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| 9 May. |
95. Guerau De Spes to the King
I wrote to your Majesty on the 23rd ultimo, and you will have
heard since from the duke of Alba that the Hamburg fleet left here
and has been forced by contrary winds into Harwich. Seven of
the Queen's ships were prepared to accompany it, but it seems that
only four of them went, as the other three were short-handed and
it is believed they will remain to guard the coast. This fleet
carries great cargoes of cloth, woollens and kerseys. An embassy
has arrived from the town of Embden complaining that this
trade was not continued with them as had been agreed, or, at least,
that four ships with cloth have not been sent every year. But the
fleet will nevertheless go to Hamburg where Cecil and the lord
keeper his brother-in-law have many connections. It is notorious
that they send much of their money thither, thinking to keep it
in safety there. The other fleet for Rochelle, it seems, will bring
back wines and salt. It sailed from the Isle of Wight on the
2nd inst., and the Queen told the French ambassador she could not
avoid its going, as an agreement had been made with certain
merchants in Rochelle. They promised the ambassador that, in
the treaty for restitution, both parties shall be represented, and
they have proclaimed that all persons claiming that the French
have robbed them are to give information to the admiral. In the
meanwhile they are watching the progress made by the army of
the duke of Deuxponts. In the new ship which took the five
sloops from Plymouth to Rochelle have returned many rebel
Frenchmen, the Vidame de Chartres and his wife, M. de Saint-Simon
and others, who have brought letters from the queen of
Navarre, as they call her, for this Queen and Council asking for
help. I have written to your Majesty that the duke of Norfolk
and the earl of Arundel have sent messages to me on many
occasions through Roberto Ridolfi, a Florentine, and John Suygo, a
Milanese, who have entrance into my house, expressing their wish
to serve your Majesty. They gave me a form of proclamation
which they desired that the duke of Alba should publish, thinking
that, with this and the restriction of trade, the people would rise,
and they might change the Government and restore what had been
stolen. The duke of Alba published the proclamation in a good,
but slightly different, form from the draft, but they say that the
convenient time has not yet arrived when they can do what they
wished, because, with this fleet going to Hamburg, Cecil and his
friends have made the public believe that the damage done by the
suspension of trade with Flanders will be made up. They (i.e.,
Cecil and his party) also exaggerate greatly the rising of the
Moriscos of Granada and other fibs and fictions which they publish
every day. They boast of the impossibility of your Majesty
making war against them, and enlarge upon the alliances
which they have in Germany, and thus the people are kept in
suspense. Oil, iron, and spices were beginning to fail them, but
in the sloops which they have captured large stocks of these were
found, and they are now supplied from this source and with
consignments which are always secretly being exported from your
Majesty's dominions. Although they (Norfolk and Arundel) distinguished
themselves by opposing the insolent answer to the
Duke's proclamation which had been drawn up by Cecil, they
have not made any move, as they declared they would, towards
having Cecil arrested, reforming the Council and restoring the stolen
property. They say they are hindered by the fact that many of
the Council are deeply pledged in the robberies and fear restitution,
so that they dare not oppose Cecil. For my part I believe that
they have had very little courage, and, in the English way, want
things to be so far advanced that, with little trouble and danger,
they may gain your Majesty's rewards and favours. They have
hitherto done no harm whatever. It is true that for the last two
months they have been telling me through these men how much
they are spending, and must spend, in the business, and begging me
to let them have a sum of money, as the Duke and the Earl are
deeply in debt. As Lord Lumley, son-in-law of the one and
brother-in-law of the other, is also concerned in it, I do not see
any great objection to take their pledge. The duke of Alba,
however, replied that it was better not to give them anything until
they had done some service, but that I could offer them future
remuneration and reward. Their importunity was such that
Lumley, thinking perhaps that Suygo had not pressed the matter
sufficiently, sent me a note signed with his own hand, saying as
follows:—
"Rogo tuum dominationem ut credas istum nostram amicum
Juanem Suygo instalibus meis negociis quod traditi tan quam tue
ipsum.—Lumley."
Suygo dwelt upon the great expenditure that these gentlemen
had to keep up, and said that if I would advance them a sum of
money, the Duke, the Earl, and Lumley would jointly bind themselves
by ordinance to repay it, so that I might be the more secure,
and he begged me to send him an answer in my own handwriting.
