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1 Dec.
B. M.
Cotton,
Galba, C. IV.
Original draft.
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369. Letter of Intelligence from London (unsigned) to the
Duke of Alba, Governor of the Netherlands.
In my last of the 25th ultimo I said I had not learnt the result
of the long interview of the French ambassador with Leicester and
Burleigh. I now learn that the ambassador was assured in many
words that nothing against his King should be allowed here. The
ambassador complained much of the treatment of the queen of
Scotland and the closeness with which she was kept, as she was
not allowed to leave one room. As a consequence of these remonstrances,
the Queen has ordered the earl of Shrewsbury to allow
the queen of Scotland to go to a neighbouring house for a change.
She at once wrote a letter warmly thanking this Queen for the
additional liberty thus given her. She also wrote to the king of
France, the Queen-Mother, and the duke of Guise ; the letters
having been read by the earl of Shrewsbury before they were
sealed, all three in one packet with a letter to the French ambassador
asking him to forward them. He sent them by his
secretary at once.
A gentleman named M. de Mauvissière arrived here on the 29th
from France with much ostentation. He comes on business from
his King but has not yet seen the Queen. He has been here and
in Scotland several times before and is liked by this Queen. I
will endeavour to discover his business. The nine ships with
stores all arrived safely at Brille, thanks to the zeal employed, and
discharged their cargoes. Three have returned hither. The
servant of Orange who is to take the bills for the 20,000l. has not
left yet. I will advise his departure promptly, as also that of the
man who is going to kill the earl of Westmoreland.
I am told that the French refugees here are to fit out several
ships and load them with victuals and stores, as if for a voyage,
but really for Rochelle, whither some have already been sent and
where much distress exists. I have not yet discovered what are
the negotiations going on between Montgomeri and the Rochelle
merchants here.—London, 1st December 1572.
Note.—Damaged by fire.
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15 Dec.
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370. Antonio De Guaras to the Duke of Alba.
On the 8th instant I wrote a letter to your Excellency through
Tassis, copy of which I enclose.
I have subsequently received a letter from Antònio de Tassis
saying he had received the packets sent but I have no letters from
your Excellency. The third person is constantly coming to me,
apparently on behalf of Burleigh, to learn whether I have any
reply, and, although Burleigh himself sometimes sees me he says
nothing and takes no more notice than if he did not know me ; his
bearing displaying annoyance that he has spoken so openly upon
the question as to ask, on the Queen's behalf and his own, that
the ports should be opened and commissioners appointed. The
third person assures me that this is Burleigh's feeling upon the
matter.
By this and other signs it is quite clear that they have now lost
hope that your Majesty will extend your friendship to them. On
the contrary, the general rumours at Court and amongst people
who know anything about the business are to the effect that the
Queen and Council have no expectation of this agreement with us
being concluded, and that they are trying to provide against the
trouble which they expect will fall upon them. For this purpose
they have sent a person secretly to Germany, the name of whom I
have not yet learned, to negotiate with their friends there. They
have for a long time past had troops forewarned for them in
Germany, the Hamburg people being sureties, guaranteed by the
English merchants there.
In pursuance of the same end it is publicly said that Montgomeri
will go to Rochelle with overt help, and twelve or thirteen
ships are being fitted out here, at Portsmouth and Plymouth for
that purpose. This is to encourage their friends in France, whence
comes the news that the people of Guienne, Gascony, and Languedoc
have offered to declare themselves in the service of this Queen,
although those who best understand the matter do not believe that
these people here will have anything to do with it, until they are
quite sure about our friendship.
It is said that in Scotland there is a show of taking up arms
again in consequence of the Prince being in the hands of the
Catholics. The faith is being preached over the greater part of
Scotland, and large numbers of people are being converted by the
preaching of some very wise friars who have gone there from
France. On the other band, those who are friendly to this Queen
are opposing this, and Killigrew has gone from here as ambassador.
