Reference: BL, MS Cotton Galba D IV f.178r-179v
Citation: DCB/001/HTML/0821/008
Date: 29 April 1589
Copies: 0820
addressleaf
Addressed: To the right honorable my singular good Lord, the L. Burghley, Lord highe Treasuror of England.
Endorsed: Martyn be nevew of Ipre]
Endorsed: 29 April 1589
Endorsed: Master Bodeley to my L./. The [.] of 3 Cornetts of Horse of Hoesden by the Enemij. Beecke taken by the Enemij. 6 Marchants shippes taken by the Plate. Desireth to have sent to him a Copie of the States Commission and Propositions, when the same shall be exhibited by them. The dislike of Ortels proposition for withdrawing the Generalls, & to have mony allowed. They pretend to be [.] within thes 4 yeres of 300000li They like not of 2 foote for one horse.
lettertext
Later Addition: Belgia April 29. 1589
It may please your L since the writing of my last, three Cornets of horse going out of Hoesden to cutte of a Convoy of the Ennemie, folowed their prey so farre, as in their retrait, the Ennemie, being strong of 400 horse, and 500 footemen, sett uppon them in a streat passage, and killed a great part, taking almost all the rest prisoners. In this exploit the first onsett was given by Neus the chief mutiner of Getrudenbergh. one of the Cornets belon- ged to Count Maurice, an other to Villiers, and the third to Kintzky, being accounted the three best that we had. And there are left in these Provinces scarce twice so many horses besides. Their adventure is generally condemned, considering the strength of the Ennemie in every corner of those quarters, and the want of footmen of our part, or as- surance of any retrait. Hoesden is very muche weak- ned by it, having in it at this present but 600 men, wheras 1600 are thought with the fewest for defence of the towne. Wheruppon it is feared, that he will thither out of hand: having lately brought to Langhestrate great stoare of artillerie. Moreover the dikes about Hemerts weert, are so dried up in divers places, as they are thought to be passable: whereby that place will falle to the Ennemie, and Bommel in great daunger, for that the people of that Ilande are more then half discontented already. Also the Ennemie hath taken of late the Beecke,and put all within the fort to the sworde, some 14 persons ex- cepted. It is thought theruppon that Berch and Blien- blecke, are unable to withstand any force. Certain boates of Rossendale and Steenberghen have taken, of this contrey, six marchantes shippes, by the Plate, whiche is in the passage between Holland and Zeland. The Duke causeth, bothe in those two places, and at Ger- trudenbergh a great number of bigge boates to be made, with whiche it is feared he will so fill all that passage, as hardly any shippe shall passe without a char- geable Convoy: which doutles will putte this people in a great discontentment, for want of their usuall traffique. Heere is order taken for renforcing of all their garrisons, and for the levieng of 15 companies more, but thei knowe not where to finde souldiers, al men being weary of their harde intertenment: in so muche as certaine that were raised of late at Dordrecht, refused openly to take othe to the states, but only to Count Maurice, and the towne of Dordrecht. fol.178vThe states are busied at this present, in setting downe Instructions for their Deputies, which they send to her Majestie. Howbeit they doe keepe them so secret to themselves, as I can not by any meanes learne what they are. But in pri- vat conference, whiche I have had of late with Monsieur Valcke, I might perceave that the autoritie of her Majesties generall, wilbe a speciall point of their charge: and it shold semme by his speeches, that they will resolve to yelde to [.] as muche autoritie unto him, as her Highnes will demande. Wheruppon I told him, that it was demaunded already, in that declaration whiche I presented to the Generall states, uppon their newe Instructions to the Councell of state: whiche did manifestly notifie the generals autoritie. Against those Instructions of the states, there hath no man heere at any man time bin more earnest, then Master Valcke himself. And though both he and Loozen, and many others are of themselves very indifferent, and dislike altogether of the course that is taken in many thinges heere, yet they will not dare to passe that Commission, that they shall re- ceave, whiche for ought I can perceave is not like to be so ample, as is requisit. If your L. uppon the presen- tacion of it, and of all their propositions, shalle thinke good to send hither a copie of them, I will returne a present answear: and somwhat perhaps wilbe signi- fied, wherof your L. may desire to be informed. I might conjecture by Valcke, that /they/ are rather desirous to have a Generall heere for her Majestie then otherwise: be- cause they are persuaded, they shall never otherwise be able to keepe her Majesties people in any good discipline: as I see many tokens for mine owne part, to thinke them in a right opinion. Ortels motion for an allowance to be made in mony, in lieu of her Majesties forces, seemed by his talke to be disliked of heere: for that they never willed him from hens to proceede to that offer, nether do I judge that they will harcken unto it, esteeming the very name and countenance of her Majesties protection as great a benefit as the assistance it self. It appeared also by him, that they will send two marchants to ac- compagny their deputies, and to deale in the mater of traffique: wherein he affirmed, that they can make ac- count of more then three hundred thousand poundes sterling that they are the worse by England within these fower yeres. I doe not thinke, I told him, that they can make that reckning good: but I thought it would be easie for her fol.179v
Majestie to make evident demonstracion, that the furnishing of the Ennemie, out of these contreis, with munition and other necessaries, hath bin an occasion to her Highnes of spending twice as muche as that summe, and the principall occasion of the prolongation of these warres. Moreover wheras the Treaty doth binde her Majestie to a 1000 horse, it should not seeme by his speeches, that they will accept of 2 footmen for one horseman, albeit I doe thinke, they will make some other offer: as to have a certaine number of horse, to be sent from her Majestie and allowance for the rest in mony. Of the time of the Deputies departure, heere is no certaintie [In margin: 4 Maij ]
knowen, but I doe conjecture it will be six daies hens. Sir Martin Schincke is come hither, and desireth contentacion for his former services, and likewise licence to depart for Fraunce, or some other place, where souldiers are better accounted of, finding nothing heere, as he hath told them openly, but dissention among themselves, and hard usage towardes those that doe them service. I can not understand whether he meane good earnest, or otherwise, but I doe rather thinke, that knowing their want is great both of souldiers and leaders, and the ennemie ready in many places to come uppon them, he doth but take the advantage of this present opportunitie, to make a better end for himself in all his causes, as likewise to compasse the office of Mare- shall villers, wherof he seemeth desirous, and there is good likelihood that he shall obtene it, although the Count of Solmes be his Competitor. Monsieur Caron is at Utrecht, soliciting the release of Deventer. Having nothing els at this present, I take my humble leave. From the Hage. April 29 / 89. Your L. most humbly bounden Tho. Bodley.
href="http://www.livesandletters.ac.uk/cell/Bodley/transcript.php?fname=xml//1589//DCB_0821.xml"