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To King James, abignoto.
Most wise, and Glorious Prince,
BEcause the departure of your Majestie doth not permit me to hope for the honour of seeing you, and that the advertisements, and orders which I have to communicate unto you, do merit your speedy review and magnanimous resolution, I have presumed to trust them unto this paper, which I do humbly desire may rest in the hands of your Majestie alone.
The treaty of restoring all that had been taken by Sea (which by a motion from Spain, was put into the hands of some Ministers in Rome) is accompanied with so little hope of obtaining the end, that was pretended, that by reason of their continuing at Naples to dissipate, and waste such goods as they had taken in our ships, and the Cardinal Borgias reservednesse to promise any thing, that negotiation may be held as vain, and as an insidious invention to gain time. Never∣thelesse my Masters marching still with a constant desire of purcha∣sing the publique tranquillity, have been content to render all such vessels as they had taken within their Gulph, in hope that having gotten the advantage of the cause by this honest proceeding, they might prevail in which they had made at Naples, for the restitution of their Galeasses, and of the ship called Rosse.
But the actions and operations of the Spaniards do not answer un∣to what is desired, and hoped. For in the Kingdome of Sicilie Na∣ples, and Calabria, they do muster new Souldiers, and they make great preparations for a war by the Sea. The subjects of those King∣domes are taxed with extraordinary Contributions of mony, and in daily councels held by the duke of Ossuna, the Marquesse Santa Croce, and other ministers they do consult of the meanes of making war, and doing hurt. But that which is most important is, that in the conjuncture, there is likewise in divers parts of Spain a terrible con∣course of great provisions. For they have put in a readinesse ar∣mour for 30000. men, they have ingrossed all the ammunition that could be purchased, and have put in good equipage 60. tall ships which being added unto those they have already in the Streights make 80. at Naples they have 20 ships more besides all their own Gallies, and an order they have obtained for the Gallies of Malta, Florence, and the Pope to joyn with them.
All the Italian Souldiers are quartered along the Coast of Apulia, which is opposite to our Gulphe, and they have 14000. foot of Wal∣loons,