto her preservation in this course so much to her honour to the Kings safety and to the general benefit of his Countrey Whereunto she answered that she could not but accept in very good part both recommending your choice so well inclined to entertain the Amitie between your Majesties as they were fully assured thereof by their Ambassador Resident in England doubting not but such effects should follow as should redound to both your Majesties contentations Being thus licensed of the Queen we were streight brought to Monsieur de Anjous Chamber where I Sir Henry Norris declaring this Gentleman to be sent by your Majestie to succeed me was not only commanded by you to entertain the good Amitie but likewise to bear that respect unto him and the Duke his Brother as
towards your good Cousins and Parsonages of great account and value The Duke thanking me for this my good relation requested the Gentleman to come unto him Whereupon I Francis Walsingham approaching near unto him making reverence I shewed him that you willed me to do your commendations to him and furtsher to tell him that your were glad to understand that he did so honorably concur together with the King his Brother in sincere and due observation of the Edict whereby he did not only get generally with all men the honour to be reputed a Prince of courage in time of war but also of Councel in time of peace which courage you doubted not but he would continue in respect of the good will he bare to the King and his Countrey and the regard that he had of his own honour And further I shewed him that your Majestie gave me commandment during my charge here to behave my self towards him and the King his Brother with that good respect as was fit for me towards your Cousins and Princes of that qualitie that they were of Whereunto he answered with great courtesie that he thanked your Majestie for your commendations as from a Princess of that honour you are and whom he so much reverenced Secondarily for the good encouragement you gave him to be a good instrument for the observation of the Edict which thing he was bound to do in respect of his dutie towards the King and his Countrey so shall your advertisement be of no small force with him in that behalf For my self he told me that during the time of my service here I should receive for your Majesties sake any favour he could do for me And after we had taken our leave of the Duke anon we were brought to the Duke of Alansons Chamber to whom after we had used part of such speeches as we thought aptest for his capacity and he making such answer as may be expected of his young years we departed from him returning to the place of our retreat and so that night to Paris This being as near as our memories can serve us of all that in this Presenting and Negotiation hath been either delivered by us or received from them the which we humbly submittting to your Majesties wisdom and consideration beseech the Almighty long to preserve you in all prosperity From Paris the nine and twentieth of Ianuary 1571. Your Majesties most humble Subjects and Servants Henry Norris Francis Walsingham To the Right Honorable Sir William Cecil her Majesties principal Secretary SIr I have received at Sir Henry Norris hands aswel all such Copies as concern the Scotish affairs whereby I may be the better directed hereafter how to proceed therein as also all other instructions as may concern her Majesties affairs Touching common matters I refer your Honour to this inclosed of common Occurrents The matters of secrecie here at the least such and so many as I can learn are these The Pope the King of Spain and the rest of the Confederates upon the doubt of a match between the Queen my Mistress and Monsieur do seek by what means they can to disswade and draw him from the same They offer him to be the head and chief executionar of the League against the Turk a thing now newly renewed though long ago meant vvhich League is thought to stretch to as many as they repute to be Turks although better Christians then themselves The cause of the Cardinal of Lorraigns repair hither from Reyms as it is thought vvas to this purpose The King as lately he uttered to le Sieur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeming very much to mislike hereof utterred these vvords unto him If this matter go forvvard it behoâ—eth me to make some counter-league I find the Germans saith he vvell-affected tovvards me and as for the Queen of England I knovv she hath good cause to mislike of this League as I my self have and therefore I suppose vvould be glad to joyn vvith me To vvhom the other replied that he vvas glad that he savv his danger for that he hoped he vvould provide for the remedy and vvished his Majestie that he vvould not forstovv the matter And therefore advised him for that the Princes Ambassador of Germany vvere not departed that the matâ—er might be broken to them vvhich thing the King thought not convenient for that that he thought their Ansvver vvould be that they had no Commission to deal in any such matteer but rather thought it more meet to send one of his ovvn Then the other told him that if he did did send any body it behoved him to make choice of one that vvas no Catholique for othervvise he should not be to them either grateful or trustful Whereupon the King named Monsieur Biron though he be not thought to be a Hugonot yet is he not taken to be your enemie Whereupon the other answered that he had made choice of a very fit person After he had made me acquainted with this matter he asked me how I thought the King should find the Queen affected I asked him whether he had any Commission so far forth to deal with me He told me no but he desired me to say frankly my opinion how I judged the Queen my Mistress would be inclined To whom I answered that for my own private opinion I thought not but that her Majestie would very well like of it First in respect of the common cause of Religion Secondly in respect of the good will she beareth the King whose friendship above all other Princes she doth chiefly embrace And lastly in respect of her own safety And as for my self for these respects when the matter shall grow to some further moving it shall not lack any furtherance that I can give him The said party the day before this Message came unto me and told me that he was wished from I. to give me to understand that Malicorne who was sent into Spain to congratulate the Marriage and is lately returned reporteth that Iulian Remero at his being here was dispatched from the Court to Ireland where he was to do some great enterprise Further he reported unto me that the King here is angry for that his Congratulation was not accepted of the King of Spain in so good part as he looked for but seemed to take some exception of the Kings Letters for that certain words of controversie to be usually put in such Letters as passed between them were now omitted And further to the increase of this unkindness the King of Portugal to whom the Kings Sister was offered in Marriage sent an answer by Malicorne that they were both young and that therefore about eight years hence that matter might be better talked of which disdainful answer is accepted here in very ill part and is thought not to be done without the counsel of Spain And amongst all others none taketh the matter more grievously then Queen Mother who thinketh her self not a little injured for the late friendship she
hath professed to Spain He forgot not to renew the speech that passed between us touching the League desiring me to use some means to feel how her Majestie is inclined which I promised to do And therefore I shall desire you to move her Majestie in that behalf that I may receive some direction how to proceed therein And so leaving further to trouble your honor at this present I most humbly take leave From Paris the 28 of Ianuary 1571. Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham The Lord Seton who lately came out of Flanders to demand succour as I am informed is deferred over for answer untill the Entry be past He â—â—eth here as I am given further to understand with good store of Horse and Armour and very well furnished with money To the Right Honorable Sir William Cecill her Majesties Principal Secretary SIr after the closing up of my Letters I was certified by a Gentleman that came presently from the Court that the King is grown very sick of a burning Ague whereupon it is thought that the time appointed for the entry should be put over until after Easter I will seek by what means I can for the certaintie and so afterwards advertise you So leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present I most humblie take my leave From Paris the 28 of Ianuary Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honorable and my very good Lord the Earl of Leicester RIght Honourable and my very good Lord touching the present state of France I refer you to the common Occurrents here inclosed and leave unto you by them to judge what likelihood there is of continuance of the Peace lately here amongst them accorded The best ground of continuance that I can learn by those that can best judge is the Kings own inclination which is thought sincerely to be bent that way Touching his affection towards the Queen my Mistress if outward entertainment may be a just argument of inward affection then surely there is great likelihood of continuance of Amitie and Concord For first I was in all those places where the King had Governors very well received Then at the time when Sir Henry Norris and I were appointed to have access to the Court for my presentment which was at Madrill we were invited to dinner presently upon our Arrival there Laufay by the Kings appointment received us and brought us to the place where our dinner was prepared where we lacked no store of good meat immediately after dinner Chevaleir Thaers sent by the King came and told us that he was readie to give us audience to whom we repaired and were most graciously received at his hands who made great demonstration by outward speech and countenance of great good will towards the Queen my Mistress Besides my ordinarie speeches concerning her Majesties charge to behave my self in such sort as might tend to the best continuance of Amitie between their Majesties I recommended the Peace being so requested by the Deputies of those of the Religion which he seemed to accept in very good part Having thus ended with his Majestie finding the new Q. not there for that it was given out she was sick of a fever I declared unto him that I had Commission from the Queens Majestie to have presented unto her her Majesties Letters as also to have used some office of Congratulation of the late Marriage between them notwithstanding that her Majestie had made choice of a Personage of calling honourable to do that office whose coming stayeth only upon the certaintie of the knowledge of his Majesties entry for that by the Q. Majestie my Mistress he is appointed to honour the same The King alledged sickness for excuse and told me that there should be another time appointed me for the execution of her Majesties Commission in that behalf which both of him and her could not but be accepted in as good part as it was meant Having thus ended with the King whereas before it was customably to be found as I learned by Sir Henry Norris to have present at the Audience both Queen Mother and the Kings Brethren in place with the King we found now each of them to keep their several Estate and so were driven to repair unto them all severally to their Chambers and though from her Majestie I had no further Commission to have done any Message but to the King and unto the two Queens yet for that at my last being there exception was taken at me for omitting my dutie to Monsieur and besides being requested by the Deputies of the Religion to recommend the observation of the Edict unto them severally therefore after access had to Queen Mother my Letters being delivered and certain ordinary speeches used with the recommendation of those of the Religion I repaired to Monsieur who very courteously and with good countenance received me To whom my speech from her Majestie was that she willed me to present unto him her commendations and further to say unto him that she was glad to understand that he did concur together with the King in that good and honourable meaning of the observation of the Edict whereby he did not only win generally the reputation and honour to be thought a Prince of courage in time of War but also of Councel in time of Peace which courage she doubted not but that he would continue in respect of the good will he beareth to the King and his Countrey and the regard he had to his own honour Whereunto he answered with great courtesie that he thanked her Majestie First for her commendations as from a Princess of honour that she was and whom he so much reverenced Secondarily for the good encouragement that she gave him to be a good instrument for the observation of the Edict which thing as he was bound to do in respect of his Duty towards the King and his Countrey so should her Majesties advertisement be of no small force with him in that behalf For my self he told me that during my service here I should receive for her Majesties sake any favour that he could shew me Having thus done I repaired to his Brother to whom I used besides Commendations some short Speech in recommendations of the Edict for manners sake I do rather my very good Lord dwell upon those particularities in respect of your Lordships request In observing Monsieur I had at this present by reason the place served very well for the purpose good occasion to view him in stature by judgement of others that viewed us talking together he was esteemed three fingers higher then my self in complexion somewhat sallow his bodie of very good shape his leg long and small but reasonably well proportioned what helps he had to supply any defects of nature I know not touching the health of his person I find the opinion diverse as I know not what to credit and for my own part I forbear to be over curious in the search threof for divers
accept this enterprise yet notwithstanding it was resolved it should go forward and that the bills of credit for the said some of 100000 are already here if this advertisement prove as true as others that heretofore have bin given by him to my Predecessor then are they not to be neglected By another means I was advertised that Stewkley in Spain presented an instrument unto the King there not onely subscribed with the names of the most part of the Irish Noblity but also the names of divers in England of good quality ready to be at his devotion I learned further that of late fithence the Lord Setons comming hither there hath bin some greater conference between the Spanish Ambassador and the Ambassador of Scotland Further I learned that the greater part of those that are landed in Ireland were Levied by the Earle of Argile in the King of Spains name within the said Earles Government being promised pay by the said King of Spains Ministers they were imbarked at the Mule or streight of Kenutire One Skeldon an ordinary servant of the Q. of Scots arrived lately here with Letters of some importance as it is thought for that oftentimes he hath had accesse to the Court. Thus having made your Honour privy of all such things as I could learne I most humbly take my leave At Paris the 8 of Febr. 1571. To the Right Honourable Sir William Cecil her Majesties principall Secretary SIr I thought good to make you privie to this private Letter directed privatly to your self of certain talke passed between the Queens Mother and me which I desired her by protestation that she should receive at my hands as from a private person not having commission as a publike person to say any more then that which concerned le Roches attempt I protested unto her that the onely mark that I would shoot at during my service here should be to continue so much as might lie in so mean a Minister good Amitie between the two Crowns as a thing profitable unto them both And therefore I desired her Majesty first to consider how necessary it was for the safety of both Realms to have a firm league concluded between the two Princes Then to weigh how fit this present was for the same Touching the first point I shewed her that though France enjoyed now through Gods great goodness a generall peace with all his neighbours yet that it should so continue it was not to be looked for And that therefore in time of peace politique Princes were not unmindfull that after peace wars commonly follow for that the earth is subject to alterations In which consideration they commonly weigh the neighbours who are by consequence of reason likest to attempt any thing against them vvhich they see evidently to be that Prince that is nearest by situation and in forces mightiest against vvhom besides ordinary forces vvhich they have alvvaies prepared they seek to strengthen themselves and the Princes confederats Novv if your Majesty by this measure of mightiness and nearness measure your neighbours you shall then find that it is England whose conderatie is chiefly to be desired he that thinketh himself mightiest will be well advised before he deal with each of you Touching the other point I told her that I thought this time most fit first for that there was in both Princes a like affection being both of their own proper inclinations peaceably inclined with conformity of disposition as one of the best knots of assured friendship Then because there reigneth some unkindness between other 〈◊〉 neighbours with whom her Predecessors heretofore had both long and good unity These circumstances well weighed I concluded with her that the time was now fit and the thing it self most fit to be prosecuted and that her Majesty was most fit to bring the same to good effect as she in whom the King as he had just cause so to do reposed the direction of his whole Government To this she replied That first at my hands both the King and she did look for nothing else but good offices tending to the maintenance of good Amity Secondarily that as at present they enjoyed peace so they had good hope of the maintenance of the same generally with all their neighbours Lastly that she hoped