| 3 Oct. |
605. Bernardino De Mendoza to Zayas.
The Englishman who I said was to accompany Richard Graveton
(to Spain), I am informed is being sent at the express instance of
Walsingham, who proposed to the merchants to send him. They,
knowing him for a great rogue, said the cost would be very heavy,
and they were told that they would of course be reimbursed for
his expenses (by the Council). He is instructed to return at once
hither and bring an account of what he can learn, and I am told
that he has been to Spain three times this year for the same purpose ;
this being how he gets his living. No doubt, to worm out
something there, he will speak frankly about matters here. I have
thought well to report this, although I am sure, after what I have
said, that he will be treated with caution.
A Spanish ship from Santoña with wool for Calais, was driven
by storm into Sandwich, where it was at once seized and advice
sent to the Council, which gave orders that she should be discharged
to see what she brought, and, if she contained no prohibited
goods, she should be allowed to sail. This is quite a new departure
and a breach of the treaties with his Majesty, for which reason I
have resented it, and they now say she was seized in error ; but,
in this and other things, I plainly see their bad intentions. There
have been terrible storms here for the last fortnight which have
cast many ships upon these coasts and those of Brittany.—London,
3rd October 1579. |
| 16 Oct. |
606. Bernardino De Mendoza to the King.
The proclamation I sent on the 29th, instead of mitigating the
public indignation against the French, has irritated it and fanned
the flame. Another book confirming the arguments of the former
one has been issued and the Queen thereupon summoned the whole
of the Council to again give her their opinion with regard to the
marriage. They met many times, and, on the 7th instant, were in
session from eight o'clock in the morning until seven at night, without
stirring from the room, having sent the clerks away, which, as I
have told your Majesty, is very rarely done, and only when something
very secret and important is being discussed. Their decision
was that, on no account, ought the Queen to marry Alençon or any
other personage of the House of France ; this being the opinion of
all, with the exception of Sussex and Burleigh. They appointed
the Lord Chancellor and the earl of Arundel to give an account of
their decision to the Queen, to whom they said that, after having
met and considered the subject on many occasions, they were of
opinion that, for the security of her person, the tranquillity of her
realm, and the preservation of her Crown, it was not fitting that
she should marry any member of the House of France. They
pointed out the many objections to the entrance of Frenchmen into
the kingdom, they being ancient enemies ; as well as the danger
from the Scots who were the same. If she were to die, as might be
feared if the French were to obtain control of her person, they
would take possession of the country, with the aid they would get
from Scotland, without the English being able to prevent it. They
set forth also the other things that might occur, and showed how
much opposed public opinion was to the marriage, although she
had been so popular with her subjects in consequence of her actions
during the years she had reigned, whilst on this matter they
showed such bitter hatred. They said that, even if she did not
desire to foresee the evil results which they placed before her, and
insisted upon marrying Alençon, it was nevertheless their duty to
cast themselves at her feet and die there, as they believed she
would die if she did this thing. To these words she gave no reply
but was moved in a way that made them pause a little, and they
added afterwards that, in consequence of the general dislike of the
people to the coming of the French, they thought Parliament should
not be summoned yet, in order to avoid disturbance and sedition,
but should be delayed until later. If she still desired to marry,
they should have time to persuade the people of the country to
agree to it before Parliament was summoned. She said she would
prorogue it without fixing a date, as she wished to reserve the
latter point for her own decision. She remained extremely sad
after the conversation and was so cross and melancholy that it was
noticed by everyone who approached her. Many documents have
been sent to her lately dissuading her from the business. This has
been managed by Leicester and Hatton through whose hands most
of the papers have reached her. They (the documents) gave her
to understand that when she proposed to marry, Parliament would
urge her to declare an heir to the Crown, as the people did not
wish, in case of her death, to find themselves in the present position
with their enemies within their own gates. She has been greatly
alarmed by all this, as she has been given to understand that as
soon as a successor is appointed they will upset her. It is understood
that the Chancellor, who is considered a great orator, was
instructed to press this point very warmly, knowing her pusilanimity
and fear in any adversity.
Simier has announced that he has leave from his master to depart.
The Queen favours him as usual but he is very discordant with the
Ambassador, in consequence of something which he said about him
to the Queen. The negotiations for an alliance with the French to
impede your Majesty in Portugal and to break up the conference
of Cologne, still continue and most of the heretics are agreed to
this. They meant to have sent the Garter to the king of France
but have deferred it owing to his indisposition.
Alençon's agents are making great efforts with the people of
Ghent, Antwerp, and the States, &c., to get them to recall him
thither, and with this object have spread abroad the writing which
I enclose, and also that which the States that met at Utrecht have
published, prohibiting the reading of the clauses for the treaty of
peace which had been discussed at Cologne ; the reason of this being
that the States saw that the majority of the country were inclined
to accept the conditions.
The Queen's viceroy in Ireland (fn. 1) has died of sickness and the
ships that carried over the reinforcements have returned. A letter
of the 3rd from there reports the capture of the fort erected by the
men who landed, (fn. 2) they having retired with the Irishmen to the
woods. The earl of Desmond had left them and again joined the
the Queen's side.—London, 16th October 1579. |
607. Bernardino De Mendoza to Zayas.
The Queen has received a special swift post from Antwerp,
reporting that his Majesty had ordered the arrest of all the English
vessels, and orders have been consequently given here in all the
ports that no ships are to leave without further orders. The
Antwerp heretics, for the purpose of arousing the indignation of
those here, write that we were not content with seizing the ships
in Spain, but we clapped all the crews into the galleys. This is no
doubt to divert the Hollanders from agreeing to the peace, as they
are inclined to do.
As I was closing this, I was informed that the Queen is greatly
irritated with anyone who opposes the marriage, saying not once,
but many times, that she had never broken her word yet and she
will keep it now. Speaking to Walsingham about it she told him
begone and that the only thing he was good for was a protector of
heretics. Knollys who is a great heretic and the treasurer of the
household, married to her first cousin, asked her how she could
think of marrying a Catholic, she having forbidden Protestants to
do so. To this she replied that he might pay dearly for the zeal he
was displaying in the cause of religion, and it was a fine way to
show his attachment to her ; who might desire, like others, to have
children. She had another squabble about it with Hatton, and he
was a week without seeing her. It is difficult to see whether all
this is artifice or whether God intends to blind her in order to bring
her to submission.—London, 16th October 1579. |