Letter ID: 0041
Reference: BL, MS Cotton Galba D X f.158r-159v
Citation: DCB/001/HTML/0041/000
Date: 26 May 1594
Note:
Copy of: 0442

lettertext

fol.158r

Later Addition: bis

Maye it please your good L. to be advertised that I arryved in Flushing the 15th of this monneth, and the nexte daye after came to Middleborough, where I thought it very requisite to tary that daye, to communiate in pryvate with the chiefe of that Province and to feele theyr inclination to her Majesties demaundes, wherby I might conjecture howe the rest would disgest it when I came to this place. I founde that my coming was foreknowne unto them and allso what I would propose, wherewth they seemed by theyr talke to be very muche mooved, especially that her Majestie would drawe awaye those troupes which they had armed, and payed and newly sent to service. What passed on both sydes in our conference together, it is but needlesse to rehearse, because yt tendes to that effect which I will signifie to your L. in my dealing with the states. I came to the Haghe the 19 daye and had audience the 21; but no aunswer at that tyme to the matter of my message. For they observe theyr wonted manner in affayres of any moment, not to aunswere on the sudden. Onely soe muche they signified that her Majesties motion was exceding prejudiciall to the state of these Countries, not offering at that tyme to debate yt further with me. Howbeit the second daye after there were twoe deputed by the rest to communicate with me pryvatly, Master Barnevelt and Master Cromstrien; who gave me plainely to understaunde that for the troupes which they had raysed, they might not by any meanes forgoe them at this tyme. They had beene very long sutors to her Majestie for them, theyr expences had bin great in the onely transporting and arming of them to the fielde, they had caste the project of this yeares exploites, according to the nombers which they receaved from her Majestie and if all of them should nowe be sent for awaye, considering they are come to handie strokes with the Enemye, there could nothing come of it, but an evident overthrowe of theyr entreprise at Groeningen and of all theyr designes for all this yeare, with the losse of all theyr chardges, with many apparant inconveniences to her Majesties great detriment aswell as theyr owne and the Enemies most advantage: whereat the people of this cuntry would murmur out of measure; having strayned this yeare more then ever before, to contribute to the warres. To this fol.158v
effect they discoursed with very great earnestnesse, alleadging dyvers other reasons: but concluded in substance in the form[er:] which I endevoured to avoyde by urging the importance of succouring Brest, and by manifesting to them the benefit if that went farre before this of theyr present exploite; and that aswell in respect of the trafficke of theyr people as of her Majesties subjects: prooving allso unto them that the Enemie at [this] present is farre weaker in fielde then he hath been these ma[ny] yeares, and the Provinces armie every waye stronger, wherby the companies demaunded might be spared well enough, and no suche danger come of it as they did p[re-] tend. But in conclusion upon shewe that they made of noe satisfaction, howsoever I replyed, although it were with [inti-] mation, that there would be order taken for remboursing the[ir] Charges about the 1500 men. I lett them plainely unders[tand] that for the Normandie Companies, and the rest that were here [in ] her Majesties paye, she had fully determined to have them p[la-] ced in Ostende Flushing and the Brille, for supply of these bandes which were to goe away presently. And as for those th[at] they had raised, and were payed by the Provinces, if they h[ad] an intention to continue them here, the best waye to obtayn yt at her Majesties handes, was by arming out of hand some good quantitie of shipping to accompanie that navie which her Majestie prepareth, which I thought they might perfor[m] very largely and with ease, beyng bownd therunto by vertu[e of] the Treatie. After conference in this manner for a goo[d] whyle together, they returned to theyr college, with report of m[y] speeches, and resolved there amonge themselves to make the[ir] aunswere by lettre which I send hereinclosed wth a transc[ript] of it to your L: Wherein they offer for Ostend some compa[nies] of Dutche, which they of Zeland shall send thither, and a [compa-] nie of Englishe to be put into Vlissing, which they will s[end] from the Campe. The Brille they are perswaded hath the least neede of all, but yet they promise to fournish both it and the rest with greater nombers from the Campe, as theyr necessitie shall requyre. And as touching shippes of warre, for a[s] muche as theyr authoritie will not stretche to take order withou[t] theyr superiors they have written about it to every severa[ll] fol.159r
Province, whome they promise to sollicite soe often and soe earn- nestly, as they hope to have theyr aunswer in lesse then a fortenight to her Majesties good lyking. In the meane season they will send some shippes of warre, to the Coast of Britanie which shall presently putt to Sea, to take good information of the Enemies proceeding, wherby they maye be able to direct theyr course the better in joyning theyr forces with her Majesties fleete, and in making theyr Provision.

For myne owne opinion of this awnsweare, considering that the peace makers here are so busie amonge them that they growe in greate hope of recovering Groeningen, that her Majesties garrisons are indiferently provyded by suche meanes as they propose, and that they yealde to come with shipping to joine with her Majestie, wherunto they are not tyed by strickt construction of the Contract although they except not yet against it I can not but surcease to presse them any further, untill I heare how her Majestie doth accepte of theyr letter, intending till then to remayne at the Hadghe, hoping also by that tyme, to understaunde from this assemblie, what assistaunce by sea will be graunted by the Provinces: in which regarde I would be gladde to returne with some aunsweare to her Majesties con- tent. But it will be very requisite to be signified unto me, what number of shippes of warre are to goe from her Majestie, because I doe insiste that according to the treatie they should arme as many more; soe the nomber exceede not the Prince of Oranges offer made to Master Dyar in the yeare 84. And because yt seemed with by the speeches which I had laste with your L. that you wanted a coppie that you wanted a coppie of that which passed at that tyme, I have sent you one herein. Those lettres of credence which I had from her Majestie to the Count Maurice and Sir Frauncis Vere, I have sent to the Campe with sufficient advertisement of her pleasure about the Companies, which I thought very necessary to be presently imparted, to the ende they may not thincke that the warning is to suddaine, if heereafter they be mooved, to send home greater nombers, then the states at this present are willinge to dismisse. I doe not certefie your L: howe the motion of Peace hath hitherto succeded nor of the occurrences of Groeninghen, with dyvers other matters, of which Master Gilpin hath written before and will informe you fol.159v

Endorsed: lettre unto my L. Tresurer 26 May 1594.

at this present in particular manner. Yet I can not [in] duetie forbeare to make knowen, that at my comming to Flu[shing] I founde, that all the Companies Captaynes were absent i[n] England, Sir Edmund Udall excepted, which I thought i[n a] garrison of that chardge and account an exceeding great [disor-] der. And thus beseeching you most humbly, [to] acquaynt her Majestie with the Course, which I have h[eld] in my businesse, and to make me allwayes as happy, as yow have don heretofore, with protesting my proceeding with your honorable favour I take my humble leave. From the Haghe May 26 1594. Your L. most humble at Commaundement Tho: Bodley

Postscript: The bearer hereof Master Chamberlaine had very small occasion to goe into England, but yet at my intrea[ty] because I wanted a messenger, he hath promised to de[liver] this letter to your L: with all the speede that may be./