In Ireland the people are all up in arms against the English, as the
Irishmen will not allow the Englishmen to colonise certain lands
there.
An English soldier tells me that he heard for certain at Flushing
that, when any force comes against the place, the people will
abandon it. It is said that there are three hundred Englishmen
belonging to M. de Lumay's force at Caunfer.
Parliament will open on the 12th of January, and it is said that
the earl of Leicester will be created a duke and Lord Burleigh a
marquis. The French ambassador has returned, the Queen having
consented to be godmother, and the earl of Leicester will leave here
to represent her.
For the last five or six nights a terrible comet of immense size
has been seen in the sky, and as these people here are fond of
speculation, a great deal of discourse is taking place about it, the
general talk being that such a sign has never been seen here
excepting when it has presaged a change of government.
It is believed that the queen of Scotland has been given rather
more liberty and that the bishop of Ross will shortly be released.
The earl of Arundel, also, has been set free, he having hitherto been
under arrest in his own house.
It is confidently reported to me that the people of London are
to lend the Queen, at her request ; a hundred and fifty thousand
crowns for one year, she adding to it a like amount ; two hundred
crowns in addition being collected amongst the French and Flemish
rebels here and their Huguenot friends in France, Flanders, and
Germany. The object of this is to enable the Vidame and Montgomeri
and their friends to raise troops in Germany, and, although
it is presumed that the purpose is to trouble the king of France
and enforce this Queen's demand that Rochelle should be held, and to
press the question of Guienne, it is also understood that part of the
force is destined to support the prince of Orange in his traitorous
pretensions. With the same end great quantities of grain, flour,
bacon, and other provisions are being gathered in the counties of
Norfolk and Suffolk to supply Flushing and Holland. There is a
great rumour, although secret, that seven or eight thousand soldiers,
French, Walloon, and English, are to leave here for Flushing, and
they tell me that, whatever designs the Vidame and Montgomeri
may have subsequently, they will first go to Flushing and Holland
with this force, and unite with Orange. Yesterday the Council
was gathering information from one of the principal men of
Flushing, who is secretly here, respecting the guns, ammunition,
and stores which were in that place, and the number of men for its
defence. As may be imagined, this Government, with Orange and
the French, are very busy with these treaties, and there seems to be
no doubt about their plans being carried out, but, please God, your
Excellency will confound them all, to the great service of God and
the King, and the admiration of the world.
By experience we see that these ships in the Channel will go, as
I said they would, in the direction of Rouen, to plunder. They
have taken there a cutter loaded with wool and oranges, another
with sugar from Barbary, and another with a cargo of woad. The
two latter are French ships, and they are now on this coast, where
the plunder will all be put up for sale.
By the last courier the Flemings here received news that Orange
had been in danger of capture in Holland, and that he will fly
hither from our army. When the French ambassador took his
leave to return he had long secret conferences with Montgomeri and
the Vidame, all of which goes to show that the treaties are directed
against Flanders, although it is announced that four ships which
have left here since for Portsmouth to join the others of which I
spoke are going together to plunder. But they will go to Rochelle
or to succour Flushing.—London, 15th December 1572.
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371. Antonio De Guaras to Zayas.
Confirms his letter of the 8th instant, and encloses another packet
for the King.—London, 15th December 1572. |
372. Antonio De Guaras to the King.
Confirms his letter of the 8th, enclosing copies of his letters to the
duke of Alba, and encloses herewith copies of other letters to the
Duke of this date.—London, 15th December 1572.
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22 Dec.
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373. Antonio De Guaras to the Duke Of Alba.
Confirms his letter of 15th, by Tassis, and has received nothing
since that date.
