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| 15 June. |
258. Guerau De Spes to the King.
George Fitzwilliams (fn. 1) arrived to-day from your Majesty's Court,
greatly desiring to see the queen of Scotland, with some rings which
he had of hers from the duchess of Feria and Thomas Stukeley,
and he communicated with me certain matters he had discussed
with Zayas and the duke of Feria, respecting the service which
John Hawkins offers to render to your Majesty with fourteen ships
of the fleet, and other ships if necessary. All this matter has been
dealt with honestly both by Fitzwilliams and Hawkins. I have
put Fitzwilliams into communication with the queen of Scotland,
on the pretext of asking her for letters of favour for him to your
Majesty, entreating for the freedom of the English in Seville, and
with the same excuse, he has been given leave by this Queen to
return to Spain. As I have no orders from your Majesty about
this, I have not cared to accept any offers from him or enter into
particulars with him or Hawkins, nor have I prevented his returning
to Spain, knowing well that if it were your Majesty's wish to
punish these people here and bring this country into subjection to
the Catholic Church, it will be a good step to make use of English
ships both to occupy Ireland, take possession of English ports, to
burn the Queen's fleet, and assail the pirates who infest the channel,
and who are now ready to leave for Rochelle. The task is an easy
one, and opportune from all points of view. Your Majesty will
consider it and act for the best. M. de Zweveghem and Thomas
Fiesco are still here discussing with the English commissioners the
question of the caution money, in the hope that other points may
be settled and that some day or other the English may be got to
restore what little is left. The matter is being greatly delayed, as
they would not enter into the question of restitution until they
learn the result of Cobham's journey, and whether your Majesty
was so offended as there was reason to fear you would be. They
think that recent events (fn. 2) will cause some coolness between your
Majesty and the French, and this is their great hope, for they will
not accept the marriage with Anjou, excepting as a last resource,
although the king of France's fall and illness make them more
anxious. The people in the part of Ireland nearest to Spain have
rebelled and have expelled the Governor John Parret. The Queen's
friends are prevailing in Scotland.—London, 15th June 1571. |
| 20 June. |
259. The King to Guerau De Spes.
Your letters of 23rd, 25th, 27th, and 30th April were received
together on the 22nd May. There is little to say to you about the
coming of Henry Cobham and his errand, beyond a statement
which is sent to you containing details of his proposals and my
reply thereto. All this is sent for your information, so that, in
case you should be spoken to there on the matter, you may reply
to the same effect. If nothing is said to you, you will not open the
subject, as the less discussion we have with such people as these,
the better it will be in all respects. You will, however, cautiously
endeavour to discover what statements are made by Cobham, and
how the Queen takes my reply. You will advise me and the
duke of Alba of this. Although the principal reason, as we judge,
of the coming of this Cobham was to delay the treaty for restitution
and put off the matter, and we suppose that M. de
Zweveghem will not have settled anything, still if, by chance, he
should have been able, with the aid of Thomas Fiesco, to come to
any terms, you will give us full particulars thereof, with a complete
statement of the monies, goods, and merchandise actually in
existence, which we may hope to recover. You will also send a
statement of the merchandise seized from the Portuguese, as I
should be pleased for them also to be recovered. You did right
to send me the copy of your reply to the King (of Portugal), as
you will be also to serve him and help his subjects, wherever
you can.
Roberto Ridolfi has not arrived here, and if the particulars of his
errand have got wind it is greatly to be feared that it will be the
death blow for the queen of Scotland and the duke of Norfolk, as
it may be considered certain that, if she of England learns of it, she
will make it an excuse to wreak her ill-feeling on them, and with
ample cause. We are still not without suspicion that the whole
thing may have been an invention of hers, with this very object.
You will be as vigilant as possible in this business, proceeding
with all due caution and a close understanding with the duke of
Alba.
Notwithstanding all you say about the negotiations for the
marriage of the duke of Anjou with the Queen, I cannot persuade
myself that there is anything in it beyond the objects aimed at in
former similar negotiations. Don Francés writes the same in all
his letters, especially in that of the 1st instant, where he says that,
although there was very much talk about it and gold and silver
stuffs and other adornments were being bought in consequence, he
knew from a trustworthy source that the business is at an end.
