Reference: BL, Harleian 287 fol.131r-132v
Citation: DCB/001/HTML/1352/008
Date: 11 May 1589
Copy of: 0829
addressleaf
fol.132vEndorsed: Copie of my lettre to Master Secretary May 11 1589
lettertext
fol.131r
Later Addition: Belgia 1589 xi May To Master Secretary
Yt may please your H. to advvertise hir Majesty, that the 8th of this moneth I Rxd hir highnes letter of the 26 of April & the rest in your pacquet, at the very same instant as Master Loozen & Master Valck were departing for England. And for that I was newly recovered of a dangerous dissentery, but not in so good plight that I durst adventure to go to the generall States my self, I acquainted Master Loozen & Master Valck with hir Majesties intention for sending somebody hether which I requested them in my behalf to impart unto the States, to whome there was aunswere made that they desyred nothing more, then the coming of some such parson, & would resolve to aunswere me furder, when I could come unto them my self, or should otherwise by writing, deliver hir Majesties pleasure unto them. whereuppon at theyr next meeting I sent the declaracion heerinclosed in writing, & this day I Rxd theyr aunswer which I have also sent yow. Her Majesties lettres to the Townes I thought very requisit to suppresse for divers considerations, & uppon conference with parsons of good understanding, espetially for that I do not fynde any inclinacion in any towne, to disunite them selves from the rest: as also for that I know these Townes will think yt straunge that either to mee or to any that I should send, they should signifye the state wherein they stand, & the places adjoining. besydes that the generall States, will greatly stomack this dealing by lettres with particular Townes, unles th'occasyons were other. & likewise other places, that ar not written unto will quickly enter into wrong conceites & imaginacions whereto this people are infinitely subject. In such cases where hir Majesty shalbe pleased to wryte to any Province, towne or otherwise, I shall not be able to do her service to better effect & with better correspondence to the present state of these affayres, then by letters of credence. It hath please hir Hyghnes notwthstanding these dishonourable & unworthy courses that have bin taken by the states rather to passe over with silence the wronges that they have offered, then to attend the daunger that both hir self & they mighte fall into by furder contestation. For myne owne parte I am very much comforted uppon the resolucion for that I know hir Majesties honor ys neyther bettered nor impared by meanes of their accions. Nevertheles, yf uppon the like occasyons heerafter yt might seem expedient, I would deysre to understand by some litell Intimation aforehand of hir Majesties secret intention, for so I might oftentymes direct my negotiation to a great deal better purpose for all eventes. The aunswering of the placcard I did think in my last to your H. to be very requesyt, espetially being done by my L. effectually & in a temperat kynde. For doubtles such pamphletes prevayle very much wth this people. I did well hope that the printed coppies would have bin called yn, but I see them now in every mans hand. And my L. apology is greatly expected, many suspending their judgementes till they heare what he can saye. For surely the wysest of them heer will hardly conceave so far as to think that /yf/ a man of his quality were charged so unjustly, he would put yt up quietly wthout any aunswer. and besides yt will ingender a greater jealousy & distrust in this people againste the english nation. who ar already growen into as great a fol.131vdisgrace among them as ever were the Frenche. For they ar come to that passe that whatsoever ys complayned of against us, be yt never so absurd or unlikely they both beleeve yt wthout furder enquiry & proceed to consultation upon yt wth such heat & passyon, as I never see them go to yt wth so good a will agaynst the Enemy. It may be feared parhaps, that the writing of condradictory bookes will but exasperate theyr humors the more & occasyon greater disunion, whereof for myne owne parte I have no doubt in the world. Upon occasyon of this last lettre of Hir Majesty unto me. Barnevelt came to visit me, of whose speeches to make your H. partaker it would be too tedyous. but I was rounder wth him then ever before & he giveth me greater hope by his protestations of altering his diffident & froward course of proceeding wth hir Majesty. The deputyes for England departed from hence 3 dayes synce but I think they will make 3 or 4 dayes stay in Zeland. The generall State of these provinces groweth every day weaker. for the drumme goeth in sondry places & hardly a souldier can be gotten. the Ennemy is before Blienbeeck with the cannon, And Berche hath sent hither, to know whether they shall abandon the Towne & salve the artillery, for that they live upon theyr magazine & see no meanes to be revictualled. Moreover the Ennemy hathe taken a fort by Hemmert & endevoreth to empale the 2 rivers of the Wael & Maese which wilbe the losse of half a score townes together yf he speede of his purpose, & a notable hindrance to the chiefest traffique of Dort & all the Townes adjoyning. The counsell heer hath resolved to reside at Utrecht for a tyme, supposying that theyr presenve wilbe a great comfort & a strength to the contrey for many respectes. Howbeyt yt is likely my L. of Buckhurstes comyng will alter theyr purpose. As I have signified in some former lettres to your H. & my L. Treasorer the dissentyon between the governor & Capten of Berghen, & other great abuses among them doth give great occasyon of offence to this people. And though thinges do not stand by many degrees in so bad termes, as they will nedes be swaded yet it is hye tyme they should be reduced to some better disciplyne, in which respect they have entreated me earnestly, assone as possibly I shalbe able to go thether. With such other comissioners as they will appoint, which I hope to do within these 5 dayes. I have put my L. of Buckhurst in mynde of two principall pointes in which yt wilbe necessary to have the decisyon of some learned Civilians. for that otherwise he shall fynd them heer very obstinate & stiffe in mayntayning prejudiciall matter unto us. It may please your H. to read & yf ye think good to cause the lettre to be sealed & delivered, & so I take my humble leave. Hage. May 11. 89.
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