Compare 1577 edition: 1 France at di|uision in it selfe by ciuill warres.The realme of France being in great trouble a|bout this season, by the means of ciuill dissention and warres that rose betwixt the house of Guise and o|ther of that faction vpon the one side, and the prince of Conde and other that tooke part with him on the contrarie side: the quéenes maiestie informed how that the duke of Guise and his partakers hauing got into their possession the person of the yoong king, vn|der pretext of his authoritie, sought the subuersion of manie noble men and good subiects of the crowne of France,The quéenes maiesties mis|trust of incon|uenience, and the same re|medied. namelie such as were knowne or suspected to be zealous for a reformation to be had in matters of religion: hir maiestie thervpon considering, that if their purpose might be brought to effect, it was to be doubted that they would not so rest, but séeke to set things in broile also within this hir realme of England, and other countries néere to them adioi|ning: first as one that had euer wished quietnesse, rather than the troubles of warre,Sir Henrie Sidneie sent ambassador into France. sent ouer sir Hen|rie Sidneie at that present lord president of Wales (a man of such estimation as his word ought to haue deserued credit) to trie if he might doo anie good to bring the parties to some attonement. But such wil|full headinesse séemed to rest in some that were chiefe of the one faction, that their desire seemed altogither bent to enter into wars. Hir maiestie yet hoping the best,An other am|bassage in Iu|lie directed in|to France. appointed to send another honourable ambas|sage, which by their wisedoms and good aduise might persuade the parties vnto concord, whereby all due authoritie, honor, & dignitie might be restored to the king, and euerie other degree keepe their roomes and places as to them apperteined, but all in vaine. For this motion of a pacification to be had could take no place, neither might the will of the yoong king, or of his timorous mother, as it then seemed, be regarded, otherwise than as stood with the pleasure & appoint|ment of those that were knowne to be the chiefe au|thors and furtherers of all those troubles.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Whilest the quéenes maiestie therefore did thus trauell in respect of the suertie which hir grace bare to hir welbeloued brother the said king, and to the commoditie and quietnesse of both the factions, an open iniurie was offered to hir maiestie: so as it might appeare what minds they bare towards hir, that had thus excluded and refused all offers & means to grow to some good and indifferent conclusion of peace.Ships of Lõ|don, Excester, & Falmouth, spoiled by the French in Britaine, the thirtith of Iulie, and ninetéenth of August. For whereas manie merchants, as well of London as of Excester, and other the west parts of hir realme, were soiourning for cause of traffike, in diuerse ports and hauens of Britaine; and hauing dispatched their businesse, and got their lading aboord, their ships were readie to hoise vp sailes, and to re|turne each one towards the place from whence hée came, they were suddenlie arested, their goods seized vpon, and they themselues cast in prison: and some that in reuenge of such offered iniurie attempted to make resistance, were cruellie slaine, their ships con|ueied awaie, their goods confiscat, without other pre|tense, but onelie that it was said to them that they were Huguenots. Neither was this doone by priuat persons, but by open violence of the gouernors & ma|gistrats of those places where the same disorder was executed: so that it appeared from whence they had their commission to vse such wrongfull dealing, and how farre the same would extend, if they might once haue time and occasion to accomplish their purposed intentions.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 Moreouer, when complaint of such iniuries was made vnto the lawfull magistrats there, they found no redres at all. For what might the poore merchants profit by their plaints, when the packets of the am|bassadors leters, directed to hir maiestie,Letters ta|ken from the quéens ambas|sadors ser|uants. were taken from the bearer, & no punishment had against those that committed so vnciuill an outrage? A thing that offended hir maiestie so much more, for that as she tooke the matter, there wanted no good will, either in the king, or his mother, or in the king of Nauarre, the kings generall lieutenant, to sée such a presump|tuous and vnrulie part punished of their people: but rather that there lacked in them authoritie to haue it redressed. Furthermore, it greatlie gréeued hir, that the yong French king, hir déere brother was brought to such a streict, that he was nether able to defend the libertie of his people, nor the authoritie of his lawes, nor to deale vprightlie with other princes and poten|tats accordinglie, as by the bonds of leagues and of couenanted aliances had bene requisite. Neither did such disorder in gouernement of the kingdome of France touch anie so much and particularlie,The French troubles touch most y^e quéene of England. as the queens maiestie of England.