Queen Elizabeth Flirts with Guzman.

On the 7^th of December, 1558, Alvaro de la Quadra, Bishop of Avila, arrived to supplement the ambassadorial efforts of the Count de Feria to the new English Court of Queen Elizabeth I. The Spanish King, Philip, seems to have felt that Feria was not up to the new responsibilities that went along with convincing the young Queen to embrace the Catholic faith. Feria also had family matters to attend to.

In May of 1558, Quadra became the new ambassador, as described in his letter of the 24^th.

From the BISHOP OF AQUILA to the KING.

I received your Majesty's letter of the 8th instant, ordering me to remain here for your Majesty's service, following the instructions to be given to me by the count de Feria. The latter took me to the Queen, who received me graciously, and promised to hear willingly whatever I had to say on your Majesty's behalf, and I will take care, as your Majesty orders me, to advise you fully of all that happens here.

For all Quadra was considered the crème de la crème of the Spanish diplomatic corps, he was led a merry chase from first to last.  It is difficult to be sure just how much from the astonishing reports back to Philip was real chaos from the beginning of Elizabeth’s reign and how much designed disinformation. Every opportunity was taken to put him off balance. In the end, members of his household came under the influence of the English Court and others were encouraged to commit indiscretions which were immediately charged against him.

Distraught at the treatment he was receiving, and his inability to deal with it, for all his reputed diplomatic powers, Quadra took sick and died. The cause is thought to have been the plague.

Luis DE PAZ to the KING, Aug. 26, 1563.

Bishop Quadra, may he rest in glory, sent me recently on certain business concerning your Majesty. When I returned I found the Bishop so ill that he only lived six hours after, and although he understood and answered me sensibly he was in great grief that he should drop from his work just when he hoped to succeed.

The King replaced Quadra with the young, dashing Don Diego Guzman de Silva.

247. The KING to the DUCHESS OF PARMA.

Letter of introduction and recommendation of Don Diego Guzman de Silva in accordance with the aforegoing instructions. The new Ambassador to have a copy of the new general cipher as the Bishop had died when the packet containing the copy sent to him arrived in England. Monzon, 19th January 1564.

Queen Elizabeth truly loved a well-turned leg. Guzman was much more to her taste. Wild rumors of intrigue in the English Court were no longer reported back to the Spanish King. The Queen began flirting with the young ambassador from the first she saw  him.

GUZMAN DE SILVA to the DUCHESS OF PARMA. September 23, 1564.

As your Highness knows the marchioness of Northampton is a great favourite of the Queen, and I am gaining the goodwill of her intimates, so as to gain more influence over her mistress. She is a person of great understanding, and is so much esteemed by the Queen that some little friction exists between her and Robert. I understand, however, that she bears herself towards him in a way that together with other things that can be better imagined than described make me doubt sometimes whether Robert's position is so irregular as many think. It is nothing for princes to hear evil, even without giving any cause for it.

The first order of business, for Guzman, was to encourage Elizabeth to accept the offer of marriage from the Archduke Charles of Austria, Philip himself having been refused, and the Archduke being his Habsburg cousin. Elizabeth was really feeling her oats during her 1564 summer vacation (a.k.a. Progress) and had disappeared for some weeks in September on a clandestine hunting trip.[1]

Before the Queen came back I went to visit the Marchioness of Northampton, and when I was taking my leave she said she had something important to say to me which she must defer to another day, and in consequence of the return here of the Queen I did not go again for six or seven days, when on the 10^th instant I sent to ask after the Marchioness' indisposition, and to ask her if I could visit her that afternoon. She sent to say that she should be delighted, and I went by water to Westminster, where she lives, and there found the Queen, who had gone over from St. James' to dine with her almost alone and was there when I had sent word, as I afterwards found out. They played me this trick between them and kept the secret until I was in the Queen's presence, and then laughed greatly at it. I was there until almost night, the Marchioness on her couch and the Queen near her. What passed were mostly tales told by the Queen and ordinary conversation, into which she was constantly slipping some slight allusions to marriage. I told her she was wrong to keep the world in suspense 

and ought to decide. She laughed and said she had something to say to me about our business, and on her return at nightfall to St. James' through the park she went on foot, although she had a carriage waiting and took me part of the way with her. On the way she said that a fool who was about there had advised her never to marry a German, as they were bad men. She spoke about nothing else and made me turn back, so that I might return by water, as I had come. I learn on good authority that Lord Robert has no chance, and the talk is now all about the Archduke. The Queen has even said something about visiting the Emperor.

 

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[1] See my “To Where Did Queen Elizabeth I Disappear in August 1564?” https://gilbertwesleypurdy.blogspot.com/2021/07/to-where-did-queen-elizabeth-i.html

Also at Virtual Grub Street:

Anne Boleyn’s Coming Out at the English Court. February 13, 2022. “The Knight in the beginninge cominge to beholde the sudden apearance of this new bewtie came to beholden and surprized somewhat with the sight therof, after much more with her wittie and graceful speech…”

King Henry VII’s Thank You Note to  Pope Innocent VIII. January 9, 2021. “In the etiquette of power even kings were wise to send thank you notes.”

Making Mincemeat Out of It: Medieval and Tudor Mincemeat Pies. November 1, 2021. “I think it’s fair to say that anyone attempting to find medieval or Tudor recipes for mincemeat has failed.”

To Where Did Queen Elizabeth I Disappear in August 1564? July 18, 2021. “Leicestershire was in the opposite direction from London. Nichols could discover no more.”

Check out the Queen Elizabeth I Biography Page for many other articles.

Check out the Medieval and Tudor Holy Days Page for many other articles.