<P_393>

<heading:edcomment:CLI>

It maie please yor honor . (EDMONDES-E2-H,393.3)

I haue according to yor honors Comandement used all endevor and
industrie to fynd out a meanes for yor honor to receiue aduertisementes
out of Spaine , (EDMONDES-E2-H,393.4)

but being verie hard to meet wth one to send exp~slie thither , that is
faithfull and sufficient , and can be able to serue yor honor as were
fitt , I haue therefore aduised howe to wourke the same by those of the
best sorte here that haue correspondencie in Spayne ,
(EDMONDES-E2-H,393.5)

And aboue all others one Monsr Anthoine Balbany , an Itallian marchant
of the Principall of this Towne , hauing the most frequent & best
aduertisementes from thence because of his great trade there , and wth
the chief p~sone of that Countrie I sought to haue it p~pounded to him
, whether he would be content to emploie his frends to aduertise him of
that wch should passe there , and that yor honor might receiue
information thereof , wch curtesie yor honor would alwaies kindlie
acknoweledge towardes himselfe & anie his frendes as they should haue
anie neede to use yor honors fauor . (EDMONDES-E2-H,393.6)

There was some difficultie made at the first to deale wth him therin ,
because being a sup~stitious papist , and not to be swayed by the
consideration of benefittes , in respect of the greatnes of his estate
, it was doubted the ouuerture would not be agreable to him , but for
that he wth Monsr Zamatt doe shippe great quantetie of Corne to
transport out of the Realme into Spayne , (EDMONDES-E2-H,393.7)

and arguying wth me , whether the same be in danger to be staied if the
said vessells be mett by anie englishe shippes I did thereof assure him
, (EDMONDES-E2-H,393.8)

yett afterwardes I did cause it to be signified to him , that if for
his better assurance he would be strengthned wth anie pasportes from my
lord Admyrall that I durst p~sume yor honor would gratifie him wth anie
that he should neede for his p~ticuler and fauor him in all other his
occasions so as he would requyte it in the other curtesie to p~cure yor
honor to receiue information of that which shall passe in Spayne .
(EDMONDES-E2-H,393.9)

He hearkned to this offer , (EDMONDES-E2-H,393.10)

and assured me that he will geiue yor honor all satisfaction in yor
desier , (EDMONDES-E2-H,393.11)

and hereuppon prayed me to send in dilligence <P_394> to yor honor to
beseech you to be pleased to assist him with the said pasportes ,
(EDMONDES-E2-H,394.12)

but for that the nombr wch he demandeth is great , being twelue , I
feare it $will $be {TEXT:wilbe} an unpleasant motion to yor honor
(EDMONDES-E2-H,394.13)

yett I thought good to p~sent it to yor honors consideration first for
that it is a spetiall meanes to p~cure yor honor to receiue verie goode
& frequent aduertisements , and wthout anie charge to you , and
secondlie for that I fynd these people are resolued to mainteyne that
librtie to Carrie Corne into Spayne , and thereuppon haue geiuen
assurance to Zamett & the rest to staie all englishe mens goodes for
their recompence , if staie be made of their shippes by her maties
subiectes , (EDMONDES-E2-H,394.14)

To auoyde the sendinge of so greate nombr of pasportes , as since he
reqeyred of me , I undertook that yor honor would be pleased to p~cure
the release of anie of his shippes that should be staied , wch although
he acknowledged to be a fauor yett it did not content him , for that he
feareth that being subiect to that staie , it will make him to loose
the benefitt of his markett & hazard the p~ishing of the Corne .
(EDMONDES-E2-H,394.15)

He hath alreadie sent awaie some shippes (EDMONDES-E2-H,394.16)

& desireth these pasportes for those vessells wch are yett behind , wch
he saieth are not aboue the burthen of threescoore tonnes
(EDMONDES-E2-H,394.17)

but thereof I $can $not {TEXT:cannot} geiue assurance ,
(EDMONDES-E2-H,394.18)

and doe humbly submitt the iudgement of the conveniencie , or not , of
his request , to yor honors best consideration , (EDMONDES-E2-H,394.19)

And where happelie it may be thought that I seeke thereby to p~cure
some p~fitt to myself I beseech yor honor to beleeue my poor
p~testation wch I will not falsifie to you , that I haue not therein
anie desseing or interest of privatt benefitt , but onlie a superstious
desire to serue yor honor in that wch you haue so much in
recommendacion , and is of so great importance . (EDMONDES-E2-H,394.20)

