there was in the marriage which proceeding all should be as her Majestie pleased and that if he had been otherwise understood either he did not deliver his mind so clearly as he did mean or else his meaning was mistaken of us and of his Deputies for that he did never mean but that the league offence and the Marriage should go together and not otherwise Having heard this his Majesties conclusion and repeated it unto him I the Secretary said That seeing his Majestie was so resolved her Highness had in that case commanded me to return home my service being more needful there then here for causes which I remembred unto him and that he might think himself of some â—it time to treat further of these matters praying his Majestie to appoint when I might receive his commandments to her Majestie and to take my leave He said he would gladly have us at this marriage of the Duke of Ioyeuse the eighteenth of this moneth but seeing her Majestie had commanded me to return it should be when I would using many speeches full of affection to her Majestie to be uttered at my return to her Highness Then we went to the Queen Mother and rehearsed unto her what had passed by the King Whereunto she used in substance the like speeches the King had done adding more plainly that they feared such a league being made defensive and offensive the marriage would be clean broken with divers other speeches wherewith I think not needful to trouble her Majestie until my return At this time I the Secretary prayed Queen Mother to think well of these matters being of such importance against the time that I should come to take my leave of the King and her and so for that time we departed And for that we might doubt of some alteration we did forbear to send away this Corrier until we had taken our leave which was upon Thursday the twelfth of this present at which time there passed nothing from the King and Queen Mother but ordinary complements and specially recommending the Marriage Paris the 13 of September 1581. Francis Walsingham Henry Cobham Iohn Sommers Reservatio 12 Septembris NOs Fransciscus Walsingham c. Henricus Cobham c. Johannes Sommers c. Omnibus ad quos presentes pervenerint salutem ut supra Denuo tres integros Menses adjiciendos censemus quos mensis Septembris die 12 incipere intelligimus In cujus rei Testimonium has literas nostras mannuum uostrarum subscriptione munimus Data ex urbe Parisiorum 12 Septemb. 1581. Francis Walsingham Henry Cobham Io. Sommers FINIS AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE of the most Remarkable Things A ALva Duke 40 45 46 48 137 139 268 269 Offers 30000 Ducats to ransom the Earl of Northumberland 75. Plots against the Queen 299 Ambition indures no bridle 143 Anjou Duke Hen. 25. See Hen. 3. and Marriage Anjou and Alanson Duke Francis offered for an Husband to the Queen 195 196 257 297 331 333. Unhandsom 343. Of good parts 413 Against Rochel 308. A great Servant to the Queen 360 361 Answers to the French Embassador 271 By the Lord Burleigh concerning the Match with Duke Francis 335. See 348 Antonio of Portugal 354 379 388 393 394 398 421. 434 Anvile Marshal of France 343 Aremberg Grave 370 Argile Earl 4 36 299. A Traitor 302. Alwayes false 312 Arran Earl 412 Arras â—ardinal 123 Athol Earl 302 Aumale Duke 275 295 306 Austrian House the Popes Champion 121 Austria Don John 137 221 288. B Bedford Earle 13 Bellieure Monsieur 381 Beni Massino 271 Birac 95 Biron Baron 27 258 Bisegno Abbot 358 Bothwel Earle 13 151 Boughquien Lord 302 Brandenburgh Marquiss 301 303 Bricqmault Mons 34 Bricquemont hanged 278 379 282 Brulart Secretary of France 265 Buckhurst Lord 18 20 31 42 49 68. 69 Bull of Rome against the Queen 49 Bullen Duke 258 C Calliac Mons. 21 Cambray besieged by the Prince of Parma 381 384 385 Campian the Iesuite taken betrayes his friends 373 Candale Mons. 343 Capteni Thomas 94 Carew Francis 283. 285 Cassels Arch-Bishop a Traitor 58 73 74 75 77 Cavalcant Mons. 66 69 82 Cavannes Mons. 7. Hanged 279 Cecyl Sir William Baron Burleigh 51 An enemy to Popery 72 Zealous for the French match 81 115 234 153 Wearied with an idle Parliament 94 Complains of the Queens mercy 164 For the English honour ill used in Libels 327 328 Sincere 133 336 Hated by the Spaniards 162 164 Charles the Fifth 123 Arch Duke 98 Charls the Ninth of France 5. Puls down the Cross at Paris 151 The greatest dissembler of his age 49 82 83 118 122 124 125 135 143 144 161 169 173 220 251 252 306. Bloody 279 Chartres Vidam in England 260 263 265 Chastel Herault Duke 4 296 303 315 333 Chasteauneuâ— 333 334 Chastilion Cardinal 51 Clanlicard Earl 238 Cobham Sir Henry 22 67 71 285 356 Colignie Admiral of France 6 122 135 154 233 234 His advice to his King 241 Colonna Prospero 357 Commissioners to treat concerning the French Match 348 Como Cardinal 358 Common Prayer Book of England not indured by Papists 97 Conde Prince 6 17 122 240 Forced to go to Masse 245 Conference between Sir Francis Walsingham and Mons. de Foix 90 Betwixt Queen mother and Sir Francis Walsingham 429 Duke Montmorency and the English Lords 214 Crosse Marshal of France 151 258 388 Will not obey the Kings verbal command 396 Cotton Sir Thomas 57 Croque 165 177 181 202 203 D Dale Doctor 310 311 333 Darlie Lord Husband of the scots Queen 13 Derby Earl 303 De Foix Mons. 62 65 67 69 109. In England 129 218 317 318 De l'Archant 89 De la Guord Baron 266 280 305 332 De la Haye a faithless French man 57 De la Roche 33 34 95 167 168 Denmark King 183 Drake See Fran. 379 Dun Briton Castel taken 78 E Edenburgh the London of Scotland 334 Elizabeth Queen of England favours not the rebels of other Princes careful of the French of the Religion 2 3 19 23 A Monarch 3 Accountable to none for her actions 10 Had a Negative voice as it seems in Parliaments 203 215 219 Seems to desire the Match with Henry of France 29 40 Will not allow him the exercise of his Religion 65 66 89 98 110 111 113 129 130 132. See 330 335 339 340 See 115 116 138 155 199 Will not have the second Marriage go on 374 Pretends the dislike of her subjects to avoid it 354 Against any worship but of her owne Church 99 Irresolute as to the execution of the Duke of Norfolk 165 Enterview Betwixt the Queens of England and France propounded 271 272 277 For the young King of the Scots 178 Her civility to the Navarrois Queen Admiral c. 210 211 How she takes the Massacre 247 248 259 Sick of the Smal-Pox 274 Likes not the proceedings of France against Law 297 Protects the French fugitives and why 319 344. intercedes for them 263 265. Too sparing 372 375 379 387.
said oâ—trage committed he hath justly incurred the Lord Deputies displeasure I shewed him that his confession of his fault was an argument of penitence And therefore that I doubted not that if he would seek pardon at her Majesties hands he should find her Majestie graciously affected towards him who hath alwaies been more naturally inclined to remit then to revenge I asked him how long it was since he departed out of Ireland He shewed me that it vvas about two years past And after he embarqued for Spain where ever since his departure from Nantes he hath continued having received ever after his arrival very honourable entertainment at the Kings hands who yearly gave him 2000 Docats pension He shevved me nothing of his conâ—erence he had at Nantes vvith L. and the C. neither did I seem to understand any thing thereof but made alwayes shew unto him to believe whatsoever he said as though I had never heard of him before nor of his proceedings I proceeded further with him and asked when he departed out of Spain He shewed me about the latter end of Ianury I told him that there were brutes given out here that the King of Spain had some intention to invade Ireland I asked him whether before his departure he heard any such matter Then he brake and shewed me that about September last one Stewkley arrived in Spain who after his access to Madrill before he had conference with the King or any great Personage he sent unto the said Archbishop to desire to come and speak with him To whom he returned answer by his Messenger that if he would come unto him he should be very welcome Whereupon Stewkley repaired unto him and after protestations had how glad he was to see him there whom he knew to be Catholikely bent he shewed him that his intention of his repair into that Countrey was to deal with the King of Spain about the reducing of Ireland unto his Government whereby Heresie might be expelled and true Catholique Religion planted and therefore desired him for that he was well acquainted with the Cardinal Spinoso President of the Councel that he would deal with him to procure him access unto the King To whom he replyed that he thought that the King in respect of the good Amitie between him and the Queens Majestie would be loath to deal therein And further that he for his own part though he desired the Catholique Religion to be there planted yet did he mislike of the means for that he would be loath to see his Countrey under any other Government then that of the Queens Majestie and her Successors And therefore he desired him to hold him excused in that he could not for those respects abovenamed be a mean to bring him acquainted with the said Cardinal President of the Councel Whereupon Stewkley departed from him and went to the Duke Feria and him acquainted with the cause of his repair thither and desired him to procure him access unto the King So the said Duke brought him to the King whom the King after conference had with him used very honourably and appointed him a very fair house and gave him six thousand Docats And besides that he doth give him daily allowance for the maintenance of his table which he taketh to be great for he spendeth at the least Thirty Ducats a day Two dayes after the King had conference with the said Stewkley the King sent for the Archbishop and asked him whether he did know the said Stewkley To whom he answered that he never saw him but here in Spain but by report he had heard that he had been a Pyrate on the sea of life dissolute in expences prodigal of no substance neither a man of any great account in his Countrey notwithstanding he heard he was a Gentleman born and descended from a good House Then the King told him of the offer that he had made touching the request of Ireland assuring him that he had dealt so before his coming with the Irish Nobility as he should find them ready to receive such Forces as he should send He wished the King not to be so light of belief for that Stewkley was not a man of that credit with the Irish Nobility to be able to bring any such matter to pass whom they knew to be but a shifter and one who for the maintenance of his prodigality seeketh to abuse all men With that the King replyed that besides Stewkleys own report of his ability in that behalf he was besides recommended to him by his Ambassador who willed to credit whatsoever he reported Upon the mentioning of the Ambassador he made a digression and told me that the Ambassador did great hurt in England which he did not learn by hearâ— say but by sight of his Letters and therefore wished that her Majestie would not long harbour so ill a gest The grand Prior was at the same time with the King and present at the Communication and said that the Archbishop would be loath that his Countrey should come under the Kings Government which he marvelled at considering the Kings liberality bestowed on him To whom he answered that so far forth as he might with his duty towards God and his Countrey the King should find him serviceable at all times towards him for whose prosperous estate for that his calling so required he would pray And so after this Communication had with the King he departed Not long after D. Feria meeting the said Archbishop entred into talk with him and asked his opinion of Stewkley He answered that he had made the King acquainted with his opinion and that he feared that if the King do deal with him he would abuse him Then D. Feria said that the likelihoods that Stewkley shewed the King of the enterprize were such as there were great cause why the King should imbrace the same For saith he besides the Irish Nobility he hath won a great number of the Queens Garison to be at his devotion as well Souldiers as Captains If the King saith the Archbishop believe what he saith then will there be no great difficulty in the interprize but when it cometh to the tryal it will fall out otherwise Well said the Duke I perceive you are not willing it should go forward and therefore you seek to deface this Gentleman whom we honour here with the name of the Duke of Ireland To that the Archbishop replyed that that Title and Calling was more then ever Ireland was acquainted withal and the more strange it will seem unto them for that he hath there nothing to take unto No saith the Duke I am sure if he might enjoy his own there it would well maintain that Calling Surely saith the Archbishop if the rest of his talk prove no truer then this then shall you see the King much abused by him After this talk passed between the Archbishop and the Duke Stewkley came and challenged the said Archbishop as he saith and told him that if he
misliking that the Duke should die the next day and said she was and should be disquieted and said she would have a new Warrant made that night to the Sheriffs to forbear untill they should hear further and so they did Gods Will be fulfilled and aid her Majestie to doe her self good I have signed your Bill with your special money which though it be great yet being by you expended I would not but allow This matter of Monsieur is here grievously in secret taken and surely as it was not here well used in drawing it out at length which was pollitiquely done so hath it not been there friendly ordered and yet I do not so show mine opinion of her Majesties stomaking of that part which now is to be dissembled where the amity is so needfull I can write no more From Westminster Feb. 11. 1571. Yours assuredly W. Burliegh Barker being arraigned the last week confessed the Treasons and said That the beginning of his offence was in that he regarded more the love and pleasing of the Duke his Master then of the Prince and of his Countrey and so freely confirmed the Dukes guiltiness The next day Higford did also confess his fault terming it a concealment of his Masters Treasons and added that he did oftentimes disswade the Duke from the same These two open acts have fortified the Dukes Condemnation To the Queens Majesty PLeaseth it your Highnesse Yesterday the 21 of this Month Mr. Walsingham Mr. Killigrew and I had Audience first of the Q. Mother in her Chamber being by the young Queen and Madam Margaret to the Q. Mother I declared That I had received a Packet from your Highness to me and another to the King her Son which I sent immediately Yea saith she we have received it The Queen my Soveraign said I taketh in very good part the good inclination of the King and his Deputies towards a more streight amity and liketh well our doing hitherto so that we proceed to the perfecting and concluding and hath sent unto us a Power and Authority under the great Seal of England to conclude as appertaineth and so we are ready whensoever the Kings Deputies will to proceed as we have began To this the Queen answered That she was glad that her good sister took it well and she may see saith the Queen that we mean good saith and would proceed indeed to the streightest amity and love that can be betwixt two Princes and if you will even to morrow it were best to lose no time we quoth I are ready at all times and would be sorry to protract any time for both the Queen my Mistress would gladly have me at home otherwise to imploy me and I my self would gladly be there and therefore I pray your Majestie let no time be spared but from day to day let us be doing untill it be perfected which God willing shall be shortly Ye say well and it is best said she but Madam quoth I there is a matter which I must shew of among other there is one taken prisoner in Ireland named Stakbold who confesseth that the Card. of Lorain set him up to stirr up a Rebellion in Ireland to the maintenance of Iames Fitzmorris a Traitor and Rebel There you say this quoth she and laughed I am sure of the good will you bear to the Cardinal of Lorain It is true quoth I even for the good will I bear him for I can bear him no good will that attempteth any such thing and especially against the Queen my Mistriss but quoth I he indeed did it in the Kings name and yours the which thing although the Queen my Mistriss doth know well enough for the good will that you both do bear her not to be true yeâ— she willed me to shew it unto you and to pray you to call de la Rocha which is Knight of the Order and Gentleman of the Chamber to the King who was the Conductor of it who can tell your Majestie all the proceedings and that order may be taken in it and of this matter Monsieur L. Ambassador Mr. Walsingham can tell you more Then Mr. Walsingham declared the case unto her and that he had moved her in it almost a year since I am remembred said she that there was such a thing about to be done by the stirring of a Bishop that came out of Spain it was the Arch-Bishop of Cassils quoth I in Ireland as he calleth himself You know Monsieur L Ambassador saith she to Mr. Walsingham that the King my Sonne disavowed it and staied de la Roche that he should not go thither and that he should revoke all his Power Yet saith Mr. Walsingham there be twenty Harquebusiers or thereabouts remaining still and have remained there ever sithence in a Castle if it please you to speak with de la Roche he can tell your Majestie how it doth stand He is here in the Court saith she and goeth away shortly he shall be spoken withall and if any men be there the King my Sonne knoweth not of it and they shall be revoked Then Mr. Walsingham said there was two Hostages taken of that Fitzmorris who were at Nantes in the Governours House he prayed that they might also be delivered the Queen said she would send thither Then Mr. Killigrew delivered your Highness Letters unto her which she read very dilligently and for that matter she writeth to her Majestie I am sure will tell your Majesties Highness From thence we came to the Kings Chamber where I said to the King that we received a Packet from your Majestie and another for him which we sent to Monsieur Pinart and that your Highness was well pleased with our doings I have received the Packet said he and I am glad the Queen my Sister doth like of your doings here I would it were done saith he so soon as could be and if it be the longer a doing so it be well done it is well for I would have it substantially and firmly done as might be I desire nothing more I have also said I such Power sent me under the Great Seal of England as is required howbeit without that whatsoever I had agreed unto â— am sure the Queen my Mistriss would not have gon from it but at the Subscription it was then necessary to have had the power the which I have now and for other matters I trust we shall shortly make an end And for the general matters touching the Merchants to bring that Traffique into your Countrey and the benefit which the Low countrey had by it and would not acknowledge it but for the particularities of the Priviledges and such things because it would have some tract of time the Queens Majestie if it did so please you doth wish that you would send some power to your Ambassador Resident to Treat with her Highness Councel thereupon You say well saith he and my Ambassador hath written so to me and I will send to you when you shall
part take that it is substantially and orderly done and besides that this Treaty is not personal but is perpetual and is for you and your Successors Why saith he it is made for our two lives and one year after and then within that year if I should dye such a letter may be gotten And if my Son or whosoever should come after me should not keep his promise which he hath spoken and written I could wish him strangled and not alive Saith Mr. Walsingham though the Queens Majestie should peradventure be content with such assurance yet some of her Councel would not and leagues must be made not onely to satisfie the Prince but also the Subjects especially of such a one as this which is a comfort and assurance of all parties For when upon this hope they shall traffique here abroad in your Countrey and others and see in the Treaty no assurance for general words is holden for no assurance in this case they will be afraid to traffique or travel abroad And Sir ye had need consider well of it for as there be that do favour this league as we do there be other I warrant you which be of the Spanish faction and would be loth it should go forward and if they taking this advantage should perswade the Queen from it and in the mean while bring her some other offer and then this break off it would be hard to get it again Break off saith he I had rather dye I will satisfie the Queen my Sister well enough I do not doubt it though you be never so stiff I understand she will be content with such assurance as I tell you I do assure you Sir quoth I I do not know so much and think verily she will not be content and until know more from her Majestie I must still think so Well saith the King ye have coursed me a vvhile novv must I course you again for the Queen of Scots I must have that my request put into the Treaty for her make vvhat ansvver you vvill she is my Kinsevvoman and my Sister in lavv and she was my Soveraign and you do knovv the league vvhich is betvvixt that Realm and my Realm I can do no less then have the same inserted into the league Sir quoth I as vve have vvritten to your Deputies vve have no Commissions or Authority to treat of any such matter Touching the late Queen of Scots she vvas your Soveraign thanks be to God she is not novv vvith that he laughed and it is thought vvhen she vvas Queen here she deserved not very vvell neither of your Realm nor of your House and she is your Kinsvvoman so is she also to the Queen my Mistris but if she vvere your daughter or your son if he or she vvould procure your death or to have your Crovvn from you vvould you not see justice done on him or her that should attempt it What is that saith he so I repeated it again that if his son should attempt to depose him from his Crovvn or procure his death that he should be content that justice should rather be done then to be still in that danger Why saith he I do not require to have it put in the same league Saith Mr. Killegrew fire and vvater cannot be together the one is contrary to the other the league is made for a perpetual and strait Amity betvvixt you and the Queens Majestie of England and you vvould treat for the Queens most mortal and dangerous enemy this cannot stand together you must take her novv for dead and you cannot tell vvhether she be dead or alive and vvhy should you then require her to be put in the league And if it be so saith the King vvhat remedy then there can be no more suit made for her and so vve took our leave And from thence vve vvere conveyed to the Queen Mothers Chamber vvhere vvas the Lady Margaret and a great number of other Ladies vvhere first I declared to the Q. that vvhere she had promised me that for the Merchants that be in the Staple or Hanse they might have the exercise of their religion after the maner of the English Church now when we come to put it in the Treaty the Kings Deputies will not agree to it They say they heard nothing of it Yes said she I promised that they might have it in their house with the doors shut and in the English tongue Quoth I I pray you let them know so much for I do not think that ye have told them Yes saith she but you must not have this in the Treaty but by another way So quoth I Madam you still cut us off something as we but half agree to every thing but how shall it be that I might once see the manner of it and judge of it But for the greater matter we have with the King as touching the League in the which except these words be expressed we think the league not to bear the meaning which we do take it should and yet to please the King and to go so near as we could we were content if the King will with another Article or Treaty declarative made apart betwixt his Majestie and the Q. my Mistris under the great Seal of England and France declare that in general words he doth mean also in the matter of Religion to demand nothing else but the King now speaketh to us to do it by a Letter close missive the which for my part I do not esteem in such a case as this is and know not what it is and how it can be Why did you think saith she that the King my son would deceive you the Q. your Mistris my good sister would be content with it we know well enough Madam quoth I we know not so much nor I cannot believe it for my part But if she would what is that for us that be her Ministers which must be so much as our poor capacities will extend that we do wisely surely and substantially in such affairs for her Majestie as she doth put in our credit till we understand her mind be otherwise changed if you understand her mind to be otherwise then we yet do know she is our Soveraign and Mistress we must be content to obey Other talk we had about the matter each of us three with her much after that we had with the King but ever when she was brought to a strait that was her shift she knew well enough her Majestie would be content with such a letter and that so she was given to understand Till at the last I said that except there were further assurance for the matter of Religion we could not nor durst not subscribe the Treaty until we were better certified that your Highness would be so content for my conscience was against it to leave so great a point upon so little a hold Then as the King said he would speak with his Councel and we should know more The Queen
