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Later Addition: Brunswick 1585 27 April

Endorsed: Instructions for Master Tho: Bodleigh sent to the Duke of Brunswick 1585

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Brunswick. 27 Aprill

In your way towards Denmarke being directed as you are to repaire to Hamburgh to the end you may visitt the D of Brunswick. and deliver unto him her Majesties letter of Creditt which you shall carry with you her Majesties pleasure is, that you acquaint him with these matters following, according as you are directed by the instruccions signed with her owne hands./

First that whereas her Majestie hath sundrey tymes heretofore sent to the Princes of Germany. that there might be some good confederacion union and intelligence betweene the Princes and States professing the Christian and reformed religion to prevent the desseignes of the Counsell of Trent: which shee hath a long tyme foreseene and admonished them of although there hath not beene such successe as shee could have wished. yet seing the effects thereof appeare daylie more and more both by the late Accidents in Germany and specially by the D of Guises his attempts now in France her Majestie forseesing the danger generall hath thought once againe to admonish her good Cosens the Princes of Germany thereof, And albeit her Majestie hath lesse fol.170v
lesse cause of Feare then any of them have yet her highnes preferring the generall cause before any particuler respect hath voutchsafed againe to send into those partes./

That her honour thinketh it fitt that there should be some convenient place appoynted as Erford in Turnigia or some other Citty thereabout in the Moneth of July next where there might be some conference and consultacion had about these causes to be sommoned by the consent of the 3 Electors whereunto her Majestie mindeth to send some speciall parson to signifie unto them her meaneing more att lardge./

And in the meane tyme hath thought good to send you unto the K: of Denmarke to parswade him to joyne with her in this Accion

That her Majestie doth desire the said D as her good Cosen and gossipp and as one that carieth a speciall good will towards the furtherance of gods glory not only to send the letters directed to th Electors of Saxon and Brandburge and Lantsgrave of Hesson which shee hath appointed this bearer to leave with him but alsoe to write very effectually unto them in furtherance of this cause to the same effect desireing him fol.171r
him alsoe to procure an answer from the said Electors and Princes as speedily as may be and to send the same to some especiall place to be agreed on, whether you shalbe in his Court either att Breame or Hamburge. soe as you may receive the same att your returne out of Denmarke and her Majestie may be advertised of their deter -minacion, touching some such assembly as soone as may be./

You shall excuse to the Duke this manner of sending for that the matter requireth hast and her Majestie thinketh that her said Cosen the D of Brunswick is best able to deale with the said Electors in respect of the allyance and Frend- shipp betweene them. and that in respect of the greate care which hee hath shewed to beare to gods Church and for his good will towards her Majestie hee both can and will most comodioustly parforme the same and likewise the said Electors and Princes take it in good parte.

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Further you shall desire the said D to empart the substance of the negotiacion to the Duke of Holstein the Dukes of Pomeran the Duke of Mechleburghe and other Princes Earles and free Citties and States professing the confession of Ausburge. in those partes to the intent they may wyne in this accion of sending to the assembly, And that in the meane tyme the said Princes and States would as they have done many tymes heretofore in the Civill warres of France inhibitt under greate penalties the levyes of horsemen or Footemen to goe into France or the lowe Countreys to serve any partie makeing profession of the contrary religion considering that these Leavyes may be afterwards employed to the prejudice of the peace of Germany and alsoe of the Catholiques themselves for revenge of some particuler quarrells as Grambuck. did against the Bishopp of Wirtzburghe. further to pray. fol.172r
Further to pray the said Princes to take order that seeing (god be thanked) the late controversies about matters of religion are well appeased that the Ministers and preachers in their Jurisdiccions be not suffered by Sermons writeings or Bookes to refresh the same Quarrells but rather to exhort the people committed to their charge unto peace and unity./

Lastly forasmuch as the free Townes of Germany have heretofore made shewe of greate forwardnes in matters that have concerned the Common cause of Religion her Majestie thinketh meete you move the said Duke to pray the princes with whome hee shall have to deale upon these poyncts of your instruccions to deale with the said Townes of the Steedes to concurre with the other Princes and States of Germany in this intended assembly and to send their Commissioners to the place that shalbe appointed./

Itt is alsoe thought convenient that you take some apt opportunity to lett the K of Denmarke understand that it behoveth him particulerly to looke to the greatnes of the howse of. fol.172v
of Lorreyn for that they pretend Title to the Kingdome of Den- marke which they doe not lett to vaunt of as of late yeares a [fauvror] of that howse after the death of the late Dutches of Lorreyn being desireous to have made a match betweene the said D. and her Majestie did amongest other things to advance his greatnes sett downe his title to the King- dome of Denmarke.

Itt shalbe meete alsoe that you acquaint both the King of Denmarke and the Duke of Brunswicke with the trecherous dealeings of the Jesuites in France whereof there shalbe a memoriall delivered unto you And how greately it behoveth all Princes to keepe out of their Contries and dominions parsons soe seditiously bent as they are./