|
| May 12. |
An estimate of her Majesty's charges from 12 August, 1585, to 12 May, 1586, for levying, transport and entertainment of troops, including 1,360l. for transport of the Earl of Leicester and his train. Total, 78,558l.
|
|
Endd. 1 p. [Holland VIII. 18.] |
| May 13. |
JO. Haynes to —. |
|
When you sent “Andros de Loye” [Loo] to me, I sent him away presently. My fellow Morrice (who was then appointed to
come home), meeting with him at Calais, turned back again into Flanders, and sent my man over with the letter here enclosed to your honour. By chance I met this gentleman, my friend, or I would have come to you myself.—13 May, 1586. |
|
Endd. ½ p. [France XV. 128.] |
| May 13/23. |
M. Du Pin to Walsingham. |
|
As M. de Buzenval will give you news of me. I will not disturb you in your important and serious occupations to read a long letter, but only pray you humbly ever to have regard of me and of my faithful service, as of one who greatly honours you. This Prince [Navarre] much loves and esteems you. He believes in your piety and prudence. He will one day be a great Prince if God gives him long life, and will avail for the restoration of the church, against which Satan is making his great efforts, but also God has raised up princes and princesses who are the honour of this century, to break such unhappy designs.—From the camp at St. Eloy, near St. Maixent (Maixan), 23 May, 1586. |
|
Signed. Fr. ½ p. [Ibid. XV. 129.] |
| May 13. |
Lord Willoughby to Burghley. |
|
Sending copies of intercepted letters from the enemy's camp. Having nothing worthy of telling his lordship, he is loth to entertain with rude lines one who bestows his time “so seriously and availably.”—Bergen-op-Zoom, 13 May. |
|
Holograph. Add. Endd. ¾ p. [Holland VIII. 19.] |
| May 13. |
A note of moneys raised by privy seal for her Majesty's charges in the Low Countries since 30 July, 1585. Total, 76,000l.
|
|
Endd. ½ p. [Ibid. VIII. 20.] |
| May 14. |
[Walsingham] to Heneage. |
|
“Of late her Majesty was very earnestly pressed by my Lord Treasurer, Mr. Vice-Chamberlain and myself. . . to revoke you, as well in respect of the indisposition of your body, as that we conceived that your return into Holland might greatly prejudice the cause. But no persuasion that we could use could so far forth prevail as to induce her Majesty to change her former resolution contained in her last letters sent unto you. Saving that she is now pleased after conference had with the Council of Estate there about the qualification of the title, that you shall return home with their opinion and advice how the same may be executed, and yet the authority remain and continue still in the Lord General, for her meaning is not that his lordship shall presently give it over as by his own letters lately unto her she conceiveth his lordship is disposed to do, for that her Majesty foreseeth in her princely judgment that his giving over of the government
upon a sudden, and leaving those countries as it were without a head or director, cannot but breed a most dangerous alteration there. And therefore her meaning is that the renunciation of the title shall be stayed until such time as there may be some course taken with the advice of the Council of Estate there how the authority may be established in his lordship agreeable with the treaty passed between her Majesty and the commissioners of those countries, with report whereof her pleasure is you shall return. |
|
“This I take to be the substance of her Majesty's pleasure, which she willed both the Lord Treasurer and Mr. Vice-chamberlain together with myself to signify unto you, praying you, for that I think my Lord Treasurer hath best conceived her Majesty's meaning, that you will chiefly rely upon such direction as you shall receive from him. And where her Majesty was offended for the not delivery of the letters directed to the States, which perhaps may move you to proceed to the delivery thereof, I cannot now, considering how they are of an old date, but advise you to stay the delivery of them, and I will stand between you and any blame that may be attributed unto you for the same.” |
|
Minute, endorsed with date. 2½ pp. [Holland VIII. 21.] [Partly quoted by Motley i, 447.] |
| May 15. |
Stafford to Walsingham. |
|
“The arming by sea here goeth forward still, though not altogether so hotly as it did the last week, nor in so great quantity of shipping. They be now resolved but upon twenty ships or thereabouts, and them to be very good. The reason is that they cannot tell how to compass to get more, if they do so many, but those shall be well furnished. |
|
“They cannot yet be ready this six weeks at the soonest, and certain it is that they have further drifts in their heads than the succouring of Brouage; for if it were but that, with less cost, more ease, less danger, and sooner a great deal, it might be succoured by land. I am advertised from very good place that their chief cause by sea is that being done all under one and upon a sudden, to stop up the haven of Rochelle, and the King of Navarre being come into those parts, to drive him to put himself into Rochelle and then to make all the forces they have abroad to gather together, and to do all their effort there to have him, whatsoever it cost. |
