Calendar of State Papers, Spain (Simancas), Volume 2, 1568-1579. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1894.
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'Simancas: January 1573', in Calendar of State Papers, Spain (Simancas), Volume 2, 1568-1579, (London, 1894) pp. 455-460. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/simancas/vol2/pp455-460 [accessed 25 April 2024]
January 1573
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1573.
7 Jan.
B. M., Add. 26056b. |
375. Document headed : "Points of Letters from Antonio De
Guaras to Zayas." The States of Holland and the prince of Orange have sent four commissioners to the queen of England, to invite her to take possession of the strong places that remain in Orange's favour, and defend them against the King's forces. She is much urged to this. The Queen, however, had not resolved, but was keeping the matter open until she knew whether the conditions that Cecil had given him (Guaras) would be accepted by the duke of Alba, in which case she would refuse aid to Orange, at least publicly. If the conditions are not accepted she will help the rebels energetically. Morton has been declared regent of Scotland with four associates. Parliament has been prorogued till April, when it is thought they will proceed against the queen of Scots. Large sums of money are being sent to Hamburg for the purpose of raising troops in Germany. The ships of the fleet at the Isle of Wight had captured nine French vessels with goods from Andalucia and Bordeaux, on letters of marque granted by Orange against French and Spanish Catholics. Caunfer was being strongly fortified with four ramparts. There were 2,000 men and much artillery there, and 14 well armed ships in the port. The Flushing people were determined to block the channel of the river to Antwerp with old ships loaded with stone and sunk. The Lord Privy Seal is dead. He was considered a Catholic. The galleys of the king of France had captured four English ships loaded with powder and stores on their way to succour Rochelle, and the Queen was demanding their restitution, which will probably be granted, as the French treat her with much respect. Hawkins has seven or eight fine ships all ready to put into commission, and it was thought he was going with Montgomeri to succour Rochelle. The queen of England had offered $300,000 to those who guard the prince of Scotland to deliver him to her, and if the friends of his mother do not keep him, it is considered certain that she (Elizabeth) will get him, and they will then do as they like both with him and his mother, namely, kill them. Permission has been given for any ships that like to go to Spain, and take or bring merchandise. Many ships had accordingly gone with cloth and other goods which had been sold in Andalucia and Galicia, bringing back in return the goods they required. (fn. 1) |
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14 Jan.
B. M. Cotton, Galba, C. IV. Original draft. |
376. Letter of Intelligence from London (unsigned) to the
Duke Of Alba, Governor of the Netherlands. I wrote my last letter on the 3rd instant, and now report that Casimbrot has given to the Queen a letter from Orange, written at Delft, saying that he has two or three other places in Holland, and that he will be able to stand his ground if he is kept supplied with munitions and victuals, which he much needs. He is promised troops from Germany, with which, he says, he will be able to push back the duke of Alba's army to the frontier and recover the places he has lost. He will, he says, have a good fleet ready by the spring, which will further aid him, and he greatly desires to come hither secretly to discuss matters of importance. I said a burgomaster of Flushing had arrived here. Some more have now come, who say the place is well fortified, and, if they can keep up the supply of provisions, they have nothing to fear. I shall know better what is going on when I learn the reply given to Orange and to these men. As I said, the French ambassador went to Court, and I learn that he complained much, on behalf of the King, that the Queen's subjects should take victuals to the rebels at Rochelle. His galleys had captured near Rochelle four English ships loaded with corn and salt meat. The ambassador on his own account also complained that the ships were despatched with his passport, as he had been deceived as to their destination. The Queen said that her good subjects had taken nothing to these people in Rochelle, and would not do so, but the ambassador said he would show her a letter written to the King by the captain of his galleys, saying that, in addition to the provisions in the said ships, he had found on deck six French Huguenots, two of whom were known to belong to Rochelle. The Queen was taken aback at this, and called the Admiral to inquire about it, ordering him to make the strictest inquiries and severely punish the offenders ; with a great deal more of the same sort of talk, all of which will end in nothing, as usual. The ambassador also said that his King was much astonished at the great preparations being made here by French and Flemish rebels, helped by Englishmen and directed by Montgomeri and the Vidame ; whereby his subjects were grievously