'A Match Propounded by the Savoian Betweene the Lady Elizabeth & the Prince of Piedmont (c.1611-1612)'

184r

An[n]o .9. Iacobij: A matche propoundede by [th]e Sauoian betweene the ladie Elizabethe, & the prince of Piemont. / .

To obaye the Comaundm[m]ents of my Lord the Prince, I have sent you my opinione of the match latly desired by the duke of Sauoy and p[ro]pounded by his Ambassadore, betweene the Ladie Elizabethe his Ma[jes]t[ies] eldest & only Daughter and the Prince of Piemont w[i]th an ouerture (as I have hearde) of a Crosse Marriage, betweene the moste Exelent and hopefull prince of Wales, and the eldeste Daughter of the said Duke. / .

Now as by the firste to witt, by the match w[i]th the ladie Elizabeth, the Dukes Sauoye of a Spannish race may in the future yf it should plplease god to laye so greevous a burden vpon vs) becomes kinges of England, so by the seconde (though the sauSauoyan had no heires males) yet would it Not be easie for a kinge of Englande to recouer the Righte of those Princepalleties, all Fraunce beinge interiacent: For one of the moste renowned kinges and the moste valliante that ever Fraunce had, spente more in the obtayninge and defence of that parte of Sauoye and Piemont w[hi]ch fell vnto him by Louyse his mother heir to her Brother Phillibert, then both those pettie prounices Could be vallued to be worth. / .

And yf those of the House of Austria, and of Spaine thought it a matter so exceedinge Perilous for a French kinge to posesse that Barren dukedom, Much more will the French esteeme it dangerous for them, that a kinge of England184v An[n]o .9. Iacobij England should inherite it, the Reason whie I Neede Not tell you. / .

But wee will leave these Considerationes to their farre of possibillities, and in the meane whill take it for graunted that marriages betweene forraigne Princes for the moste are but Polletique: for wheresoever they imploy their owne affectyones, Iudginge by persones presented, and Not by Picktures representynge, they Comonly make Choyse of their owne Husbandes Subiect[es]. /

Nowe this pollecie in marryages hath either respecte to the enlarginge of Dominion and vnitinge of Kingedomes, Dukedomes, or other princepalleties, as by a Marriage the Duchie of Brittani and other Seignories in Fraunce, were annexed to that Crowne, by a Marriage, the Netherlands became Subiecte to the Princes of Austria, Casteele to Arragon and Portugale to Castile&c: or to the endinge of some greate warre, and the Establishinge of Peace, as when Ferdinande of Arragon married the Ladie Germaine of Foix; when kinge Frauncis the Firste married Queen Eleanor kinge Phillipe the seconde the Ladie Elizabethe of Fraunce, and Philibert Emanuele duke of Sauoye. the Ladie Margartita sister to kynge Henrye the seconde of Fraunce, or Lastely it hath respecte to the Combination and league against some other kinge or estate powrefull & suspected. / .

Now for the firste, I thinke his ma[jes]tie houldes Nothinge More impossible, Nor any thinge lesse proffitable then the inheritance of Sauoy, for as longe as ther is a kinge of France or a kinge of Spayne, they will Never, yf theire poweres faile them Not) endure the vnitinge of Sauoy 185r An[n]o .9. Iacobi of Sauoy and Piemont to any absolut monarchie powerfull in it selfe it was alonge warre, a Cruele, & a Costely, made for the defence of the duchey of Millaine and to keep it a Duchi aparte from the Emperialls, Spanishe, & Frenche, . / .

for the second to witt the Establishemente of peace after a longe warre; as ther was never any effect w[i]th out a Cause, so to those thing[es] that had never begininge, ther was Never any man that tooke care to give ende, or conclusion. / .

