|
|
2 Sept.
Paris Archives,
K. 1565. 42. |
139. Bernardino De Mendoza to the King.
[Extract from a letter mainly relating to the affairs of the
duke of Guise.]
Julius (fn. 1) has informed me that Drake's voyage is abandoned, as he
has been assured by letters from Cecil. These are things that Cecil
and Walsingham are in the habit of writing to him, and have mixed
other matters with them for greater concealment in case the
despatch should be lost. Julius has again been approached on
behalf of Epernon with regard to the capture of one of your
Majesty's frontier fortresses, for which he says arrangements have
been made, the place being Bapaume, and the matter certainly
within the cognisance of the king of France. I am advising the
duke of Parma of it.
I have heard nothing of Bruce nor has the friar received any
reply yet.—Paris, 2nd September 1587. |
2 Sept.
Paris Archives,
K. 1565. 44. |
140. Bernardino De Mendoza to the King.
The Christian King has received advice, through Lyons, of the
sailing of your Majesty's fleet, the number and size of the ships, and
the strength of the crews being specified. This intelligence made
many think that it would be desirable for them (the French) to
invade your Majesty's Netherlands with such forces as they had,
for the purpose of diverting the object of the fleet. The King
replied that he had neither men nor money to enable him to embark
on a war with your Majesty. When they saw this was impossible
they urged him in any case to send an embassy to Scotland to
persuade the King to join the queen of England, in case the fleet
should invade her country. This advice was considered the wisest,
although no person has yet been appointed to the embassy, nor is it
known whether they have given a reply to the articles which the
Scots ambassador presented from his master, although he has been
pressing very warmly for it and for an audience. There is nothing
new with regard to the drawing closer of the alliance between this
country and England, and things remain in their former position.
I send herewith the heads of the present treaty between them, in
case the terms should be made more binding. The matter will
certainly not be forwarded by the release of Thomas Morgan by the
King at the request of his Holiness. He was a servant of the queen
of Scotland and had been kept a prisoner in the Bastille. The
King granted the Nuncio's request for his liberation on the arrival
of the bull for the sale of 50,000 crowns of ecclesiastical property,
which I mention in another letter, and the English ambassador is
asking for audience about it. He says the last time he saw the
King his Majesty promised him never to liberate Morgan. He sent
a despatch to England the instant he heard of it, and has also done
so to advise the elevation of Dr. William Allen to the cardinalate.
To the adjoined advices given to me by the new confidant, and
confirmed by Julio, to the effect that Drake's voyage is completely
abandoned, and the Queen determined to stand on the expectant
until she sees what your Majesty's fleet will do, I have to add that
Horatio Pallavicini writes that the Queen was so annoyed at the
capture of the Sluys, and so sick of the war in the Netherlands
that, to judge from appearances and the hurry she is in to send off
the peace commissioners to Holland, if the duke of Parma was
willing to come to terms she would refuse no conditions that were
not absolutely degrading. He says that the court of England had
been in great alarm at the false news of the Spanish fleet having
been sighted.
The queen of England had recently sent a son of Lord Hunsdon
secretly to Berwick, on the excuse of a hunting expedition, but
really to convey a message to the king of Scotland that he had some
business with him on behalf of the Queen. The king of Scotland
replied that although he (Cary) came secretly, he could not, for his
honour's sake, receive an envoy from the queen of England, who
had killed his mother ; but he would send a trustworthy person to
whom he might communicate his business. He sent one of his
valets-de-chambre, and Lord Hunsdon's son would not enter into the
matter with him, except to point out to him how important it was
to the King that he should receive him and be on his guard against
your Majesty, who wanted to turn him out of his kingdom and take
it for yourself. He laboured on this point with an infinity of
fictions hatched by Walsingham. The valet returned with this to
the King, and when the latter saw how greatly they urged the
importance to him that he should receive the envoy, he asked the
valet whether he thought he ought to do so. The valet replied
that he would on no account advise him to receive him, and
requested that another gentleman should be sent with him when he
took the King's answer in order that he might be a witness to what
Lord Hunsdon's son said, as he might afterwards deny his words if
the valet were alone. The King took his advice, and sent with him
a gentleman of his chamber, but the son of Lord Hunsdon would
say nothing, but again pressed upon the valet how much it behoved
his master to beware of your Majesty, whose only object was to
deprive him of his throne, which he was not able to defend unless
(the queen of England) was his good friend, and he was disposed to
go to England. In this case she would treat him as a son and
appoint him protector of the kingdom, which would make him no
less than her heir, although for many reasons the Queen could not
formally nominate him as such.
