Michel de Seure’s letters

dont noz voysins parlent de la retraicte des mansulmans s’ilz disent verité la chose sera autrement que ne l’ay esperé quoy qu’il en soit ce me sera plaisir d’entendre la resolucion car nous commenceons à approcher du temps que [vostre] amy aye achevé ses deux ans

in which our neighbours speak of the withdrawal of the Muslims. If they are telling the truth, things will turn out otherwise than I had hoped. Be that as it may, I shall be glad to hear the outcome, for we are beginning to approach the time when [your] friend will have completed his two years.

nous avons tenu icy la paix pour faicte je ne sçay ce qu’il en sera qui my faisoit encores avoir plus de doubte je ne veulx plus demeurer icy guieres longuement et au pis aller n’y veux que achever mes deux ans je suis en necessité et ay eu tout plein dettes cest esté

We have regarded the peace here as settled; I do not know how it will turn out, which made me still more doubtful. I do not wish to remain here very much longer, and at worst I want only to complete my two years. I am in need and ran up a great many debts this summer.

si est ce que jusques a present il n’en ont peu attrapper que deux cens mil escupz qui estoient à ung homme d’eglise lesquelz ont confisquez la royne de portugal a permis et accordé au roy philippes de pouvoir envoyer en l’isle de la tercera navires armez et officiers pour recouvrer les argent qui y a esté lais en passant et pussance de chastier et ordonner là dessus à son plaisir que les gens de bien de ce pays trouvent bien estrange comme à la verité il est car pour riens les deffunctz roys de portugal ne l’eussent permis ilz y ont envoyé à toute dilligence dieu veille qu’ilz ne le recouvrent comme j’estime qu’ilz ne feront bien aisement

Nevertheless, up to the present they have been able to get hold of only two hundred thousand écus belonging to a churchman, which they have confiscated. The Queen of Portugal has permitted and agreed that King Philip may send armed ships and officers to the island of Terceira to recover the money left there in passing, with power to punish and make arrangements concerning it as he pleases. The honourable people of this country find this very strange, as indeed it is, for the late kings of Portugal would never have allowed it on any account. They have sent there with all diligence. God grant that they do not recover it, as I think they will not do so very easily.

depuis mes dicte dernieres depeches j’ay eu nouvelles qu’ilz font une reteue de navires à malega alicantr et caix et disent que cest pour envoyer en cicille et naples des soldatz que le marquis de tariffe qui est ordonné pour visroy faict lever pour y envoyer il doit partir bien tost luy mesmes s’il ne l’est desja oran n’a pas esté assiegé comme ilz pensoient durant cest hyver ilz parlent aussi d’envoyer quelques soldatz à la gollete pour raffreschir la garnison

Since my last dispatches I have had news that they are assembling ships at Málaga, Alicante and Cádiz, and say that this is to send to Sicily and Naples soldiers whom the Marquis of Tarifa, who has been appointed viceroy there, is having raised to send out. He himself is to leave very soon, if he has not already done so. Oran has not been besieged, as they expected it would be during this winter. They also speak of sending some soldiers to La Goleta to reinforce the garrison.

ilz ont ja satisfaict les huict cens mil eecuz qu’ilz devoient es foyres de medina et davantagie ont faict ung party de six cens mille escuz avecques ung genevoys qui leur doibt livrer en flandres à deux paymens doni le dernier est en ce moys de mars prochain le genvoys y a profict de dix huitt pour cent ilz sont en propoz den envoyer par laredo en flandres sur les navires qui devoient porter la royne marye

They have already paid the eight hundred thousand écus they owed at the fairs of Medina, and have also made an agreement for six hundred thousand écus with a Genoese who is to deliver it to them in Flanders in two instalments, the last falling due next March. The Genoese makes a profit of eighteen per cent on it. They propose to send it from Laredo to Flanders on the ships which were to carry Queen Mary.

don juan de vega est mort qui estoit president d’espaigne et homme de service l’on dict que le conetable de castille l’est aussi de ce je n’en ay encores riens d’assuré

Don Juan de Vega has died, who was president in Spain and a man of service. It is said that the Constable of Castile has also died. Of this I have as yet no certain information.

