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| Jan. 2. |
1. Report of John Donne. On 27th June, I left Exmouth in the
Jennet of Exmouth, and arrived at St. Sebastian's 10 July. Four days
after, Richard, son of Thos. Burley, of Melcombe Regis, arrived in the
Minion of Bridgewater, and on intelligence of my being there, went
to the commissary, and accused me of being a heretic, and of coming
over as a spy against the King of Spain and the Irish bishop; thereupon the commissary wrote to the General of Fontarabia to apprehend me, and embargo my goods. He sent the captain of St. Sebastian's to do so. The captain searched my lodgings, without finding
anything for his purpose, and then I was carried prisoner to the
General of Fontarabia, and delivered into the custody of General
Allgoheils and four armed soldiers, who carried me on horseback
and bound to Fontarabia, where I was put in a dark pit in prison,
and kept 12 days. Demanding to know my accuser, the general
sent to St. Sebastian's to know if there were any merchants that
knew me; whereupon several wrote to him in my favour, and
offered to become bound in 5,000 ducats that I was no such man as
he had been informed; on this he discharged me, and wrote to the
captain to redeliver my goods; as soon as my accuser heard I was
discharged, he got away. |
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On 4 Aug. I left for St. Andera, where the Irish bishop made
his fleet, and came into Aleretho, where I met Sir John Fergus, one
of the bishop's chaplains, who knew me well at St. James's in
Galicia; I made him say mass for me, and gave him largely, being
one of the bishop's chaplains; thus he told me of the pretence of
the bishop, and asked the cause of my coming to Aleretho; I told
him to buy oranges, and that I had a bark coming there to lade
with them, but they being so dear, I meant to lade elsewhere. He
told me the Bishop's army consisted of seven ships, with victuals
and munition for 16,000 men, and that they only waited an answer
by a pinnace which was sent to Ireland 16 July, as a spy, with letters to the Earl of Desmond, when they would depart for Ireland,
with the seven ships, and 1,000 Italian and Spanish soldiers. That
there was an Englishman named Browne among them, who was in
great favour with my Lord, and that there would be 20 more sail
to follow, with 2,000 soldiers. I also met a man of the Groyne, who
was a soldier with the Irish bishop for two months, and confirmed
all this. |
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On 18 Aug. I arrived at Valladolid, and met a Galicia merchant
coming from Court, who told me he met Richard Burley going to
Court. Upon this news I gave over my journey, left for Galicia,
and arrived at Vevera 4 Sept., where I remained four days; the
archdeacon of the town, whose brother was Dean of Valencia, told
me that his brother sent the Irish bishop, by command of the Pope,
80,000 ducats, which he had gathered in Castile; that great preparation had been made by the Pope for sending into Ireland, and
that after the wars were ended in Portugal, the King of Spain would
aid with great power. |
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I arrived in the Groyne 11 Sept., remained six days, and went
to kiss the Regent's hands, who thanked me for what I had sent
him. He asked for news of England, but being only a merchant,
I knew of none but of merchandize. The next day I entertained
the secretary and four of his friends at a banquet, and gave him six
pair of fine Hollands, hoping to understand somewhat of him. He
told me, with regard to the wars in Portugal, that the King of Spain
had it quietly, and that the Regent had received letters from the
King that the Pope had written him, to provide a power to join
with him to send to Ireland, on pain of his curse. |
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I also conversed with Bonefacius, purveyor in Galicia for the navy,
who said that an English captain, Henry Carey, with Don Pedro
Baldez, general of the whole fleet, had drawn out a plat of all the
ports of England, Ireland, and Scotland, and that he had delivered it
to Don Pedro, with whom he was in great favour. |
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On 17 Sept. I departed for Bayonne, where I met Gomes Perious
and Drather, who told me that when they had ended the wars in
Portugal, they would go for Ireland, and so for England. |
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On the 23rd, I went to Viana in Portugal, thinking to embark
for England in a ship of the West Country; but as it could not be
got ready soon, I returned to Bayonne, and then to Viego, and
agreed for a passage with the master of a bark there. |
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On 16 Nov., Don Pedro Baldez came into the river of Viego, from
