CP 152, 113

From Waalt

CP Volume 152 Folio 113-5

HMC Volume 1 Page 203 Number 659

Haynes Page 281 Number 266-267

Transcribed by Samuel Haynes in “A Collection of State Papers . . . 1542 to 1570” London, 1740

1560 Answer to the Declaration of Monsieur de Glasion, the Spanish Ambassador

From a Minute of Secretary Cecill.

FIRST, lyke as the King Catholique, notwithstanding the dyvers Complaynts made to hym by the French, was pleased of mere good Will towards the Queen's Majesty, not only to excuse her Preparations, but also to allowe the same: So hir Majesty thynketh suerly that if he had also hard hir Embassadors, before the sending awey his Mynd and Instructions to Monsieur de Glasion, he wold have not only allowed hir Preparations, but wold also have sent hir Advise, not to indure the Dannger that hir Realme stode in by the French Procedings in Scotland. And therfore, consideryng hir Majestie is suerly advertised, that hir Embassadors wer arryved at Toledo the -- of March last, and suerly thought, that they had declared hir Majesty's Greeffs to hir said good Brother, and had also imparted to hym the Danngeroose State of hir Realme, if the Frenche shuld procede in Scotland according to there Determinations, hir Majesty thynketh undowtedly, that she shall very shortly here, ether by hir Embassadors, or els by some furder Letters and Instructions to be wrytten to Monsieur de Glasion, or to the Bishop of Aquila, from hir good Brother, some furder Determynation and Advise, that shall more tend to the Suerty of the Realme, than this now presently dothe. For so hir Majesty and all hir Counsell is suerly perswaded, that the King Catholique will never motion any Matter by waye of Advise, but such as shall appeare, to tend to the Suerty of this Realme, and not to the Danger and Ruyne, as of Necessite, if the French Governance in Scotland shuld not be tempered according to the juste Liberty of that Realme, but shuld with Force and Men of Warr subdue that Nation, and conquere that Realme. And where Monsieur de Glasion semeth to reuire, as of his owne self, that the Quene's Majesty shuld revoke hir Army for forty or fifty Dayes, to the End he might advertise his Master how he syndeth things in an other state than he looked for: The Quene's Majesty dowteth not, but, when he shalbe well informed how things have proceeded from the Begyning, and how long hir Majesty hath indured danger, how lothe she hathe bene to be constrayned, of mere Necessity for savergard of hir Realme, thus to doo, that she hath done, he will then thynke it over dangeroose for hir Majesty to revoke hir Army, as the Case standeth; but will rather use his Office, that a Treaty may be had, and Communication for an accord of those things, which hath bene the very just Occasion to move hir Majesty to send in hir Army. And to make such an accord hir Majesty ismost willing, and therin will be content to take Advise of Monsieur de Glasion and the King Catholiques Embassador, so as they will be content to be informed of the Procedings of hir Majesty and the Causes thereof. And therefore hir Majesty requireth both Thembassadors to suspend there Judgments in this behalf, if hir Majesty thynk it not convenient to revoke hir Army, untill they may be informed of the whole Matter, and the just and reasonable Causes why hir Majesty maye not now, without evident Daunger to hir Realme, revoke the same.

