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March 1.
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663. POULET to the SECRETARIES.
Villeroy returned from Monsieur on the 22nd inst. [sic ; see last
letter], and gives out that he prays the King to account of him
as his loving brother and faithful subject. He had retired from
the Court only to avoid the troubles which were likely to grow of
the mislike between the gentlemen of both their families, and he
intends nothing less than any hostility against the King. Villeroy
arriving before noon, spent the greater part of that day with the
King in his cabinet, which gives cause to think that his message
contained higher matter. There is no doubt that the King feared
some dangerous innovation from his brother's departure, and considering
the youth and venomous minds of such as possess these
two young princes, it may be affirmed that only necessity can
keep them quiet. The King is so bridled by those of the religion
that he dare attempt nothing against his brother, and is forced 'to
seek peace with cap and knee.' Monsieur will be constrained to
moderate his passions for want of ability, those of the religion
being grown wise by experience of their former harms, and as
burnt children dreading the fire, will see great miracles before
they offer their candles ; having resolved to urge the due observation
of the edict, and so continue the King's faithful subjects, and
yet stand on good terms with Monsieur.
As this 'accident' may be profitable to the Churches of this
realm, if French rashness and inconstancy do not cast them headlong
into some dangerous confusion, so I am much deceived if their
neighbours beyond the seas may not assure themselves of their
part of the blessing, the French being constrained to seek peace
abroad, to avoid the danger of troubles at home. But the alterations
of this country are so childish, sudden, and uncertain that we
must be prepared against all 'advents,' and we shall deceive ourselves
much if we think to find any assurance against our mightiest
neighbours but to be so provided that they cannot harm us if they
would.
The sudden change which Monsieur has made of his principal
officers seems to threaten some further consequence. Count St.
Aignan, La Bordesière, Arpentin, Sourdy, and others have been
removed, and La Chastre, Bussy, Simier, Chevalier d'Oraison,
Chavany, Chevalier Breton, and others put in their places. Yet
some are of opinion that Monsieur will again be at Court within
three months. Queen Mother has the skill not only to breed these
quarrels, but also to appease them when it suits her purpose ; seeing
very well that her credit stands much upon these divisions,
her sons being so much possessed by others that she is not employed
as she has been, or as she desires, except in time of necessity. The
house of Guise joins her in blowing the fire of division, though,
no doubt, to contrary ends ; of which I need say no more, as it
is known to you.
Shortly after Villeroy's arrival, the King sent for a gentleman
belonging to the King of Navarre, and told him that he was on
the point of giving out commissions for the due execution of the
edict, and if he remembered any point worthy of consideration,
order should be given to his satisfaction ; concluding that his
brother had assured him by Villeroy that he would attempt nothing
against his person or crown. Some think that if he had not feared
the latter, he would not have granted the former so liberally.
Those of the religion have thought themselves fortunate where
they might have reason for the asking, and therefore this extraordinary
proffer is thought to proceed from some extraordinary
cause.
The principal men of the Council have already spent
several days since Monsieur's departure in perusing the
'cayers' of the late Assembly at Blois, which serves to
'bear men in hand' that some good effect may ensue, thereby
to take away all occasion of new troubles under colour of protection
of the commonwealth. It is well when God is honoured and His
people well governed, whether with or without our goodwill.
Fraynee and Fonteneau, the first of whom was Mayor of Rochelle
during the siege, and was suspected of intelligence with the King,
came to this Court on the 21st. They had audience next day, and
were used with great favour. They have presented the King with
a clock of great value and singular fashion. The substance of their
negotiation was to crave pardon for faults past, to pray the
effectuating of the edict throughout the realm, and particularly
in Rochelle, to be confirmed in their ancient privileges and discharged
of certain new impositions, to build a new church, to
enlarge their college, and to procure an order for the razing of
Marans. Besides a generally favourable and secure answer, they
were asked to consider if they had any particular occasion to make
proof of the King's favour towards them ; they would find it ready.
This bait is usually practised towards all such of the religion as
resort hither, and experience shows daily that our particular makes
us forget the general.
Some say that Monsieur aspires to the Duchy of Britanny ; one
argument among others being alleged that some about him will
never think themselves safe until they can command the sea coast.
The Spaniards and Italians march daily towards Don John, and
besides the 2,000 lately arrived or on the point of arriving at
Luxembourg, another 2,000 are well advanced on their way from
Genoa. It is said that the 'Cantons Papists' levy 30 companies
of foot for Don John's service.
