Cecil Papers: March 1580 | British History Online

Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 2, 1572-1582. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1888.

Citation:

'Cecil Papers: March 1580', in Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 2, 1572-1582( London, 1888), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-cecil-papers/vol2/pp315-319 [accessed 16 November 2024].

March 1580



	825. The Mayor and Burgesses of Boston to Lord Burghley.
1579/80, Mar. 3.	Being at this time constrained through great necessity for the repair of our decayed wharves and “staythes,” pray Burghley for licence to transport 1,000 quarters of grain.—Boston, 3 March 1579.
	Endorsed :—“8 March.—Letters are written to the Commissioners and officers to pass 1,000 quarters of rye, malt, barley, beans, and pease, as the Commissioners shall apportion.”
	½ p.
	826. The Duke of Anjou to the Queen.
[1579/80], March 3.	Although he wrote to her only a few days ago by her Ambassador, his affection permits him to give no rest to his pen. Thinks that she may by this time have learnt from M. de Stafford what he has desired him to say on his behalf, and that this may lead to the fulfilment of his desire which can only be attained by the granting of her favour.—“Dengiers” (Angers), 3 March.
[1579/80], March 3.	French. 2 pp.
	827. Francisco Giraldi to the Queen.
1579/80, Mar. 6.	The letter which the Queen wrote by her secretary has assured him that he has not been deprived of the Queen's good graces. With this confidence he can the better refer to her Majesty the enclosed letter which he received yesterday from Donna Catherine for Her Majesty, in which she discloses her mind without any reserve, &c. &c.
1579/80, Mar. 6.	Italian. 1 p.
	828. William Waad to Lord Burghley.
1579/80, March 7.	My desire hath been great, and my endeavour hath not wanted, to give your Lordship some certain informations of the doings which are here in hand. The which are sealed with such secrecy, and coloured with reports, as neither by intelligence, nor by the opinion of men, is there any knowledge to be had. So as it must be even the discourse of reason that must open the way to conceive of these matters, whereto how unable I am, by the weakness of my understanding, and the small acquaintance I have of the affairs of these parts, the simpleness of my former advertisements do not dissemble. On the one side, I never do look for good where those are the intermeddlers that do deal herein; on the other, am led to think that the Duke Casimir would never have been brought to any colloquy with the Guises, but upon hope of great matters, as he maketh preparations for all things necessary to some voyage.
	The French king wrote unto him to Nancy that he understood Casimir meant to trouble France again, under colour to be paid of that was owing for the last voyage, for the discharge of which the king assured him he would take present order, and to that end was already in hand to assemble the estates.
	The Duke George John of Littlestone, of the Palsgrave's house, doth make an army, and wrote to the late assembly that the Duke Casimir's reiters made at Magdeburg that he was to make a great levy of reiters for the service of a great Prince, whereto he invited them, with assurance to be well paid, and they say he shall have footmen out of France.
	The Swiss hold at this present a diet at Basle, (the place of their general assembly), where are both the French and the Spanish Ambassadors. It should seem by divers circumstances, that either the attempting somewhat in the French county [Franche Comté] is the pretence, or intended indeed. But I doubt not that all these motions which seem to have contrary courses, come from one mover, and tend to one end. Wherein what the occurrences of the time shall bring to light, I shall advertise your Lordship, which shall be but to report that your wisdom doth already foresee.
	There is kept at this present a diet at Possonia in Hungary, where the Archduke Ernest doth supply the Emperor's absence, with whom the Hungarians are not well pleased, and, as they say themselves, would willingly be under the King of Poland.
	The Polack hath made truce with the Muscovite, doubting the Turk, by occasion of an overthrow. Vorosky, a banished Polack, hath given [?] to certain Turks, which the great Turk imagines he hath done by the secret comfort of the king, in hope to be restored.
	They that come this way out of Italy speak great things of the preparations the Spanish King doth make at Naples for shipping.
	Being able to advertise your Lordship nothing else, I humbly beseech you to think the zeal of my good will doth spring from that root that shall want but the dew of your good opinion and favour to yield you humble and faithful service. And I always do beseech the Lord God to increase your contentments according to your good desires.—From Strasburg, 7th of March, 1580.
	Seal. 2 pp.
