| 13 Sept. |
139. The Same to the Same.
I wrote to your Majesty on the 16th ultimo, and have since
informed the duchess of Parma and Cardinal de Granvelle of recent
events here. Although I know your Majesty has been kept advised
thereof I briefly recapitulate the news.
The coming of the king of Sweden is still considered certain and
such preparations are made that it is difficult to help thinking that
he will come. I have used every effort to find out the secret of this
business, but I can discover nothing more than, as I have told your
Majesty, that the Queen does not think of marrying him and is in
no pleasure at his coming. On the contrary she has lately tried
openly to stop it. Since, however, the queen of Scotland decided to
go to her kingdom, and the Scotch rebels did not gather to prevent
her passage as this Queen wished, the latter has determined to
dissemble with the Swede and let him come for fear he should marry
her of Scotland. She (the queen of England) and her friends therefore
wish to appear undecided and indifferent, and to give the idea
that perhaps she may marry the Swede. Robert is consequently
making a show of being very displeased, which I am sure is not
really the case as he is in greater favour than ever. The king of
Sweden's ambassador does not fail to see through this mystery, and
says he has informed his master what he thinks about it, but nevertheless
he is sure he will come, and he concludes that the only cause of
his visit is the great affection he bears the Queen, and his desire to
see her. Your Majesty may judge how likely it is that a new King,
with a war on his hands, or suspicions of one, and whose power
consists in his money alone, should come so long a voyage with
so little reason and leave behind him all his property in the hands
of a servant. What I suspect and many others think is that he is
being brought over by the enemies of Robert, and that he is coming
for a settled arrangement ; if not here then in Scotland. There is
a statement made that an English merchant named John Dimock,
who recently went to Sweden to sell some jewels to the King, told
him not to fail to come to England on any account, as all the realm
desired him. Dimock confesses that he said this on the instructions
of Pickering and Yaxley (of the Queen's chamber.) It will be a
strange thing to me if there is not something important under this
visit if it takes place, for the King's people here do not seem to me
so thoughtless as not to let him know his error if his coming here
were so purposeless as they declare. I have already advised your
Majesty of the imprisonment of Lady Catharine, and that the Queen
had summoned the earl of Hertford who was in France. On his
arrival he was examined and cast into the Tower. They say he
confesses that Lady Catharine is his wife, and from the form of the
confession and other indications, there is some suspicion that the
marriage was effected with the connivance and countenance of some
of the nobles, as I have said in former letters. They are now
investigating this with all possible diligence. Great suspicions are
entertained of the earl of Arundel with whom Lord Robert has had
such words that the Earl went home and he and others are drawing
up copies of the testimony given in the inquiry respecting the death
of Lord Robert's wife. Robert is now doing his best to repair
matters as it appears that more is being discovered in that affair
than he wished. Some suspicion is also held of the earl of Bedford
who is absent from the court. They say Robert is to be made earl
of Exeter (Leicester).
What I understand by it all is that both Lady Catharine's
marriage and the bringing over of the king of Sweden were arranged
a year ago, after the death of Robert's wife, and that Cecil (who was
then in great disgrace with the Queen and at enmity with Robert)
was at the bottom of it in the fear that, in accord with common
belief, the Queen would marry Robert and restore religion to obtain
your Majesty's favour. Since Cecil has returned to the good graces
of the Queen, and has satisfied himself that there will be no change
of religion, he has gradually and cautiously separated himself from
these negotiations, and is now endeavouring to hush up and amend
the past, which he can very well do as he has absolutely taken
possession of the Queen and Council, but he is so perplexed and
unpopular that I do not know how he will be able to stand if there
are any disturbances.
What is of most importance now, as I am informed, is that the
Queen is becoming dropsical and has already began to swell extraordinarily.
I have been advised of this from three different sources
and by a person who has the opportunity of being an eye witness.
To all appearance she is falling away, and is extremely thin and the
colour of a corpse. I do not know whether the coming of this Swede
is in consequence of any news he may have received of this malady
of the Queen's, but I do know that the marchioness of Northampton,
who is in a better position to judge than anyone else, is very
intimate with the Swedish ambassador, and has received valuable
presents from him. That the Marchioness and Lady Cobham
consider the Queen in a dangerous condition is beyond doubt, and
if they are mistaken I am mistaken also. I can obtain no more
precise intelligence, but I think there is some foundation for what
I say.
Whilst the talk of this King's coming continues, the Queen is
using every precaution to ensure that the queen of Scots shall not
marry anyone doubtful. She is doing this by persuading the Scots
not to let their Queen marry a foreign prince, and offering to help
and favour them if she will do as they (the English) tried to get
her to do after the king of France died. As the earl of Arran is
interested in this and many other Scots will benefit by it, the Scotch
lords have given their Queen to understand that if she marries a
foreigner they will withdraw their fealty. This news was brought
five days ago by Ledington (fn. 1) who came here nominally about the
ratification of peace requested by the queen of England. This
Ledington is secretary of the queen of Scots, and served the same
office last year to the congregation of rebels, where he managed
everything. He has been welcomed here with his news because, not
only would this marriage with the earl of Arran be very advantageous
to the queen of England as ensuring her against any present
danger from her of Scotland, but it would be a good example to show
the English that their Queen also might marry a subject. Ledington
returned at once, successful, he said, in the ratification of peace, but
I am quite sure if she (the queen of Scots) does not act as her
subjects ask her in the matter of her marriage, that an arrangement
exists between the Scotch lords and this Queen here to resist her and
to prevent the entrance into the kingdom of anyone coming to
marry her.
