8. Earl of Bedford.

9. Earl of Leicester, master of the horse.

10. Lord of Hunsdon.

11. Sir Francis Knolles, treasurer of the household. 12. Sir James Crofte, comptroller of the household. 13. Sir Christopher Hatton, vice-chamberlain.

14. Sir Henry Sidney, kt. of the order, lord president, &c. 15. Sir Francis Walsingham, and

16. Mr. Thomas Wylson, esq. principal secretaries.

17. Sir Raufe Sadler, chancellor of the duchy.

18. Sir Walter Mildmay, chancellor of the exchequer.

CHAP.
XIX.

Anno 1579.

The French king's brother departs. The queen's concern thereat. The French ambassador and prince of Condé in private communication with the queen, about assisting of the king of Navar. What it was, the queen tells the lord treasurer. His thoughts of Conde's message. The queen's message by Randolph to Scotland, in favour of earl Morton, and for removing D'Aubigny from the king. Her notable declaration to those states assembled, by Randolph. Ill counsellors about the king: their names and characters. That nation's ingratitude to the queen. Some account of earl Morton. D'Aubigny professes himself a protestant. The lord president of the north, his letter concerning these Scotch matters. A popish rebellion, and invasion in Ireland..

was not before this year, 1580, that monsieur departed Anno 1580. home out of England, re infecta, to the nation's great satis- Duke d'Anjou departs faction. He took shipping for Flanders; and minded to out of England at Flushing; where the Estates were to meet him. land. Thence intending for Antwerp. Whither he went to assist those of the Low Countries against the Spaniard. He was very honourably attended with many of the nobility: and there went over with him the earl of Leicester, the lord Hunsdon, the lord Charles Howard, the lord Thomas How

II.

BOOK ard, the lord Windsor, lord Sheffield, lord Willoughby, and a number of young gentlemen beside. As soon as he came Anno 1580. to Antwerp, all of the English nation returned back. And upon report of a great scarcity both of victuals and all things else in Flanders at this time, the earl of Leicester carried over with him fifty beeves and five hundred muttons, for the provision, during their being there.

sorrowful.

The parting The departure was mournful between her highness and monsieur: she loath to let him go, and he as troubled to depart; and promised to return in March. But how his causes in the Low Countries would permit him was uncertain. He took shipping at Sandwich. But in the way betwixt Canterbury and Sandwich, a French gentleman, called La Fine, lost a portmanteau, full of jewels, esteemed in value to be 6000 crowns: which caused the gentleman to stay in England, in hopes to hear some good tidings of them. The lord Howard went away the night before, to see the ships in readiness. And being aboard, in the night-time, by the forgetfulness of a bow, the ship was set on fire in the gun-room. And before it was espied, it had almost got to the powder. By great chance, a man of that lord's laid himself flat in the flame, and tumbled in it: and so stayed the fire from the powder, till water came; otherwise it had blown up the ship, 619 and all that were aboard. That party was scorched, both face and hands; and his girdle burnt. It was one of the greatest ships.

The queen accompa

All this was the news at court, sent to the earl of Shrewsnies him to bury by his son, Francis Talbot. As also that the queen Canterbury.herself accompanied monsieur as far as Canterbury. And that she was minded to go to Greenwich or St. James's; though Greenwich was not now altogether free of the plague. At her return she meant to lodge at no place in which she had lodged as she went, [to prevent, as it seems, the reviving the thoughts of monsieur.] Neither would she come at Whitehall; because the place should not give cause of remembrance of him to her, with whom she so unwillingly parted. Where we cannot but observe, that such was her majesty's presence of mind, and care of her subjects' wel

fare, that she subdued her private affection for the public CHAP. good.

XX.

The French

why.

I add a private accident happening to the French am- Anno 1580. bassador this summer, in June 1580, who riding abroad to ambassador take the air, in his return came through Smithfield: where stopt: and at the bars he was stayed by those officers that sat there, to cut swords; by reason his rapier was longer than the late statute made for the length of such weapons, (for which the queen issued out a strict proclamation the last year;) which put the ambassador into a great fury, drawing his rapier. In the mean season the lord Henry Seimour came in; and so stayed the matter. The queen hearing of it was greatly offended with the officers; but imputing it to their want of judgment, that matter passed off.

and he have

of Condé at

This ambassador did earnestly ply his grand business this The queen summer. And being at Nonsuch, in the month of June, communiprivate communication was held between them for some cation at hours; present only Leicester and Hatton, the lord treasurer coming thither that evening. The prince of Condé The prince was now also there: who came to solicit the queen's assistance in behalf of the king of Navar, his brother, and the protestants in France. So that she had two very weighty matters this summer upon her hand: wherein the matter of religion was interwoven, as well as the safety of herself and her kingdoms.

court.

this com

was, shewn

lord Sussex.