In conformity with the Duke's orders I answered as follows:—
"Illustris Domine, Juani Suygo nomine dominacionis tue fidem
habui habeloque etiam ut bonus talium virorum animus catholice
magestatis inotescant pro eo que in pendendis offitiis liberaliter
satisfiat nulla alia cura restat nisi debiti progressus honeste que
conclusiones."
I do not know whether this will satisfy them much, and they
now send to say that the Duke and Earl, or one of them, would
like to go to Spain, but they had not yet decided. It is true that
the Council have delegated to the earl of Arundel the duty of the
recovery and preservation of the property stolen and detained
from your Majesty's subjects, whilst the duke of Norfolk is to act
similarly for French property, and they have therefore, sent a
message from the Council to me, saying that, if I like to appoint
commissioners, the Council will appoint others in order to agree as
to the salvage of what remains, and decide what is to be done with
that which of necessity must be sold. This is nothing but a trick,
because these commissioners, who have hitherto been in charge of
the business, returned three days since, and it seems they have
discovered both the robberies and the robbers, and say they can
now identify all the cargoes and what is missing from them. This
latter is a large proportion, and it has been sold and distributed by
order of the Council. A difference has arisen between the Council
and the commissioners with regard to the sale, in consequence of
each party wanting to arrange for its own friends to buy. For
this reason, I think, the commissioners have really returned. I
replied that what I demand is the return of all the properties
stolen and detained, at least what was stolen before the Queen's
decree and in contravention of it. I wish to see what they will
do about new commissioners, and to learn the reason why they do
not act upon the report of the others showing what was stolen and
who were the robbers. Anything that may be in favour of the
merchandise I will accept readily, but there must be no trickery.
I believe that it is all contrived in order that the members of the
Council who have had part in the robbery may not suffer and may
yet look well in the eyes of the people. I will try to learn the
objects, but I cannot believe them to be good. The duke of
Norfolk told Ridolfi that it was certain the Queen had alliances
in Germany against Flanders, and that it was true that Killigrew
had ten thousand men ready there. Perhaps he says it to enhance
the value of his own services when he renders them. It is true that
they have troops ready in Germany, and it is thought that these
ships from Hamburg will bring some back with them. It will not
be very difficult to punish these people. It will suffice for privateers
to be armed for the purpose of stopping trade with Hamburg,
Denmark, and Rochelle, and at the same time, keeping watch that
no provisions or supplies shall come hither from the continent, for
the people themselves to rise, and no acts of the government can
prevent them. If your Majesty were to arrange this with the king
of France, and chose seriously to attack this island with a good
fleet, you would find no resistance, as they have no troops, and
they are at issue among themselves, and so much alarmed that
they are already crying out that they are ruined because the
French have taken four of their ships. The slightest warlike
demonstration in Spain would prevent this Hamburg fleet from
sailing, and even if it arrived at Hamburg, I do not think it would
bring them much profit. In their voyages backwards and forwards
much damage might be done to them, and I am told that even in
the river itself they might be assailed, of which I have advised the
duke of Alba. As Hamburg and Bremen have, against the decision
of former diets, left the Augsburg confession and have gone over
to Calvinism, the Emperor might surely punish them. I advised
your Majesty that it was believed that Duke August (fn. 1) was to make
a great movement in Germany, and I also advised the duke of Alba
and Chantonnay. The duke of Norfolk and the earl of Arundel
will, I believe, openly declare themselves when your Majesty pleases
to signify your approval. The earl of Northumberland also has
verbally promised the same. He is a very worthy gentleman, and
there are numberless others with the same desires. All the north and
Wales are, for the great part, Catholic, and many of the people are
attached to the queen of Scotland, although the heretic portion fear
her because she is a Catholic. The members of the Council here are
well satisfied because there is not one to contradict them. I advised
your Majesty also that the Regent James in Scotland had arrested
the duke of Chatelherault, and it now seems that it was an
arranged thing, as you will see by copies of the queen of Scotland's
letter sent herewith and copy of the earl of Huntly's letter to her.
