sábado, 13 de octubre de 1554

Edad:
27 años

Simon Renard al Emperador

London,

Sire: Since the King's return to town, on St. Michael's eve, the people of London have ceased to be as insolent as they formerly were, and are beginning to appreciate the King's goodness, the honour done the country by the marriage, the peace and quiet in public affairs and the private profit that have been the results of it. The nobility are now mixing a little with the Spaniards and are greatly impressed by the King's humanity and kindness; so things are much quieter than in the past and will improve yet if these people are treated in the way made necessary by their national character.

There was certainly much trouble at the outset merely because matters were not gone about in the right way, and because of the difficulty of language. Since the Council has been approached on the lodging question, measures have been taken that have made the townspeople less unwilling to let their rooms, and the only point to be settled now is the excessive terms they demand, and a way to deal with that will soon be found. It is true that the heretics are still worrying at the religious question, and were much upset by certain articles published by the Bishop of London, a summary  of which is enclosed.

What gave offence was the use of the word “inquisition”; but grumble as they may, the articles are still being posted up, and they (the heretics) can do nothing while the Lady Elizabeth remains in prison unless they can hit on a chief able to take an initiative: no easy matter, for all the lords and influential men are so jealous of one another that there is no confidence among them. Above all, those who have received pensions from the King are doing such good work in the counties where they have been sent that one hears of nothing but the people's gladness about the marriage, and thus the malcontents are fain to delay putting their plans into execution.

The malcontents, for the time being, found all their hopes on the Earl of Arundel who, as they assert, is the enemy of the Chancellor, the Chamberlain and the Controller. They believe he will bring about a marriage between his son and the Lady Elizabeth and then pronounce openly against the Chancellor; but those who know him well say he has little courage, is unpopular with the nobility, of a peculiar character, haughty and proud, so they take it that he will not dare to come out into the open. And the Chancellor tells me that the Earls of Derby and Huntingdon have assured him that they will stand by him against Arundel.

Then there are the French and Venetian ambassadors, who are always plotting. The Venetian's house is full of spies, English and Italian, among whose names I have heard mentioned Bartolommeo Compagni, Bernardino, whom your Majesty knows, a servant of Palavicini who is seeking after a pension here, one Battista Mario, a Neapolitan, and several others who are all doing their best to make trouble and speaking ill of the Spaniards; but their activities might be brought to an abrupt close by turning them out of the country.

So, Sire, things are going rather better with the help of winter's approach and the fact that there is often dancing at Court where Spaniards and Englishmen are beginning to mingle; and it is a good thing that the King should have decided to keep some English household officials, who will serve him with their Spanish colleagues. It is impossible to believe that God has brought about a marriage between two such exalted princes without meaning the Christian commonwealth to derive great profit therefrom, and your Majesty's states to be given rest from the attacks of your enemies.

If the persistent rumour of the Queen's pregnancy is true, as it seems likely to be, there will be no more quarrels or disputes here and the thorny question of the succession will be disposed of. I was very sorry to hear that it had been said at Court that the King was going to Flanders in a fortnight, for though I do not believe the King means to do so I fear it may come to the ears of the Queen or Council and upset them, as your Majesty understands it would, especially the Catholics, who find in the King's presence an encouragement to stand up against the wicked. I fail to believe your Majesty would approve of the King's departure before Parliament meets and matters are more settled, or before the Christmas holidays. Parliament has been summoned for November 12th, and it will be possible to bring forward a proposal for the King's coronation, though without giving him any right to the succession, and then hold the ceremony in January. A decision may also be reached as to Cardinal Pole's coming. The Earl of Huntingdon and his brothers, the Cardinal's kinsmen, (fn. 9) are already offering to go and conduct him safely hither, and Paget, who is back in town, told me yesterday that if Pole starts by giving a general dispensation to all holders of Church property before attempting to do anything else his mission will be fruitful, but there is no chance of inducing Parliament to discuss individual cases of tenure, and to try to do so would only compromise the whole undertaking. Moreover, if the war continues and your Majesty wishes to use English troops, the King may have as many as he likes, and the Queen and Parliament may be induced to vote a contribution.

