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12 July.
B. M.,
Add. 26,056b.
Transcript. |
262. Guerau De Spes to Zayas.
[Extract.]
The bad conscience of these people and their bitter malignity
prevent them from ever doing anything good. I care little what
they may say of me personally, the more especially as his Majesty
is so prudent a prince and knows so well the humour of these people
with all their tricks and artifice, for truly it is needful to be for ever
on the watch with more eyes than Argus to guard against them.
As all of Lord Burleigh's jests have turned out well for him hitherto
he is ready to undertake anything and has no fear of danger. They
and the French together make great fun of our meekness, and in
order to arouse the indignation of the French ambassador they
told him that the house of M. de Fourquevault had been assailed in
Spain. La Mothe asked me whether I knew anything about it, and
I answered that it could not be anything of which Fourquevault
could complain, seeing the close friendship existing between our
King and his Christian Majesty. (fn. 1)
I may say that I am in pawn here, but I have no doubt my
tribulation will be borne in mind by his Majesty who will recollect
that I am not a rich man, and should not lose in his service, but quite
the contrary. Up to the present time I am much out of pocket.
In any case I will serve him in such a way as to prove my
goodwill and determination that he shall be acknowledged everywhere
for the great Prince he is, and his interests respected by
friends and enemies alike, but, as I have said, one must dissemble
here and at times be a very Proteus. I will, however, try to bring
due punishment on the heads of these people for their insolence.—
London, 12th July 1571. |
| 12 July. |
263. Guerau De Spes to the King.
I received yesterday your Majesty's letter of the 20th ultimo,
with copies of that sent to you by this Queen, the reply of your
Majesty thereto, and statements of what had passed with Henry
Cobham at your Court. Cobham arrived here on the 6th, and his
letter and verbal statement have made the Queen very sad, and Lord
Burleigh not over boastful, as they are more alarmed than they
were. Nothing has been said to me from the Queen, and Cobham's
visit to me was very short. He brought another pensioner with
him, as a witness, and did not enter into business matters at all.
He said that they were pressing Englishmen in Spain more than
usual to submit to the Catholic Church, to which I replied that
there could not be very many English there whom they could
oppress as they were all Catholics. He well sees that he has been
treated in conformity with his sinister object, whereat all your
Majesty's servants in this country rejoice exceedingly.—London,
12th July 1571. |
12 July.
B. M.,
Add. 26,056b
Transcript. |
264. Guerau De Spes to the King.
There is no doubt at all that Ridolfi's affair is serious, both on his
own account and also because of the queen of Scots, the duke of
Norfolk, earl of Arundel, and lord Lumley, being concerned therein.
It will be extremely advantageous for the restitution of the Catholic
religion in this country, the change of government and the safety
of the Netherlands. It was a most extraordinary piece of good
fortune to save the packet taken by Carlos, the bishop of Ross'
