lettertext

fol.52r
May it please your good L. I can not answear, as I would, the lettres that yow sent me by Sir Francis Vere, till he and I may conferre very thorowly to- gether. For he hath sent the lettres out of Zeland, with a copie of his Instructions: but he himself is gone directly to Co. Maurice to the Campe. How be it, by that which your L. doth write of his message, and by all that I conceave by his Instructions in writing (un- les he hath receaved some secret chardge besides) I doubt there will be litle effected by his comming. For as your L. may /it may please yow to/ remember by that which /what/ I writte of this mater /the 4 day of February/ before All their dealing in this place hath bin but privat and in secret and not impar- [In margin: [.] or [.] handled [.] by the [.]e some [.] I writte then at length:]
ted so muche as /at all/ to any one of this Councel /estate/ that /for which/ I am half of beleefe /in doubt/, that Co. Maurice will dislike to be sent unto in publike. For it can not be concealed, that her Majestie hath sent Sir Francis unto him, and I feare it will abroade, for what occasion he is sent. Neither the one, nor the other will be pleasing to the Count, who would not have it thought /bruited/ that he proceedeth of himself, in a mater of that moment, without the privitie of the state /contrey/. Had it bin so, that either the answear of her Majestie had bin sent unto me, to whome the project at first was delivered by the autors /parties,/ or that Sir Francis had but come as a privat person to the Campe, and so negotiated secretly, I am wholy of opinion, submitting it humbly to the censure of your L. that more had bin obtened /by suche meanes as might be used/, then I see can be hoped by the course that hath bin taken. But howsoever sins the [In margin: [.] states are not mette, [without] whose custom, there can /approbation/ [.] nothing no certaine answear can be made /given,/ nor [yet] [I c]an not understand, when they meet together is /they purpose to assemble/ [.] And though they were com altogether yet considering howe]
Count is engaged in the siege of Gertrudenbergh, /at this present/, before they shall have seene the successe of that /this/ enterprise, they will hardly be induced to deliver other answear then I imparted to your L. the 4 day of February. /resolve in other sort, then I writte before unto yow. And considering/ fol.52v
And although it should succeede, aswell as they [coulde] wishe, yet the forces of this contrey being farr [insuffi-] cient to undertake the other siege, (as I advertis[ed your] L. of the number required, and of the state of [their] /present/ strength) they must either be assisted by the pow[er of] her Majestie or make so great a Levie, as I can se[e no ap-] pearance, that they are willing, or able /with this yeres contri[bution.]/[ Having] spoken with Sir Francis, whose comming from the C[ampe] I expect every day, I hope to write of these mate[rs more] pertinently to yow. It is bruited /reported/ at t[his present] that Noyon being taken, /either all or/ some part of those forces of the Enemie had before it, shall returne for these [partes.]

Among divers lettres intercepted, which were [lately] sent hither, of which some were in Cipher, as I writte [unto your] L. the 7 of this present, I have sent yow heereinclosed an Extract of one, which was written by Verdugo [to the] old Co. Mansfield, and to my understanding is of] special importance /consideration/. I have also sent [yow an other] note, which I extracted from /have read/ from a lettre, that was wri[tten from] Andwerpe, by a man of good qalitie, to a ge[ntleman] heere. And though it tend to that effect, as hath [bin] spoken long agoe, yet sith it is written very [freshly] from thens, I thought it not unworthy the sen[ding] unto yow /againe/. And so I take my humble leave From the Hage. April 12 159[3] Your L most humbly bounden Tho. Bodley