Spain: September 1543, 1-10 | British History Online

Calendar of State Papers, Spain, Volume 6 Part 2, 1542-1543. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1895.

Citation:

'Spain: September 1543, 1-10', in Calendar of State Papers, Spain, Volume 6 Part 2, 1542-1543, ed. Pascual de Gayangos( London, 1895), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/spain/vol6/no2/pp471-485 [accessed 27 November 2024].

September 1543, 1-10



1 Sept.	214. The Same to the Same.
Wien, Imp. Arch. Corresp. Engl., 11.	"Madame,"—Yesterday I wrote to Your Majesty the little I had to say respecting present affairs, but this morning I have received yours of the 28th of August, after the perusal of which I forwarded to Sir Jehan Gressam (fn. n1) the one enclosed for him. He has promised me to be as diligent as he possibly can in transmitting to Your Majesty the 3,000l. in specie. Two thousand of these will be in angelots, double ducats, and Hungarian ducats, and the remaining thousand in the same kind of gold coin of equivalent value. (fn. n2) He (Sir Jehan Gressam) will take care that the Staple of Calais advance at once the 2,000l. Sir John has taken so much pains about this that he well deserves being recommended to Your Majesty, and if he is only told that his services on this occasion have been agreeable it will spur him on to do service at a future time. That is why I beg and entreat Your Majesty to order that a receipt be made out for the 20,000 ducats which he, Jehan Gressam, and his brother Richard (fn. n3) have paid into Your Majesty's treasury, unless this formality has been already complied with.
	I am now at this very moment despatching a messenger to the King to announce to him the news contained in Your Majesty's letter, at which, I have no doubt, he will be most pleased, and especially at the offer of joining the fleet of those Low Countries to his own. On my man's return from Court I shall not fail to apprize Your Majesty.
	Meanwhile I most humbly request Your Majesty to be pleased to attend to my own private affairs and give orders for their settlement, that my man—who has already passed two full months in Brussels soliciting the settlement of my account, at great expense and personal inconvenience to me, owing to my being so long deprived of his services and not having him by me when wanted—may be able to return to me.—London, 1 September 1543.
	Signed: "Eustace Chapuys."
	French. Original. p. 1.
2 Sept.	215. The Same to the Same.
Wien, Imp. Arch. Corresp. Engl.	"Madame,"—Since my last of yesterday's date Sire Jehan Gressam has managed so well that he has procured angelots and ducats amounting to a sum of 3,000 pounds sterling, (fn. n4) which the present bearer will immediately deliver into the hands of whomsoever Your Majesty may designate to receive it. It now remains for Your Majesty to be pleased to order that a full acquittance may be drawn out in favor of Michiel Dormer, mayor of the Staple of Calais, Rodulpho Waren, Jehan and Rychard Gressam. (fn. n5) As to the 2,000l. remaining, I shall not cease to solicit the payment thereof, to which end, if Your Majesty were so pleased, I have no doubt a few gracious words spoken to the bearer in Your Majesty's name would contribute most powerfully.—London, 2 September 1543.
	Signed: "Eustace Chapuys."
	French. Original. p. 1.
5 Sept.	216. The Same to the Same.
Wien, Imp. Arch. Corresp. Engl., 11.	"Madame,"—The King and his privy councillors have manifested great pleasure and joy at hearing the last news which Your Majesty was pleased to communicate to me concerning Hungarian affairs, as well as respecting the equipment of the fleet and the offer of its being sent to these waters to join the English. They have likewise been very glad to hear of the Emperor's good health, and of the favorable commencement of his warlike operations, wishing, as they say, above all things for the complete success of the same, and being desirous to correspond on their own side. No signs whatever of resentment or compassion have I perceived in them on their hearing of the exemplary punishment inflicted on the duke of Clèves and his men, though they would evidently have been glad to see a copy of the summons sent to the inhabitants of Duren, and the reply to it. I had already acquainted them with the predatory incursion (buttess) made by Captain Maiere, though I must say that until the news was confirmed by Your Majesty they did not seem to attach much faith to my report. Nor did they either credit my report of Don Alvaro de Bazan's having defeated and captured on the coast of Galicia several French ships armed for war; though having been since officially informed of the one and of the other they have shown great satisfaction and joy.
