Reference: BL, MS Cotton Galba D XI f.32r-35v
Citation: DCB/001/HTML/1239/008
Date: 1595
Note: On fol.32r there is the signature 'H', written once in pencil and once in ink. From the beginning of the letter to the penultimate line on fol.32v, the text has been marked with a perpendicular line in the margin. This is repeated from the underlining on fol.34v through to the underlining on fol.33r. The leaves of the letter have been misbound: fol.34r is the following leaf to fol.32v.
Copy of: 0467
lettertext
fol.32r
May it please your good L: to that effect /that/ I writte the 14 of this mo- neth there have bin certaine deputed in the meeting of the States, to come in conference with me about my proposition and this they have delyvered from the rest of the Assemblie, That they were greatly perplexed, through those demandes of restitution, not knowing how to frame the course of their proceeding. For though they can not but ac- knowledge, and doe it most willingly that through her Majesties succors, next to God), they are in farre better state of securitie and assu- rance, then they have bin heeretofore for many yeares togither, yet they have not attayned to that [.] abilitie and power, as they can ther- withall discharge their debte unto her Majestie. They alleage many lettes, but nothing soe muche, as the intollerable burthen of their extra- ordinarie subsidies, which have growen upon them more and more, for these 4 or 5 yeares, and are raised of late to a very highe summe, occasioned in parte by their offensive exploites, and partly by their often and chargeable relieving /relieving/ of the French King in his mani- fold distresses. By reason whereof they doe inferre at the chiefe contri- buting Provinces are farre in arrerages, and pay excessive summes of mony for the use of that they have borrowed. And though it might be surmised that they have ayded the Kinge, not soe muche in regarde of his urgent necessitie, as de gayete de coeur, and to winne his affection, for hidden requestes, yet they protest therupon with very great vehemencie, that they were evermore /farre/ from any suche jollitie, and would not have him to enjoye a foote in their contrey. For that which drew them on, to helpe and assist him, was the generall consideration of his condition and their owne: and they made this account, that for as muche as her Highnes did support him with her forces, if they in lyke manner should strayne their estate to uphold him a little, it would both be a meanes to save him from falling and to divert the Enemie from themselves: whereas otherwise, if those of the League had prevayled against him, these Provinces at the last must have booren /alone/ the weight of these warres and then bin subject in the ende, and her Majestie no lesse, to an apparant great nomber of most pe- rillous inconveniences. And whereas it may be said /argued,/ that their late reduction of soe many good townes, hath both greatly assured the State of these Provinces and richely augmented their generall meanes wherby they are inabled to some portion of remboursement, they make remonstrance to the contrarie, as /if/ in every of those Provinces they had rather bin sur- charged, then any thing eased hitherto: and that by reason of the excessive charges of new garrisons, of necessarie reparations, fortifications, and other extraordinarie occasions, and because fol.32v
the boores contribution is /but/ very little bettered of that it w[as in former] tymes. Moreover they say they finde it in debating [very] doubtfull and dangeros in what sorte they should proceed [for the] answearing of her Highnes to my proposition. For in a [mater of] that qualitie to make a resolute answear, without the privi[tie and] good lyking of the Provinces and people, they dare not [of them-] selves, and it will not stande for good: and then to ac[quaint] the vulgar sorte with her Majesties demandes, were to make it [also] knowen to all the Enemies Provinces, and soe to all men in g[eneral] whereupon it would be bruited, That her Highnes hath with[drawen] her accustomed assistance, and hath requyred present of her monies disbursed: which they are mightily all afra[id would] turne very quickly to their infinit detriment: aswell for [that the Ene-] mie who is now in /all/ apparance at a very great after deale, w[ill be hear-] tened therby, and put in practise newe designes, and m[ultiplie] his forces by all possible meanes, as because on the other sy[de the] people of these Contries will be cast downe in courage, [and despaire] of withstanding the puissance of the Spaniard. For wh[ere they] might have hoped after soe many yeares endevors, [so large] contributions, and soe many late victories, to reape so[me solace,] and ease of their burdens and travels, if now they [should per-] ceave that for many yeres hereafter, their taxes and [exactions will] fall a great deale more heavie, then they have bin [heertofore] first by meanes of their ordinarie and extraordinarie [charges of the] warres, and then by the losse of her Majesties forces, and [most of all] by this remboursement, it were greatly to be doubted that [they will runne] a wronge course in the heate of theyr dislyke. [For that is it] which they affirme to be a principall cause, of the[ir late inter-] tayning of this English regiment, that the actions of the[ir warres] might be countenaunced alwayes with the name and [opinion, and] reporte of assistance continued to them by her Highnes [in so muche] as they pretend that for the most the meaner mutlitude ar[e no other-] wise yet informed, but that they serve as a parte of Aux[iliarie] forces, and are in pay of her Majestie. Soe as alwayes they [have] founde in all the tyme of these troubles, that they have not only m[ade] warres, and annoyed the Enemie with the aide of men and mony but with very opinions and conceats, that they were favoured [and] protected by the greatnesse of her Majestie. These [thinges] thus delyvered they sayd they were also charged, to participat fol.34r