We hear from Spain that Don Bernardin Mendoza comes shortly
to England, and is on the point of arriving here.
I am told that on the 22nd a packet addressed to M. Pinart was
found between the Louvre and the church of St. Thomas adjoining,
by one Jean Rybault, who has had charge in a ship of Rochelle,
called La Florissante, and is the son of Rybault, the great rover
on the seas, being at the time with companions. This Rybault,
after the French manner, without consideration, opens the packet,
and there finds one letter addressed to the King and another to
Queen Mother, a third to Pinart, and, besides some other letters,
a list unsealed, with these words at the head, Ceulx qui pour nous
favorisent le party Catholicque. Rybault 'takes upon him' to
know the hand of the Scottish Queen, and affirms that the superscription
of the letter to the King, and the whole of the list, was
in her writing. Finding the letters to be important, the men
thought good to deliver them to M. Pinart. Within an hour after
the finding of the packet, one ran to me and told me that one of
the King's porters had told him that a packet addressed to me
was found in the Court, and was carried to M. Pinart. I have
done all I can to get speech of Rybault, but cannot attain to it ;
though he professes to be of the religion. The particulars abovementioned
I had from a friend of his. It is strange that a packet
of this importance should be lost through negligence, and more
strange that this roll of English names should be left at large in
the packet and not enclosed. I trust no packet addressed to me
is fallen into their hands and cloaked by this device. The place
where this is said to have been lost is of great resort from morning
to night, and it may be that some English messenger could not
devise a surer way to get rid of the packet without danger than
to let it fall in a place where he was sure it would come safe to
the King's hand.
I can do no good for Mr. Warcupp, all their former promises
being clearly forgotten, or at least shamefully denied. I have
now received answer that the copies which I have to show are
insufficient to move the King to make restitution, which they say
must be grounded on the originals, and they know the originals
are in their own hands. I have told M. Pinart that, as I see he
hinders in this suit all that was furthered by the Chancellor and
others, I will not importune him any further.
It is thought that negotiations continue between Monsieur and
some of the Estates, and that Bussy will further it by all means
possible, and the rather as the world goes with him at this time.
The King may be persuaded to yield, in respect of the late jar,
and then Monsieur will want no followers. What will happen
will not easily be discovered till Queen Mother returns. If I should
be driven to say somewhat, I should be of opinion that Monsieur
will do nothing in the Low Countries this year. I hear he makes
no account of the daughter of Spain, and knows well that the King
means nothing less than to give her to him.
The bruit continues that the Turk arms by sea, and I am credibly
informed that the King of Spain has not yet made peace with him,
and has no hope of doing so.
When I had written thus far, and was nearing the end of my
letter, at nine a.m. yesterday, M. Gondy came from the King to
ask me to go to the Court immediately after dinner, where I should
find the Chancellor and others ready to confer with me in some
things touching the Queen. I went at the appointed time, and
the Chancellor, assisted by the Marshal de Cossé, de Foix, and
seven or eight others of the Council, spent little less than three
hours in debating of many things, of which the substance is as
follows : First, this bill enclosed was proposed, containing, as
de Foix affirmed, the very words advertised by the French Ambassador ;
which, being examined, could not be denied to be a very
bare and naked advertisement, both because the matters mentioned
of so great importance did not contain the answers of her Majesty
and the Lords of the Council, and also because the principal
grounds of his complaint were omitted, as the names of the
offenders, the value of the wrong done, and other circumstances,
while some things were set down in such monstrous manner that
it was easy to see it could not be true. I said that I doubted much
that the party that complained on Sir John Perrott would be
found a pirate in the end, and to have been imprisoned for his
piracy. The last article, touching Mr. Sackford, is excused as a
thing of which the Ambassador had been lately informed, and
therefore could not affirm how the ship was sunk, or what had
become of the goods.
Upon the second and third articles the Chancellor and M. de
Foix urged the Treaty of Troyes, confirmed by the Treaty of Blois,
and after rehearsing the branches of the treaty bearing on the
point, concluded that while letters of mark orderly granted and
duly executed are, nevertheless, next neighbours to open hostility,
this letter of mark against the inhabitants of St. Malo was disorderly
granted and duly executed. It was to be considered that
the treaties between England and France not only confirmed a
peace between the two realms, but also a league defensive ; and
therefore their King had never granted any letters of mark, and
had now denied Le Fer of St. Malo, mentioned in the first article
of the Bill.
