Simancas: June 1565

Calendar of State Papers, Spain (Simancas), Volume 1, 1558-1567. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1892.

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'Simancas: June 1565', in Calendar of State Papers, Spain (Simancas), Volume 1, 1558-1567, ed. Martin A S Hume( London, 1892), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/simancas/vol1/pp432-442 [accessed 1 December 2024].

'Simancas: June 1565', in Calendar of State Papers, Spain (Simancas), Volume 1, 1558-1567. Edited by Martin A S Hume( London, 1892), British History Online, accessed December 1, 2024, https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/simancas/vol1/pp432-442.

"Simancas: June 1565". Calendar of State Papers, Spain (Simancas), Volume 1, 1558-1567. Ed. Martin A S Hume(London, 1892), , British History Online. Web. 1 December 2024. https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/simancas/vol1/pp432-442.

June 1565

6 June. 300. The King to Guzman De Silva.
We have recently received seven letters from you, 7th, 14th, 21st, 26th, 28th of April, and 5th and 7th May, and note from them the state of affairs there up to last date.
I have been pleased to see the full detail with which you report affairs to me, and the diligence you have displayed in keeping the Queen in the good disposition she appears to feel towards us, and it has also been a satisfaction for me to learn that she was gratified with the reception given to her representatives in Flanders. With regard to the negotiations they are carrying on with France and the comings and goings of the secretary of the French Ambassador, there is nothing more to say except to enjoin you to try to discover what is afoot, as there must be some means of obtaining the information.
It has pleased me to learn of the increase in the number of Catholics in that country, and the advantage derived in this respect from the English books sent from Louvain, and, although I am sure you will miss no opportunity which offers of encouraging and strengthening the said Catholics by all such means and measures as will not scandalise the Queen or her friends, yet I again remind you to give to this your particular care and to employ in it all the prudence and adroitness the case requires.
I note from your letters the cause of the visit of Secretary Lethington, and details of your interviews with him, with the information he gave you respecting the state of the match of the queen of Scotland with Lord Darnley son of Lady Margaret, and also the intelligence you obtained from Lady Margaret herself, and from the earl of Leicester to the effect that the marriage had taken place. Your news on this head has been very pleasing to me, and, on the presumption that the marriage of the Queen and Darnley has really gone so far, the bridegroom and his parents being good Catholics and our affectionate servitors ; and, considering the Queen's good claims to the crown of England, to which Darnley also pretends, we have arrived at the conclusion that the marriage is one that is favourable to our interests and should be forwarded and supported to the full extent of our power. We have thought well to assure the queen of Scotland and Lord Darnley's party—which we believe is a large one in the country—that this is our will and determination, and that if they will govern themselves by our advice and not be precipitate, but patiently await a favourable juncture, when any attempt to upset their plans would be fruitless, I will then assist and aid them in the aim they have in view. I have instructed the duke of Alba to address himself to this effect to the Scotch Ambassador resident in the court of France, but I think well to advise you of it also in order that you may know my views and keep them quite secret from the queen of England and her friends, seeing the great danger which would result to the business itself and all other of our affairs if it became known.
