Calendar of State Papers, Spain, Volume 4 Part 2, 1531-1533. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1882.
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'Spain: May 1532, 1-31', in Calendar of State Papers, Spain, Volume 4 Part 2, 1531-1533, (London, 1882) pp. 438-451. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/spain/vol4/no2/pp438-451 [accessed 24 April 2024]
May 1532, 1-31
| — May. | 947. Dr. Ortiz to the Emperor. |
|---|---|
| S. E. L. 858, f. 150. B.M. Add. 28,584, f. 284. |
Has received his letter of the 26th March, wherein he (the Emperor) says that when the answer from England comes to hand, it will be decided whether the second brief is to he applied for or not. Cannot help stating that he (Ortiz) always thought the first brief would be of no use whatever, except as justifying His Holiness' proceedings in the case. Such was his impression then; he told the Pope that if God's commands were disobeyed it could not be expected that his would be taken into account. Is still afraid that when this second brief is made out, the king of England, to judge from his letters, will not heed it any more than he did the first. There is, therefore, no alternative; the brief of excommunication must be applied for. Some will say that if the censures are to produce no effect, and the measure itself is only to be the cause of the Queen's being worse treated than she is at present, it would be much better that the Pope did not fulminate against the King the censures of the Church; but he (Ortiz) maintains that all the same the measure is good because if the brief is asked for in perfect secrecy, and sent to His Imperial Majesty to use it at his own discretion, it stands to reason that if for that cause or any other it should be considered advisable not to make use of the said brief, the king of England could not fail to acknowledge and be grateful for the Emperor's clemency and forbearance. Perhaps, too, when the King sees so much forbearance on the part of His Imperial Majesty he may be moved to repentance. On the other hand, should His Majesty consider it necessary to make use of the brief, bearing, as it does, God's authority when used for a sufficient cause, God will infallibly send down his terrors (temor y terror) upon the earth and with His supreme wisdom hinder further evil (fn. n1) |
| When the last brief was sent off, His Holiness, upon the application of the Imperial ambassadors, decided that this second one should be made out secretly and forwarded to the Emperor to use discretionally, but just at the time when it was to be written on vellum and sealed the Enemy of Mankind prevented its completion in a way only known to God. Really believes that at the present moment it will be more difficult to obtain it. | |
| However this may be, it is for the Emperor to decide which is the best and most convenient course to be followed, considering that for such ecclesiastical censures no legal proceedings or fresh suit are required, whether to allow the matter to drop and not apply for the second brief, or else to render all previous action null and void, now that the unwillingness of the Pope to pronounce a definitive sentence in this case has become manifest. Should His Majesty in his wisdom decide that the second brief is required let a letter come for His Holiness asking for it, lest he should say now, as he said on a former occasion, that the Emperor never asked him to proceed with so much rigour against the English king. Had not our sins prevented the meeting of a General Council he (Ortiz) thinks that this cause would never have been delayed as much as it has been. The ambassador (Mai) must have informed the Emperor that on the 22nd of March no less than 12 conclusions—the most closely connected with this affair—were debated at four different sessions, that Juan Luys, one of the Imperial advocates, distinguished himself extremely, and that in the last debate both he (Luys) and the ambassador protested that since what had been argued was sufficient to determine the principal point, and that the contrary party were only seeking excuses to delay the trial, they would not come again, and therefore besought His Holiness to decide at once upon the article just as it had been presented. The English excusator, on the other hand, insisted upon the rest of the conclusions being disputed, pretending that they were as important and pertinent as the others. It has been resolved to make this further concession, and therefore the first Wednedsay after Easter was fixed for the English, but they did not appear. (fn. n2) On the following Wednesday, which was the 10th of April, they went to the Consistory to prosecute their demand, pursuing the same system of procrastination and delay which they have used up to the present time. | |
| Spanish. Contemporary abstract pp. 3. | |
| 2 May. | 948. Eustace Chapuys to the Same. |
| K. u. K. Haus- Hof-u.-Staats Arch. Wien .Rep. P. Fasc., c. 227. No. 22. |
