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2 May.
Estado, 840. |
678. Report of the Council Of State to Philip III. on the
peace negotiations with England.
The Council has considered all the communications from the
Archduke (Albert), Don Baltasar de Zuñiga, and Don Fernando de
Carillo. Until the receipt of further advices there is nothing
particular to reply, as all points are provided for in the instructions
of Zuñiga and Carillo. But as the matter is so very important, and
not a single point must be overlooked, the Council think the
Archduke should be written to, telling him to be very viligant not
to allow anything to be decided, except in strict accordance with the
orders given by your Majesty. Zuñiga and Carillo should be
written to to the same effect, and they should be told that Carillo's
opinion is approved, namely, that we should not exhibit so urgent a
desire for peace as to make the Queen believe that we shall be
willing to purchase it at any price, but rather that she should see
that we will not put up with any unjust or disgraceful terms,
and that we are as ready for war as for peace. In case this line
of conduct should be unsuccessful, the Council thinks that your
Majesty should provide at once against all eventualities, both by
land and sea. |
4 May.
Estado, 840. |
679. Report of the Council Of State to Philip III. on
Irish affairs.
The Council has considered the letter of the archduke Albert,
of 9th April, respecting certain Irish gentleman to whom the late
King wrote in 1596, exhorting them to fight against the heretics
in defence of their lands, and promising them his favour. They
write to the Archduke that they have continued the war, and by
the divine grace, have routed the English army sent against them
last year. They desire to continue the same course under your
Majesty's protection, and are confidently looking for help, their
cause being so just a one. They ask that you should send a person
to Ireland with help for them and orders to treat them well, and
that the Irishmen serving in Flanders should also be sent to Ireland
to take part in the defence. The Archduke says that he has delayed
the reply until he hears from your Majesty.
On the one hand the Council rejoices at the good spirit of these
people, whilst on the other they grieve to see that, after all the
promises made, and their own efforts to help themselves in the
hope of the promises being fulfilled, they are in greater straits than
ever, as war without hope of succour ends in discouragement and
despair. But as past failures to help them have not arisen from
want of will, and our Lord always helps in the direst need, we
must trust to His mercy in this case by infusing fresh spirit into
them, whilst your Majesty aids them so far as you can, pending the
possibility of undertaking the matter in force. Your Majesty will
greatly serve God and your interests by doing so, as in no place can
the queen of England be so effectually and cheaply embarrassed. It
will also enable us to improve our conditions of peace, and animate
the English Catholics. The Council therefore recommend that at
least 20,000 ducats and 4,000 quintals of biscuit should be forwarded
to Coruña, to be sent with some arms and munitions by quick sailing
ships, so that the Irish may see that we are helping them with the
things they most want without delay.
That they should be written to kindly, assuring them that in
any case your Majesty will continue to protect them, and when
God wills that a full force may be sent, to liberate them. The
person who is appointed to command it shall have special instructions
to treat them well.
The Archduke should be written to, thanking him for his action
in this matter, and asking him to reply to the Irish with every
demonstration of sympathy and kindness. The decision with
regard to sending to Ireland the Irishmen serving in Flanders is to
be left to the Archduke. |
10 May.
Latin.
Estado,
840. |
680. Powers given by the Queen to the English Envoys.
Henry Nevill, ordinary ambassador in France ; John Herbert,
member of the Privy Council ; Robert Beale, secretary of the north ;
and Thomas Edmunds, French secretary, to confer in Boulogne with
the envoys of the king of Spain ; with the object of concluding peace
between the two monarchs, in union with the king of France and
the Archduke, governor of Flanders.—Greenwich, 10th May 1600. |
18 May.
Estado, 839. |
681. Archbishop of Santiago to Philip III.
In accordance with royal order that he should welcome and
assist any persons sent from Ireland by F Mateo de Oviedoto Spain,
he has received in Santiago, Henry son of the earl of Tyrone, who
comes accompanied by captain Martin de la Cerda. He has
welcomed them spiritually by confession, absolution, and mass,
in which they showed themselves truly Catholic, and corporally
to the best of his ability. The King is doing a truly pious work
in supporting the Irish Catholic?, who are suffering for their faith.—
Santiago 18th May 1600.
Note.—Attached to the above letter is a document ordering the
presidents of the councils of Castile and of the Royal Orders to
confer with Don Martin de la Cerda, and arrange for the bringing
of the son of O'Neil to Madrid, with all possible good treatment.
The document is dated 8th June 1600. |