For the third, namly a Combynacon againste som powrefull & suspected Ennemye, I knowe no christian Prince so powrefull as the kinge of great Brittaine, and out of doubte the Estate of Sauoy cannot be Charged by any alliance; for it hath evere depended and must ever depend either vppon Fraunce or Spaine& for the strengtheninge of o[u]r Kinge or the levie of an Army in those p[ar]t[es] either against france or Spaine; the leaste of the Cantones of Switzeres, or the meaneste of the Gearmaine Princes maye be of farre more vse to the kinges ma[jes]tie then the Dukke of Sauoy can be. Certenly that Sauoy cannot but depende one Spaine it is manyfeste enough, for thus the Case standes betweene those Princes. The Duke hath yet lyuinge foure sonnes, hee had five, but the Eldeste was poisoned in Spaine because the kinge bounde him selfe to give the Duchie of Millan to the firste and eldeste sonne borne by his daughter. The second w[hi]ch is Nowe Prince of Piemont Caled Don Philliert Liues w[i]th the duke his father but of lesse hope by farre then Don Phillip his Brother was. His third sonne Don Victorio Amedo knight of malta, is the greate Comaunder of St Johns in Spaine worth a Hundred thousand Crow[n]esa yeare, and w[i]thall generall of all the Kinge of Spaines Gallies a place of great Honoure and proffite: The fourth sonne is Cardinall and hath the one halfe of the proffite of the ArchbishopArchebishopricke185v An[n]o .9. Iacobi Archebishopricke of Toledo, and is promysed the whole after the death of the Nowe Bishope, an estat worth three Hundred thousande Crownes a yeare. / . The First Don Thomasa w[i]th whome the Mother the Ladie Katherina: d’Austria died a prince of fifteene yeares of Age hath also a pentyone out of Spaine, but hath not yet acquired any perticuler tytle. / Hereby it is easie to iudge whether the Duke of Sauoye by the Powre of Sauoye, will abandone all theis Pentiones and preferments, and enter in to a warre w[i]th the kinge of Spaine for the Duchie of Millan, or for the quarell of any other prince, seinge Millan it selfe when it was a Duchie apart, was evere a princepalletie of greater force then Sauoye and Piemont. / .

Left margin: Shall we then hope that he will offend the King of Spaine in respecte of England certenly it were madnes so to doe Millan is too near him and so are both Spaine & Naples & England to farre of: they are ever like to be his Neighbors England never lyke to be Againe that he will evere bee vsed againste the Frenche for the Englishe, it is very vnimprobable, hee hath bene too well beaten for that falte, I mean for Ioyninge him selfe againste the French, though Not for vs. for that he is a prince of noe strength yf a kinge of France drawe his Swoarde againste him; Frauncis the firste hath resolued vs, who in dispight of all the assistance of Charles[th]e fifte when he returned victorious out of Affrica and not w[i]thstandinge the great Armies w[hi]ch the sayd Emperour imployd in the Dukes defence, & not w[i]thstandinge his forcible invadinge of Picardie therby to w[i]thdrawe the French from out of Piemont, and not w[i]thstandinge (ere yet that warre had end) that Kinge Henrie [th]e Eight of England did also invade Fraunce w[i]th a moste Puissante Armye, yet did Francis the firste by the Earle of St Paule take from him his duchey of Mill Sauoye in a shorte tyme, and by other his Comaunderes possesse Turing the Cheefe Cittie of Piemont w[i]th the greateste parte of all that princepallety, and helde Bothe186r An[n]o .9. Iacobi both the one and the other, from the yeare .1535 . to the yeare .1544 . when w[i]th a daughter of Frans or rather out of Com[m]isseratione, it was restored, This is true and it is true all the good that our kinge of Englande can expecte from Sauoye that he must either abandone his sonne in lawe, yf either France or Spaine, opprese him, w[hi]ch were too great a dishonore, or he muste enter into a warre for his defence, w[hi]ch were too greate a Charge: And his Ma[jes]tie doth well knowe that whill the league stands betweene him and the Lowecountreyes, that he is invincible by them, and they by him, and that all other pettie Combinatyones, wilbe rather Chargable then p[ro]ffitable. / .

And yf any man shall tell the kynge that by havinge the Duke of Sauoye at his devotyone he maye offend France when he pleaseth, his ma[jes]tie may looke in to the Exployts of kinge Henry the Eighte, and what floweres and fruite that warre if his in Fraunce brought forth: for Kinge Henry [th]e viij had not onely a Duke of Sauoy but a Duke of Burbon a King Arragon, and an Emperore the most ambitious and vndertakynge Prince that Germanye hath seene for many ages; he had also [th]e Lowcountreyes, Flaunderes, Henald, and Artois to Ioyne w[i]th him, and he w[i]th them againste the French: but lett vs see what he brought to passe /

In the yeare 1512 . Ferdinand of Arragon perswaded Henry the uiij to send an Armye of Englishe in to Biskay, and by the waye of Baion to invade Guienne, by the Countenance of w[hi]ch whose forces, and whill the Englishe affrounthe French in those parts, Ferdinand conquered the kingdom of Nauarre, deferringe his Asistinge of kinge Henry [th]e viij tyll the nexte yeare186v An[n]o .9. Iames. yeare, and so the English returned w[i]th a greate deale of Losse and more discourse. / .

