Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 2, 1572-1582. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1888.
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'Cecil Papers: January 1580', 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/pp304-311 [accessed 16 November 2024].
'Cecil Papers: January 1580', in Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 2, 1572-1582( London, 1888), British History Online, accessed November 16, 2024, https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-cecil-papers/vol2/pp304-311.
"Cecil Papers: January 1580". Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 2, 1572-1582. (London, 1888), , British History Online. Web. 16 November 2024. https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-cecil-papers/vol2/pp304-311.
January 1580
| 807. Thomas Earl of Ormonde to the Queen. | |
| 1579/80, Jan. 6. | I am forced to let your Highness know that those wants, which at my first entering into your service here I wrote of, are not as yet supplied, being these : victuals for your soldiers, great ordnance, and shot for battery; and how barely I was furnished of money to supply the wants of your army under my charge, I refer to your governor. If I had had victual, I could have placed the Captains under my charge and myself in their chief “strengths,” so as we should daily have annoyed them, and having ordnance with necessary furniture (as I was promised), I dare say they had not enjoyed one of their castles at this day. All the victual I have received has been but four days' bread, without flesh, fish, or any other provision, and what shift I made, to keep some of the army abroad with me in your service, one and twenty days, is to be known. In which time we burned and spoiled a great part of the Earl of Desmond's lands, and all John of Desmond's lands, with the Seneschal of Imokillyes, whose brother, with some of his men, was slain by some of my company that day, and himself hurt escaped by his horse. I took pledges of all the lords and gentlemen in the County of Cork that were doubted of, warded Cork, and Kinsale, which was most untruly informed to have been taken and burned by the rebels. At my return I was forced to place my companies in garrisons within mine own rule in Tipperary, for there was no victual of your Majesty's for them. I have sent 5 letters—signed and directed from the Earl of Desmond and his bad brethren, procuring loose people to rebellion—which I intercepted, by which your Majesty may perceive his unnatural and traitorous disposition, with an abstract, drawn out of the examination of the Mayor of Youghal and others of that town, by which their treachery plainly appears. I took and committed them till they may have their due deserts.—Dublin, 6 January 1579. |
| 2 pp. | |
| 808. Simier to the Queen. | |
| [1579/80], Jan. 9. | Madame,—Je ne say par où je dois coumanser à vous remersier très-humblement de tant d'onneurs que je resois de vostre main, qui m'a degné escripre despuis l'aryvée de Monsieur destafort [Stafford] une lectre que je gardere très chèrement toute ma vye, en laquelle je resois tant de faveurs de vostre maté, qu'il n'est heure au jour que je ne songe aulx moyens que Dyeu me donnera pour m'aquiter de la moindre de tant d'oblygations que je vous dois. Ne pouvant mieus, je vous conserve une âme qui vous sera fidelle en se monde & au l'ostre, & ma vye que je ne veus conserver que pour l'anployer & despandre dutout à vostre très-humble servisse. Monsieur Cobant [Cobham], ambassadeur de vostre maté, & moy soumes souvant ensanble. Je resois tant de grasses de luy que je vous suplye, très-humblement, Madame $, me fere tant d'honneur de l'en vouloyr remersier. Je vous jure, mon Dyeu, que vostre Maté a fait en luy une ellection qui vous rant recoumandable à l'androit de toute ceste Court, parce qu'il est estimé d'un checun, & reconneu des plus sages pour estre fort abilomme [habile homme]. Pour Dyeu, Madame, pardonnes à rostre singe s'il est si ardy à vous escripre & vous souvyegne du coumandement, qu'il vous a pleu luy fere, pour vous donner à toutes occasions nouvelles de vostre grenoule. Il ce pote [porte]. Dyeu mersi, le myeus qu'il est possible, contant les jours qui luy sanblent plus longs que les annés, jusques à se qu'il entande vostre dernyère résollution estre telle qu'il soit assuré de vous voyr en peu de jours après le singe; lors n'arestera gayres à passer la mer, bien que je sois le pire marinier de tout le monde, toutefois je suis assuré de n'estre pas tant malade en allant que au retour. Son A.T. [Altesse] sera