je oubioys à vous dires que la royne marye laissa plus de quatre cens mille escuz en or par testament au roy philippe et aussi qu’elle laissa à ce que l’on dict pour heritier de son patrimoyne ung filz bastard que l’empereur advoua à sa mort avoir eu en la ville d’auguste qui a treize ans sur lequel patrimoyne toutesfoys les officiers du roy philippes ont mis la main et sont aprés à trouver argent dessus et davantaige font apprester une grande flotte chargé de marchandise pour aller au perou laquelle partira à la fin de febvrier

I forgot to tell you that Queen Mary left more than four hundred thousand écus in gold to King Philip by her will, and also that, it is said, she made heir to her patrimonial property a bastard son whom the emperor acknowledged at his death as a son he had had in the city of Augsburg, who is thirteen years old. King Philip’s officers have nevertheless laid hands on that property and are seeking to raise money upon it. They are also preparing a large fleet loaded with merchandise to go to Peru, which will leave at the end of February.

et par là sire vostre magestu peult assez evidemment congnoistre combien suivant ce que je vous en ay autresfoys escrit je seroyz aisé d’oster à vostre ennemy ce grant soullaigement qu’il a de ce monde de dela ou pour mieulx dires tout le nerf et tout le moyen qu’il a desormais de maintenir la guerre cotre vous

From this, Sire, Your Majesty can clearly see how—following what I have previously written to you—I would be glad to deprive your enemy of this great advantage he draws from the New World: or, more precisely, all the sinews and resources he now has to sustain the war against you.

la dicte flotte oultre la susdicte somme qu’elle a apportee à seville avoit aussi desbarqué es isles des assores une grande quantité d’argent qui est à plusieurs particuliers et se monte bien à huict ou neuf cens mille escuz dont la pluspart apparient à celluy qui est maintenan viro [...] au perou qui l’avoit faict desbarquer esdictes [...] les de paeur que s’il feust venu jus [...] à seville les officiers du ro [...] philippes ne s’en feussent saiz comme ilz avoient accoustumé de les ans passez

Besides the sum already mentioned which it brought to Seville, that fleet had also unloaded in the Azores a large quantity of silver belonging to several private individuals. It amounts to a good eight or nine hundred thousand écus. Most of it belongs to the man who is now [viceroy] of Peru. He had it unloaded in those islands for fear that, if it reached Seville, King Philip’s officers would seize it, as they had been accustomed to do in previous years.

mais à ce que je veoy cela ne luy servira pas beaucoub car la royne de portugal a accordé et consenty aulx ssdictz officiers et ministres du ry philippes que ledict argent seroit enlev porté en espaigne et sur ce a envoyé mandeens fort ripoureux esdictes les pour le leur faire delivrer ne vou [...] nt poinct permectre que quelque soe d’argent qui vienne du perou tant petit soit elle se puisse desbarquer en royaume

But, as far as I can see, this will not help him much. The Queen of Portugal has agreed and consented with King Philip’s officers and ministers that the silver should be removed and carried to Spain. She has therefore sent very stringent orders to the islands to have it handed over to them, refusing to allow any sum of silver coming from Peru, however small, to be unloaded in this kingdom.

qui est chos que beaucoup de ge de bien de ce pays icy ont trouvé bn estrange et laquelle le feu roy de portugal quelque alance qu’il y eust entre eulx neu [...] jamais permise mais il me semble sire que vous luy puez bien pardonner celle cy puis [...] nest pas la premiere chos où el sest monstree fort passionnee pour roy d’espaigne r j’ay entendu que par la derniere ote des hurques qui partit d’icy à la my tobre pour aller en flandres elle luy avoit advance une bonne som d’argent qu’elle avoit tiree des cores du petit roy son neveu

Many respectable people here have found this very strange. The late King of Portugal would never have allowed it, whatever alliance existed between them. But it seems to me, Sire, that you can well forgive her this one, since it is not the first matter in which she has shown such strong attachment to the King of Spain. I have heard that, through the last fleet of [hulks] which left here in mid-October for Flanders, she advanced him a substantial sum of money which she had drawn from the treasury of the young king, her nephew.

et peu avant cela en partira d’icy une autre de vingt hurque chargees d’espiceries pour flandres qui vauldroit bien la peyne que ceulx de dieppe ou de sainct malo y entendissent car elle vaudra infiniement et si n’y aura que deux meschans navires de guerre à l’accompaigner et elles sont mal armés de toutes choses