that the Amity between the Q. my Mistris was of all parties very sincerely meant Notwithstanding if she should desire to enter into some streighter league she was of opinion nothing would be more gratefull to the King To this I answered that I was glad to receive at her hands so good hope of the Kings inclination in that behalf This in effect was that that passed between her Majesty and me The reasons that moved me to use this speech were these first for that Spain seemeth not to be at this present very well inclined towards the Q. my Mistris Secondarily for that the King hath no great liking of Spain as before advertised Lastly for that I was advertised how that the Admirall had advised lately the King and Q. Mother by his Letters to seek to strengthen himself by confederacy with the Princes of Germany and the Q. Majesty my Mistris Sir having now made you acquainted with my speech as also with the reasons that moved me thereto I shall most humblie desire you according to your promise to advertise me of my errors either in this or otherwise in this my present service which you shall perceive that I will accept in so good part as you shall think your advise well bestowed and thereby to be better able to serve her Majestie with more skill In my other Letters as that vvhich vvas to be shevved to her Majestie I forbeare to set dovvn the Popes Nuntios persvvasions he used tovvards a disswading Monsieur from the Q. vvhich were First she was an Heretique Secondarily that she was old by whom he could scarse hope after issue And lastly that England which he said he was well assured vvas the mark he chiefly shot at might be atchieved and that right easily by svvord to his great Honour and lesse inconvenience then making so unfit a match Thus you see Sir hovv they make the accompt vvithout their host I hope they shall have more vvill then povver to hurt us and that God vvill still reserve our poore Country for a sanctuary for his poor persecuted flock To vvhose tuition I commit you most humbly taking my leave From Paris the 8 of Febr. 1571. To the Right Honourable my very good Lord the Earle of Leicester SIthence I last wrote unto your Lordship which was the third of this moneth I have learned nothing fit for your knowledge saving of some practise that concerneth Ireland wherein I referre your Lordship to Mr. Secretaries Letters Touching the other matter they think here you do but dally and though no overture hath bin made notwithstanding I find this already hath bin done underhand if the matter go not forward will breed some disdaine for that they take their
peny to be so good silver as they think them evill used if it may not passe as current To the end that there may grow lesse harm thereof as some there must needs your Lordship shall do well to hasten it to some 〈◊〉 with what speed you may which I pray God may be as good as ever happened in like case And so leaving further to trouble your Lordship at this present I most humbly take my leave committing you to his protection From Paris 8 February Your Lordships to command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable Sir Walter Mildmay one of her Majesties privy Counsell SIr I understand by my servant Mills who followeth my suite how it hath pleased you of late both to recomend the same unto Mr. Secretarie as also to the B. of London so that the hinderance I was like to receive by Mr. Haddo's death is now Sir by your good means remedied whereby I hope my cause will grow both to a speedy and a good end Sithence I last wrote to you there hath faln out here no alteration saving that the entrie which should have bin performed with preat solemnitie is now like to go forward the 6 of this next moneth being so published with the sound of the Trumpet without any great pompe of Ceremonies by reason of the new Queens sickness who is now in way of recovery Of late by her Majesties commandment I dealt with the King about de la Roches attempt in Ireland who denieth that ever he was acquainted with the matter and therefore promiseth to see him or any other that hath dealt in that behalf punished whensoever I shall enforme him of their names if the redresse hereof fall out to be better then heretofore was wont to be yielded by his predecessors of like promises in like cases it will be but all in words for such is the expedition of this Court in promise speedy in performing slow At this time surely there are great practises in hand for the invasion of Ireland wherein the Pope and Spain joyn And as for the Cardinall de Lorrain as he may may underhand he faileth not to further the same to his uttermost I have herein advertised her Majesty what I can learn in that behalf hoping that there will be good eye had thereto in time least Ireland through too much securetie be neglected as Callis was And so leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present with my humble commendations to my Lady I commit you to Gods protection From Paris the 8 of Febr. 1571. To the right Honourable Mr. Francis Walsingham Ambassadâ—r Resident for the Q. Majestie of England SIr my Lord of Rutland hath such confidence in your friendship as I think it superfluous otherwise therein then to thank you for the good offers you made him at your departure whereof he hath made to me on your behalf very good report In my opinion you shall do his Lordship a great pleasure to take occasion to present him to the King as soon as you may that he may be known before my Lord of Burkhâ—rst comming In expressing of his linage you may boldly affirme him to be a kin to the Q. Majestie both by King Henry the eight her Father and also by the Q. Mother and he is of the blood Royall in the same degree that my Lord of Huntingdon is the difference being onely that my Lord of Huntingdon is of a Brother of King Edward the 4. and my Lord Rutland of the Sâ—ster of the same King and indeed thereby he is as near in blood though further in danger of fortunes wheel which is busie with carriage of Kings Crowns to and fro I am not able to write any more by weakness of my bodie presently tormented with pain from my house at Westminster the 28 Ianuary 1571. Yours assuredly William Cecil To the right Honourable Sir William Cecil her Majesties principal Secretary SIr any that you shall at any time recommend cannot but receive at my hands any favour or friendship that I can shew them But my Lord of Rutland who besides your commendations and his own calling hath so many good parts in himself that do recommend him as he may well assure himself of any honour or aid that I can procure him Sithence my last which were dated the 8 of this moneth I have learned nothing to any great purpose The complaints of those of the Religion have here but a very deaf eare given unto them The King committeth them over to the Q. his Mother and to Monsieur his Brother being himself altogether given to pleasure To our trusty and welbeloved Francis Walsingham Esq our Ambassador Resident with the French King ELIZABETH R. TRusty and welbeloved we greet you well we have received Letters jointly from Sir Henry Norris our late Ambassador and you dated the 29 of the last moneth by the which we perceive in what sort you were presented to the King there by Sir Henry Norris as to remain our Ambassador And in what sort you did orderly proceed in declaration of our good will to continue the good Amitie with the King and to appoint you as minister for the same wherein we do not mislike of such speech as by our Letter appeared to us you used to the King to comfort him in the maintenance and continuance of the inward peace of his Realm according to the benefit of his Edict lately granted to his Subjects for the matter of Religionâ— We have also seen and considerâ—d another matter of some weight whereof you willed our Secretary by your private Letters to him to advertise us concerning some motion made unto you by le Sieurs de upon certain conferences had by the King with him and therein we find that which you answered to the said Sir J. A. to be discreet and agreable to our mind and and if you shall find any likelihood that such a matter may be further dealt in and that it be meant bona fide to proceed further we would have you not only as of your self but as occasion shall be given to further it in our name for we do hold it so good and beneficiall as we rather doubt that some impediment may grow to hinder the successe thereof then of any speedie furtherance And therefore you shall do well to look well into the matter what likelihood there may be to have it go forward before you discover our intention to the King otherwise then as you find necessary to provoke him thereto By some other your Letters we perceive that the King there is well content that the Lord of Buckhurst shall come forward notwithstanding the sickness of the Q. and so we would have him proceed notwithstanding the same After we had caused thus much to be written hereof we thought good to will you to take some occasion of speech with the King of Spains Ambassador there Resident and first to let him understand that now about the tenth of this moneth we have here
