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May it please your good L. I have imparted as yow willed her Highnes plea- sure to the states, for the calling away of Sir Francis Vere to be conferred with a while in some attempt of great importance against the common Enonththat his departure might not seme over strange nor fall prejudiciall to the actions of the cuntrie, I lett them know that her Highnes was desirous to proceed with their privitie & good liking Wherto they made no other scruple in their answer unto me, but that they would consult with the Counsell of that Estate, & like wise with Co. Maurice, who had all the conduction of the affaires of the Warres, & doe there uppon to witt their answere to her Majestie wherin it may be they will signifie how much it doth prejudice the state of their affaires to have any cheife commander revoked on the soddaine for so they debate it in their private communications & will theruppon request to have presentlie returned. But I thinke they will not use any other opposition: and though they should, I know it will not prevaile with Sir Francis Vere. My lord of Essex dispatch with her Majesties lettres I sent presenntlie for Duisbourgh by a post of this cuntry that was trustie & spedie that I recken for his coming within 2 or 3 dayes & that longer then he ta- keth his leave of the states he will not stay in this place. Two dayes past to goe forward where I ended in my last to your Lp which I hope you have received Master Barnevelt returned having bin as I signified imployed into Zeland: And to tell a long tale as short as I can, he & other 5 of the Provinces of Holland with 4 out of Zeland were all that were deputed to meet in the session. And though they came for other busines yett that being ended, they were contented all at last being dealt withall before & privatlie pre- pared by Master Barnevelts diligence to deliberate there together about the matter of the ouverture. Which they discussed at the last for 10 or 12 meetinges. Many dangers & alleged doubtes were amongst them, aswell in regard of inconvenience to the Cuntry, which as diverse discoursed by a voluntarie dissolution of their Treatie with her Majestie might be mightilie damnified as of perill to themselves & their own propar wellfare when as they should be noted to be movers and advancers of such kind of Projects. The effects of their objections I have formerlie debated by sundrie lettres to your Lp They urged most of all the composition of their state of such diversitie of factions humors religions where somanie were desirous if good matter were offred to sett all after: the weightie burthen of their imposts & other kind of tallages, the peoples weak- nesse in generall to continue still in war: the faire conditions of accord presented by the Enemie wch their neighbours the Germ- anes as the Enemies pledges would undertake to be parfourmed: and a nomber of other suites & fraudulent suites which would be pacified they thought by some that were corrupted or ill disposed of them selves. To wch when this shall be added, of her Majesties intention to end her contract with the land wherby they shallbe forced to surchardge the common people to raise another Regiment som were wonderfull affraid it would turne upside down all & cause a great confusion. Against those in the end other accounts pre- vailed to which through orderly parswasion they thought the people would give eare, her Highnes huge expenses for ten yeares together her pre- sent urgent need in her domesticall affaires: her earnest pursuite so long continued for some convenient remborsement: her impression deeplie fixed of their unthankfull disposition: her assistance reduced to very few companies and those not fol.121v
not likely to be cassed and revoked: her undoubted inclination not to leave them unassisted if so be that heareafter they be drawen to extremity: and lastly but in speciall, her suspected resolution (for they doubt it verie highlie) to watch a time of revenge, when they shall happely be forced with a large restitution. Uppon this they concluded by pluralitie of voi- ces. For the first point that it was expedient, For them to entertaine 4000 soulldiors of the English nation not onlie in respect of their valor above others, but to countenance their warrs, aswell in the opinion of their owne inhabitants, as allso of other cuntryes & of the Enemie cheifelie, as if her Majestie would protect & support their cause unto the last. For the second point that it should be referred to her Highnes choise to discharge or continew her Auxiliarie forces. For the 3 that the day of her Highnes birth or Coronation, or what other time she shallbe pleased they will present a certaine payment not yet agreed uppon amongst them, but as it semed, no lesse, the 20000li sterling every yeare. Fourthlie that they will not enter into treaty with the K of spain as they will allso require that her Majestie would not without mutuall consent. Fifthlie that they will allwayes be readie as they are at this present to send unto her Majestie such nombers of shipps with convenient provision as their abilitie will parmitt & her occasi- ons shall require. Lastlie that heareafter when they shall be bruited with the rest of the Provincesor be otherwise establised in Peace & tran- quilitie they will present unto her Highnes a farre greater partie The the former: wherof as before there was neither any summe in speciall, nor yeares accorded of continance: but they left it as a matter that would be easilie resollved. This communication was kept verie close among the selves, which was had in the towne of Zurick sea the place of their assembly. From thence it was concluded that they should presentlie returne to their severall colleges, & should carrie this conference with verie great secrecie everye man endevoring underhand & by degrees to procure the liking of the best & metest parsons of their Colleges by imparting to them privatlie