Still you will be watchful, and report what you hear.
It is most necessary that you should endeavour to learn the real
truth respecting the number of ships collected by the corsairs and
pirates, and what help and facilities are being given to them by
the Queen ; what route they take and from what port they intend
to sail, and when. You will report with the necessary speed upon
all this. You will also advise what you can learn of the proceedings
and designs of Huggins, who has shown an inclination to
serve me, and as he is, as he says, a Catholic, it is natural that I
should look upon this with satisfaction.
You will also keep me informed as to what Antonio Fogaza is
doing there, with whom he mixes, and in what esteem he is held ;
what friends and connections he has, and how you and he stand
towards one another.
Certain safe conducts which have been given by you for ships
and goods of private persons have been complied with, but I have
told Zayas to inform you very urgently that which you will have
seen in his letters. You will comply with this, as it is necessary to
take this course until we see how our negotiations with the Queen
end.—20th June 1571. |
| 23 June. |
260. Guerau De Spes to the King.
I have already reported the disturbances in Scotland. The
hundred soldiers which the queen of England was sending thither
as a guard for the Prince have been detained at the request of the
French ambassador, and the marshal of Berwick had entered the
country with the excuse that he desired to reconcile both parties.
Both sides were convoked for a conference, where, the number of
the rebels being the larger, they seized Lord Hume in the presence
of the Marshal, and killed a bastard brother of the duke of
Chatelherault, an abbot, who had been elected for archbishop of
St. Andrews. The rest of the company escaped, with the loss of
some few, into Lisleburg. On one of the prisoners was found a
letter from Mr. Beaton, a Scotch gentleman who has been with the
duke of Alba and in the court of France, setting forth the distrust
existing there with regard to sending the aid to them from France,
and the cold replies which the Queen-mother had given, advising
the Scots to endeavour to obtain the help of your Majesty. This
letter has been brought here. (fn. 3)
The queen of Scotland is more closely kept than ever, and the
bishop of Ross is well guarded in one of the Bishops' houses.
By a courier who arrived yesterday from France I have learned
that the Queen mother writes to her ambassador in her own hand,
saying that the clauses sent thither respecting the duke of Anjou's
marriage left much to be desired, but that the English ambassador
was coming to her, and she hoped he would have power to moderate
them.—London, 23rd June 1571. |
| 29 June. |
261. Guerau De Spes to the King.
Certain servants of the French ambassador here and the English
ambassador in France have arrived with news that M. L'Archant,
captain of the guard of the duke of Anjou, is coming here with
Guido Cavalcanti to settle difficulties with regard to the matrimonial
treaty, on the understanding that, if things go well, the
conclusion shall be carried through by the coming here of the duke
of Montmorenci and others. There are therefore great hopes that
it will be arranged, although doubts still exist as to whether the
Queen will ever marry. The members of the Council who are
Protestants are much exalted at this, together with the promises
made by the duchess of Vendome and the Admiral, and they think,
already, that the States of Flanders will fall into their hands.
They believe that the Christian King will help them powerfully
towards this, for the sake of the Duke, his brother, and these hopes
prevent the French from interfering in Scotland or saying a word
in favour of the Queen, who is now much oppressed ; excepting in
a very lukewarm way, through the ambassador here. The English,
instead of settling with the commissioners from the duke of Alba,
are proceeding so tardily and even deceptively, that they have
sent three commissioners to the west country to sell a certain part
of the merchandise there, and find out whether there is any money
amongst it, and it is announced that the Queen has made a grant
of all the proceeds to the earl of Leicester. Some of the pirates are
in the Downs, and some off the Isle of Wight, supplying themselves
with victuals. It was said that most of them were going to Rochelle,
but the weather has been unfavourable to them for the last six
weeks. I will report to your Majesty what happens, and now
enclose the printed book of what has been done in this Parliament.
In it will be seen things against the Roman Church and the English
absentees, and in defence of the title of this Queen, all of them very
strange and many of them contrary to international treaties, which
treaties have not been confirmed by Parliament before it closed,
contrary, it is said, to the usual custom.—London, 29th June 1571. |