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fol.132vEndorsed: Copie of my lettre to Master Secretary May 11 1589
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fol.131r
Later Addition: Belgia 1589 xi May To Master Secretary
Yt may please your H. to advvertise hir Majesty, that the 8th of this moneth I Rxd hir highnes letter of the 26 of April & the rest in your pacquet, at the very same instant as Master Loozen & Master Valck were departing for England. And for that I was newly recovered of a dangerous dissentery, but not in so good plight that I durst adventure to go to the generall States my self, I acquainted Master Loozen & Master Valck with hir Majesties intention for sending somebody hether which I requested them in my behalf to impart unto the States, to whome there was aunswere made that they desyred nothing more, then the coming of some such parson, & would resolve to aunswere me furder, when I could come unto them my self, or should otherwise by writing, deliver hir Majesties pleasure unto them. whereuppon at theyr next meeting I sent the declaracion heerinclosed in writing, & this day I Rxd theyr aunswer which I have also sent yow. Her Majesties lettres to the Townes I thought very requisit to suppresse for divers considerations, & uppon conference with parsons of good understanding, espetially for that I do not fynde any inclinacion in any towne, to disunite them selves from the rest: as also for that I know these Townes will think yt straunge that either to mee or to any that I should send, they should signifye the state wherein they stand, & the places adjoining. besydes that the generall States, will greatly stomack this dealing by lettres with particular Townes, unles th'occasyons were other. & likewise other places, that ar not written unto will quickly enter into wrong conceites & imaginacions whereto this people are infinitely subject. In such cases where hir Majesty shalbe pleased to wryte to any Province, towne or otherwise, I shall not be able to do her service to better effect & with better correspondence to the present state of these affayres, then by letters of credence. It hath please hir Hyghnes notwthstanding these dishonourable & unworthy courses that have bin taken by the states rather to passe over with silence the wronges that they have offered, then to attend the daunger that both hir self & they mighte fall into by furder contestation. For myne owne parte I am very much comforted uppon the resolucion for that I know hir Majesties honor ys neyther bettered nor impared by meanes of their accions. Nevertheles, yf uppon the like occasyons heerafter yt might seem expedient, I would deysre to understand by some litell Intimation aforehand of hir Majesties secret intention, for so I might oftentymes direct my negotiation to a great deal better purpose for all eventes. The aunswering of the placcard I did think in my last to your H. to be very requesyt, espetially being done by my L. effectually & in a temperat kynde. For doubtles such pamphletes prevayle very much wth this people. I did well hope that the printed coppies would have bin called yn, but I see them now in every mans hand. And my L. apology is greatly expected, many suspending their judgementes till they heare what he can saye. For surely the wysest of them heer will hardly conceave so far as to think that /yf/ a man of his quality were charged so unjustly, he would put yt up quietly wthout any aunswer. and besides yt will ingender a greater jealousy & distrust in this people againste the english nation. who ar already growen into as great a fol.131v