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Nov. 6.
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356. WALSINGHAM to DAVISON.
When I communicated to her Majesty the letter I received from
you of the 26th ult. she looked to have heard somewhat of your
repair to Duke Casimir and the Gantoys to persuade them in her
name to such concurrence with the States by laying down the
violent course of proceedings they were entered into, as was most
necessary for strengthening themselves against the common enemy,
and prosecuting their advantage upon Don John's death, and most
expedient for attaining a secure peace. I excused the delay in your
going thither by the common jealousy that was conceived that her
Majesty took part in their design, which might haply have been
increased in the minds of such as are apt to misjudge other men's
actions, if you had repaired to them so soon before you had dealt
with the States and others to assure them of the contrary ; which
ground being laid, I thought you would not long delay to repair to
them, to show them her Majesty's dislike of their proceedings, and
what wrong they had done her by causing her to be misconceived
of, for the favours she had formerly shown them. What moved her
to look for this at your hands was that she had commanded
Mr Secretary Wilson, as she told me, to write to you to that effect.
You see that upon like occasions of service offered, you will not
need to await direction from hence, but take all opportunity as it
falls out to do what good you can, so that you fail not to acquaint
her Majesty with your doings ; which will come well to pass both
for the approbation of your service, and for the defrayment of such
charges as you may be at.
Her Majesty is sorry that the troubles sprung up in Flanders
cannot be appeased ; being grieved that Duke Casimir's error is by
certain malicious persons ascribed to her, and that by the same
means the great cost of the army grows unfruitful, and the advantage
they had of the enemy is lost ; who as is reported increases in
strength.
I trust you have remembered to send Baptista's account. If
it be not already dispatched by the courier who is now coming, pray
do not fail to send it by the next, and with it a note of the days of
payment by the States of the sums borrowed of him as well as of
Pallavicino. And you may do well, as advice from yourself, to let
the States understand that they will do well to deal in time with
Spinola and Pallavicino for a prolongation of the days of payment
upon some convenient interest ; for if they look for their satisfaction
from her Majesty, so long as they are by any way able to
discharge it themselves, they will be much deceived.
As for your suit, I have moved her Majesty in it, on speaking
with her about your last letter, and I find her well disposed to pass
it. Her only stay, as she showed me, proceeds from her thinking it
will not serve your present necessity, being 'a benefit in expectation
accompanied with casualty.' She assures me that she never meant
to bestow it on Payne's son, nor has any disposition to bestow it on
any other than you.
I understand by the deputy of the merchants adventurers, and others
who have been with me to acquaint me with their success in their suit
in Holland and Zealand touching certain bonds which they have of
them, which Lord Cobham and I recommended earnestly to the
Prince and the States of those countries, that on the Hollanders'
behalf they can receive no other answer than was then given to us ;
namely that the money taken up by the Prince was employed wholly
in the defence of Zealand, that no part of it came to them, that they
gave no authority to Taffin to contract anything in their names, and
therefore in justice the bonds could not be demanded of them.
With which answer we resting not satisfied moved the Prince again
for better contentment to the merchants, that her Majesty might
receive satisfaction suitable to the charge she gave us therein ;
which having fallen out contrary to our expectation and to the
promise that some of them made, as Paul Buys, Dr. Francis
[qy. Junius], and one other, and to that which by the
Zealanders' obligation to the merchants and the Prince's
instructions to Taffin should have been performed, whereby
they seek relief from her Majesty by the usual means, which
will fall out very prejudicious to the Hollanders and
Zealanders, you will do well to make the Prince and States-General
take such order with the States of Holland and Zealand
by way of commission or otherwise, that the state of the case between
those two Islands may be considered and such order taken that her
Majesty's subjects may be satisfied in their lawful demands, lest they
be otherwise provided for by order from hence, which will not fall
out to be so well for the liking of those countries, and I would be
loth should take effect.Richmond, 6 Nov. 1578.
Add. Endd. 2 pp. [Holl. and Fl. X. 16.]
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Oct. 26Nov. 6.
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357. Two extracts from Walsingham's letters of Oct. 26 and
Nov. 6, translated into French by Davison, and endd. On the
back, in Davison's writing, is a list of names : Embise, Creveld,
gen., Hurlebleck, eschevin, Campen, Pistre, Meighem, et envers
2 or 3 du 18. Conducteurs de ce farce, Beutrich, Dathenus. Fr.
1 pp. [Ibid. X. 17.]
