CP 152, 50

CP Volume 152 Folio 50

HMC Volume 1 Page 182 Number 619

Haynes Page 245 Number 226

Transcribed by Samuel Haynes in “A Collection of State Papers . . . 1542 to 1570” London, 1740 16 Feb 1559 Sir Edward Carne to the Queen's Majesty

From the Original.

PLEASETH it your most Excellent Majestie to be advertised, that, sithins my Letters of the 11th of this, addressed to your Highnes by the Post of Veniss, I have nothinge to write of any great Importance; but for becauss nowe goeth a Post with Diligence to the Courte of Flaunders, I thought good to sende Theffecte of all that I sent by Thordinarie of Flaunders the 9th of this, and by the Post of Veniss the 11th of this, whiche ys as followeth; That the French heere can obteyne nothinge at his Holines Hands ageinst your Majestie; and that his Holines hathe suche respecte to your Majestie and to your Realmes, that he will attempte nothinge, ageinst you or your Realmes, unles Thoccasion be geaven furst Therhence, as I am crediblie informed. One of the Cardinalls, that is greatest with his Holines, shewed me, that he and other, that be cheif with his Holines, doe mynde to move his Holines to sende his Nuncio to your Majestie thether, but that they staye, till your Majestie dothe sende hether furst to his Holines; wherof I thought good to advertiss your Majestie of; and that his Holines contynueth sending awey his Kinsfolks berehence: Some of his Necis were left owt of the Decree of Banisshment of his Kinsfolks; his Holines perceavinge that, made a newe Decree for them, and wold none of them here, but to departe owt Hande; and so all they of his Kinsfolks, that were great here, Men and Women, be gonne herehence; and will heere no Man to intreate for them. From France Thadviss be here, that came late, that ther is a sure hope of the Peace, and that Kinge Philippe will marie with the Frenche King's Doughter; and yet, as I am informed by an Ambassador of Kinge Phillipe's, that liethe here for the Erection of certeine Bisshopriks in Flanders and Brabant, Kinge Phillipe hathe an Armye redie both of Horssmen and Footemen, and hathe taken up four thousand Horssmen of blacke Harneis, called Swartrowters; and that the French King dothe prepare an Armye lykewyse: The Cause is, that bothe will be in a Redines, in all Eventes, as they saye here. And that the saing ys in the Court here, That his Holines dothe wexe verey weake and cannot sleepe, as he was accustomed to doe. The Spaniards here be the gladdest Men in the Worlde, upon Advertissments that they had of late, trustinge that your Majestie will marie with Kinge Philippe; which is liked farre better here, then the French King's Doughter for him. Sithins whiche my said Letters, ther hathe bene no other Alteration here, but that yesterday was kept a Consistorie here, wherin was nothing done, but that the Bisshopprik of Brescia was geaven to the Potestate of Brescia, at the Venecians Desire; wherby Signeur Prioly, that was there with my late Lord Cardinall, is clene excluded from the Right that he pretended to hit, who had an Access unto hit, as they saye. Also his Holines had made a Bulle ageinst all those Cardinalls that be inquired upon of Heresie, in the Holy Inquisition, that they shuld be deprived of their Voices active and passive in the Election of any Pope; that is, that they shuld nother geave any Voice for any other, nother be hable themselfs to be chosen: Whiche Bulle was readde in the Consistorie, and the Pope did subscribe hit, as they saye; but the Deane of the College, who shuld next subscribe, wolld not, for becauss, he said, the honestest Man of all might have an Enymye that might geave wrong Information ageinst him, and therby be brought to be inquired upon, and yet not Faultie; and therfore unless any Cardinall were convicted or condempned, he thought hit not reasonable, that he shuld be deprived of his Right in that behaulf: And upon this Opynion, passed all the Cardinalls present, and so the Bulle could not pass. And yf ther be any other Occurrants betwixt this and Saturdaye, I shall advertis by my Letters then, as I doe everie Week; and as occasion serveth, from Tyme to Tyme besides. And thus I beseche Almightie God to conserve your most Excellent Majestie in longe and most prosperouss Lyfe. From Rome the 16th of February, 1559. Your Majesties most humble and obedient Subjecte,

Edward Carne.

To the Quene's most Excellent Majesty.