The stay that the baron de Montfalconet has made here is by no means to be imputed to him or to me, since from the very moment of his arrival in this country both he and I took all means in our power for the ready and favourable dispatch of the business he [the Baron] had in hand. Yet such was the importance of the case, and so great were the hopes thrown out by this king that the answer of France would come soon, so frequent and pressing his requests added to the advice of the Queen, that the Baron has unwillingly made a much longer (and to him most annoying) stay than he anticipated, though after all the delay has been unprofitable, as Your Majesty cannot fail to hear from the Baron himself. (fn. n3) |
| The King has again applied to Parliament for a subsidy in money to fortify the frontiers of Scotland. During the debate two worthy members of that assembly were bold enough to declare openly and in plain terms that there was no need at all of such military preparations as the King purposed to make, for the Scotch would never declare war or invade England without having an ally on the Continent, and that the best fortifications against the enemy consisted in maintaining justice in the kingdom and keeping on friendly terms with Your Imperial Majesty. That not to irritate you, Parliament ought at once to beseech this king to return to his legitimate wife and treat her kindly; otherwise they considered the whole kingdom as completely ruined and lost. It was not to be supposed (they said) that Your Majesty, who was the prince in the World who had the greatest power of inflicting harm on this country, would let the opportunity pass of taking up the defence of the Queen, your aunt. Even if Your Majesty were to relent in your purpose such feuds and intestine dissensions would arise therefrom as to completely destroy and subvert the whole kingdom. (fn. n4) | |
| These sentiments of the two members meeting with the approbation of the whole Parliament with the single exception of two or three present, nothing was then resolved about the said subsidy; but the King, exceedingly displeased at the turn the affair was taking, sent for the majority of the members, and made them a marvellously long speech in justification of his intended divorce, representing to them that this was not a matter for them to consider and discuss, or to be introduced with other Government measures. This the King said in the most gracious and amiable terms, promising the members that they should be thoroughly supported against the encroachments of ecclesiastical power, and the rigours of the Inquisition, which, I am told, are greater here than in Spain. True, he did not say all this openly to all those present on the occasion, but still he said enough to make them understand what he meant thereby. To those who have had a hand in the affair the King spoke in very different terms, and in such a manner that, as I hear just now, Parliament has at last voted a subsidy of one tithe and a half on Church property, which after all is not so much as I imagined at first, as it will only amount to 28,000.. sterling, one-half payable at the Purification of our Lady next February, and the rest one year after. (fn. n5) Many people, however, think that when the time comes for levying this tax there will be riots. The King has likewise sent to Parliament very lately a Bill empowering him to levy certain duties on legacies, as I have already had occasion to inform Your Majesty, but the majority of the members will not hear of it. | |
| The good Franciscan friars, about whom I wrote to Your Majesty, are still in prison. They have been warned that the King, the better to punish them for their offence, has sent instructions to his ambassador at Rome to obtain a commission addressed to the provincial of the Franciscans (ceulx de la large manche) to proceed against them, which would be a very great injury, not only to them but to the whole of their Order. The Queen, therefore, and they themselves have begged me to intercede with Your Majesty that the Imperial ambassador at Rome may be written to on the subject. The Nuncio has already done so at my request.—London, 2nd May [15]32. | |
| Signed: "Eustace Chapuys." | |
| French. Holograph, pp. 2. | |
| 8 May. | 949. Dr. Ortiz to the High Commander. |
| S. E. L. 858, f. 151. B. M. Add. 28,584 f. 288. |
Having by the last estafettes written to His Majesty and to Your Lordship about the state of the matrimonial cause here, and the Imperial ambassador (Mai) having besides reported, as was his duty, on all and every one of its incidents, I need not trouble Your Lordship any further. I shall only add that His Holiness, when the disputation was at an end, said that in the opinion of the deputies it was not convenient that the Rota should refer its conclusion to Consistory, but only the rights of both parties, and that then only, and separately the individual conclusion of the Rota shall be made known. |
| I have no more to say but beg Your Lordship to forward to the Imperial ambassador in London (Eustace Chapuys) this letter, for the Queen, who, I hear, is very anxious to receive tidings from Borne. Though consolatory sermons would perhaps be more profitable than long epistles about the Pope's unaccountable indecision and delays in this matter, I have in pursuance of that ambassador's wishes twice expressed in his letters to me, penned the enclosed, &c.—Rome, 8th May 1532. | |
