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 +ffryday morning the Lds met againe & read ye Bill about debtors               
 giveing satisfaction to Creditors, but rejected it & yr being acquainted       
 that his Maty had [appoint?]ed the afternoone to recieve ye [seal spoils       
 about seven letters] his Proclamation.  They accordingly [waited?] on          
 his Maty in ye Banquetting house wth it. who recieving it ordered his          
 attorny Genll to draw up a proclamation as they had desired, & soe they        
 adjourned till Munday                                                          
 +Munday both houses met againe, when the Commons Ordered a Petition            
 to be presented to his Maty for a genell fast & desired ye Lds                 
 Concurrence therein, who returnd them answere that they agreed wth             
 them in it, & would waite on his Maty, wth them, wth it, Then tooke            
 they into debate the Kings speech, & came to these Resolves, That              
 they will in ye first place proceed to have their greivances                   
 Effectually redressed, the Protestant Religion, their libertyes,               
 & properties Effectually secured, to suppress Popery & to remove               
 all persons & Councellors Popishly affected or otherwise obnoxious             
 to ye Governmt that their humble thanks bee returnd to his Maty                
 for what he has done since ye last proroguation toward the suppression         
 of Popery, & for his gracious promises & assurances in his last speech,        
 that an address bee made to his Maty by such members as are of his privy       
 Councill to desire his Maty to give Order That ye millitia of London           
 Westminster & Midlesex bee ready at an houres Warning, & the other             
 militias of ye Kingdome at a dayes warning for the suppressing any             
 tumultuous meeting of Papists or other malecontents.                           
 +fryday the Lds after haveing Examind ye presidents of their house about       
 takeing ye Oath of allegiance, resolved that they would all take the           
 same Oath that day wch they accordingly did my Ld Keeper Leading ye way.       
 & then ordered that on Wednsday they would with ye Commons Waite upon          
 his Maty with the adress of both houses about a genell ffast  Then was a       
 motion made about ye Duke of Lauderdale, upon wch they Resolved that an        
 address be presented to his Maty to remove ye said Duke from all               
 Employmt, from his presence, & from his Councills for Ever &c.  After          
 that they fell on ye debate of ye Duke of Buckingham, upon wch some heads      
 of his accusation were read wch being debated, a Letter from ye said           
 Duke was read by ye Speaker wherein hee desired to be heard before them        
 which being granted & he withdrawne ye further debate of it, & of what         
 he spoke in his owne defence was adjournd till ye morrow                       
     The House then went in a body to attend his Maty wth their address         
 from wch being returnd ye Speaker reported that his Maty made answere to       
 this Effect, that he would take a speciall Care for ye preservation of         
 their persons as well as of their properties & liberties &c:                   
      L. c. 2     Jann ye 15th 1673                                             
   Wednsday the Lds Ordred his Maties speech to be taken into                   
 Consideration on Saturday & then ye remaining part of yeir house that          
 had not taken ye Oath of allegiance ye day before tooke the same as did        
 ye Duke of [seal spoils about seven letters]                                   
   The same day ye Commons, Resuming [debate?] of ye Duke of Buckingham,        
 & his answere agreed to put severall questions to ye Duke.  Hee was            
 thereupon cald in & haveing made his answere & withdrawne the House upon       
 ye further debate thereof came to this Resolve, that an address be             
 presented to ye King to desire him to remove the Duke of Bucks from all        
 places & Employmts that he holds dureing pleasure, & from his presence &       
 Councells for Ever.                                                            
    Then Went they in a body to attend his Maty wth their address for           
 a generall ffast, who readily granted ye same, appoynting it to be             
 held in London &c: ye 4th of ffebru. next & in the Country ye 11th             
 of that moneth. for wch a proclamation shall accordingly issue                 
    Thursday the Commons gave leave to bring in a Bill about Habeas             
 Corpus & then were read in ye house severall articles agst ye Ld               
 Arlington & after some debate thereon, his Ldp, haveing by his letter          
 desired leave to be heard in their house in Order to his Justification,        
 was presently admitted, & made a very handsome speech in his defence,          
 upon wch the house adjourned the farther debate till ye next day.              
   The Lds ye same day takeing into Consideration ye Duke of Bucks              
 answere to ye Petition presented by ye Earle of Shrewsbury &c.                 
 Ordred that the Duke should be heard by Councell on Wednsday next.             
   There are newly sworne & admitted as members in ye house of                  
 Commons, for Wells John Hull Esqr for Chichester Rich May Esqr for             
 Castle Riseing Samll: Peppis Esqr, for Tewkesbury Sr ffrancis Russell,         
 for Burrow Brigg, Sr Henry Goodrik, for Newcastle Sr Wm Blackett, for          
 Yorke Sr Henry Thompson, for Exeter Tho: Walker Esqr for Huntingdon            
 Robt Apprece Esqr for Bewdley Thomas ffoley Esqr.                              
   The Spanish Ambr has delivered a Circulatory letter to his Maty              
 from ye Queen shewing the Cause of her declareing Warr agst ye ffrench         
 alleadging them to be the aggressors, Hee alsoe acquainted his Maty that       
 he had Imparted his Maties answere to ye memoriall he deliverd on behalf       
 of ye Duch; to them  but that ye States refused wholly the matter of ye        
 ffishery & would not agree Collogne as ye place to treat of it                 
   Our last letters from Lyn & Dartmth give an account of ye safe               
 arrivall of our Merlin fleet under convoy of ye Mermaid & Hunte[r?]            
    The great fleet of Merchts are not yet gone out of ye Downes.               
    Extraordinary preparations are makeing to set forth a very Powerfull        
 fleet of Warr at spring                                                        
    Collogne Letters say that our Ambr there had Recd his Matys                 
 propositions to ye Spanish Ambr for a peace in answere to his memoriall        
 given in last moneth to that Effect & that ye mediators had accepted           
 them wth much satisfaction & had given them to ye Duch Ambrs, who              
 promised to give in their answere in a day or 2                                
      L. c. 3     Jan ye 17th 1673                                              
 fryday 16/ This morning the House tooke into debate the case of ye Earle       
 of Arlington wch holding some tyme, it was referrd till to morrow              
 +The Termes his Maty proposed the Duch by the Spanish Ambr were to this        
 Effect 1st, The Point of ye flagg, 2ly a Reciprocall Restitution of            
 places taken since ye Warr, 3ly 800000 Pattacoons toward ye Expense of         
 ye Warr, 4ly, an Equall & Reciprocall Regulation of trade in ye East           
 Indies as it was perticularly promised in ye late Treaty at Breda, but         
 never performed, 5ly, leave to his Subjects at Surrinam &c to depart           
 thence wth their Estates & Effects pursuant to ye late Treaty & lastly         
 that ye subjects of ye States Genell shall abstaine from ffishing on ye        
 Coasts or shoares of any of his Maties Dominions wthout leave &                
 passports, The 3 first were offered by ye Spanish Ambr, the other his          
 Maty was pleased to adde, out of his great desire of Peace.                    
