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May it please your good L: By your lettre of the 24 of Sept I finde her Majestie discontented, as if I had not bin so carefull, as imported her service, to calle for an answear from the States. But my trust is in your L. for informing her Highnes what kinde of instance I have used, as all my lettres will declare it. And yet I never thought it meete, to trouble your L. with reporte of all my travels and endevors, at every tyme in particular, that I went about my businesse. I hope her Highnes wilbe pleased to give me credit in this case, that I may reape some other fruites then pensivenesse and grief, for my painefull solicitation. And where againe I am enjoyned to proceede without admitting any dilatorie an- swear, I protest unto your L. I knowe not in the worlde, howe to doe it more effectually then I have put in triall, having done in that behalf both in publicke and in privat, as much as is possible: and more by much then is expressed in any point as by other insinuations of danger to the Contrey: in so much as I have doubted in myne owne privat judgement, whether I kept in that Decorum, in re- gard of the dignitie and state of her Majestie to in- sist so earnestly, so often, so manie sundrie wayes with a people of this condition and so muche bound unto her Highnes. And therfore not prevailing with so great importunitie I could wade no further with them, but certefie by lettres, howe I founde their dispositions. But sins the receat of your L. lettre, the Councell of Esate being come home to the Hage, upon the writing of the States, I laboured what I could to procure their advise to be present- ly given: but getting notice underhand, that their drifte was altogether, to send unto her Majestie (as I have alwayes thought they would) to cutte of all occasions of further delayes, I lette them flatly understand and withall I made fol.77v
it knowen to the College of the States, that if so be they had no meaning to satisfie her Highnes, but would happelie determine to send some Deputies unto her to deliver their excuses, they should alter that intent, and keepe their Deputies at home for so I had bin willed to signifie unto them. This was taken muche to harte, that her Majestie would refuse in a cause of that moment to give them the hearing, and both the States and the Councell have consulted very often, for divers dayes together, what course to take upon it. For to forbeare to send at all, they thought it might be taken for a weake resolution, sith they could not by theyr lettres make so cleere a demon- stration of their want of readie meanes, to give her Majestie contentment, and to prevent therwithal the effectes of her displeasure, as by the verbals of those, that might be purposely sent about it; whome they hoped that her Highnes, upon their suite in that behalfe, would be willing to admitte. And yet to send upon presumption when they had bin by me forewarned to refraine, and so perhaps when they came to be rejected of her Majestie they thought it would be caried over all partes of Christendome, and moove the multitude heere, who might thinke they were foresaken, to accept of such conditions as the Peacemakers offer. Muche a doe there hath bin as I am told by some among them, and yet I see it is uncertaine, when, or howe they will conclude; albeyt by all conjecture I thinke within these 3 dayes they will make some what of it. But because it is in doubt and the tyme may seeme long sins I writte unto your L. having bin for these 20 dayes put in hope from daye to day, of some final resolution, I thought it needfull the while to informe yow what hath passed; wherin I see no disposition (howsoever they may happen to be secretly minded) to condescend to any portion fol.78r
of present remboursement: but onely to make knowen, that this paiment is demanded before the daye, and out of season, for that the warres are not ended, and the Contrey hath no meanes, which will also be the tenor, by that which I can yet ghesse of their lettres and message, for that I thincke they will agree upon the one or the other. It should seeme by a clause in your L. lettre, that you understoodde certaine wordes which I had used in my lettres of the 27 of August and 11 of September of a newe, and an other kinde of Treatie /as if the States had a purpose to renewe the Treatie/ with her Majestie, whereas I understood it of a newe agreement altogether, with other newe conditions: as to signifie to your L. wherupon I writte it; I had put the question in communication to some two or three heere, why they made it nowe so hard, to finde money for her Majestie if they meant to make paiment of these Annual remboursements, with entertaining so many English, as my ouverture delivered at my last comming home? To this the parties made answear with whome I dealt in that mater, That it was not possible to cause the Provinces to acknow- ledge that the terme of the Contract is expired, when the wordes and the texte are so plaine against it, and that they would not be induced to make any restitution, as for debt already dewe, but by proposing unto them some other forme of Treatie, they might have bin intreated by good handling of their humors, to cancel the old, and to persuaded indi- rectly, to have included in a newe certaine yerly paiments, for her Highnes contentation, in regard of her former charges. Heereupon it was that I did insinuat, that as farre as I could learne, if any thing were obtained, it must come by the meanes of a newe Accord. But of any resolution either taken or intended to be taken about it, I am utterly ignorant. For as occasions may be given, if they chance to send their Deputies, fol.78v
they are lyke enough in secret to conclude other maters as their usual maner is, and also afterwardes, in England, to autorise them to deale, as any motion to their liking shall happen to proceede from her Majestie or themselves. When I presse them somewhat neere in privat conversation to tell me, howe they can prevent the subversion of their State, if her Majestie should protest, and withdrawe her assistance their answeares savoureth altogether of a desperat moode. Loth, they say, they would be to contest with her Highnes and will shunne it, as they may, in all duetifull sort, that the Enemie may not triumph, and turne it to his benefitte: but if she force them unto it, by her publicke protesta- tions, they have but too much to alleage, both to justefie themselves in the sight of the worlde, and to notifie to all men, with what patience they have boaren the breaches of the contract, exceeding greatly to their prejudice. And if withall she will proceede to deprive them of her aide, they must, and will provide to trust unto themselves, and to suche helpes as God shall send, it having ever bin their destinie, to defend their libertie and rightes with adversitie and troubles. But if otherwise then well should befalle their Estate, it would beseeme but oversoone, that Englandes staffe is next the doore.

