| My Soveraigne good Lady and mystres yo[u]r highnes may be
advertised that this daye being the xvi th of September the
Portyngales who shuld have Dyrected us this p[re]tended enterpryse
have fledd and as I have certayne understanding taken passadge
into france, havinge no cause for that they had of me better
intertaynement they appertayned to suche mean p[er]sons, and
an army prepared sufficient to doo any resonable enterpryse,
but yt appeared that they cold by no meanes p[er]forme ther
lardge p[ro]mises, and so having gleaned a peice of mony to
o[u]r m[er]chantes ar fledd to deceive some other And although
this enterpryse cannot take effecte (which I think god hathe
p[ro]vided for the best) I do ascertayne yo[u]r highnes that
I have p[ro]vision sufficient and an able army to defend o[u]r
chardge and to bring some (w[i]th god[es] help) fortye thowsand
m[ar]kes gaynes w[i]thout the offence of the lest of any of
yo[u]r highnes alyes or freindes It shalbe no dishonor unto
yo[u]r hyghnes that yo[u]r owne s[er]vante and subject shall
in suche an extremitie convert suche an enterpryse and torne
yt bothe to yo[u]r highnes honor and to the benefit of your
whole realme. which I will not enterpryse w[i]thout yo[u]r highnes
consent, but am reddy to do what servicie (by yo[u]r ma[jes]tie
shalbe commanded yet to shew yo[u]r highnes the trothe I shold
be undon yf yo[u]r ma[jes]tie shold staye the voyadge whereunto
I hope yo[u]r highnes will have some regard. The voyadge I pretend
ys to lade Negoes in Genoya [Guinea] and sell them
in the west Indyes in troke of golde perrles and Esmeraldes
whereof I dowte not but to bring home great abondance |
| to the contentation of yo[u]r highnes and to the reliefe of
the nomber of worthy s[er]vitures reddy now for this p[re]tended
vogadge, w[hi]ch otherwose wold shortly be dryven to great misery
and reddy to comitt any folly This I having advertysed yo[u]r
hig[hness] the state of this matter do most humbly praye yo[u]r
highnes to signifye yo[u]r pleaseure by this bearere shall most
willingly accomplyshe frome Plymouth the xxi th daye of September
1567 |
..... highnes most humble servante
[signature] John Hawkins |
| .....to the quens most exellent ma[jes]tie |
.....xvi Septemb[er] 1567
Cop of hawkins to your Ma[je]stie
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