Concerning the particular state and management of these what the affairs, the lord treasurer gave account to the earl of Sussex subject of in a private letter at Nonsuch, whither he was newly come munication from Theobald's. "That repairing towards the privy-by the lord "chamber to have seen her majesty, he found the door at Burghley to "the upper end of the presence-chamber shut. And then "understood that the French ambassador had been a long "time with her majesty; and the prince of Condé also. "That that evening the ambassador acquainted him [the "lord treasurer] with a part of their proceedings; being "pleased with her majesty for her temperate dealings. "That he found Condé's disposition rather inclined to move "troubles in France than peace. And that he thought

II.

BOOK "verily, that those troubles and that prince's coming was encouraged from England. And that it augmented this Anno 1580." his suspicion, that he saw such great favours shewed to "that prince by certain of the council: who had been with "him at the banqueting-house, where he was lodged."

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He added; "That the queen late at night told him her "dealing with them both: commending the prince's modesty in declaring the cause of his coming to be, to shew "her the just causes that had moved the king of Navar "to take arms for his defence against Montmorancy and "Byron; and shewing many particular causes. Which 620" the ambassador endeavoured to retort to the king of "Navar. Then entering into the particulars of the war "between the two kings, he at length concluded, that he "came to entreat her majesty to obtain, that the French king would suspend his judgment both against the king "of Navar and him; and to accept them as his dutiful subjects, as they meant and intended sincerely and plainly; without attempting any force, otherwise than their "defence against their oppressors.

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66

66

"That the prince went to his lodging with the earl of "Leicester; and Wylkes, clerk of the council, attended "him. That he perceived, by her majesty, that the just "cause of his coming was for money: to be repaid her;

66

part by the said king, part by himself, Casimire and cer"tain princes protestant: and a part that she herself would "bear." The treasurer gave his judgment in this manner: “That he wished her majesty might spend some portion to "solicit for them some peace, to the good of the cause of "religion. But to enter into war, and therewith to break "the marriage, [which was still in hand,] and so to be left "alone, as subject to the burden of such wars, he thought "no good counsellor could allow." These are some passages of this letter, writ by this great statesman concerning the address of two such eminent persons to the queen, and her account thereof from her own mouth to him: with other court news; and that from one privy-counsellor to No. XXV. another. It deserves a place in the Appendix.

XX.

What the queen's wisdom directed her to do, with re- CHAP. spect to the solicitation of the prince of Condé and the king of Navar, concerning assisting them in a war with the Anno 1580. French king, will appear by a letter which secretary Wyl-writes to

66

The queen

son at this time wrote to the abovesaid earl of Sussex, the French king in fa"Touching the prince of Condé, he is to be sent back as your of "he came, without hope of aid. And this day, or to- Condé. morrow, he is to be despatched to go into Germany, "from whence he came, to duke Casimire. Her majesty "hath written to the French king in his favour; and will "use all that a Christian prince may do, to accord things "amiss, and to bring him to the king's favour again." But the king of Navar stood upon his defence against marshal Byron and Montmorancy, and would not make any offensive war.

Speeches were raised now, that the prince of Orange was Report of the prince arrived at Dover. And reports were also given out, that of Orange the king of Navar was in Guernsey. Such applications and king of were made in these times by foreign princes of the religion coming. to the queen. But these reports proved not true.

Navar's

matters re

lating to

comes to

from

Now something concerning Scotland, as far as England Scotch was concerned. To which a practice of the French there gave a great jealousy. One of that nation, but of Scottish England. D'Aubigny blood, D'Aubigny, was come lately into Scotland, and became very dear to the young king; and the rather, being Scotland of kin to him, being a Stuart. He performed his part so France. well, that in effect he governed him, and had a great influence in all public affairs. But he was reckoned a papist, and in the interest of France. And it was feared he would procure for the king a wife of the popish religion: and at length bring in popery by that means into that land, and overthrow the religion. The queen therefore found it highly necessary to put a stop to the proceedings of this French favourite. And by a declaration very freely delivered by Randolph, her ambassador, before the king 621 and states assembled at Edinburgh, February 27, plainly opened this matter, and the danger thereof: shewing at the entrance, how well she had deserved both of the king and