potentissimum principem fratrem nostrum charissimum Gallorum regem residenti salutem Cum in tractatu qui inter Legatos nostros ad praedictam Principem missos ejusque serenissimi Regis Deputatos intercedit de amicitia pace renovanda augenda quae inter praedictum regem nos nostraque regna dominia subditos existit certi articuli de mercatorum nostrorum hinc inde comerciis negotiatione propositi fuerint de quibus propemodum quidem inter utrumque convenit nisi quod ante praefatam rei consummationem necessarium sit quosdam tà m à nostro quà m à praedicti regis parte constitui qui cum mercatorum prudentium consilio deliberent sintne illi articuli satìs ad rem aptè amplè compositi an vero alios quosdam immitores adjici expediat quibus commercii negotiorum ratio commodius regi exerceri possit Nos igitur de homine ad hanc rem idoneo cogitantes deque tua prudentia virtute industria in res nostras fide confidentes mandatorum procuratorum seu deputatum nostruÌ„ creamus constituimus per praesentes ut cum consilio principalium nostrorum si qui in illis partibus fuerit cum Regis praedict deputatis agas tractes unaque cum illis ea consideres statuas quae ad coâ—tinuendam augendam commercii intercessus necessitudinium necessaria vidâ—buntur Itemque de mertium vectigalibus tributis porteriis impositionibus iisque conditionibus quae ad mercatorum comertii libertatem securitatem pertinebunt rationes ineas Deque iis omnibus nos certiores facias ut re prope inspecta considerata quod é re fuerit decernamus concludamus quod ipsum simile à dict ' regis Legato hic fiet qui simile vicissim ab ipso rege mandatum habiturus est Et generaliter ut ea omnia tractes facias quae ad hanc rem necessaria erunt in tam amplis modo forma ac si in singulis magis speciale Mandatum haberes In cujus rei testimonium has litteras patentes â—ieri sigilli nostri impressione communi missimus Dat. in Regia nostra sancti Jacobi die mensis Maii Anno Dom. 1572. Regni vero nostri 14. Instructions given to the Earl of Lincoln Lord Admiral of England and one of the Lords of her Majesties privy Councel appointed by her Majestie to repair to the French King in Ambassage and at his arrival at Paris or elsewhere to be assisted for the execution of the matter underwritten with Sir Th Smith Chancellor of the Order and Fr. Walsingham Ambassador resident for her Majesty with the French King at St. Iames May 25. 1572. THe said L. Admiral shal have with him both Commission under the great Seal of England authorizing him and S. Th. Smith and Fr. Walsingham and Letters also to require the French K. to confirm the last treaty concluded at Blois by his oath whereupon he shall proceed first after his access to the K. obtaining by the Ambass resident for the demand of the said oath as is meet for the honor of the League of amity now concluded between their Maj. using therein all good speeches to assure him that according to such express words as are contained in the same Treaty for a mutual love and amity to be hereafter used and maintained between them her Maj. is fully bent in her heart to maintain the same on her part the rather because she doth assuredly hope that the K. wil do the like whereof his Maj. by his Ambass that he hath sent in the time of the late Treaty and negotiation of the same shewed many manifest arguments of his own special favourable directions of matters at sundry times resting in doubt between her Commissioners and his Maj. to more reasonable ends as appeared then otherwise would have 〈◊〉 ordered by his Ministers And so the L. Admiral having in this manner assured the K. of her Maj. ful and resolute determination to imbrace and hold fast this mutual amity he shal say that his coming thither is to visit the K. on her Maj. behalf and to attend upon his leasure and best oportunity to be present and to receive the K. oath to be made for ratifying of the said Treaty according to a clause in the said Treaty for that purpose And when the K. shal have accorded thereunto the said L. Admiral shal before hand percase by som privat conference had with some of the Secretaries of the State how and in what sort the ceremonies therof shall be observed so as the proceeding may be at the time at the solemnity thereof without any alteration And for the better proceeding herein the Lord Admiral shall have with him both Articles of the Treaties requiring the said oath and the manner form of like oath given by the said K. heretofore in like cases And the instrument also to be demanded in writing for testimony of the said oath with such other things as are thereto requisite so as the like manner may be used as near as may be agreeable to former usages and that there be with him present to assist him S. Th. Smith and the Ambass resident if they may be there to help And as for the place where the said oath should be given the said L. Admiral shal not refuse any that the K. shal appoint foreseeing only that he be not by reason thereof compelled to be present at any Mass to be said for the purpose but if it be in Church or Chappel he shal not refuse to require to take it in the same Furthermore although there is no other cause special of the sending of the L. Admiral at this time to the said K but to require his oath yet for that there may be many occasions offered of speeches in the matters where it shal be looked for that the said L. Admiral should answer the said K. to his satisfaction Therfore he wil in these things following accommodate himself as hereafter is mentioned wherein the said L. Admiral shal as occasion shall serve take the help of Sir Th. Smith who is also herein well acquainted In the matter of Scotland although the said L. Admiral be privy in what sort her Maj. hath hitherto proceeded so as he may by consideration thereof conjecture what is likely further to be her Maj. meaning yet to make her case the more plain he may wel hold opinion tht her Maj. meaneth not any thing more then that the Realm of Scotland may be brought to quietness and remain free from any invasion of any stranger wherby the liberty of that Crown and Nation should be impaired And he may wel remember of his own knowledge how often times since the Scotch Q. coming into our Realm we have bin wel disposed to have obtained an accord betwixt her and her Subjects but always when we were most earnest to have done her pleasure therein she
the French shewed themselves ready to assent to assent to all reasonable requests and for that purpose they produced and delivered a Commission under the Great Seal of France Answers to these Points This case was not pursuant upon the Treaty The Scotish Queen had more favour then she deserved or then did well stand with the surety of the Queens Majestie Her evil parts against the Queens Majestie had been amply declared to the French and to the D. Montmorency and de Foix in France by our Ambassador The Nobility also and People now assembled in this Parliament had considered that the Queens Majesties surety could not be preserved without some severe proceeding against the Queen of Scots whereunto her Majestie had not yielded in such extremity And so the Scotish Queen had more favour indeed then either she deserved or then was thought meet by the whole Realm The second for surcease of Arms her Majestie had done therein as much as possibly she could by her Minister Sir Will Drury which she hath sent with le Crocque whereunto the Ambassador did assent with very good words of Sir Will Drury To the third it was thought that no Parliament should be holden whilest they were on both sides in arms and therefore the procuring of persons to come was not misliked To the fourth the Merchants should be spoken withal who had but small liking to any trade of Merchandize with France by reason they had by experience some evil usage of them in France specially at Roaâ— Replies of the French with some new matters As to the Scotish Queen de Foix confessed that he had no warrant to speak for her by force of the Treaty but by a special commandment apart And as to specifie the requests that be made for favour to her they said they meant no favour to be shewed to her against the Queens Majesties surety and therefore they desired only these things following That she might have brought to her all things necessary for her apparel and money also for the purpose That she might have a convenient number of Servants about her That her state might not be impaired That the Duke and the rest might be licensed to send to her certain letters from the French King and Queen Mother so as the same might be done with the privity of the Earl of Sâ—rewsbâ—ry As to the Commerce they agreed that it might be treated upon by the Ambassador Resident New Additions That according to the second article in the Treaty they might have the Queens Majesties Letter answerable to the Kings Letters That the third Article concerning the manner of redress of wrongs done by Scots men upon England that the same might be altered according to a writing which was devised by them to insert in the place of the said Article Answers to the new Requests They should have the Queens Majesties Letters The Article as it is ought to continue and is reasonable having respect to Scotland when private men do great injuries and spoils which if the King of that Realm cannot or will not amend of necessity the Kings of England must revenge upon the offenders To the Right Hononrable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh YOur Lordships of the twentieth of Iune sent by my servant Williams I have received touching her Majesties protestation before the giving of her oath For the not delivery of Hume and Fast Castle in Scotland according to the Treaty I will not fail to inform their Majesties when fit occasion shall be offered of the cause thereof The Ambassador of Scotland with the Lord Graunges brother since the Earl of Lincolns departure hath been often at the Court and are very importunate to have somewhat done for their Mistris As also in perswading their Majesties here to consent to the establishment of their Government of their said Mistris what their importunacy hath won I know not as yet but surely I fear as long as the woman liveth there will never grow good accord in Scotland nor continuance of repose in England nor perfect and sound amity between her Majestie and this Crown What is resolved here touching the enterprise of Flanders this bearer is throughly instructed who is to impart the same unto your Lordship And so leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present I most humbly take my leave From Paris the eight and twentieth of Iune 1572. Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Earl of Leicester THis bearer cometh so throughly instructed touching the state of the Countrey and the Flanders proceedings as I forbear to trouble your Lordship to make recital of that by writing which he shall tell you by mouth After your Lordship hath throughly debated with him I hope it shall manifestly appear unto you that upon the good success or evil success of this common cause of Religion And besides the same not well proceeding her Majestie cannot promise to her self any great safety having so dangerous a neighbour whose greatness shall receive no small increase if he overcome this brunt I pray God therefore that her Majestie may incline to do that which may be for her safety And so leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present referring you wholly to this bearer I most humbly take my leave From Paris the eight and twentieth of May 1572. Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable and his very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh MAy it please your Lordship to understand that upon advertisement come hither from Flushing of the discords there for want of good Governor they have made choice of Monsieur Iunius to go thither out of hand with Commission to establish some policy there until the arrival of the Prince of Orange his brother He shall also have Commission for the sale of such goods as were lately taken For his better assistance in this behalf desireth your Lordships letter unto Captain Morgan there to assist him what lieth in him in the execution of the said Commission and that further it would please your Lordship to admonish him to retain his Souldiers in such order as may answer to the defence of a good cause For that he desireth very much to confer with Mr. Killegrew to make him fully acquainted with the state of their cause he meaneth to repair to Dover and there to imbarque where he hopeth to meet with him I perceive by him that if there be no assistance given underhand by her Majestie they shall be driven to yield to such inconveniences as shall be laid upon them by this Nation And further that they shall be forced to consent to have Strozi in Zealand unless they may have some supplies elsewhere For this cause chiefly the Gentleman who wisely respecteth the liberty of his Countrey and foreseeth the mischief that may follow if the necessity be not relieved disereth much to confer with Mr. Killegrew a thing most necessary and would himself
strange being we had heard before of the daily murdering of those of the Religion there in France not only at Paris and Orleans but also at Lyons and Roan and divers other places and Cities of that Realm all the which was done by the Kings appointment and commandment whereupon when we had heard what he could say unto us he heard us so reply at that time as we do think he found himself unable to satisfie us And nevertheless we told him that we would be further advised for our answer which he should have within three or four daies whereupon communicating his Negotiation with our Councel upon their French tongue An answer was made as appeareth by this here inclosed which is the copy of that we delivered to Nicasius to interpret in French to the said de la Mott as our ful answer resolution at that time with the which as Nicasius reporteth de la Mott seemed very well content and satisfied In the which yet you may perceive that divers things are left to be ascertained to us by you wherefore you shall do well with convenient speed to demand audience of the King and there to declare both to him and to the Queen mother what hath passed betwixt his Ambassador and us and upon the points we did at that time stand and you may say as touching any worthy punishment executed upon his own Subjects we have not to deal therein but if they have worthily suffered we are sorry for their evil doings But yet the King to destroy and utterly root out of his Realm all those of that Religion that we profess and to desire us in marriage for his brother must needs seem unto us at the first a thing very repugnant in it self especially having before confirmed that liberty to them of the Religion by an Edict of his perpetual and irrevocable Of the which to whom that liberty was granted if any were partakers of any evil conspiracies against him specially women and children who we do understand are not yet spared And therefore if that Religion of it self be so odious unto him that he thinks he must root out all the professers of it how should we think his brother a fit husband for us or how should we think that the love may grow continue and increase betwixt his brother and us which ought to be betwixt the husband and the wife You had in our former Letters unto you things that we required you to decypher by all means that you could especially whether the King himself be inclined and bent to all these cruelties and the rooting out of true Religion or whether he be but overruled to the which Article hitherto you have not answered and yet these things might give great light unto us how to direct our actions in the conferences and talks with his Ambassador and we would have you to be earnest with him in that matter of Strozzi praying him frankly and roundly what he meaneth with that great Army of Ships and men of War which hath been kept a long time close and undiscovered to what intent or to what place it should be bent You may say we have the more desire to know his meaning and dealing herein because that of latâ— they of Strozzies Company there have spoiled divers of our Merchants some of their Artillery and Victuals other of their goods and Merchandizes as was accustomed betwixt the two Realms in times past the which kind of dealing is very much contrary to the amity and to such things as by his Ambassador is propounded unto us wherefore as we do go roundly and plainly to work with him to shew flatly that which we do think or doubt hereupon so we pray him with the same flatness and roundness to deal with us for that is the way to make continuance of amity and also increase and may induce us the sooner to come to a further resolution of such things as be required of us The Vidam of Chartres of whom we have great compassion is come into this Realm at whose humble and lamentable suit we have been content to write this Letter to my brother the French King in his favour which you shall deliver with as good words as you may to the French King and require his answer If this our Letter do chance to come to you in Paris or in the way coming from Paris towards England after you have obtained licence of the King to come away by favour of our Letters which we wrote unto him yet if you be not too far on the way or very near the sea-coast we would you should return in Poste or otherwise to the Court to have a direct answer of these Letters except that great and unfeigned danger of your self do move you to keep on your journey In which case you shall commit the doing of this message and receiving of answer to your Secretary whom you shall leave behind so that he be a man able to do this charge Given at Reading the 28 of September 1572. in the fourteenth year of our Reigne T. Smith The Ambassadors Message in three Points THat the King was of necessity for safeguard of his own life forced to cause such execution to be done upon the Admiral and his complices as was done for that he and they had conspired the death of the King of which matter the King was very well able to make a verification and that her Majesty should shortly see by the process of the Admiral now in making and that nothing was meant by the King against the cause of Religion That the King was most earnestly disposed to keep the League That he desired to have the marriage of his brother of Alanzon to proceed and to that end the Queen mother was content to come into the Realm with her son at such place and with such numbers as her Majesty here should allow Answers To the first That although the killing of the Admiral and the rest might probably move her Majestie to think ill thereof and to be right sorry that the King should suffer such an act to be done without order of justice yet her Majestie being advertised from the King that he was forced thereunto for safety of his own life and that thereof her Majestie should see good proof by such a process thereof to be sent to her Majestie as should verifie the same her Majestie is content to suspend her judgement against the King untill by the process she may see the truth and by the Kings further proceedings hereafter for continuance of his Edict for tolleration of Religion she may perceive what to judge of his intention for the cause of Religion To the second her Majestie thanketh the King for his so earnest an offer to continue the amity according to the late League made and doth again assure the King of her mind to keep it for her part so as howsoever the King shall by his deeds shew his affection therein her Majestie will
the Scots our neighbours be awakened by your Beacons in France I have sent you a Scotish proclamation herewith Du Crocque and Viracque have already taken their leave of Scotland and be come to Barwick The 20 of this moneth they appointed to be here at Court. By that we can see the Lords in Scotland draw neerer and neerer to an accord that rather it is in hope then in despair These cruelties in France have helped not a little and now continuing much more will You gave good advice that all Scotish men should not be stayed no more they be not some of the late Commers have given the rest in Scotland a good to make them awake yet there may also be false brethren come amongst them which as reason is shall be stayed and sent back if they may be known Yet it is true That much water goeth by the Mill that the Miller knoweth not of but mans wisdom must provide as much as may be as it would always it cannot The answer of the Ambassador may justly seem to you to debar your coming home and to prolong it longer then you would yet I assure you your friends do not cease by all means possible to provoke her Majesty so much as may be for your Revocation and her Majesty is as carefull for you as any Prince may be for such a subject as you are of whom assure you her Highness maketh no small account and so it is reason You know that things go here slowly with much respect of irresolution but for my part I hope to see you here shortly there shall no occasion be left which I will not take to further it Although your friends here be as forward as may be yet your wife ceaseth not continually to cry on them Fare you well From Windsor the 13. of October 1572. Your assured friend Thomas Smith To the right Honorable Sir Thomas Smith her Majesties principall Secretary SIR it may please you to advertise her Majesty that of late the King and Queen mother have had sundry conferences with the Scotish Ambassador to whom there is repaired out of Flanders one English Gentleman called Tempest and another called Musgrave servant unto the Earl of Westmerland they both have also access unto the Duke de Aumale and to his Nephew the the Duke of Guyse Davy Chambers since his return out of England hath had also conference both with the King and the House of Guyse who hath let fall these words how that the death and execution of the Earl of Northumberland hath increased the number of the Queen of Scots friends and that she is now grown to have such a party in England as that five or six thousand shot with some good Leaders will make her strong enough to encounter any forces her Majesty can make It is also secretly whispered in Court that there is some new practice in hand for the Queen of Scots delivery the particularities I can by no means decipher but the circumstances of these conferences well weighed the conjecture is great that there 's somwhat a hatching Little Douglas who conveyed the Queen of Scots out of Loughtean departeth out of hand into Scotland who besides other conference with the King hath had long conference with the Queen mother the Ambassador being present And so for other matters referring your Honor to this Bearers report touching divers particularities I most humbly take my leave Sir I most humbly desire your Honor to further a most reasonable suit that this Bearer my Secretary is to prefer unto her Majesty as wel in respect of his great travell already taken under me in her Majesties service as also for that thereby he may receive encouâ—agement to continue the same and in time through the experience of his service and the good parts that are in him may hereafter grow able to serve her Majesty in a better calling For my own part I have no means to recompence him as you Sir well know and if therefore the consideration grow not by her Majesty neither he nor any other shall have courage to serve in aservice both so dangerous and painfull as this is wherein he serveth And so not doubting of any furtherance you may yeid him I leave to trouble your Honor any further taking my leave At Paris 18 of October 1572. Your Honors to command Fr. Walsingham To the right Honorable Sir Thomas Smith her Majestiess principall Secretary SIR I am glad by your Letters to receive some hope that there is good care taken to prevent such mischiefs as may happen notwithstanding untill such time as the root of the evill be removed it is rather to dream of remedies then to apply such as the disease requireth I am glad to hear that there is some hope that they will grow to an accord in Scotland if that postern gate were shut up and other inward medicines applied and her Majesty strengthened with the outward Amity of the Almain Princes she should be the more esteemed and feared of those that mean her not great good And though the remedies may seem chargeable yet considering the necessity of the same and that they may avoid both great charges and no small danger I hope her Majesty will prefer safety before cost especially when the diâ—bursing of one pound may save a thousand Surely Sir the more I observe their doings here the more I increase my jealousie of their evill meaning They never spake more fair to the Admirall then a few dayes before he died nothing was demanded by him that was not granted insomuch that Tilligni said to a Gentleman a friend of his a few days before the execution that their liberall granting of requests without any difficulty did make him to suspect some unsound and hollow meaning and thereupon alledged that Italian Proverb They never used fairer speech then presently they do nor greater protestations of Amity and because it is more then was accustomed and is now at such time as we have cause to suspect the contrary I cannot but be jealous of her Majesties safety so long as any thing is left undone that tendeth to her Majesties preservation And so leaving further to entertain your honour with my jealousies and fears I most humbly take my leave beseeching you to continue your assistance in procuring my revocation At Paris the 25 of October 1572. Your Honors to command Fran. Walsingham To the right Honorable Sir Thomas Smith her Majesties principall Secretary SIR although I had no express commandement from her Majesty to communicate unto the King and Queen Mother such an answer as was yeilded unto those things that were propounded by their Ambassador here notwithstanding I thought it convenient to impart the same unto Queen Mother as she that hath the Helm in hand to see in what sort the said answer would be interpreted at my access unto her I shewed her at large that the Ambassador had propounded four things unto certain Deputies by her Majesty of her Councell