The Scotch Parliament has risen and, amongst other things, it is
said they gave leave to the King or marry whom he pleased, without
fresh authority or consent of the country, and to sell and dispose of
at his discretion all the ecclesiastical properties. The queen of
Scotland's servants have arrived here, with two French secretaries,
her doctor and chaplain, who have been released by the queen of
England. The Queen's body has been interred with great ceremony
in the place where she was beheaded.—Paris, 2nd September 1587. |
| 4 Sept. |
141. The King to the Prince Of Parma.
Rejoices at the capture of the Sluys, seeing its probable usefulness
in the main business as a port and starting place, and the facility of
the employment of the channels leading to it for the collection of the
boats ... I thank you again for having opened this
port to us, and approve of your idea of mustering the bulk of the
army intended for the main business on the pretence of attacking
Ostend. You cannot think how pleased I am to see you so bent
upon conquering and beating down all obstacles which may present
themselves, and that you expected to have all the troops ready for
the concerted time. Your reports arrived in good time to enable us
to decide what is to be done by the fleet from here ; and having
considered the danger to your passage, which you point out, if the
English fleet succeeds in placing itself in the Straits—having in view
the strength and character of their ships, and the fact that yours
will be so open—we have come to the conclusion that the plan of
trying to avoid this difficulty by dividing our forces, and sending
this Armada to attack some other point, might have an uncertain
result. The enemy would understand the object of the manœuvre,
since you are so strongly armed and so near to them, and they
would concentrate their forces to oppose you instead of being
diverted by the feint. I have therefore been convinced that the
most advantageous way will be to join your forces there with ours
at the same time ; and when a junction is effected the affair will be
simplified and the passage assured. The whole force can then be
promptly applied to cutting the root of the evil.
We calculate that by the time you have invested Ostend you will
have over 30,000 men ready for the main business, whilst 16,000
Spanish infantry, a part of them veterans, will go in the Armada
from here, the whole force of soldiers and sailors in the fleet reaching
22,000 men. (fn. 2) I have decided that when the marquis of Santa Cruz
arrives with the flotillas at Cape St. Vincent, which he is expected
to do from hour to hour, he shall leave them there in charge of the
Spanish galleys, and go direct to Lisbon. He will there at once
take charge of the fleet which will be awaiting him and with God's
blessing sail straight to the English Channel. He will sail up the
channel and anchor off Margate point ; having first sent notice to
you at Dunkirk, Newport, or the Sluys. of his approach. You in
the meanwhile will be quite ready, and when you see the passage
assured by the arrival of the fleet at Margate, or at the mouth of the
Thames, you will, if the weather permits, immediately cross with
the whole army in the boats which you will have ready. You and
the Marquis will then co-operate, the one on land and the other
afloat, (fn. 3) and with the help of God will carry the main business
through successfully. Until you have crossed over with the army,
the Marquis is not to allow himself to be diverted from assuring
your safe passage, and keeping at bay any force of the enemy which
may come out to prevent it. The fact of his having taken possession
of that port (Margate) will cut the communication of the enemy, and
prevent them from concentrating their forces to some extent.
When you have landed (the Marquis giving you 6,000 selected
Spanish infantry as ordered), I am inclined to leave to the discretion
of both of you what would be the best for the Marquis to do with
the fleet whether still to assure the passage of our people from
Flanders to England, and cut off foreign aid which might be sent to
the English, or whether it would be better for him to go and capture
some port and divert the enemy's strength. Or else he might go
and seize the English ships lying in various ports, in order to
deprive them of maritime forces, which are their principal strength.
