Catalogue description CAPT. CHRISTOPHER BLOUNTE to LORD WILLOUGHBY.

--I hope I may recover strength sufficient to attend you at Dordt, and acquaint you with the cause of "my untowardly corse taken with you at my first entry into thes partes," when I could not do otherwise without direction from him whom I felt myself most affected unto.

I have received a letter from my Lord Ambassador, to like effect as two sent to Sir John Borrow and Capt. Morgan, desiring me to certify him of the strength of my company, and to hold them in a readiness for embarking on some foreign service. I know not what is meant thereby, but I assure you (as I have already written to the ambassador), that "I cannot serve with eny, if farther order be not given for ower enterteynment for the yere past; and after that, in none other sort neyther except continuyd in her Majesties pay, for ower men, upon the small inkelyng they heare, begin to mutyne allredy, and say playnly they will not follow in such foren jorneys except upon good assurance under whos payment they shall serve. I beseke your Lordship advise herein wisly, and satisfy into Ingland . . . that present paymentes be made or no soldyer expected, for on my liffe my Lord, the Lordes of her [Majesty's] Consell will be deceved that make any other reckonyng. For myself, my Lord, I begin to despeyr for the warres, for my company lyeth here in such miserable sort that we grow to utter ruin."