Series 1 > Papal negotiations with Mary Queen of Scots during her reign in Scotland, 1561-1567

INTRODUCTION
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Section VIII. Laukeo’s Nunciature
In the present collection of documents the most valuable,
beyond any doubt, are the despatches of Vincenzo Laureo,
which set before us a new, a full and (when duly appreciated) a
singularly reliable history of that great drama in which Queen
Mary’s fortunes were swiftly and tragically brought to ruin.
Laureo was a native of the south of Italy, profuse in words
and compliments, and fond of display; somewhat ostentatious
in his piety, and an advocate of strong measures without being
a strong man. He is therefore not a man who is likely to
make the best of first impressions on those whose prepossessions
are Anglo-Saxon. The humanitarianism of our day, too, will
not fail to be shocked at the test which we shall hear him
propose to Mary to prove her sincerity. Of these faults and
foibles we shall see much hereafter. At first we must rather
dwell upon those better qualities which make him so good a
witness for our purposes. If he is verbose, he is also full, he
can tell his story clearly and intelligibly, and is evidently
anxious to give his government all the information he can
acquire. He is sincerely religious, sincerely anxious to do his
best for Mary. If he is throughout ready to stretch as many
points as possible in her favour, yet he can, and does, condemn
without faltering what is evil in her conduct, when once he
sees it distinctly.
There exists a fairly good life of Laureo from the pen of
Tritonio, a secretary taken into his service when he started
for Scotland (p. 407). From this source we learn that Laureo
came into notice in 1561, by playing a somewhat important
part, as intermediary between the Catholic party in France
and the King of Navarre. After the death of the latter, he
joined the household of Cardinal Hippolyto d’Este, a great
friend of Mary and a leading member of the French party in
the Sacred College.