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The discourse in answer to the former of these is printed

(but with some variation) in the History of the Reforma- ^'^i. ii. Ap-

. , . , 1 , • , 1 -1 • • P<^"d. p. 82.
tion, which endeth with the reasons against the conjunction;

but this is thus continued in the manuscript I make use of:

" A third opinion upon this, Whether it were best to im-

" part to the Emperor by the ambassador, that the King's

'' Majesty meaneth not to neglect the Emperor's estate, but

" will herein, for the help and defence of the Low Coun-

" tries, do that he may.
" And likewise to cause Mr. Chamberlain [ambassador in

" the Low Countries] practise, that the Imperials may re-

" quire and provoke him to make this motion ; forasmuch

" as they have already begun die like talk with him : and

" in the mean season^ to permit indirectly our merchants to

" reprize upon the French, and to hear the French com-

" missioners.
" To proceed in the mean time, both for money, and

" hkewise the fortifying and guarding of the frontiers, with

" such other things fit for to enter the war withal.
" Move the Emperor indirectly, that where the French

" King induceth the Turk, it might be considered by his

" Majesty, and other princes of Christendom, how the said

" French King might be impeached from his enterprize.

" Reasons for this.
" First, By this means we shall enter with mo than the

574 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

BOOK " Emperor: as with the Germans, and such other. And so

"' " though the Emperor should die, [being aged, and much

Anno 1552. " afflicted with the gout, and last year dangerously sick,]

" yet the band should not be without parties.

" Secondly, It shall be also most honourable to break

" with the French for so common a quarrel, for the faith

" of Christendom.
" Thirdly, We shall hereby avoid the costly and charge-

" able aiding of the Emperor according to the treaty."'

Fitz-Patric These were the secret debates and consultations in the

hom/'froin Council, for the effecting this design against the Frencli ;

France. which as yet they had no mind the French should so much

as suspect. In the mean time, the King shewed his love to

his schoolfellow and friend Barnaby Fitz-Patric, that was

now in the French King's court, sent thither in the summer,

to learn experience and see fashions. The King was now

desirous that he should come home : and that his revocation

might be without giving any suspicion or offence, Pickering,

the ambassador, was by the Council ordered to give him

advice and furtherance to obtain leave, as of his own dis-

position, and not taking knowledge of the King's pleasure.

And therefore Barnaby was to be instructed by the ambas-

sador, that he might pretend, that he was of himself very

332 desirous to return now, and see the King's Majesty this

winter season, the wars being for the season of the year

suspended : and that he should so use his coming away, as

the same might not be any ways taken suspiciously. The

Council prayed the said ambassador further, to give him his

good counsel and advice for his like demeanour.

Pickering's By this time Pickering had returned his answer to the

cerninK*^^"" Council's letters concerning Steukley : the sum of which

Steukiey: ^^s, that whatsoever the said Steukley had told them, he

had declared nothing to him of all that he had informed the

Council ; and moreover, that it was his thoughts and belief,

that he never heard the French King speak such words as

he reported, nor was in credit with him : upon which,

Steukley was committed to the Tower. And this the French

ambassador was advertised of, that the King had committed

OF KING EDWARD VI. 575

him thither for unruly slandering his master: which was cHAP.

told him the rather, to suspect the English renegades that ^•

were in France, as the King himself notes in his Journal. Anno 1552.
The Lords of the Council also, in their letters to Cham- which the

berlain, ambassador at Brussels, informed, him that things ^,'''"^' ^*'-

were fair between the French and Enghsh as to the jea- ambassador

lousies raised by Steukley's information, the ambassador at countriiT''

the French court having satisfied them of the said person's with.

falsehood and imposture. Whereat all the answer Cham-

berlain gave M^as, that he thanked God that all things were

so well as the Lords' letters reported. Letters also of great

weight were now sent to Sir Richard Morison, ambassador

with the Emperor, bearing date the 24th of September,

which Chamberlain conveyed out of hand, with diligence

and surety, as he was commanded : of which we shall have

account by and by.
The French commissioners, being two lawyers, that came The French

hither about the spoils done to the English, gave little sa-

tisfaction. They gave an account, how the matters of the about

English merchants were examined and transacted at their ^^^"^^'