Shortly before that, another fleet of twenty hulks loaded with spices will leave here for Flanders. It would be well worth the while of the men of Dieppe or Saint-Malo to concern themselves with it, for it will be worth an immense amount. There will be only two wretched warships to accompany it, and those are poorly armed and equipped in every respect.

celle qui partit d’icy en octobre est encores de present en palice actendant meilleur temps qu’elle n’a eu il s’en est perdu quelques navires qui estoient de grande valleur les turqs ont poinct assiegé oran où noz voisins avoient envoyé deux mille hommes comme ilz pensoient qu’ilz deussent faire

The fleet which left here in October is still at present in Galicia, waiting for better weather than it has had. Some ships of great value have been lost. The Turks have not besieged Oran, where our neighbours had sent two thousand men, as they thought the Turks would do.

ilz devoient huict cens mille escuz aux foires de medina qu’ilz avoient faict retarder pour n’avoier moyen de les fournir que aprés l’arrivee de la flotte lesquelz ilz ont ja payez et depuis trouvé nouveau credit

They owed eight hundred thousand écus at the fairs of Medina. They had delayed payment because they had no means of providing the money until after the fleet’s arrival. They have already paid those sums and have since obtained fresh credit.

ces jours passez ung navire normant print ung petit navire de guerre de la royne qui l’alla à ce que l’on dict assaillir le prendre dont elle a esté en grant collere et faict retenir les navires de voz subjectz qui estoient par son royaume mais à la fin je luy ay si bien remonstré le tort que avoit sondict navire qu’elle les a delaisez

A few days ago a Norman ship captured a small warship of the queen which, it is said, had attacked it in order to take it. She was very angry at this and had the ships of your subjects then in her kingdom detained. But in the end I explained so clearly to her the wrong committed by her own ship that she let them go.

que je donnay à ung portugays nommé anthoine galean le decez de la royne marye et ja peyne en quoy estoient noz voysins le peu desperance qui leur restoit que la flotte qu’ilz actendoient du perou deust venir ceste annee à cause que don alvaro de bassan qui l’avoit actendue es isles des assores l’espace de deux moys s’en estoit retourte sans en avoir eu nouvelles depuis la dicte flotte est arrivé à seville dès le douzeiesme du moys passé ce que je n’ay peu escrire plustost à vostre magesté pour n’avoir eu la commodité d’envoyer les lectres et aussi que j’actendoys de sçavoir particulierement la verité de toute la somme qu’elle a apportee laquelle se monte à deux millions descuz en argent à savoir huict cens mille escuz pour le roy philippes et ung million pour les parties et cent quatre vingtz mille pour les deffunctz qui ont leurs heritiers pardeça et oultre ce la valleur de troys cens mille escuz en cochenille et aliofre qui sont perles de semence

which I gave to a Portuguese named Antoine Galean, of the death of Queen Mary and of the distress of our neighbours at the little hope left to them that the fleet they were expecting from Peru would come this year, because Don Álvaro de Bazán, who had waited for it in the Azores for two months, had come back without any news of it. Since then the said fleet has arrived at Seville, on the twelfth of last month. I could not write this to Your Majesty sooner because I had no means of sending letters, and also because I was waiting to learn exactly the whole sum it has brought. It amounts to two million écus in silver, namely eight hundred thousand écus for King Philip, a million for private persons, and one hundred and eighty thousand for the deceased whose heirs are here. Besides this there is three hundred thousand écus’ worth of cochineal and aliofre, which are seed pearls.

de quoy l’espaigne a faict une merveilleuse feste comme de chose dont ilz commanceoient desja desesperer pour ceste annee et aussi pourautant que toute l’esperance et recours du roy philippes comme autresfoys je vous ay escrit est desormais fondé là dessus ilz estoient en tout vingt deux navires dont il y en avoit quatre de guerre qui ont amené avecques eulx deux navires de voz subgectz qu’ilz prindrent au port de la havana qui est en l’isle de cuba à l’opposite de la florid où ilz estoient actendens la dicte fote que si le bon heure ust voul velle ne feust poinct venue acompagne de navires de guerre comme ilz pe [...] soient ou bien que vosdictz sub [...] ectz qui estoient de dieppe et de la ro [...] helle euset eu encores troy [...] navires avec eulx il n’y a poinct de faulte ainsi comme j’ay entendu de quilques uns mesmes qui y estoient [...] lz eussent tout emmené en france et d eussent faict pour ung coup ung tresgant et notable service

