Elizabeth: August 1587, 16-31 | British History Online

Pages 355-367

Calendar of State Papers Foreign: Elizabeth, Volume 21, Part 1, 1586-1588. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1927.

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August 1587, 16-31



Aug. 16.	Stafford to Walsingham.
	In favour of a Polish gentleman who wishes to go into England, and is recommended to him by some of his friends. Prays his honour to countenance him, that he may return well satisfied, as all others have done who have relied upon his honour's favour.—Paris, 16 August, 1587.
	Signed. Add. Endd. ½ p. [France XVII. 108.]
Aug.[16.] (fn. 1)	William Lyly to Waade.
	"My last was not altogether the verity of the defeat of the Swisses, for that those did not aid who I named, but only Alphonso di Corso, lieutenant to M. de Lavalet [La Valette], with five hundred shot and some few horse. And the town reprised by the captain, that rather in desperate sort than otherwise hazarded upon it and had the slaughter of 300 gentlemen and 700 others, leaguers; so as the King had two victories in one day; viz. of Swisses and Leaguers.
	"We are assured here that the 'ryters' are now entered Lorraine, and that somewhat from them is every day attended. M. La Chastre is dispatched from the Duke of Guise, with certain lances, 2000 musketeers and other shot to hinder their passage; the Duke of Guise having a great opinion that these musketeers shall wonderfully break the hearts of those ryters, and make a hole in their first fury, that the lances may enter. It is thought that they would be glad that the ryters might be entreated to take some other way; and withal thought that the Duke of Lorraine would be glad to be an Alman and no more a Spaniard; for fear whereof, the Duke of Guise is gone to him; they say here, [not?] with resolution to fight the ryters, but rather to strengthen the other's feebleness. There are come from the Prince of Parma 500 lances—given out here 1000—and from 'Ballené' [Balagny] 200, so as in all they are thought for certain at this hour 5000 horse and 8000 footmen. On the other side there is said that 3000 are come more, and withal Casimir, but it is not believed, nor any other chief, but only the Duke of 'Bullion' [Bouillon], who commands them in the absence of Casimir.
	"The King this day in open Council showed that M. Danville [i.e. Montmorency] should exercise the Colonelship of the Swisses and no other.
	"The Grand Prior grows daily in favour with the King, and so doth the Duke of Longueville; it is thought for that he meaneth to break the marriage between his sister (fn. 2) of Longueville (fn. 2) and the Marquis de Belisre. (fn. 3) This night is arrived hither the Duke of Joyeuse.
	"At this present there is nothing spoken of but the loss of the Sluce, the creation of the new Cardinal, the delivery of Morgan, the huge army that the King of Spain hath at the sea and the censures that every man giveth of them.
	"It is said here that the Sluce is of more importance than we take it for, as well for alienating of the Flemish cold minds as for that those rivers that may be brought thither may in short time 'infant' a galley or two, to do some mischief.
	"That the Cardinal was made extraordinarily, which some give out that the same was to make his [the Pope's] sister's gain, but it should not seem so, for that within four hours after his creation, the Pope dispatched a courier for Spain. How contrary these actions of the Pope are by this in the King of Spain's favour, and the book of his titles in his disgrace, a man may ponder, unless I may say with him that made the relation of it that he will bever troppo [sic] . . . These things do import some strange stratagem, for the avoiding whereof, I trust ye stand con li occhi aperti, which, as we have no cause to fear, so have we no cause to neglect." And as King Henry the 8th in his wars called in many strangers, so I doubt it were good for us "to have some faithful strangers to aid our valours with their modern practices and quick inventions. And consider with what number Alphonso de Corso overthrew these Swisses only with good conduct.
	"This Cardinal was created contrary to the express ordinance of the Pope; his pension increased by the King of Spain, and it is said he shall presently go legate into Flanders and there attend some other directions. The Pope gave him the Palace of Cajetan and it is thought that Cardinal Farnese will add somewhat to him of his liberality.
