Cecil Papers: December 1597 | British History Online

Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 14, Addenda. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1923.

Citation:

'Cecil Papers: December 1597 ', in Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 14, Addenda, ed. E Salisbury( London, 1923), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-cecil-papers/vol14/pp29-30 [accessed 29 September 2024].

December 1597



	Edward Rookewood, of Ewston, Suffolk, to the Council.
[1597?, before Dec. 3.]	Is prisoner in the Bishop's palace of Ely, and has a payment of £800 to meet. Prays for enlargement, that he may obtain the money.—Undated. Endorsed. ½ p. (139.)
	— Borrell to the [Earl of Essex?]
[1597, Dec.]	The Kings of Spain and France are reported to have become friends, the former yielding up all his possessions in France; and the King of France and other princes pretend to make her Majesty and Spain friends. But they look not to the inconveniences to England, but their own benefit; for the Queen allows English men of war to make lawful prize of their ships carrying provision and victuals for the King of Spain's armies. If the King of Spain has yielded the forts he had in France it is because he thinks so to become friends with England and that in time the Queen will yield up her towns in the Low Countries so that they will pay him tribute as heretofore and he will obtain possession of the country: which God forbid, as that country is the only strength of England. The opinion of Pedro Vermudez Santeso, and others who came to visit don Juan Porta Carero, general of the galleys, and Diego de Flores de Valleces general of the ships (who was at Cales (Cadiz) when Essex was there) in the prison where he was in Spain, was "that never any prince in this world hath so abused the crown of Spain as England hath": and "if our King doth not obtain the Low Countries it is not possible to win England." Having that country 60 galleys might winter there and with the first of the spring come over to England, with fly boats and hoys to bring men and munitions; and bringing 20,000 men into the west country from Spain, once win London and all the land will yield, some for fear of their lives or loss of goods and some for money which will be given. They compared London to Lishbourn; all Portugal yielded when Lishbourn was won. Juan Valladares Sermento, a Privy Councillor, said that never prince did abuse the crown of Spain but one time or other he gave them payment. Vermudez also said if Alva had made in Flushing the castle he made in Antwerp and kept it with Spaniards, before now our country had been under the crown of Spain. The merchants of Seville and Portugal who used to venture to the Indies are broken by losses of goods and ships since the wars; and the King also is desolate of men, ships and money.
	It is reported the King of Spain marries his daughter to the Prince Cardinal and gives in marriage the 17 provinces of Flanders. He thinks in time the Cardinal will join the hearts of Brabant, Holland and Zeeland, and by that means he shall obtain the Low Countries. Endorsed by Essex's secretary, "Borrell": and in another hand, "No peace with Spain." 2½ pp. (178. 65.)