Reference: TNA, PC 2/16/76
Citation: DCB/001/HTML/0567/008
Date: 19 June 1589
Note: No address leaf. Privy Council copy of sent letter.
Copy of: 0195
lettertext
fol.76
Endorsed: To master Thomas Bodley.
[In margin: 19 Junij 1589 L. Chauncellor. L. Thresurer. L. Admirall. L. Chamberlaine L.Cobham L. Buckhurst master Secretarie Walsingham master Thresurer. master Comptroller. master vicechamberlaine]After our hartie Commendacions: Her Majestie findinge by the Commissioners latelie sen[t] over from the States generall that the purpose they Came for did in noe sorte answ[er] her expectacion, the same tendinge onlie to require redresse of Certaine pretend deprecadaciones and the decaied bandes aswell horsmen as footemen servinge those Countries in her Majestieses paie, and that they had noe particular Charge Charge to deale in anie other matters of weighte either Concerning the disorder of the said Countries, and how the same mighte be reformed or the explayning the doubtes or reforming the deffectes of the Contracte, hath thoughte meete that the said states should be moved to take some Cor[se] for the parformaunce therof. And for that purpose her Majestie hath Caused us to sett downe; such generall heades, (which we now send you) as we thoughte fitt to be Conselted on for thadvauncement of her service and for the good and benefitt of those United Provinces which her Majestieses pleasure is you shall acquainte the said States withall and shall move them to give more ample Commission to their said deputies here; or els yf they shall so thinke good to send some other to joyne with them in Commission to treate and Conclude of such necessarie matters as are in generallitie Comprehen ded in the said heades or that shall proparlie depend upon the same or anie other matter that may anie way Concerne the good of both Contries
And to thend the said Commission at the tyme of their repaire hether may not pretend to wante sufficient Commission to descend, or to treate and Conclude upon anie particulars more than they shall Conceave to be manifestlie expressed or Comprehended in the generall heades. It hath bene thoughte verie expedient that manie particuler poyntes fitt to be Considered as should be sett downe by us (which we also send you herewith) And her Highnes pleasure is that the same shalbe as of your selfe and in Private, to some such as you knowe to stand best affected to the good of those Countries, and are also of Credit amongst them, Communicated and propounded in such sorte as when the Commission and Instruccions shalbe drawn they may have their aurthori[tie] so fare further enlarged, as the treatie may not be drawen unto anie unnecessary length upon pretence of lack of aurthoritie
Moreover wheras soundrie of the Captaines of that Countrie birth who have served in soundrie sortes the Countrie there of longe tyme to their greate charges, are latelie repaired into th their Realme, who Complaine of a verie hard Coarse, which as they suggest, undeservedlie hath bene held against them by the States and for whom and in whose behalfe her Majestie hath heretofore; but all to none or small effectes made soundrie mediations to them, a thing well known to your selfe for that your service hath bene used therin, and to the furtherance of their reasonable suites, we have therefore now upon communicacon with their Deputies presented to them their greifes in writinge and have required them to Consider of their Causes, so as the rather by her Majesties mediation, they may be releived so farr forth as both their Credit y[.] may be repaied and also in regard of their good services formerlie donne to their Countrie may be restored to such place of creditt and service, as their severall former desertes doe meritt, fol.77r
For the more effectuall proceeding therein: Her Hyghnes pleasure is, you should lett them understand that she taketh yt not well at their handes that her said mediacions have bene hetherto so slenderlie regarded being parswaded that in respecte of her manifold honorable favors shewed them, in Case she had required a farr greater matter of them her motion should not have bene so slightlie esteamed, and therefore doth looke that at this tyme without further gaynsayng or Delay, her mediation for them shall take such place[.] as thereby she may be occasioned, to Continewe them in that good opinion, which they desure, and shalbe most behoofull for them And so much the rather for that their hard Course wherin they hold on against the said Captaines are not onlie verie hardlie thoughte of by all such as vallewe the desertes of honest and valiaunte servitors with such due regarde of honor and recompence as to martiall men apparteyneth; but also breedeth an alienacion, (as her Majestie is enformed) in the most parte of all those, that are nowe imployed in the service, forseeinge by the example of theise gentlemen upon how slighte groundes, and pretentions of small momente their good services may be blemished and that honorable recompence lost, which is and falleth out most due for the hazard of their lives and parsons: A tast wherof they have latelie seene in the newe levies they would have made; which were impeached and made frustrate by an unwillingnes and indisposition generallie they found in men to be employed under them, And therefore the Case of theise Captaines oughte with greate Circumspeccion to be Considered of.
Lastlie for that the L: willoughbie her Majestieses generall doth justlie finde himselfe agreved with that charge that hath bene in soundrie poyntes most falslye (as he avoweth) and dishonorablie laid upon him in their late Placard published Concerning the givinge of Ger trudenberghe and requiring of the Commissionres heere the groundes wheru pon the states founded them selves in publishinge of those slaunde rous Charges, nothing as yet Can or wilbe delivered that may in the least sorte justifie that their accion: And for that you had hertofore from us dyreccon to presse the states to deliver in writinge the particuler proofes of those generall accusacions, which are by your lettres of the xxviijth of the last moneth of may yt appereth you Could not then effecte by reason of your then absence, at Burghen up Zome. We have therfore thoughte good att this presente to renewe that charge unto you, and to require you according to your former direccion, with all diligence to procure from them in writing such particuler proofes as they have or can annie way pretende to have of theise their said accusacions which by returne of your next we expecte of you. And so &c.
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