by Thomas Wyatt
When there is a custom gotten of avoiding to do evil, then cometh a gentle courage. Be content to be idle, and to rest without doing any thing. Then too had ye need to gather an heap of good opinions and to get them perfectly, as it were on your fingers ends. Rest not greatly upon the approving of them; take them as already approved, because they were of honest men’s leavings. Of them of God, there is no question. And it is no small help to them, the good opinion of moral philosophers: among whom I would Seneca [in] your study; and Epictetus, because it is little, to be ever in bosom.
These things shall lead you to know goodly [things]; which when a man knoweth and taketh pleasure in them, he is a beast that followeth not them: no, nor he cannot but follow them.
But take this for conclusion and sum of all; that if God and his Grace be not the foundation, neither can ye avoid evil, nor judge well, nor do any goodly thing. Let Him be foundation of all. Will these things; desire them earnestly, and seek them at his hands, and knowledge them to come of Him, and questionless He will both give you the use and pleasure in using them, and also reward you for them that come of Him; so liberal and good is He.
I would fain see that my letters might work to frame you honest. And think that without that, I esteem nothing of you: no! not that you are my Son. For I reckon it no small dishonesty to myself to have an unhonest taught child: but the fault shall not be in me. I shall do the part of a father: and if you answer not to that I look for at your hands, I shall as well study with that that I shall leave, to make such [some] honest man, as you.
FINIS.
OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF SIR THOMAS WYATT.
LETTERS AND OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF SIR THOMAS WYATT.
LETTER I. INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN BY THE KING S HIGHNESS TO HIS TRUSTY AND WELL-BELOVED SERVANT THOMAS WYATT, ESQUIRE, WHOM HIS MAJESTY SENDETH AT THIS TIME TO THE EMPEROR TO RESIDE WITH HIM AS HIS GRACE’S AMBASSADOR.
HENRY REX.
FIRST, albeit upon the matter of controversy moved between his Majesty and the late Princess Dowager concerning the cause of their matrimony, the said Emperor did not only (contrary to the King’s Highness’ expectation conceived of the entire friendship that had been before established mutually in their hearts, that no respect, affection, or worldly matter, could have interrupted the same) labour and travail by his agents at Rome, and otherwise to the uttermost of his power to have procured a sentence against his Grace, neither regarding the injustice of the matter, nor the great and most perfect kindness and friendship before by his Highness sundry ways shewed unto him; but since that matter was defined and determined here, (as the Holy Councils would that every matter should be decided in the province where it should first spring) hath shewed a great strangeness towards his Majesty’, rather setting forth a visage of desire to have the old amity between them renovated, revived, and brought to his old perfection, than in such earnest wise following the overtures thereof, as it might not be conceived that he did it rather upon a jealousy to stay his Highness that he should not have entered against him, than for that indeed he did any thing earnestly stomach the obtaining of the same; yet forasmuch as the said Emperor’s ambassador here resident hath often lately renewed such conversations as have been had touching the renovation of their said amities, and hath imputed the want of the following thereof on the Emperor’s part, rather to the great affairs that the said Emperor hath lately had in hand, and the long journies that he hath taken, (by reason whereof either the letters written by his ambassadors here came not to his hands, or could not conveniently for want of time, leisure, and opportunity, be answered), than for want of good will and a desire on his side to prosecute the same to that effect that should be to his Majesty’s satisfaction, and to the evident declaration of his heart towards his said Majesty; his Highness considering the weakness and debility of his ambassador there resident to be such as in case there should be any farther entreaty for the conclusion of that matter, he cannot well with his commodity follow the same to such purpose, nor with such dexterity, as should be requisite and convenient:
And on the other part, knowing the wisdom, learning, and fidelity, of his trusty and well-beloved servant, Thomas Wyatt, Esquire, hath for the great trust and confidence he hath hereupon reposed in him, appointed the said Thomas Wyatt to occupy the room and place of his ambassador resident in the court of the said Emperor, in the lieu and place of his trusty and well-beloved chaplain Mr: Pate, now supplying the same, who shall return to his Grace with convenient speed, after the arrival there of the said Thomas Wyatt; and therefore his Majesty’s pleasure is, that the said Thomas Wyatt, taking with him ail such instructions, letters of credence and recommendations, with all such other muniments and escripts as be prepared for his dispatch,.shall, with all convenient diligence, address himself to the Emperor’s court, wheresoever the same is, or shall be, and there he shall use and behave himself in all things in manner and form following.
