to shew unto her Majestie Duke d' Alanson who was there present desired me to present unto her Majestie his most humble and affectionate commendations and to shew her that so great was the honour that she did unto his servant la Mote as he desired nothing more then to have occasion to shew himself thankful by doing her service and that therefore it would please her to make account of him as of one that is wholly hers In this time of trouble he hath often sent unto me and offered me some of his guard for my surety La Motte shewed himself most thankful for the honour he hath received and every man maketh most honourable report of her Majestie wherefore she may think the good usage of him very well imployed on him The Lord Levingston and divers other Scotish Gentlemen who see here no way to enjoy the liberty of their conscience do desire passport wherein I mean to use less difficulty then heretofore I have done for that they seem upon the last accident to desire most perfect Amity between the two Crowns of England and Scotland in respect of the common cause of Religion I suppose passing by that way and receiving good entertainment at her Majesties hands they will rather do good then harm at home by making them in the Countrey understand what had passed here and the danger that is like to follow without perfect union between the said Crowns Some of the wisest sort of them here that before were enemies and now are become friends do wish that her Majestie sought to make some reconciliation between the Earl Morton and the Lord Lidington and that her Majestie by some pension did make both him and others assured to her They think that her Majestie by so doing in disbursing of two or three thousand pounds a year may save the disbursing of many thousands besides the avoiding of many dangerous practises that are like to grow that way This device might seem to savour of the particular benefit were not the circumstances of the present time reasonable for the same The Ambassador of Scotland telleth such of his Nation as are here that the Kings meaning is to make as great account of them as ever he did That those of the guard for their better entertainment shall have a Captain of their own Nation and further that the Kings meaning is to erect again certain men of Arms under the conduct of some Nobleman of that Nation I leave to her Majestie to consider what this courtesie to that Nation meaneth Sir I beseech you to move her Majestie that for the time that I shall remain here which I hope shall not be long I may hear often from her whereby I may the better know how to direct my course This inclosed Letter of Montmorency was sent me from Secretary Pynart whereby it may appear that he was procured to write to their Majesties And so leaving further to trouble your Honour at this Present I most humbly take my leave At Paris the fourteenth of September Your Honours to command F. Walsingham To the Right Honourable Sir Thomas Smith her Majesties principal Secretary SIr it may please you to advertise her Majestie That of late the King here was advertised from his Ambassador Resident in Flanders how that the ninth of this moneth the Prince of Orange approaching near unto Montz and being fully resolved to fight with his enemy commanded forth of his Army four hundred footmeen and five hundred light horsemen the Prince himself and the rest of his Army following them somewhat afar off in very good order On the righr hand of his Battaile there stood a mill where he planted six pieces of Artillery as well to defend himself as to offend his enemy with more advantage The Duke of Alva likewise sent out against the Prince five hundred Spaniards Harquebushiers and six hundred light horsemen with Harquebushiers a Crock on the right hand of them he set two thousand Rutters and on the left wing as many In this sort they came at length to hand strokes the fight dured a long time to wit from twelve of the clock at noon to six of the clock at night but in the end by means of the Prince of Oranges Artillery the Duke of Alva's horsemen were put in so great disorder as they were constrained to retire themselves into their Tents not without great loss The number of them that were slain is not yet certainly known although it is reported that the Duke hath lost above three thousand men This victory is thought to proceed of 250 horsemen who issued forth of Montz during the Conflict and set upon the tail of the Duke Alva's Army who also afterwards joyned with the Prince of Orang◠Thus much I thought good to write to the end her Majestie may understand how things pass in Flanders Touching the state of this Countrey there is nothing meant but extremity towards those of the Religion On Sunday last which was the fourteenth of this moneth the young Princess of Conde was constrained to go to Mass being threatned otherwise to go to prison and so consequently to be made away The Prince of Conde hath also yielded to hear Mass upon Sunday next being otherwise threatned to go to the Bastile where he is not like long to serve The Friday before Queen Mother told me that no bodies conscience for saith she here is the King of Navarre the Prince of Conde and divers others in this Court that live with liberty of conscience and so shall continue notwithstanding saith she that the King could be content and could wish that they were all converted and become Catholiques And I do perceive that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore I hope her Majestie will stand upon her guard and strengthen her self with the Amity of the Protestant Princes of Germany who as I hear are awake and marvellously stomach this late cruelty and do think that the danger thereof will reach to themselves if they do not seek to prevent it I hope also her Majestie will establish things in such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and wil not suffer her to be abused with her fair speech having had so late experience of her faithless dealing when the King is once possessed of Rochel which he hopeth to have shortly Strozzees voyage is then directly to Scotland All the Hugonote lands which will amount to many millions shall be sold and imployed in the Conquest of Countreys which I hope in God will prove an account without the host if God do not blinde the eyes of the Princes of the Religigion who joyning together shall be able to make their parts good against any of those that shall have will to do them harm One Roulart a Catholique and Canon of Nostre Dame and also a Counsellour in the Parliament uttering certain speeches in misliking this lawless kind of proceeding without justice was apprehended and committed to prison and in prison murthered
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