You may, however, convey to Lady Margaret Lennox the sympathy and goodwill I bear towards her son, and the successful accomplishment of the project, in order that they may be satisfied and may know that they can depend upon me in matters concerning this business, and so be able to entertain and encourage the Catholics and their party in England. If Lethington or any other confidant of the queen of Scotland addresses you on the subject in her name, you may reply in conformity with the course indicated above, assuring them positively of our help and favour if they will allow themselves to be guided and controlled by our advice. We are thoroughly versed in affairs there, and will in all cases give our opinion with the sincerest desire to forward successfully the objects tending to their welfare. They must, however, be very careful how they proceed, as it is to be feared that as they have married without the consent of that Queen, she will do all she can to upset their pretentions and harm them in every way. One of the worst blows she could strike at them would be to appoint another successor to the crown in the coming Parliament, such for instance as Lady Catharine Grey, who married the son of the duke of Somerset, which would be done with the connivance of Cecil, who was a retainer of the Duke, and some other heretics who desire this. Or the succession might be declared in favour of the earl of Huntingdon, who is married to a sister of Lord Robert, for which reason the Queen might incline to this candidature and oppose that of Lady Catharine and her husband ; the dukes of Somerset and Northumberland (Robert's father) having been open enemies. This would be a very disagreeable solution, as the earl of Huntingdon is a declared heretic, and would have the support of the heretical party, especially of Throgmorton, a close friend of Robert and an enemy to Cecil. Some claim is put forward by Lord and Lady Lestrange, although I am given to understand their party is much reduced in consequence of the poor esteem in which they are held. Perhaps, however, the Queen might exercise the power and liberty she possesses and appoint some one of whom we have not thought here, and you must direct all your energy, care, and thought to prevent the appointment, either in the coming Parliament or in any other way, of any successor other than the queen of Scotland and Lord Darnley. You will keep in good intelligence with their party in England and with the Catholics there, which is the same thing, and try by all means to animate and encourage them to carry the business into effect, and promising them what I have already said. All this, however, must be done so dexterously and adroitly, that it shall not become public or reach the ears of the Queen, or the evil results I have pointed out will ensue. Finally, you will direct your earnest endeavours by all means in your power, to the end that the Queen shall not declare any successor at all if she will not appoint the queen of Scotland and Lord Darnley, and no doubt this end may easily be accomplished, as her own tendency has always been against the appointment of a successor.
If it appears to you that there is a danger of the Queen appointing another successor, the most prudent course will be for the queen of Scotland not to press the Queen to appoint her, but leave the question of declaration of a successor in suspense for the present, because failing the Queen (Elizabeth) there is no doubt that people would all flock to the queen of Scotland and Lord Darnley, and this must be the object to which all energy must be directed. You will make Lady Margaret understand this, and that not only shall I be glad for her son to be king of Scotland and will help him thereto, but also to be king of England if this marriage is carried through.
I note your remarks about the arrival there of an Ambassador of the Emperor, my brother, with instructions to negotiate for the marriage of the Queen with the Archduke Charles my cousin, and although the Emperor has not written anything to me or asked my aid in the matter, still on account of my affection for him and because on a former occasion I intervened in his favour, I should be glad if the negotiations were to succeed, as the result would be beneficial to all of us. You will therefore do your best to bring the affair to a happy conclusion if it is discussed, although I look upon it more in the light of a diversion than anything else, seeing that neither the Queen nor her people really desire it, and that the religious and other differences are so great.
If this matter of the Archduke's is not opened or falls through, it will be well for you on my behalf to tender your sympathy to Lord Robert, as you say you have done,and promise him my support and favour towards the accomplishment of his marriage with the Queen. You will in fact do in this as you see advisable under the circumstances, and in accordance with what Robert thinks will be the best way to help him to this end, always leading and keeping him in the good disposition towards me and my affairs which you observe in him at present. You will please me by doing this and will advise me minutely and in detail of all that passes in these affairs.
I have received your statement of the various claimants to the succession, etc., and thank you.
I am pleased to hear that Gaspar Zapata has submitted, and that Moreno of Granada does not mix with heretics. I have ordered a copy to be sent to the Grand Inquisitor, who will write to you on the subject.—Madrid, 6th June 1565.
8 June. Simaneas, B.M MS. Add. 26,056a. 301. Document headed, Summary of Letters from London.
That the Queen of England and her Council are much troubled and perplexed for four principal reasons, viz. :
Firstly, by the marriage of the queen of Scots with the English Lord Darnley, both of them being next heirs to the Crown of England, and descended from Margaret, sister of King Henry VIII., and their respective claims are thus consolidated. The rivalry between them, therefore, ceases, and the queen of England had always looked for her security to the maintenance of this rivalry by delaying the nomination of her successor. She has summoned Darnley hither under threat of punishment for high treason, and in consequence of his disobedience has thrown his mother, Lady Margaret, into the Tower of London.