courts in France. Secretary Petre, Dr. Wotton, and Sir

Thomas Smith, were appointed to treat with them. These

shewed how the merchants' losses amounted to 50,000Z. and

upwards, for which they expected satisfaction. To which

the French commissioners gave little answer, but that they

would make report of it when they came home, having no

commission for the consideration thereof. In the beginning

of October came over Mons. Ville Andre in post from the

French King about these matters. His message was, that

though certain ships and goods of Englishmen were justly

condemned in France, yet the French King was contented,

out of respect to the King, whose servants the owners were,

to restore them gratuito. But this was refused ; and an-

swer was made, that the King desired nothing gratuito^ but

justice and expedition. And when Ville Andre signified that

it was his master's desire, that some agreements were made

between the English and French, concerning the ordinances

and customs between England and France in maritime af-

coiuniis-

sioners
sea

576 MEMOniALS ECCLESIASTICAL

BOOK fairs; it was answered, that our ordinances were nothing

^^' but civil law, and certain ancient additions of the realm ;

Anno 1552. and they thought it reason, not to be bound to any other

laws but the old laws, where no fault was to be found in

them. And whereas the King had under confinement cer-

tain Frenchmen that robbed on the sea-coast, this messenger

required a release for them : it was told him, that they were

pirates, and should be punished according to j ustice ; yet

333 clemency should be shewed to some. Upon his departure,

letters were writ, and sent by him to that King, answering

other letters which he brought from him ; therein particu-

larly thanking the French King for certain edicts he had

lately issued out, which would for the future serve to the

Jbenefit of our merchants. To this indifferent understanding-

were the two crowns already come.

Instruc-

tions sent

to the am-

CHAP. XL

An embassy/ to the Emperor. Morisoii's address to him.

Tlie King offers aid against the Turk.

W E have seen what were the consultations at the Council-

board concerning the assistance of the Emperor ; now let

bassador re- US hear how the English court proceeded in the resolutions

tlfe^Em-'^^' they had taken. It was the 7th day of September, that

peror. John Weston, servant to Morison, ambassador with the

Emperor, had his passport and letter to all kings, princes,

&c. to sufler him to pass safely by them to the Emperor's

court: he brought with him instructions and a memorial,

to enter this communication with the Emperor. It was the

desire of the Lords of the Council, that the Emperor should

be so managed, as to be brought to require their aid before

they offered it : which they thought he would be ready to

ask again, having been but the last summer denied it ; for

which the ambassador was now instructed to make excuse.

A great difficulty to this their falling in with the Emperor,

was the amity lately entered into with France ; therefore,

OF KING EDWARD VT. 577

for the preserving and covering that, they thought it best CHAP,

to offer him aid against the Turk : yet were desirous to ^^'

have a special messenger sent from the Emperor hither, to Anno 1552.

hold some further and more secret conference; not liking

the Emperor's ambassador that then resided here. Thus

then orders came to Morison, for addressing himself to the

Emperor, in this month of September, upon the King's re-

turn home from his progress, and upon the Emperor's ad-

vance for the defence of the Low Countries.
For the managery of which address he was instructed, Morison's

" to seek to have access to the Emperor's own person, tj^g^^^^*'

"and to declare to him the King's affectuous commenda- peror.

" tions, with such other friendly words of office, signi-

" fying the King's hearty love to his said good brother ;

" and so to enter into the matter of his charge. And

" first, to shew the Emperor, that the Regent, his sister,

" sent to the King her letters about the latter end of July ;

" by the same making declaration of the French King's at-

" tempts, and proceeding in hostility against the countries

" of his said good brother the Emperor ; and in the end

" remembering to the King, the treaty of alliance hereto-

" fore made between the King's father and the Emperor,

" she, the King's said sister, by her letters required, in fol-

" lowing the tenor of the said treaty, to declare the French 334

" King, and his confederates, the King's enemies. The

" which letters came to him, being in his progress and

" pastime, having then very few of his Council with him,

" (the greatest part, and that of his trustiest counsellors,

" being severally dispersed for his service into the remotest

" parts of his realm,) the matter being of itself great and

" weighty, and the like being moved to him as strongly as

" could be. Nevertheless, upon some consideration, such

" as, for the time and place where the King then was, could

" be no other, he caused his answer to be made to his said

" good brother's ambassador, in such sort as he thought in

" reason should content him : which was this summarily :

" that he was right sorry of the ill chance of these wars,

" and especially of the extreme continuation thereof, be-
VOL. 11. p p

578 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

BOOK " tween his good brother and the French Kmg, with both

'' whom he was at peace. And therefore, considering the

Anno 1552. " x\\\\\ that might thereby come to Christendom, besides his

" own private friendship and love to his said good brother,

" he was content, if his said brother would so think good,

" to travail the best he might to bring the matters in con-

" troversy to a treaty and friendly composition, (as, indeed,

" so he meant,) and was desirous with his whole heart and

" mind. Secondly, he let his said good brother's ambas-

" sador understand his earnest and constant abiding in the

" same."