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
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
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
conference had of late with her Highness whereupon the King had commanded them to tell us that seeing that matter was now in so good terms he thought good to stay further proceeding in the Treaty of a League But to end first that which was first begun and in such forwardness which was the Marriage and that they thought we should have commandment from her Majestie very shortly in this behalf whereunto it was answered unto them that though we heard nothing thereof from her Majestie yet we would believe what they had said as written to the King from his Ambassador and that untill we might understand her Majesties pleasure herein we thought that this Negotiation for a League might well proceed to bring it to some good point and to win so much time seeing the King had consented and desired to have such a League with her Majestie Mr. de Chevereny said that the time would not be so long ere we should receive her Majesties pleasure and that they could not proceed any further in the Treaty seeing this was the Kings pleasure Then it was said by Pinart that the Ambassador had then written as so spoken by her Highness to him that she had rather marry a mean Gentleman of France then go now from that which was so farr proceeded in between her Highness and Monsieur Thus we being put off from our Negotiation and at a stay knew not how to proceed any further in any thing untill we may understand her Majesties pleasure which we beseech you to procure to be sent unto us in some certainty that an orderly and honourable course may be holden to grow to an end At this time Pinart as so commanded he said by the Queen Mother did very specially recommend to her Majesties consideration the estate of poor Don Anthonio and to remember the great charges he hath been at in providing shipping in England to be sent and to joyn with the French Kings ships under Captain Carles who he assured they had advertisement was gon to the sea seven daies ago thinking to meet with Don Anthonio's ships rigged in England at a Cape which he could not name And that unless the same depart not out of hand all the charge will be lost and that the King shall be fain to venture his ships alone if no other aid joyn with them He shewed there an advertisement came that day from the Isle of Tercera that the French have landed there taken the Isle and certain ships and put to the Sword 800 Spaniards among whom were they whose names were here in a scedule and that he thinketh they are gon to meet with the rest of the Spanish Fleet. And thus c. Paris the 27 of August Fr. Walsingham Henry Cobham Iohn Sommers To the Lord Treasurer MY very good Lord I send your Lordship here inclosed the last Article contained in mine instructions for the League which we have forborne to adde to those heads of a League which we exhibited to the Commissioners for that we find it somewhat darke and therefore doe pray your Lordships explanation therein For as we conceive of it it will restrain the French King from aiding of the Duke his brother which I think is not meant considering her Majesties promise to assist the Duke in the action I beseech your Lordship that we may have speedy resolution by way of Post or otherwise as by your Lordship shall be thought meet to such things as we send your Lordship by this dispatch After I had proceeded thus far in my Letter thinking that our conference with the Kings Commissioners would have bred some good accord touching the most parts of those points which were by us propounded unto them Upon the hope the King is put in by Letters lately come from his Ambassador resident there our further conference is staid as your Lordship may perceive by our general Letters which if it be not so throughly resolved on as the Ambassador conceiveth and as he hath reported to the King his Master whereof we her Majesties Ministers here stand in doubt having no confirmation thereof Then surely this report will doe a great deal of harm many waies and ministers to the persons named in mine other Letters matters of strange discourse Besides we that serve here cannot but be infinitely grieved to see the weighty cause we have in hand subject to so many interruptions especially of the alteration of proceeding upon occasion given from thence It were well her Majestie did capitulate with the Ambassador in these great matters not to advertise any thing without first making her privy thereunto as also that upon any such resolution taken with him we here might be acquainted withall to the end there might be concurrency with us Touching her Majesties pleasure for the return of Mr. Sommers I hope when her Majestie shall consider the weightiness of the cause we deal in and the number and sufficiency of the persons we are matched withall her Highness shall see more cause to send some other well chosen Civilians to assist us then to withdraw him from us Upon the perusing of a Letter that the Ambassador resident wrote unto me much to the same effect he had written to the King I thought good to send to Pinart to acquaint him with the contents of the said Letter which as I gave order to be declared unto him caried no other substance but a report of such speeches as her Majestie had delivered to the said Ambassador the same evening that he waited on her Majestie when she road abroad to take the aire wherein her Majestie did rather lay open unto him how she stood affected to the marriage then delivered him any resolution and that it was so it might well appear hereby for that her Highness doth not use to give her resolution in any matter of importance without the privity of her Councel and acquainting her Ambassador on this side therewith to the end there may be a concurrency between her Majesties Ministers and the King which being otherwise in this case I could not but rest doubtfull of the substance of the report And therefore was desirous if it might stand with the Kings pleasure considering the great charges his Majesties is at with us and the time that passeth away fruitlesly the Treaty might go on until we might receive further matter from her Majesty To this Pinart answered that he thought the request reasonable for that it was grounded upon great probability and would therefore the next morning move the King in the matter requiring in the mean season that as much might be delivered to some other of the Commissioners as had been to him especially to Chivergni Villequire which was offered to be done by the messenger I sent but they being in conference with the Queen mother and therefore for that time not to be dealt withal at his motion it was delivered to Bellieure whom they found in the utter Chamber of Queen mother who in like sort
25 of Ianuary I received the third of February by the which I perceive the matter your Lordship and I talked of hath bred some speech there with you and here the matter passeth not in great silence but is taken to be much more forward then I percieve it is I meane amongst the Common sort so far as I can learn there will be no further overture of this matter then alreadie is for here they stand upon the reputation and therefore would be loth to move speech unlesse they were in full hope to speed The experience of others that have heretofore attempted like matter maketh them more doubtfull how to proceed In my poore opinion the Commodities or discommodities of taking or refusing may easily be seen and therefore when they are once vveighed a speedie resolution vvere best to cut off many inconveniences that delay of time commonly bringeth By my last of the 27 of Ianuary I made your Lordship acquainted vvith my opinion so farre forth as I could enform my self using such circumspections in that behalf as is fit for me considering the jealousie already conceived of me But vvhen I shall be further enformed I vvill not fail further to advertise your Lordship And so for this time having no leisure to vvrite any more at large I most humblie take my leave from Paris the third of February 1571. Your Honours to command Fr. Walsingham To the right Honourable Sir William Cecil her Mejesties principall Secretarie SIr it may please you to advertise her Majestie that before I had accesse unto the King I sought by vvhat means I could to be informed of the Irish attempts by those of this country And being given to understand that de la Roch vvho as I learned by Rogers vvas the partie that should lead the Souldiers that made the invasion there vvas here in this Tovvn I found the means to cause Monsiuer Brickmals for that he said De la Roch had served under him to deal with him and to aske him whether he had not bin in Ireland who answered he had not bin there but in such cold terms he denied it as he gathered by divers circumstances and his manner of speech that true it was he had bin there which thing he seemed to be loth to affirme for that he said he was well assured that whosoever they were that dealt in the enterprise the King would disavow them Hereupon at the time of my accesse which was the 6 of Febr. at the Cardinall of Burbons Lodging in Paris I thought good to temper my speech accordingly in such mile sort using this speech following I told him after ordinary commendations done that though the Q. Majesty my Mistress was advertised from her Viceroy of Ireland That one de la Roch his Subject had landed certain men there who confederated with certain Rebells in that Island did commit by way of hostility certain out-rages not answerable to the good Amitie that rested between their Majesties Notwithstanding her Majestie was so well perswaded of his great good will and sincere affections towards her Majestie whereof she had received by his Ambassador from him so earnest assurance and protestation that she could not but do him wrong to think that this disoder should proceed from him but rather from some evill Minister of his such as do mislike and envie the good Amitie that presently resteth between them And therfore so doubted not but that his Majestie as her good Brother unto this good advertisement given would in such sort extend his Authority for the redresse of this inconvenience as she might have just cause to think that the new and earnest lately professed friendship was grounded on sincerity which could not but bring forth fruits answerable to the said profession To this in few words he answered That of his faith he knew of no such matter and therefore willed me to give him the names of all such as I could learn any waies offendors in that behalf and that he would so punish them as that her Majestie his good Sister should well pâ—rceive what good accompt he made of her friendship After I had thus ended with him I repaired to the Q. Mother both for that she ruleth all here as also for that the rest of the Ambassadors here observe the same course and declared unto her as unto the King that it was her Majesties pleasure that I should so do requiring her Majesties name to be a good mean to avoid all such offences as may any way impeach the good Amitie that presently is between the King her son and the Q. Majestie my Mistris I received at her hands for answer divers good words of assurance and continuance of Amitie which she promised to further so much as lay in her power and that she found the King her Son so well inclined thereto as the Q. my Mistris might full well assure her self that whosoever should go about to disturbe the same should receive such punishment as should be to the Q. my Mistris satisfactions I thanked her in her Majesties name and shewed her that I would not fail to make report unto the Q. my Mistris of this her good affection towards her Wherefore though herefore she had received good assurance yet that friendship vvas of that Nature as it is alvvaies desired to be entertained vvith the exercise of mutuall good offices This Sir vvas the effect of the speech that passed betvveen the Kings Majesty Q. Mother and me at this present accesse Novv to the end that there may be some triall vvhether these words were as well meant as they were uttered I have made choise of one to send to Britain to search out the names of the offenders to the end I may present them unto the King to see whether he will be as good as his word in punishing of them further by him that I said I meant to take order there to be advertised from time to time from thence of such preparations as may any vvay reach to any of her Majesties Dominions vvhich I see a thing very needfull because this Tovvn is full of brutes As I vvas in vvriting I vvas certified by one from vvhom my Predecessor Sir Henry Nâ—rris had his best intelligence who repaired secretly unto me and told me this news following How that the enterprise of Ireland is of great consequency and danger whereof though he thought the King was not privie yet he did assure me that the faction of Gâ—ise were great dealers in it Further he said that the Popes Nuntio labored what he might to draw Monsieur into the practise promising him for the maintenance thereof to be paid in Paris 100000 for his encouragement he made no difficulty to bring the said enterprise to passe in respect of the great intelligence that they have both in England and Ireland and that the same being won it would be an easie step to a step of more consequence meaning England Lastly he shewed me that if he would not
thence a young Boy the son of Iames Fitzmorice a Rebel Given under our Signet at our Pallace of Westminster the 11 of February 1571. in the thirteenth year of our Reign To the Right Honourable Sir William Cecill her Majesties principal Secretary SIr the 14 of this moneth I presented the Earl of Rutland to the King at Madrill taking opportunity thereto by preferring certain Merchants causes The King embraced him and told him that coming from her Majestie with her Letters of Commendations he could not but be very welcome and should receive at his hands from time to time during his abode here any honour or favour he could shew him and as I was departing he called me unto him and asked me what was done touching the Queen of Scots matter I told him That of late I heard nothing saving by certain Letters that there were Commissioners come out of Scotland from both parties so that as I thought the matter was fallen now to some Treaty He willed me to recommend the matter in his name to the Queens Majestie and to tell her that he doubted not but by her good means it should grow to some speedy end as should be to her honour and his contentment and so promising his Majestie not to fail in that behalf I departed for that present I shall therefore desire your Honour to inform her Majestie thereof as also to procure at her hands what answer I shall make in this behalf Touching the state of things here I learn secretly by the F. that the House of Guise seeketh to make a match between the Cardinal of Este and the Kings Sister for that the Duke of Ferrara hath no issue and by common opinion is like to have none which thing they seek the more earnestly to impeach the likelihood of marriage between the Prince of Navarre and the said Kings Sister The 22 of this moneth my Lord of Buckhurst is looked for here his lodging and all other things fit for his entertainment being provided at the Kings charges if promise be kept The new Queen is now well recovered and removeth from Madril to this Town the 20 of this moneth so that I purpose my Lord of Buckhurst shall have access unto her whereof she is over dangerous a thing not very well liked of this Nation Touching la Roches attempt I can learn nothing more then that I have advertised neither can I learn that in Britain there is any preparation of ships but of such as belong unto Merchants And thus leaving to trouble your Honour I most humbly take my leave From Paris the eighteenth of February 1571. To the Right Honorable Sir William Cecil her Majesties principal Secretary SIr I would be loath in any Letter that is to be shewed unto her Majestie to make mention of any thing that may any way concern Monsieur for that her Majestie doth suspect that I am inclined that way in respect of his Religion and therefore Sir I shall desire you to use this Letter as private to your self and as for my inclination to Monsieur for that I hear he may be drawn to be of any religion I see so great necessitie of her marriage as if it may be her Majesties contentment and the benefit of the Realm by judgement of those that are fit to deal and advise in a matter of so great weight I can be content as becometh me to subscribe the same The matters that I thought to make you privie of in this private Letter are these First I understand that Monsieur not long sithence hath given out certain speeches to those that are nearest about him that he maketh no great account to match with the Queens Majestie through the perswasions of the House of Guise and the Spanish Ambassador who do not stick to use many dishonorable arguments to disswade him from the same Besides they use some arguments of danger towards us making the conquest of England a matter of no great consequence in respect of the intelligence they have there no small number of evil affected Subjects and of those some of no mean quality The A. of late had talk with touching the opinion of the enterprise he shewed me that he whosoever he was that should attempt the matter should fail of his reckoning like him that made accompt without his host The A himself seemeth to to have no great liking thereof but seemeth to be very well inclined towards The Spanish A. to divert them from Flanders would be glad to set them in hand in England and yet would he be loath that France should have any further interest in England then it hath And as for the House of Guise unless they mean to make an unnatural match between Monsieur and their Neece they would be loath in respect of her possibilitie that he should have any further foot in England then he hath but they both think it easilier atchieved by Marriage then by Sword aud would be glad to divert him from the way of likelihood and to direct him to that way that carrieth least possibilitie These being the things I thought worthy of advertisement at this present I leave further to trouble your Honour most humbly take my leave From Paris the Eighteenth of Februarie 1571. To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Earl of Leicester MY very good Lord as there is nothing more desired of one sort then two marriages the one between the Queen my Mistress and Monsieur the other between the Prince of Navarre and the Kings sister so is there nothing more impugned by the contrary part wherein the Popes Nuncio and the Spanish Ambassador do not fail to do what lieth in them for the impeachment thereof And in this behalf they want not what assistance the House of Guise and their adherents can yield For the let of the first they alledge Heresie For the let of the latter they secretly seek to match between the Cardinal of Este and the Kings said Sister for that the Duke of Ferara his Brother hath neither issue nor by common judgement is like to have any This is rather intended then any just cause of hope conceived that it will come so to pass for that as I hear Queen Mother seemeth not to like thereof Touching my Lord of Rutlands access to the King and his Brethren I leave you to the report of his own Letters My Lord of Buckhurst about the two and twentieth of this moneth is looked for here who as I suppose shall be honourably received and as honourably used during the time of his abode here Thus for the rest referring your Lordship to this inclosed of common Occurrents I most humbly take my leave At Paris the seventeenth of February 1571 Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honorable Sir Francis Walsingham the Queens Majesties Ambassador with the French King SIr if my sickness alone were considered or my irksome business laid thereto perused I cannot think but you would excuse my not writing
