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fol.210r
Later Addition: Belgia 1591 31 August To my L. Treasurer
Later Addition: Belgia: 1591: August
May it please your good L. I send you heer the copye of Cortekens confession, but without the Interrogatories, as they say they were sent from the states of Zeland, albeit I am parswaded they will not willingly let mee see them. And as I am informed, they have examined him again upon new Interrogatories; to what effect I know not, nor yet what answere he hath made. For they deale in these matters very Jalously with mee, & more I see I shall no knowe then I must of necessity, & is likely otherwise to be signified to mee Of that which concerned the matter of peace, there ys nothing yet imparted to the body of this Councel but every man aparte ys made acquainted with it: which they do, as I suppose, leaste the brute of such a motion, when the vulgar people do not rightly understand yt, should occasyon furder trouble, then they shall after be able, to appease when they would. Sir Edward Norreis hath written hether to the Councell, requesting for Corteken to have him released, alleaging that he had employed him about her Majesties affaires, & in case they would retaine him as a lawfull prisoner he should be forced for his ransome to write unto her Highnes, But they answered nothing to his lettre. What hath passed in conference betwene me & vanderwercke I have certified in my last, which is all the occasyon I have had to speake of that matter, to any of them all nor till I heare from your L. I know not furder what to saie to coullor that Treaty between the Governor& Corteken astouching a peace. There are certaine pointes confessed, which verify those abuses, wherwith the Gouvernor ys charged in the matters of contribution, which I see them heer inclined to send unto her Majestye, with all theyr other informations, therby to justify whatsoever they have writen heertofore, but what course in conclusyon wilbe taken by them I cannot yet conjecture. for in theyr publick assembly yt was never yet proposed to be finally resolved, & I finde them diversly affected in theyr private communications: some of them urging to send for him hether, & to proceed against his dealinges by order of Justice, others requiring that some should be deputed to go to Ostend, & there examine & determin, as shall be thought expedient. There are also some that think it best that all theyr informations should be sent unto her Majesty with earnest request to revoke him from thense. Wherto there are divers that would willingly condescend, but they would have the garrison heerafter to be kept by a Governor & souldiers of the Countrey. But to all these opinions there are among them selves that do make oppositions, for first they malign that he will not come, altho he were sent for; & to send unto him thether fol.210vEndorsed: To my L. Tresurer August 31 1591
Later Addition: Belgia: 1591: August
they thinke it not convenient, where matters are so evident, nor for the Councels reputation. To pray her Highnes to revoke him, they hold it prejudiciall to the liberties of the countreys, consydering it is a matter in theyr disposition. That which is least gainsayd, is the changing of the garrison, which yet they are in dout will not greatly please her Majesty, to whose good liking, to say truly, they are willinger then they have bin to conforme them selves, These thinges are but privately thus debated, & nothing yet set downe by waie of resolution. Howbeit I attend every houre theyr meeting upon it, which I thinke wilbe general aswell of the states as of the Councel.