	Margin. "He is written unto: Cardinal d'Angleterre, but he signs Cardinal Allenus."
	"His [the King of Spain's] army at sea is so great as without doubt it serveth for more than the safe-conducting of his India fleet, and as some say, looketh eagerly upon Ireland.
	"For Morgan, it was the only request that the Pope made to the King, and the King had many to him. This Nuncio being much his servant could have no less than his one request, and the King shall have a great deal of money by the Bull that he will procure for him.
	"Mope [sic] and he brags up and down the streets, he repairing hither so soon as he understood of the other's delivery. The knight [qy. Stafford] would gladly that you performed your promise. Morgan repaired to him presently upon his delivery, but [was] sent away with a fly [sic] in his ear, being asked how he durst come thither, having so much abused him. He repaireth to the Bishop of Glasgow, who gave him as cold entertainment, refusing to speak to him, and withal desired him not to haunt his house and wished him hereafter to lead a more temperate life."
	I pray you to take these occurences in good part, beseeching you that my former requests may be before your eyes, and that your great affairs may not prevent the perfecting of him who will ever remain your creature.—Paris, this — of August, 1587.
	Postscript. I beseech you, one word to her Majesty of me, or else I shall account all favours to be nothing towards the relief of my afflicted mind. Also let your man write me somewhat from thence.
	Add. Endd. 3 pp. [France XVII. 109.]
Aug. 16.	The King of Denmark to Her Majesty.
	On behalf of his lieges of the city of Bergen, Jacob Janssen, Jacob Wilhelmsen and Cornelius van Santen, who in their own and their partners' names have made grave complaint to him that last year a ship of theirs, laden with all manner of goods and bound from Holland for Bergen, having been, by stress of weather, brought into another port of Norway, had been seized by a pirate, one John de Mheer, a subject of her Majesty—the master of the ship and his crew having first been subject to most injurious and shameful treatment and transferred to another ship—and was thence brought to England. Also the said pirates insulted not only these men but himself, gibing at his having in his realm ports so exposed to outrages on the part of every one, and derisively asking them to make experiment whether with like success they could carry off a ship from an English port.
	Although at the time they could not learn the name either of the pirate or of the piratical craft, yet the royal insignia of her Majesty painted on the poop, as also the English tongue betrayed them. Wherefore his subjects sent their commissioner at great cost to England to make enquiry, and are now by him sufficiently certified that the pirate's name is John de Mheer; but his ship, named the Gilded Dragon, having been first stayed in a port of his Kingdom of Norway, was thence brought to her Majesty's port of Westiezer [sic] thence to Brostum [qy. Boston] and finally to London, and there last summer was fitted out for the practice of piracy, and adorned with her Majesty's ensignia. Also that the pirate himself is no obscure person but one well known in London.
	And as almost all the substance of these his despoiled subjects is comprised in this one ship and her cargo, he lovingly craves of her Majesty that she will be pleased to show favour to this present proctor or commissioner, sent by these unfortunate men and at great cost, and who beg for nothing but her Majesty's royal favour, and that the matter may be duly investigated and decided by proper judges delegate, and not only restitution made or equitable compensation awarded, but also that there may be allowed just costs and damages.
	Her highness knows how often he has gently brought to her notice complaints on behalf of his subjects; but though she has often led him to hope that she would proceed against the delinquents with due severity, yet he rarely finds the procedure against them, when caught, to be so exemplary as to deter others who meditate such offences. The consequence of which is, that where there is no fear, there is likewise no end of depredations, no end of complaints to be hoped for.
	Wherefore allowance must be made if after the failure of so many direct appeals, he at length yields to the daily clamours of his despoiled subjects, and sanctions the detention here of the fellow citizens of the pirates, even though innocent, by the arrest usual in such cases, until satisfaction be made. For as it is the duty of every government to stand by its own citizens, he will not be able to deny his aid to his subjects when oppressed by force. Hopes however that her Majesty, in accordance with her wisdom and wonted good will, will bring it to pass that none of these may any more have reason to complain of justice being either delayed or denied; and prays with all brotherly affection that, the cause being determined in accordance with justice and equity, the said commissioner may as soon as possible be sent back to his own people. And in return, will ever manifest the readiest goodwill in doing justice to her Majesty's subjects, and heartily gratifying her in matters of much graver consequence. But against the said pirate, it is only meet that he [the King] should expressly reserve his right of action, by reason of the wrong so offered to himself and the violence perpetrated in his realm.—The Palace, Kolding, 16 August, 1587.
