Simancas: February 1586 | British History Online

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

'Simancas: February 1586', in Calendar of State Papers, Spain (Simancas), Volume 3, 1580-1586, (London, 1896) pp. 557-569. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/simancas/vol3/pp557-569 [accessed 26 April 2024]

February 1586



1 Feb. Paris Archives, K. 1564. 43.	422. Bernardino De Mendoza to the King. With regard to English affairs, I can only say that the Queen continues to urge this king (of France) to break with your Majesty. I am informed by letters from there of the 14th ultimo that on the 4th of that month the Queen, having received news that your Majesty was arming, ordered the Lord Admiral to put all her ships in readiness, saying that not only should your Majesty find her fully prepared, but she would even send out to meet your fleet. She proposes to the Catholics to relieve them from the tine of 20l. a month for not attending church, on condition that they provide a certain sum every year for the support of the war in Holland and Zeeland. She has brought 700 of her foot soldiers from Ireland, and 300 horse to send to the war. No one is to refuse to obey orders in Holland under pain of death, whilst those who return from there without leave are to be hanged, and this will be carried out rigorously. They had just martyred a priest in London, whom they had arrested whilst he was saying mass, and at York they had martyred another for having helped to leave the country a gentleman who had received him in his house, eight other persons having been executed for complicity in the same case. Pinart's young son-in-law, (fn. 1) who I wrote to your Majesty was to go as ambassador to Scotland, has gone thither, and Claude Hamilton has also left. The fathers of the Company of Jesus who are in Scotland by orders of his Holiness, and are effecting much good work, are greatly pressed owing to the poverty of the country, and have not the wherewithal to obtain the proper church ornaments and chalices for the celebration of mass, and the other things they require for divine service. They are also unable to buy the "Christian Doctrine" and other religious books, and they beg me to supplicate your Majesty to be pleased to grant them some alms for these purposes, and aid them in their holy work, as they recognize that your Majesty has been the chosen instrument by whose hands it is to be consummated. I am making every possible effort to find a person who will send me reports from England as your Majesty wishes, but I have hitherto been unsuccessful in getting a fit and trustworthy man for the duty.—Paris, 1st February 1586. Postscript.—After closing this letter I have heard by letters from England, dated 20th ultimo, that the Queen's ships were being fitted out with all speed. Their number is only 22 or 25, most of the others being old and useless. They also advise that an account has been taken of all the merchant ships and vessels belonging to private persons in the country, and the result is to show that the Queen will be able to collect on the 1st March 200 armed ships, including her own 25. There was no other news.
1 Feb. Paris Archives, K. 1564. 44.	423. Bernardino De Mendoza to the King. Referring to what I said in my last, to the effect that the King had ordered Don Antonio to be paid 1,000 crowns for two months of his pension, they have only been able to get 100 crowns of it, as the collector said he could not pay them any more by reason of poverty. I understand that some of the friars who follow Don Antonio are going to take the money to him in England. He is said to be living near London, and has sent Custodio Leiton hither. The people who are with Don Antonio are writing hither, saying that they (the English?) are not so wealthy as was thought here. This King and his mother are proceeding with Don Antonio in their usual way, as I have previously described. They seem not to wish to lose him, but still there are no signs of their undertaking anything serious in his favour.—Paris, 1st February 1586. Note.—A letter of the same date from Mendoza to Idiaquez, the King's secretary, mentions the departure for England of Captain Duarte Pacheco, who had not been able to speak to the writer lately. During the previous months many mysterious references had been made in the correspondence, principally to Idiaquez, to this person, who had offered to perform some great service in England or elsewhere, presumably the murder of Don Antonio.
17 Feb. Paris Archives, K. 1564. 50.	424. Bernardino De Mendoza to the King. [Extract.] The English ambassador has had audience of the King, and urged upon him on no account to allow any grain to be exported from here to the (Spanish) Netherlands, where people, he said, were dying of famine, and his mistress would thus soon be able to end the war there. I am told that the King replied that he had not given permission for grain to be sent, which is quite true, although, at the request of prince of Parma, I had asked him to do so, but he decidedly refused me the passport.—Paris, 17th February 1586.