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
the same time were letters intercepted of the Queen of Scots to the Duke of Alva whereby she giveth her self her Realm and her Son to be in the proâ—ection and government of the King of Spain And with that the L. Seton who had been there and sithence with the Duke of Alva driven by a Tempest into a Haven which by the Conspirators was appointed where the Flemings and Spaniards should arrive disguising himself like a Mariner went from thence and came as I told your Majesty into Scotland and into the Castle of Edenborough with some other of the Queens Majesties Rebels his papers and instructions being â—ound declared that in her Majesties name he had assured the Duke of Alva that with a small power they might bring into their hands the yong King of Scots and so carry him into Spain Then giveth comfort to other of the Rebels by other letters that shortly they shal return into Scotland This Madam quoth I is enough to make the Queen our Mistris to awake and to look about her and even at that same time cometh Monsieur de Crocque with the Kings letters and requireth the Scotch Queen to be set at liberty and to be sent into France Madam quoth I I pray your Majestie consider of the case and imagine you were the Q. of England my Mistris and that all these things at one time came to your consideration what would you think Ah Monsieur L'Ambassador quoth she we did know then of no such intent of the Q. of Scots you may be sure we would be as loath that any such thing should be attempted and rather loather Madam quoth I I do not doubt considering this good amity which is so forward betwixt the two Realms Well saith she she is allyed to the King and to me and brought up here and we for our part could do no less then intreat for her what we could obtain at the Queen my sisters hands She seeketh another way to ruinate her self to hurt her friends to deserve no pity nor favor and sorry we must be for her and if she be so dangerous as it appeareth we cannot nor dare not require liberty for her which is so perilous to the Queen my sisters state yet if it shall please her for our sake to give her her life and for the rest provide for her own safety as reason is she shall do a deed of price and in this matter we will trouble the Q. your Mistris no furthâ—â— Then quoth I one other thing there is touching Monsieur de Crocque his power or Commission for so we call it is not large enough for he hath as he saith but Commission to move them to Peace and Agreement To the which now of late they of the Castle do shew themselvs very obstinate perverse and unreasonable by reason of some offers from the Duke of Alva and some hope peradventure received from hence For where before they were content to require the Queens Majesties aid to come to a good agreement with the adverse faction so that the surety of their Persons Lands Goods and Honors might be provided for now they be so puffed up that they will not come to any abstinence of Civil war amongst themselves And surely the Queen my Mistris meant no other then to have brought them into quietness among themselves To the intent that the Realm might after agreement within it self enter into this League with the other two Realms making as it were for defence one whole Realm and so I have always told you Madam It is so saith she and we desire no other Well Madam quoth I if you then will concur with us the matter will be soon at a point Then Monsieur Crocque must have a larger Commission then yet he hath for he saith he hath but as I said before a Commission to make them to accord amongst themselves to choose a number of men to govern the Realm and never make mention of King nor Queen Why saith Master Walsingham that were a headless Government and when will they agree to it he that knoweth that Nation will never think that will come to pass and therefore that should be to make more dissention amongst them not to make a Peace Madam quoth I that Commission hath no Order nor Authority but as is said to continue trouble But Madam as in all matters hitherto we have well agreed betwixt the two Realms of England and France I pray you let us agree in this And if we speak reasonable the King shall concur with us if not let us hear answer to the contrary and we will answer The Queen my Mistris hath propounded this that they shall all agree to acknowledge the young King for King For as the for Queen she hath good cause not to trust her nor you neither Then for compounding how one shall agree with th' other for their Lands Offices and Goods that to be agreed by the mediation of wise and indifferent men whereof your Ambassador be it Monsieur de Croque or any other to be an Umpire and whom the Q. my Mistris shall appoint to be another So that they shall well know that these two Crowns as friends will make them by perswasion to agree to reason if not to joyn together to make them take reason against their wills Ye say well Monsieur Amb. saith she and you speak roundly and plainly as you were wont to do and I will speak with the K. my son and you shall have answer Madam said Mr. Walsingham Monsieur Amb. saieth here plainly unto you Yea saith she so he is wont I know him well enough Yea saith he but while two shall be at strife if ye would set up again the Scotch Queen whom by reason the Queen our Mistres cannot abide if in the mean time a third should come and set foot in Scotland would it not trouble you and us also Yes saith she and we should be as loath to see that as you Well Madam quoth I then take heed of the pick-thank for he is ready I know whom you mean quoth she and he is ready indeed and loves to be medling in every place but I doubt not but the Queen your Mistris and we shall agree it is our desire and that this amity may increase to make us both strong for all that Coast I hope so quoth I and would be loath that all labour for so little a matter should be lost Lost saith she fear you not your Queen can desire no reasonable thing at our hands but we will agree to it you shall judge your self and to morrow you shall have answer God willing but hear you nothing else of the other matter Madam quoth I I know not what you mean but surely notâ—ing is spoken not so much as from Mr Killegrew nor of the league but we look every day that our Currior should be here and then we shall be able to inform your Majesty Ye shall not marvail saith she that I
for my stomack morning and evening and yet it is scarce able to resist the extream cold of the weather and now about 30 daies continual frost and snow and here is neither wood plenty nor good chimneys for fire and in my bed-chamber I can make no fire Good my Lord dispatch this Bearer with as much speed again as may be as it is promised in the Instructions This day the Queen of Navarr is looked for in the Court and hoped that the marriage shall go forward The foolish Cardinal went away as wise as he came he neither brake the marriage with Navarr nor got no Dismes of the Church of France nor perswaded the King to enter into the League with the Turk nor to accept the Tridentine or to break off Treaty with us and the foolishest part of all at his going away he refused a Diamond which the King offered him of 600 Crowns yet he was here highly feasted he and his Train cost the King above 300 Crowns a day as they said Thus I bid your Lordship heartily farewell From Blois March 3. by English account Th. Smith To my Lord Burleigh MY very good Lord I received your Letters by Monsieur de Crocques Kinsman after Mid-Lent-Sunday which was dated the sixth of March the King had then entred into a Diet which he keepeth still in his Câ—amber Some said it is because he had some hurt in one of his leggs which I could never perceive but he was one of the activest in all his actions as the Barriers Justs and other such Martial feats which were simulachra belli of all the rest in the Company Other of whose opinion I am think it is the Mothers drift to make him take under pretence of Phisick some rest from his inordinate hunting so early in the morning and so late at night without sparing frost snow or rain and in so desperate doings as makes her and them that love him to be often in great fear And the Queen possibly being now undoubtedly with child to cause her also to rest from that travel that both he may get somewhat more flesh and the Queen to retain more surety of that which is conceived Because of that Mr. Walsingham and I wiâ—t not what to do but Monsieur de Malvosire coming to us as he is appointed to see that we lack nothing and suppeth and dineth commonly with us we told him merrily that his Mistress for so we call the Scotch Queen had played now a wise part for she hath opened her self again and the good favour she beareth to Spain to make a perpetâ—al broil if she could betwixt England Scotland and France for she hath practised by Letters of late and sith the Dukes trouble which Letters are now come to light and known to have practised with the Duke of Alva to convey the young King out of Scotland into Spain the which thing I am sure you would like as ill as wee Yea saith he they may be counterfeit and made to hurt the