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199. M. Castelnau [de Mauvissière] to Archibald Douglas. |
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1585, Oct. 2. |
Has waited days, thinking to say good bye to him, and to talk of many things as to his friend. But, as he does not return, his wife being ready to depart, he must set out this evening, despairing of seeing him, one of his best friends. Such will he be always and every where to him. Asks to be kept in favour with Walsingham, Chedeney [Sidney], and their wives, the Earl of Leicester, Raleigh, &c. News and letters he may give to Sir Alexander. The Scottish Queen's demand for monev he has done all he could to satisfy. Hopes Walsingham will put the best interpretation thereon.—London, 2 October 1585. |
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French, 1¾ pp.
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200. Nicholas Langton to a Rchibald Douglas. |
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1585, Oct. 3. |
Asks news of what is happening in Scotland, especially since Lord Russell's death. “It is said the enemy doth prepare towards this town. Our forces strong in Holland. We have long expected the coming of the Earl of Leicester, as well the strangers as our own nation, whose presence here would procure in all men's hearts a plain conquest of these Low Countries. I wish God may put in her Majesty's heart to prosecute the cause. It were not to be doubted in short time, but that many towns here would revolt, their subjection and misery is such, &c.”—From Ostend, this 3rd of October 1585. |
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1½ pp.
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201. Exchequer Accounts. |
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1585, Oct. 5. |
Similar to those under date July 4, 17, and 25. [Nos. 168, 174, and 176.] |
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3 pp.
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202. Thomas Morgan to Mary, Queen of Scots. |
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1585, Oct. 5/15. |
Manye of sondrye nations and honorable members have found the meanes to visitt me in this undeserved captivitye of mine, and, among others, there was with me of late one named Gilbert Gifforde, a Catholicke gentleman, to me wellknowen, for that he was browght upp in learning of this side the seas these many yeares passed, where I have bene alwayes his frend to my power, as I wold be profitable to all that deserve well. The sayd gentleman retorneth to his contrye, and offered to do me all the frendlye offices that he may do. His father is a Staffordshire man, a gentleman of a good howse, well trended in that contrye, but he is at this present a prisoner for our religion at London, and so he hath bene of a long time. The sayd Gilbert Gifforde hath an unckle, who is also a Catholike gentleman, and dwelleth within tenne miles or thereaboutes of the place of your continuance. These Giffordes be kinsmen and frendes to Frances and Thomas Throgmorton, and, otherwise, well disposed towardes your Majesty. Knowing the honestye & fayth of these gentlemen, and consydring theyr habitation and creditt in theyr
contrye, and, as farre as I can conceave, your intelligence discontinued, (though in that poynt, both before and sith my captivity, I remembred to discharge my dutye, as shall appeare unto your Majesty, if they on that side performe thcyr part according to my carefull and ample instructions given in that behalfe), I thowglit it my part, for the more surety e and encrcase of the nomber of your servantes, and advancement of your service, to deale wifii the said Gifforde, to pratike with his parentes and frendes for the furtherance of the same. This he promised to putt in execution with care, and I hope he will shew his goodwill and diligence in the cause. He required my letters to your Majesty, thereby to give him credit, and a meane to enter into intelligence with your Majesty. For this purpose I gave him these few lines, assuring myselfe of his fayth and honestye, and for soch I recommend unto your Majesty the persons above mentioned. |
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I have been in hande with the bearer to place some honest gentleman and woman to serve your host and hostesse for your sake, whereby your service may be the better advanced. He is also instructed how to pratique with your host his people, and soch as depend of him or of his wife. He is also instructed how to haunte the markett townes adjoyning the place of your continuance, to see whether he may therbye finde any of your Majesty's people. In all these poyntes he hath promised to travell effectually; I have delt with him to see if he can place himselfe to serve your hoste. This he will attempt, yett his coming from these partes will be suspicious in the sight of the curious and watchefull sorte, that have a speciall regarde to soch as be placed abowt your hoste, wherof I gave the bearer warning, leaving him nevertheless to use his own discretion, when he came to the contrye, and saw the condition and state of thinges. His unckle above mentioned was acquaynted with your hoste in this contrye. I have instructed the bearer to cause his unckle to visit your hoste, and to renew with him theyr former acquayntance, wherbye some familiaritye may be drawne betwene them, under the color wherof somewhat may fall owt to your Majesty's advantage. This I desire, as God knoweth, who knoweth my harte, and that I have no other desire in this life but to serve God, your Majesty, and my contrye.—Written this 15th of October. |
