Rome: May 1578 | British History Online

Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Vatican Archives, Volume 2, 1572-1578. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1926.

Citation:

'Rome: May 1578', in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Vatican Archives, Volume 2, 1572-1578, ed. J M Rigg( London, 1926), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/vatican/vol2/pp422-448 [accessed 28 November 2024].

May 1578



1578. Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Francia, vol. xii. pp. 149–52.	812. Protonotary Dandino, [Nuncio in France] to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. … “Among the other matters of business about which I craved information of Mgr. Salviati was that of the Prince of Scotland, as to which you give me some direction in the instruction; and he told me that he had spoken to the Cardinal of Guise, (fn. 1) of good memory, about it, and to the ambassador of Scotland, and offered them security pursuant to the order that you had given him; and that this was all that had been done in regard to that matter. “I have since learned that that Prince, on the retirement, perchance for fear of being banished, of the tyrant [Morton] that formerly held sway, had by the nobles of Scotland been placed, now more (fn. 2) than two months ago, in possession of that realm, declared above fourteen years, though he was not as yet twelve years, of age, and set to govern the realm with the help of twelve counsellors, eight of whom are ecclesiastics and Huguenots, and four laymen, of whom two are Catholics, as, I suppose, the Pope will have learned long before now. “I have spoken with the ambassador of that Queen [of Scotland] touching the business which I have in commission, to which he gives his sanction, but says that to carry out now the scheme, which he shared with the Cardinals of Lorraine and Guise, for the deliverance of the Prince from that upbringing, would now be not indeed impossible, but, by reason of the constant presence of so many counsellors, and the greater part of the nobility, extremely difficult, though not in course of time hopeless: but that which in his opinion the Pope might at present do for the good of that realm would be to send to that Court someone who by teaching and preaching, and in other ways, might give much consolation to the Catholics there, and they are many, and among the common people the majority; and likewise in a little while one might hope to reclaim some of those that are out of the true way; which would be the more feasible that that King is of an excellent disposition and clever; and the hatred that he bears to the Queen of England, though that proceeds from another cause, and the high esteem in which he holds the Most Christian King afford ground for anticipating some good result: and should the policy be adopted by his Holiness, then as to the choice of persons to be sent, he seems to have a high opinion of the Archdeacon of Vaison, (fn. 3) who, he says, was sent thither aforetime by the Pope, albeit, affairs being then in a sorry plight, to no purpose; nor does he omit to mention that in the company of Jesus there are many Scotsmen who in default of him would be suitable. And as to the removal of the King from those parts, he greatly desires it, and hopes that shortly the time will be ripe for it, being convinced that the Queen of England, for the hatred that she bears him, purposes one day by some indirect method to reduce him to the position in which she would have him. …” 1 May, 1578. Paris. Italian. Postscript.—“The ambassador of Scotland has told me that the Dukes of Lorraine and Guise have resolved to go to Scotland with a numerous force, purposing to cross the English border to recover that realm, if they be not prevented by the Most Christian King and the Queen Mother, from whom they mean, as soon as possible, to crave not aid indeed but no impediment; and the ambassador represents the enterprise as not difficult, being in hopes of 10,000 foot from the maritime parts of Germany, and 4,000 arquebusiers from France, and great help from the common folk of Scotland, who are all Catholic, and from some few Catholics who are in England likewise. They are also in hopes that the Catholic King will in his own interest favour them, and that the Pope will do the like, deeming the enterprise a sound one. All this the ambassador said in confidence; and he besought me not to write thereof to the Pope until he had spoken again with the Dukes of Lorraine and Guise, after which he authorizes me to write to his Holiness in full, desiring him not to communicate the matter to anyone. Nevertheless, I have thought fit to advise you thereof, as I shall likewise advise you of the sequel.” (fn. 4) Decipher. Italian.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Spagna, vol. xx. pp. 208–10.	813. [Ptolemy Galli, Cardinal of Como] to [Philip Sega, Bishop of Ripa,] Nuncio in Spain. “The affairs of Geraldine (fn. 5) and Stucley begin to occasion the Pope some annoyance. For of Stucley we have no news but what I receive from you; and as to Geraldine we have it by letters of the Bishop of Mayo, who writes me from Paris all that you have already written me; and to boot that Geraldine had gone to St. Malo in Brittany, where his wife resides, and meant to stay there until the Bishop should bring him an order of the Most Christian King to constrain those mariners who had carried off his goods, to restore them, pending which time he demands money and other aids from the Pope to enable him to go forward, saying that he still purposes to go, though he has heard that the Queen of England has been apprised of all our preparations, and therefore keeps the closest watch upon ships off the coasts of Ireland. “I know not as yet what action the Pope purposes to take upon this advice; but I am much inclined to think that, having had enough and to spare of their procedures, to say nothing of his disgust at the expense, which by this time amounts to many and many thousands of crowns, and marking that his Catholic Majesty cares so little about the success of this business, he is not likely to give ear to them any further, especially as he knows not what may be the true version of that robbery by the Breton mariners, since it may well be, at any rate in great measure, untrue, and Geraldine may have magnified every slight excuse that he had for not going upon this troublesome business of Ireland, but taking his rest with his wife at S. Malo. “We shall now await some certain intelligence about Stucley, and then we may be able to say that we are clear as to their movements. In the meantime it will be well to keep this about Geraldine a secret, and betray no knowledge whatever of his doings until his Catholic Majesty, or his ministers, learn them from others, that they be not discouraged if, perchance, they should have a mind to go on lending aid to Stucley and Geraldine alike.” 2 May, 1578. Rome. Italian. Draft for cipher.
Vat. Arch. Arm. xlii. vol. 34. f. 197.	814. On behalf of Thomas Willan, of the Order of S. Salvator, of the Rule of S. Bridget, English Exile and Confessor General of the English Nuns Resident at Mechlin in Belgium, craving Faculty to Absolve in cases of Heresy and Schism. Certificate by Owen Lewis, Archdeacon of Cambrai, that the said Thomas Willan, whom he has known for many a year at Louvain, is of good reputation among the English Catholics as a pious, learned and discreet man, to whom the faculty which he craves may safely and advantageously be granted. 2 May, 1578. Rome. Latin.
Vat. Lib. Urb. Lat. 1046. ff. 162, 163.	815. News Letter. “The Signory are informed that the Estates of Flanders have pawned three fortresses to the Queen of England, who has sent to Casimir letters of credit for 200,000 florins, and besides binds herself as paymistress in chief of all troops that he shall hire for the service of the said Estates, who will send 5,000 Swiss to serve under the said Casimir's standard. “It is also understood that there had passed through Cologne ambassadors of England and the Estates to be present at the Imperial Diet, where there are so many commissaries of Princes, to treat of peace for Flanders in the manner lately arranged at Ghent, which God grant may be the result.” 3 May, 1578. Venice. Italian. Copy.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Francia, vol. xi. f. 321.	816. [Ptolemy Galli, Cardinal of Como] to [Protonotary] Dandino, Nuncio in France. … “You will have no difficulty in seeing at Court an Irish Bishop, a friar of the Order of S. Francis, known as the Bishop of Mayo. You may tell him that the Pope has seen the letter that he has written me; but that, until he has seen letters from Geraldine, (fn. 6) his Holiness does not think that there is any occasion for him to move, especially as his Holiness has learned from others that they had recovered all the goods that had been taken, and therefore there was no longer anything to hinder them from continuing their voyage, if they were so minded.” 5 May, 1578. Rome. Italian. Draft.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Spagna, vol. xi. f. 253.	817. [Philip Sega, Bishop of Ripa,] Nuncio in Spain to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. “I did my office with his Majesty for the licence for the 100 casks of wine for the English College.” 5 May, 1578. Madrid. Italian.