It appears to be very desirable that she should be helped to retain
what little power she has left, so that the heretics may not be
entire masters of Scotland, which would be a great evil. No doubt
James wants to make himself King, and the child will be in danger
if God in His mercy do not protect him. On other occasions I
have sent your Majesty copies of the Queen's letter begging you
to receive her son, as in case of your Majesty thus favouring her,
she would find means to get possession of him. As I have not a
reply from your Majesty about it, I have not been able to send her
news. I sent her your Majesty's letter by one of her servants and
hourly expect a reply. The servant dared not trust it to anyone
else, and it was therefore delayed a fortnight The bishop of Ross
is here trying to get his Queen liberated He says that he will
come here at night to let me know the answer. All your Majesty's
subjects here are being maltreated and Don Lope de Ugarte has
died in the west of sheer ill-usage. I have tried to manage the
escape of 150 of them or more in French and other ships, and I am
still endeavouring to do so although they are being kept very
Strictly. They are treating all Catholics with great rigour, and the
prisons are full of them. At midnight last night many armed
royal officers entered the house of Antonio de Guaras in search of
him. They have sealed and sequestrated in the Queen's name all
his property, and have closed the house, after having taken therefrom
a great number of religious images and crucifixes, as well as
figures of our Lady and the Saints beautifully carved in bulk and
gilded. They carried them through most of the streets in the
morning, as if in procession, with great mockery and laughter,
saying that these were the gods of the Spaniards. There were
great crowds of people, as they waited until it was market-day
before they did it. Cries were raised that all the foreigners and
those who owned the images should be burnt. They burnt half of
these images piled on a cart-wheel before Guaras' house, and the
other half they burnt in the market-place. Many good people sent
fuel to prove their devotion. If any foreigner breathed a word of
disapproval they took him prisoner, and tbey arrested a servant of
mine, the only one who is allowed to leave the house, who had not
said a word, although these gentleman who guard me afterwards
got him out of prison as he was not to blame. All this could not
have been done without the Council's orders, as the bad members
of it dislike Guaras and his house was sequestrated before, on the
3rd of January. This is against the Queen's decree ordering that
foreign property should not be touched. From the beginning of
these disturbances Antonio de Guaras has been in my house with
others, for if they found him abroad they would play him some
trick. I have just received a letter from the queen of Scotland
advising receipt of your Majesty's letter. I had written to her
saying that I had received no reply from your Majesty about the
Prince and other matters. Suygo, also, from Lord Lumley, has
returned me the note I gave him, and has received back his own
from me. These gentlemen are much grieved not to have received
a sum of money at once, and it seems to have cooled them somewhat,
although I keep them in hand with promises as best I can.
This does not satisfy them, however. Your Majesty will please
decide what is best to be done, and instruct me. The commissioners,
who have returned from the task of identifying the goods
detained and stolen, have also been here to-day, and promised to
give me a written report in three days, in order that I may decide
if it will be advisable to appoint other commissioners, and what
arrangements are to be made as to the sale of perishable goods.
The Queen went on the 6th to Greenwich, and I have already
written to your Majesty that the two Venetian ships had been
detained here by orders of the Council, which has given rise to a
great quarrel between Ridolfi and Benedict Spinola, the latter having
written to Venice saying that Ridolfi had incited the Council to
take them for its own service, of which the Signiory complained.
The quarrel between these two men and the fears of a rupture with
Venice have made them restore these two ships, one of which is
of a thousand tons and the others a little less. This will be injurious,
because large quantities of cloth will be shipped on board
of them in the names of Venetians. I do not think they will leave
until some time in June, and if they touch in a Spanish port they
may easily be detained. It would be very advantageous that the
Venetians should abandon trade with this country at present, and
that the Duke's proclamation should be respected in all your
Majesty's dominions. Your Majesty in your wisdom will decide
for the best. If the government is not changed in this country
your Majesty can only hope for treachery and wickedness, but they
will give way on the slightest pressure, as they themselves well
know. I have given full information of the true state of things
in Granada, but they will not believe me, and cry out that other
provinces of Spain have risen against your Majesty, little knowing
the fidelity of the Spaniards.—London, 9th May 1569.
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| 10 May. |
96. The Duke Of Alba to the King.
[Extract.]