After you have both considered this question on the spot, the
Marquis will carry out the joint decision and you will hasten to the
front to conduct the undertaking on the lines decided upon. I trust
to God, in whose service it is done, that success may attend the
enterprise, and that yours may be the hand to execute it.
These orders are now awaiting the Marquis on his arrival on the
coast, and he will carry through his part directly, without waiting
for fresh advices from you. We are quite aware of the risk which
is incurred by sending a heavy fleet in the winter through the
Channel without a sure harbour, but the various reasons which
render this course necessary are sufficient to counterbalance this
objection, as will be stated below. As it is all for His cause, God
send good weather ; and you had better try to have some advices
sent to meet the Marquis about Ushant. If you do this, however,
it must be done so secretly that, whatever happens to the vessel, the
object of its voyage can never be discovered and it would perhaps
be better to confide the information to some trustworthy person
verbally instead of writing it, and let him go disguised, as a
merchant. (fn. 4)
The most important of all things is that you should be so
completely ready that the moment the Marquis arrives at Margate,
you may be able to do your share without delay. You will see the
danger of any such delay, the Armada being there and you behindhand ;
as until your passage is effected he will have no harbour for
shelter, whereas when you have crossed over he will have the safe
and spacious River Thames. Otherwise he will be at the mercy of the
weather, and if, which God forbid! any misfortune should happen to
him, you will understand what a state it would put us into. All
will be assured, please God! by means of your good understanding,
but you must not forget that the forces collected, and the vast
money responsibility incurred, make it extremely difficult for such
an expedition again to be got together if they escape us this time,
whilst the obstacles and divisions which may arise (and certainly
will do so) next summer, force us to undertake the enterprise this
year, or else fail altogether ; which I hope will not occur, but that
great success may attend us with God's grace, since you are to be
the instrument, and I have so bountifully supplied you with money.
On other occasions I have written to you, how all our prestige is at
stake, and how much my own tranquillity depends upon the success
of the undertaking ; and I now once more enjoin you earnestly to
justify me for the trust I place in you. Pray send me word at once
that there shall be no shortcoming in these respects, as until we get
such advice I shall be very anxious.—San Lorenzo, 4th September
1587. |
12 Sept.
Paris Archives,
K. 1565. 48. |
142. Bernardino De Mendoza to the King.
As I wrote in my last, the English ambassador had pressed for
an audience of the King on the release of Thomas Morgan. He
told the King that by liberating him he had broken the treaty he
had with the queen of England, whereupon the King replied that
the queen of England had violated it to a greater extent, and with
much less reason, by executing the queen of Scotland, and he
therefore had nothing more to say about the matter, and the
friendly relations should continue undisturbed. Letters from
England report that the Queen is much offended at Morgan's
release.
All recent letters from England, up to the 5th instant, assure me
that there is no sign of naval armaments. The seven ships I
mentioned had sailed under Frobisher to protect passage from
Flushing to London against the Dunkirkers. Drake had gone to
Plymouth to bring the galleon, "San Vicente," (Felipe?) to the
Thames, as the Queen intended to alter her above water to the same
pattern as her own ships ; but withal there is no talk of armaments.
It is true they are shouting here about Drake's having sailed with a
large number of ships, but it is all nonsense ; and the truth is, that
the Queen is not thinking of fitting out a fleet, but keeps her own
ships in readiness, with the intention of watching the movements of
your Majesty's fleet. Since the fall of the Sluys, armaments there
are out of the question, although Diego Botello says the States make
promises to Don Antonio. I hear from Sampson and others that
the latter has been desperately ill, and is in great need and
discontent. The Commissioners the Queen was sending to Flanders
were being hurried off. They are the earls of Derby and Hertford,
Lord Cobham, James Crofts, the Controller, Dr. Dale, Master of
Requests, and John Herbert, doctor of the Court of Admiralty.
