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BL MS Cotton Galba C VII f. 245r - 248v. William Herle to the Earl of Leicester. 
Letter Text:
[fol. 245r] Belgia 1582 20 May A

R. honorable good L. I do mene within these ij dayes, to s [end] a man of myne into England, abowtt som ernest busynes I ha [ve] there, who shall allso attend with mi lres uppon your L. to pray you most humblye, to favor those poore cawses that I shall recomend to your L. by hym, that he may the soner, by your honorable cowntena [nce] retorne well dispatched to me agayn./ He shall bryng lyke wise to your L. som secrett papers, & advertisments of importanc [e] which I wolld nott send butt by hym, besekyng you to here hym your sellf, & to beleve whatt he shall saye on mi behallf./ In the mene tyme I thowght ytt mi dutye to certeffye your L. of the state of thyngs here as followeth, which I will contynew to do, with the diligens & affectyon of a faythfull hart, devoted synceretye to you [r] servyce./ wherof mi actyons shall make prooff./

[ Marginalia (by Herle): manicule] Monsieur hath kept his bed of a Catharre from wensdaye till yester daye after noone, And then to take the Ayre, he & the P. of Oreng [e] ryd a .3. myles owtt of Town, beyng att this present in verye good hellthe, butt Monsieurs bodye growes weke, & subject with the [lest] colld moyst ayre to a Rume, constrayned therby to kepe with in his chamber./

Here have byn sondry secrett enterprises of late, agaynst the enmye to have surprised Breda, Lovayn, & Nye dame de Hall, butt they all faylled & were discovered: onlye Bowchain, which is bettwen Cambraye & Valencien, Uppon the Ryver Schelld, is delyverd up by the P. of Orengs secrett yntellligens had with weeles the governor therof, to the possessyon of the Stats. This weell is a frencheman of the house of memorencye, & of the Religyon, & served a long while under the P of Orenge in holland, butt his ymperfectyons were suche, as namelye of contynuall drunkenes, & of errors that spreng therof, that the P. makyng small accompte of hym, he becam mallcontent, & had this charge of Bowchayn gyven hym by the P. of Parma, which now he hath rendred for a som of mony, yett the seasure therof is suppressed, for that they be in hope to gett by the same mene, Valencien, & then be the enmyes excluded of the menes how to be furnisshed of corne, besyde that they wilbe strayttned to the verey gates of Turney & Lyssle, Surely the possessyng of Bowchayn is of grett moment./

[fol. 245v]

Ytt is for certayn mi L. that the Cownt della Laing is in som allteracyon with the P. of Parma, & that it is so handled that he & others uppon the addressyng of Monsieurs Camp, may rawnge theme sellves of this syde, especiallye yf this good luck do holld wherof these contry men ar grett observers, And withall the assurans that is given theme, to be preserved yn the Religyows Vrede, & to enjoye the Churche Temporalityes that be in their possessyon / doth drawe theme farr on./

The othe to be made to Monsieur, & therwith the abjuring of the K. of Sp: takes now place, & most have a generall cowrse, asswell yn those that traffick ynto spayne, as yn the rest./ And the restraynt of vittaylles is agreed uppon, that no more shall passe owtt of these Contreyes to assiste the enmyes, thowgh som merchants wolld have ympugned it, butt Monsieur & the P. of Orenge ar resolute theryn, & do assure the sayd merchants, that the K of Sp: nottwithstandyng the sayd restraynt, & the othe that is made agaynst hym, will not [barre] this contry traffick ynto Spayne, without which nether the Indyes, nor his own home is hable to subsiste./

