Appendix: Miscellaneous 1558 | British History Online

Pages 450-456

Calendar of State Papers, Spain, Volume 13, 1554-1558. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1954.

Citation:

Miscellaneous 1558



1558 January	News came that the French, on 6 January, had taken Calais by composition
22 January	The Duke of Alva reached Brussels, by post; and the Legate's affairs began to be examined.
2 February	The blessing of the candles took place at Court. The Legate went to the great church under a canopy which belonged to him, blessed the candles and caused a jubilee to be published for peace.
15 March	His Majesty went to dine at the Red Cloister, where the Legate took leave of him and then left by post for Rome.
6 April	His Majesty went to the Monastery of St. Francis, at Boutendale-lez-Bruxelles, to keep Easter, and on the
12 April	returned to Brussels. At this time Marshal St. Andre, a Frenchman, who was a prisoner on parole at Breda, obtained six weeks' leave by the Duchess of Lorraine's intercession to go to attend to his affairs in France. On his return, he brought a commission in favour of the Constable of France, also a prisoner, and himself, to negotiate peace, if the King were pleased to appoint commissioners for the purpose on his side. At the request of the said Lady of Lorraine, the Constable and Marshal were conducted to Lille whither, a few days later, the King sent the Prince of Orange, the Bishop of Arras and Count Mélito to listen to the French envoys' proposals.
25 May	To sleep at Antwerp, where news were received that the French had laid siege to Thionville. Count Horn was sent to try to enter that place.
6 June	To sleep at Malines.
7 June	At Brussels.
5 June	News came that Thionville had surrendered after having stood a 20 days' siege. The Duke of Savoy left for Namur, to assemble the army.
2 July	The French entered Lower Flanders, arms in hand. They surprised Dunkirk and Bergues St. Winocq, which they burned, and looted the countryside. About a week later Count Egmont, M. de Bugnicourt, Don Luis de Carvajal and some bands of cavalry lay in wait for the French on their return and, when they had crossed Gravelines, charged and utterly defeated them. All (the French) were killed or taken, and Dunkirk and the other places reconquered.
20 July	His Majesty went to sleep at Braine.
21 July	At Mons, where the Duke of Savoy arrived.
21 August	To sleep at Beaulroye (?).
2 August	Dined at camp and slept at Maubeuge.
3 August	Back at Mons.
9 August	To sleep at Lille.
10–11 August	At Lille.
12 August	At Arras, where the Estates were summoned, and met.
20 August	To camp near Doullens, where his Majesty stayed until October 1. Some days there were skirmishes, but without any great feat of arms on either side. And at that time, at Madame de Lorraine's request, she having been solicited by the French, the Prince of Orange, the Bishop of Arras and Count Melito were sent to Lille, whither the Constable of France and Marshal St. André had proceeded, to consider whether there might not be some way of making peace. Secretary l'Aubépine came to camp with a safe-conduct, and there the meeting was to take place.
1 October	His Majesty sent his camp to the other side of Doullens, about two leagues away.
5 October	To within sight of Auxy, where there arrived M. de Bassefontaine, (fn. 1) who was led to the tent of the Duke of Savoy.
5 October	On this same day, the feast of St. Martin, M. de Tende's troop was defeated, and about 24 men-at-arms were taken.
7 October	The camp moved to the other side of Auxy, the light horse remaining at Auxy.
	The commissioners for both parties being at Lille, parleys were begun on September 8. There were several discussions leading to naught. No sooner was one difficulty overcome than several others cropped up, like the hydra's head. It therefore appeared advisable to leave aside the old quarrels, such as his Catholic Majesty's claims on France: the Duchy of Burgundy, the Viscounty of Auxonne, the Maconnais, the Boulonnais, Provence, the Somme territories and several other places; and, on the French side, the Kingdom of Naples, the Duchy of Milan, the overlordship (supiriorité) of Flanders, Artois, Arras, Lille, Douai and Orchies, to regard these as cancelling out, and to concentrate on questions that had arisen during the last 25 years.
	All these differences gave rise to great discussions. The Constable insisted that the parleys should be held in a neutral place, arguing that Lille in Flanders is in the middle of his Catholic Majesty's states, and that it would appear to the world at large that the French had cried his Majesty mercy; also that he, being a prisoner, could not negotiate without exposing himself to the charge of having been prodigal of the King's possessions in order to deliver himself from captivity, wherefore he sought permission for secretary L'Aubépine to come and confer with him, and for himself to write to his King.
