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| Feb. 2. |
Walsingham to Davison. |
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Recommending Dr. Michaeli, whose help he has used for his “carnosity,” and who is going over on private business. The Queen has made choice of him as one of her physicians, and “for his better credit,” has givem him a passport signed by herself in which mention is made thereof. Prays Davison to aid him by recommending him to the States and in any other ways he can.—London, 2 February, 1584. |
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Postscript, in his own hand.— “Sir, it is looked for here that you should write oftener than you do.” |
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Signed. Add. Endd. ½ p. [Holland I. 32.] |
| Feb. 2/12. |
The Consuls And Senate Of Hamburg to the Queen. |
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Theodore Thormoye, John Priggins and Company, citizens of Hamburg and partners in a large ship called St. Michael the Archangel, have complained that last November their ship was taken by Cornelius Egmund, a pirate of the Low Countries and brought to England. But, as he could not hope for safety there, he carried the ship to an Irish port, where it now is. The master of the ship, George Proppe, a citizen of Hamburg, has at last discovered her whereabouts and signified it to her owners, who have thereupon sent Wilkin Heins, another of their citizens, to recover her, and any goods left in her, and wish the writers to send letters of recommendation on their behalf. This they willingly do, and pray the Queen's help and succour for Proppe and Heins.—Hamburg, 12 February, 1585. |
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Endd. Latin. 3¼ pp. [Hamburg and Hanse Towns II. 1.] |
| Feb. 3/13. |
Mauvissière to Burghley. |
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You have always so kindly given assistance to any Frenchmen who need your favour that I am not afraid to send to you these three from Paris and Vitry in Brittany, that they may pray you to add to the kindness you have already shown them by giving them a letter to the Mayor of Bristol (mere de Bristo) as to what is contained in the little memorial which they will present to you. And that you may see the copy of the letter which the King my master wrote to the Queen your mistress, I send that also, together with what he wrote to myself, to give all the aid I could to the bearers, whose cause you will find so reasonable that I am sure they will need no help but your own, as I shall give the King my master to understand.—London, 13 February, 1585. |
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Add. Endd. Fr. 1 p. [France XIII. 23.] |
| Feb. 3/13. |
Oration of Chancellor Leoninus to the French King. |
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Endd. Fr. 3¾ pp. [Holland I. 33.] |
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The substance given by Bor and Meteren. |
| Feb. 4. |
Hoddesdon to Davison. |
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The exchange being at 30s. 9d. the pound, the 6,000l. sterling which I am to pay you will amount to 9,225l. Flemish, viz. 55,350 guilders according to the accounts of Holland and Antwerp; whereof I have paid your servant, Henry Burnett, 42,000 guilders, and if you will send your acquittance will, before the receipt thereof, give the bringer 7,000 guilders more. For the other 6,350 guilders, I send you my letters of credit to Mr. Raynold Copcott to pay it at sight in Middelburg, according to the rate of Antwerp, to any person who you shall appoint to receive the same. I would come to you, but dare not yet go abroad after my late sickness.—The Hague, 4 February, 1584. |
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Add. Endd. ½ p. [Ibid. I. 34.] |
| Feb. 4. |
Harborne to Walsingham. |
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With my last of the 17th past, by Mr. Nicholas Sanders, I sent copies of twelve former letters; “whereof I do not use any other copy, both for that I hope of safe delivery, as also fear those long discourses might be over tedious to your honour, remembering the old proverb, Longa soient, sperni gaudent brevitate moderni.”
