Reference: TNA, SP 84/51/215 f.215r - 216v
Citation: DCB/001/HTML/0491/008
Date: 04 November 1595
Note:
Copies: 1266
addressleaf
fol.216vEndorsed: Copy of her Majesties lettre to master Thomas Bodeley
lettertext
fol.215r
By the Queene
Trusty and welbeloved, wee greete yow well. Wee have seen of late dyverse lettres of yours directed to our Threasurer, whereby wee have parceived, how yow have proceaded in the matter comitted to your charge, which, though yt hath not aunswered our expectacion in the succes, yet findinge, that you have both followed and maineteyned wisely and earnestly the true groundes whereon our demaundes consisted, wee cannot but acknowledge unto you for your comeforte, that wee do accompt, that you have well acquited your self in the same. For howsoever now by their protraction of the resolution, the condicion of their Estate may be altered, by such accidentes as lately have happened, and that there may be nowe some cause to incline to allowe of their requests (though not to allowe of their proceadingees hitherto) yet yt doth well content us that you in no sorte have given way to their argumentes, but have so well and tho- roughly aunswered the same. Yow shall now therfore under- stand that accordinge to our last advertisement, their Agent hear hath presented unto us a lettre from the Estates, and an other to our Counsell, both which agree in substance, though they vary in forme. For in the lettre to our self, they first expres their sorrowe to fynd that their former aunswere at your last commynge over did not content us, with ernest desire now to be excused, for that they have not more speedely retourned their Resolution, forwhich you so much pressed them. And lastly they conclude with a petition, that they maye be onely forborne for some convenient tyme, to thend they may then give us better satisfaction. But in the lettre to our Counsell, they write in an other stile, insistinge still uppon diverse argumentes that they should not be pressed, fortefieng the same with many particulers of ther disability & misfortune of the practizes of the K of Spaine to seperate the people from them, with an insinuation of pacification uppon easy condi- cions. And therefore altho for aunsweare of their lettre to us conteyninge a request to be forborne, with plaine confession that they have to longe protracted their sendinge to us, with out eny other figure of Justification, why they should eny longer deferre us: wee have made such aunswere as by the inclosed ye may parceived, yet have wee commanded our Counsellors aunswere of ther lettre to them, to let them know by their Agent that fol.215v
that yf they had not in their writinge fallen from dyverse of their argumentes, and resorted rather to requestes, they must have founde, that wee would not have given that way to desputation that which wee were now induced to do, to intreaty. For that wee did assure our selves by their manner of writinge that they did inclusive expresse both their purpose to satisfy us after some small tyme, and did aperte acknowledge, that they ought to have done yt longe before this tyme. Wherein you may do well to let them knowe, that yow doubt not, but their owen Agent doth advertise them how easy a matter our Counsell founde yt to aunswere the reasons of their lettre, yf wee had ment to have had them further contested with all. For where they recited so many difficulties and extremities now travailinge their Estates (the tyme of our sendinge beenge onely compared) yt appeareth evidently, that yf those were just reasons for us and our estate to allow them nowe, yet all these accidentes have happened since your negotiatinge the matter. For when wee sent you to propounde yt to them, yt was uppon overture made, that yf the matter of Gronnynge succeded, they should be able to afford us good contentacion. whereuppon we both yelded to their importuni- ties for further succour. And after that successe began our motion in the instant of their prosperity against the Enemy, and in the increasinge of their fortune mightely, without shadow of eny declination, or with out eny apprehension of eny such new devises as now they suspect to tend to the dissolution of the whole polity of their governement/ And therefore yow shall lay before them, that yf their reasons to deferre have eny just foundacion at this tyme, yf wee were as partiall to our selves, as others are, wee could never more demonstratively make the reasons for our importunynge them to speedy remburse- ment than now, when both wee are incombred with suppressinge our Rebelles in Ireland, and when wee ar advertised from all partes of a mayne Invasion entended against our owen Kingdome. All which though wee contempne in regard of the justnes of our cause, whom God hath heretofore blessed with victory uppon their prou- dest attemptes, yet yf private persones and comon welthes be justifiable when they so tenderly prefer their owen particuler consideracions, so much before all others occasions, by the same lawe of Nature and reason, wee beenge a Soveraigne Prince (who have of our selves subsisted without aide from other any have relieved all other our Confederates in their necessities) ought chiefly to respect at this tyme our owen safety, and the good of our Kingedome. And yet notwithstandinge all these consideracions, whereby
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(whereby wee have just cause to thinck our selves unkyndly delt with all), yet such ys our affection to that people, and so jalous are wee, d to do eny thinge, which may have coullour of their Prejudice, as although wee knowe that all men of eny judgement will decide those enchauntementes wherewith those people are sought to be betrayed, yet rather than eny course of ours should serve for any pretext for any corrupted members there, or elswhere to worke on against them, as either to perswade them that wee would take advantage of their necessities, or that we should dryve them to any dispayer. Wee are now content, after you have declared all this unto them, That yow shall then delyver this our lettre enclosed, wherein wee do promise to commaund yow to for- beare your former proposition, till further direction, and now to urge the accomplishement of this memoriall. Which being done, you shall let them knowe, that seeinge wee are content to restraine you from further pressinge of our former demaund, as a matter so greate that their stake ys both unable and unproper for yt at this tyme: Wee have now enjoyned you seriously to presse them, besides the furnishinge of the provisions for /of/ shippinge, to be content for such tyme as they shall have cause to retayne our Auxiliaries, to delyver over such porcions of moneys, as the charges of their paye shall amownt unto, untill their other course of satisfaction may be perfitted, to thintent that yt may not serve for a fable to the world to talk of, that wee that have so infinite occasions to importune them, and had so ve[[hemen]]tly protested to change our course with them (yf wee found not our selves further satisfied) are now content after so longe tyme spent, & such expectacion, onely with this bare matter of provisions, to which yf their contract did not in a manner oblige them, yet their owen judgementes and discretion ought to incite them to yt without motion, for that they knowe accordinge to former experience, yf wee should not be able to stand betweene them and their Enemyes by sea, yt wilbe very late for them to hope by their small defence, to resiste so mighty preparacions. And therefore though this demaund may have have uncertainety, whither wee shall have cause to use, what nowe wee do desire, yet are they certaine that whensoever they do yt, they are but provided to help them selves./ Of this wee do commaund yow therefore to procure present satisfaction, and do the rather assure our selves of your effectinge yt, when we call to mynd that you had so good reason by Barnevels overture to promise that, and 20000li besides, to which you may also make this addicion, that wee will hope in requitall of this our beenge contented onely to presse a matter at their handes, which ys more in forme, than of any such substance to be stuck at, to fynd them zelously to indevour also, such satisfaction in their Resolution hereafter fol.216v
hereafter, as our unspeakeable benefites multiplyed beyond their owen expectacion have deserved. In which yf they shalbe backward hereafter, wee shalbe sory to be dryven to take these courses to which wee are (of our owen mynd) so yll disposed, yf both the world abroade, and our people at home would not fynd cause to taxe us of Improvidence, for valuenge still all others good, so above our owen well doenge. Given under our Signet At our Mannor of Richemond the fourth daye of November In the xxxvijth yere of our Raigne/
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