Rome: September 1578 | British History Online

Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Vatican Archives, Volume 2, 1572-1578. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1926.

'Rome: September 1578', in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Vatican Archives, Volume 2, 1572-1578, (London, 1926) pp. 503-511. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/vatican/vol2/pp503-511 [accessed 26 April 2024]

September 1578



1578. Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Francia, vol. xii.	947. [Protonotary Dandino,] Nuncio in France to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. “I am besought by one of the Jesuit Fathers, an Irishman, to notify the Pope that some of his fellow-countrymen, and in particular some of those who, by means of his Holiness, have on former occasions been in receipt of aid in the universities of Louvain and Douai, have come hither, being dispersed by the tumults of Flanders; among whom are some priests; and so poor are they that they are unable either to pursue their studies or to maintain themselves; and likewise I am to entreat his Holiness that he be pleased either to maintain a little establishment of twelve of these [priests] in Rome, or where else he please, instituted and governed as he shall please, in order that they may train themselves catholically, and in the service of God, so as to qualify themselves to do some service to their country; or at least that he be pleased to afford them some pecuniary aid for their maintenance here, if he see not fit to establish a college.” 1 September, 1578. Paris. Italian.
Vat. Lib. Urb. Lat. 1046. ff. 331, 334d.	948. News Letter. … “From Milan by the Papal post tidings have been received that the enemy's army was still gaining strength in Flanders, as also was Alençon in the neighbourhood of Mons, and that England was sending troops to the States.” 1 and 3 September, 1578. Rome. Italian. Copies.
Arch. di Stato di Napoli. Carte Farnes. Fascio 186.	949. Guido Lolgi to [Alexander] Cardinal Farnese. After deploring the disastrous news from Portugal and speculating on the consequences the writer proceeds as follows:— “As to affairs here, or rather in Flanders, the Estates have made a league with Monsieur; and in the event of the peace of late discussed not coming to pass the said Monsieur is to take their part with 10,000 foot and 3,000 horse, and to be accounted by them as chief in military matters, provided he meddle not with the government of the cities; and after the lapse of two months from the time when he shall have the said troops in array, he shall not be bound to retain more than 3,000 foot and 500 horse; and should he conquer some territories beyond the Meuse, which of their own accord have taken the side of Don John, the Estates have declared that they are to belong to him and his heirs; and as to other territories which Don John has taken by force, they, if Monsieur shall take them, shall belong, one half to him and the other half to the Estates. And as to the expenses that shall be incurred by him in the war, the Estates promise to take them into consideration, and to deliver at once into his hands the three following places, to wit, Landrecies, Quesnoy and Bavay, not that they are to remain his own, but for his present convenience. “In the said league are comprised the Queen of England, Casimir, and others that shall be desirous of entering it. (fn. 1) “Until now Picardy and Champagne have been, and are being devoured by Monsieur's troops, some of whom are also marching through Burgundy, so that France is almost more harassed by the Flanders' war than is Flanders itself. It is not known as yet that the Queen Mother was with the King of Navarre, (fn. 2) but tidings thereof cannot be long delayed. The King is about to make an excursion to Fontainebleau, and return here at Michaelmas.” 2 September, 1578. Paris. Italian. Autograph.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. Germ. vol. lxxxviii.	950. Feliciano [Ninguarda O.P.], Bishop of Scala, [Legate in Germany] to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. … “I have just received a letter from Mgr. of Ross, written from Ispruck [Innsbruck] on the 26th of last month. He was then departing for the Imperial Court; whereof he asks me to apprise you, and at the same time that he will put himself in motion for France as soon as possible.” (fn. 3) 5 September, 1578. Salzburg. Italian.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Francia, vol. xii.	951. [Protonotary Dandino,] Nuncio in France to the Same. “They write by letters of the 28th [August] from Mons, that there was much talk of marriage between Monsieur and the Queen of England, and by letters of the 3rd [inst.] from Antwerp, that they have placed the church of the Jesuits with two others at the disposal of the heretics for their preachments.” 8 September, 1578. [Paris.] Italian.
