|
June 8.
Rome. |
507. Cardinal Morone to Queen Mary. Expressive of his sense
of her Majesty's thanks for the little service rendered to her and
her realm, at the request of Cardinal Pole. Her Majesty's Envoy
will testify to his desire to fulfil her wishes in all things. [Latin.
One page.] |
June 9.
Rome. |
508. Sir Edward Carne to same. On Corpus Christi, Francisco
arrived in post, bringing her Majesty's letters for the expedition
of the bishoprics of Winchester and Chester, those for his Holiness,
and that of the 30th March for himself. On Saturday the 6th had
audience, and delivered them to his Holiness in presence of Cardinal Morone; at the same time declaring his instructions. His
Holiness could not express how much he was beholden to that
blessed Queen, making a cross upon her Majesty's name contained
in the letter, and said he would cause her letter to be read in the
consistory. Touching the peace, he was wondrous glad to hear that
it should not want her Majesty's furtherance; and said that he had
sent two Legates for that purpose, in discharge of his duty towards
God, for if he did not declare unto the Sovereigns the great necessity of the common weal of all Christendom to have a perfect peace,
God would impute his silence thereon to him, appointed as he is
over His flock here. It was more than time to be doing therein,
considering the realm of Poland does so waver, that the King there,
being compassed with naughty sects round about him, neither can
nor dare do anything against them. The King of the Romans
is similarly situated, and both daily call upon his Holiness for help,
and some provision for amendment, which he cannot do without a
General Council. This, he said, cannot be well done unless peace
is made; for although there might be abstinence from war, the
uncertainty of peace would be occasion to keep men in arms, and
mistrust of each other would render the passages unsafe for such
as should come to the Council. Such Council he designs to hold
here in St. John Lateran, being in every respect the fitter spot, as
the head Church in Christendom, where many wholesome and
holy Councils have in times past been held, and Rome being the
communis patria, free of resort to all the world. Moreover,
it had often been thought that more good might have been done
in councils where the Pope was present; and therefore he should
preside over this, which, being in a manner decrepit for age, he
could not do were it held elsewhere, by reason of his inability to
travel. In regard to the provisions of Winchester and Chester, it
shall be done as speedily as possible, but will require a somewhat
longer time, as the process made by the Lord Legate to try the
yearly value of Winchester must be committed to certain Cardinals whereon to report to the Consistory before the new tax can
be made; but no time shall be lost, as it shall be diligently solicited.
So also the pension of 1,000l. sterling yearly to the Lord Cardinal shall be assigned according to her Majesty's pleasure, which in
all things shall be followed with good speed. In such Cardinal
Morone, who rejoices much in her Majesty's letters, does travail,
as he is most ready always in whatever relates to her Majesty or
her realms. Since his letter of 15th ult., occurrents have been few.
On the 19th Cardinal Caraffa left for France with divers antiquities,
to be presented to the French King; and some say that part of
his charge is to have the said King to take under his protection
the Dukedom of Paliano, as he has Parma and Mirandola. A
number of workmen have gone to fortify Paliano, Neptuno, and
Rocca del Papa, and several captains have also been sent there. The
Legate to the Emperor left on the 30th ult. The Ambassador
from Poland has returned. Understands that his petition to his
Holiness was for licence to priests to marry, the laity to communicate under both species in that country, and for certain dimes upon
the clergy, to be spent against the Turk. The answer which he
received was general, with a reference of all such matters to the
General Council. Four Ambassadors from Genoa have also been
here very honourably, with the obedience of that state to his
Holiness; they visited Carne, declaring the goodwill, amity, and
service that the state has to their Majesties, desiring him to inform
her Majesty thereof. On the 26th ult. his Holiness kept the anniversary of his coronation, when he was warned to be at the chapel
by the officers appointed for that purpose, and was invited to dine
with the Pope that day. Being at the Court, on his Holiness
coming forth, the Portuguese Ambassador would have kept him
from his accustomed place next the French Ambassador, and next
to Carne would be the Ambassador of Poland. "I came to the
Ambassador of Portugal as gently as I could, and for that he would
not give me my place, I took him by the shoulder and removed
him out of that place, saying that it was your Majesty's Ambassador's place always. Beneath me he would not stand, neither next
me he should not, for the Ambassador of Polonia who claimed
next to me. Whereupon the Portugal went and complained to the
Duke of Paliano, who went straight to the Pope, and after him
went the said Ambassador of Portugal to him himself. His Holiness
willed him to depart there hence; he desired that I should depart
likewise. And thereupon the Duke came to me saying that the
Pope his pleasure was I should depart also. I asked him, why ?
