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91. Sir Edward Stafford to Sir Francis Walsingham. |
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1584, July 5. |
The Deputies have commandment from the Court not to stir till they have news from the King. If this be so, I think the cause is that the King would have from the Marshal de Retz what answer the Prince of Parma hath made to him. He sent to him, presently after his arrival, to St. Quentin, where he remaineth, to signify that the King had sent him thither to look to the preservation of Cambray, the sovereignty of which he had determined to keep as his brother had left it him, till such time as other matters between the King of Spain and him were decided. Therefore he required him to give command to all his that they should not enterprise anything against any part of the dominion of Cambray, as he had likewise in the King's name commanded them of Cambray upon their lives not to enterprise anything against the King of Spain or his dominions, with whom he was determined to maintain all alliance and amity that hath been continually between them. |
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The answer from the Prince of Parma is not yet come, which, if there be a commandment for the Deputies to stay, is the cause of it. I saw yesternight a letter came from Madame Noyalles about the Queen of Navarre that, upon a third sending so earnestly of the Queen-Mother's, in her own name and the King's, she had sent to the King her husband that, if it please him to command her, she is contented to see the Duke of Espernon, and that her husband hath answered her that at his return he would bring Espernon with him to Nerac. They that know the Queen of Navarre well do not believe her courage is come down. |
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Viscount Turenne is here, returned from prison, the most sought on and made of by all the courtiers; he meaneth shortly to go to the King of Navarre. He useth some speeches as though he meant to make a voyage into England, but not yet resolved. Hath desired me to recommend his service to the Queen. I beseech you discharge me of that to her Majesty, for till I know that Monsieur's death is by somebody made known to her, I dare not presume to write to her Majesty. |
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There is a principal senator of Venice laid up in prison, the chiefest in account of all, some say for practising with the Pope for ambition of a cardinal's hat; others for disclosing the secrets of their counsels; others for practising with the Turk. I have sent you the copy of Monsieur's will.—Paris, this 5th of July 1584. |
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Copy by Sir Edward Stafford. 1¾ pp. [Murdin, pp. 411 and 412. In extenso. The original is in State Papers (France), Vol. LXXX.] |
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92. R. Shee to Lord Burghley. |
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1584, July 12. |
Complains of the untrue reports of him, circulated by one Mr. Lovell, to the effect that he is a maintainer of Papistry in this country, and a very ill member thereof in many ways, and protests his innocence of these charges.—Kilkenny, 12 July 1584. |
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93. Sir Edward Stafford to Sir Francis Walsingham. |
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1584, July 17. |
I was never set to school so much since I came into France about anything as I have been to decipher the cause of the coming of the Deputies of the Low Countries hither, the offers that they made to the King, and his manner of dealing with them. For I employed all the intelligence I could get, and all the conference I could have, and found so small brought by them, and so small a care of the King to deal with them, that I was suspicious there was farther matter
than I could be acquainted withal; things were so secretly kept that I was jealous, and would not have thought they that came would have been so careful to keep that which they brought so secret, nor that they which the King sent to them, would have been so heedful not to be discovered as they were, if the one had not brought more, and the other had not been ready to embrace more than they do. |
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After their arrival with De Pruneaux at Rouen, word was presently sent to him by the King not to stir from thence, nor to suffer them to stir till the King sent further word, for he was very desirous to deal with them in very secret sort. After they had long tarried there, Brulard was sent to them to know, by the King's command, the cause of their coming, and what they brought, which was delivered to him. The effect thereof was the same almost as they had brought afore to Monsieur about the delivering of Sluys, Ostend, and two or three other places, to him, and to acknowledge him sovereign of Flanders and Artois, and some other small offer. Brulard, having received it, brought it to the King in port, who hath answered them in effect nothing, but that he thanked them for their good will, that he could not now deal with them, yet bid them be of good courage, and so licensed them again to depart. |
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All this I was a pretty while since advertised of, which carried so little likelihood that either they would so slightly offer, or that the King would so slightly answer, and yet go about to keep it so secret as they did, that I could not believe anybody. But in truth the end of their offers, and the King's acceptation of them, is no otherwise in effect but this. They had departed, if the arrival yesterday of M. Torsey's brother, that was governor to M. Strossy, had not stayed them, who, upon this death of the Prince of Orange, is despatched from the States with other further commission. De Pruneaux is come from Rouen with him, and gone to the Court, Torsey with him. He desired his brother Torsey to come to me to excuse him that he came not himself, being a thing that perchance at the Court would not be well thought on, to come to me afore he had been with the King, but sent me in short the effect of his commission, which is an offer to the King a great deal more ample—to put themselves in his protection wholly, and for surety (so he help them) to put into his choice almost what towns he will put garrisons into. How liketh her Majesty of this large offer of theirs ? |
