[Superscription:]
To the R. honorable mi very good L. the Lord highe Thresuror of England &c.
give these.//
[Endorsement by Burghley:]
28 Augusti 1585 William Herle.
[fol. 216r]
By your favorable meanes, R. honorable good L. I had the pryvy seall
[paid]
, without mi fees:
which to me is an ease & releeff, & an accumulatyon of the manifolld dutyes I owe
yow./ I was yesterday mornyng to have spoken with your L. butt was tolld by master
spenser, that ye had taken phisyck which was good reson dutifully to forbere you for.
This mornyng my indisposityon is suche, as I kepe mi Bed, & canott waytt on your L.
as I desi
[red]
beffore it plese God to give me more strengthe: humbly prayeng your L.
in the mene tyme, to examine the cawse better of mi dispersyng of your lres abrode
(wheratt I answerd somwhatt by mi Last) & whatt ostentacion I have used that
becomes me nott, of your favor towards me: unles it be ostentacion to Reverence your
person, & your merytes to the Comune weall: And to reporte suche as dyd & do
ympugne the comendacion & acknowleging therof./ ytt may plese your L. further to
inquire: To whom, when & how I dispersed your sayd lres, that by the circumstance the
truthe or error may appere, & your L. be satisfyed: hoping that I am tawght att these
dayes, how to behave mi sellf, asswell whatt to speke & do: as whatt I am nott
answerable to suche, as intermedell to far with doyngs, nott apperteyneng to theme,
men plesers & servers of Tyme./ I had your L. own Awthority, to use mi discretyon in
answeryng the sclanders I hard, & for conferryng with mi frynds towching theme:
which thowgh I saye it of mi sellf, hath byn don with discretyon & care, & with a zele
that is irreprehensible./ which doth comfort & assure me, agaynst all Parasites &
Backbyters, whom I contempne & condempne of whatt degree soever./
Proximus ille
Deo, qui scit ratione tacere. A principle that as nere as I can, I will holld, & namely in
these grave cawses that conserne mi Superyours. And consyderyng the propper
Interest that your L. hath in me mani wayes, I do study how to answer it, by the best
degrees that I m hable, nott with vayne ostentacion & Lightnes, butt sincerely &
dutifully whiles I lyve, which I humbly hope ye will Receve as a satisfaction of the
Repports made unto you, unles I be charged with matter & persons indeede, that may
towche me worthily without partiality: wherewith comendyng mi zelows devotyon &
service to your L. good & honorable favor I take mi Leve. the 28. of Awgust in mi
Bed.
1585. your L. ever most Bownden. W. Herlleli
[Postscript:]
Post Script your L. man Owen hath
a Brother of the other syde that serves the P. of Parma with intelligence & is director of
all the Englyssh spyes interteyned with ij C li pensyon, as diligent & dangerows in his
kynde, as Morgan is in franwce. Rowland Yourck who is a condempned knave to this
state, & cowntermynes with Cowncellors here, Receves
Lighte & Credit att Owens hands. And on thing is specially to be noted, that as
strayttly as the Ports be kept yett do englysh spyes arryve dayly on the other syde, &
repaire to Owen & to the P. & ar reformed with new matter & reward. La mote hath
the like cowrse, which I advertis your L. as a matter of secresy & service & the rather
in respect of your own Owen, Allso there be som englyssh merchants (who shalbe
lerned owtt) that have passeports of the P. of Parmas for transport of vittayles to him./