Spain: April 1544, 21-30 | British History Online

Calendar of State Papers, Spain, Volume 7, 1544. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1899.

'Spain: April 1544, 21-30', in Calendar of State Papers, Spain, Volume 7, 1544, (London, 1899) pp. 117-129. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/spain/vol7/pp117-129 [accessed 25 April 2024]

April 1544, 21–30



21 April.	72. Eustace Chapuys to the Emperor.
Wien, Imp. Arch.	“Sire,”—Yesterday [the 20th], Your Majesty's letter of the 12th inst. came to hand, and to-day, the 21st, after dinner, I waited on the King to communicate its contents according to Imperial commands. After explaining to him my charge, the King said to me, with some show of discontent, that as captain Sickinghen was so long about making up his mind, and seemed disinclined to take service under him, considering also that the said Sickinghen had on a former occasion served the French, and had, moreover, done other unreasonable acts, his ambassador at Your Majesty's court ought not to be so hard pressed, as he was, to treat with the said captain, the more so that there was no lack of other German captains more reasonable in their demands and readier to serve under him, provided Your Majesty gave them permission. As he had already informed You through his own ambassador, the King thought that it would be undignified for him to press further captain Sickinghen to take service, adding between his teeth, and with evident signs of resentment, that he would rather lose the 10,000 florins than prosecute the negotiation. (fn. 1)
	At last, after many remonstrances on my part, the King seemed a little more satisfied on the whole, and ended by requesting me to write to Your Majesty to allow those whom he will charge with the raising of the said cavalry to recruit freely in Your Majesty's dominions, and bring the men to him [at Calais]; and be pleased, for the good success of the affair in hand, to help and assist them in their charge without loss of time; (fn. 2) adding that he himself intended giving the command of 500 of them to a German captain now here [at Calais], whose name he did not mention. The command of the other 500 he (the King) intended to give to Mr. de Buren. He further said that he wished me to intercede with Your Majesty that the cavalry contingent to be furnished by Flanders on Your Majesty's account should be picked out and selected by the abovesaid Mr. de Buren from the Imperial cavalry; for unless they be men known to that captain he could not do good service with them; the King surmising that should Your Majesty commit the charge to officers of the Low Countries, the thing will not be accomplished in a fit and convenient manner. (fn. 3)
	After this the King informed me that king Francis had ordered great naval armaments to be got together in the ports of Normandy, indeed, much greater than ever, and that it was now high time to make up for past faults and deficiencies; that Tour Majesty's fleet should be got ready and join his, now at Calais, in order, among other services, to protect and insure the passage of victuals and ammunition which he intends to send to Calais. Upwards of one hundred vessels were ready to set sail for that service, and he had heard that the French bragged of invading England as soon as he had left it for the continent; but, said the King, though few people believed them to be in earnest, he the King had made such preparations to receive them, that if they ventured to come they would be punished as they deserved. The King also said to me that king Francis had sent to Marseilles a large number of sailors (maronniers), Normans and Bretons, to man and navigate the ships and galleys he had in the ports of Normandy. This news, the King observed, was to be communicated to Your Majesty as soon as possible, in order that on this side of Spain steps should be taken to prevent the French from passing the Straits.
	The King also told me that according to information received, a considerable number of Italians—ten or twelve thousand, and perhaps more—had lately arrived in France, but he had heard that they were men of no great importance in military matters, and on my replying to him that the news brought to me by a man lately come from that country made their number not to exceed two thousand, the King gave me to understand that the Venetian secretary, residing for his Republic in this city, was the author of the news, all the time boasting of being attached to the French party.
	Besides the above, the King repeated to me part of the conversation he had with me the other day respecting the duke of Albuquerque, as I informed Your Majesty by my last letter. He is very desirous to know whether Your Majesty has granted his request, that he may accompany him in this enterprise against France. Please Your Majesty to let me know me as soon as possible if I am to tell him that his wishes are complied with.—London, 21 April 1544.
	Signed: “Eustace Chapuys.”
	French. Original, 'partly ciphered. 3 pp.