In the yeare .1513. Kinge Henry did not onelye sett out a fleete of Shippes of warre againste the french, and gave the Emperoure 120 thousande ducker[es] toward[es] the Levienge of an Armye to invade Bourgogne but the kinge Landed in Fraunce w[i]th 40 thousand foote and 5000 men at Armes, and was perswaded by the Emperour to beseege Terouenne; a towne of asmuch vse to the Englishe, as yf it had bene seated in Arabia: Neither did hee gaine any foote of grounde else by the Emperoures assistance; Neither Could he svccoure or releive that Cittie. w[i]thout an Armye of Equall strength to to that by w[hi]ch it was wonne to witte an Army consistinge of 40 thousand foote & 5000 barbd horse. / .

In the yeare .1515, he againe paid diveres Regimentes of Switzers, againste King Francis, because the said Kinge sent the Duke of Albanie in to Scotland for the protectione of Kinge James the fift Kinge{} Henries owne nephew and his Ma[jes]t[ies]Grandfater. / .

In the yeare .1522. he renewed the warre againeste Francis the first, and entered into League againste him w[i]th the Emperour, the Pope, [th]e Duke of Millaine and the Florentines: and after the Englishe armie had in vaine beseeged Hesdine, and sett fire in Dourleans, dispeopled and abandoned vnto them, they presently hasted homward, and in exchange of a greate deale of Treasure and tyme spente, they Returned againe loaden w[i]th Nothinge but pouerty and disseasses. / . W[i]th the lyke successe he invaded Frans by the Duke of Suffolke in the yeare .1523., tooke certaine small Townes to daye and Loste them againe187r An[n]o .9. Iacobi againe to morow, and spent a world of Treasure to be laught at. / .

In the years .1524. it was promissed that all formor errors should be amended, and france should be Conquered for kinge Henry by the Emperour, and the Duke of Burbon who Receaved of Kinge Henry .100. thousand Crownes for the firste month, and somuch he was to have had Monethly duringe the warre: but the Duke of Burbon to whom the preservat[i]o[n] of Millan was more proffitable then the invasione of France, spente our kings Crownes Merrely in that good Cittie. / .

So as when Kinge Henry had spent all the Treasure lefte him by that provident kinge Henry the vijth:, all that masse of moneye made by the dissolutyones of the Abbies, and all that England Could yeald him besides in a warre againste the French, assisted also therin by all the fores[ai]d Princes and States, he had Nothinge Remaininge of all those greate expences of Treasure, armes, and the bodies of men, but the poore towne of Bulloigne, the restitutione wherof to the Frenche, Kinge Henry himselfe promysed; but beinge prevented by death the same was delyueredvpp by Kinge Edward his sonne. / .

What accompte can wee make therfor of Sauoy since neither Charles the Emperour, nor all [tha]t Ioyned w[i]th him, and the w[i]th the English againste the Frenche, would putt vs in possessione of one good place in .18. or 20 yeares warre. / . But S[i]r that w[hi]ch wee are to Considere in this, treatie is, whether it doe not dragge after it some Spanishe exploite. For it is Certaine [tha]t the Castillianes and those of whom these Princes are187v An[n]o .9. Iacobi are disscended, have gotten noe lesse by the trafficque of their marriages; then they have don by the trade of their Indies, of w[hi]ch because the Instances are ouer many, I will remember vnto you some fewe and leave the Reste to yo[u]r owne Readinge. / .