le qui[n]syeme de ce moys à Angiers, où j'espère le trouver. Je pars de sete vylle de Paris le 9e, y ayent demeuré trese jours, quil m'a falu pour conter vos perfections à l'androit de leurs Majestés. Ancores m'en reste ty (sic) asses pour ne dyre aultre chose dysy à çant ans, si autant je pouvois vyvre, du moins publyere-je vostre vertu en tant de lyeus, qu'il y en ara sant mile qui anvyront ma bonne fortune, & ne seront à leurs ayses qu'ilz n'ayent veu rostre maté, qui est ausy rare en sa qualité qu'il est possible. Vostre anbassadeur m'a faict voyr par une lectre le coumandement qu'il vous plest luy fere en ma faveur, pour parler au Roy de quelque différant survenu antre luy & moy, chose que j'estime si peu, que je ne [n'ai] que regret à la payne qu'il vous a pleu en avoyr. Pour Dyeu, Madame, prenes bonne & pronte résollution & me coumandes de vous aller trouver pour cest affere, car il me sanble desjà quil y a mile ans que je n'ay veu vostre maté, à laquelle je bayse très humblement l'onbre de ses pyés; pryen Dyeu vous donner, Madame $, l'antier aconplissement de vos désirs. A Paris se 9e Jenvier. |
| Vostre très humble très hobéisant très fidelle à james serviteur, le singe vostre. | |
| [In margin.] Madame, vous escuseres, s'il vous plest, une pauvre bonne famme de mere que je [j'ai] qui a prins l'ardiesse de vous escripre & de vous remersier très humblement des paste-nostres qu'il vous a pleu luy envoyer $ $ $ $ $ $ E and $. | |
| Addressed :—“Ala Royne d'Angleterre.” | |
| Seals, with pink silk. | |
| Holograph. 3 pp. | |
| 809. [The Queen to the Duke of Anjou.] | |
| [1580], Jan. 17. | “Mon retarder tant, mon trèscher, de ne recognoistre l'infinis modes qui accroissent mes obligations en vostre endroyt, me peuvent rendre à bonne raison indigne de traitements si honorables. Mais l'extrême doleur en la gorge ces quinze jours continuels aura puissance, j'espère, d'effacer telle conception. Et à ceste heure, me trouvant ung peu mieux, voies présente mes très humbles grâces de nous avoyr monstré ung clair rocher, contre lequel les tempestes des faulses persuasions, ny l'orage de mauvais langues, n'ont eu force de remuer la constance de vostre affection, de laquelle je me confesse bien indigne pour aucune perfection que je retiens, & pour ce, me semble tant plus illustre que l'occasion est plus simple. D'une chose je me resjouyz, que vous estes si bien fourny de bons aviz, que vous ne serez ignorant de quelques mes défantz, tellement que m'assure de n'estre trouvé pire qu'ilz me font desia. Et pourtant, estant si bien admonesté, vous serez bien résolu, ou ne le hazarderez. Et prie à Dieu vous donner la grâce de claire veue pour pénétrer l'abisme de leur menées, et que je ne vive à estre moyen de vostre mécontentement. C'est si dificile en ce temps de cognoistre la différence entre le sembler & l'estre, que je souhaitte la sagesse de Salomon résider en vostre esprit pour séparer les fardez des sincères, & telz que regardent plus oultre (fn. 1) en lieu de vous mettre pour but de leur flesches. Ceux sont les plus à estimer, qui nous respectent non avecq une meslée de leur grandeur & gouvernement—Mais à cest heure je resve [rêve], comme les vielles font songents, n'ayant bien dormi. J'ay reçeu nouvelles du Roy que les commissaires s'apprestent, ne sachant encores qu'ilz sont. Je ne pensoys au devant que la France eust esté si mal fourny de princes et personages de grande qualitè, qu'on fût contraint de me mander ung enfant ou homme de bas lignage. Je croy qu 'ilz le font pour amoindrir la grandeur de mon honneur, ou pour jetter des empeschement pour n'en mander du tout. J'ay pourtant uzé de rondeur en l'endroyt du Roy, luy mandant dire par son Embassadeur que je ne soufriroys que choze de si grand moment prenne disgrâce par haine qu'on me porte. Je n'ay garde de permettre que croniques disent qu'il y aura faute d'estime aux exécutionaires de si grande feste, prometant, je croy, que le Roy en tiendra considération honorable, & pour le lieu que tenez & le ceur en qui je me tiens. Pour voz comissaires je tiens pour certain que ferez élite sans changer d'instrument pour finir ce que si bien il commença. Je parle de Simie, de qui ayant ouy tout ce que luy est impozé, & ne voyant raison à le croyre, ne preuve à le condemner, je vous jure, mon trescher, s'il allast de ma vie, je ne voye occasion de son exil. Il est vray que je cognoys trop d'indignité usé contre vostre personne par telz que font les gens à croyre qu'estes si presumtible & si remnant, qu'ilz nous pourront facilement détourner de noz plus chers, quand ilz