II. vours shewed to the prince of Conde by certain counsillors BOOK here; whom he understandeth have been many times, both on Friday and Saturday, with him at the banqueting house, where he is lodged. Yesternight late in the even, her majesty told me her dealing with the ambassador and the prince. Wherein she commended the prince's modesty, in declaring the cause of his coming to be, to shew to her majesty the just causes that have moved the king of Navar to take armes for his defence against marshal Montmorencie and Byron. Of whose violences (as he supposed, without warrant from the king) he shewed many particular cases. To which the ambassador made defence, by retorting to the king of Navar, the occasion of the marshal's actions to have grown from the king of Navar first. The prince also declared the cause of his coming from St. John D'Angeli to have been, to serve the king in the government of Pycardy. Where he sought to obtain the good-will and liking of the townes in Pycardy. Because the king and his mother also had assented for their parts, that he should have the government; saving, that they found the states of the country unwilling. Which was, as he understood, but a suggestion, made by means of the house of Guise to them; that D'aumale might have the government from him. And so, he coming into Pycardy, found (as namely, at Soissons) the people glad at his access. And yet notwithstanding, his adversaries, on the part of the duke D'aumale, procured contrary suggestions to be made to the king. And in the end he found certain numbers of men of war amassed by the lige of Pycardy to have trapped the prince. And thereof complaining, and finding no remedy, he was forced to flee towards Almayne; leaving the house of La Fere guarded. And perceiving that the French king was induced by his adversaries to credit their false complaints, he came hither to entreat her majesty, that the French king would suspend his judgments, both against the king of Navar and him; and accept them as his dutiful subjects, as they meant and intended sincerely and plainly, BOOK without attempting any force, otherwise then for their defence against their oppressors. II. prince to his And Wylkes By her ma And to this, as I understand, the ambassador used small defence. But excused the king, as one that was very loth to come to termes of war. But he answered, that his master was so provoked, as he thought it a hard matter to stay him from proceeding with such force as God had given him, to the expending of his life and crown. The ambassador went to London, and the lodging; conducted by my lord of Leicester. the clerk of the council attendeth upon him. jesty I perceive the just cause of his coming is for mony in this sort; that is, after this rate: the charge to be born: viz. a part by the king of Navar, and his part: another by Cassimire and certain princes, protestants: and a third is required from her majesty. What they may prove, I know not. I wish her majesty may spend some portion to solicite for them some peace, to the good of the cause of religion. But to enter into a war, and therewith to break the mariage; and so to be left alone, as subject to the burthen of such a war, I think no good counsillor can allow. It is likely that the prince shall depart to morrow by sea to Flushing from whence he came by sea. And thither by the Rhine from Colen, without taking land. But I think he will now at his return visit the prince of Aurenge. Thus your lordship hath all my knowledge. Her majesty 138 removeth on Tuesday. On which day I mean to be at Westminster, if I may. My lord Grey is making him ready for Ireland. From the court at Nonsuch this Sunday the of June, 1580. Your lordships most assured, Number XXVI. BOOK Thomas Randolph, esq.; late the queen's ambassador to Scotland, to the lord chancellor: concerning the Scots king; Daubigny; and Scottish matters. penes me. WHERE I am so much bound, I ought not to omit any Epist. T. token of a grateful mind; lest, of all I be thought ingrateful. Seeing the duty that I owe is far greater than wherewith I have to recompence; I will rather compound as a bad debtor, than become clean bankrupt, to deceive my whole creditors. Your honour therefore shall at this time, for mych that I owe through my long silence, be now recompenced with a few lines, to informe your lordship of the state of Scotland, where I have now been, a good space discharging my commission. Sought by all means to persuade the king and council to harken unto reason; to remember the queen's majesty my sovereigns benefits unto them; to yield in reason to her requests, for the indifferent tryal of the earl Morton, and removing of count Debonie [D'Aubigny] from the king, a man known