Spain has made a marvellous celebration of it, as of a thing they were already beginning to despair of for this year, and also because all King Philip’s hope and resource, as I have written to you before, now rests on it. There were twenty-two ships in all, four of them warships, which brought with them two ships of your subjects that they had taken in the port of Havana, which is on the island of Cuba opposite Florida, where they were lying in wait for the fleet. If luck had willed that the fleet had not come escorted by warships, as they expected, or if the said subjects, who were from Dieppe and La Rochelle, had had three more ships with them, there is no doubt at all, as I have heard from some of the very men who were there, that they would have carried it all off to France and done you, at one stroke, a very great and notable service.

et par là sire vostre magesté peult assez evidemment congnoistre cobien suivant ce que je vous en ay autresfoys escrit je seroys ayse d’oster à vostre ennemy ce grant soulagement qu’il a de ce monde de dela ou pour myeulx dire tout le nerf et tout le moyen qu’il desormais de maintenir la guerre cotre vous

From this, Sire, Your Majesty can clearly see how—following what I have previously written to you—I would be glad to deprive your enemy of this great advantage he draws from the New World: or, more precisely, all the sinews and resources he now has to sustain the war against you.

la dicte flotte oultr la susdicte somme qu’elle a apportee [...] seville avait aussi desbarqué es isles des assores une grande quantité d’argent qui est à plusieurs pariculiers et se monte bien à huict ou neuf cens mille escuz ont la pluspart appartient à celluy est maintenant visroy au perou qui l’avoit faict desbarquer esdictes iss de paeur que s’il l’eust venu jusques à seville les officiers du roy philippes ne s’en feussent saysiz comme ilz avoient accoustumé de faire les ans passé [...]

Besides the sum already mentioned which it brought to Seville, that fleet had also unloaded in the Azores a large quantity of silver belonging to several private individuals. It amounts to a good eight or nine hundred thousand écus. Most of it belongs to the man who is now [viceroy] of Peru. He had it unloaded in those islands for fear that, if it reached Seville, King Philip’s officers would seize it, as they had been accustomed to do in previous years.

mais à ce que je veoy cela ne luy servira pas beaucoup car la royne de portugale accordé et consenty aulx susdictz officiers et ministres du roy philippes que ledict argent seroit enlevé et porté en espaigne et sur ce a envoyé mandementz fort rigoureux esdictes isles pour le leur faire delivrer ne voulant poinct permectre que quelque somme d’argent qui vienne du perou tant petite ssit elle se puisse desbarquer en ce royaume

But, as far as I can see, this will not help him much. The Queen of Portugal has agreed and consented with King Philip’s officers and ministers that the silver should be removed and carried to Spain. She has therefore sent very stringent orders to the islands to have it handed over to them, refusing to allow any sum of silver coming from Peru, however small, to be unloaded in this kingdom.

qui est chose que beaucoup de gens de bien de ce pays icy ont trouvé bien estrange et laquelle le feu roy de portugal quelque alliance qu’il t eust entre eulx n’eust jamais permise mais il me semble sire que vous luy pouvez bien pardonner celle cy puisque ce nest pas la premiere chose où elle sest monstree fort passionnee pour le roy d’espaigne car j’ay entendu que par la derniere flotte des hourques qui partit d’icy à la my octobre pour allea en flandres elle luy avoit advance une bonne somme d’argent qu’elle avoit tiree des cofre du petit roy son nepveu

Many respectable people here have found this very strange. The late King of Portugal would never have allowed it, whatever alliance existed between them. But it seems to me, Sire, that you can well forgive her this one, since it is not the first matter in which she has shown such strong attachment to the King of Spain. I have heard that, through the last fleet of [hulks] which left here in mid-October for Flanders, she advanced him a substantial sum of money which she had drawn from the treasury of the young king, her nephew.