	Add. Endd. Latin. 2¾ pp. [Denmark I. 97.]
Aug. 16.	Copy of the above.
	Add. Endd. Latin. 2¾ pp. [Ibid. I. 98.]
Aug. 17/27.	Advertisements from France.
	"The defeat of the Swisses in Dauphiny is continued, but they were not so many as was given out, being but 2200, whereof 1200 are in the citadel of Valence, the rest being slain.
	"The execution at 'Montlimar' (fn. 4) was more than was spoken of, fifteen hundred being slain on the place and two hundred taken, all of the League, and many gentlemen of importance; namely one M. de Romford, (fn. 5) for whom it is thought all the Swisses shall be delivered.
	"M. de Joyeuse arrived in post at Paris with ten horses, earnestly pressing the King to be sent back with new forces, promising to do great services. The King saith he shall go, but makes no haste of his despatch.
	"The Reisters be said to be still in the plain between Blamont and St. Nicholas. The Duke of Guise sent a cornet of theirs to Paris with report of the defeat of fifteen hundred, but it appears since to be but three hundred, which were set upon going to their lodging; whereupon the whole army rose and pursued the other to Nancy gates.
	"It is affirmed that the two thousand horse expected from the Duke of Parma are come to M. de Guise; but hardly yet believed.
	"A prisoner come out of Poictou and freely set at liberty affirms that the King of Navarre is within four leagues of Saumur with four hundred horse, and hath taken the Marquis of Renel, (fn. 6) M. Vicques, the Marshal of Matignon's lieutenant, with many other gentlemen, which are released upon their promise to come when he shall send for them. The soldiers are dismissed freely; few slain but in the first fury.
	"The King doth assure that by the 5th of September he will himself be ready to go; and the Marshal de Biron is gone already towards Montereau and Sens, to consider of the fittest place for assembling the King's forces between the two rivers. It is thought the King cannot be ready so soon, for that there is neither forces nor rendez-vous, neither can the 8000 Swisses expected come before the end of the month.
	"The Italian forces that are to go to the Low Countries are in the Franche Comte, and shall succour, as is said, the Duke of Lorraine.
	"There was a mutiny, 24 of August in Paris about the curate of St. Severin, whom the King commanded to be apprehended for using some large speeches in his preaching; but the people rose and rescued him, and hurt divers.
	"The news, 25 August, that the King of Navarre hath defeated M. Joyeuse's company and taken Mailly, his ensign, M. Villeroye's son and all the gentlemen prisoners, with all his equipage and baggage."
	27 August. "The King is advertized that the King of Navarre hath shut up La Vardin in La Haye in Tourraine and besiegeth him, the place being but bad to hold. M. Joyeuse is to depart with succour of 6000 Swisses and six companies of men at arms. The King of Navarre is said to have with him 1100 good horse and 4000 footmen; and that the Prince de Conde and Vicomte de Turenne are joined with him.
	"They are in great alarm of M. Montpensier, who they doubt will declare himself for the King of Navarre, as also the Prince de Conty and Count de Soissons, which are all sent for to come to the King with their forces that they levy in his name.
	"It is secretly affirmed that Ossonville is defeated in Lorraine, and M. de la Chastre repulsed to the gates of Nancy, attempting an exploit against the Reistres."
	Endd. "25 August, [perhaps date of receipt] 1587." French. 2 pp. [News-letters IX. 33.]
Aug. 18.	Buzanval to Burghley.
