Catalogue description Statement by LORD WILLOUGHBY.

--"Such special considerations as moved me (at the often request and importunity of the Treasurer at Wars, both divers times by himself, since my repair into England, and by Mr. Meredith, his Vice-treasurer, and others, before my coming over) to sign doubles of the warrants, as well of the bands, horse and foot, as the officers of all sorts in her Majesty's pay, employed in the Low Countries, notwithstanding the same hath been greatly disliked of and impugned by the captains in many respects, the rather for that it hath not been heretofore accustomed."

First, the Earl of Leicester, my predecessor, having given orders for the stay of all warrants in the muster-master's hands (although the muster-master had not carried them out), I thought well to do the same, but the captains being aggrieved, and praying me not to bring in innovations, I stayed the order. Mr. Meredith then begged for copies, but the captains disliked this as much as the other, wherefore I made stay also thereof until my coming into England.

The Treasurer himself has often moved me for copies, without which he could not finish his year's accounts or enter into accounts with the auditor, the warrants themselves being some with Sir John Norris, some in England, and the rest dispersed in the Low Countries. I offered him a book of breviates under my hand, but he said that the copies must verbatim agree with the originals, as they must be delivered to the auditor instead of the originals, with the captains' acquittances. Whereupon, finding his request reasonable (and the captains' dislike founded rather on suspicion than just cause of detriment), I resolved to grant the same, but desire to have the hands of such as are parties thereto, to answer objections hereafter.