Transcript

[fol. 47r] Though ye have nott hard me sir, of a long tyme, yett trulye my mynde & yn ward affectyon hath waytted uppon you contynuallye as uppon hym whom I know to be a worthye gentillman, a good servant to his mistresse, & a speciall partye nott to be missed [ Marginalia (by Herle): of our contry] , yn which behallf yow have an assured ynterest in me, to love & honor yow whiles I lyve. The same doth mi L. of Lecester (butt speciallye the L. Thresuror) well know, wheryn I have mani particularityes to gyve me wytnesse, which only myne owne mowthe, shall declare unto yow. for I mene (God willeng) to make a start to see yow verey shortly thowgh I were strangelye hyndred in mi last promis, made to thatt effect, which now I hope shable better parfformed./ I am glad with mi hart, to here of your good recovrye, nott heryng first of your sycknes, than that withall you had escaped ytt, which was a fere recompensed with the more joye./ I will write of no grett newes till I com mi sellf, yett this by the waye, sir william wynter hath written to hir majestie. whose lres cam on Tewsday att nighte that they had the sorest wether for wynde & Rayne, that might be sene synce they departed from the west part of England, & coming to Ireland, Byngam the vice admirall was separated from the rest, & lyghte uppon Smerwyg, a place wher these foreyn aydes do [ deleted: bylld] forteffye [ deleted: in Ireland] whose nomber is xv. C & discorayged with the nature of the soyl & people ^grettly^ . On of their cheeffest leders is taken who hath discoverd their estate./ The most parte of their vittayll is ^loste^ byskett Barelled, their sowdyers ar mixed people, ^& ramassed^ of sondrie [ deleted: natyons] ^sorts & contryes^ , theyr generall was taken owtt of prison to attempt this desperate jorny, [ Marginalia (by Herle): which concludes that [ deleted: the Sp: K] . they most make experyens with their lyfes, whiles the Q. wilbe made afrayd or no, [ deleted: for] , havyng nott on of accompt among theme, therfore the supplye ^ & comffort^ is the lesse that they most like for owt of Spayne./ ] a grett hulke of corne, that cam to their releeff, was [ deleted: soncke] ^dryven on shore^ by the vyce admirall [ deleted: in their sighte who mett there well ny together,] To conclude they ar ^butt in bad^ estate [ deleted: that I wolld nott wisshe enemyes well nye to be in worse lokyng] ^loking^ rather how to Ron awaye, than [ deleted: hable] to conqwer [ deleted: or deffend] ./

Oncle hath dissollved his forces, & hath promised to be styll & qwyett of his syde, wherby the grettest danger is paceffyed./

In portyngall things ar nott suche as the spaniards repporte, as yow shall perceve by these [ deleted: repports] ^occurents^ yncluded, which I translated owt of the original lre ^in the portyngall tong^ Spayne [ deleted: hath] follows his olld humor, to prevayll of [ deleted: that] oppynion [ deleted: of the reputacion it hath had] ^nowe^ , than of [ deleted: the trew effects] [ Marginalia (by Herle): [ deleted: of things that it presentlye hath] ] substance, butt her majestie may talke of [ deleted: his] ^the^ visard [fol. 47v] & be no longer daselled & terrefyed with fallse ^& weke shewes^ [ deleted: syghte] yf she plese, as I hope she hath gyven som good consent allredy./

The frenche comissyoners ar loked for here a xvj or xvij dayes hence. ^pece is promised in the mene tyme by the K. to the protestants, monsieur beyng our Agent therof, butt unles this^ [ deleted: The portyngalles do utterlye mistrust the frenche aydes & promises, & their ynward disposityon withall. ] Rochell had lyke to have byn surprised, & so the Q. mothers devises Trotts still abrode uppon everye occasyon that is offred, wheryn she may deceve./ [ Marginalia (by Herle): The portyngalles mistrustyng the frenche faythe do cast theme sellves into our Armes. which I hope shall not be yn vayne./] Thus lothe to troble you longer, I comend me to you with mi harte, with desire of your hellthe & contentment as of myne owne. London the x ^th^ of november. 1580./ / Your assured poore frynd to love you & pray for yow. W. Herlleli.