They have this weke by the reporte of the Comune cowncell of the Town, called the Breden Rode granted a new ymposytyon, vz 25. styvers uppon eche allme of wyne, & 4. styvers uppon a barrell of Beer, which will ryse to 140m Gilldernes, They have granted allso the 8 ^th^ peny of all their candell Rents. & that may make a 170m gylldernes. They do demande of the sowdyors a styver of eche gilldern that theyr paye shall rise unto, which is the xx ^th^ peny, pretendyng it is to erect an hospitall for the mayntenaunce & chirisshyng of the hurt sowdyors. Att Leyden in holland where they have erected a new university, they exact aydes & Lones of the Scholers, contrary to their libertyes, which is lyke to dissollve the sayd universitye yn the [first] begyneng, And to saye the Truthe these new aggravatyons uppon the neck of the other, which ar nott yett [ deleted: satisfyed] all satisfyed, bredes murmur & dislyke, & wolld burst owtt to a shrowd ynconveniens yf ani accydent of yll luck, sholld fall owtt against Monsieur. for they say allredy that they ar nott onlye shorne to the qwyck by Monsieurs comyng, butt fleyd whollye of the felle./ Butt yn the mene tyme, no mene is omytted nor ynventyon, that may be devised to gett mony./ Ther be lres com owtt of frawnce from the K. which Monsieur hath cawsed to [fol. 246r] be ymparted with the provyncs unyted on Tewsdaye last. which contry [ ... ] that the sayd K dyd condisscend unto the Stats of these contryes, these 4. poynts follwyng./ [ deleted: ffirst]

On mondaye Monsieur Tolld the P of Pynoys, who lened then att Monsieurs bed syde, beffore he was up, that he had Receved lres from the K. his brother, [ deleted: signeffyeng by theme,] [ Marginalia (by Herle): by the which he was assured that the K.] [ deleted: that he] had condisscended to all the Q. of Englands demandes & to the artycles proposed by her, towchyng the marriage so long treated of bettwen her & hym, wherfore he concluded that she most now marye with him in good ernest on demeurer tousjeurs infame.

Du Vraye affirmed to me on wensdaye, that the Q mother had written to hym, how those artycles that he browght owtt of England from her were rateffyed by the K. wherfore it sholld behove her to drawe of the maske that hitherto had coverd the matter, & to com to a conclusyon, otherwise they all wolld reppute theme to be mocked by her & her cowncell, & wolld rather joyne with spayne agaynst her, then suffer suche an yndignitye./

He affirmed further that Monsieurs lres were to that effect, & that he most now for his honor be dryven to urge the expedicyon therof, protestyng that he wolld rather lease his lyfe & all estate, than to be mocked att her majesties hands, & namely of her ministers, that made so small accompte of hym. [ deleted: which he wolld] for whom there were menes asswell by scottla [nd] [fol. 246v]as by Spayne, to [correct] their presumpcyon, And that he cowd & wolld matche with spayne to defface the blemisshe that was offred hym owtt of England, wherunto he sholld have good consent of the whole provinces united, & have the gretter awthoritye to be their naturall & supreme Lord./ Alledgyng that it was nott the late some of money that cowd satisffye him, for that was onlye to parfforme a parte of the Contracte that she was bownd unto./

On Wensdaye the P. of Orenge sent to the Colleges of this Town, (for so they call their halles) to advertys theme that Monsieur Bellivue was comyng hitherwards from the frenche K, whom he wolld have respected & honored accordyng to his grettnes, beyng on of the sayd K. pryvey Cowncell & superyntendent of the financs. There is prepared for hym the P .dellphins Lodging, which is a qwarter conteyned within the Cowrtt./ Ytt is nott knowen as yett, whither he takes the sea att Calyce, hitherwards, or com throw henalld by saffe conduct. This Bellivue is he, that Du Vraye tolld me yn England, was in spayne to sollycite the mariayge of Monsieur with on of his neeces there./

The d. of Gwise hath sent owtt of normandye, vj horses to the Scottyssh K. & was att the water syde him sellf to se theme shipped. The 24. of this moneth the Reysters & Swyttzers that be yn Lovayn for Monsieur shalbe payd, & marche throw frawnce hitherwards as is sayd, butt I rather beleve that they shall com a shorter waye by namures, Lymburgh & Leege to Stockam uppon the mose, & so to [coerte] in Brabant./

