184
LETTERS OF RICHARD VERSTEGAN
No. XLI
NOTES 1
Blank in MS.
2
Henry made a bond of amity with Elizabeth in August, 1593 to the effect that he would continue the offensive and defensive league with England against Spain as long as Philip continued to be at war with Elizabeth; and would not conclude a peace treaty without first advising her, and making satisfactory provision for her in the settlement. Elizabeth reciprocated by drawing up a similar bond in October and sending it by Robert Sidney in January, 1594 . (S.P. France vol. xxxii, ff58, 249 cited Black, Elizabeth and Henry IV, p . 69).
3
Cf. Letters nos. 37 and 40.
4
The Venetian ambassador in France wrote in November, 1593 that the League was circulating a letter addressed to Elizabeth which they claimed they had captured from an English spy, and which stated that "this conversion of the King was designed simply to assist his particular objects, and that his heart would always be where it had ever been". The ambassador commented that the letter was supposed to be a forgery (Cal. Venetian, 1592-1603, p. 113).
Ii
Arthur Gorges writing to his kinsman, Robert Cecil, says of the French ambassador, Vidame of Chartres, whom he was to escort to the coast on his return to France " ... I perceived Her Majesty had an especial care he should be respected" (Hatfield House MSS., iv, p. 377). The Vidame returned home with his son towards the end of September (id., ibid.).
6
According to Shaw (Knights of England, i, p. 28) Henry had been elected Knight of the Garter in 1590, but was not invested until 1596. He was installed by proxy in 1600.
7
No works against Navarre in 1593 appear in the Stationers' Company Registers or in S. T. C. Cf. previous letter, note 13.
S
Although Elizabeth had withdrawn troops from France, a number were still garrisoned in Britanny and Normandy, and despite the fact that Norris had been ordered home in August, he still remained with his forces in France. Nevertheless, for the time being, Elizabeth was loathe to send Henry further men and munitions, even in return for permission to occupy Harfleur, Pampol, and Brehac. (Vid. E. P. Cheyney, A History of England, i, pp. 292ff; Black, Elizabeth and Henry IV.)
9
MS. "very", probably in error for "many".
10
Although part of Robert Sidney's instructions for his mlSSlOn to the French King was to obtain from Henry an assurance that his former Protestant co-religionists would be well treated, the appeal could be considered as being superfluous (d. Cheyney, op. cit., i, p. 295).
11
MS. "fanci".