He said that his Holiness, to avoid dissension, would have me to
depart. I told him I made no dissension, for if the other would
keep his own place, and not to usurp upon the place that always
the Ambassadors of England in times past were wont to be in, he
might be in quiet, and suffer me to be in quiet likewise, and not
to seek that seemed him not. All this year he never sought it till
now: why now I cannot tell. But he may be sure he shall not
have it of me, unless your Majesty command it. Also the Master
of the Household, with his Holiness, said that I was invited, and
that Portugal was not, but came upon his own head. I am much
bound to the Marquis of Saria; he was very angry with the Portugal, being his brother, to attempt any such thing against your
Majesty's Ambassador, and sent to me as soon as he heard of it.
Indeed he was not there. I kept my place from him, sending him
to seek his place in such sort that all the Ambassadors there thought
it well done, and others that were indifferent said no less. I told
the Duke that I would not lose a jot of your Majesty's honour for
no man; for it is the place for Ambassadors of England nigh
1,000 years before there was any King in Portugal." [Four
pages.] |
June 19.
Paris. |
509. Dr. Wotton to Sir William Petre. Two days after his
last letter, Gower by appointment met Somer, whom Wotton had
instructed to assure him that the Queen took his advertisements in good part, and if he served her faithfully therein would
not fail to consider it as it should deserve. Gower promised very
earnestly to do his best, and explained that his not seeing Somer
sooner arose from the great suspicion entertained of him by the
rebels, whom to make weary of watching him he had remained so
long within doors. He is in great need of money, and knows not
what shift to make. Says that the rebels as yet have no answer
from the Earl of Devonshire, but that they sent Henry Killigrew
post unto him about last Whitsuntide, and on his return, which is
looked for shortly, they expect good news. They say he is in a
town of the Duke of Ferrara, and is persuaded that if he should
return into England, it would cost him his life. Says that the
rebels begin somewhat to mislike things now, and do not speak so
stoutly as they did at first; they are in lack of money, so that he
has been driven to lend them some of the little he had. They
have heard that Rosey, Danyell, and others have suffered, whereof
they are very glad, as they knew most of their secrets. Also says
that the Killigrews are at the sea with four or five barks, and have
taken good prizes, trusting yet to take more, and in case the worst
fall, the gains thereof will be able to find them all this next
winter in some island. One Ormesby, who says he is a pensioner,
and fled from England because he was sent for to come to the
Court, has been with Wotton. He confesses that he knew of
Dudley's coming over by these means; the latter wished him to be
his surety for 40l., but he was warned by a friend that if he became
bound, he were like to pay it himself, since Dudley would probably
be outlawed for debt next term. Wherefore he excused himself,
saying that he would rather give him part of the little he had than
be security. On this Dudley told him that he stood in debt for
1,000 marks, and therefore was driven to flee the realm, but that
he should be entertained as a captain in the French King's service.
From this Ormesby dissuaded him as much as he could. Ormesby
had also sold a gown to Aston, but says he never knew that either
of them had any conspiracy in hand. He has been residing at
Boulogne since he left England, and showed his case to Lord
Clinton on his returning homeward that way. Has besought
Wotton to write for him, which he now does. Never heard of him
or his case before, and intends not to move more in it, unless he
knows somewhat better of both than he does. To-day Somer and
Gower have met again, and they have taken order how to hear of
each other, as Wotton is going to the Court to remain thereabouts.
[Two pages. Partly in cipher, deciphered.] |
June 21.
Calais. |
510. Deposition of Sir Henry Palmer ("of the age of 60 years
and above") that the house and lands called Sandingfield Abbey, in
French la Maison de St. Engelvert, lie within the English pale,
which he proves by various instances of payment and compositions.
Note.—"Sir Henry Palmer could not abide whilst the double
hereof might be made out again. Nevertheless, the original hereof
remaineth here subscribed with his own hand." [Four pages.
Copy.] |
June 24.
Calais. |
511. Deposition of Sir John Peterson, priest, notary public,
parson of Colham ("of the age of 72 years or thereabouts"), before
Lord Wentworth and the Council of Calais, in the church of St.
