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May it please your good L. I have imparted as yow willed her Highnes pleasure to the States for the calling away of Sir Francis Vere, to be conferred with a while in some attempts of great importance against the common Enemie. And to the end that his departure might not seeme over strange, nor falle prejudiciall to the actions of the Contrey, I lette them knowe that her Highnes was desy- rous to proceede with their privitie and good liking. Wherto they made no other scruple in their answear unto me, but that they would consult with the Coun- sell of Estate and likewise with Co. Maurice, who had all the Conduction of the affaires of the warres, and doe me thereupon to witte their answear to her Majestie, wherin it may be they will signifie, howe muche it may /doth/ prejudice the state of their affaires to have any chief commander revoked on the soddaine (for so they doe debate it in their private communications) and will therupon request to have him presently retur- ned. But I thinke they will not use anie other oppo- sition: and though they should, I knowe it will not prevaile with Sir France Vere. My L: of Essex dis- patch with her Majesties lettre, I sent presently for Duisbourgh by a Post of this Contrey, that was trustie and speedie, that I recken for his coming within two or three dayes and that longer then he taketh leave of the States, he will not not stay in this place. Two dayes past (to goe forward where I ended my last to your L. which I hope yow have receaved) Master Barnevelt [returned] having bin, as I signified imployed into Zeland, And to tell a long tale, as short as I can, he and other five of the Province of Holland, with fower out of Zeland, were all that were deputed to meete in that Session, And though they came for other buisnesse, yet that being ended, they were contented all at last, being dealt withall before, and privatly prepared by Master Barnevelts diligence, to deliberat there together about the mater of the Ouverture: which they discussed at the least for tenne or twelve meetinges. Many dangers and doubtes were alleaged among them, aswell in regard of inconvenience to the contrey, which as dyvers discoursed fol.13v
by a voluntarie dissolution of their Tre[atie with her Majestie] might be mightilie damnified, as of [peril to them-] selves, and their owne proper welfar[e when as] they should be noted, to be movers a[nd advancers] of suche kinde of Projectes. The eff[ect of their] objections, I have formerly declared by s[undrie lettres] to your L. They urged most of all, th[e compositions] of their State, of suche diversitie of fa[ctions, humours,] religions: where so many were desyrous [if good] mater were offered, to sette all a fyre: the [weightie] bourden of their imposts, and other kinde of [[tallages]] the peoples wearinesse in generall to continue [still in] warre: the faire conditions of Accord presented [by the] Enemie, which their neighbors the Germanes, a[s the Ene-] mies pledges would undertake to see perfourm[ed and] a number of other baites and fraudulent de[vises] which would be practised, they thought, by som[e that were] corrupted, or ill disposed, of themselves, To [which when] this shall be added of her Majesties intention, to en[d her] Contract with the Land, wherby they shalbe force[d to sur-] charge the Common people to raise an other regimen[t, some] were wonderfull afraid it would turne upside [down] all, and cause a great confusion. Against [those in] the ende other Arguments prevailed, to which, t[hrough] orderly persuasion they thought the people would [give] eare: Her Highnes huge expences, for ten yeres [together,] her present urgent neede in her domesticall affaire[s her] earnest poursuite, so long continued /for some/ convenie[nt rem-] boursement: her impression deepely fixed of thei[r un-] thankefull disposition: her assistance reduced[d to very] fewe Companies, and those not unlykelie to be [cassed] and revoked: her undoubted inclination no[to to leave] them unassisted, if so be that heereafter they be [driven to] extremitie: and lastly but in special, her sus[pected] resolution (for thei doubt it highly) to watche [a time of] revenge, when they shall happelie be forced [to a] large restitution. Upon this they concluded [by a plura-] litie of voices. For the first point that it wa[s expedient] for them to intertaine 4000 souldiors of the [English] nation, not onely in respect of their valor ab[ove others,] fol.14r
but to countenance their warres, aswell in the opinion of their owne inhabitants, as also of other Contreys, and of the Enemie chiefly, as if her Majestie would pro- tect and 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 third, that at the day of her Highnes birth or Coronation, or what other tyme she shall be pleased, they will present a certaine payment not yet agreed upon among them, but as it seemed no lesse then 20000li sterling /every yeare/ Fourthly that they will not enter into Treatie with the Kinge of Spaine, as they will also requyre that her Majestie would not without mu- tuall consent. Fivethly, that they will alwayes be readie, as they are this present, to send unto her Majestie such nomber of Shippes, with convenient provision, as their abilitie will permitte, and her occasions shall re- quyre. Lastly that heereafter, when they shalbe unyted with the rest of the Provinces, or be otherwise established in peace and tranquillitie, thei will present unto her Highnes a farre greater portion then the former wherof, as before, there was neither any summe in special, nor yeres accor- ded of continuance: but they left it as a mater, that would easilie be resolved. This communication was kept very closse among themselves, which was had in the towne of Zuricksea, the place of their assembly. From thens it was concluded, that they should presently returne to their several Colleges, and should cary this conference with very great secrecie, every man endevoring underhand and by degrees to procure the liking of the best and the meetest persons of their Collegues, by imparting privatly to them the whole plotte, or a part onely, and more or lesse, as the parties gave occasion. And that publikely they should forbeare to propose abruptely, any articles to the effect afore mentioned. Onely this in open place was accounted sufficient, that assoone as they returned, they should deliver out of hand, the tenor of my last proposition, and of the rest of my speeches to the generall States, and therupon fol.14v
demonstrat how behoofull they had foun[d it, in their foresaid] consultation to consider of some good [course, how to] gratefie her Majestie: for which it would be v[ery requisit,] that soem should be deputed with competent autoritie [to] move the generall College at the Hage, to [resume that] mater so solemnly, and to advise upon some o[ffer, that might] both be agreeable to her merites and dig[nity, and not] unpleasing heere at home, to their Townes and to the multitude. With this determination they d[eparted to] their principals, with mutual protestation, at [they would] use, suche diligence dexteritie and care [to prosecute] the Ouverture, as unles the Contrey would oppos[e too eagerly] ly against it, which they did not suspect, they [would] appeere with full comission in the generall college [within] 20 dayes after: and then labor to persuade [the rest of] of the Deputies: and by them the lesser Provinces [which] doe commonly concurre without any Contradic[tion with] Holland and Zeland, as the Principal contribu[tors in all] money maters. I will not weery your L. with a [tedious] recitall of other pettie plottes betweene me [and Master] Barnevelt, by which I am to negotiat with some [persons] in privat, in an other kinde of forme, for the [better di-] gesting and ripning of the mater, which I finde [more] and more full of weightie considerations: a[nd were] the motifes unto me of my last unfortunat return[e, for that] I was desyrous where the Project was so [hard and so] quaisie and so intricat heere, and so newe [in like] sort to her Majesties eares, to gaine and compas[se that, in] a very short space, by the meanes of my presen[ce, which] could not I was sure, be maneged by lettres or [or by messen-] gers, for many special causes, but very [lamely and] defectuously, and with a dangerous losse of a g[reat deal] of tyme, and of the present opportunities. Wheras your L. would knowe, what opinion is [held of] Count Hohenloes affection to the causes of this [Contrey, I] doe not finde in conversation, that the better sor[t here do] judge him, to be Spanish or ill affected to th[e State,] but rather on the other syde, so sure and so s[ound in] fol.15r
his love to the Contrey, as they make no question of it. True it is that two monethes agoe, there was great secret no- tice given by lettres out of Germanie, from some persons of qualitie, that in lykelyhood had the meanes to understand it directly, that he had uttered some speeches in favor of a Peace among the Princes of Germanie: and that besydes he had determined, to salute the Prince of Orenge in his passage towardes Brussels. Againe it is observed that there is very muche inwardnesse between the D. of Brunswicke and him: who is undoubtedly supposed to be Minister of Spaine. For the Duke hath of late resigned unto him dyvers Lordships heere in Holland, as the Baronie of Liesvelt, and the Seigneurie of Woorden, with divers other quillets, which can not yeeld him so litle, as a thousand markes by the yere. But whether it be so that all that proceedeth of benevolence in the Duke or that the Count hath disboursed some money, or otherwise forgone of his owne in exchange, I can not come to learne. Once these are suche occasions, for which of late he hath incurred the suspition of wavering, and of a hollowe hart unto the state in the judgement of some fewe. But his con- tinual profession of one Religion, which was never yet stayned with any report, together with his longe and loyal services heere: his mariage of late with the Countesse of Buren, who is zelous in Religion, and exceedinglie ad- dicted to all the causes of this Contrey: and then the inte- rest that he hath in the /her/ States and possessions, with his late newe investure in the Duke Brunswickes landes, which lie heere in Holland, are counted special arguments of his trust and affection. Howbeyt it is certaine that Count Maurice and he are become incompatible, howsoever in their meetinges they passe it with a shewe of a shallowe civill courtesie. For which many doe wishe that Count Maurice or his cariages towardes him, to would use him better, or altogether worse, and determine with himself to be fully reconciled (wherof there is no hope) or devise some quiet meanes, to cause him to fol.15v
depart. For every man doth feare th[at this lingering] hart burning, with mixture of disgra[ces will drive] him in the end to some desperat course [of dealing,] which by reason of his alliance and acq[uaintance] with the Germaines, is nothing needefull [for this Contrey.]