21 April.	73. Eustace Chapuys to the Queen of Hungary.
Wien, Imp. Arch.	“Madame,”—Yesterday afternoon I went to the King with the Emperor's despatch of the 12th inst., which I read to him. No sooner had I finished my reading than the King, giving evident signs of displeasure, began to say that it seemed to him as if captain Sikinghen did not intend entering his royal service freely and with good will, since he was making so many difficulties about it. He had also found that the said Captain had once been in the service of king Francis, and done other unreasonable acts. He was not a man of known experience in military affairs, and therefore could not imagine why he (the King) should be recommended with such insistence to his ambassador in Brussels, when there were plenty of other captains in Upper Germany who would be glad to take service under him, provided the Emperor allowed them to do so. [The remainder of the letter as in the following one to the Emperor, of the same date, though with a paragraph thus worded.]
	The King ended by saying that he would not employ captain Sikinghen; he nevertheless would take into his service the 1,000 horse; he would give the command of 500 of them to a German captain, whose name he did not tell me, but who, according to information I have received, has been some time here soliciting it, and the remaining 500 to Monsr. de Buren.—London, 21 April 1544.
	French. Original draft. 3 pp.
21 April.	74. Eustace Chapuys to the Emperor.
Wien, Imp. Arch.	“Sire,”—Yesterday I received Your Majesty's letter of the 12th inst., (fn. 4) and in the afternoon of to-day, after dinner, in obedience to your commands, went to the King's court to communicate with him. After a due explanation by me of the contents of that letter, the King said to me with certain signs of displeasure, that it seemed to him that since captain Sickinghen made so many difficulties about entering his service freely and with good will; considering also that the said captain had once served under king Francis, and done certain unreasonable acts, (fn. 5) we (the Imperialists) ought not to press on his ambassador as hardly as we had done, and were still doing, half obliging him to enter into a contract with that captain, especially as there were many others in Germany quite competent and willing to enter his service on more reasonable terms, provided Your Imperial Majesty gave them licence, and that as he, himself, had written to his ambassador, it would be dishonorable for him to accept the services of the said Sickingham (sic). Nor did the King omit to show regret on the occasion, and mutter half between his teeth, words of resentment respecting the 2,000 florins, which he had advanced.
	At last, after several remonstrances on my part, which seemed to him satisfactory enough, the King ended by asking me to write to Your Imperial Majesty, that the enlisting of the 1,000 horse be entirely left in the hands of his own commissaries, adding that he intended giving the command of 500 of them to a German captain, who is actually here, but whose name he did not mention, and that of the other 500 to Mr. de Buren. He also requested me to intercede in favour of the latter, for him to be allowed to pick out the men coming on Your Majesty's behalf, “For (said the King) unless the men are well-known to him, Mr. de Buren will be unable to do the good service that is required of him, and I am afraid that if the commission be entrusted to officers of the Low Countries, they will not acquit themselves of it in a fit and convenient manner (sortablement).”
	After this, the King told me that he had news that king Francis had caused to be made in the ports of Normandy the greatest naval armaments ever heard of, and that it was high time (in order to make up for past deficiencies) that the Imparial fleet should be fitted out and join his own at Calais, in order to insure, among other things, the passage of provisions for the English army. He (the King) has already upwards of 100 vessels of all sizes ready to sail on that service; but he has also heard that king Francis is boasting and bragging that he will invade England the very moment he leaves for the Continent. “But (added the King) though very few people know anything about it, I have taken such measures and am so well prepared, that if the French come to England they will get as good a drubbing (ilz seront frotter) as they deserve.”
	The King also told me that king Francis has sent to Marseilles a large number of sailors from Normandy and Brittany to man certain ships of war and galleys of his own in the former port, and then sail for the coast of Normandy. “All this (the King said) you are to write to His Imperial Majesty, in order that proper provision be made in Spain, so as to prevent the French fleet from crossing the Straits [of Gibraltar].”
	I was likewise informed by the King that a body of Italians, amounting, as it was reported, to 10,000 or 12,000, and perhaps 10,000 more, men had gone to France; though they were not, as he had heard, people of great esteem in military matters. And on my replying to him that I also had fresh news from France, by a man lately arrived from that country, who said that all the Italians together in king Francis' army, old and new, did not exceed 2,000, (fn. 6) the King gave me to understand that the Venetian secretary, resident at his Court, was the author of the news, and that being notoriously a partisan and a spy of the French, he suspected him of having exaggerated his report.