Majestie and our Countrey the want of him will then appear greater For be it spoken without offence to any for counsel in peace and for conduct in war he hath not left of like sufficiency his successor that I know I will not dwell upon this matter for that it is no less unpleasant for your Lordship to read then for me to write And leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present I most humbly take my leave At Paris the fifth of March 1570. Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honorable Sir William Cecil her Majesties principal Secretary SIr as I wrote unto you in my Letters of the 25 of February the Spanish Ambassador came to visit me who after some superfluous talk of love matters entred to talk of the unkindness that reigned between the Queens Majestie and his Master expressing with words of great vehemency the desire that they were drawn to some accord as a thing to the benefit of both Princes for saith he as the League between the house of Burgundy and England hath been the preservation of both the Countreys so the breach thereof might make them both a prey to their neighbours I shewed him that I was glad to hear that he was of that good opinion and therefore I doubted not but that he will use all those good offices that mâ—ght salve the unkindness The first to cause all those occasions that might breed any suspicion of evil meaning to be avoided The second to procure some grateful Ministers to be sent from the King his Master unto her Majestie to enter into some Treaty of accord To the first he said that her Majestie whatsoever was given out to the contrary needed not to doubt of the Kings sincerity towards her To the second he said he saw not how the King could do it with his honor considering how the D. Marquis Vitelli and the King his Masters Ambassador were rejected To that I replyed the offence grew by two of them and therefore ungrateful and most unfit to deal in that behalf And as for their having no direct Commission from the King but from him that had bred the offence in reason he was not fit to be imployed in that care The end of our talk was that he for his part and I for my part would not fail to think of those things that might best tend to breed reconcilement between our Princes But Sir to the end you may know the ground and spring of this alteration of so strange to become so familiar and curteous you shall understand that not past three days before he presented unto the King three requests from the D. Alva The first for that the D. vvas given to understand that the Prince of Orange maketh preparation in Germanie for Flanders that therefore it would please him in respect of the aid his Master had sent him in his civill troubles to send him the like number of Reisters for the better understanding of the said Princes entreprize The second that it would please him that he might leavie here such number of Catholiques as would willingly serve his Master against the said Prince The third that it would please him to stay certain ships there a preparing aâ— Rochel on the Princes behalf To the first the King answered That his treasures were so near spent that he took more care how to pay the Reisters to whom he was indebted for service in the last troubles then he was well able at this present to provide any succour or aid for the King his Master and hoped that seeing his necessity was such his said Master and good Brother would bear with all Touching the second he answered That if he should condescend to the leavying of such Catholiques as would be content to serve that thereupon the Hâ—gonots would take occasion to put themselves in Arms suspecting that the said leavie were but colourable and a device that might reach to themselves To the third he answered That he was informed that the said ships were prepared onely to be revenged oâ— certain of his Masters Subjects that had taken certain ships of those of the Religion and had drowned divers of the men and others they had delivered unto the inquisitors These answers falling not out to his contentment maketh him as I suppose to think that the friendship of England is worth the having The first of this moneth there arrived here the Count Olivares sent by the King of Spain to congratulate the marriage his train was onely in number 11. he is reported to be of livelihood fortie thousand Crowns a yeare his enterment here is nothing answerable to that my Lord of Buckhurst hath receiveâ— I mean to repair to see him as also to propound unto him if I see occasion thereto what by her Majestie I was appointed to declare unto the Spanish Ambassador The second of this moneth which was the day my Lord of Buckhurst took his leave there was set up a Bull which was at Ponte de St. Estienne of the same day that Feâ—ans was containing the self same matter which a servant of mine 〈◊〉 by reason he saw divers flocking about it tore it down and brought me the same whereupon my Lord of Buckhurst I upon conference before his said accesse immediatly broke with the King in that behalf The King called me unto him and asked me the contents of the said Bull whereof being advertised as also I presenting unto him so much of the said Bull as was given me by my servant he shewed himself very much moved thereat in such sort as we might very well see it was unseigned forthwith he called Lansac unto him and willed him to take order with the Judge Crimniall for the searching out of the setter of the same assuring us if by any means he could be found he should receive such punishment as such a persumption required considering the good Amitie between him and his good Sister I shewed him that if he did not take order in this the like measure might be measured to himself He answered that he did perceive that very well and that whosoever he were that should seem to touch in honour any of his Coâ—federates he would make account of him accordingly After my departure from the King Lansac told me in mine ear That he had gâ—â—at cause to guesse that this was some Spanish practise Thus Sir having made you partaker of such things as I thought me for her Majâ—sty to understand I most humbly take my leave From Paris the 5 of Mar. 1570. Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham Post-Script Sir Mrâ—â—â— who willed me to write his name in Cipher gave me to understand that a friend of his who talked with an Italian Bishop of the house of Salmaâ—â—i who came lately hither from the Pope to congratulate the marriage did learn by him that he hath a practise in hand for England which would not be long before it brâ—ke forth and he further shewed
I as you know are to Protestants and Catholiques either of these two would be glad to be assured of Monsieur In reason now it is to be weighed with which of these two he is to joyn with the Protestants he shall favour those whom the Queen especially favoureth he shall concur with her in the maintenance of the present State and Government he shall gain the favour of her Majesties Councellours in whom she reposeth her greatest trust and lastly he shall continue the Realm in repose and quietness Iâ— on the other side he persist in his Religion first he shall not gain the Catholiques unless they may have the like libertie as he himself enjoyeth Secondarily they are already devoted unto the Queen of Scots and so misliking nothing more then of his Marriage doubting thereby to grow the prejudice of her Title whereby we may conclude that by all likelihood by having of it he shall not joyn the good wills of the Catholiques unless they may participate with him in like liberty and on the other side it will breed misliking of him with the Protestants doubting the exercise of his Religion will breed some unquietness in the State and consequently he will be misliked of both which inconvenience of misliking I wished him to perswade Monsieur well to weigh Touching the inconvenience that would grow to the Queen I shewed him the same would rise three manner of ways First by breach of Law Secondly by offence of her good Subjects and Thirdly by the encouragement of evil Subjects Which said I if you will well weigh are of much more moment then any may happen to Monsieur he being only touched by relenting in honour the Queens Majestie my Mistress both in honour and safety he as a private person she being as a Monarch and a Prince whose Kingdoms were to participate any inconvenience that might befall unto her To this he replyed that his relenting in Religion being matter of conscience was an inconvenience of more weight then any that might happen to the Queen In the end after many replications on both sides to and fro he concluded that he was well assured that Monsieur in no case would be brought upon a sudden to yield to any change of Religion for no respect and yet that he doubted not but within a â—mall timâ— after the Match the same would easily be brought to pass without any great difficulty He willed me to consider how much this match was misliked by the Catholiques and how much on the other side desired of those of the Religion here and that in his opinion and conscience nothing could more further Religion throughout Christendom then this match To this I answered that her Majestie was on the other side fully bent to maintain her answer to the second Article or otherwise resolved not to proceed and so we ended This Conference was between us the day after Master Cavalcants arrival Master Cavalcant being present And so c. From Paris the eight and twentieth of April 1571. Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham To our right trusty and well-beloved Francis Walsingham Esquire our Ambassador Resident with our good Brother the French King ELIZABETH R. RIght trusty and well-beloved we greet you well By your Letters of the two and twentieth of April sent to the Lord of Burleigh we perceive in what sort you have dealt with the Irish Fugitive Morris fitz-Gibbons naming himself Archbishop of Cassel and having considered his request in a Paper subscribed with his hand we do not so much disallow his request to have our pardon and his restitution of his Bishoprick if we shall so please as the slender manner of his suit being void of all recognition of his offences and therewith his desire to repair out of that Countrey into Ireland without first coming hither where he ought by his submission to recover his pardon And therefore we would that you should inform him by Letters or by Message and upon your informations of his petitions we do not allow of his manner of so slender submission and petition And if he will not humblie require pardon for his offences and shew himself repentant and disposed to live hereafter in Ireland like a faithful Subject we mean not to bestow upon him either pardon or Bishoprick But if he will upon your warrant come hither into England he shall find us ready to shew him grace according to his humbleness in suing for it This you may let him know and express the same unto him in such sort as you shall see cause for except you shall understand certainly of him we understand there is no great account to be made of him as he pretendeth for himself neither is he of kin to the Earl of Desmond as he alledgeth nor of any credit in England And yet we are content to draw him home by means not dishonourable We do well allow of the Irish man whom you have imployed to attend upon him but whether it be Captain Thomas or Henry is not expressed and we would have you to assure him that he shall be considered by us And we pray you to advertise us in what sort you think best to have him rewarded Given under our Signet at our Pallace of Westminster the fifth of May 1571. and in the thirteenth year of our Reign To the Right Honourable Sir Francis Walsingham Ambassador for the Queens Majestie in France SIr for answer to your Letters concerning the Iewd Lozell of Ireland intituling himself Archbishop of Cassels the Queens Majesties will serve And for reward of the Irish man I pray you advertise your opinion by your next I hear by many means out of Spain that the King is therein rather counselled by Epimetheus then Prometheus he hath imployed much money upon Stewkley and now findeth him not worthie of any more Our Parliament is dailie new with child with projects for Laws that I was never more wearie Your Letters for the matters of D. hath driven us to the wall and particularly offended the Queens Majestie But the French Ambassador hath Letters from the Queen Mother and from de Foix wherein the matters are more tempered and I think he hath Commission to qualifie that hard Article that cannot be there digested It is too true that I perceive that you wrote to Master Hennage that some comfort here hath made you hardlier answered Indeed I wish things were not subject to sudden changes but Gods will be done for I cannot tell how to satisfie doubts but must refer me to his power to direct me As I received news out of Scotland so I send you them we have matters revealed which will shortly disgrace â—8 and offend â—2 and yet nothing shall be justly imployed to the Queens Majestie but that she is of meer necessity forced in extremities to use new remedies Yours assuredly William Burleigh To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh IT may please your Lordship to advertise her Majestie that according
he willed me to assure her that he would never forget and further to signifie unto her that he made choise of the Marshal Montmâ—rency and Monsieur de Foix to send over with his full mind touching the Articles that have been propounded of either side and that he therefore desired by the said Gentlemen to understand when it shall be her Majesties pleasure that they shall come over to treat in that behalf Having then done with the King the Queen Mother called me unto her and told me that of late certain had gone about to perswade the King her Son that her Majestie meant nothing less then to proceed in this marriage using sundry perswasions to induce her to believe the same Notwithstanding she assured me that such is the great good opinion that they all have of her Majesties sincerity upon good grounds in respect of her Majesties honourable dealing as no such brutes and sinister practises can prevail with them to make them think otherwise then honourable of her Majestie and yet she did assure me that the same did proceed from such persons as they might easily have been abused had not her Majesties own sincere dealing assured them of the contrary I shewed her that if she or the King should otherwise think of her Majestie they should do her great wrong and give her just cause to think her sincere dealing unsincerely requited This was the effect of my present negotiation And so c. At â— the twentieth of Iune 1571. Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To my very loving Friend Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador for the Queens Majestie in France I Have written by du Pine of late to you and before that as I think you have received her Majesties Answer and such Articles as she doth think meet to be demanded Her Majestie doth stand still very stiff touching the point of Religion required of that side and as far as I can perceive she will hardly relent to any other qualification then you know of and that being granted to her I suppose there will be no other difficultie And surely in this if Monsieur remit the whole to her Majestie there is no doubt but by that means he shall obtain more then we wish and more then is reasonable or at the least convenient to be openly contracted by them For as by the one that may be had which is to be born withal for a time in hope of better so by the other it will altogether encourage such as are already too high and most meetest to be kept under even for both their sureties For this cause it is onely to be wished for these respects the first to the universal good of the cause of Religion the other for the quietness of our present Estate And for these causes sake I pray God to prosper it accordingly and I see no cause grâ—atly to doubt if that point of Religion be yielded on that side unto The Ambassador here doth very honestly and well in the matter and surely doth good offices between their Majesties For my part I perceive by you that I have cause to thank him for his particular affection towards me I can but thank him here And I pray you as you may have occasion use this favour for me as it may appear to the Kings Majestie there how much his Ambassador hath made me know of his good acceptance of my good devotion towards the encrease of the good Amitie between our good Soveraign and him which doth give me great encouragement to go alway the more forward so far forth as with my duty to her Majestie I may Thus having no other matter presently to write to you I bid you farewel in haste the ninth of June 1571. Your assured Friend Ro. Leicester To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh THe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shewed me his Mistresses Letters dated the seventh of this moneth him to advertise A. that their of great moment in hand to impart he seeketh with England and therefore roundly forward with the matter furthe to advertise A. that there is a practise in the stealing away of the Scotish Q. whereunto him to have regard This as I can gather come from â—54 who discovereth it to his Master he hath not yet imparted the same unto A. by the reason of his absence about ten days past it was bruted here for most certain truth that the Scotish Queen was escaped into Flanders Of late days of these common brutes there have followed shrewd effects whereof your Lordship shall do well to advertise her Majestie to have an eye that way The King is not yet returned to Galleon but remaineth still at Paris which divers of my fellows find themselves agrieved withal especially Spain There rise daily new causes of unkindness between the two Princes Spain seemeth to set the King here very light which ingendreth in him a great desire of revenge and lacketh but treasure to make open demonstration thereof And so c. At Loveirs the five and twentieth of June 1571. Your Lordships to Command Fr. Walsingham By the QUEEN To our Right Trusty and Well-beloved Francis Walsingham Esq our Ambassador Resident with our good Brother the French King ELIZABETH R. RIght Trusty and Well-beloved we greet you well Forasmuch as the French Ambassador here joyntly with Monsieur de l' Archant Captain of the Guard of Monsier D. Anjoâ— treated with us to have our consent that the Marshal Montmorency and others nominated with him for the French King might come hither as they say to treat and conclude the matter moved betwixt us and the said Monsieur we think it necessary to impart unto you what hath passed therein at some length which we have ordered to be put in writing by the Lord of Burleigh to the intent that on the one part you should not be ignorant and on the other part you should be better instructed how to treat upon the matter both with the King or any other that shall in this matter have Commission to treat with you In all our dealings with them you shall find that we have in no wise yielded to grant to Monsieur a liberty for exercise of his Romish Religion neither have we any inclination to yield thereto and yet for the benefit of our Realm rather then for any particular inclination to marriage we have resolved this marriage to be meet for us so as the difficulty of Religion be well accorded And where in the last end upon conference had by the Ambassador and Lord of Archant with the Earl of Leicester and the Lord of Burleigh it may appear to you that they finding a resolute determination of their Ambassadors should demand of us a liberty for Monsieur in the cause of Religion it should be denied then did they thereupon seem to yield and by way of demand require to know how it might be liked if the demand of Religion were utterly forborn and put to silence Our meaning is not
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
move the same but finding now that he hath secretly named me for that place I do coldlieâ— deal therein knowing both my insufficiency and doubting of the success thereof but whether any shall come or who shall I surely cannot gess The Queens Majestie would have you to enquire what becometh of Liggons my Lord of Norfolks servant that hath of long time been about Paris and the Court. Here is some matter presently discovered that my Lord of Norfolk should still mind this matter of the Scotish Queen for there is intercepted a good portion of money in gold that was and by Letters in Cypher directed to my Lord of Harrife for help of the Scotish Queens party in Scotland and the same was sent by one Higford the Dukes Secretary who was by order from hence taken and committed at London and this day is examined by Sir Thomas Smith who yesterday went thither for that purpose What will follow I cannot now write but sorry I shall be that my Lord of Norfolk shall be found undutiful and yet if he be I am glad it shall be known and so I end with my prayer From Audeley-Inne by Walden the second day of September 1571. Your assured Friend William Burleigh I send you something from Scotland whereby you may see how small the Queen of Scots party is in Scotland To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh IT may please your Lordship to advertise her Majestie that according to her order prescribed me by her Letters bearing date the second of September I made report unto the King here of that which passed in sundry Conferences between her Majestie and his Ministers Monsieur de Foix and his Ambassador Resident as also apart with her Majesties Councel His answer was that he had great cause to give her Majestie thanks for her honourable enterâ—ainment given unto de Foix. until whose coming he could say nothing in answer of that which had passed by conference He protested that he desired nothing more then straight Amity with her Majestie and therefore thinking marriage the best means for the accomplishing thereof it should be no small grief unto him if the same should not take place whereby that perfect Amity might ensue that might be beneficial to both the Crowns This was the effect of this present answer Her Majestie is very much beholding to the D 3. who standeth most earnestly in defence of her honour against any that seek any way to touch the same she seemeth to think her self much bound to her Majestie for that it pleased her Majestie to vouchsafe once to write I suppose a few lines of thanks bestowed on her again from her Majestie would win her to be a good instrument to give advertisements of such things as are sit for her Majestie to know Queen Mother is much governed by her and therefore she may be the better able to do the greater good And if may further please her Majestie to bestow some ring on her I think the profit that would grow thereof in time will make her Majestie think it well bestowed Of late there is a great sum of money to the sum of 15000 franks made here in Poictu by the Queen of Scots Officers an the same barrel'd up and sent to Paris and from thence as I hear it shall be conveyed into Scotland to those of her faction there yet as I am informed that ill success that the money that they sent before had maketh them to stand in doubt to convey it by sea and therefore if they may conveniently they would rather make it over to London by exchange whereunto by your Lordships order if there may an eye be had it will easily be discovered the sum being so great The Admiral arrived here the twelfth of this Moneth Touching the manner of his receiving I refer you to the report of this Gentleman Mr. Lyster her Majesties servant whom I have throughly instructed what I have truly learned in that behalf The day after his arrival he sent a Gentleman unto me with this Message that in respect of the place I hold he was bound for the great favour shewed by her Majestie generally unto them of the Religion in the time of their necessity as also particularly unto his Brother to have come and visited me but he desired me to consider what suspicion would grow thereof which might rather do harm then good notwithstanding he assured me that her Majestie should always find him ready to serve her with the hazard both of life and goods whensoever any occasion should be presented to shew the affection and good will he beareth her Majestie in respect of the bond he oweth her Generally all those of the religion who are the flower of France do make like protestation assuring her Majestie that when occasion or tryal shall be offered she shall find them no less ready to serve her then if they were her own natural Subjects The Marriage between the Prince of Navarre is not so forward as Queen Mother was in preparation at Paris who had provided both Jewels and Wedding-garments The onely impediment as I hear is Religion There departeth shortly towards the concluding of this matte towards the Q. of Navarre who is now gone to Arragon to certain Baynes there for her health Byron and Beaâ—voys Co. Lo. left a man here of purpose to attend her Majesties answer touching those things that I propounded on his behalf in my letter sent by Mr. Dannet The resolution of that enterprize stayeth onely upon the expectation what her Majestie will do and it is feared that the matter will be so long protracted as the opportunity of the enterprize will be let slip which if it so fall out the unkindness between this Crown and Spain will be reconciled which I fear will not tend most to her Majesties safety and so do as many fear as love her Majesty here The house of Guise secretly doth travel by all means to break the Amity with England for that they think nothing will more prejudice the Queen of Scots their Kinswoman then the same Touching my own private estate my disease groweth so dangerously upon me as I most humbly desire her Majestie to take some speedy order for some to supply my place I hope my life shall stand her Majestie in more stead then my death and upon these extream points standeth the defering of the cure I hope therefore her Majestie will have consideration of it accordingly Thus leaving further to trouble your Lordship at this present I most humbly take my leave At Blois the sixteenth of September 1571. Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh IT may please your Lordship to advertise her Majestie that within three days after Monsieur de Foix arrival the King sent for me and after my access unto him he willed me first in his name to thank her Majestie for the honourable entertainment