the whole plott or a part onlie & more or lesse as the parties give occasions. And that publikly they should forbeare to propose abruptlie anye articles, to the effect afore mentioned Onlie this in open place was accounted sufficient that assone as they returned, they should deliver out of hand the tenor of my last proposition & of the rest of my speeches to the generall state. & ther upon demonstrat how behovefull thed had found it in their forsaid consultation, to consider of some good course how to gratifie her Majestie for which it would be very requesite, that some should be depu- ted with competent authoritie to move the generall college at the Hage to resume the matter solemlie & to advise upon some offer, at might both be agreable, to her merite & dignitie & not unpleasing heare at home, to their townes, & to the multitude. With this determi- nation they departed to their principalls with mutuall protestation that they would use such diligence, dexteritie, & care to prosecute that Ouverture as unles the Cuntry would oppose to eagerlie against it which thed did not suspect they would appeare with full commission in the generall college with in twentie dayes after: & the labor to parswade the rest of the deputies & by them the lesser Provinces: which do commonlie concurre with out any contradiction with Holland & Zeland, as the principall contributors in all mony matters. I will not wearye your Lp with a tedious recitall of other pettie plotts betweene me & Master Barnevelt by which I am to negociate with some parsons in private, in an other kind of forme for the better digesting & ripning of the matter which I finde more & more full of weightie considerations: & were the motifes unto me of my last unfortunate returne for that I was desirous whear the project was so hard & so quaisie, & so intricate heere, & so nere in like sort to her Majestyes fol.122r
Majestyes cares to gaine & compasse that, in a very short tyme, by the meanes of my preparente which could not I was sure, be maneged by lettres or by messengers for many speciall causes but very lamely & defectuously and with a dangerous losse of a great deall of time & of the present opportunities, wheras your L. would know what opinion is held of Count Hohenloes affection to the causes of their cuntry I doe not find in conversation that the better sort heare do judge him to be Spanish or ill affected to the State, but rather on the other side, so sure & so sound in his love to the Cuntry, as they make no question of it. True it is that 2 monethes agoe there was secrett notice given by lettres out of Germany, to some parsons of qualitie, that in likelihood had of meanes to understand it directlie that he offered some speeches in favor of a peace among the Princes of Germany & that besides he had determined to salute the Prince of Orenge in his passage tow- ards Brussels. Againe it is observed that there is very much in wardnesse betweene the D. of Brunswick & him who is undoubted supposed to be a minister of Spaine. For the D. hath of late resig- ned unto him divers Lordshippes heere in Holland as the Baronnie of Liesvelt & the Seignorie of Woorden, with divers other quillets which com not yeeld him so little, as a thowsand marks by the yeare but whi- ther it be so, that all that proceedeth of Benevolence in the D. is that the Count hath discboursed some monye, or otherwise forgone of his owne in exchange I can not come to learne. Once they are suche occasi- ons for which of late he hath incurred the suspition of wavering & of a hollow hart unto the State, in the judgement of some few, his con- tinuall profession of one relligion which was never yet stained with any report together with his long & loyall services heere; his mari- age of late with the Countesse of Buren, who is zelous in religion exceedinglie addicted to all the causes of this contrey & the the interest that he hath in her states & possessions, with his late new investure in the D. Brunswickes lands which lie here in Holland are counted speciall arguments of his trust & affection. Howbeit it is certaine that Co. Maurice & he are become incompatable how soever in their meetings they passe it with a shew of a shallow civill curtesye. For which many doe wish that Co. Maurice in his cariages towards him would use him better or all togethe worse & determine to himself to be alltogether fully reconciled (where of there is no hope or devise some quiet meanes to cause him to depart For every man doth feare that this lingering hart burning with mixture of disgraces, will drive him in the end to some desperat course of dealing which by reason of his allayance & acquaintance with the Germanes is nothing needfull for this cuntry. The states I doe find could be willing enough to give him his pasport but they owe him at the least for the arrierages of his service, 60 thow- sand pound sterling: for recovering whereof he wilbe able to his friends to vexe & molest every Province in the cuntry. It is not doubted very much but he meant to goe se & visit the Prince of Orenge if his voyage had bene neare him for the singuler love that he bare to his father (whereof he ma- keth often mention & for his matching with his sister which may move him parhaps to treat with the Prince to forgoe his seigneuries in these Provinces, of which the Prince is propriatorie by the right of his mother the Countesse of Buren, through his sister reape the reve- new. There hath nothing yett passed by writing or by message nor heere fol.122v

Endorsed: Master Bodleys lettre Copie of my lettre to my . Tresorer January 25 1595

Postscript: Heere are some of opinion, upon lettres out of Gelderland that Sir Francis Vere is either gone, or going about some peece of service: which I am very certaine if the post come to him be- fore his departure he will give over: if not for that I gesse it is onlie some exploit of surprise, or to beat some convoy of the enemie it will be quietlie parfourmed.