	Lastly, the King did not fail to repeat to me the prayers he lately made to Your Imperial Majesty for the duke of Alburquerque to remain here in his service. As I had the honour to write to Your Majesty, this King is very desirous that the Duke should accompany him in his expedition to France, and is daily waiting for an answer to his application, hoping that it will receive due consideration. I most humbly beg to hear Your Majesty's commands on this point.—London, 21 April 1544.
	Signed: “Eustace Chapuys.”
	French. Original. 3 pp.
22 April.	75. The Queen of Hungary to Ambassador Chapuys.
Wien, Imp. Arch.	“Monsieur l'ambassadeur,”—In answer to your letters of the 12th and 14th inst., what We have to say is this: First, touching the declaration against the Scots, after perusing the draft or copy of the one which the King's privy councillors put into your hands, We find that it differs considerably from that which We caused to be drawn out here, and was forwarded to you on the [. . . . ], not only as concerns the narrative (narré), but also as regards the measures to be taken thereupon (le depositif); inasmuch as in the one you sent Us it is stated that the Scots have made raids into England, and are thereby declared common enemies of the allies, which expressions are not contained in the form of declaration sent to you from here, in which form neither the said raids are mentioned, nor are the Scots on that account declared common enemies of the allies. The words of Our declaration were that having been made aware that war had broken out between England and Scotland, the frequentation of, and residence in, these Low Countries was consequently forbidden to the Scots, in a like manner as that of Scotland was forbidden to the subjects of these Low Countries under Our government, and that these latter, moreover, could not under a certain pass give favour and assistance to the Scots, etc., according to the letter of treaty of closer alliance—thus establishing an express distinction between those to whom the frequentation of, and residence in, these Countries must be interdicted, and those who may be reputed as common enemies. (fn. 7) Neither did We consider Ourselves obliged to express in Our declaration that the Scots having safe-conducts from the king of England may frequent freely and reside without molestation in these Countries under Our government. This, however, for the sake of the king of England, We have no objection to grant, provided, before applying for a safe-conduct, they give notice of it to the ambassadors or ministers of His Imperial Majesty, as We have pointed out in previous letters. As you (Chapuys) wrote to Us that as the future invasion of France by the allies was so intimately connected with that of Scotland by the king of England, your advice, therefore, was that We ought at once to issue the declaration demanded from the Emperor—which declaration, by the way, We should never have granted otherwise—and that it would be enough for the present to prohibit to the Scots the frequentation of, and residence in, these Low Countries, We have naturally hesitated as to what We had better do in the matter, wishing on the one hand to please and satisfy that King, and, on the other, to resolve in a convenient manner the point relating to the Scots, which in Our opinion is not of small importance. That is why We again request you to let Us know as soon as possible what the Emperor and his ministers have written to you respecting the advice you tendered Us, and whether that advice of yours has, or has not, met with superior approbation. Meanwhile, We have sent to the Emperor, Our lord and brother, a copy of what you yourself wrote to Us on this subject, and We are only waiting for his decision in order to do his pleasure in this as well as in all other cases. We are anxiously expecting his answer and yours.
	With regard to the number of draft-horses which the English ask for, the King's privy councillors are not correctly informed, if they think that by reckoning the number of parishes in the provinces of these Low Countries—of which they pretend to know the exact amount—and calculating that each parish can furnish one waggon drawn by four draft-horses (that is four times the number of those wanted), they may easily be obtained. All We can say is that We have ordered a census to be made of all the draft-horses to be found in these provinces under Our government, and We find that, taking one horse out of six, of each peasant and cart owner (voiturier) in the country, the number of those thus obtained will not exceed 8,000, for although there may be parishes capable of furnishing ten, or perhaps twenty, waggons each, the small villages can only give one, two, or at the most three, so that it will be almost impossible for Us to furnish the number required. We have in this manner eight thousand draft-horses, which are already engaged or inscribed for the English as well as for the Emperor, to obtain which it has been absolutely necessary to discard and send away a large number of small, lean and wretched animals quite unfit for the service required, and notwithstanding all this, lest the English should take advantage of that to delay the enterprise against France, you will tell them that they ought not to wonder at Our making difficulties in an affair of this kind, and that Our excuses are not for the sole purpose of relieving the Emperor's subjects in these parts, they are founded on truth, and on Our complete inability to supply the whole of their demands, and in order also that Our allies be not deceived in their calculations. Indeed, were We to impose upon the peasants and farmers of these Countries a higher tax than one-sixth part of their horses, We are afraid all would be obliged to forsake their agricultural labours and desert the land, whence scarcity and dearth of provisions, if not actual famine, would ensue. You will also tell the King or his ministers that in placing at their disposal one-half, that is 4,000 out of the 8,000 draft-horses already inscribed, We consider that the English are well served. If of the remaining 4,000, after supplying the Emperor's army both in Germany and here in Flanders—where carts and waggons are also required for the baggage of the men—there should be a remnant without employment, We shall be glad to pass them over to the English. This We promise and can do; but notwithstanding that, if the King's troops happened to be in want of food and provisions for want of a sufficient number of waggons and draft-horses, the fault will not be Ours, for We have warned them beforehand.
