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| May 11. | The Queen to the French King. |
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| "Mon tres cher frere, Combien que mes frequentes, necessaires et affectionées admonitions, advertissements et offres ne
vous ont en rien esmeu a vous inciter a faire ce qui a ceste heure
se monstre par trop amere experience avoir esté expedient pour
vostre estat et seureté; Nonobstant, je ne me puis contenir de
vous mander ce gentilhomme, pour vous exprimer le crevecueur
qu'en mon ame je sents pour cest inique accident, et tel que
Prince au monde ne patira sans punition bien aperte et actions
dignes de Roy qui se veult faire craindre des coulpables, et
aymer des fidelles. |
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| "Au nom de Dieu, estoupez les oreilles a tels qui vous font
craindre les ombres quand vous vous devez mettre a la claire
veue [margin au clair veu] du soleil. Vous me pouvez hardiment croire que ne suis d'aultre partie que la vostre. Et
pleust a Dieu que tous les vostres en apparence fussent de
mesme. Je vous suplie, faites moy cest honneur de lire cestecy vous mesmes, sans secretaire, et donner favorable audience a
ce porteur aussy secretement que bon vous semblera. Et soyez
asseure qu'il est confidant et sage et secret. Ne vous voulant
plus fascher, je prieray le Creatur a mains jointes vous conserver en longues anneés." |
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| Vostre tres asseurée bonne seur et cousine. |
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| Endd. "11 May, 1588. Copy of her Majesty's letters written
with her own hand to the Fr. K. and sent by Mr. Tho. Bodley."
½ p. [France XVIII. 88.] |
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| May 11. | Nicholas Pierson, deputy, and the Assistants of the English
Merchants Adventurers resident in Stood, to the Company. |
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| They have already been advertised of the reports "touching
the Hamburghers' preparation of ships . . . to lie in the river
of 'Elve' before and below the Swing, for demand of ton and
beacon money etc.," which pretence of theirs appears (by very
certain information) to go forward; "it being confirmed on
Wednesday last by the general meeting of the burgers, who
uniformly have given their voices to spend life and goods in
the maintenance of their privileges"; and have appointed as
chief commissioners to go in the said ships two of their lords,
viz. Christopher Burckholt and Henrick van Sprekellsen and
two burghers, namely Joachim Wichman and Henrich Rensell,
with two captains: "all which the said Mr. deputy lately made
known unto the boroughmasters and syndicus of this town, who,
though at the first [they] would scarcely believe the Hamburgers
durst attempt the same" yet having been by them imparted
to certain of the lords in Senate, it was there resolved to send
their Syndicus to the Bishop of Breme and his council, now at
Fourde, to complain how that not only the Hamburgers had
lately demanded ton and beacon money from three ships of Hull,
within his Grace's jurisdiction, and the like of the lords of
this town; but also of their fresh pretence. Moreover, they
forthwith yesterday sent one of their senators secretly to Hamburg to take knowledge of their proceedings. |
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| And at the Court of Assistants it was agreed to advertise
the Company of the premises and whatever may be further
understood concerning the said cause. |
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| This morning one of the Boroughmasters, with the Syndicus,
who last night returned from Fourde, have been with Mr. Deputy
and told him the answer of the Bishop's Council; viz.: "that
his Grace is minded to maintain and defend his jurisdiction
upon the 'Elve'; so as, to that end, the 'Dome Deuken', chief
of the said Council, is appointed to be at Fourde upon Monday
next" (as also the said Syndicus), when earnest letters from
his Grace to Hamburg shall be written and sent; "to admonish
and forbid them not hereafter to do the like or use upon the
same any force or violence; which by no means he will allow
or tolerate . . ." |
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| And the lords of this town promise to send a secret messenger
towards the sea, to attend the coming of the English ships into
the 'Elve', and deliver to them (before their coming up) such
letters as are thought necessary to be agreed upon; and further
will do all in their power for their defence and maintenance,
which though the Assistants believe they will do their best
endeavours to perform, yet they doubt not but that the Company "will have such careful consideration thereof as the naughtiness of the cause requireth," for unless by the said Bishop
and other neighbour estates the Hamburgers be enforced to
more quiet, they will not cease every way to vex and hinder
the English trade; animated the more thereto by a Netherlander lately come hither as commissioner from the Prince
of Parma.—Stoad, 11 May, 1588. |
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| Endd. by Lawrence Tompson. 2 pp. [Hamburg and Hanse
Towns III. 4.] |
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| May [after 13–23.] | Advertisements from France. |
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| It is advertised from the Court by letters of May 23, stilo
