Addenda: Miscellaneous 1574

Calendar of State Papers Foreign: Elizabeth, Volume 17, January-June 1583 and Addenda. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1913.

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'Addenda: Miscellaneous 1574', in Calendar of State Papers Foreign: Elizabeth, Volume 17, January-June 1583 and Addenda, (London, 1913) pp. 498-500. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/foreign/vol17/pp498-500 [accessed 18 April 2024]

Miscellaneous 1574

A.D. 1574.
May 3.		 500. The Earl of Leicester to Thomas Wilkes.
“I have received your letter, and have declared to her Majesty that was necessary, and for your own part, she doth very well accept of this your careful and discreet service. And for answer touching Montgomery, the Duke [of Anjou] and Navarre, she hath sent this gentleman, my cousin Ley ton, to the King and Queen Mother, to declare what she thinks touching this dealing of Montgomery thers (sic) toward these princes, and hath given ample commission to this bearer to do and to use all means possible for their relief, but with special charge that both our ambassador and you be most careful with whom you deal in their cause; for she doth not doubt but there be practisers enough to seek what means shall be made for them. Therefore you cannot be too circumspect with whom you deal, and let it be only with such as the Lords themselves shall appoint and none other, and if it may be without mistrust the very best were with one of themselves, as I perceive by your letter you had spoken with Navarre, which if you may bring to pass without danger or mistrust, it is the best of all; but if you must be driven to deal by means, then her Majesty will in any wise that you follow their own choice. And where you signified one mean that you had found, which was a gentlewoman sister to Angelier that is here in England, her Majesty would [have] good heed taken therein for that her brother is partly doubted here among us. And for that you said the Duke requireth some signification, either from her Majesty or by me that he may give the more credit to you, she hath commanded me ex[p]ressly to write this letter with mine own hand to you, and withall, she hath sent this token here inclosed to be delivered to the Duke which shall be the sign whereby he shall only give credit, and whosoever shall do any message in her name to him, not privy of this token, he must take heed of him, specially if any of that nation come in her name.
Her Majesty also will give credit to none, whatsoever he be, that shall seem to come from him, except he be come by this token; I mean that shall take knowledge to her that the Duke hath made him privy to the token, or except he send her some like special token to her Majesty, which she must know of from you or the ambassador; or if he may possibly by his own letter. And this token you must deliver yourself to the Duke if it be possible and to let him see my letter, that he may know it is come from her Majesty, who, I can assure you, is so careful for his safety as she will leave nothing undone that may help him. And therefore hath sent this gentleman purposely, to be employed in such sort as he shall direct him and none else. I have written to our ambassador with great charge to you both that this token be not spoken of to none living but to the Duke only. And so for this time I bid you farewell, leaving the rest to this bearer to tell you by word of mouth.”—3rd May.
Postscript.—“Because her Majesty would not have the Duke entrapped, she is desirous to have some word for a cipher to be sent her from him by which she may know whom to trust. And ye must put this into French that he may know and by my hand also, that I have done it by commandment.”
Holograph. Add. “To my frende Tho. Wylkes.” Endd. “3 May, 1574. The Earl of Leicester in cipher.”
Cipher, deciphered. 2½ pp. [S.P. For. Eliz. CXLVI. 15.]
Oct. 18. 501. Instructions for Dr. Wilson.
Copy of instructions already calendared from a draft corrected by Burghley. See Cal. S.P. Foreign, 1572–1574, p. 567.
4¼ pp. [S.P. For. Eliz. CXLVI. 16.]
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