	Should you find that the King and his privy councillors will be contented with 6,000 draft-horses—by far the highest number We can possibly procure even with great difficulty—you may suggest and propose, as if the idea originated with yourself, that if the King at the proper time will send his own commissaries (fn. 8) We will hand over to them the inventory or list that has been made of the said waggons and drafthorses in the parishes and villages of these Countries under Our government, and if by chance they do ascertain that there are in the country a greater number than that specified in the said list and description, We will give them all the help and assistance they may require for pressing the English into their service.
	As to furnishing the Royal Commissaries with the number of draft-horses the King wants for his army, that is a sheer impossibility. The English ought to consider that if We give them 2,000 saddle-horses for their cavalry, and 6,000 for their artillery and baggage, We shall have to deliver altogether a much greater number of horses than that which the King has for the rest of his army, which is quite unreasonable.
	As to the 200 transport vessels, which they want for the passage of their army, We have sent to all the ports and coasts of these Low Countries to retain and keep ready for that service all those that may be found to make up that number, and, if necessary, still more—in short, anything We can do to favour and assist the enterprise in which the allies are now engaged. We will, indeed, use all diligence in that respect in order that they be read to sail off the very same day that they are wanted, provided, however, that We receive notice from England a few days before, for as seafaring people and masters of vessels like those of Flanders and the Low Countries are most particular, when engaged for foreign service, to know, more or less certainly, the date of the month at which they are expected to sail.
	As to warships there will be some difficulty as to their equipment and armament. Every diligence shall be used to have them ready, but all those who are experienced in such matters believe that it would not be expedient to have for the guard of the coasts vessels of less tonnage than 480 tons, and, although We have asked for the advice of the English, and consulted them on this point, We have received no answer. True it is that We do not consider Ourselves obliged to follow in this particular case the English ordinances (d'armer à leur ordinance), and, therefore, if We prepare warships for 1,000 men on board, according to the letter of the treaty, that will be quite sufficient.
	You will do well to ask for reciprocity in the matter of the safe-conducts and their security. Having forwarded to you the letters patent to that effect, the least you can do is to ask for theirs in return. Had you received them you would, no doubt, have enclosed them to Us, but as you have not, I remind you of this that you may apply for them urgently.
	The English ambassador here (fn. 9) has exhibited to Us a paper abstracted, as he says, from the declaration made by those who were on board the English ship taken by the Scots in sight of La Verre. The pith of the declaration comes to this: the people of La Verre are accused of having made bad use of the said prize. We have given orders that a judicial inquiry be instituted at that port [of Zeeland], and if the accusation turns out true, We will take care that the delinquents, whoever they may be, receive exemplary chastisement, and besides that, We will send to that port some person of authority to compel the Scots to restore what they took from the English crew, according to the declaration, which the latter have placed, as we say, in the hands of their ambassador.—Brussels, 22 April 1544.
	Indorsed: “A l'ambassadeur en Angleterre Chappuys (sic).”
	French. Original draft. 4 pp.
