Rome: November 1577 | British History Online

Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Vatican Archives, Volume 2, 1572-1578. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1926.

'Rome: November 1577', in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Vatican Archives, Volume 2, 1572-1578, (London, 1926) pp. 346-355. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/vatican/vol2/pp346-355 [accessed 24 April 2024]

November 1577



1577. Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Francia, vol. x. pp. 556, 559.	683. [Antonio Maria] Salviati, [late] Bishop of S. Papoul to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. … “It is now some time since I wrote to you about the Scottish business, and I shall not repeat myself, knowing that the letters got to Lyon, and were thence forwarded, so that there can be no doubt that they have reached your hands. In which business I have met with none too good a reception, the Cardinal of Guise and the Scottish ambassador both deeming it strange that, despite the assurance given by you to the Archdeacon of Vaison (fn. 1) that at least 15,000 crowns would be furnished thence [i.e. from Rome], you should afterwards in what you wrote me have entirely shelved the business, for it is mainly for the sake of the money that they set store by the Pope's favour.” 3 Nov., 1577. Paris. Decipher. Italian.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. Germ. vol. lxxxii. p. 436.	684. Protonotary Portia. Nuncio in Germany to [Ptolemy Galli, ] Cardinal of Como. … “The Marquis of Aurè [Havré] has returned from England. Some say he has brought from that Crown a definite promise of 2,000 infantry paid for a year; others say that the expedition is of more consequence, and above all that there is to be a quantity of money. In Brussels of late there was an English ambassador, who, as he passed through the city with Orange, said that he marvelled to see there no practice of the reformed religion, and was answered that time and occasion had not served to introduce it, but that in a little while that also would be done. Such is the report in Cologne by a person well known, who says that he heard it with his own ears. God frustrate such counsels!” 4 Nov., 1577. Aldenberg [Altenberg]. Italian.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Portog. vol. i. f. 26.	685. Robert Fontana, Collector and Referendary to the Same. …“James Geraldine (fn. 2) thinks of departing this week for Ireland in that ship of which I wrote you; and Bishop Cornelius Ryan of Killaloe, as he was returning from the Duke of Ave[i]ro (fn. 3) to accompany the said James, has been despoiled by some corsairs of La Rochelle while he was but six leagues or thereabout from Lisbon, so that he will not be able to go for lack of the bulls of his bishopric.” 5 Nov., 1577. Lisbon. Italian.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Spagna, vol. xi. p. 73.	686. James Geraldine to the Same. “I came to Lisbon thence to go to Ireland, and should have long since been there but that the Nuncio Apostolic at the Court of the King of the Spains, thinking to procure me a subsidy, induced me by his letters to tarry, and at last gave me to understand that I had nothing to expect. I therefore am resolved to tarry no longer; and unarmed, without a fleet, and without men, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and supported by Apostolic authority, I go to Ireland, relying much upon your prayers, for the sake of which I doubt not the most merciful Lord will be propitious to me, and give me the victory over the foes of holy Mother Church. “In fine, having hitherto awaited aid, and having by no means obtained it, I shall find all my friends, who were eagerly expecting me, lukewarm and faint-hearted; and moreover, the adversaries, one and all, will be the more eager and zealous to fight against me when they see me entering the country unarmed and unaided. Wherefore I entreat your Most Illustrious Lordship, in whom I trust, to speed the promised aid after me to Ireland, and to solicit for me the despatch of aid by the Catholic King who promised as much to the Bishop of Mayo. “Farewell, Most Illustrious and Reverend Lordship. Signed, Jacobus Dessmonie de Geraldis.” 5 Nov., 1577. Lisbon. Latin.
