|
| Sept. 2/12. | De L'Aubespine Chasteauneuf to Walsingham. |
|---|
| Requesting a passport for M. du Chattes, governor of Dieppe,
for exporting four hackneys out of this country. He is a very
honest gentleman and will always repay his honour's courtesy
in any way possible. Asks that the passport may be sent
speedily, as the horses are already bought.—London, 12 September, 1587. |
|---|
| Signed. Add. Endd. Fr. 1 p. [France XVII. 117.] |
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| Sept. 8/18. | The Abbe del Bene to Walsingham. |
|---|
| If I had not feared to do harm to her Majesty's business, in
which I know you are so fully and continually employed, I should
not have delayed so long to assure you of my devotion and faithful
service, hoping to be favoured by some command from your
honour. But Mr. 'Stafort's' insolent manner of procedure compels me to complain to you of the small respect he has had
for the service of his Queen and sovereign mistress, since I
have worked in this court, in relation to the business which I
have treated of with him for the common cause of the King
of Navarre and that of your Queen; he having tried to turn
her mind against me; being very angry at certain letters which
he says he has of mine written to M. Buzenval, in which I
justified myself in regard of some calumnious imputations whereof he accused me. Wherefore I am constrained to trouble your
Excellency with this discourse, and to pray you, (according
to your usual kindness) to give credence to what M. de Buzenval shall say to you, on my behalf of the said business; and
to take measures whereby silence may be imposed on M. Sta-
fort to the end that he may not, by his indiscretion, make
known to his and my common enemies the small account he
takes of the service of the Queen his mistress; of whom, by
the many favours received from her Majesty when I was in
England with Monsignor, the King's brother, I have ever remained the humble and devoted slave; and might perhaps have
been not entirely useless to her if I could have had good correspondence with M. Stafort, as I should have desired. |
|---|
| But I have run into too many dangers of life and honour
by reason of confiding to him matters importing the service
both of her Majesty and the common cause, which he has
afterwards imparted to the chattering ladies of the court, and
to suspected persons, with whom he was too intimate and
familiar and of whom the King of Navarre himself was very
distrustful. And to the end that your worship may know of
what consequence it may be to her Majesty's person to have
here an ambassador with whom her devoted servants may treat
with more confidence, I am forced to speak openly to M. de
Buzenval of an advertisement which, if I am not mistaken,
imports very greatly the person of the Queen; and of which
the said M. de Buzenval will give her a very certain account,
according to what I have written to him. And if her Majesty
will deign to write by your worship, commanding Mr. Stafort
not to show himself displeased with what I have treated of
with him, and which I cannot carry out without her Majesty's
interest, I shall always be her most devoted servant; and shall
be greatly obliged to you if, by this means, I may be freed
from the trouble into which my honour has brought me.—
Paris, 18 September, 1587. Your most devoted and affectionate
Po. del Bene. |
|---|
| Holograph. Add. Endd. Italian. 2 pp. [France XVII. 118.] |
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| Sept. 17. | Stafford to Walsingham. |
|---|
| I send you a letter which was delivered to one Thibaulds, "that
was Parry's man," to be given to Aldred. He promised to send
it safely, but opened it, and three days after brought it to me,
saying that a fair complexioned Italian, speaking good English,
gave it him. I know the hand, and believe he either mistakes the
man or makes believe he does so, which I rather think of the two.
When I asked why he opened it, he said he would take none
of those knaves' letters without seeing them. I fear he has
some crotchet in his head, like his old master. "He is here sent
by Sir Edward Hobbye to follow the cause of Buckley's man,
that is condemned at Newhaven" [i.e. Havre]. |
|---|
| I send you a book newly come hither out of the Low Countries. "I think shortly they will make killing of ones father,
if he be an heretic, lawful," seeing they make such a treachery
as Sir William Stanley's to be so.—Paris, 17 September, 1587. |
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| Holograph. Add. Endd. 1 p. [France XVII. 119.] |
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| Sept. 20. | Instructions for Mr. Daniel Rogers, one of the clerks of
her Majesty's Privy Council, sent to the King of Denmark. |
|---|
| Whereas it pleased the said King, about two years past, when
he sent his Chancellor Ramelius as ambassador, to promise
her Majesty that whereas some overture had been made the
year before by certain ambassadors sent by the King of Scots,
"under colour for a match with with one of the said King's
daughters," he would not yield to them unless the King of
Scots gave good assurance to live in friendship with her Majesty
and to forbear to disturb her peaceable government, which
promise he has hitherto honourably regarded; "and that specially of late (fn. 1) by yielding an answer of like effect unto certain
other ambassadors of the said King of Scots, sent unto him,
that renewed the former overture for the said match": her
Majesty's pleasure is that Mr. Rogers shall signify to him
that his princely and brotherly care, thus manifestly declared
and continued, gives her just cause to think their band of friendship the greater, and to assure him that no prince shall be
