Elizabeth I: Letter (to Sir Thomas Edmondes) & Letter (to Sir Robert Cecil) (1 542 words)

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1

CXLVIII.


2

3By the Queene.
4Elizabeth R.

5
6    Trusty and welbeloved, wee greet you well, wee haue seen yr. l~re,
7to our Secratary, and th'enclosed from the Master of Gray, wch bringeth
8to vs, at one instant, two stange wonders, first that he is resuscited,
9whome we held by this tyme intombed, Secondly, that (being all this
10while vnburied), he could passe ouer so many yeares in silence. But
11seing wee do find, that his retired affection towards vs, returnes to his
12former place of confidence, you may do well, to assure him hereby,
13that whatsoever he shall do, for our seruice, in any thing, shalbe
14performed to those, who~ he knowes well, to haue ever resolved of this
15position, Si ingratam dixeris, omnia dixeris . For the other parte of his

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16motion, that wee would write some l~re to his frend, for whome he
17vndertaketh, it is a Course, that wee haue never vsed to any, but such,
18whose meritt hath first purchased trust and favour, Lett him therefore
19know this, that as wee do thanck, both him, and th'other, (whosoever
20he be), for his good disposition, so when any effect shall followe of
21his honest purposes, our requytall, (in what is fytt for a Prince), shall
22not be long behinde. Some other things we haue imparted to our
23Secretary, wherein you may beleeue him;

24From our Palace of Westminster, the 4th of Decembr: 1598.

25

26Endorsed Mr Edmunds 4th December 1598
27ffrom her matie.
28
29To our trusty and welbeloued
30servant, Thomas Edmunds,
31our Agent wth the French
32kinge.

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33

CLIII.


34Elizabeth R.

35
36    Trusty and welbeloued, Wee receaued by the french Embassadour,
37not many daies past, a kind and carefull advertisement and advise from
38our good Brother the french king; wherein he hath lett vs know, what
39he hath heard, of great preparations, by sea, in Spayne; and wished vs
40carefully to stopp, the transportation of warlick provisions; affirming

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41to haue geuen the lyke caution, to those of Holland, by his Agent there.
42An Ouverture very wellcom to vs, because it confirmed his constant
43frendship, to whome wee had Leaft no good office vnperformed; and
44assured vs further (howsoeuer the courss and revolution of humane
45things, haue altered the face of his affaires) that he can not but Judge,
46That our prejudice, may, in consequence, proue his danger. When
47wee further replied, that wee ded heare, of diuers Ships in france, wch
48were destined to Spayne, wch wee, could not, wthout great Inconvenience,
49lett pass; he ded assure vs, that he would write to the king: and wthin
50few dayes after, ded acquaint vs, that the king his Master would haue
51an honorable care, at this tyme, and had sent into france to discover
52in what Ports, these preparations were. But now of late, when he
53pursued a Remonstrance, concerning the trafficq; he handled two
54principall poincts wth our Counsaill, the one, To haue Justice for things
55past, The other, To haue an Order established, for prevention of lyke
56supposed spoiles in future. How properly these ded fall into the
57Center of our desires (as being both essentiall parts of all kingly
58gouuernement; the one, for administration of Justice the other, to
59conserve and augment Liberties and fortunes of our subiects, wch
60draweth their loue and obedience) may appeare if we be rightly
61reported, and censured. For seing Princes by Institution must vse
62the Judgements of subaltern Ministers, in distribution of gouuernement;
63wee ded immediately enjoine all those to whome such aucthority and
64execution belongeth, to receaue wthout delay, all Cahiers of complaints;
65and to bethinke, how wee might speedily reforme all past disorders,
66that should fall out to be proved, and how wee might settle a course of
67quiet commerce hereafter. Herein what hath followed, shall appeare by
68this Memoriall, whereof wee haue geuen his Embassr a double, to wch
69wee referre you, as being the substance of diuers Consultations, between
70the Embassr and our Counsaill, and other personnes of quality and
71vnderstanding, appointed to attend and assist them, in matters incident
72to questions of this Nature; wherein although it shall appeare, by
73the aunswer in writing, that wee insist vpon nothing, but that, wch
74the Law of Nations, and former Treaties between Princes, may
75warrant; yet wee command you, to tell him plainely, that wee could
76never haue expected (at this tyme when wee are so full of trouble and
77expectations of danger to our state) wee should haue ben by him
78denyed any such matter (though it were more vnproffitable to his