Vat. Lib. Urb. Lat. 1045. f. 511.	687. News Letter. “I wrote you last on the 24th of October; and as I count on safe delivery of my letter, I shall not repeat its contents, but will now apprise you that Monsieur, (fn. 4) who had gone to meet his sister, the Queen of. Navarre, at [La] Fère on the confines of Picardy, has returned hither accompanied by two gentlemen sent to his Most Christian Majesty by the Estates, who make great offers to him, as they have already done to the said Monsieur, if he will join them; wherein they still persist, although they are not hearkened to as they would wish; for the King is too wise and wary to desire new enterprises. This is much disrelished by Monsieur; but, being young he is easily amenable, and is therefore governed by his brother. So they will certainly get nothing but good words and a pledge to abstain from aiding the other side. “It is already said that Count Charles, son of the Count of Mansfeld, who was authorized by his Most Christian Majesty to raise 30 companies to go in aid of Don John, has since been told that he may go if he choose, but not with Frenchmen, and that of the said companies that were being raised the said Count Charles had given ten to Stephen of Urbino (fn. 5) : that nevertheless they will be sent quietly; and that there are also some other French gentlemen that are fain to go, among whom is the Count of Losses, who is very anxious to serve Don John, and also Annibal de Clermont, of Asti or Piedmont, who, I think, if they can get leave, will go with many others. But as this realm is not yet altogether quiet, the Huguenots in Provence, Dauphiné and likewise in Languedoc having refused the peace, especially in Dauphiné, where there are more in arms than ever, and the chief rebels are more malcontent than ever—it cannot but be that to Flanders there should go men from both quarters, and in particular M. Bussi d'Amboise, a favourite of Monsieur, and a friend of the Prince of Orange, to whom they have made proffers of moneys and other matters through two of the Prince's agents in this city; but their demands trench on the prerogative of the Estates, nor would any man desire that the Prince should act of his own accord, or allow no others to lead the Estates than he; and in fine the shop will still remain open. “As for the Kings saying that he would have no man go, there would be more in it, but, as I have said, for the garboils of Dauphiné and Provence. “You must have heard of the great beginning of succour which the said Estates have had from the Queen of England, who will not be wanting in their service so long as they try to maintain their independence of the King [of Spain], and also of this King, who is a yet worse neighbour than his Catholic Majesty, so that in no wise would she have them associated with him; and if she suspected it, I firmly believe that she would hold aloof from him and the Prince of Orange.” 7 Nov., 1577. Paris. Italian. Copy.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. Germ. vol. lxxiv. p. 361.	688. John [Delfino], Bishop of Torcello, Nuncio in Germany to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. “Besides what I wrote you last week as to the affairs of Flanders it is understood that the Estates were not agreed in accepting Prince Matthias; for as the business was handled by the Prince of Orange and the Duke of Ariscot [Aerschot] with but a few others, without communicating with the rest, in order that the negotiation might not be discovered before it was carried through, the rest of the lords and cities of the country could not brook the settlement of a matter of such importance and consequence without consultation with them; and evinced little disposition to concur in the election of the Archduke, though those of Brabant had declared in his favour. And so the said Estates met together to attempt to arrange these differences before Don John should be able to get reinforcements and fall upon them. “Meanwhile the people of Flanders were showing a leaning towards the Queen of England, and negotiating to gain her support, and those of Enaut [Hainaut] were leaning not a little towards M. d'Alençon; for which reason, some say, it was that he went to S. Quentin, to be nearer at hand and ready to move at any sign on the part of his partisans. Nevertheless it is believed that the Archduke will in the end be accepted.” 13 Nov., 1577. Vienna. Italian.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Spagna, vol. xi. p. 76.	689. [Philip Sega, Bishop of Ripa,] Nuncio in Spain to the Same. …“I have nothing more definite in the present business to report than that the day before yesterday Secretary Antonio Perez told me that there now remained but one difficulty, and the enterprise would be essayed if it should be found to be possible to essay two enterprises of such importance at one and the same time; and an attempt will be made to surmount this difficulty, please God, since we are under stress of necessity, as the advices from Flanders are worsening day by day. The latest intelligence, which we have by letters of the 20th and 27th of last month and the 3rd of this month, of which I send copies, causes us here great anxiety; and verily there is matter for much reflection, because they are now conspiring to kindle a flame in this most serene House, that it may consume itself, so as to leave no means untried of hurting his Majesty, and are enlisting the co-operation of many to keep the fire the longer ablaze. God help us! “Now for five evenings at nightfall, and for many hours, we have seen a terrific comet (fn. 6) over Madrid which gives occasion to the reckless to talk. God avert his wrath from us and be with us, the very God of mercy!” 14 Nov., 1577. Madrid. Italian.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Spagna, vol. xii. p. 144.	690. John Francis Canobio, Collector Apostolic to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. …“There is here an English Doctor of Theology, Nicholas Sander by name, a man of exemplary life and much learning; and as for some years his Majesty, who has a good opinion of him, has allowed him 300 crowns by the year from the fruits of Toledo by way of maintenance, the Archbishop and other ministers are now instant with me that I should continue this subvention; which I have refused to do because I have no order of any sort. You will therefore do me the favour to apprise me of the Pope's mind as to this matter. “The person is truly virtuous and worthy, and the Pope's bounty, if he resolve to grant it, will be excellently bestowed.” 14 Nov., 1577. Madrid. Italian.
