Cecil Papers: March 1579 | British History Online

Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 2, 1572-1582. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1888.

Citation:

'Cecil Papers: March 1579', in Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 2, 1572-1582( London, 1888), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-cecil-papers/vol2/pp234-245 [accessed 16 November 2024].

March 1579



	699. The Duke of Anjou to the Queen.
[1578/9 ?], Mar. 2	Beseeches her not to impute to him the delay which has been caused, partly by the tardiness and procrastination of the King, and partly by other hindrances which M. de Simier will detail to her more particularly. Begs her to give the latter all credit as well on this subject as on that of the negotiation generally in the execution of which he has directed him to lose no time. His impatience for its conclusion will be proved to Her Majesty by the ready and willing consent which he gave to the interview demanded by her, much preferring to yield to her wishes than to the persuasion of many who wished to dissuade him therefrom.
	With this object he has directed a Commission to be despatched in the most ample form being desirous that nothing should be wanting on his part to the fulfilment of her wishes. Prays her to proceed therein with such affection as is merited by his extreme desire to testify to her in person the greatness of his affection which neither tongue nor pen can adequately express. “Netoit lesperanse de ce contantement bien prochen la vye que je fais me seroit une trop grande penitense pour les continuels sousis et annuis qui maconpagnent contre lesquelz je ne trouve remede plus certain que limagination de vos beautes et lesperanse que je de vos bonnes grases.” Simier has given him to understand her wishes with regard to several particulars touching this kingdom. Will not fail to follow the advice which she has been pleased to give him.—Alençon, 2 March.
	French. 3 pp.
	700. Humphrey Michell to the Earl of Lincoln.
1578/9, March 5.	Concerning the beechen pale in Okinge Park which he had offered to her ladyship for £10.—Windsor, 5 March 1578.
	1 p.
	701. Sir Wm. Drury, Lord Justice of Ireland, to Lord Burghley.
1578/9, Mar. 6.	Having received information from Spain that James Fitz Morris was ready with some company to bend his course to this realm has written to the Lord Chancellor not only enjoining him to be watchful for any movement or alteration about or beyond Dublin but also to hasten the rigging up of the Queen's ship which is now in hand so that if need be she may be set to the seas.
	Since his coming from Dublin (the 24th of the last month) hitherward, passed through the Briens' and Tooles' country.
	Visited Hugh McShane and his strongest fastness from whence McShane could have been well pleased to allow his absence and to have provided for him elsewhere at his own charges; yet for the service sake would not have missed his passage that way for treble the pain of his travail.—Waterford, 6 March 1578.
	2 pp.
	702. Okinge Park.
1578/9, March 7.	An acquittance by Humphrey Michell, Clerk of the Honour and Castle of Windsor, for the sum of £10 paid by the Earl of Lincoln for all the beechen pale in Okinge Park.
	1 p.
	703. The Duke of Anjou to the Queen.
[1578/9 ?], March 8.	Has received by this courier her two last letters “bien mary de la hayne et murmure de vos peuples, qui se tienent mal contans de se quil vous avoit pleu macorder pour le fait de ma religion, vous suplien tres humblement, Madame, de mescuser, et de croyre, si je me tiens ferme en set article, que cest pour le devoyr de ma consiense, ayent lessé tout le reste au jugement de vos estas; lesquelz encores despuis je remis a vostre seulle discretion et volonté, vous voulant fere cognoistre conbien grande estoit mon affection envers vous, nayant riens davarisse et danbission, que je tandois plus a vos beautés vertus et bonnes grasses qu'à vos estas et moyens, ne metant pour toutes demandes reservé que larticle seul de ma religion, et encores le plus modéré et restraint quil est possible; de sorte que je ne men puis aucunement separer, en estant toute la disposision entre les mains de Dieu, a qui jen ay a rendre conte, et duquel layant resue des le jour de ma naysanse, je la luy dois garder et conserver toute entiere; et plustost que di manquer me retenir unt regret et unt desplesir extreme tout le reste de mes jours, avec unn affection bien grande, que je vous gardere fin à la mort, pour vous haymer servir et honorer toute mavye.”
