Reference: BL, MS Cotton Galba D VIII f.44r-45v
Citation: DCB/001/HTML/0994/008
Date: 27 January 1591
Note:
Copy of: 0288
lettertext
fol.44r
Later Addition: [[Belgia]] 1591 stilo Romano 27 January to Master Bodly
Later Addition: Belgia: 1591: January
Sir your latest lettere be of the xiijth and xvjth of this moneth, [other] of the xiijth weare to recommend a request of the States for the increase of hir Majesties Bandes of horsemen being foure Cornettes for vij mo- nethes, for which purpose the deputies heare of the States have presented a letter to hir Majestie from the Counsell of Estate, whearein I finde hir Majestie for manie respectes not to be hastie to awnsweare. The former letter of the xiijth conteined sondrie matters which I have communicated unto hir Majestie, whereof at this present I have noe leisure to make perticular recitall for the occasion of my writinge nowe at this present is a matter that requireth great hast to be expedited, and with great discretion to be ordered by yowe, wher of I doe lesse doubt to be well used by yowe, by the experience I have of your Actions, than percase will be delivered by mee in writinge, because I am forced to use summ hast./I dowbt not but Sir John Norris hath communicated unto yowe his Communication and Instructions whose principall Charge thither was to withdrawe if he cowld 3000 men of the Auxiliarie Cumpanies to be carried into Britaigne: and for that it was dowbted that the States would not consent theareunto, in one part of his Instruccions he was directed that in such a Case of refusall he should cawse the Capteines to pretend to Casse theire Bandes, and thowgh theie showld not remaine in paie anie longer, and yet to direct the soldiers to cumm to Berghen or to Flusshinge, wheare theie showld be reteined into paie withowt losse, or if that meane showld not be thowght convenient betwixt him and the Capteines, whose advise he showld use thearein, than he showld use devise summ other good meanes to bringe the same to passe according to his discretion, whearebie to cumm to be shipped into England. Uppon the point of his Instruccions hir Majestie hath entred into Consideracion, dowbtinge howe the same shall be executed withowt summ disagrement, either betwixt the Capteines and Sir John Noris, or betwixt the Soldiers & Sir John Norris: and summ cawse hir Majestie hath to conceive dowbt hearein bicawse hir Majestie calleth to remembrance summ unkindnes that hath hearetofore been betwene Sir John Norris and summ of the principall Capteines theare, and the same by sharpe wordes of reproches & Compa- resons, and by summ offers of blowes was of late time heare in England attempted betwixt him and his brother, and summ of the Capteines that nowe be theare, of whome hir Majestie hath verie good reputacion.
And nowe therefore hir Majestie hath some dowbt howe this part above mentioned in his Instruccions will be quietlie executed: and summ further dowbt hir Majestie hath also that summ of the said Capteines for such former unkindnes or for dowbt of summ hard usage of them by Sir fol.44v
Later Addition: Belgia: 1591: January
John Norris if theie shall serve under him, that sum of them will repine and refuse to cumm with their Bandes in this service, and in that case also their Bandes will be unwillinge to cum, wheareof hir Majestie thinketh theare will ensewe sum inconvenience, and that which hir Majestie would most of all mislike an open knowledge to the Ennemie to see such a dissention betwixt hir good serviteurs and soldiers, and for remedie heareof hir Majestie hath had divers advises propounded, as in sum part to have Sir John Norris revoked and to have charge heare of newe nombers, that should be levied in the Realm for this Journeie of Britaigne, and the charge of such nombers as maie be given theare to be committed to Sir Francis Veere , with whome it hath been thowght here, that sondrie of the principall Capteines theire and theare Bandes, woulde be more willinglie conducted, than by Sir John Norris, bicawse of the former unkindenes and disorders: But yet hir Majestie not soe well liking of this advise hath thowght it better to have the inconvenience salved, by this meanes following. Hir Majestie consideringe that yowe are theare hir Counsel and in Creditt by your owne desert, and also takinge yowe to be indiffe- rentlie affected towardes Sir John Norris and the rest of the Capteines, ar at the least yowe will soe be in respect of hir Majesties service, and the honnor of hir Nation: hir pleasure is that yowe shall doe all the good offices yowe can to procure that this service committed to Sir John