he may trust are not in number 3000. Fiftly that with a dozen ships beside those that presently they have they will keep the Seas as no Spanish Forces shall come thither by Sea Lastly that the Princes of Germanie are most willing to joyn in the said enterprize so that the King will be content with Flanders and Artois which once pertained to the Crown of France and that Brabant Gelderland and the land Luxenburgh which once were fees of the Empire might be united again to the same and as for Zealand and the rest of the Islands said he they wish the Q. of England had them so that she would be content to joyn in this enterprize Aâ—ter he had made the King acquainted with these likelyhoods he seemed very well to like them especially if the Q. of England might be brought to be a party and to joyn with him and the Princes of Germanie in the said enterprize and therefore wished shee might be moved as from himself to see how she were inclined in that behalf for saith he if she being Lady of the narrow Seas do joyn in the matter with us I weigh not the King of Spain nor all the confederates He told me then that he shewed the King that as he thought she had been moved in that behalf already and that as he heard she was not enclined to be a dealer therein howbeit he knew not how her Majestie upon better consideration might sithence like thereof The matter being thus propounded to the King and Q. Mother afterwards it came to be considered of by certain chosen Councellers who all liked of the enterprize and saw great reason not to negâ—ect it Onely they saw two things to be provided for before they could advise them to enter into the same the one that he should first establish some gooâ— league with England the Princes of Germanie and that he meant presently to send ae Foix into England whose friendship and confederacy imported him very much for that the Princes of Germanie depended onely upon knowing how she would be enclined for that without her they would enter into no confederacy For the help of the second he said the King meant to tax generally through his Realm the Clergie with the payment of one years revenue This is asmuch as he imparted unto me touching his proceeding with the King saving that he shewed me That it is secretly agreed on between him and the King that Strozza who should imbarque about the midst of the next month shall do some enterprize in Spain onely to amaze the King there whom the King here meaneth notwithstanding to disallow openly Touching their State he telleth me they have much to do to bridle the people of the Low-Countrey from discovering of themselves by committing some rash enterprize and that they find the Papists no lesse inclined then the Protestants to seek with hazard of their lives deliverance from their present tyranny They find lack of money the greatest let having been much disapointed by them here the greatest help they have that way is from the D. of F. Before winter they mean to do nothing and then onely their intent is to enter into the T. M. then in the spring following if God shall so direct their intentions they meâ—â— to assâ—ile the Countrey two wayes with two severall Armies After he had thus made me understand both his proceedings with the King 〈◊〉 also their proceedings the present state of thir case and how they mean to proceed he theâ— desired me to propound to her Majestie on his behalf these particular points following First whether her Majestie can be content to joyn with him and the Prince of Orange in the enterpize Secondarily whether upon the former assurance offered her Majestie can be content to lend unto them the sum they required Thirdly that it would please her Majestie to suffer Hawkins underhand to serve them with certain sâ—ips and also to licence him to furnish them with certain victualls to be transported from thence whereof they have present need Lastly that it may please her Majestie to suffer certain Walloons being presently in Rye to the number of 800. to embarque themselves to repaire hither For the first he desireth her Majestie to consider how it will be no less honour for her to unite Zealand to the Crown of England then it was dishonour for her sister to lose Calais and further that by having Zealand she shall have the key of the Low-Countries she shall have a place allwayes for her ships to enter in unto to avoid thereby aswell the danger of the enemie as of the tempest Besides she having Zealand shall be better able to gather the Princes of Germanie enjoying Brabant and the rest of the Countries which were late federatories to the Empire to bridle F. for being overgreat And lastly that this enterprise being done by Protestants they receiving the honour thereof shall be better able by increase of credit with the King to continue his good devotion toward her in respect of the rare favours which they have received at her hands which they both do and alwayes will acknowledge For the second he desireth her Majestie to consider how evill affected Spain is towards her how he thinketh himself injured in respect of the arrest how naturally they are inclined to revenge though outwardly till convenient time do serve they can dissemble their malice how he intertaineth at his great Costs a subject of hers lately departed out of Ireland as also other Rebells of hers that daily repaire into Flanders who onely are stayed from molesting her at home in respect of the fame that the Duke of Alva hath of his Brothers enterprize And lastly how he is become a Protector of the Q. of Scots her dangerous enemy which she knoweth to be true Now if the lending of so small a sum may somewhat enable them to abate the pride of so great an enemy and cause her Majestie to spare the spending of ten times so much besides the hazard of her estate and people he desires her Majestie to weigh it in reason whether the disbursing may not stand with good policy Touching the third he saith that by having those ships of Hawkins he shall be able to keep more Spaniards who being settled there may become dangerous neighbours from landing in Flanders besides the victuals presently required shall serve to furnish Strozza whose enterprize going forward cannot but kindle warre betwixt France and Spain though the King disavow him he being a person of that quality here in respect of his office whereby at the least her Majestie may be looker on with her more safety For the last he hopeth that her Majestie will make no difficulty for that it is to disburden the Realm of so many strangers After he had thus imparted unto me those things which he would have me to propound unto her Majestie as also such reasons as might induce her to like thereof I shewed him that I would do
Maritine parts which are next us if you have any certainties you shall do well from time to time to signifie unto us and we will concord with you for the requital Fare you well From St. Albons July 27. 1572. The Scots begin now somewhat to incline to an abstinence of War among themselves and to remit the matter to both the Princes of England and France Sâ—th the writing of this Letter Mr Holingshead came to the Court even at the closing thereof and brought me a Letter from you of the 18 of July and certain Edicts for the which I thank you Your Lordships alwaies assured Th. Smith To the right Honorable Sir Thomas Smith her Majesties principal Secretary IT may please you to advertise her Majestie that according to the direction of her Letters of the 23 of July I imparted unto M. Montmorency her Majesties resolution touching the offer propounded by him and du Foix I made him also acquainted with the Contents of her Majesties Letters of the 27. touching the interview for the better satisfying of the opinions of either party To the firstâ— he said he was sorry that the resolution fell out to be such considering how necessary it was the state of the time considered to have some sound amity and perfect intelligence between the two Crowns which could no way have so well come to pass as by the acceptation of the alliance offered and as saith he I am generally sorry for it so particularly in respect of the good will I bear towards her Majestie whom I see in great peril without this help To the