XV. "been long on sleep, and seemed as dead, but was now re- CHAP. "vived again. That monsieur of late had writ most kind "letters, claiming promise, and yielding to all conditions. Anno 1579. "That the king had sent a treating message by his legyard "ambassador here. That the earl of Leicester, Hatton, “and Walsingham, had very earnestly moved her majesty "to go forward with this marriage, as her most safety. "That hereupon letters were sent by post, as well to mon- 560 "sieur as to Semyer. [Who was here last year courting "the queen.] And the answer was given to the ambassa"dor here to his satisfaction. So that, as the archbishop "proceeded, it was looked for that both Semyer and other "French commissioners should be here before Easter, to "make up a conclusion. But what would be the end, added "the archbishop, or to what effect this will come, God "knew, and not man. Yet, as he subjoined, it was but a few days past, her majesty cast out speeches to him tend"ing that way. But that if these commissioners came, the "parliament would hold; if they came not, it was like they "would be prorogued until Michaelmas." 66 arrived. But before he concluded his letter, he writ the news: The French That at that very time he understood the French ambassa-ambassador dor and the rest of the French gentlemen were arrived, to solicit this great affair: who were courted by the chief men of the court. And the earl of Leicester treated them at his house at Wansted: he and his company dining with him there. And it being now resolved, that monsieur d'Anjou, the king's brother, should come over to wait upon the queen in way of courtship, the council was exceeding busy in preparing and ordering matters for his reception, in order to carry on the treaty. This was the archbishop's news. "The lord Gilbert Talbot wrote to the said earl, his The coun"father, that the earl of Leicester, and the lord treasurer, nest in though scarcely free of a fit of the gout, (which, as the council "said lord Gilbert merrily wrote, the lord treasurer was coming. "not then at leisure to entertain,) for five days together, in "the beginning of April, had sat in privy-council, from "eight of the clock in the morning, till dinner-time: and 66 sellors ear upon his II. 66 BOOK "presently after dinner, and an hour's conference with her majesty, to council again: and so till supper-time. And Anno 1579.❝ all this, as far as he could learn, was about the matter of "monsieur's coming, his entertainment here, and what de"mands were to be made unto him in the treaty of mar"riage, and such like. And lastly, he assured the earl, "that it was verily thought, by a great sort of wise men, "that the marriage would come to pass. Yet that never"theless there were divers others, like St. Thomas of Inde, "who would not believe till he had seen and felt. That it "was said, that monsieur would certainly be here in May "next: and that he was with the king his brother in the beginning of the last week, and concluded with him of all "his determinations of this matter, with his good consent; "and great commendations to her majesty on his brother's "part. Further, that it was said he would be accompanied "with two or three dukes, and some earls, and an hun"dred other gentlemen besides, of great and honourable ac"count." 66 The preach- But the preachers were not sparing to shew their dislike ers preach against this thereof: taking occasion in their sermons from their texts marriage. to vent what dangers were like to ensue, if this match should take effect. "The preachers," as that lord Talbot added in his letter, " are somewhat too busy to apply their "sermons to tend covertly against this marriage: many of "them inveighing greatly thereat. So that but the week "before this letter was writ, her majesty hearing thereof, "her express command was, that none should hereafter 561" preach upon any such text as the like might be inferred.” This above was writ by the said lord Talbot, April the 4th. This mar riage matter cools. Yet it was but the month after, the matter grew cooler: and, as the said lord wrote in another letter, dated May the 15th, the secret opinion then was, that monsieur's coming, and especially his marriage, was grown very cold: and that Semyer was like shortly to go over again. He added, that he knew a man that would take a thousand pounds in London, to be bound to pay double so much, when he [that Frenchman] married the queen's majesty. This was XV. then the court talk. And thus this weighty matter wa- CHAP. vered. Yet soon after monsieur came privately over, and visited the queen at Greenwich. Anno 1579. the mar I have met with an original paper, containing the articles Monsieur's propounded on the part of monsieur, when he was here, in articles for order to his marriage; to be granted by the queen and the riage. lords of her council: with their answers to each article. It is digested into two columns: the articles in the one, and the answers on the other. Which, because I do not find them mentioned at all by any of our historians, I shall communicate and preserve in the Appendix; especially being (Number XVIII.) such a considerable part of queen Elizabeth's history: and of such remark, to shew the prudent wariness with which her statesmen proceeded in so weighty a matter; on which the queen's and whole kingdom's future welfare so much depended; and religion chiefly; with a deference of all to the parliament. These articles were presented, June 16, and the answers to each the very next day after. The articles bore this title: Articuli propositi pro parte et nomine illustriss. ducis Andegavensis, &c. That is, Articles propounded on the part and in the name of the most illustrious duke of Anjou, only brother of the king of France; to the most serene queen of England: concerning and upon a marriage between her majesty and the foresaid duke's high ness. The first article was concerning the rites and ceremonies to be used at the celebration of the marriage: that they might be such as from all antiquity were wont to be used in the marriage of kings and princes. The second, That all the duke's attendants and domestics might have the free use of the catholic Roman religion in the kingdom of England. The third, That after the consummation of the marriage, the said duke should be crowned king of England with all the usual ceremonies. The fourth, That all donations and grants of offices, rewards, &c. should go mutually in both their names. Further, That letters patents should go as well in his name as in the queen's: also, to have for the maintaining of his royal family yearly, 60,000l. sterling: and II. BOOK for assurance thereof, to have the duchies of Lancaster and York during his life. Further, That the said duke shall Anno 1579. give and assign to her majesty 50,000 crowns de soleil pro dote; to be taken from his duchy of Anjou: that in case of the queen's death, he should have the education of the children. These are some of the articles. The answer generally given, set on the other column opposite, was, to refer the consideration and determination of these proposals to a colloquy, and to her parliament. But I refer the reader to the whole in the Appendix, as far as legible, the rats having impaired several words in the paper, where the blanks are. 562 But how the nation generally stood affected to this marriage may appear from a bold book printed, the author whereof was John Stubbs of Lincoln's Inn. Which gave an ill and rude character of the brother of a great prince; with whom the queen was not minded to break. Which A procla- book came forth while he was here in his courtship. This, with other offensive matters, caused her to set forth a long proclamation in the month of September, against the slanderous speeches and books about the duke of Anjou, and monsieur. the queen's marriage with him. Which, though it be somewhat long, yet having so much of the history of that juncture, and of the state of religion, and the transactions in that match, may deserve (the sum of it) to be here inserted: especially the contents thereof being but briefly and Annal. Eliz. imperfectly mentioned in Camden's History. mation oc casioned by slanders published against p. 269. She began with the acknowledgment of God's wonderful goodness to her: "That she had so good proof of God's 66 singular goodness in the continual preservation of her, "from his first setting her in the throne, as his chosen ser"vant, to reign as she had done from the beginning, in re"storing and maintaining the truth of Christian religion, "and of a long and universal peace in her dominions, against all attempts of foreign enemies and conspiracies of "rebels: governing her estate in that sort, as her realm "was, and had been always free from outward hostility and "war, made and denounced by any foreign prince: being "oftener sued unto by the greater sort for friendship and XV. “alliance, than ever irritated by any messages of war or CHAP. "unkindness; a rare thing to be found in the reign of any "of her progenitors. And therewith also having proof of Anno 1579. "the universal love, liking, and favour of her people. As "for all these she daily acknowledged her debt, greater to Almighty God than she was able in thankfulness to ex"press; and yet had no cause, through her steadfast hopes "in God, to mistrust the continuance of these his graces "towards her: of which benefits, so largely bestowed upon "her, she would have been loath to have on her behalf “made any mention, but that she would not have the ma"lice of some lewd, disordered persons, by sufferance there"of, to work any evil effect, either to irritate unjustly any foreign prince, being in good amity with her, to think "themselves for honourable dealing, to be unhonourably "used, by word or deed, in her dominions; or to alienate "the love and estimation which her people have of her, for "her godly, Christian, and peaceable government. 66 66 tious book. "And that therefore being lately informed of a lewd, se- A lewd,sedi“ditious book, of late rashly compiled, and secretly print“ed, and after seditiously dispersed into sundry corners of "the realm: and that, considering it manifestly contained, "under a pretence of dissuading her away from marriage "with the duke of Anjou, the French king's brother, a heap of slanders and reproaches of the said prince, bol"stered up with manifest lies, and deceitful speeches of "him; and therewith also maliciously and rebelliously stir"ring up all estates of her majesty's subjects, to fear their "own utter ruin, and a change of government: but especially, to imprint a present fear in the zealous sort [the 'puritans] of the alteration of Christian religion by her "majesty's marriage; with many other false suggestions, "to move a general murmuring and disliking in her loving "people concerning her majesty's actions in this behalf. 563 "Wherein though the wiser sort, being acquainted by long "proof with her majesty's honourable and direct proceedings, both in government politic, and in constant main"tenance of Christian true religion, in times of no small 66 66 |