O Mightie God, what misfortune, O what cruell mishap it is to see this small place which hath stayed the valour of so many good souldiours, and cause an armie to be consumed before this pettie place. Alas it was well tolde me what discommoditie I should indure before this citie: A citie I may [...]erme it, for Caesar before Munda: howbeit much good was lost, yet not such store of people, as I haue lost before this: for I may with trueth say, that I haue within these foure moneths lost fiue thousand men, or little lesse, and among them many va­liant Collonels and Captaines, and yet I sée not apparence to get the same.

My brother is strong enough to beare all, both men and money required to this warre.

Sister, whatsoeuer I could do for the preseruation of this Fle­mish countrie, I sweare I haue effected to my power.

Sir, your maiestie hath sufficiently satisfied the promise of the late Catholick king.

To my Father I haue promised for euer to maintayne the Apostolique siege, and that which he gaue to you.

Sir your greatnesse is sufficiently knowne in persuing of this with so great charges.

I must kéepe this countrie in awe, least if in France came troubles, I might hereof possesse my selfe.

That shall neuer be séene? No Frenchmen hath desire to sée (as they haue séene) the Spaniards in their townes.

Some foole will be found among so many vnfit, who for gould will aduance my power.

The Frenchmen haue a king, who is not to be prouided, and I do more feare that they will enter in this countrie whilst I am busie here, and cause the countrie wholy to rebell.

This king was at Calles, whereat I greatly meruaile: for I cannot conceiue what he had to doe there.

He was at Calles not without hauing some affayres, but it hath troubled my braynes to thinke what it should be.

Do you thinke that this king would haue falsefied his fayth, and he would endeauour to get his countrie by craft.

The falcifying of his promise imported not so, he thereby may get good profit.

There neuer was french king who would so wrong himselfe as to breake the promise of Fraunce.

It hath little béene séene, that any heretofore such, haue such recompense as this king should haue by falcifying his oath.

I do greatly wonder to what purpose the Duke of Biron went to England.

I durst lay, that it is about war and nothing els that he made that voyage.

And the Duke of Anguillon who came towardes you, of what did he speake to you of peace or of warre.

He was sent to yéeld, such as he hath done by the great ma­ster of my horse.

Then to this peace let vs not repose, but it is requisite that euery one be ready to resist.

It is well the right meane to preuent that no ill hap come to vs, but men cannot resist euery where.

What is then to be done? you must answere to this point? doe you hope shortly to be maister of this place.

It doth consist in God to effect such wonder and not in any humaine power.

What doe you then hope? that in looking on the same it will through wearysomnesse it will yéeld it selfe.

If it had not béene for your maiesty, I durst not haue vnder­taken to come neare the same by halfe a leage.

It hath béene Spingnola who caused me to be commanded quickly to take the same, to the end there to place gallies.

Your maiestie ought not to haue promised to take this place, or at the least not so soone.

We haue to moch spoke thereof tell me I pray you sonne, whether you meane to take it, or els to depart from thence.

If it had not béene for shame, I would before this time haue gone away from thence, for I through obstinacie haue wholy ruyned my campe.

Séeing you cannot get it, leaue off your will which you haue so bent against the same place.

Flaunders hath furnisht all which my army would haue, therefore I cannot from hence depart without dishonor? but they would be weary I know their humour. And then when they would, they are at such great charges that they haue not y^t power to support the same. And though I should yet remayne here foure monethes, expecting good succes▪ I neuer shall haue hope to take the same, I did well thinke at the first what would become hereof.

Doe you beléeue that this Morrice would make peace if hée were thereto requested by some mighty prince.

I haue heretofore promised him the prouince of Holland, so he would yéelde to be my subiect.

Well séeing he had refused the same, what shall we then doe to get him with vs.

To pray the Pope to be a meanes therein, for perchaunce he may perswade him thereto.

That cannot be so, for it is [...] them to frequent him by reason of their beliefe.

This peace may be concluded like that of France for he dooth onely fight for liberty.

Holy father I am now come to your holines with prayers vnto you, to take so much paines as to perswade (if it be in your power) the estates to yéelde themselues, and to promise vnto Morrice and them that yéelding themselues to me, they shall be most happy for I will promise them liberty of their consci­ence.

My sonne you haue wrong, For all my skill doe I imploy to draw those people from their erronious way, wherein they doe persist, and will you haue me suffer them to continue therein.

Holy father pardon him, who with griefe doe not know what to say, I speake it for a trueth.

I would satisfie you, if it did consist in my power and that I had authority ouer them but the estéeme not of me.

Holy father you haue the one halfe of the shame and I haue the other halfe, and all the dammage.

Sonne, it is very difficult to finde an end, I know that you haue receiued great losse and dammage, and losse against those people many regiments of Spanish souldiers, and eke many ar­mies of other nations, but all those which there do dye, haue full forgiuenes of their sinnes, which cannot chuse but to be a great comfort to you.

I doe feare that in time they will presse mee so sore [Page] placed in Ambassage, tell me I pray you from whence come those words.

Truly from Madrill towardes this troublesome repose, who séeing he cannot get vs by the way of armes, dooth go about to entice vs with his flattering charmes, but let him not trust to it, he shall effect nothing therein. Men shall sooner sée the decease of vs all, then a Spaniard commaund in this countrie of Hol­land. Therefore trouble not your selfe any more about this peace, but rather pray to God for the decease of the king of Ca­stile, that you may repaire thether and succéede him, and of his crowne possesse your selfe. And touching the Archduke, feare not, for I do hope that he will not long liue, and then that it shall be my fortune to be married with your Aunte, so you may pray to God for her and mee together, and I hope wee shall well agrée.