la royne marye laissa plus de quatre cens mille escuz cotant qui estoient la plus par en portugaises qu’elle donna à ce que l’on dict au roy philippes par son testament mais elle donna son bien patrimonial à ung filz bastard que le feul empereur advoua à sa fin avoir en la ville d’auguste auquel ledict seigneur a aussi laissé tout plain d’autres biens je vous avoys escrit que le roy philippes envoyoit pour visceroy du perou don iego dazavedo gentilhomme castellan de fort entendeme [...] t mais il est advenu qu’il est decedé dura [...] t le moys passé et y a ja esté nommé par [...] a princesse unp autre en son lieu que l’on dict estre homme bie [...] entendu la flotte qui le portra pardela partira de cadiz à ceste in de janvier

Queen Mary left more than four hundred thousand écus in ready money, mostly in Portuguese gold coins, which she is said to have given to King Philip by her will. But she gave her patrimonial property to a bastard son whom the late emperor acknowledged at the end of his life as a son he had in the city of Augsburg; the said lord also left him many other possessions. I had written to you that King Philip was sending Don Diego de Azevedo as Viceroy of Peru, a Castilian gentleman of considerable understanding. But he died during this past month, and the princess has already named another in his place, said to be a man of good understanding. The fleet which will carry him over there will leave Cádiz at the end of January.

et peu avant [...] la en partira d’icy une autre vingt hurques chargees desg [...] ceryes pour flandres qui vauldro [...] ct bien la peyne que ceulx de depe ou de sainct malo y entndisent car elle vauldra ininiement et si n’y aura que deux m [...] chans navires de puere à l’accompaignr et elles sont mal armés de toute hoses

Shortly before that, another fleet of twenty hulks loaded with spices will leave here for Flanders. It would be well worth the while of the men of Dieppe or Saint-Malo to concern themselves with it, for it will be worth an immense amount. There will be only two wretched warships to accompany it, and those are poorly armed and equipped in every respect.

celle qui partit d’icy en ocobre est encores de present e [...] galice actencant meilleu temps qu’elle n’a eu il s’en est perdu quelques navires s estoient de grande valle [...] r les turcqs ont poinct a [...] ege oran où noz voysins [...] oient envoyé deux mille ho [...] es comme ilz pensoient quiz deussent faire

The fleet which left here in October is still at present in Galicia, waiting for better weather than it has had. Some ships of great value have been lost. The Turks have not besieged Oran, where our neighbours had sent two thousand men, as they thought the Turks would do.

ilz debvoient huict cens mil escuz au foyres de medina qu’ilz avoient faict retarder pour n’avoir moyen de les fournir que aprés l’arrivee de la flotte lesquelz ilz ont ja payez et depuis trouvé nouveau credict

They owed eight hundred thousand écus at the fairs of Medina. They had delayed payment because they had no means of providing the money until after the fleet’s arrival. They have already paid those sums and have since obtained fresh credit.

ces jours passez ung navire normant print ung petit navire de guerre de la royne qui l’alla à ce que l’on dict assaillir pour le prendre dont elle a esté en grande collere et faict retenir les navires de voz sujectz qui estoient par son royaume mais à la fin je luy ay si bien remonstré le tort que avoit sondict navire qu’elle les a delaisez

A few days ago a Norman ship captured a small warship of the queen which, it is said, had attacked it in order to take it. She was very angry at this and had the ships of your subjects then in her kingdom detained. But in the end I explained so clearly to her the wrong committed by her own ship that she let them go.

la sire vostre magesté peult assez evidemment cognoistre combien suivant ce que je vous en ay autresfoys escrit je seroys aisé d’oster à vostre ennemy ce grant soullaigement qu’il a de ce monde de dela ou pour mieul dires tout le nerf et tout le moyen qu’il a desormais de maintenir la guerre cotre vous

From this, Sire, Your Majesty can clearly see how—following what I have previously written to you—I would be glad to deprive your enemy of this great advantage he draws from the New World: or, more precisely, all the sinews and resources he now has to sustain the war against you.

la dicte flotte oultre la susdicte somme qu’elle a apportee à seville avoit aussi desbarqué es isles des assores une grande quantité d’argent qui est à plusieurs particuliers et se monte bien à huict ou neuf cens mille escuz dont la pluspart appartient à celluy qui est maintenant viroy au perou qui l’avoit faict desbarquer esdictes isles de paeur que s’il feust venu jusques à seville les officiers du roy philippes ne s’en feussent saisiz comme ilz avoient accoustumé de faire les ans passez

