BOOK" the more bound unto his lordship therein; and would to II. "their power be as thankful unto his lordship, as in anyAnno 1576."wise they might."

The queen's progress.

The countess of

Shrewsbury

at court.

Lord Tal

bot's letter thereof to the earl. Offic. Ar

mor.

The court news now, in the beginning of July, was concerning the queen's progress this summer; which was yet scarcely resolved upon. Her majesty's determination thereof was uncertain, as Mr. Francis Talbot wrote to the earl of Shrewsbury from court, in his letter dated July 11, till the day before it was appointed to Grafton, and so to Ashley, my lord of Huntingdon's house, there to have remained one and twenty days. But that present day it was altered. And she would no farther than Grafton this year. And so the court being dispersed, he having not to do such things there, as otherwise his lordship [his father] had commanded him, he intended to go presently to Wiltshire; where his wife was with my lord her brother. And after some small time of abode there, he would wait on his lordship.

Some days before, his other son, Gilbert, gave his father an account concerning a message he had commanded him to do to the earl of Leicester, the great favourite at court; whom therefore he laboured by all means to keep his friend; lest any misrepresentation might be made of him at court, about that weighty charge committed to his trust and fidelity. The countess of Shrewsbury was lately at court to wait upon the queen whose carriage was so graceful, discreet, wise, and obliging, that her majesty, and the whole court, was much taken with her. She was the earl's second wife, and was the daughter of Hardwich, of Hardwich of Derbyshire, esq. lately married to her: by whom he had great wealth. These matters were thus represented by letter to the earl, by his son Gilbert then at court.

"I have had some talk with my lord of Leicester since my coming: whom I find most assuredly well affected-to"wards your lordship and yours. I never knew man in my life more joyful for their friends than he, at my lady's "noble and wise government of herself, at her late being 472" here: saying, that he heartily thanked God for so good a friend and kinsman as your lordship and that you

are matched with so noble and good a wife. I saw the CHAP. queen's majesty yesterday in the garden; but for that

V.

"she was talking with my lord Hunsdon, she spake no- Anno 1576. thing to me; but looked very earnestly on me," &c.

66

66

talk about

Some few days after, his other son, the lord Francis, The queen's shewed, "That upon his coming to court, as soon as her her. majesty saw him in the privy closet, she asked him how "his lordship and my lady did. To whom he answered, "that he had in charge to do both their humble duties to "her. And that his lordship and my lady were in best "estate, when they heard first the prosperous health of her "majesty. And she said, she was most assured thereof: " and told him, that neither of their loves was lost unto "her. For that she requited it with the like again; with "other good words to that effect. But because the time "would not then serve, she had, he added, no further talk "or question with him." The queen began her progress, July the 30th, towards Havering.

CHAP. VI.

Matters of the Low Countries. The queen's safety concerned therein; especially the French king's brother entering into action for them. The apprehensions of the lord trea surer. The lord keeper's letter of counsel to the queen in this juncture. Reports from abroad concerning the Scottish queen's escape. Advice of it sent to the earl of Shrewsbury from the court. A matter in Ireland about the cess; comes before the queen and council. The rigorous exaction complained of: regulated.

year

473

try matters

As the queen had the last sent her ambassadors to the Anno 1577. Low Countries, to find out means, if possible, for the quiet Low Counof that people; so now there appeared but little amends of affecting the hard usage and rigorous oppression exercised by king this kingPhilip's government. Which could not but awake the queen and her ministers, and warn them of their own danger from

dom.

BOOK that usurping, ambitious prince, so near them, and likewise from France.

II.

Anno 1577.

with the

prince of Orange to yield in religion.

And in order to their better success, they thought it adEndeavours visable to labour to bring over the prince of Orange, the chief defender of those poor people, to quit the reformed religion. Dr. Wylson, the queen's ambassador now at Brussels, sent this intelligence thence concerning that prince: "That he was sought unto by all means to yield in religion. And that one Dr. Longolius, alias Leoninus, of Lo"vain, was a principal instrument from don John to work "it. Wherein if any appearance were of yielding, the "prince should have what he would. Yea, that don John "offered him a blank, and would come to him in person to "S. Gertrudenburgh; with further promise, that his son "should be sent out of Spain; and by order taken should "succeed his father in all his government whatsoever." And therefore the said ambassador advised (in his said letter) the lord treasurer Burghley, (to whom that letter was wrote,) that he wished he [that prince] were cherished, so far as conveniently might be. Whereof he doubted not his lordship would ever have good consideration. And one reason, no doubt, was to keep Spain, that enemy of England, at a distance.

