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Endorsed: To Master Secretary 28 September 89
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Later Addition: Belgia 1589 28 September To Master Secretary
It may please your H. to the effect of that which yow write by this bearer I have delt with the generall states in the cause of Vasseur, & I send your heerinclosed the coppy of my speeche. they sent yt presently to the states of Zeeland. to require theyr advise, & in respect of attending theyr answer this matter hath had but a slow dispatche. the states of Zeland have charged the prisoners a fresh but to the self same effect as before. uppon other of his letters, which have bin lately sent unto them from the ministers of Berchem upon the receat of those lettres the generall states sent unto mee to let them have a sight of her Majestyes commision for my dealing in the cause, which motion proceeded as I have since bin informed very certainly for that theyr Deputyes or some others out of England hath intimated unto them that your H. letter was procured by favor without her Majestyes privity. Theyr manner of sending to see my commission, as I told theyr messenger was very straunge, consydering they had never used yt before, & knew right well that I was here for no other purpose, but for the proposing & furdering of hir Majesties causes, & that in a matter of such moment I wold not dare to deale without hir Highnes warrant, & thereuppon signifyed that it was in theyr choyse to beleave or not to beleave mee. I wold not prejudice so much the credyt of my place as to showe my commission. Nevertheles yf any of them for his private satisfaction would come unto me I would in courtesy imparte yt unto him. Whereuppon meeting after which Vansbergen, one of the Deputies for the states of Zeland with whom I conferred to such purpose, as yt were to tedyous to repeate to your Ho. I shewed him your letter written unto mee in hir Majestyes name, alleadging that yt was not hir Majestyes course to write in every cause with hir owne hand; to hir Agentes or servantes & I wished him to be a meanes in the assembly that they would surcease uppon such feeble pretences to crosse hir Majestyes requestes, especially now that I thought hir Highnes was indeed to give them good contentment in many thinges [beioynd] theyr expectation. Upon my speech to Vansbergen & my speech /his parsuasyon/ after to them, they resolved not to use any former exception to my commission, but made that answer which I send your H heerwith howbeyt I do apparantly parceave both by theyr manner of proceeding & by other information, that if hir Majesty will vouchsafe to write hir owne Letter unto them the prisoners shalbe released.