Henri Cleutin
Jean Le Laboureur, the editor of Castelnau's memoirs, surmises the family had its origins in a cloth merchant who supplied Charles VI of France.
He became the Duke of Châtelherault in 1548, but considerable power and a portion of the crown income was in the hands of Queen Mary of Guise, the widow of James V of Scotland.
The Imperial ambassador in London François van der Delft became aware of Henri Cleutin, who he called "Oysif", in December 1546.
The English Privy Council joked about his concerns and said that Cleutin carried letters of Bellerophon, the figure of classical myth set the impossible task of killing the chimaera after murdering his brother.
Arran refused such treachery, and Cleutin was said to have joked with Mary of Guise, that this was good natured of the Regent but unlike the actions of any prince he knew.
[5] The war with England soon recommenced, and after Scotland's defeat at the Battle of Pinkie in September 1547, d'Oisel and Mary of Guise rode to Stirling Castle.
[6] On 7 July 1548, when André de Montalembert Sieur d'Esse spoke at the parliament at Haddington, proposing the marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots to the Dauphin, d'Oysel as French ambassador accepted the unanimous approval.
[7] D'Oysel then went to France, returning after a long discussion with Mary of Guise's brother, Francis, Le Balafré, Duc de Aumale, on 23 January 1548 at Savigny-le-Temple.
[11] He wrote to Mary of Guise asking her to ensure that no impediment was made for food to be shipped to Scotland from France in February 1551 on account of the needs of the town of Edinburgh and the French soldiers because of the pillages and burnings during the war.
[12] At this height of the Auld Alliance between France and Scotland, the Emperor's envoy to Edinburgh, Mathieu Strick, reported that d'Oisel wielded almost sovereign authority in matters of state and justice.
[14] Later Scottish Protestant chronicle writers George Buchanan and Robert Lyndsay of Pitscottie agree on his ability and singular good judgment.
[22] Mary of Hungary gave Thomas Gresham copies of this paper and secret instructions made for a French ambassador, Louis de Salazar, Sieur d'Asnois, in January 1549.
[28] In May 1553, the ambassador Jean Scheyfve heard that Mary of Guise challenged Arran's regency, and hoped to replace him with James Stewart, the eldest son of James V.[29] On 29 July 1553, the French ambassador in London, Antoine de Noailles, wrote of a rumour that 6,000 French troops would have aided Lady Jane Grey, "who didn't last ten days."
D'Oisel, Wyatt said, had made the same offer to Mr Rogers, Peter Carew, one named South, and William Pickering, the first dapifer, with promises of money, assistance and soldiers from France.
[35] Mary remained convinced of d'Oisel's involvement in the rebellion, and a month later wrote to Wotton mentioning; "the practice attempted by D'Oysel which, however much denied, is clearly manifest.
The many good islands were in poor estate, and French troops lightly armed in Scottish jacks would help the revenue of the Queen and Dowager.
[40] In August 1555, in a letter to Antoine de Noailles, the French ambassador in London, he described the state of the border with England on the west, and a visit by Mary of Guise to the area.
Mary of Guise had hoped to raise new taxation for a standing army and fortifications on the border, and their proposal to compile an inventory of all property and incomes was opposed.
[45] Scotland and England were at war again in August 1557, and d'Oysel's troops re-occupied the fort at Eyemouth, and according to the Imperial ambassador in London, Simon Renard, made two successful raids on the border and burnt the hay stored at Berwick upon Tweed[46] An English admiral, John Clere, was ordered to blockade Eyemouth to prevent guns landing there.
Pitscottie gives a good account of a stand-off in 1559 across the river Eden, at Cupar Muir in Fife, between the Protestant Lords and d'Oisel and Châtelherault in command of the French and Scottish army.
D'Oysel was swayed by the words of Patrick, Master of Lindsay from joining battle but first rode to the top of Tarvit Hill to spy out the strength of the opposition.
In November 1559, d'Oisel worked with Jacques de la Brosse drawing up charges of treason against the Congregation Lords, Châtelherault, and his son the Earl of Arran.
[55] Later in January d'Oysel was marching troops towards the Protestant stronghold of St Andrews when the English fleet commanded by William Winter was sighted in the Firth of Forth.
According to John Knox, Raphael Holinshed, and Pitcottie, William Kirkcaldy of Grange destroyed the bridge at Tullibody to cut off Cleutin's retreat to Stirling.
[57] When the Chester Herald, William Flower, delivered a message from Norfolk claiming that the English fleet had arrived in the Firth by accident, d'Oisel replied in defiance, "What got Mary Tudor by her last wars?
[62] In October 1560 Nicholas Throckmorton heard Cleutin was out of favour in France due to his opposition to the plan to execute the Protestant lords, but was given leave to go home to Villeparis.
Cleutin wrote to Charles IX on 15 April 1566, to say that news of the murder of David Riccio and Mary's plight had reached Rome by several letters, although he had not yet been informed himself or discussed the events with the Pope.
On 10 June 1566 Henri Cleutin wrote to Catherine de' Medici asking for permission to travel to Lucca to seek a remedy for his grave illness.
ET S. R. E. HOSTES COMMISU BENEGESTAS, A CAROLO IX TORQUATOR MILITUM ORDINE, ET CATAPHRACTOR EQUITUM ALAE PRAEFECTUS DECORATO, ROMAE AD PIUS IIII ET V PONTT.
REGIS SUI NOMEN, AC DIGNITATUM ACCERIME TUTATU HONORIFICA LEGATIONE AC VITA FUNCTO.Henry Cleutin, Sieur of Villeparisis, legate of the French Kings Francis I and Henry II in Scotland, where he served with merit with the army for the Scottish queen, was honoured with knighthood, and with fine deeds battled against the King and Pope's enemies in France, Charles IX made him a Knight of the Order of the Collar and First Master of the Great Horse, he was nominated by the King to go to Rome to Popes Pius IV and Pius V and carried out his duties with great honour.
