CP 152, 116

From Waalt

CP Volume 152 Folio 116-7

HMC Volume 1 Page 205 Number 661

Haynes Page 285 Number 271

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

10 April 1560 Lord Mounague and Sir Thomas Chamberlayn to the Lords of the Counsell

From the Original.

PLEASE your good Lordships, the Declaration of our Procedings, and the King's Answer thereuto, for this Tyme to vouchesafe to lett us referr yow unto our Advertisment thereof made unto the Quene's Majestie, because we woolde lose no tyme in dispatching of the same, which we have thought mete to send by Sea with this expresse Messanger, and also within the King's Pacquet, though France, according to the expedition, that, by our Conferrence, we do fynd necessarie to be used. Your Lordships shall thearby synd, we trust, that we haue left nothing undeclared, aunswered replied, or reinforced, that might serve to aduance the Quenis Majestie's Service and good Expectation of us; although we doe not expresse our hole Talk and Conferens aboute the Matter, which were to tedious. We cannot perceyue, but that the King is verie well disposed to take the Honour in compounding of all Things in this Case, and had therin travelid with the Frenche King, before our arryvall, apon the Bisshop of Aquila his Advertisment (as it semethe) which servid to good Purpose: Insomoche that as we doe gather of the Duke of Alua his Communication with us, the Frenche King is alreadie brought to good Purpose, the Conclusion hanging apon theis Poynts: The Frenche King woulde be content to leaue the Quene's Majesty's Title and Stile, using the Armes onelie in the nether Quarter of his Wife's Armes: He woolld remitte and pardon the Scotts of all Things past, and leaue them to their auncyent Liberties and Gouernment with some Perfonage amonge them; and that in Respecte of Alteration of Religyon, whiche he woolle not indure, neyther this King, as we do perceyue, will councell him therto: He also canne be cantent to revoke his extraordynarie Power in Scotland, reserving a small Garison for four holds onlie, that he myndeth to kepe with three or four Ensignes in a Peece. This King thinketh mete to take Advantage of the Tyme, to treate, apon the compounding of this Matter, with all expedition, whilest the Tumults in France doe endure, and for that Purpose sendeth nowe in Poste, one Garcia Lass a Gentleman to the Frenche King, to treate with him, and to advertise the Embassadors of his Majestie in England, who maie from Tyme to Tyme enforme the Quene's Majestie how they spede, that her Highness maye accepte soche Condyssions as, to her and your Lordships of her Councell, shall be though most mete and convenyent. And as your Lordships maie perceyue, this King, for the more spede and wynnyng of tyme, tornethe the Matter towards yow to be handled and concluded, lest, in often sending to and fro hither to hym, the Opportunetie of the Tyme might be loste, and the Frenche Kinge, fynding his Tumults apeaced, woolde stand styffer in the Matter. Thus your Lordships doe se what is to be done; and that for this Matter it is so come to passe as our Abode here, as it semethe, shall be but chargeable to the Quene, and descredit to ourselfe, hauing so litle to doe, as we be like to haue, fyndyng here no Disposition to treate apon Ratyfycation of the Treaties; the Meanynge whereof we cannot understande. The Frenche Kyng, like as he hadde proued to haue borowid of this King his Shipps and Spanyards in Flaunders, as we understand, hathe allso now sent one of his Chamber to the King of Portugall, bothe to craue Passage and Socor for his Gallies by his Realme, and also to borowe some of his Shipps and Carvells, cncl rigged with Takle and Ordynaunce, offering good Assuraunce of Marchaunts foe Restitution of the same. As for other Occurrents of this Courte we have not worthie wrytying. The Frenche doe not let to sowe here slaunderous Brutes, imputing all the Caule of there Tumults unto our Countrye, as Fautors of the Protestant Religion; knowing the same beste to serve their tourne, to enduce this King to harken to the Matter, as the onelie Thing metest to moue hym. As for suche as ar up in Pro we think your Lordships to have hard of. The Pope's Nuncio, here newelie aryved, sawe four or five thousand together, as he came. Two Ambassadors of the Emperors have here verie cortellie vysyted us, acknowledgyng the good Intertaynement receyued by their Master's Mynistres in England. Thus yow doe nowe perceyve what we haue ben able to doe, and to what Purpose the sending of us hathe servid; whiche hathe not ben but for the best, we hope, in the Conclusions of theis Matters. We beseche Allmighty God to affi yow with his Grace, and lende us the same to execute suche farder Charge, as maie please the Quene's Majestie to committ unto us. Written at Toledo the 10th Daie of Aprill 1560. Your Lordshippes to commaunde,

Anthony Mountague. Tho. Chamberlayn.

To the Right Honorable our verie good Lordes and others of the Quene's Majestie's most honorable Pryvye-Councell.