Catalogue description LORD WYLLUGHBY'S ANSWER to the STATES GENERAL.

--Having seen certain resolutions of the States General, dated the 29th of this month, in which they declare themselves aggrieved by the difficulties brought forward by Baron Willoughby in relation to the withdrawal of English troops from Bergen-op-Zoom; the said Baron hereby declares, as he has formerly done, that he had no knowledge of the agreement made by the States with Sir John Norreys concerning the service for Spain, until after their resolution was taken. Following upon which, while the said ambassador was making his preparations, the Council of State on the 9th inst. [N.S., see p. 218 above] informed Lord Willoughby (then at Dordrecht) of their intention to relieve Wachtendonck, and desired to know what English troops might be employed.

Lord Willoughby went to the Hague, discussed the matter, and arranged the number of men, the place of rendezvous, and the date of assembling there. He then did his utmost to promote the service, and on quitting the Hague on the 17th, left an agent there at his own charges to procure boats for the transport of the men. Such diligence was used, that the same evening letters were written to the States of Zeeland to furnish ships for the men at Vlissingues and Ostend, to which end he sent an express there also at his own expense, and the next day, letters were written by the States of Holland to the Admiralty at Rotterdam to provide other thirty boats for the men to be drawn from Bergen, which boats left Dortrecht on the 22nd. At the same time Lord Willoughby endeavoured to draw men from Geertrudenberghe for the said expedition. If, notwithstanding all this labour, it fell out that, owing to the bad weather and shortness of the notice, the troops from Bergen did not reach Rotterdam until the 28th, no blame can be attached to Lord Willoughby, and even if all the troops had arrived at the appointed time (which not only the English but the country forces failed to do), nothing would have been gained, seeing that Wachtendonck was lost before the day of rendezvous.

If then there is any blame deserved in the matter, it should be given, not to Lord Willoughby, but to those who had so managed affairs that all their succours, even if ready on the prefixed day, would have come too late. It is entirely impertinent, and very "mal-a-propos" to say that the aid was deferred more than a fortnight at the instance of Lord Willoughby, seeing that he showed all zeal and diligence, as already shown, and seeing also that he had no more time given him than had the troops of the country, who were ready to hand. He had nothing more at heart than the relief of Wachtendonck, and needed no urging to give the aid of the English troops if it had been possible.

As to the discharge which Lord Willoughby required in regard to Bergen when he found himself left with only 800 men to defend it, and which he had not at first demanded, his answer is that he was driven to ask it by the withdrawal of the Ambassador's troops according to the agreement with the States, of which agreement, in the first instance, his Lordship had not even heard, and thus had then no reason to make any difficulty.

Lord Willoughby therefore maintains that the States General have no cause whatever to complain so bitterly of the prejudice done to them by his proceedings, seeing that they cannot show that in any way he has behaved otherwise than as a nobleman and gentleman of his rank ought to do, for the honour of God, the service of her Majesty, and the good of this country. In case, however, that these actions do not give the States General content, he will, if discharged of his oath, do all that he can to induce her Majesty to send them some other gentleman of quality with whom they may be better satisfied; and meanwhile, he prays them to judge his conduct with honesty and sincerity, that, considering the state of the country when he took charge of it, he may not have just cause to say that he has been rewarded for all the service he has done by manifest ingratitude.