Ibid. f. 257d.	818. The Same to The Same. … “I have again spoken with his Majesty in the hope of getting some definite answer as to the English business, but still matters are shelved with the wonted vague responses; so that I grow ever more confirmed in the opinion that no resolution will be taken by the King as long as he is without tidings of the initial steps taken by Stucley and Geraldine: but this, in my opinion, is bad policy, because by that time the plan should not only have been settled but put in operation, as I have written more than once. And so, if we do not make up our own minds, I suspect that on this side we are more likely to anticipate than to obtain a positive result at a seasonable time. What news we have of Stucley and Geraldine (fn. 6) you will gather from the enclosed sheets, and in this business so much publicity seems by this time to have been given to affairs that I think that for the future there will be no need to write in cipher: however, I shall not omit to write until I receive orders to the contrary. Señor Francisco de Juuara [Guevara] said to me a day or two ago, that, upon occasion of the discourse of the Frenchman of whom I wrote, he had not failed, he too, to press for the decision, seeing that on this depends in great measure the peace of Flanders; but, in short, that to that hour he had not heard that the King was in the least degree disposed to give sign of assent for the present.” 5 May, 1578. [Madrid.] Decipher. Italian. Enclosures missing.
Ibid. f. 262.	819. The Same to the Same. “Considering the importance of Stucley's affair I resolved to speak, and have done so, with his Majesty. And now that we have discussed the matter, we are casting about for some remedy. To-morrow Secretary Antonio Perez will be with me, and we shall handle the matter more in detail. In a word his Majesty is much offended that the King of Portugal should have made this reprisal, and that Stucley himself should have opened the way for him to make it; all the more so because he is vexed that the said King should be attempting this enterprise with little method and a small and inexperienced force. God help us to a remedy that may be adequate to the impending crisis!” 6 May, 1578. [Madrid.] Decipher. Italian.
Vat. Lib. Urb. Lat. 1046. f. 153d.	820. News Letter. “Don John of Austria has returned from Marche [en Famenne] to Louvain …. “Casimir has sent to the Estates an ambassador, who has passed on to England. His commission concerns the security for the pay of the 4,000 reiters and 6,000 foot whom he is to lead in their interest to Flanders.” 7 May, 1578. Antwerp. Italian. Copy.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Portog. vol. i. f. 97d.	821. Robert Fontana, [Collector Apostolic] to Ptolemy Galli, Cardinal of Como. … “I send the duplicate of the Information as to the business of the soldiers, which is the longest thing I have ever yet written in cipher, as I suppose it may come safely by way of the Catholic King's ambassador. Thereto I add that his Majesty caused moneys to be given from his Treasury to the Commissary Captain Bastiano to pay the soldiers on the 3rd inst.; which was accordingly done in the name of his Holiness, the Commissary retaining the customary dues. “On the same day the King made an inspection of the soldiers, and evinced much satisfaction at the review, and squadron and skirmishing evolutions which they performed, the King's soldiers being unpractised in such exercises. The Marquis (fn. 7) remained aboard ship until the day before yesterday, when he came ashore and betook him to a house which they have assigned him here in Lisbon. His English captain, Cliborne, he too, has raised a company which will number about 100 foot, and will be in the pay of the King. These men, I understand, are for the most part Spanish adventurers, whom the Marquis collected in the ports where he tarried. Some Frenchmen that have come hither have said that they have met Signor James Geraldine (fn. 8) posting towards Paris.” 7 May, 1578. Lisbon. Italian.
Vat. Lib. Urb. Lat. 1046. f. 124.	822. News Letter. “By what they write from Antwerp by letters of the 26th of last month there was nothing sure or certain in what was written as to Don John, and even as to him (fn. 9) of Gravelinges [Gravelines] they write that none knew for whom he stood, though it was most probable that he was for Don John, who with part of his army was in the neighbourhood of Simay [Chimay]: they also write that on the 22nd of the same month the ambassador (fn. 10) sent by the Queen of England to his Highness [Don John] had returned to Antwerp, and by what was being said no terms of peace had been arranged.” 10 May, 1578. Augsburg. Spanish. Copy.
Vat. Lib. Urb. Lat. 1046. f. 167.	823. News Letter. … “His Holiness has received confirmation of the agitation in Scotland against the Queen of England.” 10 May, 1578. Rome. Italian. Copy.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Spangna, vol. xi. f. 266.	824. [Philip Sega,] Bishop of Ripa, Nuncio in Spain to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. “The day after I had spoken to his Majesty Don Christopher de Moro (fn. 11) was with me, urgently requesting in the name of the King of Portugal that I would be pleased to take in good part his Majesty's arrest of Stucley; because, as the ship was reduced to such a plight as to be unable to continue her voyage, and circumstances were adverse thereto, Stucley's departure being already known to the Queen, who was thus put upon her guard, there was no hope that Stucley, though he were allowed to go, would be able to disembark in safety; and that as it verged on the impossible that his Majesty should be able to afford him such aid, either in ships or in munitions, as he needed, he had therefore persuaded him to stay, being minded to avail himself of his services in the African campaign; and afterward, with all the aid that he could lend him, to despatch him on his Irish campaign; which at present he ought on no account to do, even though he were able to give some sort of aid, because, as he was on terms of good friendship with the Queen, and much commerce passed between her Majesty and him, it seemed not meet by affording Stucley this aid to open the way to a breach between the Queen and himself; and so he sent to persuade me to take this decision in good part; which, he hoped, would likewise be approved by his Holiness, seeing that the enterprise [of Africa] was so important, and no less for the service of God and his Holiness than the other. “I answered him in substance that in this business the law was laid down for me, and therefore I could not substitute another decision for that which was already taken, and that I made no doubt that his Holiness would be vexed that Stucley should be baulked of his voyage, and so I deemed that his lordship should persuade his Majesty to facilitate his passage, and thus comfort his Holiness, enlarging upon those arguments which seemed to me apt for the purpose, but which here I for brevity's sake omit. And the very same day Secretary Antonio Perez was with me, and we carefully discussed quid agendum. And while I was relating the office which Don Christopher de Moro (fn. 11) had done with me, Perez told me that he had done the like with his Majesty, who feigned complete disinterestedness, and answered that he knew not what to do save to urge the King his nephew to beware of displeasing the Pope. “Now in this business I proposed three expedients: 1, that in order to help in repairing the ship or providing new craft and munitions his Majesty should consent that of the 20,000 crowns there might be spent 5,000; 2, that if the ship was not worth repairing, and the King was not disposed to provide munitions and ships, Stucley should embark his men and go to Galicia, and in those ports by licence of his Majesty take ships for his purpose as he might find them, even by force; or, 3, if he failed to find them there, should go to Brittany to make his arrangements in one of those ports as, we are advised, Geraldine (fn. 12) has done. “All these energetic measures I have proposed, rather to place Stucley entirely in the wrong than that I think that he purposes to go forward; for from his letter and that which in like manner he writes to this King, which has been shown me by Antonio Perez, I see that in short he has little thought of going forward, being indeed one that would have his feet in many shoes at one and the same time, and neglects his duty to give his whole attention to what he thinks may turn out most to his advantage. “The Secretary wrote forthwith to his Majesty at Ransuez [Aranjuez] reporting my proposals with their reasons, and the course which I purposed to take of sending one of my men post haste to Portugal to confer with the King and Stucley; and his Majesty has replied, confirming and approving all that I proposed point by point, and offering, moreover, to furnish a greater sum of money for the business of Ireland, provided that Stucley goes and lands successfully. I had the answer yesterday; and to-day I have despatched my man with full instructions as to how he is to bear himself with the King of Portugal, Stucley, the Collector, Captain Bastiano and the soldiers. And his going will at least have this, if no other result, that it will become plain and palpable to the King and his ministers not only that have they no right to detain Stucley, but that it is their bounden duty to afford him the necessary facilities in those ports, and that all that they do to the contrary is an outrage against his Holiness and justice; and no less plain and palpable will it be to Stucley that if he deviate from his path upon some other enterprise, no matter what the pretext, while a means presents itself of enabling him to go forward, he will never be able to clear himself before the world of the stigma of desertion. “In like manner my man will represent to the soldiers that they cannot without infamy take the pay of another save with his Holiness' consent, as I have fully instructed him, that there may be no neglect on my part of aught that I know which may serve to rectify, if possible, this mismanaged business. We shall now await tidings of the result, which I shall not fail to communicate to you at the proper time.” 11 May, 1578. [Madrid.] Italian. Postscript.—“Herewith I send you two writings containing the discourses made by the Prince of Scotland after he was invested with the government, and a copy of what Don Bernardino de Mendoza, ambassador in England, writes me in cipher with letters of the 12th of April, because they are relevant to this matter.” Cf. p. 403 supra.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Portog. vol. i. ff. 101–2.	825. [Robert] Fontana, [Collector Apostolic] to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. “The Bishop of Killaloe has said that there arrived yesterday a servant of Geraldine (fn. 13) sent to him with letters written ten days ago, in which he apprises him that he is at Nantes in Brittany, awaiting him with the succour which by his means he is to receive from the Catholic King; that he has but his English ship, well equipped; and that he has letters from the Earl of Desmond, his kinsman, in Ireland, urging him to go, though alone. Accordingly the said Bishop strongly pressed the Marquis [of Leinster] to go with the troops to join him, that thence they might speedily cross to Ireland, the Bishop being still unaware of what is passing between the King and the Marquis, who replied that it was now impossible for him to go, both because it was suspected that the Queen was in arms, and also because he had neither ship nor money to suffice him, but he had written for money, and would cause Geraldine to come hither to discuss the business; whereat I should be glad, as it would help me to a better understanding of the minds and purposes of all. “I have given to the Catholic King's ambassador a duplicate of the Information as to the affair of the ship and soldiers, with an Information by myself and another by the Commissary, which, as they are not in cipher, he is to send to you under cover to the ambassador there [at Rome]; and I believe they will go by this courier. You will take care to get them.” 12 May, 1578. Lisbon. Decipher. Italian. Draft dated 11 May on f. 103. Cf. pp. 420, 426 supra.