17 Feb. Paris Archives, K. 1564. 51.	425. Bernardino De Mendoza to the King. Since I wrote last about England, the Queen-mother has received news from there that the Queen had been for four hours speechless, and as if dead, in a swoon, this being an indisposition to which she is occasionally liable. The fitting out of the Queen's ships there is being pushed forward, and she has been informed that I, with the connivance of the Christian King, have three ships ready on the French coast to bring the king of Scotland away from his country. This has caused her to order some of her armed ships to go to the ports on the Scotch coast. These letters from England are dated the 29th ultimo, and they also relate that news had been received there that, after the arrival of the French ambassador in Scotland, four nobles of the country had risen in arms and were demanding that the celebration of the mass should be allowed, but little credit is given to this assertion here, although it comes from the house of the French ambassador in London. They also report that troops were being raised in Scotland to go over to Holland and Zeeland, which would seem incompatible with the other news, but there is no certainty about it. Don Antonio was still near London, and Custodio Leiton is expected here hourly.—Paris, 17th February 1586. Note.—Letters from Mendoza of 28th February mention that an Italian had arrived in Paris to negotiate, bearing letters from the Queen of England, he having had private conference with Secretary Pinart. It was said he had been sent to murder the duke of Guise. The English ambassador was highly offended because, at an interview with the King, Mendoza was summoned first to the royal presence. "When I passed through the room where he was," says Mendoza, "he turned his back upon me, looking daggers."
24 Feb.	426. Count De Olivares to the King. I have received your Majesty's letter of 2nd January, and as Luis Donara is still in Florence, and I do not know when he will return, I have been obliged to adopt the third alternative of the three your Majesty lays down, Doctor Allen having used his efforts with the Pope, and his Holiness being so full of the English affair, as your Majesty will have seen in my previous letters. Bearing in mind the evil result to so great a business that any mistake might produce, I thought necessary in my last audience to give to the Pope a summary of the representations I had made to him on your Majesty's behalf, accompanied with a note to each clause setting forth the ultimate decision arrived at. The summary was all in Spanish, which the Pope understands well, and was given in order that he might read it over and confirm it. As regards the money, I did not think well to go any further than to promise that I would convey to your Majesty what he said. I took him the summary in blank, and have it now in my possession, with his remarks in the handwriting of Cardinal Carrafa thereon, so that it will serve as a memorandum of the whole affair. With respect to the question of the commander, I thought best not to raise any doubt, as the expedition will be controlled by your Majesty, who could naturally appoint whom you pleased ; and the Pope is very well disposed towards the prince of Parma, whom he praises highly for refusing the submission of the islands on the terms I mentioned to your Majesty. The last time I saw the Pope he said the Guises had sent word to him that there were rumours there (i.e., in France) about this league for the English enterprise, and begged him not to have anything to do with an enterprise unless they were included. His Holiness says that he replied to the effect that there was nothing going on in the matter, but when there were he would let them know. He promises, however, not to do so until your Majesty thinks it may be done without inconvenience. Cardinal Sanzio is trying to persuade the Pope on behalf of these gentlemen (the Guises) that the present is an inopportune time for the English enterprise, but that the matter of Geneva should be taken in hand, as that would benefit their affairs in France. I begged him very urgently that the matter might be kept secret, and he pledged himself so emphatically to do so, that I am not without hope that he may fulfil his promise. He said he would not mention it to any man alive, and begged me not to speak of it to any of his ministers, until a necessity for it arose. He then decided to take Cardinal Carrafa into the secret, and handed to him the book and correspondence of Allen, (fn. 2) who so far as I can judge, has acted very well in the business. Notwithstanding all my efforts, I have so far failed to convince the Pope that your Majesty's principal motives in taking up this affair are not those of revenge for personal injuries, or the state of affairs in Holland, and the need for ensuring the