MY good cussen, I cannot but muse at the sundry vntrue re­ports which (as I heare) is bruted in England concer­ning the English forces now remaining in Fraunce: For controlement wherof accor­ding to your request, I sende you the truth of all that hath happened since our departure, to the end you may make other of your friends acquainted with the same.

Know therefore that after the right Honorable the Earle of Essex, had taken his leaue of her Maie­sty then lying at Greenwich, he went from thence by water to Graues-end, where being landed he tooke horse to Douer, meane while the ships pas­sed the lands end, and so came to Douer, wher his Honor soone after went aboord, who together with the whole fleete set sayls for Deepe, wher we arriued on munday being the seuenth day of Au­gust 1591.

At his Honors first landing, all the great ordi­nance on both sides the hauen (at Deepe) was dis­charged, and the Townes men stood (ready soul­dier like) with drums, phifes and Ensignes, and in [Page 4] token of loue and ioy sounded their Trumpets, & in all curteous maner receiued him, who together with the Gouernour of the sayd Towne, named Mounsier de Chartres marched into the Towne, where he was royally feasted and most honorably entertained.

After the Earle our Generall had taken order for the landing and placing of his souldiers, he re­mayned at Deepe about foure dayes space, and after went to Arques, which is about foure miles from thence, where he encamped and mustred vp his men, taking aduice of the saide Gouernour what was best to be done.

Meane while that his Honor remained at Ar­ques, hee had certaine intelligence brought him, that the Kings Maiesty was greatly busied about the taking of Noyan, and that by meanes thereof the King coulde not easelye departe thence, before he had receiued full possession of the sayde Towne, which was perfourmed, on the nine­teenth of August last past.

The Honorable Earle of Essex our generall, vn­derstanding of the Kings good succes, and hauing receiued certaine intelligence from his Maiestye, that he would meete with him at Gisors, set for­ward thither on the one and twenty of August, ta­king with him all his horse men, leauing his foot­men still at Arques,, where they continued vntill wednesday, being the second of September last past, as heareafter is expressed.

On the 27. of August, about the number of 400. English foote men went from Arques, with two [Page 5] hundred and fifty horse men of Deepe, these mar­ched forth at midnight towards the riuer of Some in Picardy, and went to a towne walled with mud. neare to Saint Valeri, holden by such as were ney­ther in obedience to the King, nor in league with the Leaguers. Into this towne they entred the next morning early, where they tooke the towne & about three hundred horse and wagons, which they conducted to Arques.

The Earle being come to Gisors, attended there for his Maiestie, who came the next day, and re­ceiued the Earle most louingly, to whom he gaue so great entertainment, as best beseemed so hono­rable a personage. And first greatly thanking the Queenes Maiestie of England, for her highnesse most gracious and louing kindnes towardes him, and then gaue thankes vnto the Earle for his great curtesie, forwardnes, and paines taking, in attemp­ting to hazard his owne person in so tedious a iourney.

After that the king had honorably entertained the Earle, according to the manner and custom of this country, he departed towardes the Germaine Armie, consisting of eighteene thousand both of horse and foot, who then staide about Champaigne for the comming of his Maiestie. But the Earle of Essex accompanied with the Lord Marshall Biron, departed from thence to Pont-de-larche, where hee yet remaineth.

This Towne of Pont-de-larche standeth about ten mile from Roan, in like sorte as Kingstone stand­eth from London, which Towne is holden for the [Page 6] King, and hath a bridge ouer it as Kingstone hath, hauing a Castle on the other side thereof, standing as her Maiesties Manor of Hampton Court, which together doth now keepe the riuer, and doth cutte off all the prouision that can goe to Roan by water, by reason that the vessels of prouision sent by wa­ter, must first passe vnder that bridge, before it can come to Roan.

The aforesaid bootie came in verie good time, by reason they greatly wanted horses and wagons for the carriage of their prouision, which soone af­ter stood them in great stead, when the whole Ar­mie remooued from Arx, which was on Wednes­day being the first of September last, on which day the armie arose, and laded their ordinance, and so departed, marching towardes the place where the Generall staide, being accompanied with Sir Thomas Leighton knight, who is lately landed at Deepe with great prouisiō of ordinance. To which place also there came ordinance from Amsterdam, and sundrie other places, so that shortlie it is likely that there will be some notable seruice performed against Roan, when the kinges forces, consisting of French men, English men, and Germaines, doe meete and ioine altogether, which will bee forth­with God willing.

God bee blessed for it, there is plentie of good victuals in the countrie, whereof we want not, and the same sold at a reasonable rate. A man may buie a good quarter of mutton for two shillinges: a ca­pon for eighteene pence, and twentie pence the best. Of bread, butter, cheese, and fish there is plen­tie: [Page 7] Salt fishe is there verie good cheape. A man maye buye a good Salt fish for three halfe pence, which will serue foure men to their dinners: and of this and such like prouision, the countrie doth bring in great abundance.

And wheras the report runneth, and hath been spred almost euer since my Lords departure, that sundry Captaines hath beene lately drowned through their owne wilfull negligence, and that there hath also many English men died out of the English Army since their comming ouer, by rea­son of pestilent sicknesse which hath risen amonge them: all this God be thanked is meere false, for neyther hath there any Captaines at all bin drow­ned, nor yet any such extreame sickenes happened among our Army as is reported. For of certainety there hath not aboue ten or twelue persons dyed by sicknesse at the moste of that great multitude, and the most part of those that haue so died (or are now sicke) is such as being riotously giuen, haue spent and consumed their money at dice, or in dronkennes, and such like vnmeet exercises, who, when they want money, run and feede on greene fruit, whereof there is great store, by which means some doe surfet and fall sicke, to the great indaun­gering of their owne liues.

Thus my good kinsman, I haue discouered vn­to you the true newes of all that hath happened since our departure from England. Other newes I haue not as yet to send you, but so soone as anye thing is perfourmed, you shall receiue certain in­telligence.

[Page 8] This one thing I thought good to acquaint you withall, whereof I know England wil be right ioyful to heare: namely, that the French king hath by Act of Parliament banished the Pope from ha­uing any rule, gouernement, or authoritie within the dominion of Fraunce: and hath published E­dicts in print concerning the same, throughout all his kingdome: yea he hath also caused his Buls o­penly to be burned before the gates of al his grea­test Townes and places, to the great amazement of those that are the chiefest pillers of the Romish Sinagogue. And thus with my harty commenda­tions to all our friends & well willers in England, I committe you to the protection of the Almighty, who prosper you for euer more.