[unto] me the Scottish Kinges lettre, and his request by Coronel Stuart, whereof they told me the contents, and then read the lettre to me, and the Coronels Instructions translated into Frenche, which I send heere inclosed copied truely by the originals. Their speeche unto me upon it was this in substance, That they for themselves were nothing well instructed of the state of the Kinge, nor of those proceedinges of his Rebels, but if it were soe as those wrytings imported, and they had further understoode by the Coronels relation, there was great occasion offered to moove her Majestie and them, and as many as are embarked in this common cause together, to heede in good season, and to affourd the King a rounde assistance. For sith the Enemie spedde no better in his former attempt all men might might conjecture that he would not lette slippe a fitte opportunitie, to make a breache by Scotland, soe to compasse all at ease both heere in and in France, all his other designes. For their owne partes, they for their abilitie would be willing to doe any thing, to meete with these dangers, not sturred unto yt, as some men might imagine, for some secret purpose but onely in regarde of the generall cause: which provoked them at first to assist the Kinge of Fraunce, and doth move them at this tyme to tender the Estate of the Scottish King, and if her Highnes in lyke maner in her Irish commotions, should have any kynde of neede to use theyr meanes or service there, they would stretch theyr strenght [to] the uttermost to accomplish her desyres. And this they uttered with [w]ordes of great assurance and earnestnesse. They concluded in [fin]e, that first for the mater of remboursement,they would laye their [al]legations open to her Highnes, before suche tyme, as they would publish her message to the Provinces, and would beseech her to ballance the weight of those reasons with her Princely consideration.
They expected within a sevenight the coming of the Deputies of Gueldres and Overissel, who were buised in those quarters in persuading the people to this yeares contribution. Assoone as they were returned, I should presently receave their answear in wryting: they prayed /me/ the whyle to intimat soe muche by lettre to her Majestie, lest perhaps it should be deemed that they have an intention to use some delay. And then secondely they requested in the name of the States, sith they could not well deter- mine what course to embrace in the foresaid motion of the K. of Scottes that I in that respect would franckely communicat my counsayle unto them, to witte what I thought would best accorde, both with her Majesties acceptance, and the pleasuring of the Kinge, because it was fol.34v
theyr full desyre to proceede in those actions, with good corresp[ondence, and] not otherwise. I made my aunswear to this effect T[hat as-] touching those pointes which they had proposed, to manife[st] their want and /of/ abilitie therein, they might very well [presume,] that her Highnes had examined those reasons already and [that their] Agent in England had pleaded them often, and at [she thought] them insufficient, to dissuade her from her purpose. [For] where they doe complaine that the Annuall burden of their [extraordi-] narie Contributions doth lye soe heavie upon the Contrey, [it was] easie to demonstrat, that the contrey was in case to perfourm [a grea-] ter matter. They have now in Contribution, [which they] had not heeretofore when they treated with her Majestie [the greatest] parte of Brabant and Flanders; the Omnelandes, the [Drent, the Twent,] Linghen, the landes of Limbourgh and Valkemborgh, and [sundrie] other quarters, which yeald them every moneth a very [rich revenue,] besydes that Guelderland, Ru/t/phan, and also Overissel doe [pay a] farre greater subsidie, then in former tymes. They a[re also enri-] ched exceedingly by reason of her /their/ imposts in townes lately [taken,] as in Nieumeghen Zutphan, Deventer Steenwich, Breda, [Hulst] Steenberghen Groeninghen with others fortes and places of [special] importance. Moreover they have had of late years [a wonder-] full augmentation of their Customes, and tolles, by mean[es of their] fishing, and trafficke by Sea, which was never soe gre[at as it is] at this present, nor this contrey was ever soe full of inh[abitants, nor] frequented of forraines, soe as hardly houses in [most places can] be hyred for money. These were evident and k[nowen meanes,] as there were many more besydes, to shew the wealth [of these contreis] that if the revenues thereof be not greater then the charges, [yet no doubt] they are equivalent. They could not judge other[wise, howsoever] some discoursed, but that her Majestie both spake and [thought very ho-] norably of their succors sent for France. [Nevertheles] it is a great pre presumption that it comes of great abun[dance] when any Contrey shall make warres and winne upon the [Enemie,] and yet spare of their stoare to helpe other Princes. For w[here] her Highnes had good cause after soe many yeares aide, the con[sump-] tion of soe much treasure, and the loose of the lives of soe many of [her] subjectes, for defence of these contries to calle for restitution. But how much she /she/ would demande to be presently restored, I coul[d] fol.33r