Letters from Scotland, dated 25th ultimo, report that the Parliament
confirmed the establishment of the Calvinistic religion, and
issued a proclamation ordering the Catholic priests and Jesuits to
depart under pain of the "horn law," as it is called ; those who
harbour them or converse with them being subject to the same
punishment. (fn. 5) This is, for a first offence, condemnation as rebels
and confiscation of goods for a year. For the offence of harbouring
them a second time, the punishment is that of felony or treason,
namely, death and confiscation of goods. The King had also granted
to the ministers (i.e., Protestant clergymen) the right of capture of
the priests and Jesuits, by means such as those employed in Spain
for the apprehension of offending persons ; and the earl of Huntly
had consequently obtained 20 days' immunity to enable an uncle of
his belonging to the Society of Jesus to leave the country. (fn. 6) These
are indications that the King is not so well inclined to the Catholic
religion as some people want to make out and assert here. They
write to Rome to the same effect, but I am keeping count of Olivares
informed of what is occurring.
The King has also taken the temporalities of the archbishop of
Glasgow and the bishops of Dunblane and Ross, which means
depriving them of everything, and quite extinguishes any hopes
they might have of returning to Scotland. The King had made
the earl of Huntly, a Catholic lord, his Vice-Chamberlain, in
consequence of the office of Lord Chamberlain being hereditary
in the family of the duke of Lennox, and because the present
holder, being a child, he cannot serve. The King had also appointed
the earl of Bothwell to be guardian or general of the Border with
the earl of Angus, in consequence of his having been informed that
the queen of England had sent Lord Hunsdon to Berwick with
orders to station 3,000 men on the Scotch frontier.
The ambassador who had been sent by the king of Scotland to
Denmark to treat of his marriage with that King's daughter had
returned with the reply that the king of Denmark would have
much pleasure in allying himself with him, but not for the purpose
of making war on the queen of England, with whom he was on
terms of friendship.—Paris, 12th September 1587.
Note.—In another letter of the same date to the King's secretary,
Don Juan de Idiaquez, Mendoza thanks God for the news of the safe
arrival of the flotilla from New Spain in San Lucar, and two ships
from the Portuguese Indies in Lisbon, and that they are now free
from anxiety lest Francis Drake should go out and capture them. |
13 Sept.
Paris Archives,
K. 1565. 52. |
143. Bernardino De Mendoza to the King.
Julius (fn. 7) advises me that the queen of England has written to her
ambassador here, telling him to use every effort to persuade the
King to come to terms with Bearn, and agree to a general peace.
He thinks the matter has been broached in London by the French
ambassador, because directly this despatch arrived Villeroy and
Belièvre went secretly at night to the house of the King's advocate,
which is next door to the English ambassador's, where the latter
joined them. They said at first that they wished to inquire whether
the Queen would send Commissioners to negotiate an agreement
with your Majesty, and the ambassador told them that Commissioners
had already been appointed ; but I understand they
afterwards urged him to use every endeavour to persuade his
Queen to a general peace, and employed arguments which they were
sure would influence the Queen's mind. I do not repeat them here
but they mostly turned upon the danger which the King personally
incurred by continuing the war, and the countenance he was obliged
to give to the Guises. They said that although the King was
collecting an army, he was inclined to peace, and in order to obtain
it he would continue his action and do his best to weaken the
Guises, to prevent them from standing in the way. For this reason
the King's agent in the Netherlands had sent a gentleman to the
duke of Lorraine, requesting him to propose a marriage between
the princess of Lorraine and the duke of Parma or his son, great
advantages being offered by this King to bring it about. They
thought that this and other things connected with it would cool
Parma in his help to the Guises, and would throw him entirely in
the arms of the king of France in the matter of the division (i.e., of
Philip's Flemish dominions). In consideration of this (seeing your
Majesty's age and that of Parma) they would promise the latter
the government of those countries (i.e., the part of Flanders which
should fall to the share of France). Villeroy afterwards urged upon
the ambassador the importance of the Queen's placing no trust in
your Majesty, and upon her continuing to distrust you by every
means in her power, in which this King would aid her.
