|
July 1.
Cremona. |
392. The Magistrates of Cremona to her Majesty. Anselmo
Tinto [Tinctus], lawyer, their fellow-citizen, whom they had sent
to congratulate her Majesty upon her marriage, having on his
return with some Ambassadors from other cities been captured
in the English Channel by the French, they have by the exertions
of her Majesty's representatives been restored to liberty, for which
the thanks of the city are gratefully offered to her. [Latin. One
page.] |
July 3.
Brussels. |
393. Sir John Masone to Sir William Petre. Was visited last
night by the recently arrived Ambassador of Ferrara, who brought
with him two letters to be forwarded to King Philip. Supposes
one or both are from the Duke of Ferrara; requests they may
be delivered to Signor Gonzalo Perez to be handed to his Majesty, and the replies sent either to the Ambassador here or
to himself. Pickering has required him to express the gratitude
which he owes to Petre, the rather that a former letter which he
had written in his behalf had miscarried by the loss of a capcase
by the way. Believes Petre has done for an honest man, who
both in studying to make amends to her Majesty for his fault, and
to acknowledge his bond to Petre for his goodness, will not, he
thinks, fail to employ himself during life to the uttermost of his
power. Is forced by the lamentable letters of Peter Carew, with
the declaration of, as it should seem, his unfeigned repentance, to
commend Petre's past goodness to him, and to request a continuance
of it until some beneficial results are obtained. "He is not a man
to be lost if he may be won unfeignedly, as by my troth I think
he means none otherwise. This fall may be to him felix culpa,
and the Queen hath thereby occasion to win such a servant as for
sundry qualities there be not many in the realm of England. I will
adventure, at the first occasion that I shall have to write unto
her grace, to make of him some mention; which, in good faith,
I am moved the rather to do, for the gentle service I think he is
able to do to his native country, than for any other private
respect other than very pity." Prays that what this navy of
Denmark may breed be not too shortly felt ! It is strange, that
although it has been three months in preparation, the Court here
is so ignorant of their meaning, as on Saturday last M. D'Arras
said he thought surely the matter was at an end. [Two pages.] |
July 12.
Poissy. |
394. Dr. Wotton to the Council. The French King is now at
St. Germain-en-laye, where the Court will remain six weeks or
more. On this side they make no great army; although all soldiers
and the Arrière Ban are ordered to be at Laon before the end of
the month. But they will probably wait to see what the Emperor
will do. Marshal St. André is expected at the Court. On the King
of Navarre's death, the Duke of Vendôme went to Guisnes, where
he will likely remain for some time. They send to Piedmont a
strong force of horse and foot, besides 4,000 or 5,000 Swiss; for it is
said that besides the Bohemian cavalry lately come to the Duke of
Alva, he expects 5,000 or 6,000 landsknechts more. The Imperialists
that were encamped without the walls of Valence [Valenza], in
Piedmont, have been compelled by the French to take refuge in the
town. The loss of Port Ercole is ascribed to the treachery of the
landsknechts, who betrayed one of the gates to the Imperialists;
the Italian and French soldiers, being ignorant thereof, were cut to
pieces. Pietro Strozzi, who thought to have conveyed to the town
by sea 300 men, with great difficulty escaped, and has returned
to Toulon. The Italians here say that the Pope raises troops, as
well as the French and Imperialists in Tuscany. The Prince of
Salerno, whom it is thought the Pope favoureth well, will shortly
return to Italy. The King has stayed all his ships of war that
were about to sail, as well as his coasters; wherefore unknown,
but supposed to be because the English fleet is prepared to go
forth shortly. No Ambassador come hither from the Pope yet.
Is frequently asked, what news out of England? The French
have a number of horse and foot, said by them to amount to
10,000, at Moncornet, for defence rather than for attack. The Admiral governs in Picardy during the absence of M. de Vendôme,
now called King of Navarre, who sends 5,000 or 6,000 Gascons
to Piedmont, because Brissac has required 12,000 more men, expecting shortly to have need of them. Marquis Albert has sent
for troops to serve here. With the Prince of Salerno is his
nephew Fregoso, to whom the French King has given a bishopric
although he was formerly a captain, and who, being related to
the Pope, it is thought will be one of the first Cardinals that
shall be made. There is a report that De Thermes goes to meet
the Turk's navy, and so return to France. I cipher, deciphered.
Three pages.] |
| July 12. |
395. Bryan Fitzwilliams to Dr. Wotton. Expresses his sorrow
for the heinous offences which he has committed, whereby he has
become a banished man, and implores Wotton to intercede with
her Majesty for forgiveness, and that he may be placed in some
service where he may spend his body to regain some part of the
good opinion which her Majesty had once of him by the service he
did her at Fremmyngan [Framlingham]. For the last eight months
has declined to serve the French King, and done all in his power
to testify his allegiance to her Majesty. His delay in suing for
mercy has been occasioned by the neglect of friends to advertise him when the time for such suit was favourable. [One
page.] |
July 16.
