The revenew of Amsterdam his communibus amis is five hundred thowsand Crownes by the yere, at fortie stivers to the Crowne of their monie.
The ordinarie revenew of Holland alone beside extraordinarie is a hundred and thirtie thowsand gildernes by the moneth, which by the yere amownteth to fiftene hundred and theescore thowsand gildernes.
They have this yere past disburst six hundred thowsand gildernes above the ordinarie, and will contribute to their shirt, so they may have a faithfull head over them, And ar out of dowbt a trew and loving people, so that they be governed by Justice.
They may be drawne to furnish yerely of ordinarie, betwene three and fowre hundred thowsand powndes flemish, and fiftie saile of good shippes well appointed, to anie exploite your majestie shall have lykeng to and therby hable to dyvert the king of Spa: to looke neerer home and to his Indyes.
Conseqwently yow shall have the state of Utrect the Duchie of Gelderland, Overrissell, Zeland, and west Freiseland, imediatly Contributors, when they shall see a head ones established, and the Prince of Parma driven either to abandon Brabant theruppon, or to be famished there and to leese Colein, the onlie right arme of the king of Spa: affaires in the low Contries.
And your majesties acceptacon of them shall awaken all Germanie out of sleepe to back and assiste the cawse, who only attend the star that may leade them the way, being wholly altered from this devotion, since to Cowntenance and name of the French was used in the low Contries, whom they trust not, as ones I signifyed to your majestie from Antwerpe whiles the Duke of Alanson was there.
Holland is[fol. 113r]Holland is the staple of all Europe, and may starve the king of Spa: arm [ye] in the low Contries and Spaine it self.
Holland and Zeland ar hable to make ten thowsand saile of shippes, the onlie staple of munition in the world in so small a grownd a receptacle of the traffick of your majesties Realme, So as having Embden at your devotion, as yow have alredie, and may have if yow please in more ample sorte, yow ar to take and bridle both Spaine and France, Wherunto both the kingdomes of Denmarke and Swethen, ar to joyne their assistence to repell the common perill, and so Spaine may be kept occupied at home, his traffick cutt of at his verie dores, and the commodities of both the Indyes cutt cleane from him. For the better view wherof I have brought your majestie a booke of Sea Chartes, conteineng all the portes havens and creek [s] of Spaine, and the secrets of them exactly. I have also a trew Calculation of the shippeng of Spa: their burden and to what portes they belong, So as the attempt is easie and assured against all forces, if only yow voutsave to resolve.
To conclude Spa: (Antwerp ones recovered) is bent to beginn with your majestie if this present opportunitie be not embraced, and then all these thinges, which now serve for your strength and greatnesse, wilbe turned cleane against yow, and your owne freindes will quaile abroade and at home. For the question is brought to this narrow scantling not voydeable, whither yow will have warres at home with Hannibal or abroade wth Scipio. Which most humbly of myne owne knowledge for discharge of my bownden dutie, and naturall allegeance, I do here present to your majestie my most dere Soveraigne and redowbted Quene.
Further I am charged to say unto your majestie from those of north Holland (to whom I must write imediatly som comfortable answere, yf your majestie so please, for they will trust my penn more than som others, on this behalf ) That they cannot dwell longer than the middle of the next moneth or the end therof at the furthest, without hope of an absolute head to rule and protect them. And to your majestie will they now submitt all absolute [y] without Condition or Cawtion, your faithe and sinceritie being holden sac [red] amongest them, which I pray unto the high God ever to blesse and augment.