	The privy councillors have said nothing to me respecting the intended junction of the Dutch fleet with their own, trusting no doubt that enough has been said and written about it. Perhaps they think that the season is too far advanced for anything important being achieved before winter. They have, however, insisted most particularly upon my reminding Your Majesty of the help and assistance promised by Your Majesty to their land forces, and at the same time begging the Emperor and Yourself, as if the application came exclusively from me, to advise their master and them from time to time of military events in Flanders and the Low Countries, as well as of the Emperor's intentions and plans for the future. On this last point I could not say more than I have already pointed out in previous despatches, nor is it necessary for me to recommend the compliance with the desire expressed by them, since the Emperor and Your Majesty know too well, indeed, better than any one else, how important it is to keep Your allies sufficiently well informed of Your plans and designs.
	A gentleman from Scotland has lately arrived here in London, of whom the King is making much. As soon as I hear what his errand or mission is, I shall not fail to inform Your Majesty.—London, 5 Sept. 1543.
	Signed: "Eustace Chapuys."
	French. Original. pp. 1½.
6 Sept.	217. The Same to the Emperor.
Wien, Imp. Arch. Corresp. Engl.	"Sire,"—I received this morning Your Imperial Majesty's letter of the 29th ult., as well as the documents and papers enclosed therein, of which I will avail myself according to Your Majesty's wishes.
	With regard to the men sent by this king to aid and assist the people of Flanders and the Low Countries in their war with the French, there is no fear of his recalling them before the expiration of the four months stipulated in the treaty, unless the duke of Aarshot and the count of Rœulx themselves should withdraw from the field, for this king is showing every desire of fulfilling to the letter the agreement made with Your Imperial Majesty. True is it that, as I announced in one of my late despatches, this king's privy councillors wrote to me a letter, which I have since forwarded to Mr. de Granvelle, wherein they express their discontent, and state that the King, their master, thought the force sent by Your Imperial Majesty to join his own was insufficient, and, therefore, that his men would not dare attack the enemy, who was in the neighbourhood. But I remonstrated against that statement, and said that if the state of affairs was such as had been represented, the French were the more to blame, since instead of relieving Landresis, in the immediate neighbourhood of which, besides the garrison and the inhabitants they had 3,000 men, they remained inactive in their camp. The King might thereby judge if the force sent by Your Imperial Majesty, though small, would not be sufficient to cope with the enemy's army. Besides which Your army, being a good deal more numerous than that of the enemy, it would have been inconsiderate and imprudent to raise the siege of Landresis in order to attack the enemy, who would, on the other hand, be obliged to fight at a disadvantage with Your Majesty's army. The King, their master, had done the same before Therouenne, and the manœuvre had completely succeeded. To these and other arguments of mine, verbally conveyed by my man, the privy councillors knew not what to answer; they looked at each other smiling and made no reply. (fn. n6)
	With regard to their complaint about the ships, the privy councillors were told by my man that the number of ships equipped and armed in Flanders was for the present quite sufficient; they had not lost their time, but had, on the contrary, harassed the enemy, and done more execution than the English themselves. That the commander of our fleet on his voyage to the coast of France had touched at the Downs, under the impression that he might find there the English fleet, and yet had not met with one single ship of it; seeing which he had continued to sail towards France not to lose time, as the five ships under the admiral of L'Excluse (fn. n7) had done at Dover, and although there was no clause in the treaty stipulating that the fleet of the Low Countries should join the English, yet Your Imperial Majesty and the Queen Regent herself had willingly consented to it, only that it seemed necessary and convenient that previously to his sailing for this coast the admiral of Flanders should be informed of this king's projects and where and how he intended attacking the enemy, in order that, according to the information received, he may provide his ships with ammunition, stores, and all necessaries. That although the fleet of Zeeland and L'Excluse had not perhaps the complement of men and crews stipulated, they ought to consider that several ships in Holland had been equipped and armed at their king's desire and recommendation to meet the people of Denmark, their common enemies, which ships, on the other hand, had not lost their time. If, however, they reckoned the men on board Don Alvaro de Bassan (Bazan's) fleet, they would find that Your Imperial Majesty had at sea double the force in ships and men that You were obliged by treaty to furnish, putting aside Your Imperial Majesty's Italian fleet, which in case of need, according to the letter of the treaty, might also co-operate with theirs.