to be an utter enemy to Christ's religion, and great disliker of any amity to stand between these two countries. To remedy these two evils, as her majesty hath taken no small care, so hath my travail been in will to answer unto her highness desire, according as I have been instructed from her majesty; or directed by others that have had power to command. I find no good success of my travail to either of these purposes. The earl of Morton is very rich: he hath goodly houses, and well furnished. He hath great lands, and many friends in his prosperity. The doubt of his power, when he was at liberty, procured him many enemies. His great goodness to give that which he hath, is thought to many, quarel sufficient. I find little hope of his life the sooner, for that divers of his own most assured friends and servants, as he thought, are his accusers. Some, that he was guilty of the king's murther: others, that he was consenting to the poisoning of the earl Athol: some, that of late he intended to have taken the king, and to have killed the earl II. BOOK of Argyle, the earl Lenox, and Montros. If this be true, his fault is greater than can be born with. If he be innocent, yet is the malice so great, as he cannot escape with his life. Nay, I cannot my self wish him any favour, if that be true that is said of him, and confessed by those in whom he had no small trust. This in time will be tryed: and her majesty shall be truly informed what his doings have been. How I have dealt from time to time with the king and council; and what answer I have received; as also of my hasty departure out of that country, that both had libells set up against me, and harquebuse shot in at my chamber window, I trust your lordship knoweth, by such letters as are come to Mr. Secretary Walsinghams hands. I will no further trouble your lordship, but humbly remembring my duty, I take my leave. At Barwick. 139 Epist. Cox. episc. Elien. penes me. Number XXVII. The bishop of Ely to the lord treasurer: informing him of intelligence he had received of 12000 Italians to be sent by the pope and Spaniard against the realm. ETSI multis modis tibi notum sit, et satis cognitum, 'quid moliatur ille antichristus Romanus; interim tamen cum per amicos procul dissitos antichristi incendium accendatur Romæ, et in omnem fere orbem divulgetur; ut nuper accepimus a vere amicis nostris, et regno et reginæ nostræ, atque ejus proceribus, impensissime faventibus: quod antichristus ille, ut bulla Alexandrino cardinale exhiberetur contra sereniss. Angliæ reginam, atque quingenta exemplaria imprimerentur, quæ in eam orbis partem emittantur, quæ catholicissima judicantur; antichristus et Hispanus in idem consentiunt. Adeo ut duodecim millia Italorum in militiam Hispanorum brevi conscribantur. Hæc quidem ad me jam ex Helvetia transmittuntur: quæ pii fratres candide nos admonent. Etsi procul a nobis absint, precibus tamen prope adsunt, &c. Dominus Jesus Christus te nobis diutissime servet incolumem. Downamiæ, BOOK 18 Junii, 1580. Tuæ celsitudini ex animo longe carissimus, II. Richardus Coxus. Number XXVIII. Rodolphus Gualter, minister of Zurich, to Grindal, archbishop of Canterbury: informing him of many copies of the excommunication of pope Pius V. against the queen, printed at Rome; to be dispersed: and of the pope's and Spaniard's preparation for invading England. siast. penes me. S. QUEMADMODUM anno præterito amplitudini tuæ MSS. eccleex animo gratulabar, domine et pater in Christo reverendissime, quod de tua liberatione seu restitutione fama apud nos pervenisset ; ita postea non absque magno dolore cognovi me isto nuntio falsum fuisse. Rursus tamen mihi spem bonam fecit nuper suis literis dignissimus præsul, Eboracensis archiepiscopus; quæ ut rata sit toto corde Deum precor, per filium suum dilectum, Jesum Christum. Scribendi vero occasionem mihi præcipuam præbuerunt in præsenti, quæ per fidos mercatores Norinbergense ex Roma cognovimus. Nimirum, Alexandrinum cardinalem exempla bullæ Pii V. papæ, qua hic serenissimam Angliæ vestræ reginam excommunicavit, plura quingentis exprimi curavisse: ut non Romæ modo, sed per omnes aulas regum catholicorum (ut ipsi loquuntur) publicentur. Institutionis hujus causæ potissimæ hæ adducuntur. Prima, ut hac ratione legatus Anglicus ab aula Portugalensi excludatur. Altera, ut eadem opera impediantur nuptiæ inter Alazonium regis Galli fratrem et reginam Elizabetham. Tertia et præcipua, ut ab ea omnes reges ac principes alienentur; nequam illi opem ferant adversus Hispaniæ regem. Qui classem instructissimam parare fertur, qua vobis bellum moveat. Additur, conscribi debere in Italia duodecim millia militum qui classi isti imponantur. Hæc (inquam) Roma scripta sunt, 23 Januarii proximi. |