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fol.230vAddressed: To my vearie loving frend Master Bodeleie Esquier Counsellor for hir Majestie in the Counsell of Estate in the Lowe Cuntries./
Endorsed: From my L. Treasurer the 8 of October 1591.
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Later Addition: [15]91 October [To] Master Bodly
Later Addition: Belgia. 1591. October
Sir. After my hartie Commendacions: Neither the time during this progresse, neither yet anie spetiall matter, hath geven mee occasion of longe time to write unto yowe: but yet I thinke it good to lett yowe knowe that I have received from yowe sondrie letters in Julie, August and September, wherein besides sum other Occurentes, yowe have advertised the offences conceived by the Estates and the Counsell of Estate against Sir Edward Norris, the which hath been in Julie perticulerie expressed in the letter of the Counsell of Estate to the Queenes Majestie, and in September, the same hath been mentioned in your letters to mee with a perticuler noate of sondrie matters, whearewith the Counsell of Estate seme to Charge him: and thowgh he had manie times by his letters unto mee defended him self as not Culpable thereof and alledged that he had sent his awnsweare to the States, and Instruccion to certaine Commissaries, to informe the Counsell of State of his Cawse thearebie to Cleare himself: Yet bicawse I perceaved by sondrie your letters that the Commissaries did not cleare him nor the states satisfied with his awnsweares, I did with hir Majesties privitie send unto him the Copie of the Articles whearewith he was charged, and in hir Majesties name commaunded him, to make awnswere theareunto: And when I lookd to have received awnsweare from him strangelie beyond mine expectacion I received a letter from him self dated in Cantorberie, declaring that he was commen over to awnswere to the same personallie heare, dowbting that his writinge showlde not satisfie hir Majestie, requiring hir Majesties pardon thearein for his commeng over withowt her knowledge: but yet hir Majestie tooke his comming over in that sort in soe ill part, as she commaunded mee to charge him not to come to hir presence, nor owt of his howse in London untill hir pleisure weare further knowen: and in like manner commaunded that he showld awnsweare to the Articles perticu- lerlie, which he hath done with offer to conferme the trewthe thereof by his oathe: And thearein he doth denie, the most part of the Contentes of the said Articles, which are for in generallitie, as untill further proof maie appeare, his awnsweares seme reasonable fol.299vLater Addition: Belgia: 1591: October
howesoever the trewthe maie fall owt to the contrarie. and for that he was charged, but uppon Thorsedaie to make awnsweare, and the same being browght unto mee this eveninge beinge Fridaie: I doe forbeare to send unto yowe his awnsweares, untill after my beinge at the Cort to morrowe, I maie have commoditie to informe hir Majesty of the same: and theareuppon I thinke hir Majestie will be pleased theie shall be both delivered to Monsieur Charon, and also to send the same afterwardes unto yowe. And thusmuch for the matter of Master Norris. You shall also understand that the last of September Monsieur de Charon, presented letters to hir Majestie from the states with a forme of a Placart in print conteininge a prohibicion of trafficque and negotiacion with the Ennemie, which beinge considered by us of the Counsell uppon hir Majesties Commaundment, theare hath followed A sensure of the same, whearein hir Majestie hath cawse to mislike sum part thereof: and to that ende theare is conecived in writinge A declaracion both of hir mislikinges, and of the Cawses thereof, which being putt in Frenche is delivered to Monsieur de Charon, and the same in Englishe is sent to yowe in the letters of us of the Counsell to whome the Consideration of that placart was by hir Majestie committed: which yowe maie consider, and assone as yowe maie perceive that the writinge shall be sent over by Monssieur de Charon thither yowe shall indevor your self, to mainteine the reasons conteined in the said writinge, and procure the reformacion of the former placart in the pointes by hir Majestie required, for maintenance whereof theare is nowe soe great a reason as that which is but briefelie towched in the said declaracion: that is the present consideracion had uppon most certaine knowledge that the K. of Spaigne, hath made greater prepa- rations this sommer time, and yet doth continue the same in all partes of Christendome, wheare he can finde opportunitie, as in all the partes of Italie for shippinge, Gallies, and men: and in the East landes for shippinge, Corne, and apparelinge of shippes: And by arresting of all shippes comminge within the streightes; All which is done, and openlie professed in Spaigne to be done for the makinge of a /more/ puissant Armie and Navie, than was in the yeare 1588. With which is threatned fol.230rLater Addition: Belgia: 1591: October
the invasion of England and France: and thearebie his recovery of thos lowe Cuntries to his subjeccion: which matters are not thinges surmised or suspected, and therefore if theape be not some prohibicion streightlie to kepe him from Corne, whereof he hath more neade than of anie other thinge else, by the reason of the great scarcetie this yeare in Spaigne: and also in all Italie, theare is noe dowbt but he will bringe great danger with his Armie and Navie to all thes partes, and much the rather bicawse the attempt that was made from hence to the great charge of hir Majestie and hir subjectes to have impeached the comminge home of hir West Indian Fleete, hath not taken that effect that was to have been wished: And therefore uppon this grownd, which is but towched briefelie in the declaracions, yowe shall doe vearie good serrvice, by inculcating of thes forcible reasons, to move the States theare to prohibitt in generallitie the careadge of all kind of victuels into Spaigne, soe yt be but onelie for this yeare. & yet theie maie have great commoditie by carrienge of anie graine which theie shall recover owt of Estland, to Venice, and to Florence or their dominions, wheare also by divers letters from thence great meanes are made to have graine to be carried thither for their extreame necessitie. And thus having sumwhat enlarged the principall reason to urge this prohibicion, I leave the manner for your proceading to perswade thos States and the Counsell to your owne judgement./ At this time I have noe nowledge of yowe, what hath been done, or is intended to be done by the States Armie sence their comminge from Hulst, neither can I heare anie certainetie from thos partes of the Dukes departure into France althowgh from Diepe I am advertised but uncertainelie that he is come with his Armie into the Borders of France, and joined with the forces of Italie, which if yt be trewe then the Frenche K. shall be constrained to forbeare his comminge to Roan at this present with his Almaigne Armie, for that he shall be compelled to turne uppon the Duke, with such forces as he hath, both of his owne, & of his Almaigne Armie. sence the wynning of [Gornaye]. I thynk our forces in Normandy ar besegyng both of Cardebeck and of Roane. In brytanie / The /D/ Mercury hath had such overthrows, as he is forced, to discharg his army for a tyme. and our party prospareth there / from westminster the 8 of 8br 1591. Your assured loving frend William Burghley