Catalogue description LORD WYLLUGHBY to the COUNCIL OF STATE.

--Whereas all princes, lords and gentlemen, foreigners, who have served in the Provinces of Holland and Zeeland against the tyrannous government of the Duke of Alva and his successor, the Grand Commander Louys de Requesens, and since, up to the time of the pacification made at Gand, and so from year to year until today, have always, whatever might be the state of affairs, been honourably treated by the said Provinces and their allies; and whereas it is notorious that Lord Willoughby had already done service here for a good space of time, as appears by the placcat of the States General of April 12, 1588, and that since that time he has continually employed himself, not only in the Council of State, but in all extraordinary services whenever required, as witness the arrangements made by him at Medenblicq, Naerden, Tervere, Arnemuyden, Geertrudenberghe, &c., where, otherwise, matters were like to have come to a very strange issue, as the Count of Nassau and the deputies of the States may well judge, they having been eye-witnesses of what occurred; and as, notwithstanding all this, and taking no regard to the fact that Lord Willoughby voluntarily put himself into a town besieged by a mightier army of the enemy than there had been for many years past, your Lordships have not yet any way considered of any resolution to be taken concerning his treatment, much less concerning any recompense to be made to him :--This is to pray you to take the matter into consideration, bethinking yourselves of what has been done in former times and reflecting that the services of her Majesty's present Lieut.-General merit at least as much recognition as many others which have been of much less importance to the State. Enclosed in the letter to Bodley.