Ibid. ff. 107–8.	826. [Giovanni Antonio Merlo] to [Lorenzo Spinola]. “By your letter of the 27th ult., which we yesterday received under cover of letters to the Collector [Fontana], in answer to that of the 19th written by Signor Oberto [Spinola (fn. 14) ] reporting the arrival of the ship and soldiers, we apprehend all that you say, particularly as to the 1,000 crowns payable to the Marquis [of Leinster]. But though, on the one hand, both to the said Signor Oberto and to me, it seemed meet to visit the said Marquis and carry out all your instructions by your said letter, particularly by reason of what you said by the note; yet in view of the untoward circumstances of which we have written in other letters, it has seemed best not to communicate the said order to the said Marquis, but to defer so doing until we receive your answer to our last letters, because, to say frankly what I feel, if there was a difficulty about paying the 1,000 crowns to Baron d'Acre [Edward Lord Dacre (fn. 15) ], though he had the bill, much more so should it now be about payment to the said Marquis, since it is evident that he is not going on the principal voyage, and moreover that he cannot go, being prevented either by inability to get vessels, or because his Most Serene Highness is not minded to expose the soldiers to manifest peril now that the business is divulged, or because it is his design to make use of them in this enterprise [of Africa], as they are debarred from the other; as facts make it plain that so it is. “Furthermore, it seems that the said Marquis chews, as the saying goes, with two pairs of jaws, and is minded to serve his Majesty in this enterprise, and afterwards to make the other; and non potest duobus dominis servire in eodem tempore proprio; and for many other reasons, fully handled in the other letters, it seems best to adjourn the matter pending fresh instructions. The note by which you intimate that you had been told by word of mouth by whose order the money was to be paid him we have forthwith burned. “Mgr. of Killaloe bade us to him three days ago in the Collector's house, and gave us tidings of James [Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald], to wit, that he was at Nantes in Brittany, and had sent a servant to give tidings of him; and, he says, the said James has sent another servant to Madrid. He has written the said Mgr. two letters, one in cipher, the other in Latin, the latter dated about a fortnight ago. “The said James was well, and had recovered the vessel in which his mariners had deserted; he had good quarters at Nantes in the house of a Count, a person of great distinction, who showed him favour: he was extremely desirous to have tidings of the approach of the ship and soldiers. The said Mgr. showed us a passage in the said letter, in which he said in effect that the Queen was at pains to devise many a snare for him; and he ended by imploring the said Mgr. to lose no time in fully advising him: and upon comparison of the signature, character by character, with that of the said James in the Collector's possession we detected no difference between them. This I mention because some days ago one of the Marquis's lieutenants, being told by some servants of the said Collector that the said Bishop had received a letter from the said James, said that he believed it was not so, and that the letter was a fabrication. In short, they are at variance; but for all that, with the approval of the Collector and myself, the said Mgr. of Killaloe repaired to the Marquis to give him tidings of the said James: whereat he displayed much gratification: and two alternatives being submitted to him by the said Mgr., to wit, that it would be well, 1, that the said Marquis should go with the soldiers and find the said James, because this would be the way to enable them to join their forces and go ahead, or, 2, that the said James should come hither; at last the said Marquis made answer, as we are informed by the said Mgr., that he could not depart hence for lack of money; for which he had written to Madrid, and accordingly it would be better for the said James to come hither. As yet nothing whatever has been decided, because the said Bishop is for sending back the servant with written instructions to the said James how to act, and the Collector is of opinion that the said James should come hither privily, to decide upon his course; but as there are neither vessels, nor any means of procuring them, by reason of the difficulties of which I have written; and of the money necessary for freight, munitions and victuals, it would be of little use for him to come while the others had no mind to depart; and the soldiers make the difficulty greater because from the moneys lent by his Majesty one pay has been assigned to them; and moreover it is understood that a colonel was endeavouring to get from the Commissary some pikes and arquebuses which these soldiers had to spare, which will not be allowed on our part. I have seen fit to advise you of all this in order that you may communicate it, and instructions may reach us as to all that is to be done.”… 12 May, 1578. Lisbon. Italian. Postscript.—“This is the duplicate of what was yesterday given in the ambassador's house to his secretary. I have but to add that not only is the Marquis hated by the Irish, but also the Englishmen, Baron Dacre and Signor Carlo Bruni [Charles Browne] are not on good terms with him; and he is hated also by the Italian soldiers.”
