addressleaf

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

Endorsed: 23 August 1591. Master Bodeleie to my L. Ostend cawses. Master Chamberlaine./

Later Addition: 23 August 91

lettertext

fol.311r
May it please your good L. I have answered your letter of the 25 of July, by an other from hens the 19 of this moneth: which was also an answear to my LL. of the Councel, by whome I was required, to the same effect as by your L. to solicit the states for deputing some person, with whome Master Gilpin might be joined, to examine their complaintes against the Governor of ostend I made no answear to their LL. because that maters are so cleere, as your L. may perceave by my former unto yow: which I could not well report, without a touche in some degree to the Go- vernors credit. And in that respect I thought it fittest, to addresse mine answear to your L. to be imparted so farre to the LL. of the Councel, as yow in your wisdome should suppose it to be needefull. For as I signified in my last, [In margin: Matruit]
the self same Commissary, that is mentioned by their LL. and trusted by the Governor to satisfie the states, doth not only heere avowe, whatsoever hath bin certified from hens unto her Majestie but alleageth other mater of special consequence against him. For which his proofes, for the most, are so directly delivered, and all upon his othe as I see litle hope that they can be refuted. Nevertheles I have had some conference about it with the Councel of state, and have moved them, the best I could, to a better construction of the Governors proceedinges, which me thinkes, as I have tolde them, they have rather reason to ex- tenuat, then to amplifie against him: conside- ring that he hath not bin acquainted with their formes of goverment, and that he offereth for heerafter, to observe any course that they fol.311v
Shall injoine him. For that is some parcel of the Commissaries errand in the Governors behalf. I have also done them to witte, that her Majesties plea- sure is, that he shall so frame his doinges as no oc- casion may be given of discontentment to the state [In margin: Cortekens Cofession]
Unles that Cortekens Confession, wherof I certified in my last, shall exasperat their humors, I trust to finde a ready meanes for according all the rest. But I doe make full account, that they will binde him very strictly to the orders of the contrey, and, I feare me very muche, will de- [In margin: restitution ]
maund resitution, of that which he receaved, and hath not yet delivered, of the Contributions of the place. For I am told by this Commissary that for these 8 monethes the states officers have not [In margin: in 8 monthes 400 li]
had above foure hundred poundes sterlinge: wheras he thinkes it will be proved, that the [In margin: the Governor hath receaved xxiiijli]

Governor hath receaved foure and twenty hun- dred poundes. So that if he should refuse to pay the Arrerages, I doubt they will scoare it upon her Majesties account. Because I sawe the mater of Corteken to be caried un- derhand by the Councel of state, to whome the hearing of suche causes doth properly belong, I uttered in place certaine speeches of purpose, to declare a dislike of their covert proceeding: which comming to their eares hath caused them right nowe, to send one unto me of their publike assembly, to shewe me the effect of Courtekens Confession, and to in- sinuat besides, that they would enter into conference with the Councel of state both of that, and of all other maters concerning Ostend. That whiche Corteken confesseth is the same in a maner, as I fol.312r
related in my former. They came to no issue in any thing, Corteken affirming that they could not conveniently, for want of warrant out of England. The states are resolved, because they knowe that Corteken was no person to deale in suche an action, that the Duke of Parma in this treaty had no other designe, but to sowe some mater of dissention betweene her Highnes and the states, whiche he careth not howe, nor by what kinde of instrument. I thought it not fitte to urge them over hastely to give me a transcript of Cortekens confession, because I see they see they are disposed to impart it of themselves. Only this I returned for mine answear to the party, that howsoever her Majestie might seeme desirous sometimes, upon of- fered occasions, to marke the driftes of the Enemie, and to observe his cunning dealing in his offers of peace, it was but in a sort, and by the way of a litle trial, and for the good of the contrey, for that her Highnes of her self, as they might easely under- stand, was farre from that intention, and if neede so required, I had meanes to make it plaine, by suche instructions as of late I receaved in that mater. Howbeit it could not yet appeere, that there had any thing yet bin handled, with her Majesties consent, with the forsaid Corteken. Moreover for those abuses wherwith the Governor is charged in the ad- ministration of his office, I said the same unto him as before to the Councel: and withall I wished that some one or two of the Councel, and one deputed by the states, with an other of Zeland, shold be assigned to heare and determine these causes: wherein I did not doubt, but they should finde the Governor very tractable: the rather, I thought, if thei would thinke upon some meanes to increase his intertenment fol.312v
in some likely proportion to other English Gover- nors, to serve the contrey thereby with a litle more dignitie. The party with whome I had [In margin: vanderwyc]
this conference was Vanderwerke, one of those Deputies that were last in England, who seemed to me, to content himself with my advise, and promised to advance it, not doubting but the states would be brought to doe the like. As if they doe, I trust I shall easely procure Master Gilpin to be joined in Commission. The bearer [In margin: Master Chamberlen]
herof Master Chamberlain not contented with suche answear, as I had told him for the best, whiche I had signified also to your L. hath bin earnest with me to propose his mater to this Councel: which I have done accordingly, to satisfie his minde, and they have given him that answear, which I told him of before, that my L. Willughby could give noe Commission unto him, without their assent, that he that enjoieth that office nowe, was placed by their Commission, and had taken his othe unto the con- trey in their Assembly, and that it was not for their credit in justice to displace a man that was ad- mitted so orderly. Nevertheles, in regard of her Majesties good liking, they were contented, if any thing could be alleaged, for which the other might deserve to be removed, or that he could be persua- ded to resigne of himself, that his place being vacant, howsoever it were they would have a consideration of her Majesties request. And therfore Master Chamberlaine by intreaty or other- wise must winne him to forgoe his office, or els he travaileth heere in vaine. And this I de- cared at the first unto him, advising him rather not to have waded so farre with this Councel fol.313r
for that I was certaine, they would reject his request. And happely nowe upon every light complaint, that the other shall make, they will easely conceave that maters are sought to deprive him of his place. for which they may be more inclined to protect him then before. And thus for this present I take my humble leave. At the Hage. August 23 1591. Your L. most humbly bounden Tho. Bodley