Vat. Lib. Urb. Lat. 1046. f. 362.	952. News Letter. “As to the affairs of Flanders the advices come by way of Paris, and are written with variations determined by particular humours and passions so far as they deal with peace, of which there is little or no hope. And there is no little apprehension of greater ruin, if the league to be concluded between the Estates, England, Alençon and Casimir against Don John should come to pass; it being affirmed that the title of General of the forces has been conferred on the said Alençon, with licence that all that he shall conquer belong to his Highness.” 8 September, 1578. Lyons. Italian.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Spagna, vol. xi.	953. [Philip Sega, Bishop of Ripa,] Nuncio in Spain to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. “By God's grace his Majesty's fiat has issued for the licence for the hundred pipes of wine for the English College, of which I have authorized the making of the patent, and if it be finished in time to send it with this letter, I will do so; if otherwise, I will send it as soon as may be.” 9 September, 1578. Madrid. Italian.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Francia, vol. xii. p. 400.	954. Protonotary Dandini, (fn. 4) Nuncio in France to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. … “In Scotland the nobles and the tyrant (fn. 5) alike have laid down their arms, having made an accord with this by way of principal condition, and some others, none of which he observes; and it is feared that he is soliciting and awaiting the Queen of England's good aid to expel all those nobles, and perchance thereafter to reduce that King to subjection to her. “Dr. Allen writes me from Reims that no sooner had he entered that city than, by the pains and influence of the Cardinal of Guise, the magistrate and the people were induced to desist from persecuting that College of Englishmen, so that now they are unmolested. (fn. 6) However, an answer to the letters written by the King is awaited thence, so that afterwards we may get from his Majesty the order that I have solicited in pursuance of your commission. Meanwhile I have seen fit to write this, that being apprised thereof the Pope may be the more confirmed in the good opinion which he has of this most illustrious lord.” 16 September, 1573. Paris. Italian. Autograph. Enclosure. “Negri (fn. 7) had a long conversation with me yesterday on his return from Flanders and England, whither, by what he says, he had been sent by the Most Christian King and Monsieur, and whence he was recalled by M. d'Alençon; and he sounded me as to the Pope's feeling towards his Highness, and whether I believed that his Holiness had given [a pledge] to favour him on request, not at once openly against the Catholic King, for he knows that he would not do so, but by way of not taking it amiss that he should do his exploit in Flanders, since the offices which his Holiness has done, and is doing for the peace of Christendom, are attributed by the French rather to partiality to Spain: and he adds that it is the purpose of his Highness to possess himself in particular of Artois, Rotehers (sic) (fn. 8) and Flanders; which, he pretends, belong to this Crown; and that by making war in Italy, in the State of Milan, and setting the Grand Turk in motion by sea towards Naples and Sicily, he would hope to divert the forces of the Catholic King from the war of Flanders, and either to acquire those countries by force, or by virtue of his possession of those three places reduce his Catholic Majesty to make peace in Flanders on the terms of their restoration in exchange for Milan and Naples; and that in this concur the Prince of Orange, the Queen of England, the King of Navarre, and others who have already begun and go on treating thereof in Constantinople and other places, and who have, besides, a mind to somewhat of the State of his Holiness in Italy; touching which he has not been minded to tell me anything further; adding that if the Pope, who, he thinks, as to Flanders is merely concerned lest that Province should be lost to the Catholic religion, adheres to M. d'Alençon, he may be sure that at least that part which his Highness shall possess, will be Catholic. But should his Holiness endeavour, albeit with some fair semblance, to gain and corrupt Busi [Bussy d'Amboise], for he it is that does and undoes everything, as he pleases, with money and promises, he might easily induce him to abandon the enterprises of Italy, though by no means that of Flanders, and arrange matters after his own fashion; and this man says that he too would be of some service. I have sounded him whether the Most Christian King and the Queen Mother are parties to these designs of M. d'Alençon; and he answers no, and that they are not as yet aware of them. My sole purpose in writing this is that it may be known to his Holiness, who will act in regard thereof upon such basis as there may seem to be. I believe that I shall not err in propounding what I have in mind; and therefore I omit not to say, that, if his Holiness should apply his mind to the acquisition of England, or the reclamation of that realm to the Catholic religion, either by uniting the Most Christian King and the Catholic King in league, whereto this King is inclined, as I wrote you by my letter of the 13th, the answer to which is much desired by him that spoke to me thereof; or by other and better methods, as by causing the forces that M. d'Alençon has at present in being to be employed to that end, and persuading his Highness thereto by proposing to him the matrimonial alliance with the Catholic King, or the acquisition of that realm for him, or some other inducement, it would be an enterprise much desired here by the good people and the Catholics, and one which would perchance be notably aided. “About three months ago the bishopric of Adda [Agde] in Languedoc fell vacant, and the Most Christian King gave it to Marshal d'Anville, who gave it to John Martin, his steward, an ignorant fellow, and perhaps a Huguenot. The said Danville had an abbey called di Giuli.” Decipher. Italian.