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Francia, vol. xii. p. 154. Ibid. p. 159.	827. Protonotary Dandino, Nuncio in France to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. … “I also reminded his Majesty of the provision for sustenance to be made for the Bishop of Ross in accordance with the memorial which you sent me at Rome; and he told me that care should be taken, as soon as some vacancy occurred, to make the provision; and to that effect I will apprise his agent here as soon as I shall see him, to whom I am likewise writing this evening. “As to the business of the Prince of Scotland, I wrote to you by the last ordinary as much as was necessary. … “From the enclosed sheet received from England by a good hand you will learn what is happening at present in that realm, and from that other, which is likewise enclosed, you will gather the little, worthy of his Holiness' notice, that is happening in this realm.” 15 May, 1578. Paris. Italian. Enclosures missing. Postscript.—”Since I wrote you on the 1st inst. I understand from the ambassador of Scotland that the Duke of Lorraine and the Duke of Guise spoke with the Queen Mother on the day of her departure at great length of their scheme; which, they said, she approved and commended, but would not consent that it should be carried out until the Most Christian King was apprised thereof, or that they should speak with his Majesty without her intervention and presence. They will therefore await her return; but for all that they adhere yet more firmly to their scheme, and would have been minded to send a gentleman to sound the Queen of Scotland as to this enterprise, but that they feared lest they should incur the displeasure of the King of Scotland, if he should come to know of it, or that of the Queen, if they should acquaint him with it, besides exciting the suspicion of the nobles, who would then make the enterprise difficult. The ambassador of Scotland dreads lest the Most Christian King or the Catholic King should refuse to espouse the enterprise, and likewise lest each of them should be loath that the other should carry it out upon his own account. He would wish that both should unite in aid of it, but that they should leave the superintendence of it in the hands of the two Dukes of Lorraine and Guise, who would carry it out for the benefit of the Queen of Scotland and the King, her son, hoping also in that case to have the aid of the Pope.” 15 May, 1578. Decipher. Italian.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. Germ. vol. lxxxii. pp. 632–3.	828. Protonotary Portia, [Nuncio in Germany] to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. … “There has also been despatched this week Ferdinand Baitner, of Vienna, who arrived a very few days ago with letters of the Archduke Matthias. One that has seen the packets says that he will first betake him to Don John, and will afterwards go to France, and thence to England, and terminate his tour in Antwerp.” 17 May, 1578. Vienna. Italian.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Portog. vol. i. f. 104.	829. Robert Fontana, [Collector Apostolic] to [the Same]. “Besides the misunderstanding and discord prevalent between the Irishmen sent from Rome and the English, particularly the Marquis (fn. 16), the like in a greater measure has now arisen between his Excellency and the two captains of the companies. For a soldier of Urbino having reported to certain Sienese gentlemen, also soldiers, that two Corsicans of the same company were minded to kill them, and Captain Hercole da Pisa having therefore caused the said Corsicans to be put in irons, the Marquis, at the instance of the said Sienese, who craved justice of him, had them brought into his house; and while he was discussing how to do them justice and what agents to employ for the purpose, the Sienese supposed that to gratify another person, Figura by name, he was loath to do it; wherefore, not only did they complain of the said Marquis, but they thought to do the other person a mischief to boot; and so the night before last many arquebuses were discharged in front of his Excellency's house; but whether it was that they [the Sienese] purposed to kill some of the Marquis's people whom they account their enemies, or that the Marquis's people were aiming at them, is not known, but the latter supposition is the less probable. Enough that the end of it was that that night two of those Sienese and Florentines (sic) were sent to join the Corsicans in prison. And so, on the morrow, both the captains came to his Excellency to protest themselves much aggrieved that he should keep their soldiers in prison, and not only did they demand of him restitution of the soldiers, but they entered into yet graver matters, as that they were not minded to obey him, and there was worse perchance to follow. And so the Marquis and they went together to his Majesty, and all spoke with him, telling him their several grounds of complaint; on which occasion the said captains showed a lack of modesty and reverence for his Majesty, being escorted as far as the ante-chamber by bands of soldiers carrying arquebuses. “His Majesty heard the Marquis first of all, then the captains severally, and afterwards both together; and after consultation with the Council of State it was decided to send the said captains in charge of a magistrate to the castle, where, as they gave their parole not to go away, they were allowed to keep their arms, and the gates were left open. And this morning he has sent the said magistrate to the camp to make proclamation to the soldiers that they are not to quit their quarters, or bear other arms than swords and daggers; which has given folk much matter for talk. Meanwhile the Commissary Captain Bastiano has been bidding the officers of the companies to keep a watchful eye upon them, and he says that they are orderly: and nothing more has been done hitherto. “Yesterday arrived M. Andrea Gambarini, sent hither post haste by the nuncio (fn. 17) about this business. He lodges with me; and having received from me a detailed account of all that has occurred, he has discussed the matter at large with the Marquis, as you will learn from his report; or that of the nuncio in his stead. He has not as yet been able to speak with his Majesty, as he is not in Lisbon.” 17 May, 1578. Lisbon. Italian.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. d'Inghilt. vol. i. ff. 387–8.	830. Sir Francis d'Englefield to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. After expatiating on the prudence, vigilance and valour displayed by Don John in his conduct of affairs, to the terror of England, and deploring the lethargy and pusillanimity of the Catholic King, by which the spirits of the heretics are raised and those of the Catholics depressed, the writer proceeds as follows:— “In conclusion, although his Highness [Don John] is now lord and master of the country, and can go freely whithersoever he please, and dominates some thirty or forty walled towns great or small; nevertheless, if you call to mind the unfortunate accord made last year, when the Spanish soldiers had in their hands the towns and fortresses of most importance, you will have no cause to wonder that this experience, so recent and fresh in the memory, should keep prudent people in suspense for fear the King should again stumble into a similar error, especially as it is now felt how great a loss the King has sustained by the death of that prudent and trusted minister, Escovedo, whose death is without a doubt mainly imputable to the machinations of some confederates bent on thwarting the prosperous course of Don John's affairs. Now as to the means of obviating these evils and misfortunes, which are thought to be imminent, our main reliance is on the prudence, authority and compassionate zeal of his Holiness, insomuch that if he make it not his business to strengthen and encourage the Catholic King, and lend him a hand in this enterprise, it may be apprehended that in some way or another the King will suffer himself to be induced and persuaded to recall Don John and remove him hence, though the result would be the total loss of these his realms, and the utter ruin of the Catholic faith throughout the West.” 18 May, 1578. Namur. Italian. Postscript.—“It is reported from London under date the 1st of this month that the pretended Queen, marking the great love and affection which her people of every sort and rank bear to Don John, by reason of the fame and glory of his virtues and achievements in these countries, begins to transfer great part of the hatred and dread that she had of the Spaniards, and concentrate it upon his Highness, purposing to compass his removal from this government at all costs. “Also, that the pretended Queen had at this late feast of St. George chosen and made the Emperor and the King of Denmark Knights of the Order of the Garter; to both of whom she will shortly send ambassadors, hoping by this ostensible bond of friendship to induce the King of Denmark to associate himself with her in regard of the affairs of Scotland, and with the [Prince of] Orange in regard of those of Flanders; and to encourage the Emperor to succour and support his brother Don Matthias in the government of these countries. “Also, that she had sent six ships of war, besides sixteen well armed merchant ships, into the Spanish main to encounter Marquis Stucley, whose pre-eminence in rank over James Desmond, (fn. 18) and all the rest of the gentlemen of Ireland, may occasion some check to the progress of the enterprise. “And besides the order which the pretended [Queen] has given for 150,000 crowns, payable by the Bank of Frankfort, for raising soldiers in aid of the Estates, she has just granted to Marquis Havré an order for 450,000 crowns in addition, with leave to procure 4,000 English infantry, 2,000 of whom have already arrived. “It is thought in England that the pretended [Queen] will induce these rebel Estates to pledge themselves to all that the King shall demand, provided that he remove Don John hence, and send him to Italy.” Italian.
Vat. Arch. Arm. xlii. vol. 34. f. 195, no. 190.	831. Pope Gregory XIII to Thomas Willan, Monk, of the Order of S. Saviour under the Rule of S. Brigit, Confessor General of English Nuns at Mechlin. Faculty to give English heretics absolution on confession and abjuration of heresies, in presence of a notary public and witnesses, and oath taken to offend no more in such manner. 18 May, 1578. Rome. Latin. Draft with expediatur by Flavio Cardinal Orsino, subject to attestation by the Cardinal of Ermland.