Norris might be performed with quietnes and good Accord betwixt him and the Capteines, and spetiallie withowt anie owtward showe of discord and if yowe shall finde in either of the sides anie wilfulnes to yeld to reasona- ble order for hir Majesties service, yowe shall privatlie use hir Majesties name (for so yt is hir pleasure) to Charge them uppon paine of hir indignation not for anie respect of former unkindnes or discord to refuse to doe that which in reason on both partes owght to be done, aswell on the part of Sir John Norris in forbearinge from all hard usage of anie of the Capteines in worde or deade, or for exercisinge his Aucthoritie over anie of them to expresse his displeasure: And for the other part for anie of the Capteines wilfullie to refuse to cum into this service, or to disswade or discowrage their soldiers from the same, which if yowe shall finde (notwithstanding your advise and Commaundment) so to proceade, as by the refusall of the Capteines, and mislike of the soldiers this service cannot take effect withowt open dissencion, than yowe shall (after yowe have done the best yowe can with the Capteines to winne them to Conformitie, and that yowe shall see that the former unkindnes and dissencion hath been [such] as the Capteines will not in anie wise be perswaded to cumm und[er] Sir John Norris gouvernment) open your Conceipt to Sir John [Norris] fol.45rLater Addition: Belgia: 1591: January
and advise him hearein to forbeare from all extreame Corses to the offence of the Capteines: and require him in hir Majesties name to force noe more of thes Capteines by the aucthoritie which he hath to cumm from thence, but onelie to bringe such as he and yowe by good perswasions shall induce to this service, leavinge the rest that will not be perswaded to abide theare, untill hir Majestie shall be informed by yowe of theire behaviour in refusinge, and of the Cawses thereof, soe as hir Majestie maie determine heareafter of their Continuance or removinge./I doe knowe yowe can use manie good reasons, and have the helpe of sum other of hir Majesties serviteurs theare to aide yowe in this your Nego- tiacion for good Concord betwixt Sir John Norris and the Capteines. And thowgh summ of the Capteines will alledge that Sir John Norris and his Bretheren also have sowght greatlie to disgrace them, and that their dowbt of the Continuance of him in stomack underhand to execute his displeasure wheare he shall have Pale and gouvernment, yet yowe maie saie to them that thearein hir Majestie will have such regard to overule him, as he shall not dare to attempt anie poinct of displeasure to anie of them in the time of their service, but will rather thinke yt to be in hir power to Commaund him to use them as thowgh their never never had been anie such displeasure, or otherwise she will appoint som other person of greater callinge to be head of them both. And soe theare hath been manie examples, wheare great noble men and Capteines that have been privatelie at great discord in their Cuntries, and yet when theie had been communded by theire superiors to cumm to place of service theie have honorablie vowed to suspend all privat displeasures, and to joine together in service of their Prince withowt murmure or grudge, or anie slacknes to the best of theire power. And I thinke if otherwise thes parties will not forsake all unkindnes, and becom frendes as theie owght to be, yet this notion to followe thes Examples of greater men than anie of thes be, owght to move them to assent to the same, which if it shall not prevaile with them, than yowe shall direct Sir John Norris to bringe over with him as manie, as with goodwill and perswasions, will be induced thereto./
Hir Majestie would also have it well Considered that if the better sort of the Capteines, with the best Bandes of soldiers should staie, wheareby Sir John Norris showld be forced to bringe other Bandes, in that Case yowe showld advise him not to bring anie weake or unhable fol.45v
soldiers, but rather to leave them, and to charge them with better to be taken owt of Berghen, or else to bringe fewer, for he knoweth howe necessary it is to have valliant soldiers for this service./ Hir Majestie having allowed of this my writing in hir name and having my L. Admirall present with hir at the same time, willed him to joine his hand with mine, which his L. doth, And soe wisshing to heare summ speedie awnsweare heareunto, I Commend yowe to Almightie God./ From the Strand this xxijth of Januarie. 1590. Your vearie Loving frend William Burghley Christopher Howard
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