but it little helpeth the D. case I pray you give little Leicester thanks for his often writing to me and commend me to my Lord of Rutland and his wife Thus having nothing else to write but of her Majesties good health I bid thee farewell this 20 of September Your assured friend Ro. Leicester To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq her Majesties Ambassador Resident in France SIr since Monsieur de Foix departure these things have happened The D. of Norfolk is charged with the countenance of dangerous practises with the Queen of Scots as that he hath sent money into Scotland to maintain her party in the Castle for proof whereof Letters are intercepted in Cipher by one Higgford his Secretary who is now in the Tower and confesseth that the Duke commanded him to write to one Law Banister the Dukes man that he should see secretly conveyed 600 l. to the Lord Harrise to be by him conveyed to Liddington Graunge The Duke at the first denied all manner of knowledge thereof but now at his committing to the Tower he yieldeth and asketh pardon thereofâ— but yet the money is said to have been by the Fr. Ambassador delivered to Barâ—or the Dukes man to be conveyed to Viracque how this is true time must teach sure we are that they in the Castle have been payed divers times with English Angells and Royalls There are also found about the Duke certain writings by which appeareth that the Duke was acquainted with the voiage that Ridolph made to Rome and to Spain hereupon the Queens Majestie is grievously offended both toward the Queen of Scots and the D. and hath strengthned her from intelligence At this time the matters of Scotland are also intricate the Queens party much diminished by the deserting of the 〈◊〉 of Argile Egliton and Cassillâ— and yet by a stratagem on Monday last as night the case had like to have been much altered The Earle of Huntley and Lord Hamilton with Bucklough and Fernichurst accompained with 40 horsemen entred by stealth into the Town of Sterling after midnight they took the Regent in his bed and the Earles Argile Moretâ—n Cassills c. and whilest these being prisoners were at the Town gate to be carried away with their takers the rest of the company spoiling the Town they of the Castle of Sterling issued out and so resued the prisoners saving that in the conflict the Regent and 16 more of his Gentlemen were slain as it is written Thus it is written unto me but I dare not affirm it untill I heare it again As for the motion made by de Foix that some person might be sent thither to affirme his message and to maintain that with the Queen Majesties honour wherein by de Foix I was named the Queens Maâ—estie doth forbeare untill she may heare from you for according to the answer that shall be made her Majestie will send a person either mean or great By reason that I was named I have had lesse occasion to motion it but surely it had done well to have fed the French humour and many things may better be said by an expresse messenger then by the report of an Ambassador Lieger whose commission groweth by writing Truly the more matters are discovered the more necessary it is seen that her Majestie should marry The Queens Majestie returneth towards London from hence to Hundon and so to my house in Chesthunt and so to S. Iame's and hence to Richmond And so having commodity by this honest Gentleman Mr. Clarke I end From Lees the 28 of September 1571. Your assured loving friend W. Burleigh To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh YOur Lordships of the 17 20 of September sent by Har I received the 28 of the same which came in very good time for that there is most earnest soliciting here by the Ambassadors Lord Fleming and Duglas for present aid to be sent into Scotland therefore after I had well perused the contents thereof I took occasion by presenting the Earle of Rutland at his leave taking to make Q. Mother acquainted with so much of the same as I thought â—it for her to know I shewed her that if it might so like her I would declare unto her at large the present state of England as also my private opinion in some points not by Commission as an Ambassador but as a private Gentleman that desireth nothing more then good Amity between both the two Crowns and therefore wish all jealousie to be removed for that there could be no perfection of friendship where jealousie was a party First touching the state of England I made her privy what had passed between their Ambassador Monsieur de la Mot and the Duke of Norfolk touching the money as also the pacquet conveyed by Virague I made her also acquainted with the contents of the discourse 〈◊〉 by the 〈◊〉 of Scotsâ— to the Duke I shewed her further that Monsieur 〈…〉 sending for Audience to have moved her majestie for relief of the Queen of Scots did not best like her In the end I concluded with that point that concerned the Duke of Alva's advice given to the said Queen aswell for her own marriage as her sons as also not to depend any longer upon France Then touching my private opinion I shewed her I was sorry first that their Ambassador should have intelligence with the Duke who was discovered to be a dangerous subject Secondarily That he should be so earnest in seeking the liberty of the Queen of Scots unto the Queen my Mistress a most dangerous enemy these things I feare said I may breed in the Queen my Mistress some opinion that the friendship professed is not altogether sincere and therefore I wished that the King and she in seeking the Queen of Scots liberty would not forget to have regard to the Queen of Englands safety especially now seeing the Queen of Scots seeketh to quit her self of his protection To this she answered That as on the one side she was glad to understand that these practises were discovered so was she sorry that there should fall out any thing that might breed any suspicion in her Majestie of any evill meaning on their behalf who wished asmuch good to her Majestie as to their own selves And as for de la Mots doing I know saith she aswell for his duty towards the King my Son who would not have him deale in any thing that might any way prejudice the Queen your Misterss as also for the particular good will he beareth unto her was altogether void of any evill meaning and so I hope she will interpret it The money saith she as I am informed by the Scots Ambassador was sent by him to de la Mot to be conveyed to the Queen of Scots who as he shewed quite was void of mony I then replied That the money was sent over to another end as the Duke himself had confessed and that therefore the Ambassador
had misinformed her She told me further that the money was none of the Kings but part of that which she hath yearly from hence by virtue of her dowry By this your Lordship may see that the Ambassador dealeth somewhat cunningly in this behalf to gratifie the Queen of Scots Touching the solliciting of her liberty she shewed me that the King and she aswell in respect of the ancient League with Scotland as the alliance by marriage could in honour do no lesse then recommend her cause which she protested they never did with intention any way to perjudice her Majestie I then desired her first to consider whether the Amity of England might not be as beneficiall to France as that of Scotland Secondarily Whether they had that need at this present of the Amity and League of Scotland as heretofore they have had For the first I shewed her that France in respect of the greatness of some of their neer neighbours had need of the Amity of both England and Scotland For the second I told her that England had no foot in France Scotland was rather chargeable then profitable to France She replied That the King notwithstanding in honour could not but continue Amity and League with Scotland though he had not that use as before time I answered her That the King might continue his League with Scotland by joyning with the Queen my Mistris in the maintenance of the young Kings government there To this she answered That the king could not in honour abandon his sister in Law I answered That the Kings band towards his sister in Law is not more then of a naturall father towards his naturall child yet if the child grow to be dissolute and lewd whereby he is shaken off by his father the fault is not to be imputed to the father but to the child even so if the King in respect of the indignities committed by his sisteâ— in Law shall give over the protection of her the cause thereof is onely to be imputed to her misdemeannor unworthy of her calling and not to him I desired her to consider further that whereas she saith the King in Honour is bound to seek her liberty that he is more bound in honour to have regard of the Queen my â—istris safety First for that she is a Princesse of life vertuous in Government guided by Law and Justice in affection toward him sincere Now if by the Queen of Scots liberty procured by him the State should be disquieted what thing could happen that might touch the King more in honour conscience and as for any assurance or protestation that she might make to the King touching her peaceable behaviour toward the Q. my Mistress First I desired her to weigh that she was ambitious and therefore no Capitulation could serve for a bridle Secondly That she is most guided by the advice of those of her kindred who have been the greatest cause of the disquiet of Europe whereof she could be a witness Thirdly how that now she meaneth chiefly to depend upon Spain who will be alwaies provoking her to the disquieting of England and France These considerations said I Madam if you will well weigh I hope they will give you cause not to be over earnest in procuring any enlargment of liberty especially upon this late discovery of her evill meaning towards her Majestie In my private opinion you shall do well therefore to remit the same untill the coming of the Gentleman whom the Queens Majestie my Mistress meaneth to send So in the end she concluded that she would confer with the King her Son whom she assured me would be loath to do any thing that might any way discontent her Majestie or tend to her prejudice J. K. being by me so requested dealt very earnestly with her in that behalf shewing the unseasonableness of the time to commend a matter so unacceptable especially having intention to treat of some straight Amity Douglas in his return hither passed by Flanders he was accompained from Antwerp to Bruxels by the Earle of Westmerland and a dozen other of the Rebells where he had conference with the Duke of Alva and was as he secretly reporteth to a friend of his very Honourably used and put in comfort that there should be somewhat done shortly for the assistance of the Queen of Scots faction in Scotland and further that he doubted not but that there would come a time that there should also be somewhat done for her delivery which had not now to have been executed had not the jealousie of some French enterprize stayed him Iunius the Co. Palatines servant who had his dispatch at the King hands the second of this moneth shewed me that the message he had in commission to deliver to his Mr. and the rest of the Princes was that the said King was glad the said Princes were both content and desirous to enter into some straight League with him a thing necessary for both their preservations and to the end that the same might proceed he desired them that they would consider of the points and Articles to be agreed on as also of some convenient place for the meeting of their Deputies Whereof when he shall be advertised upon his return again he would not faile to send some personage of good calling with Authority to coâ—clude such points as shall be agreed upon After he had received his message he shewed me that he told the King that it were very necessary that the Queen of England were named to joyn in this League whereof he signified unto me that both the King and Queens Mother were most desirous thereof and therefore wished that there might be some means found that her Majestie might be moved in that behalf whereupon he and I after some conference had what way were best to be taken agreed upon a Letter to be sent by me to his Mr. as the best means to bring the same to passe which Letters I caused Mr. Beale to draw and sent to Mr. Iunius according as we resolved whereof I send your Lordship a Copy to the end your Lordship may see the course I have taken which I hope for that it tendeth to her Majesties safety will not mislike her Thus leaving further to trouble your Lordship at this present I most humbly take my leave At Blois the 7 of October 1571. Your Honours to command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh IT may please your Lordship to advertise her Majestie that the 22 of this moneth the King sent for me and at the time of my accesse he shewed me that he was given to understand that her Majestie meant to send certain Souldiers into Scotland which thing he would be sorry it should so fall out for that then he should be forced in respect of the ancient League with Scotland to strengthen the Queens party there by sending of forces thither and that therefore he desired her Majestie to
you a Commission under our great Seal of England wherein we have joyned with you our Ambassador Francis Walsingham and our servant H. Killegrew who is there with you wherein our meaning is that assoon as Walsingham shall come thither he shall joyn with you and within some convenient time Killegrew may return according to our first order given to him at his departure thither And yet untill VValsingham shall come thither Killegrew may remain as joyned And considering the whole burden of the matter of learning in conceiving the Articles of this Treaty shall rest almost wholly in this Treaty we would that when you are proceeded as far as you can and as you think meet that before you shall subscribe the Treaty you shall send the same hither to us to be more circumspectly perused and thereupon we will with like speed return it as we shall think meet and so may you reasonably declare your intention to the French King pretending your instruction of your self and therewith to use the same as they may not suspect it to come of any intention of delay At Westminster the 13 of February 1571. Wil. Burleigh To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh YOur Letters sent by the Scot dated the 6 of this month I have received he willed me to inform you that since his coming hither he hath learned that the King giveth but a deaf ear to their causes notwithstanding that they hope that upon Graunges brothers coming who is now at the Court there will be somewhat obtained for their relief which if it take not place then they mean to repair to Flanders where the Lord Seaton hath received from the Pope 20 thousand Crowns who is putting himself in readiness to repair into Scotland Further he willed me to shew your Lordship that the L. Fleming looketh for a Barque of his own to arrive at New-Haven about the end of this month in the which he meaneth to repair to Scotland with such forces as he can get either by consent from the King or by stealth otherwise This in effect is that which he willed me to impart unto your Lordship I find this he saith confirmed by other Intelligence I have Graunges brother as I learn meaneth to protest to the King that unless they may have Men Money and Munition out of hand for their relief that then they shall be driven to yield to such composition as will be made to the Queen of England which will not much tend to the benefit of France After Sir Tho. Smiths assurance of her Majesties intention I suppose the King will perswade them to fall to agreement among themselves without further intermedling in their causes From all the Ports both innormandy and Picardy Cane only excepted I learn there is no preparation of ships Shortly I hope to understand what is done in Cane And so leaving further to trouble your Lordship I most humbly take my leave at Paris the 29 of December 1571. Your Honours to command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh TOuching your Lordships by Sir Tho. Smith according to her Majesties order I have caused the King to understand as well the trust she hath in him as also how much she desireth his presence at the Court whereby Sir Tho. Smith may be the better assisted by his advice some like office I have also used towords I. who hath alwaies been an especial furtherer of the cause From him who liveth not far from this Town I have received most earnest promise that he will do his uttermost and for that he is here imployed by the King in the punishment of those that committed the late disorder he hath written secretly to his friends to the Court to sound there in what state the matter standeth and as they find secretly to advertise Sir Thomas he protesteth that he would be loath to see her Majesty abused as any Subject she hath that loveth her most dearly He hath great hope that the matter will take good success for that he seeth the state of both Realms doth necessarily require so strait an amity as marriage bringeth He promiseth to use the more expedition in that which is committed to his charge to the end he may repair to the Court with the more speed Lineroles who by the House of Guise and the rest of the Spanish Faction was made an instrument to disswade his Master was slain the ninth of this Month his death yielded no small furtherâ—nce to the Cause I hope therefore Sir Thomas Smiths first dispatch will bring the Olive Branch And so leaving further to trouble your Honour at this present I most humbly take my leave at Paris Decemb. 8. 1571. Your Honours to command Fr. Walsingham Your Lordships of the 8 by Sir Thomas Smith I have received and according to her Majesties order expressed in the same I have by means of a third person who heretofore hath been imployed betwixt us caused the person you know of to understand the great trust her Majestie reposeth in him as also her desire to have him at the Court during the time of Sir Tho. Smiths being there whereby he may the better have the assistance of his advice Touching the matter it self I know not how to judge of it for that I have been two Months absent from the Court as I have cause to doubt so have I cause more to hope to doubt for that her Majesties long deferring in sending may have bred some doubt here of her cold inclination that way and so cause them to give ear to some other offers having small hope of this To hope first for that there is no other match worthy the seeking elsewhere secondarily for that they begin to fear very much the greatness of Spain and therefore desire to be strengthned by the Arm of England and though that may be done by way of League yet they think the marriage the surest knot of amity After Sir Tho. Smith hath had audience it will then soon appear what is to be looked for in that behalf Lastly for that Lineroles the chief disswader of the Marriage is lately slain Marshal M. who is imploy'd here by the King in punishment of the authors of the late disorder meaneth to make the more haste to the Court to the end to further the matter whereof he hopeth there will grow success Thus leaving further to trouble your honour at this present I most humbly take my leave At Paris the last of December 1571. Your Honours to Command Fr. Walsingham A minute of my Lord of Burleighs Letter to Sir Thomas Smith of the 28 of December SInce your departure from hence there hath no new thing of vallue happened but the discharging of the late Spanish Ambassador who hath both in Office and out of Office used himself very crookedly perniciously and maliciously against the State and namely and openly against me not forbearing but in open Coâ—cel
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
Suffex L. Chamberlain and the L. of Burleigh with whom together he heard such reasons alleadged for the stay of his journey until the King might be thereof advertised as in the end he did not shew any other misliking but that he would willingly tarry here and send to the King his Master to understand his further pleasure and wished that we would likewise advertise the King by our Ambassador there And thus you see how we have dealt with du Croque since his coming and what either the Ambassador or he shall advertise we know not but besides this which we have written unto you you shall understand by a memorial in writing which you shall receive from the L. Burleigh the further circumstances of the Conferences had at two several times betwixt our Councel and him which when you have considered with these the premises afore written we would have you to impart the same to the King in the best sort you shall finde convenient to move him to interpret these our doings to the best as reason ought to do And in the end to procure that du Croque may have larger Commission to treat of the matters in Scotland in such sort as we may accord thereto with our surety For otherwise you may well say that the labors of us both shall be but lost You shall further understand that since the comhither of Mr. Beal with your last letters and other writings of your negociation about the new Treaty we have considered thereof and have forborn to resolve what our Answer shall be to the points by you suspended until we may have further conference with this Ambassador here who hearing of the return of our servants Hen. Killegrew and Beal hath required that we would forbear to resolve and to return our answer unto you until he might have commodity to speak with us which he looketh daily to have by the coming of a Currier from thence which he doth hourly look for and this is the cause why at this present we do stay the return of Beal unto you wishing you in the mean time to give them no occasion to doubt but that our answers of the Treaty shall be found reasonable Given under our Signet at our Palace of Westminster March 20. 1571. In the fourteenth yeer of our Reign To the Right Honourable and his very good Lord the Lord Burleigh SInce I wrote last to your Lp. there hath here fallen out nothing worthy the Advertisement The matter of marriage between the Prince of Navar and the Lady Margaret continueth doubtful whereof Sir Tho. Smith and I have more cause so to judge for that the 4 of this month it pleased the Q. of Navar to send for us to dinner Immediately upon our coming she shewed unto us how with the consent of the Q. mother she had sâ—nt for us as the Ministers and Ambassadors of a Christian Princess whom she had sundry causes to honor to confer with us and certain others in whom she reposed great trust touching certain difficulties that were impeachments to the marriage which thing she would communicate to us after dinner She said to us that now she had the Woolf by the ears for that in concluding or not concluding the marriage she saw danger every way and that no matter though she had dealt in matters of consequence did so much trouble her as this for that she could not tell how to resolve amongst divers causes of fear she shewed unto us that two chiefly troubled her The first that the K. would needs have her son and L. Margaret the marriage proceeding to be Courtiers and yet would not yield to grant him any exercise of Religion the next way to make him become an Atheist as also thereby no hope to grow of the Conversion of the L. Margâ—ret for that she would not resort to any Sermon The second that they would needs condition with the L. Margaret remaining constant in the Catholike Religion should have whensoever she went into the Country of Bern her Mass a thing which in no wise she can consent unto havinâ— her Country cleansed from all Idolatry Besides saith she the L. Margaret remaining a Catholike whensoever she shal come to remain in the Country of Bern the Papists there wil take her part which will breed division in the Country and make her more unwilling to give ear to the Gospel they having a staff to lean to After dinner ended she sent for us into the Chamber where we found a dozen others of certain Gent. of the Religion and their Ministers She declared unto us briefly what had passed between the K. Q mother and her touching the marriage as also what was the present cause of the stay of the same wherein she desired us severally to say our opinion and that sincerely as we would answer unto God The stay stood upon 3 points First whether she might with a good Conscience substitute a Papist for her sons Proctor for the Fiansals which was generally agreed she might 2ly whether the Proctor going to Mass incontinently after the Fiansals which was expresly forbidden by his letter procuratory would nâ—t breed an offence to the godly It was agreed that forasmuch as he vvas justly forbidden the same by his letter procuratory the same could justly minister no offence for that he vvas no longer a Proctor then he kept himself vvithin the limits procuratory of the letter procuratory 3ly Whether she might consent that the vvord Fiansal might be pronounced by a Priest in his priestly attire vvith his Surplice and Stoal This latter point vvas long debated and for the Ministers concluded that the same thought it vvere a thing indifferent could not but breed a general offence unto the godly she protested that she vvould never consent to do that thing vvhereof there might grovv any publike scandal for that she knevv she said she should soincur Gods high displeasure upon vvhich protestation it vvas generally â—oncluded that in no case she might yield thereto her ovvn Conscience gainsaying the same so that novv the marriage is held generally for broken Notvvithstanding I am of a contrary opinion and do think assuredly that hardly any cause vvill make them break so many necessary causes there are why the same should proceed By the next I shal be able to advertise your L. of the certainty of this mariage What hath been done upon the receipt of your Lps. dated thâ— 6 and 11 of this month you may perceive by Sir T. Smiths letters vvritten at large Of late I learn by one that lately is come out of Denmark that there is a great league grovvn betvvixt the D. of Alva and the K. there and that there should be some practise in hand there for some enterprise to be done either in Scotland or England For the accomplishment thereof the D. desireth of the K. certain ships Touching the said amity grown of late between the K. and D. this Ks. Ambassador there doth advertise thereof and sheweth