 Saterd: 17/ This morning the houses sat againe  The Lds read ye Kings          
 speech & referrd ye further Consideration of it till next Saterday.            
 The Commons after ye Ordering a Bill to be brought in for ye better            
 repaire of churches, & collecting small Tythes, fell on ye debate of           
 my Ld Arlingtons case wch was put off till Munday next.                        
 +The Lds haveing Ordered the Bp of Sarum to preach a sermon before them        
 ye 30th of Jan: & ye Bpp of Rochester ye 4th of feb:                           
    from flandrs wee heare that ye D: of Luxemburg after haveing put            
 his men into Winter quarters about Charleroy was himself returned to           
 Paris as alsoe ye Prince of Conde.  The Enimies being retyred.                 
 The States of holland have bene assembld some tyme but as yet have             
 done nothing of moment.                                                        
 +At ye takeing ye Oath of allegiance in ye house of Lords a question           
 was started by ye Earle of Shaftsbury whether or noe ye D of Yorke             
 ought to sit in ye Prince of Wales's chaire wch occasiond a Hot dispute,       
 the Resolution whereof was referrd to a farther debate                         
 +The Cheife of my Ld Arlingtons charge is said to be, his Encourageing         
 Popery his Embezelling ye Kings Revenues & his holding Correspondence          
 wth ye Kings Enimies.  To all wch he made a Bold & handsome defence,           
 notwthout Recriminating on ye Duke of Bucks, who had made Reflections          
 on him & who renderd himselfe much more submissively to ye house               
 throwing himselfe as it were at that [sic] feet & at their dispose             
 desireing they would consider him not as a Peer but as an English              
 Gentleman &c.                                                                  
 [Most of the last fourth of the second folio of letter is torn off, but        
 a few letters in each line of a note in same hand as letter and covering       
 at least five lines are legible.]                                              
      L.c. 4     Jan ye 20th 1673                                               
 Munday 19th/ This day ye house mett & onely ordered that by reasons of         
 ye sessions not [sic] presently approaching, the Justices of ye peace          
 themselves should speedily bring in a speedy account of all ye Papists         
 wth in 5 miles of ye Citty                                                     
   ffrom Scotland wee heare that ye Parliament there wch was to                 
 Reassemble ye 28 of this moneth is prorogued till ye 3d of March next,         
 soe that ye Lds of that Kingdome now here have deferd their Journy             
 thither till that tyme.                                                        
   The Commons this day put of Ld Arlingtons case till to morrow,               
 ordering a Bill to be brought in for repaire of high Wayes in ye               
 meane tyme.                                                                    
   The late stormes have been soe violent that besides ye nightingale           
 frigatt feard to be lost in ye Goodwins, severall small vessells               
 have felt its fury to their ruine, but most of them forreigne or               
 Enimies vessells                                                               
 +This day the house read ye Bill touching Habeas Corpus, to wch they           
 orderd a 2d reading, & then appoynted they a Committee to inspect ye           
 act for laying an Imposition upon proceedings at law, & to bring in            
 a Bill to Explaine such clauses as are doubtfull therein & ye same             
 Comittee to doe ye like concerning hearth mony.                                
 +The house then proceeded upon ye debate of ye Ld Arlington, & putting         
 the question whether his Ldpp should be removed by address or noe, the         
 House divided & carryed it in ye negative by 36 voyces, & ordered a            
 Comittee to Consider of ye articles & to report what matter there is           
 Contained & can be proved that is fitt for an Impeachment                      
      L. c. 5   Jan ye 22d 1673                                                 
   On Wednsday upon ye Lds Examination of their Priviledges made an             
 order that noe Ld for ye future should Either goe downe to ye house of         
 Commons or send his answer or appeare by Councell to answere any               
 accusation there, under penalty of ye houses high displeasure                  
   The Commons read a Bill for continueing former acts for preventing           
 theft & Rapine, a Bill for preventing vexatious suites at law, &               
 appoynted a Comittee to peruse ye Bills wch were depending last session        
 & represent wch are most necessary & to inspect such acts as are               
 temporary & to consider wch are fitt to be Continued or Repealed; to           
 bring in a Bill for Explaining ye act about Recognizances & to bring in        
 another Bill for Explaining some clauses in ye act touching ye poore.          
 Then was a Comittee appoynted for ye prepareing one or more Bills for a        
 Generall Test to distinguish betweene Protestants & Papists, to prevent        
 ye danger & further growth of Popery & for a more Easy & speedy Conviction     
 of Popish Recusants, & that those that shall refuse to take it, be made        
 incapable of Enjoying any office millitary or Civill, or to sitt in            
 Either house of Parliamt, or to come wth in 5 miles of ye Court.               
   Thursday ye Lds read a Bill for Regulating ye Tryall of Peeres of            
 this Realme &c.                                                                
   The Commons gave leave to bring in a Bill for uniteing of Parishes,          
 Churches, & appoynted a Comittee to bring in one or more Bills for the         
 Regulateing ye Election of members to serve in Parliamt, for ye better         
 ascertaining their Returnes, & for ye better attendance of such as are         
 elected & returned &c & then resolved that they would on Saterday next         
 goe into a Comittee of ye whole house to consider of ye state &                
 condition of ye nation & ye grievances occationed by reason of ye warr         
 & that some members doe assist ye Speaker in collecting ye ancient             
 orders of ye house for ye decent & orderly governing themselves in             
 their sessions  upon debate of ye Ld Arlingtons Case the house appoynted       
 severall members to wch ye Leiut of ye Tower to veiw ye Warrants               
 & comittments of Sr Thomas Muddiford & his sonne, & their Releife as           
 alsoe ye buisness of ye Herefordshire preist & ye Warrants & Comittmts         
 of Mr Dauson &c.  Tis  said young Mr Muddiford has 500 guinneyes offerd        
 him to take off his Evidence to ye house, but it cannot prevaile, some         
 letters say that Sr Tho: Muddiford will make out that he was offerd            
 dureing his Imprisonmt in ye tower that if hee would make a private            
 present of 2000 L he should have his enlargmt &c:                              
 +ffrom Cadiz wee heare the Duch privateers are very numerous on those          
 Coasts that ye Spanish Men of Warr are Joynd wth Emertson & Joyntly            
 Cruise, Carrying English Collours, The Treaty betwixt ye English at            
 Tangier, & King Muley Ishmaell is neare agreed, that King haveing              
 lately sent ye Earle of Midleton a present of 2000 head of Catle &c.           
 +Letters from Genoa say ye English have some apprehension of ye                
 Spaniards, ye last Spanish letters thither forbidding ye Ladeing on            
 English shipps &c:                                                             
   His Maty haveing a Councell upon ye complaint of ye minister & Church        
 Warden of Hamersmith that one Mrs Beddingfeild kept a schoole there for        
 ye Education of young woomen in ye Popish Religion Recomended ye matter        
 to ye Justices of peace of Midlesex to proceed Effectually agst her in         
 their sessions, ye said Justices in pursuance thereof appoynted 3              
 Indictmts to be preferred agst her, one for Keeping a schoole not being        
 duly authorized, according to ye stat: of King James for one day,              
 another upon ye same stat: for severall dayes & a 3d for being a               
 popish Recusant upon ye stat of Q: Eliz: all wch being found by ye             
 Grand Jury, a Warrant was Issued to bring her in to plead thereto.             