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Torsey's brother's dealing with me I had good cause to like of, but bad cause to like of them that were here before, who never sought to have conference with me. When they were sought upon, and by others persuaded to it, as a thing very necessary, to have intelligence with the Queen's Majesty's ministers, they refused it, showing to be angry at the motion, and saying they knew well enough what they had to do, especially Caron, who was long here . . . . . . . . They found here in this Court great fault with his manner of dealing that was sent from Ghent, who was scarce sober from one end of the week to the other, and who stood so much upon his tip toes to have present answer within three days, or else they of Ghent could tell where to bestow themselves. They have sent him away, after keeping him three weeks and more, with no answer at all. So he is gone away very evil discontented, and sweareth by no small ones he will at home make report thereafter. They that are here affected to do them good have despatched Caron to go with him. |
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The King goeth on Saturday from Bois de Vincennes to Fontainebleau, thence on Monday to Lyons. About this day sevennight I can have conference with the Queen-Mother. Don Antonio sent the last day in haste for me, and, with his affection to the Queen, declared to me a very certain advertisement he had out of a very good place, and out of
the Spanish Agent's house besides, that the same practice that hath been executed on the Prince of Orange, there are practisers more than two or three about to execute it upon her Majesty and some others within these two months. I have had like advertisement by other means. There is no doubt she is a chief mark they shoot at, and seeing there were men cunning enough to enchant a man, and to encourage one to kill the Prince of Orange in the midst of Holland, and a knave found desperate enough to do it, we must think that hereafter anything may be done, &c. God preserve her Majesty ! |
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Seton, under colour of sending his son the Abbot away into Scotland, is going himself away by stealth. There are two reasons for it : the one, that he is afraid he may be talked with by the way if it is known; the other, that he is so far in debt he is fain to steal away. |
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Don Antonio made a motion to me to move her Majesty that, as now upon the Prince of Orange's death they must have a Governor and Head, if the Queen would be the means to work it for him, she should be assured nobody would be more faithfully tied in devotion to her than he. I beseech you that I may receive some answer to answer him. |
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I have sent you, as desired, very exactly the disposition of the Councillors here, especially of the resident Councillors.—Paris, 17 July 1584. |
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Copy by Sir Edward Stafford. 4 pp. [Murdin, pp. 412–415. In extenso. The original is in State Papers (France), Vol. LXXX.] |
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94. James VI. of Scotland to Mary Queen of Scots. |
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1584, July 22. |
Le peu de loysir que j'ay m'empeschera d'escrire pour cest foys aultre chose à V. M., sinon que je la remercie très humblement de Phonneur et faveur infinie qu'elle m'a faict de m'avoir envoyé visiter par Fontenay, frère de Nan, Secretaire de vos commandemens, estant le premier que j'ay eu de vostre part depuis vostre captivité. Je ne scauroys exprimer Pextreme consolation que j'en ay receu, ay ant entendu par luy plusieurs particularitez de vostre estat, et spécialement de l'incomprehensible affection maternelle qu'il vous plaist continuer en mon endroit, dont m'efrbrceray plus que jamais de me rendre par tous debvoirs d'humilité et d'obeisance en l'accomplissement de vos commandemens. |
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Le choix qu'il à pleu à V. M. faire dudit Fontenay, et la façon dont il a procédé jusques icy, me faict esperer contentement de sa part. Hors le général, il ne m'a encores déclaré que bienpeu de particularitez de voz intentions, specialement pour nostre parfaite union et association, laquelle sans faulte jepasseray incontinent, après le retour de my Lord Seton, que Fontenay me dit avoir retiré de Monsieur Glasgo les lettres patentes, et articles d'icelle pour luy servir par dela aux charges et negotiations que je luy ay commis. Cependant je prepareray aultant qu'il me sera possible les volontez de nos communs subjects a ratifier et avoir pour agréable la conclusion de nostre elite association. |
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Sans aultre recommendation de vostre part, la sympathie et conformité de nos complexions, avec le sentimeut que j'ay des injures et trahisons commises à l'endroit de vous par my Lord Lindsay, m'avoyt jà tout resolu d'en faire punition exemplaire, comme j'espère de ses semblables, sans qu'il m'en eschappe un seul de ceux que je pourray attraper. Incontinent que Fontenay m'aura faict entendre les aultres particularitez de sa negotiation, specialement des instructions secrettes que V. M. me defend de révéler jamais à personne, je ne failleray de vous
escrire en bref mon advis sur le tout, et prendre telles directions qu'il vous plaira me prescrire. Quant à vostre delivrance, suivant la deliberation que de long temps j'en avoys prise, V. M. se peult asseurer qu'en bref j'envoyeray avec Fontenay quelcun des miens, pour recevoir la saincte bénédiction, et Tinformer de diverses miennes intentions, comme aussy pour requerir de la Hoyne d'Angleterre vostre délivrance que je soubhaite sur toutes les felicités de ce monde. Sur le tous je prometz à V. M. qu'elle recevra de moy tout le contentement qu'une bonne mère puisse esperer d'un très humble et très obéissant file. tel que je vous seray toute ma vie. En ceste volunté, vous ayant tres humblement baité les mains, &c.—De Falkland, ce 23 Juillet 1584. |
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Copy. 1 p. [Murdin, p. 434. In extenso. The original cipher is in State Papers (Mary, Queen of Scots), Vol. XIII., No. 37.] |
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Duplicate copy of preceding. |
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95. Horatio Palavicino. |
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[1584, July.] |
An account of the sums paid to Horatio Palavicino of Genoa, as interest for various sums of money owing to him by her Majesty, from 1 July 1581 to 1 July 1584, the interest amounting altogether to 10,209l. 13s. 9½ d.
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