	Inasmuch as she states in her letters that practices are being undertaken to the prejudice of her state and dignity protests that he wishes to have no other friends or enemies than those of her Majesty and that on all occasions on which he can render her any service she will find him prepared to sacrifice his life and everything in his power on her behalf.—Angers, 8 March.
	French. 3 pp.
	704. The Duke of Anjou to the Queen.
[1578/9 ?], Mar. 19.	Although he wrote to her lately by Veray, and has communicated his wishes most fully to M. de Simier his ambassador, has yet thought it well to send her an express dispatch with reference to an occurrence which has since taken place being unwilling to do anything of importance without rendering her an account thereof. Having received intelligence from many places in this kingdom of considerable disturbances which have taken place, and which were likely to produce all the worse effects because the disaffected made use of his name and wished to shield themselves behind his authority, it has appeared to him that he owed to the King his brother and to the whole of this kingdom the good office of testifying by his presence his goodwill and his desire to aid with his life and all the means in his power in the preservation of the state. Moreover by so doing he hoped to fulfil her Majesty's desire, as communicated to him by Simier, that, if God should permit him the honour of becoming her Majesty's husband, the King of France should be preserved as her good friend and brother. These reasons and others which Simier will confide to her, together with the immediate entreaty of the King his brother, have induced him to undertake this journey of a few days' duration and with a very small retinue.
	Has wished to furnish her Majesty with a true and authentic account thereof in order to give no hold to the false rumours and ill founded reports which may arise to his discredit.—Paris, 19 March.
	French. 3 pp.
	705. The Great Seal.
1578/9, Mar. 20.	Docquet of Bills that have passed the Great Seal :—
	21 Eliz.
	Mar. 18. Lease to Nicholas Kay of mills in Wetherbie co. York.
	Lease to Hugh Lyon of lands in Staines.
	Lease to Robert Savyle, esq., of 80 qrs. of barley, parcel of the rent corn for the parsonage of Edlington, co. Lincoln.
	Lease in reversion to Julius Borgarnaius, doctor of phisick, of the rectory of Middlewich co. Chester, for 30 years.
	Mar. 2.—Pardon of alienation for John Garrard.
	Feb. 25.—Pardon of alienation for Thomas Kytson, esq.
	Mar. 18.—Commission to inquire after the death of John Browne, esq., co. Hereford.
	Dispensation for John Duncombe to retain two benefices.
	Protection for the Poor House of St. Anne in Exeter, granted to Christopher Streamer, proctor, to gather in Cornwall and Devon.
	Protection for the Poor House of Waltham Cross, granted to George Philipp, guider, to gather in Middx. and Essex.
	Commission to enquire of the lunacy of Francis Bolderoe, gent.
	Protection for the Poor House of Chiselhill, to gather in Kent and Surrey, granted to Hugh Mannage, guider.
	Protection for the Poor House of Kingsland, to gather in Wilts and Hants, granted to William Robinson, proctor.
	Commission of Oyer and Determiner within the North parts.
	Commission of Peace, co. Denbigh, renewed for placing Piers Owen, esq. in the same.
	Special pardon for Richard Jervys and Robert Nayler, concerning felony.
	Grant to Richard Tippett, gent., of the office of Steward of the hundreds of Kerryer, Power, Pyder, and others, co. Cornwall.
	Presentation for John Thorpe	to Newport Vicarage.
	” ” Edmund Hounde	” Cley Parsonage.
	” ” Robert Humpstone	” Higham ”
	” ” Thomas Bickley	” Saddington ”
	” ” John Poole	” Wimondham ”
	” ” John Savelle	” Guissinge ”
	” ” Rafe Jones	” Powles Vicarage.
	” ” John Walker	” St. Angulo Parsonage.
	Commission of Peace renewed for Bury St. Edmunds.
	Licence to sell wine in Stanstedd Abbott co. Herts, granted to Thomas Grave, by virtue of Sir Edward Horsey's letters patent.
	Pardon to William Chapman and Richard Sheppard, merchant adventurers of England, for their freedoms and liberties forfeited by marriage with strangers' daughters.
	Pardon for William Pike and John Scarborough for marrying with the like.
	Signed by Burghley and Leicester.
	Endorsed by Burghley :—“20 March 1578.—Bills passed the Great Seal.”
	3 pp.
