VI. "There remaineth, that the queen should take in hand a CHAP. "secret war, by strengthening duke Casimire in such sort, "as he may be able secretly in her name to make head Anno 1577. "against the king and his brother, as long as he shall be "here: and to send him over into France, if need should "require, to divert the course of the enterprises. For it "will be more profitable and necessary, that in case this "state be driven to change masters, they should rather "choose a new one, than by yielding themselves unto "France, to make the same so strong, that they may be "able to bridle their neighbours. 66 "For which purpose it were requisite her majesty did not only secretly strengthen the said duke Casimire with "the 2000 corselets already required, but also with as many more at her own charges. To the end, that having "armed him to withstand all enterprises against her, he "may do her some worthy service in these troublesome ❝ times. And upon this so apt occasion, as if her majesty "do not make her benefit of it now, she is not like to have "the like again." This advice, as it seems, took effect. treasurer's Titus, B. 2. For of this intelligence, as well as other occurrences of The lord the Low Countries, the secretary Walsingham informed the thoughts lord treasurer, now at Buxton Well, being retired thither thereof. for his health. And in August he gave the earl of Sussex this short account: viz. That the said secretary had advertised him of the occurrences in the Low Countries: the issue whereof he much feared. Both for that don John had secretly foreseen his power to pursue his attempts; and that he knew the weakness of the States to withstand him long, by reason of their divisions, by lack of conductors. Yet, as he added, that seeing he seemed to mean ill, he hoped God would weaken his power, and infatuate his Italian or Spanish practices. And so thanked God for these diversions of our deserved troubles: reckoning, that these heats abroad would divert the disturbances that threatened this land by those foreign enemies of our welfare. These apprehensions, and the spite of our neighbours The lord (however secret and close) against us, stirred up that grave letter of keeper's the queen ture. 66 BOOK counsellor, sir Nicolas Bacon, lord keeper, to write a large and II. earnest letter to her majesty, Nov. 20; and being one of the Anno 1577. last manifestations of his wisdom, dying just about a quarcounsel to ter of a year after, viz. 20th of Feb. 1578, must needs be in this pre- acceptable; therein giving his sage counsel to the queen in sent junc- this juncture. Being to this purport; "That, that which, 476" if time and her affairs would have suffered, he meant to "have done by present speech, he was driven by absence to "do by letter: not doubting nevertheless, that though his pen "and speech were not present, yet by her majesty's great "wisdom, considered together with the advice of her grave "and wise counsellors, all things should be sufficiently foreseen and provided for. And he trusted, she would take "his writing (though not needful) in good part, &c. Where"in he shewed her three great enemies, France, Spain, and "Rome, mighty and potent princes. And her danger sought by them very great. The fear whereof was so great in "him, that he could not be quiet in himself without re"membering her of the same: and that it was better for "him to offend by fearing too much, than by hoping too "much. That as these three great enemies had three easy 66 ways and means to annoy her; so she had three ready re"medies to withstand them, if taken in time. The means "that France had, was by Scotland; Spain by the Low "Countries; Rome by his musters here in England. Now "the helps, according to his understanding, were these. To "withstand France, who had his way by Scotland, was to "assure Scotland to England: a thing that was not hard "to do. The remedy for the better framing of the Low "Countries was, that her majesty should send some man of "credit, both to confer with the prince of Orange, and to "understand what was thought there to be the best re"medies to defend them, and to meet with all dangers that "might grow that way. 66 "The remedy to be had here in England against Rome, was her majesty's good countenance and credit to her good subjects, that were enemies to the usurped authority "of Rome; and earnest, severe handling of the contrary VI. party. And that it was high time so to do; because of CHAP. "late times they were grown in their numbers. And be"sides these remedies, that Casimire might be prepared Anno 1577. "and ready against all chances." The whole letter, whereof this is but a short and defective account, may be read in the Appendix. Numb. VII. As for Spain, whose king was one of the formidablest of The king of Spain's lack the queen's back-friends, sir John Smith, who was now re- of treasure. turned home from his embassy there, brought this intelligence, that that king, notwithstanding all his mighty treasure, was in want. Which was no unwelcome news to this as well as other countries: as tending to weaken all his ambitious projects. Which news the lord treasurer communicated to the earl of Shrewsbury in a letter dated in August, "That sir John Smith, now come from Spain, reported, "that the king there had great lack of treasure, whatsoever "had been said to the contrary. I wish he had plenty of "treasure," added this lord, So we were sure he had plenty of good-will towards us:" meaning how little of that he had for the queen and kingdom. 