Whereas all your Majesty's pieces on this side, make account to be furnished of victuals and other necessaries from hence; it is so, that of victuals your Highness hath presently none here: and also this town hath none, by reason that the restraint in the realm hath been so strait as the victuallers (as were wont to bring daily hither good quantities of butter, cheese, bacon, wheat, and other things) might not, of late, be suffered to have any recourse hither; whereby is grown a very great scarcity of all such things here. * * * * * _Finally._ Forasmuch as all the wealth and substance of your Majesty's whole dominion on this side, is now in your low country (a thing not unknown to the enemy): and if with this his great power, coming down (as the bruit goeth) for the victualling of Ardes, he will give attempt on your Highness's country; we do not see that the small number here, in respect of their force, can, by any means, defend it. And if we should stand to resist their entry into the country [_the open district_], and there receive any loss or overthrow; the country should nevertheless be overrun and spoiled: and besides it would set the enemy in a glory, and also be the more peril to your Highness's pieces [_towns_]. We therefore, upon the necessity, think it meet to gather all our men into strengths [_fortresses_]; and with the same to defend your pieces to the uttermost. Notwithstanding, all the power on this side is insufficient to defend the pieces, in case the enemy shall tarry any space in the field. WENTWORTH, WILLIAM GREY, ANTHONY AUCHAR, JOHN HARLESTON, EDWARDE GRIMESTONE, N. ALEXANDER, EUSTACE HOBYNGTON. Lord +WENTWORTH+, at Calais. _Letter to Queen MARY, 1 January, 1558,_ _9 p.m._ [_State Papers. Foreign, MARY, Vol. XII. No. 1._ [One cannot help seeing that in this and the next letter, Lord WENTWORTH, quite hopeless of any successful attempt, was trying to make things look as pleasant as he could to the Queen.] It may please your Highness, having retired the Bands from the Causeway the last night [_31 December 1557_], and placed them at the Bridge [at _Newhaven_ or _Newnham_] and within the Brayes [_i.e., Calais walls_]: this morning early, I returned them to the said Causeway, to defend that passage in case the enemy would attempt to enter there; and also to offer skirmish to take some of them, and to learn somewhat of their power. Between nine and ten, the enemy showed in a very great bravery about six ensigns [_regiments_] of footmen, and certain horsemen; and came from the Chalk Pits down the hill towards the Causeway. Whereupon some of ours issued and offered the skirmish; but the enemy would in no wise seem to meddle.