In the yeare .1503.Phillipe Arche Duke of Austria Authorised by Ferdinande of Arragon his father in Lawe made a peace w[i]th Lewis the .12th. promisinge that his sonne Charles (afterwarde Emperour) should marry the Ladi Clavdi the Kinges daughter, w[hi]ch marriage was solemply sworne and Confirmed at Bloys. But what was the end of this Loue makynge, other then to perswade kinge Lewis that according to the devissyon made of the kyngdom of Naples betweene the Spanish & [th]e Frenche. the Frenche Kinge should inioye his parte and the Spanish his, and all warre and debate take ende. whervpon while Lewis (meaninge all thinges in good faith) neclected & to renforce & to supply his Armie in those parts, Gonsalua accordinge to his secret instructiones (& Notw[i]th standinge that this peace was proclaymede thoroughout all Naples and Comaundement sente to Gonsalua by the Archeduke to abstaine deom all actes of hostyllitie) he sett vpo[n] the Frenche vnawares, difeated the duke of Artry, and Mr Daubigne & followinge the aduauntage of the his formor victory, ouerthrewe the remainder of the Frenche Army ledd by that valiant Duke of Namours, who loste himselfe w[i]th all that in effecte that the Frenche Posseste in that kingdom. / .

And yet this was not all the vse that the Spaniardes made of this l{an}dLadie, for after that188r An[n]o .9. Iacobi after that Leuis [th]e .12. had sent a newe Army in to Italy for the Recouerye of Naples, comaunded (at the tyme of the ouerthrowe therof) by the Marques of Saluce (the Spaniarde beinge not as yet thorowly setled in his Newe Conqueste) the formor Marriage was againe to be confirmed, and in recompence of the one halfe of the kingdome of Naples, the investiture of the Duchie of Millan was promised to kinge Lewis and his Heires Males, and for wante of Heires males to the Ladi Clauda and Charles her imagenary Husband. And to make it a plaine Bargaine, kinge Lewis was to paye vnto Maximillian a greate some of moneie w[hi]ch was presently sente by the Cardinall of Amboyse at Haguenaw in Alsatia, but this monie was never repayed, this Match never effected, nor the Duchcy of Millan ever deliuered into the French possessione. / .

In the Necke of this & vpon the death of Izabelle Queen of Castile, Ferdinand of Arragon (fearinge to be dispossest of Castile & Leon by his sonne in Lawe the Archduke Phillip, who by [th]e Right of his wife the A Lady Daughter of Quene Izabell was nowe lawfull kinge therof, sought peace the w[i]th Lewis the .12th. and to that end tooke to wife the Ladi Germaine de Foix sister to Gaston de Foix the kinge Neece, vpon condition that Lewis should resigne all that parte of Naples vnto w[hi]ch he had Right, and that Ferdinande should paye vnto Lewis .700. thousande duckets. / .

In conclusyone the Spaniarde gott the starte, for the French delyuered those fewe places w[hi]ch they held in Naples, and w[i]th all resigned their Right to the Reste; but as for the monie promised the same was never paide to this daye. what188v An[n]o .9. Iacobij what vse Ferdinand of Arragon made by the givinge his daughter in marriage to Henry [th]e viijth of Englande, the the Conqueste of Nauarre hath told vs. / .

For a fifte Marriage (the Arche Duke Phillip father to Charles afterward Emperour beinge dead) it was accorded that Charles Now Arche Duke of Austria, and Kinge of Castille should take to wife the Ladi Renee daughter to Lewis the xijth deceased, and that Francis the first his Successor should give in dowre w[i]th the s[ai]d Ladie the Duchie of Berry, and 600 thousand Crownes, and that Renee should give vpe to king Francis all her Right bothe{} by father and mother of the Duchie of Millan, and this Marriage proceeded so farre as all conditiones were agreed one, and sworne betweene the Princes. / .

In the meane while the great Ferdenand of Arragon dies, and Now comes Charles ArcheDuk of Austria and Kinge of Castille & Arragon vpon the stage, who inherited his grandfather Ferdinand aswell in all his kindomes as in his Subtylties and breache of faith. / .

And to the end he mighte obtaine of Kinge Francis a passage by the waye of France into Spaine as well to possesse him selfe of his kingedomes ther, as to fortefie Nauarra lately Conquered he treates a peace withe France (made fearfull vnto him by the greate ouerthrowe givene the Switzeres at [th]e Battaile of Marignan) and in sted of Renee daughter to Lewis he desyred the Ladie Lowise daughter to Kinge Francis presentyle Raigning189r An[n]o .9. Iacobi raigninge Renee beinge afterward married to the duke of Ferrara. for the accomplishment of this alliance Noyon was appointed wher it was Concluded by the deputies that the kingdome of Nauarre should be restored to Henrie of Alberte sonne to John of Albert and Katherine of Foix lately deceased; that Kinge Francis should by waye dowrie his daughter clearly resigne all his Right in the kingdom of Naples, and Charles was to paaye vnto the kinge .150. thousand duckets yearlye towards the maintenance of Lowise his wife tyll she became of full age, w[i]th diueres other Conditiones agreede one and sworne. / .