He was instructed further, that finding the Emperor not

satisfied with the King's former answer, he should descend

into this open and manifest declaration of the King's great

love and amity, and say, " that now, upon the King's re-

" turn from his progress, and the assembly of his coiui-

" sellors together again, his former answer and the whole

" matter was newly considered, and conferring together di-

" vers reasons, with the King's hearty love towards the

" state of his good brother, he resolved not to forbear the

" demonstration of the same his love, notwithstanding the

" great extremities which might much move him to the

" contrary, if he did not prefer honour, truth, and perfect

" amity, before all other worldly matters. And, together with

" his Council, considered the ancient, old, inviolate, and

" natural amity between his realm and the house of Bur-

" gundy ; feeling himself as naturally moved to the tuition

" and confirmation of the same, as if it were his own pawn-

" money." And with all this preface and protestation, was

brought in the King's offer of assistance of the Emperor

and the other states' of the empire, with forces for the re-

pelling of the Turk, if he could bring to pass some league

against the Turk and his confederates. The ambassador

concluded, he had nothing more in commission ; but if the

Emperor would send somebody into England, he might

know more. And herein the policy was, to check the

French, to keep fair with the Emperor, and to procure

more friends in Germany.

OF KING EDWARD VI. 579

In the same manuscript volume where I find the memo- CHAF

rial, with these instructions abovesaid, there is also another

memorial of the charge committed by the King to the said Aimo i5i

ambassador, dated Sept. 24, with lines drawn under many ^^^Te "^^

of the words and sentences, and a note of Secretary Cecyrs the Em-

hand, that what was so underlined was to be put in cipher. assi*st'hin

So that I conclude, this was the authentic memorial sent tof^ainstti

the ambassador ; the drawing up of the other, above speci-

fied, being not so well approved of. This other memorial

then ran to this tenor :

" That he should with all diligence procure audience 335

" of the Emperor ; and at his access deliver his letters of

" credence, with the King's most hearty commendations,

" and earnest declaration, that he was most glad to have

" understanding of his good estate and health : and that

" the King, understanding his good and honourable avaunce-

" ment towards his Low Countries, to the great comfort of

" the same, and having the same love and good- will towards

" the prosperous success of his said countries that his late

" father and other his progenitors had many years past,

'* willed him, his ambassador, expressly in his name to con-

" gratulate his coming thotherward, and to shew him, that

'' the good success which the King wished to him and his

'' affairs and enterprises, was as much as he would to him-

" self, and his own countries and patrimonies.
" That when the ambassador had opened thus much,

" with as good words as he could devise, he should begin

" to descend to this that follows: using his earnestness and

" frankness as he should see, by his former sayings, occa-

" sion given to him by the Emperor''s acceptation thereof, ei-

'' ther by his good words, or other behaviour in his gesture,

" he should say, that where the King had lately under-

" stood of the great murders, spoils, and cruelties done and

" committed both in Hungary, and upon the coasts of

" Naples, and other parts of Italy, by the Turks, the old

" common enemy to the name and religion of all Chris-

" tianity, like as the King could not but from his very

" heart lament the same, so he would, for his part, as might
p p 2

580 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

IK ''be thought expedient for the weal pubhc of Christendom,
'' shew himself willing to accord with his said good brother,
552. " and other Christian princes and states, for the repulse of

" the said Turk. And if any such good means might, by

" the great wisdom and policy of the Emperor, be thought

" good and devised, to bring the same to some good pur-

" pose and effect, he, for his part, would shew himself so

" ready and well willing thereto, as his said good brother

" should well perceive, that he had not only that zeal to

" the conservation and surety of Christendom, which in a

" Christian prince is duly required, but also such consi-

" deration and regard to his said good brother, and ancient

" amity with the house of Burgundy, as to honour and

" reason appertained.

