15 March.
B. M.
Cotton,
Galba, C. V.
Original draft.
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391. Letter of Intelligence from London (unsigned) to the
Grand Commander of Castile (Don Luis De Requesens
Y Zuñiga), Governor of the Netherlands.
I wrote an account of events here on the 8th instant, and I now
have to say that, as soon as these people found that their wicked
plans respecting France and Flanders had been discovered, they
held a consultation of the various heretic parties here, at which
the Queen's party, the origin of all the mischief, the Vidame
de Chartres, Montgomeri, and M. d'Anguilliere, formerly Governor
of Rochelle, but now resident here, were present. Montgomeri
was at once dispatched to the isle of Guernsey, which was chosen
as being opposite to the coast of Normandy .... The prince of
Orange, Ludovic, his brother the Palatine, and the son of the ....
(Admiral?) of France will co-operate, and it is arranged that the
people of their party in France shall give Montgomeri an entrance
into Normandy where I am told he already is. There was much
perplexity, but at last it was decided to aid the rebels openly, as I
have already reported. They will, however, try to obtain possession
of the castle of Sluys, and many English captains have
been secretly going thither lately disguised as merchants, who
were warmly welcomed. If they work their will in this, no doubt
Bruges will soon fall into their hands, seeing the large number of
disaffected people there are in that place. As I said last year in my
letters to the Duke, it is evidently for this purpose that they have
raised a standing force of 3,000 men, who will now shortly be sent
to take possession of the place, by which means they say they will
raise the whole of the States.
They are also making great efforts to get Amsterdam into their
hands, in order to have possession of all Holland ; the purpose
being, as I have said, to obtain the whole of the ports in the States
where they may enter and prevent any fleet from Spain finding a
harbour therein. Your Excellency may depend upon the truth of
all this as I have it from a good quarter, and they will also try to
accomplish what I have already written as regards .... (gaining
an entrance to?) the Continent on the Flanders side by the
Flushing coast ... with the other maritime places where,
consequently, the greatest vigilance should be observed, as these
people will lose no opportunity of doing us harm if they can. I
am also informed from a trustworthy source that they are trying
to have Cardinal Lorraine murdered, and they will succeed unless
he is extremely careful and vigilant of his person. They say that
France has no greater enemy than he. As it would be a great
misfortune for the Catholics of France, I report the project to your
Excellency that you may send advice ; which I hope to God may
be efficacious. It is said they wished to do the same to the Queen
of Scotland and her son. I have been able to learn no more about
the personages who I said in my last had arrived at this Court
from Germany.—London, 15th March 1574.
Note.—Much mutilated by fire, and in some places is undecipherable.
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22 March.
B. M.
Cotton,
Galba, C. V.
Original draft.
|
392. Letter of Intelligence from London (unsigned) to the
Grand Commander of Castile (Don Luis De Requesens Y
Zuñiga), Governor of the Netherlands.
My last letter, dated 15th instant, contained news of what had
happened here up to that time, and, since then, there is little to
report, except that there have arrived here recently from Zealand
certain persons who say that Orange had gone to Holland, taking
all the English with him, not one of them remaining in Zealand.
People from Antwerp and Bruges and other places were arriving in
Zealand in great numbers, and the towns were so full of victuals
that everything was cheaper than in any other part of the States.
This arises from the fact that there is no one to hinder their entry
into the ports along that coast, and they receive hourly letters and
advices from Antwerp, Bruges, &c., all of which are directed
against his Majesty's interests. For greater security these letters
are brought by women, who take back the answers. All this is very
prejudicial, and it would seem that great vigilance should be
exercised, as all these people work together with one object and
one language, and thus easily conceal everything. Many Englishmen
and certain Italians resident here have gone over for the purchase
of the Middleburg goods. They are all enemies of his Majesty, as
they clearly showed in the matter of the wools sold here, without
the usual ceremony of the candle, and in many other similar ways.
They were abetted secretly by certain subjects of his Majesty
resident here ; for where the accursed question of money comes in
they lose all thought of God and their sovereign, particularly in
this country. Time will elucidate these and other similar matters
happening here, and, in the interests of his Majesty, I will take
great care to send full reports.—London, 22nd March 1574.
Note.—Damaged by fire, and, in places, almost undecipherable.
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