novo, that the King is resolved to prosecute the Duke of Guise
with all extremity. By a Declaration of the 20th he discharged
the people of Paris of all blame for the tumult, laying the whole
fault on the Duke and the League, who intended to have surprised his person. |
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| "That for the avoiding of effusion of blood . . . he was content
rather to forsake the town, and to call for the assistance of his
good subjects in some other place to revenge the indignity offered
him . . . and is minded to desire the assistance of all Princes
his allies." He hath about 2000 gentlemen with him. |
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| The Duke of Guise has sent nobody to the King to excuse
himself, but follows the enterprise; has taken the castle of
Vinsayne [Vincennes] and put a garrison in it. |
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| The Duke of Aumale besieges Boulogne, and has "made battery with 40 cannons." It is hard to put succour into the town,
as they have occupied all passages and are above 4000 men. |
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| Endd. "12 May" in error. ½ p. [Newsletters IX. 41.] |
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| May 16. | Buzanval to Walsingham. |
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| The bearer, the Sieur de Cœdor, claims to have received great
wrong by an English ship which robbed a Breton merchant
who was bringing him money. It is certain that the Breton ship
was plundered by an English captain named Leye, who makes
war without any warrant. If, by his honour's favour, the said
suppliant could obtain justice from those whom he knows to
have his money, he might have means to pursue a very useful
enterprise against the League, of which he has already spoken
to his honour, and which he desires again to lay before him.
Prays that he may have audience and assistance.—London, 16
May, 1588. |
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| Holograph. Add. Endd. French. ½ p. [France XVIII.
89.] |
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| May 17. | Stafford to Burghley. |
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| Not wishing to trouble his lordship with a long account of
the late stirs, he leaves it to the bearer Lillye, who is well instructed and has seen a great part of them, and whom he
sends over expressly to make an ample relation thereof to her
Majesty.—Paris, 17 May, 1588. |
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| Signed. Add. Endd. ½ p. [France XVIII. 90.] |
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| May 18/28. | M. Gourdan to Lord Admiral Howard. |
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| Would not have ventured to trouble his honour but for his
kind recollection of him and his offers of service. If there should
ever be an occasion when he could do anything to pleasure
his honour, begs that he will command him. |
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| Hopes that those of Boulogne will maintain themselves. In
the answer which he had from the King upon the letter written
to him by Mr. Walsingham, his Majesty gave him to know his
pleasure on seeing thereby the kind friendship which her Majesty
bore to him.—Calais, 28 May. |
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| Holograph. Add. Endd. French. 1 p. Seal of Arms.
[France XVIII. 91.] |
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| May 19. | Lord Admiral Howard to Walsingham. |
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| We came this morning into 'Bollen Rode' with as goodly a
company of ships as was ever seen here. |
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| About nine of the clock, the Duke "Domall" sent one with
his commendations and to say that if there were anything I
would have out of the Low town, I should command it. |
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| Also he desired to know whether I were come as a friend or
an enemy. "I answered him that I was very sorry to see
such a man as the Duke was, to so far forget his duty to his
sovereign king and master as he did; and that I desired no
other pleasure at his hands but that he would remember his
duty, and forbear to deal thus against a principal town of his
master's. And that the Queen's Majesty my mistress could
not like well of it, nor suffer the King, her good brother and
friend to be thus dishonoured by his own subject. I also said
that if he did not remove upon this warning that I gave him, it
might be that ere it were long he should repent it. And where
he desired to know whether I were come as a friend or an
enemy, I told him, as a friend to the King his master, but as an
enemy unto any that was false or undutiful to their Prince. The
messenger desired me that I would send one of my own to deliver
the message. I was glad to have that occasion offered, and so
I sent Captain Roberts, whom I knew could deliver the message
well, and that also could take view and notice of things." He
was met and very courteously used by the Duke's lieutenant,
who, on hearing his errand, carried him up to the Duke's lodging,
which is at your old 'ostise,' The Arms of France. The messenger sent to me, going before him, told the Duke what I had
said. "The Duke sent a gentleman down to Robartes [sic] to
pray him to excuse him; that he could not speak with him for
