Elizabeth: July 1585, 1-5 | British History Online

Calendar of State Papers Foreign: Elizabeth, Volume 19, August 1584-August 1585. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1916.

Citation:

'Elizabeth: July 1585, 1-5', in Calendar of State Papers Foreign: Elizabeth, Volume 19, August 1584-August 1585, ed. Sophie Crawford Lomas( London, 1916), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/foreign/vol19/pp574-587 [accessed 25 November 2024].

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July 1585, 1–5



July 1.	Stafford to Burghley.
	I send you the King of Navarre's Declaration, newly printed. I think you will find it very well done. Many of the earnestest Catholics here are greatly satisfied with it. I have written two letters to Mr. Secretary by this bearer, to which I refer you for the news. To give you my opinion privately, though I would have “no ground made upon it, I hope that this will fall out their destruction that have taken it in hand, for surely there is great heart-burning, hatred and mistrust between the King and them which will never be quenched,” unless men's judgment fails greatly. It is thought very certain that the King had no intelligence with them, but that his mother and traitorous Council “made their forces so great and put him in such a fear of them, as they have brought him to this . . . but that there is yet in his heart a great canker which he will seek to destroy them withal, and that his mind is fully bent to have an end of them,” and this will come to better effect if he sees the King of Navarre favoured by her Majesty and other princes.—Paris, 1 July, 1585.
	Postscript.—I pray God the King of Scots stand sound, for he dissembles much either with her Majesty or with them here.
	A new book is even now come to my hands, which I send you, though I have not read it.
	Holograph. Add. Endd. by Burghley. 1 p. [France XIV. 30.]
	Enclosing :
	Printed copy of the King of Navarre's Declaration, dated Bergerac, 10 June, 1585. French, 56 duodecimo pages. [Ibid. XIV. 30a.]
July 1.	Paolo Grimaldi to Walsingham.
	In July of last year, by your Excellency's command, I sold, transferred and delivered to Mr. Thomas Cordel all my rights and suits in the property which they are contesting with me in Genoa, amongst which are two houses, with the annual rents thereof, sold in 1565 by Battista Grimaldi without any right for about six thousand crowns, notwithstanding which sale, the rights to the said houses remain always with him who has lately bought them from me. Believing that this cause, in the midst of your very important occupations may have escaped your memory, I desire to put it once more before you, although I have touched upon most part of it in the letter given by me to your son; that, if it be your pleasure, you may continue in what (having found it just and reasonable) you were pleased to grant me, and to that end may order the procurator of the said Cordel to go to Genoa, when it may be believed he will not be totally denied the ends of justice. . . .
	For, it being needful to the Genoese in general to withdraw from Flanders while the war lasts, and to treat daily with their merchants in Germany, and to send thither as they already do into this kingdom, they will not wish to support a manifest wrong, or to incur the indignation of her Majesty, who may truly be said to be the most potent prince in Christendom, by denying justice to her subjects; especially as she might retaliate with great justice on the strangers in this kingdom.
	And if, persuaded by the arrogance and authority which the King of Spain's officers have in that place, they shall wish to do it if they can, yet in such case, we may rest secure that by means of your Excellency's favour and intercession, there will not be wanting endless methods of prevailing and satisfying them with arguments of expenses, losses and interests of no small importance, whenever it shall appear most opportune, without any fear of the interruption of commerce . . . and that her Majesty will be able to enforce justice to be done upon her subjects. Upon the particulars whereof, since the thing speaks for itself, I will not dilate, but confining myself to what imports more for the performance and despatch of this business, will say that I have been given to understand by your order that if a merchant be found, as I have proposed—who will deposit for a year the sum of about a hundred pounds sterling, which will be needed for the charges of Cordel's procurator who is to go to Genoa, you will be pleased to tell him that it shall be made good to him, together with his interest, from so much as shall be obtained of the property which I have sold to the said Cordel; and that for his pains and what little danger he may allege he runs into, he shall have another hundred, or if this should fail (as is hardly possible) that her Majesty will grant him some licence or concession by which he may reimburse himself, of beer, eorn, calfskins, or other thing as may be most convenient; in which case it may be taken as certain that there will be found not one but many merchandises which will offer themselves most readily as soon as her Majesty deigns to command it. Moreover, when it is known that she is pleased to take me and my affairs into her protection, both at Genoa and here, they will suddenly take another way, and from the abject condition in which I now find myself, I shall hope, by your favour and aid to rise to one which will enable me some day to prove to you that I have appreciated your many kindnesses. —From her Majesty's Court, 1 July, 1585.