second he said That though Monsieur le Duc was well inclined thereto yet in respect of the danger that commonly ensueth by enterviews he could in no respect give his consent and advice unless he were assured that there might grow a liking Hereupon I desired him that he would so deal with the King and his Mother and that this her Majesties resolution might be by their Majesties accepted in good part wherein he promised to do his endeavour After conference had with him I procured audience the next day thinking it expedient to let him have a daies respit to deal with their Majesties to frame their minds to the well interpreting of her Majesties resolution The next day repairing to the Court and finding the King occupied at the appointed hour of my access I began with the Queen Mother and first shewed her according to the Contents of the first Letter what was her Majesties resolution concerning the offer propounded by the M. Mount and the du de Foix on their behalf To the which she answered That she could not but be sorry for the same for that she saw it the only means to establish a perfect amity between the two Crowns Notwithstanding saith she that the same will not take place the King my Son is determined in any case to continue good amity with the Queen your Mistress Then I proceeded to the Contents of the second Letter and shewed her that her Majestie upon the receit of certain Letters from the King her self and Duc de Anjou Seeing their great and earnest desire of the proceeding of this match had enlarged her answer moved thereto by an earnest and sincere good will to shew her self answerable to their earnest dealing And therefore willed me to tell their Majesties that in her opinion the principal impediments consisted in the difference of their ages and the cause of Religion for the latter her Majestie hoped that the same might be so accorded as might be to the satisfaction of both parties For the first For as much as the difficulty might seem rather to consist in opinion then substance her Majestie desireth them to consider in Marriages a satisfaction of the opinions of the parties that were to match was most necessary and requisite and that therefore seeing that there could grow no satisfaction that way but by an enterview her Majestie could yield thereto if they should so like of it To this she answered That if she were assured that upon the enterview there might grow a liking she would most willingly give her consent but for as much as experience taught that of the meeting of Princes there followeth rather miscontentment then good liking she should not in respect of the danger therof yield her consent for that she would be loath and the King her Sonne and she desiring nothing more then good amity with her that there should fall out any occasion of miscontentment In the end after long speech had of great desire she had of this match and of the great good will and love the Duke beareth to her Majestie she concludeth that she hoped in time considering how necessary it was for her to marry as well for her own safety as for the benefit of her Subjects that God would so dispose her heart as she should prefer publique before private Affairs This in effect is the sum of that which passed from her at that time and so departing from her to the King I used the like speech unto him as before unto her at whose hands I received like answer which I suppose proceeded upon conference with the M. before hand and therefore they according in speech I forbare to make double repetition Touching their proceedings herein Flanders matters it may please you to advertise her Majestie That â—pon advertisement from thence that her Majestie meant to revoke such of her Subjects as presently are in Flanders The King here through the perswasion of his Mother advised thereto by such as incline to Spain is disswaded from overt dealing in that cause who before was very resolute in the matter But now for as much as it is here conceived that without her Majesties assistance he shall not be able to bear the brunt of so puissant an enemy The matter remaineth in suspence as yet what will be done Commonly it is given out the King will not meddle Such as do wish well unto her Majesty and are of the best judgment to see how much it importeth her repose the good or ill successe of that poor Prince do hope that the advertisement of the revocation is false her Majesty having so lately discovered the King of Spains malice towards her and therefore do think her inclined in policie rather to assist then discourage They say that nothing can more hinder the poor Princes enterprise then the said Revocation upon his first entry into the Country for that the people who were otherwise well inclined towards him and are fearfull of nature will thereby grow more fearfull and so forbear to do that that may further the enterprise because I know not her Majesties intention in this case I forbear to affirm or deny any thing in this behalf For my own private opinion having been acquainted with the malice of the Spaniards I cannot as duty bindeth me but wish him further removed in neighbourhood from her Majesty I pray God therefore to direct her Majesties
Author but upon the sudden fear and practise brought suddenly to us as his Ambassador would have us think although the yielding unto it be horrible yet if frailty and fear hath constrained it and that his heart with due repentance seek the right satisfaction first of God and then of the world by prosecuting the enemies of God and his Realm that so entised them to it then may I hope that it was not his own consent or liking Otherwaies if he continue in confirming the fact and allowing the persons that did it then must he be a Prince detested of all honest men what Religion soever they have for as his fact was ugly so was it inhumane for whom should a man trust if not his Princes word and these men whom he hâ—th put to slaughter not onely had his word but his writing and not publique but private with open Proclamations and all other manner of Declarations that could be devised for the safety which now being violated and broken who can believe or trust him But Sir the Ambassador hath inwardly dealt of late with me and 〈…〉 me believe that we shall shortly see that this matter is not the Kings and that he doth 〈…〉 as he will make revenge of it God grant it be so but you may easily understand it and surely you shall do well inwardly as her Majestie hath written unto you but warily to discover it even with himself and if it may appear he stands in any fear of his person or doubts his force to assist him I know her Majestie will venter twenty thousand of her best subjects for him and with him in so good a quarrel For it is almost incredible that one so young and hitherto so plain so sincere and of so good disposition as you your self could not say too much of him could thus be transformed so suddenly so dishonourable from so good to ill Well you may shortly see it and I pray you let us hear from you as often as you may And so praying God to send you your health and safety I bid you farewel trusting you will be a mean for my Nephew Sidney that he may repair home considering the present state there In haste the 11 of Sept. Your very Friend Ro. Leicester To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador Resident for her Majestie in France SIr this accident in France seemeth to us so strange and beyond all expectation that we cannot tell what to say to it