He understands our kingdome and the members therof better, then anye other of his Cote (for his contynewance hathe bene longe here, and his meanes manye) and nowe beinge thus farre provoked, will yf as he be sett at large bende all his sences to dysplease us, and to wyne credytt with the K. his Majestie aswell by untrewe as feewe degrees, with whom yt shalbe beleved, the more in howe muche, he hathe suffred, (as he pretends) / for his said masters sake./ He favors the scottyshe factyon, to the uttermost, he is acqwainted with the practizers of the same, he hathe yntelligens with our Rebells, [ Marginalia (by Herle): Rebells papists Malcontents people magistrats Revenues Treasor Armorye Navye Servior by sea by lande for home for abroade owtwarde dependencyes Havens Coaste Men of power, near them, how enclyned. ] with our papysts, and with our dyscontented sorte, so as none of Importance, that drawe that waie, is unknowen to him, he can dyscerne of the humors of our people, aswell of magistrats as inferiors he hathe serched the state of the Revenewes of the Crowne, and of her Majesties Treasure, as farre as he may likewise of her memorye, of the Navye, of the men of service for land and sea, for home and abrode, he hathe laboured to knowe all our owtward dependencies, our nerest secretts, with the sytuation of our havens, and sea Coste, and what men of power be nere any of them, and howe they be ynclyned./ he hathe dealte in Iryshe matters, and bene a Comen spie, to all the ambassadors that came hyther, to practyze against our state, even from the pope downwards, and hath burnte upp all suche papers, as myght decypher any matter of moment, which may argue howe muche his skill is joined with malyce, not to be reclaymed with anye lenytie, for his Consciens perswades hym unworthie of favor that hathe so muche and unkindely offended. he hathe dealt and written lazelye in the d. of norfokes Cawse, after his seconde Comytment, forcinge by many arguments, that yt was an Intollerable wronge that was offred hym./
To Come lower our merchants estate is more exactlye knowen to hym, than his owne, what and who they be, that do trade from hence into Spayne who of them be addycted to trewe Religion, or to favor the matters of the lowe Contreyes: whether they make their Retorne in wares or money, wherby it is in him (being abrode) to undo them all eyther by Confyscation, Inquisition, or by some qwarell that maye be easlye pycked, wherin he wantts no partycularities, to Charge anye of them withall in particuler: Therfore an acte of grett moment to haue shutt hym upp so aptlye as he was, before that Bernadyn de Mendoza arrived here, whose Comynge (as the french ambassador hath said to some) was Chyflie to Confferre with hym./ Nowe yf your honors of the Councell, do banyshe hym the Realme, he will not departe from Calyce before he ynstructe the spanyshe ambassador by writinge and message of [ deleted: w] ech Circumstance, that he would be satisfied in, who attends uppon his dyspatche hence, as dyligent as a bee and hathe one Pietu Barentes at Calyce and Dover, to mete with hym, for that purpose, but perceavinge delaie, is retorned hither, ij daies since, of which sorte there are [ deleted: manye] manye more and by Gwerras detaynment, they may all be dysapointed./
[fol. 301v] Besides the ambassador is in grett gelowsye, lest I should wyne any advantaige over Gwerras, to bringe hym to dyscover matter and parties, therfore desires his banyshment him sellf And so do those that be guyltie of yll practizes had with the said Gwerras, who whiles he is ungone, do live in feare, and is a good polycie, to kepe them still in the same feare, as a degree at length to dyscover the whole neast and to Confront them with Gwerras./
In the mene season, a secrett brute being noryshed that newe matter is fownd of the said Gwerras practyses, the same woulld terryfie and frustrate the presente ambassador, and his Intelligencers, & give a Convenyent Color for the Comyttment of the same Gwerras to some Closser place./
But yf yow lett hym lowse nowe, he pretends by the favor & medyacon of his frends to retorne solemplie, as the K: ambassador to the deface of his banyshers, and encoragenge of the yll sorte, & then he hath libertie to practize at large, or otherwyse being rejected, to make yt the grownde of a publicke qwarell./ To this end: he will repaire from Calyce to don John, and by the waie will leave asmuche infection in the frenche Cortt, and with the popes legate as he maye, but with don John he will sturre the Coles in deede where he is expected and estemed, as the only persone that knoweth the state of Englande, and that maye give passaige to Don Johns practizes, for the scottyshe Quene best, and for the entanglinge of us, with home troubles, by whose meanes he shalbe accompanyed into Spaine, with Credytt and Comendation, or ells dysptached backe, by some of don Johns Blancks, to take the state of an abassador uppon him here, to perfourme the Tragedy that is intended. But yf your honors will shutt him into some melancholye place, the dysapointinge of his hopes will ether kill him, (for he is but hevie harted), and governed by passions, or ells decaye the Remayner of his wytt and memorye, (which are all ready by these late dysgraces grettly dulled and broken, and possessed of a pallsey not recoverable) so as he shalbe smallye hable to negocyate anye more and then maye he be lett lowse to his frends, as a jewell, to Serve theyr tornes, which is my opynion towchinge him and his Cawses, in obeynge your honors Comandement made unto me in this Behallf./ W. Herllely.
