But they were largely written by her most trusted servant, the Baron Burghley, Lord Great Treasurer. The text we have must surely be as much his as the queen's. By 1585 — the time of the instructions — the two were of one mind.
We learn from these instructions what the common breeches of good conduct were in army camps. No need to warn or forbid what was unlikely to happen. The captains, we learn, were not particularly attentive as the rule. Soldiers under their commands were a rag-tag group often as not.
LETTER VI.
THE EARL OF LEYCESTER'S INSTRUCTIONS.
DECEMBER 1585. MS. Cott. Galba, C. VIII. fo. 119, b. and fo. 215.b
To have care that her majesty's subjects serving under his lordship may be well governed, and to use all good means to redress the confused government of those countries, and that some better form might be established amongst them. Touching the good ruling of her majesty's subjects, his lordship is directed to bend his course, during his charge there, rather to make a defensive then an offensive war, and not in any sort to hazard a battle without great advantage. To establish martial discipline, and see those severly punished shall not duly observe such orders as shalbe made, and the insolencies of the soldiers against the common people to be reformed. That the captains be not suffered to let their bandes decay, but see that their number be full, and check rolls to be kept of every band.
Officers were not above skimming the pay of soldiers assigned to them.
That his lordship uppon his arrival do cause an exact view to be made of all the English forces, and to have special care to pay the bands by the head, and by generall payments to the captains. That the abuses of captains, and their under officers, be narrowly looked into and severely punished.
There were often Subpar members of bands/companies. They were to be cashiered. The remaining soldiers were to be used to fill out other undermanned units.
That of the bands under her majesty's pay such as shalbe found weak and decayed to be cashed, and with the numbers remaining to supply the defects of thother bands, or else those bands to be reinforced by other her majesty's subjects serving in those countries.
The troops' pay was often irregular.
To see that the garrisons of the cautionary [defensive] towns may be duly paid every month, aswell for avoiding discontentments as for their better maintenance, in respect that they pay accise [room and board] which the soldieres of the camp pay not. To have care that the cautionary towns may be suplied with greater forces, such as the governors shall require, in case they shall doubt of any revolt, or perceive that the enemy shall draw his force that way.
The states that manned such garrisons were to avoid excessive numbers of meetings by appointing representative councils to make decisions.
For the second part, touching the reformation of their government, to deal with the states that, for avoiding the confusion which so many councils do breed, they would make choice of a lesse[r] number of wise, discrete, and well affected persons, to whom the directions of matters of policy may be committed, and for cutting off the tediousness and delays in matters of council, to move them that the deputies of the several provinces may have authority to consult and conclude, and cut off the often references to the particular states.
An army's monies being commonly misappropriated, only highly trustworthy persons should be appointed to the treasury.
To appoint some well chosen persons to collect the contributions made towards the maintenance of the wars, and to see them duly employed and issued for the public service.
That the abuses of the officers of the receipt may be reformed, and they to be charged with their deceits, and theruppon to require to understand how the impositions and taxations have been expended.
Apparently, in international alliances in the field, unscrupulous parties took advantage of soldiers' ignorance of exchange rates to skim a portion for themselves. Leicester is to require a constant and regular rate of exchange between the currencies of the Netherlands states and the English.
To cause a view to be taken of the cautionary towns, in what state they stand, and that there may be magazines appointed for them, with a sufficient proportion of munition and victual to be kept in readiness there at the charges of the states. To appoint in every of the cautionary towns certain well chosen persons to compound such differences as may happen to grow between the garrisons and the townsmen, to thend they may be kept in good union and agreement, and remove such as they shall understand to be evil affected. His lordship to enform himself of all the forces both of horse and foot entertained by the states both by sea and land, where they are placed, how they be paid, and what means they have to continue and defray those charges. To advise in what sort the abuses in raising and abating the value of money may be reformed, and the coins reduced to one certain value, to thend the soldieres may receive and pay their money at one rate.
Even diverting food supplies to the enemy for profit was apparently common enough to require comment.
To restrain the transporting of victuals to the enemy, and to see the offenders that way severely punished.
From here are described steps to be taken, and steps to be avoided, regarding their allies the Netherlanders.
To deal with the states that the Dunkirks may be better looked unto, and the passages unto that country cleared. That the nobility of that country in the states entertainement, especial the prince of Orange's children, may by his lordship be employed into places of credit and honorably respected.
***
To let the states understand, that, where by their commissioners they made offer unto her majesty, first, of the sovereignty of those countries, which for sundry respects she did not accept, secondly, unto her protection, offering to be absolutely governed by such as her majesty would appoint and send over to be her lieutenant. That her majesty, although she would not take so much upon her as to command them in such absolute sort, yet unless they should show themselves forward to use the advice of her majesty to be delivered unto them by her lieutenant, to work amongst them a fair unity and concurrence for their owne defence, in liberal taxations and good husbanding of their contributions, for the more speedy attaining of a peace, her majesty wold think her favours unworthily bestowed upon them. To offer all his lordship's travaile, care, and endeavor, to understand their estates, and to give them advice, from time to time, in that which may be for the surety of their estate and her majesty's honour.
While I have not read vast numbers of military instructions, these do not seem common. Only two instructions direct Leicester when or how to engage in military action. Burghley considered it his job to be aware of the details of whatever task he was assigned. He knew that wars were lost in the accounting department and sound daily management of the troops between engagements. The rest he left almost entirely to Leicester who knew far better how to fight battles.
Source: Bruce, John. Correspondence of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leycester, During His Government of The Low Countries, in the Years 1585 and 1586 (1844). 12-15. Spelling Modernized.
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