addressleaf
fol.344vEndorsed: 22 December 15[90] the Queen; to Master [[Bodley .]] of Ostend, Sir [[Edward]] Norreis entertain., Of Vlisshing, with more [[.]] neede shal bee.
Addressed: [[.] in the Councell of [State]/] the Lowe Cuntryes.
lettertext
fol.343r
Later Addition: Belgia: 1590. December
Later Addition: 22 December To Master Bodly
By the Queene:Sign Manual: Elizabeth R
Trusty and welbelovid, We greete you well. Although we heare that certain parsons are appoynted to be sent from the States there in outward apparance being accompanyed with sondry marchantes to complayne of the arrestes & prises made as they will alledge, of theyr goodes, upon the Seas, /But/ Yet as you doo write that they have a transcripte of such aunswers as they have devised, to the proposicions there offred by Thomas Wilkes & you in July Last, which you doo doubtfully write that they will not be knowen to have, Therfore untill the same shall be notified unto us by them, we meane not to take any knowledge therof. And so having occasion to write to them about certain other matters very needfull for the tyme, We doo not in our lettres shew any apparence to know that they have such aunsweres, But do breefely touche our lack of satisfaction in all thinges recommended to them, as by the copie of our lettres you shall see. And for the present thinges to be demaunded of them, we do allso but sommarily touche the same, referring the furder declaration of the particularities to be by you deliveed. Therfore we will that you shall first consider well, of these causes heerafter following, And they without delaye, deliver our lettres to the States generall, & use your former diligence & with all ernestnes meete, for the causes, to obtayne of them the thinges required.You shall repete to them how careles we have founde them to have bene of long tyme in satisfyeng of the necessary demaundes for the defence & mayntenance of Ostend, a Town (as in our lettre is expressed) as needefull and as serviceable to be well keep kepte as any town under their rule, And how often you have moovid them in Sir John Conways tyme to give ayde to the defence of that Town against the Sea, & allso for the fortifieng of it against the ennemy, your self can tell, And so you shall not fayle but laye the particularities therof plainly before their faces, And though their faultes passed can not be revoked, but /that/ the same are now no more to be contynued you may shew them in what valiant manner Sir Edward Norristhe present gouvernor hath defeated the Ennemyes approches to their greate dishonour & losse, and to the intent he may contynue this good fortune against the ennemy, Who doutlesse fol.343v
Later Addition: Belgia: 1590: December
doutlesse though it shall be costly to them, will seeke revenge, We therfore require the States to consent & to give order that twoo bandes of footemen of our forces may be with all speede sent thither, to increase the strength of that garrison, And that allso they doo send provision of powder & munition, wherof the Gouvernour writith they have greate lack, And you shall ernestly presse them to delay no tyme for perfourmance heerof. wherof allso you shall make Sir Frances Vere privie, that out of the nomber in his charge, twoo bandes may be made ready to be sent to Flusshing, to be shipped to Ostend.You shall allso lett them knowe that where they have ordeynid Sir Edward Norris to be Gouvernour of that Towne, and have promised him intertaynmente due for the same, for any thing that we can heare, he hath not hitherto had any penny. A thing very strange, to commytt the charge of such a Towne, without aunswering any thing for his entertaynment, he having no mor than the bare Wages of a capten of a band And that payed by us, as all the rest of the meanest captens have. This you may note to them as an indignitie to be commytted by them taking upon them the gouvernement of wholle countreys. But we have hard that they meane to graunte him his allowance out of the Revenues of the Towne, which are nothing, or els out of such contributions as the country will offer to be freed from the garrison. But that being not as yet accorded, as it seemith, he is yet without any allowance at all. And as to the contribution offred by the countrey, which the Gouvernor sayth the States wold have his assent unto, We can be well content that the same be accepted by him, So as his entertaynment by payed out of the same, And that the woorkes against the Seas & the necessary fortifications be therwith allso defrayed, And that powder & all munitions be in lyke manner therby supplyed.
There is allso one other thing necessarily to be obtaynid of them, that is, That they shall be content, whensoever our Gouvernor of Flusshing shall finde cause to doubte of som attempte to be made by the Ennemy for surprising of that fol.344r
that town, as of Late by secret intelligence we have bene infourmid that the ennemy hath had such an intention, in such case he may be permitted to require from Sir Frances Vere to have one or twoo bandes brought thither, only for the tyme of doubte. And to this end, you shall procure their assent, And as the manner is a Potence or conducte for the quyet & safe passage of them thither. And therof you shall advertise both Sir Robert Sidney and Sir Frances Vere, so as they may agree how & when to have the said nombere when tyme shall require. These matteres both for Ostend & Flusshing, You shall prosecute with all ernestnes requisite both with the States generall & with the Counsayle of State, affirming plainly, that we shall not take eyther a denyall or a delaye heerof in good parte, but shall make accompte of them as unwourthy of our favoure paste, and much Lesse of any the lyke heerafter. For other matteres conteynid in your late lettres, you shall understand our mynde, by the lettres of our Tresorer of England. Given under our Signet at our Mannour of Richmond the xxijth day of december in the yeare 1590 and of our Raigne the xxxiijth yeare.