poor Queen No quoth I the original Letters were shewed to Monsieur de Crocque and de la Mott and yet by the same de Crocque the King wrote to the Queens Majestie for her deliverance and sending of her into France What would she do here at liberty if being streightly kept and the matter so plainly known for the Bishop of Ross wrote sith he was in the Tower to her that all was discovered which he could not denie Well saith he indeed I have heard of such a thing but will you tell the King quoth I that so much I have told you and that the Queens Majestie is not very well pleased that she â—hould write so earnestly for her who will never cease to seek mischief and trouble to her Majestie and her Realm yea and set all the Princes together by the ears if she could he said he would and when we would come home to walk in the Garden at such time as the Queen Mother doth customarily walk there he would find the means we should speak with her when he came again he brought us word that it was true that he said for de la Mott had written the same to the King and the King so told him that it was true and said Ah! the poor fool will never cease while she lose her head In faith they will put her to death I see it is her own fault and follie I see no remedie for it I meant to help but if she will not be helped Ie ne puis mais that is I cannot do withall The 17 of this Month at afternoon Mr. Walsingham and I went with Mr. Malvosire into the Kings Garden at Blois and after a while walking the Queen Mother came to us to whom we declared That of late there was Letters intercepted of the Queen of Scots to the Duke of Alva the effect whereof we were willing to declare to the Kings Majestie or to her which was indeed to make a perpetual pique betwixt England Scotland France and Spain for that it was that he should take and convey away by his practise the young King and convey him into Spain And so quoth I where now by Gods grace we go about to make a perpetual amity betwixt England and France and by that joyntly to make a good union and peace in Scotland that the civil Wars might be compounded and cease and so these 3 Realms to be as it were all one for mutual defence this is a devise to make a perpetual pique broil and jealousie amongst us all and Spain Saitâ— Mr. Walsingham betwixt England and France thanks be to God no quarrels be pretended We demand nothing of you at this time nor you of us The occasion vvhy your League vvas so sure vvith Scotland to annoy us novv there is no such cause standing so sure on amity and therefore belike Spain vvould make that a pique to trouble us vvithall both and make us Warr and trouble that vvaies Saith the Queen There is no doubt but they vvill do vvhat they can for the King my Son is advertised that there is nothing that grieveth him more then to understand of this good League and perfect Amity vvhich is begun and I trust novv at an end betvvixt us they vvote not vvhich vvaies to turn them to break it But Madam quoth I these tvvo things coming together she to go about that disturbing of Scotland and England and that thing which should be as much displeasant to you as to us if your Majestie do well mark it and at the same time the King here to write for her delivery and to come into France and that when the chief treating of amity is in hand you shall not marvel though her Majestie do take it ill and I assure you that it is written to us that but that her Majestie hath known of long time the good affection that you Madam and the King your Son did bear to her and that we that are
made to her by the Kings Letters to his Ambassador here of daily increase of this Amity now newly established between them And though her Majestie doth not percase so often answer these his kindnesses in words or writing yet he shall be assured that whensoever occasion shall be given to shew the like affection in deeds she will not be behind him Besides the letters to the King and Q. Mother he shall have also her Majesties letters to the Q. of Navarre whom he shall visit and most heartily salute in her Majesties name and let her understand how glad heâ— Majestie is and doth thank God for the benefit of the Peace which he hath given to her and to all others that now of a long time have for defence of their consciences suffered great calamities with her wherein surely her sincerity and constancy hath won to her no small honour in the world but most of all the blessing of God to indure with her and her posterity And next to this her Majestie doth rejoyce that she hath so wisely and honourably considered of the marriage of the Prince her Son with the daughter of Fâ—ance whereby both the good love of the French King to her Estate shall probably have continuance and her self shall live by Gods grace to see the good success of her son in her own time to her comfort The said Lord Admiral shall also give the Admiral of France and others of the Nobility joyned with him to understand how glad her Majestie is of the continuance of the Pacification of their troubles and doth hope that they will let their sincerity and their good meaning appear so to the King as he may comfortably continue his favours towards them and that their adversaries who have heretofore slandered their actions as though they had not been founded upon conscience may be ashamed to have abused themselves and so shall the honour of God indeed by their manifest and good conversations increase to the confusion of them that by untruths have maliciously sought to keep the same under and to oppress it And for the House of Guise the L. Admiral shall not forbear to salute them of his own part according to their degrees if he shall see that they give countenance to him as to accept it And if any of them shall motion matters to him as of the Q. of Scots he may say if she had been counselled by her friends to have been grateful to her Majestie or to have forborn the seeking to offend her Majestie she might thereby have done her self good and been the cause of quietness to the Countrey but she hath so manifestly taken other courses as surely either her friends that evil counselled her or her self must be accounted the principal cause of her trouble And so he shall use his speech of her These instructions the L. Admiral shall communicate with Sir Tho Smith and the Resident Ambassador and upon the sight of them Sir Tho Smith shall understand it to be her Majesties pleasure that he shall accompany and be assistant to the L. Admiral in the time of the Kings giving of his Oath And when the L. Admiral shall have done his Commission and delivered the rest of his charge contained in these Instructions the said Sir Tho Smith shall no longer abide in France but shall return at his most commodity W. Burleigh Postscript In the matter concerning the offer of the marriage of Monsieur Alanson if thereof any speech be used by the K. notwithstanding the former Instruction in the articles above expressed how to answer to the K. upon some consideration thereof The L. Admiral shal at the first say that although he hath no chargeto treat thereof yet he is willed by her Majestie to give them thanks for the desire it seemeth he hath to have alliance with her Majestie by marriage as not onely shewing her own disposition towards her Majestie at which time his youth seemed to be impediment and now secondly for his brother Monsieur d' Anjou wherein also the inequality of years did at the first stay her Majestie wherein also she did overcome her judgement by perswasion and rested in the end upon the matter of Religion which of all other things is the greatest stay that can be and now the motion of the yongest brother cannot in her opinion by reason of the inequality of years but make a full stay in her Majestie as she thinketh the same ought also to work the like in the judgement of the King and of the Queen his Mother And having said this then may the said L. Admiral proceed to say somewhat as is above prescribed of her Majesties misliking for the dealing in the cause of Monsieur de Anjou using the same nevertheless as it breed no offence in the King To my very Friend Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador for the Queens Majestie in France SIr I heartily thank you for your Letters of the nine and twentieth of the last and specially for that which you write to her Majestie As to the matters of the King of Spains Low-Countreys we have great cause to bear a jealous countenance thereto for as being in the Spaniards hands we lacked Traffique with surety so if the Maritine part come to those where you are not onely the Traffique into those parts for our Merchants will be regulated by them but our soveraignty upon the narrow Seas will be abridged with danger and dishonour And notwithstanding this I see lack of disposition to provide the remedy where it should chiefly be and I trust with importunity we that see into the perils shall obtain somewhat if not our consciences shall be quiet though our minds shall not As to your Letters to her Majestie forasmuch as the Duke of Norfolk had suffered upon Munday and your Letters came on Tuesday I thought it not amiss to tell the Queens Majestie that I had Letters from you to her which I thought were onely to shew her the opinion of wisemen and her Majesties well-wishers in France both for the Queen of Scots and the Duke of Norfolk whereupon she bad me open the letters and so I did in her presence and she being somewhat sad for the Duke of Norfolks death I took occasion to cut off the reading thereof and so entred into speech of the Queen of Scots which she did not mislike and commended your care and diligence As for the party your dear friend I did not speak with him nor he never accompanied me nor once ever spake one word to me of the matter as he was wont to do in other matters I disallow not his private affection to the party but his judgement I do dissallow in preferring private to publike I do return to you the Commission amended in your name which was the errour of the writer you may proceed thereto as you see time The French Ambassador hath no Commission to require the like looking for it as he saith when Montmorency shall come whose delay