	829. Simier to the Queen.
1579/80, March 8.	Madame,—Je resu de ce courier, présent porteur, celle qu'il vous a pleu prandre la payné de m'escripre, dont je vous rans çant mylions de grasses, en atandent occasion où je puisse, pour satisfayre à la moindre de tant d'oblygations que je vous dois, sacrifier ma vye au très humble servisse que je voue à vostre Majesté, dont mes desportemans passés & la véritable protestation que je vous fais par la présente vous pouront, Madame, & à tout aultre personne vyvante, donner bon témogniage, quoyque l'on vous raporte de moy & de mes actions, que je ne vous manquere james de fidélyté, aymant myeus mourir çant fois, cy autant ont pouvoit, que d'estre vainqu ny agusé de la moindre tache d'ingratitude qui soit au monde. Vostre singe, Madame, peut avoyr des henemis auprès de vostre Ma^té sans occasion; puis je bien dyre, n'ayent james faict ny pansé chose que leur puisse desplere, si non autant que j'ay recherché vos bonnes grasses pour le servisse de mon seigneur mon mestre; & néanmoins il y en a aucuns de seulx qui sont les plus proches de vostre M^té, qu diespuis peu de jours ont escrit en seste Court, estiment par ce moyen me procurer quelque mauves office à l'androit do mon Prince. Mes je suis trop assuré de sa bonté pour ryen croyre de faulx au préjudisse de son serviteur fidelle. Vous trouveries le discours estrange & plain d'une anuye extrême. Ce qui me garde de le vous escripre en chiffre est, que je panse que vostre Majesté n'a pas bien antandu ce que je vous en avoys mandé par Estafort; du moins ne je [j'ai] peu déchiffrer ce qu'il vous a pleu de m'en escripre à cause que je panse que vostre Ma^té a prins plusieurs quaractères, les ens [uns] pour les aultres. Cy c'est chose qui despande de Vostre servisse, & quil vous plese me l'escripre par lectre weulgayre, & en charger le Capitene Bourg Vous le trouveres fidelle, je vous en respons de ma vye. Je suis très mary, Madame, que vous n'aves prins melyeure considération en cest affayre première que de le ronpre. La chose est de plus grand poys que peutestre vous ne l'estimes, tant pour le bien peublyc que pour vostre contantement particulyer. Je vosdrois avoyr donné vng de mes bras & dis ans de ma vye, puis que la chose avoyt de se ronpre, que vous l'usies faict. Il y a dis moys sur quoy je suplye Dyeu vous donner sa grasse & vous conserver, Madame, ceste perfecte beauté an santé très hereuse & longue vye. D'Angiers se 8 de Mars 1580. Vostre très humble & très hobeisant fidelle serviteur á james, le singe $ vostre $”
	At the beginning of the letter is a lover's knot, with an “$” above and below.
	Addressed :—“A la Royne d'Angleterre.”
	Seals, with yellow silk fastening.
	Holograph. 3 pp.
	830. The Council to Lord Burghley.
1579/80, March 17.	Doctor Lopez has had licence to transport into Portugal 200 quarters of wheat provided he carries 200 quarters of the same wheat into Ireland.—Westminster, 17 March 1579.
	Seven signatures. Seal.
	1 p.
	831. Robert Bowes to Lord Burghley.
1579/80, March 19.	At the last convention at Stirling the King by his minority revoked his former grant of the earldom of Lenox given to the Bishop of Caithness, and, in recompense thereof, gave to the said late Earl (then absent) the Earldom of March, continuing him still to be one of the Council, thereby to retain his vote in Council and Parliament for the advantage of himself and his friends. After, the King made Mons. d'Aubigny Earl of Lenox, giving to him that Earldom and the custody of the Castle of Dumbarton; which d'Aubigny hath left in the keeping of the Laird of Drumwhessell, former keeper of the same. D'Aubigny is also called to be one of the secret Council, and carrieth the sway in Court.
	By the small assembly of the nobility at this convention, it is adjourned unto the 10th of April next, at Stirling. And because it is suspected that the Earl of Morton held sundry noblemen back with himself, therefore, the King will write more earnestly for general appearance at the next, and that party at Stirling are bent to solicit all their friends to the same; where it will appear what weather shall follow these “glomynge” clouds.
	The griefs betwixt the Earls of Morton and Argyle still increase, the rather, because it is lately seen that Argyle gave to the King the late information against Morton; wherein Argyle beginneth to discover himself more plainly than before. And of these discords most men think that great evil shall spring.
	The agreement betwixt the Earls of Morton and Angus takes no full effect; for, notwithstanding the labour of the mediators and the former towardness, yet they remain scarcely reconciled. The poisoning of Atholl is meant to be brought again into question and to trial, and sundry are of opinion that the matter shall be discovered.