	Add. Endd. Italian. 2 pp. [Italy I. 13.]
July 2.	François de Civille to Walsingham.
	Has just arrived with his wife, two children and part of his household, at the Rye, where they have elected to take refuge under his honour's wing, praying him to aid them by his letters during their stay in this place, while he is waiting for the means of bringing his family to London. The bearer, Le Large, will say what there is not time to write.—The Rye, 2 July, 1585.
	Add. Endd. Fr. ½ p. [France XIV. 31.]
July 2/12.	Mauvissière to the Privy Council.
	I am informed that M. de Ralegh (Ragllay), in his late voyage, has had stayed near Poole, in pursuance of my request to him, a vessel of Rochecou in Brittany, laden with cloths for Spain, which was taken at Cape St. Vincent last May by the English; and as the said Sr. de Ralegh has made this stay by your consent and according to your order for restitution of the said ship and cloths to the poor merchants, I pray you speedily to grant me your licence to take possession thereof; to examine those found guilty of its capture, make search for all who have the said merchandise, and have it discharged of all costs and charges, considering the great loss that has been incurred.
	I also pray you to thank M. de Ralegh for his pains and diligence in the matter.—London, 12 July, 1585.
	Signed. Add. Endd. Fr. ¾ p. [Ibid. XIV. 32.]
July 2/12.	Clervant to Walsingham.
	I praise God that the Queen and many princes have determined to aid the church of God in France, now threatened with the assault of her enemies. I pray you to believe that this is a design of old standing; to take up arms and feign a bad understanding between the King and the Leaguers in order to deceive us, for it is nearly five months since they began to trouble us with their arms, having, on one side or another, 6,000 horse and 40,000 footmen, who, divided into two armies, spoilt our corn and pillaged several places of their victuals and munition of war.
	The King has been deceived by almost all his Council, and I may say by the Queen, his mother, who from the beginning have prevented his providing against it by assembling troops in good time; threatening him with the revolt of his towns and of the clergy, and with the excommunication of the Pope, followed by the forces of the princes of the Catholic States.
	In short, by force or by “intelligence” they have determined to ruin us, wherefore we have need to arm and defend ourselves and must have help from one side or another. And it is from the Queen your mistress that we look for it above all.—Paris, 12 July.
	Add. Endd. Fr. 1½ pp. [France XIV. 33.]
July 2/12.	The Mayor, Bailiffs, &c. of la Rochelle to Walsingham.
	The miserable condition to which the churches of France are now reduced, and especially this one, leads us to apply to you for comfort in our afflictions; for the calamities preparing against us are so great that we cannot resist them save by the favour of God and the help which we look for from you, trusting by these means to be preserved from the designs of God's enemies, who by working our ruin, think to begin to work yours also.
	Therefore we pray you to have pity on us and to comfort this Church in her affliction, according to the great means God has given you; and by your favour to allow certain merchants, English and others, to bring over to us gunpowder or saltpetre, as speedily and in as large quantities as possible, for which we will pay ready money on their arrival; for we have sure information of the intention of our adversaries to besiege this town more furiously than before, within three weeks or a month, from whom may God preserve us by the diligence of these merchants and your aid and favour.—La Rochelle, 12 July, 1585.
	Add. Endd. Fr. 1 p. [Ibid. XIV. 34.]
July 2.	Segur Pardeilhan to Walsingham.
