Political and diplomatic career Robert Corbet (died 1583)

1 political , diplomatic career

1.1 member of parliament shropshire
1.2 travels
1.3 ambassador

political , diplomatic career
member of parliament shropshire

many corbet s had been knights of shire shropshire on centuries , replace 1 of them robert corbet became member of parliament in 1566. parliament had been called long before november 1562 , assembled in january 1563. showed concern succession question , queen prorogued it, recalling in 1566 seek financial bail-out.

richard corbet, brother of reginald , great-uncle of robert corbet, had been duly elected in 1562 died in july 1566. young robert slotted uncle s place , held seat until parliament dissolved in january 1567. listed junior in parliamentary record distinguish him uncle robert of stanwardine, near baschurch. shropshire s second mp edward leighton (died 1593), older , more experienced man , close colleague of sir andrew in military organisation of county , council in marches, , member of committee investigating succession question, continued preoccupy parliament. however, leighton granted leave of absence on 16 november, leaving robert corbet county s sole representative closing stages of parliament.

travels

sir philip sidney, close associate of robert corbet on travels in italy.



hubert languet, sidney s close friend, received corbet in vienna.

during 1570s robert corbet travelled in mainland europe, in company philip sidney, alumnus of shrewsbury school father, sir henry sidney, president of council in marches , close friend of sir andrew corbet, formally recognised deputy in 1574.

on 15 april 1574 sidney, residing in venice, recommended corbet in letter hubert languet, huguenot acted diplomatic representative of augustus, elector of saxony , @ time @ court of maximilian ii, holy roman emperor in vienna:

in few days see 2 noble englishmen, whom shall give letters of introduction you, , therefore seems write few words precede arrival, , prepare receive them wonted courtesy. 1 whom commend master robert corbet, greatest friend, man of high birth, 1 who, buchanan says, ‘in excellence of parts outdoes birth’. of right side in religion , not unpractised in art of war; speaks italian other master richard shelley, cousin, corbett, nearer me in blood other in friendship.

shelley, corbet s travelling companion on occasion last grand prior of knights of st. john in england, catholic notable resided in venice acting informally queen s trade representative , less formally spy english government. corbet set out vienna on 27 may, without servant, ill journey, carrying portrait of sidney languet. after brief stay in vienna, corbet , shelly set out letters of introduction languet friends in prague, nuremberg , augsburg. however, corbet writing prague languet shelley ill proceed, languet put down shelley s hypochondria. however, wrote languet:

alas made more calculation of danger physicians, learn second letter our friend corbet, writes in despair of richard s condition. @ point of death, given on physicians...corbet s letter shows disturbed, , not wonder @ it. consults me own affairs, , asks whether shall pursue journey when has lost companion hears troops being raised in places through road lies, , country rhine , lorraine in state of great confusion. intimates not leave prague until receives reply, have written him think should do.

the regions mentioned being in turmoil suggest corbet , shelley making england. shelley survived illness , corbet arrived home following year, receiving present valued @ £1 13s. 4d. borough of shrewsbury on return.

the journeys can reconstructed sidney-languet correspondence may typical rather exhaustive. tribute in shrewsbury s manuscript chronicle after death says corbet was

of great estimation queen’s majesty , nobility because speak sundry foreign languages reason of long absence in youth out of england in foreign countries , trained in emperor’s court, have come great worship had lived.

ambassador

luis de requesens, 19th-century portrait. requesens died in 1576, troops in uncertain situation.



german reiter cavalryman, circa 1577. burghley using english-financed reiter army proxies in subversion of france , spain.

corbet s earlier travels had not been officially sponsored, although involved in promoting english , protestant interests. however, in 1575, received government commission act emissary spanish governor of netherlands, luis de requesens y zúñiga, known english commendator. requesens held post briefly , had shown considerably more flexibility in confronting dutch revolt duke of alba, predecessor. after significant victories, funds had run out , attempting find common ground rebels under william silent, emperor maximilian acting mediator: may have been background corbet , shelley s journey vienna in previous year. english government determined push negotiations towards truce and, beyond that, permanent peace.

corbet sent part of three-pronged diplomatic assault, older , considerably more experienced henry cobham taking responsibility direct approach spain, , john hastings, had dutch connections, approaching rebels. corbet s detailed brief, dated 29 october, preserved in state papers. stressed queen s concern england s commercial interests: recovering , better settling of ancient intercourse between subjects , of low countries. told emphasise shared interest of england , spain in keeping french out of netherlands, fine ports , shipping. however, there red line: queen might support spain if perceived king permit subjects enjoy liberties , governed peaceably. in other words, england not abandon protestant cause.

at first mission seemed go well. 16 november corbet had met requesens , reported burghley on poor morale , unpopularity of spanish forces. on 4 december corbet reported governor made more receptive peace overtures further blows spanish morale. feared intervention forces allied french huguenot champion, henri, prince of condé (1552–1588), , long-expected spanish reinforcements had amounted mere 700 men. there rumour english raising forces aid dutch. perhaps why corbet found commendator in more antagonistic mood on next encounter, week later. requesens openly blamed english support sustaining dutch revolt , cast doubt on faith of english in pressing peace. corbet offered go straight dutch camp , press peace negotiations requesens not hear of it, refusing create impression had made first move. corbet sadly requested permission return home, concluding:

commendator condescend reasonable conditions of peace, same being proffered others first him, , withal papistical religion excepted. whether exception unreasonable or not leaves burghley judge.

burghley concerned developments in french wars of religion in dutch revolt, had no intention of committing english forces either conflict. state papers detailing corbet s mission refer large sums expended subsidising reiters (german mercenary cavalry) john i, count palatine of zweibrücken, called duke casimir english, forces marching aid of prince of condé in france s civil war. political , social dislocation caused recruitment drive had destabilised rhineland, obstructing corbet s travels previous year. rumour deliberately put reiters intervene in netherlands, subverting french , spanish positions simultaneously. requesens agitated , may have known or suspected burghley s role. corbet have known no more reqesens covert dealings of own government.

by 26 december corbet on way home, after less heated concluding talks requesens. had done expected of him not called on act ambassador again. rewarded being made master of posts , chamberlain of exchequer.