injured. The Queen said, that as they belonged to the same religion as she did, she could not close her country to them. The sea, she said, was their hunting ground, but if they brought any property of French subjects to her country she would order its restitution. The Queen's ambassador in France writes that his friend recommended him to appeal to the King, asking that the men on board the four English ships captured by the galleys should not be so ill treated. The King replied that it was his wish that all foreigners in France should be well treated, and especially Englishmen, but he only intended to refer to those who behaved themselves properly, and the others should be well punished. He (the Ambassador) writes that things were very threatening in Languedoc, and, if a person of confidence were sent thither this spring, greater troubles would ensue than ever, as nearly all the people are Huguenots, although the severity of the King has made them pretend to be Catholics. A great force and nearly all the nobles were being got ready to go to Rochelle with the duke of Anjou, and, unless some remedy is devised, the struggle will be hard and bloody. The earl of Morton, the new regent of Scotland, writes to the Queen that is was arranged for Parliament to meet there on the 20th instant, and a suspension of hostilities was agreed upon until the 15th April, when it was to close. He was in hope that all would turn out to their liking, as the four gentlemen who had the Prince in their keeping were to be changed every three months, and he had no doubt they would be able to agree. He is suspicious of Huntly and his brother Adam, and of Lord Herries, and is desirous that Killigrew should go from Berwick to stay with him for three days, in order that he may verbally convey to him what he wishes to say to the Queen. Killigrew came here very secretly on the 17th. He is still at Court, but my friends cannot tell me more yet as to the object of his coming. The French ambassador received another packet from his master and went to Court to tell the Queen that the King was much displeased to hear of the great bribes paid by Killigrew in Scotland to obtain possession of the Prince ; which he (the King) would in nowise allow, and, if she did not find a remedy for these proceedings, he should be forced to do so himself. The Queen replied that these things were made up by persons who wished to perturb the peace and harmony between her and the King. She said that Killigrew had left Scotland some time ago. The ambassador asked for a passport to send a packet to Scotland from the King, but the Queen put him off and did not grant the passport for five days, so as to give them time to write to Scotland first. She wrote to Morton telling him of the packet of letters being sent, which she suspected were for Huntly, his brother Adam, and Lord (Herries ?) about the delivery of the Prince, urging them to prevent such a thing. She recommended Morton, therefore, to be very cautious. She had also been informed that Cardinal Ursino had done, and would do, nothing until Cardinal Lorraine arrived, as he was expected every day, but that she would be well posted as to what was done. All this is written in cipher, and he, Morton, is told that she will shortly send a trustworthy person to report verbally to him about the French affairs. In the meanwhile she expects a reply from Germany, and will be able to come to a decision on all points. The earl of Leicester and the Treasurer are the originators and promoters of all the iniquities that have been, and are being, committed, and of the sufferings of the good people here and elsewhere, and, as they are doubtful of the life of the Queen, and fear that if the queen of Scotland, as next heir, were to succeed here they could never escape punishment, they have conceived and are pushing forward a most wicked project for their own salvation in any case. This is to bring the prince of Scotland here, even though it may cost them the 300,000 crowns I have mentioned, and then, in some secret way, to kill his mother ; so that, at the death of this Queen, they may proclaim him King and so save themselves. I consider that the getting hold of this Prince will be easy, as Morton is at the bottom of it. The gentlemen who guard him are changed every three months, and they will be, no doubt, chosen by the Regent. The disloyalty and falseness of Scotsmen are notorious, and they will do anything for money. Of the Queen's friends, the duke of Chatelherault will be the readiest to shut his eyes, as he has claims to the Crown himself. No doubt Killigrew's coming is respecting this matter, which he discussed with the Regent at his last interview with him. The earl of Worcester, who is going to the baptism, leaves tomorrow. I am told he is taking a gold salver worth 400 or 500 (crowns ?). They have, for the present, suspended the departure of Dr. Dale, who is to go as ambassador to France, and I am told he will not leave until an answer comes from Germany. I have received two letters delivered to me by Antonio de Guaras, who says they were sent to him by Secretary Albornoz by a special messenger he was dispatching.—London, 14th January 1573. |
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30 Jan.
