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"to her majesty for aid; and many singular advantages CHAP. " and guard of her kingdom, which she might gain hereby, "which he proceeded to shew." The whole letter, being Anno 1584. somewhat large, I leave to be read in the Appendix. Con- [Numb. I.] cerning don Antonio's business, some particulars of it may be collected from a discourse thereof between Edward Brook, the queen's ambassador in France, and count Vimioso, the Portugal king's agent there. The account of which is best taken from the said English ambassador's own letter thereof, written to sir Francis Walsingham, the secretary, in May this year, lately come from France.

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"That the count Vimioso arrived there [in France] the The queen's "second instant, being very well lodged, and furnished of in France, "the king's stuff; entertained of the king's officers; and his confe"his diet provided and defrayed. That he [the English the Portu"ambassador] the same night went privily unto him: de- gal agent. "claring the affection the queen's majesty had to maintain "the liberties of them and their country; as also that she "affected don Antonio, and the justice of his cause. But "for that their case required rather help than open demon❝stration of a complement, he thought it more convenient "to visit him in that manner. The rather likewise, that if "the queen, his sovereign, should otherwise make show to "friend don Antonio, it would minister occasion of greater "jealousy to king Philip: whereby he might be provoked "to deal more rigorously with such of their confederates as "were in Portugal. The which being respected, he should "do his kingdom the greater service, and find the apter "means to deliver his country from the oppression of the "Spaniard."

He added, "That the said Vimioso seemed to accept of "his [the English ambassador's] coming, and of the choice "of the time and manner: discoursing to him of his hard "adventures, first passed in Barbary, when he was taken pri❝soner in the service of don Sebastian, their late young 6 "king: acknowledging to have received his liberty by the means of king Philip. For the which he was to adven"ture his life in his service, the liberty of his country and

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"honour reserved. And that for those causes he had put "himself in those hazards; repairing to those princes, [in Anno 1581." France, &c.] of whom he hoped to find that honour, as "they might receive help in the redress: not meaning, as "he proceeded, to enter into discourse, how necessary this "action was to be embraced by the French king and the queen of England. For that he ensured himself their "own judgments, and the advices of their counsellors, were "sufficient to penetrate: which would be considered for the "benefit of their own estates. But that he was disposed to "declare the right of his king, and to shew the justice done "to the right of Portugal, with desiring their aid of men "and means for the many and just considerations.

"That as for the particularities touching the queen, he "would leave to communicate with him therein, until he "had conferred with the Christian king and the queen his "mother." That to all these speeches, he [the English ambassador] only answered him thus: "That as for the "good-will and disposition of her majesty, his king and "nation should find to be such, as the benefit of her mean"ing should be rather shewed towards them by her gra“cious deeds, than by many promises and outward shows: "such was the manner of her sincere proceeding.

"He said, how Rodrigo de Souza [don Antonio's am"bassador] had informed him of her most royal dealing: "purposing, after he had done his affairs in that court, [of "France,] to repair into England."

It must be remembered here, that the queen had sent Prim, her agent, to the emperor of Fez and Morocco, in behalf of don Antonio, in compassion of his condition. And what success that affair had, the lord treasurer had communicated to this English ambassador by Waad, one of the clerks of the council. Concerning which thus the ambassador proceeded in his letter: " For that Mr. Waad had "shewed him his honour's letter, with the instructions for "to deal in the matter which Prim brought, he desired the "count, it would please him for to confer with Mr. Waad, as with a confident gentleman, and one trusted by his

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"honour, [the lord treasurer,] that he [the ambassador] CHAP. "had understood by the said Mr. Waad, that he had passed "speeches with the count about those affairs."

Further, "That on the twenty-second in the morning, "the count Vymyos did send him word, that he would in "the afternoon visit him. And he accordingly sent his "coach and horses for to serve him and his company. But "that it seemed he changed his purpose, and sent Prim "unto him with a message, as that he would be glad to "have him [the ambassador] resort to him. But he willed "Prim to say unto the count, that he could willingly do

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any thing that might give him honour: but that there "were in this case these respects to be had in consideration. "First, his coming thither unto the court for to address 7 "himself and his negociations unto their majesties: so as "by open coming in visitation, he [the ambassador] should give cause of mistrust to their majesties, that he did it to "intrude himself into some dealing with the count; and to "seek by conference to undermine their affairs. Moreover "that it was the manner of proceeding of all such as were "distressed, for to seek unto princes, and to all their minis"ters. And that therefore he was to enter into considera❝tion hereof what he thought good.

