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Endorsed: Wilkes & Bodley

Endorsed: M: to the L: Chancelor Lo: Threisurer, Lo: Buckhurst.

Later Addition: 29th July 1590

Later Addition: 29 July 90

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fol.110r May yt please your good LLp: By our Last of the xxijth of this present, we signifyd how farre we had proceeded with States generall, upppon the poyntes of our instructions propounded unto them, immediatly after the dispatch of which letters, we pressed againe some better resolution to our fyrst propositions, wherunto they answered that unlesse we would declare in wryting the reasons of our mislike, of their answers, and our objections to their Appostills, they might not well proceede to anye further Consultation, havinge alreadye delivered as muche, as might be yealded unto, consyderinge the present state of their Contrye and affayres. Hereuppon to avoyde losse of tyme we presently framed some fewe objections in wryting to the most materyall poyntes of their appostilles which we delivered in their assemblye, enlarginge the same by speache as we thought Convenient for their better inducement to allowe of our demandes, and withall did exibite the rest of the matters, we had to propounde all at once, to the ende we might receyve some spedye answer to the wholle.

The xxiijth we receyved from them an Acte sent unto us by Aersens their secretarye, signifying their intentions to send or report to their Provinces, as well our objections, as our second propositions, And therfore desyred of us, yf we had anye other thinge in chardge that might requyre their Answer, we would vouchsaffe to deliver yt altogether, to be imparted with the rest to their Superiours, whose myndes and resolutions they purposed to have uppon the whole matters of our negotiations. We marvayling greatlye at his determinacion of the States to send againe to their Provinces, and therby to detract the tyme, havinge by their Act declared a sufficiencye of Authoritye in themselffes to treate and conclude with us uppon the matters of our chardge, We resorted unto them, and delyvered our opinions, howe needelesse yt was for them to take that course in respect That by the 19th Article of the Treatye, ther was alreadye graunted unto her Majestie and to the Counsell of State full power, and Authoritye, for the esta- blishinge of all thinges that did concerne the good of the Common weale, or matters of their martiall disciplyne, And that our second propositions in effect tended but to an explanation of that Article. This Article we did purposely from the beginning forbeare to urge, supposinge that they of themselffes, in their answers unto us, would allwayse have had consyderation therof, But such was eyther their oversight, in not consyderinge the substance of the Article, or their skill, and Conninge advisedly to ommitt the same as when they parceyved us resolutely to presse th'observance of that fol.110v
[.] of that Article: They rose from the Table in a sorte amazed and retyred themselffs into another roome, to advise uppon their answer wher after they had conferred more then a quarter of an hower, they retourned, and by their President John Vander Wacke, one of the deputed for Zeland, They delivered that forasmuch that her Majestie had refused the Souverayngntye of their Provinces being offred unto her, they supposed she would not seeke yt now by vertue of the Contract. That to have more heades or Souveraignes in their State then one, was to make the same a monster; That the Authoritye graunted to her Majestie by this Article, was but for one tyme only to be exercysed, which was alreadye executed by the Comminge of the Earle of Leceister as her Majesties generall into thes Contries And that therfore th'effect of that Article was alreadye parfourmed, and the Article vanished. we disprouved their conceipt of anye purpose of demaund of Souveraigntye in her Majestie, by requyringe the Authoritye yealded by that Article, and declared that the same was not graunted to her Majestie alone, but to her and the Counsell of State joynctly, who were all their Compatriotes and of their owne bodye selected and chosen by the severall Provinces, as parsons to whom the exer- cyse of their souveraigntye was Committed, and such as in all former tymes, which the Gouvernor of their Provinces enjoyed the like commoditye /Authoritie/ under their Princes. We likewise disprouved their construction made of the Article, by comparinge the sence therof with the whole bodye of the treatye, and made yt appeare unto them that the same was no more extinct then the rest that con- tynewed in being, and so prosecuted the infyrmation therof by as manye Argumentes as we could; In the end after longe debating and no alteration in their conceipt and opinion touchinge th'explicacion of the Article appearinge, we were forced to use (though in temparat manner) some rounde speaches unto them; signyfying how sorye we were to discover their backward affections to her Majestie so clearely manyfested by this Conference. They protested never- thelesse their greate devotion towardes her Majestie, And fynally prayed, that what they sayd to the purpose of the Article, might not be taken as an answer, but that they coould imparte our Allegacion to their Provinces, and receyve their sen /censure/ and resolution to the sayd Article; we suspectinge what the Princes might resolve uppon their construction to be made of the sence of the Article, answered that yf they mente to put the matter in deliberation amonge their Provinces we would in like sorte recommende the same to the interpretation of your LL. and the rest that were in Commission from her Majestie in concluding the treatye wherof fol.111r
wherof yt may please your LL: to have good consyderation, And (yf yt may seeme so good unto you) that the opinions of some of the best learned in the Civil Lawe may be taken uppon the substaunce of the Article, and signyfyed hether with your LL: construction of the same that they may not evade from us in this poynt, The rather for that we parceyve we shall hardlye establish any sufficient au- thoritye in the Gouvernor and Counsell of state here, yf we yealde to the Annullinge of that Article, being certaynly enformed that some of this Assemblye have alreadye before hand geven Caveates to their Provinces to beware how they accord to the Gouvenors, and Coun- sell of State the power geven by the Contract, bycause they shall therin yeald them Regall Authoritye, which by the States generall is chalenged by tradition from the people to remayne in them, and can by no meanes endure that a Gouvernor From her Majestie with the Counsell should be invested with that Authoritye.