nous ont à part. Et en temps commode, je ne failliray à le vous monstrer à leur honte, qui en furent l'auteurs. Voyez où me transporte l'amour que vous porte, à me faire contre mon naturel (tout au rebours de ceux qui peschent en eaux troublés) de m'ingérer en actions d'autruy. Nonobstant je ne me puis refréner de vous supplier, à mains jintes (sic), de vous souvenyr que nous autres princes, nous tenants en hauts lieux, sommes asolicitiz aux expositions de plusieurs testes, entre lesquelz la plus part nous accusent, comme noz faveurs s'attachent à petits filets qui leur font craindre leur grâces, entre lesquelz je souhaitte que vous soyez exempt. Voyez, Monsieur, l'imbécillité de mon entendement, qui vous escrive de ceste cause en espérance de bonne response, poyzant le lieu où vous nous tenez, avecq acompaignie qui y est. Nous pouvres habitants de l'isle barbare n'avons garde de comparoistre en jugement, ou si ingénieux juges juges (sic) de nostre scavoyr tiennent si hault lieu au siège de nostre faveur. Mais appellant à Monsieur seul, non divizé, je ne laisseray mon procès, si me feriez donner l'estrapade. Je ne mettray glose à cest texte, m'assurant que l'entendez que trop bien. Et fin vous supplie pardonner ceste ceste (sic) facheuze lettre, & recevez mes très hunbles grâces de l'offre que me faittes d'ordonner la cause de Simie, comme me semblera mieux, vous assurant que n'ay jamais garde de vous donner conseil qui vous trahira l'honneur; plustôt je mouray. Je ne suis partial à luy que je vous oublie, & si fut pour sa fidélité vers vous, de qui j'ay en ma part de preuve, il ne m'est qu'estrangier, avecq qui je n'ay que faire aucunement, comme sçayt le Créateur, que je prie vous donner cent ans de vie, avecq mes très affectionnez recommendations. [Postscript.] Je vous prie mandez moy vostre bon plaisir par ce porteur, lequel retournera en haste.” |
| Endorsed :—“The 17 of January to Mounsieur. N. 18.” | |
| Draft. 2¼ pp. | |
| Duplicate of preceding; very inaccurate. | |
| 3 pp. | |
| 810. Provisions for Ireland. | |
| 1579/80, Jan. 25. | “The declaration of a proportion of victuals and provisions which have been laden and shipped from Bristol and Barnstaple in the several ships and barks hereunder named, and the same were directed to be discharged at Waterford for her Majesty's service, &c.” |
| In margin :—Jno. Bland's report made in London, 25 January 1579. | |
| Annotated by Burghley. | |
| 3 pp. | |
| 811. The Duke of Anjou to the Queen. | |
| [1579/80], Jan. 28. | In the letter which it has pleased her to send him by M. de Stafford she writes “qui nest rien aumonde de plus lisite que la parolle, ny choze qui plus oblyge la reputation dun prinse que la promesse,” hopes therefore that neither her people nor the ill-will of those individuals who are always opposed to the justice of his cause will ever have such power over her that in complaisance to them, she will wish to take away from him the means of rendering her the very humble service which he has vowed to her. Such is her Majesty's judgment, and so great the obedience of her people, that they will always consent to what is agreeable to her, inasmuch as their contentment depends entirely on her own. |
| Reminds her that when in her Majesty's presence one of the subjects on which he most desired her acquiescence and which during his absence he enjoined Simier to uphold, was that of his religion to which her Majesty agreed by duly signed articles, not exactly in such form as he would have liked for the liberty of his conscience, his ambassador having withdrawn from many points which he had hoped with her good favour to obtain, yet having learnt on his ambassador's return that this could not be done and that it was her Majesty's will that the matter should be otherwise ordered, he had desired only to comply with her Majesty's wishes. Beseeches her therefore most humbly if matters proceed further provided that no change is made in the matter of his religion to dispose of the rest in so far as they lie in his power according to her good pleasure. | |
| Recognizes the great pains she has taken to conciliate her people in his favour and is extremely obliged thereby. Will be still more so when it shall please her to honour him by her favour and to attach him to her service according to the hopes she has given him, “se que je me promes par vostre bon jugement, qui saura bien remedier a toutes circonstances et reconpenser ma constante affection par quelque bon merite, estant bien assure qune beaute si perfecte que la vostre ne se lessera jamais vaincre de courtoysie ni blasmer dingratitude.” | |