"That upon this, in the evening, don Juan de Souza repaired unto him, [the ambassador,] and required him "to think, that the count would willingly visit, but that "he was loath to give any cause of misliking unto their "majesties, [the French king and the queen his mother.] “Otherwise that he was willing of himself to repair unto "him. For that upon the speeches he passed with their ma"jesties there was cause, importing the queen's majesty's "service, for to declare unto him."

And then, as to that message from Vimioso, the ambassador told the said messenger, "That for his part, he had "done the office of his sovereign, as servant, to visit him, "being a personage of that merit: and that he was willing " rather to consent he should do all things to the advance"ment of his affairs, than to the impeachment. That there

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BOOK "fore, if he found it convenient for the affairs which he had "dealt with their majesties, to confer with him, [the amAnno 1581. "bassador,] in respect it touched the queen, his sovereign, "he hoped he would deal accordingly. Then don Juan "de Souza required him, that he might in the night meet "with the same count beside his [the ambassador's] lodg"ings; and he would confer with him. He assented to it; "because he pretended it would somewhat import her ma"jesty. But about nine o'clock he [Vimioso] sent an ex"cuse in writing."

The French king in

some hesitation.

I shall add somewhat more, to make up this vacancy and silence of our historians in this part of queen Elizabeth's history. It seems it was a tender point to meddle in don Antonio's affair: and not to attempt the provoking the formidable king of Spain. Insomuch that the French king was in some hesitation of giving assistance to this expulsed king: and that crown had more mind this work and charge might be undertaken by the queen. And Vimioso, by shifting conference with the English ambassador, seemed to have some doubt of her. All this, with other matters, may be gathered from another letter of intelligence from Brook, the foresaid ambassador, to secretary Walsingham, writ May 6. Brook, the "That there were which secretly persuaded the king for to in France, "find it unnecessary to break into wars with the Spanish his intelli-king, for his brother's sake only, [duke of Anjou, now in

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"the Low Countries, contriving to get honour and govern"ment there,] except there should be offered some other "just quarrel. And yet notwithstanding the king had not "only given open entertainment unto the count Vimioso, "being required to the contrary by king Philip's agent; "but did appoint monsieur Villequer to confer with the 8" said count, for the means to be taken and used for the "restitution of don Antonio."

And concerning the conference between the said count and the English ambassador, thus he repeated the matter to the secretary: "That the count did, after his first com"ing [to France], pretend to have meant to come to confer "with him, [the ambassador,] but that when either he at

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"tended on his coming, or that he [the ambassador] offered CHAP. "to meet him in some convenient place, or otherwise in "the evening to visit him privately, it was deferred and Anno 1581. "shifted, until the day of parting; whenas he sent one of "his gentlemen to let the ambassador know he purposed to "repair unto Tours. Whereon, remembering how once he "had said, it was requisite he might speak with me upon "causes [as the English ambassador's letters proceeded] "which were necessary for the queen's majesty to know, "I resolve (seeing I thought it not convenient to repair "myself to him publicly) for to entreat my lord Sandys to "vouchsafe, under colour of visiting don Juan Rodrigo de "Souza, to address himself unto the count; and to let him "understand, how I had been most willing for to have taken "my leave of him; as also to be informed so much of his "affairs as were necessary for her majesty to be certified of.

“The which the lord Sandys performed. Whereon the Lord San"count answered to my lord, first, with my giving of thanks dys. "for my first visitation; as likewise for those further de"monstrations and offers to repair unto him. But he said, "they found not her majesty so affected to the state of "Portugal as there was cause. Howbeit, whether it pro"ceeded of fear or love towards king Philip, he did not "know. Alleging moreover, that it appeared in some sort "how there should be in her majesty's council persons of quality, which affected the Castilian king: lamenting how "it had not pleased her majesty to give in her letters the " title which belonged to their king, [in not styling him king "Antonio:] nor yet admitted his [the said king's] ambas"sador to have public audience.

"That he rehearsed these points with some earnestness, seeming to think they were indignities. Wherewith con"sequently he took occasion to praise the acceptance and "favour this king [viz. the French king] had in his court "apparently used toward him: resting much satisfied in all "those commands he had required of their majesties [the "French king and queen-mother.]

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My lord Sandys answered to these former speeches