LETTER CLXX. Secretary Cecil to Sir Thomas Smith in France. The Queen seized with Illness. [MS. LANSD. 102. art. 58. Orig.] * THE Quenes Majesty fell perillosly sick on Saturday last, the accident cam to that which they call diarrhoea. We feared a flux. She is somwhat weakned, but in helth and will attend hir affayres after Satyrday, which is to morrow, assure you. She is clearly hoole, but for the tyme she made us sore afrayed. Thanked be God for both. For of both we take good: warned by hir sicknes, and comforted by hir recovery. * * * xv. Decemb. 1564. Yours assured, W. CECILL. LETTER CLXXI. Sir William Cecil to Sir Thomas Smith. A portion of a Letter. The Earls of Leicester and Sussex made knights of the French King's Order. Lord Darnley and Lord Leicester separately proposed as husbands for the Scottish Queen. Sir William wishes a marriage for Queen Elizabeth. [MS. LANSD. 102. art. 59. Orig.] The appearance of content which Queen Elizabeth affected, to live and die a maiden Queen, has been already commented upon in the second volume of the former Series. They, however, who peruse the original papers of her time, will learn that this content was subject to vibrations. Marriage indeed, whether for herself or others, was a constant source of perplexity. Sir William Cecil in the latter part of this, and in one or two other Letters here before the reader, speaks of the double offer of matrimony to the Queen, the projected marriage of the Queen of Scots, and the secret but undignified marriage of the Lady Mary Gray, as all going on at the same time. Lady Catherine Gray and Lord Hertford were in prison. * On Saturday the French ambassador was here with the Queens Ma*. who delt in twoo principall matters, the one to know hir plesur for the offers made by the King his Master, to choose my Lord of Lecester and any other to be named by hir Ma. to be of his Order. Wherunto hir Mat. did resolve to have my Lord of Leccster to be chosen: but for the second place she wold herafter advertise the Kyng hir plesure. The second matter was to know hir plesure in his former sutes made that the French Kings subjectes might resort with commodities from the Kyng of Spaynes low Countrees hyther, wherin abowt x. dayes past he had a long debate with the Counsell, and wold not be therin satisfyed allthough we shewed hym what yow had wrytten, and how yow found the Kyng and his Counsell satisfyed with your answers made. But now we had a very reddy answer to hym, that was because we had not prohibited the French but for a season duryng theis differencees with Flaunders, we being now at an accord with them he shuld see that liberty shuld be gyven shortly to all persons, and then the French might use there plesur. This knowledg gyven hym of our accord, semed to answer hym fully, and he sayd that he was therof fully gladd. Now whylest I am wrytyng, I understand that meanes is made that Sir Nicholas Throkmorton might goo to the French ambassador with report that uppon instance made by my L. of Lecester hir Ma1 will name my L. of Sussex for the second party, and so untill I here more I doo forbeare wrytyng thereof. In Scotland ther hath bene a Perlement wherin nothyng is doone but the restitution of the Erle of Lenox; as for my Ladyes clayme to Angush, by reason of the greatness of the Erle Morton being Chancellor, nothyng is attempted. The Erle of Lennox frends wish that the L. Darly might marry with the Scottish Quene and I see some devise to bryng the Quenes : Majesty not only to allow therof, but also to move it to the Quene hir sistur: but I see no disposition therto in hir Majesty ; a but she rather contynueth hir desyre to have my L. of Leicester preferred that waye, for which purpoos ther was this last month a metyng at Barwyk with my Lord of Murray and the Lord of Ledyngton, but yet covered with other matters: and now of late it is from thence renewed, to. know with what conditions the Queens Majesty will preferr hym, wherein at this present no full answer is yet gyven: but to saye the truth of my knoledg in theis tyclle matters I can affirm nothyng that I can assure to contynew.b I see the Qu. Maty very desyrooss to have my L. of Lecester placed in this high degree to be the Scottish Queen's husband, but whan it commeth to the conditions which ar demanded, I see her than remiss of hir ernestnes. This also I see in the Qu. Maty a sufficient contenta The Instructions to Mr. Randolph how to confer with the Queen of Scots when her marrying with Lord Darnley was suspected, in Secretary Cecil's hand writing, are preserved in MS. Lansd. Num. 8. art. 22. b Lord Darnley seems to have been anxious to retain Lord Leicester's kindness at this time. The Harleian MS. 787. fol. 1. preserves the following Copy of a Letter from him to Lord Leicester, written in February 1564-5. My especiall good Lord, your accustomed friendlynes during my continuance in the Court, yea since I first knew your Lordship cannot, though I am now far from you, be forgotten of my part: but the remembrance thereof constreyneth me in these few lynes to give your Lordship my humble thankes therefore, and to assure your Lordship that, during my life, I shall not be forgetfull of your great goodness and good nature shewed sundry wayes to me: but to my power shall ever be ready to gratifye you in any thinge I may as assuredly as your owne brother. And thus with my humble commendacions to your good Lordship, I wish you as well as your owne heart would. From Dunkell the 21 of February 1564. Your LPs assured to command, "My L. my father sendeth your Lordship his most harty commendacions." H. DARNLEY." tion to be moved to marry abrood, and if it so may please Almighty God, to leade by the hand some mete person to come and lay hand on hir to hir contentation, I cold than wish my self more helth to endure my yeres somewhat longar to enjoye such a world here as I trust wold follow: otherwise I assure yow, as now thyngs hang in desperation, I have no comfort to lyve. The 30 of Decemb. 1564. * Your assured for ever W. CECILL. LETTER CLXXII. Sir William Cecil to Sir Thomas Smith on the Queen of Scot's marriage with Lord Darnley. Propositions of the Emperor and France for Queen Elizabeth's marriage. SIR, [MS. LANSD. 102. art. 60. Orig.] I THYNK the twoo Quenes have satisfyed ether themselves with their enterviews, or rather filled the desyres of their traynes. Ther are sondry expectations of the fructs hereof, and as most commenly used in Prynces casees, no small thyngs projected. I dowt not but though yow shall be farr off, yow will use a long |