|
“I have had advertisements which I send you because it is reason you should be acquainted withal more than that I do see any likelihood in it, that there is a meaning to join these sea forces of France and them of Spain together, and to attempt something against us. . . . There is some think, as I have written to you by my other letters, that there is some meaning to expect Drake at his return, which for my part I rather see a likelihood in than in the last, for here great expectation is that he shall come home rich without measure. Our people here be needy and greedy of money above measure, and two or three hundred gentlemen that mean to go with him will sooner be led to venture
the sickness of the sea with hope of that than anything else. I lay as diligent wait as I can to hearken after all these things, and from time to time, as I know, I will advertise you; but yet to tell you what I think likeliest is that enterprise about Rochelle. The Prince of Condé is advertised of it by three divers ways from me; whereof one is by Peter Broune, whom I have expressly sent to him as well for that as for an enterprise taken in hand upon his own person by four of his guard, whereof two of them are named, which, since his rout of Angers, have been secretly kept, well used and store of money given by the Duke of Guise and have promised it. |
|
“Great show there is here of peace desiring; but all are but things to deceive the world, and all this show of countermanding the forces that were appointed to be in readiness I am afraid are but 'deceptio visus' to make the world believe that is meant in good sadness which is not thought of, only to lull asleep all strangers that can help or will do good to the other party; for more hardness again is showed to them of the Religion afresh, and a new proclamation of all goods to be stayed and sold of them of the Religion for the use of this war, without any respect had to their debts and creditors, expressly against the edict. There is underhand all wrought that can be to feel whether that the King of Navarre would be content to have a surcease of arms for a time, but that is but a device accustomed of Villeroy . . . to make the world to think they are ready for a peace, and I think and am advertised very certainly that Biron hath that in chief commission, to see if he can have some conference with the King of Navarre to persuade him to it. |
|
“There is a proposition hath been blown abroad since the Swissers are come hither, to have an interim in France, and all things for religion to remain in the state they are in now till some Council or some other better order be advised on in the matter, but no such thing yet openly proposed. It is a thing as I have written to you a great while agone, they have been very long harping at. |
|
“The Swissers have been here these six days and yet the King will not be 'aknowen' of their coming, nor I think will not be seen these four or five days yet. I have visited them, and offered them all honour and compliments, but yet are come to talk of nothing; they from the King of Navarre being not yet arrived, who are looked for every hour. |
|
“From Montpensier there is yet no news come, which stay I think be upon one the King sent to him, who at this present I am advertised arrived this morning, so that I hope shortly to have news of him. |
|
“I have yet heard nothing in the world of Ofleye.”—Paris, 15 May, 1586. |
|
Holograph. Add. Endd. 2 pp. [France XV. 130.] |
| May 15/25. |
Stephen Le Sieur to Walsingham. |
|
I would long since (if I might have had leave) have told you that the governor of this town is not a little offended that, after
Mr. Tomson's large promises in February, he has heard nothing of the liberty of Pedro 'Cibiur'; which causes him and Cibiur's other friends to think I am the occasion that no effects follow those promises, “charging me that I have written to your honour for the longer detention of the said Cibiur. . . . I am not so desirous of this miserable imprisonment that I should refuse to enjoy my liberty.” By means of Mr. Bodenham, who is a true friend to all Englishmen here prisoners, I have obtained the favour to write to you, and humbly pray you to let this governor or Mr. Bodenham know whether the said Cibiur is to enjoy his liberty, for till then, I must not make account to enjoy mine, but rather to receive worse usage. |
|
I know myself so unworthy, that I will not presume to seek my liberty “in exchange of such a one,” but if it please her Majesty and her Council “to favour me, poor wretch, so much, I will not be so void of sense as to stand against it.”—Dunkirk prisons, 25 May, 1586, stylo novo. |
|
Add. Endd. 1 p. [Flanders I. 83.] |