	I have heard of your lordship's good offices on behalf of the army of Germany, and thank you humbly for them. We must have patience in our misery, that the princes who are so near to her may have no grievance. I know that the Queen is only bound to do what she wishes, as the King of Navarre is to do what he can. There have been great tumults at the place of muster, for lack of the promised month's pay. The uproar was appeased on condition that the army should remain on the frontiers until the King of Navarre found means to give them the month's money within the given term; which being elapsed they might return into Germany.
	M de Bouillon is threatened that as soon as peace or a truce is granted to the Low Countries, Sedan and Jametz (Jamays) will be besieged. It is what the King of Spain desires above all, because of the Meuse, and what the Prince of Parma has treated with M. de Guise. So much for public affairs.
	This exiled French merchant withdrew a part of his property in reals, which he sent to Rye for the lading of the English ships which he had hired; and was astonished that he had slighted the laws of the realm. He asks not for justice but for mercy, and has prayed me to intercede with you for him, that he may obtain your favour, and a hearing.—London, 18 August, 1587.
	Holograph. Add. Endd. Fr. 1 p. [France XVII. 110.]
Aug. 18.	Stafford to Walsingham.
	Praying that this letter may "be made a packet" (fn. 7) to the bearer, being one whom he loves well, and who wishes to go over on some occasion of importance. Also that he may be sent back with the first letters.—Paris, 18 August, 1587.
	Holograph. Add. Endd. ½ p. [France XVII. 111.]
Aug. 18/28.	Memorial of the French ambassador for restitution or satisfaction for the ships and goods of certain French subjects, viz:—
	That the goods of the Sieur de Bretigny and Michel du Boys, merchants of Rouen, worth 12000 ecus sol, stayed in Guernsey in March last by the governor and sold in Lyme, Poole, [South] Hampton, Bristol, Ipswich etc. may be restored or their value paid; as has been agreed between the Lords of Her Majesty's Council and the said ambassador; and in regard also of the liberties and privileges of the isles of Jersey and Guernsey; and the rather as Pierre Savart, factor of the said merchants, had commission and letters of assistance from the said lords, (fn. 8) yet has been able to get no satisfaction.
	That order may be given that Nicolas Vincent of Havre de Grace, master of a ship captured and taken into the Isle of Wight may have satisfaction.
	The like request for Martissan de Gastellussart of St. Jean de Luz, whose ship, coming from Newfoundland laden with fish was captured in August, 1586 by Capt. Remond and taken into Weymouth, where the fish was sold.
	The ambassador also prays her Majesty to forbid her subjects to take any commission from the King of Navarre against the subjects of the French King; and to have those punished who by virtue of such commission should seize any of the said subjects and take them into ports of her realm.—London, 28 August, 1587.
	Signed, Endd. Fr. 1¾ pp. [France XVII. 112.]
Aug. 18/28.	Letter from the Huguenot Camp.
	I know well that you will be imbued with belief in a great defeat which they announce they have given to these poor people here. (fn. 9) If they shall have no greater occasion to praise themselves than this, they have not much to rejoice about, for except one ill defended cornet, which 500 of their horse, led by the Sieur de la Chastre, Rontigonti, Rone (fn. 10) and the young Ossonville [Haussonville], [attacked?], none of ours were killed save three lackeys; for the alarm was presently given to the whole army, which took horse, and killed, as is known, more than six hundred, and chased them up to the gates of Nancy. An espial come from Nancy assures us that 'Rone' has not returned, and is believed to be dead. The cornets of 'Rottigontti' and Ossonville are left in our hands, and there was thought of sending them to the King, as rebels and disturbers of the peace, but it was believed this would irritate him, and that he would think he was being mocked, so it is resolved to send them to Duke Casimir or to Strasburg.
	Count 'Dono' [Dohna], sent hither by Duke Casimir as his lieutenant-general, and from whom much is hoped, arrived six days ago [Margin, by Burghley 22 Aug.] and seems to be an honest man, for a German. He assures us he has orders from Duke Casimir to employ all his credit with these people to do whatever we wish.