and the excuse tam that we wot not what to think of it The matter appeareth all manner of ways so lamentable the King so suddenly and in one day to have dispoiled himself and his Realm of so many notable Captains so many brave Souldiers so wise and so valiant men as if they were unguilty of that which is laid unto them it is most pitiful if they were guilty Cur mandati causa damnati sunt ac casi in such sudden and extreme dealings Cito sed sera penitentia solet sequi If it were sudden and not of long time premeditated before and if so the worse and more infamous Thus you see what privately any man may think of the fact I am glad yet that in those tumults and bloody proscriptions you did escape and the yong Gentlemen that be there with you and that the K. had so great care and pity of our Nation so lately with strait amity confederate with him yet we hear say that he that was sent by my Lord Chamberlain to be Schoolmaster to yong Wharton being come the day before was then slain Alas he was acquainted with no body nor could be partaker of any evil dealing How fearful and careful the mothers and parents be here of such yong Gentlemen as be there you may easily guess by my Lady Lane who prayeth very earnestly that her son may be sent home with asmuch speed as may be And if my Lady your wife with you daughter and the rest with such as may be spared were sent away home until this rage and tempest were somewhat appeased you shall be the quieter and disburthened of much of your care You would not think how muâ—â— we are desirous to hear what end these troubles will have whether it rangeth further into all France or dy or will cease here at Paris Our Merchants be afraid to go now into France and who can blame them who would where such liberty is given to Souldiers and where nec pietas nec justitia doth refrain and keep back the unruly malice and sword of the raging popular Monsieur la Mote is somewhat spoken to in this matter and now the vintage as you know is at hand and our traffique into Roan and other places in France is almost layed down with this new feat It grieveth no man in England so much as me and indeed I have in some respect the greatest cause Fare you well From woodstock the twelfth of September 1572. Yours alwayes assured Tho Smith My Lady Lane hath sent by your man thirty pound in gold to pay her sons debts there and charges in coming home I most heartily thank you for the book of the past troubles in France But alas who shall now write worthily of the treasons and cruelties more barbarous then ever the Scythians used Both my Lord Treasurer and I have been more then once or twice Sutors to her Majestie for your coming home and sometimes we had it granted and streight revoked the letters written and immediately called back you must I see endure for a time but I trust it will not be long To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador for the Queens Majestie in France SIr although as may appear in my former Letters that you were fain to be left without hope of returning so soon as you would wish yet yesterday Fawnte Argold and South coming out of France to the Court did so amplifie the cruel disorders there and thereupon your dangers in every mans ears whereof your friends made relation to her Highness that finally her Majestie was content to write this letter for your return hither to the French King whereof I send you herewith a copy And so she hath somewhat provided for you so shall you understand that her Highness hath been so awakened that care and provision also is taken for the defence of her Realm if this fire in France should attempt to come neerer hither Fare you well Woodstock the twelfth of September 1572. Your assured Friend Th. Smith To the Right Honourable his very good Lords the Lords of her Majesties most honourable privy Councel IT may please your Honours to understand that your letters of the ninth of this moneth I received the seventeenth of the same and having well perused and considered of the contents thereof and seeing a choice left unto you of me touching the speech that from her Majestie was to be used both towards the King and his Mother as might express her Maj. grief for the
laying before her besides my private affairs the great danger I live in here through the disquietness of this State and the great hatred borne to our Nation her Maj. hath so far yielded thereto as she hath for that purpose written this Letter which I am now to present unto your Maj. So he took the Letter and read it and after he had read it he shewed me that if he should consent to my departure according to his good sisters request he must then also revoke his Ambassador which thing saith he cannot but make it appear to the world that thâ— amity lately concluded betwixt us were broken or at the least not very sound when we do leave the use of necessary Ministers that may communicate between us such things as may increase and continue amity I shewed that her Majesties meaning to call me home for a time had no other respect but to my particular safety without any intention to diminish amity and that the example was not strange for that Sir Nicholas Throgmorton had done the like To that he reply'd that touching danger he should come in his own person to relieve me rather then I should sustain any harm and as for the example he said that at that time there was not that perfect amity that is now In conclusion he desired me to press him no further in the matter untill such time as he might hear from his Ambassador for that he did mean to answer her Majesties Letter written in that behalf And so for that time I took my leave After my departure from him Duke de Alanzon sent for me into his Chamber to come and speak with him At my access he shewed me that he was very sorry that both I and our Nation had in these troubles been so outraged as he understood we were I know saith he you are wise and can consider of the time If hereafter either you your self or any of your Nation shall stand in need of my friendship or assistance you shall do me wrong to use the help of any other but of me for the honour your Mistress did unto la Mott doth bind me to be her servant during my life and an advocate for your Nation And so he licensed me to depart desiring me to present unto her Majestie his most humble and affectionate commendations Your Honour by the King and his Mothers answers may see great protestations of amity I am sorry that I cannot yield that assurance thereof that heretofore I have done wherein I may seem to have dealt over-confidently but I know that your Honours do consider that my error in that behalf was common with a great many wiser then my self and therefore I hope you do hold me excused Seeing now there is here neither regard had to either word writing or Edict be it never so solemnly published nor to any protestation made heretofore to forein Princes for the performance of the same Seeing the King persecuteth that Religion with all extremity that her Majestie professeth and now is like to be an instrument to execute any thing by this people offered unto him to the prejudice of her Majesty Seeing that they that now possess his ear are sworne enemies unto her Majestie and nourishers of the late amity are separated from him seeing that the Kings own conscience so common a companion is fear with Tyranny maketh him to repute all those of the Religion as well at home as abroad his enemies and so consequently not to wish one of them alive