BL MSS Cotton Galba c. i, 28

From Waalt

BL MSS Cotton Galba c. i, 28

Wright Vol 1, 1. Page 1

Transcribed and notes by Thomas Wright, ‘Queen Elizabeth and her times,’ London, 1838

Lord Cobham and Dr. Wotton to the Queen (1) Dec. 13, 1558 (Abridged)

FIRST, cominge to Arras the first of December, the Bishopp of Ely and Deane of Canterburie, being att Corcams, but departing because the assemblie there was dissolved, uppon our letters they meeting us at Arras the next daie, we delivered your letters and received advertisement of that which passed att Corcams.(2) The morrow we departed with the Deane of Canterbury to Bruxelles, coming thither the 7 December. The King wrott to the Bishopp of Arras (3) to bring us to him to Gravendall, a monasterie in a forrest two leagues from Bruxelles. There after your majestie's comendations don, I delivered your letters, which perceivinge to be of creditt, he willed me to declare yt; which don, the Bishopp, informed by the King, declared his grief for the death of your sister and his wief, and he commended her affection and virtue to hym. After he expressed his comfort in that your Highnes was peaceablie come by just succession to the crowne, wishinge you long raigne, in honor and prosperitie; and for continuance of amitie made betwixt your fathers, he is most gladd to see you so well minded, and doth imbrace it willinglie. Here the Deane of Canterburie delivered that this confederacie was noe new thing, and not don for comoditie onelie, but necessitie against theire common enemy, who encreased his limitts against his neighbour by falsehood and forces, in spoilinge his auncestors of the duchy of Burgundye, and your auncestors of Guienne, and since the common enemy is herebie now more strong, yt behoveth that betweene your majesties the straight amitie be more trulie observed. To this the King said, that yt was true, and by oppression the common enemy made stronger ; and the necessitie of this league the King hath acknowledged by his speeches and letters during the assemblie at Corcams, as Mr. Deane knoweth. Then I declared that you had in furtherance of the peace renewed the commissions and instructions to the Earle of Arundell, the Bishopp of Elie, and the Deane of Canterburye, determined (4) by your sester's death, hopinge that as in her tyme, withoute her privitie, you wold conclude nothinge, soe you will contynue towards the Queene now, concluding nothing without the restitution of Callis. To this he semed glad for renewing the commissions, but for the rest, because he had not spoke with the Duke of Alva, (5) and Ruy Gomez, (6) his commissioners, he could not answer. Sir Richard Shelly is sent with this letter, being able by reason of his abode here to enforme your Highnes of the humour and states of thinges here.

Your Highnes humble and most bounden subjects,

W. COBHAM. N. WOTTON.

(1) Mary, with no other object than that of pleasing Philip of Spain, her husband, had, in 1557, joined him in a war against France, in which war England lost Calais and all footing in that country. At the time of Elizabeth's accession, the Earl of Arundel, Thirlby, bishop of Ely, and Dr. Nicholas Wotton, Dean of Canterbury, were with the Spanish King in the Netherlands, commissioned to negotiate a peace. Wotton was an able arid apparently an honest statesman, and was one of the thirteen of Mary's counsellors who were retained by Elizabeth at her coming to the throne. Immediately after her accession, William Brooke, Lord Cobham, was deputed to announce to the Spaniards the Queen's accession, and to acquaint them that she had added to the commission for negotiating a peace, William, Lord Howard of Effingham. This letter is an early abridgment of their first dispatch. King Philip had many reasons for not showing at first any dislike to the new Queen, and as yet he knew nothing of her intentions. His unqualified acknowledgment of her right to the throne is curious. The peace was concluded at Cateau Cambresis on the 2nd of April, 1559. This letter is referred to in Lord Burgley's Diary " Dec. 13. L. Cobham and D. Wootton send Mr. Richard Shelly with the letters to the Queen's Majesty."

(2) Before Mary's death, the first Congress for negotiating a peace was held at the Abbey of Cercamps, on the borders of Picardy, from which it was moved afterward to Cateau Cambresis.

(3) This was Cardinal Granvelle, son of Chancellor Granvelle, one of the most trusty ministers of Charles V.

(4) i. e. ended.

(5) Ferdinand de Toledo, Duke of Alva, infamous in history as the oppressor of the Netherlands, was one of the greatest of the ministers of Philip II. " He was, says Watson, in his Life of this King, " arrogant, vain, and proud ; violent, inflexible, and relentless ; but patient, prudent, and sagacious ; inured from his youth to arms, and possessed of consummate skill in the art of war."

(6) Ruy Gomez de Silva, Prince of Eboli, was the chief favourite and confidant of the King and the rival of the Duke of Alva.