	His Catholic Majesty consented. And when 1'Aubépine came, it was agreed to hold the Assembly at the Abbey of Cercamps, on territory belonging to his Catholic Majesty, three leagues from Doullens.
	Moreover, the Constable sought leave to approach his own King, in order to facilitate negotiations, offering security and promising to return at the time appointed, giving the names of hostages who would be good for 500,000 crowns or even one million gold. But the Duke of Savoy chose to prefer the Constable's own word to any other caution; and the Constable was set free as he desired.
15 October	The Duke of Alva, the Prince of Orange, the Bishop of Arras, Count Melito and Secretary Courteville, for his Catholic Majesty, and Count Stroppiana for the Duke of Savoy, arrived at Cercamps, where they found, on the King of France's behalf, the Cardinal of Lorraine, the Constable, Marshal St. Andre, the Bishop of Orleans and Secretary 1'Aubépine, ready to negotiate. Many meetings were held. First, differences between the two Kings were settled: The King of France was to give back Marienbourg, Thionville, Bouillon, Montmédy, Dampvilliers, Yvoir and other places he had occupied; the King of Spain agreeing to hand back St. Quentin, Ham and Le Câtelet, and that a marriage should take place between the Prince of Spain and the King of France's elder daughter, with a suitable dowry and renunciation of claims on the Kingdom of Naples and the Duchy of Milan.
	Next, the Duke of Savoy's affairs were dealt with. He was offered the Lady Margaret, the King of France's sister, with 800,000 crowns (sic) (fn. 2) dowry, the restitution of the whole of Savoy and compensation in Piedmont. This proposal was not speedily accepted. The French then spontaneously offered to give up Mondovi and lands as far as Carignano and Vigone, to be followed in three years by all the rest (of Piedmont).
	Meantime, it was proposed that negotiations should continue.
	The French insisted on keeping six fortresses and the right to demolish them.
	This was refused. They then offered all Piedmont with the exception of twelve places, pending settlement of all claims.
	Finally, it was agreed on our side, as an extreme concession, that the French should keep, for one year only, four of the fortresses they had occupied seven years before, provided they gave up their other claims. The French then asked for Turin, Chivasso, Chieri, Villanova d'Asti, together with some territory and the administration of justice. This was refused, our envoys sticking to it that they should only have four, and for one year only, without reserves; also that instead of Chieri they should take some other place of the old conquest and that in no case should they have Villanova d'Asti.
	Negotiations having reached this pass, the French proposed that, before proceeding further, the assembly should consider the claims put forward by the English envoys, i.e. the Earl of Arundel, the Bishop of Ely and the Dean of Canterbury, (fn. 3) who had come to demand the return of Calais and Guines, the continuation of the pension of 50,000 crowns yearly and the payment of two millions, gold.
	The French opposed these demands (saying that) Calais and Guines had belonged of old to the Kingdom of France and should not now be given back to their chief enemies; also that (claims to) the pensions had been reduced to naught when the English made war on them. The English rejoined that their ancestors had not won Calais by right of war (jure belli), but had acquired a just title to it when it was freely given as ransom for King John of France, who was their prisoner of war, and that the pension was due to them on account of the Duchy of Guyenne, and of Normandy, which the French had occupied; also, that if there were to be peace, neither side could keep what it had occupied jure belli, but everything thus occupied must be given up.
	The French requested that such affairs should be submitted to arbitration and should not delay the conclusion of peace, their desire being to settle everything else before now agreeing to give up Calais.
	As an expedient, it was agreed to report to the Queen of England. Pending her reply, the restitution of Monferrato to the Duke of Mantua was discussed and agreed to. Then came Corsica and Tuscany. After discussion, a report was sent to his Catholic Majesty; but the French were unwilling to settle the Duke of Savoy's affairs before the English questions were disposed of. They feared that his Catholic Majesty would put forward his own affairs and those of his adherents, and that if they had to make war again on this account, the result would be that money would thus be drawn out of their kingdoms.
	At this juncture, (fn. 4) the death of the Queen of England occurred; and no agreement could be reached on these points. It was thought preferable to suspend negotiations for two months ending 25 January, meanwhile agreeing on a place where they should be resumed. The commissioners then parted, on 2 December, and it was decided to reconvene at Câteau-Cambrésis.
