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[May] it please your H. If so slender a token of my dutifull affection [that] which I have shewed in the maters of Ostend [.] so [we]lcome to your H. I will make accompt heereafter, to doe no- [th]ing whatsoever, but it will be very welcome. For of a [n]umber of endevors, it is one of the weariest, [in] which I would [b]e very willing, to be commaunded by your H. Heere is order newly taken, by the councell of estate, to appease an other variance between Sir Edward and the Bailliffe, wherof it seemeth some notice hath bin given to her Majestie who, as they are heere informed was exceeding- ly mooved, to see him so muche wronged. I doe not doubt but your H. hath bin tould of the speeches which were lewde and injurious, and so unlyke to be true, as I am of opinion they were not beleeved of those that were autors, and of the states a great deale lesse as they made it heere apparant, by the order and respect that they used in their dealing. And so I writte into Sir Edward [and] wished hym with all, that for sundrie considerations, in the knitting up of maters, at his last being heere, as [.] I also doubted, and doe greatlye doubt it yet, that [.] will hardly finde the meanes to knowe the autors of the [.] he should referre the mater wholly to the Councel of estate, and in regard of himself to seeme to [defuse] those ma- licious imputations, which , I hope, is the cowrse, that he doth intend, and I knowe it is the way to procure him satis- faction: perhaps to better purpose, then he himself for the present, through the trouble of his minde, will readilie con- jecture. Of her Majesties affaires, I have written nothing home sins the 30 of the last, for that as ther I gave the reason, it was expedient for my service, to attend the coming of the Deputies of Holland and Zeland which were assigned to be heere the 8 of this moneth, but could not keepe the daye appointed, for extremitie of we- ther. But they are newly nowe arrived and the general College of the states, is also muche augmented in the number of their Deputies: wherby I doe perceave, that after two or 3 dayes respit, they will falle to consultation about the mater of my Ouverture that if [nothing] more impeache it, then I have hitherto understood, or con- fol.22v
jecture of myself, I hope [.] final end, which your H. will be [.] Majestie if yow judge it to be requisit [.] Cardinal, who made his entrie into B[.] moneth doth affourd no mater yet o[.] but that five or six thousand Italians [.] came a long with him give very great [.] de Fuentes, to rescue La Fere albeyt [.] will be able to doe nothing. The fri[.] will be made by the Cardinal, is the off[er .] we are afraid that the Germanes will be [.] [.] because it is in doubt howe they pu[.] whiche as neutrals, with out requiring any [.] way of petition, by message, or by lettres, I [.] nowe resolved in this meeting of the Pr[ovinces] may be disappointed without offense to th[.] to the Princes of the Empire. The lie[.] K. of Spaine, wherof heeretofore I sent a Copie [.] states have caused to be printed with a ceta[.] to acquaint the people with the [felities] and fr[.] niard, which when it is in Frenche, as I [.] about it, beyng onely yet in Dutche, [.] your H. It should seeme by a lettre of a[.] Cardinal, which hath bin lately intercepte[d .] out of France, that he would have him g[.] the siege of Ostend, as a place of great imp[ortance .] good of their affaires, and not so hard [.] be taken by force. But heere they will [.] with that dessigne. If any thing i[.] consideration, I knowe your H. will imp[.] Tresurer. Wherwith I take my humble leav[e.] From the Hage. February 14. 95