Two days since Lord Burleigh sent the third person to tell me
that he wished to see me. I went, and he asked me whether I had
any letters from your Excellency. I answered him that I had not,
and he then asked when I expected them. I replied that I looked
for them hourly, and that there had been no undue delay, considering
that the special courier I had sent to Gravelines with the packet of
the 9th, enclosing his draft, had been detained in Dover for more
than eleven days by contrary weather, and also that, no doubt,
your Excellency would be fully occupied with the prosperous events
which had taken place against those bad rebels of Gueldres and
Holland.
He then made a long speech to me, which sounded as if it had
been well studied, about his hope that I was satisfied with the
goodwill which he himself had always shown towards an arrangement,
and said that, so great had been his desire for concord, that,
since he had handed me the draft head of agreement, many of his
fellow Councillors had been trying to persuade the Queen that your
Excellency and I, for my part, were deceiving them in this business,
which, they said, was evident from the fact that the Queen had
received no reply from his Majesty to the letters from her which
had been forwarded to your Excellency for him, which reply, they
thought, was due to the goodwill and favourable desire of the Queen
in the business. Seeing, however, that no reply had been received
from your Excellency with regard to the draft agreement, he,
Burleigh, and his friends on the Council were, so to speak, confused
and ashamed. I told him that I hoped in a few days to come
to him with as good news as could be hoped for, and, as regarded
his goodwill to the business, I was quite sure that his Majesty
and your Excellency were entirely satisfied.
During this conversation he reminded me of the hope he had
expressed some time since, that I would write to your Excellency
requesting that the ports should be opened on the 29th instant,
that having been the day of the seizure in Flanders ; which hope
he had repeated when he handed me the draft. He had, he
said, continued to entertain that desire, but, as no courier had
arrived with the reply and the day was now approaching, he and
his companions could not avoid feeling aggrieved, and the Queen
herself was much surprised. I replied, as before, that I hoped
before the day arrived that a favourable answer would be received
from your Excellency. He asked me whether there was any news
from our army in Flanders, and I told him that he would no doubt
know better than I, but that I learned that many towns in
Holland which has been disturbed by the adherents of Orange
had submitted to his Majesty, and it was expected that, with the
force your Excellency had, you would soon bring them all on to
the good road. It was said that Orange was very near being
surrendered to your Excellency, but that he had been rescued by
the aid of M. de Lumay and had retired with him to Brille.
Burleigh pretended to be surprised at such events, although he
said that nothing else could be expected.
When I said that it was public talk that Orange was coming
here, he replied, "If he were to do so, as I have already told you,
the Queen is very anxious to intercede with his Majesty in order
that Orange may be once more pardoned and received into the
King's favour, and her Majesty will so deal with the business
as to satisfy the King with regard to the Prince's humble
petition for pardon, in view both of his great services and many
faults." He added that, otherwise, Orange with his French,
German, and other friends, would presumably continue to push his
claims passionately and persistently. I said that, perhaps, in
the interests of God and his Majesty, the arrival of Orange here
might be desirable, if thereby the Queen could carry through this
good purpose.
Burleigh said that, since it was expected that your Excellency
would entirely settle matters in the States and bring them to
complete submission to his Majesty, although, hitherto, the severe
execution of the malcontents had been necessary ; in order to
enhance the great renown of your Excellency and the courageous
services (these were his words) of his Majesty, it would be no less
glorious if your Excellency, after so many successes won by the
sword, would lean to clemency and pardon for these mistaken
men, and to quiet and concord in affairs. This was in substance
what he said, and I replied that I hoped everything would turn
out to the satisfaction of all. This conversation took place in his
room on the 19th instant, only he and I being present. As I have
written, the Queen and Council are undoubtedly in favour of
friendship, and, if it be his Majesty's will to accept an agreement,
it will cause great rejoicing to the people, and will be gladly
accepted.