servant, which Ridolfi unsuspiciously entrusted to him at Brussels,
knowing that he was the Bishop's secretary. It was written in a
difficult cipher, and Carlos took an alphabet with him in order the
more easily to decipher it in future. All of this was recovered
through me by the good offices and help of Thomas Cobham before
lord Burleigh heard of it, and another packet was made up with
the same cipher characters ; Burleigh has had a secretary at work
upon it for days and has sent copies to France and Italy, but
without effect for there is nothing in it. They are trying to cajole
Carlos by means of the good Dr. Storey. This Queen had some
idea that Ridolfi was writing to certain personages here and that
the duke of Alba was going to send aid to the queen of Scots, but
Carlos did not declare who these personages were for he did not
know. I have no doubt I shall be able to throw them still further
off the scent. The Queen has had the lawyers consulted about it,
but cannot inculpate the duke of Norfolk. I was informed of her
intention by one of the lawyers and that they can get no further
than a general suspicion, which will put them on the alert for the
future as to who communicates with the queen of Scots. The bishop
of Ross is a prisoner although he can be communicated with and
is, so to speak, master of the house where he is confined. This
Queen, however, will make him suffer when she has a chance for
this suspicion about Ridolfi. I heard from Rome that his Holiness
thought very well of Ridolfi's proposal, and the latter will no doubt
are this have fully informed your Majesty of everything. I expect
also Fitzwilliams will have arrived in Madrid. I have had no
intelligence that casts any doubt upon him or his proposals. He
and Hawkins have always been looked upon as Catholics, and
Hawkins is ambitious and expects to rise to great things if the
Government here is changed and he serves your Majesty. This, I
think, is his motive for entering into such affairs, which may result
in great profit, particularly if he allows your Majesty's soldiers to
out-number Englishmen in the ships. The only fear is lest Burleigh
himself may have set the matter afoot (fn. 2) to discover your Majesty's
feelings, although I have seen nothing to make me think this ; but
Hawkins and Fitzwilliams were very busy with Burleigh about the
going of Fitzwilliams to Spain, and Burleigh asked me to give
him a letter of recommendation in favour of the liberation of the
English prisoners in Spain.—London, 12th July 1571. |
| 13 July. |
265. The King to Guerau De Spes.
I have learned of the present position of affairs in England by
letters from you that Zayas has shown me, dated 11th June, and
copy of yours to the duke of Alba. It is most necessary, especially
now, that you should continue to report by every possible way the
progress of the pirates, their designs, and the understandings they
have in France, England, and the Netherlands ; how Hawkins is
behaving, what he is doing, where he is, how many ships he has,
their quality and burden, and whether he has spoken to you in a
way which proves that he will serve me loyally if he is welcomed
and favoured. Roberto Ridolfi arrived here and gave me your
letter of the 25th March, and those of the queen of Scotland, the
duke of Norfolk, and a brief from his Holiness, exhorting me to
embrace the business with which he is entrusted. As I most
sincerely desire the success of this, not for my own interests or for
any other wordly object, but purely and simply for the service of
God, the welfare of religion and the happiness of the queen of
Scotland and the Catholic party, I am discussing the matter with
the hope of doing what is fitting and possible with all goodwill, and
I will resolve very shortly. You may convey this information
cautiously to the Catholic party, urging them to remain firm and in
good hope, enjoining them strictly to secrecy. It may be that when
they learn this and finding themselves so oppressed and ill-treated
in England, with indignation and thirst for vengeance, they may
want to break out prematurely, and take up arms before the time,
but you must warn them that on no account must they make any
movement until things are duly matured and arranged, as otherwise
they will run the same risk as the earls of Northumberland
and Westmoreland did, and the business itself will be ruined for
ever, and the queen of Scotland immediately sacrificed, as well as
all the rest of them that can be captured. I have therefore sent
this special courier to the duke of Alba who will forward you this
letter. The Duke will instruct you on other points, and you will
proceed in conformity with his orders with great care, dexterity
and all the vigilance which so great a business demands. It has
been thought well that the said Ridolfi himself should inform the
queen of Scotland, the duke of Norfolk, and the bishop of Ross of
the details of the reception that he has met with from me, urging
them not to move prematurely, and he therefore does so in the form
which you will see by his cipher letters, copies of which are sent
addressed to the bishop of Ross. (fn. 3) You will have the packet delivered
to him with the utmost secrecy, and advise me of the receipt. A
courier will presently go to the Duke with the decision as to what
is to be done in the future, and he will take a letter for you with
him.—San Lorenzo, 13th July 1571.
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| 14 July. |
266. Guerau De Spes to the King.
In my former letters I reported what had happened since the
arrival here of M. de L'Archant and his return. I also advised the
arrival of Henry Cobham, and the profound silence regarding your
Majesty's reply which had been observed on the part of the Council.
Montmorenci and other French gentlemen are expected, and if they
are not in accord about the marriage, at least they will try to agree
about the league to assail the Netherlands.
The marriage will not be broken off by the French, because it
will cause very little trouble to them to change the forms of their
religion, and in the end they will do as the Queen wishes, but many
people still doubt that the Queen herself will decide to marry. She
has around her Councillors so inimical to the peace of Christianity
and the security of the Catholic faith that for this object
they will run any risk, as may be seen in the affronts they are bold
enough to offer to your Majesty without cause, to the damage and
loss of your subjects. This is a subject which it is needful for your
Majesty to weigh well, seeing how important it is for the future
tranquillity of the Netherlands, which country these people think
they are going to get as a marriage gift. I will report all that
happens with the needful promptness and care.