	As to their complaining that the King, their master, had not been confidentially and in detail informed of Your Imperial Majesty's plans, the answer made to the privy councillors by my man was that, hearing from Mr. de Chantonnay that there was no indication or sign on the part of the King of the undertaking against France being carried out this year, Your Imperial Majesty had made no reply as to that, nor further communicated Your intention and plans, deeming it more advisable and expedient in the meantime to get nearer and nearer to the theatre of war and see what obstacles and difficulties You Yourself would meet in Your passage thither, without which precaution You could not possibly come to any resolution whatever. I was, however, certain, continued my man, that when Your Imperial Majesty had fully considered and weighed the present condition of affairs, You would not fail to communicate confidentially and under reserve with the King, their master, on each and every one of the subjects alluded to in the councillors' note. These and other remonstrances did my man address to the King's councillors in my name, as a reply to their letter of complaint, and, I must add, that though addressed in rather sharp terms, and such as the privy councillors' note deserved, my man's remarks were, nevertheless, taken into consideration and accepted, as Your Imperial Majesty will see by my preceding letter to Mr. de Granvelle.
	Respecting the taking of Duren, I took care to inform the King of it five days ago, at the same time enclosing to him the Queen Regent's letter with all particulars. As I wrote yesterday to Mr. de Granvelle, both the King and the members of his Privy Council have shown pleasure and satisfaction at the event, so much so that there will be no longer need of justifying Your Imperial Majesty's action in the matter and making it acceptable to these people. I will not, however, omit to inform the privy councillors of it officially by one of my secretaries, whom I am about to send to Court with the news, for the King is at present 60 miles from this city, hunting. I will send them a copy of the summons sent to surrender to the garrison and inhabitants of Duren, which the King, they tell me, wishes to see, and I am sure that he will be glad also to see the letters patent addressed to the people of Julliers and Clèves, and the sentence against those of Duren, and above all the contents of the letter in which Your Imperial Majesty announces that the very moment the roads are thrown open You will take care to inform him of Your future plans, and what had better be done next.
	As to the enterprize against France, it seems as if the King were desirous that something or other should be attempted by sea during this autumn, to judge from his naval preparations and the ships he is now equipping and fitting out. That is by sea; by land he is likewise resolved to revictual Ardres, as Your Majesty must have heard from Mr. de Granvelle.
	With respect to the French ships that were in the ports of Scotland, the very same morning that this king's fleet made its appearance on the coast, they found means of leaving the port in which they had been detained. Yet they could not sail off fast enough to prevent five of them, the best being captured by the English; the remainder managed with some difficulty to reach the French coast.
	I have no more news to impart for the present. Should there be anything more to advise on the return of my man from Court, I shall not fail to apprize Your Majesty thereof.—London, 6 Sept. 1543.
	Signed: "Eustace Chapuys."
	French. Original, entirely ciphered. (fn. n8)
6 Sept.	218. The Same to Mgr. de Granvelle.
Wien, Imp. Arch. Corresp. Engl., 11.	"Monseigneur,"—Yesterday I wrote to Your Lordship, and this morning, after the departure of the courier, the Emperor's letter of the 29th ult. came to hand. (fn. n9) In answer to which I have stated some of the remonstrances which, through one of my men, I addressed to the privy councillors. I omit them here for brevity's sake, yet I must tell Your Lordship that the man I sent spoke to the privy councillors assembled, so well and so much to the point, that they were confused and did not know what to say (que les rendit tous confus). I had told him to state with all possible moderation many things which I myself would never have dared or wished to mention in their presence, for although I had addressed to them a very gracious epistle, begging them to excuse me if I could not attend, and pardon the insufficiency of the messenger, unaccustomed to such conferences, I was afraid that, instead of mitigating their ill-humour, it might, on the contrary, over excite them. I considered, however, that it was in my power to disavow my man (should he have said anything in excess of his commission), or else interpret his words differently. However, it so happened that the conference went off very well, and that the King's councillors took it all in good part, as Your Lordship must have seen by my letter before the last two.—London, 6 Sept. 1543.
	Signed: "Eustace Chapuys."
	French. Holograph. p. 1.