A Breeff Information to Monsieur de Glasion, to the Quene's Majesty's Proceedings from the Begyning FIRST, when it was understand the last Yere, sone after the Peace made, that the French Kyng was dyuerse Wayes provoked, by the Duke of Guise, and the Cardynall, and his Sistar, the Quene Dowager in Scotland, to intitle there Nece the Quene of Scottes to the Crowne of England; and that at length the Matter was so obteyned, that by many manner of Wayes it appered well to the World, what there Purose was, both in France, in Scotland; yea contynually so advertised out of all Courtes, and covetly also signifyed to the Quene's Majesty from the King Catholique, both by the Conte de Feria, dy Jhon de Ayalu, and by the Bishop of Aquila: Hir Majesty thought to cover hir Understanding hereof, and trusted that the Howse of Guise shuld not so prevaile, for there owne particular Ambition, as to cause the French Kyng to enter into oppen Warr for the same. Yet nevertheles when the Practise increased, and that the Dolphyn and his Wiffe revealed to the World this intent, by taking the Armes of England, and after a despitefull Manner hong them upp in June last, in all oppen Pleces of Tryumphees in Parriss, yea uppon the Stage, where the Judges sat to judge, uppon the Tornaye there, and the Harrolds also of the Dolphyn proceding his Band of Horssmen wer newly arrayed therewith: Hir Majesty then began to looke more about hir; and yet thought not to make any oppen Quarrel, but caused hir Embasssador to complayne thereof, as of his owne Mynd, to the Constable, who although he made hym self ignorant thereof, because he sayd, that the Messiers de Guise entermedled in those kind of Matters, and that the Marriadge was made whilest he was Prisoner in Flan, yet he willed the Embassador to forbeare any furder Compaynt, for he wold speke to them of Guise in it, and it shuld be remedyd. Hereuppon the Kyng dyed, and then the Administration of the Affayres cam to the Hands of the Cardynall, and his Brother; wheruppon followed dayly more manifestation of there Purpoose. For beside the universall changing of the Scottish Quene's Armes in hir Clothes of Estate, in hir Hangyngs, hir Plate and Vessell, hir Chappell, hir Wrytings, hir Seales, hir Stiles, yea, hir own manifest Allegations of hir Right, hir evill Words of the Quene's Majestie of England, ageynst hir Right, they began to make dyvers Preparations to the Sea, Rigging there Shippes, amassing all along the Sea Costs of Pickardy and Normandy grete Quantitie of all manner of Vittayles, setting in order at Callise and other Ports, a grete Quentite of Artillery, specially of Brass Peces, as Cannons and such lyke; then also began they to send and practise secretly in Almayn for Bands of Horssmen and Footemen. All these Thyngs they collored under the Pretence of subduing of a fewe of the Nobilite and Gentilmen of Scotland, whom the Quene there sought to have put to deth for certen Quarrells which she pretended ageynst them, for Matters of Relligion; having before licensed the same to use the Freedom of there Conscience (which was onely in the last Lent before) to receave the Sacrament under both kynds. And in this matter it is very notorioose, how the Conquest of that Realme was dyverse wayes sought, as uppon that Matter there is so much to be sayd, as is to grete shame for the French Ministers there, to have there Practices disclosed; but that Matter is to be best herd betwixt the Frn Kyng's Ministers, and the Subjects of the Land. When these thyngs had thus proceded two or three Months to gither, fynding every Daye to discloose more than an other, then dyd the Quene's Majesty, uppon many Deliberations had with hir Counsell, fynding this Matter very dangeroofe, and lykely to breake owt with spede, (specially as soon, as they might convey there Powers of Men of Warr, there Victells, Munition and Artillary into Scotland) thynk it most necessary to cause hir Shipps to be revewed, and put in some Order, and to send for such Armure and Munition, as she had bought in the Lowe Contrey; and furder also to Muster her Realme, and so to begynne some Maner of Preparations. Thus being passed June, July, August, and September, and fynding that grete Quantitie of Victells, Munition and Artillary was carryed in this tyme into Scotland, and the Nombers of Men carryed also thither; and now being brought into greate Dowte what the French fyness might be, to pretend a Tumult in Scotland; or at the least, though some disorder wer ther, the same being but a Discord, for the Manner of Governance, and for breakyng the Pacts with Scotland, they might soddenly Accord all those Quarrells amongest themselves, and so ioyne both there Force and make a sodden Invasion uppon England, and surprise Berwyk for this Purpoose: It was thought necessary to augment the Garrison of Barwyk, and to survey the Weaknes and Lacks thereof; and in November following to make a Preparation of all Thyngs mete, both for to furnish Barwyk, and other Forts there, and to send the same by Seas. Ther followed also Intelligence had our of France, what grete Nomber of Shipps wer prepared to conduct Men into Scotland, and how La Bross and the Bishop of Amyens wer also passed thyther with certain Nombers; and the Marques d'elboeuff and Martigues shuld also, with all sped possible, passe with a grete Army into Scotland: Wheruppon there was no Wey thought more convenient to prevent and withstand this so dangeroofe a Matter, than to augment the Navy that shuld goo into the North, and to make the same hable to withstand any Enterprise to be doone by the sayd-