The Earl of Oxford celebrates Christmas at Court, 1580-1.

As the Christian world celebrated the Twelve Days of Christmas, the court of the Queen of England hosted a special guest. The Duke of Alenҫon had arrived in person to make a last ditch effort to gain her hand in marriage. The dispatches of all that world were filled with every bit of intelligence that ambassadors to England could tease out.

While few correspondents seem to have known or cared about another affair that had exploded in the midst of all, the Spanish ambassador, Don Bernardino de Mendoza, felt he must immediately report it. The young Earl of Oxford heard something from his friends that so worried and/or offended him that he rushed to the queen. Those friends rushed to Mendoza.

Don Bernardino de Mendoza to King Philip II.

London, 25 December, 158[0].

 

Milord Harry Howard, brother of the Duke of Norfolk, has for some years, as I know through some priests, been very catholic, practicing generally, since his reconciliation to Holy Church, his duties as such. For this reason he desired that the match [with Alencon] should take place, believing like many other catholics that by this means they would come to hold their religion in freedom. Then he heard that the Earl of Oxford had accused him and one Francis Arundel of being reconciled to the Holy Roman Church. For this the Queen had given secret order the other day for his arrest, and they (sic) were advised of this by a Councillor, a friend of milord Harry. What with their close correspondence with the ambassador of France, and their fears of being committed to the Tower, and so losing their lives, they did not dare at this juncture to trust him, nor to go to their home; but coming to my house at 12 in the night, though I had never spoken to them, they told me the danger in which they found themselves of losing their lives, unless I would hide them. As they were Catholics, I so entertained them, that no one in my house knew it except one of my men, until their friend the councillor gave them notice, that they would be confined in the house of a gentleman only, and in view of that, they immediately showed themselves in public.

Milord Harry, in gratitude for the goodwill with which I received him, and with a care which I can hardly describe, has informed and informs me of everything he hears, which is of service to your majesty, and recognises my favour, no little novelty for an Englishman to do. He has very good qualities and intelligence, and much friendship with the ladies of the privy chamber, who inform him exactly what passes indoors. He is also as intimate with the Earl of Sussex, as nail with quick. To touch off the greatness of the affection with which he occupies himself in the service of your Majesty (which is his constant desire) I may here say, that in no wise would I wish him even to [extend] his arm to help me more.[1]

Outside of the English Court the matter attracted so little attention that the French ambassador, Mauvissiere de Castelnau, did not report it to his King until more than two weeks had passed.

Mauvissiere de Castelnau to the King of France.

London, 11 January, 1581.

 

Au Roy Sire, &c. Je n'obmetteray aussi a dire a vostre mageste que il y a quelques jours et ses festes de Noel, que le comte Dauxfort (lequel avoit fait, il y a environ quatreans et demy, a son retour d'Italie, profession de la religion catholique), avec quelques gentilhommes de ses parens et meilleurs amys, et jure, comme il dit, et signe auec eulx, qu'ilz feroient tout ce qu'ilz pourroient pour Padvancement de la religion catholicque. Il les a accusez a la royne d'Angleterre vostre bonne soeur, et pour sa part il a demande pardon, disant qu'il voyoit bien avoir malfaict, et a voulu charger sur ceulx, qui l'avoient plus ayme, et deffendu et voulu accompagner en ses derniers querelles. II a dict quilz avoient conspire contre l'estat en faisant profession de la religion catholicque et a cherche de leur faire tout le mal, qu'il a peu penser. Ce qui a fort fasche la dicte royne vostre bonne soeur, car elle estoit merveilleusement affectionnee et faisoit beaucoup de faveur a la pluspart de ceulx que a accusez le dict comte d'Auxfort, comme au milord Henri de Haward, frere du feu due de Norfoc, au Sr Charles Arondel grandement affectionnez a voz magestez, et a monseigneur vostre frere, en estant de bons solliciteurs pour le marriage, dont ilz receproient beaucoup de bonnes cheres pour faire en cela chose qui plaisoit a la dict dame, laquelle toutefois a este avec son grand regret, comme elle mesme le m'a dict, contrainte de les faire mettre en garde entre les mains de quelques conseillers, a scavoir, le milord Henry entre les mains du Chancellier, et le Sieur Charles Arondel entre les mains du Sr. de Hatton, Cappitaine de la garde, et le Sr. Sandonel, [? Southwell] entre les mains du Sieur de Walsingham.[2]

I must not forget also to inform your majesty that a few days ago, during these Christmas festivities, that Count of Oxford (who had made, about four and a half years ago, on his return from Italy, a profession of the Catholic religion), among a few gentlemen of his relatives and best friends, and swore, as he said, and indicated to them, that they would do all they could for the advancement of the Catholic religion. He accused them to the queen of England your good sister, and for his part he asked for forgiveness, saying that he saw he had done wrong, and wanted to charge those, who had loved him more, and defended and wanted to support him in his past quarrels. He said that they had conspired against the state by professing the Catholic religion and sought to do them all the harm he could think of. This greatly annoyed the said queen your good sister, because she was wonderfully affectionate and showed great favor to most of the people accused by the said Count of Oxford, as to Lord Henry Howard, brother of the late Duke of Norfolk, to Sir Charles Arundel, greatly affectionate to your magesty, and to Monsignor your brother, being good solicitors for marriage, from whom they received great good cheer to do in respect of it something which pleased the said lady, who however was with her great regret, as she herself stated to me, forced to place them under arrest in the hands of a few advisers, to wit, Lord Henry into the hands of the Chancellor, and Sir Charles Arundel into the hands of Master Hatton, Captain of the Guard, and Master [Southwell?] into the hands of the Master  Walsingham.

Thus began a very memorable Christmas indeed. But what could have caused the Earl of Oxford to rush to the Queen to do such a thing?

 

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[1] Catholic Record Society (1919), Vol. 21. 30-1. Citing Fuensanta del Valle, &c., Documentos Ineditos para la historia di Espagna (1888), xcii, 220.

[2] Ibid., 29. Citing R.O., Transcripts from Paris 28, ff. 304 to 306, Depesche 304.

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