25 April.	76. The Emperor to Eustace Chapcys.
Wien, Imp. Arch.	“Venerable, chier et feal,”—Three days ago news came to this town [Spire] from private people, purporting that a battle had been fought, and that Our men had lost it. We have delayed writing about it until the news was officially confirmed, as it was this very morning. The details of the affair are, as you will see, in the enclosed copy of the official report addressed to Us. As soon as the first news of the defeat of Our army was received here, We immediately dispatched an express messenger with letters for the marquis del Gasto and for prince Doria, ambassador Figueroa, and the duke of Florence, making such provision as was necessary at the moment, with full powers to Our ambassador for procuring immediately 50,000 ducats on bills on Our Imperial treasury. After that, We yesterday despatched to Italy, Giovan Ballista Castaldo, the Marquis' new confidential friend and a creditable officer in Milan, with letters to the said Marquis and to the commanders of Our army in that State. Castaldo is to go afterwards to the cardinal of Mantua, and thence to Cremona and Milan, in order to procure, solicit, and obtain whatever may be necessary for the defence of Our Italian dominions And as the Marquis writes, that notwithstanding the wounds received in the battle, and the gout that molested him, he was much occupied in ascertaining what his real losses were and getting together those among the fugitives who might be recovered, and giving besides orders for the defence of the fortresses and castles in the State, and had promised to send more details two days after by express messenger, there is no ground for alarm. After the courier was dispatched by the Marquis, some Spaniards coming from Carignan, brought news of a large number of their comrades and fellow soldiers having reached that fortress in safety, as you will be able to see by the enclosed copy of the official report. Besides that the captain of the castle of Milan, Don Alvaro [de Luna], writes that the very moment that the Milanese heard of the defeat of Our army they asked the sixty members of the Town Council to assemble, who, in union with the rest of the inhabitants, resolved to aid in the defence of the city and State of Milan, and decided to raise a sum of 100,000 crs. to that effect, so that with this and other provisions the defence of the State of Milan is pretty well insured, at least, until We have entered France, when We hope with God's help to give them so much to do that they will not have either the leisure or the power of molesting Us elsewhere.
	Your despatch of the 13th inst. has been duly received, as well as the account of your conversation with that King respecting the waggons (chariotz) and the cavalry for count de Buren, and likewise on the declaration against the Scotch and the duke of Alburquerque. On these same points We have returned a ready answer to the King's ambassador who resides here with Us, and since then made the Sieur de Granvelle tell him in Our name that with regard to the waggons the King might be certain that the dowager queen of Hungary, Madame, Our sister, will help and assist him in every way as much as she conveniently can. In fact, the better to serve the King in that respect, We have issued orders that both horses and carriages for the artillery be procured here in this country, as well as horses and waggons for the heavy luggage, and that the rest be placed at that King's disposal, except the few that We have ordered from the Low Countries for the immediate use of Our army here to carry the tents, heavy baggage and so forth, and that the King must know that if there be any failure in what We deliberately promise, it will certainly not be Our or Our sister's fault, since both she and We intend doing the most We can for his sake.
	As to the declaration against the Scots, the King must be told that it shall be made, and that already Our sister and We consider them as enemies. That We at once beg him to make any public demonstration he may wish in Our joint name, and that the Queen is having it drawn out to be published.
	With regard to the duke of Alburquerque, We are very glad to hear that the King wants him to accompany him. We have written to him the enclosed to that effect. To conclude with this letter the English ambassador came this morning to speak to Mr. de Granvelle, to hear from his lips the news of Italy above-mentioned, and, passing to another topic of conversation, he announced to him that his master the King had expressly signified to him that he would not take into his service colonel (sic) Seckinghen, for he had heard that he was not a fit commander of armed men. We were surprised to hear that, for the said Seckinghen happens to be one of the best captains that We could have chosen; and in order that he might take service with the king of England, We had made him give up the command of five companies (enseignes) of infantry, and in short he and his brother had been for four years pensioners of Our sister, the Queen, and served in the Low Countries. After the English ambassador has spoken to Us on the subject We will let you know what resolution is taken in this affair.—Spires, 25 April 1544.
	French. Original draft. 4 pp.
29 April.	77. The Emperor to Eustace Chapuys.
Wien, Imp. Arch.	“Venerable, chier et feal,”—Your letter of the 21st inst. has come to hand. We have also heard from the Sieur de Granvelle the particulars about captain Seckinghen, of whose services, as you say, the king of England refuses to avail himself altogether. We have likewise been informed of what passed between the King's ministers and yourself on that subject, and the reason why he (the King) disliked that captain so much, for before your letter arrived the English ambassador residing here had said to Us that on no account would his master take captain Seckinghen into his service, having heard that the sold captain could bear no good will to his person, since he mistrusted him as to payment. He (the King) had besides been told that Seckinghen was not a man of the sort required for such a charge, and, in short, that if We had engaged Our word, and promised him the 2,000 florins, which his own ambassador had advanced, he would rather forfeit the money than accept Seckinghen's services.