I am assured that Montgomeri and the Vidame, with the secret
support of these people, have agreed to disturb France and Flanders
in company with Orange, and no doubt your Excellency will hear
more fully than we do, the news of the raising of troops in
Germany for this purpose, with the aid of credits which have been
sent from here and the hundred thousand pounds which are now
ready in this place. The credits I speak of were for a hundred and
fifty thousand crowns payable in Antwerp ; half in the middle of
January and half in the middle of February. Your Excellency
may be assured that, when they think the time suitable, they will
place men, munitions, and victuals in Flushing for its defence,
the idea being that if they can keep those States in turmoil, and
trouble the king of France about Rochelle, they will be quite
safe from any assult from us or the French during next summer,
which they otherwise fear. So great is their alarm of this that it
is public talk all over the country that they are to be conquered
by your Majesty in union with the king of France, and there is
hardly anything else spoken about. The man who was sent to
Germany, as I said, about their sinister designs is a man, under
forty years of age, who was a servant of the so-called bishop
of Winchester, but I have not been able to learn his name. News
has recently come that there are many armed ships on these
seas, and that three Spanish sloops have been captured on their
way to Rouen, as well as three French ships loaded with wine.
Quantities of artillery, powder, and other stores have recently
been loaded in the Tower of London to be conveyed to the
ships, in order that they may be ready to be sent where they are
wanted.
Certain Frenchmen who have just arrived from Dieppe bring
news that Montmorenci had fled and that his brother had been
killed.
In every parish in the country it has been arranged to ask
people, rich and poor, to give what each person pleases for the
defence of the country against its enemies. Much money will
thus be obtained, because the heretics will give more than they
can afford out of zeal, and the Catholics will do the same
in order not to mark themselves out as different from the others.
Dr. Dale is going to France as ambassador, and they have
made him a dean to give him more weight. I have been assured
this afternoon that Orange had arrived at Flushing. It is asserted
that an English ship which sailed from the island of Azores on the
6th ultimo left there the fleet from the Indies which had arrived on
the 26th of October, and was waiting for Melendez to convoy it.—
London, 22nd December 1572.
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22 Dec.
B. M.
Cotton,
Galba, C. IV.
Original draft.
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374. Letter of Intelligence from London (unsigned) to the
Duke Of Alba, Governor of the Netherlands.
Since my last of 18th instant a courier came to this Court from
the Queen's ambassador in Paris with a letter of a sheet and a half
for the Queen, all in cipher, but, as the cipher is kept by a private
man of the Treasurer's, I have been unable to discover the contents,
or the purport of the negotiations being carried on by the private
persons who are concerned in these affairs, except that they are
about French and Scotch matters. As soon as the Queen received
the letter she sent post haste to Morton and Killigrew,
saying that Cardinal Ursino had submitted to the king of France
many things against her and the kingdom of Scotland, and had tried
to persuade the King that all the heresy in his kingdom has come
from hers, as well as the rebellions and invasions from which he had
suffered. He (the Cardinal) said that she was acting in the same
way towards Flanders. She therefore tells them that it will be
better not to proceed in the matter of the election of Regent and
the other affairs which were to be undertaken, so as to satisfy the
King (of France) for the present.
The ambassador writes that the friend who gave him the letter
urged him to send it at once by a safe hand, as it was so important.
I am striving all I can to learn the name of this person in Paris
who keeps them so well posted in all that passes, in order that
a stop may be put to his wickedness, for great evil is wrought by it.
Weston (?), who was attached to Orange from this Queen, has
returned to this Court, and says that, if Orange were furnished
with money, he has good means of again raising trouble in the
States. He says there are 300 English in (Brille ?), fortifying it,
and they are doing the same in Flushing. From the latter place,
a few days ago, a burgomaster came to London and went to Court.
I do not yet know his business. All these rebel places are being
constantly supplied with provisions from here, and they will continue
to be so as long as things remain as they are. I am told that
Orange will come here secretly to negotiate with the Queen and
Council about these affairs. My friends have not yet been able to
tell me what his servant came about, except it be about this visit of
his master.
