| 11 Nov. |
608. Bernardino De Mendoza to the King.
After having closed the accompanying letter, I was informed
that on the 9th instant, after having heard of the arrival of
Captain Breton with a despatch from Alençon to Simier ; on the
occasion of Simier entering her private chamber, the Queen said
that he must excuse her for detaining him so long, and as soon as
she had finished one other matter, she would give him leave to
depart. He was with her for many hours, and afterwards despatched
the same Captain. The Queen summoned the principal
councillors to her chamber on the 10th, and told them that she
had determined to marry and that they need say nothing more
to her about it, but should at once discuss what was necessary for
carrying it out. If this is put into execution it may be undoubtedly
looked upon as a divine provision to reduce this country to the
Catholic religion, and punish it by means of an intestine war, to
judge by present indications, for having separated therefrom.—
London, 11th November 1579. |
| 28 Nov. |
609. Bernardino De Mendoza to the King.
These people change so constantly in whatever they take in hand,
that it is difficult to send your Majesty any definite information,
because, although they may do a thing with all deliberation, they
alter it in a moment. On the 12th at nightfall they sent a courier
here to prorogue Parliament, which had been summoned for the
24th, and two hours afterwards came another with orders to write
the letters of summons for them to meet, after which, at midnight,
fresh orders arrived that it should stand over until the 20th of
January. The Queen sent an order to Stafford at Dover, who, as I
wrote on the 11th, (fn. 1) was going to Alençon, for him to return.
After she had said to her councillors what I reported in my last,
she ordered each one individually to give her his opinion in writing.
When Simier heard this he told her that, the business being in its
present state, he thought it was not fitting that such a course should
be taken. She asked him who told him so, and he replied that
it was Cecil, whereupon she retorted very angrily, "surely it is
possible for my councillors to keep a secret ; I will see to this." She
then entered another room without saying anything more. She
afterwards told the Council to write a letter from all the members,
urging Alençon to expedite his coming, whereupon they replied that
it was not for them but for her to do that, and they also told her
that it was befitting her dignity that some one of greater standing
and authority than Simier should come to settle the capitulations.
As soon as Simier heard this he booted and spurred and went to
take leave of the Queen. She pacified him by means of great
caresses, and retained him until the 29th, when he left, and Stafford
accompanied him. They are agreed as to the terms, which I have
frequently written to your Majesty, and have now conceded to
Alençon the right for all Frenchmen and servants who are with him
to attend his chapel freely, without specifying any number. The
former demand was that a number was to be fixed. If the agreement
was ratified in France, some personage will come with the signed
confirmation of the king of France and his brother, whereupon
another personage will leave here to arrange for his coming. This
is so much desired by the Queen that some people think that all
this delay is unnecessary, but the object of her councillors in thus
drawing it out is to divert the Queen, if possible, from it, in view
of the hatred towards the marriage shown by the people at large,
and if they cannot succeed in this, at least to mitigate the discontent
of the people and prevent a rising.
She gave jewels and pearls to Simier valued at eight thousand
crowns, and to the councillor who was with him five hundred
crowns worth of silver plate, the other gentlemen having chains
worth two hundred. Many of her pensioners went with him, and
Lords Howard and Seymour were to accompany him to France,
whilst six gentlemen were to go with him as far as Montreuil. The
two Lords will have to await their return with the ships. This is
greatly surprising the English as such extraordinary ceremony as
this has never been performed with any ambassador.
This Queen has received another letter from the Turk by way of
France, which, in addition to many other offers, promises a favourable
reception of Englishmen who come to his country, either by
land or sea ; both on account of his desire for her friendship as for
that of the king of France, with whom he requests her to be as
friendly as she can. He says that, by reason of his friendship to the
king of France, he will be pleased to hear of her marriage with his
brother, from which it may be seen that the French have made it
their business to write to him about it. The Turks are also desirous
of friendship with the English on account of the tin which has been
sent thither for the last few years, and which is of the greatest
value to them, as they cannot cast their guns without it, whilst the
English make a tremendous profit on the article, by means of which
alone they maintain the trade with the Levant. Five ships are
ready to sail thither now, and I am told that, in one of them, they
are sending nearly twenty thousand crowns worth of bar tin, without
counting what the rest of them take. As this sending tin to the
infidel is against the apostolic communion, and your Majesty has
ordered that no such voyage shall be allowed to pass the Messina
light, to the prejudice of God and Christianity, I advise the viceroy
of Sicily of the sailing of these ships as I understand that they
will touch at Palermo, where the tin can be confiscated.
The earl of Desmond has risen in Ireland for the third time and,
although the Queen had not hitherto declared him a rebel, she has
done so now, moved, as I am told, by the fear that the earl of
Kildare may do the same. Letters have been given to her written by
Dr. Sanders to the Irish Barons who have risen, urging them not
to lose heart, but to continue what they have begun, as most of the
nobles of England and Scotland will help them, as well as foreign
princes. She has appointed various men to go to Ireland as
Viceroys, but they have refused, as they think that this rising is
more serious than the previous one.
The Parliament of Scotland was discussing the giving of the
title of earl of Lennox to M. d'Aubigny, (fn. 2) and have postponed until
next Parliament the appointment of an heir to the Crown.—London,
28th November 1579. |