I have written to your Majesty the opinion of the Council here
and myself on English affairs, and the answer that should be given
to the Queen pending the recovery of the property she holds ; as
afterwards, if your Majesty wishes to obtain satisfaction, there will
be means of doing so. Until we get restitution and certain other
matters of greater difficulty are settled (of which I will give your
Majesty an account in answer to your letters now received), on no
account should we break with her (the queen of England). Two
men from the queen of Scotland have arrived here, with whom I am
negotiating with much caution. After having heard them, I will
give your Majesty an account of their mission and my reply thereto,
in conformity with your Majesty's orders that I should manage this
business from here. I will advise Don Guerau as to what I think
would be best. I send your Majesty some letters of his, although
I fear you will not gather much light from them.—Brussels,
10th May 1569.
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| 15 May. |
97. The King to the Duke of Alba.
[Extract.]
Commencing with England, which is the most pressing matter and
demands the most speedy remedy, I ordered the letter you sent me
in French and D'Assonleville's report to be translated into Spanish,
and, after the Council of State had privately read them, I ordered the
Council to be summoned next day, and presidents Hopperus and
Tiznach to attend. The course to be adopted was then carefully considered
and after much deliberation it was decided that it was undesirable
to embark upon a war with the Queen, as, however great the
damage we may do her ; she will not by this means restore what she has
taken. We think that she should be treated with a certain show of
gentleness, united with an attempt to arouse her fears and suspicions
that, if she does not make the restitution, we may declare war.
This is in accordance with the recommendations you sent from there,
and in pursuance of this end it seems well that I should reply to the
letter the Queen sent me (and of which I enclose copy) explaining
away all the excuses she makes, and remonstrating with her to the
effect that none of these pretexts justify her in making the seizures.
I have therefore had the letter drawn up which is enclosed in the
despatch sent to you in French. Both of them were first drafted in
Spanish, every word being weighed carefully in that intended for the
Queen. There is nothing to add to it but to say that we think here
that D'Assonleville should not be sent again on the business, but a
person of more ability and standing, as I understand he is not
thought much of there. The choice of the person is left entirely to
you and you will instruct him as the state of affairs may demand.
You ask for a letter of credence for yourself, and although the
letter for the Queen, as you will see, is very full in that respect, I
send you besides three credential letters to make quite sure, one
for yourself personally, another for the minister you may send, in
which it is stated that I have appointed him here in order that they
may not have the excuse of saying they will not deal with you, and
a third letter, also in blank, in case you should send more than one
envoy. I beg you will use all diligence and dexterity in order to
recover this money as soon as possible, as otherwise the damage will
be so wide-spread and will affect so many people that there will be a
general collapse of credit and property, and we shall not be able to
get a real to meet necessary payments. Pray also send me frequent
and full reports of the progress of events. In order to anticipate any
possible demand the Queen may make, for the purpose of settling
the matter promptly, I am having sent to you the general power in
the form you request ; so that we shall certainly not fail for want of
care.—Aranjuez, 15th May 1569.
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98. The King to the Queen of England. Draft without date.
I have received your Serenity's letter, together with the document
in Spanish referred to therein, containing the discourse respecting
the detention of the money and the events resulting therefrom. The
duke of Alba, my governor of the Netherlands, has also sent me a
full report of the matter, and I have been deeply grieved that, in
the face of the true friendship and kinship between us, derived from
our ancestors, confirmed by to many treaties and mutually renewed
by so many acts of kindness, anything should have happened to
produce just cause of quarrel or raise any impediment to the continuance
of this friendship, which is so necessary to the advantage
of ourselves and our dominions. As the detention of this money
has been the origin of what subsequently occurred (which money
was in truth destined for our service, having been borrowed from
merchants here and sent for the service of my army in the States),
I note your Serenity's assurance that the first intention was the safe
forwarding of the money, but the delay in the subsequent delivery
of it to the custody of your officers shows a change of such
intention. From this it might be inferred that a different motive
was beneath it, and the duke of Alba was fully justified in the
course he took thereupon in the States ; which course has also been
followed in the rest of my dominions. Thereupon your Serenity's
treatment of our subjects, friends and servants, and their property
followed ; and, subsequently, the behaviour adopted towards Don
Guerau de Spes, my ambassador, and towards D'Assonleville of my
Council, the envoy sent by the duke of Alba, this behaviour having
been extraordinary and conspicuous. The foundation of our friendship
being sincere, sound and firm, it is not necessary to discuss as
to the justification or cause of dispute, nor as to the relative share
of blame, since the remedy and redress of all difficulties depend
entirely upon our own will on both sides to abolish the cause by
raising mutually the embargoes of persons, money, goods, and
merchandise, and restoring everything to its original position, as
D'Assonleville recently proposed to you. This would bring about
a complete cessation of the cause of quarrel and all impediment to
our friendship, which would thereby be assured and confirmed. If,
on the other hand, this should not be done, or any delay should
occur in doing it, it would clearly demonstrate that another object
had been in view, which cannot be believed of your Serenity, whose
friendship I hold so dearly. I cannot believe, either, that your
Serenity will listen to the advice of persons who, for their own ends
and passions, may try to perturb public peace, and introduce division
and difference between old friends to the prejudice of all, and only
to the advantage of certain neighbours who desire such opportunities.
