Isabel culpa a los holandeses de la perdida de Sluis (Escluse).

THE QUEEN to KILLIGREW and BEALE.

It is manifest to all how much our honour is touched by the loss of the town of l'Escluse, and we cannot reflect on it without regret and displeasure, seeing that the disaster has happened by fault of the Estates, who not only neglected to make the necessary provisions for defence of the town, but have acted in a manner so strange, that we cannot but suspect (as all the world may judge at a glance) that they rather desired its loss than its defence. We cannot but feel very strongly that the said States, by their negligence, and also in respect of some personal dissatisfaction with our governor (who is so willingly venturing his life and fortune for their defence) should have thus left our honour as a prey to the enemy ; to the great danger of their own estate.

We desire you to say to them openly on our behalf that we are determined to show the country that they and we have just cause to accuse them of an act so treacherous and disloyal as to have been cause of the loss of the town and the means of betraying the liberty of the country and injuring our honour and reputation, dearer to us than life itself ; assuring them that if they do not find means both to repair our honour (which we fear will be very difficult) and to furnish all that our governor shall demand for their own defence and preservation, we are resolved to abandon utterly and forsake them, which will inevitably bring about their ruin, for which we shall be extremely sorry from our affection to the generality mostly good patriots, whose defence and preservation has been no less esteemed by us than that of our own subjects.

In order more effectually to convict them of the loss of Escluse it will be well for you to collect that which may aid us to prove their negligence or rather disloyalty. And as the Admiral and Vice-Admiral have likewise been very negligent in hastening to succour of the said town, we wish you to admonish them of their fault on our behalf very sharply in presence of the States General or the Council of State, as our cousin of Leicester shall advise, that they may openly bear the blame.

Copy. French. 2 pp. [Holland XVII. f. 1.]