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1584.
Feb. 15. |
792. Harborne to Walsingham. |
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Decipher of letter of Jan. 27, 1583–4 (see p. 327 above), probably from a copy sent the following month. Much mutilated by damp. |
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Endd. “Feb. 15, 1584,” and found amongst the papers of 1584–5, too late to be inserted in its proper place. 4 pp. [Turkey, I. 15 bis.] |
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TREATY PAPERS. |
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Holland and Flanders. |
| March 3. |
793. Articles presented by Mr. Dyer to the Prince of Orange and the Prince's answers. |
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1. That her Majesty finds it necessary, in order to check the King of Spain's naval forces, to join with those of the Low Countries by sea. |
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2. That she desires his Excellency's advice as to what is most expedient to be done for their mutual defence. |
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Reply. The Prince of Orange, after praying Mr. Dyer to thank her Majesty humbly for the honour she does him, replies as follows:— |
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He praises God, that he has more and more shown to her Majesty the King of Spain's ill-will towards her; and as he, like herself, is informed of the King's great preparations by sea, and is convinced, however the King may proceed at first, that his real intention is to ruin these countries, and also (as shown more fully in the memoirs which the Prince sends to Mr. Walsingham) to do all the harm he can to her Majesty, he praises greatly the wise resolve contained in the two articles above, and feels sure that so laudable an enterprise cannot but bring about the advancement of God's glory and service and the common good of Christendom, and especially of these countries; he being of the same opinion, that they must unite with the [sea] army of her Majesty for their mutual defence. |
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3. Her Majesty desires to know how many well-equipped ships of war the States can put to sea, at their own charges, if necessity require. |
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Reply. For the safety and defence of these countries, the Estates are obliged to arm at divers places several vessels, which they keep generally in service, and it is needful that they should have more, seeing that in summer, navigation is easier to the enemy. But besides these, which are for the guard of the channels and rivers, he can assure her Majesty that the States will arm twenty good ships; viz ten of 400 tons, at least five of 300 to 350 tons, and five of 200 or 250, which vessels will go to sea for her Majesty's service and the common defence; praying her Majesty to be satisfied therewith, considering the great burden which they have to bear on land against the King of Spain; and to rest assured that she shall have from the said States, all fidelity, service and obedience. |
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4. How and where can such ships most conveniently join those of her Majesty? |
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Reply. The Prince believes that the most convenient place would be the Isle of Wight (Wicke), to which place these ships would repair to receive the orders of her Majesty and her commanders, according to the directions which will be given to the soldiers and sailors, to obey the same; the Prince hoping that her Majesty will do him the honour to communicate to him the said instructions. |
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5. In what time (necessity so requiring) could these ships be ready for sea? |
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Reply. The Prince hopes that in six weeks they could be ready to put to sea. |
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6. What order are the States taking for their own defence, and the maintenance of the war? |
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Reply. The Prince cannot yet reply certainly to this, as the States have taken until the 15 of March to conclude the matter,
but as to the provinces of Holland, Zeeland and Utrecht, he reckons on being able to entertain 10,000 footmen, 1,000 horse and 1,000 pioneers, for the defence of the said countries and to aid the other provinces. And while awaiting the resolution of the States General, order has been given for recalling 1,500 horse and 2,000 foot, which have been hitherto in the service of the Elector Truchsess, and which will shortly be in the country. |
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Delft, 3 March, 1584. |
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Copy. Endd. Fr. 2½ pp.[Treaty Papers XXXIII. 33.] |
| March 28./April 7. |
794. “Capitulation” between the Prince of Parma and the town of Ypres, April 7 [n.s.] 1584. |
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Endd. Fr. 3½ pp.[Ibid. XXXIII. 34.] |
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Printed in Bulletins de la Commission Royale d'Histoire, 3° série, t. XIII. pp.80, 82.] |
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795. Another copy, the articles differently arranged, and dated April 9. |
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Fr. 3 pp.[Ibid. XXXIII. 35.] |
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796. Contraventions against the above capitulations:— |
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That the Prince of Parma has dug up the dead and thrown them to the dogs; confiscated the goods of minors; forced persons already contracted and married to be re-married and baptized children to be rebaptized and obliged the nearest relatives to perform the funeral rites again for persons dead five or six years ago, whether they had the means to do so or no. |
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He promised to treat the four persons given up to him as prisoners of war. But although they prayed to be allowed to sell their goods in order to pay their excessive ransom of 20,000 florins, besides expences, he refused to give them permission. Several of the magistrates have been vexed and imprisoned for the revenues of the town and ecclesiastical property. |
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The burgers have been kept in the town for a year like prisoners, no one being allowed to go outside the gates, so that in consequence of the oppression of the great multitude of soldiers put into their houses, and the harshness of the commissioners for confiscations, many have been forced to escape from the town in disguise, abandoning their possessions; some risking their lives in the snow; while others (although they had paid their taxes) on demanding passports from the magistrates, have been thrown into prison, soldiers quartered in their houses, and they made to pay whatever was demanded of them; while others have had to buy their passports with great sum6 of money; while, albeit they went into neutral countries, their possessions have been seized and put to farm for the profit of the King of Spain.” |
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The like or greater contraventions have happened in almost all the other towns in Flanders, Brabant, &c. |
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They have also kept back many goods, jewels and household goods of the governor, greffier, captains, inhabitants and soldiers of Sluys, which it was appointed should be sent after them. |
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Endd. Fr. 1½ pp. [Treaty Papers XXXIII. 36.] |
| April. |
797. An extract of the principal articles concerning the treaty between the Four Members of Flanders and the Prince of Parma. [Offered by the Deputies to the Commissioners of the Prince, April, 1584.] |
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1. That there shall be granted to them every point comprehended in the pacification of Ghent, unless otherwise expressly stated. |
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2. That it will please his Majesty to continue the Prince of Chimay as governor of Flanders, with the authority of former governors; and that at all other changes of governors “the like may be done according to the good liking” of the inhabitants. |
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3. That he will suffer the exercise of religion to remain as it is, until it “shall be found otherwise meet” by the States General of the Low Countries. |
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4. That all stranger soldiers shall depart from Flanders within a given number of days and not return again, nor any in their place, leaving behind them all such provisions of war as are now in the garrisons, and not “weakening” the towns and forts of their ramparts and bulwarks. |
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5. That all “subaltern towns and forts” under the jurisdiction of the principal ones shall so remain, and in case of need be protected by the latter with a garrison of those of the country, even if at the time of the “disunion” they were in the hands of those at enmity with the principal members. |
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Endd. 2 pp. [ibid. XXXIII. 37.] |
| April 13/23. |
798. The Prince of Parma's offers to those of Flanders [13–] 23 April, 1584 [after receiving the above articles]. |
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Endd. Translation, 5 pp. [Ibid. XXXIII. 38.] |
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[This and the other documents relative to the treaty are printed in Bulletins de la Commission Royale d'Histoire, 3e serie, t. XIII. p. 326 et seq.] |
| [April ?] |
799. Paper endorsed (in French), “Copy of the articles exhibited to the Prince of Chimay and of what he has replied particularly to each point.” But it appears to be rather a series of questions by the Prince concerning the negotiations between Ghent and the Malcontents, with answers apostiled to each question. |
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Endd. Fr. 1¼ pp. [Ibid. XXXIII. 39.] |
