Elizabeth: August 1581, 1-15

Calendar of State Papers Foreign: Elizabeth, Volume 15, 1581-1582. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1907.

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'Elizabeth: August 1581, 1-15', in Calendar of State Papers Foreign: Elizabeth, Volume 15, 1581-1582, (London, 1907) pp. 286-291. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/foreign/vol15/pp286-291 [accessed 19 March 2024]

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August 1581, 1-15

Aug. 6. 287. WALSINGHAM to BURGHLEY.
From la-Fère-en-Tardenois, 6 Aug. 1581. See 'Compleat Ambassador,' pp. 363-371. Add. Endd. : ('Recepta by Burnham at Greenwich') and marginal headings added by Burghley, who also notes : There were with Monsieur at the ambassador's coming, Laval, Viscount Turenne, M. Rochepot, M. Saint-Luc, Count Montgomery ; M. d'Elbeuf arrived about Monday. 13 pp. [France VI. 1.]
Aug. 6. 288. WALSINGHAM to BURGHLEY.
At the making of this dispatch I was so sore troubled with the headache and the migraine that I could not myself set pen to paper, scarce to sign the dispatch ; which caused me to use the hand of another for the letter I write to her Majesty, wherewith if she conceive dislike, I pray you to make my excuse ; for I must have so done, or made some longer stay of advertising 'over,' which would not, I am persuaded, have been taken in good part. For the same cause, please also have me excused in your own behalf, I was desirous to use my own hand in writing to you rather than another's. And as her Majesty dislikes long letters, I beseech you in this behalf also to make my excuses, with this 'ground of my meaning,' which was because the matter was of moment, and the speeches that passed consisted of many parts and circumstances, it seemed most pertinent to set it down, though not so largely as I might, yet not oversparingly ; notwithstanding that to my own liking and for the place I am now in, shortness would like me better than prolixity. I am now, with all the expedition I can, to make my repair to Paris, where I mean to be with so good speed that on Wednesday I will demand audience of the king. What matter shall fall out, you shall be speedily advertised.—La Fère, 6 August 1581. P.S. (autograph).—Queen Mother's repair hither has bred strange jealousies in this Court, or rather in this camp. I could not send you a copy of her Majesty's letter, through the expedition I used in sending away this bearer. Add. Endd. by Burghley : Mr Sec. Walsingham to the L. Burghley by Burnham. Rec. Marc. 9 Aug. 1 p. [France VI. 2.]
Aug. 10. 289. WALSINGHAM to BURGHLEY.
I arrived last night in this town, where I hoped today to have had audience, but by reason of the absence of the Queen Mother, as I suppose, it is deferred. The lodging appointed me is richly furnished, and the 'diet' both honourable and large. La Mothe is appointed to entertain me, who professes to be very thankful for the honour and liberality he received at her Majesty's hands. I have prayed him, as one that has 'made show to affect the amity of England,' that he would help to remove the difficulty that impeaches the proceeding in the league. He uses the same language that Queen Mother and the Duke have done ; saying that the king will hardly be induced to yield to a league without marriage. After the king has given me audience, I shall be able to guess what success my legation will have. You will hear from my lord ambassador what speeches are given out here touching Queen Mother's dealings at la Fère. The gentleman is very careful in the service, and so governs himself that I assure you he is very well respected by the best sort. I would to God it would please her Majesty to have some gracious consideration of his suit, which has long depended.—Paris, 10 August 1581. Add. Endd. by Burghley : Sir Franc. Walsingham by a common post. 1¼ pp. [France VI. 3.]
Aug. 10. 290. WALSINGHAM to the QUEEN.
See 'Compleat Ambassador,' pp. 387-8 (where it is given as of Aug. 13). Draft in hand of L. Tomson and endd. by him : Copy of my letter to her Majesty. Also by Burghley with date 'x Aug. 1581,' and in a later hand, 'Cobham.' 2 pp. [Ibid. VI. 4.]
Aug. 10. 291. WALSINGHAM, COBHAM, and SOMERS to BURGHLEY.
— Paris, 10 August in the night, 1581. See 'Compleat Ambassador,' pp. 376-377. Add. Endd. by Burghley. 2¼ pp. [France VI. 5.]