7 Sept.	219. Treaty of Peace between Charles V. and the Duke of Cleves.
S. E., L. B. M. Add. 28,593, 669.	In nomine Sanctœ et individuœ Trinitatis. Amen. Be it known that on the 7th of September 1543, the Emperor having got possession by force of arms of all the duchy of Juliers, together with Ruremond and other towns and districts of the duchy of Gheldres, and being then encamped at Venlo, there came Guillaume, duke of Clèves and Juliers, at the intercession of Hermann, (fn. n10) the archbishop of Cologne and arch-chancellor of the Empire for Italy, and in the presence of Adolphus, coadjutor of Cologne, count of Holstein and Schauenburg, (fn. n11) of Wilhelm, count of Nowenar and Moerse, and of Master John Gropper, as well as of Henry, duke of Brunswick and Luneburg, the above-mentioned duke of Clèves and Juliers, kneeling before the Emperor, owned and acknowledged that, led away by juvenile passion and deceived by the counsels and persuasions of others, he had grievously offended His Imperial Majesty. He now humbly besought His Majesty to pardon him his fault, and restore him to his favour. Upon which the Emperor, using clemency towards him, and with a view to prevent the continuation of a war which had so much afflicted, and might hereafter afflict, his own subjects in the duchy of Ghelders and county of Zutphen, accepted the Duke's submission and appointed some of his own councillors and ministers to treat with him of the terms of the peace.
	The agreement made on the occasion was as follows:—the Duke to be, as he was formerly, the faithful and obedient vassal of the Empire and of the king of the Romans: and to renounce at once all treaties of league and confederation he may have made with the king of France, as well as with the duke of Holstein, who entitles himself king of Danemark, or with the intruder and usurper of Sweden, or with any other kings, princes, prelates, republics, states, and regions, since those leagues and treaties were purposely framed against Us and Our brother, the king of the Romans.
	The duke of Clèves and Juliers shall renounce, now and for ever after, all the rights he pretends to have to the above mentioned duchy of Ghelders and county of Zutphen, which, after the death of their legitimate owner and last possessor, Charles d'Egmont, the said duke of Clèves and Juliers usurped and retained.
	The Duke, moreover, promises to call together all the men of his army, infantry as well as cavalry, and any others he may have in the towns, districts, fortresses and castles of the said duchy of Ghelders and county of Zutphen, as well as all the captains, officers, governors, and lieutenants in command of the said men, towns, and districts, and when assembled will directly or indirectly relieve them from any oath of fealty which they may have made in his favor, the Duke himself taking care that the said captains and governors withdraw as soon as possible from such cities and towns, fortresses and castles, and deliver them into the hands of His Imperial Majesty, or of his ministers and servants deputed for the purpose, so that the Emperor may at once take possession of the whole duchy of Ghelders and county of Zutphen.
	The Duke shall restitute to the sieur d'Aremberg the castle he took from him, as well as the town of Amersfort; he shall also restitute the town and castle of Ravenstein to His Imperial Majesty, to whom these towns belong, being notoriously fiefs of the Empire.
	The Duke also promises and consents that all subjects of the Emperor, ministers, councillors, and servants, who may have lands and possessions in the Duke's dominions, may peaceably enjoy them, as before the commencement of the war.
	On the above conditions, faithfully complied with by the Duke, the Emperor consents to pardon him all the offences and injuries he has or may have received from the duke of Clèves and Juliers, and he (the Emperor) similarly pardons and condones to him all expenses, cost, and interest which, by cause of the Duke's rebellion and last year's war the Emperor was obliged to make, as well as the fruits, dues, rents, taxes, ordinary as well as extraordinary, which the Duke may have enjoyed and received since his violent occupation of the duchy of Ghelders and county of Zutphen.
	Whilst the above conditions are being fulfilled, the Emperor will retain in his hands the duchy of Juliers, and whatever else he may have taken from the duke of Clèves during the last war, and keep it as a guarantee for the fulfilment of the terms of peace agreed upon between the Emperor and the Duke. Those terms once fulfilled, the whole of the duchy of Juliers to be restituted to the Duke with the exception of the two castles of Sciltart and Heinsberg, which are Imperial fiefs, and to which the Emperor reserves for himself, as well as other fiefs and castles in the duchy of Brabant, such as Ravenstein, Windal, and other places.—At our camp before Venloo, 7 September 1543, the 23rd of Our Empire, and the 28th of Our kingdom in Spain.
	Spanish. Contemporary draft. (fn. n12) pp. 6.
8 Sept.	220. Alliance, Defensive and Offensive, proposed by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to certain princes in Germany.