Besides the sum already mentioned which it brought to Seville, that fleet had also unloaded in the Azores a large quantity of silver belonging to several private individuals. It amounts to a good eight or nine hundred thousand écus. Most of it belongs to the man who is now [viceroy] of Peru. He had it unloaded in those islands for fear that, if it reached Seville, King Philip’s officers would seize it, as they had been accustomed to do in previous years.

mais à ce que je veoy cela ne luy servira pas beaucoup car la royne de portugal a accordé et consenty aux susdictz officiers et ministres du roy philippes que ledict argent seroit enlevé et porté en espaigne et sur ce a envoyé mandemens fort rigoureux esdictes isles pour le leur faire delivrer ne voulant poinct permectre que quelque somme d’argent qui vienne du perou tant petite soit elle se puisse desbarquer en ce royaume

But, as far as I can see, this will not help him much. The Queen of Portugal has agreed and consented with King Philip’s officers and ministers that the silver should be removed and carried to Spain. She has therefore sent very stringent orders to the islands to have it handed over to them, refusing to allow any sum of silver coming from Peru, however small, to be unloaded in this kingdom.

qui est chose que beaucoup de gens de bien de ce pays icy ont trouvé bien estrange et laquelle le feu roy de portugal quelque alliance qu’il y eust entre eulxe n’eust jamais permise mais il me semble sire que vous luy pouvez bien pardonner celle cy puisque ce nest pas la premiere chose où elle sest monstree bien fort passionnee pour le roy d’espaigne car j’ay entendu que par la derniere flotte des hurques qui partit d’icy à la my octobre pour aller en flandres elle luy avoit advance une bonne somme d’argent qu’elle avoit tiree des coffres du petit roy son neppveu

Many respectable people here have found this very strange. The late King of Portugal would never have allowed it, whatever alliance existed between them. But it seems to me, Sire, that you can well forgive her this one, since it is not the first matter in which she has shown such strong attachment to the King of Spain. I have heard that, through the last fleet of [hulks] which left here in mid-October for Flanders, she advanced him a substantial sum of money which she had drawn from the treasury of the young king, her nephew.

et peu avant celle en partira d’icy une autre de vingt hourques chargees d’espiceries pour flandres qui vauldroient bien la peyne que ceulx de dieppe ou de sainct malo y entendissent car elle vauldra infiniement et si n’y aura que deux meschans navires de puere à l’accompaigner et elles sont mal armés de toutes choses

Shortly before that, another fleet of twenty hulks loaded with spices will leave here for Flanders. It would be well worth the while of the men of Dieppe or Saint-Malo to concern themselves with it, for it will be worth an immense amount. There will be only two wretched warships to accompany it, and those are poorly armed and equipped in every respect.

celle qui partit d’icy en octobre est encores de present en galice actendant meilleur temps qu’elle n’a eu il s’en est perdu quelques navires qui estoient de grande valleur les turqs ont point assiegé oren où noz voysins avoient envoyé deux mille hommes comme ilz pensoient qu’ilz deussent faire

The fleet which left here in October is still at present in Galicia, waiting for better weather than it has had. Some ships of great value have been lost. The Turks have not besieged Oran, where our neighbours had sent two thousand men, as they thought the Turks would do.

ilz devoient huict cens mille escuz aulx foires de medina qu’ilz avoient faict retarder pour n’avoir moyen de les fournir que aprés l’arrivee de la flotte lesquelz ilz ont ja payez et depuis trouvé nouveau credict

They owed eight hundred thousand écus at the fairs of Medina. They had delayed payment because they had no means of providing the money until after the fleet’s arrival. They have already paid those sums and have since obtained fresh credit.

ces jours passez ung navire normant prist ung petit navire de guerre de la royne qui l’alla à ce que l’on dict assaillir pour le prendre dont elle a esté en grant collere faict retenir les navires de voz subjez qui estoient par son royaume mais à la fin je luy ay si bien remonstré le tort que avoit sondict navire qu’elle les a delaisez

A few days ago a Norman ship captured a small warship of the queen which, it is said, had attacked it in order to take it. She was very angry at this and had the ships of your subjects then in her kingdom detained. But in the end I explained so clearly to her the wrong committed by her own ship that she let them go.