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Later Addition: 1585 April 17

Endorsed: 1585 17 April Draught of Instructions for master Bodleigh sent into Denmark.

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[1]7 April Instructions for Thomas Bod- leigh gent: sent[.] to the K. of Denmark. 17 April 1585

You shall in your way towardes Denmarke visite the D. of Brunswick in our name and deliver to him both our letters directed to himselfe, and those that we have written and those that we have written to the Duke of Saxony, and the Elector of Brande brough praying him to convey the same unto them, whom we thinke meet you acquaint at length with your charge in such ample sort as you /are/ directed to impart the same unto the[re] King of Denmarke, hereafter following. And after the accomplishment of that and some other direction which you shall receave from our Secretary in speciall Instructions for that purpose: You shall with all convenient speed goe forwarde in your jorney towardes Denmarke.

Where being arrived, at the time of your accesse after the delivery of our letters unto the k. and others usuall complementes performed towardes him, you shall acquaint him in Fraunce at large with the fol.108v
the present proceadinges in Fraunce, according to such information and memorials as you shall receave from our Secretary

Then shall you signify unto the said k. that we doe conceave that the attempt by the howse of Guise and their associates sett on by the k. of Spayn the Pope and the rest of the Catholiqu[e] princes in Christendome tendeth manifestly to the execution of the Councell of Trent, and that therefore it behoveth such princes as make pro- fession of the gospell to awake out of their sleap seing so manifest and daungerous a storme to hange over their heades.

That it is undoubtedly to be looked for that if this proceading of the howse of Guise by seaking most unduetifully to force the k. of Fraunce to /deprive the k. of Navar/ of his right of succession to that Crown under collour that he is a schismatique /bee not mett withall/ by a common concurrency for defence among the princes that professe the gospell The example thereof may be most daungerous and extended to the depriving fol.109r
depriving of all other princes being present possessi- oners of kingdomes that make profession of the same releigion uppon like pretext.

That therfore we doe not doubt but that the said king who hathe been alwayes found most ready to embrace all good causes will not now fayle in a matter that importeth so greatly the defence of the gospell and his own safety to employ such meanes as God hath given him in the furtherance thereof.

That we thinke that the best way that may be held for our common safety is that such Princes as make profession of the gospell thorough out Europe should joyn themselves in an association and holly confederacy for common defence of their relligious and Christian profession.

For which purpose we thinke meet that the said Princes should send their deputyes to some apt and well chosen place in Germany with ample instructions to treat and debate uppon the matter and to take some such resolution for common defence as may stay the adversaryes from attem[pt] yng

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ting any thing against them

And as we have already for that purpose written our letters to the Princes Electors and other Princes of Germany whom you shall name unto the said King, So shall you tell him that we doe pray him that he will doe the lyke And for the better concurrency in the subject of our letters you shall shew him the copyes of our letters that have bene written to the said Princes in that behalfe which shalbe delivered unto you by our Secretary, and /also/ acquaint him with that

which you have nego tiated in your way with the D. of Bruns- wick, according to the instructions which you shall receave for that purpose

Further you shall lett him understand that we doe not onely thinke it convenient that the said Commissioners shoulde have authority to treat and consult what were fitt to be don for common defence but also to be further authorised to make offer on their princes behalfe of some contribution fol.110r
of both mony and men to be employed in case of necessity. Moreover that it shalbe requisite in case the French king shalbe forced against his will to enter into warres against the k. of Navarre That then the said Commissioners be authorised both to consult and offer some meanes of support for his relief.

We thinke it also convenient that you presse the said king to send immediatly his Commissioners letters to the Princes of Germany to provoke them to joyn in this action and to send their Com- missioneres as is by hir majesty: desired in hir late letters to such place as by them shalbe thought meet

T

A.