| Signed; "El Doctor Ortiz." | |
| Addressed: "To the very illustrious the High Commander of Leon, secretary and councillor of the Emperor, my Lord. | |
| 9 May. | 950. Miçer Mai to the Same. |
| S. E L. 857, f. 135. B.M. Add. 28,584 f. 289. |
After writing to the Emperor and to Your Lordship, a letter came from Stephano Delia Insola for Muxetula and for me, stating that the French were treating with the Switzers. With this intelligence both of us went up to His Holiness, who decided to send thither the bishop of Veroli (el Verulano). We have also agreed to press the Venetians to declare themselves in case the French should advance against Genoa, because in reality the time has come for such intervention; this, however, will be done in a manner not to offend their susceptibilities. I will write to Rodrigo Nino, and His Holiness to-morrow will speak to the Venetian ambassador. The idea is that should the Emperor return to Spain by sea they (the Venetians) should give some of their galleys to escort him in case an invasion of the French were to be apprehended. Should Venice refuse to declare itself in favour and for the defence of Genoa, then in that case it must be inferred that their intentions are not good, because wise and prudent as they are, if they do acquiesce in our losing Genoa, they will also do so as regards Milan, which is but an inevitable consequence. (fn. n6) |
| The Pope has been heard to say that should the French attempt to disturb the peace of Italy it might be better that we should annoy them somewhere else. I made no answer at the time because he uttered that proposition as if he were unconscious of what he was saying ; but this Pope is so wise that I compare him to the Bible, where every word has its mystery. (fn. n7) I am, therefore, always commenting upon his words. I recollect having written about this very thing some time ago. Perhaps after all the Pope only wants to revenge himself for some annoyance which the French have caused him, or he may think that if the Most Christian King is allowed his full bent in this one thing he will give up the others he has in hand. (fn. n8) | |
| I wrote some time ago that the Pope had promised to forward the overtures lately arrived from Germany that they might be discussed between the Emperor and his own Legate there, at the Imperial Court. After that, without my receiving the least notice of it, I heard that His Holiness had resolved to send for the parties themselves, and make them appear before him here at Rome. This naturally roused my suspicions, and I told His Holiness that that was equivalent to calling attention away from that quarter (á divertir lo de allá). and that since the negotiation was to be conducted in Germany it was far better to remit it there. He made so warm a defence of his plan that my suspicions increased, the more so that Muxetula was present, who, to say the least of it, in all our disputes with the Pope always takes side against Burgo and me. Three were the reasons adduced by the Pope in favour of his proposition. The first, that if he did not invite them, it would be said afterwards that had they come [to Rome] the agreement would have been made. Secondly, that the dealings (praticas) with the Lutherans were broken off; and the third, that he (the Pope) does not believe that they want anything from his Legate. I proposed two means, namely, that in passing they should speak with the Legate, and then Your Majesty could judge whether they were in earnest or not, and they might then be allowed to come, or the negotiations be broken off at once. They objected that on such terms they would never come [to Rome]. (fn. n9) Neither would they consent to Your Majesty being consulted before their arrival. There are two or three Lutheran preachers who, they say, are ready to come [to Rome], and bring some account about the resolution (voluntad) of Luther and the duke of Sassa (Saxony). Neither did this scheme meet with the Pope's approbation, although I proposed that very night to write to Your Majesty and consult about this matter; he said to me that the answer would tarry, and that they could not possibly wait so long. He hoped, he said, in four or six days at the utmost to know for certain what was the state of affairs [in Germany]. To say the truth, I am aware that anything suits these people short of the Council, which is what they most dread, and is a thing that must necessarily follow any settlement whatever with the Lutherans. I beg Your Lordship not to consider me too cavilling. I wish I was not, but my duty compels me to be always on the alert. | |
| The news brought by the cardinal of Burgos (Don Iñigo de Mendoza) are not very important, for they are rather stale, and of those from Corfu, the 17th, we ought to have confirmation by way of Venice, unless the Venetians keep them from us. | |
| The Pope has to-day terrible news of the excesses of our soldiery. We have all promised to write to the Marquis [del Vasto], requesting him to put a stop to them, for it is an intolerable nuisance, and I hear that cardinal Salviati, going into chapel this morning, said to one of his colleagues that for a smaller cause the Pope had made league with the French last time.—Rome, 9th May 1532. | |
