Transcript

[fol. 182r] Wheras Right honorable, the frenche Imbassador pretends that Ogyer della strille is no good prisoner, being taken as he sayes by Burgonions & other then intertayned in the Garryson of Gravellyng, butt mi prooffe sir is to the contrary, that his taker was an Englisshman, on powell lloyd, discharged orderly five weks beffore by Monsieur della Mote lyvetenant to Cressyoner wherin yf he were assisted by ani other, yett is nott the interest to the prisoner les, being myne & surprised by mi practys, in the frenche grownd, in the highe waye, in juste war, att myddaye betwixt the [Red] chamber & the Sluce, & browght into England by englysshe shipp, John May being bothe master & owner. My interest ryseth the more, that howsoever he were browght hither in tyme of war without saffeconduct, he is I suppose a prisoner, with more reson allso, then they now a dayes use to som Imbassadors. And if he object that he hath ben verey cruelly used, I dare assure yow uppon mi allegiance that on might att dover [reserved] , then being kept from slepe, with som mene compulsyon besyde, this was the grettest extremitye used, far different from famyne & thes cruell tortures, which our men hath fellt, consumyng to dethe of 300, or more, 275. Butt agayn to retorne to our man della strille, he hath synce by his own hand wryteng made his own Rawnsom, uncompelled, & franckly as he sayth, for 5000 [crowns] willeng bothe to satisffye it, & hable to the same: perhaps coactyon wilbe layed to our charge, yett nott suche as was used by them to mi Lord Grey in the lyke respect, ether for grettnes of Rawnsom, or mene to bring hym to ytt, ones I acqwyett mi sellf in his habilytye, or styll to kepe hym, confyrmed in my Right by her majesties [fol. 182v] proclamation of peace, reqwyreng your honors most favorable & lawfull furtherance therin. therather for that mi pretence was beffore opened to som of mi Lords, tendyng to mi princs servyce & so allowed, wissheng the prise had ben so grett as was fyrst loked for. Your honors most humbly W. Herlleli