Reference: BL, MS Cotton Galba D VII f.172r-v
Citation: DCB/001/HTML/0931/008
Date: 30 May 1590
Note:
Copy of: 0244
addressleaf
fol.170vEndorsed: Unto my L. Treasuror May 31. 90.
lettertext
fol.170r
Later Addition: [Bel]gia 1590 31 May To my L. Treasuror
It may please your L. to bee advertised that your L. letter of the 23 of this moneth was brought unto mee upon the sealing of my former, the contents whereof I will imparte to the states as your L. hath required. the stay of my L of Buckhurst coming hither wilbe heavy newes to the most of these countryes: & for myne owne parte though there can no service of her Majestie be unpleasant unto mee, yet unles this goverment may be somewhat reformed, I shall finde my service in this place very werisome & comfortles. The very presence of a parson of nobility, espetially of him whome they desired so much had prevailed greatly with the people of this contrey of not throuly to redresse whatsoever is amisse yet to reduce yt for a time to a tollerable state, which I am now out of hope to see effected by any. Astouching Monsieur St Aldegond I am fully parswaded that hee had no comission in any thing from the general states: at his going into Fraunce, but was onely sent thether by the states of Zeland. For hee had no sooner found out the cipher & declared the contents to the states of Zeland, both they resolved presently to send both him & the lettres to the King, which was all concluded there without the privity heer either of the states or of the Councell whereatt they declared by lettres to be much offended; yt was mervailed at by some that a man of his qualitie & employments, would make such an errand, for which a lettre might have served / But yt was considred again that his poverty, which is thought to bee great & the small reputation that hee lived /in/ heer would cause him to accept of any thing that might purchase unto him either gaine or grace. And as concerning the motion that he made to the K. I am wholy of beleef that he was not authorized unto yt by the generall states or the States of Zeland, nor that yt came of him self but I am rather parsuded that since his departure he hath bin written unto by Co. Maurice & Barnevelt, with certaine their adherents, who make no dout but if the K. would embrace that offer they would afterwardes find the meanes, that the generality of these provinces should Confirme yt willingly. I have often advertized & yt hath bin most apparant by their careles courses held with her Majesty that they were busied in secret about framing the modle of some new kind of building. And whether yt hath not bin a principall occasion that the autority of the Councell heere could never bee established, to the end a few among them selves might have the managing of these affaires without empechment, I leave to your L. to consider. To signifye my conjecture, the time when Monsieur st Aldegond was made an instrument of this offer was at the arrivall in Fraunce of Justinus, Co. Maurice last brother who was sent expressly to the K. from Co. Maurice, before the beginning but as yt was secretly then spoken, yt was chiefly to make an absolute offer of the soverainety of these contreyes, to the K. with condition that Co. Maurice might hold yt from him by waie of hommage. This was then the speech among many, but because I wanted very good authors, I knowe not how to credyt yt, thinking that for the soverainety of the Contrey, they would not be so simple as to move the K. so soone unto yt & so directly against her Majestie But yt should seem they would not lett slypp the opportunity of St Aldegonds being there, of whose particular affection that waie they were well parswaded, and parhaps knewe beside that his private state had such need as with promises & rewardes, they might use him to any thing, And thus much for parte of answear to your Lo. letter hoping in my next having dealt with the States & the Councell to give her Majesty some farder satisfaction. May 30. 90.href="http://www.livesandletters.ac.uk/cell/Bodley/transcript.php?fname=xml//1590//DCB_0931.xml"