navigation to the Indies. I have plied him with every argument and apprehension, as set forth in the statement enclosed, but in addition to his natural tenacity and his buckler of precedents, I have been much hampered by the news that pour in from all sides of the preparations being made by your Majesty for the expedition. The more we hear of this the harder it will be to deal with his Holiness, as the ardour he showed in the business and the desire to do some great thing have already cooled with the money malady. He recently sent me a letter which they write to him from Portugal, saying that amongst other prizes the corsair Drake had captured a very important vessel from the Indies ; the reason for showing it to me being to prove how needful it was for your Majesty to remedy this state of things. In the event of this negotiation being carried forward, I beg your Majesty to send me very precise instructions on all points related thereto, and to tell me the convenient season when each point should be broached, because if the enterprise is to be undertaken early, there is no time to spare in setting about the deprivation of the king of Scotland and the investiture of the person who is to succeed him. The objection to doing this at once is, that it would make the affair public and would thus damage the reputation of the enterprise ; but to defer it would be endanger the result of the affair altogether. There will be difficulties, too, in getting the Pope to do it secretly, and in keeping him firm afterwards. The course your Majesty may choose shall be forwarded with every possible care and zeal. I did not touch on the matter of the cardinalate for Allen, as your Majesty's remark that it should be proceeded with at the same pace as the enterprise is a very wise one. The priest says that it would be of the greatest influence in supporting the spirits of the Catholics, and I have given him a very loving message in your Majesty's name, without saying a word that may lead him to hope for the early execution of the enterprise. I have also given strong encouragement to the Jesuit (fn. 3) (who is the man moving in the matter of the cardinalate), to believe that your Majesty will do what is necessary for the fulfilment of his wishes, but I give him no pledge. As this poor man (Allen) is in want, I think it would not be bad if your Majesty gave him some help, say 1,000 crowns, until he is made Cardinal, or even 500. I say this because I consider it very important to oblige this man, as he must be the one to lead the dance, and will have great influence with the Pope in settling the question of the succession, as your Majesty desires. Allen has written a book against the queen of England, of which I send your Majesty a summary enclosed. I do not send the book itself as he has only one copy. He talks about printing it, and it is considered that it will be well to publish it some months before the enterprise, as they think it will stir up people in England. If your Majesty sees any objection to the publication and will instruct me, I will try to stop it. Allen and this Robert (Persons) are inclined to produce a pamphlet in reply to the manifesto of the queen of England against your Majesty. I will keep the matter pending until I have your Majesty's instructions, and when the pamphlet is written I I will send a copy, and your Majesty may decide in whose name it should be published.—Rome, 24th February 1586.
	427. Enclosure with the aforegoing Letter. Document headed : "Reply of His Majesty to the exhortations which have on several occasions been addressed to me, on behalf of his Holiness, urging him to undertake the submission of England to the Holy See, and his Holiness' answers thereto."
	His Holiness gives infinite thanks to God for making him the instrument for thus moving His Majesty, to whom he gives many blessings for the zeal with which he is disposed to aid an enterprise so worthy of a Catholic King.	First point.—Although His Majesty has been approached on this matter several times by his Holiness' predecessors, he has been unable to persuade himself as to the earnestness with which they would support him in it, as his Holiness emphatically promises to do. The favour his Holiness shows him and the desire of his Holiness to give him every satisfaction move him now to undertake the matter, notwithstanding the great importance of finishing previously the affair of Holland and Zeeland, and the other difficulties which present themselves to the enterprise at present.
	His Holiness fully approves of his Majesty's proposals in this respect.	Second point.—The object and pretext of the enterprise must be to reduce the country to obedience to the Roman church, and place the queen of Scotland in possession of the crown, which she well deserves for having remained firm in the faith through so many calamities.