Aug. 10. 292. Rough draft of the above, with corrections in Walsingham's hand, and several variants, mostly cancelled. "Tuesday evening, I, Sir Francis Walsingham, came to this town, and on Wednesday morning I sent for audience of the king. But partly for that the Queen Mother was not then returned to the Court, as I take it, but specially by reason of the king's removing hither that day from Saint-Maur, our audience was deferred till Thursday. Then in the afternoon we had access to the king in a house of the Queen Mother's in the town, where he had dined, in the end of a long gallery, a good way from any company ; where after I had rehearsed to him that upon occasion of a dispatch sent lately to her Majesty from me her ambassador resident and Somers, containing his desire to have speedy answer to three points then propounded by him, she had sent me, Sir F. Walsingham, now to him with the answer, and for my credit I delivered him her letter. When he had read it, and I had also delivered him her private letter, I told him I had been with his brother by the way, as his ambassador had written to him her pleasure was I should do, which also I understood by letters of M. Pinart to me, Sir H. Cobham, his Majesty found good, I declared unto him her answer," etc. The rest nearly as in fair copy. 3 pp. [Ibid. VI. 5 a.]
Aug. 10. 293. "The names of such noblemen and gentlemen as accompany Monsieur."
M. le Prince Dauphin
M. le Marquis d'Elbeuf
M. de Laval
M. le Vicomte de Turayne
M. de Saint-Luc
M. de Fervaques
M. le Comte de Saint-Aignan
M. de la Chastre
M. le Vicomte de la Guerche
M. de la Ferté-Imbault
M. de Drou
M. de Bellegarde
M. de la Roche-du-Mayne
M. de Marmault
M. de Chanvallon
M. de Rochepot
M. de Recan
M. de Renty
M. de la Coste-Mézières
M. de Bruines
M. de Beaupré
M. de Rasillières
M. le Comte de Montgomery
M. de la Beausse
M. de Beaufrémont
M. d'Arges
M. de Coursanne
M. de la Roche-Breton
M. d'Allot de Mortmorency
M. de Buy
M. de Buas
M. le Vidame de Meaux
M. de Rocquetaillade
M. le Comte de la Suze, le jeune
M. de Lorges
M. de la Rocheguyon
M. de Colombières
M. Pampador
M. de Saint-Légier
M. de la Guiche
M. de la Vergne
M. le Chevalier Breton
M. des Pinneaux
M. de Suresne
M. de la Trappe
M. de Bellefontaine
M. de Beauregard
In hand of L. Tomson, and endd. by him ; also with date by Burghley. 12/3 pp. [France VI. 6.]
Aug. 11. 294. WALSINGHAM to BURGHLEY.
Seeing the king has assented to the league, I beseech you to procure her Majesty's speedy resolution to the Viscount of Turenne's proposition for the 100,000 crowns, without which I fear we shall find some stay in the treaty. I should be very sorry that so small a sum employed to so good purpose should be stuck at ; therefore I hope her Majesty will have that consideration in his behalf that appertains both to her safety and honour. It will stand the duke in so great stead that he will think himself greatly bound to her, if she is pleased to offer it unrequired. Besides I know it will greatly advance the treaty, and remove divers impediments that may hinder its course and good success. The hope I have put (sic) some of our friends here of this support has made them deal the more effectually in disposing the king's and Queen Mother's minds to the league. If therefore it fall out otherwise, I shall greatly doubt, or rather be afraid, that I shall not have any credit to do her Majesty service. Such as are enemies to the amity give out hard speeches touching her nearness and lack of performance of that which is promised ; alleging the revocation of the credit given to the States for the £100,000. For my own part, though my state be very poor, and my debts great, yet rather than the 'yielding of the support' should not take place, I would be content to sell anything I have to contribute £1,000 to it, so greatly do I see it imports her Majesty's service or rather safety. The usage of the Spanish ambassador, of which you advertised me, served to very good purpose to remove the conceit they have of her Majesty's inclination to Spain. I pray she may take profit of Campion's discovery by severely punishing the offenders ; for nothing has done more harm than the overmuch lenity that has been used in that behalf. The haste I have in dispatching this messenger makes me the shorter at present.—Paris, 11 August. Holograph. Add. Endd. by Burghley. 2 pp. [France VI. 7.]
Aug. 13. 295. MAUVISSIÈRE to WALSINGHAM.