" This being spoke by the ambassador in such good sort
" as he should see occasion require, he was instructed to
" stay and pause a while, as it were looking for some an-
" swer to be made thereto by the Emperor. And that if
"the ambassador perceived he took it in thankful part,
" then might he entertain the talk modestly, with such
" good words as might seem to him best, to confirm the
" King's good affection to the continuance of the amity,
" and his great offence and grief for the entry of the Turk
" into Christendom. And that if he perceived the Emperor
" did in so good part receive this the King's overture, that
" he should shew himself willing to enter any fvirther talk
" or device for the further proceeding, the ambassador
*' might, as of himself, shew his readiness and good-will to
" do all that he any wise well might, as a good minister, for
" the bringing this purpose to some profitable effect : which
" he should say, in his own opinion, should the better take
" good entry and success, if, by some special man to be sent
" hither, the King might understand more fully the Em-
" peror's mind in this matter.
336 " But if he should perceive the Emperor did not regard
" this overture, either in not liking the matter itself, or not
^' regarding the King's amity as reason would, and as it
" was on liis part offered ; then the ambassador might use

OF KING EDWARD VI. 581

" himself more coldlv, and dimmish the declaration of the CUA
*' XI
" King's earnestness, in like sort as the Emperor shewed
" himself, and conclude, that he had thus done the message Anno i
" committed to him, and would leave the consideration to
" the Emperor, as he should think good.
" That if in the opening of the premises, the Emperor
" should make any mention or interpretation against the
" French King, referring the Turk's invasion to the said
" French King; as some occasion hereof, and so should de-

ft ^
" mand directly or indirectly, whether this overture be

" meant to extend toward the French King, or any other

" of Christen name that should join in league or amity

" with the said Turks ; the ambassador might thereto say,

" that he had no more in charge presently than he had said ;

" and therefore, for further opening of the King's mind, he

" thought the same might be best had here.

" That if at any time of this his talk, the Emperor should

" gather occasion to ask the ambassador, what the King

" would do, for giving aid against these invasions made by

" the French King upon the Low Countries, he might an-

" swer, that as he had nothing to say therein, but that he

" thought the answer which the King declared to his ambas-

" sador here resident, upon the letters sent to the King from

" his good sister the Queen of Hungary, had both been sig-

" nified to him long before this time, and also, as he trusted,

" in reason contented her. And that in this point, although

" the ambassador knew what was answered, yet the King

'' would not he should enter into the dispute thereof: mean-

" ing in this, and the rest of things to be treated with the

" Emperor, that he should rather procure the sending of

" some special man hither, than to treat any thing by the

" Emperor's ambassador, then resident in England ; who

" hitherto had not appeared the fittest man to increase or

" enlarge the amity betwixt the Emperor and the King.

" Finally, it was the King's pleasure, that the ambassador

" should, in the execution of this present charge, wholly ex-

" tend his good pohcy and wisdom, to mark and well advise

" all such words of moment as the Emperor should utter to

pp3

5S2 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

BOOK " him in this talk, by what order, behaviour, gesture, or

^^' <^ other passion of joy or grief, the same should be spoken;

inoi552. « SO as the King might simply, plainly, and very orderly

" have the true declaration thereof from him : wherein he

" desired so express and special a report of this matter, as

" upon the same he might better conceive, what should be

" expedient to be further done in this and other his weighty

" affairs."

le Coun- Together with these instructions, the Council wrote this
ibassador. letter to Sir Richard Morison ; wherein may further parti-

culars of this transaction be seen.

" After our hearty commendations, with our like thanks

" and commendation of you, for your good diligence in ad-

" vertisements : We do at this time send with this packet a

" certain charge, articled in a memorial sent to you from

" the King's Majesty, and signed with his gracious hand.

337 " In the execution whereof, we doubt not but ye will use

" good wisdom, considering the importance of the matter.

" And where his Majesty in the last clause requireth your

" diligence in observation, and to have the report made or-

" derly and simply ; the meaning is, upon the same to con-

" sider here the consequence of more matter. And at this

" time we send this depeche, not by thorow post from hence,

'' because we would avoid the suspicion of the French :

" who, giving us lately many causes to doubt them, may

" perchance be the more jealous of our sending thither.

" Herein, we know, you may add matter of weight. And

" yet, we pray you, take no more knowledge than in the

" King's Majesty's instructions you are certainly prescribed.

" For it behooveth, in these manner of matters, to use great

" secrecy and foresight. The French King's commissioners

" come hither to the court, with the French ambassador,

" the 27th of this September. Of whom we shall hear what

" restitution is to be made for our depredations.
" The Emperor's ambassador's wife hath here a son born ;

" to whom the King's Majesty is pleased to be godfather.

" We pray you, either let us have certain answer by the

OF KING EDWARD VI. 583

" bearer hereof, or by some of your own ; and that with as CHAI

" much diligence as may be. Any other thing we have not