more ready to perform all good offices of thankfulness than
herself. |
|---|
| Letting him understand that although she would be very glad
the King of Scots should match in so noble and well affected
a house, she cannot but think her self strangely used by him,
for that, having sundry times promised to match nowhere without her advice and privity, he has now sought this match without
giving her knowledge of this his intention, which he might have
been sure she would gladly advance to the uttermost of her power. |
|---|
| And further, letting him know that her Majesty also thinks
herself greatly beholding to him for his care to mediate an
accord between herself and the King of Spain, and the more so
that it grew altogether from himself, of his brotherly good will;
a proceeding so loving and friendly, and like to a Christian
King, as neither a father or a brother could perform greater,
and which is accounted by her as a most sound proof of his
princely love to her. |
|---|
| Mr. Rogers shall further declare to his Majesty that whereas
not long since she wrote that the treaty with Spain was likely
to proceed about the end of this month, and that she would
be glad for him to send his commissioners to Emden, where
they should receive safe conduct to go into the Low Countries
from herself and the Earl of Leicester; and would herself ask
the Duke of Parma to send them a like safe-conduct (which she
has performed); she has since been informed by the said Earl
of Leicester that the States (being the principal parties to be
provided for in the said treaty), were not so inclinable thereto
as reason and necessity required, some of the ringleaders there,
for their private ends dissuading the people (who otherwise are
disposed to do anything to gain a safe peace) against it;
wherefore she fears the treaty cannot proceed so quickly as was
looked for; and desires Rogers to pray his Majesty to excuse
her for the delay (which is by no fault of her own) and to
postpone the sending of his ambassadors, or if already sent,
to direct them to stay at Emden some small time, until she can
advertise him of the time of meeting. |
|---|
| He is to let the King know that (she doubts) the greatest
difficulty will be in the point of religion; "for the use thereof
to be granted to the people, without permission whereof there
can be no fruit of peace, specially where their consciences
shall be in bondage"; wherein she prays him "to direct his
ambassadors, at their coming to the place of colloquy to urge
the Duke's commissioners with all earnestness to assent thereunto, considering that it hath been a thing in a sort already
yielded unto at the treaty of Gaunt (called the Pacification of
Gaunt), and also in other their treaties held at 'Cullen' [Cologne]," and which was yielded to by the Emperors Charles the
fifth and Ferdinand and two Kings of France, wherein when the
King of Spain made some difficulty, the matter being propounded
to the University of Louvain and others of the Catholic clergy
was by them thought fit to be granted, for preservation of
the common peace. But if the Duke will not assent thereto,
she prays his Majesty not only to join with her in assisting
the Low Countries, but to do his best endeavour to persuade
the Princes of Germany to concur in the action, which would
work very good effects for a sound peace, which greatly concerns the cause of religion throughout Christendom; and especially themselves, for if the King of Spain could once plant
the popish Inquisition in those countries, they would not themselves long retain either liberty of conscience or their present
freedom, "considering what the House of Austria aspireth unto." |
|---|
| He shall also recommend to his Majesty the King of Navarre's
case, which, if not upheld by the Princes of the Religion (although they think the fire far enough from them, and therefore
have not that care for the said King which both policy and
Christianity require) "they will find themselves deceived, for
that the drift of the league, which is now avowed publicly by
the Pope, the King of Spain and the princes of Italy, reacheth
further than the overthrow of the said King of Navarre, or of
the Religion in France," as is shown by the King of Spain
having caused the Duke of Parma to send forces to the
Duke of Guise and his confederates; which action ought to
move all true professors of the Gospel to unite in maintaining the King of Navarre, "a prince that for his piety,
courage and wisdom ought not to be abandoned in the
defence of so good a cause," as he seems to be by the German
princes; for Duke Casimir informs her that no one of them
has contributed anything towards the army now sent into France,
which all well affected men find strange, considering the mass of
treasure collected by the Pope for suppressing the gospel throughout Christendom; of which intent, both in the Pope, King of
Spain and the rest of the League, Rogers shall receive advertisements from Mr. Secretary. |
|---|
| And he shall move the King of Denmark (in case he will
have some care of the King of Navarre) to send special ministers
to the protestant princes of Germany to yield the said King some
support, as it is not unknown how chargeable this cause hath
been to herself, "for maintenance of the army now entered into
France out of Germany, who standeth now between them and
their harms and whose overthrow cannot but be the beginning of
their danger, whatsoever they conceive to the contrary." |
|---|
| Lastly, there having been some spoils committed upon certain
of the said King's subjects, for which her Majesty has been very
sorry, and caused all due satisfaction to be yielded, Rogers shall
pray him to consider how hard it is to restrain men of war from
outrages by sea and land, in times of hosility between princes and