Vat. Arch. Arm. xliv. vol. 28. f. 100d. no. 186.	832. [Ptolemy Galli, Cardinal of Como] to William Allen, Rector of the English College. Acknowledging his letter of 5 April; condoling with him on the ejection of the English seminarists from Douai; and assuring him that in their new quarters [at Reims] they will not lack the support of the Pope, who, in addition to the assigned stipend, is sending him 500 aurei by hand of Archdeacon Audoenus [Owen Lewis]. The Pope has written to the Cardinal and Chapter of Reims, and the nuncio at the Court of the Most Christian King is instructed to use his influence, on behalf of the exiles. 19 May, 1578. Rome. Latin. Draft, much damaged. For the text see Theiner, Ann. Eccl., vol. ii. p. 435, or Letters and Memorials of William, Cardinal Allen, ed. Knox (Rec. Engl. Cath.), p. 41.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Francia, vol. xi. p. 323.	833. [The Same] to [Protonotary Dandino,] Nuncio in France. “Prompted by his anxious care to promote by all possible means the redintegration and increase of the holy Catholic religion in those, particularly the Northern, parts in which it is most harassed and afflicted, his Holiness, among other operations directed to that end, caused some years ago a College for the English nation to be built at his expense at Douai, a town of Flanders, and assigned thereto funds sufficient for the support thereof; to which College there speedily flocked a great number of scholars, of whose piety and teaching no little fruit began to be visible, with hope of much more success, had not their peace been disturbed by the recent turmoils in Flanders, and persecution by malignants. And whereas Dr. Allen, Rector of that College, a man most exemplary and good and learned, has thereby been constrained to withdraw with his comrades to the city of Reims in that realm, therefore it has seemed good to the Pope that they make their abode there to continue their work: and so, while providing them with money, he has warmly commended them to the Cardinal of Reims and the Chapter of the said church, that they may be accorded all needful aid and favour. And as it is feared that the pretended Queen of England, who shows herself most ill disposed towards the said Dr. Allen, will do her utmost with his Most Christian Majesty to procure his and his comrades' expulsion from the realm of France, even as they have been expelled from the province of Flanders, his Holiness has charged me to write to you, bidding you to exhort and beseech his said Majesty not only to allow them to abide in the realm and in that city of Reims, but also to direct that they be well treated, and accorded the favour of residing there in security and peace of mind, whereby his Majesty, besides sharing in the merit of so worthy a work, will do a thing in the last degree acceptable to the Pope.” 19 May, 1578, Rome. Italian. Copy.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. d'Inghilt. vol. i. f. 102. et seq.	834. Bastiano San Joseppi to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. … “There has come hither from the Court of Madrid one M. Andrea Gambarini, sent by the nuncio [Sega] to discover the King of Portugal's intention as to this service; and we are thus informed and certified that his Majesty is determined to make use of these soldiers, saying that he knew that the time was inopportune for us, and that the enterprise was for the present impracticable, and that beyond a doubt we should be lost; and that he understood this business better than the Pope, or any of us, or anyone else in the world; and in fine that it was best not to go at present; and in order that the troops should not lie idle and waste their time during the next three or four months, he was resolved to employ them in the enterprise of Africa, after which they should be afforded all aid and favour for the accomplishment of all that the Pope desires. Of this I shall say no more, but shall leave it to the Collector and the said M. Andrea, the nuncio's agent, to make good any possible omission. “It remains for me to tell you that at Port' Hercole there were included in these companies, by order of Signor Paolo Giordano [degli Orsini], three Sienese gentlemen, to wit, Giulio Spanochia, Bernardino Palmiero and Hercole Guglielmi; and at the same place it was discovered that in the companies was one Lazaro, a Corsican, with a comrade, both of whom came, it is said, of set purpose to kill the three said gentlemen: whereof there was some little evidence at Port' Hercole, but no account was made of it. I knew nothing of the matter, or I would have cashiered one set or the other, or at any rate have taken steps tantamount thereto, so as to prevent disorder of any sort. I verily believe that Signor Paolo and his captain had notice thereof from one Lorenzo Cerchi, who was with us, but no precaution was taken. Patienza! “Then on our arrival at Palamos both parties went ashore, and there ensued a disturbance among the Corsicans and the Sienese, in which about seven or eight soldiers were wounded. The townsfolk on their part gave no cause of offence; nor is it possible to establish the fact that the Corsicans came for such a purpose, as they persistently deny that they did so, alleging that they are worthy men, and came on this enterprise for the sake of the faith. “As such was the incertitude, my view from the first was that one set or the other must be dismissed from the companies; but my view prevailed only so far as that the Marquis, on the one side, and Captain Hercole, (fn. 19) on the other, took their word of honour that, so long as they should remain in this service, there would be no provocation given on either side either by deed or by word. “The voyage having been continued, Lisbon reached, and a landing effected at Overes [Oéiras], the Corsican Lazaro opened his mind to one Gregorio da Camerino, whom he besought and exhorted to join with him in killing these Sienese; but Gregorio replied that he was an honest man, and was minded to do no such thing, but rather to warn the said Sienese of their peril; and at last, the matter being discovered, the two Corsicans were arrested and confined in the house of the Marquis; in which house there was one Figura, who had already been guilty of insubordination to Signor Paolo Giordano, and who, they said, was the prime mover in this affair, and the privy abettor of the Corsicans. “They say that one evening, at one hour of the night, (fn. 20) Giacomo Giovanni Figliazzi, Horatio Martelli and Horatio da Lechi, together with the three Sienese, set out for the Marquis's house with intent to kill the said Figura; and that some arquebuses were discharged under the said house, so that the Marquis had reason to protest, and is firmly convinced, that they meant to kill him. And so a sally was made from his house by men armed with spears, who made haste after the men aforesaid, and took three of them, to wit, Giulio Spanochia, Hercole Guglielmi and Giacomo Giovanni Figliazzi, whom for the night they imprisoned in the Marquis's house. And the same night one of those that had escaped went to the companies in Overes [Oéiras], and told the captains that the Marquis had caused the men aforesaid to be arrested. The captains without hesitation put themselves in motion, and came back to Lisbon with 100 arquebusiers, and with all that troop entered my lodging. I was not at home, but was with the Marquis to get information as to the discharge of the arquebuses in front of his house; and while we were discussing this matter, there came upon the scene one that told me that both the captains with innumerable soldiers were in my house turning it upside down. I therefore left the Marquis, and came back to learn what the matter was; and on my arrival I asked the captains what was the reason of this upset, and who had induced them to leave their colours to come hither with this troop. They replied that the Marquis had put three of their soldiers in prison, and that by all means they were determined to have them released before they went away. I discussed the matter amicably with them, explaining to them why they ought to return to their colours, and that if the Marquis had put their soldiers in prison, it was within his powers as general so to do. They replied that they neither acknowledged nor would have him as their general, and that they meant to have their soldiers. I said much to them in a kindly tone, and bade them go speak to the Marquis, and render to him obedience as to their general, assigned to them as such by the Pope, and accepted by them. They replied that they would on no account enter his house; that if he wished to speak to them, he must go into a church, and there they would speak to him. I rejoined that it was not meet that a general should submit to dictation by his captains; but they said definitively that they would not speak to him otherwise; but that they were minded to go to the King. I besought them not to do so, for they would but injure themselves, as they had nothing whatever to do or discuss with the King. This I repeated several times, foreseeing that it would be the worse for them; but they would not hearken to me; nay, they went to the King, attended by 20 or 25 arquebusiers, who marched even into the King's antechamber with their matches alight. The Marquis was with the King before them, and told his Majesty what was going on, saying that he took them to be rebels against the Pope and him. The captains spoke to his Majesty, and, by what I have heard from the King's chamberlains, had nought of consequence to tell him; and when his Majesty asked them why they had so behaved, and why they would not obey the Marquis, they had nought else to say but that he was an Englishman. So at last his Majesty had them imprisoned in the castle, where they still are. “In presence of such disorder I have taken precautions against whatever might ensue, to save the honour and reputation of his Holiness, and have visited the companies, bidding the soldiers be of good cheer, and have no misgivings, for that I will provide for all their needs. They answered cheerfully that they were all ready to obey, serve and follow me whithersoever I should command them in his Holiness' service, provided I promised not to abandon them; and that they would render obedience to the Marquis, provided I promised to govern him; and such a promise I have given them. And as they have been ruined by their captains, and the pay has not sufficed them, I am keeping them, at the rate of a carline a day. “I shall say no more, because, if I were to recount all that has happened in this voyage, it would take me a month. Enough that many a time I have been in jeopardy of my life, and have recked not, and reck not of it, because it is in the service of the Pope. Forget not to have a care of me, and to give order that I be supplied with what I have need of here. I assure you that I shall not fail to do all that is needful for the profit and honour of his Holiness and your Most Illustrious and Reverend Lordship.” 23 May, 1578. Lisbon. Italian. Postscript.—“By an Irish bishop and Father David [Wolf] it has been mooted and discussed in the presence of the Marquis, the Collector and the nuncio's agent, M. Andrea Gambarini, whether it might be expedient to cause James Geraldine, (fn. 21) who is in Brittany, to come hither; and I replied that, if he is in arms in those parts, I deemed it best not to bring him hither, but rather to bid him go straight ahead. I was then told that he was not in arms, and that it was by accident that he was there. So I said that, as he was not in arms, it would be well that he should come hither to confer with the Marquis, that they might shape their plans together. All approved his coming, but thought that I should furnish 100 crowns to send a messenger post haste: whereto I did not agree, saying that I had no such instruction, and that I had incurred so much extraordinary expenditure that I had nothing left. I did indeed vote for the conference, but vetoed the disbursement of the money, and so the matter rested.” Italian.