and novv be in the Castle of Edenburgh and this being understood the Ship vvas stayed and searched and amongst other the confirmation of that vvhich I told you before vvas in the Scotch Queens Letters that she gave her self and her son novv the young King of Scotland vvholly into the hands of the King of Spain to be governed and ruled only by him and assure him that if he vvould send any povver the young King should be delivered into his hands For in the Ship it doth appear that the Lord Seton by his instructions is named the Scotch Queens Ambassador tovvards the Duke of Alva A goodly Ambassador saith the Queen And there in his Ambass he offereth the young King to be delivered into his hands to be conveyed into Spain And to animate him more to set up again the Scotch Queen and take the protection of her that she hath right both by Gods Law and mans Law to be Queen of England and also of Scotland and that she hath not only all those that be in trouble now but a great sort more in England on her part so that the King by setting her up should not only govern both these Realms but shall also set up in both again the Catholique Religion Alas saith the Queen that head of hers shall be never in quiet This quoth I toucheth us most the next toucheth the King your son I will shew unto you as I have it my Lord Burleigh writeth it unto me In the same ship amongst other was found a Letter of the Countess of Northumberland who was one of the chief stirrers in the last Rebellion Her husband the Earl is now prisoner in Scotland for the same purpose The Countess in her Letter writeth to her husband that the Duke of Guise hath of late been with the D. of Alva disguised and she affirmeth to her husband for certainty all the house of Guise and that faction will follow in all points the direction of the King of Spain Saith the Queen he was not for by reason of his Treaty of accord she meant between the Admiral and him which hath been long time in doing and yet taketh that small success every four daies we either hear from him or send to him so that we know certainly where he is and that he hath not been there he might well enough send some other person but somewhat there is we know well enough saith she that they incline somewhat that way of Spain and it may be nothing for it is the Spanish practice to aid themselves with lies and spread abroad that those and those be of the Faction to bring other in when indeed it is nothing so that used the Emperor Charls and so brought some by this means unto his lure before they were aware and that is a shrewd art quoth I to abuse rash fools Yes saith she but when at the last it is espied it makes them the more to be hated and other the harder to be abused by them Then she left that matter Jesu saith she and doth not your Mistress see that she shall be alwaies in danger untill she marry That once done and in some good House who dare attempt any thing against her Madam quoth I I think if she were once married all in England that had any traiterous hearts would be discouraged for one Tree alone may soon be cut down but when there be two or three together it is longer a doing and one shall watch for the other but if she had a child then all these bold and troublesome Titles of the Scotch Queen or other that make such gapings for her death will be clean choaked up I see she may have five or six saith she very well I would to God we had one No saith she two boys leâ—t the one should die and three or four daughters to make alliance with us again and other Princes to strengthen the Realm Why then quoth I you think that Monsieur le Duc shall speed With that she laughed and said Ie le desire infinitement and I would trust then to see three or four my self at the least of her race which would make me indeed not to spare Sea nor Land to see her and them And if she could have fancied my son d'Anjou saith she as you told me why not this of the same house Father and Mother and as vigorous and lusty as he and rather more and now he beginneth to have a beard come forth so that I told him the last day that I was angry with it for now I was afraid he would not be so high as his brethren Yea Madam quoth I a man doth commonly grow in height to his years the beard maketh nothing Nay saith she he is not so little he is so high as you or very near For that matter Madam quoth I I for my part make small account if the Queens Majestie can fancie him For Pipinus Brevis who married Bertha the King of Almains Daughter was so little to her that he is standing in Aquisgrave or Moguerre a Church in Almani she taking him by the hand and his head not reaching to her girdle and yet he had by her Charlemain the great Emperor and King of France which is reported to be almost a Giants stature And your Oliver Glesquim the Briton Constable that you make so much of and lieth buried amongst the Kings at St. Dennis if he were no bigger then is there pourtrayed upon his Tomb was very short scarcely four foot long but yet he was valiant hardly and couragious above all in his time and did us English men most hurt It is true saith she it is the heart courage and activity that is to be looked for in a man but hear you word of the Queens affection that way can you give me no comfort No I assure your Majestie quoth I for the Letters were written the 11 of this Month the same day or the next that our Currier went with the dispatch from hence Thus with much other talk in such sort the time was passed that day betwixt her Majestie and me All the world doth see that we doe wish her Majestie surety and long continuance that her marriage and issue of her Highness body should be the most assurance of her Highness and of the Wealth of the Realm The place where and the person whom I for my part remit to her Majestie but what doth her Majestie mean to maintain still her danger and not provide for her surety I assure your Lordship I can see no reason God preserve her Majestie long to Reigne over us by some unlooked for miracle for I cannot see by natural reason that her Highness goeth about to provide for it Thus I commit your Lordship to Almighty God From Blois March 22. 1571. by English account Th. Smith To my Lord of Burleigh MY Lord You must excuse us if the Queens Majestie or any other body do find fault that we send this man away
in the writing as a thing confessed both by the King here and the Q. Maj. they would have the rehersal made as of her Majesties relation and yet the thing done as her Highness requireth as you see in the Treaty These things when they come to conclusion your wisdom knoweth be not to be sticked upon so that the Q. Mother with her Honor hath done all that is desired of her Highness And as I hope and trust the best League that ever was made with France or any other Nation for her Majesties surety As yet we have not signed the Treaty but to morrow or the next day we shall have There hath been such variance betwixt us for some words and somewhat for slowness of Writers Thus in few words you have the reasons of our variances and agreements so that with the said and other which your Lordship can adjoyn all doubts and objections if any may be answered And so I commit your Lordship to almighty God from Blois April 17. 1571. To my Lord Burleigh MY very good Lord After the dispatch of our Post this here inclosed was brought to us to look upon to know what we thought upon it we answered for us we could not judge but her Majestie had well considered of it and we doubt not will either signe to the like as it is or with some other amendment but because the League is concluded and signed we have no more to do Dâ— Florence brought it and was content to leave it with us the which we thought convenient to take of him and send it your Lordship by Cavalcant somevvhat to consider of it before for their Ambassador shall present it to the Q. Majestie to have the like of her Highness Mr. Cavalcant also doth partly understand the reason of it vvhich is to satisfie such as would be glad to find any cavellation to mislike the League And therefore for our part vve vvish that her Majestie should condiscend to so much as conveniently her Highness may do because the King here dealeth so frankly and roundly vvith her Majestie And straightly after that I had written so farr came Monsieur brother and brought us a copy of a League in French and also of the reciproque Letters for the explication of the general words thereof to be understood also in matter of Religion This League in French serveth for three purpose the one the King here understands French and not Latine the other for the aid of horsemen and footmen The Latine at this day is forced to signifie the manner as it is now differing although it be the manner of the Romans the French is proper to the orders of the War at this day which be better known by that Language now then by Latine Now you having both the one may serve for the interpretation of the other although the very League is that which is in Latine and signed with â—ll our hands and Seals Thus I commit your Lordship to Almighty God From Blois April 22. at night To my Lord of Burleigh MY very good Lord I most heartily thank you for your Leters of the 28 of April wherin I greatly rejoyc'd that du Crocque is sent at the last into Scotland the staying of him was not well taken here for it bred some suspicion as of no plain dealing and the King here meaning surely for any thing I can yet perceive nothing but sincerity and plain and faithful dealing towards her Maj. is again for his part suspicious but I wil not swear for his Councel within these three daies there was a Letter of du Crocques to the King sent from the Court hither to Mr. de Montmorency and du Foix who sent to us immediately du Florence complaining very much that du Crocque had written to the King that he was in despair of his going into Scotland he thought verily the Q. would not let him go This thing somewhat amazed us both but so soon as we received your Letters which was yesterday the 8 of May and with them a Letter of Iohn Woods that du Crocque went into Scoland in May we went streight to visit the Marshal and du Foix imparted to them the news we knew and especially that du Crocque was gon we shewed them also the Articles propounded by her Maj. and their answers of the Castle wherein they might understand how sincerely the Q. Maj. meant Before du Crocque came they all liked very well yea and also that de la Mott and du Crocque did accept instead of that 5 Article and they doubted not both the Princes once binding themselves together to set a quiet in that Realm both the parties must needs content themselves to yield to reason And if the young King be established there as I have often written the K. here and the wiser of his Councel do desire no other Marry he must not seem to be the doer of it nor the condemner of her cause As for those Articles neither I nor 〈◊〉 Walsingham as we told plainly and I am sure Mr. du Foix will say as much in England did neither allow nor disallow for we had no Commission as we said and because it was referred to her Maj. we could not but leave them whole and intire for her Highness to judge upon I marvel my L. Admiral is so long before he set forward Marshal Montmorency and du Foix and all that should go with them be ready and attend only to hear when my L. Admiral doth set forward A man would marvel what a number of great persons both of the long and short Robe do desire to go with the Marshal and to see England and what shift he is fain to make to cut off his train and shake them off that desire to go let he should have too many he is surely a great Prince here marvelous wel belov'd and one that loves the Q. Maj. and our Nation as much as any Noble man in France I hope the Q. Maj. will give him the Order at his being there that he may follow his father therein he will esteem it much and I know not how it cometh to pass here is a rumor already spread that he amongst others was elected on S. Georges day and your Lordship also whereof I pray God give unto you long joy and many years to wear that Order I am glad the Treaty is liked Now it cannot be said her Maj. is altogether alone having so good a defence of so noble couragious and so faithfull a Prince of his word and so near a neighbour provided for and bespoken before hand against any need partly that and partly the trouble in Flanders which I trust God hath provided to deliver his poor servants there from the Antichristian Tyranny shall make her Highness enjoy more quietly both England and Ireland and a better neighbor of Scotland Thus I commit your Lordship to Almighty God Paris May 7. 1571. To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the
some unplaced and in that profession very excellent but the entertainment they require is so unreasonable and so far exceedeth your Lordships offer as I dare not deal with them They ask 300 Crowns a year besides meat and drink and the finding of their horse and the least they can be reduced unto is 200 Crowns True it is that such of the Noblemen as entertain them do give them no less wages He useth towards them what perswasions he may to induce them to think that 150 Crowns in England will go further then 300 here but as yet no perswasions will serve to make them so to think I say therefore to conclude any thing with them I mind not until I hear further from your Lordship Of late doubting that there is no good meant towards you from hence and having some cause to suspect some Irish practises and knowing that Capt. Lassetty doth understand the state and weakness of that Countrey I have entertained him with some hope to be entertained of her Majestie his imperfections I know well enough notwithstanding his service may be profitable and if it be to no other end yet were the entertainment of him necessary in respect of the harm he may do At all times when any danger did seem to grow towards her Majesty he hath requested me to present to her his service though that Nation be very much inclined to treason yet surely I think him in that point to stand much upon his honor Because I would be loath long in vain to entertain him with that hope I beseech your Lordship that I may by the next hear what your opinion is in this behalf Captain Massino del Beni whom your Lordship knoweth who is now retired into Germany requested me to desire your Lordship to offer his service unto her Majesty who in respect of Religion and the zeal and honor he beareth towards her Majesty would be glad to sacrifice his life in her defence If your Lordship think the same might be received then would he repair thither if otherwise he would be glad to know it because he meaneth to take some other course to direct himself I am the willinger at this point to offer the service of Souldiers for that I fear her Maiesty shall have iust cause to use them considering how slenderly we are furnished at home for now that the Prince of Orange is retired her Majesty may not long look to live in repose I am sorry that the union of Scotland is not already made which I fear will be cause of both their and our ruine If that footing-place were taken away from our foraign enemies our danger would be the lesse Money will do any thing with that Nation as your Lordship knoweth which if her Majesty stick to disburse she shall find neither profit nor surety in it The tempest that hangeth over our head is to mans judgment apparent so great as if she overslip any remedy that may be used she must not long look to keep the State that she now enjoyeth If the great strength and power of her enemies be weighed with her weakness the danger cannot but seem the greater if any thing be omitted to be done that may â—end to her safety If England and Scotland be united and such unsound members cut off as have been the cause of inward corruption both her enemies shall have less will to attempt any thing against her safety and she remain in less perill of such mischiefs as otherwise are like to fall upon her Violent diseases must have violent remedies if her Majesty do not not now think her State to stand in extremity things at home well considered both she and the same are in more danger I beseech your Lordship to pardon my passion in this behalf the suspition I have of the evill meaning here towards her Majesty maketh me to be thus carried away as I am And so leaving further to trouble your Lordship at this present I must humbly take my leave At Paris the 8 of October 1572. Your Honours to command Francis Walsingham Answers to the French Ambassador given by word of mouth by my Lord Treasurer in the Councell Chamber in Octob. 1572 FOr the Kings answer to the advice of her Majesty given in two points viz. that the King would cause the world to understand of his deed upon the Admirals death somwhat better then yet it did Secondarily that he would see that his Edicts be better observed her Majesty meaneth not to reply thereto wishing that both in the one and the other the King find good success To the motion of the Enterview to be before the 20 of October and iâ— to the Queen Mothers letter is to be at the Isle of Iersey seemed to her majesty so strange both for the time and place as if the Admirall had not shewed the Letters from the King and Qu. Mother to that effect her Majesty should either not have believed it or that the Ambassador had mistaken the same as without long speech the Ambassador may easily perceive for the 20 day of October is not 14 days off from the time of the motion nor one month from the date of the Kings letter and Iersey is a place so far distant as neither King of this land would adventure to sail unto for many causes nor yet any Merchant would take upon him to pass thither almost in that time Besides that the late proceedings in France to the destruction of all sorts of her Majesties Religion which also is not ceased to her Majesties understanding cannot but argue this manner of motion very absurd and besides ingender in the subjects of this Realm such conceits as it were a dangerous thing for Councellors to be so careless of their Prince as to give ear to such motions and it is the stranger now to make this motion by letters of the 23 of September when the French Ambassador the same 23 of September did say at Reading to the Queens Majesty that the Queen Mother was content to come into any place of this Realm which is now strangely changed that the â—ueens Majesty should come to her over the Sea to the coast of France being more then three days sailing except she might have wind at her commandment And in this matter also the Queens Majesty can give no answer untill she hear answer from her Ambassador to her letters sent after the Kings letters were dated As to the offer of continuance of Amity renewing the League by a new Oath the Queens Majesty meaneth nothing more then to continue the Amity And for renewing of any Oath she knoweth no cause of her part to be required a new Oath for that she hath not violated the same nor meaneth to do and trusteth as much in the Kings part that he will keep it without any new Oath As for the proceeding for the establishing of a commerce in certain Towns in France it is over-evident by the late murther in Roan which the
Cypher I have I will make new and send it you and then you shall hear of a matter worthy the writing We hear here that Montmoreâ—cy is in some danger Your very Friend Ro. Leicester To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq her Majestes Ambassador Resident in France YOur messenger that brought your dispatch of the five and twentieth of October arrived here the second of November and my Lord Treasurer imparted unto me such matters as you advertised him of by whom again you shall understand her Majesties pleasure for that I think his Cypher is better then mine I am loth to enter into some of tâ—ose things which I am very desirous else to say somewhat to you of but not doubting but his Lordship will signifie the whole I will now forbear and descend to smaller matters And to answer you for the two Captains you wrote to me to move her Majestie for she is now pleased to entertain the one him that hath most means am I lothest to name lest he might be suspected In this mysterie you know whom I mean and shall also by your servant she is content with 50 l. yearly whether it will like him or no I know not if it do not we will do what we can to increase it also the other her Majestie yet is not minded to use his service We perceive the party Saint 4 is very coy in his dealing but surely he is not to be blamed the world being there with you as it is You shall hear of another manner of matter I am sure by my Lord Treasurer which is lately offered me here but we greatly suspect it to be some practise or else the choice is not well made of the party in my opinion And you shall do well to understand it with all expedition as I am sure my said Lord doth advise you throughly therein for it is of consequence and it behoveth us withal speed to know whether it be right or wrong if it be wrong by my consent there shall be right example made of the like c. The Regent of Scotland is dead as we are advertised this day I suppose it to be very true I trust her Majestie will not lose the opportunity offered there If the Emperor be dead also it will make a great change I hope better for Christendom I mean for good Christians I have sent you a letter two days ago by a Scotchman one Dâ—uglas wherein I have sent you my mind touching the Rider whom I desire greatly to have if I may reasonably have him You shal perceive by this Letter at large that if I may have him for 150 Crowns a year for himself and to give him meat and drink and his man with a couple of horse found in my stable I think I shall be worth to him otherwise half as much more if he like me well as I mean he shall try me and I him for a year And if so he be content the sooner he come the better God send him to be an honest man and I warrant you he shall be very well entreated For his sufficiency I leave it to your good enquiry I trust shortly you shall be at home I have not ceased daily since your wives arrival to call upon her Majestie for it and she is fully agreed thereto and hath named some for your successor I think Francis Carew shall be the man as it is yet resolved or Henry Cobham but one of them I care not who shall be hastned for your sake assure your self I pray you shew all the favour and countenance you can to Benedict Spinola he hath a great cause there in hand which he hath heard you have favourably furthered He hath required my thanks he is my dear friend and the best Italian I know in England Her Majestie hath written for him Let his brother know that I have written to you I pray you if the Rider conclude I am sure Spinola ' s brother if he be there will answer his brother here again So good Francis fare you well Your good wife is in health In haste the second of November Your assured Friend Ro Leicester To the Right Honourable Sir Thomas Smith her Majesties principal Secretary IT may please you to advertise her Majestie that Standen arrived here lately in post out of Flanders where he staied onely five daies and had daily conference for the time of his aboâ—e there with the Scotish Ambassador together with Lâ—ggens who at his return which was by post accompanied him into Flanders Those that observed the manner of their conferences his coming and returning by post being accompanied by Liggens at his return maketh the Sotchmen that wish continuance of quiet in their Countrey to fear that there is some dangerous practise in hand The said Ambassador doth now daily repair to the Court and hath often conference with the Queen Mother at an extraordinary time in the morning when as commonly no Ambassador hath access but in the afternoon Not long â—ince in talk apart with his friends he said that if the troubles of Scotland had not been his Mistris had been at libertie and perhaps enjoyed a better Crown then Scotland is He said further that if his Mistris had as many good friends in Scotland as she hath in England she had not long remained in prison as she doth Thus you see how dangerous a ghest her Majestie harboureth The Spanish Marquis who is come hither to congratulate the Queens delivery under the colour of the same as I learned secretly he hath commission to treat secretly of three points The one to cause the King to enter into the League The other to the marriage between Monsieur and his Masters daughter The third to propound some way for the Scotish Queens delivery Being procured thereto by the house of Guise in recompence of the execution done upon them of the Religion whereby the King of Spain acknowledgeth to have saved the Low-Countreys The Cardinal of Lorrain by his Letters procured the King to write earnestly to his Ambassador in Turky to cause him to travel by all means to compound the differences between him and the Princes of the League The Almains do fear much the election of the Emperors second son in Polonia as that thing which will make the house of Austria too great And so for other matters referring your Lordship to these enclosed Occurrents I most humbly take my leave At Paris the twelfth of November Your Honours to Command Francis Walsingham To the Right Honourable and my very good Lord the Lord of Burleigh MY very good Lord touching the Scotish matters her Majestie desiâ—eth to be advertised of your Lordship shall understand that I should know the partie my self ever since my repair hither who is of the Religion and though not taken heretofore to be very zealous yet always reputed to be very honest He had been slain if he had not been saved by â— in this last broil with whom he is most
