Letter ID: 0911
Reference: BL, MS Cotton Galba D VII f.97r-98v
Citation: DCB/001/HTML/0911/008
Date: 15 March 1590
Note: The text is particularly small and faint. There is a signature 'R' on the base of fol.97r

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fol.98v

Endorsed: Divers Matters to the proposd [[.]] the States General &c.

Addressed: To our verie Loving frend Thomas Bodley [Esq]uier Councellor for her Majestie in the [Cou]ncel of State of the united Provinces of the Lowe Countryes:


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fol.97r

Later Addition: Belgia: 1590: March

Later Addition: 15 March To Master Bodly

After our verie hartie Commendacions: The Queene Majestie fynding it very strange, that to such matters as have bin by yow on her Majesties behalfe often propounded to the States general, she can [receyve] no Resolution or direct answer, and thereby (as by other Courses, by them held towards her highnes) she hath Cause to thinke her self unkindely and ingratefully [acquainted], for her gracious succours and reliefe so liberally graunted unto them, in the tyme of their danger and necessitie, and Chargeably contynued for their preservacion, notwithstanding a very chargeable warre fallen uppon her Majestie and her Realme, onely for adhearing to them: Hath thought it requisite that upon the receipt hereof yow addresse your self unto them, and after the delivery of your lettre of Credence, (which you shall receyve herewith) you declare unto the said States as from her Majestie, how muche she resteth offended with their unkynde maner of dealyng with her in the matters aforesaid, arguing a forgetfulnes of the benefit they have receyved and doo receyve by her Majesties assistance, and of the danger she hath drawen uppon her self and her estate by embracing their defence, wherein you may remember unto them that for their Cause onely, even from the begyning of their troubles, her highnes first entred into dowbtfull termes of Amitie with the Spanish King, and sithence into open hostilitie for not consenting to Condicions of peace offered to her in their respect, to her owne intollerable Charge and burthen of her subjectes: and that in her Majesties Course for their defence, how often she hath bin voluntarilie drawen into great expence of her Threasure and of the blood of her subjectes, extraordinarily and beyond her promyse and Contract yelded, as namely of Sluyce, at Berghen, Ostend and other places, all which by their Ingratitude, remayneth as throwen into the sea, in that her Majestie receyveth not from them somuche as thankes, or in their Actions towards her, any significacion of gratefull acceptance, of her inestimable goodnes and succours geven unto them: but do rather showe a wilfull resolucion to Contend with her Majestie in matters even of their own Contract and Covenant with her highnes. When you shall therefore have delivered thus muche (whiche yow may amplifie in your best discretion) you shall descend into the particularities of her Majesties requestes folowing.

First you shall require them that the 12. Companyes of /hundred/ footmen sent over in liew of 600 horse may be receyved and furthwith established by their publick Act in writing as alowed in place of the said horse from the tyme of their entry into her Majesties pay, or otherwise you may let them knowe that her Majestie upon Notice of their Refusall, or accustomed delay of answer shall have just Cause, presently to Revoke and dissolve the said Companyes. Secondly you shall effectualy urge ther absolute Resolucions to her Majesties other Demaunds formerly made by your self, and abyde no longer delayes from the Councell of State upon pretence of Insufficiencie of authoritie in them or in such of the states general as do reside at the Haghe. And by cause you advertise that the power and authoritie usually graunted to the said Councell of State, is at this present so dimished, as they serve but onely for a shew to geve apparance to maynteyne the Contract, and are in effect but Ciphres: Her Majestie desireth to understand from them directly how far they have extended the aucthorite of the said Councel, that if it shall appere they have not somuche as by the Contract is provided & in sundry articles specially mencioned the States may be required to Reforme the same according fol.97v

Later Addition: Belgia: 1590: March:

to the Contract: for that her Majestie expecteth that somuch shalbe Contynued to the said Councel at the least as there by ought to be alowed: and therefore of in your Jugement upon viewe of the Last Instructions to the said Councell, you shall fynde the power geven, not answerable to all the Articles of the Contract: then shall you in her Majesties name require them to inlarge the same to the uttermost Limit of the said Contract, which her Majesties supposeth they will not refuse, sith by virtue thereof they are bounde thereunto.

