Simancas: June 1577 | British History Online

Calendar of State Papers, Spain (Simancas), Volume 2, 1568-1579. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1894.

'Simancas: June 1577', in Calendar of State Papers, Spain (Simancas), Volume 2, 1568-1579, (London, 1894) pp. 541. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/simancas/vol2/p541 [accessed 25 April 2024]

June 1577



June?	460. The King to the Queen Of England, by her Ambassador, John Smith. John Smith gave me your Serenity's letter of the 24th of November, and verbally submitted to me what he was instructed to do by you. I was pleased to hear his good news of your health and the affection and kindness with which you propose to intercede with the object of pacifying my Netherlands. I thank your Serenity duly, and I am as much obliged for your offer as if it had been accepted. I would have availed myself of it, certainly, if it had been necessary, but this was not the case, as the matter was already in hand and had been brought to a forward condition by Don Juan of Austria, my brother, Lieutenant and Captain-General of the States, who informs me that you are maintaining with him the kind connection which I have always looked for as a consequence of our friendship and brotherhood, and which will always be sincerely continued by me. I have done all I have been able with respect to the other points submitted to me by Smith, with the willingness which he will describe to you. I am glad that he has been sent on this commission, as I have long known him and hold him to be a wise and good gentleman, as you describe him.—San Lorenzo.
26 June.	461. Zayas to Smith. Although I have no doubt that your intelligence and good memory will have caused you to recollect what I said to you respecting the three points to which I referred in our recent conversation, I repeat here the substance of what I said, at your request. As the tribunal of the Holy Inquisition is simply and purely ecclesiastical and depends upon the Pope and the apostolic see, the King, my master, does not interfere in any way with it or its proceedings, and has nothing to do with its ministers, except to respect and assist them, as befits an obedient son of the Holy see, in order that they may do their duty with the dignity and independence which such matters demand. These duties are concerned solely in the preservation and promotion of the faith and the Roman Catholic religion, and you will thus see easily what it will be proper to ask of his Catholic Majesty and what he is able to concede ; and I leave the point therefore to your discretion and great prudence.—Madrid, 26th June 1577.