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Endorsed: 20 September 1590 Master Bodeley to my L. from the Haghe.

Later Addition: 21 September 90

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May it please your good L. to advertise her Highnes that according to the motion of her letters of the 10 of this moneth, whiche I have delive- red to the General states, the sending of forces into the Enemies contrey, hath bin put in con- sultation, aswell in their assembly, as in the Councel of state. And for the reasons alleaged in her Highnes letters, whiche I accompaned, as I was willed, with some other considerations, it is fully resolved, that the chiefest of their forces shall goe presently for Brabant, if Count Mau- [In margin: resolution to have the forces sent into brabant]
rice, and other principall persons about him whiche are nowe at the siege of Hemart and Heele, shall thinke it expedient. To this effect they have written to Count Maurice, and I have also sent him her Majesties letter. It was in deliberation among them, to send their forces into Flanders: but they finde it full of [In margin: to send into flanders full of danger]
danger and difficultie, for many respectes, [In margin: a place for descent transport of horss & artillary]
especially for want of a commodious descent, for their forces, a safe retrait, and a conve- nient meanes to transport their horse, and great artillerie: whiche will also be subject to excessive charges, and may ill be spared at this present. For I can say uppon knowledge, that they have bin forced to disbourse extraor- dinarely, above a hundred thousand florins, in their late exploit before Nieumeghen.

Upon returne of answear from Count Maurice I thinke the states themselves will certifie her fol.61v
Highnes howe they purpose to imploy their force against the Enemie. Two daies past I receaved your L. letter of the 7 of this moneth, by old Master Allen. Uppon the questions there proposed about the enterprise of Dunkerke [In margin: Dunkyrk]
I have conferred with the party, that made the ouverture unto me: whose particular answears, together with the questions, I have written a part, and send your L. heere inclosed.

Moreover unto that, which her Majestie doth demaunde, whether this practise uppon Dunkerke may be well effected, by suche other newe forces, as her Highnes may send in to some part of Flanders: it is answeared by the partie, that if it be meant by Ostend, the site of that place is not the best [In margin: ostend not [met]]
for that purpose: because it is too long a marche [In margin: 9 leages between ostend & dunkyrk]
from thens to Dunkerke by land, being 9 leagues: and by water they can not come fourth /but/ with speciall windes. Withall it is to be feared, that the sending of newe forces into those quarters without a very great likelihood in the Enemies opinion, that they are to be imploied in some other special action, will move the neighbour townes to a great suspicion, and make them so carefull in providing for the worst, as they will hardly be entrapped. In which regard he thought that the embarking of men at Dover, [In margin: at Dover]
would be nothing so subject to suche inconvenience, as on this side the seas. fol.62r
Rainold Peterson of Horne, is nowe in Horne: from whens I will ether send for him hither, or procure his answear to the questions, that are moved by your L. Howbeit I founde him very rawly instructed, for mater of special circum- stance: and as farre as I remember he told me expressely, that he himself never sawe Pedro van Arragon. Sir Edward Norreis hath bin lately at the Hage, and as her Majestie requested by her letters to the states, and my LL. at home directed me heere to deale with the Councell, he was admitted to the government of the towne of Ostend, [In margin: Sir Edward Norris admitted Governor of ostend]
with a general good liking, aswell of the states, as of the Councel. And for his intertenment they have assigned him monethly 40 li sterling, to be [In margin: xlli sterlyng [promese]]
raised uppon the contributions of Flanders, which I stand in great doubt, will hardly amount to pay that allowance. Because I was requested by my LL. of the Councel, to further this Election of Sir Edward Norreis, I beseeche your L. if they knowe it not already, to signifie unto them, what is done in his cause. I have no answear as yet from the General states to our last Propositions: nor I see no hast that is made. Still they doe pretend, that they knowe not as yet the pleasure of their pleasure Principals. But if it be so, as I am informed, when their pleasure is knowen, it will hardly deserve this lingering attendance. For I am told by my frindes, that there is an answear made by these men heere, by way of a project, [In margin: 20 September]
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and sent unto the Provinces to be made autenticall. Whiche, if it be true, is an unusual proceeding, [In margin: a disordred manner]
and wholy heere disliked of indifferent persons, who can not be persuaded, that they will frame any answear to her Highnes content.