civil wars, and not to withdraw his love in respect thereof; assuring him that all care shall be taken both for satisfying those
already spoiled and preventing the like in future. For the answering of which grievance, the Judge of the Admiralty will
deliver to him both the complaints of that King's subjects and a
declaration how the same may be answered in course of justice. |
|---|
| Draft. Endd. 11 pp. [Denmark I. 99.] |
|---|
| Sept. 22. | Daniel Rogers to [The Lord Chancellor?] |
|---|
| I doubt not but your lordship has understood that the latter
part of my Instructions for Denmark concerns piracies committed
upon the King's subjects; for the better knowledge of which
matters my lord Treasurer thought good that I should have
delivered to me out of the Admiralty Court certain examinations
and proofs. In considering of which point, I cannot but be
glad that Mr. John Killigrew came to the court, from whom I
have learned "how the matter for which he was sent for, at
the complaint of the Danes, now three weeks past, may well be
answered and the King satisfied." |
|---|
| Mr. Killigrew seems to have been hardly dealt with, having
been twice sent for by a messenger upon the Danes' new complaints, and yet will be found innocent. I have not believed
his relation only, but have seen and read the order set down
by the commissioners appointed to examine the matter and the
award of the Judge of the Admiralty, all testifying to his innocence. It appears "that the Danes have their trust in the rentmasters of the Sound, who favouring them, may have procured them the King's letters, and give them counsel . . . to
repair homewards if they should not have speedy justice here;
and that upon their return he would stay as much English goods
as might fully requite their damage," but I hope I shall satisfy
the King, expecially in regard to Mr. Killigrew. The complainant against him is called Cnut Marquartsen, who going with
corn for Normandy was twice spoiled:—"First in June last by
one Thomas Ewyne nigh the Isle of Wight; which Ewyne is in
prison and my Lord Admiral mindeth to do justice upon him";
the second time by a Scot, Captain Elliphant [i.e. Oliphant]
who had commission from the King of Navarre and would have
carried him to Rochelle and made him good prize for intending
to victual the King of Navarre's enemies; but coming into Falmouth haven, and asking harbourage of the Killigrews, was
saluted by Peter Killigrew (uncle to John) who, going aboard,
found the Danes in great misery, and they prayed him to intercede
for them; the captain was won by his intercession, and the
Danes agreed that the captain might have part of the corn,
and they part, whereupon the corn was sold in Cornwall to the
profit of them all, and also of the country, which lacked it.
The Killigrews' profit "was by the advantage of the bushel . . .
being greater there at Falmouth than in other places"; but
John being pressed by the commissioners to say what they
had gained, and confessing it truly, was awarded to pay it to
the Danes, so that the Killigrews got nothing, and the Danes, by
their means, got their liberties the sooner, and part of what the
corn was sold for, which otherwise they had been frustrate of.
Their commissioners set down an order which the Danes then
accepted, but to which they will not now stand. |
|---|
| On Sunday next, (fn. 2) the matter is to come before your lordship
and the rest of the Council, wherefore I write this to give
you better knowledge thereof, and to satisfy Mr. John Killigrew,
who desired me to certify you of what I had found to be the
truth. |
|---|
| "The other Danes, complaining against Pitts and Mr. Edward
Seymour, have more just cause for so doing, which matter I
wish I could so well answer unto the King as the former."—
London, 22 September, 1587. |
|---|
| Endd. by Burghley. 1½ pp. [Denmark I. 100.] |
|---|
| Sept. 22. | "The report of Mr. Frederick Goose of the Court of Denmark" on this date. |
|---|
| On July 7, the Marquis of Santa Cruz departed out of the
river of Lisbon with 57 ships, whereof the Vice-admiral was
cast away within two miles of Lisbon. |
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| Their strength of men, captains and soldiers, Spaniards, Portugals, and 'Dutchmen,' was 10000, bravely appointed, besides
mariners and gunners. |
|---|
| Item. Two men were taken out of every strange ship then
in Lisbon, to serve in the fleet. |
|---|
| Item. August 3, there came from 'St. Lucas' to Lisbon thirtyfive great ships laden with victuals, "for a new supply of service,
as they say, for England," as soon as the Marquis should return
from his present service. |
|---|
| At Naples, there are ready seven great galiasses and 9 great
argosies. |
|---|
| Also the King's officers in High Dutchland had provided 30,000
soldiers, but the King of Denmark wrote to the Dukes of Germany
not to let any soldiers pass to serve the King of Spain, and
so they were stayed. The reason is said to be that this King
means to marry his daughter to the King of Scots. |
|---|
| The King is coming to winter in Lisbon, in order "to furnish
his forces for England or Ireland. They have no want but
mariners; and they mean to come first into Biscay and there
ship their soldiers," because the passage is shorter from Biscay,
either for England or Ireland. |
|---|
| Item. When the Marquis went to sea, "he said to the Cardinal [Archduke], if the King's Majesty would spare him at
home, for that he was an old man, he would give half the land
he had. The Cardinal answered he must go. The Marquis
asked what his wife and children should do. The Cardinal
bade him take them with him, for the King must be served." |
|---|
| Endd. "22 September, 1587. News and reports of Spain. ¾ p.