I leave to your Honours now to judge what account you may make of the amity with this Crown If I may without presumption or offence say my opinion considering how things presently stand I think less peril to live with them as enemies then as friends The King Queen Mother and Monsieur have their Councel apart but first before things are communicated with the King they are debated between Queen Mother and Monsieur the Duke of Nevers and Tavannes The Duke of Nevers hath well nigh daily conference with the Prince Nuncio the Ambassador of Spain and the extraordinary Ambassador of Venice Iohn Michal and what they treat is kept most secret and for mine own part I am now divided from all means to discover any thing so that I now stand her Majestie in no further stead here but to present unto her ordinary Palace news There daily remain great number of both horsemen and footmen towards S. Q. as it is said to the relief of the D. of Almain The Marshal de Cosse hath Commission sent him as I am informed to execute as many of the Religon within his charge as have been known in these late Wars to have served the Princes and born charges if the Marshal Montmorency had been in this Town at the day of execution both he with all his brethren the Duke de Bulloign and Marshal had been slain as I am credibly informed It is said that both Spain and Portugal make great preparation by Sea It is thought that so long as Rochel holdeth out Strozzi shall be entertained from executing any other enterprise and yet there is no word come that Byron shall be received It is thought that the late murder at Roan will make them of Rochel more resolute And so leaving to trouble your Honour any further at this present I most humbly take my leave At Paris the 24 of September 1572. To the right honorable his very good Lords the Lords of her Majesties most honorable privy Councel IT may please your Honours to understand that the King here is advertised sundry waies as I learn that the Prince of Orange and the Duke of Alva are like to grow to an accord which thing is both feared and misliked at the least they would have the world so to judge their speech and meaning doth now so far disagree as it is hard to grow to any grounded opinion touching their proceedings It was held here for certain that Monts was rendred the 19 day of this month by composition that Count Lodovick and the heads that were in that Town issued at such time as certain of the Duke of Alvas horsemen were distressed which was the 9 of this month The Articles of the Composition are not yet certainly known but it is given out they departed with Ensignes displayed and bagg and baggage As I shall further understand so shall I further advertise touching Flanders matters And so leaving further to trouble your Honor at this present I most humbly take my leave From Paris Sept. 25 1572. Your Honours to command Francis Walsingham By the QUEEN To our trusty and well-beloved Francis Walsingham Esq our Ambassador Resident with our good brother the French King ELIZABETH R. TRusty and well-beloved we greet you well De la Mott the French Ambassador on Munday the 22 of this Month having asked Audience came to our Court at Reading and there had long communication with us the which seemed to us at that time the more
and that no residence or traffique be suffered for any of them in the others Counttries Item It shall be covenanted that if any person shall invade as an enemy the Countries of any other that upon signification thereof duely made the Prince certifyed shall declare the invader to be his enemy and so shall continue in all manner of actions an enemy to the invader and his Country and Subjects until the invader shall have satisfied the Prince invaded and that no satisfaction or composition or accord shall be made by the Prince invaded without the assent and liking of the other Prince Confederate Item If for defence of either partie a greater supply of force shall be requisite then is contained in the Treaty made with Charls the ninth the Prince that shall have need to require a greater supply shall signifie the same to the other not invaded and the party not invaded shall upon request yield all other succors that he can at the reasonable charges of the party invaded that shall so require a further ayd Item It is good to convenant that neither of the Princes shall at any time hereafter give aid to any enemy of any other Prince with whom now they are in peace thereby to provoke the other third Prince to make war or invasion for that cause of ayd given but that before the ayd shall be given the Prince meaning to give such ayd shall first advertise the other confederate and have his allowance thereof In the word of ayding shall not be meant any other kind of ayd but such as shall make the enemy ayded thereby able to use open hostility against the third Prince To Sir Henry Cobham and Mr. Sommers AFter my very hearty commendations for as much as her Maj. pleasure was that I should first make my repair to Monsieur before I came to the Kings presence and the state of my business standeth so that I cannot well dispose of my journey before I have had some conference with you touching the charge committed to me and you I have therefore thought good to pray you to meet me at Clermont on Saterday at night where God willing I mean to be how painful soever the travel may be to me for that the necessity of her Majesties service so requireth and so I leave you to God Bulloign Iuly 27. 1581. Your assured loving friend Fr. Walsingham To the Rght Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord Treasurer MY very good Lord I arrived here this Thursday morning somewhat distempered in body as well for want of two nights sleep as by reason of our posting to Dover this violent travail agreeing not very well with me who have now been used to long rest of body and therefore I have been driven to stay here all this day to refresh my self whereby I might be the better able to go forward with speed meaning God willing to be at Clermont a place four Posts distance from Paris upon Saterday where I have appointed Sir Henry Cobham and Mr. Sommers to meet and to the end I may before my going to Monsieur receive some light and particular information from them of the present state of things here for the better furtherance of this service I am driven to make more haste in my journey for that the term of the prolongation of the Reservation endeth upon Thursday next Since my coming hither I understand that the Ministers here were forbidden about six weeks past the exercise of Religion by Crevecoeur the Gunner Master whereupon they have dispatched one to the King to be an humble suiter unto him in their name that they may be permitted to use their freedom and liberty in that behalf accordingly as by his Edicts and Proclamations it is granted unto them which is all the news that I can as yet write unto your Lordship out of these parts After I had finished these Letters I received the inclosed from Sir Henry Cobham by the which your Lordship may perceive that my coming putteth them in more hope then will be answered with effects according to their expectation if the contents of the said Letters be true a little egging one with a resolution to assent to an open assistance though it were performed with a less sum would set the two great ones a work and keep them from uniting of themselves against our Soveraign a matter greatly or rather assuredly to be feared and therefore