it was his sick day, and that he was very ill; and that he would
send him the message by his lieutenant. Robartes answered
that I did not refuse his messenger, and therefore [he] would be
glad to deliver the message himself." The Duke sent word
that if he would come tomorrow he would hear him, but seeing
that he did not mean to see him, he gave my message to the
lieutenant. |
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| One thing in my message I have forgotten: that "I desired
to know whether he had any commission from the King to do
as he did. The Duke sent this answer:—That he nor the Duke
of Guise did nothing but that which the King did like of, and
marvelled why I should examine him so far as I did. This
was all his answer; but still desired that he would come to
him again tomorrow." |
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| Even as Robartes came with this answer, the wind came into
the west, so that I fear we must put into Dover Road or the
Downs, though I would fain go to the westward. |
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| The Duke has laid battery to the High Town. He has had
forty pieces from Abbeville, and this day they have shot on
both sides about forty great shot. So far as I can learn, he has
4000 footmen and 1200 horse, "but Roberts saith those that he
saw are the vilest rascals that ever was seen." I believe succour
will come to him from the Duke of Parma. |
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| Methinks it were good for her Majesty to write to the French
King "that to put the world and his own people out of doubt, to
proclaim the Duke of Guise a traitor. I think it would draw
away from the Guisards much of their forces. Methinks the
King should not be afraid to do it now." |
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| I thank God we are all well. The first wind that lets me go
westward I will not lose. "From Bollyn Rode, beginning to
weigh, the 19 of May." |
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| Postscript. "All the great ships of her Majesty doth oversail all the whole fleet, pinnaces and all. God bless them,
they are most worthy ships." |
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| Holograph. Add. Endd. 3 pp. [France XVIII. 92.] |
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| May 19/29. | M. Du Pin to Walsingham. |
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| As M. de Buzenval will have informed you of the state of
affairs here, I will not weary you with a long letter; but as I
have heard that some persons have reported to you certain things
concerning me, which seem to have been invented either from
lack of other matter or from calumny, I have written the truth
to M. de Buzenval, and should have troubled little about it, as
a thing said without foundation, if it were not that there is no
one in the world to whom I would rather render an account
of my actions than to you; nor of whom I more desire to be
held in good esteem and favour. I pray you therefore to believe what M. de Buzenval will say to you, and to rest assured
of my very faithful service, and that no one in the world more
truly honours you or is more devoted to you and all that concerns
you. Whereof I desire no other witnesses than the honest and
honourable men with whom I have consorted, and who have seen
[sic] and heard me on this subject.—La Rochelle, 29 May, 1588. |
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| Holograph. Add. Endd. French. 1 p. Seal. [France
XVIII. 93.] |
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| May 19/29. | Madame de Rohan to Walsingham. |
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| You have obliged me in so many ways, and also by the trouble
you have taken in sending me a safe-conduct from the Queen,
and arranging for a lodging for me, that not being able otherwise to acknowledge all your kind offices, I must content myself
by thanking you very humbly until some way presents itself
of doing you better service, when I beg you to believe I should
engage therein as heartily as anyone whom you have laid under
the like obligation. |
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| I must tell you that when I wrote to you of my intention to
take my journey thither, I was expecting a reply from the
court to know what agreement they would make with me for
my property which they detain, in case I left the kingdom; which
reply I have not been able to receive, on account of the disturbances lately arisen, and especially the taking of Paris by
the Duke of Guise, these having changed everything, and made
me more uncertain what I ought to do than I was at the beginning. I wished to inform you of this, that, my journey being so
doubtful, nobody may be put to any inconvenience for me,
either as regards the ship or the lodging, where I should have
been very glad, had I gone thither, to meet M. de la Noue, who
is one of my best friends. If the state of public affairs allows
me to come to a more certain resolution, I shall not fail to tell
you of it. Meanwhile, I beg you to continue your favour and
friendship to me, for which I thank you with all my heart, and
above all for that which you have been pleased to grant me
in memory of my mother.—La Rochelle, 29 May, 1588. Signed
Catherine de Parthenay. |
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| Signed. Add. Endd. "From Madame de Rohan." French.