[Newsletters XC., 35.] |
|---|
| Sept. 24./Oct. 4. | Masino del Bene to Walsingham. |
|---|
| On the 25th of last month, the Comte de Soissons passed
the Loire to go to join the King of Navarre, while his brother
[el fratello, i.e. the Prince de Conti] remained here, so seriously
ill that he is since reported to be dead. The Vicomte de Turenne
was come to join him with three hundred horse and as many
mounted harquebusiers, and passing this way and learning that
the governor of Brittany [the Duc de Mercœur] was expected
at Saumur, he betook himself thither, but for all the haste
that he could make, he did not arrive in time, the governor being
already lodged there. But being advertised that his baggage
was not with him, and that it was coming with an escort of
about forty horse, the Vicomte went to meet it and finding it about
a league from thence, without much resistance took the whole
of it, leaving the owners nothing but the horses which they had
between their legs. This capture is of great importance, for
besides a considerable number of serviceable horses there is
said to be a large sum of ready money and the Duke's jewels,
which it is supposed he was bringing here to pawn, and that
both the one and the other were to be used for their cause . . . |
|---|
| And this morning, the Queen being at table with the QueenMother, said that her brother had thereby lost a hundred thousand crowns . . . . |
|---|
| This being accomplished he [Turenne] returned with the booty
and went to join the Count [de Soissons], whom he had not yet
seen, and they re-crossed the river, he first and then the Count
with his men, who are reported to be 600 good horse and 2000
foot. |
|---|
| It is said that the King of Navarre has sent M. de la Force,
son-in-law of Marshal Biron, to the King with a very humble
letter, but what his Majesty has replied is not yet known. |
|---|
| The King of Navarre has withdrawn towards Lodun [Loudun]
and will, as is said, await thereabouts the coming of the young
prince [Soissons], after which he will go towards the Limosin
to meet the Marshal de Montmorenci, and all together may
join the reiters, whose tarrying in Lorraine may cause them
great inconvenience and danger, from which these wish to free
them; seeing that the League will shortly have a good number
of horsemen, who are coming to them from Italy, and that the
4000 reiters whom the King is raising will be in array; some
of them being already in France. Wherefore I am in great
fear that before ours are ready they may be defeated; and
that theirs may join together, and so, by having a little patience
and putting themselves into a fertile country which may afford
them sustenance, may await what the army of the King shall do.
I think that shortly the country will be theirs. |
|---|
| They say that he has given M. de Joyeuse 500 horse to go
straight to the King of Navarre and that his Majesty this
evening will sleep at Blois, and that he will come here. |
|---|
| I thank your Excellency infinitely for your protection of the
poor German dweller at Marseilles; and pray you to do the
like for the letter which I have written to her Majesty, and
which you will find full of ill passages.—Paris, 4 October, 1587. |
|---|
| Add. Endd. Italian, 2¼ pp. [France XVII. 120.] |
|---|
| Sept. | Copy of a long Latin letter from the Abbe del Bene to M.
de Buzenval, with comments by Stafford (in French in
the margin). |
|---|
| As the messenger is a Roman Englishman, sound in the faith
and trustworthy, I will forthwith answer fully, so that you may
exclaim: we are being beaten, yet blow for blow we wear out
the enemy.1 |
|---|
| [Margin, by Stafford.] 1. This shows that it is not the first
time that there have been these fine discourses between you
and him. |
|---|
| As to our prodigal, I fear you will find the same cabbage
dished up which has been so frequently distasteful.2 He is believe me, no man but a monster; a portent born to be mischievous
to England and France alike; and who might be a very poison
and pest to our friendship. |
|---|
| [Margin] 2. This is the true description of the Abbé himself;
both of his form and his manners, as all the world knows and
sees. I know not what he means by the great evil that I
am to these two countries, unless it be an evil to maintain
them in amity, as I have it in charge to do; and that he is
vexed that having tried to persuade me, first by himself and
afterwards by the young de Reux, his confidant, to let a breach
be made between the King and her Majesty, upon the business
of the Queen of Scots and the stay of the ships, I made it
apparent to him that he was a blockhead to think (as he said)
that the Queen would then aid their business more effectually,
but that, on the contrary, having broken both with this King and
the King of Spain, she would have nothing more to do with it. |
|---|
| A pest to our friendship, I say, yours and mine, for to you
he writes the dreams of a sick man about me3, and to me, by
intermediaries, he insinuates that you are extremely offended with
me. |
|---|
| [Margin] 3. This is an impudent lie. |
|---|
| For being very ill-natured, as Suetonius says4 homo cui veriter
penuque vasa heusque nunquam satiari possunt, he dreads our
reporting to one another by writing all his inept, insipid, ungracious, false, detestable and abominable thoughts and deeds,
past master as he is and prince in Veneris patratione. |
|---|
| [Margin]. 4. He here shows himself a fine painter, to be
able to depict himself so well in a few words for what all the
world knows him to be, and you, M. de Buzenval, in particular,
perfectly. |
|---|
| 5As to that Cantabrian crow [Thomas Morgan], I ask how
has he the impudence to traduce me, saying that it was by
my information that he was taken, though he himself knows
that he was warned from me by his fellow-countryman, Morlan,
to be on his guard a fortnight before he was committed to
prison; 6but unless I am mistaken both our rascal, almost mad
with jealousy, and Vergne, his intimate and too familiar friend,
nimis imo uxoris plusquam par est, uno in lectulo erudito ambo
gemilli etcetra, as Catullus [has it], although the father-in-law
[qy. stepfather] of that little harlot, tamen etiam amarius in eo
stuprator, with equal fury and fierceness of jealousy, turned
against the luckless Cantabrian, put him in prison and meant
to undo him, if a God out of a machine, (fn. 3) that is to say, a kinsman
who has been found to be virgula divina in the Cardinal's house,
had not with very great [expense?] redeemed the Cantabrian
from the galleys. |
|---|
