Elizabeth I (1533-1603), Queen of England and Ireland

Elizabeth I (1533-1603), Queen of England and Ireland
Letter signed to Jan van Hembyze, burgomaster of Ghent, Richmond, 30 December 1578
in French, the body of the letter in an elegant French secretary hand, 17 lines, above Elizabeth's autograph italic subscription ‘Vostre bonne Amye’ and bold autograph signature ‘Elizabeth R’ with her characteristic flourished underline, on a single sheet, 43 x 31cm, addressed on verso ‘A n[ot]re trescher et bien ayme la Sieur Jehan van Embuse premier eschevin en la ville de Gand’, remains of red wax seal (with dispatch slits), old folds
1. Christophe van Huerne (1550-1629), squire of Buneghem, ‘author of a manuscript chronicle relating to the events in Flanders and especially in Ghent between 1576 and 1589’, and evidently a relation of Anna van Huerne, wife of Jan van Hembyze; thence by descent to Joseph van Huerne (1752-1844), lord of Schiervelde, Puyenbeke, Nieuwenhove, etc. (see Charles Gilles de Pélichy, ‘Contribution à l’histoire des troubles politico-religieux des Pays-Bas au XVIème siècle: Documents tires des archives de la famille van Huerne’, Handelingen van het Genootschap voor Geschiedenis te Brugge, 1949, volume 86(1), pp. 90-144);2. Galerie Garnier, Bruges, Catalogus no. 89, Biblioteek en Handschriften-Kabinet, Bibliothèque et cabinet de manuscrits, Baron Charles Gilles de Pélichy, 9 December 1972, lot 448.3. Sotheby’s (London), Valuable Printed Books, Autograph Letters and Historical Documents, 2-3 July 1973, lot 299, where described as ‘The Property of Helmut Weiss Esq.’, and recorded in list of prices realised as purchased for £1,800 by A. G. Thomas, i.e. Alan G. Thomas (1922-2011), English bookseller and president of the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association for 1958-9.4. Sotheby’s (London), Books, Manuscripts and Music from Medieval to Modern, 19 July 2022, lot 189.Published: Auguste Voisin, Messager des sciences et des arts de Gand, 1829, volume 6, pp. 433-5.Jules de Saint-Genois, Hembyse: histoire gantoise de la fin du XVIe siècle, 1835, volume 1, pp. 112-114.
Elizabeth demonstrates her commitment to religious toleration in writing to seek fair treatment for the leaders of the Catholic party in Ghent, imprisoned during the coup d'état in the city in October 1577, which led to the formation of a short-lived Calvinist republic under the leadership of the letter's recipient, Jan van Hembyze.Elizabeth appeals to Hembyze's enlightened statesmanship and love of justice in order to secure a fair trial for the imprisoned Catholics, who are not named but are known to have included Frédéric Perrenot de Champagney (1536-1600), a high-ranking Habsburg soldier and diplomat:‘Combien les prisoniers detenuz en la ville de Gand peuvent demander de faveur de vous et des aultres messieurs, qui ont la superintendance et maniement des affaires de dela, vous ne pouvez ignorer pour l’amour que portes a justice et la zele quavez a bien faire a lestat de vos affairez. Ce que nous faict plus instamment interceder envers vous telles faveurs, que nous accorderes facilement tant pour estres icelles tres justes et lenvie que vous pouvez avoir a nous faire plaisir en l'endroict de justice et equite. Lesdictz prisonierz apres si longue et estroicte garde ne desirent plus grandes faveurs que d’estre mis en droict, et ouys en leur justifications et defences par devant leur juges competentz'.(‘How much might the prisoners detained in the town of Ghent seek favour from you and the other gentlemen who oversee and handle the affairs of that place, you cannot be unaware, for the love you have for justice and the zeal you have for managing the state of your affairs rightly. Such is what makes us intercede with you so directly for such favours, which you shall grant us with ease as much for their being most just, as for the desire which you may have to please us in the realm of justice and fairness. The aforesaid prisoners, after such a long and confined imprisonment, desire no greater favour than to be brought to trial, and have their justifications and defences heard before competent judges.')It is almost certain that this letter was that delivered to Hembyze by the Anglo-Flemish envoy and spy Daniel Rogers (c.1538-1591), who provides an enlightening account of its context in a letter to Sir Francis Walsingham dated 15 January 1579:‘As concerning Her Majesties lettres, written in the behalf of Champigny, Zueweghem and the rest of the prisoners stayed in this towne, I have delivered some of them as unto the Prince [of Orange], the Duke, and Hembize, thinckinge that I shall not needed to deliver the rest, for it is accorded they shalbe sent from hence towardes Andwarpe, and from thence they are to be sent further into the custody of the Duke of Cleve. The Prince hath had some what to doo with Hembize, who woulde rather set all the rest at libertie, then to grant that Champigny shoulde reparte. The Prince willed me to deale with Hembize unto whome I delivered the Queenes lettre, declaringe unto him, howe just Her Majesties request was, and that if he woulde not give unto Champigny competent judges, for to purge him self, he were like to heape great indigation uppon himself, and make Champigny the better thought of, wherefore I tolde him that at Her Majesties request, I trusted he woulde permitt, that with the rest he might be conveighed away from Gant, and be comprehended in the same predicament in which the other prisoners were to be comprehended. With moche adoe, he condescended, althoughe it was agreed uppon before the Queens lettre came; by which Your Honnour may understande what stubbernesse and uncerteinty is yet in somme of the greatest of this towne’ (Relations politiques des Pays-Bas de de l'Angleterre, XI, Brussels, 1900, pp. 263-6).The Calvinist coup in Ghent was part of a wider uprising against Habsburg rule and Catholicism across the Low Countries which followed Don John of Austria's attempted renewal of hostilities in July 1577, reneging on the terms of the Perpetual Edict of February of the same year. William I, Prince of Orange initially supported Hembyze, but, being a moderate who like Elizabeth had promised toleration to Catholics, became alienated by Hembyze's extremism and attempts to suppress Catholicism entirely. In August 1579 William invaded Ghent, forcing Hembyze to flee to Germany. Hembyze returned in 1583, but the interception of letters implicated him in a conspiracy with the Duke of Parma to return Ghent to Spanish control, and he was arrested and executed for treason.