	He also assures us, on behalf of the Duke, that if this army does not bring about the desired result, he [Casimir] will come himself with a second; but if this one does nothing, in my opinion the other would be long in coming, and not much to be hoped from it. He professes that it is for this object that he remains there, and also to prevent the coming of the levy for the King and the others; to which forces, he assures us, all the princes have determined to refuse and hinder passage through their country. But we know well that it is for his own private interest and anxiety for his domestic affairs, in regard to his nephew. All the benefit to be hoped for from him is that he really will hinder the levies made against us. So far as we can see, we have great cause to be satisfied with Count 'Dono', whom he has sent us, and to hope that he will be a good comrade.
	All here are very resolute, especially the Swiss, from whom we can ask nothing that they do not do more willingly than we demand it, and give courage to all the rest. All they ask is bread and not to go quite naked. The others [the reiters] do not yet speak of demanding anything, as nothing is promised them until the King of Navarre joins us; then one fears that according to their custom they will expect the promises made to them to be kept.
	Since this last enterprise, the Duke of Lorraine seeing that they are resolved to ruin his country, we hear that very sharp words have passed between him and the Duke of Guise, the Duke of Lorraine holding him and his ambition to be the cause of the ruin of himself and his country, and having even sent here to ask some of ours to go to him and offering an agreement as to money and passage. Courcelles and Sarazin (fn. 11) have been sent, but some fear that they will think more of their own private profit than of the general cause, and there have been many discussions as to sending others, but in the end the majority carried it for them.
	Some think that although the King of Navarre has expressly commanded us to halt here, to spoil it and show that it is against this house [of Lorraine, i.e. the Guises] that enmity chiefly exists, he may yet content himself with drawing our means from hence, whereby, if the men we are sending to the Duke look to the public good and are not corrupted, we may gain what will be more profitable than the ruin of the country.
	You shall have frequent news from me by the addresses you have given me, and will not find your liberality ill-employed. If any agreement be made with this Duke, and we turn our faces towards Burgundy, the addresses you have given me will not serve; but I shall find some means of sending to you, and you may trust what I tell you.
	The little journey taken by M. de la Noue, who returned more than a week before I arrived, did great good, and soothed down many things which were in ill odour from partialities and ambitions; but now all is reconciled, and whatever may be in their hearts, nothing appears outwardly save union for the public good.
	The strangers greatly desired M. de Noue to remain with them, and engaged to be as obedient to him as to the greatest prince of Germany. I wish to God he could have done it, but it was not possible, as you know. M. de Bouillon is the most honourable and well-affectioned gentleman in all the world, and the Germans have now a great affection for him.—Blamont, 28 August, 1587, stil neuf.
	Copy by Stafford. Without signature or address. Fr. 2 pp. [France XVII. 113.]
	[No doubt the letter referred to in Stafford's of the 31st.]
Aug. 19.	Stafford to Walsingham.
	This post, John le Roy, going away with the ordinary letters, I can without expence send you the news which came last night from Rome.
	The Pope, against expectation, and also against his last year's bull, that Cardinals should be made but once a year and that in Advent, "upon a sudden, being in the consistory . . . fell a praising of Dr. Allen, and sent for him without declaring what he would do; and as soon as he came, making much of him, took off his minever cap and put it upon his head and said he thought it would become him well; and bid all the rest of the cardinals to salute him as their brother. And the next Tuesday after, with the accustomed solemnities, gave him the hat, which being done, the next day all ambassadors and cardinals came with much applausion to visit him and congratulate with him.
	"I saw letters come from Rome from a very private body in that court, that the chiefest cause was to gain to his sister, some say four hundred but they that say least say amost two hundred thousand crowns of wagers that she had made by interposed persons to be laid of his head, whom nobody would take any thing hand [sic] at the next creation of cardinals.
	"This may be, and like enough, considering his covetous humour, to be part[ly] a cause, but there is further matter in it, for as soon as ever he was created, there was a post presently sent into Spain with great speed, and the Spanish ambassador in his master's name at his congratulation assured [him] that besides the abbey that he gave him the last year in Naples, he would give him further, towards the maintenance of his port, a hun dred and fifty thousand crowns a month; and the Pope thereupon hath assigned him Cardinal Cajetan's palace to dwell in.