| [Margin]. 5. An ordinary device to cover a premeditated illdeed; and daily practised by the Abbé. 6. This jealousy (of
which he speaks) in himself and no other, is the sole cause
of his great ill-will towards Salettes. For la Vergne, he is his
father-in-law [qy. step-father], as he says; my very familiar
friend of long standing, an honest and brave man, for whom
my wife makes good cheer, by my desire, as she does for all
my friends; a man who has been and still is a servitor of
the King of Navarre, and would have been altogether of his
household, but that, having immediately upon the death of Monsieur, his master, offered himself, by the Vicomte of Turenne,
and by my letters to the Prince of Condé, and by his own letters,
he received no reply, from the ill impression which this wicked
man gave of him to them, merely from the ill-will he bore
him, for that he [La Vergne], had warned his daughter-in-law
[qy. step-daughter] from the beginning to beware of him as a
common debaucher of girls, and known for such by all; to whose
evil company we cannot but attribute her ruin, she being before,
a girl as well esteemed for her good conduct as any at the
court. |
|---|
| Such7, believe me is the state of affairs. I also surmise that
in a few days these fine lovers will make an end of the imprudent and abandoned Cantabrian, who is always bewailing himself in the lap of his harlot, and both struggling with poverty;
for the Admiral thinks no more of the harlot. So may you in
jealousy of those two exclaim8: whore and whoremonger, sonin-law and father-in-law, you have lost everything; and certainly all those words of Catullus are to the purpose. |
|---|
| [Margin]. 7. If he never tells you any thing more true than
this, believe him not, for I protest to God, I never had one
thought thereof, nor would have, if only for my friendship to
her father-in-law (?), for I shall never try to dishonour what
belongs to one of my friends, and the chief cause why I saw
her was to find what she knew of the principal people at this
court. And for what touches Salettes, I refer myself to a copy
I send you of what was written by his hand, and also to the probability of the thing, for I have much communication with
Mademoiselle de Montpensier (from whom I am assured the
Abbot never stirs to this hour) and with the Cardinal de Bourbon; who has had them examined, chiefly upon their intelligences with me, as you will see by what Sallettes has written
thereof, which is the truth. |
|---|
| 8. On the contrary, you have more reason to cry "O brutal
impudence and wicked soul" of the Abbe; who might have ruined
all the affairs of our mistress by his wicked passions if he had
not had to do with more than honest men. |
|---|
| But now let us make a throw as to the tricks of this rascal9,
who was so befogged by the King that though I warned him,
by Captain Mazino [del Bene] that Morgan, that most heinous
conspirator against his Queen, was soon to be set at liberty, he
only laughed, and declared that he had assurances to the contrary
from the King. |
|---|
| [Margin]. 9. The letter from Captain Mazin, his cousin (of
which I send you a copy) witnesses the truth, viz. that it was
he who warned me of it, but without mentioning the Abbé.
That was on the Monday, and he was let out the Sunday evening before. |
|---|
| Oh crafty ambassador10 [further abusive epithets and accusations against Stafford.]11 |
|---|
| [Margin]. 10. A confession voluntary and true. |
|---|
| 11. This is true of the affairs of the Abbé. You and all the
world know it. For the rest, so shameful that any other than
a most impudent man would have blushed to have written such
a thing, and for myself, I do not think either this or any of
his villanies worthy of an answer. |
|---|
| But what subterfuges will this perfidious rascal now try on
with 7 12[i.e. the Comte de Soissons], whose breast is seething
with a generous and honourable purpose, as the satirist says,
which this man wished to conceal. The deed of daring which
he undertook, he is about to execute forthwith, and is now
ready for action, with his lisping brother [Conti], and both will
soon be on horseback. |
|---|
| [Margin]. 12. This is false. I have always told the truth
to that Prince, whom this bad man never wished me to see,
so that his eyes might be always dazzled by him, and that
he should not learn from me the truth of his rogueries; and
this has gone on for eight months. |
|---|
| 13By the evil arts of his secretary, the iniquitous Deury, 5
[qy. Montpensier] was withdrawn from their sworn league, and
is hastening to the King's army, in command of the vanguard:
that by means of his numerous additional forces, the way may
be impeded for the junction of the King [of Navarre's] forces
with their lord, who, they say, is making for Bourges, to effect
a junction with his foreign army, which, in my opinion, is
wasting too much time in pillaging Lorraine. I fear lest, in the
meantime, the army of the League may become better equipped,
and provided with Spanish, Italian and French auxiliary forces,
and that the King, who will play the part of general in his
army, will collect great forces from all sides, both at home and
abroad, so that they must needs fight with a double army, composed partly of confederate, partly of royal forces. |
|---|
| [Margin]. 13. He confesses by this what he has wished to
hide from me, but on the contrary has always announced that
the Prince would presently take horse, and on this ground sent
to me, demanding the money without delay, in order to cheat
me of it; and, whatever good face he puts on it, Deury was
put with M. de Montpensier by Simier's persuasion and his
consent, for they have themselves said to me that they only
spread the reports against him in order that he should not be
suspected of holding intelligence with them, if an evil result
followed. Judge then of their good intentions by the fruits. |
|---|
| 14But to return to our rascal, what excuse will he have to
offer his mistress for the many lies with which he has tried to
dazzle her eyes; unable as he will have to own himself to
Soissons to perform any of his promises. Assuredly, unless he
had borrowed a great sum of money from the usurers,15 after
he had learned that no more hope was to be placed in the
empty and delusive promises of this spendthrift, he would not
have been able to meet his engagements. I would have you see
to it that the rascal's mistress does not frustrate the hope which
she gave him of help on her part; otherwise, this youth of
invincible spirit—who, prodigal of life and fortune, has set
public before private advantage, so that he disappointed his