Foreign

matters

reaching

dom.

About this time, or not long after, in the month of May, there was a Discourse sent out of the Low Countries unto secretary Walsingham, dated May 4. And so it is endorsed by that secretary's own hand: which therefore is of the more weight. It will give a sight of these foreign matters, as reaching unto this kingdom, and the welfare of it: coming, this king- as it seems, from one of that secretary's secret correspondents. Advising, how monsieur, the French king's brother, was going with an army thither, pretending to assist that people, and to work them deliverance, by driving don John out of the country; but how jealous they might justly be of him; and that the issue of his success there would be no 474 more, than to subject them to France, and so to render that kingdom more formidable to its neighbours. So that the queen was concerned to look about her, and to use all the

VI.

means she could to discourage this enterprise: and rather CHAP. to assist duke Casimire, that was coming thither with his forces: and secretly to enter into a war, to prevent the Anno 1577. States falling either into the hands of France, or further to

be oppressed by Spain. The discourse is as followeth :

66

sent to Wal

They are about to play such a tragedy in this country, Intelligence "touching matters of the state and religion, as if her ma-singham. "jesty do not bear therein such a part as she ought, she is Titus, B. 2. "like out of hand to see that she would not.

"The duke of Alanson prepareth great forces in France; "which will be in a readiness before midsummer. He doth "openly confess, that he doth nothing without his brother's "will and consent: without the which, men of judgment "had never any great hope of him. Hereby the end of his "departure from the king is known. And indeed it could "no longer be hidden from those that are acquainted with "Bussi's voyage to Paris, and his conference had with the "duke of Guise, the Spanish ambassador, and such like.

"His demands of the States are very small, and in effect "of no weight. He promiseth to drive don John out of the "country at his own cost and charges. After which time, "if they do resolve to change their lord, he prayeth to be preferred before any other.

66

"He giveth it out, that he will give an example or pat

"tern in these countries of the manner how he meaneth to carry himself in two enterprises which he intendeth against "two kingdoms, which he nameth to be Naples and Sicily. "But it is feared the kingdoms he meaneth are nearer unto "France. He must needs shoot at one of these two marks. "The first, and which is most feared, under colour of assist"ing the States, to oppress them: which is gathered by "three sound reasons. First, by his former dealings to"wards those of the religion. Secondly, by the interest "that the crown of France hath in the example of the dis "solving or reforming of this state. And thirdly, by the "amity and sincere intelligence which the king his brother " and he have with the Spaniard; having lately procured a "truce between the Turk and him, for the better further

p. 472.

II.

66

BOOK "ance of his affairs in these parts. By this first mark the tyranny of the Spaniards shall be established in these Anno 1577. ❝ countries, to their prejudice, that know the inconveni"ences likely to follow of the same; and that have opposed "themselves thereunto.

"The other mark is, to be pricked forward with desire "of greatness, by joining these countries, or a great part of "the same, to the crown of France; which in outward shew "he seemeth to pretend: and being come with great forces, "and having great intelligence in the said country, to lay Duke Casi-"wait for duke Casimire's person, to despatch him out of "the way; the better afterwards to deal with these of the reપ ligion, who have none else whereto to trust unto in Ger66 many, but him. And finally, that having possessed him"self of the countries, France may be able on every side to "overtop England, whilst they do practise new troubles in "Scotland.

mire.

475

Having these two strings to his bow, he doth so earn"estly press the States here in his negotiation; as whether "it be to their liking or disliking, he is fully resolved to come. The poor men, having the wolf, as the common saying is, by the ears, cannot resolve, whether it should be "less hurtful and dangerous for them to have open enmity "by refusing him, or to have him in continual jealousy, by "accepting him to them.

"To meet with these two inconveniences, the queen is to "use two remedies. The one is, the war earnestly followed. "The other is, to procure a peace. But that would hinder "greatly her majesty's affairs. For that by such means the "Spaniard should be put again in authority, if not as great "as heretofore, yet likely to come to it by the only accident "of the prince of Orange's death, if he should happen to "die. Besides, her majesty should greatly discourage such "as are devoted to her here, by procuring unto them a "very hurtful and dangerous peace. And further, there is "small likelihood here of acceptation of peace, the change ❝of the lord, or alteration of the state, being intended, if "not already resolved on.