To signifie to your L. what hath passed heere of late, in the exploits of these contreis, About the end of August last, Sir Francis Vere was appointed [In margin: ultimo August]
by the Councel of state, with 600 footmen and 6 cornet of horse, to disasiege the house of Lutteke- [In margin: luttekehove to be rescued]
hove, a strong fort situat between Werden and Essen, in the territorie of Rekelinghusen, in the Diocese of Collen, whiche was lately sur- prised by a Scottishe captain of these contreis, [In margin: a scottish captain]
and presently uppon it besieged by the Enemie. The third of this moneth Sir Francis came before it: where he found that the Enemie had fortified before the entrie of the house. Uppon his arrival 300 of the Enemies, assigned for the gard of their trenches, retired to the fort, and refusing to yeld, being sommoned, were assaulted so valiantly, that after half an houres fight at hand blowes, our souldiers en- tred the fort, and put all to the sworde. Wher- [In margin: the fort won all the enemys to the sword]
uppon the house was relieved, and besides some other small fortes thereabout yelded presently of them selves. There were only slaine in the conflict, of Sir Francis troupes 25 and [In margin: 25 slayn 40 hurt 13 September]
some 40 hurt. Thirten daies after, retur- ning towardes Disbourgh, he assaulted the fort fol.63r
of Graef by Wesel, a place of importance in [In margin: Graef by Wesel]
the Enemies possession: where they yelded unto him after two assaultes, and departed with [In margin: 2 assaltes]
bagge and baggage. To report a truth unto your L. Sir Francis Vere by his special industrie and vertu, doth force this people to [.] /love/ and commend him: wheras otherwise, their ingratitude is so strange, that they shewe very seeldome, at the best endevors of any of our na- tion, any Loving contentment. While Sir Francis is busied in those quarters, it was resolved heere at home, that the houses of He- mart and Heele should be beaten with the Canon, and assaulted, at one instant bothe together. [In margin: hemmart heale]
For whiche cause they have revoked Sir Francis and have assigned him, and as many compa- nies more, as may amount to the nomber of 4000 to meete with Count Maurice at Gor- chum, or Bommel, where they are at this pre- sent in hand with their enterprise, and have battered the fort of Hemart for two daies toge- ther. But I can not yet understand, that Sir Francis is come thither. The Germaine Ambassadors, of whome I have writ- [In margin: German ambassador]
ten in a former letter, are newly departed towardes Frankford: where they meete in a diet, with the Deputies of other Princes, to make a publike relation of their answear from hens. Wherof the effect is no other, but that they are contented heere, to deliver up the fortes of Lutte- kehove fol.63v
and Budricke, over against Graeff afore men- [In margin: Budryck Graeff]
tioned, which were all suche places, as were lately taken from the Enemie. But for Sgraven wert [In margin: sgravenwert]
Skinkes fort, because the states of Guelders pretend a proprietie and right to the place, they require that there may be a meeting of Deputies on bothe sides, to conferre uppon the reasons that wilbe alleaged by those of Guelders. This answear was reputed by the Ambassadors to be but frivolous and dilatorie. Nevertheles, suche as it was, they could not obtene it, untill they shewed openly their great dislike to be trained on so long, and prepared theruppon to returne without an answear: threatning them withall, with the publike proscription and band of the Empire. Here is present newes from the Count, that the house of Hemart, ha- ving endured above 1200 canon shotte, is come [In margin: Hamart dely- vered by Composition]
to composition, and the souldiers in it have quited the place. So that nowe there whole strength is imploied against Heele. There is also freshe advertisment from Sir Francis Vere, who re- maineth as yet in the land of Cleve, that with some further succor from hens, he is in hope to recover Berke, the fort of Rees, the Beeke, and other places confining. By letters out of Brabant it is certified, that Count Mansfeld doth assemble all the forces, that his garrisons can spare. These advertisments have putt both the states heere, and the Councel of state in suche a perplexitie, as they can not determine fol.64r
whether it will steede the contrey more, to pursue the victorie with Sir Francis Vere: or rather upon this benefit of having Hemart, to attempt somwhat upon Bolduke, the fort of Terheide by Breda, and the Enemies holdes in those quarters: or els to goe forward with their former deseigne, for making in- cursions into Brabant: which they are persuaded will prove unprofitable, if Count Mansfeld be bent to encounter their forces. What is like to be resolved, I can not conjecture: but I will certifie your L. assoone as any thing is offered. And so I take my humble leave. From the Hage. 21 September 1590. Your L. most humbly bounden Tho. Bodley