A hydeowse & a most unwonted Comete apperd here the xv. of this moneth in the north north west, who ryseng lyke a spowtt & fallyng down agayn, dothe occopye hallf the Element, of colowr as yett obscure, & declynes towards the other hemisphere, abowtt on of the clock after mydnyght, I pray God save her majestie & all her well willers./

The seege contynewes beffore Owdenard butt they have nott as yett planted their ordynance / Only ij placs be subject to the Battrye, vz ij gates of the Towne, which ar deffended with grett bull warkes & diches, ympossible for the P of Parma to do ani good there./ They of the Towne ar of good corayge, provyded of thyngs necessarye for their deffence, & have putt owtt a xij C of [fol. 247r] Belgia 1582 20 May B

their unproffitable people, so as there remaynes of hable & [ ... ] persons a 24 C. / They have unpaved their stretes & markytt pla [ce] & prepared theme sellves to abyde the uttermost of that which the enmyes [ ... ] Of the other syde the P. of Parma hath raysed a Cavaliero to [ ... ] ynto the Towne, which accordyng to the oppynion of men of warre, is to small purpose, nether is he lyke to prevayll muche there, unles he have som more secrett disseygne in hande, than owtwardlye apperes./ The garrison of mynehoven dothe cutt of mani vyttaylles from the enmyes camp, & surpriseth horse men & footemen yn sondrye placs./ They have butt small store of provysyon that comes to theme, & the plage is ryfe yn their Camp./

They be viij Regymets of footemen/ & a 26. cornetts of horse, for they employe the rest ynto sondrye exploytts./ On frydaye att night they were all in armes, & that mornyng gave an Allarum to the Camp att Gawntt with viij C horse, butt villyers the marshall wolde suffer non to sallye owtt [ deleted: to theme] ./ who nottwithstandyng visytes theme so often, as they ar butt selldom yn rest, which yn the end will werye theme muche./ Owr Camp is of 2500. footemen wherof the englyssh men which be a 4. ensygnes there, (& on att nynehoven) ar the cheefest strengthe./ Ther be a xix cornetts of horse, butt for that 3. of theme be verye weke, they recken butt xvj cornetts./ The enmyes ordynance for Battrye that cam [e] from Ryssell & Turney ar 23. peecs./ Besyde their felld ordynance, butt they face dishonor yn mowntyng of theme, yf they prevayll nott./ By the next I will send your L. a Trew platt of Owdenard & of the enmyes camp, mete to be shewed to her majestie./ Ther is butt on of theme, owt of which a prynter is in hand to drawe me a copye./ I am tomorow travylleng ynto Holland to do som private busynes ^there^ for a vij dayes./ prayeng humbly your L. yn the mene tyme to have me in remembrance for Wade, & to vowchesave me your cowntenance here, which shall increse that which I have allredy gotten./ Coronell steward is nott yett discharged of his comittment, butt the Chancellor of Brabant Lysfellt & the L. of [Evrye] , ar agreed uppon it, so as I thynck that within a daye or ij he shall have libertye./ Truly in this actyon[fol. 247v] the gentillman hath behaved hym sellf stowttlye & discreetelye, mary the offence that justyce [ deleted: of that place] hath taken holld of against him. hath more pursued hym, than his [ deleted: hable] enmye was hable to do, of whose actyon ^or person^ (savyng for the presydent) small accompte is made [ deleted: of.] I wolld ernestlye praye your good L. to justeffye me to the L. northe towching his son, of [ Marginalia (by Herle): which Lord] [ deleted: whom] I desire to deserve well for that he is a noble man of good vallew, butt cheefflye for that he is accompted of by you. And incase that it shall plese your L. to comande me to do ani offyce that I am hable, [ deleted: (as he knowes that] for yong northe, (as he knowes that I am hable) I will most willenglye obeye you./ he will fynde grett difficultye yn the charge that he hath taken uppon hym, & now master Cotton ^allso^ & he ar growen to jarres & separatyon, the best were to revoke hym, beffore som error were comitted, that [ deleted: cowd] ^can^ nott be twise comitted./ I presumed by mi last to writt at large of this matter to your L. refferryng the rest till I may be hable to present mi sellf unto you, which shalbe assone as ether Wade is dispatched, or that it shall plese you to comande me to com over./