in respect of a little charges not to be stuck at the Instructions signed by her Majestie do give me Authoritie in case the King shall peremptorily insist upon assistance in such sort as without the same he will refuse to enter into the intended action against Spain to yield hereunto but her Majesties own speech since the signing of the Instructions hath restrained me in that behalf I would therefore be glad to know her Majesties pleasure therein lest that if upon my denyal of yielding to an open assistance there should ensue a breach of the Treaty the blame hereafter might be laid on me having warrant from her Majestie to yield therein and so for the present having no other matter to impart to your Lordship I humbly take my leave Bulloign Iuly the 28 1581. Your Lordships to command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honorable Sir Francis Walsingham THe Queen mother in the absence of the King being now at St. Germains but ready to return hath taken order in such sort as your Honour shall be lodged in Madame de Carmualles house which is by their Majesties appointment furnished very honorably as your servant this bearer hath seen It seemeth the King is determined to chear you and all yours according to the appointment they make the care thereof is assigned to Monsieur La Mothe Fenellon as likewise for the receiving of you the which I have signifide to Mr Burnham But it seemeth they look not for your present repair hither because Arnolde hath informed them you are by the Queens Majestie appointed to pass first unto Monsieur Therefore if it please you methinks it is somewhat requisite you did send one afore whereby I may assure them of your certain resolution therein Their Majesties are most glad of your coming having received good hope of the Queens resolution for the ending of the great cause and Amitie which they long to understand I have been informed the King revoketh his Ambassador leiger Monsieur Sangrade from the Spanish Court leaving a private Gentleman to be Agent The King hath monied Monsieur and hath accorded to him a placet the which they inform me will be worth one hundred thousand Crowns and more It is further said the King shall give Commandment for to Attache and Arrest the three hundred thousand Crowns which were in a readiness in Lyons for to be transported through Savoy into Flanders for the use of the Prince of Parma The Quen mother hunted the Buâ—k yesterday at Bois de St. Vincent and this day also at St. Maure the Woolf Monsieur
sent 2. Whether her Majestie can yield to the support of the 6000 men named in the Treaty defensive for the space of four moneths at her charges and if we be by the Commissioners pressed to assent that her Majestie shall bear the charges any longer time then four months how farr forth she will yield in that case and if they shall require greater numbers then are above specified then to what numbers we shall yield and for how long time to be continued at her Majesties charges 3. If in case the said Commissioners not content with our answer shall insist still upon joynt Forces to be yielded to the Princes Confederates as by them was propounded we desire to know how far forth we shall yield therein and whether her Majestie in that behalf will be content to contribute a third or fourth part either in men or money and whether it shall not be meet to have the said joynt forces to be limitted by a certain number as also to a time in which they shall be imployed A Note of such things as are to be resolved by her Majestie touching the secret League 1. WHat summ of money her Majestie will be content to contribute and in what sort openly or secretly 2. To what summ we shall press the King to yield unto in proportion of that summ which her Majestie shall be pleased to supply whether double or trebble more then her Highness shall be content to contribute 3. How long her Majestie will be pleased to contribute the said summ and upon what considerations whether by way of loan or otherwise and if by way of loan what caution she will require and whether it were not meet to covenant with him to procure the bonds of the States ad majorem cautelam within some convenient time for the repayment of the same 4. Whether her Majestie could not best like that this secret Treaty between the King and her should pass only by mutual promise contained in privat Letters under their own hands To the Lord Treasurer IT may please your Lordship to advertise her Majestie that as by our last Letters to you of the 21 of this present we advertised of the Kings and Monsieurs consents that a League should be treated of without speaking of the marriage So the same day Messieurs Villquier la Mott Bellieur Brisson Pinart and Du. Uray coming to us from the King said that his Majestie desiring much the Queens Majesties amity and to have the same augmented by Treaties by marriage and by all other good means and finding some impediments in the matter of the marriage he had sent them to confer with us about such other means as might best serve to encrease the amity And so after divers speeches used to them again to signifie his H. reciproque inclination in that behalf We entred into talk of League defensive remembring the last made at Bloys in King Charles his time which they said if we found not to be sufficient it should be altered or enlarged And that they thought it good for both the Realms to add an Article to it to meet with dissentions and disorders committed on the Sea whereof they had heard very many Somewhat they also said touching a Staple to be established at Roan as is mentioned in the said Treaty but after they had heard good reasons which moved against the occasion of that Article they said little to it but earnestly desired that other for the maintenance of good intelligence and sure Trade between the Realms and Subjects Then something was also propounded for a League offensive where it was also remembred that there were two kinds of Leagues offensive the one where two Princes or more doe combine themselves against another Prince by name the other in general terms for conservation of Estates And for as much as France and England were at this time in amity with all Princes that League for conservation of Estates was thought but to be Treated of and argued and so no Prince could have just cause to be openly offended therewith And so without further entring into particularities untill our next meeting they departed On Wednesday the twentithird they came again and having shewed their Commission it was propounded That for a League offensive they said it was to be first accorded that either Princes should be friend to friends and enemy to enemies after invasion made upon either of them And for a second it was propounded That if either of the Princes Confederate should be assaâ—led the Prince assailed should be bound thereof to advertise the other Prince his Confederate who should send streight to the Prince that hath assailed to warne him to cease his Invasion and to repaire forthwith the wrongs done or else in case of refusal that the said Prince Confederate will denounce Warre to him that did assaile as he shall doe indeed if the Invader will not retire and repaire the wrongs within seven weeks This motion being found indifferent for both parts I the Secretary delivered to them certain other Notes taken out of other Treaties which they said they would answer at our next meeting Your Lordship doth herewith receive the copy