Elizabeth: April 1585, 11-15 | British History Online

Calendar of State Papers Foreign: Elizabeth, Volume 19, August 1584-August 1585. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1916.

Citation:

'Elizabeth: April 1585, 11-15', in Calendar of State Papers Foreign: Elizabeth, Volume 19, August 1584-August 1585, ed. Sophie Crawford Lomas( London, 1916), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/foreign/vol19/pp412-415 [accessed 25 November 2024].

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April 1585, 11–15



April 12.	Geoffrey Le Brumen to Walsingham.
	I send the letters M. d' Angroignes should have brought you from M. Segur, but that he has gone to distribute the others. Also summary of news received from Paris. [See p. 404 above.] Those of Peronne and Picardy will do to the Cardinal de Bourbon as those of Rheims have done to M. de Guise. Those who come from Bordeaux speak only fair words, denying that towns have revolted.
	At Rouen they are still very well inclined; there are murmurings sometimes but they are dying down. Misfortunes must happen in some places, but if each will exert himself betimes, the violence and designs of the popish party will easily be repelled.
	Among the Malcontents deceased in Flanders is the Baron d' Aubigni. I await your commands to come to you.—London, April 12, 1585.
	Add. Endd. “From Mr. Geffrey.” Fr. ¾ p. [France XIII. 100.]
April 13. (fn. 1)	Count Neuwenar to Davison.
	Praying him to give credence to Bernardt de Hoevel, a gentleman of his household, whom he is sending to lay certain matters before his honour. Arnhem, 13 April, 1585.
	Signed. Add. Fr. ¾ p. [Holland I. 98.]
April 14.	Davison to Walsingham.
	Recommending Captain Wilson as honest and valiant, and “inferior to few or no Englishman of his sort that hath served here since the troubles.” Although the man is (as he hears) one whom his honour already favours, yet he sends this testimony in hopes (if her Majesty shall employ any forces this way) he will not be the slacker in his favour towards one who “having lost divers of his bones in this action already, would be glad to offer up the rest with his life in her Majesty's service.” The Hague, 14 April, 1585.
	Holograph. Add. Endd. ¾ p. [Ibid. I. 99.]
April 14.	Davison to Walsingham.
	I have heard nothing from you since M. de Grise's arrival. I hope by this time you have received the answer by Burnham and other letters sent since by Mr. Bruyn.
	This day the deputies of Holland (who went to report to their magistrates what was resolved touching the treaty with her Majesty and to receive their authority) are to return thither, the rest having “term” to May 1st, by their account. It is “borne in hand” that the commissioners will be in England before the end of this month.
	“It importeth greatly, to fortify the courage of those of Antwerp and entertain the rest that would run headlong to the Spaniard if her Majesty abandon them,” to return a comfortable answer for provisional succour; lest, refused in so small a matter, they should despair of the rest. I leave it to you that she do not “prejudge” what is done as to sovereignty; the resolution being already taken, and I having no charge to dissuade it, nor seeing how “they might come with offers less advantageable to her than they had presented to the French.” In the meantime I would wish nothing were said to Ortell prejudging this resolution, lest it discomfort those who hope she will embrace the same and drive them to spend more time in a new deliberation than the necessity of their state may suffer.
	I pray you to procure me leave to return with these commissioners, both to satisfy her Majesty and you in many particularities (and the rather that I shall have nothing to do here when the commissioners are gone and the States returned home) and also for my private affairs.—The Hague, 14 April, 1585.
	Holograph. Add. Endd. 1 p. [Holland I. 100.]
April 14/24.	Captain James to Walsingham.
	Being here in Lillo in the service of these Low Countries, I have met with divers Englishmen serving one Captain Dyspontyne, in a fort called “Turnues,” who tell me they have killed one George Norton, a very old man, between Ghent and Bruges, who was taken on horseback, and having a great blow on the head with a culiver, died as they were returning to their place of strength, and seeing he must die, told them who he was. And since, in the same place, they have taken another Englishman named Anthony Frogmorton, who, not being able to pay his ransom, asked to be allowed to serve with them, who has since confessed that he was a kinsman of the Frogmorton who suffered, “and that he had not been with the enemy not above two months afore; he confessed moreover he was glad he was out of England.”
	If you think he merits to be apprehended, you may write to Count Morrys, who will send him over. In the meantime I have set a spy on him.
	I know you are not unacquainted with the service Count Hollock has done. He has been here before Lillo with some thirty sail of small ships and two great hulks about five weeks, and has won four forts and a castle; things of small importance as concerning opening the bridge, but that, in my judgment, is impossible to be done with no more force by land than 1,500 soldiers, a small number to encounter the King's force. They of Antwerp and Count Hollock mean to cut a dyke called Coulestene dyke, (fn. 2) and so to pass with small scuts to victual the town. Great provision is made on both sides for doing this with small boats. The enemy has bent all his force to defend the scance they have made between a castle at the end of the dyke and the fort of Ordam on the said Coulestene dyke, with seventeen strong trenches and at the least thirty companies of Spaniards on the dyke for its defence.
	I crave your pardon in giving my opinion concerning the Prince of Epinoy, who is married in France to Madam Longueville (Languveild), a man greatly feared of the Walloons. If you would promise him the government of Tournay again you would find him so tractable that he would draw many of the nobility from the enemy, considering that his brother and mortal enemy, the Marquis of Richebourg (Rysbrucke), is dead. The old Count Mansfeld is his father in law, who is master of the King's camp, and M. Montigny (Monteney) his brother[-in-law].
	“The Walloons are half in a revolt already, and hearing that her Majesty will take the country in hand, they grow further in terms.” Epinoy is greatly beloved of his country.—Camp near Lillo, 24 April, 1585.
	Add. Endd. 2¾ pp. [Flanders I. 16.]
April 15.	Stafford to Walsingham.
	This young gentleman, Mr. Thomas Paulet, being advised by the physicians here, for a disease in his lungs, to return to England, into his native air, which is the only way to cure him, has requested passport “for his more free passage,” which I have readily granted him with the condition that upon his arrival he should present himself to you and attend your pleasure; for I hope that (having been brought up here in papistry) by your means and counsel some good may be wrought for the health both of his soul and body, he being but young, “though obstinate in his perverse opinions.”—Paris, 15 April, 1585.
	Add. Endd. ½ p. [France XIII. 101.]