The second cause of anxiety is the dissensions in the country, many people favouring Darnley in the belief that by his means they may get rid of the Queen and her Government. For this reason certain gentlemen of high rank who had retired from Court some years ago look upon this marriage as the salvation of the country by bringing about a union with Scotland. Religious differences also add to their troubles, and the fear that the King of France, who has supported this marriage, will help the queen of Scots, who is his sister-in-law, and much attached to France.
The third reason for perplexity is the state of Flemish business. Their tricks and dodges and their ill-usage of foreigners (Netherlanders amongst others) in violation of the treaties have now been thoroughly exposed, and the profit the Queen and her subjects make by oppressing them has now become so great that it may be said that half the revenue of the States comes to English people. It is feared that if matters are not promptly mended commerce will cease there altogether, and the Queen is threatened with a rising of her own people on this account. The aforementioned causes will aggravate this.
The fourth reason is the necessity for giving an answer to the Emperor's Ambassador about the Archduke Charles. The Queen well knows that this match is her sole means of keeping her throne and obtaining the protection of the Catholic King and the Emperor, which will enable her to suppress disaffection and settle the business with Flanders, but her disinclination for matrimony and the difficulties she now expects from Parliament (which formerly urged her to marry, but have now cooled towards her marrying a foreigner, and she fears may proclaim the queen of Scots and Darnley) will decide the Queen and Council to seek to embroil matters in Scotland by means of the Scotsman they call the duke of Chatelherault and his son who cannot endure being passed over in favour of Darnley, they being also claimants to the Scottish crown if the Queen should die without issue. For this purpose the Queen is making use of a factious and fickle Scotsman to stir up trouble. She is also soliciting the French huguenots on the pretence of forming a league against the Guises from whom the queen of Scots descends on the mother's side, and they allege here that if the queen of Scots were to succeed to this throne she would avenge the death of the duke of Guise by extirpating all the sectaries.
If these plans succeed she (Elizabeth) may be able to avoid marriage, but in the meanwhile she temporises.
On Ascension Day she summoned the King's Ambassador (Guzman de Silva), in whose presence she played privately on a lute and a spinet, which she does very well.—London, 8th June 1565.
9 June. 302. Guzman De Silva to the King.
After the matter of the Archduke's marriage had been approached, as I informed your Majesty, and the Emperor had sent his Ambassador, I am advised that the earl of Leicester has again become more hopeful about his own marriage, and is moving in the matter. It looks as if the Queen favoured it also, and the French Ambassador has been pointing out to her the objections to the Archduke's match, saying that he is very poor and other things of the same sort to lead her away from the project. This has come to the ears of the Emperor, as I understand from something the Ambassador told me, and he (the French Ambassador) has now turned to Leicester again urging him to press his suit warmly : They tell me also that Throgmorton has become extremely friendly with him since he arrived from Scotland, and if this be the case he certainly is not keeping his word to the duke of Norfolk, given as soon as he came here. But there is nothing certain here, and difficulties and bad consequences always result from such action as this.
This Throgmorton also comes to see the Emperor's envoy, and I have told the latter that he had better be careful of him as he is a great friend of Robert's. I tell him other things of the same sort, which he cannot fail to understand, and by showing him great friendship and other ways I try to disabuse his mind of the suspicion they have engendered, that your Majesty will not be pleased at the success of his enterprise.
The Queen appears to be daily more annoyed at the queen of Scotland's marriage, and it was determined yesterday to send Lady Margaret to the Tower, where she is expected to be lodged to-night or to-morrow.—London, 9th June 1565.