The High Treasurer has already said that help ought to be furnished against the French, and it has been decided to have the men-of-war ready for service. All the great lords of the realm will come to Parliament where the King will make their acquaintance, and little by little things will begin to take the shape God has ordained. If the King wishes to go to Flanders towards the month of February, then would be the time to do so with the assent of the Queen and her realm; but if he went too soon and without any urgent reason the result might be so disastrous as to cause the alliance to end in irreparable harm and loss of prestige. Religion would be overturned, the Queen's person in danger, Parliament would not meet, and the way out of the kingdom would prove easier than the way in. French intrigues would bid fair wholly to win over the country with the hope of support; and your Majesty is aware that the Duke of Northumberland, Courtenay and the Lady Elizabeth all cast their eyes that way, and there is no lack of people to make offers.

Everlasting hatred would spring up between England and Spain and both countries sorely suffer thereby. We would be accused of failing to hold what we had and the disaffected would be encouraged. Matters standing in the Christian commonwealth as they do at present, a constant and sound policy is required, and main objects ought not to be allowed to be obscured by the dissatisfaction of certain private individuals who do not find things exactly to their taste, or are uncomfortable, or have not quite as much liberty as they could fancy, or happen to have a grudge against someone. Also, the affection shown by the Queen for your Majesty and the King makes her deserving of great consideration, and so united and loving a couple ought not to be torn asunder. For all these reasons I fail to believe the rumour about the King's departure, and I take it to be my duty to mention the matter to your Majesty, who will decide for the best.

The Bishop of London published his articles without the knowledge of the King, Queen or Council. When asked how he had ventured to do so, he replied that it was a matter pertaining to his own post. He well knew that if he had told the Council about it there would have been opposition, and he had acted out of his zeal for God's service, because in religious matters it was meet to proceed firmly and without fear; and he quoted the Old Testament to demonstrate that God helped those who upheld His laws, observed His commandments and espoused His cause.

The French, hoping to fall on Don Fernando Gonzaga on his way from Calais to Dover, sent out nine men-of-war, but they were too hasty and were seen cruising about there for seven or eight days. When the Queen and Council heard of this, they sent the Admiral to the French ambassador to tell him that they meant the Channel to be neutral waters, as the King of France had agreed, so if any capture were made there it should be considered as a rupture of peace. Besides this, five ships have been fitted out and are to be sent to join those now off Dover, and Wotton has been instructed to make the same statement to the King of France.

I hear that Don Pedro Laso was not satisfied with the reply given to the King and Queen of Bohemia's request, and said that the King would not take it in good part. As I believe your Majesty realises, it is very important that friendly relations be kept up, for serious consequences might attend an estrangement. The very suspicion of something of the sort has done harm enough by prompting the German princes to grow turbulent and intrigue with the French, whose one hope lies in Germany, where they hear the Dukes of Cleves, Wérttemberg, Bavaria and others are leagued together with the King of Bohemia.

It is said that the King of France has tried to fan the flame of ill-feeling by proposing to make peace on the basis of the cession of the Duchy of Milan to the King of Bohemia. Your Majesty will reflect whether at the present juncture it would not be well to let by-gones be by-gones and prepare for the future by dealing gingerly with this situation, remembering that it has arisen between great princes who are relatives and allies, and that if there were to be a breach the Queen of Bohemia would probably be resentful.

I will say no more, for it is hard to speak of the question without being brought to utter a commonplace from which grave consequences must be deduced. If the King of the Romans were to be Emperor and there were not a good understanding, dangerous disputes might crop up in connexion with rights of legitimate succession, and might have to be settled in an unusual manner. It has already been rumoured that when the King of Bohemia married he was promised the succession either to the Low Countries or the Duchy of Milan.

People are saying here that there are quarrels between the Duke of Savoy, Don Fernando Gonzaga, Battista Castaldo and other of your Majesty's captains; and matters have gone so far that representatives of the Duke and Don Fernando have made public the deliberations of councils of war, thereby seeking to accuse one another, take credit for successes and impose blame for reverses. The Savoyard ambassador has produced a writing in answer to what he says he hears Musy, Don Fernando's agent, has been issuing by way of an account of the affair at the mountain near Renty and the councils of war; and when Don Fernando's children came back to this court and met the Duke's ambassador, they openly showed their aversion by turning their backs in order not to salute him. I have been informed that the Duke of Savoy is dissatisfied about the pension claimed by Don Fernando and the troops now said to be quartered on his lands, and that he wishes to go away when the army has been disbanded and he has come here to visit the King. I am speaking of all this in order that your Majesty may know what is being said here, and that the decisions adopted in the Councils of war were the result of discord rather than of unison.