2½ pp. [France XVIII. 94.] |
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| [Before May 20.] | "Abstract of the broken letter found about the Jesuits that
came from Rochelle the 20 of May 1588." |
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| "Christo Salvador. Coming for Nantes from Bilbao, the chief
town of Biscay, in Spain, we were the 19th of February: six
days were we quasi in profundo, coining [sic] we cast over
board; the 4th of March we were received into Rochelle and
imprisoned, where we have been now 10 days, from hence we
are departed: business in Spain being well ended is by this my
taking and trouble [ruined], crosses, tokens and books all pilled
and taken from us: it grieveth me we cannot [sic]: we will
particularize hereafter, the letters of the King and of Don:
before we come ashore will be some trouble to us, except our
other get them again with ease: the copy which we sent you
would be good for us: our brother desireth to die, and I desire
to be with you: but is in this life: we hope yet not to be
separated in the other. If you hear of our imprisonment
instruct us what we shall do or how you will advertise us by
letter or otherwise; good father, loving mother be of good
cheer (as we are) we cannot day nor night forget you (forget
not) these points hindereth our letters to you, we cannot send
as we desire: we are ignorant of crime which riddeth us of
much fear, our business, but we know the malice of the ghostly
enemy, from which we do not desire to [sic] this give Sion
his blessing. Confirma hoc deus que operatus es in nobis." |
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| Endd. as in headline. ½ p. [France XVIII. 95.] |
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| [The divisions by semi-colons probably indicate the breaks in
the letter, while the brackets suggest cipher, as do also the incoherencies in the text. The document has been bound up at the
date when it was taken from the Jesuits in England, but it must
have been written on March 14 [n.s.] in prison at Rochelle, as the
writer distinctly says they have been there ten days (from
March 4). The next phrase "from hence we are departed" is
evidently part of a sentence referring to their departure from
Spain; where their work was well ended, but now, by their
capture, brought to nought.] |
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[May 19
Date of presentation.] | Instruction given by Duke Casimir to his envoy, for the
speech to be made to her Majesty on his behalf. [The
introduction is to the following effect:—] |
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| As to every one, most serene and Christian Queen, is manifest the very sincere actions of the illustrious lord John Casimir, Count Palatine of the Rhine, administrator of that Electorate and Duke of Bavaria, to no other end than the conservation and increase of God's honour and the safety and
peace of Christendom; his Highness having in this cause many
times exposed himself to every sort of danger and carried out
enterprises with the whole strength of his forces:—I therefore
doubt not that with the same devotion he will always be most
ready to embrace whatever may do your Majesty any service
and tend to the welfare, greatness and reputation of yourself or
your states. . . . And as it has been many times seen that by the
death of a good King or Prince, not only his own state suffers
disturbance but also religion and the service of God; so it appears
that today your Majesty is the only support of the truth and of
those who make profession thereof. |
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| To whom God has given the will, no less than the very sufficient
means to favour, liberate and preserve the poor Christians scattered in all parts of the world. You only have sufficient forces
valiantly to resist the tyrants and to break their cruel designs,
and not without reason have all faithful oppressed Christians
of Europe their eyes fixed and their hopes resting upon your
Majesty, from whom they implore aid, and are persuaded that
without it, they will be utterly ruined. |
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| Thus the Prince my Master, although he knows well that his
own weakness cannot withstand so many powerful enemies, believes that by the aid of God and the favour of your Majesty,
they will be able to resist their enemies' fury and bring their
affairs, now almost desperate, to a happy end. |
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| Some months ago, your Majesty was given to understand,
by means of Dr. Junio, the state in which the German army
which had entered France in the service of the King of Navarre
then found itself, and the purpose for which it was led into
that country; he setting forth both the necessities of those
times, which in every way required that those arms should
be afresh strongly supported; and that in order to succour
them it was needful to make ready a second expedition; which
your Majesty not only approved but consented to contribute
certain sums of money. But the sum being small; not more
than 40,000 florins, and these moreover, as was believed, not
yet paid; and there having come the news of the unhappy issue
of things in France. |
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| As to the first, I can truly affirm that there cannot be attributed the least blame, or lack of having made every necessary
provision for a well organized expedition, and I hope that your
Majesty will now be fully informed, both of the particulars of
the disgrace, and also of the cause thereof, which may be
said to have been the just anger of God, by reason of our sins,
which too evidently began to reveal itself, when having left
Germany our army found itself in Lorraine; forasmuch as,
from the very beginning, by reason of the shortness of provisions, all were oppressed by hunger and the intolerable lack
of all things needful; whence arising infinite sickness and weakness, it is incredible how the number of captains and soldiers
diminished from day to day; nor could they obtain credit from
anyone. And it might truly be said that the Swiss, even before their rebellion and agreement with the enemy, were not more
than a third part of those who came out of Switzerland. And
to these difficulties was added the further inconvenience that
our people could never have any certainty regarding the affairs
