Addenda: Miscellaneous 1585-1586 | British History Online

Pages 719-724

Calendar of State Papers Foreign: Elizabeth, Volume 20, September 1585-May 1586. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1921.

Citation:

This volume has gold page scans.
Access these scans with a gold subscription. Key icon

Miscellaneous 1585–1586



A. D. 1585—6, January ?	Sheet with reproductions of three medals, and endorsed in Joseph Williamson's handwriting “Ectypa of medals made by the Dutch, 1585 &c. Graven upon the impresses [?] I helped Dr. Stubbs to. J. W.” Evidently struck upon the conclusion of the treaty with England.
	1. On one side, a sword, piercing through clouds to the sun. Surrounded by the words “Sermo Dei quo ense ancipi acutior.” On the other side Queen Elizabeth enthroned, two of the States' deputies (apparently) kneeling before her, while a third holds in his hand the treaty. Date, 1586. Motto, “E. R. est altrix esurientium eum.”
	2. Two hands holding up a crowned heart, with the letters P. B., one on each side of it. Below, the words Spes. Surrounding motto, “Cor nobile afflictis opitulatur.” On the other side, “1586. Belgia Hisp: tyrannide oppressa portu subita vi obruta auxil: a Deo et Se: Anglice Reg: expect:”
	3. On one side, in the centre, shield with lion rising from the sea, surrounded by seven smaller shields, with the arms of the United Provinces. Motto, “Autore Deo favente Regina.” On the other side, the same lion rising from the sea, surmounted by a crown. Date, 1586. Motto, “Luctor et emergo.”
	[Holland VI. 80 bis.]
[A. D. 1585—6, Feb.]	Paper headed “Anno 1585 [qy. spring of 1585-6]. A list of the ships of war which at this present time are in the service of those of Holland, both in what places they serve, the number of them, and what the charges of ship-hire, the maintenance of soldiers and victuals for them amounteth unto every month.”
	The lists give captains' names, ordnance, number of men, and cost per month.
	1. “These captains following, with their ships, at the earnest entreaty of Count William of Nassau, were sent in December last to the Ems, to assist the Frise captains keeping watch in that place, knowing themselves too weak at that time to resist the power of the Count of Embden. But all the Admiralty is certified that the Frise captains have forsaken the Ems, and therefore better order shall be taken for the keeping thereof.” List of 6 ships.
	2. Ships to keep the mouth of the Maas and defend the passage from thence to England and France, and to withstand all violence done by the enemy along the coasts of Flanders, to passengers, merchants or sailors, with their ships and merchandises. The Admiralty understanding that the enemies daily make more preparation, “Order shall be taken also to keep this passage by withstanding their power.” List of 5 ships, two of which are said to be “at this time accompanying Ambassador Davison.” (fn. 1)
	3. Ships that keep watch in the narrow waters. These following lie on Brabant side. List of 11 ships.
	4. Ships that keep watch in the Scheldt. List of 4 ships.
	5. Ships lying in the Rhine, Maas, Waal and Yselstroom. List of 7 ships.
	6. Galleys or pinnaces lying at Rotterdam ready to be employed by the Count of Hohenlo and the Admiral. List of 12 ships.
	“And considering the negotiation and sailing upon the Weser and Yselstroom, likewise to Norweeghen, Dansick, Connincxberch, Melumgh, Ryga and other places beyond the Sound, because of the thawing they are aforehand; for assurance and defence of which, yearly two flyboats and a boyer were employed by them of South Holland, which because of the frost and winter have been discharged, but now necessarily must be prepared again.”
	List of the ships of war entertained by those of Zeeland, anno 1586 [n. s.]. Only captains' names given.
	In the fleet, 6; before Philippum, 2; before Fasting, 2; before Blankenberg, 3. With 8 others. Total 21.
	Endd. “A list of the ships of war which were employed in the service of them of Holland in anno 1585.” 6 pp. [Holland VI. 141.] [Found with the papers of August, 1586.]
March 4.	Paulo Citolini to his Illustrious Lady.
	For no reason but that he is a Christian, he is banished from his country, means and friends without hope of return. Does not wish to appeal to her because of her old acquaintance with his father, or his services done to Mr. Cobham when ambassador in Spain and France, but only for the love of Christ, by reason whereof he is made a beggar, and her humanity and piety which he knows has helped so many.