assuredly in great credit Steward at his return told me that â— meant to send him into England with letters of recommendation unto â— and at that time he also requested me to recommend him by letters which I promised to do he saying that he would send for them Knowing the familiaritie between the said party and the other abovenamed and knowing the trust that â— reposeth in him I thought I could no way be better informed of the truth of the matter then by him for that I know that if any such matters were he was acquainted with all I sent for the said party who secretly repaired to me and upon the first opening of the matter he dealt roundly with me assuring me that both he and the other sent before as men of special trust were imployed by â— but the latter onely with Letters of credit which the principal himself shall avow unto me if it were not for suspicion his doing being very narrowly observed As for the Coyness used by â— proceeded onely of forgetfulness through a dangerous sickness he had not long before I sent unto him He willed me to assure her Majestie that she might as well give credit unto him as to â— himself He told me he could not declare the contents of the parties Commission for that it was upon shutting of the gates but would find a time for that I perceived he was one whom â— trusted He desired that the matter might be communicated by her Majestie unto few for that he did assure me the D. had great intelligence in her Countrey He requested me also that the letters of the party might pass in my pacquet the same being so disguised as they will never be known This is asmuch as pâ—ssed between us And so leaving c. At Paris the twelfth of November 1572. Your Lordships to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Right Honourable Sir Thomas Smith her Majesties principal Secretary SIr it may please you to advertise her Majestie that the eighteenth of this Moneth Monsieur Mannesire repaired unto me sent from the King and Queen Mother to shew me that they have made choice of him to be sent out of hand unto her Maâ—estie to invite her to be Gossip together with the Empress and the Duke of Savoy who as it is thought will be here in person He told me that the King willed him to assure her Majestie that there was no alteration in him of good will towards her Majestie and that in confirmation of the same he could do no less but desire her Majestie to be his Gossip Further I gathered by him he hath some charge to feel her Majesties mind and inclination towards Monsieur Duc d' Alanson from whom he hath a letter unto her Majestie Touching Monsieur Mannesire himself he doth all the good offices he may to continue amity betwixt her Majestie and his Master and is altogether altered from Spain and the house of Guise with vvhom I knovv he is quite out of credit for that he hath not seemed the best to like of the late proceedings Here he is in good opinion both vvith the King and Queen Mother and therefore being in credit and vvell-affected tovvards her Majestie he may by receiving good usage at her hands receive thereby incouragement also to continue his good affection The Legate is looked for here the four and tvventieth of this moneth the end of his coming is to tvvo purposes as it is said the one to procure the King to subscribe to the last Councel at Trent the other to suffer a levy of money to be made vvithin his Dominions termed by the name Crusado for the maintenance of the Turkish Wars They are advertised from the Ambassador at Rome hovv that the Christians Army is retired Don Iohn de Austria being already arrived at Messina and the Venetians being at Corfu And so having nothing else to advertise at this present c. At Paris the tvventieth of November 1572. Your Honours to command F. Walsingham To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq Ambassador for the Queens Majestie in France MR. Walsingham First touching your revocation her Majestie is fully resolved thereof and that all the expedition that may be devised shall be used therein as you shall further understand from others Your good wife was here yesterday with me who prevented me meaning to have gone my self to her house to have â—een her for that she is so great as was 〈◊〉 meet for her to travel about Such was her earnestness of your coming away as she was come to me before I thought any body had known of my being in London and coming from Windsore my Lord Treasurer and I met with your messenger young Nicasius We find still new tragical parts playing in that Countrey among others none more strange and more unnatural then his last going in person to see one of his Subjects and eldest Souldiers executed an example used by no Christian but the most mighty God will not suffer long such Princes to dwell over his people As for his good intention to our Mistris and this Realm when he sheweth himself friendly to his own then we will hope he may be friendly to his neighbors Since the death of the Regent of Scotland we have not heard any thing what is done there You shall hear assoon as we are advertised of any thing worthy Touching the Rider I wrote of I have referred to this bearer to declare my mind unto you to have a good one I will be content to strain my self far We have no news here onely her Majestie is in good health and though you may hear of brutes of the contrary I assure you it is not as hath been reported Somewhat her Majestie hath been troubled with a spice or shew of the Mother but indeed not so The fits that she hath had hath not been above a quarter of an hour but yet this little in her hath bred strange brutes here at home God send her I beseech him a long life So I bid you heartily farewell the of November 1572. Your assured Friend Ro Leicester To the Right Honourable Francis Walsingham Esq her Majesties Ambassador Resident in France SIr your Letters sent by Niâ—asius his son came to my hands yesternight coming from the Court and therewith I also received a small pacquet of some advertisements for the which I thank you and shall to morrow impart it to her Majestie Where of late I wrote unto you of a person come as he saith from Florence but yet I cannot for certain respects but be jealous for such practises and therefore I am willed to require you to use some secret means how to understand the truth and to this end I do send you herewith certain Letters which the party hath written to Rome which you may peruse and use as you see cause The party remaineth here in London as in ape and yet I doubt the P. will smell of him I have commanded these letters for to have
1572. Your Lordships to Command Fr. Walsingham To the right Honoâ—rable my very good Lord the Lord Treasurer IT may please your Lordship to understand that B. who hath great conference with B. G. in matters of greatest importance did discover to a friend of his who imparted the same unto me that he learned at his hands that the 19 of this moneth Queen Mother held a secret Councel at which was present onely the Cardinall of Lorain and two others In the which it was debated what course was to be taken for the appeasing of their troubles here And after long deliberation it was concluded That untill such time as England might be kept occupied there could grow no through redress here without hazarding of the whole estate and that therefore it was requisite now to yeild to them of Rochel any reasonable kind of surety they would require as also to other Towns in France that would not yeild And rather then fail to yeild to them so far as to let them have the liberty of their Religion to suffer the Nobility of the Country that inhabit near the Towns to live in the same to keep such Garrisons in the same as they may think fit for their surety with condition that the said Nobility shall deliver some of their children to be Hostages with the King for his assurance that the said Towns shall be kept to his use And amongst others it was agreed that the offers should be made to Count Mango to retire himself to Rochel with condition to yeild his son to be a Pledge These offers they think to be so large as they make full account they will be accepted This thing being done it is then concluded to send under the conduct of the Marquis de Maine 1000 shot which thing shall be done as proceeding from him himself in respect that he is the Queen of Scots kinsman and disavowed by the King who shall land at a place called Aier shall after they have joyned with the Qu. party repair to Edenburgh where Liddington and Grange Kirkaldie have promised to deliver up the Castle unto such as the King shall appoint upon recompence to receive some living here in France there leaving a sufficient Garrison they shall besides fortifie themselvs in the town of Loâ—ghbreton at Brochty besides Dundee at Haymouth And that this being done the Duke of Guyse and Chevalies shal come over with other forces to procure the delivery of the Queen of Scots such of the Queens friends as are in England wil incontinently take Arms who do give out to them here that her party and forces are so great there that having good Leaders munition they shal be able to make their party good enough to deliver the Queen of Scots in despite of her Majesty In the mean time till the King hath compounded with those Towns that now hold out they are resolved that the D. of Chastelrâ—â—lt and the â— of Huntly shall seem to yeild to any composition that the Regent will have them onely to keep out that her Majesty shall send thither no forces in assisting of the Regent which thing they have advertisements from their Ambassador that she hath meaning to do And for the communicating of those matters unto the Queens party there it is determined that Viraque shall depart thither forthwith he shall also have commission to bear the Regent in hand that the King here doth not mislike of the present government there nor that he is chosent Regent and to use all such like speeches as may entertain him for a time untill such things here be setled He shall also have charge to offer him the entertainment of men of Arms to all such young Gentlemen as are serviceable as well to them of one part as to those of the other Other particularities he said he learned of him which he might not utter and were of great consequence The Gentleman to whom this was discovered being a Scot is one whom I do very well credit and for that he is thought to incline towards the Queen of Scots the party above named did deal the more frankly with him and because I thought it necessary for her Majesty to understand so much I thought good to send this Messenger of purpose withall and have promised for his recompence to have 6 pounds 13 shillings 4 pence For that mine own men are not returned I am driven to use him If her Majesty desire to hear often from hence then must there be order taken for the sending back of those I send thither And so leaving c. At Paris the 24 of January 1572. Your Honors to command Fr. Walsingham Viraque is already departed and commanded to use all expedition possible To the right honourable Mr. Francis Walsingham Esquire her Majesties Ambassador in France SIR as Dido said Non ignara mali miser is succâ—rrere disco so I who know what things they be whch Ambassadors do most desire will not let you want that intelligence which I can give you by your man I send you the occurrents of the Scot. By my L. of Worcesters instruction you shal understand what is to be answered to all questions likely to be moved either to you or to him yet that all things might be perfect I have sent you a Peer of my L. Treasurers sent to me because the French Ambassador shewed the â— â—ajesty that the Emperours Master of the Horse who cometh for the Emperesse doth intend to hold the Child himself The Queens Majesty to save money will have my Lord do so too except as in the Instructions The childs name as the Ambassador told her Majesty should have the name of both the Godmothers and so be called Mary Elizabeth so neither shal strive with others for the name This is all I can say for that matter And for your return and successor as much as I could know I wrot to you by your servant Iacomo We have had intelligence lately from Rochel that there was a servant of the late Cardinall Chastillans put to death there for going about and conspiring to betray the town of Rochel and the same as he went to execution confessed that it was he that poisoned the same Cardinal in Eâ—gland whereby it may appear that this design of murdering had the plot laid long before and a man may doubt whether the Queen of Navarre passed out the same way I thank you for your notes which you sent me of the Comet or new Starre but in the placing of it your Astronomers and ours differ exceedingly Yours do place it in the 29 of Piscis and ours in the 7 degree of Taurus so they vary one whole sign and 8 degrees Your printed Book goeth upon it 〈…〉 If any hath more boldly written of it in print I pray you let me see it Our men do not deny but that he riseth in that degree of Piscis or the first of â— but it is one thing to rise with the degree
she should repair hither during 〈…〉 my being here to the end he might be informed what hope there was 〈◊〉 be had of the marriage without the 〈◊〉 he saw that his brothers enterprise would throw him into a Warr whereof 〈◊〉 was to bear the only 〈◊〉 Whereupon I did let her understand that 〈◊〉 the marriage I could say no â—ore to her then that which I had 〈◊〉 both unto her and to the Duke her son And as touching the doubt 〈◊〉 â—he King and she conceived 〈◊〉 he should be 〈◊〉 to bear the 〈◊〉 of the Wars alone I shewed 〈◊〉 that if it pleased her to call to 〈◊〉 the offer that had been made by the Ambassador resident and Mr. 〈◊〉 as also renewed by me both unto her and to the Duke both the King and she 〈◊〉 have cause to rest satisfied for that the said League proceeded and the other secret League for the matter of the Low-Countries there was such remedy offered as 〈◊〉 the King 〈◊〉 she 〈◊〉 have no â—ause to 〈◊〉 I did 〈◊〉 let her understand that the question was Whether it were 〈◊〉 to take some course for the resisting of the King of Spains greatness 〈◊〉 being confessed I shewed her it was then fit to consider whether the same might not be done without marriage seeing the said marriage 〈◊〉 to be accompanied with so many difficulties as there could be no present resolution taken 〈◊〉 whereunto she answered that there could not be so great a◠〈◊〉 for the maintenance of the association they were now to enter in by League as there was by marriage For said she the same 〈◊〉 that moved the 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 to proceed to the conclusion of the 〈◊〉 which is the misliking of the people in respect of the 〈◊〉 that the 〈…〉 bring withall may also draw her to leave off the association and some 〈…〉 that the Crown hath always carâ—ied unto Spain Whereupon â— decâ—ared â—nto her 〈◊〉 it was hard to make sound friendship which I thought might be performed best two waies The one to shew how little cause she 〈◊〉 to affect 〈◊〉 the other to set down before her such reasons as might 〈◊〉 the King and her to believe that the 〈◊〉 proceeding the same should be sincerely observed on her 〈…〉 unless there should be given some great cause by 〈…〉 contrary For the first I shewed her that the King of Spain 〈◊〉 long after that her Majestie did enter into the possession of the 〈◊〉 being solicited in a kind of sort by her Majesties Ambassador sent 〈◊〉 him to renew such Treaties as had passed between the House of 〈◊〉 and the Crown of England he could not be drawn to assenâ— thereto since which time as he was unwilling to renew the said Treaties so hath he not slackened to yeeld such fruites of enmitie against her Majestie as were publiquely known to the world as might appear by his Ministers dealing in furthering of the marriage between the Duke of Norfolk and the Queen of Scots the practising of the Rebellion in the North his nourishing since that time and maintaining of those that were then the principal Rebels being retired out of England And lastly the attempt of Ireland coloured with the Visor of the Popes Authority These things being then considered I did leave it unto her Majestie to judge what cause the Queen my Mistriss had to seek to reconcile her self or to trust Spain Touching the reasons that might induce them to think her Majestie would inviolably observe the intended league First she was to understand that the Amitie that we made most account of was that which this Crown had with the house of Burgundy and not with Spain and therefore those Countries being alienated from Spain and now reduced by a composition between the Duke and the States of that Country under the Government of her son and traffique being there established whereby there remaineth there commonly Goods appertaining to her Majesties subjects to the value neer of half a Million I did leave that unto her Majestie to judge whether it were not a good caution for the performance of that which should be promised on her Majesties behalf Secondarily If that would not serve to remove the diffidence then might there be Hostages given interchangeably on both parties whose promises her Majestie would not violate for the greatest kingdom in Europe Lastly I shewed her that I doubted not but that the Duke her son would become cautionary for the due observation of the same I prayed her then as I had laid before her such reasons as might induce them to stand more assured of the Queen my Mistresses performance of the said League then it seemed they were so I might without offence put the Queen my Mistress to stand in doubt of them First It was known that divers great personages of this Realm were more affected to the Amity of Spain then England whom the world thought would omit no means that they might put in execution to dissolve or rather to hinder before the Conclusion of the said Association Secondly Spain challengeth as of right in respect of assistance given in the time of the Civil war when the Count of Aremberg was sent into this Realm to that purpose to have the Amitie of that Crown preferred before England Lastly The consent in Religion between Spain and France which shall not lack any perswations that the Pope and other Catholike Princes can use to dissolve or hinder the intended Amitie may give just cause to the Queen to be doubtful of the performance on their behalfs of the said Association then any reason that may be alleadged on the other side Concerning the Queen my Mistris I prayed her that if the King and she did finde it necessary to abridge the King of Spains greatness and could confidently enter into the intended Association to consider that there were two occasions privately offered that required speedy resolution The one the assisting of Don Anthonio the other the prosecuting of the enterprise in Flanders for the first I shewed her that the Queen my Mistriss had assented to the preparing of certain ships with condition that the King her son would concur in the action or that she might be assured by the intended League to be assisted in case Spain in respect of the said support should attempt any thing against her Now forasmuch as the King and she seem to be resolute not to enter into the League without marriage I saw apparently that the enterprise which was privately to be put in execution or else would privately serve to no purpose would be quite overthrown Touching the enterprise of Flanders so honorably attempted by the Duke her son tending so greatly to the benefit of this Crown when the States shall see the said League not to take place whereby it was not likely to be accompanied with success that otherwise it might be the League going forword it would be no less discontentment to them then encouragement to their
