Elizabeth, Vol. III, No. 58. (Translation. The parts in italics have been deciphered.)[1754]
[The cardinall of Lor: and duke of Guise to the Quene douag:][1755]
[April 29]
Madame This bearar hath made verie good diligence to bring us yor lettres wherof we wer verie gladde, for that by the same we understoode yor newes, and the rathr, for that we had receyvid none from yow, sins the comminge of Protestant the courrone. Sins which tyme the Quene of England hath ever kept us in allarme to begynne the warre and to shew by all her dealinges that she had sent to be doinge and sturringe the coles. We beleeve she hath forgotten nothinge, wherby she might thinke to draw anye fruict of her evell disposicion: yf she had fownde thinges in cace to go through wth her businesse. Neverthelesse shee hath gyven us the fairest wordes of the world. Wherunto the Frenche King hath not so muche trustyd but that he hathe advertisid the king of Spaine of all that she hath doon who having well considered the mater, hath made answer that there is no cause why to disalow his entent specially to go through wth the maters on that side, and that to chastise the Rebelles he will gyve the King, as manye vessells, men, and vitailes, as he will, and so hath writen to the said queene, who knowing that she can hope for nothing of that, that she maketh a rekening of, begynnithe to use othr languaige, and causythe her ambassadr to saye that that she hath done hath ben for none othr cause, but for the jalousye she hath of her Realme, and fearinge to be sodaynly taken unwares. So that it seemithe, that she repentethe to have gon so farre furth in the mater. And we beleeve that before theese lettres come to yor handes, yow shall have well perceyved, that her intentes ar waxed verye colde. And yf that which she hathe caused to be said by her Ambassador be true, yow shall have understand all the hole storie, by a man whome the Sr de Sevre the kinges ambassadr in Englande, hathe sent unto yow. Neverthelesse we have thought good to sende yow backe againe this said bearar, by the waye of Flandres to advertise yow, that we thinke that your Rebelles wilbe farre from their rekeninge, yf they make their accompte of the said Ladyes protection. Or elles there is much dissimulation.
And yet the King knowing after what sorte he must trust Englishemen, leavithe not of, to prepare xxiiij great ships to thintent (yf neede requyre, and that it do appeere, that the sayd Ladye doth contynue her evell disposicion) to gyue ordre wth the same and othr forces wch he keepith in a readinesse, to souccour yow in such sorte, as he shall have the reason that he requyrethe, of thone and thothr.
Yn the meane tyme he hathe sent the busshoppe of Valence, counsellor in the Kes pryvie counsell, towardes the Queene, to understande plainely her meaninge, and in cace that the same be good, then to come to yow wth good and large memorialles, to assaye to appease thinges on that side and to fynde the meanes to wynne tyme.
The thing (Madame,) that greevithe us most, is, that the meanes is hindred and stopped, to souccor yow wth money as ofte and as readily as we wold be glad to do, and as yow have neede of it. Which we durst not aventure, nor also or brother Monsr le Marquis for the evident danger that might happen. But yt cannot be longe before we see some waye open, and yow maye be sure (Madame) that we will not lose one quarter of an houre.
Now (Madame) we must wth yow, lament the Evell, that the mater of religion maye bring into a Realme, which hath so gone to worke on this side, that wthin these xij or xv dayes, there is discouvered a conspiracy, made to kill us bothe, and then to take the King, and gyve him masters and gouvernours to instruct and bring him up in this wretched doctryne. For which pourpose there shuld assemble a great nombre of personnes heerabowtes who ar not wthout the comforte and favour of some great ones. And betwixt the sixth and xvth of this monethe, they shuld execute the same. So that wthout the healpe of God and thintelligences wch we have had from all partes of christendome, and also of some of the conspiratours, that have disclosed it, the matter had taken effect. But God hath provyded heerin for us. The mater being discouvered, and manye beinge prissoners, we hope that the same shall be bowlted out, and so the danger avoyded. Wherof, and how the same shall breake out, yow shalbe more particularly advertised heerafter, specially if the waye be freer, then hitherto it hath ben. Yn the meane tyme yow shall receyve (if yt please yow) our humble commendacions prayeng God &c. Montignac is presently arryved upon the depeche, wherupon ordre shall be taken out of hande.
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