On this grew long speech of the wrongs done at sea on both
sides, of the late accident at Brouage, of the want of justice on
either part ; and I concluded that the injustice of past time compared
with the wrongs of the present, had forced her Majesty to
seek remedies contrary to her own disposition, and therefore if
this letter of mark were granted against this man of St. Malo (of
which I knew nothing), I doubted not but it would appear to have
been done upon reasonable cause. Here I told M. 'Milleray,'
governor of the sea-coast in Normandy, that at our last meeting
he had undertaken to prove that for every crown which those under
his government had taken from the English the English had
spoiled them of 500 ; that he had promised to come to any lodging
and inform me of the particulars. That I had looked long for
him, and seeing he came not, had sent my son to M. Pinart to
remind him of his promise. I should have been glad to do my
best to procure restitution to the parties wronged, and I prayed
him to do the like toward those of my country. To that end I
had made a collection of the robberies done upon the English by
those of Normandy, and then delivered him the bill, amounting to
33,000 crowns of the sun or thereabouts, which had been robbed
from the merchants of England since April, 1576. 'He makes
great shift if he can double this sum five hundred times.' Surely
words are cheap in this country, and there is no means to answer
them but with deeds. I found him afterwards very temperate both
before the Lords of the Council, and in private conference with me ;
and he promises undelayed justice to all whom I may recommend
to him.
Then we considered some means for the restitution of the spoils
done already ; and the Chancellor said that new ordinances should
be set forth containing sharp punishments, and that persons should
be deputed both here and in London to see how complaints on
either side were satisfied, and report to the Council as occasion
served. I told them there was no need to make new laws if the old
ones were duly executed, and that persons were already deputed to
further justice in these cases. "It is true,' said the Chancellor,
"that such men are appointed here ; but not in England." I
answered that if no better effect followed in England than had been
found here, it made no great matter if they never were appointed.
I said it was necessary for a piracy to be proved by examination
before restitution could ensue ; that to this purpose the deputies
would grant their officer, who was so slenderly obeyed that no good
followed. When they offered to go in person, the charges were so
excessive, and the result so uncertain, that merchants could not
bear the burden of it. It was concluded that the only remedy lay
in the several governors, who lacked no means to hinder justice
that was sought otherwise than from themselves. They had full
powers to restrain suspected persons from going to sea, to take
sureties for the due performance of their professed voyages, and
to do justice to all. In the end it was thought good that the
governors should be exhorted to do the duty of their office ; that
they should know this trust was committed to them ; and as they
might be sometimes at Court or elsewhere distant from the sea,
that one should be deputed in every port, for whom the governor
should be answerable, to do justice expeditiously for all and preserve
them from outrage in body and goods. "It is not enough,"
said the Chancellor, "that satisfaction be made for wrongs done
already, unless order be taken that the like shall not happen
again" ; and therefore he thought that ships should be sent by the
King and by her Majesty, which should join together to scour the
seas of all rovers. He urged this opinion earnestly, and Milleray
agreed with him ; but I am much deceived if I did not perceive
that some great personages there were of a contrary mind. Many
words passed on the point, and I concluded that I doubted so
much of the due execution of this good meaning that I durst not
say I had any liking of the course, the liberty of the seas being
very dangerous in this wicked time ; but I would advertise her
Majesty of their opinion. Then I renewed my suit for Mr. Warcupp,
and told M. Pinart that, having found the Chancellor very
reasonable, I was hindered only by him. "It is true," said he to
the Chancellor, "that the Ambassador does so think, and signified
no less to me by his son." The matter was debated, and my papers
were shown ; and finally it was promised that payment should be
made of so much as might be coming to Mr. Warcupp of the 2,000
francs promised by the Mayor of Angiers ; and this morning I
have received the King's letters patent for the payment of 4,500
crowns. This is better than nothing, and, indeed, Mr. Warcupp's
matter has been so ill-guided that he had nothing to show for it,
and it could only be recovered by importunate asking ; and now
M. Pinart and I are great friends again.
I must trouble you with the letters and bill enclosed, which
have been sent me from Britanny [cipher] ; whence I am also
advertised from M. de Laval [cipher] that, in his opinion, La
Roche's preparations were intended for Ireland. He has lately
left this Court, and we shall see what will come of his voyage ;
some affirming that it is utterly broken, others that it holds. A
messenger is sent to Britanny to ascertain.
Maintenon arrived to-day from Queen Mother, and Rochepot
comes from Monsieur to-morrow, and we shall hear shortly what
effects will follow these wonders. Some say the King recalls the
French who are in the Low Countries, to serve his turn here. It
is certain that they return daily in great troops, with great discontent,
as is reported.