	706. The Duke of Anjou to the Queen.
[1578/9 ?] March 22.	Cannot sufficiently thank her Majesty for the many favours which she deigns to bestow on him. Has no ill-fortune to complain of except that at present he is unable to sacrifice his life in order to render her some slight service. Should the opportunity of doing so present itself he would regard himself as the most fortunate of created beings. “Je garde vostre belle pinture, qui ne se separera j'ames de moy que par la fin de mes os. Jen ay eu unne du chevallier breton. Cest ou je fes mes auresons, et pase la pluspart du tans en ladoration des divinités qui y sont Je supplie tres humblemant vostre mageste pardonner a mes pations, si trop presontuheuzement je dis se qui est dans mon ame Je maseure que vous aures trop plus agreable des disecours coume seus si sans fait ni disimulation et plins de la sinple et nu verit.”
	After having been three days with the King he permitted him to return home in order to await her Majesty's decisions.
	Lives only in the favourable hopes that are given him thereof.—Dreux, 22 March.
	French,1 p.
	707. Trade to Hamburgh.
1578/9, March 22.	“A note of such parcels as have been entered for Hamburgh in the port of London since Christmas 1578.”
	Endorsed :—22 Mar. 1578.
	4 pp.
	708. Foreign Merchants.
1578/9, Mar. 23.	Brief notes of allegations made by foreign merchants.
	1 p.
	709. The Cloth Trade.
1578/9, March 24.	An account of the quantities of cloth remaining in the hands of various foreign merchants, delivered by the Governor of the Merchant Adventurers.
	2 pp.
	710. The Anjou Marriage.
1579, Mar. 27.	Notes on the subject of the Queen's marriage with the Duke of Alencon, consisting of;—
	“The apparent reasons to disswade hir Majesty from this mariadg.”
	(1.) On consideration of her person.
	(2.) On consideration of the realm.
	Draft, in the handwriting of Lord Burghley.
	4 pp.
	711. The Anjou Marriage.
1579, Mar. 27.	Answers to the objections made against the Queen's marriage with the Duke of Alençon.
	Draft, in the handwriting of Lord Burghley.
	4 pp.
	712. The Anjou Marriage.
1579, Mar. 28.	A note of matters to be considered in the treaty with M. Simier.
	(1.) As to the arrangements to be made for the Duke of Alençon's repairing into England.
	(2.) As to the points to be considered in the treaty of marriage, supposing there shall be no misliking between the two persons.
	In Lord Burghley's hand.
	3 pp.
	713. The Queen's Marriage.
1579, March 31.	Notes by Lord Burghley of the perils, from foreign parts, that may happen to the Queen's Majesty if she continue to live unmarried, and of the remedies that may be adopted.
	Endorsed :—“1579. Ultimo Martii,—Consultanda de periculis.”
	3 pp.
	714. The Anjou Marriage.
1579, Mar. 31.	Rough notes of the perils that may ensue from the Queen's marriage with the Duke of Anjou.
	½ p.
	715. “The Answer of Mr. Thomas Markeham to certain things wherewith he is charged by the Earl of Rutland.” [From endorsement.]
1578/9, Mar.	Confesses that if his words be taken to charge the Earl with confederacy with John Wilson, the cobbler dwelling in Duck Lane, in getting the lease of Mansfield, then he is guilty of inconsiderable delivering that which he cannot justify. He cannot find any letters patent to prove that his father and Edm. of the Holte had the keeping of the walk of Birkland, or that the justiceship and forestership of Sherwood were granted to his father. Denies that he affirmed that the “manredde” of the men of Mansfield belonged to the bailiff. Confesses that if his words be taken in the sense that the Earl procured the lease of the stewardship of Oswaldbeck Soke by Brandon, the goldsmith, by compact, he is guilty of unadvised saying that which he cannot prove.
	Endorsed :—“Mar. 1578.”
	2 pp.
	716. William Read, Captain of Holy Island.
1578/9, March.	Draft warrant in favour of William Reade, Captain of Holy Island, co. Northumberland, for a lease in reversion of the cell and rectory there, in consideration of his good service and the charges bestowed by him in building and otherwise upon the said cell and rectory, “and to encourage him and others to whom he may leave it, to do the like, for the better defence thereof against foreign attempts.”—Palace of Westminster.—March, 21 Eliz.
