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| July 13. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives, |
598. Sigismondo di Cavalli, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Signory. |
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The Archbishop of Nazareth, who has lately arrived from Pome, has advised the Queen-Mother to be upon her guard against the Duke of Alençon and the King of Navarre, and to remove from attending their persons those of their chief partisans who are suspected, and also those who have always been the cause of the new ideas. This advice has not been very acceptable to the Queen-Mother, because she has invariably endeavoured to believe and to promulgate that her son and son-in-law were not to blame, and that they should therefore enjoy their full liberty; nevertheless she shows great gratitude to the Holy Father for this and his other remembrances of her, and returns thanks to his Holiness accordingly. The clay before yesterday the body of King Charles IX. was buried in the church of St. Denis, where all the Kings of France are interred, but for forty days previously his effigy, habited in royal apparel, and placed in a
bed, richly furnished, was exposed in the place where he died, and was served during the whole of that period with dinner and supper with almost the same ceremonies as were observed before the King himself when alive. On each side of the bed most sumptuous altars were erected bearing many lights, which continually burnt around the body, and during all the morning masses were said, and after dinner the funeral offices were recited. At the expiration of forty days, the body, placed on a superb car, was conducted first into this city, and subsequently to St. Denis, and the effigy with its bed, raised upon another car, followed, and was accompanied by the Parliament, the princes, the barons, three cardinals, a great number of bishops who attended, the guards, and five hundred poor men each bearing a lighted torch in his hand; and it is estimated that from the day of the death of the King until his burial one hundred and fifty thousand crowns were expended. Immediately after the funeral, King Henry III. was proclaimed with great joyfulness. While the late Kind's body was unburied, his wife never, according to custom, left her chamber, which had the windows closed and was lighted with candles. Now she has begun to go abroad. The Queen-Mother proposes to go to Lyons to meet the King. |
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Paris, 13th July 1574. |
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[Italian.] |
| July 15. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
599. Sigismondo di Cavalli and Giovanni Francesco Morosini, Venetian Ambassadors in France, to the Signory. |
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Our first audience was given to us this day in the Queen-Mother's chamber, where we found the Queen-Mother; Monsieur d'Alençon her son and the Queen of Navarre were also present. The Chancellor is dissuading the Queen-Mother from going to Lyons, urging, amongst other reasons, that if she left Paris she must send to prison the Marshals de Montmorency and de Cosse, for fear lest they should take to flight, and that in these times it was inexpedient to incur large expense upon a voyage, when she must be attended by a strong guard, both for her own safety and to secure the Duke her son and the King of Navarre, whose safe custody was more important than any other consideration, it being even doubtful whether any precautions could be adopted sufficient to prevent their escape, and especially because it is well known that they intend to avail themselves of any opportunity to do so; for it is reported that when they went to St. Denis to assist at the obsequies of the late King, they meditated flight, but the captain of the guard perceived their intentions, and took such measures as deprived their movement of all hopes of success. Her Majesty continues to carry on the government, and to keep a strict watch over her son and son-in-law; still she would willingly set them at liberty, but she is compelled to relax no precautions, because it appears there are not wanting persons who desire their escape; and yesterday I was informed on good authority that there are some individuals here, who by order of the Queen of England had come to this Court upon the pretext of accompanying her Ambassador [Dr. Dale], and who had
endeavoured to corrupt the guards to allow the escape of the princes. Indeed it is absolutely certain that the Queen of England is doing her utmost to assist this purpose, and it is even asserted that she had actively promoted the conspiracy which has lately been organised. |
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Paris, 15th July 1574. |
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[Italian.] |
| July 26. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
600. Giovanni Francesco Morosini, Venetian Ambassador in Trance, to the Signory. |
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The Queen-Mother desires earnestly the arrival of the King, because she finds much difficulty in keeping safely Monsieur and the King of Navarre, who think of nothing but escape; and since the attempt which they made at St. Denis they have made another, which they thought easier, namely, to pass out of the palace through the lower court and by the gate opposite the Louvre, and then to enter one of the boats which are always waiting at that spot for the convenience of those who wish to pass the river; their idea being to drop down the stream in one of these small boats until they were out of the city, where they expected to find good horses awaiting them, and thus to take flight without being seen. In fact this device was so far advanced that Monsieur had already by himself reached the place where the kitchens are situate, and was just about to leave the palace by one of the gates which is opened very early every morning to admit the kitchen servants; and having arrived there unchallenged, he hoped to get out without being recognised. On that spot there were no guards of importance, but two gentlemen having accidentally come thither, he (the Duke) was saluted by them and asked whither he was going thus alone; but when they proposed to accompany him, as was their duty, his Highness perceived that his design was defeated, and, pretending that he had been merely going for a walk, returned to his apartments., When the Queen Mother was informed of this circumstance, stricter orders were given to the guard, and prohibition issued under pain of the gallows for any boat to ferry passengers either near the palace or in any other part of the city. Nevertheless the Queen-Mother feeds both her son and son-in-law with good hopes, professing not to penetrate their intentions, and she acts in like manner with regard to the Marshals de Montmorency and de Cosse, having given permission to the mother and wife of Montmorency to visit him in prison. |
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Paris, 26th July 1574. |
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[Italian.] |
| July 31. Original Despatch, Venetian Archives. |
601. Giovanni Francesco Morosini, Venetian Ambassador in France, to the Signory. |
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The Queen arrived yesterday at the Abbey of St. Germain, accompanied by the King of Navarre, who, when in that place, attempted to escape so openly, that it became necessary to give him warning, which proceeding afforded him the opportunity of going to the Queen to make explanations. He then spoke many and violent
words to her Majesty, asserting that the time had now arrived to set him at liberty, and that he could and would not endure to live after such a fashion, and that he must have his remedy, or otherwise he would find his way with his dagger; and he also used similar and more exaggerated language, indicating his intention to depart by force. The Queen endeavoured to appease him with kind and gentle expressions, but as these were of no avail, and even excited the King of Navarre to speak more angrily, the Queen at length changed her attitude, and told the King plainly that until the arrival of the most Christian King he must remain in his present position, which if he accepted with good will and cheerfully, he would be certain to receive from the most Christian King every consideration, whereas, if he did the contrary, he would fall into such bad odour that her Majesty would not answer for the consequences. |
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Paris, 31st July 1574. |
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[Italian.] |