But this Ladie dienge soone after, a mariage was Concluded betweene the s[ai]d Charles and King Francis yonger daughter vpon the formor Conditions

But in the meane while the Emperour maximilian leaves the world and Charlesand Ch not contented w[i]th all the kingdomes of Spaine (Portu excepted) nor w[i]th all the dukedomes, and earldoms of the Netherlandes w[i]th the kingdomes of Naplls and Cicille but he affects the Empire of Germanye, and delte not therin as kinge Francis, who had the same Ambitione, but havinge how setled his Estat[es] in Spaine, Naples & Nauarra w[hi]ch he Could not have done but by the pretence of the fores[ai]d mariage; he Raised an Army one the suddaine w[hi]ch marched towarde Francford, and assuringe therby those of his owne party and discouraginge the rest, he was forthw[i]th elected Emperor of Germanie. / .

And Nowe he forgetts his father in lawe kinge Francis, forgets the restetutyone of Nauarra, forgets the pentione promised to the Ladi Lowis, and in Conclusione he tooke to wyfe the sister of John189v An[n]o .9. Iacobij John Kinge of Portugall w[i]th whom he had a greate masse of moneye to maintayne his warres againste the Frenche. / .

By this you maye see to what v greate aduantage these Princes vsed the Sacrament of marriage, for beinge twise promysed to Renee, and twise married to the daughters of Frauncesof the firste, & once given to the Ladie Marij daughter to Kinge Henry the .8th. havinge served his turne by them all, he lefte them all to seeke out Newe Parramoures; and it is well noted by those that wrotte the Stories of those tymes that before the bataile of Pauia, wher kinge frauncis was made Prisonere; Charles allwaies wrotte to kinge Henrie the viij (yo[u]r sonne and Cousine Charles) but nevere after that tyme did he afford him one lyne but by his Secretaryes, nor never vsed other subscriptione then simple (Charles:) and by delyueringedelude Kinge Henry by the promise of beinge his sonne in Lawe, he did not onely borrowe greate somes of monie of him, but drewe him oftene in to Fraunce to the greate preiudice of that Natione. / .

But wee may not end here for Charles that had him selfe married so many wives, had also store for other men; but the better to confirme the Duke of Burbn in his disloyaltye againste his soueraigne Lord Kinge Frauncis, he promised him his owne Sister, Eleanor widowe of Emanuell K[ing] of Portugalle, but that poore duke findinge him selfe derided; died soone after in the Diche of Rome as he offered to assaille the wales therof, and Charles the Emperore havinge now kinge Francis his Prisoner at Madrille in Spaine made a matche betweene him and his said Sister formorlie promised to Burbon vpon condition that kinge Francis 190r An[n]o .9. Iacobj Francis should resigne as his righte in Italye, render vnto the Emperoure, the Duchij of Burgoigne, quite [th]e Soueraigntie of Flanderes & Artoys w[i]th many other insolente and Cruell Conditiones, wherby you may p[er]ceave that although the Spaniard had often abused the Frenche by offeringe them Marriages never ment, yet at laste they made a Bargaine outrighte, but such a Costely one, as should for ever teach the Frenche the prise of a Spanishe wife. / .

But this matrimoniall traffique is not yet at an end, the market is still contynued by the Emperor, for Francis the firste resolued to recouer the Duchie of Millan and to take an accompte of the Duke of Millan and to take an accompte of the Duke of Sauoy for his mothers Inheritance therin, prepares an Armye to effecte it. the Emperor beinge newlye returned out of Affrica, and from the takinge of Tunise findinge his forces marvelouslye decayed by the greate heate of that Countrey, & toyles of the warre, and therfore not in case for the presente to resiste kinge Frauncis, he treated a marriage betweene the Infanta of Portugalle and the Dolphin of France & betwene the Duke of Angolesme, the Kinges yonger sonne, & the Infanta of Spaine, though he did not directely Name her. He offered to give to any of the Kinges sonnes a 100. thousand Crownes a year pentione out of the Duchey of Millan, desiring w[i]th all that the Duke of Orleance might accompanie him in the Conqueste of Algire, then w[hi]ch and then anye of theise marriages, he never mente any thinge lesse, and doubtinge that the kinge would not bite at any thinge of theise baites, he also offered to invest the Duke of Angolesme in the Duche of Millaine. / .