	Noted by Sir Francis Walsingham :—“Her Majesty is pleased to grant unto the said Captain, in consideration of his service, a lease of the said rectory in reversion for thirty years.”
	Signet not affixed.
	One sheet of paper.
	717. The Anjou Marriage.
1578/9, Mar.	Obyectyons to be made ageynste the Queen's marryage with the Duke of Alencon, withe the awenswers to every of them in order as the obyectyons be placed with a note of the benefyts maye growe by the marryage, & of the perrells maye growe by lacke of the marryage.
	Obyect. 1.—Her Majestie's awne myslyke to marryage, which myght brede in her a dyscontented lyfe herafter, yf she should marrye.
	Axons.—To the fyrste it is to be sayed that her Majestie is to take councell therin only of God & of her awne harte, & yf therupon she shall resolve not to marrye then the hole matter is at an ende, & it shalbe beste for her Majestie not to marrye, but yf her Majestie can resolve to be contented to marrye, & lyke thereof for such respects as maye move her, then ther is no fere of a dyscontented lyfe in that respecte.
	Obyect 2.—The dyffyculte in choyce of suche a persone as in all respects myght contente her Majestie's mynd and satysfye her Iee.
	Awns.—To the second it is to be sayed as to the fyrste, soe as her harte is to be gyded only by God's dyrectyon & her awne, so in this case is her Iee [eye] also, by cause no man can knowe the inward entencyon of her harte or contentatyon of her lee but God and her selfe, nether can eny man gyye councell thereon but leave that to God and herself, “quia cor regum in manubus Domini,” & herself dothe beste knowe the lykyng or myslykyng of her awne Iee.
	Obyect. 3.—The perrell of her Majestie's persone yf at these yeres she should be delyvered of a chylde.
	Awns.—To the thyrde it is to be sayde that periculum in partu is by God's ordynaunce comon to the sexe, and not particular to her Majestie, and yf all wemen should forbere marryage for that respecte ther showld be no posteryte, nether had we bene that nowe be yf our mothers had bene of that mynd, and for that which tochethe her Majestie in partyculer in respecte of her yeres, it dothe appere by example of the laste Duches of Savoye who bying of more yeres when she was married then her Majestie ys, & a woman of sallowe & melancoly complexyon & in all respects ferre inferyer to her Majestie, had after her marryage a goodly prynce & so contynewethe as of his yeres hathe bene of longe tyme seene, the lyke wherof is to be shewed by meny wemen not marryed before lyke yeres, & in meney marryed in younger yeres & lyvyng longe withowte chyldren & had ther fyrste chylde after suche yeres. It is therfor gretely to be hoped that her Majestie, a persone of moste pure complexyon, of the largyest and goodlyeste statuer of well-shaped wemen, with all lymmes sett & proporcyoned in the beste sorte, & one whome in the syght of all men natuer can not amend her shape in eny parte to make her more lykely to conceyve & bere chyldrene withowte perrell, may with salftye or at the leaste with as lyttell perrell as eny other, conceyve & brynge forthe suche a chylde as shalbe a comforte and suerty to the mother and shall kepe shutte hostia templi Jani in England, to the hartes contentatyon of all suche as desyer to see the crowne of this Realme continued in the bloodd of the bodye of that famose kynge Kyng Henry the Eighte. Besydes yt is fyrmely to be hoped for that God beyng the Auter of her Majestie's marryage, by puttyng of it into her harte for so good a purpose, wyll also preserve and prosper her in all thyngs that dependethe thereupon.
	Obyect. 4.—The perrell of her Majestie's persone, yf havyng no chyld by her husband he shoulde seeke by treason to be delyvered of her, for hope to have chylderne by an other wyfe, which for meny respects he maye have grete cause to disyer.
	Awns.—To the forthe it is to be sayd that the malyce of man maye have suche entencyon, but it is hard for a crystyen man to have suche a thowght of a crystyen prynce; and very unlykly to be towards suche a pryncesse. Neverthelesse admyttyng suche a possybylite, it is to be sayd that her Majestie beyng in her awne realme and served by her awne subyects & servants at her awne dyrectyon, maye suffycyently by God's grace provyde for her suerty in that case bothe presently and hereafter when she shalbe paste chyldberyng & have no chylde. And that the malyce of man in thys case maye be as easely provyded for as in other cases yf she do not marrye. But whatsoever she shall do in her marryge, God I dowte not will preserve her from all treason, as his awne chosen, and he that dowtethe of this perrell wyll not stycke to make a dowte of eny thyng which he thenketh may eny wayes hynder her Majestie's marryage in eny place.
