Charles Baillie (papal agent)
Encyclopedia
Charles Baillie, or Bailly (1542–1625), was a member of the household of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Baillie was by birth a Fleming, though by descent a Scot. A letter in the State Papers mentions him as a 'great papist, who lived with the queen of Scots after her husband was murdered.' In all probability he was from the beginning a papal
agent, and having the mastery of several European languages he was, after the imprisonment of Mary, employed in fomenting foreign plots on her behalf.
In the spring of 1571 he was about to leave Flanders
with copies, which he had got printed at the Liège
press, of a book by the bishop of Ross
in defence of Queen Mary, when Ridolfi
, the agent of Pope Pius V
, entrusted him with letters in cipher for the queen, and also for the Spanish ambassador, the duke of Norfolk
, the bishop of Ross, and Lord Lumley
. They described a plan for a Spanish landing on behalf of Mary in the eastern counties of England. As soon as Baillie set foot on shore at Dover
, he was arrested and taken to the Marshalsea
. The letters were, however, conveyed in secret by Lord Cobham to the bishop of Ross, who, with the help of the Spanish ambassador, 'composed others of a less incriminating character to be laid before Lord Burghley.
The scheme might have been successful had not Burghley made use of a traitor, named Thomas Herle
, to gain the confidence of Baillie, whom Herle describes as 'fearful, full of words, glorious, and given to the cup, a man easily read.' Herle had also gained the confidence of the bishop, and a complete exposure of the whole plot was imminent when an indiscretion on the part of Herle convinced Baillie that he was betrayed. He endeavoured to warn the bishop by a letter, but it was intercepted, and Baillie was conveyed to the Tower
, where, on his declining to read the cipher of the letters, he was put on the rack
. The following inscription, still visible on the walls, records his reflections inspired by the situation: 'L. H. S. 1571 die 10 Aprilis. Wise men ought to se what they do, to examine before they speake; to prove before they take in hand; to beware whose company they use; and, above all things, to whom they truste. — Charles Bailly.' These sound maxims he seems to have forgotten as soon as he had written them.
One night there appeared at his bedside the figure of a man who said that he was Dr. Story, whom Baillie knew to be in the Tower awaiting execution. In reality the figure was that of a traitor of the name of Parker; but Baillie fell into the trap with the same facility as before. On the advice of Parker he endeavoured to gain credit with Burghley by deciphering the substituted letters of the bishop of Ross. He revealed also the story of the abstracted packet, and sought to persuade Burghley to grant him his liberty by offering to watch the correspondence of the bishop of Ross. That he gained nothing by following the advice of his second friendly counsellor is attested by an inscription in the Beauchamp Tower
as follows: 'Principium eapientie Timor Domini, I. H. S. X. P. S. Be friend to no one. Be enemye to none. Anno D. 1571, 10 Septr. The most unhapy man in the world is he that is not pacient in adversities; for men are not killed with the adversities they have, but with ye impacience which they suffer. Tout vient apoient, quy peult attendre. Gli sospiri ne son testimoni veri dell' angolcia mia, aet. 29. Charles Bailly.'
In all probability Baillie received his liberty about the same time as the bishop of Ross, in 1573. At any rate it appears, from a letter in the State Papers, that in 1574 he was in Antwerp. He died 27 December 1625 in his 85th year, and was interred in the churchyard of Hulpe, a village near Brussels
, where, in the inscription on his tombstone, he is designated as 'Sir Charles Bailly, secretaire de la Royne d'Ecosse decapitée pour la foy catholiq.'
Baillie was by birth a Fleming, though by descent a Scot. A letter in the State Papers mentions him as a 'great papist, who lived with the queen of Scots after her husband was murdered.' In all probability he was from the beginning a papal
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
agent, and having the mastery of several European languages he was, after the imprisonment of Mary, employed in fomenting foreign plots on her behalf.
In the spring of 1571 he was about to leave Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
with copies, which he had got printed at the Liège
Liège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
press, of a book by the bishop of Ross
John Lesley
John Lesley was a Scottish Roman Catholic bishop and historian. His father was Gavin Lesley, rector of Kingussie, Badenoch.-Early career:...
in defence of Queen Mary, when Ridolfi
Roberto di Ridolfi
Roberto Ridolfi was an Italian and Florentine nobleman and conspirator.Ridolfi belonged to a famous family of Florence, where he was born...
, the agent of Pope Pius V
Pope Pius V
Pope Saint Pius V , born Antonio Ghislieri , was Pope from 1566 to 1572 and is a saint of the Catholic Church. He is chiefly notable for his role in the Council of Trent, the Counter-Reformation, and the standardization of the Roman liturgy within the Latin Church...