These goodly offeres the kinge Could not refuse, though he had Experience enoughe of the Spanishe 190v An[n]o .9. Iacobi Spanish trechery; But whill the Emperor helde the Emperour held the Kinge in this treatie, he gotte tyme to leuie an Armye in Germanye to prepare his Fleete by Andrew Dores at Genes to make a Confederacie in Italie and to drawe thether all the Spanishe Garrisones out of Sicilie Comaunded by Gonsalue after w[hi]ch he never spake worde of any of theise Marriages, nor of any pentione nor restitucyon of Millan. / .

Nowe for Conclusione we will remember the goodly marriage betweene Kinge Philip the seconde & Queene Mary of Englande formorly promised to his father Charles, for aftere Phillip had failed in his dessigne to make England a Prouince, and subiecte to Spaine, he drewe the good Queene in to a warre againste the French, but after his turne { ser } served, and the victory at St Quintanes, he Concluded a Peace w[i]th France, not so much as includinge the Queene his wyfe, who beinge abandoned by her Husbande, she Loste the good towne of Callis w[hi]ch had remayned in Possessio[n] of the Crowne of England from the yeare .1347. to the yeare .1558., Neither had kinge Phillipes.2d. wiffe the Ladie Elizabethe of France the daughter of Henri the seconde any greate Cause of Goye Ioye in that her Aduancemente, for she died in Spaine aftere a stange maner {}/ as it was Supposed. suspected. / .

Nowe me thinkes I hear some Englishmanspaniolized saye vnto the kinge, that seinge the Kinges of France; but espetially of Spaine have so often matcht themselues w[i]th the Dukes of Sauoye, whie should not his ma[jes]tie also accepte of theire marriage alliance; But his ma[jes]tie beinge of an vniuersall vnderstandinge will easely fynde the difference; for though the kinges of Polonia found it greately to their aduantage to matche w[i]th the Dukes 191r An[n]o .9. Iacobij the Dukes of Lithuania yet yf such an ouerture were made to our kinge he would find it exceeding rediculous. / .

For the Frenche Kinges and the Kinges of Spaine who have oftene quarreled, Italij, Naples, & Millan, and who are like hearafter so to to doe, have greate reason to make the Dukes of Sauoy theirs, france in respecte of a passage into Italij, Spaine in respecte of a bulwarke againste France, but our kinges of England who have no busenes ouere the Alpes, who pretend no tytle to Millain, nor to Naples but as kinges of France, (w[hi]ch yf evere god shall restore vnto them, they shall as easely beate the Sauoyan as the french hath done) can make no manere of vse of that alliance, othere then to drawe them in to a warre for the defence of those Dukes. / .

But lett vs nowe somwhat amongeste theise other respect[es]. enter into the due Consideration of the persone of this exelent yonge Princes the onely daughter of our Soueraigne the deare beloued sister of our Prince and one of the Pretiouse Iueles of this kingdome; lett vs I saye but indifferently examine what encrease of Honor & dignetye, or what greate Comforte and Contentemente she Can expecte or hope for by the benefite of this match. / .

For the first to wittw[hi]ch honore and dignetie as she is borne the eldeste a nd nowe onely daughter of one of the Mightieste kinges of Christendome, so is she therby of place highere place and state then the Wife of a Duke of Sauoy. Besides in her birthe and bloud bothe of father and mother dissended of such royall races as Sauoye Cannot add any greater grace or glorye vnto and by Nature and Educatione endued w[i]th suche Princely perfectyones bothe of bodie and minde as maye well deserve to be reputed a worthie Spouse. 191v An[n]o .9. Iacobj Spouse for the greateste monarch in the Christendome espesially consideringe the possebyllyties of the daughteres of Englande wherof wee have had many presidentes and at this tyme is happely manifested in the kinges ma[jes]tie our Soueraigne, beinge descended of a daughter of England wherby the whole Ilande formorly devided is againe nowe made one greate Brittaine to the mutuall strength of either. / .