| Signed: "Mai." | |
| Addressed: "To the very illustrious and most magnificent lord the High Commander of Leon, first secretary and of the Privy Council of the King, our Lord." | |
| Spanish. Holograph, pp. 5. | |
| 13th May. | 951. Eustace Chapuys to the Emperor. |
| K. u. K. Haus- Hof-u.-StaatsArch. Wien. Rep.P.Fasc, c. 227. No. 23. |
Sunday last, the 5th instant, the French ambassador (fn. n10) embarked at Anthonne (Southampton) for Britanny, on the plea, as he says, of visiting the King, his master, who is in the neighbourhood, speaking to him about his own private affairs and conveying the latest news from this country; but in reality the voyage is undertaken, as will be shewn hereafter, at the express desire and sole request of this king. All manner of rumours are consequently afloat about this sudden departure of the ambassador, some pretending that the object is to have the princess [Mary] married, whilst others think that it is for the purpose of fixing the terms and dates of payment of the pensions due to England, or to treat about the threatened Turkish invasion and the means of resistance. In my opinion the principal cause for the ambassador's journey is the Scotch affair; for it happens that no mention whatever was made of it until the messengers sent by the ambassador himself to Scotland returned to London. Indeed, it appears that in consequence of the cold answer received from that quarter, and for fear Mr. de Rosymboz—who as stated in a former despatch has gone to that country—should in the meantime brew (brasser) something to their disadvantage, this king and the members of his Privy Council have been since in continual communication with the said ambassador, who, I have no doubt, has been expressly instructed to persuade his master to use all his influence on the Pope that he may yield to the King's wishes, or else threaten him with equally violent measures in France, as have been taken in this kingdom against the annats and other Papal prerogatives. I also believe that the French ambassador has charge of asking what answer is to be given in common to our and the Pope's application for help against the Turk, for notwithstanding the King's assertion to Mr. de Montfalconet and to me, that he had already sent an express to France to inquire about this, I have ascertained for certain, that the message was never sent. The ambassador's instructions on this point must, however, be rather to prevent any help being given, if we are to judge from the King's disposition, and the frequent declarations made by his ministers, since no later than the day before yesterday, after the Nuncio had gone three times hurriedly to Court without being able to obtain an answer to his application, the duke of Norfolk said to him point blank in the King's name that he was losing his time, and that not a farthing of money should be given or lent by the King for such a purpose unless it were at the intercession of France. He (the King) repented that he had ever given any, especially when the Pope was much in want of it; his money had been at other times so badly employed, he would give no more. |
| Hearing this the Nuncio after a few words said in justification of His Holiness, complained to the Duke that the King and his Privy Council had actually permitted one of the preachers to say some days ago from the pulpit that the Pope was a heretic. To which the Duke answered that it was no wonder, for the preacher was more of a Lutheran than Martin (Luther) himself, and that had it not been for the earl of Vulchier (Wiltshire) and another personage, whom he could not name (meaning no doubt the Lady Anne herselt), he (the Duke) would have had the said preacher and another doctor his colleague burnt alive; and he ended by begging the Nuncio not to mention such bagatelles (petites folies) when he wrote to Rome, as he (the Duke) would in future surely prevent the recurrence of such offences. | |
| On Wednesday last an Italian named Camillo Orsino arrived here, accompanied by two captains, one of whom is a native of Italy, the other of Gheldres. He comes to see this king on behalf of the Italian "fuorusciti" in France. (fn. n11) Immediately upon his arrival he addressed himself to the Duke, who gave him rather a cold reception, and shewed no pleasure at all at his coming. Yet he gave him audience on the same day, and procured him besides one from the King for the next, which happened to be Ascension Day. Camille. spoke to the King for a while, and exhibited a number of papers and letters he had with him. He intends, he says, going straight to Hungary or wherever the Turk [Solyman] may be, and states that he is only waiting for the King's answer, which he expects to receive to-day or to-morrow. He has brought from France two vessels laden with heavy ordnance, which, in order to avoid detection, he has left at the mouth of this river and is now treating with a merchant from Dantzig, and with a sailor from the Easterlings—who have just come to apprize me thereof (fn. n12) —to have the said ordnance, and some more which he expects from this king, put on board English ships and sent to Dantzig. I have lost no time in acquainting the queen of Hungary (Mary) with the whole of this transaction, that she may be on her guard, and take such precautionary measures respecting the said Camille and his ordnance as may seem expedient. I expect to hear this very day the route which he and his two companions intend taking, and what answer and assistance he is likely to get from this king, and shall not fail to inform Your Imperial Majesty and the said queen of Hungary of the whole matter, as well as of the French ambassador's visit to France, before the return of whom it will be impossible for me, as far as I can see, to obtain a definite answer to Montfalconet's mission. | |
| A motion has been made in Parliament for all ordinances synodal, as well as others, heretofore enacted by the English clergy to be revoked and annulled, and in future no synods to be held in England without the express permission and authority of the King; a very strange way of proceeding since the Clergy will then be reduced to a lower condition than the shoemakers (cordouaniers) who have the power of assembling and framing their own statutes. | |
| The King claims also that neither in cases of heresy nor in any others shall the English prelates be allowed in future to lay their hands on persons of any rank or condition whatever, maintaining that bishops have nothing to do with the bodies of individuals, only with the cure (medicine) of their souls. The chancellor (Sir Thomas More) and the bishops oppose the Bill as much as they can, at which the King is exceedingly angry, especially against the said Chancellor and against the bishop of Winchester, though he obstinately keeps to his purpose of carrying out that measure; (fn. n13) may God be pleased to send down such a remedy as the intensity of the evil requires!—London, 13th May [15]32. | |
| Signed: " Eustace Chapuys." | |
| Addressed; "To the Emperor." | |
| French. Holograph entirely written in cipher. Contemporary deciphering. pp. 5. | |
| 22 Mai. | 952. The Same to the Same. |
| K. u. K. Haus- Hof-u.-StaatsArch Wien.Rep.P.Fasc. c. 227, No. 24. |
(Cipher:. On Monday the 13th the Papal Nuncio at [my] solicitation went to Court to present the brief brought by Monseigneur de Monfalconet. Having first gone to the Duke's to ask for an audience from the King, he was told that he could not possibly get a hearing as the King would not receive him, and had commissioned him (the Duke) to listen to what he had to say and report accordingly. The Nuncio answered that his instructions were to speak to the King himself, and to no one else; upon which the Duke, suspecting, no doubt, what the Nuncio came about, and that he was probably the bearer of news unpalatable to the whole set (a toute la compaignie). drew him into conversation, and touched on various topics so as to learn from him what could be the object of his visit. At last the Duke went in to see the King, and remained with him nearly one hour, at the end of which he came out again and bade the Nuncio enter the royal chamber. After the usual salutations and mutual imparting of news the Nuncio with a courteous and soft preamble began to explain the contents of the Papal brief, which he afterwards placed in the King's hands. Great was the King's trouble and amazement on the receipt of that document, for he at once exclaimed: "I am very much surprised to hear that the Pope still persists in his folly (fantasie). and wants me to recall the Queen to my house, for since His Holiness chooses to consider her my legitimate wife it is evident that the right of punishing her for the rudeness with which she has treated, and is daily treating me, belongs exclusively to me, not to His Holiness or to anyone else." The Nuncio explained the Pope's proceedings as grounded on the claims of justice which he could not but uphold, especially in a case which so nearly concerned Your Imperial Majesty as well as your brother, the king of the Romans. To which the King made no other reply save repeating over and over again that he was the sole judge of his wife's behaviour towards him, and the only one who had a right to punish her for all her offences. He made, however, no allusions either to Your Majesty or to your brother in this instance, but said at the end that he would carefully peruse the brief, and have a speedy answer returned. Hitherto the Nuncio has not received any, though it may be that the courier, who left yesterday for Rome was the bearer of it, without the Nuncio himself being acquainted with the fact. I cannot say what the answer will be, but have not the least doubt that far from obeying the Papal injunctions the King will only make his case much worse, for already, since the presentation of the said brief, he has given orders for the Queen to be removed after the present festivals to a house much farther away than the one in which she is now living, where, independently of the worse accommodation, the Queen will be more annoyed than before owing to the place belonging to the bishop of Lincoln (Longlands), the principal promoter and agent (brasseur) of all these intrigues (trames). No wonder then if the King takes no notice at all of the brief, for it is as meagre and insignificant as it could possibly be even if it had been issued before the suit began; (fn. n14) whereas now, after so much delay and such tedious proceedings, it will be found that His Holiness has issued a most inefficacious document instead of the letters of monition (reagravatoire) enjoining the execution once made in Flanders. |