	"At this, with his ordinary, which came away within two days after he had received his hat, he hath not failed to write of his honour bestowed upon him, which he prayeth to God may be for the good and advancement of his poor afflicted country, [and] hath written to my lord of Westmorland, which he had not done these two years, to desire that he may hear from him at all opportunities, and to remember with himself what a member of his country he is; and hath written divers others to that effect here, of the which I have seen some, and I can assure you the others contain the like. He hath not written, as I hear, neither to my lord Paget nor Morgan, and I know that they be greatly angry of his sudden cardinalship, and great[ly] offended that Dr. Lewys was not made, who was their patron, which I think be the chief cause of grief, for else, what private grudges soever there be, Pilate and the high priests will agree well enough to crucify Jesus Christ.
	"Considering what may be conjectured of the meaning of the other, the contrariety of this which followeth is able to make any man to stand at a gaze of the disposition of the Pope, for whereas he had oftentimes found fault with the King of Spain's book set out of the pragmatic of titles, and had commanded that they should not be used; being in a great choler in the consistory, sent for the Spanish ambassador; rated him marvellously for the matter, sware that if he heard any more of it, he would do otherwise than he had done with St. Goard, would commit him to prison, and said he should not do so much wrong to the liberty of an ambassador in doing of it, as he should do his own authority wrong in not doing it; that he would presently excommunicate his master for attributing unto himself, in his pragmatic, of [torn] simply which was due but to God only; and 'razed' in such a choler and with such assurance that he would do it, protesting that the King of Spain was no more a Catholic than a dog but for ambition, that all the Cardinals affected to Spain were fain to come to him to entreat him, and could get no other at his hand but that he would defer it till such time as a present dispatch were made to have present answer again; that as he had openly published it, so he would openly call it back and that in the mean time, the book should be called eroneous and heretical, and in the same censure as the books of Luther and Calvin; and they that kept any of them to be in the same predicament. I am sorry that they did not write whether this were in the forenoon or in the afternoon; that we might the better have judged thereby what might be thought of [his] humour at that time.
	"A third thing worth the laughing at: a great officer of this crown, coming to see me yesternight, showed me, in a letter written to him from the ambassador at Rome, that the Pope being pressed to lend some money of his great store he had, he answered that he would touch nothing till he had made it up three millions, and then, and not afore, he would declare what he would do with it; and thereupon some other speeches growing of a very fair sepulchre that he hath made in a very fair chapel, (fn. 12) it was told him that it was a very meritorious thing for him to seek with those means that [he] had gathered together and help of other princes to gather together and to join for the winning again of the true sepulchre. Whereunto he answered that there were a great many princes richer than he; if they would do the like as he doth, it was a thing might be thought on, but when he had done, he did not know anybody at this time in christendom fit to enterprise it; for the King of Spain was ever shut up in the 'Scuriall,' had no more care for the Catholic religion than a dog but for his ambition; a coward that suffered his nose to be held in the Low Countries by a woman, br[av]ed and spoiled at his own nose in Spain by a mariner. The King of France, he took as much pleasure of a king to become a monk, as he of a monk had sought to become a prince; that Frenchmen were at all times known to have heads to take any enterprise in hand, but not brain enough to continue and go through with it. That there was no prince in the world showed any courage but one woman, for whom he would give all [the] treasure he had gathered together that she would become a Catholic; he would make more account of her than of all the rest. Thus his Holiness taketh his pleasure of everybody and spareth nobody, specially in the afternoon.
	"The reiters are arrived in Lorraine, and Ossenville, (fn. 13) that was set in 'Falsbourg' to keep the passage, hath given it over, and they seized of it, and come forward as far as Blamont. Their stay all this while, as I saw written, was for the Duke Cazimyr, who hath sent word he cannot come, and the whole conduction by him sent to M. de Bouillon. I pray God that that be not the cause of no such effect as was looked for."—Paris, 19 August, 1587.