	The evil which threatens us is so great, that it demands a great and speedy remedy, which the Queen knowing, she has been pleased to aid the King of Navarre and our churches with the sum of 100,000 crowns; enough, with what I can get elsewhere, to raise a good army, which the King would wish to be led by the eldest son of the Duke of Brunswick, if Duke Casimir, on account of his administration of the Palatine Electorate cannot come. I desire to compose this army of some young princes and persons of quality, and to make other terms with them than we have done in the past, because, for lack of payment, our armies of reiters have been useless to us for half the time, and did the Prince of Orange and the Elector Truchsess more harm in the end than their enemies. Therefore I desire to follow another plan, and can assure her Majesty that, if I am allowed to do it, I can get those who will help us to agree to serve us for six months or more without urging us for pay, provided that I make them some advance and that the money which we get from the countries or towns by which we pass may be distributed amongst them, and abated from their wages. I beg you in God's name humbly to petition her Majesty that the means which it pleases her to give us may remain at my disposal, for if so, I can certainly promise to do more with one hundred thousand crowns than they have formerly done with two. May it also please her to let me know on what conditions she is aiding the King of Navarre with this sum; who will give her all the assurances of repayment that she likes, as I have power to assure her, promising moreover, on behalf of the King and upon my honour that peace shall not be made in France without her knowledge and satisfaction; that the army we shall raise shall follow what road she chooses to order; that it shall be used to restore the Elector Truchsess to his estate, and shall assist the affairs of the Low Countries; that we will employ such of the German colonels as she is pleased to name; that, moreover, I will say to the King of Denmark and other princes that her Majesty has aided us with double what she does (du double de ce qu'elle fait). Her Majesty has often done me the honour to assure me that she confides in me as much as if I were her born subject, and I beg her to believe that I will willingly employ my life to do her service.
	For the rest, I desire to take the Elector Truchsess with me into Germany, for no one is more interested in our cause, or more proper to advance our affairs; and, if restored to his chief city by the aid of her Majesty, it would be a credit to her thus to bring back into Germany an Elector who had been driven out of it.
	I pray you to put the above before her and that I may soon receive a favourable resolution thereupon. The evil presses and if we do not provide against it speedily, it will be too late.—London, 2 July, 1585.
	Postscript.—I send you a letter written to me by M. de Montigny, minister of the church of Paris; by it you will see the state of our churches. I pray you to let me know what news M. de Clervant has sent you, and also to tell me when you think I ought to ask audience of her Majesty, to thank her and to take my leave.
	Add. Fr. 1¾ pp. [France XIV. 35.]
July 3/13.	Jaques Rossel to Walsingham.
	When I wrote last, on the 12th, we had no certain news from Antwerp since the passage of Burgerhout (Burgraut) had been closed by the enemy, and the neighbouring castles seized. This day we have divers private letters, some saying one thing, some another.
	A colonel in Antwerp laments the little that had been done for their aid by Holland and Zeeland, although for many days the wind had been favourable; which had caused them to lose heart. Others write that the guilds had been assembled; and having consulted upon the state of the town and the means for supporting the people, found that the rich could maintain themselves, but that for the poor there remained only about five hundred razieres of corn, wherefore it was resolved to send thirty chosen men to represent this to the magistrates and let them understand that they ought to seek an agreement with the Prince of Parma. The magistrates said that if things had come to such an extremity, they would conform themselves to the most reasonable opinions, in order to chose fitting men to be employed therein. By other letters we find that M. de St. Aldegonde had himself gone to Beveren without hostages, and several others with him; but it was hoped that at their return they would find the gates shut and barred and all the peace-makers turned out. Some accuse St. Aldegonde of favouring the enemy. Popular opinion in civil war !