First, when he shall arrive at the court of the said Emperor, he shall wyne himself with the said Mr. Pate, and so give knowledge of his arrival, requiring the appointment of a convenient time for his access to the Emperor’s presence, which obtained he shall, at his repair to the same, deliver unto him the King’s Highness’ Letters, with his most hearty and affectionate commendations: and he shall further say, that forasmuch as his Grace’s said ambassador now there resident, being sickly, hath often time sued to his Grace for his return; his Majesty now granting his suit and petition, hath for the suppliment of his place sent thither the said Thomas Wyatt, requiring therefore to give unto him, from time to time, favourable audience in all such things as he shall entreat with him on his Grace’s behalf; adding thereunto as of himself that he trusteth before his return again to see such a renovation of the old amity that hath been between his Highness and the said Emperor, that it shall appear to ail the world to consist in a good perfection: and if the Emperor shall thereupon make answer that as he would be glad thereof, so he hath set forth certain overtures with his ambassador here for that purpose, the said Thomas Wyatt shall reply that he doubteth not but the King’s Majesty will gladly embrace the same, if they be of such nature as his Grace may conveniently so do: trusting that the Emperor will, by the measure of himself weigh and consider that Princes be commonly of such courage that they will not be forced to things, but like to have all things, especially touching their own affairs, to proceed in such sort as they themselves shall think most expedient, without the arbiter of others, unless it be by way of friendly request and desire, keeping such a temperance in this communication, as he might seem to be desirous that this amity should be renovlled, as every indifferent honest man would be, for the manifold good effects that may ensue thereof: nor, on the other side, that he may conceive that the King’s Majesty would be as glad of the renovation of their said amity as the Emperor himself could be desirous of the same. Which communication with the Emperor finished, he shall, to the rest of his council, deliver such letters as he hath from the King’s Highness unto them, with his Majesty’s most hearty commendations to every of the same: and if the said Emperor shall at any time grieve the cause of his amity, and seem to ascribe therein any unkindness or sinister proceeding to the King’s Majesty, the said Thomas Wyatt shall thereunto answer, that if he would indifferently weigh his Highness’s proceedings therein, he would not only much commend r approve, and allow the same, but he would again, on the other side, confess that his Majesty was as evil handled in the discourse thereof as ever was Prince of honour that in his doings used that dexterity that hts Grace used in that matter.
For first, when the scruple of that matrimony was laid before him by those that were great learned men, and men of great honesty, gravity, and reputation, his Highness did not incontinently give faith unto it; but with great advice consulted thereupon with all others the great clerks and learned men of his realm: and not contented therewith, required therein the judgment of all the famous universities and learned men in manner in Christendom, never leaving till he cam
e even to Rome, where the Bishop himself with his own handwriting, which his Majesty hath remaining with him, did confess the injustice thereof, conformably to the censures and sentences of the said universities, and the great learned men of all parts: so that if the Emperor will either lay before his eyes the proceedings of his Highness, the justice of his cause, or the old friendship that hath been between them, he can neither shew himself grieved with that matter, nor use so great strangeness as he hath used towards his Grace, since after they first came into question. And if the Emperor shall upon his answer take occasion to speak of my Lady Mary, and seem to be offended only with that, that she is declared illegitimate, alledging for her part that she was born in bona fide parentum; then, that the said Sir Thomas Wyatt shall answer, that where the prohibition is of the law of God, there cannot be alleged bona fides, and therefore that allegation is not justifiable: but in such case as this is frivolous to be alleged, and therefore consisting the matter in such terms as it doth; that is to say, neither maintainable by God’s laws, nor by the ancient laws of the realm, which, without exception, excludeth all claim of inheritance to them that be born in any such matrimony, the said Thomas Wyatt shall say, that the allegation thereof shall but irritate the King’s