do what they could to fecond it, tho' they fhould ftrain themselves far above their ability.

Monf. BUZANVAL was returned from the French king, but had not yet had any audience. It was thought, that he would make inftance for money, provifions, and what else his mafter look'd for befides. What the states would grant, would be known within a while. It feemed the king was content, that Calais fhould be her majesty's, if she could get it; which the Dutch wifhed, and would be ready, as mr. GILPIN heard, to fend towards the recovery of it thofe numbers, which they had promised the French king, when he fhould come with an army into Artois; with which, it was faid, he would be contented, and it would be a good force of 4000 foot and 800 horfe, old foldiers.

The appearance was good, that the taking of Calais might be effected in two or three months at the fartheft; for the cardinal arch-duke, with all the forces that he could collect, was unable to raise both the fieges of Amiens and Calais, being once well encamped, and the country round about spoiled for eighteen or twenty miles, which was eafy to be done, while the English camp might be abundantly provided from all fides. And there was no probability, that the cardinal would attempt a battle, because too much depended thereupon, fince the receiving a found blow would stick by him long, and fet all the country, which he now govern'd, in an alarm and combuftion. Mr. GILPIN added, that by what he could judge from the difcourfes of officers, and what experience had taught him, the exploit would be of no great difficulty; and with regard to the apprehenfion of any diverfion, which the king of Spain might feek to make, tho' the reports were great, the appearance was small, he having too many irons in the fire to perfect them all well. A few good fhips well manned and commanded would make a foul ftir on his coaft, and upon the armada at Ferrol; and a fair occafion was offered, if it were taken in time, which was to be wifhed.

Mr. WILLIAM LYLLE', who frequently corresponded with the earl of Effex, wrote to him from St. Valery on the fame day, April 24, that being the day before at Dieppe, he faw there a letter written from one of the king's phyficians to his companion monf. GEOFFROY, by which it appeared, that the king's miftrefs had lately escaped at the court fome danger: that the king was infinitely troubled, as well with his nobility, as with his council, the one being divided into many factions, and the other in their opinions, and himself not able to police the former, nor content the latter; his own house standing upon fo many pillars, and thofe divided in themselves; but the most united in the houfe of MONTMORENCI, which would be the ruin of all the reft, and the rather, for that thofe of the religion would alfo take part. The rest had more defire than strength, but would still continue to trouble the king, who would be at eafe, if they and the accidents of the war did not disturb him against his will. The beft of the nobility would likewife be quiet, but had their feveral defigns, either upon his death, or the king of Spain's progrefs in the war. Some of the council advised the king to take the benefit of the time, and now upon the late

a Vol. XV. fol. 118.

accidents

accidents to affure himself of the queen of England and ftates general, and condefcend to her majefty fomewhat, fince thereby he fhould firmly poffefs them and all those of the reform'd religion in his own country, who at that time braul'd to help him, tho' they had no affurance of him for themselves, "fave that, fays mr. LYLLE, he "fhould give himself good time, feeing that he hath no hope of line in himself, "fuppofing somewhat that is fuppofed, his to be none of his; and let those blow the "coal, who have moft need of fire. This includeth the other in a manner, who "perfuade him to refpect his honour altogether, not to refpect the Hugonots; to "condescend to nothing to the queen of England; and not to embrace her amity, "nor that of the rebellious ftates, but to gain time, and come, if it be poffible, to "fome good peace with the king of Spain, and fo avoid to poffefs himself in a con"tinual war with others." The duke D'ESPER NON refufed to come to affift at council, because this advice was not followed. There was no doubt, but that many others concurred in his opinion; and all hoped upon the king's death, or the king of Spain's good or ill fortune, to make their own. How much this variety of winds would trouble a folid body, his lordship might judge; but mr. LYLLE' was affur'd, that thofe, who had advised the king, that his fafety depended moft certainly upon the queen and states general and thofe of the religion, ftill poffefs'd him with that refolution, as beft and fafeft; and that to that end monf. BUZANVAL was remanded to the states; and it was thought, that if her majefty would use liberal proceeding with him at that time, and withall demand Calais, he would condefcend to it; and thofe of the religion would wonderfully affift in it, as the thing moft profitable to the king, and a great affurance to themselves. If this was not rightly followed, and the king was forced by neceffity to make truces with Spain, the Spaniard was already fo proud, that he would not come to peace, fince he hoped much upon the cafualty of HENRY IV.'s life, and the diffenfions of his house, to make his own profit; and, if in that truce he occupied Calais, and his adherents Bretagne, with other inland towns, he would undoubtedly have great means to practise upon other towns on the coaft of France, and invade England.