	Obyect. 5.—The charge that maye growe to her Majestie and the Realme by the mayntenaunce of her husband.
	Awns.—To the fyfthe it is to be sayed that he hathe a greate patrymony of his awne, & therefor lyke rather to spende of it than to consume of the store of England, as by exampell Kyng Phyllip did, and yet yf he showld be some charge to her Majestie it wowld be well bestowed for so good a porpose.
	Obyect. 6.—The danger that a forren prynce beyng her Majestie's husband myght in tyme and by degrees bryng this realme to his awne possessyon & subyectyon.
	Awns.—To the sixte it is to be sayd that the Duke of Alancon is but a second brother to a Kyng of France, which kyng is yonge & marryed, & therfor before the Duke be Kynge the Kynge muste dye and leave no sunne to succeede hym, which restethe in the hand of God, & therefor paste mannes jugement & withowte the compasse of this perrell untell he be kynge, which perhaps may never be, and then this no perrell. But if all this do followe, yet this matter must have a longe tyme of dryfte before it come to passe, and indede can never take effecte yf God take not all senses awaye bothe from the Queen's Majestie & all the states of the realme. So as it is a perrell in speche, but no perrell in dede, as may appere by the exampell of Kyng Phyllip, the lyke wherof was also by some not of the beste subyects dowted of him, but the sequele shewed the contrary.
	Obyect,7.—The danger that yf her Majestie's husband should come to be the Kynge of Fraunce, necessyte wowld calle hym to the government of his awne, and so with her grete greefe to be absent from her, and so the comforte expected by marryage lyke to be made frustrate.
	Awns.—To the seventhe it is to be sayd as to the syxte, that it maye be that the Duke shall never be Kynge of Fraunce, and yf he be yet it is not lyke to be over hastely, & therefor no present perrell but futuer & accydentall, and when he shall be kynge it is not therfor necessary that he shalbe alwayes absent, for as by the amytye of bothe the realmes ether of them shalbe in the gretter suerty, so maye he the better have layser to make his often repayre to her Majestie withowte his awne perrell or losse; thexampell wherof appered in Kyng Phyllip who beyng in his gretteste warres with Fraunce, did notwythstandyng re payer yerely to Quene Marye & made his abode a longe tyme with her.
	Obyect. 8.—The danger that yf her Majestie showld have but one only sunne withowte eny other chylde, the same in tyme showld be kyng of bothe realmes, & so remayning in Fraunce which is the grettest, showld leave England to a Vyzroye greatly to the dyscontentment of the realme.
	Awns.—To the eyghte it is to be sayd that it is a hard matter for manne to take upon hym God's place, & so to make assyngment that the Frenche kyng shall dye withowte a sonne, that his brother beyng kyng showld have one only sonne by the Queen's Majestie & no other chylde, that he shall lyve tell bothe the father & the mother be dedd, that he shall have no chyld himself in that tyme, & so by these accydents shall possessc sollye bothe kyngdomes. Neverthelesse lett us take upon us this presumptyon to judge of God's secretts & lett us looke to the sequele. Fyrste, before all this came to passe there muste be a longe dryfte of tyme and the Queen herself must dye, for in her lyfe it can take no effecte, so as all perrell that maye growe to her person wyll passe with her when she goethe, & then this is no perrell to her persone but a perrell remayning only to her realme. Secondly, consyderyng howe muche we be bound to have care of her suerty ther is no accydentall & uncerten perrell that maye come after her deathe which is to be respected before her awne presente suertye or to be better loked to to be prevented then the perrells which in her awne lyfe may growe to her self. Thyrdly, this longe & perhaps never cornynge perrell and indede never dangerouse to her persone, yf at lengthe after her deathe it do come, can not be so dangerouse to the realme after her deathe as it showld be thowght fete to hinder her person & the realme in her lyfe. The reasones be he is an England borne persone that shalbe King of bothe realmes & possesse bothe, as King Edward 3, King Henry 5, & King Henry 6 did with honor & withowte perrell to England, & wowld so have contynued yf England trobles had not bene the lette. He is also by assignment to have but one only sonne, for yf he have ether more sonnes or dawghters, then a second chyld maye possesse England & so the perrell cesse. Yf he have no chyld then the tytell cessethe & the perrell with It. So as this perrell ether wyll not come at all, or yf it do it shalbe after the Queen's Majestie's deathe, & when it comethe it bredethe no grete matter for the tyme & is not lyke to continewe longe.
