[fol. 52r] Thoughe yll newes right honorable good Lorde in respecte of them selfes deserve rather to gooe afoote then ryde yet in respecte of the consequence that they maye drawe with them, as meater to be advertised with spede than those which are more pleasante unto us, I sholde therefore yll discharge my duetie yf I did not discribe at lengthe the accydente of Yesterdaye, with the parties and circumstaunces thereof The payne shalbe myne in writinge and yowrs the pacience in hearinge, and accordinge yf you thincke it worthy to deliver the same over to her Majestie./
Captaine Symple sonne to the L: Symple of Scotlande one latelie of Coronell Stewarde altred regimente haveinge the credite to be with his bande in garrison at Lyre hathe Yesterdaye morninge betwene 3 & 4 betrayed the said Towne to the Enymie, to the harme and Terror of the whole contry aboute, being the Bulwarke of Andwarpe and the Key of Brabante of this syde, a place wonderfully fortyfied./
The pratize was handled a while sence, betwene [Hawttparn] governor of Breda and Symple, whoe eighte dayes paste, sent a drome by the leave of his governor to the said [hawttparn] , to be enformed with prisoners of owrs he had, and to offer exchaunge or ransome for them, under which pretence, Yett fylle (for so is the governor [ deleted: called] of Lyre called) brother to the chauncellor of Brabante meante to have intelligence of the enimies estate, bothe by the dexterytie of the messenger and the conference with some there that favored this side But Symples intent was to gyve estate to that which had byn treated of for Lyre, and to appoincte the hower and place of meatinge for execucon, which by the comyng of this Drome (a sure creature of Symples) was agreed uppon to be Wensdaye nighte, and by his closenes, kepte unrevealed to the laste./
The Drome at his retorne so satisfied the governor with plawsyble matter as it made him the more secure and this towne also, who had byn advertised aboute that [nestaunte] of preperacons made of scalinge Lathers, and portable brydges at Breda and of souldors repayrenge thether for som enterprise, Also of certaine olde bandes mustred aboute Lovan which the said Drome affirmed to be for Bergen Up som and therefore that place was sodenlie provided for [fol. 52v] Wensdaye being come the Capitaine Symple advertised the governor of a bootie of Cattell that was not passinge twooe leages of, which in consderacon of the neade, that bothe the Towne and souldiors had, wolde be of good reliefe to either Wherefore offred that his brother Leyftenaunt of his bande sholde take xv soldiors with him at the lockinge in of the gate (the said Capitaine haveinge the garde of the gate that nighte, and [ deleted: to] do that exployte and discover likewyse the enymyes proceadings, whoe was saide to be marched the same daye towards the Kempen neare the Tereytory of Lyre, desyrenge the governor to sende xij of his owne souldiors with his said brother, which gave the cause [ deleted: and] A more countenaunce of senceritie, And so those xij joyned with the reste (which order taken that the governor sholde permytt the gate to open at their retorne) they marched towardes this Jurrney theire leader brynginge them directlie where the enymy laye with a Thowsande footemen and vij Cornetts of horse attendinge them Symples brother at his arryvall (to gyve assuraunce of his faithe, caused his Scottishe soldiors uppon A tooken gyven to murder theire xij Companions and then conferred what was to be don in the reste which had this yssue, That Symple takinge a xv ^ten^ choyse soyldiors of the enymies Company to supplie and strengthen his nomber, came with them to the gate of Lyre aboutt iij of the clocke, and called to the sentynell by the wache worde, willed that he mighte be lett in, whoe gave Warninge thereof to Capitaine Symple and the reste of the gate watche to send for the keyes, And the governor beinge unwillinge to ryse delivered the Keyes to another with charge to take xx souldiors with him for assystaunce but he knockinge at sondery dorres fyndinge men drowsey and slowe, and beinge hastened Awaye by Capitaine Symple that was in his Company, Whent in securitie to the opyninge of the gate accompayned onlie with vj when Levetenaunt Symple was lett in with his devyded number myxed one with an other the gate was putte [ deleted: and] ^butt^ he advysinge him that had the Keyes, byd staye awyle for that some of his Company weare yet without. And therewith [ deleted: And] sodenlie drue his Curtelace and slewe him, the keyes fallinge to the grounde And then the elder Symple and those that [fol. 53r] weare come in made them selves master of the gate [Inwhich] slewe Symples sergaunte whoe opposed him self as ignoraunte of the Treacherey was slane and v scotts more, Hereuppon A Harckbusse was discharged (a signe agreed uppon before and therewith the enimies horsemen weare come and fyndinge the gate nowe wyde opened, entred and possessed the Market place, before the Allarom was gyven in the Towne which was rather signified by the spanish cries Sorra sorra spagna Spagna then by any overture of theire owne Soldiors which was the manner of the suppressinge of the said Towne and myserable people./