mother, his master and all his kinsfolk; and among them his
uncle, from whom he was in receipt of 3000 aurei a year—would
be destitute of help on the part of every one. |
|---|
| [Margin]. 14. I refer myself therein to the Queen and those
of her Council how false this is: how I have always kept
silence when I could write nothing pleasing; and how afterwards,
when I was compelled to write, I did so very modestly, considering their actions as I saw them, which I never imputed
to the young prince, of whom none has ever had better hope
than I, and should still have if it were not for the pernicious
advice which he [the Abbé] gives him, and which I fear will
ruin him altogether. |
|---|
| 15. I have never promised them aught save what I had commandment for, and this I have never kept from them; but have
rather exceeded it, for which I am sorry; because I see that
there will not be a single town which he can assure, and upon
which the enterprises have been executed for which they drew
the money from me. Thus it is the Abbé who has cheated me,
for it is he who assured me; seeing moreover that M. de Montpensier (upon whom was the chief reliance) will not do anything at all, as they themselves say. |
|---|
| 16And as I understand the matter, this rascal is trying so to
arrange that all this money of the Queen's may be turned to
his own account, and granted to him for the discharge, as he
says, of debts contracted here; and this I know, because Palavicini, who is surety for this Captain Mazino, bids him hope
that payment may be made out of it. This cannot be done
without greatly discrediting the Queen,17 seeing that she ought
rather to ruin this rascal than reward such misdeeds with
benefactions.18 But if this illustrious youth [Soissons] be disappointed of his hope, assuredly there will come a day when he
will be wiser, perchance in consequence of having the administration of the province of Picardy; as, if peace be made,
he will certainly be able to curry favour with this rascal's
mistress, by services and proofs of a grateful mind. All his
hope is in himself alone,19 for this rascal would fain obtain
the money instead of him. |
|---|
| [Margin]. 16. How false this is, the Queen, Lord Treasurer
and Mr. Walsingham are witness; and that I have never, personally or by writing, directly or indirectly, proposed such a
thing: as also Mazin can testify. |
|---|
| 17. In this he shows the good mind of a prelate; but the
Queen has men of honour to advise her, and does good when
and as she pleases, to acknowledge her servants' faithful services. |
|---|
| 18. The satisfaction which the Queen has been pleased to
give to him [Soissons] was not from fear of his threats, nor
from hope of anything if he should have this government [of
Picardy] (which he will not), although it is one of the unworthy, spiteful deeds of this prelate to demand it for this young
prince, in order to keep him on bad terms with his brother, (fn. 4) who
will never quit it, and if he did, the King would not give it to
him. They have done all they could to get it, but have not
succeeded. |
|---|
| 19. M. de Buzenval, you know well if ever in my life I
have written to you upon this subject. |
|---|
| Mark the evil and foolish mind of the man, of all men the
worst and wickedest,20 who has created many perils here for
me, out of the discussions I had with him on matters of business, touching your public affairs and his own.21 |
|---|
| If I should ever be his friend or well-wisher, may I forfeit
God's love for ever. |
|---|
| [Margin]. 20. Very false, for I hold all that comes from him
to be so artful, shuffling and imperfect, that I should be ashamed
for it to be thought that I gave any heed to it; and protest
before God that I never opened my mouth to him on the matter. |
|---|
| 21. I am in this the first proposer, as you know, and shall
never profess otherwise; wherein he again shows himself a
deceiver, for the very day after he had written this letter, he
sent to offer me his faithful service, and does so daily, by M.
de la Court. |
|---|
| 22Your lord [the King of Navarre] to whom this rascal has
written much futile stuff, hates him worse than dog or snake,
and means not to answer him; nay he told the messenger who
gave him the letters that it was by his doing (i.e. this rascal's)
that all his affairs in France and England had been made of
no account. |
|---|
| [Margin]. 22. It is true, and you know what was in the
letter, for I sent you a copy. The King of Navarre has never
sent me an answer, wherefore I can never serve him again with
all my heart, as I have done for his own sake, for I merited
one. Whether it be true that he said that to the messenger,
I refer myself to the Queen and the Lords of her Council as
to what they heard from thence. I am astonished at it, as you
have told me otherwise, knowing (as you do) that I have deserved
well. For what comes from here, I refer myself to all honest
men: how I employed myself therein with zeal, not sparing my
own purse, then or now. |
|---|
| Is the fellow mad or raving? 23And does he now vent his
insanity on you and me? 24Let us at last away with him,
and the mists wherewith he darkens minds and counsel . . . |
|---|
| [Margin]. 23. The testimony which I send, signed by an honest man of the Religion, and which will be signed by Morlan, (fn. 5)
who returns six days hence from the King of Navarre, will show
that he has lied, and that I have done you more right than I
had cause given me to do; the which I send you not as an
excuse, but to show his impudence. |
|---|
| 24. It is his own practise to walk in the mists, like an illdoer; I keep the high-way, like an honest man. |
|---|
| We25 have now reached the critical phase of the disease. In
all parts of the country there is disturbance, and every thing
tends downwards in this realm. |
|---|
| [Margin]. 25. The matter shows his own confession. |
|---|
| For the King—having learned that the King of Navarre is
away, making a junction with his foreign forces—forthwith
sprang to horse, and tomorrow will set forth for Gien, where he
is collecting an army, both to oppose the junction of the Catholic princes which he anticipates with the King of Navarre, and
the march which this King thinks to make by Bourges. And
so it is to be feared that the King of Navarre (whose great
deeds of the last few days I send you) may involve himself and
his fortunes in very great hazard by this his extreme delay
and the siege of Lavardin, and meanwhile lose the opportunity
of extricating himself and joining his foreign troops, who seem
to tarry unduly in Lorraine, wasting it with fire and sword.
