Simancas: March 1585

Calendar of State Papers, Spain (Simancas), Volume 3, 1580-1586. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1896.

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'Simancas: March 1585', in Calendar of State Papers, Spain (Simancas), Volume 3, 1580-1586, (London, 1896) pp. 533-534. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/simancas/vol3/pp533-534 [accessed 20 April 2024]

March 1585

4 March.
Paris Archives, R. 1563. 43.		 388. Bernardino De Mendoza to the King.
Since I wrote last I have heard from England that Nau had left the queen of Scotland after having been only a few days with her. He has gone to Scotland with a passport from the queen of England, and is accompanied by Waad who was sent by the queen of Spain when I left England. It is understood that they are going to discuss with the king of Scotland the release of the Queen, his mother, if they can come to terms on the matter. To this end they say the king of Scotland will go to England ; and rumour still runs that the earls of Bedford, Arundel, and Oxford, will be sent to Scotland as hostages for his safety. The priests whom the queen of England had liberated have arrived here, and I have regaled them in my house. There are not more than 20 of them and one layman, besides four more who had joined their company. I have tried to discover from all of them, and particularly from Father Jasper Howard, the jesuit, whom I know well, what reasons had moved the Queen to release them, whilst still keeping in prison the other priests who were with them. They say the only reason they can imagine for it is that the Queen may have been told that if she did so she would not be accused of punishing Catholics for their religion ; and that the seven who were confined in the Tower may have been liberated to save the Queen the cost of keeping them, whilst the rest of them might have had some influence with the councillors.
Raleigh's preparations were being conducted with less energy.— Paris, 4th March 1585.
15 March.
Paris Archives, K. 1563. 47.		 389. Bernardino De Mendoza to the King.
[Extract.]
The earl of Derby has left, having been feasted in an extraordinary way by the King, who gave him a buffet of plate worth 4,000 crowns. I cannot hear of anything having been effected in the matter of treaties, only that the discussion is still afoot.
I have reports from England that they have arrested William Parry, (fn. 1) a man attached to the earl of Leicester and Walsingham, who had been been in Italy on their behalf. He is suspected of a design to kill the Queen and has confessed as much. They have also arrested here, at the request of the English ambassador, one Morgan, who managed the affairs of the queen of Scotland, and have seized his papers. I do not learn whether they will surrender him to the English, although great efforts are being made by the ambassadors to that end, in virtue of the second article of the treaty of alliance between England and France. (fn. 2) I am informed by letters of the 26th ultimo from London that Raleigh's ships were going down the river to join those from the west country, but that Drake was proceeding very leisurely with his preparations.—Paris, 15th March 1585.
15 March.
B.M. Cotton, Galba, C. VIII.		 390. Sir Francis Walsingham to Bernardino De Mendoza.
I have been informed by the bearer that you desire the liberation of Pedro de Zubiar. (fn. 3) I have used great efforts to that end with the object of pleasing you, as I desire. He would accordingly have been released, but that the earl of Leicester has written saying that he was to be detained for some time longer on account of some person of quality who doubtless asked that this should be done. I will nevertheless continue to do my best in the matter, although Zubiar himself does not deserve anything at my hands, as he has been very ungrateful to me for all the kindness and courtesy I have shown him. My wish, however, is to serve and please your Lordship, and thus repay you in part for all the kindness I am told you show to my countrymen. The things you require from here will be supplied to you by the bearer, who has taken great pains about them. I also desire to say that none of the Spaniards who were captured in the prizes now remain under arrest, so far as I know, but if any should still be in prison, I will do my best to have them set free at once. There are only some Portuguese, who absolutely refuse to go, unless they are sent straight home to their own country, and will not accept a passage to the States.— Greenwich, 15th March 1585.

Footnotes

  • 1. William Parry, D.C.L., M.P. A full account of his trial and execution is given in Knight's "Criminal trials." The real reason for his prosecution is still a mystery, but it is by many persons attributed to his action in parliament in favour of the Catholics
  • 2. It will be seen that Morgan was not released from the Bastile where he was confined until some years had passed. His letter to the queon of Scots announcing his arrest will be found in the Hatfield papers, part 3, page 96.
  • 3. He bad been a merchant in Seville, and had been sent by the company of merchants there to negotiate, if possible, a private arrangement for the return of a part of Drake's plunder. Whilst in England he became a bankrupt and fled, but returned on assurance of safety, and was subsequently arrested on a political charge. There is probably an error in the date of the above letter, which appears to belong to the following year.
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