	Postscript. "Since the writing of this, it hath been told me that [the] Pope will have Allen called Cardinal d'Ingleterre but I believe it not; for I have seen his 'signe,' only Cardinal Allen."
	Holograph. Add. Endd. Also, in 17th century hand: "The ceremony of making of Cardinals. Pope of Rome threatens to excommunicate the King of Spain and to deprive an ambassador of his privileges because of a pragmatique set forth in Spain touching titles." 3½ pp. [France XVII. 114.]
Aug. 22.	The Queen to the Senate of Hamburg.
	Has of late by her letters pleaded diligently the cause of the Merchant Adventurers of her realm for the restitution to them of the privileges formerly enjoyed in the city of Hamburg, and has granted to those of the said city and other Hanse towns certain privileges in return, also of old enjoyed by them; but desires them to understand that the restitution to them of the said privileges is entirely conditional, and revocable if they on their parts do not show such favour to the Merchants Advenventurers as is required.—Otelands, 22 August, 1587.
	Copy. Endd. by Laurence Tomson. Latin. ¾ p. [Hamburg and Hanse Towns II. 67.]
Aug. 24.	Buzanval to Walsingham.
	On returning from M. 'Palvezin's' country house I find a packet of letters from Paris at my lodging; a part of the negotiation of Mr. Geoffrey's (fn. 14) nephew, which, in my opinion, will not have been useless. I have some letters for her Majesty and several particulars to communicate to her, but I should like to speak with you first. I send my servant to you to learn if I can have audience on Saturday. I hope to tell you some fine mysteries. I should like to know where I could lodge near the court, if I cannot get through my business in a day.—London, 24 August, 1587.
	Holograph. Add. Endd. Fr. ¾ p. Seal of arms. [France XVII. 115.]
Aug. 31.	Stafford to Walsingham.
	I pray you not to let the King of Navarre's agent [Buzanval] know that I have sent you a letter from one that I have with them in the camp; (fn. 15) "for he is an honest gentleman, and one that I love well; but there is never a one of them all but that is contented that either I or you or anybody else shall know but what pleaseth them," and if they know I have anyone there, they will hunt him out and perhaps 'pourchase' (fn. 16) him.
	"They must be helped, the cause is common, and for some peevish, fine humours in the ministers the masters must not fare the worse, that be sometimes as finely dealt withal by them as other men. I speak it not without cause, for Marsilier, the King of Navarre's secretary, was here and is gone from hence but within these two days, and lay here out of the town and sent to desire to speak with me under a hedge as a particular favour; that he would be seen of nobody, that he was here but for special business of his own by the means of a brother of his that is but 'newe' dead; that he saw nobody, but was fain to return, only was desirous to see me to desire me to favour his master's cause, now in need and at a pinch. Whereupon I writ that letter that I sent to you by M. la Fontaine's son (fn. 17) about the King of Navarre's affairs. . . My good will deserved plainer dealing, for I know he spake with Villeroy at his father's garden, where the orange trees were, and with the King at the Chancellor's [Chiverny's] garden at la Rochette, where he was secretly above two hours with him. What he did with him I cannot yet know perfectly, but it may be I shall; but I hear no great matter, for he went about to sound the King to make him to speak, as I hear, and the King went as cunningly about with him to make him to speak, so that [as] I can as yet hear, there was no great matter done, but that I think he hath assured the King that he shall find the King of Navarre tract[able] and the King hath assured him that if he will offer reason, he will not further his undoers and enemies."
	I pray you keep this to yourself, for I would have nobody hurt by me.
	"They give out here terrible speeches of the Earl of Leicester of Shinkes' sudden death. (fn. 18) I never saw man so hated in my life. I am sorry to hear it, both because he is a public person, and besides, he hath promised to be my good lord and friend at his going away, and I am very glad of it. Trust me, I never saw the like of it."—Paris, last of August, 1587
	Holograph. Add. Endd. 2 pp. [France XVII. 116.]