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Nov. 7.
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358. RAYMOND DE FORNARI to DAVIDSON.
I arrived safely at the camp with the money, and the next day we
began to reckon part of it. On Thursday the camp moved from
Ligny to Walhen [Walhain] ; the next day to 'Sidoigne,' thence to
Tillemont, where we stayed two days, going on the second day to
Leeuw ; from thence to St. Truyen in the territory of Liege, and
from St. Truyen to Tongeren [Tongres], where we are waiting to-day,
and no one knows which way we are going. It seems that the reiters
are inclined, for want of pay, to make this ignorance a ground of
mutiny ; for as it is conjectured, there is an intention to lead some
of them towards the Meuse, and there dismiss them ; but no one
knows the truth. They are devastating the country so that it is a
pity ; sparing neither sacred things nor profane, and respecting
neither sex nor age, but carrying off everything, to the very nails.
Here indeed they stripped men and women as bare as nature
made them, and turned them thus naked out of their houses, a
pitiful sight to behold.
M. d'Argenlieu's companies have decamped and gone off to
Flanders, which causes great disgust. I could write a good deal,
but for fear of the letter being intercepted by the enemy I leave it
alone. The road is very dangerous and for this reason I have not
ventured to start for Antwerp. I think from Maestricht I shall be
obliged on my return to go by the Meuse to Dordrecht, seeing no
other way open and safe.
Captain Mornow with some Scotch fell in with 100 Spanish
cavalry. They killed 40 of them and took two prisoners.
Mr Norris, Morgan, Yorke, Bingham, and all the rest send their
affectionate remembrances to you. I am writing in haste because
a post whom Count Bossu is sending is taking horse to start.
Borchloen, 11 p.m. 7 Nov. 1578.
Add. Endd. Fr. 1 p. [Holl. and Fl. X. 18.]
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Nov. 9.
Lettres de C.
de M. VI. 113
(but apparently
not from
the original).
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359. QUEEN MOTHER to the QUEEN.
My son the Duke of Anjou having informed me that he was
sending to you M. de Simier about a matter which I more than ever
desire to see brought so to pass that I may have the satisfaction
before I die of seeing one of the children of the king my lord who
was so fond of you, brought so near to you that by doing you good
service he may testify the friendship he bears you, and I also ;
I have thought to accompany him with this present to testify my
affection both in this matter, and to you personally, and to beg you
this time to bring to effect that which I have so often sought of you.
My only regret is that the business of my son the king on which I
have come here will not permit me to be back again when my son
goes to you, to have one of the greatest satisfactions I could have in
seeing you both (toudeus) together. I hope, however, that God will
allow me to effect that for which I came here, namely, to carry out
in all points the edict of pacification which the king my son has
granted to his subjects, as a thing done with the contentment of all,
sworn by them, and promised by him. For this cause I lose the
pleasure of seeing you which I have so much desired, and of which
I do not despair, as you wish to see him ; which will not be in order
to send him back to us, but to carry out so good a work. This
being so, I feel sure you will like me to have the satisfaction of
seeing you. I pray that God will grant me this favour, and will
keep me in yours, not as I have hitherto been, but with the fortune
to be a mother to you.L'isle-en-J[ourdain], 9 Nov. 1578.
Holograph. Add. Endd. by L. Tomson. Fr. 1 pp.
[France II. 82.]
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Nov. 9.
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360. Copy of the above made in England. Endd. by L. Tomson.
Fr. 1 p. Also :
The French King to the Queen.
Heaven, all parts of which are moved by the Eternal who dwells
and rules there, having as I believe willed to make a work as perfect
as you are recognised throughout the universe to be, has also endowed
you with a wit so bright and surpassing all others, that you will be well
able to make choice of him who having dedicated himself to your
service vows himself to it more and more, with all the affection and
faithful service that the Creator has permitted his creatures to bear.
I say this for a brother whom God has given me, who wishes by
his affection to render himself acceptable to your perfection. I
speak not only on account of his relationship, but because I think
that if you honour him with your favour you will have no cause to
repent it.Paris. Forgive me for not signing at the foot, the page
was full.
Copy, made in England. Endd. by L. Tomson. Fr. 1 p.
[France II. 83.]
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361. Later copy, in a French hand, on paper watermarked 1799.
2 pp. [Ibid. II. 83a.]
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Nov. 9.
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362. ROSSEL to WALSINGHAM.