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The Tartar who expelled his uncle, Sultan Islam, is put to flight by the Beglerbey of Temisvar, and Islam reinstated, for whose more security the Beglerbey and Admiral have orders to build and furnish four great fortresses before they return hither, to be left in the guard of a competent number of Turks; for as neither these nor the Persians use great ordnance, these castles
are found a sure means to keep under the subjected, for non-practice whereof the Grand Signor's ancestors, returning from Persia, “have always lost the subdued in that journey.” |
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Last month, two young women of the Grand Signor were in one night delivered of a man child, and this month another of a daughter, happier than her brethren, “by country custom their brother's sacrifice to his father's funeral.” To his son, Sultan Mahumad, a daughter is born in Bursia. |
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“The golden oil of Our Lady made by St. Mark hath for a time assuaged the contagious sore which the taking of the galley of Tripoli had like to have bred,” yet most affirm that the patient must have the costly plaster of Candia before it can be clean cured. |
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I have procured the deliverance of two of our nation from the galleys lately come from Algiers, one an Englishman called William Moore, taken in Mr. Cotton of Hampton's bark; the other, Robert Rawlin, in Mr. Hawkins' hulk of Plymouth; “others there were not.” They promise that we shall have the rest delivered in Algiers to our chaouse, whom I am sending thither both for that cause, and “to register commandments carried with him for the safe passage of our ships, meeting with any of that place, Tripoli or Tunis; which God grant, but I fear will hardly be brought to pass.—Pera, 4 February, 1584. |
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Decipher, but proper names not deciphered. The date deciphered in words, “fourth of February” but endd. 1 Feb. And see next letter, of March 1. 1⅓ pp. [Turkey I. 31.] |
| Feb. 5/15. |
Jaques Toqueville to Walsingham. |
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This day a boat has arrived from Dunkirk which was taken three weeks ago, and the master of which says the Spaniards boast that they do not care whether provisions come to their harbour or no, as they can get them at Rouen. Also that beer is worth four and a half patars the pot. He heard that the Prince of Parma means to besiege Ostend, and that the adjacent towns are rated for soldiers and marines for the said siege. |
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There were certainly more than two hundred merchants at Rouen fair from the Low Countries, buying herring, cod and other fish for victualling the said countries. If it was possible for order to be taken to prevent any going there, it would be the best war that could possibly be made against them. |
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I expect to start for Calais in four or five days, and from thence will send you word of all occurrences.—15 February, 1585. Sandwich. |
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Postscript.—I believe Mr. Yerle [qy. Herle] will cross with this wind. |
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Add. Endd. “From Jacques Torville.” Fr. 1 p. [Flanders I.1.] |
| Feb. 6/16. |
News from Rome. |
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Return of Cardinal Alessandrino and his sister the Countess from La Migliana, where they were entertained by Cardinal Medici.
Death of Monsignor Odescalco. Monsignor di Aragonia called before the congregation of Bishops concerning his disputes with Monsignor Celsi, governor of Ascoli. In Monday's consistory, a church in Poland given as proposed by Cardinal Farnese, and those reported on in previous consistory finally despatched. [More local news.] |
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From Paris.—The King is returned and the Flemish deputies arrived, but the King apparently not anxious to give them audience or accept their offers. |
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[Robberies and marriages.] |
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Marcello Santa Croce released from prison and married to the widow of Ottavio di Rustici, who procured his liberty. Exiled for six months from Rome and held in pettore by the Pope for having consorted with bandits. |
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Feats of arms in Piazza di Santi Apostoli, before Cardinal Allessandrino's sister, the Countess and other noble Romans. |
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Venetian ambassador ordered by his Republic to move that the vacant abbey of Sumaca be given to Cardinal Verona, but Cardinal Vastavillani has obtained it for Cardinal Bolognetto. A chiaus from the Sultan expected in Venice to claim reparations on account of the [Barbary] galliot and to demand Candia. |
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Marcello del Nero sent by Donna Felice to the Pope and Cardinals Farnese, San Sisto and Colonna, to obtain a cardinal's hat for her son, Signor Ascanio. |
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The quarrel between the Marquis di Riano and Gio. Battista di Stabbia believed to be settled by means of Cardinals Medici, Colonna and Farnese. The prisoner who killed Giacomo Uberti has had the strappado, but has not confessed what he did before. It is believed that Giulio Colonna will be cleared from suspicion. The differences between these “Colonnesi” referred to Cardinal Farnese. |
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Plot of gentlemen of Piacenza against an enemy, by stuffing a bedstead with harquebuses and carrying it into his courtyard, where all the company was assembled. The pieces “shot off, but only two persons hurt.” |
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The Bishopric of Ancona not yet granted to Monsignor Conti, but the matter stayed by Cardinal Farnese for six months. |
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From Lombardy.—The Signori Gambareschi, hearing of Pala-vicino's death, took forcible possession of Bosseto, but Palavicino's adopted son and heir does his utmost to dislodge them. Cardinals Gambara and Farnese have had conference together. Duke Ottavio [of Parma] remains in possession of Fiorentola, left by Palavicino's death. |
