Bertrand de Salignac de la Mothe Fenelon to King Henry III, January 24, 1575.

Bertrand de Salignac de la Mothe Fenelon, French Ambassador to England, to King Henry III, January 24, 1575.

The British are not the only ones to begin archiving their government correspondence in a more systematic way in the 16^th century. (Nor their great families.) Ambassadorial dispatches often provide rare perspective on the activities of governing figures and ruling elites.

Edward de Vere, the 17^th Earl of Oxford, was a sufficiently major figure, until his exile from court in 1580, to be mentioned. That exile, in particular, was something of a tabloid story in international correspondence.

The following combination of intelligence and conjecture, considering the young earl, occupies the first half of the dispatch of the date shown. It is both intriguing and surprising. I am not aware that the muster of forces resulted in any engagement. It seems likely to have been related to the conflict in the Netherlands. Such muster's were a regular feature of the time.

What made Fenelon think that Oxford was managing it is unclear but he was a keen observer. One can only wish that he had said more about the English queen's suspicions, his support for the cause of the Queen of Scots (mentioned off-hand in the correspondence of others as if it were an acknowledged fact), and his feelers at various times to serve the French, Spanish and Don John.

Sire, suyvant l'advertissement dont, au pied de ma depesche du XIX du present, j'ay faict mencion a Vostre Majesté, come aulcuns gentilshommes et cappitaynes angloys s'apprestoient, comme d'eux mesmes, de fere une entreprise de par della la mer, j'ay mis peyne de le fère sçavoyr aulx gouverneurs plus voysins d'icy, qui ont la charge des places au long de la coste de deçà, lesquels j'espère que s'en tiendront plus apperceus. Et en confirmation de cella, je suis adverty que, toutes les nuictz, l'on tire secrettement des armes et des monitions de guerre de la Tour de Londres pour les envoyer ez portz , et les distribuer aulx cappitaynes et soldatz qui sont volontayres , et aulx vaysseaulx de l'entreprinse qui sont toutz de particulliers. Il sembloit que le comte d'Oxfort deût estre le chef de la dicte entreprinse , mais il prend ung aultre chemin, ayant tant faict qu'il a impétré de la Royne, sa Mestresse, son congé pour aller fère un voïage en Italye ; et dellibère partir dans huict jours, et passer par France , faisant estat de séjourner ung moys à Paris; et monstre, Sire, d'estre grandement dévot à Vostre Majesté, ayant voulu suplyer la Royne, sa Mestresse, de trouver bon qu'il se peût offrir à vostre service, mais l'on l'a adverty que,

Sire, following the admonition which I made, at the foot of my dispatch of the nineteenth of the present, to Your Majesty, how some English gentlemen and captains are readying, as themselves, to undertake an enterprise from across the sea, I took pains to come to know the governors closer to here, who have charge of the places along the coast on this side, which I hope will clarify matters. And in confirmation of this, I am informed that, every night, weapons and munitions of war are secretly taken from the Tower of London to send them to ports, and distribute them to captains and soldiers who are volunteers, and to vessels of the enterprise which are all private. It seems that the Earl of Oxford must be the chief of the said enterprise, but he is taking another road, having managed so much that he has secured from the Queen, his Mistress, her leave to go make a voyage to Italy; and deliberates to leave within eight days, and to pass through France, making plans to sojourn one month in France; and to show himself, Sire, to be greatly devoted to Your Majesty, having the desire to beg the Queen, his Mistress, to find it good that he may offer himself to your service, we are advertised that

parce qu'il est notoyrement réputé fort parcial pour la Royne d'Escosse et nepveu du feu duc de Norfolc, qu'elle tiendroit cella pour trop suspect; néantmoins il dellibère de bayser très humblement les mains à Vostre Majesté , et ne refuser d'obéyr à ce qu'il vous plerra luy commander. Et parce qu'il est quasy le premier comte et grand chamberlan d'Angleterre , et comme le premier de la noblesse du pays, et le mieulx suivy et de trop plus d'espérance que nul aultre seigneur du royaulme , il vous plerra , Sire , commander qu'il luy soit faict quelque honneur et luy soit porté faveur et respect, en passant par vostre royaulme; car, oultre son mérite, toute l'Angleterre et ceste court mesmement s'en sentiront infîniement gratifiiez. Les partisans de Bourgoigne luy promettent qu'il aura charge au service du Roy d'Espaigne, aussytost qu'il arryvera en Italye, et le pressent d'aller trouver dom Johan d'Austria , ne luy manquant lettres de banque et crédict, et deniers contantz, pour fère une honneste despence par dellà ; mais il monstre d'avoyr plus d'inclination à vostre service qu'à celluy du celluy du dict Roy d'Espaigna.

because he is notoriously reputed to be a strong advocate for the Queen of Scots and is the nephew of the late Duke of Norfolk, she considers him very suspect; nonetheless he intends very humbly to kiss Your Majesty's hands, and not to refuse to obey whatever you are pleased to command. And because he is almost the premier earl and great chamberlain of England, and as the first among the nobility of the land, and the better followed and with much more hope than any other lord of the realm, it will benefit you, Sire, to order that some honor be done to him and that he be shown favor and respect, passing through your kingdom; because, beyond his merit, all of England and its court as well will account it infinitely gratifying. Burgoyne partisans promise him that he may go in charge of the service of the King of Spain, that he will immediately arrive in Italy, and they press him to go to find Don John of Austria, that he will not lack letters of bank and credit, and constant source of money, to make an honorable display there; but he shows he has more inclination to your service than to that of the said King of Spain.

Oxford did attempt to arrange for his uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, to escape to Spain before he could be executed. The fact was not unknown to the Queen. Later, he would consider escaping there himself when his mistress, Anne Vavasour, discovered herself to be pregnant.

All of this said, Oxford would be received with high honor upon arriving at the French Court. Most, if not all, of the expenses of his European tour, however, would be paid out of his own pocket.

Source: Correspondance Diplomatique de Bertrand de Sal1gnac de la Mothe Fénélon (1840), VI.360-1.

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• Matthew Gasda on the Shakespeare Authorship Debate. May 15, 2023. 'Among his Compact Mag pieces is the March 24 article “The Right Wing Crusade Against Shakespeare”.'

• Shakespeare CSI: Sir Thomas More, Hand-D. April 22, 2023. “What a glory to have an actual hand-written manuscript from the greatest English writer of all time!”

• Robert Greene and the Construction Shakespeare Never Used. August 9, 2022. 'Our first foray “staring intently into” the texts of Robert Greene has noted that his work utilized far fewer feminine endings than Shakespeare’s.'

• A 1572 Oxford Letter and the Player’s Speech in Hamlet. August 11, 2020. “The player’s speech has been a source of consternation among Shakespeare scholars for above 200 years.  Why was Aeneas’ tale chosen as the subject?”

• Check out the Shakespeare Authorship Article Index for many more articles and reviews about this fascinating time and about the Shakespeare Authorship Question.
• Check out the Letters Index: Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford for many letters from this fascinating time, some related to the Shakespeare Authorship Question.