I hope her Majesty approves of my giving a miscellaneous
account of occurrents, good and bad, as the altered season brings
them forth ; some trustworthy, others trivial with some appearance
of truth, others as it were not credible ; leaving it to time to clear
them up. I say this because in my former letters you may have
found some details rather trifling and may condemn me for trifling
in writing them. But I did it with a good intent, feeling sure that
the adviser of her Majesty's agent, more solid through his being in
familiar correspondence with (sic) will correct my discourses ;
so I resolve to continue.
In my last, of the 2nd, I gave the reason for the return of the
commissioners sent to arrange the difficulties between those of
Ghent and the Walloons. They were not to be reconciled, each
being egged on by others ; the Walloons by the league of malcontents
at Mons, the Gantois by Casimir, which some people imputed to her
Majesty.
If I dared to write and talk about it, I would tell you the truth of
the proceedings recognised and discovered, eight months ago : when
the threefold partition was negotiated.
Mr Davison, with Councillor Meetkerke, and the burgomaster
of Antwerp, 'Stralle,' have gone to Ghent to renew the negotiation ;
I do not know whether by her Majesty's wish. M. de Rumer and
M. d'Ohen, postmaster-general, follow them for the same purpose.
It is all in vain, for the plot is decided upon. What is being done
is only to amuse the ignorant ; but I suspect the people perceive it.
In pursuance of this subject, MM. des Pruneaux and Rochepot
have arrived at Antwerp. They call upon the Estates, on the part
of Monsieur, to fulfil their promises, otherwise he will declare for
the Walloons. You see that prince's holy intention. He excuses
himself for taking Mortagne, an important place on the Scheldt
near Tournay, between two navigable rivers, one coming from
Hainault, the other from Artois ; where his French have killed a
good many citizens of Tournay, on the pretence that they can cut
off the access of victuals to the Gantois and bring those of Tournay
to their devotion.
Duke Casimir wants to be declared general of the army of Ghent,
having previously published a justification which he is having
printed. There is ambition for you! A counsellor of his, by name
Salegre [Zuleger] not being disposed to back him in his design,
has been dismissed. Beutrich came to Antwerp last night ; we
shall learn to what end, in this Flanders affair.
The men of M. d'Argentlieu's regiment have torn up their colours
and are off to Ghent. All those who have followed Casimir will do
the like. Captains have been deputed by the Gantois, and are at
Brussels and Antwerp, debauching good soldiers from the camp,
Scotch and others, to get them into their service. The consequences
will be dangerous if Casimir's French who are at Ghent come to an
understanding with those of M. d'Alenon.
The Hollanders have cashiered Isenstein's regiment, which they
were keeping at the camp, and have sent them back to the frontier
of Holland to get their pay ; a timely stratagem.
Our camp is around Leeuw and Diest. It is reported (l'on bruyt)
that they have opened approaches to batter Leeuw. Certain news
can hardly be had from the camp because they are surrounded by
the enemy, and we can only get news with the provision and convoy.
Affairs in France are strangely mixed. The Parliament of Dijon
has made a complaint to the other parliaments of the king's permitting
his brother to infringe the neutrality, sworn formerly by the
king, between the county and duchy of Burgundy and the Swiss,
and things stand on these terms : the said parliament wants to
make war on the king, and have asked advice of the Prince of
Orange (as he says) about the choice of a chief, to wit, Monsieur or
M. de Guise ; a strange stratagem, and hard to believe.
The Queen Mother has been (or is, if she be not dead, as has been
stated) at Libourne, whence she has carried on hourly negotiation
with the King of Spain, who is at Mousson [qy. Monon]. The
tendency of her negotiation is altogether against her Majesty and
to the ruin of the Low Countries. I entreat you to consider deeply
the position, Queen Mother at Libourne, the King at Fontainebleau,
M. de Guise in the Duchy of Burgundy, Monsieur in Hainault,
Casimir in Flanders, the Prince of Orange at Antwerp in Brabant.
That is how they are mixed. Let us proceed.
According to letters from Spain, intercepted since Don John's
death, the eldest son of Spain, by name Ferdinand, is dead. You
see the ordinary sequence : one casual thing brings about three
mishaps.
A personage of state, a man of business, report that the King of
Spain has come to terms with the Genoese about the great
bankruptcy ; under which he has begun to pay them. By the same
it is agreed that they shall receive all the gold exported from Spain
to recoin, and strike pistoles of a value enhanced by one-third, which
shall bear the arms of Milan.