 +Thomas Thynne Esqr is sworne & Comitted into ye house of Commons for          
 ye University of oxford.                                                       
 +The mediators at Collogne wee heare Continue much dissatisfied wth ye         
 Dch Ambrs for refuseing to enter into conference wth our Ambrs about ye        
 Regulation of trade in ye Indies, believeing they doe this meerely to          
 retard ye peace & never to give us satisfaction in that perticular, they       
 are told privately that ye Duch Ambrs will give them this answere, that        
 they must send home for powers before they can enter upon that matter          
 pretending it to be a new demand, when both ye mediators & french Ambrs        
 offered to prove by Evident Witness that it was alwayes offerd &               
 required of them.                                                              
       L. c. 6      Jan 24th 1673                                               
 +ffryday ye Commons read an additionall Bill for Sherrifs & Ease of            
 Justices of peace at ye assizes wch they ordred to be read againe as           
 alsoe a Bill for uniteing parishes, & provideing a maintainance for            
 ministers, appoynted a Comittee to prepare & bring in a Bill for paveing       
 & maintaining the streets of London. & enabling ye Citty to perfect &          
 goe through ye building of churches & such other publique workes as            
 are enjoyned by act of Parliamt, & ye same Comittee to bring in a Bill         
 for Restraining any farther new building in all places wthin ye Bills          
 of Mortallity excepting ye Citty of London & liberties thereof, & read a       
 Bill for releife of subjects by Habeas Corpus & committed it.  Satterday       
 ye Lds tooke into consideration the Kings speech, & Considered of some         
 heads for secureing ye protestant Religion to be inserted into a Bill          
 for that purpose.  Then ye Commons being calld up to ye house of Lds           
 his Maty acquainted them according to ye inclosd                               
    L. c. 7   [Handwriting changes here.]                                       
    The Kings Speech to both Houses [of] Parliamt Jan  27th [?]                 
 My Lords & Gent                                                                
   At the beginning of this session I told you all I thought I had              
 reason to doe but [?] the States Generall had not made any proposalls          
 which could be immagined with intent to conclude, but onely to accuse          
 us, to avoyd the imputation  They have now sent me a lre by the                
 Spanish Ambr offering me some Termes of peace upon Conditions formerly         
 drawne up in a more decent stile then before, It is upon this I                
 desire yr advice, for if you find the Termes such as may be embraced           
 yr advice will have great weight, And if you find them defective, I            
 hope you will give me yr advice & assistance how to get better Termes,         
 upon the whole matter I hope you will have a care of my hand and the           
 safety of the nation wch are now soe deeply concern'd                          
   The Heads of the States Generalls answeare to the Kings pposalls             
 1  The renewall of the Treaty at Breda & also the Marine Treaty of 1668        
 at The Hague                                                                   
 2  To yeild the fflag to all his Maties ships of warr in the Brittish          
 Seas                                                                           
 3  To name Commissionrs for regulating trade within 3 monthes after the        
 peace concluded as to the Indies in London                                     
 4  As to Surrinam leave to the English to goe away where & whither they        
 please 3 monthes to be allowed for selling their goods or carrying             
 them away                                                                      
 5  The New Netherlands to be delivered up & all other places taken on          
 both sides during the warr                                                     
 6  To give the summe formerly promised vizt 800000 Pattagones One 4th          
 part so soon as Peace ratify'd the rest in 3 yeares                            
 7  The Garranty of all their Allyes to confirme things                         
 8  As to the ffishing the Kings predecessors never demanded it, nor he         
 in any treaty nothing they demanded but what was formerly allowed or           
 enjoyed by their [?] subjects                                                  
 The French observe [?] all Peace                                               
 9  To conclude without any dependance on other Interest                        
 10  To finish at London or Cologne                                             
      L. c. 8    [Handwriting changes here.]    Jan ye 27 1673                  
   His Maty haveing on Saterday sent for ye house of Commons up to Lds          
 house, & there acquainted them wth a letter & propositions for peace he        
 had Recd from ye Duch (wch letter, & propositions, as alsoe his Maties         
 speech, are printed)  The Lds tooke into Consideration his Maties speech       
 & Resolvd to Waite on his Maty that afternoone wth their humble thanks         
 for the same.  Then was his Maties speech & alsoe ye Duch letters &            
 articles, read & debated, & soe they adjournd till Tuesday.                    
   The Commons ye same day read ye Bill for Explaining doubtfull                
 Clauses in ye act for Imposition on proceedings at law, Comitted a Bill        
 for Ease of Sheriffs in passing their accounts & then proceeded to ye          
 Consideration of ye Kings speech, upon wch ye Question was propounded          
 whether the advice that is expected is to relate to a seperate or              
 Joynt peace, but was not agreed to by ye house, soe that they Resolved         
 to fall on ye Kings speech on ye morrow wthout any delay                       
 +Tuesday the Lds in a Grand Comittee tooke into debate his Maties speech       
 & after some debate Resolved that on Wednsday they would proceed on it         
 againe, & then peruse ye last treaty wth ffrance, & on Tuesday next will       
 fall on ye Kings first speech as to that part of it that relates to ye         
 secureing ye Protestant Religion                                               
   Then ye Commons after haveing read a Bill for preservation of ye             
 fishery of ye Rivers of Severne &c: & another to prevent ye illegal            
 Imprisoning of subjects beyond ye seas &c: Resolved into a Comittee of         
 ye Whole house upon ye matter of his Maties last speech & after a long         
 debate came to this Resolution that upon Consideration of his Maties           
 speech, & ye proposalls made by ye States Genell for a peace, The House        
 is of Opinion that his Maty be humbly desired by address to proceed in a       
 Treaty wth ye said states in Order to a speedy peace.                          
   The Comittee about ye Ld Arlington haveing entred [?] on ye first            
 article adjournd till Wednsday                                                 
   The late stormes have beene very fatall to our Colliers, 11 belonging        
 to New Castle, & severall others of other places being cast away this          
 last Weeke.                                                                    
      L. c. 9   Jan ye 29 1673                                                  
 +Wednsday ye houses sate againe, the Lds fell on ye Consideration of ye        
 Kings speech & in a Grand Comittee after a long debate came to this            
 Resolve, that upon ye Consideration of his Maties speech & ye whole            
 matter in that house, the Lds were of an Opinion that his Maty be              
 humbly advised to proceed in a Treaty wth ye States Genell in order            
 to a speedy peace.  wch was agreed to by ye Whole house.                       
