Claude Nau
Encyclopedia
Claude Nau full name Claude Nau de la Boisseliere, was a confidential secretary of Mary, Queen of Scots in England from 1575 to 1586.
Nau was a succesful lawyer practicing in Paris when he was recruited by the Guise family in 1574 to be Mary's secretary. He was presented by the Duke of Guise
, Mary's nephew, to Henry III of France
who gave him diplomatic accreditation and sent him to Elizabeth I of England
. Elizabeth gave a him a letter of introduction to the Earl of Shrewsbury
the Scottish Queen's keeper at Sheffield Castle
. Nau was frequently mentioned in Mary's correspondence, and many of his own letters survive.
In June 1579, Mary sent Nau as her ambassador to her son, James VI of Scotland, instead of John Lesley
, Bishop of Ross
. However, the Scottish court would not allow him an audience, apparently because Mary's letter was addressed to her son, not the King. Claude's brother, the Sieur de Fontenay, sent from France, had more success. Fontenay was able to meet James VI in August 1584. Fontenay wrote to Claude about his good reception, James had met him in his cabinet at Holyroodhouse, and lent him a horse to join the hunting. In November 1584, Nau spoke with Elizabeth, on the subject of Mary's allegations against Bess of Hardwick
.
Nau was arrested at Chartley
in 1586, but seems to have lived comfortably with the family of Francis Walsingham
. After Mary's excecution he returned to France where he was exonerated from accusations of treachery to Mary by the King and the Duke of Guise.
Joseph Stevenson
discovered Nau's memoirs of Mary and her history and published these works in 1883. Stevenson also attributed a treatise in French on Mary's title to the English throne to Nau. Nau started translating John Lesley's Latin history of Scotland, the De Origine, into French. He did not complete this historical work.
Nau was a succesful lawyer practicing in Paris when he was recruited by the Guise family in 1574 to be Mary's secretary. He was presented by the Duke of Guise
Henry I, Duke of Guise
Henry I, Prince of Joinville, Duke of Guise, Count of Eu , sometimes called Le Balafré, "the scarred", was the eldest son of Francis, Duke of Guise, and Anna d'Este...
, Mary's nephew, to Henry III of France
Henry III of France
Henry III was King of France from 1574 to 1589. As Henry of Valois, he was the first elected monarch of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with the dual titles of King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1573 to 1575.-Childhood:Henry was born at the Royal Château de Fontainebleau,...
who gave him diplomatic accreditation and sent him to Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
. Elizabeth gave a him a letter of introduction to the Earl of Shrewsbury
George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury
George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury, 6th Earl of Waterford, 12th Baron Talbot, KG, Earl Marshal was a 16th century English statesman.-Life:...
the Scottish Queen's keeper at Sheffield Castle
Sheffield Castle
Sheffield Castle was a castle in Sheffield, England, constructed at the confluence of the River Sheaf and the River Don, possibly on the site of a former Anglo-Saxon long house, and dominating the early town. A motte and bailey castle had been constructed on the site at some time in the century...
. Nau was frequently mentioned in Mary's correspondence, and many of his own letters survive.
In June 1579, Mary sent Nau as her ambassador to her son, James VI of Scotland, instead of John Lesley
John Lesley
John Lesley was a Scottish Roman Catholic bishop and historian. His father was Gavin Lesley, rector of Kingussie, Badenoch.-Early career:...
, Bishop of Ross
Bishop of Ross
The Bishop of Ross was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Ross, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics. The first recorded bishop appears in the late 7th century as a witness to Adomnán of Iona's Cáin Adomnáin. The bishopric was based at the settlement of Rosemarkie until the mid-13th...
. However, the Scottish court would not allow him an audience, apparently because Mary's letter was addressed to her son, not the King. Claude's brother, the Sieur de Fontenay, sent from France, had more success. Fontenay was able to meet James VI in August 1584. Fontenay wrote to Claude about his good reception, James had met him in his cabinet at Holyroodhouse, and lent him a horse to join the hunting. In November 1584, Nau spoke with Elizabeth, on the subject of Mary's allegations against Bess of Hardwick
Bess of Hardwick
Elizabeth Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury Elizabeth Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury Elizabeth Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury (c. 1521 – 13 February 1608, known as Bess of Hardwick, was the daughter of John Hardwick, of Derbyshire and Elizabeth Leeke, daughter of Thomas Leeke and Margaret Fox...
.
Nau was arrested at Chartley
Chartley Castle
Chartley Castle lies in ruins to the north of the village of Stowe-by-Chartley in Staffordshire, between Stafford and Uttoxeter . It is a Grade II* listed building...
in 1586, but seems to have lived comfortably with the family of Francis Walsingham
Francis Walsingham
Sir Francis Walsingham was Principal Secretary to Elizabeth I of England from 1573 until 1590, and is popularly remembered as her "spymaster". Walsingham is frequently cited as one of the earliest practitioners of modern intelligence methods both for espionage and for domestic security...
. After Mary's excecution he returned to France where he was exonerated from accusations of treachery to Mary by the King and the Duke of Guise.
Joseph Stevenson
Joseph Stevenson
Joseph Stevenson was an English Catholic archivist.-Biography:Though his parents were Presbyterians, he was educated at University College, Durham under the historian, James Raine, and afterwards at the University of Glasgow...
discovered Nau's memoirs of Mary and her history and published these works in 1883. Stevenson also attributed a treatise in French on Mary's title to the English throne to Nau. Nau started translating John Lesley's Latin history of Scotland, the De Origine, into French. He did not complete this historical work.
Further reading
- Stevenson, Joseph, S.J., ed., The History of Mary Stewart, by Claude Nau, Edinburgh (1883)