	On the night of the 12th, M. Calvart was sent with an escort of cavalry to Antwerp, to put before them the goodwill her Majesty had to aid them, Mr. Norrys being ready to start with a good troop; the preparations for breaking the stockade finished; the Count of “Holloo” reconciled and already returned and willing to risk his life in this employment, besides several other means prepared for their deliverance, which might move them to have patience and wait for her Majesty's favour, very necessary for her own service and greatness, whether she were in accord with the States or not.—Middelburg, 13 July, 1585.
	Postscript.—You will be pleased not to let my information be made known to the deputies of the States.
	Add. Endd. Fr. 1 p. [Holland. II. 54.]
July 3/13.	Elector Truchsess to Davison.
	I would not let Captain Bennet go for England without testifying to his diligence in raising a company of lancers, as I gave him commission to do, although he has not accomplished it, for reasons which he will make known to you. I am sorry that he returns without any promotion, for I have found him tres conditionné and honest. I know you have my affairs at heart, and hope soon, by your means, to receive a good and final resolution from her Majesty and the Lords.—Honslerdyck, 13 July, 1585.
	Signed. Add. Fr. 1 p. [Ibid II. 55.]
July 3/13.	News from Divers Parts.
	Prague, July 9.—His Majesty went away a week ago, but returned on Thursday, on account of the pouring rain. He has sent to Vienna for his confessor, wishing this week to begin the holy Jubilee.
	The Elector of Saxony is not dead, but very ill, and his life much feared for. The Marshal has returned from Saxony, whither it is believed he went only to offer congratulations on the birth of a son to the Prince.
	On Sunday the Jesuits at length gave their performance, the weather having the evening before become fine and remains so until to-day, Tuesday, a very needful thing for the wine and the corn, after the continual rain for so many days.
	The Nuncio and Archbishop of Prague are making ready to go for the visitation of these monasteries, where there will be little good to be seen. The President of the Chamber, whose wife died many months ago, is not marrying the daughter of Locowitz, President of Bohemia, from avarice (it is said), for the statutes of Bohemia do not allow barons to give more than a thousand thalers of dowry with their daughters.
	Cologne, July 12.—Since the 27th of last month no letters have come from Antwerp or from the camp of his Highness, but by letters from Bergen-op-Zoom, we hear that the malcontents, to the number of 3,000 foot and 1,000 horse are at Borgherholt and other places below Antwerp, intending to make a fort on which to plant artillery to prevent victuals from going into the city, and to hinder people from leaving it; a little while ago there having come out about 4,000 men, women and children. His Highness, after taking the house of the late Signor Stralen, had began to batter the castle of Berchem, hoping to obtain it very shortly. The commons in Antwerp had made a great uproar because of the bad bread and beer and the extreme scarcity of wine, which was thirty-five soldi, the measure; so that the magistrates, in order to quiet them, were obliged to take off the duty upon ordinary wine and to make better bread.
	Deputies from Antwerp had arrived in Zeeland to demand succour there and also from those of Holland, but seeing little hope, were gone over into England to pray for aid from that Queen. The reply was hourly expected and the magistrates told the people that M. Norreys (Norvits) was near London with 3,000 English ready to embark; but it was feared that the Malcontents being now round about Antwerp, such aid will little serve. It is understood, by the letters of certain burghers who have fled from Antwerp and are in Holland and Zeeland, that there is no hope whatever of succour from those two provinces, yet it is said that below Lillo there are two hundred ships ready to break the palisade if there should come a good wind and rising waters. Which is more likely to result to their great harm than anything else.
	From London we learn that some English ships had arrived there from Spain, and on their way had taken a Portuguese ship in which were four Spanish commissioners from Barcelona, having orders from the King to arrest all Holland, Zeeland, or English ships which were in Senigaglia, Lisbon or other places of his kingdom. Fifteen Spaniards who were with the commissioners were killed, and it was feared that the King would resent it greatly against that Queen.
	The rout of the Count de Mœurs and Colonel Schenk is confirmed, who escaped into Utrecht; but the Marshal Villiers was captured and taken to Covarden.