These people are preparing with astonishing diligence and care,
and as secretly as possible. The Queen has borrowed 600,000
crowns, 200,000 of the merchants here to be paid in Hamburg or
Cologne. An express courier was at once secretly sent off with the
ordinary courier to Antwerp on the 15th instant, taking a letter to
the Englishman in Hamburg who is the governor or head of the
merchants there, telling him to get together the merchandise
required, and to have ready by January the 200,000 crowns in
Hamburg or Cologne. The other 400,000 are to be raised in this
country, 100,000 from the clergy and 300,000 from the nobles,
under warrants from the privy seal binding the Queen to reimburse
all these sums out of the customs' revenues and the new subsidy.
All the money is to be ready by the end of January.
The Queen has secretly given orders for the holding in readiness
of 10,000 foot soldiers and 1,200 horse of the general muster called
recently, and has authorized Montgomeri to raise a force of 4,000
men from the Flemish and French bandits and some Englishmen
from Flushing and elsewhere who are with him. His captains are
now busy organizing this force. Four private ships carrying much
ordnance and stores have left this river ; it is said for the west, to
join the other 15, of which I have written, for the purpose of going
together to re-victual Rochelle, as they have done before with other
ships.
My friends tell me that, so far as they can gather, these preparations
are intended to carry out the following plan. The
200,000 crowns will suffice, when supplemented by promises, to
raise 10,000 or 12,000 men in Germany to enter France. These
men will willingly go thither, as they know there will be plenty of
plunder. The troops raised here will be sent to Guienne, where
they have much promise of support from the nobles, and they will
then try to raise the whole country of Gascony and Languedoc and
as far as the Rhone and the Loire, so that there will be greater
civil wars than ever before in France. At the same time they will
not be idle in the States, and, judging from the support they have
in France and here, their plans are well laid.
On the 19th instant the Treasurer, who was in London, sent for
Antonio de Guaras, and said that he was much surprised he had
received no reply from your Excellency. What passed between
them and the answer given to him I leave for Guaras to tell,
as no doubt he will write to your Excellency about it ; although
I have heard the whole of the conversation from a person who
overheard it.
They are anxious to know what attitude your Excellency is
going to adopt towards them, in order to make their arrangements
in conformity therewith. They are very desirous of coming to
some settlement with Spain or Portugal, in order to be able to concentrate
their attention on France ; and, quite recently, a gentleman
of position, who is a friend of mine and a confidant of the Treasurer's,
approached me twice over, to ask me whether there was not some
way we could devise by which the trade with Portugal might be
resumed. In the course of conversation he said that the religious
question was the cause of these negotiations being ineffectual. I
answered him fittingly, and I have no doubt he will carry the
matter forward. I am much surprised at such a hint reaching
me in this way, because the Treasurer looks askance at me, as he
believes it was I who prevented the last arrangement with Portugal
from being carried through. It shows their need to be even greater
than it appears.
An Englishman arrived here on the 20th in great haste from
Paris, to tell the Treasurer that Cardinal Lorraine had arrived at
Lyons and had sent a courier at once to the King. The Queen
was immediately informed of this, and it is evident that they are
full of distrust and alarm at the coming of the two cardinals, and
with very good reason, for it may result in their being punished as
they deserve.
The earl of Arundel has been released, and, it is said, he will go
to Court and fulfil his office as Lord Steward. There are good
hopes, too, of his son-in-law, Lord Lumley, and of the earl of
Southampton.
There are signs that they are likely to release the rest of the
Catholics who are in prison for religion's sake, as the Treasurer
and others were conferring with them in the Tower for a long time
the other day. This show of friendship with the Catholics is a
proof of the alarm they feel.
Letters came on the 19th from the king of France to his ambassador,
who is to have audience to-morrow. I will report what I
hear. I have just heard that a certain M. de St. Marie, of the
duchy of Guienne, has written to the Treasurer confirming
Montgomeri's promise given here, that the province shall be
delivered to this Queen.—London, 22nd December 1572.
Note.—Damaged by fire.
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