Vat. Arch. Arm. xlii. vol. 34. f. 208.	835. Pope Gregory XIII to George Blackwell, Edwin Hadoc and Robert Guin, Priests. Authorizing them in default of bishops to perform episcopal functions in England and the adjacent and subject islands, as there are but two Catholic prelates, to wit, an archbishop and a bishop, in that realm, and both are so strictly confined as to be unable to perform any of their functions. 24 May, 1578. Rome. Latin. Minute with expediatur by Flavio, Cardinal Orsino, subject to attestation by the Cardinal of Como; and on f. 207 petition to the Cardinal of Como endorsed with note of the Papal authorization.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Portog. vol. i. f. 105.	836. Robert Fontana, [Collector Apostolic] to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. “From my letters of the 17th inst., of which and the others of the 6th I send duplicates, you will have learned the arrival here of M. Andrea Gambarini sent by the nuncio [at Madrid] about the business of the soldiers. My delight thereat is proportionate to the store which I set on my honour and the service of his Holiness; because, not only was I unable to devise means by which the business might go forward, but by reason of the many various and intricate complications with which it is fraught, and to which hydra-like it daily gives birth, I came at last to doubt whether some fault or negligence might not be imputed to me. “The said M. Andrea, after several times treating with [the Marquis], (fn. 22) and with the Commissary alone and in my presence, repaired to the King at Sintra [Cintra] with credentials from the nuncio. He had speech of the King, and got an answer very similar to what I had from him, notwithstanding that the contentions between the soldiers, and afterwards between the said [Marquis] and the captains, partly narrated in my former letter, might have occasioned his Majesty some displeasure and vexation with them; as you will learn from the said M. Andrea and the nuncio, to whom I refer you in regard alike of all that has happened here hitherto as also of the prognostications of what may follow, and as to [James Geraldine], (fn. 23) who is still in Brittany, and for divers reasons is desired to come hither, as I believe you have been informed.” 24 May, 1578. Lisbon. Italian. Partly in cipher. Enclosures missing.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Spagna, vol. xi. f. 269.	837. [Philip Sega, Bishop of Ripa,] Nuncio in Spain to [the Same]. “By this ordinary [post] I have little to add to what my secretary wrote upon the opportunity afforded by the courier of Portugal, except that I have since received letters from my man [Andrea Gambarini], (fn. 24) whom I sent to that Court; who, besides the other untoward circumstances, informs me that he finds such instability in Stucley, such distrust between him and the soldiers, and such dissension among the soldiers themselves as could not be exceeded; that the King has compelled them to yield, has given them a pay, and has placed them under the command of the general of soldiers of fortune, to whom Stucley has handed over the standard. True it is that he had not as yet had speech of the King, being six leagues from Lisbon, whither he was making ready to go on the morrow, but with little hope of success; notwithstanding that he knew not of the arrival at Rome of the courier whom, I am persuaded, his Majesty has sent to induce his Holiness to sanction the employment of these troops in the campaign of Africa. The gentlemen whom I sent hence to join Stucley have returned to this Court, having given up the expedition to England as desperate. (fn. 25) It was not true that Geraldine (fn. 26) was continuing his voyage; for by the last advices from Paris and Lisbon it is understood that he was still at Nantes, where he had but the English ship that he captured, as it was written. And from Lisbon they write that they were endeavouring to induce him to return to that city to confer with Stucley, who is abandoned by all the Irish that accompanied him from Italy on the ship, their pretext being that they went under compulsion, and that the Pope could not constrain them to return to Ireland against their will. In a word the business is in a sea of confusion at the very time when from going one might hope for the greatest success for the reasons written on other occasions. “As to the business of James [Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald], his Majesty saw not fit to give order either for the faculty to take possession or the grant of the privilege, as I besought him, until it should be known how the question of the quality was decided; and so it was agreed, it being deemed undesirable to communicate the business to the Council of Italy, through whose hands it must pass, until we are on the very verge of the expedition, so that the receipt of the decision thence [from Rome] may initiate the expedition here.” 24 May, 1578. Madrid. Italian.
Vat. Lib. Urb. Lat. 1046. f. 184d.	838. News Letter. … “The rumours that reach us from Scotland are to the effect that the Queen of England, under colour of taking arms in favour of the Estates of Flanders, was minded to make the Prince of Scotland prisoner by means of her understanding with his governor, Morton; but, the treaty being discovered, he was deposed by the Scots, who saved the Prince, and appointed four of the Council in place of the governor, who, though he took the field to raise the country, nevertheless got his quietus from the chief men of the realm.” 24 May, 1578. Rome. Italian. Copy.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Portog. vol. iii. f. 177.	839. [Ptolemy Galli, Cardinal of Como] to Mgr. Fontana, Collector. “I am in receipt of your letters of the 5th and 14th of last month with the reports of the preparations and other matters relating to the war of Africa; and by way of answer I have no more to say than that here prayers are ever being offered to God, that He aid his Majesty's good zeal, and give him the victory; and, moreover, his Holiness has not failed to accord his Majesty the request of his ministers for biscuits and powder, with authority likewise, to raise soldiers in this State, albeit there is little sign hitherto of measures being taken in pursuance thereof, either for lack of money or for some other hindrance, the ministers, however, ceasing not to aver that they will speedily enlist them; and perchance it is for the purpose of getting money sent them that they are despatching the present courier. “As to prelates to accompany the expedition, his Holiness is willing that the Bishop of Coimbra go, but no other, as it is not meet to deprive the churches of their pastors for a purpose so foreign to their profession, and of so little service to the King himself; with which answer his Majesty will, we think, be satisfied.” 25 May, 1578. Rome. Italian. Draft.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Francia. vol. xii. p. 167.	840. [Protonotary Dandino,] Nuncio in France to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. … “The gentleman (fn. 27) that was sent by the Most Christian King about two months ago to the Queen of England in the interest of the Queen of Scotland, against whom she had taken offence in consequence of some counterfeit letters that had been placed in her hands, returned a week ago, having succeeded in convincing her that the letters were counterfeit. And so she, who had closely confined the Queen of Scotland, and deprived her of all service, with intent to put her in the Tower of London, and have her beheaded, had since relaxed the rigour of her confinement, and made it more tolerable than it had been aforetime. (fn. 28) It is said that the Queen of England suffers more than commonly by her disease, and has therefore postponed the Parliament which she had bidden assemble, and that the nobles are all topsy-turvy, apprehending no little trouble. “Abbot Guadagni (fn. 29) returned to Court two days ago, and as yet it has been impossible to learn aught, save in general that Monsieur's mind is quite made up to go [to Flanders]. Some of his favourite servants have come hither to provide themselves with arms and horses for the journey; and they are busy with intrigues at Court and are well seen and caressed by the King; which is vexatious to the servants of the King of Spain, as, observing the servants of Monsieur thus busy, they deem it evidence that his Majesty does not take Monsieur's going so ill as he affects to do. “There has come hither a servant of the Queen of England, in order, they say, to enter some protest with the King against this going to Flanders. (fn. 30) “Yet other two envoys have made their appearance, one sent by the Estates General, the other by the Prince of Orange, to learn, it is said, the King's mind as to his brother's going; and this is in order that the [Estates] General, being at variance with the Prince, some saying that they would be glad that Monsieur should go, if the King should approve, and the others saying the contrary, may have an opportunity of coming to an agreement as to receiving him or no in accordance with what they shall discover to be satisfactory to his Majesty.” (fn. 31) 26 May, 1578. Paris. Italian. Draft.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Francia, vol. xii. p. 170.	841. [Protonotary Dandino,] Nuncio in France to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. “He that is here for the King of Spain has been mighty zealous in doing his office with the Most Christian King that he should prevent Monsieur [from going]; saying this in particular, to wit, that if his Most Christian Majesty should approve of his neighbours' houses being set afire, they are quite able at the same time to set his houses afire. Whereto the King replied that he could not do more than he had done and still does, as is notorious; and that he is vexed by all machinations contrary to Monsieur; and they say that he added that in any event he had rather have war with the King of Spain than with his brother. However, it is not certain that he said this then, though he may have said it on other occasions. “The gentleman who, I wrote, had come hither from the Queen of England spoke with the King and Queen Mother jointly on Sunday, and besought their Majesties to dissuade and prevent Monsieur from going, saying that the Queen of England, if Monsieur should go, is firmly resolved to aid the Spaniards; and thereon he dilated not a little. Their Majesties answered that they have done and are doing all that is in their power to hold him back, as is manifest, and that they cannot do more. In any event they will not concern themselves about what she may do; but if she desires the Estates to get no aid from Monsieur, it is with them that she should do this office, because it is they that invite him, and it rests with them to determine whether he go or stay. “As to the twain who, I wrote, had come from the Estates and the Prince of Orange to learn the mind of the King, it is believed and affirmed that there they are, but they are not in evidence, nor is it known where they are.” 27 May, 1578. [Paris.] Italian. Draft.