	From Friesland we hear that a hundred and fifty soldiers of the States having sallied out of Aremberg (Heremberg) to make an ambush against Col. Haultpenne's reiters, had been discovered and attacked, about eighty being killed and the rest put to flight. There is great dearth of victuals and money in the Prince of Parma's camp, wherefore many of those soldiers are going off to the war in France.
	The people of the new Bishop do nothing but pillage the towns round about this city, having sent word to the Chapter that they must send them their pay, otherwise no one shall be safe, even under the city gates. They tried to make themselves masters of an entrenchment below the city of Neuss, but were repulsed with the loss of two hundred men.
	Just now there comes a report that the soldiers of the Prince of Parma at Borgherholt had been attacked suddenly in the night by 7,000 of Antwerp, who killed a great many and having taken the artillery, brought it into the city; but very few believe it.
	Toulouse, June 22.—Here we are in great fear of war and of plague, for all day long soldiers are marching up and down, to what end is not known, but it is believed that those Huguenot chiefs who are in possession of the fortresses which ought to have been restored long ago to the King, will rather, if it be possible, arm and fortify themselves; it being bruited about that all the disturbances of this movement in the kingdom would fall upon them.
	Paris, July 1.—A few days ago the King had conference at Lagny with the Queen Mother and the Duke of Lorraine, when the articles of agreement between his Majesty and the Leaguers were settled. The Queen then went on to Nemours, whither the greater part of the said lords of the League were gone. Sens was the place fixed upon, but some suspicion of the sickness there caused the change.
	The said articles are but little different from those proposed by the lords, and all the trouble will be thrown upon the Huguenots, if they will not consent to give up the fortresses which they hold and to become Catholics.
	Nemours, July 10.—Yesterday morning, by commission from the Queen Mother and the lords of the League, who had all subscribed the articles, the peace was proclaimed here, or rather we should say the agreement between his Majesty and the said lords; and to-day the Queen Mother, accompanied by the Duke of Lorraine is gone to Fontainebleau, where they will await the Cardinal of Bourbon and the Duke of Guise and all will then go together to meet his Majesty at Corbeil (fn. 1) to give order for all that is necessary for putting the articles in execution.
	Lyons, July 13.—Here all is quiet, thank God, and the more so that the continual rains which have distressed us have ceased, and also that for a week there has been no case of the sickness here.
	Last Monday, the 8th, the Cardinal de Joyeuse arrived, lodged with the Signori Bandini and the next day continued his journey to Paris, accompanied by Horatio and Mario Bandini. On Wednesday, Monsignor di Nazaret came hither and was lodged in the house of the same gentlemen. It is rumoured that he is on his return, having advices from Paris that the agreement being made between the King and the lords of the League, to the effecting whereof he had been sent by his Holiness, there was no need for him to go further.
	Italian. 3¼ pp. [Newsletters XCV. 22.]
July 4.	Frederick, King of Denmark, to [The Elector of Saxony].
	A few days past, the Queen of England sent her ambassador to us, to remind us how the Pope and his followers went about to exclude the King of Navarre from the succession to the kingdom of France which after the death of the present King comes to him by law and right, only because he is not addicted to the Roman religion, but is. as it is termed, a heretic. The execution of which the Duke of Guise now takes upon him with the aid of the Papists; [she] not omitting to declare what discourses are openly made by the holy League (as they call it), by which they travail to execute the Council of Trent (hitherto not done).
	Where it is to be noted that although the French King perhaps intends to defend both the rights of the King of Navarre and the liberty of religion in his country, yet it is to be feared that when war is made in his kingdom and he “shall see that by this fire his houses be consumed; marking withal that by the Papists he be both secretly and openly assailed, and that on the other side there appeared neither aid nor succour, then, whether he will or no, he may be drawn by force to defend that side.” Whereby the Pope may not only prescribe a form of religion at his pleasure and appoint a king according to his humour, but also execute by force the Council of Trent, which hitherto by all his authority he could never obtain.