of the King of Navarre, or know where they were to seek him
or assemble our forces together; (as your Majesty well knows
by divers captains, who dared to speak against certain Frenchmen) which arose from the calumnies and false informations
of Segurio [Segur], the King of Navarre's ambassador, given
to that King in order to alienate his mind from the Germans,
and fill him with mistrust and suspicion. On the other hand,
it is not unknown that certain French counsellors at war,
instead of conducting them straight towards the King of Navarre,
lost time by leading them all backwards [i.e. down instead of
up the river] into the enemy's country—where even the most
despicable town or castle either stood out or spoiled all things
necessary for their provision—having always the enemy hard
by on all sides, and not knowing whither to direct themselves
or what end they might have to expect to such exceeding labours;
it would be more to be marvelled at if they had been able to
escape safely than to see now their purpose so ill and unfortunately ended. But the incurable trouble, and that which
brought with it the entire loss and ruin of the said army was
the shameful falseness and avarice of the Swiss, who, forgetful
of their own faith and honour, and not making account of the
many admonitions and remembrances of their reiterated promises,
made an accord with the enemy, abandoned to his mercy their
German companions, who, by their infinite pains and losses
sustained heretofore appeared already almost reduced to nothing, were not competent by themselves to do any notable act
or memorable enterprise. For which treachery, so unworthy
of the name of Swiss, the Canton of Zurich punished with death
three of their captains who had been participators of their
wicked counsels; and the fourth, who had fled, was by them
banished with ignominy, and they having treated in so many
diverse manners with the Germans and brought about so grave
inquietudes; not contented with their due pay; no one that
knows well their humour and practice will find it strange
that these were at last drawn into disobedience, and as it
were rebels to their superiors. So that in this they do not
deserve excuse and that no cause whatever can be so weighty
as to be sufficient to divert them from honour and duty. But
it is certain that the captains will no longer find in the army
those who will listen to them, or who moreover would wish
other than to be careful for his own safety. For which cause,
upon the defeat of some of the reiters at Aulneau, the rest
were forced to take their departure, and return ignominiously
to their homes. |
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| By this my true discourse may clearly be understood that of
all the many disorders and unhappy accidents which happened
to our people in France, it could not have been hoped that his
authority might have been sufficient to reform the disobedience
of the malcontent soldiers; who, in similar occurences, with
lack of pay and food, have dared to expend their rage upon
the person of the General, without consideration of the rank
and dignity which he bears. |
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| 2. But on the contrary, his absence from Germany might have
exposed to the greatest peril his State, the Electorate, the
churches therein and generally the Reformed Religion in all
la Magna [i.e. Germany.] |
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| Those German princes who, contrary to the disposition of
the Golden Bull, contrary to ancient usage and to all reason
and good order, claim to meddle in the Palatinate; to handle
matters and rule the affairs of the Electorate, might have, by
that means, have occupied the lands of the Electorate, and
suddenly extirpated that holy and true religion which his Highness for many years has cherished there with such care and
solicitude. |
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| In place of which, the errors and heresies which have been
with toil cleared out would be anew introduced not only among
the vulgar people, but, what imports much more, in the mind
of the young prince Frederic; it being to be believed that
some might be moved to this, in order to show their desire to
defend his cause. Already there had begun to be negotiations
for sending reinforcements of arms into France to support the
first army, to which end his Highness' presence was much
more important in Germany than in France. These considerations therefore not only moved him to stand firm in his own
territories, but gave occasion to the said ambassadors of the
King of Navarre to release him, in the name of the said King
and of the Gallican church from his obligation to go personally into France; which encouraged him much not to abandon his own affairs; so that his Highness remains out of France
not less by the persuasions of the French themselves than
from the above said very urgent reasons. Little to the purpose
would it be to say in this place that having formerly made two
journeys personally into France without suffering any harm,
he might do the same again; seeing that his father of glorious
memory being then alive and holding the countries, was able
to provide for all events, and appease all dangerous movements. |
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| But what avails it to use words, when the facts cry out that
but for the presence of our Prince all would have gone to
ruin. The army of the Duke of Guise and the League were
already being led into Burgundy to cut in pieces the remnant
of the Germans who had got away safely through Savoy; had
sacked the land of the Comte de Montpelligardo and were determined to attack the Palatinate, which would no doubt have
been done if the warlike preparations of his Highness and
Divine Providence had not intervened in time. |
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| As to not having procured in his place some other chief, he
had vainly tried to do so among the Princes of the Empire,
but Duke Otto of Luneburg excused himself by reason of his
infirmity; Duke Philip of Groppenhagen because he was in
the service of the Duke of Saxony; Joachim Ernest, the old
Prince of Saxony of happy memory, having the will to do it
was prevented by age and infirmity, and his young son Christian
by his youth and inexperience. Certain others, as the Count
Albert de Barbi were also solicited, but with the same result.
