Reference: TNA, SP 84/28/83 f.81r-83v
Citation: DCB/001/HTML/0099/008
Date: 20 November 1588
Note: Instructions.
Copy of: 1307
addressleaf
fol.83vLater Addition: November 1588
Endorsed: Instructions for Master Bodley.
Later Addition: Copie of Master Bodlies Instructions. November 1588.
lettertext
fol.81r
By the Queene;
Whereas we have thought meete to call home our servaunt Henry Killi- grewe, for some tyme, both for our owen service, and for his owen causes, who presently supplyeth the place of a Cownsellor for us in the Cownsell of Estate in the united provinces of the Lowe Countryes agreable to the contracte made on our parte with the States Generall: we have therfore made especiall choice of you to supplye that place for the tyme of our sayed Servaunts absence, with the assistaunce of our Servaunt George Gilpin who ys to serve in place of an Interpreter, for that (as we ar informed) they use the Flemish tongue in the treatinge and debatinge of causes amongest them selves.
Our pleasure therefore ys that at your commynge thither you shall instruct your self in such matters as have heretofore been committed unto our sayed servaunt Henry Killegrewe to deale in with the sayed Generall States, and with the Counsell of Estate and others of those Contryes touchinge our service, and to knowe from him, to what pointes he hath not [received] aunswere from them, to th'end you maye the better deale, and proceade with the States to procure their spedy aunswere to our satisfaction.
And for that we have committed dyverse thinges to our trusty and welbeloved servaunt Sir John Norrys his charge, to be communicated unto the sayed States (as may appere by the copy of his Instructions): We thinck yt meete that such thinges as shall not be by him finished, for lacke of tyme, or for that he shall not fynde the States Generall assembled at the tyme of his repayre thither, or contynuaunce there, that you do sollicite the same, and send unto us their aunsweres in that behaulf.
[...]
And whereas we have heretofore recommended unto the sayed States Generall Coronell Shinck, and dyverse others (of both whose names & causes ye shall receive particuler information from our Secretary) who, as we ar informed, in steed of favour have received from them, very hard measure whereby they do laye open unto the world their owen ingratitude toward us, to no small touch of our honour, to see us had in a kynd of contempt by those that ar so infinitely bound unto us, as they ar, a matter so publiquely knowen, as yt needeth no debatinge: Our pleasure therefore ys that you shall deale most ernestly with them in movinge them to yeld u[s] better contentement hereafter in this behaulf, then heretofore they have d[one] aswell fol.81vaswell for their owen credit, which receiveth no small blemish, by this unk[ind] maner of dealinge of theirs towardes us, as also for our honour, who may in no sorte endure to suffer such as have been, and ar noted to stand well affected towardes us, so injuriously handled as they ar, especially the parties by us recommended, havinge been men of best deserte, and such of whose service they have moste need, namely Coronell Shinck, beeinge for valure, courag[e] and conduct, (accompanied besides with an extraordinary good fortune) one of the rare men of this our age. And to thend the reparation, that we requyre in this behaulf, may not be delayed, with some aunswere in generall termes: we thinck yt convenient, that you should urge them to yeld their particuler aunswere to such Requestes as have been heretofore recommended by us./
Amongest other thinges fit to be remembred unto them, you shall let them understand, that we hearinge that the States Generall do oft tymes dissolv[e] and that the Cownsell of Estate have their authority so restrayned, as they cannot uppon such extraordinary eventes as fall out in those contreys, full of perill and daunger, and requyre spedy resolution, yeld that tymely remedy that were expedient, Do thinck yt moste convenient (thenemy beeinge so
[C]ontinuance of assem- [b]l[es, or inlargement of authoritie of the Counsel.]
stronge as he ys in the field) that you do advice them in our name to contynew their assemblies, or els to enlarge the authority of the Cowncell of Estate: But before you deale herein we would have yow particulerly enfourme your self both by our servaunt Henry Killegrew, and others of the Cownsell of Estate, that you shall lerne by him to be men of best judgement and best affected to the good of those Contreys, what were fit in parti- cularities to be urged in our name in that behaulf, to thend yow maye proceade therein with the better effect./And whereas we have been given to understand as well by letters from the L. Willoughby unto us, as from our Servaunt Henry Killegrew, that the last Instructions given by the States generall to the Cownsell of Estate,
Reformation of Instructions.
conteyne sondry pointes that ar directly repugnant to the Contract which they have made with us, as ys plainely set downe both by Doctor Clerke and our servant Robert Beale, who have had the view and consideration of them: Our pleasure therefore ys, that yow shall deale with the States moste ernestly for the spedy reformation and redresse thereof in such sorte as the contract passed betweene us and them be not any way abridged or infringed by them./And for that we fynd that by reason of the Licences graunted by th[e] States, and by other meanes underhand used by the Kinge of Spaines ministers, the sayed Kinge and his Armados have heretofore been furnished from thence of greate store, both of Cordage, grayne, and sondry other
Inhibition of trade with certaine como- ditis to the K. Spaine.
provisions, without the which, he had never been able, to set forth to the Sea[s] so huge an Army, and so well stored with all kynd of necessaries, whi[ch] (as since yt hath been proved) he mynded to have employed against this our Realme, had not God of his greate goodnes broken his ambitious desai[gne] fol.82rso as, yf he may nowe be kept from drawenge lyke provisions out of those Contreys, and other Contreys (for the stay whereof we have taken some order) he shall not in many yeres be able to drawe together so greate forces of that strength as those were the last yere: You shall therefore deale moste effectually with the sayed States to inhibite the transportacion of any lyke commodities into Spayne, the same to be ordayned with greate penalties, and with severe punishment against th'offendors, addinge thereto, that yf any such provisions shall be fownd in any shippe either of those Contreys or of any other, that shall come within the power of any of our owen shippes, or into anie of our portes, we will take the same shippes confiscate, as ayders of our open Enemyes.
Later Addition: Unfinished
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