Master Carleton,

Though I looke in a manner dayly for your comming over, yet because many accidents may chaunge your course, or defer your passage for a time, I will not omit this present occasion, but salute you after my accustomed manner, the rather because I have neither heard of you nor written since the end of Christmas.

And to begin with the first, the Quene on Twelvth day to close up the holy dayes, and do the Danish AmbassadorNicholaus Cragius (1550–1602), Danish diplomat and classical scholar, in London to press for the restitution promised in Perkins's half-answer from Denmark (see Letters 13–14). The Queen's choice to dance with Essex before the ambassador was deliberate political theatre — displaying her favourite and signalling his fitness for command. honor, daunct with the erle of Essex very richly and freshly attired. Since, there fell out a great unkindnes twixt the erle and the Lord AdmirallCharles Howard, first Earl of Nottingham (1536–1624); Lord High Admiral since 1585 and the principal commander against the Armada. His quarrel with Essex over military patronage is one symptom of the broader competition between older Elizabethan magnates and Essex's client network for control of army appointments. about Sir William WoodhouseAn officer seeking a company in the Low Countries; the disputed regiment was that of Sir Thomas Knolles. The quarrel turned on whether Essex's Irish patronage extended to appointments in the Low Countries garrisons — the Lord Admiral evidently thought not. that was to have a companie in the Lowe Countries in Sir Thomas Knolles regiment. The matter is yet not taken up, and some high wordes passed. The erles jorny for Ireland is somwhat prolonged, for his vitaylers that had order to make theyre provisions for February are now put over till March.

He shall cary a great troupe of gallants with him, yf all go that are spoken of, as the erles of DarbieWilliam Stanley, sixth Earl of Derby (1561–1642)., RutlandRoger Manners, fifth Earl of Rutland (1576–1612); a young Essex favourite and Shakespeare's Cambridge contemporary. and Southampton, the Lords WindsoreHenry, fifth Lord Windsor (1562–1605)., Gray, AudeleyGeorge Touchet, eighteenth Lord Audley (c. 1551–1617); created Earl of Castlehaven in 1616. and Cromwell, wherof Sir Ferdinando GorgeSir Ferdinando Gorges (c. 1568–1647), named Lord Marshall of Essex's army. After Essex's failure in Ireland and his involvement in the 1601 uprising, Gorges turned crown's evidence against Essex. He later became the principal promoter of English colonisation in New England and the founding governor of the Province of Maine. is named to be Lord Marshall of the army besides knights sans number; to be Sergeant Major, Sir Henry Davers to have the leading of 300 horse, Sir Charles Davers, Sir Charles PercyThird son of Henry Percy, ninth Earl of Northumberland ('the Wizard Earl')., Sir Charles Blunt, Sir Thomas GerminSir Thomas Jermyn (c. 1573–1645), of Rushbrooke, Suffolk., Sir Alexander Ratcliffe and EgertonSir John Egerton (c. 1579–1649), elder son of Sir Thomas Egerton, Lord Keeper; later first Earl of Bridgewater., Sir Christofer BluntSir Christopher Blount (c. 1555–1601), Essex's stepfather, having married his widowed mother Lettice Knollys. Among Essex's most loyal followers; executed after the 1601 uprising., Sir Edward Wingfeld and ten or twelve others of that standing looke to be served too. But yt is saide the erle geves few places nor bestowes offices to any as yet, because he will hold his followers in hart till he have them there: many that wish well to the jorny have no great conceit of yt seing many raw youthes preasse for the greatest charges.

Here was speach that the erle of KildareGerald Fitzgerald, fourteenth Earl of Kildare (1559–1612); a Pale-loyal Irish nobleman restored to the earldom in 1585. His 'standing upon termes' suggests wavering loyalty under rebel pressure, though he ultimately remained on the English side. and the Lord of DelvinChristopher Nugent, fourteenth Lord Delvin (c. 1544–1602); another Old English magnate of the Pale whose equivocation in early 1599 alarmed the Dublin government. began to stand upon termes and the cheife rebells began to geve doubtfull aunswers and put water in theyre wine and to proceed with more temper. Ships from the Lowe Countries bound for the victualing of Ireland, having touched the coast of Portingale, were by weather put into Plimmouth — bringing with them some of Sir Richard Lewson's escaped Hanseatic vessels, which could now be detained and inspected. The Duke of FlorenceFerdinand I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (1549–1609); his barring of English merchants was part of the wider European backlash against English privateering. hath barred our nation from traffike in his territories, and yt is feared the Venetians and the French king will serve us in the same sort.

The Quene is very angry with Sir Thomas Gerrard for the escape of one BlackwellGeorge Blackwell (c. 1545–1613), appointed archpriest over the English secular Catholic clergy by Pope Clement VIII in March 1598. His escape from the Marshalsea prison in Southwark (a state prison south of the Thames) was an embarrassment to the Privy Council, which had detained him as part of its surveillance of the Catholic ecclesiastical hierarchy in England. an archpriest out of the Marshallsee. There was a plot layde by certain Jesuites and preists to murther or poison the Scottish kinge, and yt is confessed by some that are taken. The Scottish king had a sore bruise with the fall of an horse and was let bloude fowre times.