His Highness then consulted Duke William of Hesse, who
proposed the Baron von Dohna as a man of skill, courage, experience, zeal and piety, alleging the example of the Marshal of
Hesse who in 1561 conducted a like army into France with
great success. But before appointing the Baron, his High
ness sent his deputies to the places of muster; referring it
to their free discretion to elect such chieftain as would be
acceptable to them all. He would have desired above all things
that the Duke of Bouillon might be General of the Germans
as well as of the French; but that not being pleasing to them,
they by common consent elected the Baron. Thus, if it had
pleased God for the fruit to be conformable to the seed, the
result would have been all that his Highness desired. . . . . |
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| But the enemies are so great; viz. the Pope, the Emperor, the
Kings of France and Spain, the League and all its adherents
that his Highness is today as a mark whereat all aim their
poisoned arrows, and it is daily seen that on this side the
Rhine the army about Bonn and on the other side the Marquis
of Burgau and the Duke of Guise stand ready to assault the
Palatinate; the whole weight of the defence whereof would
be upon his shoulders; for even amongst those who profess the
Gospel, there are many in whom the will would not be wanting
to take away both his life and his state; while others either from
poverty or cowardice, would not dare to come to his aid. |
|---|
| Wherefore, seeing that, having accomplished his ruin, the
Pope, the King of Spain and the League would have freed the
way to attack your Majesty and others making profession of
the same religion, his Highness implores you not to abandon
him in his extremity but once more to lend your aid to the
common cause, which your Majesty may do more than ever by
the means given you from God by reason of the difficulties
in which the King of Spain finds himself; being amongst other
things occupied in the attempt to liberate his cousin, the Archduke Maximilian, which he can only do by going to war or by
the payment of a large sum of money for ransom. |
|---|
| There are two ways in which your Majesty may aid the
common cause, and at the same time insure your own safety.
The first is that as by holding the city of Bonn, the enemies forces
are divided, you should render the [continuation of the] siege
impossible, or at least very difficult, by urging those of the
Low Countries to take action, and by sending succours to Col.
Schenk, as his Highness has already done, not only of money
but of victuals, artillery and munitions, spending therein more
than 15000 florins, and keeping the Rhine closed, to the end
that the enemy would not be able to obtain any commodities
thereby: the which he never could have done in these perilous
times without your Majesty's authority and the letters from
you which the said Colonel showed to him. |
|---|
| The other way might be that your Majesty would be pleased
to deposit in some place in Germany about two hundred thousand
crowns, in case of need, which might be taken up and spent
for such purposes as make it needful; as, for instance, if
your Majesty should wish to make use of German horse and
foot, in which case the money might be taken up and conveyed
to the place of muster; or again, if you wished to give fresh
aid to the King of Navarre these same moneys might be employed. And lastly that if necessity required, his Highness
should be permitted to make use thereof for his own affairs; in
which last case he would bind himself to repay to your Majesty
so much as he had taken and as security, would pledge to
you his lands and state. [Further suggestions for provision
of money by your Majesty; the raising of troops which would
thereby be made possible, and the good results which would
follow.] Without such aid it will be impossible for his Highness to withstand the power of his enemies, would be in danger
of utter ruin, and so might be driven to make peace with them.
