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Addressed: To the R. worshipfull my verie Lovinge frend Master Thomas Bodelie Esquier, Counsellor for hir Majestie in the Counsell of Estate in the Lowe Contreis/
Endorsed: the 28 March 89 from my Lord Treasurer
lettertext
Later Addition: Belgia 1589 28 March To Master Bodly
Sir I have forborne to write unto yowe anie thing, since I received your lettre of the ixth of this moneth, Bicause I looked dailie to heare againe from yowe concerninge the proceedinge of the Counte Maurice siege browght before Gertrudenbergh, wheareof your said lettres made the first mention of the said siege preciselie against Gertrudenbergh, although not longe before the same in other your lettres yowe gave us knowledge of the Counte Maurice gathering of divers Companies of soldiers to meete at Williamstonde, and than it was thought his purpose should be to surprise either Stenberghen, Gertrudenberg, or Har- togenboys, soe as nowe it is fallen directlie owt to the worse sense. And bicause uppon the arrivall of the L. Willowghbie, and upponn your lettres of the ixth of marche wee weare fullie certified of the Attempt of this siege: hir Majestie did theareupponn direct her lettres both to the States, and to yowe, to procure all good meanes to have the siege forborne, and some good waies taken to have the towne restored to the obedience of the States by peaceable meanes, and thearebie to be free from the danger of Revolt to the Ennemie. And for that convenientlie wee cowld not heare from yowe what hathe been done in that matter, (Althowgh I feare rather from evill than good to have succeaded consi- dering the extremitie of the humors both of the Soldiers in the towne wilfully bent against the States, and the like in the Counte and the States against the Garrison) I have nevertheles thowght good at this time without expecting farther from yowe, to lett yowe knowe, that of late the Counte Maurice hath written a longe letter to hir Majestie and an other to the Counsell, with A Copie of his lettre to the Quene included thearein, wheareby he doth labor with manie Allegacions, to have yt appeare, that the States and he have been forced by this manner of his siege to recover the towne to Garrison to obey the States, and the towne to him self: for which purpose he alledgethe A multitude of great Insolencie by the Garrison committed, and the forbearing the avendge theareof, uppon hope by a promise made by the L. Willoughbie in June last to procure the towne to be restored unto him, and putt into his handes: And to that ende he remembreth the great summes of monie paid by the States. Notwithstanding which promise and payment he Complaineth of the Insolencies of the towne, and latelie of a Refusall of Sir John Wingefield and the horsebande to comm forthe to anie service uppon his summons, Adding theareto the Insolent Aunsweares made by Sir John Wingefield unto him, wheare in by one of the lettres it is said that they will rather seeke succour of the Ennemie, than comm under the government of the States: uppon which wordes, and such other reasons he growndeth the purpose of the siege, And so excuseth also the sudennes of his Attempt, least they should revolt to the Ennemie: This his lettre was delivered to hir Majestie and the Counsel by Ortell, and by hir Commaundement, the L. willowghbie was called in the presence of Ortell to awnsweare suche matter as concerned himself, whoe hath made good defence for himself, and laide the burden uppon the Counte, and in like sort hath shewed som matter either to excuse fol.121vOrtell hath been a longe suiter heare, to have some awnsweare to sondrie Articles offred at sondrie times heare in the name of the States, which have conteined for the most part such matter, as hath alreadie been very well awnsweared by you in divers writinges passed betwixt the States and yowe, both in Januarie and Februarie last: And thowgh your awnsweares have been wiselie, Rowndlie and sufficientlie made to satisfie me[n of rea- son, and with respect of hir Majesties honour yet for the satisfaccion of his Importunitye I cawsed an awnsweare to be made in writing by digesting of all his Propositions into one Bodie, which is delivered unto him subscribed by me, and som others which weare appointed by hir Majestye to heare him, wheareof I doe send yowe a Copie at this present: In which yowe shall see two matters of most moment to be regarded: the one is A motion to have the States to send hither som Commissioners to treate anewe uppon sondrie matters, aswell conteined in the Treaty, that hath not been well observed, as for reducing som thinges into new Compactes that have not been before remembred, wheareof Ortell himself had geven us the occasion, pretending that the States weare alreadie of the same minde to send hither, which if yt shall be performed, I wishe the menn weare well chosenn to be wise, and without passion, and that therin Commissioners weare ample enowgh: and before the Conclusion for theire comming I wishe yow weare hable to attaine to the knowledge of such matters as yowe thinke theie shall both desyre and refuse, and theareof to certifie us with your opinion uppon the same. The other matter of Moment in the awnsweare to Ortell is our Assent to have A Conference theare in Holland for the examinacion , Comparison, & liquidacion of the demawndes of either part for monie, victuell, or anie other thinge, due by them to the Quene, or by hir to them, since the time of the Contract: for which purpose hir Majestie hath agreed, and named the L. Browgh, your self, and Master Guilpin, to be in Commission for hir part, And yowe shall doe well to move them to name som others of like quallety on their part: And in the meane time I praie yowe advertise my L Browgh heareof, and Consider betwixt yowe two, whither wheare fol.122r
the meating for that purpose shall be, at the Haghe, the Brill or elsewheare: And for your Instructions theare shall be asmuche done heare as wee cann to gather togeather the matters for our demaundes, and as many reasons as wee can to awnsweare theirs: And yet I thinke Master Gilpin is partlie acquainted hearewith, and I thinke Master Killegrewe hath left som Memorialls with you for the same: for hearetofore he and others in his place, have often times had Commission to treate theareof, but spetially Master Huddelston nowe decessed that was the first Thresurer in his time did solicite thes Courses to have been hard, and could never gett the States to com to their Reckoning for the same: and yet as you doe knowe by your owne time, howe often they have complained of their Charges: But when yt shall comm to due Reckoninges I thinke yt will be fownd in all Equitie Hir Majestie hath greater cause to Complaine of hir extraordinary Charges spent uppon them. Thusmuche for that matter./
Nowe to ende I have thowght good to lett yowe knowe that I have diligentlie perused all the matters that have passed betwixt the States & yowe in January and Februarie last, and your writinges and awnsweares have soe well pleased mee, spetiallie for your stowte and Rownd awnsweres in all the Cawses concerning hir Majesties honour, as I find hir Majestie suffi- cientlie srved of yow in that place, and doe judge, that the exercise of yowe and the States in thes Contradictorie matters, will make you more hable heareafter for greater matters of state at home. And soe I doe end for this time lacking leasure to enlarg anie more by waie of writing , and the rather bicawse I thinke Master Secretarie having by his absence thowgh yt be for phisick, more oportunitye to write often unto yow than I have. At the least I am sure his absence for a good while, hath browght greate heape of busines upponn mee, wheareof I hope to be delivered shortlie by his retorne to the Court. Hir Majesty hath receaved the book in Latyn wrytten by the yong scollar of Leyden. I have red some part therof. and se hym sufficiently lerned in Eloquence and in his nature also sufficiently hott and sharp. but he maketh small shew to be lerned or to profess knolledg in the scriptures. suerly his stile is very high but somewhat to obscure. The verses in the front of the book, ar not wordy of the prose. 28 Marti 1589 at westminster Yours assuredly to my power William Burghley