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
be not provoked to answer to any of those points mentioned in them he should not minister occasion of talk on them and possibly they will say nothing and yet with you they will be busie which if it come to pass there is no doubt but you can and will answer to the effect of those Instructions and further as occasion shall be ministred But in one point that is for the breach of the abstinence in Scotland which then was not certain and now is certain hard it is if they be not questioning with you for I am sure de la Mâ—t will not be without his intelligence from Scotland nor negligent in advertising to France And upon occasion of time whether you be demanded or not it is thought meet that you take occasion to shew the King that to the grief of the Queens Majestie the Scots have not agreed but be broken again into hostilitie within themselves which although touâ—heth joyntly the Fr. K. and her Majestie because they two being Princes of so great authority and so conjoyned in love and amity and both by mutual consent by their Ambassadors labouring to bring them to unity peace and concord within themselves should be so illuded and scorned of a few petty companions that having all things offered unto them that they could desire reasonable and more yet they would still maintain war in their own Countrey and in the tender age of their young King whom to set up and Crown they were the first doers This injury you may say touched the King as well as the Queens Majestie because joyntly they both like Princes in most amitie agreed in their Leagues together to pacifie and unite Scotland in it self which now by discord intestine being disunited is brought almost to extreme poverty and misery The other cause toucheth more her Majestie because they being her Neighbours next adjoyning and bordering upon her Subjects while the Realm of Scotland was united and peace within it self if any of their Thieves and Out-laws had injury by theft or murther any of her Majesties Subjects upon complaint redress was had the Malefactors punished and he who had the injurie restored and so was it on both sides reciprocally Now in this Civil dissention miseries robberies stealth and murthers be committed daily and then the one part or the other beareth them out so that it were almost as good to have a border war betwixt England and Scotland for the poor men that do dwell thereabouts as civil wars betwixt the Scots themselves and therefore this breach betwixt the two parties must needs grieve her Majesties Subjects more then the French King being so far distant and so consequently her Honor who indeed doth take it and not without cause heavily for that they have not esteemed better her Majesties good will and desire that she had all their strifes and debates among themselves compounded and accorded and that they have set so light by the authoritie of the French King their brothers and heirs The young King is her Majesties near Kinsman and her Highness desireth not onely to have him preserved but also his Realm if it could be in quiet peace and good oâ—der and aboundance which without inward peace cannot be had and must needs think evil of these few petty companions being gotten into the Castle of Edenburgh which for their wilful obstination and private benefits shall keep that Realm still in that dissention and trouble in contempt of such Princes as the French King and her Majestie is whose design tended to nothing but to make unitie and concord among them there And therefore if Hume Castle and Fast Castle which her Highness hath detained hitherto in that hope upon accord to have rendred them to the Lord and owners thereof from whom they were before by just war taken Now her Majestie seeth no longer cause to detain but to render them according as is comprised in the Treatie not to them who have so evil deserved of her Majestie their own King and Countrey by their perverse obstinacy and of the French King also but one of the same Nation who acknowledgeth their King and is desirous of unitie peace concord and good government in that Realm and of this her design her Majestie thought meet to make her good brother the French King first privy unto for the love that she doth bear unto him and according to the Amity and Intelligence betwixt the two Realms I am glad to have this occasion to send this bearer Iohn Farry your man unto you for I assure you I do pitty your case that so many of your men be here together peradventure occasion may serve shortly to send you another yet methinks you forget me to send so often to others without any letters to me Fare you well From Somerset-house the nine and twentieth of January 1572. by English account I thank you for the case of Tools I yet have not leisure to understand them all nor looked not for so many nor on that sort When I shall understand the properties and use of them I shall have more cause to thank you Yours alwayes assured Tho Smith To the Earl of Leicester AFter the inclosing up of my other letters I received at one instant two sundry Letters of your Lordships the one of the eighth and the other of the nine and twentieth Touching the first your Honour doth concur with me in opinion as I conceive by the same that the matter which is the chiefest cause of my stay is but a meer entertainment the matter through misguiding is never like to come to issue If they mean otherwise which is most likely why should her Majestie endure to be any longer abused As your Lordship findeth the partie that dealeth there halting and divers in his tales even like unconstancie and doubleness do I find in him here that dealeth with me To disguise the matter they borrow certain names out of Amadis de Gaule wherein they deal most aptly to adde to a fained thing fained names They judge us to be very gross and do think that every fair and coloured speech is able to abuse us I cannot be otherwise perswaded but some here that rule all are acquainted with the matter for otherwise the partie that last came over would never have medled in the same God send it a better end then I look for For your Lordships good advice in the latter end of your letter I most humbly thank you and do think my self much bound to you for the same as for any other favour I have received at your Lordships hands since I entred into this service The best recompence I can make unto your Lordship as I know is to take profit thereof True it is that sometimes in requital unto some of my Friends who have given me large entertainments of the state of things whereof otherwise I have been ignorant I have also largelie made them partakers how things passed here and somewhat more largelie then I have
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