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. d' Inghilt. vol. i. p. 117.	955. Don Bernardino de Mendoza, [Spanish Ambassador in England] to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. “As soon as I came to this kingdom I wrote, I May, notifying you of my arrival, and yet to this hour I have no assurance that my letters have reached your hands. By those which I write to the ambassador you will learn how damaging to the resources of the Apostolic See is a privilege, which Horatio Pallavicino has acquired in the Low Countries, (fn. 9) that none other than he may for six years bring alum into those countries. Whereof I am fain to apprise you, and at the same time that it is important that his Holiness should apply thereto a proper remedy. “There is nothing more to report from here but that of late order has been given for the arrest of some Catholics, and that the negotiation of the match between the Queen and the Duke Alençon proceeds apace.” 21 September, 1578. London. Spanish. Autograph.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Portog. vol. i.	956. Robert Fontana, [Collector Apostolic] to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. Reporting the arrival at Lisbon of a ship from Ireland with some merchants aboard; the probable early departure for Rome of the Bishop of Killala, (fn. 10) who by way of excuse alleged that it was not safe for him to be in Ireland until all the English had been expelled from the country by Prince Odo (sic), (fn. 11) whereas then they were at peace; and enclosing a letter from the Bishop of Killaloe to the following effect:— “That all the magnates of the realm eagerly awaited the arrival of James [Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald] in Ireland; that it was four months since the Queen of England had written to the Viceroy of Ireland, and certain magnates her adherents, bidding them keep a sharp look-out for the arrival of James, who was ready to sail for Ireland with a Spanish-Italian army; yet she sent not a single well-equipped or armed ship to guard the ports of Ireland, and had recently written again to the Viceroy and magnates aforesaid, that they had no cause for alarm, and that the army that was to have gone to Ireland had sailed for Africa.” 25 September, 1578. Lisbon. Italian and Latin.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Spagna, vol. xi.	957. [Philip Sega, Bishop of Ripa,] Nuncio in Spain to the Same. “As to what you write about Geraldine you will see by the report of the course of events in Portugal that we are not at a stand-still. Geraldine is here, as I wrote, and another business is under consideration, as I will further apprise you after I have spoken with his Majesty.” 26 September, 1578. Madrid. Italian.
Vat. Lib. Urb. Lat. 1046. f. 373.	958. News Letter. … “The death of the King of Portugal is now deemed certain, as divers reports thereof have been received here; and so this letter will wear the garb of mourning. “The nuncio for Poland has arrived here; and here also is the Bishop of Roses [Ross], an Englishman who has his Holiness' commission to treat of certain matters between the Emperor and the King of Poland.” 27 September, 1578. Prague. Italian. Copy.
1578. Vat. Arch. Nunt. d' Inghilt. vol. i.	959. Bastian San Joseppi to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. “While I was at the Court of Spain I never failed to write to you all that was needful in regard of the business of the Pope; now, to rehearse part of what I have already several times written, I tell you that on my return from the said Court by order of Mgr. Nuncio, I came at great inconvenience to Cadiz, thinking there to find the goods of Sir Thomas Stucley, the loss of the King of Portugal and all his troops being known to me; but on my arrival at Cadiz I found not there the said goods; albeit I found there some goods of certain persons that were in debt to me, which my deputy recovered, though they were rotten and of little value. Then, being informed that the goods of Sir Thomas had gone to Lisbon on a Flemish hulk, I forthwith departed for Lisbon; and on the voyage thither many a misfortune befell me, of which for the present I say nothing, that I may tell you that in Cadiz I found about eighty Italian soldiers, who, having been left behind sick at Arzilla, a place in Barbary, had escaped with their lives; whom I exhorted to come to Lisbon, promising to use my influence with the King (fn. 12) to procure them their pays, and to find a ship to carry them; to which they replied that they had had quite enough of the sea, and that if they must embark, they preferred to embark for Italy. And so, perceiving their purpose and their feebleness, I failed not to aid and succour them, one with six, another with eight reals, according to my view of their needs; and then I took leave of them and came to Lisbon, where I found that by the diligence of Mgr. Collector, and my own domestics, Stucley's chattels had been placed in the hands of a Portuguese, who holds them by judicial title pending proof of the proprietor, so that their recovery will be a very tedious process: however, I am of opinion that the court, recognizing my claims and authority, will make no difficulty in restoring the said chattels to me. Still they would