, entrusted him with letters in cipher for the queen, and also for the Spanish ambassador, the duke of Norfolk
Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk
Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk, KG, Earl Marshal was an English nobleman.Norfolk was the son of the poet Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey. He was taught as a child by John Foxe, the Protestant martyrologist, who remained a lifelong recipient of Norfolk's patronage...
, the bishop of Ross, and Lord Lumley
John Lumley, 1st Baron Lumley
John Lumley, 1st Baron Lumley was an English aristocrat.- Early life :John Lumley was born about 1533, was grandson and heir of John, Lord Lumley, being son and heir of his only son and heir apparent George Lumley by Jane second daughter and coheir of Sir Richard Knightly of Upton,...
. They described a plan for a Spanish landing on behalf of Mary in the eastern counties of England. As soon as Baillie set foot on shore at Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
, he was arrested and taken to the Marshalsea
Marshalsea
The Marshalsea was a prison on the south bank of the River Thames in Southwark, now part of London. From the 14th century until it closed in 1842, it housed men under court martial for crimes at sea, including those accused of "unnatural crimes", political figures and intellectuals accused of...
. The letters were, however, conveyed in secret by Lord Cobham to the bishop of Ross, who, with the help of the Spanish ambassador, 'composed others of a less incriminating character to be laid before Lord Burghley.
The scheme might have been successful had not Burghley made use of a traitor, named Thomas Herle
Thomas Herle
Thomas Herle was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1659 and 1679.Herle was the son of Thomas Herle of Prideaux, Cornwall, and his wife Loveday Glyn, daughter of Nicholas Glyn of Glyn Cornwall.In 1659, Herle was elected Member of Parliament for Grampound in the Third...
, to gain the confidence of Baillie, whom Herle describes as 'fearful, full of words, glorious, and given to the cup, a man easily read.' Herle had also gained the confidence of the bishop, and a complete exposure of the whole plot was imminent when an indiscretion on the part of Herle convinced Baillie that he was betrayed. He endeavoured to warn the bishop by a letter, but it was intercepted, and Baillie was conveyed to the Tower
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
, where, on his declining to read the cipher of the letters, he was put on the rack
Rack
- Kinds of racks :* Amp rack, short for amplifier rack, a piece of furniture in which amplifiers are mounted* Bicycle rack, a frame for storing bicycles when not in use* Breast...
. The following inscription, still visible on the walls, records his reflections inspired by the situation: 'L. H. S. 1571 die 10 Aprilis. Wise men ought to se what they do, to examine before they speake; to prove before they take in hand; to beware whose company they use; and, above all things, to whom they truste. — Charles Bailly.' These sound maxims he seems to have forgotten as soon as he had written them.
One night there appeared at his bedside the figure of a man who said that he was Dr. Story, whom Baillie knew to be in the Tower awaiting execution. In reality the figure was that of a traitor of the name of Parker; but Baillie fell into the trap with the same facility as before. On the advice of Parker he endeavoured to gain credit with Burghley by deciphering the substituted letters of the bishop of Ross. He revealed also the story of the abstracted packet, and sought to persuade Burghley to grant him his liberty by offering to watch the correspondence of the bishop of Ross. That he gained nothing by following the advice of his second friendly counsellor is attested by an inscription in the Beauchamp Tower
Beauchamp Tower
Beauchamp TowerBeauchamp Tower is just one of the 21 towers which, together, form the Tower of London castle complex. Its present name probably refers to the residence in it as a prisoner of Thomas, third Earl of Warwick, of the Beauchamp family, who was attainted under Richard II in 1397, but...
as follows: 'Principium eapientie Timor Domini, I. H. S. X. P. S. Be friend to no one. Be enemye to none. Anno D. 1571, 10 Septr. The most unhapy man in the world is he that is not pacient in adversities; for men are not killed with the adversities they have, but with ye impacience which they suffer. Tout vient apoient, quy peult attendre. Gli sospiri ne son testimoni veri dell' angolcia mia, aet. 29. Charles Bailly.'
In all probability Baillie received his liberty about the same time as the bishop of Ross, in 1573. At any rate it appears, from a letter in the State Papers, that in 1574 he was in Antwerp. He died 27 December 1625 in his 85th year, and was interred in the churchyard of Hulpe, a village near Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, where, in the inscription on his tombstone, he is designated as 'Sir Charles Bailly, secretaire de la Royne d'Ecosse decapitée pour la foy catholiq.'