secretly given to understand that the King here is offered by the Princes of the League support of money upon condition that the next year he will enter into the League if by his mediation the peace of the Turk and them of the League shall not follow And so for Italian news referring your Honour to these inclosed occurrents I most humbly take my leave To the Earl of Leicâ—ster YOur Lordship by Mr. Secretaries Letters shall understand at large what success the Marshal hath had in Provence how he hath prospered at the siege of Sansarra and what is lately done at Rochel who as yet continue still resolute never to yield Notwithstanding le Noues abandoning of them I am very sorry to condemn that Gentleman though he be generally condemned by others until I hear what he can say for himself If he be not well able to excuse this his doing in this behalf I will learn thereby the less to build upon any man who I perceive when God withdraweth his staying hand are more weak then weakness itself This Example therefore and others are to teach us to build upon God and to weigh man as he is They are much perplexed here with the Count Montgomeries preparation they have therefore given order all along the sea-coasts to withstand his Landing fearing that if he once land he will draw great numbers unto him They give it out that it will not be possible for him to enter the Haven of Rochel through certain ships sunk in the channel But if he enter it is certainly thought that Monsieur shal be driven to leavie his siege Upoâ— the event of his Entry wise men shall be able to judge what shall be the issue of this trouble here Howsoever he speed I believe most assuredly this Realm shall not be free from trouble until there be vengeance taken for the innocent blood shed here and peradventure God will have it to be the work of his own hand for that we are so ready to depend rather upon men then upon him I am glad that the accord in Scotland is in so good forwardness for I fear if their own troubles here were settled we should not long be free from troubles that way Touching a Rider your Lordship shall understand that there is by the procurement of the Italian Captain one stayed for you in Italie for that here is none worth the having who is both skilful and honest If your Lordship will have him then must you send into Italy a Bill of Credit for so much money as may defray his charge into England C. Massino shal inform your Lordship of the means how to send to the Gentleman that hath provided the said Rider who is acquainted with the matter by the Italian Captain and therefore shall repair to your Lordship to know your mind in this behalf To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador Resident for her Majestie in France AFter my hearty commendations At the last we have not onely gotten your revocation and Doctor Dales dispatch signed but have also set him forward and am glad that you shall now come out of that bloody Countrey and so be all your friends The news of Iames Kirkaldy was not altogether true but true it was that by treason of the Souldiers he was two or three days in Blackness and the Keeper thereof Alexander Stuard and his brother prisoners but by the same sleight was the â— day taken away again and Alexander Stuard and his brother delivered and so Iames Kirkaldy brought prisoner to the Regent and all the money which he brought out of France and was unspent which was 33000 Crowns delivered to the Regents hands and the Castle of Blackness to Alexander Stuard to keep it to the Kings use sith which time also the Duke of Chastelherauld and the Earl of Huntley be come in and sworn to the King for themselves and all their kinn and followers and very friendly agreed with the Regent who hath behaved himself in all his actions very wisely and very moderately There is none left now but Lidington and Grange in the Castle of Edenburgh which refuse the King and the Regents authority in all Scotland who must either yield or else they will be pulled out by the ears De la Noues revolting doth seem strange and maketh some men to suspect that he hath been of longer time such a one I trust you shall come now into a quieter Countrey And so I bid you most heartily farewell Your very Friend Thomas Smith To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador for the Queen's Majestie in France SIr the best news I can send you is that Mr. Dale your successor taketh his journey hence on Wednesday next I dare say you will wish him a speedy passage Since I wrote to you by Walter Williams this French Ambassador hath had new conference with her Majestie to have procured some alteration for his advantage of such speeches as I delivered to him in conference of the matters of the Duke of Alanson whereof I wrote to you And because he would obtain the same he offered his dispatch which I thought he would have made before me and now you may see how late it is for on Friday last he was here with her Majestie and in the end her Majestie yielded she would consider with me what might be altered upon the former answer which he had put in good length in writing whereof I send you the Copy the same being drawn by the Ambassadour as you may ghess to his advantage yet agreeable with the substance of my speeches Hereupon the Queens Majestie considering the writing and finding it of some length willed me to return it to the Ambassadour and to write to him as I did the Copy as I first conceived it in English so I did send it him and now ye may see what is passed in this matter wherewith the Ambassador doth send this his servant He did also on Friday sollicite Viracques dispatch whereunto her Majestie assented but since that yesterday her Majestie had Letters from Berwick by which she understandeth that his coming into Scotland is so much misliked both of the Hamiltons Huntley and the rest The Regent will not license him to come in so as his journey shall be lost and to tarry at Berwick were not convenient so I think this is not to depart so soon The Ambassador saith that the Duke his Master writeth vehemently to move the Queens Majestie about ayding of the Count Mountgomery wherein her Majestie hath throughly answered him that he is departed without any her ayd directly and indirectly and truly he departed with great mislking in that all his French ships were taken as Pyrats the men to the number of 〈◊〉 imprisoned and many died some hanged and all their prizes taken from them so as you may avow that the C. had cause of no small offence And if he have any favour without her Majs kowledge it is by some bargain made
is this day at Provence five leagues besides Chasteau Thiery It is advertised that the Emperour doth by little little amend of his disease having been carried to his Garden to take the ayre but no assurance of his full recovery The Cardinal d Este is returned to Rome having been met with the Duke of Sora the Popes son They do prepare ten Galleys at Naples besides others at Genua to transport the Empress into Spain Prospero Colonna is appointed General of the Men of War which are levied in the Dutchies of Milan and Tuscan There hath been a quarrel betwixt the Spaniards and Gentlemen Millanoises The King of Spain hath been received in Lisbona and held there his estate called Cortes There is a deprivation passed against the Bishop of Guarda for following the partie of Don Anthonio The Abbot of Bisegno Agent for the Catholike King at Rome hath with the Cardinal of Como sollicited the Pope for to intreat the French King to withdraw his brother from the enterprise of Flanders so as the Pope is resolved to send two Legats to the French King to continue the peace between the French King and the Catholike King Onchibli is departed from Constantinople with twenty five Galleys towards Affrica They advertise out of Spain that the Corn doth fail them this Harvest so as they doubt of famine c. Your Honours to Command Henry Cobham A son bon ami Mr. François de Walsingham M Onsieur de Walsingham j'ay une extreme contentement quand la Royne m a voula tant favouriser de vous avoir choisy pour faire ce royage vers le Roy mon Seignieur et frere me faisant bien par cela cognoistre les effectes de ses bonnes voluntés me comblant de tant d'obligations que je ne m'en pouroy jamais retirer si ce n'est par le continuel desir et inviolable affection que je ay de luy faire service Et ce suistres-aise de m'estre trouve y a propos que n'estant que fort peuesloigne de votre chemni vous me passies veoir sans perie de beaucoup de temps vous priant que se suit La Fere en Tartinois ou je seray aujourdhuy a coucher et croyez que vous seres le tres-bien venu comme iceluy que tient l'un de primiers bieux apres de celle que je honore et estime plus que Princesse que soit sus la terre et que tiens pour l'un de mes mieux amis Vous attendant en bon devotion de supplieray le Createur qu'il vous ayd Monsieur de Walsingham en sa tes Saincte et digne garde a Chasteau Thiery le dernier jour de Iuliel 1581. Votre bien affectione ami François To the right honorable Sir Francis Walsingham SIR The sending of this away by Mr. Mills to you moveth me to accompany him with a few lines We here have nothing to write unto you about the Negotiation but doe now from this day forward look to hear from you whereupon I think her Majestie will have some matter to be occupied withall VVe hear nothing of Monsieurs proceedings but the Spanish Ambassador warneth that the Prince of Parma is so strong and so bent to fight with Monsieur as he pretendeth that at the least Monsieur will forbear to adventure his own person He did yesterday by her Majesties appointment speak at Leicester House with my Lord of Ley and me to expostulate for her Majesties refusal to speak with him requiring to know the cause and being answered That we doubted not but that he oftentimes had been made privy that it was for that her Majestie had not received any Letters from the King Catholique for her satisfaction in the case of Invasion in Holland c. He saith that he never promised to procure Letters from the King neither was he ever required of her Majesties behalf but the Speeches were alwaies delivered to him that her Majestie would not speak with him untill she might be satisfied of those things in the case of Holland but saith it was not required that he should send to the King for any such satisfaction and yet he did for his own part write to the King and upon answer from the King he did let her Majestie understand that the Collection