All the money for the enemy's army comes to Paris, to the house
of one Capelle near St. James the Great. Some comes to Rouen by
favour of the Spanish merchants there ; but it is not known if
practices and intelligences are afoot to surprise the money in question
which will be ruinous to the enemy.
A Spaniard named Malvande, retired to Rouen, the same who
furnished 100,000 crowns to Don John after having conducted him
by Antwerp as far as Mechlin and shown him the castle and the
universities of the town, is in despair at Don John's death,
foreseeing, with all the merchants who have withdrawn, an ill issue
to their affairs. He would be glad of means to return here.
We are informed that the enemy are so exhausted that they are
seeking every means of peace ; and we are accordingly always in
hope of some means propitious to peace.
I know for certain of more than one practice on foot to get the
Count of Buren out of Spain. There is great hope of being able
to manage this, and the Prince takes a hand in it, which up to now
he has never been willing to do.
The negotiation mentioned in the last paragraph of my last has
failed because it was not seen to in time.
I have set down all the occurrences in confusion ; a chaos from
which you will please supply her Majesty, and draw from it
whatever may be of service to you, like a bee drawing the sweetness
of her honey from a confusion of flowers. What may be drawn from
these reports is the knowledge of the affairs of states in general,
which may enable her Majesty to build up universal repose and
peace.Antwerp, 9 Nov. 1578.
Add. Endd. Fr. 5 pp. [Holl. and Fl. X. 19.]
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Nov. 10.
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363. GILLES DE MONCHEAUX to FRANOIS DE MONCHEAUX.
Your packet of letters arrived safely by the hand of M. de
Beaucamp, and as he was prevented from putting them into the hands
of the person to whom they were addressed, the brother of Mme La
Brieuse was so opportunely in this town that we showed them to
him to know what he thought of it. He undertook to communicate
them himself to M. de Cappres, who thinks it well they should be
given to the person to whom they are addressed, after he had taken
a copy of your letter. He found the discourse very good, and the
last article in which you offer to make the journey. But there is,
he says, a mistake where you say that his Majesty desires to maintain
the Pacification of Ghent. Do not in future touch on that in
your letters, if you send any ; because the people on all occasions
talk only of maintaining it. He was surprised that there had been
so much delay in writing and still more that the letter was not
addressed to him, seeing the good offices he has for a long time past
brought about for the King's service, putting himself out of favour
with many, as he said to the said gentleman. That gentleman sent
for me to sup with him yesterday evening at his brother-in-law's.
He told me he was quite sure that the governor was now
quite resolved to be reconciled with the King, and would do his
best to bring others over ; for which reason he said you would do
well to write to him and get the King and his Excellency to write to
him and even our former governor ; saying that he was his good
friend. An alderman was invited with me, to whom your letter was
handed. This morning he laid it before a full assembly of
magistrates, where the governor was sent for. They have returned
the letter to the alderman, as well as the letter for Tournay, because
it was not addressed to them, charging him to restore them to the
person who handed them to him. Where it was found, I cannot
say.
The gentleman aforesaid commends himself to your favour. He
has undertaken to deliver those for Douay, Lille, Tournay, Orchies.
He starts to-morrow for Douay, next day Lille, &c.From your
house, St. Martin's eve, 1578.
Copy. [Qy. from Poulet.] Endd. : 'A Franois de Moncheaux de
la part de Gilles de Moncheaux, demeurant Arras. Fr. 1 p.
[Holl. and Fl. X. 20.]
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Nov. 10.
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364. DUKE CASIMIR to DAVISON.
I return the copy of the document which you sent me, and which
you entitle a summary of what you set before me last Saturday in
the name of your mistress. I have found several things in it which
you have not yet said to me, and I find it throughout such that
it is quite worth while for mewithout troubling you further by
discussing these things with youto enlighten her Majesty on all
the points of it, for her satisfaction. This I am sure will be easy,
the document in question so far as it concerns me being wholly
founded on false reasons and maxims. And I doubt strongly if her
Majesty, whom I have always honoured for her prudence, has been
willing thus to judge me without previous hearing ; though to tell
the truth, I recognise no judges of my actions and conduct save God
and the Empire. Meanwhile I would have you to know that nothing
will be found in my actions unworthy of a prince, and for which I
cannot account to God and man.Ghent, 10 Nov. 1591.
Add. Endd. Fr. 1 p. [Holl. and Fl. X. 21.]
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