Very rare partial LS in Old English, signed “Elizabeth R,” one page, 7.5 x 12, 1571. Paper loss along the right side has affected the end of each line of letter. Letter to the Earl of Shrewsbury, who at the time of this letter was the guardian of Mary, Queen of Scots. In part: “Right trusty and welbeloved coosen we grete…shall understand that if late we have discovered that…hath of late attempted by sondry prctices w our rebells…on the other syde the seas and w others allso of lyke…new trobles in our Realme greatly to the danger of the…muche as in him and them might lye to stirre up a…the proves that we have against him are so probable both…and by witness as we told not but…and fyndyng no sufficient answer by him made for his…have thought it necessary to restreyn him from his…to use him as an Embassador for any prince that…towards us of all w we require you to advertise that…understand that we meane not in any sorte to…to inquire of any thinge that concerneth his service…her Embassador or servant but therin do well allowe…he had conteyned him self win those limits and…be otherwise informed by any…message of our…She may be assured that the same is not trew…manifestly appeare hereafter upon our furder…some other thinges there are and that we have commanded…by his…to advertise you of w we will to be by you…Given under our signet at our palace of Westm. The…1571 and in the thirteenth year of our Regne.” Second integral page bears a small address panel to the Earl of Shrewsbury, as well as a more contemporary endorsement in an unknown hand summarizing the letter as being “About the B[ishop] of Rosses restraint.” In very good condition, with aforementioned paper loss to right edge, scattered light toning and soiling, several repaired creases and holes, a couple lightly affecting portions of text but not readability, and several repairs and areas of restoration to second integral page.
Despite the missing text, it is easy to gauge the sense—and incredible importance—of this intriguing letter. For more than a decade, Elizabeth had feared that the French planned to invade England and put her cousin Mary Queen of Scots—considered by many to be the true heir to the English crown—on the throne. Mary had long been seen as a considerable threat to Elizabeth, as any Catholics did not recognize Elizabeth as the true queen, as they did not recognize the marriage of her mother, Anne Boleyn, to King Henry VIII and thus viewed her as being illegitimate. Amidst this rift between Catholics and Protestants, Mary was arrested in 1568 and kept prisoner for 19 years. The imprisonment led to numerous attempts to free Mary and have her take the thrown—with one such plot identified in this letter. Among those conspired to free her, such as the aforementioned “Embassador”—John Lesley—Bishop of Ross, a close friend to Queen Mary, and her ambassador in England. The bishop had been implicated in the Ridolfi plot, a 1571 plan to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I and replace her with Mary, bringing with her Catholicism. Named for Roberto Ridolfi, a Florentine banker and ardent Catholic, the plan was to have the Duke of Alba invade from the Netherlands with 10,000 men, form a rebellion of the northern English nobility, and marry Mary to Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk.
In this important letter, Elizabeth directs Shewsbury to inform Mary that “the proves” against the bishop are “so probable” that “we...have thought it necessary to restreyn him.” She then notes that she has declined “to use him as an Embassador...towards Us” any longer. The letter concludes with a sharp reminder of the “limites” of acceptable diplomatic activity, within which the bishop had not “conteyned him self.” The Bishop of Ross was sent to the Tower of London in October 1571, despite pleas of diplomatic privilege, and served two years before being released on the condition that he immediately leave England. He quickly accepted the offer, and spent the remainder of his life in France and Rome. Mary was eventually connected to three plots to murder the reigning monarch and executed. As French was the primary diplomatic language of this era, with most other documents penned in Latin, it is truly rare to find an example such as this written in English. An historic relic of epic proportion! Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RRAuction COA.
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