1 June.
B. M.
Cotton,
Galba, C. v.
Original draft. |
399. Letter of Intelligence from London (unsigned) to the
Grand Commander of Castile (Don Luis De Requesens
y Zuñiga), Governor of the Netherlands.
I wrote to your Excellency on the 17th ultimo, and have since
received your letter ordering me to continue my (services?),
which it will be very difficult to do now, seeing the position in
which I find myself ; very different from what is desirable for one
to be able to manage such matters in this country. Whilst I was
in a position to do it I always strove zealously, but my present
unfortunate state, dismissed by my King ... false information
to him. I never asked either his Majesty or the duke of Alba for
anything, unless it were for want of what was due to me, and I
would not do so now ... They will not aid me, and I am driven
to beg your Excellency to do so, in order to save me from falling
into shame and trouble, and I will serve with all my heart in what
is required of me, even to risking my life, as I have often done in
the past.
Since my last these people have received advice from Spain, for
they have spies everywhere, that the preparation of his Majesty's
(fleet) is proceeding. The Queen's fleet of 30 sail is ready and in
good order. At Colchester, 40 miles from here, they are fitting
out 16 ships of 29 (tons each?), very long and low, which will serve
either for oars or sails. It is thought, for this reason, that they
are for Zealand. They have been constructed at the cost of
Flemings, French, and Englishmen of ... confederation, who
are in consultation here daily with the commissioner, of whom I
have spoken as resident here to represent Orange. He is a
very clever and diabolical man, but not so bad as a Frenchman
here, who is a representative of Chatillon and the French
heretics. They are hatching plots very prejudicial to his Majesty's
interests and those of the king of France, which, however, I
cannot discover, being in the position in which I am, as no one will
have anything to do with me. I have nevertheless been able to find
out that they are sending in a few days to Germany an Englishman
called Ungenne (one Jeneye?), who is said to be a very cunning
man, and has lived long in those parts. He is going to the confederates,
the Palatine, the duke of Saxony, and the marquis of
Brandenburg, and takes a sum of money in bills, raised here by
the heretics, sufficient for a considerable force which they say will
enter the States to join the prince of Orange, a similar force being
raised by the Palatine and Condé to enter France.
Since my last letter news from Bristol affirms that the intelligence
brought by the ship there of the sacking of Madeira is not
correct. The island sacked was a small unprotected island near,
called Porto Santo. It is encouraging the heretics so much that it
may urge them to more important enterprises, as they see they are
not punished.
As the Portuguese business is entirely in the hands of the Treasurer,
the earl of Leicester and Giraldi, it is difficult to get particulars,
although I am told that the latter was willing to concede,
on behalf of the King, that the English may trade in Barbary, so
far as regards Ceuta, Tangiers, and Mazagan, but the English
claim to trade everywhere north of Cabo Blanco. This will include
the kingdom of Fez and Morocco with the port of Santa Cruz,
where the English have a large trade and much merchandise, and
whither they take great quantities of arms and ammunition. By
this it would appear that the negotiation will not be carried through,
notwithstanding all the bribes promised and the efforts made by
Giraldi, assisted therein by a subject of his Majesty resident here,
knowing full well the great injury it would bring to the service of
God and the King.—1st June 1574.
Note.—Much damaged by fire.
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