| On Tuesday Parliament was prorogued till November, and though it is the custom for the King to attend the last sitting in order to take cognizance of what has there been done, confirm or reject Bills, &c, true it is that on this occasion he was not present at the close, owing, as I imagine, to Parliament having made no especial grant except that of the tithe and a half (la quindecime) from the laity, as I have already written to Your Majesty; which grant the King has neither accepted nor refused expecting no doubt that the Clergy will of themselves offer a tithe. This, however, has not yet been offered, nor have the Clergy consented to the revocation of their constitutions (constitutions). at which the King is, as may be imagined, exceedingly displeased, though determined to get it any how, by persuasion or by force. | |
| In order to verify the reports about the vessels and the ordnance, about which I wrote to Your Imperial Majesty, I have sent people of my own down the river, and also to the adjacent ports; but no information whatever has hitherto been obtained, not even from the Dantzig merchant, nor from the sailor to whom Camillo [Orsino] had communicated the affair. (fn. n15) They, themselves, who were the first to report the affair to me were much surprised at having entirely lost the track, and are now doing their utmost to find out the man, who first put them on the scent, that they may test the veracity of their report. Camillo took leave of the King on Thursday last, and was presented, as Brian Tuck himself tells me, with 200 crs., which he himself gave to the Italian by the King's command. As to his doings in this country, I have hitherto been unable to get reliable information; he has certainly been to Court several times, but I fancy more for the purpose of visiting it, and exhibiting certain fantastic plans and designs of his own respecting fortifications to he erected here and there than for any other purpose. He is now, I hear, on the point of leaving for Dantzig or Hamburgh, only that he finds no Austerlinch (Easterling) willing to take him on board his ship, and he is now thinking of going through France. I have set spies on him that I may learn what route he intends taking, and inform the [dowager] queen of Hungary thereof. Camillo, however, has been light-headed enough to speak in public about his plans and intentions, boasting that he purposes revenging himself for the great loss he sustained through the confiscation of his property in Naples by Your Majesty's orders, having spread rumours here, as if he were the Turk's confidential agent, that before next Michaelmas that Infidel would lay siege to Rome, and propagate several other pieces of news equally absurd. He has likewise announced in public that his journey to those distant regions is undertaken at the express desire of the king of France, who had also sent thither a gallant captain, named Nicolas Rusticq, a native of Antwerp, very clever in the art of recruiting soldiers. (fn. n16) | |
| The chancellor, Sir Thomas More, perceiving the bad turn affairs are taking, that there is no chance of improvement, and that if he remains in office he will be obliged to act against his conscience, or incur the King's anger—as he already has done through his refusing to take part against the Clergy— has now resigned and sent in the seals of his office on the plea that his salary is too small, and the work excessive. All here are very sorry at his resignation, and not without cause, for there never was, or will be, a chancellor so honest and so thoroughly accomplished as he is. | |
| Your Majesty's letters of the 28th ult., expressing a desire for a speedy answer to the mission brought by Monseigneur de Monfalconet, have duly come to hand. The Papal Nuncio has on his own part, and I myself in obedience to Your Imperial commands have, urgently solicited the same; but I fancy, as I have had the honour to inform Your Majesty, that whatever solicitations we may make no definitive answer will be obtained before the return from France of La Pommeraye, and I fear that when it is given it will be both meagre and cold. May God inspire these people with better sentiments than they seem to have at present!—London, 22nd May 15[32]. | |
| Signed: " Eustace Chapuys." | |
| Addressed: " To the Emperor.'' | |
| Indorsed: "From the ambassador in England, the 27th May. Received on the 4th of June." | |
| French. Holograph entirely in cipher. pp. 3. | |
| Mai. | 953. Dr. Escoriaza to the Empress. |
| S. E. L. 635, f. 65. B. M. Add. 28,584 f. 298. |
