Henry VIII, the Reign |
Letters & Papers: 1543 Volume 18
[22 June.1543]
754. Ultimatum to France. [Preamble of the Council's intimation to the French ambassador.] To maintain the tranquility of Christendom, the King our sovereign joined in close amity with the Emperor; and, to induce the King your master to join them, lately sent his principal king of arms, Garter, with Toyson d'Or, the Emperor's chief king of arms, with good and friendly offers, but safe-conduct was refused to Toyson d'Or, and Garter was so long kept in suspense, that both had to return without executing their charge. Such unheard-of treatment of heralds, who are the only means of continuing peace or ending war, might well offend the Emperor and King, but they have decided to try yet another way, and have commanded us to announce to you (and deliver in writing) certain terms (propos) to be reported to your master and answered within 20 days. "The preface spoken by my lord of Norfolk to the French ambassador." 2. Draft of the preceding in English; by which it appears that the original wording (which is altered) was that the heralds went to induce Francis to join for the quiet of Christendom and "the more speedy expulse of the Turk, great enemy of the same;" and that they were refused safe-conduct and constrained to return. In Wriothesley's hand, much corrected. 3. [The Council's intimation to the French ambassador.] The King our Sovereign (considering that the present troubles of Christendom are chiefly caused by the war which the King your master has recommenced against the Emperor, and that the Turk, common enemy of our Religion, daily advances), by advice of the Emperor, requires the King your master to consider that, for some years past, the Turk ceases not his efforts to subdue the lands of the Christians and destroy our Holy Religion. Also our Sovereign complains, in particular, of the injuries he has suffered from your master, always hoping that, in consideration of the pleasures done him in his necessity, your master would make redress. Our Sovereign's desire for amity is shown by his patience; for, whereas by a treaty of perpetual peace your master is bound to pay 102,104 cr. yearly he has not, for 9 years past, paid one penny, thus showing little regard to his honor or to our Sovereign's friendship. And meanwhile your master has maintained divers of our Sovereign's rebels, as namely the son of a cobbler (fn. 6) (savatyer) who boasted that he was of the blood royal and called himself la Blanche Rose. Likewise, your master procured the late King of Scots to break the peace and invade his Uncle's realm; and, since his death, has sent ambassadors and Scottish subjects into Scotland with offers of aid to continue the war. Also your master's ambassador persuaded our Sovereign to let his merchants go to France for wines, as usual, promising them immunity from Frenchmen and Scots in their passage, when they were betrayed into the hands of the Scots. And lately your master has imprisoned divers of our Sovereign's subjects, merchants and others, without cause, and by recent proclamations in favour of our Sovereign's subjects has drawn them into his country, where, contrary to honor, reason and justice, they are rigorously imprisoned. These things, together with his desire for the preservation of Christendom against the Great Turk, have moved our Sovereign to join with the Emperor in requiring of your master satisfaction for these griefs and those of the Emperor, which Mons. de Chappuis, his ambassador, here present, will declare. Our Sovereign, for his private quarrel, requires your master to pay the debts and arrears due, and deliver, in security for the pension in the future, the towns of Boullongne, Ardre, Monstreul, Terrouen and the county of Ponthieu; to release of his subjects with their ships and goods; to abstain from practises with the Scots and others to our Sovereign's detriment; to cease his war against the Emperor, so as to give leisure to resist the Turk; and to indemnify the Emperor, as Chappuis, here present, will declare. Upon these conditions our Sovereign, with the Emperor's consent, will receive your master in friendship and continue the peace with him. If your master refuse to satisfy these demands, or to give sufficient pledges to do so, within the next 20 days, our Sovereign demands, in addition, the realm of France, the duchies of Normandy, Gascoigne and Guyenne and all the lands which your master has usurped from him, or else will make war against him to bring him to reason; intimating that if the above demands are not accomplished within the said time he (our Sovereign) denounces war against him and will not desist from it without the Emperor's consent. The last half in Mason's hand. Endd. by Paget The minute of the intimation made to the French ambassador. 4. Another copy of 3, endorsed as the paper read and put into the French ambassador's hands by the duke of Norfolk in the name of the Privy Council, 22 June 1543. ii. The intimation made at the same time by Chapuys, on the Emperor's behalf, calling upon the French king (1) to desist from amity with the Turk, (2) to satisfy the king of Romans and States of the Empire for damage caused by the Turk's invasion made at his solicitation, and restore Maran to the king of Romans, (3) to cease war against the Emperor and pay for damages, (4) to restore the provinces usurped by him and his predecessors from the Empire, especially Savoy, and compensate the duke of Savoy, (5) to pay the king of France and England all that is due by virtue of the treaties between them, and make reparation of the injuries heretofore declared by the duke of Norfolk. That done, the Emperor, with the consent of his ally the king of France and England, will receive him into amity. But, if he will not obey such just and amiable admonitions within the time declared by Norfolk, the Emperor, in addition, requires him (1) to restore the duchy of Burgundy, counties of Charlois (sic), &c. (detailed), (2) to restore to the king of France and England what is detained from him, as declared by Norfolk, (3) to restore to the emperor the towns and castles of Hesdyn, Estenay, Ivoix and Dampvilliers, (4) to restore to the Empire Provence and Dauphin, (5) to fulfil the treaties of Madrid and Cambray, (6) to restore 25,000 cr. which he forced the abp. of Valence to pay, and make reparation for the abp.'s detention. Otherwise the Emperor will, with the assistance of the king of France [claimed by Henry VIII] and England, continue to make war upon him. |