not say upon certaintie, though I thought it might be lesse, then they peradventure made account. For soe that order might be taken for good payment heere after, it would suffise for the p/r/esent, by some little good beginning, to shew their thanckefull inclina- tion to give her good satisfaction. And where they made it a question, whether it were expedient, as their present state standeth to imparte soe muche unto the people, it did but cary a shew of a dilatorie answear. For her Majesties demande was justly made and kindly presented, and if the Deputies of the Provinces would accompanie the same, with suche kinde of persuasions, as they knew in their wisdomes how to appropriat, it would either be accorded or nothing ill interpreted. As concerning those affaires which Coronel Stuart did negotiat, it was out of my Commission, to saye any thing unto them, and for ought I could conjecture, they were unsignified to her Majestie And therfore if they pleased to accept of my advise as privately given, and not otherwise I knowe not how they could doe better, then to wryte unto her of it, and to crave her good direction: as alsoe for heereafter not to deale with that Contrey in any cause of consequence, but with her Maajesties fore- knowledge, and with continuall correspondence. My aunswear herein and the rest of my speeches to the point of restitution they promi- sed to signifie in their publicke assemblie, seeming every waye to me to allow of my advise, as fitte for them to follow for the maters of Scotland. Coronel Stuart in privat communication hath intrea- ted me to further his message to the States, declaring how neere it concerned her Majestie aswell as the Kinge, and that questionlesse my [ser]vice would be gratefull to them both, with other pertinent inducements. [U]pon which I inquyred whether the K: had imparted that matter to her Majestie. His aunswear was that her Highnes was acquainted with the State [o]f the Kinge, and sawe he should be forced to crave the aide of his frindes, for whiche shee could not but allow of his proposall to the States. But yet otherwise also he thought that she knewe it longe agoe. Whereunto I replied that I was sure she had notice of his publicke employment, before I came out of England, but I did verylie beleeve that his errand to this people was unknowen to her Highnes. Howsoever it were not having had in charge to deale in his affaires, I was to praye him to excuse me, if I were not very forwarde, fol.33v
onely this I would promise, that if the States by waye of [talke should] happen to aske me, I would wishe them to wryte and [take advise] of her Majestie, and that for many respectes; but most [of all to] prevent misconstructions and jalousies. For he kn[ewe well] enough that neighbors Princes, though they live in good [amitie,] will conceave a little jalousie of one anothers actions [and] whether her Majestie nowe in this present case, all kinde of [circum-] stances weighed (which I would Leave to his discre[tion to] examine throughly) might not thincke somewhat s[trange of ] the Kinges proceedinges, and more peradventure of the S[tates, if] they should yelde to his demandes, and never aske any [question] of her Majesties lyking, he himself might be judge. [As for me] my endevors should tende to doe good offices, and there c[ould not] be a better to my little insight, then to minister all o[ccasions] of mutuall intelligence, between her Majestie and them /K./, a[nd the States] of these Contries. I cannot tell very well howe he [liked of] my counsayle, but yet me thought but indifferently. Nevertheles he bare me in hande, that both it pleased [him well,] and he bo would presently dispatch to move the K. and [the Chancellor] to addresse to that effect some lettres to her Majestie, which he [also affir-] med to be requyred by the States, whose remonstrance [unto him was] chiefly directed, to shew how muche it would please [the generality] heere, to understand that the King would frame himself in [all his purpo-] ses to give her Majestie good contentment. I had [this talke with] Coronel Stuart somewhat after that I had spoken with tho[se that were sent] from the States unto me: who as I am persuaded told [him presently] upon yt, what I had signified unto them, with such [token of appro-] bation, as it caused him the sooner to yeeld to me in [my former speech.]
Being asked sins of a frinde, howe he went [forward with] his suite, he said he could not tell, for that he fou[nd himself] crossed, whether he meant it of me I am not certaine, [but I suspect] it by divers conjectures. I am told by some about [him, that he] hath promised to bring ten thousand Scottes to serve against the [Turke,] if the Princes of Germanie will give him intertainement, for which [he] and his friendes are earnest sollicitors, and as I am informed, ha[ve] a grant in a maner, so that now he doth but treate about the assurance of his paye, for which he requyreth bondes of some of the Hanse to[wnes.] fol.35r
Of the death of Ernestus I thincke your L: hath notice, and had it assoone as we in this place, bcause our first intelligence came by lettres out of Zeeland. It giveth occasion of muche discoursing, whether every thing considered it will prove beneficial or hurtefull to this Contrey. But the most are gladde of it, and they take it for a blessing. The rather, for that it comes in a tyme, when the mutined Italians are discontented a fresh and others sins have begon to follow their Example, in dyvers places of the Frontiers, besydes that every where, we heare that aswell the Commons, as nobilitie were never more distasted of the Spanish gouvernement. Such opportunities as these are not offered oftentymes, to ruine downe right such an Enemie as the Spaniard, and if the power of this people were but halfe soe muche more, as it is at this present, they would thincke to effect it in very shorte tyme. That which I advertised in my laste to your L: of the Carriadge of mony out of Zeland into Scotland was signified unto me by one of the States; but inquyring of it sins, it hath bin told me by others that the money was taken up in royals of plate, by the marchantes of the Minte, to whome the minting of mony is farmed in Scotland, and that it was for their owne use.
And thus excusing my lenght with the occasions presented, and besseching your L: to make report unto her Majestie of as muche as is convenient, I take my humble leave.
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