But he feels assured that your Majesty will never permit a
Prince so devoted to you, to be, for want of your aid, constrained
to throw himself into the arms of his worst enemies. |
|---|
| As regards the peace which is said to be in treaty between
your Majesty and the Spaniards; if his Highness could believe it ever to be possible that an honest and secure agreement
could be made with them, so great is his love of peace that so
far from opposing it, he would diligently aid in bringing it to
pass. But fearing greatly, and not without reason, that the
Spaniards seek only, under colour of peace, for new occasions of treachery, and thereby to be enabled to wait for a
more opportune time to crush both the churches and your
Majesty, he cannot conceal that his strong opinion and desire
is that your Majesty should keep your arms in your hand, and
not trust yourself to such an enemy. For so many are the
injuries, disgraces and dishonours that the English nation has
offered to the Spaniards, that it is impossible for that King
ever to forget them; and not to take revenge therefor so soon
as he should find opportunity notwithstanding how many agreements and reconciliations might intervene. |
|---|
| Your Majesty knows that ever since he was a boy he has been
taught never to keep faith with those whom his Inquisitors
repute to be heretics; and also knows the ancient ambition of
that nation to bring all Europe under subjection to that monarchy; wherefore peace with such an enemy would mean nothing else than that your Majesty would be bound, while the
enemy would be free to take advantage of any opportunity to
harm you; no promises or oaths being chains strong enough
to bind and hold in his inordinate desires; and he not making
so much account of open war as of clandestine treacheries;
as may be seen by the Italian advertisements communicated
at divers times to his Highness. (fn. 1) |
|---|
| Necessity might compel your Majesty to give such an advantage to the enemy; but do you not hold at your devotion all the
ports and the best [strong] places and regions of Holland and
Zeeland? Or does there lack the power to defend them from
the violence of the Marani? (fn. 2) And if peradventure the Spaniards
—the better to cloak their deceit—should consent to such conditions as should give to your Majesty full security, and to
the Low Countries free exercise of the Religion; together with
the observance of all their ancient privileges (the which, however, his Highness cannot think will ever happen, or that your
Majesty would wish to accept such a pact) yet in this case, he
earnestly prays your Majesty that you would deign to include in
such a treaty his Highness, his nephew Frederick, and all the
other German princes who have ever taken part in the wars of the
Low Countries; so that the Spaniard may not injure any one of
them without infringeing the Pacification. |
|---|
| It remains to say a few words on the state of France, seeing
that a little before my [i.e. the envoy's] departure from his
Highness there arrived an ambassador of the King of Navarre,
to beg for aid from that Prince, who, knowing himself not
capable of such an enterprise, is awaiting the resolution of your
Majesty, seeing that from the other German Princes there is
little to be hoped for; and that the hope which he had of the
King of Denmark is now, it is feared, altogether quenched.