16 June. 303. The Same to the Same.
On Whitsunday the Emperor's Ambassador went to the palace and attended service with the Queen, and dined with the members of the Council. After dinner he went again to the Queen, and he tells me she asked him, "Are you sure the Archduke will come?" and that he replied that the Emperor would consent to his doing so, and would not stand so much on his dignity or that of his brother in his desire to please her, seeing the vow which she said she had made. The Archduke's own great desire to see her would also help in getting over this difficulty. Upon this she blushed, and said that as regards the other conditions, if they were well pleased with one another, they would soon be settled. He told her his reply would shortly arrive from the Emperor, but he had no certainty as to the exact time, because as one of the conditions they had given was, that the Emperor's friendship with your Majesty should be understood as extending to this country, in the event of the marriage she would see that the Emperor could not resolve without first communicating with your Majesty, which could not be done very quickly as the distance was so great. She then said to him, "I pray you tell me if you have heard or has anyone told you that the earl of Leicester is not dealing favourably with these affairs or is opposing them in any way." He replied that he believed he was dealing with them very favourably for the Archduke, and had forwarded them personally by writing to the Emperor ; and she had witnessed how he had helped the matter forward in every way. She then said to him, "They tell me that the public opinion is that this marriage will certainly take place," to which he replied that he was not surprised at that, since if the Queen did not marry in this country, there was no one else but the Archduke whom she could choose consistently with her dignity, as the ages of the other marriageable princes were unsuitable. She then said, "I have never said hitherto to anybody that I would not marry the earl of Leicester," whereupon the envoy said she had told Preyner, who was formerly here on the same business, that she would not. "But," she replied, "Lord Robert was married then, and there was no possibility of treating of such a thing at the time." He was not very well pleased with his interview to all appearance, and I have not cared to tell him what I wrote recently to your Majesty, which seems to confirm this conversation. He has sent to say to me that when he hears that your Majesty desires the match, he will take steps that shall bring it about, but that he will remain silent until he receives such advice.
When I took the Commissioners sent by the duchess of Parma to the Queen to ask her Majesty to give facilities for the commencement of the negotiations they have in hand, she took me aside and said, "Amongst other things I am told that people are under the impression that you have spoken to me very warmly in favour of the Archduke Charles. I have said nothing, but I perfectly well remember what you said to me on the matter." "And I too have not forgotten," I answered, "because I have in writing the very words I used and will repeat them. I am informed that some people think that not so much friendship exists between the Emperor and the King, whereas I understand that the contrary is the case, and that his Majesty looks upon the Emperor as a dear brother and his brothers also." With regard to the question of her marriage, if she decided to marry in her own kingdom I could not forget the interests of my friend, but if she chose a foreign Prince I reminded her that I had begged of her not to overlook the house of Austria. "That is true," she said ; "but you said the house of Spain." "Your Majesty misunderstood me," I said. "No," she said ; "you used those very words." I assured her again that I had not, and said I had no reason to indicate Spain, especially as she knew that my King is the head of the family—the eldest son of eldest sons—and in using the words I did, I did not particularise or exclude any member of the house. "Is it so ?" she asked. "Yes, your Majesty, and I again repeat the assurance." She said she thanked me for my remark about my friend, and left your Majesty to thank me for the rest. "But tell me," she continued, "if there is so much friendship as you say, what can be the reason of the Emperor's Ambassador being so shy of you and you of him ?" "I am not shy of him," I said, "and if he is distrustful of me I do not know why or what reason he can have for being so, but many reasons for the contrary." "Perhaps," she said, "it is because you have not instructions." "I certainly had no instructions for my remark about my friend," I said. The fact of the Queen's having thanked me in the way she did on this point makes it evident that Lord Robert's affair is not off, and I have many reasons for being doubtful about the Archduke. At this moment a person sends me word that I may be sure that the match will not take place. My informant is a man who does not speak without reason or knowledge, and is deeply pained that they should treat the Archduke thus, as he is a relative of your Majesty.