Lastly for so much as we are informed that the Commissaries of Musters for the States doo refuse to admitte such absences, as are allowed by her Majestie in the last orders established here and thereupon make stay to Close up their Muster Rolls: we thinke it meete that yo[u requirethe said States to acqueynt her Ma[tie, w[th their liking or mislyking of the said orders, andw[th the reasons, that may induce them specially to mislike of the same, /that/ they may be considered of here, and receyve such needfull alteracion (Yf there be cause) as by her Majestie and us shalbe thought fit: whose severall aunsweres to these and such other proposicions, as you have already delivered unto them from her Majestie, you shall retourne unto us /with/ as convenient speede as may be. And whereas the States general by their lettres written unto us of the last of February doo take exceptions to the apparaill sent over (by her Majesties orders geven) for the Clothing of the soldyours in her pay, pretending the same to be hurtfull to their Townes and Provinces and contrary to the Contract. You may for aunswere to their said lettres let them understand that her Majestie seeth no reason why she should not both apparaill and victuel the Companyes of her owne succours, as not tyed by the Contract to maynteyne them with paying mony only but so they be waged and paid by her Majestie for their defence (whether it be by geving them victuel, apparell, mony, or otherwise) the Contract is not violated. Howbeyt to thend the Townes be not prejudiced where her Majesties forces doo remayne, order shalbe taken that (yf any parte of that apparaill or victuel shall be sold to any others then to the soldiors of her Majesties succours) yt shalbe confiscable: for that her Majestie meaneth not that any person shold make any privat gayne under colour of provision of apparaill or victuel to be employed but onely uppon her owne soldiors. You shall moreover signifie to the States or Councel of State that whereas they have used of Late (as we are informed) to deliver bere and other victuel to the Companyes drawen owt of the fower Garrisons under the Leading of Sir Frances Vere, who notwithstanding do likewise receyve their weekly Imprestes in mony and victuel from her Majestie for their ordinary dyetes: They must have care not to deliver to the said Companyes more then their due pay shall amounte unto, and to that ende you shall acqueynt the States or Councell particularely, howmuch is delivered by her Majestie to every soldior in victuell and mony weekly, which you may understand by Sir Thomas Sherleys Deputies, that if upon occasion they shall think fit at any tyme to make them any allowance of victuel they geve knowledge thereof to the Threasuror or his Deputies that it may be defalked uppon fol.98r

Later Addition: Belgia: 1590 March:

uppon their weekely lendinges having the rest of their full pay in apparaill and Armes.

And to Conclude the States do also Complayne that at the Bryell all such shippes and vessels, as do passe in and out the Ryver of Mose, nere to the fortes, are by the Gouvernor (as they alleage) constrayned to cast ancker and to stay one Tyde to the hindranc[e] of their Trade: wherupon we having caused the Gouvernor remayning here, to shew upon what respectes the same is don, dooth answer that it hath bin with out his privitie and allowance, at one tyme onely practised by a servant of the water bailiefe there, to whome we have geven order to stay that Innovation, wherewith you may acqueynt the said States in answer of their lettres, and may send for the servaunte of the said waterbailiefe or such other as is or hath bin aucthor of the said Innovacion, to come unto you to the Haghe, and may signifye unto him our expresse Comaundement that he forbeare the same And so referring the well handeling and ordering hereof to your good discretion: we byd you hartely farewell. From the Court at Greenewich the xvth of March 1589 Your verie Loving frends. [John] Cant Christopher Hatton: Cancellor William Burghley Hunnsdon Buckhurst Francis Knollys James Croft Thomas Heneage Francis Walsingham John Perrot [James Croft] Fortescue


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