not suffice to make good his debt to me, and the salaries of some servants that are here, particularly that of one Francesco, his valet de chambre, who was entrusted by him with the charge of these chattels, to whom he orally communicated the debts that he had on his conscience, which might be paid in the event of his death; but he made no mention of his debt to me, nay, he said the moneys were the PP's (fn. 13) and not a matter of conscience at all. Mark the fraudulent and deceitful practices of this man to the disadvantage alike of his Holiness and myself, who had served him so lovingly, and lent him the money at my own risk, that he might be better affected to the service of the Pope. And yet he took another road: but God met him at a pass which he thought not of; for being in the field at the front with the Italians, as he marked the first assault of the enemy, he hastily retired, and deserting the Italian troops plunged into a squadron of Castilians, and then there came a piece of artillery that took off both his legs; and so he ended his days, behaving in a manner quite contrary to that of the poor Italians, who thrice repulsed the furious onset of the foe; and the Portuguese themselves say that they verily died like Romans, for so they called them. Of a truth they may be deemed to have fought bravely, as no more than 10 or 15 at the most of those that were in the field were made slaves; among whom is Captain Hercole del Mastro da Pisa, who already by two letters has given me account of Stucley's fine behaviour, and certified me of his death. He also craves my aid in this his captivity; nor shall I fail to afford it him, when I see whether this King is disposed to redeem him, for he has sent one of his servants to redeem all those that are slaves; and should the King not do so, I shall await instruction as to the course I should take in regard of these slaves that are continually writing me from Tetuan, craving my help. “There are also here in Lisbon about 15 other soldiers of those that were in Cadiz, who, having embarked on a ship for Italy, were carried by tempest to this port, where, no sooner had they disembarked, than they came to me craving my aid; which I have not failed to afford them, particularly as I have seen a letter from Mgr. Nuncio addressed to Mgr. Collector, in which he says, that should some of these soldiers be Italians, they should be assembled and entertained until further advice from him: from you also I shall expect some direction. It now but remains for me to entreat you to deign to let yourself be seen at Rome by the Archdeacon of Cambrai, who has in his possession, price a hundred ducats, an emerald that was Stucley's, of greater value; and Dr. Navara (fn. 14) has two garnitures of a cappa; to wit, the one of pearls and diamonds with the berretta garnished in like manner; and the other cappa garnished with buttons of gold and rubies, with a berretta garnished in like manner, price seven hundred ducats; which things, for lack here of goods enough to meet his debts, might be taken, in order that his Holiness may not lose on all sides.” 29 September, 1578. Lisbon. Italian. Autograph.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Portog. vol. i.	960. Robert Fontana, [Collector Apostolic] to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. … Acknowledging receipt of the Cardinal's letters of the 1st and 27th of last month, which are for the most part answered by anticipation. He has therefore but to say that until further advice he will preserve the brief and the other letters dealing with the business of the Marquis [Stucley] and the soldiers, in regard of which business he and the commissary are following Mgr. Nuncio's instructions. Some letters addressed to the said Marquis, which, he believes. are from Rome, have also reached his hands; and he desires to know what he is to do with them. 29 September, 1578. Lisbon. Italian.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Francia, vol. xii.	961. [Protonotary Dandino,] Nuncio in France to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. “The match between his Highness and the Queen of England is still in negotiation, and on her part with every sign of a desire to conclude it, and it seems as if Monsieur too may think it suitable. It is deemed, however, that both the one and the other are in fact otherwise minded than they seem to be, and that it will not come to pass. It is said that she requests him first to come to see her, and it is suspected that this display of such goodwill may cloak some guile. I understand that the King disapproves the match, and that in regard of it he has had some office done with Monsieur, who, however, is resolutely bent upon it. I shall not fail in my first audience to confirm his Majesty in this good purpose, and exhort him to omit no means of precluding the marriage, as I am persuaded that it could not but greatly displease the Pope. “As to the other [match, that] of the Prince of Condé, it seems that the negotiation has become pretty cool, as I wrote you: still I shall not fail to do the office that in your last letter you bade me to do in regard thereof. “It is understood that the Articles of the League [against Spain] (fn. 15) have been accepted by the Queen of England. “They say here that the Queen Mother was to have a conference with the King of Navarre at 26 (fn. 16), four leagues on this side of Bordeaux, and that there was hope that matters would be well arranged. “I forgot in my last to apprise you of the departure of that pattened friar, [Denis (fn. 17) ] Molan, which, by what the Irish bishop tells me, took place about the beginning of this month.” 29 September, 1578. [Paris.] Italian.