Reference: TNA, SP 84/51/46 f.46r-48v
Citation: DCB/001/HTML/0479/008
Date: 22 July 1595
Note: There are two florilega on the address leaf.
Copies: 1256
addressleaf
fol.48vLater Addition: Holland 1595 July 22
Endorsed: 22: July 1595 Copy of her majesties Instruccions to Master Bodley.
lettertext
fol.46r
By the Queene: Instructions for owr servant Thomas Bodley esquier whom wee have appointed to repaire to the states generall of the united provinces of the Lowe Countries for our spetiall service.
We have given yow formerlie so sufficient Instructions, at yowr late goeing over, as there is small cause for us in the selfe same matter to use any newe argumentes; and therefore yow shall hereby only understande; That as heretofore wee made yow presse them, first in regard of honor and gratefulnes (seing their owne Estate is so mightely increased by owr only meanes under God) next in respect of owr great charg (so long continued beyonde their owne expectacion when first wee were wonne to enter into their defence) And lastly in consideracion of owr present great occasions importuning us throughe other great and unexpected accidentes, to provyde for diverse burthens of expences. So nowe wee doe send yow over, only to followe againe yowr former Proposicon with yowr best industrie and discrecion.
And to the intent they maie find howe well yow are warranted in this behalfe, wee have wrytten owr expresse lettres to that effect, wherby wee have bothe taken notice of their cold and unreasonable aunswere (which no way wee could accept) and wee have also signified unto them, that wee could not but mislyke it in yow to returne with any such messag. Which clause wee have the rather inserted to keep them from any misseconceiptes of yowr ernestnes hereafter and to take from them any hope to wynne yow to yeld an other tyme with lyke importunites: Concluding directly with this Protestacion, That wee will call away owr Forces fol.46v
yf they doe not forthwith yeld us better satisfaccion agreable to owr present occasions, and expectacion of yowr present Negotiacon On which Course as wee are fully resolved, so doe wee thinck that the Judgment of all indifferent understandinges will expect it, unlesse wee shall seeme to care for others, and to neglect owr owne Estate, and people, by God commytted to owr charg./
Yow shall therfore with all convenient speed present owr lettres to the States, and declare unto them according to yowr knowledg and former Instructions, owr occasions daylie falling out which moves us more and more to call for some satisfaccion, and owr Resolucion if by delay, or denyall, which wee shall hold all one) wee shall not in good sorte, and with Expedicion receave Contentment: Wherin althoughe wee will have yow incist precesely uppon the first demaunde, Yet are wee Content to open owr selves thus farre unto yow That if yow find them willing to doe their best, and that by true inspection into the condicon of their present estate Yowr owne Judgment be resolved That they cannot without Extremytie grant owr full demaund of one hundred thousand powndes yerely, That then after yow have well tryed it to be so (by yowr Expostulating in owr behalfe), Yow give some secrett hope, that if they shall with speede yeld us satisfaccion of some Convenyent somme thoughe yow have no warrant to accept a lesse proporcion. Yet when they shall present us their offers, yow will Recommend it with the best Reasones yow may. But this above all thinges wee charg yow fol.47r
to assure them That wee will never accept for satisfaccion any offer of any sommes of mony if it be with conditioning or capitulating to kepe owr Forces more or lesse (for thereby shall wee make shewe as thoughe wee were bound to it in a parpetuitie after so many yeres charg and and wasting of owr subjectes but that wee will simply expect whatsoever somme shalbe offred directly to have it in a portion of mony without any other mixture and that being accomplished, yow maie then assure them That wee will so Conforme owr Actions as they shall not need to doupte but in any thing wee may without extreame prejudice, wee will deale with them still as a Prince who never wilbe weary of any good offices towardes them but will in all dearnesse esteeme and protect them if it once appeare wee are so gratefully dealt with that owr Common enemies may have no longer cause to please them selves to see so cold proceedinges by those for whom wee have pulled on us the mallyce, and practise of owr greatest adversaries who are not ignorant that wee still remaine under the burthen of charg and Consumption of owr People, whiles other rayse them selves and multiply their estate in wealth and greatnesse.
And further because it is not unlykelie but when they are pressed to Resolucion they will take excepcions to wordes of the Contract and alleag difficulties in Accomtes with other lyke scruples therby hoping to spend some long tyme in argument, and to keep the matter in suspence. Our pleasure is that yow do aunswere those exceptions according to /as/ yowr owne Judgment and owr Instruccions formerly fol.47v
formerly have ledd yow, replyeng playnely to them that it were to dishonorable to be once spoken, or offred us, who by no cullour of any Contract have ever sought to make the least particuler advanta[ge] but freely to help, and assist them, in their extremities with provisions only of securitie for owr owne of which there are fewe Examples. And yet yow shall further offer them this That as it were preposterous to deferre the beginning to satisfie in part ( (because there may be varyeties, and differences in Recconing for the whole) which must be audited of eache syde So being agreed of some good portion for owr use, wee shalbe ready to prepare somme selected personnes to joyne with any whom they shall depute hether, and to enter exactly into the clearing and perfecting of all Recconinges betwenes us with all friendly and just Consideracion expecting also the lyke disposicion in those whom they shall send over sufficiently aucthorised, and well instructed to shunne all needlesse Contentions, Wherin yow shall also remember them that wee have long propounded to them to come to Recconing but never could find them willing to enter into the same./
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