Reference: BL, MS Cotton Galba D VIII f.140r-141v
Citation: DCB/001/HTML/1035/008
Date: 12 May 1591
Note: The document is badly damaged by water.
lettertext
fol.140r
Later Addition: Belgia 1591 May 12
Later Addition: Belgia: 1591: May
Sir Yowe shall receive at this time a letter from hir Majestie to the Counsell of Estate in awnsweare to certaine of their letters written in the ende of the last moneth, for awnsweare to hir former letters whereof yowe weare acquainted in reproving of them for their negligence concerning the defence of the towne of Ostend, of which hir Majesties letters nowe sent, yowe shall recieve hearewith a Copie, wherebie yowe maie understand hir Majesties pleisure for your proceeding in maintenaunce of hir former letters and disproving of their awnsweares as not sufficient, and soe to continue in declaring of hir Majesties misliking expressed in hir former letters: And nowe at this time yowe shall perceave that hir Majestie hath great cawses to increase hir Complaint & offence for their wilfull permission of their people in sondrie their portes, both in Holland and Zeland to use an open [.] not onelie of all kinde of merchaundise, even as thowgh there weare noe Enmitie betwixt their Cuntries and Spaigne, but also [.] conveiaunce and provisions of all kinde of municonns for the warre, and namelie of powder and Cordage carried into the partes of Biskaie and Gallicia, and part into Cales, and other Sowth partes in such sort as if the Kinges Navie in Gallicia and Biskaie had not been nowe this last yeare, and this Springe, furnished therwith theie had not been hable to have comen to the se[.] [.] nor to have comen into Britaigne, as theie have done [.] also theie are nowe releved vearie late by shippes [.] Cuntries that have browght the like provision [.] wheareof the P. Donles, being the Frenche [.] theare in Britaigne, hath made [.] to hir Majestie pretending that [.] the low Cuntries might and owght [.] even nowe within [.] informed hir Majestie of [.] St Malloes and [Nantes] [.] fol.140vLater Addition: Belgia: 1591. May
[Munez], whoe sent three shippes from Middelborowgh, of which man, [ses] the being made heare what he showld be, will heare that he is dead abowt the beginning of this moneth: and this man had used this trade as it is informed from St Malloes a longe time. The Ambassador also informeth us of a great nomber of shippes above xxty that weare laden with Corne, and with sum quantetie of powder, which shippes comming thorowgh the Narrowe Seas, weare reported that theare voiadge was part to Caen, and part to Diepe, and so also theie weare wasted with certaine men of Holland under such pretence, but in vearie trewthe theie all went into Neuhaven, and so to Roan, wheare before theare arrival, Corne was at soe hie a price and soe scant, as the vulgar people began to have mutined, and readie to have opposed them selves against the Garrison. This and such like frawdes and abuses doe soe greatlie offend hir Majestie as she thinketh she hath Cawse to repent hir self, (and of that minde are all hir Counsell) that ever she tooke the defence of thos Cuntries against the K. of Spaigne, considering she seeth that the great maintenance of his Armie this manie yeares in thos Lowe Cuntries, have been by the common transportacion & cariage of victuels to them, and that by spetiall licesnse of the States whoe as yt semeth professeth to doe the same for gaine of monie, and for the same theie pretend thearewith to mainteine their men of warre: But when hir Majestie first tooke them into hir protecion uppon their request, they professed than to continew Enmitie against the K. of Spaigne, and not to treate with him in anie sort withowt the Quenes Consent: at which time theie [.] made mention to except libertie for them to sell their victu- els & other provisions to the Enemie, which if theie had done hir Majestie [.] Contract with them, for as to treat with the K. of Spaigne [.] by the Contract, withowt hir Majesties [.] been done withowt anie perill, so as now fol.141rConclusion of peace had followed, soe this [.] of the Ennemie bringeth manifest danger both to them selves, theare and to hir Majestie also in that the Ennemies Armie is theareby mainteined, as for a manifest Example was seen at the Siege of Sluce, wheare in the vearie sight of the Erle of Leicester, the D. of Parmas Armie was victualed with a great nomber of shippes owt of Zeland. Of this matter much maie be said to delate hir Majesties just Cawse of misliking, The further Consideration wheareof I leave yt unto yowe to prose- cute as directlie and Conveniently yowe maie, whearebye to worke sum redresse of thes disorders, and spetiallye to procure Resolucion from the States Generall and Counsell, for the Execucion of thes Articles and Requestes that weare made on hir Majesties behalf to the late Deputies when theie weare heare of whose Actions since their retorne, she mervaileth she wold never heare from them nor from yowe. At this time I understand Monsieur de Caron is appointed their Agent, in the place of Ortell dead, to whome thes letters are delivered at this time bicauwse the letters from the States weare browght to hir Majestie by him. And so by reason that I am fullye occupied heare at my howse at Theobaldes, hir Majestie being heare with mee, I am forced to make an ende of this letter withowt informing yow of more perticularities which I cannot doe heare, as I might at London: but heareafterwardes as I maie retorne to London, I will make yowe further acquainted. From the Cort at Theobaldes this xijth of Maie. 1591./ Your last lettres that came to my handes are of the [.] of this mo- neth which came yesterdaie, at which time also I had letters of the sixt of the moneth from Sir Edward Norris, whearein he affirmeth that he never delt wth the Magazyn of victuels in Ostend, nor knewe of anie they had p.] quantetie of [.] and [.] that it is altogether [.] withowt medling wth anye [.] fol.141v
Later Addition: Belgia: 1591: May.
that theie allowe him onelie fowre nobles a daie owt of the Contribucion monie, which he findeth insufficient for his charge in a place soe deare as yt it./ He also complaineth against the States of Zeland, for breaking the Treatie of Contribucion, spoiling the Country soe for their [.] proffitt, as at this time, theare is nothing, [.] [.] for the Contribucion, of which his Complaintes, I require yowe to informe the Counsell theare./ And for the former dowbt he had of attempting sumthing against the place, he continueth in the former dowbt, for that theare is great provision of Wagons made abowt Gent, and Bridges, and much powder sent to Gent, which cannot be but for Ostend, or matters of France. And further wee /he/ hath had intelligence from the Admirall of the Fleete that lieth before Dunkirk that the preparations ar directlie for Ostend, but nevertheles he is con- tented when yt shall appeare manifestly that the preparations are for sum other place, to retorne the newe Bandes to their former serrvices, or at the least two of them, and reteine but one whilest the time is dowbtfull. And from Callis Sir Robart Sidneie hath been advertised that the Attempt is [.] [indeede] for Ostend, which had been taken in hand before this time, if Monsieur La Motte had not had a fall from his horse and thearebie hurt, of which as soone as he can be recovered he is to take that matter in hand, so as by thes occasions it maie appeare theare is good Cawse whie hie Majestie showld be ernest to have that towne succored, both with men, victuell, and Municion: of which three the States theare have had soe little Care, as thowgh the towne had not been thears./ Your verie Loving frend. William Burghleyhref="http://www.livesandletters.ac.uk/cell/Bodley/transcript.php?fname=xml//1591//DCB_1035.xml"