By virtue of the powers and authorities given by us to the duke of
Alba, our Lieutenant-General and Governor of the Netherlands, he
is empowered to negotiate in this matter fully, as well as we ourselves
could do, without further instructions ; but, in order to avoid
all occasion for objection or delay, we send him a new commission
authorising him to proceed without scruple or difficulty to the
prompt, favourable, and final settlement of the dispute, and I am
confident that your Serenity will negotiate with him, animated by
the same friendship, affection, and brotherhood in the matter as I feel
towards you, and in full consideration at the same time of the evils
which otherwise would result to both parties.
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| 23 May. |
99. Guerau de Spes to the King.
The Queen went to Greenwich without deciding as to the restitution
of the stolen property, and the duke of Norfolk and earl of
Arundel, who told me they expected to bring the Queen to do as
she ought, excused themselves by saying that they thought the
people would rise ; but that as no check has been put upon either
the Hamburg voyage or the Rochelle expedition, and they are
allowed to rob freely every ship that passes through the Channel, the
people are waiting in surprise to see what will come of it all. For
this reason, the Duke and the Earl say they have had no opportunity
of serving your Majesty as they wish. They have constantly importuned
me also for money, promising that they would have everything
that has been stolen restored, however distracted and ruined
the country might be. The duke of Alba, however, understands it
much better than I, and is of opinion that nothing should be given
to them until they have done something more than make professions,
although they assert that they are in much need. They have taken
full advantage of the fact that the Queen has not declared herself
plainly, and they have somewhat curbed Cecil's power. I believe
that when they see an opportunity they will not fail to act in your
Majesty's service. I think that the intentions of the earl of Arundel
are good, both as to changing the Government and restoring the
Catholic religion, whilst benefiting himself somewhat, as he is very
needy. Norfolk is the same, as he spends all he has, but it is
certain that in the matter of these robberies their hands are not
soiled like those of the rest of the Council. The duke of Norfolk
has not hitherto shown himself a Catholic, and seems to belong to
the Augustinian creed, but both Arundel and Lumley, the brother-in-law
of the Duke, believe that they will convert him. They have
got the French ambassador to write to his King saying how important
it would be if he would issue a proclamation like that of
the Duke of Alba, the draft of which was sent from here at their
request. The ambassador says that it will be published in France,
which will greatly forward the affair, as these Englishmen want to
be very sure of their ground before moving.
The commissioners appointed here have been very slack in their
task. The document they have given me, which is translated from
English into Spanish, does not give me the particulars of the
masters and cargoes of the ships nor the details of the crews. I
am insisting upon this information being furnished. The Councillors
have evidently recalled the commissioners because they
could not agree about the sale of the merchandise, all of them
wanting to get the profit for themselves and their friends. Cecil
is pressing me to consent to appoint three commissioners, and they
will appoint a similar number, the object of which is to restore
only that which now remains in hand. I have replied with all due
caution that they must first restore all that which they have
captured in a hostile manner, and I will then appoint commissioners
to deal with the preservation of the rest, but without
relieving the Queen from the obligation to a general restitution.
I send enclosed a copy of the reply I gave them, slightly changed
from what I previously said I would write, in consequence of my
having received, in the interim, the report of the late commissioners.