 +The Commons ye same day read a Bill for releife of poor prisoners, &          
 upon ye petition of ye Loyall Indigent officers, orderd that ye Ld             
 Cheife Barron give in a speedy account of that matter, Then read ye            
 Bill for augmenting small vicaridges & for preventing simoniacall              
 Contracts & fell upon ye debate of their Tuesdays vote, wch they               
 adjournd till ye morrow.                                                       
 +The Comittee about ye Ld Arlingtons buisness sate but adjournd till           
 Tuesday.  Saterday was appoynted to heare Mr Muddifords Petition agst          
 Sr John Robinson, Concerning his being deteynd in ye Tower beyond ye           
 Kings Order.                                                                   
 +Tuesday the Lds sent downe their vote about his Maties being advised          
 to proceed in ye treaty, to ye Commons for their Concurrence, The Lds          
 have voted & orderd a Bill to be accordingly brought in, for bringing          
 up all ye Children of ye Royall family in ye protestant Religion, for          
 marrying them onely to Protestants, for disarming all papists, &               
 preventing profane [about five letters cancelled] &c: read a Bill about        
 assigning Bonds & Bills, for Regulateing ye Tryall of peeres wch they          
 orderd to be ingrost                                                           
   The Commons appoynted a Bill to be brought in for Regulateing &              
 ascertaining ye measure of Coales & to prevent frauds & abuses in              
 selling of Wood, & abuses agst ye act about measures Corne [sic], &            
 Comitted ye Bill to prevent ye Imprisoning of subjects in illegall             
 prisons & places beyond ye seas, appoynted a Comittee to veiw & report         
 a Petition of Sr Samuell Morelands for leave to bring in a Bill                
 for ye use of ye Water Engine by him lately invented & then Orderd             
 their humble thanks to be returnd his Maty for his most gracious               
 speech.                                                                        
 +ffrom Collogne wee heare ye Duch Ambrs there are (uppon better                
 Consideration) fallen off from their obstinate insisting on ye matter          
 of Regulateing Trade in ye East Indies, & therefore now pretend onely          
 to Write home for Orders what to doe in it                                     
   The flanders letters seeme to intimate as if Don Reinaldo de Salinas had     
 prevaild wth ye States to signe his Maties last proposalls to them by          
 ye Spanish Ambr, & that now there was nothing talkt on abroad but peace.       
 +Tis said ye Grand Chapter of Leige have at last Resolvd in favour of          
 ye Empr & accepted ye Conditions proposed by ye Baron da Issola. wch           
 Resolution it was thought ye other bodyes & magistrates might follow           
 +Duch Letters say ye states would before they Rise setle ye officie            
 of Hereditary on ye Prince of Orange & his family in order to his              
 better advancemt in marriage                                                   
   Paris Letters say Count Sparr was come thither post to gaine more tyme       
 for ye Treaty at Collogne, that King haveing given but till ye 2 of ffeb       
 ffor that affaire, by wch tyme if a peace was not Concluded, then whatever     
 has passed in order thereunto to be void.  The french King has agreed on       
 greater tearmes then at first resolvd on, & has sent engineers for             
 fortifying severall places in his new Conquests.                               
       L. c. 10     Jan: 31 1673                                                
 +ffryday being the aniversary for ye murther of ye late King the Houses        
 sate not, but meeting in ye morning in their Houses went in two bodyes,        
 the Lds to ye We[stminster] abby, ye Commons to St Margretts where             
 were made two Excellent sermons on that occation                               
 +This weeke the King & Court put on mourning for ye death of ye King of        
 Poland, in wch they will Continue some weekes.                                 
   On Wednsday last our streights fleet sailed out of ye Downes wth a           
 pretty favourable Gale, since wch nothing is heard of them.                    
   Saterday ye two houses met againe.  The Lds were all ye day in ye            
 debate of ye Duke of Bucks buisness, in answere to the Earle of                
 Shrewsburys petition agst him, but noe Councell was Calld in, & ye             
 farther debate of it was adjournd till fryday next.                            
 +The Commons after Ordering their house to be calld over on Munday 3           
 weekes, appoynted a Comittee to Consider of ye Rights of ye house & by         
 what meanes the members may be Compelld to give their better attendance,       
 & orderd that ye members of ye house that are of ye privy Councell doe         
 attend his Maty to know his pleasure when he will be attended wth their        
 vote Concerning ye Duke of Lauderdale, & then debateing whether ye Lds         
 Concurrence should be desired to their vote about ye Duke of Bucks they        
 adjournd it till Thursday next for further Consideration, & soe                
 adjournd till Tuesday                                                          
 +Noe forreigne Letters have Come in since Wednsday last, soe that what         
 ye Duch doe in this Conjuncture wee know not, all ye talke of ye Towne         
 is of a sudden peace, & that there is speedily to Come Over some persons       
 from Holland wth a further account from those people.                          
 +Tis hotly reported that ye french King has offerd his Maty to give him        
 400000 L in hand, to give himof his most capitall shipps, & the                
 townes of Dunkirke & Callais, provided he will Continue ye Warr, but the       
 Confirmation of this is to be expected                                         
       L. c. 11     ffeb ye 3d 1673                                             
 +Munday ye houses sate not, but on Tuesday the Lds fell againe upon ye         
 debate of heads for secureing the Protestant Religion, & agreed to two         
 heads more, vizt, that the Children of ye Romish Peeres shall be Educated      
 in ye Protestant Religion, & that all Children whose fathers are dead &        
 were of that persuasion shall be alsoe Carefully nourisht in ye                
 Protestant faith, & then haveing 2 Conferences wth ye Commons about ye         
 words (upon ye whole matter before that house upon ye proposalls of ye         
 States[)] agreed that both ye Words in theirs, & ye Words in ye Commons       
 vote, of advice, should be struck out, & haveing sent to know when his         
 Maty would be attended therewth, sent to acquaint ye Commons yt ye King        
 had appoynted Thursday at 3 of ye clock in ye Banquetting house to be          
 attended thereto                                                               
 +The Commons onely read 2 private Bills besides ye 2 Conferences, &            
 soe both houses adjournd till Thursday                                         
 +The late Wrecks all along our northerne Coast appeare very vissiblely         
 ye dead men dayly cast ashore, they speak of about 30 shipps that are          
 reckond to be lost                                                             
   Our Straights fleet is put into the Isle of Wight, by Contrary               
 winds, but will tarry noe longer then for an Opertunity to proceed.            
   The Old Countess of Arundell, mother to ye Duke of Norfolke being            
 dead, was on Munday privately Conveyd to Arundell Castle to be there           
 interrd                                                                        
   Tewsdays letters from Holland say that upon ye proposition of                
 Harlem for makeing ye Prince of Orange Statholder, Admirall, &                 
 Governr of ye United provinces, the States, reflecting on ye                   
 many miseries occasiond to their Country for want of such an                   
 officer since ye yeare 1650 when this Princes father dyed                      
 unanimously agreed to ye proposition, & conferrd those offices upon him        
 & his Heires Males for Ever,                                                   
   from Brussells of ye 2d Instant wee heare that ye Governr has                
 Comanded the Country to be under Contribution wch is doeing                    
 accordingly, & seemes very hard measure he haveing before plunderd it &        
 taken from thence wtever could be found, & now makes a new demand              
 of them when hardly any thing is left                                          
   Tho its said ye Grand Chapter of Leige have declared in favour               
 of ye Empr and ye people are very melinable [?] to it yet wee are              
 told ye Magistrates will by noe meanes consent to it, or quit                  
 their Neutrallity, The french Continue to put all abt Brussells                
 under Contribution Even to ye very gates.                                      