There are certain tidings that the French are collecting all their available ships in Normandy, and our informants say they have some thirty sail there. The reason is not known, but they are said to be sending the Vidame of Chartres to Scotland with a force of troops, or perhaps they wish to be protected against the fleets passing between Spain and Flanders, or intend to fall on the King on his way over, as there has been much talk about his meaning to go. Others believe they merely intend to harry the fishing-fleets, which are unprotected; but in any case they are aiming at creating trouble here, either by means of the English themselves or through Scotland or some other part, for they believe that if they succeed in provoking disorders here a party will pronounce in their favour, as Joverius, a Spaniard just come from Spain, has told me. It has occurred to me that, as they hear Cardinal Pole is coming, they may think they will have an opportunity of backing up the heretics, or at any rate mean to make an attempt.

A fortnight ago the Chancellor preached a public sermon in St. Paul's churchyard, in the Council's presence. He so skilfully explained and expounded the errors of heretics that the sermon was found very good by an audience of over 10,000 persons, as I have been told, and he also spoke most discreetly about the marriage, greatly praising the King and Queen and the results of their union. In spite of his sermon, I am told that he regrets that he has not been given a pension, and he is said to have taken presents from those who have. The High Treasurer tells me he is very remiss in everything to do with administration.

Letters for the summoning of Parliament have been drawn up on the model of those used under Henry VII, in order that good, catholic members may be returned. The people of London have, in a public assembly, chosen four persons who are believed to be prudent and moderate.

The man who used to compose and have printed, in an Imperial town near Brabant, certain slanderous books, has been found out and caught, as I believe the King will have informed your Majesty.

The King has come to a decision as to his English officers, who are to be employed in the same way as the other gentlemen of his household.

The King of France is trying to induce his people to pay a taillon, amounting to a third of the ordinary taille: a tax only imposed in cases of extreme necessity. Attempts have been made to persuade the Constable that Siena might be relieved; but he thinks it too late in the year and too costly.

The frequent meetings of German princes are being freely discussed here, and one Villard told me your Majesty would do well to send capable envoys to the one that is to be held at Frankfort, to find out what is proposed and secretly agreed to by the potentates, for he believes it will not be to your or the King's advantage, but rather an attempt to diminish your authority and encroach on the direction of affairs in Germany. May your Majesty be pleased to note that none of the princes has sent to assure the King of his affectionate devotion.

A friend tells me that the French mean to start another offensive towards Brabant as soon as weather permits next spring and before your Majesty is ready to take the field, and that this is the Constable's plan.

The French ambassador has sent me his secretary to beg me to write to your Majesty for a passport for him, because the King of France is recalling him and sending another in his stead. I replied that it was unnecessary because the Calais Channel was neutral. However, I am writing to ascertain your Majesty's pleasure and suggest that as the Channel is neutral you might grant him one, in exchange for which we might obtain others for servants of the King, such as Portillo, who are being sent to Spain, which would be an advantage. Your Majesty will decide.

I have not written to your Majesty these last days because I have been suffering sorely from the gout. I am sorry, Sire, that my health does not allow me to serve you better.

For the last eight months, Sire, I have received no pay and as I have been obliged to advance money of my own in order that the negotiations I had in hand should not suffer, I beg your Majesty to order my salary to be sent to me; but I am so much embarrassed that I do not know how I shall be able to pay my debts unless your Majesty helps me out with a subsidy (ayuda de costa).

P.S. In Renard's hand: I am enclosing a draft of the speech which it is suggested the Queen might make to the Council about Cardinal Pole's coming, so that if your Majesty thinks he ought to come you may make any changes you may think advisable.

Signed. French.


Fuentes

Vienna Staatsarchiv, E.22.

Printed, with trifling omissions, by Weiss, Documents Inédits, Vol. IV, from a minute at Besançon (C.G.73).

Calendar of State Papers, Spain, Volume 13, 1554-1558

Edited by Royall Tyler.

Published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1954.

 

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