However that may be, it seems to his Highness that the church
of France cannot or ought not to be left unaided, and that it
is necessary to unite more closely with it, in view of the union
of the papists, who (as newly now is seen by the taking of
Bonn, the siege of Neuss, and their contributing among themselves, in favor of the Bishop of Liodio, [i.e. Liege] twelve
times more than the ordinary tax of the Empire. And they
will unite daily so much the more when they see us proceed
amongst ourselves with so many differing counsels and actions. |
|---|
| If the articles lately resolved on in an assembly at Nancy
by the Duke of Guise and other princes of the League should
be approved and accepted by the King of France, as they hope,
it is not to be seen how much harm and damage it would do to
us all; seeing that amongst other things, it is demanded of
him that he should openly declare his desire to be of their
League; that the Spanish Inquisition shall be introduced into
France, and the Reformed Religion utterly abolished in his
dominions. |
|---|
| For which respects, in the Prince's judgment it would be
well that your Majesty should send to the King of France, to
advertise him in friendly manner of the state of affairs, and
to incite him by telling him of the information lately received
that the house of Guise was seeking to deprive him of the
crown royal, and of his state, as now he may more clearly understand, when—by the death of the Prince de Conde, poisoned
by their usual treachery—the house of Guise feels itself as
much strengthened as the house of France is weakened; theirs
having few enemies, and his but little support. And moreover,
that it may be their intention thus to cut off the branches, in
order that they may, at their better leisure, gain possession of
the tree. |
|---|
| Is it not they who, having armed themselves with Spanish
forces—the most ancient and chiefest enemies of France—have
set his kingdom in a blaze; and are now seeking its final extermination, in order to warm themselves by its ashes. If he
allow them again to master Jametz and Sedan, now put into his
protection—besides the infamy which would accrue to him thereby
—what security would he have that the Guises would not attempt the same on the city of Metz, and by means thereof, take
from the King all hope of aid from Germany. |
|---|
| It behoves him therefore to reject the said articles propounded
by the League, seeing that it is for him to give and not receive
laws; to sustain his own people; not those who have applied
themselves to the upholding of tyrannous and foreign inquisitors; and to preserve his countries in peace, not as would those
who desire to see them in perpetual confusion: granting security of life and conscience to those who desire only to serve
God and obey their King; removing all those sworn to the League
and all servants and pensionaries of Spain, and commanding
the Duke of Guise and his partisans to put down their arms
and yield themselves to their King in absolute obedience. |
|---|
| And that, in such case, his own forces not being sufficient,
your Majesty would not fail to succour him as will certainly
do the Protestant Princes of Germany. |
|---|
| These remembrances, coming from your Majesty, his Highness believes would not be in vain; but now, there having happened unexpectedly so many disturbances in France, by the
taking of Paris and the flight of the King, it is believed that they
will have to bring forth much more fruit. |
|---|
| The cities of Jametz and Sedan are greatly to be considered,
there being within them, in extreme danger, the daughter of the
Prince de Conde and the Duchess of Bouillon; the latter of
whom, in a letter full of tears, lately commended her safety to
my Prince. |
|---|
| And since the King of France, from the beginning of these
troubles, sought to unite with your Majesty against the League,
and might perhaps anew solicit you or the princes of Germany,
his Highness . . . greatly desires to know what are the thoughts
and counsels of your Majesty, in order, in this and all other
things, to govern himself thereby, so far as is in his power. |
|---|
| Memo. by Burghley at the end of the document. "19 May.
Answer was made by the Lord Burghley . . and Mr. Secretary Walsingham to the Duke Casimir's servant, sent to her
Majesty with this Instruction." (fn. 3) |
|---|
| Endd. Italian. 27 closely written pp. [Germany States V.
77.] |
|---|
| May 19. | Notes by Burghley upon the preceding document, endorsed
by him: "The contents of the legation of the Duke of Casimir's
agent." |
|---|
| "The excuse of the defection of the army in France. |
|---|
| "The Baron [Dhona] was chosen by the army. |
|---|
| "He could never hear from the King of Navarre. |
|---|
| "The Duke stayed for the defence of his country and for a
second preparation. |
|---|
| "For Bonn, Martin Schenck. |
|---|
| "Two hundred thousand crowns in some places of Germany,
to serve both for the Queen's Majesty, and if need be for
the Duke. |
|---|
| "Four thousand crowns at Frankfort. |
|---|
| "Against the peace. |
|---|
| "To send into France to the French King, to move him against
the League. |
|---|
| "Articles of the League at Nancy. |
|---|
| "Jamais [Jametz] and Sedan to be succoured. |
|---|
| "The taking of Paris by the Guises." |
|---|
| Endd. 1 p. [German States V. 78.] |
|---|
| May 20. | Captain Bornstra to Walsingham. |
|---|
| According to his honour's orders, he has put into writing the
secrets of the communication he had with Don Bernardin de
Mendoza, the Spanish ambassador, in Paris, and prays him to
read them and take them to heart, in order to avoid the danger
which is at the door. |
|---|
| His expences in journeys, posts etc. have amounted to more
than 200l. sterling, of which he has received nothing yet.
Spirituel, master of the posts at Dover would have him arrested for what he owes him, spent in the service. Prays
that his debt may be satisfied. Asks for money to go to Rotterdam and bring hence the prisoner Dieric Jan Evertssen.—
London, 20 May, 1588. |
|---|
| Signed. Add. Endd. French. ¾ p. [France XVIII. 96.] |
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