	His Holiness highly approves of this, and considers it very desirable that the religion of the country should not be entrusted to the king of Scotland, for the reasons given by His Majesty. With regard to a successor to the Queen, his Holiness will agree to whatever His Majesty thinks best in the matter, and will do what may be necessary.	Third point.—His Majesty says that the matter would become more difficult if undertaken after the death of the Queen (of Scots), if she were to be succeeded by the king of Scotland her son, who is a confirmed heretic, and any arrangement he might make consequently would be doubtful and liable to recision. Besides which he has sucked this poison, and is necessarilys surrounded by suspicious people like those who have reared him ; whereas to consolidate the Catholic religion there, it is necessary to have a very steadfast person in the faith, and His Majesty therefore considers necessary that a proper person should be chosen at once, in order that the maternal love of the queen of Scotland may not mislead her into thinking that she may fittingly introduce her son into the succession, and put him into possession of the realm.
	On this point his Holiness at first was in favour of converting the king of Scotland, but in the course of the conference the many difficulties in the way were pointed out to him, and he then inclined to look out for some Catholic who would make a fit husband for the Queen, and who might be appointed prince, so that if the Queen should die without children the case would be provided for. This was answered by pointing out to him the risk that would be run to the Queen's life, by reason of the desire of her husband to have issue by her, and the difficulty in finding an English Catholic fit for the position. If even one such could be found he might have many relatives who were not well affected, and against whom he would not dare to act. In addition to this, there are in that country, as elsewhere, passions and factions, apart from religion, and those of a different party to the new King, and even his own friends, would be very impatient at seeing an equal step over their heads. For this reason they, and even his own kinsmen, would pay him but little respect, and so private resentment prejudicial to religion might arise, which could not be repressed and punished as it deserved. The Pope tried so far as he could to minimise these difficulties, and press the advantage of a native prince, and I could get no further with him on the point than to leave him still unconvinced. He ended by saying that there would be time to think over this, but your Majesty will see that I tied him down in the reply to agree to your Majesty's wishes on the point. He read the reply over, and had it in his own possession, but said nothing against this. I did not venture to enter into further particulars, in fulfilment of your Majesty's orders to get the question of the contributions settled first. When I have to press him about it, I think of making use of Allen. His Holiness is quite convinced that your Majesty is not thinking of the succession of the crown of England for yourself, and told Cardinal d'Este so, as I relate further on ; I did not say anything to the contrary. He is very far from thinking that your Majesty has any views for yourself, and when the matter is broached to him he will be much surprised. However deeply he is pledged to abide by your Majesty's opinion, I quite expect he will raise some difficulty, and I send some remarks on this point enclosed in my own hand. The question dealt with below as to the re-imbursement to the Pope of the aid he may furnish, may probably provide a bridge to get over this difficulty. We can say that, as a return for your Majesty's contribution, the succession to the English Crown shall be considered as a dowry for the Infanta Doña Isabel ; (fn. 4) and even if we promise only to hold it until your Majesty should be paid in full, principal and interest, for all the expenses incurred by you in the enterprise, or in respect thereof, it would come to the same thing ; because in a few years the amount would grow to such an extent that it would be impossible for them to get enough money together to pay it. Your Majesty will consider the question. I will not move without your Majesty's instructions, although I look upon it as an important point, and of no very great difficulty, as the burden of the amount to be returned to the Pope will have to be spread over some years, and the greater part of it would naturally belong to the queen of Scotland. I have not opened out more clearly about the deprivation of the king of Scotland, in order that the Pope might not talk about it, which I think might be inconvenient, as publicity is not desirable, and the terms of the proposal and reply include the point of deprivation and all others. I thought well to add to what I said to the Pope on the question the words I have underlined (fn. 5), in addition to what your Majesty wrote, as I thought necessary to mask that postern.