	Which things the Queen of England has wisely observed, showing what peril they will bring to all princes professing the Gospel and informing us that for the same cause she has written to certain Electors and princes of the Empire, urging them to agree with their neighbour princes professing the Gospel and the chief estates and cities of the Empire, upon a fitting time and place where they may meet or send their deputies with full instructions to treat of lawful means by which the Pope and his tyranny may be met; which may be better done at this time, when aid may be given to “such as in foreign kingdoms are most ready to spend their body, life and goods for so good a quarrel, than if delay was made, and every man compelled to defend himself against the Pope's power and cruelty at his own door.”
	And although her Majesty has nothing to do with the present troubles of France, and has so strengthened her kingdom that, with God's help, she fears no foreign power, yet seeing it is a cause which concerns all Christian princes, if she were advertised of such an assembly, she will send her ambassador amongst the rest, with full authority to consult, decree and confirm what order should be taken for the common wealth; meaning with the aid of others, to the utmost of her power to resist the Roman Antichrist; to which end she has desired of us:—
	First, not to withdraw ourselves from so Christian a deed, if brought to effect; secondly, that we would do our best to procure such a Diet; thirdly, that we would persuade the princes of the Empire not to suffer their subjects to serve the Duke of Guise; fourthly, that the said princes should not permit any foreigners intending to serve the enemy to pass through their dominions or have muster place there.
	And although this French war little concerns us, and we well know how the case stands between ours and the French churches; yet seeing that the execution of the Council of Trent pertains no less to all Protestants than to the King of Navarre and the French churches, and also that the Pope accounts all estates professing the Gospel as heretics and 'mindeth' without question to deprive them of their countries and subjects; we must conclude that all estates “making profession of religion . . . although they do not in all things believe the same,” shall find the Pope a most cruel enemy; so that this French action is partly common to all, and requires diligent consideration, lest we should be like the frog and mouse in the fable, who making war among themselves were a prey to the kite.
	Wherefore upon the friendly requests of the Queen of England, we have declared our friendly intent, that in case the Electors, Princes, states and cities of the Augsburg Confession should assemble a Diet, we would also send our ambassador thither, resolving not to separate ourselves from what for the common safety and weal should be decreed, and have promised to write to you and certain others of the Electors, Dukes and Princes concerning the matter.
	“And although this matter be of great importance and implicated with divers difficulties, having but small hope to further it,” yet seeing that it concerns the welfare of all princes embracing the Gospel, we thought good, according to our promises to the Queen of England, to signify at large what she has treated with us, to give you occasion the deeper to examine the matter, leaving the whole to your meure [ripe] counsel and arbitriment. And if you shall judge that such a Diet may be conveniently brought to pass, and that some sound and profitable counsel may be resolved by which the Pope's power may be repressed, we will not be wanting in furthering the common cause of the Church of God, “having conceived an assured hope that you will construe all these things in the best part,” with which we commend you to the tuition and defence of God.
	Endd.—“A copy of such letters as the King of Denmark hath written unto the Electors and Princes of the Roman Empire, whose names follow” :—
	The Elector of Saxony, and, mutatis mutandis, the Elector of Brandenburg: the Duke Ulric of Mecklenburg; John Frederick, Ernest Lodovic and Barminius. brethren, Dukes of Pomerland; Duke Julius of Brunswick; the Archbishop [i.e. Administrator] of Magdeburg; Landgrave of Hesse; Marquis George Frederick [Duke of Prussia]; the Prince of Anhalt; the Bishop of Halberstadt.—Croneburgh, [Kronborg] 4 July, 1585.
	Translation. 3½ pp. [Denmark I. 56.]
	Also a German translation of the preceding; endorsed with the names of the princes in Latin.
	10¼ pp. [Ibid. I. 57.]
July 5/15.	Mauvissière to Walsingham.
