k!'i567.  32*^'  Since  my  last  reports  with  regard  to  England,  letters  '  dated
25th  December  have  been  received,  advising  the  going  of  the  earl
of  Leicester  in  great  haste  to  Holland,  in  consequence  of  the  news
reaching  him  that  the  Spaniards  are  bogged  near  Bois-le-Duc.  I
send  herewith  a  list  of  the  people  who  went  over  with  him.  Both
from  England  and  Zealand  the  news  is  confirmed  of  a  great  mortality
amongst  the  English.  They  write  from  London  that  the  Queen  has
issued  a  proclamation,  ordering  all  Spaniards  resident  in  the  country
to  leave  it  within  a  given  time,  both  men  and  women,  and  that  her
subjects  are  to  have  no  communication  with  those  of  your  Majesty
for  eight  months,  under  heavy  penalties.  I  have  no  confirmation  of
this,  and  consequently  am  not  certain  about  it,  except  that
previously  a  large  number  of  ships  had  been  sent  out  by  Englishmen
in  the  names  of  Frenchmen  and  Scotsmen.  I  have  made  fuller
inquiries  about  the  500  Spaniards,  who  I  wrote  to  your  Majesty
were  prisoners  in  England.  The  smallest  number  of  them  are  in
London,  as  they  are  mostly  scattered  about  the  various  ports  on  the
coast,  where  their  ships  have  been  brought  in  after  being  plundered.
A  parliament  had  been  held  in  Ireland,  and  orders  had  been  given
by  the  Queen  for  the  principal  Catholics  there  to  be  arrested.  The
earl  of  Ormond  writes  from  London  that  he  is  going  back  to
Ireland  much  discontented,  in  consequence  of  his  having  been  eight
months  there  without  the  Queen's  having  granted  him  any  favour
or  recompense  for  his  services.