	His Holiness, although he looks upon any aid given to such an enterprise as being well employed, is sorry to say that he cannot comply with the demand of his Majesty, inasmuch as he found the Papal treasury much exhausted, and the revenues to a great extent anticipated ; so that he is unable to burden his means with a sum greater than has ever been contributed by any of his predecessors to any enterprise in the interests of the Catholic religion. He offers, however, to contribute 200,000 crowns, as soon as the fleet for the English enterprise shall have sailed, and another 100,000 immediately after the troops shall have landed in the island. At the end of six months he will give another 100,000, and if the war lasts more than a year, his Holiness will contribute 200,000 crowns for each year. The war shall be considered to last until the person who is to have the kingdom is placed into possession of the same, and the contributions shall be paid, either in the form of cash, or partly in the form of cash and partly in a corresponding number of paid Italian troops ; which troops his Holiness will pay, as is customary in all important enterprises, but he will also not fail to incite and encourage all Italian princes to aid in so glorious and holy an expedition, and, if it succeed, as it is hoped, by God's help it will, his Holiness intends to restore the twenty jurisdictions which existed in the country before the apostacy of Henry VIII.	Fourth point.—Your Majesty, as a result of the long wars in Flanders, is so exhausted and your subjects so hardly pressed, that, although you would willingly undertake the whole enterprise without asking his Holiness for anything, the affair is so extensive and the necessary preparations for encountering the resistance so great, that his Holiness will have to help to the extent of 2,000,000 in gold ; the cause being so good a one, the money will he well spent, and will be of great service to the Apostolic See, and to christendom at large. Your Majesty will also not begrudge the large sum you will have to spend, seeing the satisfaction you will feel at being the instrument, once more, of bringing that country into obedience to the Holy See.
	I did not enter into discussion as to the proportions, to avoid difficulties of accounts, and also as it is inexcusable that the matter should be mixed up with Flanders. Although in the demand the total expenses of the enterprise were estimated at 4,000,000 and I asked for 2,000,000, and in my written communication stood out for that sum, I said verbally that my last instructions from your Majesty allowed me to bate the demand to 1,500,000. His Holiness said not a word about the Grand Duke's entering into the enterprise at present, although he expects great help from him and the Venetians, as soon as the affair is published. He fears that to communicate the matter to him, at the present stage, would bring about the same difficulties as before ; but with the frustration of the Grand Duke's aim of getting command of the expedition, I expect but little from his liberality or from that of the Venetians. In order, therefore, to get his Holiness to open his purse wider, I suggested that what they gave might be applied to lighten his contribution. He did not make much of this, and I think he was right, because even if he gets anything out of them, he will have to buy it for more than it is worth. I have not availed myself of the offer made several time on behalf of the English Catholics, that they would pay the cost of the enterprise ; as it may be of effect with the Pope, at the last moment, to turn the scale ; and I have likewise kept Allen in reserve with a similar object ; so that after I have used all my own resources, these two levers may probably move his Holiness a step onward. What I think would greatly influence him would be to persuade him, or tell him, on your Majesty's behalf, that if he do not help to such an extent your Majesty will abandon the enterprise and throw the blame upon him all over the world. Allen could then be set on to him. It is true I have already hinted as much to him, but it will be a very different thing if he be told so decidedly in your Majesty's name. However tenacious he may be in the matter of money, this could not fail to frighten him ; but I only suggest this course if a larger immediate sum is to be got from him, because if he is given time to pay, I have no doubt at all that he would find at least a million, as he thinks he is quite fulfilling his part if he gives much more than any of his predecessors have ever done on similar occasions. With regard to burdening the Spanish churches, I have said nothing, and only lightly referred to it in relation to the demand of the Grand Duke for Algeria, when I, wishing to undo the Pope's offer, said that your Majesty had not taken any notice of the 300,000 and 500,000 of subsidies and other things—avoiding special mention of the Toledo revenues, in order to give him nothing to take hold of. Carrafa told me in great confidence, that speaking about the first payments being made at once, the Pope had raised the question of security for your Majesty's not abandoning the enterprise and