Letter ID: 1351
Reference: BL, Harleian 287 fol. 129r-130v
Citation: DCB/001/HTML/1351/008
Date: 22 April 1589
Copy of: 0818

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fol.130v

Endorsed: Copie of my letter to my L. Treasurer April 22. 89.


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fol.129r

Later Addition: Belgia 1589 22 April To my L. Treasurer

It may please your L. by this bearer Capten Hale I receaved 2 daies past, two letters from hir Majestie one to the garrison of Gertrudenbergh & an other to my self, both bearing date the 12 of this moneth, Likewise 2 from your L. one of the 13 of this present sent by the same bearer & an other of the 28 marche with a copie of the answers to Master Ortels requests, which he saith he received by the waie, of Capten Rigges, Captayne, as I think of the Achates, whom I knowe not whether I may justly blame, for deteyning yt so long, but for ought I can proceave by Inquirie, the greatest cause of the slack deliverie aswell of that as of a former from hir Majestie about the time of the siege wilbe found to rest in some of those sea Captaines who, as I am enformed, wayte with such diligence for the convoyeng of Marchantes, as they let slip th'opportunity of winde & wether for the publick service, which I am urged the more to complayne of, for that I stand in a manner assured, had hir Majesties lettres have bin delivered in tyme at the firste I might have bin able to have diverted this course that hath bin taken, But the opportunity being lost, I have the lesse to aunswer to those lettres. Having signified in my former to your L. & in my Laste to Master Secretary by reasone of the dolefull cause of your absence, how all things heere have passed. There ys an aunswer framed by the states generall to hir Majesties lettre unto them, about the levieng of the siege. wher to thei have annexed the placcart translated into Frenche, But the letter being over bitter & much in substance like to the placcart, yt is thought yt will either be otherwyse endyted, or suppressed altogether, & then theyr aunswere shalbe made by such commisioners as thei send. For the extremity of daunger wherunto they see these Provinces brought, by the losse of Gertrudenberghe, & the feare of hir Majesties displeasure for publishing the placcart hath caused them to hasten the dispatche of theyr comissioners to hir Majestie. The parties apointed ar Monsieur Valcke & Monsieur Loozen, both of the counsell of State, & Monsieur Egmond, otherwise Monsieur de Kenningbourgh a deputie of the states generall. My opinion of the parties I nede not signifie, your L. having espetiall good meanes to be parfectly informed. The tyme of theyr departure ys appointed, yf it hold, about 7 daies hence, I do not doubt but in respect of the great necessity in which these provinces stand & of the hard measure they have offered hir Majestye of late being otherwise, the counsellors in espetiall men of good indifference & discrecion, thei will condiscend to establishe some better course in proceeding with hir Majestye & /hir/ ministers. For I assure your L. hethertoo I have found the generallity heere possessed wth such an extraordinary & immoderate humor of diffidence & jelousye, as yt is not possible there should be good correspondence between us. unles they deale more sincerly. My Indevour shalbe to get the Knowledge of theyr particular Instrcutions, which for ought I can parceave ar not yet agreed upon. This daye I have moved the states generall to appoint committes about the Liquidation of these acchountes & demaundes wherto my L. Bourgh my self & Master Gilpin ar deputed for hir Majestye wherupon they have promised to nominate certayne persons & to provide agaynst the daye, to witt the 20 of Maye which I have Let my L Bourgh understand, attending those Instructions & directions which your L. doth promis, having nothing heere as yet, but Master Hurlstones acchountes & no memoryalls at all from Master Kelligrew or any other. The Enemy which was thought to make towards Hoesden is retyred to Langstrate: wherin his purpose is not knowen wth us. but we Looke every houre to heer of some attempt ether upon Tergoes, Bommel, or Utrecht & Hoesden yt is thought he will endevour to block up. What should ayle him to lye so still, men Imagin diverslie fol.129v
some give yt out, that he mindeth towardes Fraunce, but most men say, that he attendeth some certaintye of Sir John Norris departure. The disorders that ar Lately growen between the Governor & Captaynes of Berghen up Zoome, & among the officers & souldiers ar so many & so daungerous, as yt doth disquiet the Consell of State very muche, for which they have requested Monsieur Valke & me to go thether & to travaile what we can to reforme the abuses, untell such tyme as by the stablishement of a better gouverment heere, & by hir Majestyes commandement it may be don more effectually, at the Commissioners retourne. Having nothing els to signifie of any Publick occurrence, I cannot end without yeelding humble thanks to your Honor L. for your favourable acceptance of my service, & for yoour honorable & kynde encouragement, which I cannot chuse but observe in sondrye censures & pointes of yoour L. particulares & carefull aunswers to my lettres & writings. for which, & for divers tokens heertofore of your speciall affection towardes me I had never yet the opportunity to shew my gratefull acknowledgement. being alwaies don in a moste honnorable kynde, when I was not present, & to the bettering of my credit, but uppon this occasion I confes my self infinitely bound unto you for yt, & will endevour to declare my thankfullnes with all kynde of service & duty to my uttermost abilitye. For that I had begon to direct my advertisements of these latte proceedings in this place to your L. & because I cannot yet understand of Master Secretaries retourne to the Court I trust this continuaunce of my troublesome writing will stand with your liking & so I take my humble Leave. From the Hage 22 April 89

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