	Obyect. 9.—The danger of the overthrowe of relygyon in this realme, which beyng overthrown here wowld also be sone after overthrown in all other places, and so therby a generall subvercyon of the state and cause of relygyon.
	Awns.—To the nynthe it is to be sayd that in all treatyes of marryage for the Queen's Majestie it hathe bene thowght fete that her husband showld have thexercyse of his relygyon pryvately to himself and a fewe of his awne natyon, and that he showld himself at tymes convenyent accompany her Majestie to devyne servyce ther to remayne at his plesuer, and that he showld amonge other artycles take his othe not to infrynge the lawes of this realme in causes of relygyon.
	So as ther dothe not appere any suffycyent grownd to fere herby the alteratyon of relygyon, excepte a mystruste be conceyved in the Queen's Majestie and the hole realme that they will change relygyon (which God forbydd), and yf it showld so falle owt in them, then ether with husband or withowte husband that myght take effecte.
	Neverthelesse, settyng aparte all imaginatyve humors, & lookyng into the bottom of the matter, it is feete to consyder whether this kynd of marryage is lyke indede to benefyte or hynder the common cause of relygyon. If the marryage take effecte, then this is lyke to be the sequele; her Majestie is lyke to settell presently a suer amyte betwene England & Fraunce, wherby these accy dents be lyke to folio we. Her Majestie by her husband shall have a stronge partye in Fraunce of the relygyon & others who by this meanes shalbe suer from the tyrrany of the King and the papysts, & the King shall also by the meanes of his brother be suer of ther servyce and obedyence, & so by a generall quyett in Fraunce the protestants remayning in suerty wylle lyve in obedyence to ther King for fere of offendyng of the Queen & her husband; & the King will permytte them in quyett for fere of her Majestie & her husband, & therby the relygyon in Fraunce shalbe preserved. Her Majestie also & her husband, yoyning with the Frenche King, shalbe hable to deale so ferre in the causes of the Lowe Contryes as the King of Spayne shalbe gladd to yeld to a reasonabell composytyen with him wherby he shall possesse his awne, and his subyects inyoye ther charters with freedome of conscyence in certen places, wherby relygyon shalbe lykewyse establyshed in those partes, & her Majesty shall kepe a partye there, levyng those contryes gretely bound to her. Her Majestie shalbe also owte of fere at home for practyse in relygyon or competytyon, and so takyng awaye hope from suche as depend upon a competiter, she shall also settell relygyon more suerly in her awne realme, and be the auther of an unyversall peace in Crystendome; & kepe her husband by her meanes to be for his awne suerty a favorer of suche as be of the relygyon in respecte of ther dependancye upon him. If this marryage take not effecte, then this is lyke to be the sequele :—The Duke beyng reyected here wyll alyenate his good mynd from the Queen's Majestie, & wyll no more repose truste in eny of the relygyon, but gyve himself holly over to the papistes, lookyng to make himself stronge by them. For that porpose it is lyke he wyll joyne himself in marryage with the King of Spayne wherby he shall have his assystance & the assystance of all the catholycks in Fraunce, and specyally of suche as be affected to the King of Spayne, who at this present be his grettest enyraes & moste malycyously bent ageynst her Majestic
	He, then, beyng lefte holly to the papiste, muste of necessyte become an extreme enemye to the protestants, which wylbe the utter subvercyon of the protestants in Fraunce, & so relygyon shall quayle in Fraunce. Hereupon it is lyke that the French King assysted by the Pope and all other Catholyck prynces, will assyste the King of Spayne to suppresse relygyon in his domynyens, soe that ether King for conscyence sake & his awne suerty will ayde his fellowe in the cause of relygyon, as a common enemy to bothe, howe so ever they agree afterwards for the partyculer quarrells; & soe shall the relygyon in the Lowe Contryes be also suppressed. What else these two kyngs with ther confederats will take afterwards for Scotland & England is fetter to be thowght of then wrytten. And so to conclude shortely the common cause of relygyon wylbe lyke to go to ruyne, under collor of maynteynyng of relygyon, by the breache of this marryage; which goyng forwards wyll defend and not overthrow relygyon.