S. Neg. K. 1,485, f. 51. Olun. B. 4, No. 47.	"My cousin,"—My secretary, Anthoine Maillet, bearer of this letter, is going to your court, and I (Charles of France), duke of Orleans, have instructed him to tell you a few things in my name. I must beg you to attach faith to his words, and believe what he will say to you, as if I myself personally addressed you. I commend myself to your good gracess, and beg Our lord to give you anything you may desire.— Reims, the 8th of September 1543.
	Signed: "Charles."
	Addressed: "To my cousin, Monsieur le Landegraff (sic) de Hessen."
	French. Original, with seal. p. 1.
8 Sept.	221. Instruction to Anthoine Marllet.
S. Neg. K. 1,485, f. 51.	What you, Charles Anthoine Maillet, Our secretary and "valet de chambre," will have to say and declare in Our name to messieurs the duke of Saxony, Landgraf of Hessen, and other protestant lords about to assemble at Francfort, is this. First of all you will state the great desire which We, by the Grace of God, have of the Holy Gospel being preached through this kingdom of France, where We should like to see some beginning of it; but that the reverential fear and fraternal love which We bear respectively to the Most Christian King, Our most honored lord and father, and to Monsieur the Dauphin, Our elder brother, have hitherto prevented Us from having it freely preached, as We should have wished, in Our duchy of Orleans, which being under the obedience and rule of Our said lord and father, has prevented Us from seeing Our wishes fulfilled. Another reason also is that the Pope, the Emperor, and other princes might have opposed Us and become Our enemies on that account. Other plausible reasons, the enumeration of which We leave for another and more opportune occasion, might be given for Our not having the holy gospel preached in Our dominions and making common cause in this particular with the most illustrious and excellent princes the duke of Saxony, the Landgraf of Hesse, and other protestant lords, and announcing to them that We have deliberated, are determined, and promise to have the Holy Gospel publicly preached in the duchy of Luxemburg, of which We hope the king, Our father, will allow Us to keep possession, (fn. n13) as well as in any other countries and territories that may come under Our rule by right of conquest.
	We should, however, wish the aforesaid princes and lords to admit and receive Us into the confederacy and alliance, defensive as well as offensive, formed by them, and to consider this Our request as emanating, not indeed from a desire to obtain their help and assistance against any particular prince or enemy, but merely for the diffusion of Christian religion, whose increase and propagation We desire above all things. By means of that assembly Christianity will receive a new light in Our dominions and in the whole of France, for the moment the King, Our father, sees Us allied with the above protestant princes and lords, he cannot fail to declare to them his zealous intentions on that score, (fn. n14) and therefore We shall be able to excuse and defend Ourselves against Our adversaries.
	For the above reasons We request the above-mentioned princes and lords about to assemble at Francfort, as well as all others belonging to the protestant community, to listen to the following declaration, namely, that the very moment that the preaching of the Holy Gospel in the duchy of Luxemburg is begun, from that day We shall consider Ourselves bound to be their ally and confederate. Let them not stop at any scruple or fear of the things which We now promise to do being out of Our reach and power, for certainly We are fully confident that, if it be God's pleasure, We shall soon be in a situation to show them that what We say and promise can easily be accomplished, and that We are sincerely attached to them. From this time We offer them all Our power, and that of Our respected father, who has duly authorized Us to use his name, and who agrees beforehand to anything We may do and contract for the welfare, prosperity, and liberty of Germany. In the same manner We request them to help and assist Us with their power in similar cases, and be sure that We hold their affairs in as high estimation, and regard their liberty and utility as much as Our own.
	Anthoine Marlett, (fn. n15) present bearer, will hear the answer that the princes will give him and bring it back to Us as quickly as he can.—Reims, 8 September 1543.
	Concordat cum litteris subscripts et sigillatis ut supra, et instructione. Collata per me qui et approbo in margine.—Bernburger (sic).
	French. Contemporary copy. pp. 3.
9 Sept.	222. Eustace Chapuys to the Queen of Hungary.
Wien, Imp. Arch. Corresp. Engl., 11.	"Madame,"—Your Majesty will see by the enclosed copy [of my letter to the Emperor] the few events since my last. I shall only add that I humbly beg Your Majesty to order and command that the fleet come at once to this Channel, and effect its junction with the English according to the offer and promise of Your Majesty.—London, 9 Sept. 1543.
	Signed: "Eustace Chapuys."