The governor and Burgmaster with sondery others escaped over the Walles and came hether in the pytifullest plighte that hath byn sene Albemyred with durte and wett with rayne for wee have not had scarce eny other wether these sixe Weekes./
The governor him selfe dreste, not come to Andwarpe but turned to the forte and trenche that is besyde Duffelde, Uppon the passage to Machelyn wheare he remanes in a wooefull dismayed state./
His wyfe beinge greate with childe poore soole is prisonor within Lyre, Capitaine Alonso the Moore was saide to be stabbed in his bedd but contrary to expectacon haveinge deserved yll of the spaniards before) he is putt to iiij pystoletts rannsome so he redeme him selfe by a daye, which he is able to doe./
The Frenche Soldiors that serve in eny bonde under the prince of Parmas Comaundimente (as there weare sondry are sente awaye mystrusted and Contrarywyse the englishe and [ deleted: scottishe] Scotts are allured and cherished to brede their difference here and to provoke mutinie and treachery amonge the reste./
Yt sholde seme that Capitaine Symple sente out of the Towne with his brother to the enterprise as many as weare made privey to the consperacy leavenge none behinde that mighte bettraye the same, Whereby maye be seene howe providently he was instructed for all events/
[fol. 53v] Nowe to gyve your Lordshipp accompt, what might move Symple to be enclyned to this fowle treason thies occasions followinge are alledged for reasons and cause. /
Firste for that he and other scottishe Capitaines of Cornell Stewards regimente complayninge of theire Coronells misdemeanors to his Alltey colde neither have redresse nor greatefull hearinge./
Nexte for that the saide Stewarde, had geven the Cordgyll to Capitaine Spence one of the Complaynaunts, whereof no justice was don but justice rather prejudiced, and theire causes and persons thereby disgraced./
Thirdlie for that the saide Capitaine [ deleted: Spence] Symple and ij other scottishe Capitanes, presystinge to be seperated from Stewards regimente, and sewinge to have [ deleted: redresse] theire grefes redressed, weare referred for order to the Chauncellor of Brabante whoe regardinge slightely or [purcialitie] theire informacons gave then no satisfaccon onlie he did agree to exempte them from Stewarde and devided the three baundes one to Wyllfforde an other to Machlyn and the thirde to Lyre, without further consideracon hadd./
The iiij ^th^ and chefe cause (besides the greate hier of L 50C gylldernes and other advauntags promysed was for that the saide Symple complayninge to the governor of Lyre, that he had byn nowe x weekes in garrison and had neither mony nor meate for his soldiors whoe lyveinge poorelie by rootes and by theire owne purchase, yea forced to begge for foode they weare no more able to endure this straighte and unworthy state, wherewith the governor showed him selfe offended and so did the Bergomaster whoe was then presente,/ poyntinge to the gallowes in the marckett place that he and his sholde be hanged thereat, yf any [ deleted: weare] more suche mutinows purposes proceaded [fol. 54r] from them The like answere or rayther more better [ ... ] in confermacon of the former, had other of the Coronells of Andwarpe, which broughte the wretche to this desperatt Resolucon and tragicall practize, A thinge begonne with certaine papests prests and Bruxells than broughte to shape with [Hawttparn] and ended in the sorte described