It is desired that the pasportes may runne in the name Peter Bernardin
Massey and Anthonie Balbany and blanckes to be left for the names of
the shippes , and of the Masters . (EDMONDES-E2-H,394.21)

I hope also to p~cure that the Ambr of Venice shall drawe often
aduertisementes from their Ambr. in Spayne and send them from tyme to
tyme to yor honor , (EDMONDES-E2-H,394.22)

and will emploie all other meanes possible , that by the plurallitie of
advices yor honor maie be {HELSINKI:by} the better serued and make the
truer iudgement of thinges . (EDMONDES-E2-H,394.23)

I doe contynuallie sollicitt the paiement of the Crownes as yor honor
demandeth me , (EDMONDES-E2-H,394.24)

and am still confidentlie assured by Monsr de Rhosny who is the fac
totum here for monie matters that wthout faile it $shall $be
{TEXT:shalbe} answeared out of this yeares receipt , but that it $can
$not {TEXT:cannot} be soone leuyed . (EDMONDES-E2-H,394.25)

He toulde me that he understoode her matie had geiuen the said <P_395>
monie unto some aboute her (EDMONDES-E2-H,395.26)

but I assured him , that it is a false information .
(EDMONDES-E2-H,395.27)

Monsr de Villeroy did verie kindlie take yor honors letter
(EDMONDES-E2-H,395.28)

and will by the Ambr. retourne yor honor answeare thereunto .
(EDMONDES-E2-H,395.29)

I did also acquaynte him , in other discourse , that the Ambr had not
yett made anie privatt acquaintance wth yor honor , touching the wch he
sayd that he would wryte unto him , being a faulte wch his frendes here
doe accuse in him , that he doth too formallie hould himself on his
grauitie , but being otherwise a verie honest gent , and of great
integritie . (EDMONDES-E2-H,395.30)

He doth complaine greatlie in all his dispatches that he $can $not
{TEXT:cannot} receiue satisfaction from my lord Admyrall in matters of
iustice . That yor honor doth order & direct verie well , but that his
l. doth not answeare it in p~fourmance & execution
(EDMONDES-E2-H,395.31)

I assure yor honor if it be not p~vyded by some good establishement to
redresse the disorders of both sides , our poore marchantes $will $be
{TEXT:wilbe} undonne by these differences , (EDMONDES-E2-H,395.32)

and yor honor will forthwth see the effectes thereof .
(EDMONDES-E2-H,395.33)

I haue comunicated wth one Smyth the answeare wch yor honor sent me
from M=r=. Kelley touching the wch he hath thought good to wryte againe
to yor honor . (EDMONDES-E2-H,395.34)

There is no likelyhood to compound so discordant allegations , unlesse
they were together , or that they will agree to whom to referre their
differences , (EDMONDES-E2-H,395.35)

and these expostulations in the mean tyme serve to litle pourpose .
(EDMONDES-E2-H,395.36)

It is verie earnestlie desired that it will please yor honor either to
send the pasportes wth expedition or ells answeare that they $can $not
{TEXT:cannot} be getten for that they stay the dep~ture of their
shippes thereuppon , (EDMONDES-E2-H,395.37)

and therefore yor honor shall greatlie satisfie them to geiue a speedie
resolution wch I beseech yor honor to be pleased to doe .
(EDMONDES-E2-H,395.38)

And craving also p~don for hauing troubled yor honor wth so tedious a
letter I most humbly take my leaue ffrom Paris the second of Januarie
1598 . (EDMONDES-E2-H,395.39)

I send yor honer the memoriall delyuered me for the said pasportes .
(EDMONDES-E2-H,395.40)

Yor honors most humblie bounden Tho: Edmondes . (EDMONDES-E2-H,395.41)

1598 2 Jan . (EDMONDES-E2-H,395.42)

M=r= Edmondes to my M=r= . (EDMONDES-E2-H,395.43)

His endevor to setle some intelligence wth Spaine
(EDMONDES-E2-H,395.44)

<P_396>

Twelue paspor=t=~ to be procured from y=e= l. Adm=ll= for ffrenche
merchan=t=~ to carry Corne for Spaine . (EDMONDES-E2-H,396.46)

Rc. the ixth at Whithall . (EDMONDES-E2-H,396.47)

To the right honorable S=r=. Robrt Cecyll knight Principall Secretarie
to the Queenes Mat=ie= and chancelor of the Duchee of lancaster .
(EDMONDES-E2-H,396.48)