Simancas: July 1572 | British History Online

Calendar of State Papers, Spain (Simancas), Volume 2, 1568-1579. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1894.

Citation:

'Simancas: July 1572', in Calendar of State Papers, Spain (Simancas), Volume 2, 1568-1579, ed. Martin A S Hume( London, 1894), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/simancas/vol2/pp397-400 [accessed 27 November 2024].

July 1572



22 July. B. M. Cotton, Galba, C. IV. Original draft.	339. Unsigned Letter of Intelligence from London to the Duke of Alba. (fn. 1) I wrote to your Excellency on the 12th by Juan Medinal, who is the only person whom I trust with letters. The news since then is that Sir H(umphrey Gil)bert, who, I wrote in my last, was being sent as general to Flushing, has entered the town quietly with his troops, and has been well received by the inhabitants. Captains Chester and L(ane) left here last Friday with their men, about 600, it is said for Flushing and Caunfer. Another captain, named Pearce, went with them, who had raised 300 men since my last letter. He is going to Brille. A gentleman named Pelham is going as chief of the whole force. He is lieutenant of ordnance to the Queen, and is thought very much of for his great knowledge of war and fortifications, having fought in the Emperor's wars. He is a man of 50, tall, dark, with grey hair. The object of his going is to inspect Flushing and Caunfer with a view to their being fortified ; and generally to ascertain what forces and stores will be required for the war. He will return with his report and send over what he may consider necessary. He is taking with him 24 pieces, namely, 8 battery guns, 12 culverins, 4 ..., harquebusses, corselets, pikes, 100 barrels of powder, and a great many other stores, besides what Sir Humphrey Gilbert has taken. 10 or 12 ships are to be loaded with these stores and the rest of the troops. The four ships which I mentioned as coming from the west country with 1,000 men have since arrived here, and have left for the States. Twelve or fifteen other ships are being equipped in various ports in addition to these, for the purpose of taking more men to the States, and it is estimated that not less than 5,000 or 6,000 men will be sent before the end of the month, from London and other ports. The men who have already gone from here, the west and north, and elsewhere, must have reached 9,000 to 10,000, as they are going from all parts. In this city nothing is seen or heard of but soldiers and arms. Seven of the Queen's ships are being fitted out, and Sir Ralph Sadler, one of the Queen's councillors, has gone to Rochester to superintend the shipment of warlike stores. Great quantities of meat, biscuit, &c., are being prepared in the ports, and this gives rise to the opinion that many more men, in addition to the 10,000 already gone, are to be sent. It may also be concluded that the ships that are to take them will be well armed, and will remain off the places they take them to, whilst the Queen's ships guard the channel and prevent an enemy passing. Captain William Winter, the vice-admiral, who is a very important and experienced mariner, whom your Excellency knows, was ready to go over, as also was Captain John Hawkins, but the Council has ordered them to remain behind for the present, no doubt that they may go in the Queen's fleet. The design is understood to be the capture of Middleburg and ... in order to get possession of all the island of Zealand. They also desire to take an island adjoining Zealand called Tregus, as they think they may thus stop relief being sent to Zealand by your Excellency, and so strengthen their position in both places. They think, by this means, to get a footing on the continent opposite Flushing, whence they may command the approach by sea, and so stop all communications, extending their power as far as Bruges and Ghent. The carl of Warwick will be sent on this enterprise with a large force. He formerly commanded at Havre de Grâce. Your Excellency may be quite sure they would not enter into such an undertaking as this, unless they knew they were going to be backed up by France, but the main reason for their taking it in hand is the certainty they possess that, if once they can get hold of Zealand, very many Netherlanders would throw off the mask and show their bad spirit. There is a Florentine gentleman in the service of the Queen called Portinario, a great engineer, who has been here since King Henry's time, and receives a salary of 200l. a year. He is a man of 70 years, but robust, a great Catholic, and much attached to the King (Philip). He was summoned last Wednesday night by the Queen, who told him to go to Flushing and the other forts for her service. To this he replied : "Madam, I will gladly go if your Majesty orders me, but, as there is no war declared between England and Spain, those who go thither are carrying on an unfair war, and are liable to be hanged if captured, so that, saving your Majesty's orders, I would rather not go." The Queen laughed and said, "All right, Portinario, stay at home then, but hold yourself in readiness." Melchisedec Maleri, who I said in my last was going to the States as a spy for Lord Burleigh, left last Thursday. He is to have 100 marks a year. There recently left here also a Frenchman, named CI ..., a great heretic, who is sent secretly by the Flemish rebels here to hatch some plans against his Majesty in Gravelines, St. Omer, and other places. They are fitting out three war ships in this river, of which the command will be taken by a Captain Prilberton (Pilleton?). They are going towards the coast of Spain as far as Cape (Finis)terre and St. Vincent, in order to rob all ships that fall in their way, and do as much damage as they can. The Queen left last Tuesday for a two months'progress, and, on the day before, she gave away many vacant offices in her court, namely, to Burleigh (who was Cecil, her secretary) she gave the Lord Treasurership and Chancellorship, the greatest place in the country ; she made Lord Howard the Lord Chamberlain, Lord Privy Seal ; and the earl of Sussex, Chamberlain. Sir Thomas Smith, who went to France, was made principal secretary, the place formerly filled by Cecil, although the new man will not have so much power as he had ; and other offices were granted. I said in my last that Benedict Spinola had bought all the wools that had been arrested in this country, the property of his Catholic Majesty's subjects, at very low prices, to the great loss of the owners, and I now have to add that Benedict Spinola had arranged with Montmorenci, when he was here, that if these wools were sent to France they should not be arrested on account of the owners, but should be allowed to be freely sold. After I had written the above, and was about to seal this letter, I received advice that the Council had ordered Pelham and all his forces, which, to a great number, are in and about Gravesend, not to sail for the States until further orders are sent. This sudden decision is doubtless because they have had news that your Excellency's fleet is about, or some other intelligence of a similar sort, which has also caused them to order that all ships and men being prepared in the west and elsewhere on the coast are to come hither at once, no doubt with the intention of attacking your Excellency's fleet with this strong force. Gravesend and the places near it are full of troops, and the ships are quite ready to sail, so that if they hear they can go without danger (which news they are expecting from hour to hour) they will leave at once without waiting for the ships from the west and elsewhere.—London, 22nd July 1572.