| Is not at all astonished that her Majesty has put off the journey of the Commissioners under the pretext of religion. Some persons have tried to persuade him that it was a device to break off the negociations altogether, which he is unable to believe of her Majesty who has always done him the honour to tell him candidly her intention.—“Dengiers” (Angers), 28 January. | |
| French. 3 pp. | |
| 812. [Sir Thos. Cecil] to the Queen. | |
| 1579/80, January 28. | So long as it appeared to him that it pleased her Majesty to conceive that by her marriage with the Duke d'Alençon she might procure safety to her person and realm, by having the assured amity of a potent prince abroad and the likelihood of a successor of her own body to pacify all troubles at home, and that thereby all fear of foreign wars and of civil troubles might be avoided and such honour and greatness accrue to her Majesty that she should “rule the Sternes of the shippes of Europe with more fame than ever came to any Quene of the Wordell,” he was in his conscience persuaded and in duty bound to advise further, and heartily desire the good and happy success of the marriage which in all probable reason was to induce those effects, but finding now that Her Majesty, either of her own disposition or by persuasion of others whom she can trust, doth no longer hold that mind, he is also in conscience and duty persuaded to yield to the way that may best please her, not because he thinks it best for her, for with his hands and heart he will defend while he lives her marriage, to be her only security at home and abroad, but because he is so faithfully addicted to her service that he will spend his blood not only in that which he thinks to be best for her, but in any other thing that she herself would have done. The matter being thus in these terms, that in his opinion her Majesty's marriage is broken and no hope left of the good that was thereby expected, it is necessary to foresee and provide (so far as man may) for the perils that for lack thereof and by the breach of it are likely to ensue. That the Duke of Alençon, having been brought to be the author of troubles in his own country drawn by her Majesties means from his late enterprise in the Low Countries, hindered by her of his contemplated marriage with the King of Spain's daughter by long treaty with her Majesty, and in fine, after travelling hither to see her and receiving great hope of a good success, being rejected by her Majesty, can put all these up quietly and not carry a heart of revenge, is more than any man in probable reason can conceive, although necessity may force him with the King, his brother, and the Queen Mother for the present to cover the secrets of their hearts until a better time shall serve. |
| The principal perils that threaten her Majesty by the breach of this marriage are these :— | |
| 1. The lack of issue of her own body, causing all persons to have their eyes bent on a successor. | |
| 2. The alliance of the Duke of Alençon with the King of Spain by marriage, and the joining of their forces to help each other. | |
| 3. The joining of all the Papist princes in wars against her Majesty. | |
| 4. The stopping of the traffic of her Majesty's subjects. | |
| 5. The stirring up of rebellion in Ireland, and the assistance thereof with foreign power. | |
| 6. The stirring up of the like in England. | |
| 7. The converting of all these forces towards the impeachment of her Majesty's crown, and the establishment of the King and Queen of Scots or of some other competitor in her place. | |
| 8. The great cost of resisting these attempts by land and sea. | |
| 9. The union of the Low Countries with France if the marriage with Spain do not take effect. | |
| The likest means to divert these perils, so far as the writer can at present conceive, are as follow :— | |
| 1. There can be no remedy for the lack of issue of her Majesty's body, for her people must naturally look in their hearts for some other successor, and therefore malum hoc incurabile. | |
| 2. To divert the Duke of Alençon from allying himself with the King of Spain, it would seem desirable to set him on in his course for the getting of the Low Countries. This, however, while averting the present peril, would be attended by further dangers to her Majesty in other respects, nor would these be avoided by diverting his attention to Navarre or Lorrain, which would hardly content him with lesser greatness. | |