Ibid. vol. xi. p. 78.	691. [Patrick O'Hely,] Bishop of Mayo to [John Francis Canobio, Collector Apostolic]. Thanking him for using his influence with the Catholic King's ambassador in Portugal to procure, as he has done, a ship to carry him and his associates [to Ireland], and expressing unbounded confidence that God will grant them the victory over their enemies, in which he is confirmed by the accounts just brought by some merchants of the recent miracle at Oxford. (fn. 7) 14 Nov., 1577. Lisbon. Latin. Copy.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Francia, vol. xi. ff. 280, 282.	692. [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como to [Antonio Maria] Salviati, [late] Bishop [of S. Papoul], Nuncio in France. Postscript.—“There goes herewith a memorial on the part of the Scottish Bishop of Ross, on whose behalf his Holiness bids you speak and do your office with whomsoever it shall be necessary, and so far as you shall deem meet.” 18 Nov., 1577. Rome. Italian. Draft.
Ibid. vol. x. pp. 577–80.	693. [Antonio Maria] Salviati, [late] bishop [of S. Papoul], Nuncio in France to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. Enclosing:—1. A letter from Antwerp of 9 Nov. to the effect that the most recent advices from England were of the 29th Oct. reporting the incarceration of Antonio Guarras (fn. 8) by order of the Council of State, who had seized all writings in his possession and demanded the [key to the] cipher: 2. A ciphered despatch of his own, of which the decipher is as follows:— “As the Cardinal of Guise was desirous that the conversation which it behoved me to have with him touching the Pope's decision in regard to the proposal made to him as to the Prince of Scotland should not take place save in the presence of the Ambassador of Scotland, I apprised both of them of all that you write to me in regard to this matter, and also made the offer of the money with, however, this reservation, that the Pope was minded that the disbursement should not be made till the said Prince had been placed in the power of the Duke of Lorraine, not merely removed from Scotland. Both the Cardinal and the ambassador showed that they were much gratified by the offer, though made conditionally: but since then the ambassador has spoken to me in a different sense, saying that that about which they are mainly concerned is money to bring the Prince from where he is and place him in M. de Lorraine's hands, and that, once he is there, the King of France and all the world will cooperate in keeping him there; and therefore if the Pope is minded to aid the enterprise, his money must needs be disbursed at the outset thereof, that thereby the Prince may be brought to France; and he intimated that the Archdeacon of Vaison (fn. 9) had spoken to the like effect there [at Rome], and had been informed that the disbursement should be made at their request. “As to what the Archdeacon of Vaison may have negociated or written I kept silence, as no mention was made of it in any of his letters; and for the rest I told the ambassador that, though every one must give the Pope credit for meaning to help, and being willing to spend upon all these schemes that have been proposed for the advantage and honour of the Christian religion, one must also bear in mind that he will desire to proceed with deliberation, and especially so when his decision has to be made in such a business as this, of which he cannot know aught, either of the beginning, or the end, or the intermediate stages, except at third hand; in which, moreover, just as good progress was being made as if all the money that was promised had been actually disbursed, because I would furnish them with every assurance that they craved, which would be tantamount to an equivalent for any disbursement that they could desire. We ended by agreeing to converse of this matter again, when he should have received certain letters from Scotland, in which he expected to find something relating to the said business of the Prince of Scotland: so he already conjectured. When the business shall require me, pursuant to your order, to promise 10 or 15,000 crowns, I shall not fail to do so; and what in such a case must needs be done there [at Rome] for my security should emanate from the Pope and you, because this is a matter in which I deem it not reasonable that I should have recourse to anyone for the purpose of signing documents or aught else; but it may well be that the occasion will not arise so soon. “The Queen of Navarre and Monsieur keep up their wonted good understanding; but as to the rest, there is nought but confusion, involving the King and Monsieur and all the rest; and one may reasonably expect some rupture of a momentous character.” 23 Nov., 1577. Paris. Italian.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Spagna, vol. xi. p. 79.	694. [Philip Sega, Bishop of Ripa,] Nuncio in Spain to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. Announcing that the King had readily acquiesced in the Pope's suggestion that the “principal business” had better be deferred to a more convenient season, and referring to certain enclosures, which are missing, for further information. 25 Nov., 1577. Madrid. Italian.