The newes comes now very hot that the king of Portingale that was said to be slaine in the battell is at Venice, and hath made so goode triall of himself that the Venetians allowe him, and maintaine almost fowrescore with fowretene more at theyre charge. They say he tells very straunge stories, how he got up into the mountaines, and so by many adventures and per tot discrimina in this longe pilgrimage (wherin he hath ben taken, bought and sold twelve or thirtene times) got at last to Venice, where he tells them all that was negotiated twixt him and them either by letters or ambassadors, since he was of any goode remembraunce, so many perticulers as are thought infallible, with testimonies; and that his confessor is come out of Portingale and upon conference avoucheth all to be true that he saith, touching what passed twixt them in confession both the day before the battell and at other times. We run away with all, as though all were our owne, and are easilie persuaded to beleve what we wold have. What will come of yt God knowes, but yt were a happy turne for Christendome yf yt were true, but yt will by no meanes sincke downe with me, but that still I feare he wilbe cousened and trussed up in the end.The claim that Sebastian I of Portugal — killed at the Battle of Alcácer Quibir (4 August 1578) against the Moroccan sultan — had survived was the foundation of a messianic movement known as Sebastianism. Several pretenders emerged across Europe in the following decades. This Venetian claimant was investigated by the Venetian Senate and ultimately rejected as an impostor from Calabria. Chamberlain's scepticism — 'we run away with all, as though all were our owne, and are easilie persuaded to beleve what we wold have' — is among his most pointed comments on credulity and wishful thinking. Philip III's reported march into Portugal was probably defensive: a credible Sebastianist claimant would threaten Spain's 1580 annexation of the Portuguese crown. The king of Spaine is saide to be going into Portingale with a 1000 horse and 3000 foote upon this rumor, but I rather thincke yt is to be receved there and crowned.

Sir Dru DrurySir Dru Drury (c. 1531–1617), Gentleman Usher of the Privy Chamber throughout Elizabeth's reign. His 'old remitter' suggests a prior period of restriction from court attendance, now lifted. is in his old remitter and commanded to wait in his place of gentleman usher of the privie chamber. There is a mariage spoken of twixt the Lord Cobham and the Countesse of Kildare, and betwene his lame brother Master George BrookeGeorge Brooke (c. 1568–1603), younger brother of Henry Brooke, eighth Lord Cobham; he married Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas, fifth Lord Burgh. He was later executed in connection with the Main Plot against James I in 1603. and the Lord Borroughs eldest daughter. Yt is saide likewise that Sir Will. Woodhouse hath married the Lady SouthwellWidow of Sir Robert Southwell. Chamberlain contradicts this report in Letter 18., and the Lord MarquisWilliam Paulet, fourth Marquis of Winchester (c. 1561–1628), who had just inherited the title on his father's death in November 1598. Chamberlain's pointed aside — 'before he buried' his father — implies the new Marquis rushed into a hasty marriage while still in formal mourning. (before he buried) hath married a youth not full eightene yeares old, younger sonne to Master FleetwoodeWilliam Fleetwood (knighted 1603), receiver of the Court of Wards. receiver of the court of wardes.

Sir Mathew ArundellSir Matthew Arundell of Wardour Castle, Wiltshire (d. January 1599). His bequests — £2,000 for a causeway near Sherborne, £2,000 to the poor — follow the conventional charitable patterns of a man of his standing. is died these holy dayes and hath left much to goode uses, as 2000li to the making of a cawsey about Sherborne, and 2000li to the poore, and many other legacies of like nature. The Lady CopeFrances Cope (née Lytton), sister of Rowland Lytton of Knebworth and wife of Sir Anthony Cope of Hanwell, Oxfordshire; first cousin of Dudley Carleton and evidently a figure of real warmth for Chamberlain — 'mine old mistris' meaning his former patroness, not a romantic attachment. She died on Twelfth Even (January 5, 1599). your cousen and mine old mistris (as I heare) left the world on Twelvth Even and SpencerEdmund Spenser (c. 1552–1599), poet and colonial administrator in Ireland; author of The Faerie Queene (1590, 1596). He arrived in London in December 1598 carrying dispatches from Sir Thomas Norris, Lord President of Munster, and died at Westminster on Saturday, January 16, 1599. His funeral was, as Camden records, 'at the charges of the Earle of Essex, his Hearse being carried by Poets, and mournfull Verses thrown into his Tombe' (Annales, p. 501). Chamberlain names him as 'our principall poet' and moves on without ceremony — a plain tribute that may be more eloquent for its brevity. our principall poet comming lately out of Ireland died at Westminster on Saturday last.

Master Nevill goes within these eight or ten dayes into Fraunce and hath won Master WinwoodeRalph Winwood (c. 1563–1617), diplomat; he served as secretary to Henry Nevill on his embassy to France (1599–1601) and later became Secretary of State under James I (1614–1617). His attachment to Essex's patronage network here marks the beginning of his public career. at my Lord of Essex commandment to beare him companie and be about him. Yf I had more you see I am no niggard and therfore without further ceremonies I bid you farewell.

From London this 17th of January 1598. Yours most assuredly, JOHN CHAMBERLAIN.

To my very goode frend Master Dudley Carleton attending on the Lord Governor of Ostend geve these.