Vat. Lib. Urb. Lat. 1046. f. 192d.	842. News Letter. … “The Count of Montgomery (fn. 32) is to go from Brittany with a great force of cavalry to Flanders, whither from all parts there will be the greatest possible concourse of Huguenots. As to the Catholics, there is as yet nothing known for certain, but it will soon be manifest whether the soldiers and fleet made ready, and the league with England will prove to be for this purpose.” (fn. 33) 28 May, 1578. Paris. Italian. Copy.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. d'Inghilt. vol. i. ff. 106–8.	843. [Sir Thomas Stucley, Styled] Marquis of Leinster to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. Referring him to the Collector Apostolic and Andrea Gambarini, the representative at Lisbon of the nuncio at Madrid, for information as to the course of events since his own letter of 26 April; and professing himself confident of eventual success in the English enterprise, providentially saved from disaster by the King of Portugal's discovery of the forces made ready by the Queen of England to encounter it. Announcing that, in conjunction with the Bishop of Killaloe and David Wolf, he is sending a man of credit post haste to James Fismores [Fitzmaurice], who is at S. Malo in Brittany, to summon him to Lisbon. On the said James' arrival, which, it is hoped, will not be long delayed, the business will be expedited. Meanwhile Stucley requests the Cardinal to cause the commission for England to be sent to him, and Dr. Allen to join him. As to these matters, the Archdeacon of Cambrai (fn. 34) has received written instructions, and to him the Cardinal is referred. Ireland Stucley makes sure of speedily conquering, in which case the said James is to be left there as governor with some worthy prelate, pending Stucley's rapid reduction of England. The Cardinal is besought to do his utmost to induce the Pope to write to the King of Portugal, urging him to keep his promise to Stucley, as it is hoped he will since it was given in the presence of the Collector and Andrea Gambarini. For the rest the Cardinal is referred to the nuncio at Madrid. The Bishop of Limerick being dead, the Cardinal is requested to cause the vacant see to be given to David Wolf. As to the Bishop of Killala, who accompanied Stucley from Rome, and his followers and their behaviour, the Cardinal is referred to what the Commissary shall report. As to all other matters he is referred to the Archdeacon of Cambrai. 28 May, 1578. Lisbon. Italian.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Spagna, vol. xi. f. 273.	844. Captain Ercole del Mastro da Pisa to Paolo Sforza. “I have already written to you, as it behoved me, being, as I am, your dependant; for in truth you have made me what I am; and therefore I would not omit to apprise you of what I have gone through since I departed from Rome, and have been under the command of this Marquis; who is a man of such a sort that in his conduct there is much which, indeed, it disgusts (fn. 35) me to have to report to you; but yet, as you are my patron, I cannot forbear to communicate to you all that has happened pending this voyage, and here in Lisbon, since the King has provided us with quarters. “You are to know, then, that this Marquis has cheated his Holiness, because we deem that, being bound on an enterprise so great and honourable, he had no right to do the things which he has done. The first and main matter is that at all the ports of Spain, at which he has touched, he has let it be understood that he is going to Ireland; and moreover he met a ship sent by the Queen of England to speak us; and one morning, when we were towards Alicante about 100 leagues away in the Spanish sea, the said ship bore down upon us, and recognized us very well, and spoke us; and in particular the Marquis, accompanied by but one mariner, went aboard the said ship, and spent a long time in parley there, and then returned to our ship, and wrote letters and sent them aboard the said ship, with which we sailed in company as far as the Straits; and then we steered for Cadiz; and they shaped their course for England. And their ship, being off Cape St. Vincent, fell in with a Genoese ship and fought her a good while, firing again and again; but, being unable to take her, let her go; and she came to the port of Cadiz, where her mariners boarded our ship, and reported the affair to the Marquis, who made light of it, and moreover gave three of his English servants leave to go to England, and furnished them with patents and passports and letters: and so we came hither to Lisbon, where in like manner he gave leave to many others of his servants, so that to us, who were witnesses thereof, it seems that our Lord [the Pope] has been deceived. “Since then we have had I know not what other misunderstanding, which it would be tedious to report to you. Enough that it came to this that he made our behaviour the subject of many unseemly complaints to his Majesty; but as his Majesty and his officers have discerned the malignity of the said Marquis, they have placed no faith in him, deeming him a man of little judgment and empty-headed. “However, among our friends here one there is, an Italian, who resides with his Majesty—his name is Filippo Terzo, his rank engineer major—a man very attentive to his duties and much appreciated by his Majesty; and therefore I would entreat you to write a letter to the said Filippo Terzo and likewise to Cristofano [Christovao] de Taula [Tavora (fn. 36) ], who is next in authority to the King, commending me to them both.” 29 May, 1578. Lisbon. Italian.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Spagna, vol. xi. f. 274.	845. Giovanni Rubiano, otherwise Captain Giovanni da Fano to Paolo Sforza. “Being your servant, I cannot but give you to know that I am here in Lisbon with a company of 300 foot sent by the Pope; and here Captain Hercole and I have had a very stormy time, solely because we would not suffer our gentlemen and soldiers to be assassinated by the Marquis who was given to us as our commander for our going to Ireland; as to which matter you will have been informed by Lorenzo Cerchi, for Giulio Spanocchi has written him a detailed account of all that passed, albeit we doubt not that the Marquis will have written his account thereof: but, thanks to God and Filippo Terzo, we are set free little to the satisfaction of the Marquis, but to the satisfaction of his Majesty.” 29 May, 1578. Lisbon. Italian. Holograph.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Spagna, vol. xx. pp. 219–22.	846. [Ptolemy Galli, Cardinal of Como] to [Philip Sega, Bishop of Ripa,] Nuncio in Spain. “It is with much surprise that the Pope learns how Stucley's voyage is thwarted by the King of Portugal; and he cannot but be amazed and grieved at this method of proceeding, as indeed he has intimated to the said King's ambassador. I am now by his direction writing to Mgr. Fontana, the Collector, that, if he shall learn that Geraldine (fn. 37) has gone to Ireland with the stores, as the said Collector writes me he was informed, or if at least he be not informed to the contrary, he is to do his every endeavour that Stucley may go on his voyage; and that, if the King of Portugal will not put some ships at his disposal, he is to patch up and furnish our ship as best he may, for surely the King will not hamper him in that matter. But if the news of Geraldine's going shall prove not to be true, and they learn that he is still in Brittany, his Holiness in that case leaves it to the said Collector and Stucley to decide whether to go for this short space of time to serve the King in Africa, and meanwhile to correspond with Geraldine as to the time for meeting in Ireland, so as to accomplish something by concerted action: this, however, provided it be agreed that the King, for the use of our soldiers, first reimburse us the cost incurred in hiring them, and that our munitions be stored at Lisbon in the Collector's custody, pending the return of the said soldiers from Africa and their departure for Ireland, their original destination. Let all this be to you by way of instruction. “Four words are also being written to Stucley by way of credentials for the Collector. I am sure that the said Stucley has had an understanding with the King, and has readily agreed to go to Africa; because, though he was forewarned by the Collector that his Majesty had resolved, if he went to Lisbon, to detain him and take him into his service, he, though he had no need to go there whatever, nevertheless bent his course thither, though thereby he added more than a hundred miles to his journey. This is God's affair; and therefore we must believe that it is guided by His infallible providence, and assume that all is for the best. You on your part will take care that the 20,000 crowns be not by chance recalled.” 