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| Aug. [22]. |
Speech of Horatio Palavicino to the French King. |
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After presenting her Majesty's letter and assuring the King of her affection, he proceeds:— |
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The Queen is in great anxiety concerning his Majesty's estate, both from her sincere love to him and because she conceives that from its hurt and ruin would result the greatest prejudice which her own State could receive from without; having no doubt but that those who in these past months have taken arms against his Majesty, and have allied themselves to foreign princes, ancient rivals of her realm, are also enemies to herself, and desire to injure her as soon as they have opportunity and power. |
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Therefore, seeing that his Majesty up to this time has done himself great prejudice, both in the business of arms and the granting of what others call peace, and that those nearest to his person and most indebted to him have not only consented to it but brought it about, her Majesty desires Palavicino to deal with M. d'Epernon, who above all has shown constancy and loyalty to her service, to urge him to perseverance with all the zeal possible. And she exhorts his Majesty to continue to use the service of the said Duke and of those like him, as a subject worthily chosen by himself for the many favours hitherto shown him, and in due time and place to punish or reward the rest, according to their merit. |
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As to the state of affairs, she does not wish to argue with his Majesty whether the pretext of religion put forward by the disturbers of the peace of this realm be true or false, as she thinks that he, who has religion so much at heart, can, as well as any others, distinguish true from false zeal; and moreover, she knows that he is aware of what their life is, and how little their cunning devices accord with true piety and the duty of a good Christian to God, and of a loyal subject to his prince. But she wishes to say that she is very sure their method of proceeding, and the fruit thereof, though it should drive out all the Protestants from France, cannot be pleasing to his Majesty; seeing that by their own will and authority, and intelligence with foreign princes (very dangerous to the crown of France), they have taken in hand this useless enterprise; for it is more clear than the sun, that they who pretend to be the instruments of victory, will, when they obtain it, convert the fruit thereof to their own benefit, and to the perpetual dishonour and prejudice of his Majesty. Which there is no need to prove, because it is perfectly plain . . . and what is here called a peace made with them is styled by all outside France a share given by him to his enemies, by which they are near to becoming masters of the best and most beautiful parts of the kingdom . . ., and are drawing down upon him the greatest and most cruel war there
has ever been in France; intending, upon the ruins of his kingdom and abasing of his name and authority, to build up their own greatness and reputation, as they boast among foreigners. And if it is considered that by these same methods, at the beginning of the civil wars, they made themselves masters of the government of the kingdom, and wrought that the princes should become odious and despised, that they themselves might gain reputation and authority, it will be seen that now they look still further, and have in their minds greater ends, since, being impatient that his Majesty should live and be by God's grace in good health, they cannot put off the revelation of those designs which they have had since the beginning of the troubles; and therefore wish, at his Majesty's expence, to arm themselves, command his armies, and, chiefly by his own forces, ruin those whom they see ready to support the authority of the crown and skilful to oppose their designs. |
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But the Queen, seeing what facility is given them by his Majesty's new edict to execute their intentions. . . in the first place exhorts him to open his eyes and bethink himself well whither he is letting himself be led; that he may draw back while there is time. For if it is seen that the execution of his edict is persisted in . . . it will alienate from him all those whom it touches so sharply, and will give occasion to those others to turn the fruit of the victory to their own benefit and his prejudice. |
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It is therefore apparent. . . that instead of dividing his kingdom, he should unite it; and in place of giving them to others, should himself retain the authority and forces with which he would easily settle the difficulty of the edict. . . and enjoy the fruit of the longed for peace, and the obedience owed him by all his subjects. |
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For which purpose. . . she offers herself and her forces with hearty good will to give him that assistance in all those actions which he may reasonably demand from her, and prays him to let her know his intentions either by one of his gentlemen, to return to England with Palavicino, or by letters under his hand, which the said Palavicino will carry to her, with any further information or commission which it may please his Majesty to commit to his care. |
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Endd. “Copy of Mr. Horatio Palavicino his speech, delivered to the French King; being sent by her Majesty, Aug. 1585.” Italian, in Palavicino's hand. 3 pp. [France XIV. 72 bis.] |
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[Transferred from Aug., 1586. The endorsed year date might be either 1585 or 1586, but in this latter year Palavicino was in Germany. His mission to France was in Aug., 1585.] |
| Sept. |
Notes by Burghley concerning the levying of a thousand pioneers. |
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Their charges will come to 3,000l. for three months. |
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qy. if the States “will abridge so much of their own charges in the finding of their army to pay this.” |
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The 2,000l. ready to be repaid to Mr. Norreys as also the 3,000l. to be paid monthly to him to be paid to the Treasurer. |
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Endd. “September, 1585,” but found with the papers of February, 1585–6.½ p. [Holland III. 116 bis.] |
| [A. D. 1585 or 1586. |
Advertisements out of Spain. |
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There are ready at Lisbon 18 sail of “armados,” and 40 sail of Biscayans either already come or at sea; besides hulks and flyboats. There are there five or six thousand Spaniards, and the common voice is that the Pope is sending 25,000 Italians and four galiasses from Naples, and that 30,000 Tudescos are likewise coming, besides 15,000 old soldiers and gentlemen out of Spain and 7,000 Portingals granted by the Chamber of Lisbon towards this army. Whatever shipping or provision is got ready in any other part of Spain is to come here, “and so his whole power to depart from thence together for England.” The Hamburgh hulks bring great store of corn and other victual, otherwise they would have been in want these two months past. |
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Endd. ½ p. [Newsletters XC. 20 bis.] |