	Our answer to the English ambassador, as delivered by the Sieur de Granvelle in person, has been that We fully believed that the King, Our brother, would have been well served by captain Seckinghen, whose experience in warfare and whose courage in the field had been put to the test two years ago by the queen of Hungary, Madame, Our sister, who had preferred him and his brother to other German captains. Indeed, he had acquitted himself so well of his task, that the Queen herself had granted him a pension, and We ourselves would have given him the command of five “enseignes” had it not been that in order to please the king of England We proposed to him to take him into his service.
	As to the security for the payment of the men's wages, the English ambassador was told that that was a sort of condition generally demanded by German captains; this security We ourselves have been obliged to give whenever We have been in need of their services, that being the reason why We have stipulated that should the King fail in giving proper security, or should captain Seckinghen not accept the one offered, he can retain and keep in his power the 2,000 florins he has received in advance, and quit the King's service, all the time giving the English ambassador to understand that on no account was the money to be returned, as that would be quite unreasonable. To this plan of Ours the King's ambassador assented, but since then he has again questioned on the point the Sieur de Granvelle, who has repeated the same statement in gracious words. We apprize you of the fact that you may justify this conduct of Ours in the affair, whenever it comes to be discussed, and let Us know what will be the end of it, always assuring the King that if We can do anything towards facilitating to his own English captains the levying of that or any other body of foreign cavalry, he will find Us perfectly disposed to do him this favour.
	With regard to the Italians, who you have been told came from France, your answer was according to truth. As to the ships of Marseilles there was really some rumour, but since then there has been no confirmation of the news.
	The gentleman of the Marquis del Gasto, who was to be the bearer of a detailed account of the engagement at Cerisoles, and the state of affairs in Lombardy, has not yet arrived. The news is that the French are so weakened by the last engagement (rencontre) that they have not moved from where they were; the garrison and people of Carignan on the other hand were determined to hold out to the last, and as they have provisions for six weeks at least there is nothing to fear on that side. This is all We can tell you besides the news contained in our previous letter to which We refer to you.
	As to the declaration against the Scot, which that King insists upon so strongly, Our sister the queen of Hungary to whom We are now writing will communicate with you.
	To conclude, Dame d'Egmond has represented to Us that last year when they entered France they wasted and burned down, causing great havoc in the lands and property she owns on the French frontier, and she is naturally afraid that this year if the invasion again takes place the English soldiers may do the same. She has now begged Us to write to you that you may lay her complaints before the king of England, and We do it with pleasure, considering her demand to be just and reasonable enough. You will, therefore, pray the King in Our name to issue orders for the property and lands of Our born subjects to be respected by the English soldiers in their march. That would be a most fitting and convenient measure to take under the circumstances, considering the mutual friendship between Us two, and that which now exists between the King's subjects and Our own, whose losses are Our own, and who, besides suffering much from the common enemy, are ready to sacrifice their bodies and property for the common service.—Spire, 29 April 1544.
	French. Original draft, almost entirely ciphered. 3 pp.
30 April.	78. King Henry to the Emperor.
Wien, Imp. Arch.	Is in receipt of the Emperor's letter by Monsr. de Chantonnay, and has listened to the message he brought and to the address he himself delivered in his presence, showing the Emperor's brotherly affection for him, and his desire to promote their common affairs. Chantonnay will be the bearer of Henry's thanks for the affection and love which the Emperor professes for him, and at the same time report on his army, which is quite ready to take the field against the common enemy, according to the stipulation of the treaty of alliance.
	Signed: “Henry.”
	French. Original. 1 p.
30 April.	79. Eustace Chapuys to the Queen of Hungary.
Wien, Imp. Arch.	Monsieur de Chantonnay, bearer of this my despatch, will give Your Majesty particular and full account of everything that has happened during his mission to this country.—London, 30 April 1544.
Wien, Imp. Arch.	French. Original. 1 p.