The states here deservinge more correction in [ deleted: besegement and] in theire owne persone then the losse of Lyre for [their] lose govermente and worse descretion towards all sorts haveinge scarse no Towne provided for at all with wictuall and munition, nor hope of mony presente, nor hereafter as contente the soldiors with which hathe made Bruxles soldiors to Mutine of late and to apprehende theire governor and Capitaines and presently make Lyre soldiours as in mutine. The Campe by Dunkerke is fayne to lyve by Pyrocye./ The Nationall Sowders murther one another Master Norrys horsemen and footemen are debauched, and doe daylie sell theire horses and furniture with Draweinge theme selfes into sondery places There is an Irreconsylyable pyke, betwene [ deleted: master Norrys] Rochepott and master Norrys, which are yet Burres ynwarde waytinge occasion to utter it selfe, Yet this accydente of Lyer will make Monsieur and the prince dissemble theire Ille opynion conceaved of master Norrys and of necessitie to make of him in showe and to respecte him, Unlesse his owne souldiors with theire smale obedience, doo alter this Course, with whome his Credite & aucthoritie is decayed, as also it is with the whole state of this Country Yf the Englishe be not devyded from the frenche confucion and murther wilbe the ende for whie order and disaplyne is burryed./
The losse of Lyre hath bredd more ill effects for this Towne is greviouslie altered thereby whose example others may followe, haveinge this daye [ deleted: the dyned] ^denyed^ the wedde, (which is the Counsell of the Warden of the Gylldes) that they will answere no more contribucons That they will not gyve the x ^th^ or v ^th^ peny longer And that they will have an accompte of the mony [fol. 54v] hetherto contributed before they disburse againe therewith they be so amased as they knowe not what to resolve Sometyme they determyne ^desperatly^ to burne all the villages and howses betwene this and Lyre and to spoylle the groundes and gardens which weare [insynet] damage and somewhile they wolde fortyfie and man the castells of Berkam and Cankemore and of Yecte with the Cloyster of St Barnards, and other howses uppon the ryver of Lyre & the ryver towards Macklyn but lately they have referred all to the determinacon of the prince/
In the meane while deeste & Herentalls are secluded from us by reason of Lyre and like to be loste withall the Kempen, Yf the enymies come spedylie into Brabant, And not onely those mencioned But Barrowe also and the passages to Machlyn and Bruxells are in daunger but sepcially the said enymy hathe an eye to Lullowe 3 leages downeward uppon this Ryver a forte of that ymportaunce as yf it weare taken, this Towne were clerely beseged whereof uppon the losse of Lyre I advysed the Counsells of this Towne to consider, What moment the said pece was of and how spedyly to be provided for, whoe gave me righte harty thancks for my necessary remembraunce and ymediatlie sente more men and munition thether./
They have likewyse sente provisions to dyest and herentalls yf those be not Cutt of by the waye Yf Herentalls and dyest had iiijC horse in them they might hinder all the Convoyes that sholde come to Lyre whoe as yet is but weakely furnished and specially it wants salte Candells beare and soape, and weare easlie to be recovered Yf our power where here and is uneaslie succored but with an armey./
Thus my Lorde ye have parteculerly hard the Manner of this surprise, the cause thereof and the effects that are bredd thereby or maye followe also the presente state of that towne and the places adjoyninge This [fol. 55r] losse will demynishe the menes here of theire abilletie and controbucons the Synowd that we have moste nede of /
Mathias Cornino a notable Italyen had the enterprise of Lyres comytted unto him whoe is occupied yn settinge downe the pollacy there and showe greate benignity to the Townes men remyttinge & quallefyinge their ransomes referinge them to theire things to wynne the better opynion [ deleted: of them] to the K amonge his Naturall subjects, there weare not above viij Townesmen slane in the tumulte This daye he was at Bercham and at the Villags about to bringe in all the Corne and provision that the Country hathe and useth dilligence to provide the Towne of that it wants which is asmuche exployted hetherto /
Touching the consperacy of Brydges frauncisco the Itallian after that he was cruily racked on Satterdaye killed him self with a knyfe the daye followinge, howebeit some affirme that he Syed uppon the Racke and had confessed smalle to purpose /
Salcedo or Surqudo the spaniards sonne hathe uttered as they saye very muche fransiscus processe was framed [ deleted: at] after his deathe and thereuppon condempned and executed as a Treator Egmount is comytted from Marcketts garde to comon pryson
They affirme that the D of Gwyse is a partie in this comunicacon to have his alltey and the P murdered And by lres out of fraunce thereis written that one is apprehended that wolde have killed the kinge with a pistolle taken therewith as he meante to have discharged it uppon the K. and there viij more apprehended sythens in flaunders of that company, that intended not onely to kill the frenche K but also his mother as is sayde And that [fol. 55v] the like plat is layde to murther the Q. Majestie of Englande in her progrese (whome god ever shelde) which speches proceaded from the P of Orange to sondrey of greate callinge and I thought it my parte to signifie them over with spede by this my servaunte whome I sende of purpose with my lres to thatt effecte that your wisdome may consider well thereof and have the more regarde to the straungers and Jesuitts that aryve there with I humblie discharge my dutie /
