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fol.218r
Later Addition: 1594 21 July To the L. Tresurer
Maye it please your good L. by your lettre of the 7 which I receaved 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 requyred thereunto, I mooved them in yt yesterday and had theyr aunswer presently; whiche was to this effect, /That/ they have signified already by theyr lettres to her Majestie, that they will strayne theyr abilitie to the uttermost degree to second her designe, and whenseover they may knowe her fynall resolution they will presently arme their Navie. For they thincke it very necessarie that they should firste be made acquaynted with the tyme to sette forth, 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 wth a sownde deliberation, and provyde them selves thereafter of every thinge requisite. That otherwyse yf they should presently sette forward, it might befalle them at this tyme; as it would have done before, upon my first proposition, that in making speedely towardes Portesmouth and Plimouth, as was requyred ther of them, they should have made a frutelesse vyo voyage, and burdened the Contry wth a ne needlesse charge, for two or three monnethes, soe as nowe at this present, they should have wanted the meanes to yeald any succor. In whiche respecte they are desyrous to knowe of her Majestie, her laste determi- nation, with every particular and necessarie circumstance, and that then for their portion, they will alwayes be as forward, as can in reason be requyred. If I had knowne those particular demaundes which it seemed by your lettres, her Majestie proposed to theyr Agent Master Caron, I might better have bin able to negotiate with them. For nowe I could but deale in certaine generall termes, not knowing what matter those demaundes might imparte. Heere is noe resolution taken, for any further Imployment of theyr forces at home, the state seeming bente to refreshe theyr Soldiers, for a whyle in their garrison townes, for whiche I will be earnest, to gette those of her Majestie to be somewhat better furnished. They passed a promesse a greate whyle since to the Frenche Kinge, that after Groeninghen was reduced, they would spare hym 3000 footemen and 500 horse for the space of three months to be commaunded by the Duke of Bouillon, and employed as he thought good, againste the Contreys of Artois, and Hennault or any other place, to the annoyance of the Enemie. This promesse beyng made I suppose they will perfourme, if the Duke be ready for yt, and hath caste his plotte to good effect, whereunto as it seeemeth they attend to knowe his aunsweare. Theyr deputies for Scotland are upon theyr departure, whose present fol.218vEndorsed: To my L. Tresurer 21 July 1594
Later Addition: for the States provissyone to assyste hir Majestie in the Jurney to Breste, their Aydinge of Fraunce, and a presente geven at the Christeninge of the Prince of Scotland.
Later Addition: 36 Elizabeth.