I had not leisure yesterday to write to you by your servant, Mr Burnham, who left Greenwich in great haste with M. Marchaumont's secretary. I have today received the letter which you wrote me from la Fère on the 6th inst. and I see from it that his Highness and the gentlemen with him have looked upon you with favourable eyes as they would upon all her Majesty's servants, among whom you have no small means of doing good offices for his Highness. I understand that you have made a good beginning pursuant to your commission, and that you have recognised and admitted him to be a very constant lover, for which he truly deserves recompense and you can aid him much in obtaining it from the Queen, his mistress and yours. I have already written to you the very honourable terms in which her Majesty spoke to me of you in your absence, and her confidence in your long fidelity and experience. But in love affairs one must always take a little licence, and aid the lovers as much as one can ; and to tell you in one word what we think, M. de Marchaumont and I, all is not going well when things are cold in affairs of love or friendship. It is now that we see more ardour and good will, in such wise that after despair hope is again springing up from some new source, which encourages us to hope for the marriage. I for my part have long left it in the hands of God to order as He pleases. Further I may say that you know your mistress better than I. If she finds any one who speaks coldly of the marriage, she does not hold him among her friends or servants. I see her, as it seems to me, more and more redoubling her affection towards his Highness, which is something divine, and which mundus cognoscere non potest. And I will even tell you more : her Majesty has sworn to me that she would rather die and do whatever would please him than discontent him in anything. She has, as she tells me, been thinking in these days of various means of getting him into this realm, to render him content, and that he should put his army in charge of a lieutenant, since she does not wish him to go in person to the relief of Cambray. I see several noblemen and gentlemen here very desirous to go and serve him ; some of the greatest, if they can get permission. But I think that the first who crosses the sea will be Lord Howard. As for any good offices which my elder brother in his Highness's household may have offered you, he owes you that for the innumerable occasions and the particular courtesies which you have used towards us here. If you have anything you want done (avez affaire de quelquechose) in France, and make use of any other than my wife, I shall be offended (je m'en prendrois). You have done her too much honour, here. All your friends are well, and wherever I am, you will find me at your service.—Greenwich, 13 Aug. 1581. Add. Endd. Fr. 2½ pp. [France VI. 8.]
Aug. 13. 296. WALSINGHAM, COBHAM, and SOMERS to BURGHLEY.
— Paris, 13 Aug. 1581. See 'Compleat Ambassador,' p. 380. Add. Endd. by Burghley. 5 pp. [Ibid. VI. 9.]
Aug. 13? 297. WALSINGHAM to the DUKE OF ANJOU and to ?
(1.) Since I left your Highness, having had audience of their Majesties, I found their will conformable to what you told me of their disposition and yours. But since then, seeing that there has been no proceeding to the preliminaries, and that reports are being spread very contrary to this dealing, and as detrimental to your affairs as they are prejudicial to the Queen my mistress, I have thought it my duty, for the sincere regard I have for your service and reputation, to advertise you thereof by this gentleman, to whom please to give credit on my behalf, and believe that after the Queen there is no power whose greatness I more desire than yours. And I pray God, since He has touched your generous soul with compassion for the miseries of this unhappy age, that He will give you grace happily to achieve what you have begun with the good wishes of the best part of Christendom.
(2.) Having thought good to send this gentleman to advertise his Highness of my dealing with their Majesties, I have charged him to salute you from me, and to thank you for your prompt good will toward me and my negotiations affecting the service of his Highness. Kindly assure him from me of my sincere desire for his greatness ; and believe that my will never will be wanting to show you and all his closest servants that I love you and desire to serve you. Draft. Endd. Fr. 1¾ pp. [France VI. 12.]
Aug. 13. 298. WALSINGHAM to BURGHLEY. — Paris, 13 Aug. 1581. See 'Compleat Ambassador,' p. 386. Add. Endd. 1 p. [France VI. 10.]
Aug. 13. 299. WALSINGHAM, COBHAM, and SOMERS to the DUKE OF ANJOU.
After the terms used lately by the king to us, how he was desirous of entering into a straiter amity with the Queen our sovereign, seeing the difficulties she made in regard to her marriage, and that he would depute persons to confer with us, we were hoping to proceed in that matter, when on account of the language held by M. de Vray, your minister, it was broken off. He said that he was charged to beg his Majesty on the part of your Highness not to treat of a league without marriage, thinking still to see a good effect thereof. This caused his Majesty to delay the proceedings until he has heard from you on the subject by some one whom he will at once dispatch. For the same reason we have thought it well that one of us should go to you ; and the lot having fallen upon this bearer, Mr Somers, he is setting out, both to hear your pleasure on the point and receive your commands, as well as to communicate to your Highness some other reports which we hear in this place. —Paris, 13 Aug. 1581. Copy. Endd. by L. Tomson. Fr. 1 p. [France VI. 11.]