Wrote by last post giving an account of the Emperor's accident on the road, his horse having fallen under him. (fn. n17) He was already well, when, in consequence of his going to church and indulging in field sport his leg became swollen, and we were obliged to beg him to keep his room for some days, and reduce his diet. At first we had allowed him to eat chicken, mutton and veal, and drink wine; now we thought it was best to suppress some of these meals. Had we not feared that some other disease might come on, we could easily have given him permission to go out; but recollecting how difficult it is to keep him in doors, we have this time insisted upon his remaining at home perfectly quiet. A sort of eruption has come out on his body in consequence, as I think, of his having refused to be bled when he had his fall, but he will, I hope, be well in a few days.—Ratisbon—Mai 1532. (fn. n18) |
| Signed: "El Dr. Escoriaza." | |
| Spanish. Holograph, pp. l½. | |
| 31 May. | 954. Eustace Chapuys to the Emperor. |
| K. u. K. Haus- Hof-u.-StaatsArch. Wien.Rep.P.Fasc. c. 227, No. 25. |
Ever since the arrival of a courier from France I have not ceased to solicit the answer to the despatches brought by Monseigneur de Montfalconet, which the King has at last caused to be prepared and forwarded to his own ambassador at Your Majesty's Court, that he may duly report thereupon. |
| (Cipher:) The King perceiving that the Clergy will never consent to the abolition of their constitutions has lately proposed that they should choose 15 of their class, whilst he himself would depute an equal number of laymen to proceed at once to the correction not only of all episcopal regulations but also of Papal ones. (fn. n19) He has likewise signified to them that he would not in future allow ecclesiastics or any other subjects of his to swear allegiance to the Pope or any other person but himself. Upon which the prelates have answered that if there were any extravagant articles in their constitutions they were quite ready to reform and amend them as reason demanded, without the interference of laymen, who had nothing to do with the matter. With regard to the Oath of Allegiance said they, that was purely a judicial matter, which nowise touched or affected the royal prerogatives, &c. These reasons and many others alleged by the English prelates have not satisfied the King, who obstinately persists in his resolution, since all he is aiming at is to reduce the Pope to his will, and should that expedient fail him, compel the Anglican Church to withdraw all opposition to his marriage. The bishop of Winchester (Gardyner), owing to his opposition to the King's views in that respect, as well as to his having flatly refused to preach in his favour, has been some days absent from Court; but very lately his presence being required here for the affairs of Rome the King has sent for him, and pressed him to come back notwithstanding that he feigned to be suffering from an attack of gout. (fn. n20) The Bishop has hitherto been suspected of being opposed to the Queen, but nowadays it is confidently believed that he will do very good service in that quarter. | |
| Camillo Orsini being warned that the Imperial ministers in Flanders were keeping an eye on him so as to stop his passage by land as well as sea, and perceiving also from the manner in which the Easterlings have received his offers that he would not for a long while at least be able to procure a vessel to take him and his ordnance to those parts, has now resolved, as he himself says, to take his route through France, for which country he actually departed this morning. I have sent after him one of my spies that he may give us notice, should the Italian suddenly change his mind and attempt returning to Flanders. He has, I am told, done his best to obtain from this king some sort of pension (traictement) pointing out what kind of services he might and could perform in time of war, but the King has answered him point blank that he was not just now, nor was he likely to be in future, at war with any nation. | |
| As I am writing another Italian, who accompanied the said Camillo to Grevezende (Gravesend), has brought me intelligence that his principal had gone to the port of Sanduyz (Sandwich), there to look out for vessels sailing to Hamburgh or Dantzig. Whether he succeeds or not in procuring passage for those towns my spy now with him will be able to let me know soon. It appears that the said Camillo had with him a Neapolitan gentleman, who has returned here to London for his own private affairs, as he says. The said Neapolitan pretends that he has now entirely forsaken his chief, but I fancy that he only says that for dissimulation's sake, and has come back to look out for some merchant ship. Whatever more I may learn on this score will be immediately communicated to Your Majesty. | |
| There is nothing else worthy of record except that the King has had the two Franciscans, (fn. n21) of whom I wrote to Your Majesty, taken under escort to certain convents of their community that they may be properly chastized there.— London, the last day of May [15]32. | |
| Signed: "Eustace Chapuys." | |
| Addressed: "To the Emperor." | |
| French. Holograph entirely in cipher. pp. 3. | |