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P.S.—Good Curie, Helde me alwayes in your good grace, and love me as I do you, and commende me most hartelye to your bedfellow, that shall be, and to your good sister, and to Mons. Nau, and all good frendes. This bearer knoweth the way to send her Majesty's letters to come to my handes, as safe as if I were at libertye. He beareth good affection to your name, for he was acquaynted with your brethrene. |
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When your Majesty shall have occasion to write to these partes, I beseche you to recommend my case and libertye ernestly to all your frendes and ministers in this contrye. I have many other matters, but the incertitude of the delivery of these my letters doth restrayne me from writing at more length, &c., &c. |
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It is very like that one Philippes hath great accesse to your hoste in this time, and peradventure hath some charge under him. It is the same Philippes of whom I made mention before. If you do use him according to my former instructions, it may be that he maybe recovered to your service. But trye him long and in small matters before you use him, being a severe Huguenot, and all for that state, yet glorious and gredye of honor and profltt, &c. |
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Decipher. |
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2¼ pp. [Murdin, p. 454. In extenso. Another decipher is in State Papers (Mary, Queen of Scots), Vol. XVI., No. 50.] |
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203. W. Sterrell to Sir William Wade. |
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[1585 ?], Oct. 15. |
Entreats him to send hi in some directions, to enable him to frame such an answer to the Duke of Feria's demands as may stand with the good of this state and the latter's satisfaction. Has already resolved him in some points, referring all things to his next advertisement. |
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Where he desires to be informed what conceit her Majesty entertaineth of the French King's intendment of a general peace, answered that it were fondness to surmise that the one would deal in so weighty an affair without the other's privity. |
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It may be conceived by this demand that the inward drift of the Spaniard in this negociation of peace is but to breed jealousy between the three States, and thereby to induce them to disjoin and so to ruin themselves. Of the Scots, answered that her Majesty, as he thought, had a very good opinion, to whom she was inclinable, and both did and would hold very special and inward intelligence and amity with him. But of these things promised a larger and more certain relation in his next. With regard to the Earl of Essex, replied that he had small reason to dislike of this state, seeing the next is not likely either to better or equal his present fortune. And this is all that he has written. Begs a warrant for the release of Nicholas Owen, a prisoner in the Gatehouse, who was taken with Gerard the Jesuit, from whom he hopes to obtain some service.—15 October. |
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1 p.
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204. Sir John Selby to Archibald Douglas. |
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[1585 ?], October 20. |
Referring to an accusation made against him by Mr. Wotton, her Majesty's late Ambassador in Scotland, that he was to give intelligence to the King, or the Earl of Arran, of any intention the banished lords had to enter Scotland, and there to raise a party against the said King, wherein, God's name be praised, he has so travailed, that the accusation is found most false and his credit saved, states that this hard dealing of Mr. Wotton's, with Sir William Russell's letter to Mr. Secretary, both grounded, as it seems to him, on the self same false surmises, bringing withal to his memory all matters of the like substance, have so worried his mind and body, that, if he were a private man and not engaged with other men's affairs, which require his presence in that place, he protests that, notwithstanding his birth and education in that place in which he has spent now 60 years, and therefore affects it more than any other part of the realm, he would retire himself into some solitary and quiet corner, far from the affairs of the world, that he might, with the favour of God and men, pass the last part of his life in ease, for he perceives that, let him bear himself as evenly as he can, so long as he dwells on Tweed-side, he must of necessity, in some curious or rather envious men's opinions, deal with matters that he neither cares to know nor loves to hear, much less to inform where his duty and credit forbid him.—Berwick, 20 October. |
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1¼ pp.