66 conveying away the queen She was also at this time alarmed by reports brought of Reports of secret endeavours from France and the Low Countries, to convey away the Scottish queen this summer: nay, and Scotch that she was escaped and gone. The earl of Shrewsbury, alarms the who had the keeping of her, had brought her of late to his court. house at Chatsworth. Where he received a letter, writ in the month of September, from the lord treasurer, that gave him notice of these rumours, and of the apprehensions the queen was in, arising hereupon. And withal gave him advice (though, as he added, he little doubted thereof) to be 477 more watchful, however careful and diligent he had hitherto been; and that the queen herself intended to give him warning of this danger. The substance of which letter, giving account of the particulars of the flying talk at court, was as follows: "That at his coming to court he found such alarms by "news directly written from France, and from the Low II. surer warns BOOK "Countries, of the queen of Scots escape, either already "made, or very shortly to be attempted. But that he surely Anno 1577.6 knowing his lordship's circumspection in keeping of her, "and leaving all things in that country about him very "quiet, and free from such dangers, he was bold to make "small account of the news, although her majesty and the "council were therewith perplexed. And that although "time did try these enough, for any thing already done, to Lord trea- " be false, yet the noise thereof, (as the lord treasurer prothe earl of "ceeded,) and the doubt her majesty hath of secret, hidden Shrewsbury" practices, to be wrought rather by corruption of some of Epist. Sa- yours [viz. the earl's servants] whom you shall trust, lop. in Off. than by open force, moved her majesty to warn your "lordship, as she said she would write to your lordship, "that you continue, or rather increase your vigilancy, if it "might be; that you be not circumvented herein." And then adding his thoughts, "That as he had carried his "charge [the Scottish queen] to Chatsworth, so he thought "that a very meet house for good preservation thereof; "having no town of resort, where any ambushes of re"ceators [receivers] might lie. of it. Armor. 66 66 "That in his opinion, surely, although he knew many "were desirous that his charge should be at liberty, yet he "himself knew no reasonable cause to move him to think, "that she should aventure herself to be conveyed away by stealth, both for the sundry dangers that might light upon her; but especially, for that being at liberty, if her "friends should attempt any thing by force for her against "this realm, she might provoke the queen's majesty, and "the states of the realm, to work matters to bar her of that "interest which she supposed she had. "But yet, my good lord, as he concluded, even for the preservation of the honour which you have gotten by so "circumspect looking to her, in all this long time of prac"tice, I know you will be as watchful to prevent all at"tempts, as others will be to assail your charge. Thus your lordship seeth how curious I am. All which pro"ceedeth of good-will to your lordship and to your honour." 66 VI. Thus he wrote from the court at Deptford, my lord ad- CHAP. miral's house, the 7th of September, 1577. Subscribing. himself, "Your lordship's most assured, "W. Burghley." Anno 1577. Irish nobi Now to look over to the queen's kingdom of Ireland. The cesse rigorously Many persons of quality there were burdened with an ex- exacted, cess of the tax, called the cesse, laid upon them. Which provoke the made disturbance in that country; and the lord deputy, sir lity. They Henry Sydney, or some of his officers, seemed to have too come over to complain. great hand therein. Insomuch that some lords came over to make complaint. This payment was an exaction of victuals at a certain rate or price, for the maintenance of the lord deputy's household, and the garrison soldiers. The rigorous 478 demanding whereof in some countries, and some that were more civilized, as in Leinster, made divers of the Irish lords refuse to pay it; as the viscount Baltinglass, and some Camd. Eliz. barons and others of the nobility and gentry; and clamoured P. 219. much against this usage of them: and asserting, that it was not to be demanded but by authority of parliament. However, by the judges of that kingdom, it appeared to be an ancient privilege of the crown, and a royal prerogative. The lords that came over to make their complaint were heard by their counsel, but committed to prison, as endeavouring to abridge the queen of her ancient rights in that kingdom. But yet she was displeased with the rigorous demand of the cesse; and liked not that her officers there should rather be wolves than shepherds; and commanded the lord deputy to use a moderation herein. mination council. Now by a letter of the lord treasurer to the earl of Shrews-The modebury, we have some further light let into this affair. The rate deterlords that were thus grieved had sent over one Skurlock thereof by and two others, to make their complaints. But upon this the queen's the lord deputy shewed his anger against these lords and others by some severe proceedings against them. This dealing of the lord deputy's came before the queen and council, being heard fully, and gravely considered: as the said lord |