 There is great talk of a rich present Coming over from ye Prince               
 of Orange  Wee heare noe more of ye french offers.                             
      L. c. 12    Feb: ye 5th 1673                                              
 +Wednsday being ye fast both houses mett, & went the Lds to ye abby,           
 ye Commons to St Margretts the whole day being kept throout ye towne           
 wth more then Ordnary striktness, & observance                                 
   Thursday the houses met againe. The Lds fell on noe publique buisness,       
 The Commons haveing prepared the Bill for a Genll Test to distinguish          
 betwixt Protestant & Papist read ye same, & ordred it a 2d reading on          
 ye morrow, Then proceeded they on to ye debate whether or noe to               
 desire ye Lds Concurrence in their vote Concerning ye Duke of Bucks, &         
 putting ye question it was Carryed in ye negative, Then Resolved they          
 to goe into a grand Comittee on Saterday to Consider of ye governances         
 of ye nation & Then Went, in ye first place by themselves, to attend           
 his Maty wth their address Concerning ye Duke of Lauderdale, wch his           
 Maty Receiving, told them he would Consider of it & give them his tymely       
 answere, & then, wthdrawing a litle, came againe wth ye Lds to Waite on        
 his Maty wth their address about a peace &c: wch his Maty graciously           
 Recd, & thankt them, telling them he had put it allready in a forward way.     
   On ye 27th past, his Maty went downe to Woollwich to see a new ship          
 there wch will carry about 70 guns, besides wch, other ships of good           
 force are almost finisht at Portsmth Harwch & Deptfod.  Our streights          
 fleet are yet at Spitthead, waiteing for a Wind                                
 +Don Carlos haveing beene held at Brussells & there suckt in ye Religion       
 of that Country has since been better instructed by ye Bpp of Rochester,       
 soe that on Sunday last hee attended devoutly at divine service in ye          
 Kings Chappell, giveing publique Testimonies of his Conversion                 
   Wednsday morning came from Harwch a packett to his Maty, brought by          
 one of ye states Trumpetters, who is staid there till his answere is           
 prpard                                                                         
   The same day the Spanish Ambr had Audience of his Maty wherein he            
 made some further proposalls in order to an accomodation.                      
   Duch Ltrs say they are sending over Ambrs & desird passprts, & in ye         
 meane tyme a Cessation of armes.  The french, they say have drawne all         
 their Cannon, amunition, & provision out of Arnhem, except 6 Iron guns         
 wth intention to quitt it, & that they are doeing ye like at Doresberg,        
 Zutphen & Deventer, besides wch, tis said they will disert Treill, fort        
 St Andre, Troll [?], &  Hassell  The Prince of Orange is goeing to             
 Utricht to see that place, & thence Will goe to severall other garrisons       
 diserted by ye french to see wt condition they are in, Their new               
 Impositions find new difficulties among them. There is talk of a great 
present Coming from ye Prince of Orange to his Matie                                                                          
 +ffrench Ltrs of ye 10th inst say they have made a Regulation of ye            
 Expence of ye Warr for ye next Campaigne wch will amount to 44 millions        
 for wch they have already a ffond, the mony they are raiseing being for        
 ye next yeare in Case their affaires require it.  The King has designd         
 to Entertain 100000 men, & to keep up 3 armies, one to be Comanded by          
 Monsr ye Prince in flanders to  attaque ye places there, another in            
 Germany under Marshall Turene to Observe ye motions of ye Imperialists         
 on ye Rhyne, & a 3d by ye King himselfe wch shall be betwixt ye two            
 other to assist Either of them on occation, besides ye Duke of                 
 Navailes [?] is to have 10000 foot, & 4 or 5000 Horse to Carry on ye           
 Warr in ye franch Compte, & another body, besides ye garrison to be in         
 Rousillon, upon ye defensive agst ye Spaniard, who as their Letters say        
 are above 17000 in Catalonia                                                   
   Spanish Letters speake of their Equiping 20 men of Warr to Joyne wth         
 Evertson to Carry on ye Warr agst ye ffrench in ye Mediterranean.              
   German Ltrs say their Leavies there are forwarded wth all                    
 dilligence & many of their forces Comanded out of ye Hereditary Country        
 to take up thir Winter quarters on ye frontier of Bavaria, of                  
 whose Elector ye Empr has still some Jealousy, tis now said that               
 after all Opinions to ye Contrary, Genll Montecuculy will be                   
 againe sent to Comand ye army on ye Rhyne, & that he will be wth               
 ym ye begining of March next                                                   
       L. c. 13    ffeb ye 7th 1673                                             
 ffryday ye 6th/  The Lds sate this day, when the Ld Keeper reported            
 to them his Maties answere yesterday upon their vote of advice, &              
 that it was to this Effect That the best Way of Expressing his                 
 thanks for their good advice was by following it, wch he intended              
 to doe very speedily, & if any difficulty should chance to arise,              
 his Maty doubted not but the Parliamt would stand by him in it.                
 & enable him to goe through wth it.  after wch ye Duke of Bucks                
 Case was againe debated, upon wch it was Orderd that ye said Duke              
 should never Converse or Cohabit wth ye Countess of Shrewsbury, &              
 both of them to give in their security for soe doeing                          
   The Commons after haveing Comitted ye Bill abt a genell Test,                
 haveing Recd advice that ye King had appoynted this afternoone to              
 be attended wth their vote agst ye Duke of Bucks, Orderd that ye               
 house waite on his Maty wth it.  and then falling on ye Consideration          
 of ye Duke of Norfolkes Continueing beyond the seas, Orderd                    
 that an address should be presented to his Maty to desire him to               
 appoynt some persons to bring the Duke of Norfolke safe into                   
 England, & that the Concurrence of ye Lds be desired thereto                   
   A Bill was alsoe this day read to prevent illegal exacted mony               
 from ye subjects &c:                                                           
 Saterd: 7/  This day the Lds read a Bill for planting & preserving Wood        
 & timber & ye Commons past a Bill to prevent ye Imprisonmt of subjects         
 in illegal prisons & read ye 2d tyme the Bill for releife of poore             
 prisoners for debt upon wch severall debates ariseing relateing to matters     
 not Contayned in the Bill as to provide for setting poore prisoners to         
 worke &c.  The House then resolvd into a grand Comittee to take into           
 Consideration the Greivances of the nation, upon wch after a very Long         
 debate, they Resolvd that ye Continuing of any standing forces in this         
 nation other then the militia is a great greivance & a vexation to ye          
 people, & that its ye humble Pettition of ye house to his Maty that hee        
 will Imediately Cause to be disbanded that part that were raised since         
 ye first of January 1663, after wch Mr Speaker reported that ye house          
 had bene to Waite On his Maty wth ye address against ye D of Bucks &           
  that his Maty was pleasd to make answere that he would Consider of it &       
 Returne them his answere very suddenly, The House then Resolvd to goe          
 into a Grand Comittee againe On Wednsday next to proceed on ye                 
 Greivances of ye nation                                                        
      L. c. 14    ffeb ye 10th 1673                                             
 Munday 9th/ This morning dyed of a feavorish distemper the Earle of            
 Doncaster onely sonne to ye Duke of Monmth to ye great greife of that          
 family.                                                                        
   ffrom Portsmth wee heare that on fryday Evening our streights fleet          
 saild from Spitthead, but wth noe very good Gale.                              