keeping the money. He says he gave a fitting reply. Although, at first, I suggested that a large proportion should be paid at once, to defray the cost of beginning the preparations, still in order that I might not appear to be accepting in principle an offer so much lower than your Majesty's demand (even though it is the largest sum ever given by his Holiness) I have not cared to dispute about these instalments. It occurs to me that a good way to assure his Holiness, whilst not showing the object, or our knowledge of his doubt, would be to represent to him that, in order to hide the purpose for which the money was wanted, a feigned purchase should be made in Naples with a secret deed setting forth the real purpose, and the transaction should be nullified by the execution of the enterprise. I have no doubt that by these means he could be persuaded to anticipate the payment of 300,000 at least, and perhaps even 500,000 or more, if he were paid interest for it, or part of it, until the instalments were due ; as these 500,000, although the war may not last long enough for the whole sum to be payable, will in any case become your Majesty's property. In order to secure us, in case of the Pope's death, considering his age, the College of Cardinals might be asked to bind themselves, when the time arrives for making the matter public, and the (church) collections in Spain and Naples might be pledged, as well as the 200,000 of the crusade tithe. In order not to trouble your Majesty by repeating all the colloquies which passed between the Pope and myself about the money (which was the point upon which most of the time was spent) I will only state here the principal arguments used on both sides, so that your Majesty may consider what others could be used to influence his Holiness. The Pope's contention was, that it was necessary for your Majesty to exact satisfaction from this woman, which would also settle the Holland and Zeeland business at the same time, and ensure you for the future against so bad a neighbour. He urged that the enterprise would be infinitely easier than that of Holland and Zeeland, whilst the coasts of Spain and the Indies would thus be saved from the depredations of the corsairs. He calculates the expenses at a very low figure, and says that in Pius V.'s time this enterprise was estimated to cost only 400,000 crowns, and cites as an example that Pius V. only spent 200,000 crowns during two years of the league, whilst the various aids he (Sixtus V.) had sent to the king of France in money and paid troops did not cost above 260,000 crowns. He adduces several other examples, and produces accounts to prove his assertions. He points out also the extreme need of the Apostolic See, nearly all the revenues of which are sold ; and alleges the great scandal that would be caused by his raising money in similar ways to those adopted by other Popes, which, he says, please God, he will avoid. (fn. 6) He says that the sum now in the Treasury must be held by any Pope in case of sudden emergency to the Holy See. The Grand Duke, he says, only estimated the necessary cost of the Algiers enterprise at 400,000 crowns, and even this amount was to be raised in subsidies spread over two years. This has done no good, nor have the reports current from all quarters that your Majesty was making great preparations for this enterprise. My arguments to meet the above and encourage the Pope to help us effectually, were to the effect that if he really wishes to aid the enterprise it could be carried out speedily ; without pledging myself as to time. It was not, I said, at all inexcusable, as he thought, on your Majesty's part, that whilst the Holland and Zeeland affair was still unsettled you should not consider yourself bound to bring England to submission, seeing that the Queen had not committed any unpardonable offence against you. I have hinted to him that the Queen is not very far from submitting even now, and that her policy is solely to ensure your Majesty's letting her alone, and I pointed out that if this opportunity is once allowed to pass, and your Majesty comes to an agreement with the Queen, English affairs will be eternally excluded, and must never be thought of any more, whilst the door will be shut on German matters, and France settled. I said that what had moved your Majesty mainly had been his Holiness' own persuasions ; but that seeing now that he had cooled towards an enterprise which he had formerly so strongly championed, your Majesty was sure that the same thing would happen in any other affair he took up. Your own revenues were fully employed, and there would be other members of the league from whom his Holiness could obtain some assistance. The great cost of the enterprise would, I said, be caused by the need for your Majesty to have a great force to hold your own in Flanders, to carry on the Holland business, to guard against any attempt against you on the part of the French and German heretics, who will certainly be on the alert ; and above all to provide the forces necessary for the enterprise itself with safety, and a great fleet strong enough to resist those of England, Flanders, and France. I told him that so great would