Sussex asked me to tell this Ambassador to approach Lord Robert and remind him of the promises he had made to aid in the success of the Archduke's suit. I told him this at once, and repeated to him what had passed between the Queen and me, except that which referred to my remark about Leicester, and particularly emphasized what she had said about his (the Ambassador's) distrust of me and my answer thereto. I treated it with him as a joke, and said this idea could only have emanated from the French Ambassador, to whom I had said, as I had to others, that I would not interfere in what he (the German Ambassador) was arranging. I urged him to do as Sussex recommended, and to remind Leicester of his promise. He is now considering the business more attentively, but until he receives a reply to his letters to the Emperor he can do hardly anything else, and he is still very confident of the coming of the Archduke.
I am not at all well pleased with this Lord Robert, as I see him so much attached to France, but I always speak well of him to the Queen to place him under obligation to us, and because I think that if the Queen is to marry him it has probably been done some time ago. It therefore appears to me that it will be best not to show any displeasure, but to continue with fair words that pledge to nothing.
He is ruled by Throgmorton, who is for ever coming here to ask questions of the Emperor's envoy, who tells them the Archduke is coming, and they have devised some other scheme to stop the business. —London, 16th June 1565.
25 June. 304. The Same to the Same.
The French Ambassador has had an interview with the Council, and pressed upon them the marriage of his master with this Queen. They replied resolutely that the King's age was so very young that there was no possibility of discussing such a match. He replied to them that since they would not agree to a thing so obviously to their interests, and of so great an importance to the Queen and her country, it was clear sign that she did not wish to marry a foreigner, as there was no other equal to her. This being so, as he believed, he begged of them to consider deeply with whom she married, and that it should be a person who would endeavour to forward and maintain the friendship with his King, which was of so much importance to to them. If they did so his King would always aid them, but if not he could not avoid showing his displeasure. The Council asked him what person would give his master most satisfaction, to which he replied, the earl of Leicester. Many people think all this comes from the Queen herself, or at least that it is done with her concurrence. As soon I learnt this I told the Emperor's Ambassador, who had, however, received the same information from the earl of Sussex. He is very much annoyed at this, and also at the other proceedings of this Frenchman, which appear to him so many obstacles to his business, and he is in a very bad humour with these people. They have informed him that Secretary Cecil had spoken to Throgmorton and told him that Leicester ought to look after his interesis and ensure his position in case the marriage with the Archduke should take place. This, he said, could be managed by the marriage of Leicester with some relative of the Emperor, as he would thus become a kinsman of the latter and of the Archduke, and so he could secure himself in any case. He thought this might be arranged by a marriage with a daughter of the Count de Blenes, who was now fifteen. This had very favourably impressed Throgmorton, who came to speak to the Emperor's man about it, and had a long talk with him on the subject. He asked him whether the duke of Bavaria had any marriageable daughters, to which the envoy replied that he did not know, and he then enquired about the sisters of the Emperor. The envoy told him that there was only one to marry who had been sought in marriage by the Transilvain and negotiations had been commenced, but he did not know in what condition the business was now. It all looks wanting in seriousness, and as if these people could not agree amongst themselves, unless indeed the whole plan is to pass the time, as this Leicester is very poor to think of marrying such personages as these except as I say the idea is to gain time for the Queen to marry him herself with the greater satisfaction after he had been engaged in such negotiations, and to give out that he is a person of such quality as to have his proposals to royalty discussed and entertained. I have on many occasions written to your Majesty that the Queen has always brought up the subject of the Earl to me, and has frankly told me that she would marry him if he were a King's son.