that he returned Greenwich this 13 of August Yours assuredly William Burleigh NOs Franciscus Walsingham eques auratus serenissimae Reginae Angliae primarius Secretarius ac praenobilis Ordinis Garterii Cancellarius Henricus Cobham Eques item auratus ejusdem serenissimae Reginaeapud Christianissimum Regem Legatus residens Johannes Sommer Armiger ejusdem serenissimae Reginae Clericorum sigilli unus Omnibus ad quos presentes litterae pervenerint salutem Câ—m pro authoritate nobis in hac parte data a serenissima Regina Angliae Domina nostra clementissima reservationem eam quae erat a sua Majestate in 12 dies rejecta per literas suas ad Christianissimum Regem scriptas de data ix diei mensis Julii proxime praeteriti propter quasdam causas maxime urgentes prolongavimus in decem alios dies continue post praefatos 12 dies finitos sequentes Testibus literis nostris ex opido Lusarci datis 31 dicti Mensis Julii proxime praeteriti quibus 10 diebuâ— cum par nobis esse non queat ad ea exequenda quae a dicta serenissima Regina Domina nostra clementissima habemus in mandatis neque voluntati suae Regiae quicquid injuriae facere aut committere pro observantiae nostrae in eam officio debeamus Nos supra nominati Ambassadores Commissarii deputati dictae serenissimae Reginae sufficienti ad id praeter caetera authoritate muniti cupientes quantum in nobis est incommodis quibuscumque praecavere temporumque momenta sic disponere ut toti tam serenissimae Reginae Angliae Dominae nostrae Clementissimae quam Christianissimae Majestatis voluntati desiderioque fiat satis praefatis 10 diebus alios 10 dies adjiciendos putamus adjicimus quibus pro parte dictae serinissimae Reginae dictam reservationem prorogatam continuatum esse cupimus ita quod durante dicto termino dictarum x dieruÌ„ post dictos x dies finitos tractatus ille cujus gratia dicta reservatio facta fuit pro parte dictae serenissimae Reginae in suo robore permaneat sine ulla laesione aut diminutione quacunque In cujus rei testimonium has litteras nostras manuum nostrarum subscriptione munivimus Datae ex Urbe Parisiorum 12 Mensis Augusti 1581. Francis Walsingham Henry Cobham Iohn Sommers To the Right Honourable and his very good Lord the Lord Treasurer IT may please your Lordship to advertise her Majestie that the next day after our Audience in the afternoon there repaired by the Kings Commandment unto us Mr. Chivergni Villeguier President Brissac la mothe Fenelon Secretary Pynart and Du Uray where Mr. Chivergni in the name of the rest did declare unto us that they were sent by the King to let us understand the great hope he conceived of me the Secretary serving her Majestie in that place of trust I should have brought her Highnesses full resolution for the proceeding in the marriage considering how far forth the matter had been already proceeded in the benefit that would have ensued thereby as well for her Majesties own Realm as for the knitting the two Crowns in an Amitie indissolluble that now finding the matter to fall out otherwise his Majestie was greatly grieved withal for that he did not see how there could be any sound or perfect Amitie without marriage To which speech after I the Secretary had declared unto them at length the manner of the proceeding in the prosecution of the marriage and the Reasons that did move her Majestie to take that resolution as she did presently send me withal We shewed them that we found it very strange considering the speeches used to us the day before by the King by the which he declared that he was content that the Treatie of the League should proceed without annexing thereto the condition of the marriage that there should now fall out an alteration thereof and therefore prayed them to acquaint us with the reasons of the change whereby we might advertise her Majestie thereof who might think great lightness in us to give her an assurance of a thing proceeding from the Kings own moâ—th which afterward should not fill out so in effect Upon which speech Du Uray made a very long discourse touching the earnestness of his Masters affection the full assurance he made of the marriage and the touch of credit that would grow unto him if the same should not take effect And did declare unto us that the Duke his Master had given express commandment to be an humble suitor to the King that he would not proceed to the Treaty of the League before assurance given that the marriage should take place thereupon the rest of the Commissioners in excuse of the King did declare how that Du Uray had not delivered his charge unto his Majestie until the morning following in audience who if he had understood before his brothers request in that behalf could not have yielded that that Treatie should have been proceeded in without the marriage Then I the Secretary shewed the Commissioners how that I found Du Urays speech strange for that the Duke himself at the time of my being with him did promise that he would not oppose himself to any thing that her Majestie did desire and so concluded that though he could not be a furtherer of the League without marriage yet would he not hinder the same Then Pynart as he said by the Kings commandment and his mothers did let us understand that whereas they did finde that the principal difficultie whereupon the stay of the marriage grew proceeded through the enterprise that Monsieur had in the Low-Countries their Majesties being desirous that the marriage should take place had dispatched that afternoon Monsieur de Bellieure to the Prince of Parma to procure that the said Prince might withdraw his siege fom Cambray and that the Town might be left in a newtrality as a member of the Empire and further to perswade that there might be a general abstinence of war for the space of five or six months in the which time there might be some composition treated between the King of Spain and his Subjects That the King and his Mother were in good hope that the same might be brought to pass which they did the rather desire to the end Monsieur might in the mean time go over into England and finish that which had happily been begun Upon this overture we did let them understand that if there might be such a peace procured as might be accompanied with safety none would be more glad of it then the Queen our mistress Notwithstanding we did signifie unto them that there were many apparent reasons to shew that the same was not likely to take place but to the great prejudice and peril of those of the Low-Countries and therefore prayed them to call to remembrance how that her Majesty at the time of his Ministers being in England did protest unto them at such time as they did let
same being uncertain might perhaps receive later resolution then the disease required and that therefore in the mean time other remedies might be well enough proceeded in which could breed no hinderance in the Marriage and were most necessary whatsoever become of the same Then I proceeded to the second point shewing that the Queen my Mistriss did of late note a great coldness in the King touching the overture made for the impeaching of the King of Spains greatness and that the Reasons that moved her so to do were these First that the last yeer both her son and she upon the death of the late King of Portugal did declare unto her Majesties Ambassador Resident here how necessary it was both for themselves and her Majesty to have an eye to the King of Spains greatness and to that purpose did require that the said Ambassador might have Commission to treat with such as they should appoint in that behalf which being assented unto and thereupon a conference following and overtures made to that purpose the conclusion was referred to be treated of by such Commissioners as should be sent by the King from hence thither at the time of whose repair her Majesty did look that there would have been some proceeding therein which falling out otherwise was found very strange Secondly that daintiness that the King did make to concur with her Majesty in this matter of Portugal and the sundry impediments that the Duke hath received in this occasion of the Low Countries instead of furtherance being the principal means to abate the King of Spains greatness And lastly the permission made to the King of Spains Ministers for the passage of certain money to be conveighed through this Realm to the Prince of Parma These things I told her did give her Majesty just cause to think that the King had no disposition to break with Spain in seeking to impeach his greatness and therefore prayed her she would deal plainly with the Queen my Mistris letting her understand what her intention was in that behalf For said I the Queen my Soveraign is a Princess that desireth to live in repose and to maintain good Amity with the Princes her neighbours and had not waded so far in this behalf but only upon the Kings motion And therefore if the King doth now see no such danger to grow by the King of Spains greatness as before it seemed he did her Majesty I know would forbear any further dealing in that behalf who being furnished with ships for her defence by sea and her subjects being well armed by land and carrying the earnest love and affection towards her they do in respect of the happy government they have enjoyed under her Highness should I doubt not but be able to withstand the King of Spains malice in case he should attempt any thing against her Besides I did let her understand that whereas it was publikely given out here that her Majestie was greatly weakned by the alteration in Scotland and the taking away of the Earl Morton as also that there were of her own Realm persons of great quality alienated from her in respect of Religion For the first that divers of those in Scotland that for some particular quarrels that they had with Morton were glad to concur with those that sought to make him away yet are so affected to the Amity of England in respect of Religion as when any thing should be attempted against her Majestie Morton himself would not have been more ready to oppose himself against any such attempts then they will be And as for the great personages that though I did assure my self that none of them carried so evil meaning as to attempt any thing against her Majesty but rather would be content to hazard their lives as duty commanded them yet if they were so evil disposed the subjects of the Realm being generally so well affected to her Majesty as they are and grown to that judgement now as they affect not the persons of those great ones as in former times they have done but do rather look into the cause then behold the persons they should not be able to draw in great numbers after them to the execution of any undutiful action To this after she had heard me attentively she replyed that at the time of the conference between the Kings deputies and her Majesties Ambass Resident then they did as it were assure themselves that themarriage should take place no other impediments being then alleadged but the troubles of this Realm which by the mediation of the D. were in good way of speedy composition and in hope thereof they were willing to have taken any course that her Majesty should have thought good and do still continue in the same purpose and minde so as the same might take place without the which she said she did not see how the King her son should be throughly backed in case he should enter into any action against the King of Spain for that there might be many perswasions and devises used to dissolve such Treaties as should onely consist of Ink and Paper And as for the enterprise of Portugal she said that if the King of Spain might be kept from the possession of the Isle of Tercera which might keep him as well from enjoying such benefits as might grow out of the conquest depending upon the said Crown as also from the Indies in his own possession Portugal would rather be a burthen to him then otherwise And as for the Dukes enterprise she said that the King her son this Realm being greatly weakned by civil wars was loath to enter into a war with the King of Spain unless he might be assuredly well backed which no way they could make account of without the marriage whereupon she took occasion to shew that it would be a very honorable course for the King and the Queens Majesty to seek by way of mediation to compound the troubles between the king and his subjects and the Low-Countries whereto if the king should not assent then might the two Crowns with more honor concur in the action by seeking to restore them to their liberties whereunto I replyed that the Queen my Mistress had made it apparant to the world that she had sundry ways sought when the time served more aptly then now to bring it to pass But for the present whosoever doth consider to what extreme degrees of alienation from the King the said subjects of the Low Countries are grown unto having beaten down his Arms and renounced his Government how impossible it is to draw the Prince of Orange any ways to trust the King or the King to be reconciled unto him in respect of a book written by the said Prince wherein the Kings honor is greatly touched shall see no reason to hope for any reconciliation and that the Authors of that device do propound the same but for a delay to serve the King of Spains turn To this she replied nothing and did also
Conventum est quod fadus liga is not to be misliked for continuance of this Treaty although the third Article of your writing beginning Tempus vero durationis seemeth plainer and better and agreeth with the like in former times The sixth being imperfect beginning De tempore antem modo would be supplyed with the like Clause and Article at length mutatis mutandis and as you have excerped out of the year 1546. and as in the last of your writing of the 18 of January Now for our opinion of the Articles presented by you to the French the 18. we do like well enough of the Preface and for the first Article you may perceive well enough what we would have added thereto That nothing should be continued in former Treaties being repugnant to this The second for a Covenant of a League to be defensive we think not amiss thereof although the second and third of the French contain them plain enough in fewer words so as the one or the other may serve To the third of yours we like as before is mentioned The fourth beginning Et quamvis supervacuum may be forborn considering the substance thereof is contained in the second delivered by the French the 17 of January The last of yours concerning the manner of aid we like best as before is said according to the Article of the Treaty of An. 1549. As to the third Article delivered by you the 18 of January in one writing to the Kings party concerning the Arrest to be made of the Subjects of other Princes if any other Subjects should be arrested in a strange Country for matter of Religion we would not mislike if you could obtain the same but for that we think it very hard to be granted by the French King as the time is we will not 〈◊〉 you much to press it But as to the other matter of our Merchants we do 〈◊〉 of the manner of Articles presented by you and yet we cannot presently 〈◊〉 in what form to have the same conceived fit for our Merchants and for 〈…〉 and therefore except you shall be shortly advertised from us how to 〈…〉 more particularly we would have you insert some general clause in the Treaty for such a purpose and besides that also to move it to the King that there may be some Colloquie had here betwixt the Kings Ambassador here Râ—sident having authority therefore and such as we shall appoint after conference had with our Merchants to Treat with the said Ambassador thereupon Some other doubts may appear in the Writing sent from you whereof the Ambassador made no mentâ—â—n and yet fit for you to understand or mind therein if you shall thereto be pressed but except you be pressed thereto by the other party we think it good that you should not remember the same but if they will needs move the same unto you then you shall answer as followeth First in the paper intituled with the letter B. and brought to you by Monsieur Pinarts brother the 16. there are two doubts moved in the third Article beginning A este auxi and answer made though not satisfactory in the fourth beginning Sur le premier For the first we do not mislike but that one of the Confederates should be bound to defend the other being invaded although the other Prince may pretend that he hath been thereto provoked by the Prince invaded So as the provocation be not first given by any open War or Invasion made by the Prince that shall require aid for it is not consonant to reason that the one Prince Confederate should be aided by another where he himself that requireth the aid hath by his own Invasion of another Prince provoked himself to be invaded And if they shall not like of that exception where the Prince invaded gave occasion by former invasion then you shall accord to have the words general as have been in former Treaties And for this matter you may gather some light by the Treaty called L'Esclarissement of the peace made in An. 1545. in the exposition of the sixth and seventh Articles betwixt the Emperor Charls and the King our Father The second seemeth doubtfull to be answered that is considering the charges of the aid shall be born by the Prince requirant it may be permitted that the succours given may continue in the pursuit of the Invader out of the Country of the Prince invaded But therein it is reason that some time be thereunto limited that is by the space of 6 or 7 daies at the most to be out of the said Country or rather some distance of a league or two but if the Deputies there treating with you can be content to have the cause so conceived as the aid shall not exceed the limits of the Confederate Country you shall like it best And so you may let it alone in general words as heretofore the same hath been in former Treaties without raising up of such questions The fifth Article beginning Item à este en avant we think it reasonable that the Prince that shall defend the other may continue their treats which he hath with the Prince against whom the aid shall be given and suffer Traffique and Commerce for their Subjects mutually saving only it may be provided that he shall not suffer any Armor nor Munition of Warre or other like things to be carried out of his Countrey to the offence of the Prince whom he shall aid As to the last Clause of the Writing concerning Scotland we do not disallow of the Answer in the Margent made by you in Latin but yet our meaning is not to have any Article in the Treaty comprehending that matter In this sort we have thought meet to instruct you and considering the former Treaties betwixt us and the French King shall continue and be confirmed hereby we see no cause to remember you of the inserting of any other necessary Articles which have been heretofore comprised in former Treaties so as nevertheless it be provided by a special Article that by this Treaty nor by any part thereof any thing be derogatory to such other Treaties as we have and be now in force with any other Prince and namely with the King of Spain and as to the comprehension of any Princes according to the ancient manner of Treaties we would have you to enquire the intention of the French Kings Deputies whom they mean to comprehend and as near as you can to comprehend the same saving only the Bishop of Rome and that Sea and not forget the Emperor besides in person the Princes of the Empire and the Electors of the same and namely the Count and Countess of Embden and the Count and Sonetie of Hanze And if they will needs have mention made of Scotland we can be content that the same shall be if we will not accept the name of the King by the name Regnum Scotiae or Regnum status Scotiae we do for these purposes send
can give good testimony and therefore I doubt not her Majestie wil have good consideration thereof accordingly Your Lordship at large by Sir Tho Smith is advertised how strangely the Article of Provision for the King of Spain was taken by his Deputies Surely if her Majestie persist in that point to have him specially provided for I perceive then that this Treaty is at the best for that they themselves confess that the end of this League is onely to bridle his greatness therefore to provide for his safety who seeketh both their destructions they cannot tell what to judge what it meaneth especially seeing that of late he hath no way deserved at her Majesties hands any such favour If therefore her Majestie do think that this Prince is of any value who is towards all men sincere towards her Majestie well affected towards Religion pius Inimicus she must not weigh him in one ballance with Spain who is of word unsincere in affection towards her Majestie maliciously bent and the common Enemy to our Religion If her Majestie mean to take profit of his friendship the next way shall be to strengthen her self with the Amity of others in such sort as she shall have no need of it for it is the nature of a proud man to make best account of them that least esteem him for whosoever yieldeth to him increaseth his pride which thing those that deal with the Spanish Nation find to be most true So long as the late Catholique League made remaineth in force her Majestie nor any other Princes of the Religion can promise unto themselves any thing at Spains hands but as much mischief as he can do them which thing her Majestie with the rest shall find to be true by too dear an experience if the same be not holpen by some counter league The consideration whereof maketh the German Princes now who otherwise are slow in their counsels determinations to think it necessary for them to joyn in this counter-league which thing your Lordship may perceive by this inclosed letter which lately I received from the Count Palatine touching that point whereas he referreth me to his servant Iuniuâ— with whom I have had conference I have committed the report thereof to this bearer M. Beal Touching the Marriage in Treaty here betwixt the Prince of Navarre and the Lady Margaret Sir Tho Smith Mr. Killegrew and I knowing how much the success of the same might further the cause of the Religion and finding the greatest difculty to be the manner of the solemnizing of the same we sent unto the Queen of Navarre a Copy of the Treaty of the marriage betwixt King Edward and the latâ— Q. of Spain the Kings sister here wherein it was agreed as your Lordship knoweth that she should be married according to the form of our Church This Coâ—y of the Treaty as the Queen of Navarre her self told Sir Thomas Smith and me standeth her in very good stead whom she sent for the 7 of this moneth to come and speak with her At our access she told us that she did not send for us before she did make Queen Mother acquainted therewith not saith she in respect of my self but in respect of her Majestie towards whom I would be loth to ingender any jealousie considering that she is growing to so good Amity with this Crown For as for my self I am not afraid to make known to all the world the great good will I bear towards her Majestie to whom I am as much bound as ever one Prince was to another And because saith she you are Ministers to her Majestie here I thought good to make you acquainted in what state and terms the Treaty of the marriage standeth betwixt their Majesties here and me saith she there is no difference but only the manner of solemnization I have alledged the Treaty which you sent me whereunto they take exceptions such as are of no great value and therefore said she I cannot tell what to judge of the matter because amongst the rest of the exceptions they say it was no true Copy of the Treaty I have sent for you Monsieur Smith saith she to know because you were a dealer in the same whether you will not justifie it to be a true Copy to whom Sir Tho Smith answered that knowing the great good will her Majestie did bear her and how much she desired the good success of that marriage as a thing that tended to the advancement of Religion and repose of this Realm he could not but in duty avow the same and be willing to do any good office that might advance the said marriage She made us acquainted with divers other particularities which I thought good rather to refer to the report of this bearer then to commit them to writing The Copy of the Letter which I send unto your Lordship here inclosed sent unto her from her Son which she delivered unto us secretly to read may shew you how full of jealousie the matter is and therefore until the same be concluded I hold it for doubtful She findeth here a great stay of Count Lodovicus's advice who surely is the rarest Gentleman which I have talked withal since I came to France c. Your Lordships to Command Fr. Walsingham To the Queens most excellent Majestie PLeaseth it your Majestie the thirtieth of March at night we received your Majesties Letters of the twentieth of the same whereupon asking audience the next day because the King himself was yet in his Diet we did speak with the Queen Mother in her Chamber where I began to declare unto her Highness that by Letters from her Majestie we had understood two things whereof we were sorry the one that your Highness having received the dispatch from us of our negotiation here as touching the league and amity willing to dispatch our Currier again with your resolution which we doubt not should be to her and the K. contention their Ambassador Resident required that your Majestie would not write your answer or resolution unto us until he had his Currier come for whom he looked every day Saith the Q. that is because he would coucur with you I think so said I and it is well and I trust we shall so concur to a perpetual and strait Amity I hope saith she but yet he vvrote not so much to us that he spake to the Queen to forbear his resolution to you but onely that he looked for his Currier The other is more grievous to us because we take the time lost and some evil suspicion may be conceived but I trust the Amity is so begun between the two Realms that there shall no suspicion have place after that the one hath understood the other Monsieur de Crocque arrived into England as your Majesty knoweth with Commission from hence to help Scotland to a quietness in her self and to concur with him whom the Queen our Mistris should send for that purpose for aid and even at