| Administrative History | Sir Francis Walsingham (1532 - 1590), principal secretary to Queen Elizabeth |
| Description | Five pages of a report by Beale on his activities as part of the English mission to the United Provinces. Endorsed 'lett[er]s into Englande. Sent fro[m] Middelborg 2. Maij'. This appears to belong with the letter in MS 1009/1/24. The five pages, in order, consist of one double sheet and one single sheet [George's 26A; see notes below] and one taller double sheet with half the final page blank except for the docket [George's 26]. Two further pages of Beale's report are in MS 1009/1/31.
Abstract and notes by James D. George:
A day by day account by Beale of his conduct of his mission to the Low Countries from Sunday, 22 April, to Wednesday 2 May, 1576.
Notes:
(i) These two papers, though folded separately, are part of the same despatch. It begins with the 3 sheets (folded together) which I have marked 26A, the 2 sheets/ number 26 complete the despatch. (ii) In April 1576 Beale was sent to the Low Countries to secure the return of the ships belonging to the Merchant Adventurers which had been detained and obtain satisfaction for an attack on a ship belonging to the Earl of Oxford. His instructions are given at C. S. P. Foreign, 1575-7, p. 311.
(iii) Beale states that he arrived at Flushing “on Easter day in the morning”. In 1576 this feast fell on 22nd April.
(iv) This is the “other letter” to which Beale refers in No. 24 saying that in it “I have declared particularly as well as my memory and the haste of this bearer will serve such things as I have done since my arrival here”.
(v) The two letters seem to have been taken to England by a Mr. Herbert.
[End of notes by James D. George] |