The pirates have been forced by contrary winds to put back to
this coast, and I am now informed that they were again setting sail
for Rochelle, where perhaps they think to do more against the Indies
than against the Netherlands. The forces they have are not large
to attack territories with, but amply sufficient to assail the fleet
from the Indies, and do some damage to badly protected places.
They are arming three or four more pirates here, and they have
recently brought to the downs two valuable smacks and another
with fish, for there is not much left in the Channel now to steal.
Thomas Fiesco says that he has almost managed to pacify the
English merchants who deal in Flanders, with regard to the prices
of their cloths and other goods, but with those who trade with
Spain, who for reasons which I have explained to your Majesty are
asking for a great deal more than was taken from them, he is not
yet in accord, as he can only get a reply after much delay. It was
arranged to agree with regard to the valuation of the property of
your Majesty's subjects, but they have not yet begun. All these
are difficult points when dealt with by English commissioners and
Councillors, naturally greedy, and in this case interested in the
matter itself. I cannot therefore say for certain whether even they
will come to the agreement which is now under discussion, unfavourable
and unjust as it is for us. I should rather be inclined
to believe not, and that if any terms be made at all, they will be
more unfavourable to us than those we thought were already
agreed upon in Flanders. I send a detailed balance of what merchandise
still exists of ours.—London, 14th July 1571. |
| 19 July. |
267. Guerau De Spes to the King.
The pirates are delaying their departure for Rochelle, although
Count Ludovic is urging them to go, and some few have left. I
have just received news that three ships and a pinnace armed in
Denmark have arrived in Dover, the captains of which are respectively
John Sibarson, Jacob Simonson, Dietrich Cleys, and one Ville
who, to judge from their names, should be Netherlanders. They
bring an order from the prince of Orange that all pirates, under
pain of death, shall gather at Rochelle and place themselves under
the command of the Count. The Council here does not wish for all
of them to go, as the port is well guarded by them and they have
been recently supplied with seventeen fresh guns and a great
quantity of ammunition.
The gathering of the ships under Ludovic is either for the purpose
of going to the Indies, or else in order that he may raise his
infantry and return in full strength to Flanders. It is more likely
that the destination will be the Indies, although, in any case, he
must get his troops in Rochelle as there is not the slightest sign of
any being raised here. Brederode has had an interview with the
Council here, but he seems to have gone back to the ships in poor
health and with little stomach for fighting.
There are seventeen sail of pirate ships in the Downs and at
Dover, as well as some at the Isle of Wight. They go ashore now
more impudently than ever, banqueting with the Queen's officers.
It is said that the king of Portugal's ships have captured an
English vessel called the "Castle of Comfort" on her way to the
Indies.
Although the Queen's favourites say how little desirous she is of
concluding the marriage, yet demonstrations are still made that it
will come about. The only person who is earnest in his efforts to
this end is Lord Burleigh, who thinks in this way to undo the earl
of Leicester, and in case he should fail in the French business, he is
plotting to elevate the Hertford people, and with this object is persecuting
the friends of the queen of Scotland, having recently cast
into the Tower the second son of the earl of Derby and a Catholic
gentleman named Garret, because they are powerful in the country
where the Queen is detained, and some suspicions were recently
afloat that they were endeavouring to release her.
Englishmen are going to Scotland three or four at a time to
gradually reinforce their friends there, but the French are shutting
their eyes to it all with the hope of bringing about this marriage ;
although the Queen, it is said, has written to the Christain King,
saying that she could take no husband who has not the goodwill of
the Protestants in whom her principal strength lies. They expect
to bring round the duke of Anjou entirely to their religion if he
comes here, or to keep this point open, so that they may be able to
break off the affair if it suits them to do so. When the gentlemen
from France come (if they are to come, which I doubt), we shall
see better what are the aims of both parties, which in any case
certainly will not be favourable to your Majesty's interests.—London,
19th July 1571. |