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Endorsed: To Master Secret. August 26. 89
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Later Addition: Belgia 1589 26 August To Master Secretary from M Bodley
Yt may please your H. since the death of Schenck wee have had much a doo & [care] litle to have more with his garrison of [S'gravenweert] in Guelders the souldiers ther demand theyr full payment for all the time that is past & require to Rx yt within 5 wekes, whereuppon the Counsell hath sent to Schenckes wyddow to come hether with some other of the principall of the garrison, whe[re] they promise to satisfy as theyr ability will parmitt, but how they wilbe parswaded to come we do not yet understand. Astouching the French Embassadors request they have agreed to lend the K. yf so be he shall need 30000 crownes to be payd in present mony within 2 monethes after they shall have Rxd the K obligacion. The States of Utrecht have onely dissented, wherby theyr grant would be frustrat but that at the instance of the Deputies of other provinces the counsell of State is contented to become bound that those of Utrecht shall contribute & to that effect the counsell hath alredy written theyr letters to induce the States of that province. The Embassador hath not had this answer formally delivered but I suppose yt wilbe don to day & as far as I parceave he wilbe urgent uppon them, to have the time of the 2 monethes cutt of. They ar very officious unto him & travell much to dispatch him to his best contentation. They do also deliberate & as yt should seeme they will resolve uppon yt out of hand, to send some embassador to the French King to congratulat his happines. The D. of Parma continueth still at the Spa where we learne by letters lately intercepted that he hath divers practizes in hand which put him in some hope of the conquest of Holland: yt is also thought that he dealeth with the Bishope of Liege to use Monsieur De Merode Sir Thomas Morgans father in Lawe (who hath great possesions in the Land of Liege, & doth enjoy the dignitye there Du grand revenew) for an instrument to work the meanes with Sir Thomas to succour the Towne. But that he hath bin dealt withall as yet by his father we cannot parceave, nevertheles yt should seeme very necessary that the principall Captaines of the garrison being all absent & scarce any at all present theryn might be order aken for theyr retourne. For theyr presence & Counsell will make very much for the safegard of the place. Uppon lettres that were written of Late by Vierslet (one that heertofore was lieutenant to my L. Willughbies cornet) but revolted to the Ennemy since my L. departure into England.) to some of his old friends, souldiers in the garrison of Berghen, which were by them imparted to the Gouvernor, there hath bin a plott laid with the [privity] & advise of the Governor how the said souldiers most induce Vierslet to attempt the surprise of the Towne by night, whertoo he hath bin trayned on so farr, as the time approcheth of effecting his purpose, which he doth promise to execute with 3 or 4000 men, Sir Thomas is in good hope upon such provision as he hath made to give the Ennemy a notable overthrowe, the practise hath bin imparted heer to the Counsell, & to Count Maurice at the Camp The Count ys very desyrous to have yt put in execution / but the counsell have fol.114v