   The Commons this day read a Bill for repaire of Churches, another for        
 ye better Recovery of small Tythes, & another to ascertain the Pattents,       
 Powers &c of the Judges, The Bill to prevent illegal exactions of mony         
 was read a 2d tyme. & Comitted, the Lds sent downe to ye Commons their         
 Bill for Regulateing ye tryall of Peeres wch was read, & then ye house         
 being acquainted that his Maty had appoynted to morrow to be attended          
 wth their Vote about ye army they adjournd,                                    
 Teusday 10/ This morning the Commons Comitted the Bill for ye                  
 preservation of ye Piscary of Severne, Avon, Thames &c: as alsoe               
 a Bill for ye ascertayning ye duty upon proceedings at law. & then             
 proceeding uppon ye debate of their former Vote about ye address for           
 disbanding ye army they Orderd that these words (And wee make it our           
 humble request to yo[u]r Maty that ye forces that came lately out of           
 Ireland may not be Continued in armes in England) may be added to              
 their vote, wch vote they accordingly deliverd to his Maty this                
 afternoone, who told them that he would give them a speedy answere             
 to their satisfaction                                                          
   The Spanish Ambr haveing last Weeke acquainted his Maty wth ye               
 powers he had Recd from Holland to treat in their behalfe wth his              
 Maty for a peace  his Maty appoynted the Dukes of Munmth & Ormond              
 the Ld Keeper & Treasurer wth ye two Secretarys of State to treat              
 wth him, who haveing mett yesterday ye articles of agreemt were                
 Consented to & signed, & this day are to be ratifyd & will be                  
 suddenly made publique.  Tis said that these articles are added that           
 they shall not make a peace wth ye french King wth out includeing              
 his Maty if hee please that ye 200000, shall be made 300000 L                  
 sterling  & that as to ye fishery, his Maty grants them ye liberty             
 thereof soe long as this Prince of Orange & his Heires shall Continue          
 Stadtholders &c: & that ye limitts of ye Brittish Sea are allowd in a          
 larger Extent then Here to fore, wth in wch all sorts of ahips or fleets       
 shall strike to any shipp of his Matys, Sr Gabriell Sylvius goes               
 suddenly into Holland wth ye articles of agreemt to have them signed by        
 ye states. upon whose returne they will be made publique.                      
 This day ye Lds were in ye debate of ye heads of ye Bill for securing          
 the Protestant Religion & are to proceed on that againe on Thursday            
 +to morrow ye Lds are Orderd to be in their robes, ye King intending           
 to be there on some great buisness relateing to ye present Conjuncture         
 [Note in same hand at end of letter:] Sr I haveing noe other Coppy of          
 ye inclosd Test desire you will please to let it be returnd mee againe         
 when you have done wth it                                                      
       L. c. 15  [Handwriting changes here.]                                    
                  A Test proposed by a Comittee of the house of Commons         
                  to distinguish betwixt protestants & papists./                
 I. A. B:/  Doe solemnly from my heart & in the prsence of God truely           
 renownce & condemne these positions of the Church of Rome as utterly           
 false vizt: that the said Church of Rome is the onely Catholique or            
 universall Church, and the mother & m[aste?]r of all other Churches and,       
 that there cann be noe salvation Certainely had in any Church beside           
 the Church of Rome or in any other Church that refuseth Common[ion?]           
 with the Said Romish or popish Church./--                                      
 +I doe disclaime and renounce therefore as utterly false that any right        
 doth app[er]taine to ye See of Rome to Exercise any universall                 
 authority or Jurisdiction over all the Churches or Sees in the world./--       
 +Or that shee hath by vertue of such right or the prsence of it a              
 Lawfull power to Excommunicate all other Churches.  --                         
 +Or by any such Authority it belongs of right to the Church of Rome            
 alone to Judge and interprett the true sense and interpretation of the         
 holy Scriptures./ --                                                           
 I doe utterly disclaime renounce and abhorre the opinion of those that         
 hold, that whome the Church of Rome doth reject for Hereticks or               
 Scismaticks shall be rejected or accounted [?] for such by God                 
 himselfe. - . - . - .-                                                         
 +Or that all they whome the pope or Church of Rome doe Curse wth               
 anathemas, excommunicate or condemne are really by that Curse                  
 excomunicacon or Condemnation in dangr of incurring the wrath of God,          
 or penalty of Eternall damnacon of God./                                       
 +I doe likewise deny that the Church of Rome hath Constantly and in all        
 ages prserved the faith of Christ truely intirely pure & sincere, as           
 it was at first delivered by the Ld Christ and his apostles and doe            
 verely from my heart beleive that the said Church is infected much &           
 corrupted wth many grosse and Erroneous & Idolatrious Opinions and             
 practices./                                                                    
 +I doe alsoe disclaime and renounce as a thing utterly false that the          
 Ld Christ did leave any one of his apostles as his sole Viccar here on         
 earth or did Constiute any one of his disciples as the prince of all           
 the rest of the appostles./ --                                                 
 +I also from my heart disclaime and renounce and abjure as utterly             
 false, that the pope or Bpp of Rome is the Lawfull Successor of any            
 such pson as was the prince of all the Apostles or that he is the              
 Viccar of Jesus Christ, or that by or through the Chaine of any such           
 succession, he hath any right to a supremacy over the whole Church             
 of Christ, or that he is for this or any other reason to be accepted           
 of the Church as infallible.                                                   
   I doe also from my heart abhorre renounce disclaime & condemne as            
 utterly false that the pope or Bpp of Rome hath any power to                   
 dispense wth the Comands of Jesus Christ, or his power to absolve men          
 from such oathes promises or contracts as are both just and Lawfull            
 in themselves and agreeable to the mind of Christ or that whatsoever           
 is evill sinfull or unlawfull in itt selfe is or cann be lesse Evill           
 lesse sinfull before god because the pope pretended to dispense wth            
 itt or because he may have any way comanded itt                                
 +I doe likewise freely renounce disclaime abhorre & condemne as                
 utterly false that the masse that is offered to God is a true                  
 propitiatory Sacrifice both for the liveing and for the dead, and that         
 in the most holy Sacramt of the Eucharist is Contained truely really           
 & Substantially the body and blood together with the soul and divinity         
 of the [handwriting changes after this word] Ld Christ or yt there is          
 made a prfect change of the whole substance of ye bread into Xts               
 body, of ye whole substance of ye wine into Xts bloud, this prfect             
 change ye Church of Rome calling Transubstantiation.                           