In the letter, fhewn to mr. LYLLE', there was alfo mention made, that the embaffador of Venice in Spain was hurt, and the fhops of Venice fhut for fome days; but whether the one depended on the other, did not appear from that letter. It took notice likewise, that the duke of Savoy had made a truce with Geneva: that monf. LESDISGUIERES had a very great army for thofe parts: that the Swifs cantons were discontented with their colonels, as well thofe, who had ferved the Spaniard, as the French, and had fold their goods and lands at home, to pay the debts to their foldiers, who had not been paid by thofe colonels. That the duke of GUISE was made very rich by some shipwrecks on the coaft of Provence.

The king had fent to all the gentlemen of Picardy, to affure them, that he would presently be at St. Valery, and fummoned them all to be with him either on horseback or a foot; promifing pikes to thofe, who had no horfe. The enemy was enterprising every day upon la Rue and the little towns adjacent, of which if he fhould get but one, he would ftifle all the reft of the country. There were enter'd 2000 horse into Amiens at times, as it was thought, and many foot in the habit of peasants. It was faid, that the people of that town were divided; which was one

of

of the hopes in favour of France; but the greatest and fureft was, that the fortifi cation was bad, the curtains long, and the bulwarks too far diftant.

Mr. LYLLE' added in his poftfcript, "In my fimple opinion it were good my for"mer letters were remembered for the fomenting the wars of Italy. I most of all "defire to see your lordship taking alfo of towns in France. Otherwife it will either "all become Spanish fhortly, or failing thereof will become cantoned. It is faid "the enemy prepares alfo to come into the field, of whofe force there is fuch divers opinions, as I dare not write them.”

66

Mr. BACON the fame day thought proper to write to fecretary CECIL in favour of his half-brother mr. EDWARD BACON the following letter".

..

Right honourable,

"As the infallible beft comfort and warrant of a good confcience, which, I "thank my GOD, hath upheld in life and vigour my heart and fpirits heavily "oppreffed with long and grievous bodily infirmities, together with a due refpect

I owe to nature and blood, doth move and embolden me to prefent thefe few "lines unto your honour; fo doubt I not, but that in the depth of your wisdom and judgment they shall not only free me from the cenfure of prefumption, but obtain your favourable acceptance. In confidence whereof, under this my true and "dutiful proteftation, I am to recommend unto you the suit of an honest gentleman, "my moft kind and beft-deferving half-brother, mr. EDWARD BACON, who hav"ing understood, that fome courtier, fervant to her majefty, either hath already, "or doth intend to ask the reverfion of his office, the clerkship of the alienations, "very earnestly requefted me to crave your honour's furtherance to procure his fon "to be joined in patent with him. The gentleman's honefty and reputation I must "in modesty refer to your information by others, and will only affure and vow "unto your honour, that if by your mediation, upon this my honourable fuit, he may receive this grace at her majefty's hands, I fhall efteem it a special favour, "and be no lefs careful than ready to acknowledge and deferve the same by fuch “thankful effects, as it shall either please you to command, or lie in me to render. "And fo, fir, befeeching you to vouchfafe the intimation of your pleasure herein, "and craving pardon for my boldness, I humbly take leave.

66

"Your honour's,

"in all humble and entire affection,

"to dispose of,

"A. BACON."

The fecretary return'd an answer on the 28th of April, in these terms.

"Coufin,

"Altho' I am forry to find, that your body's indifpófition hinders us of that "converfation, which nature would require, yet am I glad to find by your letter

*

a difpofition to be beholden to me, who lack more means than will to do you pleasure.

"The request of mr. EDWARD BACON contains two parts, the latter more easy "than the other. For where he feareth, that fome other fhall procure a reverfion "over his head of his office, I do not diftruft my poor credit fo much, as not to "be able by reprefentation of the merit of his worthy father to her majesty, to hinder 66 any fuch matter. For the fecond, which is to obtain it for his fon, I dare not promise to effect it; for that is a direct fuit, wherein I am neither fortunate nor "forward: but I will give him breath, by laying the foundation of a negative to any other in her majesty's conceit, to bethink himself of fome proper mover; "and do affure you then to be a friendly and industrious furtherer, when her majefty fhall be as well prepared to grant him his reasonable request, as I fhall hope to make her, by my first arguments, refolved to deny any other's, thereby "to difcourage or difgrace a gentleman, that is able and ready to do her service. "This, fir, is my meaning, which you defire to know; and with this fhall my "actions concur, as I fhall find you to tafte the answer, wherewith I now con"clude for the prefent, and wish your health, and all contentation, as he, that "remaineth

46

"Your loving kinfman and friend,

"R. CECIL."