of the Souldiers the Arming and Victualing of the Ships and men were wholly by the directions of the Pope whom he could not deny and he had also cause to think that her Majestie meant not that he should procure Letters from the King for that Mr. Wilks said that her Majestie would send a Gentleman to the King or else write to him by the way of trade And for confirmation hereof he said that he heard that a kinsman of the Earl of Arundels and Master of the â— whom we took to be Tilney was named to go into Spain By the way he saith that you told him in presence of the Councel at Nonsuch that her Majestie had no League with the King of Spain but the States of the Low Countries I told him I was assured he mistook you for you might say that the League which was the greatest was with the Emperor Charls and so with the King of Spain in respect of the Dutchy of Burgundy and the Low-Countries but he flung away after his hot manner Now to end these matters for the discovery of a multitude of Popish subjects I think Mr. Beal writeth to you of a number of choice persons who being at least but fined upon that que Dam noble wil yield a great sum of money My Lord Grey and Tyrwick were about a Peace the 29 of July finding my Lord Deputies forces ready to enter one way and Sir Nicholas Malt by another way offering to my Lord Deputy to abide his Order for the matters between Odonell and the whole Countrie he hath wasted pretending to set upon Odonels son begotten of Tirleghes wives daughter which he had by Mac Connel by Ashton that came from Ireland we secretly understand that the new Earl Arrig with a great number are determined to keep Darbique from his intentions against the Religion and the King doth secretly assent thereto whether Ashton be deceived time will prove The King hath sent to Seffade 200 souldiers to enable him to compel his people to answer to Justice upon demand of England and great promises are made in the Kings behalf to keep amity with her Majestie And thus almost wearied I end expecting shortly to hear of your progress in your Ambassage which they there may enterprise a regress or a recess Her Majestie is in very good health thanked be God Greenwich where I am tyed by your absence and yet do little good Augâ—st 6. 1581. Your assured friend Will. Burleigh To her Majestie August 6. IT may please your most excellent Majestie I have imparted in my Letters directed to my Lord Treasurer the substance of that which passed
Your Honours to command Francis Walsingham To Mr Secretary SIR when I had imparted to her Majestie all the Letters brought hither this 24. from your self alone and from Sir Henry Cobham with you and Mr Sommers and also the contents of Mr Sommers Negotiation with Monsieur of all which particularities nothing did or could content her Majestie more then that Monsieur was entred into Câ—mbray according to his honourable intention and promise so as her Majestie rejoyceth greatly with this his fruits of so great an enterprize And whereas by Mr. Sommers report of the Dukes own mouth as also by that you have sought to understand that he is not relieved by the King in this his action being so chargeable unto him so as if he have not some present relief otherwise then as the Duke himself hath told Mr. Sommers he shall be forced to desist from any further action in the Low-Countreys As also you by your Letters do signifie that you fear it will be so concluded by the French King and his special Spanish Councel that some peace may be made and Monsieurs honour saved by the revictualling of Cambray and so his promise being therein acquitted he may retire and disperse his forces Upon consideration whereof her Majestie findeth it strange that Mr. Sommers gave no more comfortable words to Monsieur upon the declaration of his request of and from her Majestie in such earnest sort as Mr. Sommers himself doâ—h report it But said he had no Commission to deal in that matter but that he would not fail to report his Highness request faithfully to her Ambassadour whereas contrariwise you Mr. Secretary did in a Post-script of your letter of the 17 of August write to me that Mr Sommers who was then with the Duke had Commission to offer him support in case he should see his necessity great or not likely to be otherwise supplyed so as her Majestie â—aith that either Mr. Sommers was greatly to blame not to utter such speeches to Monsieur or else he had not instruction from you so to do which to be done by him or otherwise her Majestie saith plainly you knew her mind and pleasure So that she is greatly grieved that for lack of comfort given him he may in the mean time be forced to hearken to some other sinister perswasions for some patched peace Wherefore as it may be possible her Majestie hath willed me with all haste to send this pacquet to you to will you without any delay to give Monsieur knowledge that her Majestie hath regard of his cause and hath at this present instant hour at noon of the 24 of this moneth when she heard of Mr. Sommers his motion made to him given order that assoon as money can be told and how that by thâ— advice of Marchiamont it may be safely sent he shall have a support from her Majestie to continue his action and not to give it over being so honourably begun and now so fortunately entred by his entry into Cambray for want of support and so I assure you Sir for your satisfaction I am commanded by her Majestie to cause a support to be ready for this purpose to the value of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thousand pound As for your other matters concerning your proceeding in a treaty for a league her Majestie hath willed me to repeat that which you have had knowledge of both by your inâ—tructions and otherwise since that now the Treaty of the marriage remaineth in suspence and that the King will be contented to Treat of the rest you are to consider that the first matter is to Treat of the general League offensive and defensive whereby if the King of Spain should offend either her or the King the other should not only aid the party offended but also offend the offender wherein there is no cause to speak particularly to what quantity or sum her Majesty for her part or the King for his part should be contributory as it seemeth to her Majestie by your Letters you require to have a particular resolution But for contribution of any sums of money that is to be treated of with the King upon a secret Treaty apart in which sort it shall be thought convenient both for the French King for the abating of the over-greatness of Spain in what sort Monsieur in the Low-Countries should be supported and also in what sort and manner the King and her Maâ—estie might aid Don Anthonio to recover his Kingdom of Portugal And of this secret Treaty you have especial instruction to deal with the King which would be accelerated and not delayed as it hath been by the French upon a continual pretence to have a resolute answer for the marriage which now being by Monsieurs consent put in â—uspence â—o as the other Treatys may proceed It is now then time that this latter Treaty were dealt in as well for the necessity of Monsieurs actions to be continued and maintained as the aiding of Don Anthonio whilst the Island of Terceras being of most moment doth as you hear continue for the said King Anth. And whereas you would have her Majâ—stie now aforehand answer you what sum of money or other aid she shall offer to these several â—ctions she willeth me to write that it is impossibâ—e or at least inconvenient for her to name any thing in certainty untill she shall hear from you further knowledge of these things following Fiâ—st for aiding of Monsieur what shall be his enterprises of what monthly charges and with what numbers and then how much thereof may be probably paid by the States according to the compact they made with Monsieur and then what probably himself may of his own contribute And lastly for supply of that which shall be wanting what the French King will yield who in reason both for his brother and for respect that the Countries to be acquired unto hâ—s brother are to remain to the Crown of Faance ought to yield a treble support and the rather also for that his charges and his Civil Warrs are now at an end the rather by the means of the travail of the Duke his brother in the procuring of the last Peace and these parts being by you well considered and debated so as you may see reason to lead you to think these computations probable then her Majestie shall finde ground to consider how farr she may proceed to contribute which presently 〈◊〉 can neither limit nor ghesse But because you think the lack of your knowledge to answer hereunto and the expence of time to send to her for Answer will seem unto them there strange You may assure them that when her â—ajestie shall understand the circumstance of the matters she will yield speedy Answer and give a reasonable contentation according to her interest therein which cannot nor ought not to be so chargeable as percase will be demanded of her for that herein her Crown shall receive no benefit Therefore to conclude the like consideration would be had