Chap. LIII. during the Reign

1596. " Lordship, and to the Earl of EJsex“ now returned, how ill Her Majesty

"-- to hear of so much taken, and

“ so ill a-coming, like to be made

“ her, wherein, as by her Majesty’st( own Letter you may perceive, what" Course the Earl hath taken in his An-“ fwer. So, because Her Majesty’s" own writing hath sufficiently touched(t it, to which both the Earl and we all,ft in general and particular, made the" best Answers we could, we do for-" bear any farther to meddle with the" same, and will briefly set down what" it is which Her Majesty desireth to" be done, if it be well and provident-" ly considered, and so used.

" First, Her Majesty would have" Your Lordship by all Means possible“ to fee good Search made of all Ships" and all Passengers whatsoever, that" are come, or to return, according to“ Her Majesty’s Commission, to the In-" tent that both such Things of Price" and Value, as are brought home," may serve to bear the Burthen of the“ Charge; And also, that all such Vic-" tuals as, in the whole Army, may be" recovered, may be preserved to set“ forth such a Proportion of Ships as" shall be fit to ly for the Carracks or" W'ejl-Indian Fleet, as you shall think" good in your Discretion, according" to Her Majesty’s own Letter.

" And whereas your Lordship cal-“ leth for Mony to pay the Mariners," without shewing what Quantity you" mean, you must give us Leave to re-" member You, as one of Her Maje-“ sty’s Generals, like as Her Majesty" hath objected it here to the Earl of" Effex, that when that great Reckon-,e ing was suspected to prove burden-“ some, you both made so fight of any" such Suspicion, as you in a Manner" warranted the defraying of all such" Reckonings, without any Manner of" Advantage. And, therefore, as her" Majesty hath objected this unto the" Earl of E/sex, so are we command-" ed to do to you, that if good Search" be made of the Ships, it will be“ found, that both the Captains, Ma-“ sters and Officers, of all Ships, have“ Pillage enough to bear each Ship’s“ Charge, which if it be, there is no" Reason the Queen should give them“ Wages, and suffer them to carry such“ Pillage too, beyond all Reason and" Order. And therefore, it isHer Ma-" jesty’s Pleasure,that upon good Search

oj Qiteen Elizabeth. ^

“ and View thereof, it be considered,

" which Way will be most profitable“ for the Queen, either to pay them,’

“ or take that which is so indirectly“ embezzled by them. Wherein Her“ Majesty meanest not any suchTrafhy“ and petty Matters, (as Garments and" other Things fit for Soldiers and Ma^

" riners in like Cafes) but gross Com-'

“ modifies , Wares and other Mer-,

“ chandize, of which Mony may be“ made, towards the common Charge.

" For the dismissing now of Mari-" nets, and bringing about of Ships,

“ your Lordship’s Judgment can best“ tell what is to be done. Only this“ we must remember to you, That" where the Fleet is compounded oft( Mariners of divers Countries, if you“ dismiss any, or shall send any to go" forth for the Carracks, it shall be fit,

“ that you suffer them which be of thoseC( Countries Westward. For seing your-“ self well knows, that the Ships, that" are to be brought about, will not re-'

“ quire such Complement as they have" for Service, it will be a needless" Charge for them, to be kept in Pay;

" or those Mariners used to bring up" those Ships, when they might have“ Allowance for Conduct-Mony to re-" turn back again. For the Men, which" Her Majesty thought to use in Ire-“ land , she now sees it not convenient" to use those, at this Time, but would“ have them all sent to their Countries,

" according to such Direction, as She" hath caused the Earl, in Her Name,

" to send unto you. For those which" have served and came out of the“ Low-Countries, She will also havetf them returned and paid there, and" thinks that the Admiral of Holland.

“ will help, with his. Ships, to carry" some of them, seing they shall betf so acceptable to the States, who" have so earnestly entreated for them.

" For Mony for any of those Charges,

" belonging to the Land-Soldiers, the“ Earl fays, he hath left Order with" the Marshal, whom your Lordship" may call unto you, with all others,

“ according to your Commission, and" direct them accordingly. And so" we think it meet, that your Lord-“ stip sliould call and command any" Person, whom you stall think meet“ to assist you with any Service now,

“ to come to the Setting out of the" Ships, to go forward to intercept the“ Carracks. Her Majesty would have

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