Archives ou correspondance inédite de la maison d'Orange-Nassau (première série). Tome VI 1577-1579

† Lettre DCCCXCIV.
L'Ambassadeur Davidson au Sécretaire Walsingham. Inconvénients du mariage d'Anjou avec la Reine Elizabeth (MS. P. B. 96. p.h. 34).

*_** Cette affaire sembloit de nouveau marcher (p. 421), bien qu'à pas tardifs. Languet écrit déjà en avril: ‘accepi literas ex

[p. 644]

⁺Angliâ, a viris non parvae authoritatis, in quibus pro certo jam fere haberi venturum eo Ducem Andegavensem mihi scribitur... Propemodum necesse est ut turbentur eae regiones si in Angliam venerit:’ Ep. secr. I. 2. 780.
La probabilité de ce mariage devoit concilier au Duc d'Anjou un grand nombre d'entre les Réformés des Pays-Bas. ‘Dit was vele seer aengenaem en men meende so dit houwelyk voortgank hadde, datter niet gewenschter voor dese Landen en mocht vallen om uit de oorlog te raken dan van den Conink van Spangien te scheiden en met Alençon te handelen, en de Coninkryken van Vrankryk en Engeland te verbinden met onderlinge alliantien mette Nederlanden:’ Bor, II. 91d - Les Députés des Etats-Gén. à Cologne disoient: ‘oblatio a Duce Andegavensi facta propterea etiam promptius et gratius accipitur, quod existimetur matrimonium cum Reginâ Angliae contracturus:’ Acta Pacif. p. 111.
La Lettre est sans date. Écrite peut-être après les préliminaires de réconciliation des Provinces Wallonnes, elle est du moins antérieure au Traité définitif.

Sir. One thing I observe in your last letter that I am loth to pase over with silence, namely that point wheare your honour noteth the declynyng state of thes Countries, to advaunce and set forwards the Duke of Anjou his sute in Englande. I must beseche your honour to pardon me, if I do herein playnely tell you what I think. It seemeth that her M. hath apprehended a necessity in this match, as if her estate were no way els to be assured against such dangers as may inwardly or outwardly threaten the same. - I will not medle with other respects that might fall into consideracion, as his person, his qualities, bycause they serve little to my purpose: I will only come to the point of suerty, which, to speake playnely, Sir, under correction, I see no way like to be ad-

+ 1579. Juillet.

[p. 645]

⁺vaunced by this alliance. The greatest reason produced for the matter that I understand, is the hope that her Maj. may have issue by him to establish succession: which I graunt might greatly fortiffie and assure her state, if it would please God so mercifully to bless both her and us as to give her children, but our synnes (I feare me) hath stoppid the course of so great grace und favour towards us: I omytt to speake of other unlykelyhoods in that behalf. Now what other suerty it may bring with it, suerly I understand not. We know that the match of king Phillip with her highnes sister was a thing grounded upon as great apparaunce as this, and the danger that might grow by him, as well provided for as this is like to be: and yet how litle good it did us at home, on regard of the alteracions and troubles it bredd, and how much less abroad, when it embarquit us in a warr, the deerest and costliest we had many yeres before, every man can tell, and our state hath to tymely felt yt. To think this will do less, for myne owne parte, I cannot. First bycause I hold it for a maxime that somewhat els then either a sincere love to her M. or good to her estate, is the ground of this pretended match: what that is, I leave to others mens discourse. But by the way I may say thus much, that every man knoweth the French to have long diversly and many waies sought to trouble our State, either for envye of our quiet, feare of our power, or revenge of our partaking in their civill troubles past. Can they find any course in the world more direct then this to compass yt? Can our people endure the Government of a strainger, a borne ennemy, in manners, religion, and nature discrepant from us? If any brooke, yt is lyke to be such

+ 1579. Juillet.

[p. 646]

⁺as to advaunce their own partialities and to supplant Religion, care not into what hazard and mischeif they bring the state of our common wealth. But I admitt thes dainger may be provided for (though it be a matter of no small difficultie), yet is there somewhat els to be considered; will he that lyves in that respect and expectation at home, fedd with an ambitious hope of his own greatnes by nature and bringing upp fashioned and inclined to troubles; will he, I say, in lykelyhod content himself with an ydle life in England, wheare he shall neither be beloved of the Commons, nor respected of the nobilitie, but rather live, as a word, brydelld by Lawes and condicions such as his nature will never digest, if he do not far degenerate. Suerly I doubt yt rather his mother, his servaunts, his counsellors, and fellowes, that think no way so sure to establish ther peace at home as by troubling the state of the neighbours abroad, especially ours, will never leave that humour unfedd and nourished, nor th'occasion and advantage in that behaulf unapprehendid. But there is yet more then all this to be thought of. He hath sought to usurpe the state of thes Countries over the king of Spayne, he hath contracted with the States to shake of ther subjection to the king and accept of himself in his place, he laboureth and purseweth by his Minsters th'effect of ther promys and his own expectacion in this behaulf. And bycause no one thing in his fancy hath bene a greater obstacle unto his purpose hitherto then the respect of her Maj., whom thes Countries would be loth for his sake to alien from them (knowing how much her amytie and favour importethe them), he seeks forsooth, under a pretext of marriage with her Highnes, the rather

+ 1579. Juillet.