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205. M. Castelnau [de Mauvissière] to Archibald Douglas. |
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1585, Oct. 24./Nov. 3. |
Has received his letter informing him of the continued goodwill of the gentlemen of the Council, particularly of “Messieurs de Leicester” and “de Walsingham.” Begs him to preserve him in their good graces, and to bid them remember in effect and point by point what
he has told them. Begs also to be kept in the favourable remembrance of the Queen their mistress, who, he supposes, is well informed of what is going on, and how the King is altogether resolved to tolerate the Catholic religion only, in consequence of which the command, either to submit to his will, or to quit the kingdom, has been hastened. |
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Thinks this has increased the strength of the Huguenots, who take the field on all sides with much courage and resolution. |
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The Prince de Condé, having remained for some time near “Brouaige” [Bourges], has proceeded to A ngers, thinking there to relieve Le Ohasseau, which not being able to do, he has passed the river Loire, and is now, with 1,000 or 1.200 horse in his train, approaching this town. He has also a number of foot soldiers all mounted on horseback, so that the King's troops, who have gone out every day to give him battle, have not hitherto been able to meet with him. It is said that he evades the troops sent to find him, with the design of passing into Germany, and there joining hands with the Protestant league. Others say that these are mere fancies, and that neither the Queen of England nor the German Princes will join in this war, in which case it will be the sooner over, and France will not be ruined except by her own hands. But, if the Germans do join therein, as others think, affairs will proceed to great extremities. |
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God will send what pleases Him : for his part, has already given up everything, and is resigned to the worst. |
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To crown his misfortunes, has been robbed and pillaged of all he had in England down to his shirt. Of the handsome presents given him by the Queen, and of his silver and plate, nothing is left, neither to him nor to his wife and children, so that they resemble those exiled Irish, who solicit alms in England with their children by their sides. But here charity is so cold, and the misery so great, that he can foresee nothing but the general ruin and confusion of the State. |
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Madame de Chateauneuf has written to all her relatives and friends stating that he has done her ill-natured offices with the Queen of England, and has spoken much evil of her and hers. |
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Declares this statement to be most outrageous, and that whoever has reported it to her deserves to have “les dents dans le gorge.” |
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Prays him to use all his skill and watchfulness in order that, if it be possible, by means of the puissant authority and good fortune of the Queen of England, as the Queen and goddess of the sea, he may recover what he has lost, which amounts to the value of 35,000 crowns, and without which he will be utterly ruined. The enterprise was carried out by an Englishman, or a Fleming, who fled to Havre de Grace, and thence to Holland or Zealand or to the English coast. |
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Is further embarrassed by money, which he has lent the Queen of Scots and concerning which he is in great trouble, for neither her officers nor her treasurer possess a sou, nor do they speak of re-payment. |
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Thus, on all sides and in all manners, is lie ill treated, and not only has he lost his government, which was taken away from him most undeservedly, but he has been spoiled of everything by his long stay in England, whilst finding in France nothing but misery and calamity. |
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Begs him finally to remember him to Leicester and Walsingham, and to entreat their assistance in recovering what he has lost.—Paris, 3 November 1585. |
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French. 6½ pp.
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206. Gunpowder for Rochelle. |
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1585, Oct. 31. |
Warrant under the Privy Signet for the exportation of gunpowder to Rochelle.—Richmond, 31 October 1585. |
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1 p.
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207. Petition of Richard Sydway and Nicholas Sympson, Collector and Comptroller of Customs, Poole. |
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1585 [Oct.] |
Praying to be restored to their offices, with the fees, &c., of which they have been unjustly deprived by the action of Sir Francis Walsingham's deputies, who received the cocket seals at Michaelmas last according to Burghley's command. Since which time the deputies make agreements with the merchants for customs, contra statute 1 Eliz., receive the custom money, make cockets and warrants under their own hands, without the consent of the Customer and Comptroller, or their deputies. They give licence to transport Newland fish beyoad seas, and demand of every subject 3s. 4d. a ton, and of every alien 5s.
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Endorsed :—“The officers of the Port of Poole. Mr. Secretary's deputies' proceeding there.” |
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¾ p.
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