	Muche is spoken in the cause of relygyon to hynder her Majestie's marryage and therby the successyon of her awne bodye; but what will become of relygyon when God shall calle her Majestie and leave no successor of her bodye is nether spoken of nor I fer thought of, althowghe the perrell be ferre gretter to suche as in dede be zelowse in relygyon & do not use it to serve for factyon.
	Obyect. 10.—The myslyke of the pepell to be governed by a forren prynce and especyally by the blood of Fraunce.
	Awns.—To the tenthe it is to be sayd that it dothe not carrye a treuthe for the realme is not to be governed by a stranger but by the Queen herself & her Councell of England by the lawes of the realme, as it was in the time of King Phyllip & Queen Marye, & this obyectyon dothe rather saver of Wyatt's humor then of good matter or of the dysposytyen of the good subyects of the realme, whose desyer to have her Majestie to marrye in eny place wher her self dothe beste lyke hathe bene so meny tymes in open parlament by solemne oratyons shewed, as it is not nowe to be dowted of. When her Majestie was in treaty of marryage with one of the howse of Austria, relygyon & marryage with a stranger were then made grete dyffycultes to overthrowe that marryage, but so sone as the marryage was broken off ther was presentlye a devyse for a marryage for the Scottyshe Queen which was pretended to be for the suerty of the Queen's persone, & in that matter ther was no dyffyculty made for relygyon, and yet a dangerouse rebellyon bothe for the Queen's persone & the cause of relygyon ensued presently. Nowe the Queen treatethe of a marryage with the howse of Fraunce, relygyon & strangers be ageyne made dyffycultyes. God graunte when this is broken of ther be not also an other devyse to make the Queen suer by her grettest enemyes, withowte obyectyon or dyffyculte of relygyon, and therby a lyke practyse to overthrowe her Majestie & relygyon, from the which God defend her & the realme. Her marryage with the howse of Austria hathe heretofore bene myslyked; her marryage with the howse of Fraunce is nowe myslyked; no marryage offred by eny stranger hathe bene lyked, her Majestie hathe often tymes in open places declared her resolutyon that she wyll never abase herself to marrye with her owne subyecte & servant; it followethe then of necessyte that suche as impunge her marryage with a stranger, & knowe she wyll not marrye with her subyecte, do dyrectly meane that she showld not marrye with eny persone.
	To what ende this ineanynge tendethe is to be lefte to the good consyderatyon of Almyghty God, who only knowethe the secrets of all hartes; but in the syght of man it dothe carrye a hard constructyon bothe in respecte of her Majestie's awne persone, & also of the successyon of her bodye, & shewethe a dysposy tyon of the alyenatyng of the crowne from the ryght successyon of the bodye of the moste famose kyng King Henry the Eyghte, which can never procede from a trewe Inglyshe harte.
	The benyfytes lyke to growe by the marryage.
	1. The allyance with the crowne of Fraunce wyll by all lykelyhod staye the French Kyng and that realme from attemptyng eny thing that may be prejudycyall to her Majestie & her husband his brother.
	2. This marryage wyll also be the cause that her Majestie's husband & she shall have a stronge partye of protestantes & others in Fraunce wherby the French King, yf he would, shall not be habell to attempte eny thynge prejudycyall to her Majestie & her husband.
	3. The Queen's Majestie & her husband by means of this partye shall be habell to assuer the Protestantes in Fraunce from massacre & to assuer the King of ther servyce, wherby the relygyon ther shall not be subverted and that realme by this meanes shall contynewe in crystyen peace.
	4. The suspytyon & perrell of all ill practyses abrode & at home that may come by Fraunce for popery or competytyen wyll by this marryage be taken awaye, wherby the Queen's Majestie maye be assured from all perrell which maye growe towards her persone or state by Fraunce ether at home or abrode.
