SPAIN. PHILIPPE II. L.S. "Yo el Rey", Lisbon September 27, 1581, to Comte de Lalaing, lieutenant, governor captain and grand bailly of the country and county of Hainaut; countersigned by De Laloo; 3p. in-fol., address with seal under paper; in French. Long letter on the administration of the city of Mons. [Philip II is in Lisbon, where he was acclaimed King of Portugal on March 25.]He thanks him for the care he has taken "to ensure that the magistrate, and my city of Mons, is renewed with persons, from whom God and I shall receive every service, considering that the good government of cities depends entirely on a good election and choice that we addresse to make of magistrates"... Mons is a city "so principal and populous, that veritablement un college de Jhesuites y seroit fort propre [...He gave orders to his nephew, the Prince of Parma and Piacenza, governor of the Low Countries, to see to the establishment of this college. He then mentioned the appointment of S. de Pottelles to the government of Avesnes. Finally, he announces to Lalaing the "absolute commission" of his functions in Hainaut, praising "the care and vigilance you bring to the government of the said province". As for the rewards requested, he is embarrassed: "veu mesmes que les commanderies des ordres de mes Royaulmes de pardeça estans de quelque moyen revenu, ne viennent pas a vacquer tousjours, et que presentement y a plusieurs personnaiges qui ont notablement servy en ceste reduction du Royaulme de Portugal, auxquelsz a este faict promesse de les recompenser par le moyen dicelles, et ne seroit raisonnable les en frustrer, et divertir lesdictes commanderies ailleurs"... Another L. is attached.S. to the same, Fenas December 23, 1580 (1 1/2 pages in-fol., addressed with seal of arms under paper), on the maintenance of his nephew the Prince of Parma as Captain General of the army in the "reconciled provinces", and deploring "the laziness of the affairs of Portugal"... - Plus a period copy of the articles of the capitulation of Mons in 1572.