I also apprehend some secret negotiation of Duke Casimir, by
la Huguerie, with the Duke of Lorraine, for Casimir himself would fain have been leader of that expeditionary force
into Lorraine. The 26Duke of Bouillon has been appointed sole
commander, not without great delay in the assembly of the army.
The Queen should mention this to Casimir, and demand from
him performance of his promises, for your affairs depend upon
his, by the conjunction of this foreign army with that of
Navarre; otherwise they will be in very sorry plight. Meanwhile,
the army is losing time, doing nothing, and a new pay-day
draws nigh. Ponder the matter, and requite with love my very
loving zeal for your service.—11 September, 1587. |
|---|
| [Margin]. 26. M. de Bouillon is well rewarded for all his
charges and losses for the cause, and the daily hazard of his
life; but I am very glad, since I am a victim to the pen of
so venerable a person, that I have the honour of M. de Bouillon's company; a most virtuous nobleman, as we know from
M. de la Noue and M. de Clervant; whom also he has not
spared. according to his passions; and whoever does not submit to these must be anathema, if Monsieur is to be believed. |
|---|
| Pray excuse my writing so hastily that I scarce know what
I say.27 A cause of the utmost importance to me is being adjudicated today, so forgive me if I write French, Latin, or whatever comes into the pen, and fish out of it what you can, in
this supreme crisis of anxiety. |
|---|
| As regards English affairs, unless those in Flanders receive
serious attention, they will lose the rest; for a great force of
infantry is hastening from Italy. Allen, made Cardinal, is deputed legate to Flanders; that being thus near, he may disturb
the said English affairs. All the Pope's apparatus of means
and devices is being directed against the Queen. May they
be wise in time, and not like the Phrygians, too late. Farewell. |
|---|
| [Margin]. 27. The fine windy style in which he writes, shows
that this is not a lie. |
|---|
| Memo. by Stafford. |
|---|
| This is a true copy of the letter written by the hand of the
Abbé d'Albene, as I will certify upon my honour and my life. |
|---|
| I leave it to all people of judgment to judge, simply by reading this letter, how impudent, lying and full of all villainy is
this fellow, and how unworthy to keep company with honest
men, much less to have knowledge of their affairs, whether they
treat of Religion or of honour, considering his atheistic, mischief-making, violent, false and disloyal spirit, unworthy ever
to have cognizance of anything save patasseries and such ordure. |
|---|
| Copy, in Stafford's own hand-writing. Latin. 7 pp. France
XVII., 121. |
|---|
| [This letter is alluded to in a letter from Stafford to Burghley,
written on Jan. 8, 1587–8 (see under that date below) where he
quotes the first paragraph, and says that it was written on
Sept. 18, 1587, came into his hands on the 19th and was sent
by him to Walsingham on the 20th. He is mistaken in the
first point, as the letter is clearly dated Sept. 11 (i.e. Sept. 1
o.s.). But he is probably correct in the two other dates. See
also the Abbe's letter to Walsingham of Sept. 8 [o.s.] above.
Stafford's letter to Buzenval must have been written some
days later, as he had had time to write to Mazin del Bene,
Salletes and Megnier and to receive their answers. This copy
was no doubt sent to Burghley]. |
|---|
| Enclosing: |
|---|
| a. (fn. 6) Mazin del Bene to [Stafford]. |
|---|
| My letter to you was written in haste and a little anger.