Julius also tells me that Cecil advises him that John Herbert,
whom I know well, and they consider a clever man, was going as
one of the Commissioners, with the secret mission of saying to the
duke of Parma that he ought to recollect who it was that allowed
his grandfather to be murdered, and that your Majesty was now
usurping the throne of Portugal from his son, which was not a
thing to be lightly forgotten. He should not incur the risk of your
Majesty, at your age, so arranging matters in the Netherlands as to
deprive him of the opportunity of benefiting by them, but should
win the favour of the people of the country, and garrison the towns
with men entirely devoted to him ; and particularly in those towns
which the Queen would surrender to him if she came to terms with
your Majesty. Both the Queen and France would help him with
all their strength, and she pledged herself to this faithfully ; besides
which, it would be better for his (Parma's) son to possess the throne
of England than your Majesty. This message has been communicated
to Julius in consequence of its importance, and they expect
to obtain greater results from it than from the ostensible business
of the Commissioners. I have requested Julius to try to learn what
reply is given. He also informs me that Walsingham writes on the
5th instant to the Ambassador instructing him to use every means
to discover in what spirit Parma received the communication, and
whether his desire was only to gain time. Since he was so intimate
with Arundell, Walsingham suggests that the latter should be set on
to discover something from me, this being the sole object of the
courier's being sent. He asked me what answer he should send,
and I told him to say that the duke of Parma was acting very
straightforwardly and sincerely in the communications that were
being opened, in the assurance that as the Queen had initiated them
she would be willing to give your Majesty entire possession of your
own. I thought this was the most fitting language to use. Your
Majesty will see by what I say how cleverly Julius is acting through
all this.
From Scotland I have a letter dated Petty Leith, 14th ultimo,
saying that Captain Forster would start in two days for Denmark
with five ships for cargoes of wheat, and although I have no letters
from him or Bruce this is a proof that they have arrived safely,
and are successfully managing their business. (fn. 8) I am hourly
expecting letters from them. Your Majesty will see by the
enclosures my news from Scotland and England under dates of
25th and 30th ultimo.—Paris, 13th September 1587. |
13 Sept.
Paris Archives,
K. 1565. 54. |
144. Document headed "Advices from London of 13 September,
1587, translated from English to Spanish."
There is a great desire here to make peace with the king of Spain,
and on the 17th the Commissioners are to leave here. They are the
earl of Derby, Lord Cobham, the Controller, the Queen's doctor, and
a Master of Requests. It is said that Walsingham also will go, and
the matter will not fall through for want of concession on their part,
for they are more alarmed than ever, seeing the events that have
taken place and the preparations being made elsewhere, which are
not to their liking. They are also disappointed about the effect of
the coming of the Reiters, by which they thought to make sure
of the king of France. The King is getting vexed, knowing that
the Queen was the cause of their coming, as he plainly writes to his
ambassador. If she says anything to him about Morgan's release,
which has much offended her, he (the French ambassador) is to
reply, that the King could not avoid liberating him, both because he
had been asked to do so by the Pope and the king of Spain, and
because of the offences she had offered to him in killing the queen of
Scots, and in succouring and favouring his rebel subjects. The
ambassador has said nothing yet, but the Queen is informed of it by
Stafford and Walsingham. The earl of Leicester is in Holland,
greatly hated by everyone, so much so that the States roundly
refuse to negotiate with him, they themselves being divided.
Count Hohenlohe has refused to meet Leicester. The Admiral's
visit was to persuade him (Hohenlohe) to come and see the Queen,
but he excused himself on the ground that the States said that they
did not want any Englishmen, but would defend themselves. It
has been decided here to instruct the Earl to fortify Flushing,
Bergen, Brille, Ramequin, and Ostend, and to threw all the Englishmen
into those places to hold them. It is expected, however, that
the Earl will soon return, although he has refused to do so hitherto
when requested, as he says his honour is at stake and he is
determined to hold these places firmly.