| 3. To avoid the dangers from foreign wars it will be necessary for her Majesty to put her army, navy, and fortifications to their greatest strength, and to depose all Papists from posts of trust and government, supplying their places by wise, assured, and trusty Protestants; to abridge all her excessive charges and seek honourably to increase her revenues; to bind her nobility and the principal persons of her realm fast to her by such favours as have heretofore been cast away upon such as in time of need could serve her Majesty to no purpose; and to have some of the Protestants in Germany in her pension who may be bound to serve her upon warning in England or elsewhere, at her charge, with a number of horsemen and footmen, amongst whom the Count of Embden and one of the Dukes of Brunswick lie fittest for England, and the Duke Casimir for foreign places. | |
| 4. To avoid the stopping of the traffic of her subjects it would be good to seek all vents by other countries, and if need be to call all strangers hither to carry away the commodities by themselves. | |
| 5. To avoid the stirring up of rebellion in Ireland, it will be convenient to take away as much as may be the causes that are likely to nourish it, that is to say, to recover the minds of all the nobility of late greatly grieved by very hard dealings, and to permit them to continue their ancient greatness, strength, honour, and surety; to take away the fear of conquest, of late deeply grafted in the hearts of the wild Irish, and to wink at certain private disorders which do not properly offend the Crown, and have by custom long been used in that realm. It were also good to discourage foreign princes from taking any action by making citadels at Waterford, Cork, Kinsale, Limerick, and Galloway, that might command those towns, and being, in time of peace, kept by a garrison of 30 or 40 men, might, on occasion, receive far greater forces. | |
| 6. What were needful to be done for England in the like case has been treated of before in divers articles, and especially in the third. | |
| 7. To prevent foreign forces and civil rebellion from seeking to set up some competitor it is necessary, besides the precautions before specified, to make very strict and deterrent laws against any such enterprise; to bring the Queen of Scots into some surety and nearer custody; to induce the King of Scots and his nobility by her Majesty's liberality to depend wholly upon her instead of upon foreign princes; and to procure his marriage either in England or where it may cause her Majesty the least annoyance. | |
| 8. If the state be kept whole by former devices then this matter of charge may be eased; otherwise if the revenue will not serve and troubles grow, it will be hard to provide supply. | |
| 9. To avoid the joining of the Low Countries to France, if the people of those countries be so bent, there are three means to be attempted, all dangerous and costly and none assured; the one to enter herself into defence of the Low Countries and to make herself the head of these wars, which will be very costly and the sequel doubtful; the second is to trouble France with foreign wars and civil discord which will also be costly and the issue uncertain; the third is to join fully in the aid of the King of Spain to reduce his subjects to obedience, which will be also very costly and perhaps as dangerous as any of the others. Which of these may be best adopted, either alone or in combination with the others, requires a long time of deep consideration. | |
| Thus her Majesty sees the perils and the shews of remedies, which he prays God may not fall out to be shews indeed. Whereas her marriage, if she had liked it, might have provided her more surety with less peril; for himself, he humbly beseeches Her Majesty that he may be the first man to be employed to spend his blood in her service in the place where she thinks her first peril to be, without exception of persons, time, place or matter. | |
| Draft, in the handwriting of Sir Thos. Cecil. | |
| 6¼ pp. [Murdin, pp. 338–342. In extenso; very incorrectly printed.] | |
| 813. Simier to the Queen. | |