thereof Here it was propounded by them That if either of the Princes Confederate should be invaded by another Prince and that the Prince invaded shall require his Confederate to declare open Warr and to enter into open acts of hostility with him against the Invader as bound by League after due admonition and summons made who shall bear the charge of the Forces of the Prince required whether shall he bear them alone or the Prince requiring to bear a portion thereof according to his quality and greatness These things being very considerable we deferred to answer them untill our next meeting and so did provide to answer as your Lordship shall see by notes sent herewith Beseeching your Lordship to procure her Majesties resolution and answer to us and that by her Highness direction and warrant these and other points that shall be thought meet may be resolved upon to be agreed unto here to come to an end without unnecessary spending of time and charges The next day the 24. whilst we looked for them according to appointment they sent us word that upon occasion of Letters which the King had received that day from his Ambassador in England the King had deferred their coming untill the next day and then they came and said VVe might well remember that from the beginning of this Negotiation and long before the King desired nothing more then the marriage which would bring with it all other good things for Leagues and streight bonds of amity such as her Majestie would desire and that since their being with us his Majestie had received Letters from his Ambassador Mr. Mannisiere on the 24. and another the 25. dated the 22. of this month by the which he gave the King very great hope of the marriage upon speeches proceeding from her Majestie in a long
King of Spains offence yet she did offer to the King â—nthonio the service of certain good Vessels well armed victualled and furnished with men and munition largely to repair now in the latter end of August But the King prudently considering that the time was past for this year to recover any more Isles then he hath already and that such as hold for him could not be by the enmity assailed from henceforth until the next year did not accept our offer but finding the default of answer from the French King to have been the cause of our stay he meant onely to send away a few ships which himself had bought and armed here for the which her Majestie hath already yielded him a pass-port When you shall again deal with the King to have care of his Brother now entred into the Low-Countreys whose actions for the honour of that Crown are to be maintained you may shew him that we think he was not well counselled by such as moved him to yield to * Tanis the King of Spains Agent that 300000 or 400000 Crowns were by his special license carried from Lyons to the Prince of Parma which if the King had stayed but one moneth or twenty days to give license as he did to Tanis there had manifestly followed in the Prince of Parma's Army such a disaster as is notoriously known before the coming of that money that the said Army was ready for want of pay to have broken and especially all the Almaignes had revolted to the service of Monsieur le Duc which by the ayd of that money was altered to the disadvantage of the Duke his Brother And you may say to the King that by considering of this her Majestie doubteth that there are some in credit with him that regard not in their counsels what should be the means to stay the greatness of the King of Spain which causeth her Majestie to be more doubtful how she shal deal in any action tending to stay the said greatness except she might evidently see some more appearance of the French Kings determination to the same end which in this cause of his Brothers actions in the Low-Countreys both ought and might best appear by some honourable good support to be given to the Duke his Brother Greenwich the second of Sept. 1581. Will. Burleigh To Mr. Secretary SIR notwithstanding your later letters of the 28 of August importing many reasons to move her Majestie to give some better answers in particularities yet her Majestie reading them and being reasoned withal will admit no other answer then was directed by the letters written though not sealed up before your last What may further move her Majestie hereafter I know not but I see it common to great and small not to think of adversity in time of prosperity and so adversity cometh with double peril At this present Don Antâ—onio is come to take his leave of her Majestie he will press to have his jewel and so that you may be satisfied I agree to it and so sometimes doth her Majestie but in conclusion he would have the jewel answer for all the losses which of the 13000 l. I think will be about 3600 l. whereof 170 l. is desperate imprest and wages and victuals spent the rest falleth out in the resail of the victuals I appoint Mr. Mills to be in commission about this dissolution and sail who will better satisfie you then I can And so c. Septemb. 2. William Burleigh The Article onely enlarged in words I Tem it is good to covenant That neither of the Princes now confederated shall at any time hereafter the conclusion of this Treaty give open aid to any enemy of any third Prince with whom at the conclusion of this league they are in peace thereby manifestly to provoke the other third Prince for such aid so given to make war or invasion against the Prince that shall give such aid for that cause of aid given but that before the aid shall be so openly given the Prince meaning to give such aid should first advertise by his letters the other Confederate and have his allowance thereof in writing In which word of aiding shall not be meant any other kind of ayd but such open aid as shall make the enemy aided thereby able by such aid to use open hostility and to make war against the third Prince Will Burleigh Her Majestie doth not mislike of this Article but yet she can be content it be forborn The Queens Majestie commanded me to set down a case upon the Article herewith I Tem to covenant with the French King that he shall not give open ayd to any enemy of the King of Spain thereby to provoke him to make war upon the said French King but that he shall first advertise her Majestie thereof and have her allowance otherwise her Majestie shall not be bound to aid the French King or to make war upon the King of Spain In like manner the Queen of England shall not c. Ut supra mutatis mutandis An Answer of such things as are desired by her Majesties Commissioners to be resolved touching the League offensive consisting in three points To the first AT this time here is no other thing remembred necessary to be added To the second Her Majestie thinketh it better for you to offer a covenant such as you shall find contained in a treaty betwixt Henry the eighth and Charls the fifth 1522. in the second Article the sum whereof is That if any Prince or other person should offend the Emperor Charls in his Person Dignitie or States or shall take any thing from the said Emperour in that case he shall repute the same offence or wrong as done to himself and shall repell the same with all his power and shall yield at his own charges aids convenient to withstand the same and to the reciprock the Emperour was bound but for tempering these words which are in the Article Totis virâ—bus potentia sua propulsabit her Majestie would have these kind of words added Prout commodo id fieri possit habita ratione temporis loci ac etiam faâ—ultatis suae and the cause that moveth her Majestie to have rather such an Article of a general resistance then a particular Covenant for numbers of men or money is even as your selves made you answer to the first For until the manner of the Prince Invader be known and thereby consideration had what manner of ayd defensive shall be needful to withstand the same invasion or to revenge it the resolution cannot be particularly set down what numbers shall be requisite But if the French Commissioners shall mislike of such a kind of Article you may say the like hath been between Henry the eighth and Charls the fifth and yet if that will not satisfie it may be further covenanted That upon notification of the invasion and of the greatness thereof by the Prince invaded the Prince not invaded shall give such ayd
