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Addressed: To the right honorable my very singular good Lord, the L. Burghley Lord highe Treasuror of England.

Endorsed: 28 October 1590 Master Bodeley to my L./.

Later Addition: 28 October 90

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May it please your L. fower daies past, I receaved your L. letter of the 9 of this moneth: wherein yow require, that the man of Dunkerk should be sent unto yow. I doe not doubt, but yow have sins understood, that Count Maurice hath attempted that surprise, and hath failed of his purpose. Your L. may conjecture, that his intention therein was knowen before to the Councel of state, and might have bin by me advertised home. But I doe assure your L. it is an ex- ploit, which the Count undertooke upon the soddaine, and concealed it altogether from the Councel of state. For whiche they dislike his proceding very muche, and have resolved, to admonishe him of it publickly. Moreover it may seeme unto yow, that the parties heere, by whome that ouverture was made unto me, have not dealt so sincerely, as they should, but imparted their secret, aswell to the Count, as to me. But as I writte to your L. the 21 of September the Count had some secret informacion, by some other meanes, of the state of the towne, and of the weaknes of it there, where he thought to assault it. And as for those that are heere, by whome that mater at first was disclosed unto me, by all the tokens that I can see, whiche are also confir- med by their solemne protestations, being men of an honest and upright cariage, and so re- puted where they live, I can not any way con- ceave any litle suspicion of their double dealing. fol.176v
Besides it is manifest by the very course whiche was held by the Count, in his sailing and mar- ching, without respect, at midday, and in sight of the Enemie, wherof I am persuaded, yow are fully advertised by those that were present, that he was holpen in nothing by the forsaid par- ties. For they doe bothe condemne him for his ill conduction, and affirme withall, which I doe all- so ghesse by other circumstance, that he had no intelligence at all of the entrance by the water gate: which by their declaration was the principal place, for the execution of his purpose: and might have bin possessed very easely, with forces out of England, without suspition of the Enemie. Master Gilpin, to whome of late I im- parted this mater, seemed to learne of Sir Francis Vere in Zeland, which he writte from thens, as he saieth, to your L. that the said entrance by water, was provided for by the Enemie. Howbeit I have, as of my self, this day moved divers questions a farre of to the Count, about that place, by circumstance to feele, whether his intelligence were the same, as I had receaved, and what conceat he had of it. But it appea- reth by his answears, that he knoweth nothing of it, but very confusely, and not to that ef- fect, as I had proposed. This attempt of Count Maurice being frustrat, be- cause it may be presumed, that the Enemie will sounde and fortifie the weakest places of the towne, I can not conjecture, that her Majestie fol.177r
is desirous, that I should send those persons into England, for whome your L. hath written. Nevertheles not to give the mater over, till I see it out of hope, nor to leave any thing un- assaied, which may with facilitie bee further per- fourmed, I have heere agreed with the Pensioner of Dunkerk, that he shall presently repaire into Zeland to his felowe the Eschevin, and that bothe of them together, shall send some honest trusty person to Dunkerk (for whome they may procure some passeport of course from the Enemie) and give him some instruction to learne the particular truth of suche pointes, as shalbe delivered unto him. Chiefly to observe howe all thinges stand about the Water gate, and what other alteration is made in the towne. Upon the returne of this messenger, according to the like- lihood of that report, that he shall make, I will ether stay, or send the parties themselves unto yow: who are also willing unto it, if all con- tinew as it was: and will alwaies adven- ture their owne persons, in the greatest place of danger in perfourmance of the enterprise. For lacke of a cipher, I can hardly write of this mater, to be well understood, but in open termes: which I feare to doe the lesse, because I can not yet complaine, that any letter of mine hath hitherto miscaried. I knowe not as yet when to looke for any answear to our last Pro- positions. For I can not perceave by any conjecture, that they had ever other purpose, fol.177v
or have at this present, then to temporise, and to attend a good houre, in the affaires of Fraunce: which growing to their liking, I am certainly per- uaded, they will give her Majestie but a careles and an insolent answear. And in that respect I should thinke it very needefull (whiche I speake with submission to your L. correction) that thereafter as the King shall prosper in his actions, her Majesties garrisons in the cautionarie townes, might be carefully renforced. For I see this people in /all/ their dealing are very headdy and inconstant, and quickly drawen to doe anything by those that manege their affaires: of whiche the most at this present, are nether well incli- ned to her Majesties causes, and endevor to exclude her from all her interest among them. There are some of North Holland, that are unknowen unto me, but as I am certified by others, men of good qualitie, and wishing well unto her Highnes who have caused me of late, to be secretly adver- tised, that for speciall occasions, which they will not disclose, it behooveth her Majestie to looke unto Flushing. I have had the like warning by other men heere, who signifie unto me, that it hath bin debated by some principal persons, in their privat meetinges, which way they might be able, which they make very easie, to thrust the Englishe out of Flushing. For mine owne opinion in particular, I can by no meanes imagine, that there is any practise as yet, to attempt it actu- ally: but yet I take suche discourses to be their fol.178r
preparatives: and if it goe well with the Kinge in France, whereby their feare of the Enemie may be more diminished, they were hardly to be trusted. To provide for the worst, I thought it very requisit, to make some intimation to the Governor of Flushing, of the caveats that I re- ceaved. the demande of Coro- nel Stuart, which her Majestie recommendeth by Your L. several letters, is solicited heere by one Master John Skeine, a Scottishe gentleman, whome the King had very lately imploied into Denmarke, and hath charged going home, to deale with the states in that cause. The first of your L. letters astouching Master Stuart, was delivered unto me 3 daies past, by Master Skeine himself, to whome in respect of my particular endevors, I will not faile to give good satisfaction, and yet re- member withall, what your L. doth advise in your next letter after. I have already recommen- ed the sute in her Majesties name to the states, whome I finde very greatly perplexed, by reason of the letters of Mart. Howbeit for ought I can perceave, they will never yeld to suche a president, as to pay the debtes of other Provinces.

There are many marchants newly come hither, bothe from Middlebourgh and Amsterdame, whiche ex- clame against our nation very bitterly, in every place where they come, for impeaching their trafficke with spaine. They have addressed their com- plaintes to the General states, who, as it seemeth at this present, are half resolved to send certain fol.178v
deputies to her Majestie about it. And thus I take my humble leave. From the Hage. October 28 Anno 1590.Your L. most humbly bounden Tho. Bodley