I calle to mynde many tymes that her Majestie in her speeches of the affaires of these Contreys, hath se- med often so to build upon the affections of this people as if the Generalitie were more addicted to content her, then this assemblie of their Deputies: and that the inhabitants of the Townes might be drawen by remonstrance to refourme and disavowe the dealinges of their delegats. This was so out of question at the making of the Contract, and so continued somewhat after, untill they grewe out of liking with some courses that were held by some Ministers of her Majestie, and reduced their Estate to some better fol.79r
forme of gouvernment. But for these 6 or 7 yeares: I have found the people very willing, to be guided by their Deputies, who are also very warie, to knowe howe farre they may presume. For though somewhat sometymes be done by their Deputies against their humors and opinions, yet it is but very seldome in maters of moment: and I could never yet observe that there was anie thing controlled or counter- manded by the people, that they had once ordained. Which is the patience they will use, for preservation of their union. Wherof I thought it not amisse to touche a worde unto your L. if happelie some course of proposing maters to the Commons, should seeme expedient for her Majestie. The losse of the Towne of Cambray doth minister muche mater of newe discourses in this Contrey, very many men disliking that carelesse dealing of the King, and misdoubting least their succors will prove but ill bestowed: in so much that I perceave, unles that somewhat with speede be atchieved, by the King for the advancement of their cause, he shall finde them for heereafter a great deale streiter laced in assisting him with money. But yet this last Absolution doth keepe their headdes busied above all other maters; as that which they account will entyce him ere be long to some attonement with the Spaniard, and drawe this Contrey shortly after into notable inconveni- ence. What opinion the Enemie conceaveth of a Peace, your L. may conjecture by the lettre heerwith of the Marquis of Havre to the Count of Berghe, which was lately intercepted, and sent us from the Campe. [In margin:

Later Addition: Intercepted letter from the Marquis of Havre

I have enquired very harde, to knowe the au- tor of that Frenche discourse, which I sent to my L. of Essex: but no bodie heere can tell it for certaine; albeyt it is fathered by the most upon Lipsius, who hath handled by reporte that subject in a lettre, and that doth savor altogether his stile, and forme of writing.

There is intelligence come from Andwerp, that the Indian Fleete arryved at St Lucar in Spaine, the 7 of September with 10 millions. I thinke your L. hath heard that Haranguieres the Gouvernor of Breda, by whome Huy was surprised in February last, hath attempted the lyke upon the Towne of Lier, a very strong place in the Dukedome of Brabant, about two Leagues from Andwerp where he and his troupe of 7 or 8 hundred, of which many were disguised in boores apparell, and came in earlie in a morning, on an Oxe market daye, seasing on a gate, possessed presently the Towne, the Munition howse, the market place, and every gate saving one, which they kept without impeach- ment, from 5 in the morning till 3 in the afternoone and then for want of good order, the soldeirs falling to the spoyle, the bourghers tooke armes, and others soldiers to the nomber of 2000 came from Andwerp, Malines, and Herentals, which slewe as we thinke 500 of ours, and put the rest to flight. And thus our happe is all this yere to come home by weeping crosse, in all the attempts we take in hand. In effect, what with that, and the plottes that are casting to enforce a Pacification, and the courses held in France, with those other considerations, which I enlarged to your L. the 17 of August together with the mater of my message unto them, fol.80r
they are so muche amased, and so fearfull least the people should beginne to take a head, and revolt in some quarter, which, they doubt, may drawe after the bodie of their confederacie, as I never sawe them for any thinge, albeyt I have bin heere in dyvers great astonishments, so abjectly minded, as they are at this present. And yet in my opinion there doth nothing prognosticat so great a danger towardes, as the grudges and discordes betweene Province and Province, in contributing their portions, and the envies and dislykes that are secretly kindled, but smouthered for the tyme, among the chiefest of the Contrey, which may occasion on the suddaine a disunion of the States, when so many other causes concurre to helpe it forwardes. Nowe they see and complaine of the want of a P. Orenge, or of some suche able person, to compose these couvert quarels, to hold the Provinces together in good correspondence, to animat the people in these cases of desaster, and to propose in other accidents, the meetest meanes to be embroved for the benefitte of the Contrey. Count Maurice is young, and voide of experience, not deliting to meddle with affaires of the State, and in a manner among the rest there is equalitie altogether: so as none will undertake to be the autors of a pro- ject in a businesse of importance, lest it should not speede aright, unles it may be some one, who by reason of his place, as Advocat of Holland, hath by Nature very pregnant to plotte and devise, so as having bin fortunat in the issue of some counsailes, beyond all expectation, he hath caried away the credit in contriving and managing most maters of the State. Howbeyt his coequals mutter at it muche, and his betters so disdaine it, as if his fortune chance to faile him, it will quicklie goe amisse with his credit and countenance. And thus the weight of this cause is the occasion of my length, and of so many points inserted. fol.80v

Later Addition: XVII.71.

Endorsed: Copie of my Letter to My L. Tresurer 19 October 1595

Later Addition: Master Bodley

of which I thought it not impertinent to make some litle mention, beseeching you most hum- bly to make relation to her Majestie of what you thinke behoofull, and to affourd my service that reporte, as in your honorable Judgement yow shall finde it doth deserve. And so I take my humble leave. From the Hage 19 October 95.