| 3 Sept. |
420. Antonio De Guaras to Zayas.
On the 27th ultimo I sent my last report and there is little fresh
to say. A friend of mine has arrived from Holland and reports
that the prince of Orange received news in Dortrecht that, on the
20th of August, Condé and his friends were arranging in Germany
to provide means of getting into marching order and that they had
raised three thousand horse to be commanded by Duke Casimir, son
of the Palatine, besides four thousand foot and that Condé was
leaving to see the Palatine, in order to arrange a day for their
departure and the particulars of the enterprise. It would seem by
this that some time in August they will try to enter France and
endeavour to join M. D'Anville, who has fourteen thousand harquebussiers
and four thousand French horse, besides which they will
leave the strong places which are held by the King's enemies well
protected. He tells me too, that the Englishmen who accompanied
them were Captains Stafford, Bingham Villiers (?), and Hopton
My friend gives me these news as certain, but they do not appear
to me to be entirely so.
Captain John Morgan tells me that, if his Excellency will send
him a patent and permission, such as has been granted to other
Englishmen, he will, at his own cost, fit our four good ships to pursue
his Majesty's rebels. He is certainly a brave lad and will do good
and faithful service.
Captain Martin Frobisher has decided to go to Flanders to see
his Excellency about the great services which he hopes to render,
and he will leave in a week. He is the best seaman and the bravest
in this country, and his great name and valour will be already
known in Flanders. I have promised him a safe conduct to go and
come free from debt and the consequences of part events, if no
arrangement is made there. The good news of the surrender of
Schoonhoven has arrived at Court, and it is expected that Orange
himself will leave the States in despair before Christmas, convinced,
as all must be, that he will get no help from France and less public
aid from England.
As I have reported, two of the Queen's ships were being fitted
and they have now begun to equip two more. Three private ships
are sailing from the North, and the presumption is that they are all
intended for the enterprise, as well as the army which is being raised
in Germany.
It becomes every day more evident that the people here are
making great efforts to obtain possession of the prince of Scotland,
His good mother is well.—London, 3rd September 1575. |
| 17 Sept. |
421. Antonio De Guaras to Zayas.
My last report was dated the 10th, and I have since received his
Excellency's letter of the 11th, with that enclosed for the Queen,
who is now fifty miles from here. In accordance with his Excellency's
orders, as soon as news arrives of the appearance of our
fleet on the coast, I will at once go to the Queen and deliver the
letter personally. I will also endeavour to get a letter from her to
all the justices of the ports, so that our men may be supplied, by
purchase, with such victuals as they require, and be welcomed as
friends. This order I will take or send to wherever the fleet may
be, and will serve the commander personally to the best of my
ability. In the meanwhile, not a word shall be whispered on the
subject. I wrote on the 10th that the Queen and Council knew of
the coming of the fleet, and had consequently raised eight hundred
soldiers to send to the Isle of Wight, prompted by their unnecessary
suspicion, the King being as affectionate to this Queen as ever, and
as desirous of maintaining old friendship. When certain news
comes of the arrival of the fleet, I will write advising his Excellency
thereof, as well as taking the necessary steps at Court.
News from Holland and Zealand make us hope that our army will
prevail in Dortrecht, and that that bad town will soon be confounded.
All the news received at Court and by the rebels here
is that Orange and his friends are so routed that they cannot
resist much longer. It is said that fifteen thousand souls of these
rebels met in their congregations yesterday, and, as I am told, were
directed to offer up their prayers for Orange and his supporters, who
were in great danger of Spanish tyranny ; using these words and
worse. They were told it was therefore necessary to help them
with money, as they certainly will do again.
On the 10th I wrote that the English Colonel Chester had been
sent back to Orange from this Court with a curt reply, but they
sent after him and he returned. I do not know whether it was
for the promotion of the enterprise I have mentioned, or whether
it was to provide help for Orange. I have been told that they
have collected two sums, one of sixty thousand crowns in cash,
which has been sent abroad, and the other of forty thousand,
which they have sent to Antwerp through Thomas Smith. A
person who knows tells me that the cash is going to the Englishmen
in Condé's army, and the other money to be remitted to Orange,
which is to be repaid from the sum collected from the rebels here.
Every day more clearly is it proved that they are in earnest about
the enterprise I have mentioned, and a man who is concerned in it
has hinted to me (he could do no more, as they had sworn him to
keep the secret) that they had a great business in hand which he
could not tell me about. It appears he had especially to swear
that he would refrain from telling me anything. Circumstances
show, however, that Condé's army is being raised with the aforementioned
end in view,—London, 17th September 1575. |