The States I doe finde, could be will[ing enough] to give him his passeport, but thei owe h[im at the least] for arrierages of his services, three score th[ousand] poundes sterling: for recovering wherof [he will] be able with his frindes to vexe and molest [every Pro-] vince of /in/ this contrey. It is not doubted v[ery much,] but that he meant to goe see, and visit the P[. of Orange] of his voyage had bin neere him, for the singu[lar love] that he bare to his father (wherof he make[th often] mention) and for his matching with his sis[ter: which] may move him perhaps to treat with the Princ[e, to] forgoe his Seigneuries in these Provinces, o[f which the] Prince is proprietarie, by the right of his mo[ther the] Countesse of Buren, though his sister reape the [revenue]

There hath nothing yet passed, by writ[ing or] by message, nor heere is nothing geven out o[ut of any] humor in the prince, as favoring or hating th[e people] of this union: But one that hath bin ever as [his] Gouvernor with him, doth nowe, as heeretofore [at his] being in Spaine both send and write to the C[ountesse] of Hohenlo, about the recyeving of his rentes, w[herof the] Countesse hath alwayes, and doth allowe him [a cer-] taine portion. Of the nombers remaini[ng of the] English bandes, that are heere in the service and [pay of] the States; because they were not mustered sin[ce the mo-] neth of November: I can come to no certaintie, but [what they] were then your L. shall see by the list heerein[closed with] the places of their garrisons. In other affa[irs of] these Provinces, and in the actions of the Enemi[e there is] nothing heere in talke, but is either uncer[taine of] of that nature, as your L. will not care to unders[tand it.] The Cardinal cometh slowely, remaining [yet in] Lorrayne, or as some men say at Luxembourg [with 6000] fol.16r
foote, and 1200 horse, and till his coming, we doe imagine there wilbe nothing by them attempted against us, and for us, we are not readie to doe any thinge of moment. And thus I take my humble leave From the Hague January 25 95.

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 came to him, before his departure, he will give over: if not, for that I ghesse, it is onely some exploit of surprise, or to beat some convoy of the Enemie, it wilbe quickly perfourmed.