30 May, 1578. Rome. Italian. Draft for cipher.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. d'Inghilt. vol. i. f. 19.	847. [The Same] to [Sir Thomas Stucley, Styled] Mardquis of Leinster. “It is to his great surprise that the Pope has learned from the letters of Mgr. the Collector how the King of Portugal has thwarted your voyage, for assuredly he expected anything rather than this from his Majesty's good will. He also wonders how it was that, though you could go ahead without passing by Lisbon, you set yourself to lengthen 300 miles of journey in order to strike on this rock. But, however this may be, it is his Holiness' pleasure that you by all means continue your voyage; and, if you cannot get ships from his Majesty for this purpose, you can patch up and furnish, as best you may, the ship that you brought hence, and go ahead as God shall guide you, seeing that you are bound on His holy service. “For what more I might say I refer you to Mgr. the Collector, to whom I am writing more fully; and you will place entire confidence in him. So I say no more than that I would have you be mindful of your promises, and of those which I have made on your behalf, and give his Holiness no further cause for such disgust as he has now felt, great indeed, as it is evinced to be by the protest which he has made to the King of Portugal's ambassador, that he may report it to his Majesty, as I believe he is doing by the despatch which he is now writing. From me you may verily count on all protection and service, but it is essential that your operations be not incongruous with my offices. God inspire you, and guide you safely to your goal, and grant you all good fortune.” 30 May, 1578. Rome. Italian. Draft.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Portog. vol. iii. ff. 178–80.	848. [Ptolemy Galli, Cardinal of Como] to Mgr. Fontana, Collector Apostolic. “Your report of the King's action in thwarting the good result that was hoped from the Marquis [of Leinster]'s going to Ireland has occasioned the Pope no ordinary amazement, for he deems such a thing incongruous with his Majesty's goodness and Christian zeal, especially since he had learned from you that the Marquis was going in his Holiness' service. We are therefore almost reduced to suppose that it had the concurrence and consent of the Marquis, since other occasion he had none for adding more than 100 miles to his voyage by touching at Lisbon; for if the ship needed, as he says, repairing and providing with sails and shrouds, that he might readily have accomplished in the port of Cadiz, where he tarried so many days, and not have gone off at a tangent to join the forces of the King. But, however this may be, his Holiness is resolved not to allow this business to fail of reaching its goal; and so he has sent for the ambassador of Portugal; and after intimating to him his vexation at this affair, and bidding him write hotly thereof to his Majesty, he has likewise bidden me write to you, that you are to let the Marquis [of Leinster] know from him that he must continue his voyage; and should he have need of other vessels, you are to do your office with his Majesty in the Pope's name, that he cause provision to be made for the needs of the Marquis; and should the same difficulties be raised as on other occasions, to wit, that his Majesty needs the ships for his own service, and that he is not minded to break with the Queen of England, because he as beholden to her for aids, and is making use of her things and munitions for the war of Africa, you may reply that his Holiness knows very well that not only has the Queen given him no help whatever in these preparations for war, but that she has sent aids to the Moors of Africa against his Majesty to impede his victory in those parts; and that at the ports of his realm there touch so many ships that he is able without inconvenience to provide for the Marquis. “If his Majesty, after learning this decision and appeal of his Holiness, shall resolve to comply therewith, it will be well: but if not, you must see that the Marquis cause the ship that he has brought hence to be fitted and furnished in the best manner possible, and continue his voyage to Ireland; this, however, presupposes that there is certain intelligence that Geraldine (fn. 38) has passed to those parts with the ships and troops that you write had been furnished him by that gentleman his friend, or at least that there is no news to the contrary; for if we know, or at least believe, that Geraldine has crossed to Ireland, it would not be honourable to leave him a prey to the enemy without succour. “But if you should learn that the said Geraldine was still at S. Malo in Brittany, or in some other similar place, in that case his Holiness will leave it to you and the Marquis to take counsel together as to what may be the best and most expedient mode of action: and if you and he shall come to the conclusion that, in order to arrange with Geraldine for all to be in Ireland at the same time, it is necessary that the Marquis should not go thither for some weeks or months, in that case, and not otherwise, it would be possible to satisfy his Majesty, the Marquis going and serving him for that time in Africa with the 600 foot, and on his return going to Ireland with Geraldine, and with a better equipment than that which he brought with him on this occasion; which can very well be provided with the moneys and victuals that daily accumulate in the hands of Captain Bastiano, and with the 20,000 crowns which the nuncio of Spain has sent to Lisbon for this very purpose. And in case the Marquis goes to Africa, you will take care that his Holiness is first reimbursed all the expenditure that he has incurred in transporting to Lisbon the said 600 foot, and that the artillery, pikes, arquebuses and other munitions sent aboard the ship are restored and kept safe at Lisbon by a deputy appointed by you, until the return from Africa, that then all things may be found in order for an immediate departure upon this other enterprise; and Captain Bastiano may either stay with the things, or follow the Marquis to Africa, as to you may seem best; albeit I would fain hope that the Marquis will continue his voyage without any deviation. “If by chance there shall be no occasion for our ship to go further, you will, immediately upon the receipt of this, see that she is put out of commission, that she may take on board some cargo of merchandise, and return to Italy at her pleasure: because the hire of her costs his Holiness 800 crowns a month while she is in commission; and in putting her out of commission you will make the master bind himself to carry our artillery back at any rate as far as Genoa, for I believe that the ships that will be hired on the return from Africa will have their own artillery, and will have no need of ours.” 30 May, 1578. Rome. Decipher. Italian.
Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Francia. vol. xii. p. 174.	849. Protonotary Dandino, Nuncio in France to [Ptolemy Galli,] Cardinal of Como. “As to Monsieur's going to Flanders there is still some hope—but no certitude—that it will not come to pass: and it is understood that some Flemings have complained to the Prince of Orange that foreign soldiers are in Flanders; and that he afterwards said in Council that, rather than consent to this, he would go and throw himself into the hands of the Catholic King. “The two men of the Estates, (fn. 39) who, I wrote, had come hither, were, we understand, here indeed, and without discovering themselves had conveyed to the King their desire to know whether his Majesty favours his brother's going; and had gotten for answer from him that he would not meddle with the affair, being desirous not to be troubled with it; whereupon they went away in quest of his Highness, who, it is said, has sent another gentleman to treat of this business with the Estates, by whom, besides the terms already reduced to writing, he is promised 100,000 thalers a month by way of supplies. “The Queen of England's man, (fn. 40) who, I wrote, had been here, has gone to find Monsieur, to what purpose is not known; and there is some rumour that in view of this emergency there is some treaty of league between the King of Spain and that Queen.” 31 May, 1578. [Paris.] Italian.