| [1579/80], Jan. 29. | Madame,—Ayent antandu que Monsieur Destafort vous despêchoit ung couryer, je prins hardiesse de l'aconpagner de se mot de lectre, adresant à vostre Maté pour vous assurer, en foy & parolle de singe, que son aryvée en ce lyeu m'a en peu d'eure aporté deus effetz ausy contreres qu'il y a du blanc au noyr, du bien au mal, & d'une joye extrême à une douleur infinie. Javoys toujours espéré & la rayson le vouloit, que vostre Maté anvoyast icy au tanps ordonné, pour queryr les Commissères quy devoyct au non du Roy confirmer les articles accordés de part vostre Maté & son Altesse, & venyr par se moyen à la conclusion de ce maryage que vostre Maté a si dignement commancé, à la gloyre de Dyeu, pour la conservation de vostre grandeur, bien & repos de vostre personne, à lavansement de toute la Crétyenté, & notenment de vostre royaume, qui poura ung jour cognoistre (mes peustestre bien tard) de conbien la lyence [l'alliance] de France vous entoit utille & nésesayre. Fectes estat, Madame, & pardonner à vostre singe, sil vous dit & assure qu'en peu de moys les choses se termineront autrement que vous ne panses, et me croyes que l'on vous déguise la vérité de beaucoup d'afferes qui se passent à vostre désavantage. Je recognois asses & de longue main l'artifice de seus qui ont tant faict par leurs menées, de vous atyrer à leur party pour ronpre le col à cest affere, et bastyr leur fortune au despans de vostre ruyne. Qui l'eust james pansé q'une Royne du syel & de la tere, prinsse de toute la vertu du monde, se fut tronpée en la cognoissence de sertaines personnes qui non [n'ont] amour ny affection, qu'autant que l'anbision d'une grandeur les pousse. Ne soyes donc point desue aulx conseilz de telles jeans, & fectes paroistre les effetz de vostre consience que, pleust à Dyeu, je fusse mentenant près de vostre Maté, avec lyberté de vous dyscouryr ce que j'en pance, coume je faict autrefois aulx occasions qui se sont présentées, que vostre Maté a trouvé bon. Il me desplest grandement d'entandre que la ruyne d'un tel faict, & de si grand inportance, despande du vouloyr d'aucuns qui ont plus d'esgard à leurs partyculyer qu'au vostre. Je ne vous puis dyre le regret extrême que je souffre en mon âme de cognoistre le peu d'occasion que mon mestre a d'estre contant. Il m'en a discoureu plus overtement que je ne vous puis escripre. Je m'etois promis de vous bayser très-humblement les mains en peu de jours par le moyen de ce négosse, mes mentenant je vois mon espérance morte, ou peu sant [s'en] faut, si vous n'y trouves altre melyeur remède. J'ay résollu de donner lyeu à ma douleur, & la lesser tant ganyer sur moy, qu'elle mestra bien tost fin à ma vye, la quelle j'avoys dédyé an servisse de tous les deus, estiment que la fortune vous fayroit vivre & mouryr ensanble. Je vous rans çant milyons de grasses de la tant courtoyse lectre dont il vous a pleu honorer vostre singe, & de la payne qu'il vous a pleu prandre en faveur de ma querelle, tant à l'androit de leurs Majesté's que de son AT. [Altesse] duquel je resois toujours beaucoup d'onneur à vostre occasion; mes qu'Estafort cant alye [s'en aille] je vous mandere plus partyculyèrement ce qui se passe. Je vous requiers & vous suplye très-humblement que le singe soit toujours continué au nonbre de vos bestes, & qu'il vous playse le conserver de la pate de l'ours. Je vous bayse trés-humblement les mains soubz le Pont de Londres, pryen le Créateur vous donner, Madame $. l'antyer aconplissement de vos désirs. D'Angiers se 29 Jenvier 1580. Vostre très-humble, très-hobéisant, & à james très-fidelle serviteur $ Semye, $ $ Singe.” |
| Addressed :—“A la Royne d'Angleterre.” | |
| Holograph. 4 pp. | |
| 814. The Duke of Anjou to the Queen. | |
| [1579/80], Jan. 30. | Wrote to her lately very fully in reply to the letter she sent him by M. de Stafford to whom he has besides particularly explained what he is able to do in order to satisfy her Majesty with regard to his religion. Beseeches her very humbly that the article may remain in the same form as that in which it appears in the signed articles and that she will not plead in excuse the ill-will of her people “qui vous ont de tous temps porte telle hobeissance que vous les accuses sans occasion et leurs mostres le chemin de lantreprandre quant ilz i seront pouses par quelque mauves instrument.” Is sorry to say that everyone is of opinion that her Majesty is seeking this subject as a pretext to dismiss him, and that such is the case both in her own kingdom and in this, because it is well known that the desire of her subjects to see her married continues greater than ever. Does not wish in the present letter to set forth the reasons which prompt them nor those which should influence her Majesty therein feeling sure that her Majesty's good judgment will not allow her to be deceived. For himself will be always pleased to see her content, and his desire to serve her on all occasions and to sacrifice his life and wealth in so doing will remain constant. “Dengier” (Angers), 30 January. |
| P.S. “Je trouve le Sieur de Staford ausi froit que glasse.” | |
| French. 2 pp. | |