Nowe to conferre the possebillitie of such a fortune vpon a poore Popishe Duke of Sauoye, that Can returne no recompence nor benefite to this State, were greately for his glorye though litle for the Aduancemente of this Noble princes, and lese for the safetie of this kingdome Consideringe [th]e dangeres that it may drawe vpon our Worthie magnamineouse Prince, and the Noble duke of Yorke yf the ambitione of this match should tikle the Sauoyan to looke after possebillities wherin ther would want neither meanes, perswasyons, nor pardones from Rome to practice any villanye in that behalfe, wherby to benefite or strengthene an appendex of Spaine, and so denoted a sonne to the Romish see. / .

For the Seconde namly the Comforte and Contentmente of this worthie yonge ladye by this Match, as ther is litle in apparance presently, So is there lese to be hoped for in the future. for as first she { if to }must be remoued farre of from her Natiue soile, farre from her Neereste bloude bothe by father & mother, in to a Countrey asmuche estranged from our Natione as any paarte of Christendom, ans as farre differing frome vs in Religione as in Climate and what true Correspondencie or matrimoniall affectione ther Can be maintainede betweene those persones whose mindes are different and opposite in the religeous points. of their Christian192r An[n]o .9. Iacobi Christian faith, is greately to be doubted. / .

Moreouere it is no lese to be feared w[i]th what safetie and and securetie she can longe liue free from secrete practises and treacheries in a Contrey so neare [th]e Popes Iurisdiction invironed w[i]th the plottes of the Iesuites, who wee see doe dayly trafique the liues and fortunes of all Princes that are not wholie devoted to the Romishe obedience and therfore howe they will entertayne or tollorate any of the Race of o[u]r kinge, were too greate an errour and presumptyo[n] to truste vnto. / .

So as when the worth is Ladie hearafter by her Children or otherwise hath furnished their desire and fully served their turne; she shalbe then either enforced to wound her Conscience by forsakinge her faithe, or else to vndergoe the Scornes & dangeres w[hi]ch shalbe daily Caste vpon her and her famelye for the exercise of their Religeon. / .

And this also wee may be well assured of, that yf she should have any Issue by the Prince of Piemont, they muste be all bredd and broughte vppe contrary to her Conscience, w[hi]ch can be no smalle greife to a vertuous and naturall mother, and as litle Comforte to our iuste religeouse kinge their Grandfather. / .

Lastely the verie bindinge cause of Amitie between all Kinges, Princes & states is their trade & entercourse of their Subiect[es]. / . Nowe ther is not any Prince or state of Europe (the greate I[n]land Countreyes of Hungarie & Transiluania excepted) but the English have trade w[i]thall. Yea evene w[i]th the Turke, Barbarian, Percian & Indianes; only w[i]th the Subiect[es] of Sauoye, I doe not knowe that wee have any medlinge or enterchange at all, for the Duke hath no porte, (his diche of Villefrancks excepted w[hi]ch is onelie192v An[n]o .9. Iacobi is onelye Capable of a fewe Galleyes) either to furnishe shippes from, or to receave them beinge Strangeres. / .

And therfor for his ma[jes]tie of England to matche his eldeste and onely daughter w[i]th a prince w[hi]ch hath his dependancie one other kinges, a Prince Iesuited, w[hi]ch Can Neither stead vs in tyme of warre, nor trade w[i]th vs in tyme of Peace. A Prince by the Cituatione of his Countreye every waye vnproffytable vnto us, vnto and no lese perelous for his Childe to liue in, I seolue my selfe that his Ma[jes]tie is of too ele exelent a Iudgemente Iudge euer to accepte of it, and his Honorable Counsell too wise and prouidente to aduise the prosecution therof. / .

Nowe yf his Highnes should be pleased to aske my opinione w[i]th what Christian prince hee should match his sister, were it in his owne powre and Choyse to make election. I humlie desire to be Excused therin, for would it become me to presume so farre. It is true that I have heard it that some ouertures hath bene made for the Princ Pallatine of the Rhine, certenly he is aswell borne as the Duke of savoy, and as free a Prince as he is, The Natione is Faithfull, he is of our Religeon, and by him wee shall greately fasten vnto vs the Netherlandes & for the litle Iudgement that god hath givene me; I doe Prise the alliance of the Pallatine of the Rhine, and of the House of Nassaw more then I doe of the alliance of Tenne Dukes of Sauoye. / .

. Finis . /