II. arrested also his merchants, and did cloakedly begin war, BOOK for he besieged Mirandula round about with forces he had made in the French king's country. Also he stayed certain French ships going a fishing to the New-found-land. Furthermore he set out a dozen of ships, which bragged they would take the dowager of Scotland, which thing staied her so long at Diep. Whereupon his master had taken the whole fleet of Antwerp, conveying it to his country into his ports, by 20 ships he had set forth under baron de la Garde. Also minded to send more help to Piedmont and Mirandula. For this cause he desired that on my coasts the dowager might have safe passage, and might be secured by my servants at the sea-coast if any chance should happen. He was willed to put it in writing; he shewed how the Turks navy, having spoiled a piece of Sicily, went to Malta, and there took an isle adjacent called Gozo; from thence they went to Tripoly. In Transilvania Rosto-Bassa was leader of the army, and had spoiled it wholly. In Hungary the Turks had made a fort by the mines to get them. Magdeburg was freshly victualled, and duke Maurice came his way, being suspected that he had conspired with them there. 4. It was answered, to the French ambassador, That the dowager should in all my ports be defended from enemies, tempest, and likewise also thanks were given for the news. 5. The emperor's ambassador came to require, That my sister Mary's officers should be restored to their liberty, and she should have her mass till the emperor was certified thereof. It was answered, That I need not to answer except I list, because he spake without commission, which was seen by the shortness of the time since the committing of her officers, of which the emperor could not be advertised. He was willed no more to move these piques, in which he had been often answered, without commission. He was answered, That the emperor was by this time advertised, although the matter pertained not to him. Also that I had done nothing but according to a king's office herein, in observing the laws PART that were so godly, and in punishing the offenders. II. The promise to the emperor was not so made as he pretended, affirmed by sir Philip Hobbey being at that time their ambassador. 6. Deliberation touching the coin. Memorandum, That there were divers standards nine ounces fine, a few eight ounces fine, as ill as four, because although that was fiņe, yet a shilling was reckoned for two shillings, six ounces, very many four ounces, many also three ounces, 1300007. now of late. Whereupon agreed that the testourn being called to six pence, four with help of six should make ten fine, eight fine with help of nine, being fewer than those of eight, should make ten ounces fine, the two ounces of allay should quit the charges of minting; and those of threepence, being but few, should be turned to a standard of four of farthings, and half-pence, and pence, for to serve for the poor people, because the merchants made no exchange of it, and the sum was not great. Also to bear the charges, for because it was thought that few or none were left of nine ounces fine, eight ounces were naught, and six ounces were two ways devised, one without any craft, the other was not fully six, of which kind was not a few. 9. A proclamation set forth touching the prices of cattel, of hogs, pigs, beeves, oxen, muttons, butter, and cheese, after a reasonable price, not fully so good cheap as it was when the coin was at the perfectest, but within a fifth part of it, or thereabouts. 10. I removed to Farnham. 12. A proclamation set forth touching the coin, That whereas it was so that men for gain melted down the ninepence testourn continually, and the six-pence; also there should no person in any wise melt it down, upon pain to incur the penalty of the laws. 13. A letter directed to the lord treasurer, the lord great master, and the master of the horse, to meet at London, for the ordering of my coin, and the paiment of my debts; which done, to return, and make report of their proceedings. II. 11. War proclaimed in Britain between the emperor and BOOK the French, by these terms, Charles roy d'Espaigne, et duc de Milan, leaving out emperor. 10. Four towns taken by the French souldiers that were the emperor's in Piedmont Guerra: from Amiens also the emperor's country there was spoiled, and 120 castles or fortresses taken. Proclamation made in Paris touching the bulls, that no man should go for them to Rome. Other ships also taken by prior de Capua merchants, to the number of a dozen; prior de Capua had 32 gallies. 19. The French ambassador sent this news also, that the Turks had taken Tripoly. 20. The secretary Cecil, and sir Philip Hobbey, sent to London to help the lord treasurer, &c. in the matters of the bishops of Chichester, Worcester, and Duresme, and examination of my sister's men. 18. Removing to Windsor. 