addressleaf
fol.187vAddressed: To the right honorable my very singular good Lord the L. Burghley Lord highe Treasurer of England.
Endorsed: 15[[92]] Master Bodeley to my L. By Christofer Kennell the Thresurers Deputye./
lettertext
fol.184r Later Addition: [[Master Bu]]zenval
very well, that though he seemed to me to [em] brace it at first, yet presently after in an [other] communication he framed all his reasons [to per-] suade me and others, not to urge the mater [fur-] ther. I putte him in minde of all his arg[uments] That this contrey already had done much [for] the Kinge, That it would /not/ doe well, to dra[we too] muche milke from a good milche cowe, T[hat] when any more troupes should goe from hens [to] France, Parma would be able, to send for [his] forces from out of his Provinces, That by [ex-] ploiting somwhat heere, the forces of the Enemie would be greatly diverted from assisting [the] Ligue, and the Kinge the lesse molested: with o[ther] like allegations. Wherupon, and because [.] was a suite that required most of all the inst[.] of the Kinge, it would be expected at my han[des] that I should signifie expressely, what was don[e] in his behalf, by his Agent heere in place. A[nd] therfor, as I told him, I lette her Majestie u[nder] stand, that we differed in judgement: [.] [man] inclining, not to meddle in the motion [.] And where he shewed me a point in his Lat[er pro-] position, which tended to request the renforc[ement of] those succors, which are in service nowe in F[rance] to the nomber of 4000. I was plaine aga[in with] him, that it was but a worde cast out by the [.] among many other maters, and not pours[.] suche remonstrance, as the humor of this [.] which he knewe well enough, and that sub[.] require. And for my self I did never [.] but onely at this present, by his owne re[port] or had altered any writte of his former [.] he had spoken to the states: or that the King [had] addressed any letter unto them. Where [.] fol.185r
if his meaning were in earnest, to bring the mater to effect, it behooved him in reason, and in good correspondence, for the easier obtening of his masters petition, to acquaint me with his dea- ling: both because the first ouverture was made by me unto him, and because I had told him, that her Majestie was inclined, to seconde that demaunde: and also for the credit of his maner of proceeding, that I mght knowe the occasion of the alteration of his minde, having seemed still before, to disal- lowe that the states shoud be pressed in the mater. And where he alleged unto me, their dislike of his proposall: I had reason to thinke it strange, when of all that I had sounded, which were divers of the chiefest, I had not founde any one, that was opposit unto me: but onely douttfull of the way to winne the people to consent. Moreover, as I told him very roundly, he faulted not onely in not ma- king me privy to his forsaid dealing with the states, whereby we might have joined in preferring the suite, but in secret communication with Count Mau- rice and others, he reveled whatsoever I had uttered unto him, of my intention at first, and her Majesties liking after, and of every other point, that was in confered between us: and had bin in hand with Sir Francis Vere, to persuade me to surcease, from dealing further in the mater. He replied againe unto me, that although for himself in his privat conceat, he was wholy against /it/, yet com- maunded by the Kinge, he did his endevor in per- suading the states, whome he founde very back- ward in the Chapter, howsoever I had founde their privat disposition. And he thought it no preju- dice to make it knowen to men before, that suche a motion was towardes, because in the ende it was to be divulged, and every man, he thought, would favor the better course. I will trouble fol.185v
your L. with no more: but this is the effect of [.] our debate, in regard of his complaint of her [Majesties] speeches: wherein we passed all our talke w[ithout] shewe of any passion. Howbeit by this mean[.] knowe not what to thinke will become of the m[.] For when a minister of the Kinge, shall not [.] not be willing to promote the mater for him, [.] shall labor underhand, to dissuade the contrey [.] from it, I see but litle cause to expect a goo[d] event. For although for his credit, being [.] ged by the King, he hath solicited the states a lo[.] pro forma, yet to doe some pleasure to Count [Mau-] rice, for so I finde it apparantly, he hath marr[ed] all of purpose with his couvert proceeding. B[ut] yet to signifie to your L. privat conjecture I thinke the states in the end, will seeme to gra[.] her Majestie in her present demaunde, by enlarging their offers to the warres of Britaine. I have [de-] livered unto them her Majesties lettre of the 17 of Ap[ril] [In margin: Presenting of your H. lettres to the states & Comte Maurice.]
