National Archives,,
SP 14/12/16, fols. 28-9
Letter,
Vincent
to Benson, 10 Jan. 1605. The letter is in the hand of
Stephan Phelippes
. Single folded sheet, two leaves: the letter occupies pp. 1-3; p. 4, subscription.
[fol. 28]
Si
r I haue not hard from you of late, but I make account all goes well. Our newes here
can be nothing but of feasting revelling and munifence, Which god graunt may as I hope it shall continue without boysterous check. But a great sort of ordinary people repine yt the treasor
being at so low an ebbe, soch dissipation made of ye possession of ye crowne, ye dett
of ye state so great and ye King forced to borrow of all his subiectes by privy seale as he doth with much greevaunce there should be soch a course of wastfull and idle expence. some
extraordinary good fortune must betyde vsto make it hold out: Bulmer is newly come out of
Scotland
with assuraunce yt ye Goldmines in Crawford Moore
wilbe found: Having brought hither so much sifted out of ye earth in droppes or crommes
and little gobbetts as must make ye King a cupp. I haue seene of it. It is pure gold without drosse vnmolten. And there be some peeces of stone or spar also with gold in them as it weare ye vtmost sprigges of greater branches and ye body of
a mine which they seeke for. If yt prooue then it is noe matter wee may spend a gods name. But
one of ye holydayes Si
r Phillip Harberts wedding was kept at Court, wheare it is incredible to tell what
bravery there was of all parts. Vppon Twelfe dayye Kings second sonne ye Lord
Charles
was created Duke of yorke with much ceremonye and magnificence: knights of ye Bath &c. the Lords Willouhby, Chandos,
Norris
, and Compton. The Vicount Cranbornes sonne. Three Erles brothers of Northumberland
Cumberland and
Rutland
a yonger sonne of ye Earl of Worcesters who is Master of ye Queens horse, a yonger sonne of ye Earl of
Suffolk
and ye eldest sonnes of ye Lords Sidnye and Harrington. At night was there a sumptuous
shew represented by ye Queen and some dozen Ladyes all paynted like Blackamores face and neck bare and for ye
rest strangely attired in Barbaresque mantells to ye halfe legge, having buskins all
to be sett with iewells which a waue of ye Sea as it weare very artificially made and brought to ye stage by
secrett ingines cast forth of a skallop shell to performe ye residue of ye devise
of dansing etc. Which I saw not, nor harkened after further: But tell it you only for this yt you discerne
ye humor of ye tyme. It cost ye King betweene 4. and 5000lito execute ye Queens fancye. The Spanish embassador was there which bred a great quarrell, for yt ye French Embassador thought him selfe and consequently his Master to haue receaved a great affront thereby. And this other day very vanely and insolently
troubled the King and ye Lords with hearing his expostulation and giving him satisfaction more then stood e
y
ther with wisedome or good manners specially as he vsed it. For yt he did not forbeare bysides
other follyes committed to affirme ye Lords weare ever partiall to ye Sanish and to charge Si
r
Lewis Lewkenor
directly to be corrupt with Spanish bribes. It is not worth ye repetition but yt you may iudge somewhat of greater matters
by thinges of this nature. The Lord Chamberlayne it should seeme sent vnto him as of him selfe some dayes before to knowe
whether he ment to be there or noe for yt he had bene otherwise very sick those Holy
dayes. And there was an intention as they say to haue giuen him the preheminence of
invitation in respect yt ye last yeare ye other had it from him. Si
r
Lewis Lewkenor
speaking not with him selfe receaved an answeare
of s
at some of his peoples hands yt he was not in case to come abroade. And this notwithstanding after ye Spannish Embassador had sent yt he might be there, my Lord Chamberlain sent the other word of his desire, signifying yt if he weare desirous also to be
there order should be taken for both so as they might be private. Answeare was brought
as before only it was prayed place might be provided for some gentlemen he would send
thither. And his desire being satisfyed so far ye Spannish Embassador was a lone openly in place. But as I sayd before ye other tooke it so heynously as
he addressed a greeuous complaynt vnto ye King falling into yt proud insolent vayne of taxing them as before is sayd and perticularly
my Lord Chamberlayne to his face before ye King for yt he pretended to haue sent him expresse word yt ye Spanish Embassador presence he to be absent could not but be a great indignitye and affront offered
to his Master and therefore yt they should haue regard to it. Which Message ye Lord Chamberlayne denyed to haue receaved, and was putt to it by ye Embassadors impudencye to appeale to ye testimonye of such as hard the message deliuered vnto
him for yt it was in ye presence of a servant and by a Truchman, for yt as all men
knew he could not vnderstand French. Whereas the other vrged and challenged bringing
noe other verification to be beleeued vppon his word and ye creditt of an Embassador. Which ye King told him he was to doe in any thinge he should deliuer as from his Master but agaynst any of his subiectes or soch particular case was not reasonable. So he was fayne to goe away not otherwise
satisfied then in vomiting forth his splene and in truth so far discontent as it is
sayd he should going forth from ye Kings presence in a chase say
Ben gode et Rey del sa Embaxatore de
E
Spagna
. But men of vnderstanding haue not so much cause to wonder as to laugh at this his
wilde inconsiderate cariage. For when all comes to all it should seeme his secretary
confesseth yt indeed his Master sent soch a message by him but yt he in his discretion thought not good to deliuer
it. And then you see what a wise man this was to make soch a stirre of it. Si
r
Lewis Lewkenor
told him before ye King yt as he was an Embassador he must beare with him but as Monsieur
Beaumont
if he charged him to be corrupt or to haue taken any thinge of yt Spanish or other to ye preiudice of ye Kings service he would not putt it vpp at his handes and when tyme served haue reason of him as in yt case as good a man as he. And told
ye King before them all yt in truth ye Constable in respect of his attendaunce had given
him a thousand crownes. Which considering how many iournyes he had made about yt service was no soch great matter
to be made. And ye King sayd in truth it was not. I leaue it to your selfe on the other side to imagine what
glorye ye Spanish Embassador takes to haue bene at ye royall banket alone.
[fol. 28v]
It is wished yt in matters of more moment for yt service of his Master he could take ye course to prevayle. But hereof you know my minde otherwise. He
gaue sumptuous entertaynement one of these dayes to ye gallantes and Ladyes of our Court. I hard say it cost him on feast only 1500. crownes. He winneth
ye price in soch feates Whi ch gaue ye French Embassador some further ground of his expostulation. For yt ye sayd Embassador having invited ye Duke of Holstes to prevent ye others entertaynement sodenly heretofore with divers of ye Lords they happened not to be at leysure, some of them weare at ye
Spanish Embassadors when as he invited ye same Duke with better warning or care to grace him self it should seeme. For he interpreted it
to proceed of partialitye or contempte.
...
[fol. 29]
Since the writing hereof wee vnderstand from ye factor of ye arrivall of our letteres of ye5. and12. of Decemberas also of ye cheese sent by Samander for ye which I thanke you being to morrow to receave it. The enclosed is recommended vnto me to be converted you know whether The King now ye festivalles of Christmas are past is gone agayne to his pastimes at Royston not to returne agayne
tillCandlemascall him to ye
ceremonye of
finishing of Court ceremonyes. The Queen is reddye to take her chamber now twelfe night sport is past. and intends to bring
vsforth an English prince at Greenwich.
Bibliography
CSPD 1603-1610, 187
H&S, 10.449
Orgel & Strong, 1.96