	The Constable continuing to sue for liberty, in order that he might take part in these negotiations as a free man, the Duke of Savoy recognised that he was an excellent instrument of peace and agreed, with his Majesty's assent, that he should be set free, as set free he was on payment of a tax (taille) of 200,000 crowns, to be paid at certain dates.
17 October	At Camp.
19 October	At Auxy-le-Château.
20 22 October	At Flers.
23 October	At Adinfer.
24 October	At Boson (?).
25 October	At Ra (?).
26 October	At Arras.
1 November	Tuesday, his Majesty, being at Arras, had certain news, via France, of the death of his father, the Emperor, at the monastery of St. Jerome near Plasencia in the kingdom of Toledo, whither he had withdrawn. His Majesty at once departed, with a small retinue, and spent the night at Douai. He sent Count Linares, his maitre d'hôte/, to Brussels by the post, and a courier to Ghent, where Controller Vandenesse was, sick, as well as another to Lille, where Golden Fleece (fn. 5) then was, ordering them immediately to repair to Brussels, where his Majesty had decided to hold the obsequies and a service for the soul of the Emperor, his father, so that they might take the necessary decisions touching the ceremonies. His Majesty slept at the Abbey of Vicoigne. (fn. 6)
6 November	At Boussu.
7 November	At the Monastery of Good Hope, near Binche.
9 November	At Nivelle.
10 November	At Grünendale, a cloister in the forest of Soignes, where his Majesty remained until all was ready for the obsequies. While he was there, news arrived of the death of the Queen of England, his Majesty's spouse. Her obsequies were celebrated in the Church of Saint Gudule, at Brussels, the Duke of Savoy acting as Chief Mourner in his Majesty's absence. Ambassadors came from several kingdoms, to mourn for the Queen. Also, his Majesty sent envoys to the new Emperor, as well as to the King of Bohemia, his brother-in-law, and the Electors of the Empire, informing them of these piteous news. He also caused all his realms and provinces to be informed, so that all should do their duty, and ring and pray God for the soul of his defunct lord.
10 November	French.
“A note on what is given to each one of the pensioners, and what is owing to them up to the end of last year, 1558”
Marginal Notes (fn. 7)
Your Majesty knows him and his son.	The Earl of Derby, 2,000 crowns of 55., English money, yearly. Two years are owing to him.
This man is a good Christian.	The Earl of Shrewsbury, the same. Two years are owing to him, also.
I have written about him.	The Earl of Pembroke, the same. 18 months are due to him.
Also about him.	The Earl of Arundel, the same.
He is a good servant of your Majesty, and always has been.	The Marquis of Winchester, Treasurer, 1,000 crowns. Six months are due to him.
He is good.	The Earl of Huntingdon, the same. 18 months are owing to him.
He is grateful to your Majesty; and he always follows the fortune of the day.	Admiral Clinton, the same. He has been paid up to the end of last year.
He is dead.	Guarsian, (fn. 8) the same. He had two years owing to him.
He purports to wish to serve your Majesty, and has behaved well in religious affairs.	William Howard, also 1,000 crowns. He has been paid.
He has retired: a good man, a Christian, and a servant of your Majesty.	Henry Jerningham, the same. He has 18 months owing to him
Not in the first rank. He is sensible, and they say he is your Majesty's servant.	William Petre, the same; and the same amount is due to him.
	The Lord Privy Seal has 1,500 crowns yearly. 18 months are owing to him.
As for debts to the dead, your Majesty may do as you please.	There are owing to the heirs of Robert Rochester, deceased, formerly Controller, 900 crowns.
A good man and a Christian.	Lord Montagu, 500 crowns. Two years are owing to him.
The same.	Edward Waldegrave, the same. 18 months are owing to him.
The same. Both these have retired.	Francis Inglefield, the same.
They tell me he is no longer in office. He is a good man and devoted.	Richard Southwell, Master of the Ordnance, the same.
He is a good man; harmless. He is retiring.	Thomas Wharton, 1,300 crowns a year. 18 months are owing to him.
He is retiring. I know him very little.	Secretary John Bourne, the same.
I do not know him.	John Brent, 1,200 crowns a year. He has 18 months owing to him.
This is the man who brought over the sappers.	Edward Randolph, the same.
He is a serviceable man.	James Grof (sic, i.e. Croftes), 400 crowns a year. 18 months owing to him.
This is the man I wrote about. Now he turns out to be a heretic again.	Edward Hastings, Chamberlain, 500 crowns a year. 18 months owing to him.
	Anthony Basset, 550 crowns a year.
	Kemp, the same.
	Williams, (fn. 9) Chamberlain to his Majesty, £100 per annum and £40 more which his Majesty granted him and he has not received.
	Spanish.
	Simancas, E. 811.