	His want of things without which it is impossible to live force him anew to beg for her aid, and that she will favour him, if occasion offers, with a packet to carry to France and to return as her servant. He suggests this as an easier way of aiding him than by troubling her Majesty, who, when his father died, ordered him ten pounds for life from the Bishopric of Canterbury, whence he had a profit of twenty pounds, but as yet no payment from year to year. He has an invalid wife, and for God's sake has made himself a citizen of this realm, and having no other country, friends or resources, implores her to save him from committing suicide. There is no time to be lost as he is already heavily pressed by a debt, which must be paid by next Easter, or he will be in danger of imprisonment, although it is only fifteen pounds.
	M. Cobham will always testify for him, as their Church will do for his necessity.
	Add. “A sua illustrissima Signora.” Endd. by Walsingham's clerk, “4 March, 1585.” Italian. 1½ pp. [Italy I. 13 bis.]
[Before April.]	Vasco Duart to Stafford.
	Hopes that his last resolution will not be displeasing to his Excellency, which is to go on Wednesday to Rouen and there await his commands and Grimston's arrival. Has not brought the pilot as he had promised, and as his Excellency had many times desired, because he thinks it not fitting that his excellency should write on the matter, but rather that he himself should give an account of it on his arrival in England. Prays him to continue his goodwill, and to send with the English passport another writing under his own hand, stating what his Excellency has promised him, viz., that he shall not be forced to make another journey against his will. But does not mean by this that he would not be very ready to leave all private interests if there were need for the service of the Queen. As he can only carry with him to Rouen the most necessary things, he begs that the goods in the accompanying trunk may be sent him by Grimston, if possible; and, if Grimston should be delayed, that a man may be sent post with the passport, with all possible secrecy. _Undated.
	Add. Endd. Italian. 2 pp. [France XV. 80 bis.]
	[Found with undated papers at the end of 1586.]
April 25./May 5.	Orders of the King of Spain to his Corregidor of the province of Guipuscoa, forbidding all sale of English goods in his dominions. If ships of Frenchmen or other strangers have goods freighted by Englishmen under feigned names, they are to pass free this time, only the English goods being confiscated; but from henceforth shall forfeit all their goods and be liable to further punishment. All English goods in possession of his subjects to be sent to places thirty leagues from the sea coast on pain of forfeiture. Learning that English goods are conveyed to and from San Juan de Luz by way of “Beobia” (fn. 2) [qy. Bilbao] contrary to his commands, he is writing to Garcia de Arze, his captain general there, to prevent the same and to punish the offenders, and desires the Corregidor to have the like care.—Aranjuez, 5 May, 1586. Signed Yo el rey, and countersigned Francisco de Ydiaquez.
	Copy. Endd. Spanish. 1⅓ pp. [Spain II. 64.]
	Also, Three English translations of the above, differing in wording, but each endorsed, “Restraint of colouring English goods in the province of Guipuscoa.” [Ibid. II. 65–67.]
	[These documents are clearly dated, but had got displaced in the bundle of papers.]
[May.]	Memorial of the French Huguenots to the Elector Of Saxony.
	On the dispatch of M. de la Verriere, in hope of retarding the effect of the good will of the Duke of Saxony and other German Princes drawn away from the Papal obedience, by making him understand the King's disposition to a peace-in order to gain time and ruin the affairs of the King of Navarre and the party of the Religion in France, those honest men who have remained there without, being discovered have sent the following advertisement, praying him not to allow himself to be abused by the artifices of the League:—
	First, that when the troubles stirred up by the Guises and other Leaguers were pacified by the negotiations of the Queen Mother, the first article granted was that the King should sign the General League and ratify that with the Pope, Emperor, King of Spain &c.
	That he sent the Bishop of Paris to swear this League to the Pope, in return for which he was granted 100,000 crowns of ecclesiastical rents, to be employed in the ruin of those they called heretics, beginning with the King of Navarre, Prince of Condé, as appears by the edicts carried out by the armies commanded by the Leaguers, and by the fulminations and excommunications against the King of Navarre and Prince of Condé, at the instance of the King.