    I doe also disclaim and renounce as utterly false yt any Hon: Worsp         
 or Veneration is due to Images Reliefs of saints or holy Martyrs.              
    I doe also further prmise & swear that I never will use or place any        
 such Images for a help to Devotion, & I will never voluntarily be prsent       
 at ye hearing of Masse.  All & every wch things I do solemny & from            
 my heart protest swear & declare as in ye prsence of Almighty God              
 calling & invoking God as ye searcher of all mens hearts & thoughts            
 to witnesse, yt ye things that I have here sworn are truly faithfully          
 & sincerely declard by mee according to ye plain & usuall                      
 interpretation of the words now spoken & no otherwise                          
      L. c. 16    [Handwriting changes here.]    ffeb ye 12 1673                
   This morning his Maty came to ye house of Lds who were all in their          
 Robes, & sending for ye Commons, in a most gracious speech Acquainted          
 them of his haveing made a speedy, Honrble, & as he hopet a lasting            
 peace pursuant to their advice, & assured them that before they made           
 their address to him abt ye army he had given Order for ye Reduceing           
 them soe soone as he should be assured of a peace Even to a lesser             
 number then they desired, & as for ye Irish forces hee would give              
 speedy directions for their Returne home but as his forces are                 
 lessend at land soe it would be necessary to build more great                  
 ships for that Wee Could not expect to be safe unless our strength             
 at sea Equalls our neighbours, & therefore Earnestly Recommended it            
 to their Care to find ye meanes for ye Effectuall doeing of it, wch            
 was Recd wth all expressions of satisfaction Imaginable, the Lds as            
 Well as ye Commons presently voteing his Maty their humble & Hearty            
 thanks for his makeing soe speedy a peace, according to ye advice &            
 desire of ye Parliamt & for his gracious answere to their address              
 about ye army.  & appoynted some of their members to attend his Maty to        
 know when they shall Waite on him therewth                                     
   The Commons then Went on wth their debate about ye greivances, &             
 appoynted a Comittee to inspect ye laws lately made in Scotland whereby        
 an army is authorized to march into England or Ireland, or such                
 lawes as doe tend to ye breach of ye union of ye 2 nations, & to               
 report ye same to ye house & produce ye Bookes, & that on fryday they          
 are to proceed on ye same debate.                                              
   Thursday the Lds after some private buisness went into a grand               
 Comittee to proceed on ye remaining heads of ye Bill for secureing             
 ye Protestant Religion, & resolvd to this Effect, that noe English             
 Jesuite or Regular Priests shall be admitted for ye future to supply           
 ye places of any of ye Queens priests upon any vacancy or removall.            
 That for ye future upon ye Death or Removall of any of ye Queens               
 present servants, none shall be addmitted but natives of her Maties            
 Country or of ye Protestant Religion, & that their number be as in ye          
 late Establishments in 1672 & 73 & that ye suppressing of atheisme &           
 profaness shall be a distinct Bill & that care be taken that ye                
 Children of such persons as shall dye in the Popish Religion may be            
 Educated by Protestants in ye Protestant faith as it shall be directed         
 by ye Ld Chancellor, Keeper or Bpp for ye tyme being & upon all                
 differences that they shall resort to his Maty for determination, & that       
 if a Papist dye & leave a Widdow a Papist the Children to be educated          
 as aforesaid                                                                   
   The Commons onely read a Bill Concerning ye streets in Portsmth & ye         
 Erecting an almes house there another for Enabling Sr Samuell Moreland         
 to have ye sole benefit of his late Invented Pump, & another for ye            
 better Regulateing ye Election of Members of Parliamt.                         
   Tis talkt that an Ambr shall suddenly goe into Holland, & that Sr            
 Wm Temple will be ye man.                                                      
   On Munday ye Abbot of Bealeiu & 2 frenchmen were condemned for               
 Clipping & Coyning                                                             
      L. c. 17     ffebruary ye 14 1673                                         
 +ffryday ye Lds onely read an act for composeing ye differences in             
 Religion & inviteing sober & peacable minded dissenters to ye service          
 of ye Church & then Waited on his Maty wth their humble thanks for ye          
 peace &c:                                                                      
 +The Commons Comitted ye Bills for Sr Samuell Morelands Engine, for            
 ascertaining ye powers & fees in ye Pattents of Judges, & ordered that         
 about preventing Thefts & rapine on ye North Borders to be ingrosst            
 Then went to his Maty wth their humble & Hearty Thanks for ye peace &          
 disbanding ye army.                                                            
 +Saterday ye Lds onely went on wth ye Remaining heads of ye Bill abt           
 Religion & haveing past over them Orderd them to be put into an act &c:        
   The Commons in a grand Comittee Resolvd that a Comittee be appoynted         
 to inspect ye lawes, & consider how the King may Comitt any subject by         
 his Imediate Warrant as ye law stands & report ye same to ye house, &          
 how ye law stands touching Comittmts of psons by ye Counsell Table, & to       
 report ye same, to wch ye house agreed & that next Wednsday they would         
 take into Consideration ye state & Condition of ye Kingdom of Ireland.         
   ffrom Plymth Wee heare that our streights fleet saild thence on ye           
 12th wth a good Wind                                                           
   Into ye North of Scotland came last Weeke a Duch East India ship of          
 48 guns & 200 men, by stress of Weather soe torne & shatterd that shee         
 lay almost like a Wreck & soe would be seized on there.                        
   from Edenburgh they Write of one Pickett (that some yeares agoe              
 had dischargd a Pistoll at ye Arch Bp of St Andrews & Escaped) who             
 was this last Weeke taken upon suspition, & found armed wth a                  
 pistoll chargd againe, & soe Comitted to prison                                
 +ffrom Collogne Wee heare by Express that abt 10 dayes since Prince            
 Willm Furstenburg, ye Elector of Collognes Plenipotentiary in ye               
 Treaty there Coming from visiting his said Mr was set upon in ye day           
 tyme in ye midst of ye Towne by a party who forcet him a way in his            
 Coach, Wounding his servants, & takeing him Prisoner wth intention as          
 its thought to carry him to Vienna, & this by ye Emprs Orders, wch being       
 a thing soe impracticable as agst ye Publique faith & law of Nations, the      
 ambrs were much allarmd at it & sent an account thereof to their               
 M[aste]rs Ceaseing thereupon all Negotiation                                   
 +By our last letters from france the Grandees there seeme to be in a           
 genll disgust at ye news they have from England, but however they              
 pretend it like to be a hotter summer then any has bene yet; their             
 leavies goeing forward wth all possible vigour they being resolvd rather       
 to run ye Hazzard of another Warr then part wth Lorraine &c: butyet tis        
 thought there will be a Generall Peace amongst ye Xtian Princes                
 Tis said One maine motive to his Maties making soe sudden a peace was a        
 letter the Spanish Ambr producet to his Maty wch he had newly Recd from        
 Holland, wch ye french King had sent ye States offering to make a peace        
 wth them wthout the King of England, &c:                                       
     L. c. 18      ffeb ye 17 1673                                              
 Munday/ This morning both houses sate, ye Lds read a Bill for preventing       
 frauds & perjuries, Comitted ye Bill abt Regulateing Servants Wages            
   The Commons read a Bill for ascertaining ye measures of Coale & Wood,        
 Comitted ye Bill abt Elections, & then proceeded upon ye debate of Mr          
 Pepes Election for Castle Riseing wch they adjourned till Saterday             
 sennight                                                                       
 +The Order about prohibiting ye Exportation of Coales is taken off by          
 order of Councell, & is like soe to Continue                                   
 +The Marchts upon this peace are fitting out very many ships more then         
 at first they intended, perticularly the East India Company hopeing to         
 have a very good trade againe                                                  
   Wee are in dayly Expectation of ye Returne of Sr Gabriell Silvius            
 from Holland wth ye Ratifications of ye peace, upon wch it will be             
 proclaimd wth ye usuall sollemnity                                             
 Wednsday/ The Commons this day Ordrd ye Bill abt Habeas Corpus to be           
 ingrosst, & then ye Chaire=man of ye Earle of Arlingtons Comittee              
 reporting they desired the House would direct them whether they intended       
 they should take proofs, or whether any members Word [sic] undertakeing        
 to make proofe should be accepted, upon wch debateing it, they                 
 Resolvd that it be recomitted to ye Comittee to proceed upon ye                
 articles, head by head & report perticularly what proof fitt for an            
 Impeachment can be made upon ye severall heads.                                
