[fol. 91r] I thank yow for your lre sent by this beror. and perceavyng therby the Continuance of lewd humors of ryotooss tongs that ar seasoned with nothyng but with Gaules, I content my self to beare ther mallyce, knowyng that God whom I serve with truth and syncerite, will abat ther cankred furyes, whan it shall please hym, and will comfort me in the meane tyme to conteane my self rather in feare to offend hym, than in any feare ^of harm that^ they shall be hable to do me./ It is very strang that a lye over on foote, can not be stayd, with testymonies of truth wherof I have many. and yet it semeth that mallyce is so setled, as I thynk no body els must be beleved, but the authors of the untruthes. and yet such is my case, as it may be that some that war in some sort the authors, or abettors, shall scantly be beleved in reprovyng the first untruth./ but of this an end./
for that which yow desyer to be answered, how I can be tempted with allowance of a devise, to gayn to hir Majesty mli monethly, and to my self or other ijli so as hir Majesty will help the stats I thynk I know the matter very well, havyng hard therof 1 month past, and have within these few dayes sene and redd the project. what I thynk of it, I can not but pronounce dowtfully therof, untill I shall speak I marvell, that any maliciooss discourser can note me a Counsellor, that do abuse my Creditt to my privat gayn. I may saye boldly, that I have nether made nor had sute ^from hir Majesty^ these x yeres, by less, lycenss, gyft, lone, or any other way worth xs. how others ar frought with sutes, the world may easely se. which I do not mislyk. [fol. 91v] with the party that offreth it./ In my opinion if the matter may appeare fesible, which I must dowtt of, and resonable as being fesible, I thynk it allowable, with some correction of some poynts I war to blame if I wold not assent to hir Majesties proffitt therby to enter into defence of the low Contryes seyng I am perswaded and do mayntean it that hir Majesty for hir own suerty ought to chardg hir self with the defence of them ageynst the Comen enemy. without which attempt, hir Majesty, shall not be hable with expence of thousands to defend hir self, that now she may, with Gods asistance do with hundreds. but for any offer to my self, I do utterly refuse ether such or a less some., thynkyng it more charite to yeld of myn own to the Comen cause, than to receave a peny.
for your self I have ernestly spoken, but I wish yow helth, that yow might be here your self for so shuld I be more hable to do yow good./ In dede I do very seldom speak with hir Majesty, but whan I come accompanyed with the rest of the Counsell, and yet I will not omitt any oportunite./
God send yow helth, and me sounder eies for I am much trobled with an humor. so as I assure yow I have not wrythen so much a good tyme with my one hand. from the Court at Nonsuch. 24. Julij. 1585 Your assured loving frend. W Burghley