	And to show that the King continues in the same mind, one must consider his way of life, his superstitions, the men whom he favours, and the counsel which he takes of those who have conspired the ruin of the Religion and of the Princes of the Blood, most of these counsellors being pensioners of the King of Spain or ecclesiastics sworn to the Pope. Further, the King's close intelligence with the King of Spain, the Prince of Parma, the Emperor and the Papist Princes of Germany, as also with the Catholic cantons, the Duke of Savoy and other princes linked with the King of Spain, who, having no ambassador now in England, does his business there by his ambassador in France.
	Likewise, the King's diligence and costs in furnishing and promoting the armies of the League, as that of the Duc du Maine, composed of 20,000 footmen and horsemen, French, Swiss and reiters, with great store of artillery, munition of war and pioneers, and so much money that there still remains a great sum in the said Duke's hands; as well as the army of the Marshal de Matignon, the King's lieutenant in Guienne, composed of 4,000 arquibusiers, 2,000 Swiss and 600 French horsemen, with 17 cannons. Then in Languedoc, the army of the Marshal de Joyeuse, 4,000 foot, 600 horse, including the forces of the Seneshal of Toulouse; in Dauphiny, that of M. de la Valette, with 10,000 French footmen and 1,000 or 12,000 horse, including the forces of the Lyonnais and Dauphiny; against all which forces God has so blessed the arms of the King of Navarre and those of the Religion that for eight months they have done nothing of importance.
	To further show the intentions of the King, he has a month ago sent out two new armies, one under the Marshal de Biron into Poitou, and the other under Marshal d'Aumont into Auvergne, who, seeing that they cannot crush the King of Navarre and his party, are spoiling the country in order to gain by famine the towns which they have not been able to take by force; which truly will reduce many towns to extremity. Hoping meanwhile to amuse the English Queen, the Princes of Germany and the Protestant cantons by colour of a peace and to disguise their intentions, of which the Queen Mother and M. de Guise give the King good hope, by the example of the pretences of the massacres; a thing which must be avoided if we are not to see the total ruin of the King of Navarre and the said towns.
	If it is not made known to the King and his negotiators that their schemes are discovered, and that they [the Princes] will never allow themselves to be deceived, the King (who by his nature lets himself be moved only by force or necessity) will not honestly agree to a peace.
	He has mocked at the embassies of the Queen of England and King of Denmark, his mother and M. de Guise persuading him that the King of Navarre has not been able to obtain in the past, and has no hope of obtaining in the future, any other succour from the Protestant Princes than their simple intercessions.
	Since the departure of these ambassadors, he has again sworn to the ecclesiastics that he will suffer no religion but his own in his kingdom; receiving the sacrament of the altar in confirmation of his promise; to which he has added an oath to have the Council of Trent published and executed throughout his kingdom.
	And for further confirmation, seeing that the Catholic Princes of the Blood, as Messieurs de Montpensier, Prince de Conti and Comte de Soissons would not sign the League, they begin to go against them by arms, having already desired to imprison one of them and compel the others.
	And in general, they do not forget to execute in all points what has been decreed by the League, both by force in France and by cunning outside the realm.
	Endd. “Advis de l'intention du roy en la depêche du Sieur de la Verriere, et la reponse sur icelle.” Fr. 5½ pp. [France XV. 151.]
	Entry Book of the Earl Of Leicester.
	At the end of this Entry Book (S.P. For. Archives XC.), which begins in Nov., 1586, are copies of a few documents of an earlier date, viz.:
A. D. 1585.	1. A long letter from Ste. Aldegonde to Meetkirke, containing a discourse on the state of the Low Countries (p. 285).
A. D. 1585.	2. Copies of some of the official documents in relation to the completion of the Treaty with England, and the appointment of the Earl to the government of the Low Countries; all of which are to be found elsewhere (p. 307 et seq.).