I believe that Cecil is only doing this to make people
think that something is being done on their side, and, indeed, the
little negotiation they have already had with me has elated all the
country. They also keep the people in suspense by spreading news
to suit their own purpose. I have received no letter from the Duke
this month, and await his instructions. The fleet for Hamburg
has had very prosperous weather for the last three days, and I
suppose will have sailed, especially as the brigantine "Giles Grey"
has returned from Hamburg and the coast of Holland with news
that the fleet was being anxiously looked for in Germany, and
there were no signs of arming in Holland. Besides the 40,000l.
that this Queen is to receive as soon as this fleet arrives, they are
moving heaven and earth to get this city to lend the Queen another
40,000l., and are in constant council with the aldermen about it.
I believe that the documents are already drawn up asking for a
loan from the whole country. No doubt she will give good help
to Deuxponts. Besides this money she has seized 40,000 ducats
which came in the last four sloops, and she has some portion of
the money that came in the others, although most of it has been
stolen by some followers of the Admiral and by the French. It is
believed that the money in the Tower has not yet been touched.
They are making great efforts to get sworn declarations from your
Majesty's Flemish subjects revealing the property of each other, and
I am told that the oath they administer contains divers enormities,
which I have not been able to get in writing. The Venetian ships
have been released, but as they only offer them 500 ducats each
demurrage, for the time they have been detained, the masters
prefer rather to leave it than to take it. They have loaded on
board of them the kerseys, which had been bought by the
Venetians before these detentions and robberies took place. I will
try to prevent anything else being shipped by them, and to get
them gone soon. The most important thing is that the six
Venetian ships which are expected, and which will touch in Spain,
should be detained there or should be made to give security that
they will not go to England or ship English goods ; and if these
two should put into a Spanish port, they also should be detained
and discharged. I have no letter from your Majesty since the
12th March, in which you order me to advise how the Crown can
be taken away from its present wearer. I wrote your Majesty,
that, first English ships should be attacked, and that care should
be taken to prevent the coming hither of the things necessary for
this country, a list of which I sent to your Majesty with a copy of
the proclamation. This would certainly cause a rising of the
people in spite of any attempts of the Government to deceive
them. Privateers might also be armed in Spain and Holland, as
numerously as possible, to attack their ships, and any others that
trade with them. If, in addition to this, the French would only
stop trading with them, it would bring the country to anything
your Majesty wished. If these gentlemen did their duty, the
successful issue would be the more prompt, although it could be
done without them, if necessary ; and, if your Majesty thought fit
to assail the island with a strong fleet, it is certain that all the
Catholics would rise for your service on the spot. In the meanwhile,
it is important that efforts should be made to prevent the
Regent James from entirely mastering Scotland, as it appears that
many people are still attached to the Queen. I have sent copies
of her letters and those of the earl of Huntly to the Duke, and
copies are enclosed herewith, together with one written by the
bishop of Ross, who is in London, to me. They are dangling vain
hopes of liberty before this lady, although I am sure they will not
release her, except by force. She has been ill lately, and if she
were free it would be important for us, if only that her life, which
is now in danger, might be safe in case of a rising. As regards
the help she begs for, your Majesty will decide for the best and
give me orders. If this country does not change its religion, or
at least its government, your Majesty may in future count with
certainty upon receiving from it nothing but evil and trouble,
insolence, and robbery. A French ship came recently from Biscay
with iron, of which they have much need here. Iron, oil, and
soap are the things which it is important should be stopped from
coming from your States, and if they are shipped for other
countries, security should be given that they will not be brought
hither. The six Venetian ships should be prevented from coming
in any case. Captain Jones, who sailed for the Azores, has returned
with a Norman ship loaded with sugar coming from
Barbary. I do not know whether he will now continue his voyage.