King his Brother a League offensive and defensive and for the matters of the Low-Countries we will therein do as before is expressed if the secret aiding may in no sort be accepted by the French King And thus leaving to your discretion how to perswade Monsieur that thâ—s not assenting to the marriage proceedeth not of lack of Love or Good-will towards him but of meer necessity to avoid the just offence of our people you shall use all good perswasions to temper his misliking thereof with the assurance of the continuance of our love towards him in all his fortunes hereafter to follow And now when you shall return from Monsieur to the French King you are for answering the first point to shew our minde thereto with the like Arguments and Reasons as before is contained in that you shall have said to Monsieur which need not here to be repeated in writing And if the French King shall not allow of our foremost offer for our secret aiding of Monsieur in his actions but will refuse the same peremptorily and so procure Monsieur to leave his enterprize for lack of our further yielding then you shall yield to the second afore remembred that we will rather then the enterprize should fail and thereby the King of Spains greatness encrease joyn with the King as is remembred But except Monsieur shall object against the manner of our ayd in secret sort as is before remembred you shall not need to yield ours to offer to Monsieur that second degree nor make any mention thereof for after that being opened and the French King being therewith acqnainted before your access unto him it shall be in vain to stand with the French King upon the offer of the first degree for a secret ayd so as if you shall be urged by Monsieurs answers to fall to the second to yield to an open ayd then you may onely repeat the first to the King and therewith to add that if that manner of ayd shall neither content the French King nor Monsieur then we will assent to joyn with the French King in such manner as shall be found reasonable for us both and for the cause And so our meaning is that you shall if you can possible in this sort put of the marriage with yielding to this latter open sort of aiding if the secret ayd shall not be allowed and therewith you shall declare by this our Answer the other two points for a League offensive and defensive and for a secret accord for the Low Countries to be in a sort answered But for more particular instructions of you how to proceed in these two latter matters you shall have for them both a Commission general for your self and our Ambassador and Sommers to treat therupon and with the said Commission you shall have some other particular instructions such as the short time may yield And whensoever you shall enter to treat thereon after knowledge had from you there shall be more particular matters called to remembrance and sent unto you But now if you shall after all good Reasons used to perswade the staying of the marriage with the offers to joyn with the French King and both with aiding of his Brother and if it be moved to you or otherwise thought reasonable to be by you mentioned to joyn also in the ayding of Dâ—n Anthonio pretending to be the King of Portugal that notwithstanding this your proceeding that the King will yield to none of these but with the marriage as hitherto by his former Answers have appeared he would not you should persist in setting forth the necessities of the Crown of France both presently and for time to come as also you shall confess the like for England to begin timely to abate the King of Sp. greatness and that though there had been never marriage spoken of yea that wheresoever Monsieur may marry in an other place yet it shall prove a great error both in the Frinch King and us to leave the King of Spain to encrease to such greatness as hereafter neither the force of France nor England no nor any that may be confederate with them shall be able to withstand any thing that the King of Spain shall attempt And if these Reasons cannot prevail you shall leave off declaring your great grief that the forbearing of the marriage grounded upon the evident misliking of our subjects should be the cause of the forbearing to do so great a good to Christendom as the conjunction of the King and us might bring though the matter took not place and so you shall end and speedily advertise us of your proceedings Instructions for the treaty of a League offensive and defensive betwixt us and the French King and for other things depending thereupon ELIZABETH R. WHen it shall appear upon your other treating with the K. according to such other instructions as you have that it shal be required and found convenient that there be a League made for a strict Amity between us and the French King and that the same shall be found good for us both in respect of the King of Spains growing overgreat to continue a peaceable neighbor you shal require first that the Treaty made for a mutual defence betwixt the French Kings brother Charles the ninth and us and which also hath been confirmed by a special clause in the Treaty that shall now be newly made and thereupon shall it be considered what other new Covenants that are not already contained in the former Treaty shall be made to make our Amity streighter against any that shall commit any hostile act by invasion of any of our Countries which we now possess or have possessed any time these 20 yeers and to that end you shall move an assent that from henceforth we and the King shall during our lives be united in heart and minde for confirmation of our honors persons states dignities kingdoms and dominions to either of us belonging so as from henceforth we and the King shall be against all persons friends to friends and enemies to enemies notwithstanding any former Leagues or Confederations with any other or notwithstanding any Councels Perswasions or Motions to be made to either of us by any Potentate or person spiritual or temporal to the contrary of the tenour of this League Item You shall Covenant that if any King Potentate or other person shall offend or procure offence to us in our person honor dignity or estate or shall take away or impeach and 〈◊〉 any of our Kingdoms or Countries the French King shall repute and accept the same offence as done to himself or his Countries and shall in like manner with all his power impugn the same as though the offence were made to himself and we also shall be bound in like sort to the French King mutatis mutandis Item It shall be mutually covenanted that all Traytors and manifest Rebels against either of us shall be declared and used as enemies or Rebels of the other