The negotiations with France are now declared to have been with the view of marrying the King to this Queen and the earl of Leicester to the queen of Scotland. They raised this question of the match between the king of France and the Queen simply to divert the negotiations they thought were being carried on for a marriage (of the queen of Scots) with the Archduke, and the affair all through has been looked upon as a feint on both sides. Everything, however, has been upset by the resolution of the queen of Scotland to take Darnley, and the Frenchman has thereupon taken up Leicester, as I have said, in the first place because he is friendly with him, and in the second because they think they are showing countenance to a thing that is certain to happen, and at the same time are flattering and pleasing the Queen. This also has been my motive in showing the affection I have to Leicester, and helping him in such a way that if ever his marriage to the Queen should come off he will be bound to continue friendly, although I have taken care not to pledge myself to anything in case another course should be advisable.
With regard to the Archduke's affair I have proceeded in the way that I have continued to write to your Majesty, showing the Emperor's envoy all possible goodwill, and to the people who help him the same, and he appears now to be quite satisfied and communicates frankly with me. I have also contributed to this confidence by giving him information of the way the French Ambassador was trying to hinder his business, my information being subsequently confirmed by his own intimates. But above all he could not fail to understand that his principal hope of a favourable conclusion of his busines depended upon your Majesty's support which he well knows in what these people are aiming at.
I went to speak with the Queen about the punishment of the pirates they have in prison, and the proceedings of the ships she has sent out to stop the robberies, of which ships I am told she has a good many, and took the opportunity of urging her to give a speedy and favourable settlement to the Commissioners who are here from the States of Flanders. The Emperor's envoy asked me to tell her that I had seen what he had written to his master on the Archduke's affair, in order that she might consider herself the more pledged and bound. I promised him I would do so if a favourable opportunity occurred, although my business did not appear an appropriate one for introducing the subject, and if I did not see a suitable chance of doing it I begged him not to think it was from any lack of desire to help him. The Queen, however, brought up the subject by asking me whether I had written to your Majesty an account of what was being done in it, and I told her I had because the Emperor's man had shown me what she had commanded him to write. She appeared pleased at this, and to such an extent that, if it is not all acting, she cannot be so estranged from this business as they tell me she is. If, however, it really does take place I understand it will only be out of fear of Scotland. The Queen said some words in her chamber the other day which were evidently designed to appear favourable to the Archduke's suit, and it is quite probable that both declarations were made for the purpose of alarming the Scotch Queen whose Ambassador has arrived here, and also to hold her own people more firmly, as two men of importance in her household have already gone over to the said Queen.
The Queen told me that the French Ambassador had informed her that the interviews between our lady the Queen and her mother would very shortly take place, and that within a day's journey of the court there was an Ambassador from the Turk, which she thought an extremely strange thing at the present juncture, considering that they are in arms against Christianity. She told the (French) Ambassador how wrong it appeared to her, and asked him what he thought of it, to which question he did not reply, but only shrugged his shoulders. Opinion is very strongly against it here. The French Ambassador came to my house as he returned from the palace, and told me the same as he had told the Queen, excepting that he said nothing about the Turkish Ambassador until after he had taken leave of me, when he turned back and said, "They write to me also that an Ambassador from the Turk is near the court. So I am told, I said, laughingly, as if I did not attach much importance to it, and that Monsieur de la Garde is feasting him, which is no new thing for you."
When I told this Queen of the large number of pirates who still infested the sea, she said she believed many of them were Scotsmen who spoke in English to avoid being known, and that the French Ambassador had also complained to her, and she would take measures of repression and would punish the offenders. I pressed her very much for the punishment of Thomas Cobham, whom they were trying to get off through the intrigues of his relatives. She promised me that justice should be done, and that within a fortnight Stukeley should be brought from Ireland. The words are fair, and. I really believe she means well, but things are not attended to as they ought to be, although something is being done in the matter of private claims. With regard to the suppression of piracy I will still continue to press for vigorous action, which will be necessary.