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Italian. 4 pp. [Newsletters LXXII. 4.] |
| Feb. 6/16. |
Advertisements sent from Rome. |
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Prague, Jan. 22.—On Sunday the Emperor accompanied the Dukes of Saxony to mass and returned to breakfast with them. He will go to the Diet of Bohemia unless the Hungarians call for him in Hungary. A Polish Palatine of the house of Gorch
is gone to the Diet and 600 with him in great pomp. This has made a great stir, because this man was a great friend of the Sieur Samuel Sborowski; the other Palatines also are going more than ordinarily accompanied, and suspicion grows against the King, although he has suborned most of the chief men. On Saturday the Archbishop Collocente [i.e. of Colocza or Bacs, in Hungary] banqueted the ambassadors. To-morrow the deputies of Venice will do so. |
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Cologne, Jan. 25.—Letters from Antwerp say that the adjacent parts are full of vessels to enter that city and that the magistrates have determined to double the imposts. The Prince of Parma has written to them again, but they sent a copy of the letter to all the confederate provinces, and await their resolution. Meanwhile the Malcontents lack victuals, in consequence of the hindrance made by those of Bergen. |
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The governor of Brussels has ordered those who will not aid in the defence of the city to leave it, and many have done so, but in the end they will be obliged to surrender. |
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In Holland and Zeeland there were no preparations of navy or succour, but a fleet had left Holland for Spain, laden with grain; off England, however, eight of the ships were wrecked. |
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From France we hear that the king has dismissed Dr. Leoninus, ambassador of the States, not wishing to enter into the affairs of Flanders; although M. Aldegonde, burgomaster of Antwerp, gives out that his Majesty will give audience to their ambassadors in Rouen. Count Hollock, wishing to make himself master of Bois-le-Duc, went thither with 600 reiters, killed the guard of the gate and penetrated to the market-place, but the burgers issued forth so valiantly that 200 of his men were killed and many more made prisoners. |
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Venice, February 9.—From Constantinople they hear that the Grand Signor demands four millions of gold in reparation of the injury done to him. That Ucciali [or Occhiali] had not returned to Constantinople, but was preparing a great fleet for this spring, but this is not believed. That the despatch of merchant vessels was suspended, it being learnt that a French sattia sent from Constantinople was taken at Scio, with four Sanjaks who were in her. |
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It is said that order has come from the Grand Master of Malta to the knight Losco Vicentino that he is to give thanks to the Senate for having released the sequestrated commende, and that the receiver thereof was shortly to come into residence. Sforza Palavicino is dead, leaving as heir an adopted son. He will perhaps be succeeded in his place by the Duke of Urbino, or it may be by Paolo Giordano. Count Ottavio Avogo [qy. Avogadro” has gone with his men into the Veronese and on the way met his enemy, Signor Cappelli, but did not attack him, although he made a bravado with boastful words, and the other saying he would not break his faith to the Duke of Parma, retired to a castle given him by that Duke.—16 February. |
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Endd. 16 February, from Rome. Italian. 3 pp. [Newsletten LXXII. 5.] |
| Feb. 7. |
Gilpin to Walsingham. |
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Mr. Joseph Michaeli, who arrived yesterday, brought your letter of the 2nd inst. I repaired presently where he lodged, to offer all the service I could do him, which he accepted “most friendly.” |
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The hope of this people depends entirely on the resolution to be concluded in France, from whence tidings are daily expected. Count Maurice is still here with part of his Council. All the talk of the enterprise against the enemy's sconces, it is thought, will come to nothing. He still re-inforces his strength there daily, with men, ordnance, munition and provision; 6,000 new soldiers from Italy being on their way. |
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The passage is so dangerous that few dare go; above 150 sail now waiting till the night tides serve the ships of war to conduct them. Flesh is grown dearer in Antwerp, but other provisions “after wonted price and indifferent plenty.” Exacted contributions still continue, yet the soldiers slenderly paid; the Englishmen being driven to mutiny for very necessity. |
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Brussels daily more and more distressed. The King of France is said to have lately written to them to hold out awhile and they should have rescue. They of Antwerp have sent one thither with an invention to make a kind of bread which shall nourish as well as if of corn. |
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The land passage between Antwerp and Barrow is now not without danger, and the garrison there in great disorder, especially since the enterprise of Bois-le-Duc failed, of which I know you will have fully heard. The enemy have since got the States' seances on the Veluwe, so that they may enter Holland at pleasure. Count Hollock arrived here this morning. The soldiers at Sluys have mutinied for eight months' pay, and stay all the ships in the river; amongst others, one very richly laden belonging to the merchants of this town. The Flushingers have lately brought in English boats bound with victuals for Dunkirk. |
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It is credibly reported that in Flanders and especially in Ghent they begin to imprison men for not bringing in the exactions ordered to be levied. “Speeches also pass” that the King of Spain will match his daughters without delay with the Duke of Savoy and the Governor of Portugal, the Emperor's brother. “I understand that Flushing and Camphere will again be sold for payment of debts, as it was when the Prince bought it.” —Middelburg, 7 February, 1584. |
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Add. Endd. 1¾ pp. [Holland I. 35.] |
