Transcript

[fol. 103r] Master Herle our State yeeldes no other newes nowe adayes, butt that our men ar often beatten, owr Townes surprised, & our states nott assembled: Those of Holland & Zeland, utrecht & Gelderland are entringe into league & begyne to thinck to redresse these affayres: They have written to the others that yf they com not presentlye to the assembly they will leave them to them sellves & not take theme for theyr conffederats: I do understand by one of theyr Counsell that theyr plott they have layed for theyr governement is thus: To forme a Cowncell of State of these united provinces, whereof the prince to be the cheefest, which Cowncell shall have absolute awthoryty to dispose of all payments appoynted for the warr: & shall see that all contrybutyons allotted for the deffrayeng of the warr shalbe imployed to the best proffytt of the servyce & not to private menns gaynes as they have ben. They meane to yntertayne 3000. english footemen under one Colonell & as many frenche & lykewise as many Scottish in the same order. they wyll allso yntertayne 500. english launces & as many frenche. 500 launces of the Contrey & 1500. Reysters, these shall serve for the feilld & be well payed as they saye. they are not yet agreed who shall comaund theyr army, butt ytt is thowght that in everie provynce there shalbe one appointed to have the Comaunding of the men of warr: & those to comaund in ther qwarter, as the occasyon of servyce shall fall owtt. Theyr Garrisones shalbe most of theyr own Contry men: the surpriseng of Zuttphen hath made the Gheldoys to bethynck them sellves a lyttell above ther bysynes, they ar begynneng a fort on the hether syde of the Ryver to hynder the yncursyons of the Enmye. [fol. 103v] which otherwayes they may well do even to the gates of Utrecht. we heere that D Casimire is still aboutt Boon. that the B. of Liege is so strong that the P. is fayne to staye for more forces beffore he ventures to passe the Reyn. all the passags wherof ar so stopped that nothyng cometh downe & that doth muche dislyke the Hollanders, who feare the dearthe of theyr wyne. Don Anthonio hath wrytten hether that the Tercera ys yet in his possessyon & that the spanyard ys over throwen with the losse of 5000 men at the least I pray lett me heere from you what ye heer of ytt & Also what Monsieur de segure has effected by this I thinck to that master Secretary ys retorned wherfor I pray lett me knowe what he hath done me be heere of oppinion that the K. of Scotland ys entred to far with the house of Guise & the K. of Spayne to retyre him to our factyon except he myght be drawen into this these Contry, which perhaps might be done yf her majestie did lyke of yt. Thus nott having any thing els att this present. with mi harts comendacons I byd you fare well from Dordrecht this xviij ^th^ of October 1583 sti corr. your assured good frend J Norreys./