Letter ID: 1036
Reference: BL, MS Cotton Galba D VIII f.142r-v
Citation: DCB/001/HTML/1036/008
Date: 14 May 1591
Note:
Copy of: 0336

lettertext

fol.142r

Later Addition: Belgia. 1591 14 May to my L. T[reasurer]

Later Addition: Belgia: 1591: May

May it please your good L. to the effect of my last which I writ to your L. the 5 of this moneth, there ys order taken that wherin these 2 daies the greatest parte of the troupes, which are to be employed in this sommer service shall meet together at the Vaert which is a fare by Utrecht. For which cause Count Maurice is gon alredy towardes Utrecht, purposing presently upon the assembly of the forces, to march into the field, There was /are/ with him in company the L. Burgh & his brother Sir John Burgh, with 150 souldiers which are spetially chosen out of every ensigne of the Briel, for the better direction of the affaires of the warre, it is also resolved that the Councel of state shall reside with the Campe but the general States continew alwaies at the camp Hage. For my self I am purposed alwaies as occasions fall out & as I finde moste behoofull for giving notice to her Hignes of such actions as passe, to remain for the moste at the campe & sometimes at the Hage, for the answere & parsuit of such causes & lettres as her Majestye may send. Sir Francis Vere being now at Duisbourg is appointed as this night to surprise the fort before Zutphen, which is supposed to bee but weakly garded, failing of his purpose, hee hath order to streighten all the passages that lead to Zutphen & Deventer & therafter as they finde that those townes may be distressed theyr siege shalbee planted before the one or the other. Wee are daily advertised of the Enemyes preparations of boates, bridges, & other needfull provision, for the passage of rivers but we can not come to notice, what is ment to be exploited, onely this daie we have Intelligence by a Burger of Nieumeghen, that the Towne having often & greavously complained of /to/ the Prince of Parma, that unles, they may bee freed of that fort, which was built before the Towne, the last sommer by the states, by which they finde themselves gretly dammified, they shalbe forced ere be long to accord with the states fol.142v

Later Addition: Belgia: 1591: May.

the Duke therupon hath promised to be shortly with them [and] to accomplish theyr desire, which is all yet that wee [can] learne of any parte of his dessignes, There ys now accorded by the states a contribution of 10000li sterling toward the leave in Germany, & ther ys order also taken that yt shalbe presently paied. There are 2 of the ships of this contrey escaped out of Spaine by an adventure somuch straunge which I thought not unworthy to be reported to your [L]

They were staied at Calyz in Andaluzia by commission from the King & were freighted with souldiers to watch in the streightes for certain English shippes, which were expected from the Levant one of them was of 100 last & the other of 80, each of them manned with towardes 30 mariners of this countrey. The Maisters grieving to be [letted] of theyr cowrse & traffique, agreed by secret compact, to observe an opportunity, when the souldiers were under hatches, & to shutt them fast which they did very happely, & meeting by chaunce at the same time with a shipp of Breme, forced her to take all the souldiers abord, which they caused to come forth from under the hatches by one & one, & were all sett aland by the shipp of Breme. The other 2 turned homewardes & are arrived in saffety at Amsterdam with 6 brasse pieces of Artillery in eche shipp, & the provision of vittailes, powder & other necessary fourniture, which was put in to serve the turne for which they were taken by the King And thus for want of other matter I take my humble leave Hage May 14 1591


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