Mr. BACON had the fame day, on which he wrote to the fecretary, acquainted the earl of Effex with his application to him in favour of his half-brother EDWARD, the only kind one of all his three elder brothers, and well deferving on account of the brotherly offices, which he had often performed to his brother FRANCIS," which "Iefteem, fays he, as done to myfelf. Whereupon confidering the unfeasonable"nefs of the time, which giveth me caufe to apprehend far greater ftorms, than any hope of long and fafe calm both in her majefty'simind and ftate, and on the "other fide having received yesterday by fir GEORGE CAREW a fresh offer and feri"ous affurance of mr. fecretary's difpofition and defire to make real demonstration "of his kindness and refpect towards me at the first occafion, that either I myself, "or any friend of mine, fhould have to make proof thereof, I refolved, that I "could not better bestow the firit fruits of fir GEORGE CAREW's mediation and "purchase to my behoof, than upon a brother in fo juft a fuit; and therefore was "bold to fend this morning the original of the inclofed to mr. fecretary, whose " answer I have not yet received." In the fame letter he remark'd, that, it could import no man more than himself to know what his lordship found her majesty refolved to do with mr. ROLSTON one way or other."

After the receit of the fecretary's anfwer, mr. BACON wrote again to him, to return him thanks for his favourable acceptance of his request in behalf of his brother EDWARD, and to affure him, that they both were no lefs fatisfied than obliged by his anfwer, the contents of which he had communicated to the earl of Effex the day before, who feemed to receive no fmall fatisfaction in it, and declaring his own

Vol. XV. fol. 94. ・・

Vol. XV. fol. 62.

-readiness

readiness to concur in promoting the affair; " and I doubt not, fays he, but in "his noble nature he will be ready to fupply the defaults of my weakness, not in "affection, but in ability; which if your honour vouchfafe in your wisdom out of san honourable kind love any way to ftrengthen and increafe, give me leave, I befeech you, fir, in confidence of my honefty and entire meaning, where I owe "and vow, to protest without prefumption, once for all, that one of my principal cares and moft gracious endeavours fhall be to render you a proportionable "comfort by real demonftrations of a ferviceable devotion and true thankful"nefs."

The earl of Effex wrote the fame day the following letter to the lord keeper EGERTON, to thank him for the manner, in which he had spoken of his friend the lord HENRY HOWARD, who had a caufe depending before the lord keeper.

"My very good lord,

"I understand by my lord HENRY HOWARD your lordship's honourable and "favourable speech of him the day, that his caufe was heard, and am fo fenfible "of it, as I cannot defer to give your lordship my best thanks. Both he and I do "divide your lordship's perfonal favours from your real. In the latter we acknowledge your juftice, but in the first you have fo tied him to you, as he and his "friends must strive to deferve it at your lordship's hands. I do affure your lord"fhip, your favour is very worthily bestowed; for as my inward friendship with my "lord HOWARD doth make me know his many virtues and worthy parts to move "affection in others, fo my little experience of the world hath not known in any "a more sweet nature, a fafter friendship, or a truer thankfulness, than I have "observed in this my honourable coufin. I pray your lordship receive my very "humble thanks, and accept me for a furety of his thorough endeavours to merit "the favour you have done him. And so I reft

"Your lordship's humble poor friend,

66

over whom

you have great authority,

"ESSEX."

Monf. CASTOL having made an excurfion to Roan, in a letter from thence to mr. BACON on the 5th of May N. S. 1597 remarked, that fince his own departure from Paris, whither he was to return the day of the date of this letter, no other news was come to Roan than the confirmation of the marriage between the marquis DE PONS*, the duke of LORRAINE's eldest fon, and madame the king's fifter; and that the king's council were in hopes to feparate the house of LORRAINE from the alliance of Spain, and fecure them to France, and even to increase the jealoufy, which fubfifted between the branch and the root, that is, the GUISES and the duke of LORRAINE, and confequently to deprefs the party of the former. "But GoD,

f Vol. XV. fol. 105.

Vol. XV. fol. 115.

He came to St. Germain en Laye, where the king and his fitter were on Thursday the 8th of

May, 1597, N. S. but their marriage was not folemnifed till January 31, 159 N. S. L'ETOILE, journal du regne D'HENRY IV. Tom. II. p. 355 438.

X x 2

• Jays