Cecil Papers: March 1576

Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 2, 1572-1582. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1888.

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'Cecil Papers: March 1576', in Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 2, 1572-1582, (London, 1888) pp. 127-130. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-cecil-papers/vol2/pp127-130 [accessed 23 April 2024]

March 1576

362. The Privy Council to Lord Burghley.
1575/6, March 5. Require him to give order through his office for stay of all vessels belonging to the town of Flushing, and to put in safe keeping till further orders all the ships' masters and mariners. With postscript that the arrest is to extend to all those of Zealand.—From Westminster, 5 March 1575.
Signed by the Earls of Lincoln, Warwick, Leicester, and five others.
363. Daniel Rogers to Lord Burghley.
1575/6, March 7. Having been driven by tempest to Ostend he came on to Antwerp, where he has learnt something of the present state of the country, which he thinks it his duty to communicate to his lordship.
The country goes more and more to ruin, and its state is much more miserable than when he was last here with Dr. Wilson. The King's debts increase daily, and the soldiers are not paid; the husbandman in the country is oppressed and great contempt grows against the Spaniards, wherefore they can scant conceive any worthy enterprise much less execute it.
Three weeks past the Commendador (Requesens) had an enterprise against Brill, but because it took not good effect his sickness, which he had before, begun to increase, and after being troubled for six weeks with a great itch which ended in boils and imposthumes, he died on the 5th of the present month at the age of 46 years.
There is great fear here lest some sedition arise amongst the soldiers with respect to their stipends which have been long unpaid. The Commendador not long before his death, perceiving that he could not live long, sent a post to Ernest, Count of Mansfeld, asking him to take temporary charge of the government, and since his death another request has been made to the Count by the Estates and the Privy Council. There be others who cease not to counsel the Estates to establish their own government and to provide for the quietness of their country. Not long since the King had resolved to send hither Don John of Austria as Governor, the Commendador being sent to Naples as Viceroy, and it is yet thought if the Turk doth not advance himself, with his 300 galleys, towards Malta, that Don John will be the Governor of the Low Countries.
Touching the inclination of the Spaniards here towards peace, it is most certain that the proudest of them all desireth it, and would be content to accept any condition so that the Prince would make no mention of religion and would return to the King's obedience. In these two terms they stand so stiffly that they would rather lose the whole of the Low Countries than grant that any religion should there be permitted.
The Spaniards themselves doubt greatly of losing these countries, and foresee great and dangerous changes, yet they trust to recover the country hereafter if it should now be taken from them.
Some Spaniards, great men, discoursing of these matters, affirm that the Low Countries do but ruin the kingdom in time of peace by robbing Spain of its gold, besides hindering the king from establishing his dignity in India, and other isles nigh unto him, because he must always have an eye on the Low Countries.
As concerning the rebels, two of the Nortons are about Bruges, and my Lord Morley, with his wife, is in Maestricht. Some of them are at Cambray, but the most part are at Liege, where is Jennye who hath caused to be printed there a posey of his in verses for the defence of the Queen of Scots. The Countess of Northumberland lieth in an Abbey within two miles of Liege. Is credibly advised that they have their pensions yet from the King of Spain.—Antwerp, 7 March 1575.
[Murdin, pp. 292–294. In extenso.] 4 pp.
364. Jesus College, Oxford.
1575/6, Mar. 7. Warrant under the Privy Signet for the delivery of 20 oaks from the Forest of Barnewood in Oxfordshire as timber to be used in finishing Jesus College.—Westminster, 7 Mar. 1575.
1 p.
365. Jacobus Manucius to Lord Burghley.
1575/6, Mar. 11. Since Captain Masino del Bene has understood that the matter proposed through him has been committed to his lordship, so as to avoid any disputes that might arise concerning the same, he has resolved in all things to abide by his Lordship's decision as to the worth of the advertisement.
Begs him to write to Masino del Bene on the subject.—Paris, 11 Mar. 1575.
Italian. 1 p.
366. Sir Francis Walsingham to the Earl Of Lincoln.
1575/6, March 17. The Staplers beseeching the Queen for two of her ships to waft them over, Her Majesty is pleased to direct that they have the “Achates” and the “Handmaid.” As it will be Palm Sunday before their fleet can set forth, one of the two ships is to be ready in the meantime to transport Monsr. Champaine. From the Court 17 March 1575.
Endorsed :—“Mr. Secret. Walsingham to Lord Lyncoln.”
½ p.
367. Anonymous to Sir Wm. Petre.
1575/6, March 17. Encloses a letter he found very early in the morning as he went from Paul's Church by Paul's Wharf to the water by the tavern there. It was sewn with black Paris silk. No creature was by, so he took and read it, and was never so afraid in his life. Beseeches Sir Wm. Petre to give it to the Queen.—March 17.
Endorsed by Burghley :—“19 Martii 1575.—This wrytyng was delivered to me by Sir Wm. Petre. 20 Martii. I redd it to the Q. Majesty at Grenwich.”
368. The Earl of Oxford to Lord Burghley.
1575/6, Mar. 17. His lordship's letters have made him a glad man and he thanks God that it hath pleased him to make him a father where his lordship is a grandfather, and if it be a boy his joy will be the greater.
Thanks his lordship for further bills of credit and letters of great courtesy from Mr. Benedict Spinola together with many favours which he has received from Mr. Raymondo of which he is convinced his lordship is the occasion.
For fear of the Inquisition he dare not pass by Milan, the Bishop of which town exerciseth great tyranny, he therefore takes the way of Germany where he means to acquaint himself with Sturmius, with whom he intends to pass some time.
The King has given him letters of recommendation to his ambassador at the Court of Turkey, and he has received similar letters from the Venetian Ambassador to the Court of Venice. If the Turks come not upon the coast of Italy as they are expected, in which case he will see the service, he may pass two or three months in seeing Constantinople and some part of Greece.
The English Ambassador here complains greatly of the dearness of this country and has earnestly desired him to crave his lordship's considerations in this respect.
Hearing that his man would fain pay over to his creditors some of the money which he directed to be paid over to himself, entreats his lordship to let his creditors wait, for his expenses are very great and he does but “prefer his own necessity before theirs.”—Paris, 17 March.
1 p.
369. George Scott To Lord Burghley.
[1575/6] Mar. 20. Her Majesty having granted to Mr. Cornwallis and himself the office of writing supersedeases at the Common Law, at the same time referring the question as to the legality of the grant to Mr. Attorney and Mr. Solicitor General, complains that no decision has been come to for the space of a twelvemonth and also of the excessive charges they have been put to in following up the suit, praying his Lordship to procure her Majesty's commission for hearing and ending the matter.
2 pp.
370. The Tenants of Glastonbury.
1576, Mar. 25. Order by the Queen in Council that with reference to those tenants of Glastonbury who claim to be copyholders and that their said copyholds were granted to farm, that the cause between them and the farmers should be heard the next term and the matter then finally determined. In the meantime the said copyholders are neither to be disturbed in their possessions nor their bodies to be arrested by the said farmers.
Signed :—Thomas Sekford.
1 p.