Now I write at leisure and more calmly; telling you in the first
place that it was the Abbé d'Albene who gave me the information
about Morgan, and having asked me what you had said, I told him
you were greatly astonished, and said that the last discourses you
had had with the King on this matter were quite different, and you
could not think whence the alteration came; and this I have
repeated to himself today. As to the other point, speaking
of those to whom this was attributed, I said that they had written
me a word thereupon, from which I saw that if this was not
used as intended, they might perhaps accommodate you with it, (fn. 7)
and that my friend wrote that this might disoblige the party for
whom he was surety; but so far from saying that you had sought
it, I told him for certain that you knew nothing of it save
by what I said to you. |
|---|
| If this offends you, I am sorry, and assure you that in talking
familiarly with him in these terms, I never thought of vexing
you, and am ill-pleased that my kinsman should turn my words
to the offending of persons whom I love and honour greatly
and to whom I confess myself obliged. This, upon my honour
is the simple truth of the matter. If you think I have done
you wrong, tell me, and I will make amends, even with my
blood, for nothing could distress me more than to know that
you were displeased with me. |
|---|
| b. E. [i.e. Stafford] to [Mazin del Bene?] |
|---|
| I send you an extract of a letter which has fallen into my
hands from the Abbé d'Albene, where you are mentioned in
two places. I pray you to write me the truth of it. I do not
demand it as a friend, but as to a Christian, who would speak
the truth even for a Turk. |
|---|
| c. Mazin del Bene to [Stafford]. |
|---|
| As to Morgan, so far from saying that when I told you of
the report that he was to be set free you laughed at it, I
said you were greatly astonished [to the same effect as his
previous letter]. For the rest, I confess that (as I told you)
I have had some little hint from England that since the opportunity had passed by, it might be that her Majesty would allow
you to employ what you know of for your convenience; but I
never said in any way whatever that you had procured it,
but spoke with all due discretion and respect, and pursuant to
some talk which the Abbé and I had together on this matter, I
said (as his letter imports) that they had written to me of
it so slightly from England that only with great difficulty
could any conjecture be made thereupon. |
|---|
| I am vexed that my kinsman put forward my discourse to
the disadvantage of those whom I love and esteem greatly. He
stayed here a long time after I had said what I thought of it—
to pacify me, which is the cause of my detaining your servant
so long. If you think I have done anything amiss, pardon me,
and believe that I have only done what I have told you of,
and possibly still less. |
|---|
| d. E. [i.e. Stafford] to M. de Salletes. |
|---|
| I send you an extract of part of a letter fallen into my hands,
written by the Abbé del Bene to Buzenval, and as it touches
you, and is a thing of which you can better speak than any
other, I demand, for the clearing of my honour and reputation,
which are so greatly concerned therein, that, being as you
are, a man of honour, you will favour me by telling me what
is the truth of it.—E. |
|---|
| e. M. de Sallettes to Stafford. |
|---|
| I should think it would be sufficient for all who know him,
to say that the Abbe d'Albene wrote the above; and that among
honest men, no account is to be made of what he says or writes. |
|---|
| But since you wish me to reply, I will tell you what I do and
must believe. It was he and Simiers, his companion, who
had me taken, when they could not find means to kill me.
I know it was they alone, both from the questions put to me
(for which none but the Abbe d'Elbene could have given the
instructions), and because he came to my prison to solicit against
me; at one time giving out that I had been found guilty of a
speech against the King's honour; and at another incensing
my judge, nay, even my gaoler, telling him that if he did not
take care of me, I should certainly escape, as I had tried to
do from the Bastile. That was put into the Vade en [sic] pace
of the monks. |
|---|
| I forgot to say to you that the first questions put to me
were all about you:—as, whether I had spoken with you; if I
had caused a packet to be delivered to you from my master [the
King of Navarre] to send to your mistress; if I had not written
to you; if I had not seen your choche [qy. coche] where I was
taken, and the like things. You may easily recognize the author
of this inquisition! The advertisement which he gave me is
enough to convict him either of having betrayed me or lied to me.
He had me informed that Simier had a plot with Madame de
Montpensier to carry me off in a coach and put me into the
hands of the League. Morlans brought the message, who will
testify to the truth. If it was you and M. de Lavergne who
had me taken, he does wrong to his great friend. If it was
he, he lies in now accusing you of it. It is true he advertised me of it, but it was with the design of purging himself
of the crime of treason if I should escape. In fine, in all
the artifices of this priest, you will find either treachery or
falsehood. |
|---|
| So far for what concerns you. I shall answer nothing in what
relates to myself. If I held him to be a man of honour, I
should give him the lie for what he said; but being known for a
marplot and a notorious liar, I may let him go for what he is worth,
and advise you to do the same. He is an unquiet soul, who
cannot keep himself from troubling heaven and earth. You
know him. I know him. Let him go on, and you will see
that he will be acknowledged by all as the Abbé of imposture
and discord. He has done all he could to prejudice me with
my master, but God has granted that his enmity has been
taken by that master as a sign of my fidelity. Be satisfied that
all good and honest men will witness for you quite otherwise
than this priest. For myself, having, as he says, escaped hanging,
I believe I can testify for you without being challenged, and
convict him by what he himself formerly said to me. I understand that he now denies having written this. You may judge
that his conscience condemns him. |
|---|
| f. Certificate by J. Megnier. |
|---|
| I testify to all men that, commonly frequenting the house of the
English ambassador, I have never heard him speak of M. de
Buzenval otherwise than as a man of honour; and although I
myself have many times warned him of a sinister report which
came from England from the said Buzenval and which touched
the said ambassador, he has never ceased to say to me that
he [Buzenval] was an honest man, and could only speak or
write according to the information given him by others; and
since then have always heard him speak very honourably
of the said Buzenval. And for his saying or writing the contrary, I dare affirm before God that it is a pure calumny and
imposture. And this I sign with my own hand. |
|---|
| [Each of the above documents is certified by Stafford as a
true copy.] |
|---|
| French, 4½ pp. in all. [France XVII. 121, a-f.] |
|---|