The reason the queen of England did not prevent the Scotch queen
from going to her country, as she had decided to do, was only because
the earl of Arran and his band thought best not to slight her too
soon, but considered it wiser to let her come and then take possession
of her. I also understand that they have proposed to her to confirm
the change of religion they adopted last year, and, in answer to this,
and also about the marriage, she has told them she must have time
to think carefully and cannot determine anything against her
conscience. I am afraid they will press her so much that, if there
are no foreign forces to protect her, her own friends will be unable
to resist the rebels, fostered and countenanced by this Queen here.
Mass is said in her house, but this has not been done without tumults
and disturbances amongst the people, which disturbances the heretics
themselves have tried to pacify for the present.
I enclose your Majesty a document which has been published here
respecting the coming of the Abbé Martinengo. This was the answer
which they had prepared for me when we were in negotiation, and
which I refused to hear ; and they have therefore made up their
minds to publish it under another title. It also contains the answer
they gave me, which, in fact was, if I recollect aright, somewhat
shorter and slightly different from this that they publish, but similar
in substance. I am sure that your Majesty's council will consider
certain points in this document which I think are worthy of
consideration.
A letter from a certain Agustin Boacio, of Antwerp, has come into
my hands directed to that Portuguese Captain Melchior, and by it I
clearly see who they both are, and that Melchior was an emissary of
Vendôme. The original is sent to the duchess of Parma and a copy
to your Majesty.
The ships for Guinea have sailed. There are four great ships and
two small vessels very well armed and provided, but with very little
merchandise.
I also send a summary of the confessions made by the corsairs who
were arrested in the Isle of Man, especially touching the communication
and understanding they had with the five English ships which
your Majesty's fleet seized in the Azores, which seizure has given so
much offence here. It is proved by the statements of these corsairs
that the folks on the five ships sold them cannon and bought of them
the merchandise which they had stolen. This not so small an offence
as to be undeserving of the demonstration that has been made. I
send the statement so that your Majesty may be well informed when
you are addressed on the subject. I know that Challoner has
instructions to this effect. He leaves at the end of this month and
will go by way of France.—London, 13th September 1561. |
27 Sept.
Brussels
Archives.
B. M. MS.,
Add. 28,173a. |
140. Bishop Quadra to the Duchess Of Parma.
I have received your Highness' letter of the 19th, ordering me to
speak to the Queen about the ships that were being sent from here
to the Mina. (fn. 2) The only news about this is that on the 11th instant
four ships, two large and two small, left here for the Mina with the
merchandise they usually take to those parts, and the shippers on
board as supercargoes, with the usual crew for such a voyage, and
whilst they were in the Straits of Dover a gale struck them and
they had to lie to all night. The weather being very thick the
two large ships called respectively the "Minona" and the "Primrose"
fouled each other, and the spars, gear, and anchors getting entangled,
the vessels were damaged so much that it was with the greatest
difficulty the "Minona" could get to Harwich, whilst the "Primrose"
arrived at Portsmouth only slightly less maltreated. When news of
this came (although I am not sure) they decided to fit out other
ships, but as the season is very far advanced I have not cared to
speak to the Queen about the matter as directed in your Highness'
letter. I will keep my eyes open, and if I see any intention of
fitting out fresh ships for this voyage I will at once speak to the
Queen about it, and in the meantime I have not failed to let Secretary
Cecil know what has been done in this matter. They excuse
themselves by saying that the Queen had sold these ships to certain
merchants here, and they cannot prohibit them from going to buy
and sell their wares where they think fit, and I have no doubt
this is the answer that the Queen will give me when I speak to her
about it. They will give me no advice even if they decide to send
the ships, but will put me off with fair words and do as they like.
I had always heard that there were to be seven of these ships, and
that they would carry over a thousand men, and Brittany cloth to the
value of 30,000 ducats, but I was told afterwards that they had
changed their plans and that only four ships sailed without any
extra men on board. I sent a man of my own to make enquiries,
and he has returned with the information I have given. Many
think that the other three ships with the cloths will sail from France,
and join the rest, and that the Portuguese I wrote of came about
this affair. I have not heard that he has proposed any contract
with the Sheriff but this about the voyage to the Mina and attacking
ships from the Indies. I am informed of this by people belonging
to the house itself. (fn. 3) It is now certain that the king of Sweden
embarked from the port of Nilos (Newles) with all his fleet, but the
storm of the 12th and 13th, they say, has driven him back to
Norway again. This news is brought by one of his ships that has
entered Dover, with horses, and some of his people who have all
new liveries and accoutrements, so that they may well be believed.
As to the reason for his coming I can only repeat what I have said,
that the queen has not summoned him.
Lady Catherine was delivered of a boy three days ago. The
Queen claims that the marriage is not to be considered valid as
there was no witness, although both Catharine and the Earl (Hertford)
declare they are married. If they do not like to say, however, who
were the witnesses, or that any other persons know of the marriage
the act will be held illegal. Notwithstanding this, the Queen is not
without anxiety about it, and I will not fail to advise your Highness
of all that may happen in regard to the business.—London,
27th September 1861. |