[p. 647]

⁺to espouse the Low-Contries, the chief ground and object of his pretended love, howsoever it be disguised. If then he prevayle in them and happen afterwards to employ his person and forces in recouvering th'other, either by expulsing the king of Spayne, the States inclyning to accept of him, or els in revenge against them, if they do yt not, considering what interest he pretends to have by ther promise and how much he presumes to have deserved of them, can or will her Maj. in such a case refuse him her favour and assistance, being her husband? If she do refuse yt him, he becomes malcontent, and if she so much respect him as to vouchsafe it him, she shall ronne¹ a course against both pollicy and suerty; for yf she desier to be quitt of the neigbourhod of the king of Spayne, I think no man that wise is, will counsail the installing of another in his place, that may become every hour an ennemy more dangerous. Or if on th'other syde she favour his partaking with the king for the pounishment of his subjects, seing him puest forwards with a desire of revenge for the injuries he may pretend te have receyved of the States, shall she [demiss] her own suerty by suffering the ruyn of those whose country is a bullwark and defence to her state, and whose well doing and amyte in all degrees for an outward neighbour doth most import her. I think it a matter cler ynogh. But yt may be she will not assist him in that behaulf, yet is it not likely the other syde that she will by force oppose herself unto him, so as suffering him to do what him listeth, the injury shall be equall to them, as if she had assisted him, bycause he is thought as much gilty of injury that will suffer yt to be

+ 1579. Juillet.

1 run.

[p. 648]

⁺done, when he may hinder yt, as he that doth yt. And admitt the troubles happen to renew in Fraunce and the state of religion and princes that profess fall into dainger, her M. being touched in pietye and pollicy to look unto them, what shall she be able to do for them? Shall he not at all tymes have creditt and authorytie ynough to stopp the course of her favours that way, and so at one tyme spoyle her both of a partie that is no litle brydle to her enemyes, and suerty to herself, but also by that meane umpayer¹ the strength of her own estate so much the more by how much the cherising of so necessary a faction doth import her? Suerly to think otherwise were an absurdity, for neither is he so unwise as that he perceaveth not how much the matter toucheth himself, gaping as he doth every day for the Crowne of France, neither is he so partially affected to them or us, as that he will not provyde for yt, by all the meanes he can. Besides all this, is there any means so apt to sound the very bottom of our estate, and to hinder and breake the neck of all such good purposs as the necessity of the tyme shall set [abroch] in cases civill or forrein? Such as observe well the present condicion of things, will find yt a matter woorth the thinking of, and as for the Queene of Scotts cause in particular, the danger is to manifest (considering her Maj. owne lenytie⁽¹⁾ and the frends and coming of th'other) to pro-

+ 1579. Juillet.

1 impair.

(1) leuytie. Depuis longtemps les Protestants, n'ayant plus de doute sur les intrigues criminelles de Marie Stuart et craignant ses rapports avec les Catholiques dans la Grande-Bretagne et au dehors, désapprouvoient la modération d'Elizabeth. En 1572, après la St. Barthélémy, l'Evêque de Londres recommande ‘furthwith to cutte of the Scottish Quene's heade; ipsa est nostri fundi calamitas:’ Ellis, Letters, 2 Ser., III. 25.

[p. 649]

⁺cure her liberty the rather by his parranty or persuasion, and being at liberty, to counfound all. I wold to God ther was no cause to feare both that and somewhat els. - But let us this suffice to prove that this match can neither inwardly nor outwardly strengthen her M. suerty, and let us come to the necessity which doth so much push the matter forwards, namely in regard of the disperat condicion and estate of this Country. Is it in respect of a feare that the king of Spain will utterly subdue thes Countreys by force, and afterwards revenge himself of her Maj. for the favour she hath given them; against whose mallice this allyaunce might prove a singular bulwark and suerty. If I be not deceaved, it is a feare, thanks be to God, both causeles and needeles; for, though he do recover those of Hainault and Artoys, which is not so easely done as some ymagin, howsoever the Clergy and Nobbilyty besturr themselves, is it therefore to be thought he hath all the Country ymediatly at his devocion; no, there is yet ynough remaining to kepe him play as long as he liveth, and that in such sort as he shall have more to feare her Maj. then she to be afrayd of him, and for what can he annoy her, if he be not master of these provinces, which in some wise mens opinion will never be recouvered by force, are we then to doubt him?

¹Sur une minute de lettre que l'on croit être de M. Davidson, envoyé d'Angl. en Fr., et adressée au Sécrétaire d'Etat.

+ 1579. Juillet.

1 Indication qui se trouve sur la copie.