I forgot to say that the French Ambassador confesses, as the
Chancellor says, he has received from her Majesty and the Council
all the expedition he could ask touching Le Fer ; but when he
comes to execution he prevails nothing.—Paris, 1 March 1577.
P.S.—'Malleray,' brother to 'Clerevan,' has also informed of this
packet supposed to be lost. I have received these two bills from
M. Pinart ; one of the conference between the Council and me, the
other of depredations done by the English. These things argue
that the French are content to make fair weather.
Mr. Whythypole is just arrived from Italy, having returned
solely to spend his life in the service of her Majesty and his
country. He heard in Italy that Sir Thomas Stukeley has four
galleys and two great ships, with men and munitions, and expected
further aid from the Portugal, and that his enterprise was for
Ireland. Also he was told that the Royal Merchant of London
and another ship were arrested at Naples. My new friend assures
me that James Fitzmorris is already in Ireland, and has written
to Villeroy of his arrival. He has heard this from two several men
who are likely to know.
Add. Endd. 9 pp. [Ibid. II. 19.]
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March 2.
K. d. L. x.
302.
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664. DAVISON to the SECRETARIES.
After the winning of Sichenen (where the enemy is said to have
lost at least 700 or 800 men, including divers captains and men
of name, besides such as were hurt, among whom the Prince of
Parma is reported to be shot in the arm, and Octavio Gonzaga in
the body), he proceeded to the siege of Diest, which surrendered
last Thursday. Now he is said to be before Leewe, a town on a
branch of the Demer, two or three leagues from Diest. There are
only two companies there, and these, it is thought, unable to hold
the place, which is in itself weak, and terrified by the cruelties at
Sichenen, where the enemy put all to the sword, have, as is
thought, abandoned it ere this.
It was thought here that, after taking Sichenen, he would have
marched on Maestricht, where, by means of his intelligence with
certain priests and burghers, he reckoned to be let in. But the
conspiracy being discovered in good time, above 200 of the faction
were apprehended, and the danger prevented. Two companies of
French, of Count Charles Mansfield's regiment, were, in the meantime,
defeated before Philipville by the garrison, and other troops
of the same regiment have since been overthrown about Genappe,
by some of the garrison of Brussels and Nivelles.
Within 14 or 15 days they are determined here to assemble the
forces lately levied in Flanders, with the rest that are dispersed,
and begin to 'redress' their camp in some convenient place ; by
which time they reckon that Schenk, who is said to be on the
march with 1,200 horse, will be here. The money for the whole
9,000 reiters is made over into Germany by exchange, and there
is no further difficulty if Casimir will accept the entertainment
offered him for 3,000, with a regiment of foot. They have given
him only three days to answer, in order that, if he refuses, they
may provide otherwise in time ; once having made their state and
computation upon that number, there is no appearance that they
will alter their plot, or accord Casimir any greater proportion.
Of our forces they wot not yet what to account, though they
hope the best. This delay and suspense of her Majesty's resolution
makes them more uncertain in their actions than the condition of
their affairs requires.
The Marquis is to start on Tuesday, as I understand from himself.
Her Majesty will, no doubt, be satisfied by him in any
difficulty that may arise about our capitulations.
M. de Selles, who arrived at Brussels three or four days before
the defeat, with commission from the King to treat of peace, or,
rather, to impeach the credit of the Prince, and, if possible, confound
the union between him and the States under pretext of
religion, and went from them to Don John with like commission,
has written them an answer, which you may find herewith.
Together with it, he wrote to the Prince, advising him of Don
John's good inclination to peace, on condition the Prince of Parma
might be received to govern in his stead till the King otherwise
provided, and the Prince of Orange go with him to Italy. This
scoffing proposition may show what inclination to peace.
The Emperor, by letters received this week, renews his promise
of sending the commissioners named in his former letters to
arrange a peace, and meantime commends to them the 'studious
entertaining' of their Catholic religion ; but they are now resolved
to terminate their civil differences before disputing of religion.
The elder Hamilton, who was lately brought a prisoner to
Brussels, has, at the 'earnest labour' of Balfour, been released,
under pretext of redeeming certain of his soldiers taken at the
defeat of the States. Some of these, on their first coming to
Namur, were drowned ; the rest were released on taking oath not
to serve against the King again in this war, and have gone home
by way of France.
Of the news of Naples there is no certainty, and it is esteemed
too good to be true.—Antwerp, 2 March 1577.
Draft. Endd. 1¼ pp. [Holl. and Fl. V. 62.]
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