the Groyne with his fleet of 40 sail, laden with provisions for Lisbon;
and he, understanding that there was an English bark bound for
England, went on board, and took away the sails; demanding what
passengers they had, and they answering a Fleming, he sent for him,
and put him in irons aboard his admiral. He also sent for me, but
I got out of the way, and hid myself in a broom close two days and
three nights, without meat or drink. |
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On the 20th I went to Bayonne, where I kept close two days,
then to Viana; I stayed 18 days for a passage, going in the meantime to Pontethelema, where I met Pedro Gorina Delamais of
Corcaven, who came post from Lisbon to hasten Don Pedro to Lisbon with his fleet; he said that most part of the shipping at Lisbon
should go for Ireland, as soon as Portugal was quiet, and that the
King would go to Lisbon to set order in Portugal. |
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The state of Portugal at present seems as follows:— |
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The King of Spain is in full possession of Portugal, and has garrisoned all the forts and towns. He has 12,000 soldiers there, of
which 5,000 are good and old soldiers of Lombardy, Naples, and
Sicily. The island of Madeira has yielded to him; but those of
Surres [Azores] stand against him, and it is thought they will rather
yield to some other prince, if they might have aid. The King sends
five ships to the Indies, and four to Brazil from Lisbon. |
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As for Don Antonio, there is no news in Portugal; but some say
he has gone for France. The revenues that the King of Portugal
has, by his customs and other royalties, amount to one million and
a half of gold. He has Luestradigo of St. Iago in his hands, and
the livings of Don Duarte, Infanta, and Donna Maria, all which
may be worth 300,000 ducats. [4 pages.] |
| Jan. 18. |
2. W. Borough and four other "commissioners for dissolving the
preparation for Portugal," to Sec. Walsingham. We have heard
Mr. Hawkins' allegations touching his loss by dissolving the preparations made for the late voyage intended for the Portugal
islands, and find that he ought to be allowed for loss by provisions
returned, over, and above the allowance we awarded him
at the first, 305l. 16s. 8d. We likewise find that there ought to
be allowed, for the waste of powder and munition, besides what is
already awarded, 19l. We enclose particulars of these losses.
[1 page.] Annexing, |
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2. i. Account of losses sustained by John Hawkins, in providing sea stores mentioned, embezzled and wasted,
besides the loss on victuals. Total, 305l. 16s. 8d.; also,
by powder and munition wasted and broken, 19l. 0s. 0d.
[1½ pages.] |
Jan. 25.
Guernsey. |
3. G. Byauvoer [Beauvoir?] jun., to Sir Thos. Leighton, governor
of Guernsey, at London. Council letters have been sent to Mr.
Wigmore, your lieutenant, and the bailiff and jurats, by procurers
authorised by private persons, saying that the charge of the procurers was to be borne by those who had authorised them, or those
who would voluntarily contribute. These letters have been read to
the constables, and copies translated into French given them, to show
to the inhabitants, and know their will about the voluntary contribution, of which I hope you will soon be informed. Then the Lieutenant, and Nich. Carey, John Delacourt, and myself, as assistants,
wished the collection to be made, but the bailiff and the rest of the
jurats would not permit it, unless the tax was general through the
island. Nich. le Poitevin, in the name of the rest, asked the benefit
of the Council's letters, that it might be raised as you had ordered,
from those who contributed willingly, but could not be heard. |
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We know that certain procurers are coming with letters from the
bailiff and jurats to Council, but know not the contents; therefore
Carey, Delacourt, and I thought best to certify you beforehand the
state of affairs, as you are the help of all who live in obedience to
Her Majesty, and will not endure the calumnies passed on yourself,
and the justice of the country. The said procurers, though private
persons, advise the common people to agree with them, and set
themselves up as protectors and reformers of our privileges. Thus
they would soon render your government contemptible, and prevent
the obedience due to Her Majesty, their superiors, and magistrates.
[2½ pages, French.] |
| Jan. 25 ? |
4. Names of Commissioners appointed for Guernsey matters,
viz.:—Norton, of London; Thos. Fashion, of Southampton, alias
Seigneur d'Anneville; John de Vice, senior, of Guernsey; John
Andrew, of Guernsey, alias Seigneur de Saumares. [Scrap.] |