	French. Original. p. 1.
9 Sept.	223. The Cardinal of Seville [Fr. Garcia de Loaysa] to the Emperor.
S. E., L. 60, f. 193.	By two different couriers, one of whom goes straight to Genoa, whilst the other is to sail almost immediately from some port in Biscay, I have written to Your Majesty. May God be pleased that my two letters reach their destination, in order that Your Majesty may have some knowledge of what is passing here.
	Since the receipt of Your Majesty's letter to the prince, dated Trent, (fn. n16) the 5th of July, we have no further news. Still, we may well thank God for his having granted to Your Majesty that amount of health which You seem to enjoy at present, as well as for allowing You to leave Italy after removing from His Holiness' mind those suspicions and scrupulous misgivings which the French had been able to instil into it.
	I always thought that the millions offered for the investiture of Milan were more imaginary than real. This opinion-I expressed the first time that the affair was brought to the Council of State, for I really believe that neither the Pope has in his treasury the millions he speaks of, nor does he know where to procure the money, however diligently he may look out for it. Notwithstanding such a reduction in the price of the investiture, my advice is that the proposition ought to be accepted. Vega, the ambassador, and Your Majesty's ministers in Italy, might see whether the one million now offered could not be increased, and if, after exhausting all means of persuasion, they could not make the Pope offer a larger sum for it, Your Majesty, in my opinion, had better be satisfied with the said sum, paid at once, not by instalments, for fear the Pope, who is considerably advanced in age, should die in the meanwhile before the whole has been paid up. Under these and other honorable conditions, which must needs be stipulated, the Duchy might be delivered into the hands of the duke of Camarino. I do not think that at the late interview between the Pope and Your Majesty there was any withdrawal on his part from the propositions made by others in his name. We know by experience what little advantage or reputation has hitherto been gained from any of His Holiness's proposals, and yet I do not hesitate to say that Your Majesty should on this present occasion dissemble and forbear, trying all the time to get all you can out of the Apostolic See, and wait for time and opportunity when Your Majesty may have at your command forces to dispose of freely, that the Church be reformed, and that good effect produced therein which Your Majesty covets so much.
	Letters have come from Spira (Spiers) announcing that on the 24th of July Your Majesty entered that city. We all here have been much comforted at hearing that Your Majesty is travelling in perfectly good health, which is what we all, and especially myself, wish. We are anxiously expecting news of Your Majesty's arrival in Flanders, and as to myself, I think that when king Francis hears of your approach he will immediately withdraw his forces and retire into his own kingdom. Should he not do so, he may perhaps meet with another defeat like that of Pavia.
	In my last letter I informed Your Majesty that in pursuance of the orders received, and in obedience to the warrant (prematice) lately issued, I was preparing to return to my church [of Seville]. I now intend to start on the 20th inst., if God grants me strength enough to get into a sedan chair and pass so many days on the road.
	The government of these kingdoms is conducted in a most desirable manner. Every care is taken of the military preparations for the war with France, as well as of the finances of the country and administration of justice. Your Majesty will, I have no doubt, with your great wisdom and discretion, guess to whom this success is due. (fn. n17) —Madrid, 9 Sept. 1543.
	Spanish Original. (fn. n18) pp. 2½.
9 Sept.	224. Lord Seymour to Charles V.
Wien, Imp. Arch. Corresp. Engl., 11.	May it please Your Most High Majesty to know that on the 8th inst. a letter came to this camp in credence of the duke of Aarshot and of count du Rœulx, (fn. n19) informing us of Your Majesty's late success against our common enemy. Nothing could have rejoiced us, English, more than similar news of a victory gained by the King, our master, over the common enemy. We all are praying God for the prosperity of Your Imperial Majesty's arms to your heart's content.
	As to our remaining longer here, where we are, may it please Your Majesty to know that already, on the 2nd of this month, your councillor, (fn. n20) Cornelius Scepperus, came with credentials from Your Majesty, and gave me to understand that we, the English, would render a service by remaining here where we are encamped eight or ten days more, so as to give Your Majesty time to detach from Your army 10 or 12,000 men to the assistance of the above-mentioned duke and count.