Rome. |
396. Sir Edward Carne to Sir William Petre. There is wondrous
slow expedition in this Court, and harder to obtain than ever he
saw here before. As far as he can hear Petre's dispensation in
special will save a great tax; it shall not be slight as time and
place shall serve. Requests Petre will be good master to him for
his diets; his servitor has no place to go to but to him for help.
[Half a page.] |
July 16.
Rome. |
397. Same to King Philip and Queen Mary. Since the Bishop
of Ely's departure hence, on the 2d inst., nothing has been done
but the expedition of two brieves; one for the union of the legation
of Ireland with that of England, and another for the erection of the
bishoprics of Chester and Gloucester, now sent to the Legate with
other brieves responsive to their Majesties from his Holiness. The
expedition of the Bishops' bulls are also dispatched, and he has
sent them by the common post of this date to Masone their Ambassador with the Emperor, to await the arrival of the Bishop of
Ely at that Court. The Turk's navy is seen daily in these seas
hovering up and down; ships of war are gathered to keep the
coast. On the 6th inst. the Marquis of Saria, the Emperor's Ambassador, made his entry here, and was honourably received after
the sort of this Court. On the 9th Don John Manrique, the
Ambassador here, left for the Emperor and their Majesties; he
showed their Ambassadors as much honour, entertainment, and
service, with all gentleness as might be shown. Beseeches their
Majesties will give him thanks therefor. [One page.] |
| July 21. |
398. "Touching Mr. Carne's Diets." Extract from the books of
Sir Edmund Peckham, Knight, High Treasurer of the Mint, by
T. Westwick, his clerk, showing that there is paid to Sir Edward
Carne in prest his diets for 160 days, from 12th February to 21st
July 1555, amounting, at the rate of fifty-three shillings and four
pence per diem, to the sum of 426l. 13s. 4d. [Half a page.] |
July 21.
Brussels. |
399. Sir John Masone to the Council. Yesterday received their
letters of the 12th, than which never were letters more welcome,
as they will enable him to still a great many doubtful talks upon
the longer tarrying of her Majesty's delivery than was looked for.
"Almighty God assist her with His holy hand, whensoever the
time shall come, so as the fruit may come to light so much prayed
for by all good men to the joy and gladness of the good sort
of the whole estate of Christendom!" The Turk's navy, having
passed the Pharos of Sicily, have at last been discovered at the isle
of Capri, within the sight, in a manner, of the town of Naples. On
their way they have burned in Calabria two villages upon the
coasts, Paula, belonging to the Duke of Castrovillare, and Santo
Lucito, belonging to Signor Federico Caraffa. Some think they
will go next to Corsica; but Port Ercole being razed it is
probable a great piece of their malice is met withal. The Turk
himself is expected at Constantinople in August; he has dismissed
the Sophy's Ambassador from Amasia very honourably, but what
passed between them is unknown. It is said he has advised the
King of the Romans to give up Transylvania to the Vaivode's son
within a short time, menacing him otherwise with war. Sends a
letter from the English Ambassador at Venice, which will probably
declare at good length the great honour and courtesy shown by that
state to Lord Montacute. [Two pages.] |
July 28.
Rome. |
400. Sir Edward Carne to Sir William Petre. Petre's matter is
in the hands of the Datary, who has promised favour in all Carne's
suits. Had delivered the book to one of experience here to draw
a minute thereof. Stands in doubt where he had all again or
no; for if the beginning of the book be "Manerium de Ging ad
Petram, alias Ging Abbatisse, alias dictum Ingatstone in comitatu predicto" with the word "Essex" in the margin, thinks he has
all; if that be not the beginning of Petre's book he does lack.
Has in all 12 manors, one farm called Salmons and Barowse, and
there parsonages, so that he has but 16 pieces in all if that be
the whole. If that be the whole, he has enough; if it be not,
requests Petre will send it him in a little bill. This day the Pope
kept a solemn feast for a jubilee which his Holiness has granted,
whereto, as well in the church as to dinner, all the Ambassadors with
the Cardinals were invited. In the procession the Portuguese Ambassador and he had a dispute as to precedency, the former demanding the pas: this went so far that the whole procession was stayed,
whereupon the Pope ordered both of them to avoid the place, which
they did. The Portuguese Ambassador is the Grand Commander:
he had a sword and a dagger, Carne no weapon, but the next time
will have a dagger as well as the Ambassador if he come thereto.
Has written to their Majesties of this Ambassador's doings; he is
brother to the Emperor's Ambassador here, who came afterwards to
Carne declaring that the Pope was in hand with him thinking that
he favoured his brother in this matter, and showing that he was his
Majesty's vassal and would serve him before father or mother, with
many fair words. The Bishop of Trani, in Puglia [Apulia], a benefice in the gift of his Majesty, died here yesterday. [One page and
a half.] |
