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Maye it please your good L. By your letter of the 7 which I recea- ved the 19 having had full intelligence that her Majestie is determined to goe forward with her purpose for the rescue of Brest and to have the assistance of the states required hereunto, I mooved them in it yesterday, and had theyr aunswer presently, which was to this effect. That they have signified already by their lettres to her Majestie that they will streyne their abilitie to the uttermost degree to second her designe and whensoever they maye knowe her finall resolution, they will presently arme their Navie. For they thincke it very necessarie, that they should first be made acqua- inted with the time to sette foorth, the place of the Rendez vous, the numbers of her shippes, soldiers, munition, powder and other provisions, with all the project of the service; to the ende they maye proceede with a sownd deliberation, and provide themselves there after of everie thinge requisit. That otherwise (if they should presentlie sette forwarde, it might befall them at this tyme, as it would have done before upon my firste proposition, that in making speedilie towardes Portesmouth and Plimmouth, as was requyred then of them, they should have made a fruitelesse voyage, and burdened the Contrey, with a needlesse charge, for twoe or three monneths, so as nowe at this present they should have wanted the meanes to yeld any succor. In which respecte they are desi- rous to knowe of her Majestie her laste determination withe verie particular and necessarie circumstance, and that then for their portion, they will alwayes be as forwarde, as can in reason be re- quyred. If I had knowne those particular demaundes, which it seemed by your lettres her Majestie proposed to their Agent Master Caron, I might better have bin able to negotiat with them. For nowe I could but deale in certaine generall tearmes, not kno- wing what matter those demaundes might importe. Heere is no resolution taken for anie further imploiment of their forces at home, the States seeming bent to refresh their Soldiers for a while in their garrison townes, for which I will be earnest to gett those of her Majestie to be somewhat better furnished.

They passed a promesse a great while sins to the Frenche Kinge that after Groeninghen was reduced they would spare him 3000 fol.175v
footemen and 500 horse for the space of three moneths, to be com[manded] by the Duke of Bouillon, and employed as he thought good, aga[inst] the Contreis of Artois, and Hennault, or anie other place, to the [annoi-] ance of the Enemie. This promesse beyng made I supose the[y will] perfourme if the Duke be readie for it, and hath caste his plo[t to] good effect, whereunto as it seemeth they attend to know his an[swear.]

Their deputies for Scotland are upon their departure; who[se] present at the Christening, is twoe staunding Cuppes of pur[e gold] amounting to the value of 1200li sterling and a certaine patent [ from] the Provincesinclosed alsoe in a boxe of gold, containing the [grant] of an annuall pension of 500li during the life of the young [Prince] to be enjoyed by himselfe, or bestowed on anie other. But [this] they are unwilling to have it publickely knowne. Having [no] other matter I take my humble leave. From the Haghe July 21 1594