Letter ID: 1262
Reference: BL, MS Cotton Galba D XI f.133r-135v
Citation: DCB/001/HTML/1262/008
Date: 11 September 1595
Note: On fol.133r there is the signature 'CC' written in pencil.
Copies: 0705 

addressleaf

fol.135v

Addressed: To the right honorable my very singular good Lord, the L. Burghley Lord highe Treasurer of England.

Endorsed: M[r Bodley] from the Haghe./


lettertext

fol.133r

Later Addition: 11 Sept 1595

May it please your good L. Till the Deputies be returned from Co. Maurice and the Councel (which is expected every houre) I shall have no other mater, to impart unto your L. about mine owne ne- gotiation, then hath bin formerly advertised. For all that I can yet signifie, is by way of conjecture, and by collecting heere and there by privat mens speeches, howe my message will be taken, when it cometh to the multitude. Wherein, to make report, howe I finde them yet inclined, I never sawe lesse apparance of a good answear towardes. To be pressed to acknowledge, that the Treatie is expired, they may by no meanes endure: muche lesse to be required, to make any remboursement: in which respect they also pleade extreme unabilitie. And though it were no so great, as they give it out, but that their state might affourde some present good portion, yet there are of them that say, that to ob- taine it of the contrey, they must fitte their per- suasions, according to their humors, and as the people may digest it: and that is by proposing some other newe Treatie, under coulor therof to drawe somwhat from them, and not by claiming it directly by force of the former Contract, which assigneth no pay- ment till the end of their warres. Moreover I perceave by circumstance of talke, that their bent is altoge- ther to send unto her Majestie some principal persons, to declare by worde of mouth a flatte impossibilitie, as their state standeth yet, to accomplishe her demande. fol.133v
but whether withall they will determine upon [. ma-] king of any ouverture, of some other kinde of Tr[eatie,] it is more then I can ghesse by their speeches [unto me] For my self I goe forward in urging them to [that] which her Majestie hath willed: and I dissuade the[m what] I can, from all other plottes and courses of th[eir] owne. Nevertheles I thought it meete, to fore[signifie] these conjectures, because it may be that your L. [may] turne it to some profit for the service of her Hig[hnes] The successe of the siege of the towne of Cambray, [is very] muche hearkned after, by all the inhabitats of [this con-] trey: who are pressed very hard to helpe [the King] out of hand with some stoare of foote companies [not at] all, as I heare, by lettres yet written from the K [him self] but from the Co. St Paule, the D. of Bouillon, [and others.] Wherein there should not neede any special in[treatie,] if the Enemie heere with us were not lodged so [neere,] as they can not for the present spare suche su[ccor as] they would. Nevertheles the States have a[ccorded] if Co. Maurice at the Campe oppose not aga[inst it] to send suche numbers for that service, as I thin[ke will] amount to 2000 at the lest: because they [hold it] as a place of extraordinarie consequence, for [the state] of these Provinces. For if it be releived, and [the Enemie] mie beaten fr[o it, it will abate his reputation, [and] weaken him otherwise, to his very great prejudice but if for want of assistance the towne should be sur- rendred, both the credit of the Spaniardes, and the co[u-] rage of their armie, together with their meanes to endommag[e] fol.134r
these contreis, will be greater then ever. And for certaine we shall finde, and that shortly upon it, that those of Artois, and Henault, will contribut very largely to the conquest of those places, that lie upon the Some, as Amiers, Abbevilleand others: albeit some- men thinke, that they will presently to Calais. But this is feared most of all, by the chiefest of them heere, in the French Kinges proceedinges, that if the Ene- mie should speede in his present attempt, it will force him in the end, to growe in amitie with Spaine. For they thinke that for him that hath already lept over suche blockes of offence, with suche notable case, to obtaine a kingdome full of trouble, it were but scrupularitie, when his state is somewhat desperat to make a stoppe at the leaving of his neighbors in the briars, to enjoy all his kingdome in peaceable ma- ner. And though it may be replied, that the Spa- niard hath no reason, to falle to termes of Peace, in a case of suche advantage, and when the shewe is so faire, that the King may be subdued by some other endevors: yet this is thought by these men heere, that when he findes by that meanes, that he may readily recover the possession of these Provinces, both a Peace will be proposed, and as plausible condi- tions, as the King can desire. And if they chance to be embraced, ether France must be the instrument, to persuade with these contreis, to come to some agreement, or the Enemie of himself, and by meanes of his greatnesse, will compasse his designe. For when his armies are together, which are nowe so fol.134v
so farre a sunder, he shall easely be able to a[ssault] at one instant, so many of their townes, as the [force] of this contrey, will be farre insufficient to ma[ke head] against him. and what in suche an exigent, [will be-] come of their courage, When they see themselves [redu-] ced to their first poore estate, and when their [ancient] ringleaders, suche as hated the Spaniard, not [as now] the younger sort, because they heare of his tyran[nie, but] because they sawe, and felt it, in their persons [and goods] are almost all consumed, it is greatly to be d[oubted.] The more a great deale, for that hitherto, we see [they have] used by turnes the helpe of all their neighbors, and those of [dyvers] nations, and are perhaps within themselves dist[ated of] them all, whereby it may be feared, that when [they] knowe not heereafter to whome to have recou[rse, they] will rather adventure upon a fraudulent acc[ord, then] fight without hope of any end of their miseries. [Howso-] ever in suche a case they may chance to be a[ffected] the doubt of this agreement between the two Ki[ngs] hath bin ever in a maner the principal mo[tive, to] sette them forward in this contrey, to support [the French] kinge both with men and with mony: which had [bin else] imploied by themselves heere at home, to a [lesse de-] gree of profit, as they understand it. Co. [Maurice] and Mondragon are still encamped, as they [were] in the land of Cleve, but that Mondragon, we hear[e is] somwhat removed to a fitter place for fourage. [Withall] it is advertised that Mondragon and his forces must depart out of hand, to fortifie de Fuentes. Certaine companies of ours have attempted of late to fol.135r
surprise the Fort of Moers, which is adjoining to our Leguer, but approching the Walles too late in the morning, they were discouvered by the watche, and so returned, as they came. I thinke it not amisse to lette your L. understand, at the chiefest marchants heere, that trafficke for Spaine, doe affirme upon knowledge, that there is not come home of the Indian treasure eight hundred thousand poundes sterling: which hath caused in Spaine a great scarcetie of mony, and the like is also heere, through the want that is there: by reason wherof, and the stay of their shipping and gooddes there of late, there are many marchants heere fallen soddainly bankroute. And thus I take my humble leave. From the Hage. 11 September 95. Your L. most humbly bounden Tho. Bodley


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