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fol.215vEndorsed: [.] les Estates a Monsieur Norreis 20 September 1591
fol.214rLater Addition: 1591 9 September To my L. Treasurer
Later Addition: Belgia: 1591: September
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May it please your good L. I receaved your lettre of the 23 of the laste, the 4th of this present, which was wholy concerning the affaires of Ostend, where I wishe that the Governor could answere every matter, as he pretendeth to your L. but I see it is not possible for all is confirmed by the evidence of his actions, which are openly knowen to all the contrey by theyr officers letters, & by the messenger him self, whom the Governor sent hether, whose declaration is made upon his othe & alleagence, with particular verifications of every matter by it self, & thoueh parhaps theyr informations be wrong in a point of some circumstance yet for the thinges them selves they are for the most in common practise, & notoriously knowen to all the garrison. Where your L. is desirous, that I should send him a note of those pointes in particular, wherwith he ys charged by the States, to the end I mighte be able to make answere for his doinges, there ys litel other to be said then that which he knoweth & they have often objected in theyr lettres unto him, to which they never receaved yet an answer directly. And likewise for my self I have imparted unto him my best advise, to withdrawe him from his cowrses, which I was certaine in the end, if hee did not alter of him self, they would drive him therunto by all forcible meanes, but in his answere unto me he praied me earnestly to judge the best of his proceedinges, assuring he did nothing without good warrant from her Majestye, which I tooke to be sufficient to cut me of from all replies. Nevertheles because I feared least the Governor either erring of Ignorance, or ill advised by others might endevor to winne her Majestye to a liking of his actions, wherby her Highnes in time, mighte bee depelier interessed, then I conceaved shee would be willing, if all were delivered syncerely unto her, I thought it very requesit for discharge of my deutye to write unto your L. as I have don heertofore, & though I did it not hithertoo but in general termes, yet now that your L. wil be furder satesfied, I have pressed the governor in more particular manner, & have sent you the coppie of such pointes, as I have signified unto him, are offensively taken; to allege unto him all in the self same order, as they have bin presented to the councell of state, because they are in Duche, it would require many leaves & much translation, but I have set downe so much, as I my self had in memory, & are most materiall. They are not yet resolved how to deale with the governor, & I know fol.214v
Later Addition: Belgia 1591 September
in the end, they will shew him litel favour. for that they see noe alteration in the cowrse of his goverment, but that rather furder matter is offred of complaint, there are at this present certaine Burgmasters & other publick officers, to be chosen at Ostend, for which this Councel doth appoint certaine Deputies to go purposely thether: & I have moved them earnestly to joyne Master Gilpin unto them, to the end he might use some conference with the Gouvernor, wherby they may happely be somwhat better satisfied, but they think that all thinges are so evident & the Governor so bent to make his gaine upon the countrey, as I cannot yet parswade them, to send any man thether, I cannot guesse at his meaning in avowing to your L. that he hath no dealing with the monye Dl unto the states; but that all is gathered & [expended] by their officers there in place, wheras it is apparant, that since the 6 of April laste they have not receaved one peny of contribution, & they make account by good conjecture, for they can not know the certainty by reason that the Governor hath made many secret accordes with the contrey of Flandres, that he collected every moneth all the charges of the fortifications defrayed, not so litel as a thousand pound sterling Which est ought to be receaved by the states committes, as the order is observed in all other garrisons: without any contradiction. For it is a spetiall parte of the othe of every Gouvernor that he shall not intermeddle with disposing or receaving the general meanes of the contrey. & truly it is thought of every man heer a very hard case, that consydering with what difficulty, & with how many shiftes and devises of good husband[ry] these countrys do maintaine the burdensome charge of theyr wars they should be so much defrauded of theyr publick revenew, by a private officer of theyr owne. I wold it cold be answea red by the Governor in som tolerable maner. But I have not hitherto heard any thing by any letter from him. Thus I take my humble leave: from the Hage. September 9 1591.