The night before the arrival of the queen of Scotland's Ambassador the Queen sent Secretary Cecil and the Chamberlain to tell Lady Margaret that she had delayed sending her to the Tower until the coming of the Scotch Ambassador, but seeing that he did not arrive she should not avoid any longer sending her thither, and told her to be ready by the time the tide rose. Lady Margaret asked them to tell the Queen from her that she did not know the cause of such an injury being done her, and begged her to suspend the order at least until the next day. They said they would convey the message, but that she was to be prepared, as they had already told her. At the hour appointed the Vice-Chamberlain, with six of the guard, went and took her to the Tower in one of the Queen's barges with two or three women, knowing very well that the Scotch Ambassador was to arrive on the morrow. This imprisonment has not given general satisfaction, as Lady Margaret is held in high esteem here, and is very popular. The Protestants, knowing that she is a Catholic still, are strongly attached to her. The affair has been so public and her claims on us are so strong that I should have taken some step in her favour but that I do not want to arouse the suspicion of these people, and I have therefore not said a word.
Having written thus far, I received your Majesty's letter of the 7th, by which I learnt that all mine had arrived up to that of the 7th ultimo. Your Majesty's orders have arrived in very opportune time, both those regarding Scotch matters, as the Ambassador is here, and brought me a letter from his Queen, although he has not been able to see me yet ; and those touching the Archduke, which I communicated at once to the Emperor's Ambassador, to his great pleasure. He writes to his master by this ordinary post advising him of it, and I do the same to Chantonnay.
With regard to Lord Robert's affairs, your Majesty's directions, which are in all respects the most suitable, shall be carried out with the necessary circumspection in order not to offend the Catholics, who are much disappointed and have but few real friends on either side. I understand if the Queen marries him as things are going now they will both have trouble. It is incredible how the Scotch affair is disturbing them, and with ample reason, seeing the strong party in that Queen's favour as well as the justice of her cause. The Scotch Ambassador came to see me this afternoon, as he had promised. He told me he had conversed with the Queen the day before yesterday, and yesterday again, on the subject of the marriage of his Queen with Lord Darnley, and that she took it in such a way that she flew into a rage directly the subject was introduced. She said she was greatly displeased at the match, because it had been arranged without her consent, and for other reasons, and he asked her that these reasons might be handed to him in writing, that he might show them to his Queen. If she would not have this done he begged that she would appoint some persons to represent her and discuss the matter on the frontiers ; but she refused both requests. He asked permission to visit Lady Margaret and hand her a letter which he had from the Queen for her, and another from her (Margaret's) husband, to which the Queen replied that she was greatly astonished that the queen of Scotland should think she would allow Lady Margaret to receive visits, seeing that she was imprisoned for so grave a crime. When she was in prison before she was let out by her (Elizabeth) on her solemn oath that she would not allow her son marry without her (Elizabeth's) consent, and she had deceived her. The letters, she said, might be handed to her, but she (the Queen) must see them first. He asked permission to hand to her Majesty a letter from the earl of Lennox, but she refused to receive it, saying that she would not accept letters from a traitor, as she should very soon proclaim him to be, and his son as well. On this the Ambassador said to her that there was nothing more for him to do but to depart. He is to have an audience at Greenwich to-morrow, and will let me know what passes. He asked me whether I had received a reply from your Majesty with respect to the matter that I had discussed with Lethington, and I gave it to him in accordance with your Majesty's commands. He appeared highly delighted with it, and said that his Queen desired nothing so much as that your Majesty should take her under your protection, and that she should follow your Majesty's orders in all things without swerving a hair's breadth from them. I urged him to endeavour to get his Queen to manage her affairs prudently, and not to strike until a good opportunity presented itself, and pointed out to him that the declaration respecting the succession should not be pressed unless they saw they were going to have their way. He approved of this.
There is news that about 12 days ago there were eight French vessels at Portland with 1,200 men bound to Florida. Considering the weather we have had they must be still off this coast. They think a great deal of Florida here, and a full description of it is being secretly prepared. I saw it yesterday, but it is not quite finished. I am having it copied and will send it in my next.—London, 25th June 1565.