The Vidame de Chartres is being entertained in the country ; he
will shortly arrive in London, where a house has been prepared for
him. Brissac's death has caused great rejoicing here, and the
fictions and lies invented daily against Spain are most notable. I
am advised that the Hamburg fleet left Harwich on the 19th
with fair weather. In Ireland the Viceroy, with four thousand
men, is pursuing the baron or earl of Hereferte (Fitzmaurice?),
who is a Catholic, and has risen against the Queen. Franç,isco
Diaz, who came in the cutters that brought the money, takes this
letter, and can give your Majesty an account of the ill-treatment
and robberies committed here, as he has been through it all. He
will also say how much alarmed the heretics are, and how full of
hope are the godly ones, although nothing stops the incessant
robberies, and not a ship, great or small, can pass without its being
captured. I wrote to your Majesty lately how a servant of the
earl of Leicester and another of the earl of Pembroke had recently
captured a valuable sloop belonging to your Majesty's subjects on
its way from Barbary, and another pirate on its voyage from
Canaries. There were two friars of the order of Trinity in one of
the eight sloops they captured in the Channel. They were on their
way to Paris to the general chapter, and went on board at St. Ubes.
When attacked they promptly threw overboard their habits and
papers, and although the English suspected they were clergymen
they have not been able to prove it. Their names are Garcia
Mendez de Prado and Alonso de Leiva. They have been imprisoned
at Harwich, and, since their arrival here, have been in
jail. When I learned who they were I got them out on bail as
mariners, and hid them in my house. I will try to send them to
Flanders. The Catholics are being persecuted here more fiercely
than ever, and the preachers are terribly anxious that this Queen
should take up arms in favour of their religion, assuring her that
otherwise the Papists will take the country.—London, 23rd May
1569.
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100. Guerau De Spes to the King.
Since writing to your Majesty on the 9th instant I have no fresh
news, excepting that the gentlemen who is here from the queen of
Scotland informs me that he and the bishop of Ross went to
Greenwich to learn the decision of this Queen in regard to the
liberation of his Queen. She referred them to the Council for an
answer, and when they met, a long discussion took place on the
reasons alleged why the Queen should be released. When they
thought the matter was taking a favourable turn, Cecil said that
the Queen had received news that the bishop of Glasgow, acting
under a power granted by the queen of Scotland, had renounced
all her claims to the crown of England in favour of the duke of
Anjou, and that the queen of Scotland must clear herself of this
first. This gentleman has therefore gone to obtain letters from
her upon this matter. I believe it is only for the purpose of
delaying the business. I wrote to your Majesty that the Council
is pressing me greatly on the appointment of new commissioners
respecting the property stolen and detained. Seeing that a great
part of the property is already lost, and that the commissioners
they send are not over zealous in the business and do not execute
their orders to view the property, I think it is nothing but a trick
to deceive the people, of whom the Council are much afraid. It
has not therefore appeared to me advisable to consent, excepting in
such a way as is set forth in the memorial which I send to your
Majesty, providing that the property stolen in a hostile manner
shall be restored at once, as well as that which has been detained
in contravention of the Queen's decree, and if they send to me to-morrow,
this is the reply I shall give them. The Council seems
somewhat mollified and are in great anxiety in consequence of the
silence or dissembling of your Majesty, so much so, that the gentlemen
who guard me go to great lengths to discover whether your
Majesty intends to make war on them. As they are at issue
amongst themselves, they fear that their own discord will bring
about their ruin, and though it is true the duke of Norfolk and
the earl of Arundel have not done so much as they said, yet Cecil
and his friends have seen their object, which is, that there should
be no war on any account, and that the stolen and detained
property should be entirely restored, all deficiencies therein being
made good by the parties inculpated, and in default of their
property, by the Queen. I think they will soon try to make some
arrangement, and these gentlemen (Norfolk and Arundel) have
sent to tell me so, and that they have not been able to carry out
their original intentions for want of opportunity, and because the
duke of Alba had made no demonstration. They say, however,
that they would still try to get restitution by other means, and
will not fail to fulfil their first promises as soon as an opportunity
occurs. Being Englishmen, as they are, we must take what they
will give us. The fleet for Hamburg is still kept in Harwich by
contrary winds. The weather is better to-day, but, if either going
or coming, any misfortune of another sort should happen to this
fleet, the people will grumble in good earnest, and may even be
driven to make some movement. Captain Jones with one good
vessel and another fair one, has started again for the Azores.
Captain Franchot, a Lucchese heretic, and four or five other Italian
merchants, are about to fit out ten ships with the support of the
earl of Leicester. I do not think, however, that they will be able
to do it, there being a great lack of sailors. It was said that they
were going to Madeira, but they can hardly start under three
months. A gentleman has just arrived from the fleet in Harwich.
—London, 23rd May 1569.
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