Ibid. p. 86.	695. The Same to the Same. “I need not expatiate on the vexation which this move on the part of this [Archduke] Matthias occasions here, for it cannot be exaggerated, and (what is worse) I understand from a good source that there are letters from the Emperor to his Majesty touching this affair which have given him some uneasiness. The precise point I have not been able to ascertain, but I hope to do so. Enough that in my judgment we are in no position to treat of peace, as we constantly receive yet stranger tidings, as, e.g., from Don John by letter of the 2nd inst. that in Brussels they demand the Confession of Augsburg; and some will have it that Matthias' insurrection is the work of the Queen of England, negotiated by Philip Sidney, son of the Viceroy of Ireland, sent by her to the Emperor's Court in the month of April, and finally arranged by Robert Beale, her secretary, sent by her in the month of September to that Court. “Enough that, be this as it may, we are here still at a loss for a good policy, albeit there is an inclination towards putting the affair to the arbitrament of arms, and they are busy sending moneys and moving troops thitherwards; nor do I think that there is any intention of removing Don John, though, by what I understand, the Emperor's influence is thrown into the opposite scale. The Council here is divided in opinion, which sorely hampers the deliberations. “The Archbishop of Toledo, the Marquis de los Veles, Antonio Perez and Escovedo are the advocates of the English enterprise, though the Marquis is not able to attend to business by reason of indisposition. The Duke of Alba argues against it; and gets a hearing, as do also those that follow his lead. Nor is this the only matter in which there is divergence of opinion; but also in regard to all other matters that have to be decided since this last move there is disputation at Court. Many persons argue that it would be much to the purpose to endeavour to unite these two Kings in a league; and I am informed that this has been discussed by the principal ministers of the King, and likewise that it is not disrelished by the French; and there is ampler ground for discussing it since it is known that the Duke of Guise has given Don John a good company of Frenchmen; albeit, on the other hand, I learn by Don John's letters that, notwithstanding the arrival of Matthias, the Estates are not abandoning the negotiation with the Duke of Alençon; so that amid these intrigues one has need indeed to have recourse to prayer, for on our side there is nought else to be done at present save to wait to see what line his Majesty will take in the report that he will give to his Holiness. “In the meantime I pray you to give careful consideration to the writing which I send, the conclusion of which is in the cipher annexed thereto; for by comparing it with what on divers occasions I have written from Flanders, and the writings that are being sent thence, you will not only get a view of the past and the present, but will also be able to forecast the future, and by consequence more ripely to discuss what it may be possible to do there [at Rome] towards remedying such grievous troubles. Nor shall I omit to tell you, as I have also told his Majesty, that this intrigue of Matthias is nothing new, but an affair that has been simmering for a long while; for on the 22nd of July, when I went to take my leave of the Estates, I lodged in the house of M. Champagny, by whom I was told in good set terms that the Estates would have recourse to the Emperor, entreating him to send them one of his brothers to be their governor; whereof I forthwith apprised Don John; so that it must needs be a matter that was in treaty before that date, and so for my part I doubt that these are festering sores, which are but found to be the deeper the more they are treated; nor do I deem that this is a business for Madam of Parma.” 25 Nov., 1577. Madrid. Decipher. Italian. Enclosures wanting.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Spagna, vol. xi. p. 95.	696. [Philip Sega, Bishop of Ripa,] Nuncio in Spain to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. “I have had to-day a long conversation with the ambassador of the Emperor, who of his own accord has said that he has some evidence that this move on the part of Matthias was brought about by the Queen of England, and that the bait used was the hope of marriage. He also tells me that Matthias during the journey let fall the remark that he was going straight to England; and he adds that one John Smith, (fn. 10) who some months since was the said Queen's ambassador to this King, happening to be talking with him when the news came of the peace in Flanders, said that his Catholic Majesty might write down that peace as the greatest victory that he had ever gained or was likely to gain as long as he lived, for he well knew the ruin that threatened him if it had not come to pass; from which he infers that Smith was hinting at this affair; and this gentleman is very well intentioned, and wholeheartedly deplores this move, knowing as he does Matthias to be a man of sound judgment and therefore not likely to have acted without some at any rate apparently solid ground. He has shown me a lifesize portrait of Matthias, who is a young man of twenty-two years, and very handsome, so that it is likely enough that this old cat would like to play with a tender mouse; and I am the more confirmed in this idea that dal Prada, Don John's secretary, writes me from Luxemburg under date the 4th inst. that the said Queen, having learned that the Estates, or some of them, are still busy with the Duke of Alençon's business, has warned the said Estates to beware of letting Frenchmen into