Villyers delles mysceveslie with the Quene and our states ynsynuatinge that she is Spanishe and that she undermynds Monsieurs accons here layinge stoppes to his greatenes, and that she was occasion of the losse of [ deleted: Old] Owdnarde by not accomplishenge What she promysed in mony And he principally did nureshe the brute of our late sprede devysion in Englande, he hathe written a secret discourse of her Majestie to theffect abovesaide Declaryringe further howe Monsieur and the frenche kinge weare abused in the treaty of Marriage by a premediate determinacon beinge nowe a proverbe of his owne makinge with him when he will speake howe ^to^ circomvent Traitors A ^o^ Langloyze I doubte not but to recover A coppie of this discourse whereby her Majestie maye have matter to charge him Religion is slaundered by him, and the D desyres rayther his place then company duplasse with drawes from him also. The Douche mynesters preache againste his ambicions corrupcon Taxinge him with his state offices and bussy medlinge that waye And with the delicate sumptiousnes of his wyfe and Daughters wearinge greate ruffs layinge out theire heare and carryed about the strets in Coches which saide Duche mynesters wolde gladlie call him to a chapter for to answer the premysses of whome they conclude very generally here Quil a meilleur Esprit de Vertu en conscience [fol. 56r] and trulie he is a violent fellowe as may be sene by his late discorse Sur le blessime de son Excelence whose mynute thereof written with his own hande is extente at Plantens thoughe yet I knowe that parte is St Alldegondes stylle and projecte but The p is contente more wyselie to gyve villers the tytle /
By lres from Lyons and others from florence the ij daughters of Sp. are looked for in Itally whoe at Cremony shall seperate them selfes the one to the Emperor and the other to the Duke of Savoy from Lusheborne it is written that the kinge of Spaine meanes to marry with his younge mise that is there with the Emprise her mother
The Comynge of the Quene mother hether is calmed Monsieur sayeth that he shall have 500c [crowns] of his brother whereof they have bothe neade yet it is confirmed from Lyons that 200c [crowns] are and shalbe disposed this waye
The rumor is revyved that the passags of Maziers and Callece shalbe shutt upp and that the bounds of the men at armes of fraunce shall come to this service and the Frenche Kinge will declare him selfe openly in favor of his brother But he wolde firste here some good successe of don Antonios navie the losse of Lier will hinder the shippinge & ayde that Don Anthonio sholde have from hence which sholde be xxj saile and iiijc soldiours and marrinors ramysed out of freslande Holland Sealande and this towne The K of spaine contynues the cheresinge of thies Contry Marryners when they aryve at Lusheborne and he procures that they be well enterteyed in Portengale and all spayne which hathe wroghte no smale effect for they retorne well satisfied and doe edifie many without [ deleted: theire] desyre [56v] of theire naturall soveragne here whereof your L: maye see the marke that is shott at when theire quiver for sea causes is reddy
Monsieur utters at this presente that his brother have accorded absolutely the articles required by her majestie touchinge the marriage therefore it behoufes her nowe to stande to her promyse which he muste and will urge to be performed [ deleted: and will] Wee loke for the frenche forces to be joyned with our Campe within x dayes yf that be true which is suggested
The Itallians and Spaniards be aryved in Luxenbrok Lochem in Gelderlande uppon the Ryver of berchell is taken by the enymy, whoe beseged it with the Cannon which whole contrie is like to be loste some of good judgement here beginne to wyshe that an accorde weare hade betwene these II Contries and the Kinge of Spaine theire Naturall Lorde./ but they dare not be to boulde in utteringe their opynions that weay but some deseases accordinge to this that is allreddie hapned will precipitate them to fasten to that course because they have no meane to staye in theire accons This Towne Sealand and Hollande maye holde out the laste brunte. And so humblie fynishinge I take my leave the 3 of Auguste in Anno 1582 Your Lordeshipps very syncerelie W Herlleli
