| 20 July. |
135. The Same to the Same.
I have been urged on behalf of the Queen to write to your
Majesty to beg you to be pleased to order the release of five English
ships loaded with woad, which have been taken at the island of
St. Michael's by a fleet of 12 ships of your Majesty's coming from
the Indies, in the belief that they were in league with an English
pirate who had fled from prison in the island of La Palma, where
he was confined for robbing certain caravels. They beg that only
the pirate (if he should be found in the ships) and those who had
taken part in his robberies should be detained and punished. I,
being unable to refuse to do as the Queen asks, venture to write to
your Majesty, although I am certain that your Majesty's officers who
have charge of these affairs will give due consideration to the justice
of the case if requested.—London, 20th July 1561. |
| 23 July. |
136. The Same to the Same.
I wrote to your Majesty at length on the 19th instant, and since
then Sackville (fn. 1) and Wotton have visited me on behalf of the Queen
to tell me what had been done respecting the measures against
the pirates. They have given orders that the latter are not to be
received in any of the ports, and that henceforward no vessels are
to be allowed to leave except merchant ships, public proclamation
being made at the ports to the effect that all those who are now
at sea must return and disarm under grave penalties, and finally,
to prove that it is the intention to take rigourous measures, they
told me that two large ships and some other vessels had been
ordered to fit out with all diligence and cruise on the coasts of
Norfolk and Cornwall in search of the said pirates.
In my letter of the 19th, I told your Majesty how curtly Secretary
Cecil and the Admiral had treated my request that these measures
should be taken. I understand that this change and their present
apparent desire to remedy matters are caused by the Queen's intention
to take this pirate affair as a pretext for arming against the
queen of Sweden (Scotland). I hear they are fitting out eight ships,
a galley and a sloop, and are only kept from fitting out another
galley because she is so old and they have not enough galleymen.
To convince me that they are proceeding sincerely Cecil has
written me a letter of excuse which I send, that your Majesty may
see how clever they are with these artifices of theirs and how uncivil
their behaviour was since they ask my pardon for it. To tell the
truth I have not much to pardon them for as I gave them fit answers
at the time and I do the same now by expressing myself quite satisfied
and appearing to believe all they tell me. I will let your
Majesty know all I learn about this fleet. The news from Scotland
is that the heretics have convoked a Parliament for the 27th instant,
notwithstanding that Noailles, when he was there expressly forbade
it in the name of his Queen. They have been incited thereto by the
queen of England and urged by the earl of Bedford, whose letters
have been read from the pulpits to give them courage, and so they
have decided to take this step and persevere in their rebellion. I
understand that it is the intention in this Parliament to demolish
the monasteries and abbeys which still exist because, as their
preachers say, "If they want to do away with the rabbits they must
destroy the warrens." I nevertheless understand that the Catholic
party and those who desire the coming of the Queen are so numerous
that, if she were present, they would restore religion in spite of the
others ; and, as they understand this well here, they do all they can
to prevent it.
I heard yesterday that in Ireland the great O'Neil with the
Catholic party had routed the English and killed many, the earl of
Sussex himself amongst them. I do not know if it is true.
I have learnt that it is true the Papal Nuncio is there, as the
Queen said, and that he embarked from the abbey of Redon in
Brittany which belongs to Cardinal Salviati, by whose order the
Governor of the abbey concealed him there until passage could be
found for him. This was at the time that King Francis died, which
proves that they have listened to Irish appeals in France. I think
the Nuncio still remains there. The arrest of the five English ships
I mentioned has much aggrieved the Queen, but they were not, it
appears, taken without cause, nor by way of reprisal, as they averred
here. I know this from the statement of the owners themselves who
came to me to beg letters in their favour to your Majesty ; copy of
which statement I send enclosed to serve as a guide in case the
Queen's ambassador should speak to your Majesty on the subject. I
also send copy of a list of grievances which, it is alleged, are suffered
by Englishmen in Spain. They are of small importance and cannot
be called grievances. I have been asked to write to your Majesty
respecting them and to beg that Englishmen may be better treated.
I think of doing this by a courier which the Queen is to send on
this subject, and touching the alleged prohibition of the loading of
her ships in Spain which they is said to be against the treaties.—
London, 23rd July. |