[fol. 183r] Uppon fryday last R. honorable L. those of Gawnt sent to his Allteze parsons of pryncipall credite, to shew that ^the^ wensdaye beffore those of Owdenarde, had made fires owtt of the Town, to shew som extremitye they were yn, wherfore they were com to beseke his good ayde & advise.
Wherunto was answerd by his Allteze, uppon his credite, that beffore xv. dayes from that frydaye forward att the furthest, that the place sholld be ether Reallye delyverd from the seege, by forcs apte to remove ytt, or by suche a dyvertement, as sholld stand theme in stede: wheruppon those of Gawnt retornyng home, chose .5. resolute fellowes to bryng this assurance ynto Owdenarde, of which ij ar entred on monday beffore daye, & made signes acceptable to the behollders, that they of the Town were willeng & hable, to endure [ Marginalia (by Herle): redy ] a longer tyme, withowt precipitacion of ayde, beffore it were throwly redy Butt the Enmye presently that mondaye, gave a grett assallt to the Towne, prevaylleng lyttell, savyng that they wolld weerye the deffenders, with contynuall labor./
Uppon the same mondaye Bulignye Gouvernor of Cambraye sent a gentyll man of ymportance to signeffye to the d that the Rysters were com to Cambresys [ Marginalia (by Herle): iiijm shott./] & nott to Chymay, In nomber 1500. accompanyed with 800. frenche [ deleted: lawnce] lawnces & 4000. shott. desyreng that they might not be removed thens sodenly, yn respect of an enterprise of ymportance that he had in hande. This is trew & conffirmed & other forcs be com to the frontyers beffore Gravellyng to pass that waye ^to dunkerck^ sayd to appertayne to the P. dellphyn./
There be in Cambresys a m footemen more to [ deleted: accomplysshe] accompanye those Rutters; & a 400. Lawncs, with other Trowpes that daylye do arryve, butt no pykes, which nomber canot be diffeated in their marche [ deleted: thitherwards] with ani parcell of the P. of Parmas Camp, unles he remove his whole power & frustrate the seege that he hath in hande beffore Owdenarde./
The oppynion is now here, that the frenche K. doth in good ernest mene to make lawe the K. of Sp: yncrochements & ambycyon./
The K. of Sp: shall have (as they saye) 200. [ deleted: sall of] sayll of shippes, redy by the myddell of Julye to deffend Portyngall, & to offend those that be not well affected to him, which is a thyng apparent by lres of the 29. of maye from persons of ymportance att Lusborne./
Owtt of Italye for certayne it is conffirmed that ther be comyng thens .5. m spaynisshe footemen, .7. m Italyens, & 2500. horse thither wards besyde the forces of Germany & Burgondye which ar com & to com./
There be 4000. pyoners a preparyng in Brabant, & yn the provyncs unyted, of ydell fellowes & others to be employed yn the Camp./
The P. of Orenge is trobled agayn with his Catharre, which wilbe dangerows, yf it fall ynwards, as it threttens./ The .d. allso with this moyst wether doth kepe his bed synce yesternight ./ Wherwith I humblye take mi leve for this tyme. Andwerpe the 20. of June./ 1582./ your L. with his harte & prayer W. Herllly.