be the service to God, and so great the honour he would gain in the world, that if he lived for 20 years and never did anything else he would leave a great memory behind him. I ended by asking him whether he thought it worse to give an account to God and man for having spent a little too much on such an enterprise, or to let it fall through altogether for want of liberality, which would be a sorrow to him for ever, and would cause him a loss of prestige which he would hardly recover. I told him he would look upon his million in the castle (fn. 7) as dust and ashes if he missed this opportunity, and that the offer he made would seem very small to your Majesty, which I thought would have the effect of cooling you in the business. I said that when his Holiness learnt from the Grand Duke himself what your Majesty asks for the Algiers business, he would see how different it was from what the Grand Duke had given him to understand. After I had left the Pope, he added that remark about giving part of the subsidy in money and part in men, which I am sure will not do, seeing the difficulty and publicity to which it will give rise. He also said to me verbally, the last time I saw him, what I have mentioned about the jurisdiction of the Apostolic See in England, so that the queen of Scotland and the person who was to succeed her might be made sure of before they were put into possession of the realm. After I had received the paper I spoke to Carrafa, and said that I understood your Majesty would not allow the queen of Scotland to fail in doing what was done (in England) in your Majesty's time, and that with respect to the remark about King Henry there might be some questions difficult of solution as to his position before he was schismatic, but I would report the whole matter to your Majesty.
	Although his Holiness has always been careful to take this course, he will do so more strongly in future, as this new important reason is now added. If the Christian King should try to throw any impediment in the way of the enterprise, his Holiness will make the necessary demonstration.	Fifth point.—The quarter from which the principal obstacles may be expected being France, especially if the King makes peace with the heretics, as he is anxious to do, it will be necessary for his Holiness to stand firm by the allied princes, encouraging and animating them to refuse to allow peace to be made on any terms, however much the King may try to persuade them to it by feigning advantageous conditions, as he will do in order to free himself from embarrassment and be able to obstruct the English enterprise, in which case it will be necessary for his Holiness, both with his authority and his spiritual weapons, to take measures to remedy the evil.
	I thought best to insert this last clause, so as to afford me an opportunity for future action in favour of the allied French princes, when need for it may arise, and also in order to have the point set forth in writing as I had verbally agreed with the Pope about it. In the last audience I had (which was to-day) he told me that Cardinal d'Este had spoken to him yesterday on behalf of the king of France, and the latter promised to carry on the war against the heretics, and to force the execution of the edicts, but was desirous of making known to his Holiness that on all sides your Majesty was making great preparations. Although it was reported that the object of them was to undertake the enterprise against the islands, it was, he said, evident that they were really directed against England, and he begged his Holiness, on no account in the world to consent to such a thing, as France could positively not tolerate the Spaniards setting foot in England. His Holiness says that he assured the Cardinal that he had no alliance with your Majesty in this business, and reproached the King for considering the vicinity of an heretical Queen a lesser evil than the vicinity of your Majesty ; when, moreover, he said the question of the enterprise came to be discussed (which was far from being the case now), the object of your Majesty would certainly not be to stay there. He said the only thing he regretted was that he was not able to move your Majesty to the enterprise ; he wished to God he could, for in such case he would not be drawn from it by anything he (the king of France) might say. The king of France, he had no doubt, would be one of the first persons to rejoice, seeing the advantage it would give him in the reduction of the heretics, and avoiding the necessity for him (the Pope) to make the demonstration he should be obliged to do if he (the king of France) proceeded in a different way, and so on with many other reproofs addressed to the King and the Cardinal himself. The duke of Guise, through Cardinal Sanzio, (fn. 8) has assured his Holiness that, even though the King might wish to make peace with the heretics, they will not agree to it. The thing most to be feared is that the King, being so very desirous of peace and to prevent the English enterprise, may give his word to the heretics not to take any action against them, and so induce them to submit to a peace which might be acceptable to the Catholics and the Pope.