1538.
Feb. 2.
H. H. u. St. A.
England, f. 8. |
Eustache Chapuys to Mary Of Hungary.
Yesterday morning King Henry was informed by letters from
his ambassador resident with the emperor [Sir Thomas Wyatt],
that the conference with the French had broken up without
concluding anything except the continuance of the truce until
June first. The king discussed this news with his council nearly
all day, and in the evening Cromwell sent word of it to me, adding
that Henry was now convinced of the emperor's good faith and of
the fickleness of the French, and that he was willing to agree to
the marriage of the Infante Dom Luiz of Portugal to his daughter,
without insisting on the points about the pope and the Council.
Further to confirm his friendship with the emperor, the king
offered to treat at the same time of his own marriage to the
duchess of Milan (Christine of Denmark), of whose virtue, beauty
and goodness he had heard high praise. The king therefore
asked me to write to the emperor, requesting him to ask your
majesty to go to Calais, bringing the duchess with you, and to
treat there of the two marriages, that of the princess and the
infante being certain to be concluded. Henry also asks that,
although he cannot forbid the Council because of the promises he
has made to the Germans, the emperor should agree to delay it
so that Henry can reflect further on what attitude he ought to
take towards it. In return, Henry offers to assist the emperor
with men and money in case of a Turkish invasion.
It seemed to me from the terms of the message that Cromwell
wanted to talk with me and I went to see him this morning. He
repeated and confirmed everything in his message, and added that
the English ambassador reported that there was some talk of
patching up the marriage between the duchess and the duke of
Cleves, and that Nassau and de Praet were going to Cleves for
this purpose. Cromwell begs your majesty to go no farther with
this negotiation until you hear from the emperor to whom Henry
wrote nearly three weeks ago about his marriage to the duchess of
Milan. Cromwell also told me that on Christmas Eve the French
ambassador, acting on express instructions, had offered Henry
a general alliance with France, "friends of friends and enemies of
enemies," without excepting anyone, even the pope. Henry had
replied that he had already treated enough with France and that
he had no wish to ally himself against anybody, but only to aid in
a general peace among all Christian princes. Sometime later the
French ambassador gave Henry to understand that King Francis
had refused the duchy of Milan, the renunciation of your majesty's
claims to the duchy of Burgundy, and the abrogation of the
treaties of Madrid and Cambrai, all because he wished to keep his
treaty with the king of England and not to consent to the celebration
of a general council against Henry's wishes. Henry was very
displeased, and said to the ambassador that it seemed he and his
master were making up stories in order to bargain with him, and
that he was not to be led by such means, which were all intended to
excuse the failure to pay him what was due to him. Henry said
he was not to be paid in such coin, and Cromwell affirms that he
has since sent to France to demand what is owing to him, according
to Cromwell more than eight hundred thousand écus au soleil.
Cromwell also said that yesterday the French ambassador had
presented himself at court with the information that the emperor
intended to go to Italy, principally for the celebration of the
Council, which Henry wanted to prevent, and that if he, Henry,
would join with the king of France, they could prevent it and
do great things. To this Henry replied that he had no fear of
the Council for several reasons, since it could only be considered
provincial and not general, and therefore could have no authority
to determine matters in this kingdom. Cromwell also said that
Henry was much annoyed with the bishop of Winchester [Stephen
Gardiner], his ambassador in France, who had written to him
about marrying the princess Mary to some Frenchman, although
he knew that the king was negotiating to marry her to Dom Luiz.
Just as I was writing this, Cromwell sent to tell me that he had
told the king of our conversation this morning, and that Henry
approved, and asked me to continue my good offices, and especially
to try to persuade the emperor to prorogue the Council.
As I understand it, these people here are in greater fear than
ever of the peace, particularly since the pope is the mediator, and
the legates recently sent to France and Spain will manage everything.
This is why the English speak us so finely, but fine as
their words are, they have little good-will either to contribute
to the defence against the Turks or to conclude the marriage of
the princess with the infante. As for Henry's marriage with the
duchess of Milan, I leave your majesty to consider how much
reason they have to wish to break off or to delay the match with
Cleves. Nevertheless it is better to dissimulate for the present.
They have not yet stated any definite terms for the princess'
marriage, and Don Diego and I have not pressed them, since we
do not know whether the birth of this prince may not have
changed the intentions of the king of Portugal.
London. The Feast of the Purification of Our Lady (Feb. 2),
1538.
Signed, Eustache Chapuys. French. pp. 5. |
