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

70 PAPAL NEGOTIATIONS WITH MARY [26 OCT.
may ensue from a new marriage of the Scottish queen. News from London
of the 11th bears that the Irish are constant in religion, and defend
themselves gallantly.
Brussels, 26 October 1561.
v. We hear that the Queen of England, by means of Throckmorton,
her ambassador in France, is exciting and fomenting the present unrest
as much as she can, even offering to send English troops to help the
heretics. It seems as if she were strengthening her frontier towards
Scotland, to prevent, in case of war, an inroad on the part of the Queen
of Scots, who is Catholic and a kinswoman of the house of Guise. The
queen’s uncle, the Grand Prior of France, and the other French lords
are expected in London [on their return] from the said queen.
Brussels, 9 November 1561.
vi. News comes from England that the Queen of Scotland continues
having Mass said, at which there is present every day a greater number
of lords. The departure from court of the Duke of Chatelherault
[Sciatelrau] and of the Earl of Arran, his son, was chiefly on account of
a private contention which they had with the bastard of Scotland, not
for religion’s sake. The queen has not yet subscribed the treaty with
England, and says she must first find out what her subjects think of it.
By consequence the Queen of England is much enraged against Throck¬
morton, her ambassador in France, who before the queen left that realm
gave out that this affair was settled. So much so, that the Queen of
England says that this was the reason why she did not prevent the Queen
of Scotland’s return, as she says she could have done. She wants to recall
the said Throckmorton, and to send another ambassador to France, who
is a still more obstinate heretic than the former.
Louvain, 26 November 1561.
vii. With my said letter of September the fourth, there was a separate
sheet concerning the Queen of Scotland. News has since been received
that the chief lords there consent to her marrying a foreigner, not that
any proposal or resolution of the sort had been made in public council,
but that the inclinations of many individuals had been ascertained.
News now comes from France that the queen-mother is going to send
an ambassador to Scotland. One may, perhaps, suspect that the King
of Navarre has managed this to gratify the King of Denmark, and that
it is meant to further his suit with the Queen of Scotland. In like
manner the coming of Monsieur Vademon [? Vaudemont] from Lorraine
to Brussels has given rise to the rumour that the house of Guise, uncles
of this queen, have some intention of marrying her to the Prince of
Spain. So far, however, nothing certain is known here. It may be that
her said uncles are waiting to see how affairs fall out in France, and will
make use and avail themselves of this match as time shall serve. But
with delay comes the danger of their not being able to execute their
plans hereafter, nor to assist religion. Especially would this be so if it