Highness, and renew the unkindness that he thinketh he receiveth at the said Emperor’s hands in that behalf. And here he shall deliver unto the Emperor the letter written unto him from the said Lady Mary’s, whereby he shall perceive how she doth repent herself; and how she would that he should repent, and take her the tenor; whereof it shall like him to consider, it is not to be thought but it will acquit him therein, his Grace being nevertheless so good Lord and Father to her as he is, and undoubtedly will be. And if the Emperor chance to speak of an overture of marriage that was lately made for her with the Infant of Portugal, and in the setting forth thereof shall shew himself desirous to have that matter rendered to some effect, the said Thomas Wyatt shall say that he hath no special commission to entreat thereof: nevertheless he supposeth that in case the said Emperor will earnestly follow the same, and condescend to receive her in that kind of legitimation and succession that his Majesty will appoint; that is to say, to succeed him in the crown imperial of this realm, if his Highness shall chance to have no issue male nor female by the Queen that now is, nor by any other lawful wife that he shall have hereafter, the King’s Highness he thinketh will be then content to entreat further with him thereupon, so as he will send either some personage of honour to require the same in such sort and form, and with such other conditions, as shall be reasonable and convenient: and thus with general words the said Thomas Wyatt shall pass over that matter signifying unto the King’s Majesty the Emperor’s words and communication uttered touching the same. The said Thomas Wyatt shall also at his arrival there acquaint himself with the French King’s ambassador, shewing unto him a countenance of great friendship in respect of the amity between the King’s Highness and the said French King; and yet keeping himself in such a temperance, as the said ambassador may perceive that he looketh to find a like inclination in him, to shew unto him again a correspondence of like gratitude and kindness.
The King’s Grace’s Instructions.
LETTER II. CROMWELL, LORD PRIVV SEAL, TO SIR THOMAS WYATT.
AFTER my right hearty commendation: because I would not let the bearer, George Perry, one of the gentlemen of Monsieur Chappuis the Emperor’s Ambassador here resident, to depart without my letters unto you, although I cannot amply advertise you of alt things, yet for this present I advertise you that being here at Stepney this morning arrived Rouge Croix the herald, which ye sent with your letters dated the 23d day of June last, and so I sent them instantly to the King’s Highness which is now at Oking; wherefore as to his pleasure upon the same, I cannot by this bearer inform you of it. But for my letters, as welt written at your first arrival before you had audience, as for those I have now received, I give unto you my hearty thanks, taking your excuses for your so late writing in good part.
As touching the communication with the Emperor’s Ambassador here, whereof I wrote partly unto you by Monsieur de Vaudray, I hope there shall follow good success of it: so that there shall be found reasonable conformity and correspondence of that behalf.
Concerning the news of this realm nothing has succeeded since my last writing; but from good quiet and peace, daily to better and better. The traitors have been executed. The Lord Darcy, at Tower Hill. The Lord Hussey, at Lincoln. Aske hanged upon the dungeon of the Castle at York, the rest were executed at Tyburn. So that as far as we can perceive, all the cankered hearts be weeded away.
The Bourguignions have a jolly army of hardy men, the which at the first brunt took St. Pol by assault, and there killed at the assault eight hundred Frenchmen, and at the entry and fury of the coming in, sixteen hundred and more. From thence they passed the country and came to Montreal where they abode two days; so the town was yielded upon composition. Monsieur de Canaples, captain there, and the men of war went out with their bags and baggage: afterwards the town was spoiled, burnt, and rased. From thence they went incontinent to lay the siege at Terouenne, where they be yet in good hope to take it. They have as yet had in manner never a skirmish by the Frenchmen that we can hear of: albeit they say the Dauphin and Great Master are now at Abbeville, preparing and assembling their army and puissance to rescue that town; and the French King is at Fontainbleau. They crack that they will give them battle; but what they shall do I cannot lightly judge.
These I have thought with this present occasion by the bearer, that tarrieth for no other purpose, to write unto you, although, generally and in haste. More amply I shall write by the next.