By their resesse (as they tearme yt) to their provinces ther will much delay be used, and is in our Conceipt done of purpose to wynne tyme, That they may see what successe may happen in France yf the K: become possessed of Paris, according wherunto they will streighten, or enlarge themselffes, in allow- inge the demaundes made by her Majestie. Not that they will hastelye become French, but that they shall therby discerne how the enemy may be imployed, and hyndred from anye notable attempt againste them and soe measure ther owne nesse necessitie to be releeved by her Majestie.

The resolucions that shall now be drawen from the provinces to the Matters we have now propoded /propounded/ will yeald the matters /answers/ of the states therunto /soe/ absolute, as our further replies or objections will nothinge alter the same, or prevaile to amend /or reforme/ anie jott of ther determinacons, havinge alredie at /at great lenght in/ manie metinges Delivered as much and as manie Reasons on her Majesties parte in our poore oppini- nions in the knowledge we have of the present state of these Cuntries and humours of the men maie besaide to advaunce the severall matters we have propounded. and therfor nowe after we shall shall have conferred with the councell of state to whome we mene to Repaire, to arnehem. I Thomas wilkes shall have nothinge to doe heare but to attend the /answer/ provinces and States which I looke to Receive about the end of september nexte and not before in the mene time for seeinge the events as it fol.111v
hereof I motioned unto the states (as of my selfe) that they would like of my Repeire to England pretendinge some particuler Cause of myne owne and /to/ returne heither at such time as I mighte understand from them of ther Resolucons taken in the poyntes of my negotiacion wherunto they would in noe sorte Condissend but intracted me to staie for that they desired to growe to sume conclution uppon the Condicons I had delivered concerning ther trad to Spaigne./

Our purpose of conference with the Councell, is to move them to Joyne with us in claiminge the authoritie graunted by the Contracte, and because I Thomas Bodly by the knowledge I have of ther Dispositions, do thinke they wilbe hardly induced to concure with us publiquely in that behalffe by reason they are for the most part unwilling to offend the States, as fearing to be removed from their places, or otherwise disgraced, we intend to urge them uppon their oath taken for the observance of the contract and herin never the lesse to be advised, and to use such Course and discretion, as may best farther the cause, and Least offend the on[e] or th'other, untill yt may be seene, what may be resolved, and answered to our propositions. Thus farr for the matter of our Instructions wherin we do protest unto your LL: uppon our alleageance to the Q: Majestie we have travayled, and endeavoured all that we may, not only in our publicke conference with the States generall, but with the cheifest of them in particular, And cannot for our lyves forejudge, what successe will followe of our Actions herein, suche and so strange hath binne the manner of ther procedinges with us usinge both rough and mylde Communicacions with them though without offence.

We received from the Luietenante of the brill a letter date the xxvth of this present, advertising that the victualer havinge brought Corne to the Towne, for the provision of the Garrison wher the orders ar now to be put in excecucion: The Burghmasters of the Towne have inhibbited that neither the millers shall grinde the Corne, neither the bakers bake the same, wher by the apearred a resolucion in the people to appose them selves them selves against that parte of the orders for the victalinge of the souldiers and because for sum reasons aleged in our former lettres, we thinke it is not fitt at this time to make a garboyle betwene the towne and the garrison we have thoughte good to advertise the Luietenante governor to forbear the execucion of the orders in that poynt untill your LL. might be advertised of this apposicion (which we Conceive to grow under hande from the state) that we might recive Your pleasure and direction therin and trewly my lorde we finde both the States fol.112r
And by the Townes who sithence we beganne to Treat here have sent unto us ther Burghmasters and principall officers to praie that the vicutallinge might be forborne that yt is soe offencive to the /inhabitantes of the/ Townes as it will bred agreat [aleanacion] to the towne of the people from her Majestie for the apparell of the souldiers the States and townes do not much mislike, and to the souldier him selfe ther is nothinge more offencive thenn the vittuall which (as they complaine in all the Garrisons) is not only very corrupte but sould unto them at higher Rates then is aforded them by the townes and what furder inconveniences doe growe therof will beste appeare unto your Lordship by the artikells latly sent unto you by the governor and captaines of the Berghen wher with we have bine mad acquented and find them all worthie of Consideracion which we must humblie refer to your good LL: and so take our leave from the Haghe the xxixth of July - 1590./ Your LLo: humbly to Commaund Tho: Wylkes Tho Badley