	The Earl of Morton and many with him do earnestly withstand the return of Sir Thomas Carr into that realm; and it is found strange that d'Aubigny (being so near in blood to the King) should advance the calling home of him that was present at the slaughter of the King's grandfather and uncle.
	The “drome” hath sounded in Edinburgh for more soldiers to be sent into Flanders, to serve the States.
	Leaving Scottish affairs for his own, perceives that Burghley mistakes to accept in exchange with Her Majesty the manors of Great Broughton and Little Chilton.
	He offered Great Broughton at the ancient rent of £28 2s. 8d. (which value hath not been enhanced during the memory of man); and Little Chilton at £75. Will willingly supply these with other lands of ancient rent, not enhanced within the memory of man.
	Has a complete answer to Rowland Johnson's charges, and hopes he may be permitted to pursue the examination and trial according to the Act of 38 Edw. III. which yet remains in force. They have determined to begin to set the pier on Monday next, and trust to bring it to the turn and point by Whit-Sunday.—Berwick, 19 March 1579.
	4½ pp.
	832. George Dawlton, John Smyth, and Edward Cotton, officers of the port of Southampton, to Lord Burghley.
1580, March 25.	In favour of a petition by the inhabitants of Havant for permission to land wood, &c., at Longston.—25 March 1580.
1580, March 25.	Seal. 1 p.
	833. Simier to the Queen.
1580, Mar. 30.	Madame,—Le Capitayne Bourg, revenant du paradis du monde, a trouvé mon seigneur mon mestre en ceste ville d'Angiers le 29^e de Mars, le quel a esté très ayse d'entandre que vous soyes en bonne santé; et moy, dabordée, comme vostre pauvre singe me suis grandement réjouy de sa venue pour l'anvye extrême que j'avois d'en scavoyr de bonnes. Mes ayent veu sur le fron de ma lectre, qu'il vous a pleu de m'escripre, ung sertain “Mons^r de Simyer,” je vous jure, Madame, que mile mortz ne m'ussent pas aporté plus de douleurs que j'en ay santi en mon âme, ymaginant par là que vous m'ussies prins quelque mauvesse opignon de celuy qui est tout vostre toutefois, eyent jugé mes actions par moymesmes, qui n'ay james faict ny pancé chose qui vous peust estre désagréable. J'ay prins ung peu de courage, et ayent overt vos deulx lectres qu'il vous a pieu m'escripre, je recogneu à mon grand regret que vostre Ma^té avoit quelque mescontantement de seluy qui ne veut et ne peut vivre ung car d'eure s'il ne se voit continuer au nonbre de vos bestes, et en la qualité de singe, puis qu'il vous a pleu ainsi le noumer. Je vous suplye luy ostroyer ceste grasse, et croyre que je moure plustost, tyré à quatre chevolx, que de manquer au très humble servisse que je vous ay voué, comme seluy qui veut vous demeurer esclave en se monde et en l'austre. Au demeurant, il n'est en la puissance de tout le monde, ny de tous artifices qui se pouroit james invanter à mon préjudisse, pour m'eslogner de vostre bonne grasse, de me diminuer la très humble dévotion que j'are toutte ma vye à vostre servisse pour tant de biens et d'onneurs que j'ay resus de vostre ma^té, de quoy je vous suis redevable de tant de fasons que je say, que nia vye est fort peu de chose pour m'aquiter des moindres oblygations que je vous dois. Mains ne vous pouvant offrir que ma vye, avec ung ceur dévot et très affectionné, je vous suplye le resevoyr pour gage de ma fidellité. Je vous demande mile pardons de ce qu'il vous pleu interpreter le chiffre. Je suis bien mary de vous advoyr donné tant de payne, mes l'affere est de telle et si grand inportance que je cregnois de prandre ung mot pour aultre, et que sela aportast préjudisse à la cause du maryage tant désiré de ceste part, qu'il n'est possible de plus; vous assurant, Madame, que si vous avies cognoissance conme moy de l'antyère et perfecte amour que mon mestre vous porte, vous prandries aultre résollution et n'aries opignon que la longeur procédast de son costé. Il ne sait point que je vous escrive par la voye de vostre ambassadeur, ayent délybéré à vous envoyer Vray, pour vous aporter la responce de vos dernyères qu'il vous a pleu luy envoyer par le Capitene Bourg, et vous mander par luy bien anplement touttes choses, tant pour la cause du maryage que pour les affayres du Pays Bas, et aultres sircostances que je me réserve à vous escripre par luy. Sur quoy je vous suplye de me permetre comme vostre singe à vous baiser en toutte humilyté très humblemant vos belles et blanches mains.—D'Angiers se pénultième de Mars 1580, de vostre Ma^té le très humble très fidelle et pour james très hobéisant singe vostre.
			$
	Signed :	$	E	$
			$
	Holograph. 4 pp.
	834. John Baptist, “Castilion.”
1579/80, March.	Warrant under the Sign Manual for a grant unto John Baptist, “Castilion,” esquire, one of the Grooms of the Privy Chamber, of the fee-farm of the manors of Snave co. Kent, and Stapleford co. Wilts, to hold to him and to Margaret his wife, and to the heirs male of their two bodies.—Westminster, — March, 22 Eliz.
	The date is not filled in, and no signet is affixed.
	Parchment, one membrane.