Nevertheless, for all the haste I would not omit to advertise you, that some, your servants here, be called and named common stealers of the King’s hawks. I would ye should give them warning that they shall leave such pranks, and that ye will be no maintainer of such unlawful fellows of light disposition; and write unto them earnestly.
I think no need to write of the King’s and Queen’s Graces very prosperous disposition. God continue it, as I trust, for a great many years.
Thus fare right heartily well. From Stepney, the 8th of July, 1537.
Your loving friend,
THOMAS CROMWELL.
To my very loving friend Sir Thomas
Wyatt, Knight, the King’s Ambassador
resident in the Emperor’s
Court.
From my Lord Privy Seal, by George
Perry, at Saragossa, received the
11th of August, of the date of 8th
of July.
LETTER III. CROMWELL, LORD PRIVV SEAL, TO SIR THOMAS WYATT.
MASTER WYATT, AFTER my right hearty commendations: by this bearer, Rouge Croix, you shall receive the King’s Highness’s Letters, containing his pleasure for an overture to be set forth for a mediation of peace between the Emperor and the French King; wherein, by the said letters, you shall perceive that his Grace, like a good Prince, and a very friend to both parties, offereth himself to travail if they will commit the managing of the matters to him. Your part shall be now, like a good orator, both to set forth the princely nature and inclination of his Highness with all dexterity; and so to observe the Emperor’s answers to the said overture, and to the rest of the points in the same letters expressed, as you may thereby fish out the bottom of his stomach, and advertise his Majesty how he standeth disposed towards him, and to the continuance of the amity between them. It is bruited that there should be a convocation of a peace to be managed by others. Use all your wisdom in the research also thereof; that you may in that matter likewise signify some certainty to his Highness, and semblably what the Emperor will do touching the Bishop of Rome’s counsel, which the Germans, upon good grounds, have refused to consent unto; and the King’s Majesty, upon many of the respects declared by the Germans, with certain other great and weighty considerations, hath made like refusal. You must in your conference with the Emperor take occasion to speak of all those matt
ers, and so frankly to speak of them as you may feel the deepness of his heart; wherein you shall do good service. It is much marvelled that you have not yet delivered my Lady Mary’s Grace’s letters. It was a part of your instructions, and therefore very negligently thus pretermitted. I have yet so excused the matter that you may now deliver them, and write the answer to the same as done before according to your commissions though not at the first answered for want of opportunity.
The King’s Majesty is your good and gracious Lord, and taketh your conferences, both with Mons. Grandvela and those with the Emperor himself, in good part. Continue vigilant now in the researching out of things meet to be known, and use diligence and advertisement when any such thing shall occur; and doubt you not but your service shall be well employed.
And as for your diet and post money, I shall see you shall have them paid according to your warrant: and in the rest of your affairs I shall be such a friend unto you, if need require, as your enemies, if you have any, shall win little at your hands in your absence.
Your brother Anthony, he hath been in the porter’s lodge for consenting to the stealing of certain of the King’s hawks: and your sister suing for his deliverance, hath been here with me at Mortlake; they be both merry: and the King’s Highness is now again good Lord, unto him.
Gentle Mr. Wyatt, now use all your wisdom, rather to try out how the Emperor is disposed towards the King’s Highness, than to press him any thing to agree to the overture of mediation, if he will not as gently embrace it as it is made friendly unto him. For to be plain with you, the other part declare him in words towards his Majesty to make only fair weather, and in his heart, deed, and works, to do all that he can to his Grace’s dishonour; insomuch as they boast themselves to have refused-some honest offers for themselves, because they never knit with vile and filthy conditions towards his Majesty: and if it be true, it is pity there should, be such dissimulation in such a Prince: and specially towards him whom he ought of congruence, all things considered to observe, love, and honour to his uttermost. If you think that the speaking of these things unto him may by any means decipher his very meaning, bolt them out of yourself, as signified unto you by some of the agents of the King’s agent9 in France; and when you shall be in communication of these matters, handle them with such a plain frankness, as you may draw somewhat out, that perchance resteth yet hidden under a coloured cloak of friendship, or at the least manifest and make open, that like a Prince of honour he meaneth as he pretendeth.