| 6 Dec. |
199. The Same to the Same.
I send herewith the copy of reply given by the Queen to the
representations and protest presented by the French ambassador
recently. I was unable to enclose it, as I said in mine of the 22nd
ultimo, as great efforts were made here to prevent me from obtaining
it, and they went to the length even of getting the ambassador's
word that he would not give me a copy. They are right in trying
to hide it from people, as it is a most irrelevant document and in
some respects very prejudicial, especially where it says that those
princes who do not approve of this Queens action in France are
her enemies, which is plainly directed at your Majesty. Notwithstanding
all these vapourings and the preparations being made to
send fresh ships, troops and munitions to Havre de Grace, and the
diligence in obtaining money they are showing in all possible ways,
they are trying to keep the peace negotiations on foot, and there
is no doubt that the conditions which I set forth in my previous
letter would be very acceptable to this Queen. I said recently in a
despatch to your Majesty that the Queen-Mother had written an
autograph letter to this Queen, which had been delivered to her by
the French ambassador. I have since heard that it is not true that
the Queen-Mother wrote the letter herself. The fact is that the
Ambassador Smith, either persuaded by the Cardinal de Ferrara or
instructed by his mistress, spoke with the Queen-Mother on the day
she left Rouen for Paris, and proposed that negotiations for peace
should be opened. He says that he found her very well disposed
towards it, and desirous that this Queen should send some personage
to interpose between the King and the prince of Condé, and told
him that she would write to this Queen about it. This having been
repeated it was magnified into the statement which I heard and
transmitted to your Majesty that the autograph letter had actually
come. In conversation since with the French ambassador he tells
me that the Queen-Mother only writes to him to the effect that
Smith had spoken to her and proposed peace, which she at once
agreed to, on condition that the terms were such as to be acceptable
to the King, her son. In addition to this she (the Queen-Mother)
says that Smith had requested permission to send a man to the
prince of Condé, but that this had been refused, and he was told
that if he wished to write to Orleans he should hand his letters to
Secretary Bordin, who would send them by a herald. She concluded
by saying that Smith had urged her greatly to write to this Queen,
requesting her to intervene in the interests of peace if she desired
that these tumults in France should be settled in a friendly way
rather than by warfare. The Ambassador says that the Queen-Mother
replied that she had no reason to write to this Queen on
that or any other subject until the latter had withdrawn her troops
from Normandy and evacuated the fortress of Havre de Grace. She
would, however, certainly listen to any proposals the Queen had to
make, and would give them every consideration, always on the
understanding that the proposals were directed to the interests of
her son. From what Smith wrote the Queen's Council have sent a
secretary of the Council named Somers to the French ambassador
to ask him whether he had a letter from the Queen-Mother to the
Queen, or instructions to treat of the proposed agreement and the
sending of a personage to France. The Ambassador replied that he
had neither, but simply an advice of what Smith had proposed, and
showed some of the paragraphs of his Mistress' letter on the subject,
whereat he says Somers was much astonished, and they have not
said anything to him since. However it may be, my own opinion is
that both of these Queens would like to come to an agreement, and
if they do not stick on the question of Calais, which is a troublesome
one, I do not believe the other points will present any difficulty, as
I have already told your Majesty. I hear also that there are
certain disputes between this Queen and the prince of Conde, and
Montgomeri has gone back much aggrieved and scandalised at the
scant courtesy he met with here. It happened that as soon as he
arrived here one of his servants walking in the streets killed an
Englishman, for which he was taken to prison. The dispute having
arisen out of insulting words used by the Frenchman and the Englishman
towards their respective countries it is surprising what a
strong feeling was caused on both sides, and if the christian King
agrees with his rebellious subjects without the intervention of the
queen of England—which is quite probable if it be true that the
prince of Condé is on bad terms with this Queen—I do not see how
she can persevere in her enterprise, or come to an agreement without
damaging her prestige. But those who rule here care nothing about
this so long as they can keep heresy afoot in France, by which
means they think, in the long run, to compass all they desire.
This week Lord Robert wrote to M. de D'Anville, son of the
constable of France, telling him that if he would come here and
the Constable was willing to make an honourable peace he was sure
the Queen would be pleased. I think that, apart from other designs,
this is directed at the separation of the Constable from his friendship
with the duke of Guise. The letter was taken by a German
captain named Dees, the companion' of a certain Christopher
Prundhomme, who was arrested at Valenciennes lately, respecting
whom I have written to the duchess of Parma, telling her what I
hear. Both of them came here lately with the pretext of serving
Lord Robert and the Queen, and I think they do so but with small
benefit to the interests of your Majesty or to the cause of the French
Catholics.
They have news here this week that the English, having gone out
of Havre de Grace to prevent the troops of the Rheingraf from
constructing a fort near that place, the French fell upon them, and
it is said inflicted great injury, hundreds of English being killed.
As a counterpoise to this bad news Cecil publishes that the Prince
of Condé had entered into Corbeille, routing and taking prisoner
Marshal St. André with 4,000 men he had there. The Catholics
here are very disconsolate at the news.
The French ambassador tells me that this Queen is sending to
Antwerp for money, and although he did not say it in so many
words, I think they are aggrieved that she should be allowed to
raise money in your Majesty's dominions, and he is quite scandalised
to see that they have compelled seven or eight Flemish ships bound
to Bordeaux and to Spain to discharge their cargoes of wheat here
to grind into flour for the supply of Havre de Grace. In this
matter, however, he knows I have done all I could to prevent the
discharge, and that the injury is done to merchants who are your
Majesty's vassals.
The earl of Lennox is at Sion House with his wife, and it seems
that his release from the castle was rather a change of prison than
a liberation. Arthur Pole has confessed that he was going to France
with the view of serving the Guises, so that if the queen of Scotland
should inherit this kingdom she might give him the dukedom of
Clarence, which he claims to be entitled to. This is the meaning of
the passage in the Queen's reply, copy of which is enclosed, speaking
of the Guises having an understanding with rebels and enemies of
the Crown in this country.
The Marquis Treasurer is about to resign both his treasurership
and his office as Councillor, as he says that on two subjects of grave
importance they have rejected his advice, and he is not willing that
they should reject it a third time. He and others are deeply
dissatisfied. I think these Catholic gentlemen are arranging between
them how they can defeat the proposals which are to be made in
the present Parliament, and of which they do not approve, and I
believe they will content themselves with trying to prevent any
more harm being done than is already effected, as they say they
have not strength enough, though they lack not the will, both to
remedy existing evils and prevent further ill being done. They are
awaiting the issue of events in France between hope and fear in
great suspense of mind.
The ships which are being fitted out will be told off, five of them
to guard the coast from Cornwall to the Isle of Wight, and from
thence to the Downs four more. The other two with two small
vessels will sail next week for Guinea, notwithstanding the representations
made here on behalf of the king of Portugal respecting
these expeditions.—London, 6th December 1562. |