the government of those countries, if they would keep friends with her; so that I am at a loss to understand this business thoroughly unless there be some division in the Estates themselves, as I have ever hoped, deeming it impossible for union to last in this Babylonish confusion; nor can I comprehend how it should be that to day the Prince of Orange enters in triumph, to-morrow Matthias, and then forthwith they call for Alençon; that in the Capitulation profession is made of the Catholic religion, and then they demand the Augsburg Confession (fn. 11); that notwithstanding that the Council of Trent is published, yet they live at liberty to eat and drink what they choose; that they maintain a close alliance with the Queen of England, with the Prince of Orange, and with other heretics, and send an ambassador to the Pope, as I understand they have sent the Bishop of Ypres, and yet after all cannot see their way to send a man to Spain, a sure sign of evil intention, suggesting that the publication of the Council, and the despatch of the ambassador to his Holiness are but intended to impose upon the world and, if possible, to delude his Holiness. “So if the said Bishop do really come there [to Rome], it will be necessary to keep a sharp eye upon him, and be chary, as usual, of belief, while such confusion prevails, and until you are well assured of his sincerity of purpose. The Bishop is a great scholar, and I hold him to be a worthy man and a good Christian; but the bishops in those parts in the present crisis of affairs non sunt omnino sui juris. At the same time I would have him received with the tender consideration which it is meet to extend to an ambassador sent by a prodigal son, and time turned to account by waiting to learn what his Majesty's intention may be. “The publication of the Council, if it has really taken place, can but have been intended to affect a desire to live after the Catholic fashion, for I had many a time expressed my disgust that the Council should never have been put in force in those countries, to which effect I remember having written thither [to Rome]. “From the enclosed copy of the Bishop of Mayo's letter to Canobio you will see the announcement of Geraldine's departure, (fn. 12) God grant him a prosperous voyage and all success; and if from thence Stucley's departure shall be hastened, it will be much to the purpose, because if the Irish enterprise should be crowned with success we may also have good hope of the English enterprise.” 28 Nov., 1577. Madrid. Decipher. Italian. Enclosure wanting.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Savoia, vol. vi. p. 234.	697. Ottavio Santa Croce, Bishop of Cervia, Nuncio to the Court of Turin to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. “I have learned by way of France that there has been of late in Germany a conference of the heretics of the Augsburg confession and those of Geneva, to which deputies of the Prince of Orange have been admitted; and that they have decided that the King of Navarre and he Prince of Condé shall set about breaking the peace made of late in France and that to this end the Queen of England will pay 100,000 crowns.” 29 Nov., 1577. Turin. Italian.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Spagna, vol. xx. p. 102.	698. [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como to [Philip Sega, Bishop of Ripa,] Nuncio in Spain. “Stucley has not yet departed, but continues his preparations, and it will not be many days before he puts to sea in quest of Geraldine, as I wrote you of late, their purpose being to harass the enemy as much as they may, which cannot but be in every way serviceable to his Catholic Majesty; so it could but be well that his said Majesty, either by way of Portugal or otherwise, as he should deem safest, should reinforce these two personages with some aid, that they might go with better heart and higher hope of doing some good. “As to the general enterprise of England, I have already written you that there was no occasion for you to press it further upon his Majesty, while the affairs of Flanders continue in their present plight; and so I will not repeat myself.” 29 Nov., 1577. Rome. Italian, Draft for cipher.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Portog. vol. i. f. 28.	699. Robert Fontana, Collector and Referendary to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. “I wrote to you on the 5th inst. sending you the duplicate of my letter of the 26th of October. I now send you the duplicate of my said letter of the 5th inst,; and I apprise you to boot that James Geraldine delayed his departure till he could come by munitions, to wit, artillery, arquebuses, powder, corslets and the like things for the equipment of the ship and for use on shore; albeit they were hardly to the purpose, as the King had given him but a few all but useless trifles by what I understand. “Dom Theutonio (fn. 13) of Braganza, has given him a culverin and some arquebuses, and the Archbishop of Lisbon some powder; the money that he had he has spent on soldiers and arquebuses. He pressed me much to let him have 500 ducats from the Collettoria at least on loan; but he had from me a civil refusal. At last on the 19th inst. he departed, saying that he went in great peril of certain ships of the Queen of England that were making for those coasts. “He has made an hidalgo here his proctor for the receipt of all the moneys and succours that the good folk here will contribute in aid of his enterprise, and has left here the priest David [Wolf] who was his interpreter, and the Irish Bishop Cornelius [Ryan] of Killaloe, (fn. 14) that he may speedily go to Madrid to negotiate for him with the Catholic King.” 29 Nov., 1577. Lisbon. Italian.