They cannot make sure of the Scots, who refuse to listen to their
excuses. The chancellor of Scotland made a speech to his King
in the name of the people at the end of the Parliament ; and in
order that he might avenge himself for his mother's death they
offered the King a half of all they possessed. The King replied
that he accepted their good-will, but that it was necessary for him
first to consult other friendly monarchs, in order that the matter
might he taken in hand effectually. This makes people here think
that the king of Spain may thus ruin them through Scotland.
So great is the fear of this that the captain and crew of a ship
belonging to Raleigh came hither (to London) on the 23rd ultimo,
and swore before the Council that they had sighted, 50 leagues from
the English coast, a fleet of 130 sail, amongst which they recognised
30 Biscay ships and some Portuguese galleons. This upset them so
much as cannot be believed, as they thought the fleet was going to
Scotland, and musters were ordered all over the country, captains
being appointed on the Borders. They still fear that the fleet
the king of Spain is fitting out is to go to Scotland. The Queen
is caressing Don Antonio lately more than ever, and he is therefore
quieter. He summoned Diego Botello hither, but he excused himself
on the ground that he wished to make ready first 12 ships which
the States granted him to go to the Mina. Although Leicester
wrote to Dr. Lopez that these ships should certainly not go for
the service of Don Antonio, even if they were got ready ; he,
Leicester, being on bad terms with Botello, still it will be well to
report the matter, so that those in the Castle of Mina may be put
upon their guard.
The Indian ship discharged her cargo in Plymouth with 17
vessels and tenders, which brought it to London two days ago. It
consists of 4,070 cwt. of pepper, 500 cwt. of cinnamon, 100 cwt. of
cloves, 120 cwt. of other drugs, 500 bales of aniseed, 103 boxes and
115 bales of stuffs. This is being sold, but nothing else. Horatio
Pallavicini, the Genoese, offered 100,000l. for it, out of which he
was to be paid 30,000l. they owed him, and I expect he will get it
by the favour of interested persons.
Three ships belonging to George Carew, captain of the isle of
Wight, went to the Havana and brought back two vessels from
Santo Domingo loaded with hides and sugar, five merchantships,
three fishing boats, and a Brazil ship. |
18 Sept.
Paris Archives,
K. 1448. 140. |
145. The King to Bernardino De Mendoza.
I note your reports from England. As they are from so good a
source, and you can get them there without fail, take care that you
send them often. These last have been a long while coming. Write
particularly whether the talk of Don Antonio embarking with the
16 ships is going forward. Let me know where the English place
the ships they were arming, or whither they send them ; and tell
me whether the deputies they were sending to meet the duke of
Parma's representatives were going openly or under some pretence.
Julius can easily tell you this.
With regard to the suspicions aroused there (in Paris) about the
Sluys, and in the matter of Allen, you will continue your efforts to
divert them, especially with the Nuncio. You did well in leading
him astray as you did, in reply to his hint about the enterprise,
which doubtless was only a feeler prompted to him by some other
persons, You will inform count de Olivares of this, and of the
feeling displayed in these matters generally by the Nuncio, as it may
be important. (fn. 9) —San Lorenzo, 28th September 1587. |
28 Sept.
Paris Archives,
K. 1448, 141. |
146. The King to Bernardino De Mendoza.
[Extract.]
The articles of the (Anglo-French) treaty of 1572 have been received.
Inform me whether it has since been confirmed or added to either
openly or secretly ; and also whether it has been fulfilled as regards
the clause providing that, if Englishmen are embargoed in the
Netherlands or elsewhere, the subjects of the Prince who makes the
seizure shall be arrested in France. In the recent case of the
seizure of Englishmen have the English demanded the fulfilment
of this clause ; and, if so, what answer was given? The steps taken
by the English towards the king of Scotland are just what might be
expected of them ; but he has good reason for knowing them, and if
he will consider it well he will see he has as little reason for trusting
Frenchmen, if they try to persuade him to make friends with those
whose only object is to destroy him. Report to me how this matter
has ended, and what the archbishop of Glasgow and the bishop of
Ross hear about the King in the matter of religion. Which of the
two prelates do you consider the most confidential and likely to be
useful in current affairs? Have you heard anything of Bruce?—
San Lorenzo, 28th September 1587. |