	Not having been able to speak to you yesterday, I send this bearer to speak to you about M. de Joyeuse's ship and to tell you that Rivers is in this town. The said Sieur de Joyeuse has written to me that if we had been at open war, he could not have been worse treated, and that he is filled with regret that his ship should have taken forty Frenchmen. M. de la Meilleraye also complains greatly for Bourdon, and there is not a day that I do not receive numberless letters of complaint from French merchants. The King has written to me that it was not possible that, if I had pursued and urged it, they would not have taken better order here; in default of which his Majesty would grant letters of mark to all his subjects who had lost their goods.
	There arrived at Genaue [qy. Yarmouth] only six days ago a great ship of 140 tons laden with cloth taken from the French, and every day there is some new complaint; I pray that some speedy order may be taken therein, it not being possible to get anything back from the English, whatever commission you issue.
	I did not wish yesterday to importune her Majesty. We were speaking of other things, where she gave you much honour and praise, and assured me that the Earl of Leicester and you were my very good friends. I desire to do you all service and to aid in bringing matters into a good condition, but what we do must be done quickly.
	I pray you to have the letters despatched for the Sieur Scoris, who is looked upon everywhere as a criminal and cannot accomplish his business unless he is accounted a faithful servant of her Majesty and her Council, and is at liberty to prove the justice of his cause and to come hither.
	If you have an hour free this week, I should like to see you and talk with you of the affairs of the world.—London, 15 July, 1585.
	Holograph. Add. Endd. Fr. 2 pp. [France XIV. 36.]
July 5.	Segur Pardeilhan to Walsengham.
	Last Saturday her Majesty was pleased to tell me that thinking to do me pleasure, she was sending to Bremen the little that she wishes to lend to the King of Navarre, and that she would have been just as willing to have it delivered to me here. She also said, that she only expected this sum to be employed provided that the King of Denmark and other princes were also willing to aid us; but as I have not yet seen what they will do, and as, simply at my request, without any other condition, she had given the Elector Truchsess 20,000 crowns, I could not think that she would treat the King of Navarre in such a manner, and said frankly that I should like better for her to lend nothing, and hoped God would give us other means to save us from the evil with which they pursue us.
	And now I say the same to you, not wishing to accept her offer if there are conditions. I pray you to let her understand that she ought not to treat the King of Navarre in such a fashion; not at all what she has so often assured me of, or what she sent by M. de Champernon. I would rather it had cost me 10,000 francs and that I had not come into this country at this time, nor had given the King of Navarre assurances that he would be aided by her Majesty. He has never been so, up to this time, nor the queen his mother, except upon good security. This will give him occasion to think of preserving himself according to the counsel given to him by too many, for which I shall be very sorry; but I assure you I will not deceive him. For almost two months I have been here, fed with fair hopes.
	I pray that I may not be sent back again without doing anything, and that it will please her Majesty freely and speedily to gratify the King of Navarre, who has means and good-will to requite it. Her Majesty also assured me last Saturday that she wished to give 100,000 crowns and more, provided that the princes would contribute.—London, 5 July, 1585.
	Add. Endd. Fr. 1 p. [France XIV. 37.]
July 5.	Segur Pardeilhan. to Walsingham.
	I have prayed M. de la Fontaine to tell you that I must shortly depart, but first I should wish to be informed what means I am to take to receive the little which it pleases her Majesty to lend to the King of Navarre; for if I thought that there would be as many difficulties in Germany as here, I would rather be told frankly that they do not wish to do anything. And therefore I think it would be better that it should be delivered to me here, with which I must consider how to do some good. I send you the letter the King of Navarre wrote to the King of Scots and one that I wrote to him. If you approve of them, I will despatch them.—London, 5 July, 1585.
	Add. Endd. Fr. ¾ p. [Ibid. XIV. 38.]
July 5/15.	Cristofer Roels to Walsingham.
	The favour it has pleased you to show me and the honour you have done me, without any merit of my own, for love of our country and the common cause will make me your debtor for all my life.
	We are in such a state here for want of order and authority, not of means, that we must have a person who can command with credit or we shall go at full galop to our ruin, and our neighbours will follow us; who, it is much to be feared, if we are not shortly aided, will fall over the same precipices.