	5. The Queen's Majestie by the meanes of her husband & assystance of the French King may compell the King of Spayne to agre with his subyects upon reasonabell condytyens, & his subyects to receyve reasonabell condytyons of him, so as he maye inyoye that which belongethe to him, & they, possessyng ther frauncheses, may be delyvered of tyrranny & with peace kepe convenyent lyberty of bodyes, goods & conscyences; wherby relygyon shall also be kepte from suppressyng in dyvers partes of the Lowe Contryes, & those contryes shall remayne so bound to her Majestie as ther King shall not herafter be abell to drawe them in eny actyon ageynst her.
	6. The blyssyng which is to be hoped God will send her Majestie of chyldern by this marryage wyll bothe make her Majestie to be suer of her awne persone and state duryng her lyfe, and will also to the grete benefyte, suerty & contentatyon of the realme, contynewe the crowne after her deathe in the lynyall blode of the persone of the nobell Kynge Henry the Eyghte, wherby all bloodshed & contentyon for the tytell of the crowne shalbe certenly avoyded.
	7. The Queen's Majestie by this marryage shalbe a peace maker over all Crystendome; shall by her gretenes kepe a hand over Fraunce, the Lowe Contryes, Spayne. Scotland, and all her awne domynyens; shalbe honored and estemed abrode for the avoydyng of bloodshed; shall be beloved of her awne pepell for so grete a care in provydyng for them; shall have a husband to defend her, a chyld to revenge her & therby avoyde contempte in her latter yeres; shall contynew the settelyng of the trewe relygyon, shalbe strongly frended abrode, shalbe in suerty and peace at home, shalbe more famouse then ever King was in Europe in 1,000 yeres paste, shall lyve happyly upon the erthe, and shalbe blessed in the syght of God.
	The perrells that maye growe yf her Majestie do not marrye.
	1. The joynyng of the Duke in marryage with the dawghter of Spayne, wherby he shalbe holly alyenated from her Majestie.
	2. The joynyng of the Duke with the papysts, wherby perrell will ryse of the utter ruyne of all the protestantes in Fraunce.
	3. The joynyng of the King's of Spayne & Fraunce together with the Pope, the Emperor & others, to purge ther awne contryes, wherby wyll followe the perrell of the utter ruyne of the protestantes in the Lowe Contryes.
	4. The joynyng of them together ageynst the Queen's Majestie to revenge all matters paste & to alter the state of relygyon here.
	5. The joynyng of them together under coller of relygyon & competytyon to procure rebellyon in the realme, & to rayse up an other ageynste her Majestie.
	6. The joynyng of them together.to dysturbe the traffycke.
	7. The impossybylyte that wylbe to bere the excedynge charge that wyll growe to her Majestie to resyste all these, when she shall nether have frend abrode to helpe her, nor quyett at home to levye relefe of the realme to maynteyne her.
	8. The perrell of contempte in her latter yeres.
	9. The extreme perrell of her Majestie persone with the overthrowe of relygyon in the ende.
	10. The blodshed that wylbe in her lyfe tyme & after her deathe for the tytell of the crowne wylbe lyke to brynge desolatyon to the hole realme & perhaps servytude.
	11. The grudge of conscyence to her Majestie that she hathe not provyded for these matters in tyme.
	It maye be that to avoyde tedyousenes some matters be ether more darkly wrytten or not so suflfyeyently explaned as were convenyent, wyche upon conference at better lengthe when tyme shall serve maye be more amply declared; and in the meane tyme humbell pardone is requyred for all errors which perhaps maye procede of lacke of judgment, but shall never come of lacke of good wylle and faythefull dyscharge of dewtye.
	Endorsed by Lord Burghley :—“Memoryall for the Queen's Majestie tochyng the matters of her marryage. Marche 1578.”
	Apparently in the handwriting of Sir Edward Stafford.
	8½pp.
	718. The Anjou Marriage.
1578/9, March.	“Memoryall for the Queen's Majesty tochyng the matters of her marryage with Duke Alençon. March, 1578.”
	Endorsed :—“Reasons pro & con. about Queen's marriage with Duke Alenson.”
	Modern copy. 16 pp.