but according to their custome, they required some time to make me an answear. The othe[r] to Count Maurice was presented unto him by [Sir] Francis Vere, who thought by suche meanes as [he] had devised, to drawe him to say somwhat of [.] postscript of her Majestie but he spake very w[.] other then in generall, That he was highly [.] unto her Highnes and would give her satisf[action] the best the could. Your L. [letter] of the 10 of the last, I receaved the 30. T[he con-] veiance therof, by those that tooke the charge [consi-] dering howe the winde hath served at will, [.] neglected overmuche. About [the] [In margin: Placart/]
mater of the Placcart, that was publsihed in [Bra-] bant, wherto yor L. desireth to receave a p[.] answear, I have made as good enquirie, [as] time will permitte, and will use some furth[er .] nes to knowe as muche as may be. But [I can] not yet perceave,that for the point of tra[.] fol.186r
between the Enemie and those contreis, there is any newe devise in any Placcart of the Enemie. For a kind of free trafficke hath bin alwaies per- mitted by Placcarts on bothe sides, upon the pai- ment of suche customes, as are rated in their Placcartes, but with cautions and reserves in certaine sortes of commodities. As by the Placcarts of these contreis, it is wholy prohibited to bring in any clothes, silkes, or saies that are made in the Enemies contrey, or to transport to the Enemie, any kinde whatsoever of warlicke provision: and the like restraint is also made, of the Enemies part. All the revenue raised heere, upon suche kinde of customes, the states doe convert, to maintene their shippes of warre. Happely some Placcart hath bin newly printed in Brabant, with a change of some pointes, as the like is often heere, but that they hold an other course, then they have done heere tofore, I can not learne it yet of any. If your L. hath the Placcart, and shall be pleased to send it hither, I shall be able fourthwith to give yow cer- taine information, in what maner it is practised.
And for that which is last in the letter of your L. I doe humbly beseeche yow, that it may not [In margin: [his] [revocacion]]
be the last in your honorable remembrance, That her Highnes may be moved, to graunt me licence to returne. My privat poore estate is very casually left by my fathers decease, and I am dam- mified daily by reason of mine absence: for which I account my self surcharged both heere and at home. The affaires of this state doe stand at a stay, every man attending the successe of thinges in France. Howbeit it is in part resolved, that fourten daies hens, they will into the feelde, for the siege of steenwicke: which if it can be gotten, will put the Province of Frise in a great assurance. It is both strongely fortified, and manned and victualed, and they expect fol.186v
our comming thither, that it can not choose in [.] but cost us very deere. The En[emie] hath bin long, about a practise to surprise [the] towne of Enchusen. His meanes to woorke [.] [In margin: Practise for surprising of Enchusen./]
by an inhabitant of the towne, and a seam[.] profession: who hath had often conference [with] the Spanishe king himself, and hath receave[d at] his handes, and of Parma in like sort, very [great] summes of mony, partly in reward, and par[tly] upon pretense, that it was to be imploied in [cor-] rupting the Captaines, and certaine Burgm[asters] But this mater hath bin disclosed to some of [.] state by the partie himself, and /who/ hath receaved [.] suche direction, that he hath tolled on the Enemie, [.] doe his enterprise in the haven: which is to be exp[ec-] ted some time the next weeke, and with some [thou] sand men, if their present purpose hold, which [.] be sent in an evening, by those of steenwi[ck] in certaine shippes of Enchusen, that by the prac[.] meanes are gone thither with marchandise. The mater hath bin handled with so much dexter[itie] that the Captaines of Enchusen are made acqua[in-] ted with the plotte, and doe beare the Enemie in [.] that they will be ready at all houres, to a[.] him and his shippes. But there are a cou[ple] of the chiefest of the Bourgmasters there, that b[.] corrupted in good earnest, by the cunning[est] partie, that is the inventor of the pollicie, and [.] [wing] no other but that he and the Captaines d[o] in good faith, to betray the towne unto the E[nemie] are wholy ignorant theat this practise is dis[.] to the state. And besides the forsaid po[.] to blinde the Enemie the more, with a shewe of [.] assurance, that his dealing is sincere, is gone [.] steenwicke in person, and submittes himse[lf to] punishment, if they speede not of their p[.] so they rule their proceeding by his direc[tion].