There be lres com yesterdaye from florence, from master Gwicyardyns brother [ deleted: that is here, whose sayd brother] , ^ [ ... ] thatt is^ cheeff over all the D. of Tuscans Bandes, [ Marginalia (by Herle): signeffyeng] that the Turkes galleyes be com furth, vz 120. that were armed att Constantinople, & 80. att Chio./ which armye is sayd to be procured by the frenche K. ynstance, to prove the pacyens of the K. of spayne./

Don anthonios affayres proceede slowlye here, yett pietro Doro [ deleted: the] on of his agents, who shewes to bere grett devotyon to your L. travaylles ynto Holland this next weke, hopyng to procure xij sayll of grett shippes, & 4. of the mener short for his masters servyce butt without mony, all promises & presumpcyons will torne ynto smoke./ christovallett that cam from don Anthonio hither of Late, is retorned into frawnce agayn with a dispatche. Monsieur & the P. of Orenge do whatt they can in good ernest to advance the cawse butt the difficultye is gretter than theyre will./ Wherwith verey humblye fynissheng, I take mi leve in haste the 20. of maye 1582. in Andwerpe. Your L most humblye & syncerelye with his hart & prayer W Herlle li

[fol. 248r] On Murphett cam hither in verey poore arrye from Calyce, & [ ... ] hence to the Camp att Gawnt, bryngeng [ deleted: hym] a lre from [ ... ] the governor of Calyce to the Cownt of Rochepott butt afterwar [d] the sayd murphett was sowght for to be apprehended, & suche serch made for him (butt he escaped) as lyghtlye hath nott byn for mi [ ... ] / This mornyng a generall ynqwire was made for him yn this Towne, & grett rewards proponed to those that sholld bryng him furthe, & of the other syde bothe englysshe men & dutchemen ar comitted to make theme conffesse whatt is becom of the sayd murphett ether att Gawnt [bare] him sellf muche of your L. favor, which he was reproved ^of^ by Coronell Morgan, under whom he had served som tyme./ The sayd murphett beyng in Spayne, conffessed that he sholld gave byn employed to have kylled the prynce of Orenge./ Coronell Morgan hath his comissyon from Monsieur, by the P. of Oranges mediatyon & St. Alldegonds to be Coronell of a xj enseynes & on cornett, eche ensyne consisteng of 150. footmen / and the cornett of a C horse./

St. Alldegond is syck att this present, which is judged to be of melancholye, procedyng of the ynward greeff conseved of the P. of Orengs yndisposityon & danger, & next for the Pryncesse her decess [e] of whose maraige with the P. of Orenge, he was the occasyon./

The sayd St. Alldegond wisshed by waye of discowrse within these viij dayes, that the K. of Scotts were maryed to the lyttell Lady Arbell, lest the K. of Spayne might possesse him with on off his dowghters. this was spoken to a grett personayge, desyreng for ther that the Qr of Englands disposityon were so allso ynclyned, & that the yong lady had vj yeres more of her back./ & so ever more I humbly fynissh . Dire & muse supradicte.W H.

[Postscript:] Master norrys & his Trowpes ar nott yett com, thowgh ernestly loked for, butt he will nott marche from his quarter beffore the contry do clere with him./
[Postscript:] Heryn is ynclosed a lre that comes from your olld servant magdelene Barthe, who hath byn dallyed with synce your L. departure butt yf it shall plese you that I shall in your name, sollicyte her cawse with d. junius or with ani other, I will do it with all the discretyon & aptnes that is in me./

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