	What the late great Prince of Orange of exalted memory procured for us in some measure sustained us, and since his death, we have gone on, though but indifferently, with the means we had for use in extremity, in hope of the success of the treaty in France, which, as you know, we entered upon before his death, and from which we could not draw back.
	Now, being by God's goodness delivered from all that, for which we ought to give him hearty thanks, seeing the horrible practices there disclosed to us by report, I rejoice greatly in my heart to see that God has given us a monarch ready and willing to embrace our just cause, and the principal men of her Council also inclined thereto.
	For, not to hide from you what is in my heart, and since Mr. Gilpin knows my state, and you also are so expert in affairs, you may easily believe that by our own inclination, we are neither French nor English, and that it is necessity which constrains us to take advantage of what is offered us; seeing that having for just reasons abjured the King of Spain, we have decided (I speak for myself and for many men of credit who care for the honour of God and the good of their Fatherland) rather to negotiate with the Turk than to be reconciled with the said King.
	And as you permit me to speak boldly to you of what I think may serve for the advancement of this treaty, and seeing it is not reasonable that her Majesty should engage herself in our affairs without security, I desire to tell you that those of Zeeland will be found everywhere as frank, hearty and resolute in the business as could be hoped, and as truly our miserable state demands; perhaps in order that by provisional succour we may be put in a better condition than we are in at present, or else that the desire for our preservation and what we have proved in the past has changed this “necessity” to a hearty good will, since being absolved from all previous treaties, God has given us access to a princess of so great means and of our religion, and the experience of the past has shown us that we must have a monarch if we desire to escape from the labyrinth of these confusions. Wherefore we humbly pray you to lend a helping hand that the treaty may shortly be concluded, if possible, by sovereignty or by protection. For the people here will be found so willing and obedient that none may doubt them and there is no need of any other security. Time will give means of assurance, which will be gained more easily by results than by offers made by the towns, for in such cases deeds speak more loudly than words.
	I say this, not because I think that the Zeelanders will not agree to any security, but that you may not be too determined as regards certain places, as to which they are very jealous, and which it is to be feared could not be obtained in this island of Walcheren; having already Bergen-op-Zoom and some places in Zeeland, as la Thele [qy. Tholen], Goes, Browershaven and Bommenede (which is of Holland) with Ostend, Sluys and [Ter] Neuse. All the rest of Zeeland is prisoner and subject to whoever shall command the sea, who without doubt will be her Majesty; having all our men of war by land and sea vowed to her and at her devotion, as well as her own.
	My good will leads me to trouble you with this long discourse, desiring to see this treaty accomplished that I may become a humble servant to her Majesty, yourself and all the lords zealous for our common preservation against Spanish tyranny, before Antwerp falls into the hands of the enemy, which end will be served by her Majesty's letters to those of Antwerp and by the sending of powerful succour with all speed. And even if Antwerp should be lost, we should still have impregnable bulwarks, but they must be guarded from treason, for I think you do not understand the aim of the Spaniard, which is that, having subjugated us, he will endeavour to fall openly upon your State, as by the proscription of the Pope he may and should do. For I heard and saw their designs eight years ago, as I told Mr. Gilpin. So that whether her Majesty's undertaking be for sovereignty, protection or some other title, it will all give the Spaniard weighty cause to revenge himself upon her when he has the chance.
	I hope you will take these advertisements in good part, and believe that I desire always to be your very humble servant. When the Earl of Leicester was here, he was lodged in my house, but being ill with a fever at the time, I was not able to salute him. I hope some day to repair my fault.—Middelburg, 15 July, 1585.
	Add. Endd. Fr. 2 pp. [Holland II. 56.]
July 5.	[Ortell] to [Walsingham ?].
	Sends yesterday's concept “herewith.” If any scruple should arise, it would be well to speak further of it with M. Buys.— London, 5 July, 1585.
	No signature, address or endorsement, but in Ortell's handwriting. Fr. ½ p. [Ibid. II. 57.]