	The better to please Your Majesty I have decided (saving the pleasure of the King, my master, to whom I have already signified Your wish) not to quit this place until I am positively ordered to abandon the position and return. If no orders come to the contrary, I will remain here with the force under my command until the expiration of the ten days, begging Your Majesty to afford us such convoy and escort to go back to our frontier that we may again, if called upon, render service to Your Majesty.—Written at the camp of Penieres (?), the 9th day of September 1543.
	Signed: "Your most humble, Seymour"; with seal.
	Indorsed: "To the most high Majesty of the Emperor."
	French. Original. p. 1.
9 Sept.	225. Eustace Chapuys to the Emperor.
Wien, Imp. Arch. Corresp. Engl., 11.	"Sire,"—The man whom I lately sent to Court to acquaint this king and his privy councillors with the news Your Imperial Majesty was pleased to forward to me, has this moment come back. He tells me that this king has been immensely glad to hear of the prosperous state of Your Majesty's affairs, praising and extolling above all things your proceedings on the occasion, not only with reference to the letters patent issued by you at Clèves and Juliers, and the proclamation to the inhabitants of Duren, but also to the sentence and condemnation that ensued. He has likewise taken in very good part the care and solicitude which Your Imperial Majesty has taken to inform him of such an event, and of the motives Your Imperial Majesty has hitherto had not to think so seriously as you might otherwise have done of the much desired undertaking against France. This king should wish that the date for the invasion of France had already been fixed, nay, that the enterprize itself had been carried out, for, as one of the privy councillors said yesterday to me, this is the time to strike a decisive blow. That is the reason why the King himself has since asked me to let him know as Boon as possible what Your Majesty has resolved in this matter, and what means there are of carrying out successfully the enterprize, so that he may make the necessary preparations for the next campaign. He has, moreover, found that the practices of the French king in trying to have the prince of Piedmont assassinated were really wicked and abominable. (fn. n21)
	The King has also heard from other quarters that at the port of St. Malo, in Brittany, a fleet of 150 sail was being fitted out, and that likewise on the side of Denmark maritime armaments were going on, and war ships getting ready for sea. This has induced him to order all his own war ships, to the number of 21—without counting the armed merchantmen and privateers (fn. n22) —to be fitted out, and he has requested me to write home and beg that the fleet of Zeeland and L'Escluse (Schluys) put out to sea as soon as possible and join his, so that both together may do service and execute the orders of their respective admirals. Should this not have been done already, I humbly pray Your Imperial Majesty to see to it
	These privy councillors regret the somewhat. passionate and sharp answer that the English captains before Landresis returned to Master Scepperus, whom Your Imperial Majesty sent thither with a message. To say the plain truth, there was not on the part of those captains the discretion and courteous behaviour that might have been expected from them on the occasion, for in their official report to the King they gave him to understand, as I am told, that Your Imperial Majesty's men were cowards; that they dared not to attack the enemy, and that had the execution of the enterprize been left to the English alone, they would already have gained possession of the place. But we must not be surprised at such conduct on the part of these people, for such is their nature. (fn. n23) This notwithstanding, I do not believe that they will withdraw altogether from the field before the time fixed in the treaty. Even if the King had thought at one time of recalling his men, I fancy that the late success of Your Imperial Majesty's arms will make him change opinion. (fn. n24)
	The Princess has again been very ill from colic (colicque), but is now better. Indeed, I believe that no medicine has done her more good than the good news she has received from Your Imperial Majesty.—London, 9 Sept. 1543.
	Signed: "Eustace Chapuys.'
	Indorsed: "From the ambassador in England. Received on the 16th of the same month."
	French. Original. pp. 2.
9 Sept.	226. The Same to Mgr. de Granvelle.
Wien, Imp. Arch. Corresp. Engl., 11.	"Monseigneur,"—By the enclosed to the Emperor, Your Lordship will see what progress, however small, has been made since my last despatch. (fn. n25) I can only add that it seems to me as if the more prosperous the turn of His Imperial Majesty's affairs, the more convenient it is for us to show unbounded confidence and trust in these people, and be courteous and civil towards them, lest they should think that one of these days we may have no need of their assistance, and no longer have esteem and regard for them. On the other hand, it is indeed to be presumed that the enemy is awake, and will let no opportunity pass of gaining the English over to their side. I have considered it my duty to call Your Lordship's attention to this point, at the same time begging pardon for my temerity in venturing to make such a suggestion.—London, 9 Sept. 1543.
	Signed: "Eustace Chapuys."
	French. Holograph. p. 1.