Nicholas there, after high mass, as to the privileges of the Hospital
of St. Engelvert or Sandingfield, and its lying within the English
pale. Corroborated on the day following by Sir Peter Bredvelt, late
Master of the said Hospital. [Signed by both deponents. Five
pages and a half.] |
| June [24]. |
512. The Council to Wotton. Four or five days ago the French
King's agent here delivered to them a supplication lately presented
to the Constable touching the monastery of St. Engelvert, called
by the English Sandingfield, to which it appears the French King
lays claim, as being within the compass of his territory. Although
it has been known, time out of mind, to belong to the Queen's
pale, yet they had determined to search out the certainty thereof,
and having for that purpose written to the Deputy and Council of
Calais to signify their knowledge therein, they had received the
letters, of which copies are herewith sent, relating to the evil
handling of her Majesty's subjects upon the frontiers by Senarpont
and the French. Though the letter of Senarpont to Lord Grey
seem to be somewhat indifferently tempered, yet his doings and
talk by mouth, both to the trumpet at Boulogne and to those that
were sent to him to Guisnes, appear to have been more haughty
and stout than courtesy and friendship require; which gives them
cause to mistrust, lest some quarrel or pique be thereby intended.
To avoid this, and in evidence of her Majesty's sincere desire for
justice and peace, desire him to have audience of the King and
Constable thereon; and touching the matter of Sandingfield, he is
to explain that her Majesty found herself possessed of it at her
accession, that it had been quietly possessed and enjoyed without
challenge by her brother, King Edward, and her father, King
Henry, to whom it was also surrendered at the suppression of the
religious houses as a member of his dominions, and has with all
other church lands been confirmed to her Majesty by the Pope's
Holiness since she came to the crown. The most credible and
ancient men of Guisnes and the Marches of Calais have also deposed
the same to have ever been in their remembrance within the
English pale, of which the limits extend, as they affirm and is
well known, to a valley a large English mile beyond Sandingfield,
where such monies as have been paid by the French for their
pension or otherwise to the King of England have been received,
as all proved by many writings and evidences. Wherefore her
Majesty hopes the King will not allow his officers on the frontiers
to prejudice her right, or interfere with the husbandmen in their
agricultural operations in the said territory, but will be content to
name one or more on his part to meet with Commissioners from
her Majesty, calmly to debate this his alleged claim. With reference to the note given to Wotton by the Constable concerning
certain spoils committed on the French by Cole and other pirates,
her Majesty has been informed that this Cole, with Stevenson,
Thomson, and other pirates, are presently on the seas, and have
taken several merchantmen of Bristol and others, indifferently of
English, Spanish, Flemish, Irish, and French traders. Her Majesty is
therewith so much offended that she has appointed [some of her navy
to chase these pirates]. [Twelve pages. Draft, imperfect.] |
June 27.
Brussels. |
513. Emanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy, to Queen Mary. Recommends Col. Wallerthum, a German, already recommended to her
by the King. Hopes that by her Majesty's favour he will obtain
his rights. [French. One page.] |
June 29.
Brussels. |
514. Sir John Masone to [Peter Vannes]. This is to accompany Sir Philip Hoby's letters inclosed, wherein he thinks he makes
answer touching the factor provided for at Luque [Lucca]. The
realm is out of debt, in perfect quietness, the matter of the conspiracy excepted; having come to the bottom of which, and
examined the matter thoroughly, trusts they will shortly be quiet
in that also. Lewknor, the groom-porter, Francis and Edmund
Verney, and one Turner, were condemned on the 17th inst. God
send them their pardon, or else to die His servants! The King of
Bohemia arrived this day at Spires, so as about the 15th or 16th
proximo they trust to have him in Brussels. The King is setting
his stable and a part of his house in order to be sent to England,
and they trust he will be ready himself to set off about the end of
next month. The pestilence begins here to be somewhat hot, and
therefore this day the Emperor and his Majesty depart hence, the
one to a monastery, and the other to a house of pleasure two leagues
out of the town. The Emperor rides upon a mule so lustily as
these seven years he showed not so great a cheer. "The frantic
Pope hath, I think, made him call his spirits together." |
|
P.S.—Vannes' last letters were very short, and by the ordinary
just arrived hears there is none at all. Until he hears again, this
is to be the last. If there be any occasion for Vannes to slack
friendship, wishes he knew it. [Two pages. Indorsed, "A copy
of a letter sent from Mr. Masone to the Ambassador here at
Venice."] |