B. M. Cotton, Galba, C. IV. Original draft. |
377. Letter of Intelligence from London (unsigned) to the
Duke Of Alba, Governor of the Netherlands. I wrote on the 26th, and now have to report that the three Queen's ships which I mentioned, are being got ready for sea with furious haste. John Hawkins has gone to Plymouth with all speed to take out his own and other private ships and corsairs. Twenty-two sail, with 600 men, have just arrived on the coast from Rochelle. The design is not known, but when the ... ambassador (?) of France asked the Vidame de Chartres why these ships had come, he replied to plunder. Certain very rich heretics of this city have offered to lend this Queen in cash at once 150,000l., to be repaid in three years, on condition that she ceases her warlike preparations against France ; their action being prompted by their fears of the result of such a contest, in which they are confirmed by the French ambassador. They wish, instead, that aid should be given to the rebel places in Holland, Zealand, and to Rochelle to hold out during next summer, so as to keep both kings (i.e., of France and Spain) employed, as otherwise they fear that, after taking these places, their Majesties may turn upon this country and bring it to Catholicism again. The Queen, I am told, is perplexed, but she will not turn back, as those who are carrying forward the present plans are all-powerful in the country. The governor of Berwick has sent a speedy messenger with the news that Killigrew had arranged for the Prince to be surrendered, and in fact he had already been delivered to the earl of ... (Morton ?), for the purpose of being sent into this country secretly, when the project was discovered, and a sharp skirmish resulted, where fifteen of the principal men on the Earl's side were killed and the Prince recovered. The hopes of this plan being carried through are therefore frustrated, and these people are much grieved about it. Further particulars are expected by next courier, and I will report all I can learn. The earl of Worcester has gone to the christening in France, and was attacked and nearly captured by pirates between Dover and Boulogne, with the gold salver he was carrying over. He was saved by the dexterity of the master and sailors of his boat, but the pirates captured another boat containing most of his gentlemen. They killed four men and wounded six or seven, robbing the gentlemen of their clothes and gold chains, and 500l. in money. This was a planned affair, as the Bishops here, as soon as they knew the Queen was going to be represented at the baptism, used every effort to persuade her not to send the earl, they and their friends offering her a large sum of money not to do so. This delayed his departure until the 18th, although the Queen had promised the ambassador he should leave on the 6th. As they saw they could not prevent it in one way, they thought they would do so in another. It is quite clear that, unless the pirates had been specially ordered to make this attack, they would not have dared to do such a thing, seeing that they are received in this country, and come hither to sell their plunder and obtain their provisions and stores. The merchandise stolen from the ships from Antwerp by the Flushing people has been sent to this country, and is being publicly sold. The advice which enabled this booty to be captured was sent to Flushing from Antwerp, where everything possible is done against the interests of his Catholio Majesty. A great Catholic clergyman, who has been imprisoned here for the faith for a long time past, like many other virtuous and holy men, has just written a letter in Latin to the Treasurer, which I am told is a very remarkable one. I have not been able to get a copy, but it exhorts and entreats the Treasurer to desist from the evil work he is doing in this country and elsewhere, and from the rigorous persecution of Catholics. He urges him to turn like another St. Paul, and also mentions the Queen. The Treasurer flew into a violent rage with this letter, and ordered the arrest of a poor Catholic serving woman who had delivered it. They keep him (the priest) now very strictly in his prison, but he is full of the joy of martyrdom. They have printed in Paris a book in favour of the queen of Scots in reply to an abominable one published here against her. It contains many things against the Treasurer and his brother-in-law, the Chancellor. On this being reported in cipher by their informant in the French Court, Burleigh made great complaints to the French ambassador, and gave him a note of the name of the printer and bookseller in Paris. (fn. 2) Perhaps this is the beginning of God's punishment of these people for their iniquities, which He can bear no longer.—London, 30th January 1573. Note.—Much damaged by fire. |