20. The lords at London having tried all kinds of stamping, both of the fineness of 9, 8, 6, 4, and 3, proved that without any loss, but sufferable, the coin might be brought to eleven ounces fine; for whereas it was thought before, that the testourn was, through ill officers and ministers, corrupted, it was tried, that it had the valuation just by eight sundry kinds of melting, and 4007. of sterling mony, a testourn being but six-pence, made 400l. 11 ounces fine of mony sterling. 22. Whereupon they reported the same, and then it was concluded that the testourn should be eleven ounces fine, the proportion of the pences according to the gold; so that five shillings of silver should be worth five of gold. 23. Removing to Oatlands. 24. Agreed that the stamp of the shilling and six-pence should be on one side, a king painted to the shoulders in parliament-robes, with a chain of the order. Five shillings of silver, and half five shillings, should be a king on horseback, armed with a naked sword hard to his breast. Also that York's mint, and Throgmorton's in the Tower, should II. PART go and work the fine standard. In the city of York and Canterbury should the small mony be wrought of a baser state. Officers for the same were appointed. A piece of Barwick wall fell, because the foundation was shaken by working of a bulwark. 28. The lord marquess of Dorset grieved much with the disorder of the marches toward Scotland, surrendered the wardenship thereof to bestow where I would. 27. The wardenship of the north given to the earl of Warwick. Removing to Hampton-Court. 28. Commissioners appointed for sitting on the bishop of Chichester and Worcester; three lawyers, and three civilians. 10. The imperialists took the suburbs of Heading, and burnt them. 26. The passport of the dowager of Scotland was made for a longer time, till Christmass; and also if she were driven, to pass quietly by land into Scotland.. 20. Monsieur d'Angoulesme was born; and the duke of Vendosme had a son by the princess of Navarr his wife. 30. The feast of Michaelmass was kept by me in the robes of the order. October. 1. The commission for the making of five-shillings, half five-shillings, groats, and six-pences, eleven ounces fine, and pence, with half-pence, and farthings, four ounces fine, was followed and signed. 5. Jarnac came in post for declaration of two things; the one, that the queen had a third son of which she was delivered, called le duc d'Angoulesme, of which the king prayed me to be god-father. I answered, I was glad of the news, and that I thanked him for that I should be godfather, which was a token of good will he bare me. Also that I would dispatch for the accomplishment thereof, the lord Clinton, the lord admiral of England. He said, he came also to tell a second point of the good success of his master's wars; he told how the last month in Shampaign, II. beside Sedan, 1000 horse imperialists, with divers Hun- BOOK garians, Martin Vanrossy being their captain and leader, entred the country; and the alarm came, the skirmish began so hot, that the French horse, about two or three hundred men of arms, came out and took Vanrossy's brother, and slew divers. Also how in Piedmont, since the taking of the last four towns, three other were taken, Monrechia, Saluges, and the town of Burges. The Turks had come to Naples, and spoiled the country, and taken Ostium in the mouth of Tyberis. Also in Sicily he had taken a good haven and a town. 6. Jarnac departed, having lyen in the court under my lodging. The night before the bishops of Worcester and Chichester were deposed for contempts. 7. There were appointed to go with the lord admiral, Mr. Nevil, Mr. Barnabie, gentlemen of the chamber; sir William Stafford, sir Adrian Poinings, sir John Norton, sir John Teri, knights; and Mr. Brook. 8. Letters directed to the captains of gandarms, that they should muster the 8th of November, being the Sunday after Hallow-Eve day. 11. Henry marquess of Dorset, created duke of Suffolk; John earl of Warwick, created duke of Northumberland; William earl of Wiltshire, created marquess of Winchester; sir William Herbert, created earl of Pembrook, and lord of Cardiff; Mr. Sidney, Mr. Nevil, Mr. Cheek, all three of the privy-chamber, made knights; also Mr. Cecil one of the two secretaries. 13. Proclamation signed touching the calling in of testourns and groats, that they that list might come to the mint and have fine silver of twelve-pence for two tes tourns. 3. Prior de Capua departed the French king's service, and went to his order of knights in Malta, partly for displeasure to the count Villars the constable's brother-in-law, partly for that Malta was assailed often by the Turks. 7. Sir Thomas Palmer came to the earl of Warwick, since that time duke of Northumberland, to deliver him |