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79subiects) considering how many of ours, wee haue sacrificed for his
80sake; and how little wee haue weighed Vtilety, when there hath ben
81question of his safety. This do wee command you, to deliure vnto him,
82not as vpbraiding our former helps, or as sorry for their effects in his
83fortune; but as a Prince that is sensible of the strang proposition of his
84Embassadr wch wee can not devise how to match wth his first Introductions
85into this cause: for as wee haue for settling of Justice agreed of
86the forme of Tryalls, by accomodating ourselfes, in any course, that
87may not make a Renverse of all our formes of Justice, wee must needs
88say this, That now that he is informed, that an Army is making, and that
89it is evident, that a particuler portion of Corne is expected from Nantes,
90to furnish that expedition into Ireland, If he should yeald no further, then
91ordinary rules would tye him, although we had not plainely shewed the
92contrary to his Embassadr as wee haue don, yet wee must surely conclude,
93that we are requited wth vneven measure and must leaue it to himself, if
94his case were ours, what he would think, when in such an instant of
95preparations, our best frends releeue our adverse party in their necessities.
96For the other poinct concerning the prohibition intended
97against our Cloath, and stayed vpon yr remonstrance (for so his
98Embassadr confesseth) we can not but well interprete his owne particuler
99proceeding, having vnderstood, that it was rather carryed on so
100farr by his ministers, then resolued by his direction. But yet wee must
101say plainely, That it appeareth strange vnto vs, when wee were able to
102shew it, that since the comming to our Crowne, it was never denyed vs
103by any of his predecessors; and that in tyme of Charles the ixth a direct
104Treaty was concluded for it in 1572; his Embassadr should make this
105replication, That in the former kings tymes, it was but a Tolleration;
106and that when that Treaty was made, it was never fully executed. This
107seemeth to vs surely a very hard proceeding, when if other kings had
108suffred it, betweene whome there had passed often breaches; wee might
109not haue ben secure of him, betweene whome and vs, had passed so
110straight obligations; or now that it is knowen, that by a Treaty, it
111was accorded, that it should be sought to be altered, because the
112execution was interrupted when it is well knowen, that the Massacre of
113France following, and so dayely troubles arrising, it was not our default,
114that it was not in all circumstances executed. This injurious Cours,
115we can never imagine to proceede from ye king our brother, but from
116some other omissions of his Ministers; for what could more haue foretould

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117the world of alteration of kindnes (if you had not remembered it,
118and the king suspended it) then so apert a declaration of hard measure to
119our people? Thus farr and wth this rondeur haue wee proceeded wth a
120desire to cleare all manner of scruples, wch might weacken ether the
121reputation, or essence of our perfect frendship; wch wee were desirous to
122intimate to himself, from whome wee promise our self, all such effects, as
123are agreeable to Princely Judgement and Moderation, both being vertues
124properly annexed to the ranks, wch Princes hold vnder God, whome he
125hath chosen, to rectify the errors and partialities of Inferiors, howsoeuer
126wee may be pressed dayly wth Importunities, to wch vulgar spiritts are
127subiect. You shall in the end assure him, that as wee may not condemne
128our Subiects, onely because they are accused, so whosoeuer can
129be convicted, shall duely paye the price of his cryme. Wee haue commanded
130our secretary, to acquaint you, what hath passed between the
131french Ambassadr and him, in whome wee find more acrimony, then wee
132expected, especially in this, wherein he sheweth merely a spiritt of
133Choller and pride, when he gaue the first cause himself, obserue what
134impressions he seeketh to worke there, and obviate them, according
135to yr discretion, and acquaint vs by yr letter to our Secretary of all
136particulars, and take notice from vs hereby, that as well by yr letters,
137as other testimonies geuen vs by our Secretary of yr diligence that wee
138do very gratiously accept yr honest and faithfull endevoirs. Returne
139thanks from vs to the Duke of Buillon, to whome wee would haue
140written thanks for his kind Letter, but that a Flux in our Eye hindered
141vs, from writing to the french king, to haue prepared his minde not to
142mistake, vpon an vntrue reporte, the good will of our Tablettes, who
143hath euer ben ready to do him good offices.

144At our Palace of Westminster, this 20th day of Januar. 1598 of our
145Raigne the 41th