Simancas: September 1585 | British History Online

Calendar of State Papers, Spain (Simancas), Volume 3, 1580-1586. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1896.

Citation:

'Simancas: September 1585', in Calendar of State Papers, Spain (Simancas), Volume 3, 1580-1586, ed. Martin A S Hume( London, 1896), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/simancas/vol3/pp544-547 [accessed 27 November 2024].

September 1585



6 Sept. Paris Archives, K. 1448. 31.	405. The King to Bernardino De Mendoza. You will use every effort to obtain constant and trustworthy information from England, with regard to naval armaments, and send it to me punctually, because when we are not sure of our information we hear only confused reports which cause anxiety. If, however, on the 16th August Drake was still at Plymouth, as you report, perhaps he will not do so much harm this year as he threatened.—Monzon, 6th September 1585. Note.—In another letter of the same date from the King to Mendoza the following passage occurs :—The number of ships that have left England seems very large, and you will in future try to have people in the English ports who, from their own observation, will be able to report to you what armaments are being prepared, in time for the information to arrive here soon enough for the necessary precautions to be taken. I send you 8,000 crowns, out of which you will at once pay 2,000 to the seminary at Rheims.
11 Sept. Paris Archives, K. 1563. 146.	406. Bernardino De Mendoza to the King. I have no later news from England than those of 21st ultimo, advising me that some of the men of Drake's fleet were in London at that date, who said that he was at Plymouth with all his ships, and could not sail in less than a fortnight at the earliest. M. de Chateauneuf, the French ambassador, who had gone thither to reside, (fn. 1) had audience of the Queen on the 18th, and had been received with great warmth, she having sent a ship to Calais to bring him over. About 2,000 Englishmen had gone to Zeeland under Colonel Norris, and 4,000 more were to follow. The latter force was being raised and it was said that the leader of it would be the earl of Oxford. Horatio Pallavicini, a heretic Genoese merchant resident in England, came from the Queen to negotiate with this King for the payment to her of 300,000 crowns she had lent to the duke of Anjou, (fn. 2) he, the King, being his heir. I understand he replied that he would endeavour to provide for the payment of the amount, but under this pretext the real object of Pallavicini's coming was to represent to the King the evils which might result from a war upon the prince of Bearn and the Huguenots, the sole cause of such a war being the house of Guise. She said that as the other side were of her religion, she must tell the King plainly at once that she could not refrain from helping them, and other princes would do the same, particularly the king of Denmark. The king of France replied in general terms, and Pallavicini took his departure. Lord Russell, the eldest son of the earl of Bedford, who was married to a daughter of Lord Forster, (fn. 3) one of the constables of the Scotch Border, was recently in the house of his father-in-law, where the people of the marches periodically meet before the governors of the provinces, and mutually arrange the robberies that have been committed on both sides during the previous three months. They always go armed to these meetings, and a number of pedlars attend with their wares. An English gentleman had bought a pair of spurs from a Scotch pedlar for which he refused to pay, and upon a remark in condemnation of this from a Scotch gentleman, the Englishman gave the latter a blow. The whole fair was set in a tumult, and each nation took sides. During the tight Lord Russell came out, attracted by the noise, and was killed, as well as many other Englishmen. The matter at last got so serious that both Forster and the Scotch governor, (fn. 4) who was in his house, thought it most prudent to stay indoors. The English ambassador, Wotton, hearing of this, and the damage that had been suffered by Englishmen, complained bitterly to the king of Scotland about it, and cast the blame of the disorder upon the earl of Arran, who was concerned in it, and was a declared enemy of the English. The King ordered the earl of Arran to remain in a castle until he justified himself, and he was there for three days. The reason why Wotton told the King that Arran was the declared enemy of the English was that he, Arran, was the first person who had openly opposed the league that Wotton was trying to negotiate between the king of Scotland and the queen of England for mutual offence and defence, although the earl of Huntly and other nobles were also against it. Notwithstanding this, letters of 17th ultimo from Scotland report that the King had concluded a defensive league with England, with the intention of preserving his religion, and with a special clause saying that the terms of the treaty were in no respect to contravene his old alliances with the crown of France, as the whole country was unanimous in condemning an English treaty, unless on this understanding. The Danish ambassadors had arrived, but the King had deferred receiving them, as the rumour was current that their mission was to ask for the cession of the Orkney isles and Shetlands, which long ago belonged to the crown of Denmark and had been pledged to Scotland, and if the embassy met with a good reception from the King they were empowered to treat of his marriage with the daughter of their master. I have received a letter from England, dated 30th ultimo, whilst writing this, but it gives no fresh news, except that the earl of Oxford had left on the previous night for Zeeland by the Queen's orders.—Paris, 11th September 1585.
11 Sept. Paris Archives, K. 1563. 115.	407. Bernardino De Mendoza to he King. I understand that Don Antonio did not embark on a French ship, but went with four English ships which had brought over an embassy from the queen of England to the prince of Bearn, and on their return they carried Don Antonio back with them. It is reported that there has been a disturbance in Drake's fleet, and that Drake had killed one of the captains. I have been unable to discover more particulars.
19 Sept. Paris Archives, K. 1563. 122.	408. Document headed "Advices from England, 19th September 1585." The earl of Shrewsbury had left to go to Derbyshire, he being Lord-Lieutenant of the two counties of Derbyshire and Stafford. When he took leave of the queen of England he kissed her hand for having, as he said, freed him from two devils, namely, the queen of Scotland and his wife. (fn. 5) He urged the Queen not to trust to foreign friendship, and to take Holland and Zeeland under her protection, offering, if she wished it, to go in person thither and to maintain 2,000 men at his own expense. The queen of Scotland is well in health and is guarded very strictly by Sir Amyas Paulet, who has placed 40 of his own men as her guard and watchers, and constant reports are made of what the Queen and her servants do and say. There is great disagreement between the earl of Leicester and the Lord Treasurer, Cecil persuading the Queen not to break with the house of Burgundy, whilst Leicester uses all his great influence with the Queen to bring her to an opposite course, and to weaken the party of the Lord Treasurer. Five or six thousand English soldiers have arrived in Flanders with the earl of Oxford and Colonel Norris, and it is said that Philip Sidney will follow them shortly to take possession of Flushing, whilst other gentlemen will go to assure the governships of other towns, and the earl of Leicester will then follow as chief of the expedition. At the beginning of this month Baron Willoughby left for Germany for the purpose of raising forces for the king of Navarre. The persecution and terror in England are so great, that the majority of the Catholics are endeavouring to get exiled to Germany, and they offer full security that they will not enter into any plots against the Queen, or give her any reason for complaint. The principal people who are making this request are Master Thomas Tresham, Master William Catesby, and Master Tichborne. The king of Scotland seems very dependent upon the queen of England, and to follow her humour entirely. Towards the end of September, the earl of Huntingdon and Baron Ewer for the queen of England, and Baron Sinclair and the earl of Northesk for the king of Scotland, will meet for the purpose of agreeing upon an offensive and defensive league. Lord Paget, Charles Paget, his brother, Thomas Throgmorton, Thomas Morgan and Francis Arundel had been declared guilty of high treason. It is reported from Scotland that Baron Fernihurst is still held prisoner in England on account of the death of the son of the earl of Bedford. Father Edmund the Scotch jesuit who was in Scotland with another companion, claims to have reconciled to the Catholic church over 10,000 souls in six months.