   The Lds being moved to take into Consideration ye state & condition          
 of Ireland & to provide for ye security thereof they Ordred to take            
 ye same into debate on Wednsday & then read & Comitted ye Bill to              
 prevent illegall Imprissnmts of subjects                                       
 +from france Wee heare that that King is raiseing a very great army agst       
 next spring, & that an account is taking of all the Protestants there,         
 who are found to be farr more numerous then Heretofore, as is said to an       
 increase of some Hundred Thousands, what use they intend to make thereof       
 is not yet knowne.                                                             
   As yet Wee heare nothing of our Plenipotentiaryes at Collogne or how         
 long they will stay there or when returne.                                     
       L. c. 19     ffeb: ye 19th 1673                                          
 +Wednsday the Lds takeing into Consideration ye Condition of ye Kingdome       
 of Ireland, after a long debate Resolvd that an address be made                
 to his Maty to desire that ye army of ye Kingdome of Ireland may be            
 reinforct to what it was before ye late Establishmt & ye Contract made         
 by ye Ld Ranelagh. & that ye militia of that Kingdome may be speedily          
 setled, & that ye persons to be Employd in any Commands there may be           
 of knowne affection & fidellity to his Maty, & ye Protestant Religion          
 as now Establisht & referrd ye farther Consideration till another day.         
   The Commons Comitted ye Bill to prevent ye Exportation of Wooll, &           
 that abt ye Hearth Mony. & read a Bill for ye better attendance of             
 members of Parliamt, read a Bill abt Lindsey Levell & soe went                 
 into a grand Comittee on ye Consideration of ye Condition of Ireland,          
 & haveing made some progress therein adjournd it till fryday.                  
   from Collogne of ye 20th instant Wee heard that the Prince of                
 ffurstemburg Continued still at Bonne, but was to be removed to a              
 fortress neare Coblentz & yt it was declared to be by ye Emprs Order           
 upon wch all ye publique ministers had made it their buisness to purchase      
 his discharge not proceeding in any buisness till fresh orders                 
   The reason given for ye seizure & Imprisonmt of ye Prince of                 
 ffurstemburg is for that he had noe passport from ye Empr, & for that he       
 had (as is pretended) a designe to have seized ye Marquess of Grana &          
 have treated him wth ye same usage he himselfe has Recd                        
   Letters from Holland of ye 24th say ye news of ye peace being newly          
 arived, the wholly [sic] Country appeared strongly transported wth Joy         
 for ye same, wch was expresst in all places wth ye greatest demonstrations     
 of rejoyceing Imaginable.  The States themselves haveing appoynted ye          
 7th of March next for a generall Thanksgiveing for soe great a happiness       
 & are sending 4 of their deputies to Returne his Maty their Hearty Thanks      
 ffor haveing Restored them to his amity, &c:  They are Carrying on their       
 preparations both for sea & land wth all ye Vigor possible & have              
 Resolvd their land forces shall be in a readyness by ye first of March.        
 Wee heare nothing of Gabriell Silvius soe that its believd he was not          
 then arivd, Barron Sparr was come as farr as ye Hague in his Way for           
 England, his buisness being said to be to Endeavour to prevent any             
 seperate treaty betwene ye English & Duch, as being what might Impede a        
 genell peace, but being given to understand by ye Prince of Orange that        
 his Journey would be to noe Effect he stopt there.                             
 +Thursday ye Lds read ye Bill for a genell Comprehension, & falling            
 into a long debate about its limitts adjournd it till ye morrow                
 +The Commons Orderd ye Bill abt sherriffs accounts to be ingrosst &            
 orderd ye Bill abt Lindsay Levells to be read on Saterday & voted              
 Sr Samuell Bernardistons Election for Suffolk good                             
   Letters from Plymth tell us that Sr Richard Munday in ye Princess            
 brought in thither a Man of Warr of 16 guns, wch he Espied Cruising            
 wth Duch Collours, to whom he gave a gun to Call him in, who makeing           
 up to him he demanded of him whence he was, who answerd from Amsterdam         
 & made ye same demand to Sr Richard, who answereing from Whitehall, ye         
 man of Warr very briskly made at him, gave him a Whole broadside, &            
 powred his small shot on him by wch he Kild 3 of his men, but it was           
 soe well returnd by our frigatt that ye man of Warr wth Duch Colloures         
 was forcet to submitt & being taken was found to be wholly french              
   There is a talke that Monsr Ruvigny the french Envoy being upon his          
 Returne has demanded of his Maty ye summ of 4 millions sterl toward            
 his master has lent out [sic], through ye desire of ye King of England.        
       L. c. 20    ffeb ye 21 1673                                              
   This day ye Lds read a Bill for Explanation of a former act for              
 preventing dangers wch may happen from Popish Recusants, &                     
 Comitted ye Bill for preventing frauds & perjuries &c.                         
   The Commons were in a grand Comittee to take into Consideration              
 ye state & Condition of ye Revenue of Ireland, & Resolvd that a                
 Comittee be appoynted to inspect ye state & Condition of ye                    
 Revenue of Ireland, & Report ye same wth their Opinions thereon                
 to ye house, & that ye same Comittee doe Consider ye state of ye               
 Religion, ye militia, & forces of that Kingdome & examine ye                   
 matter of fact, & report ye same wth their Opinions thereon to ye              
 house, & how yt Kingdome may be best secured as speedily as may be.            
   Wee are in dayly expectation of ye Returne of ye Ratification of             
 ye peace from Holland, the last letters Inst Coming off Just                   
 when the Spanish Ambrs secretary landed wch caused very great                  
 expressions of Joy all over those Countrys.                                    
   This day ye Lds read ye act prepared by ye Comittee for ye better            
 security of ye Protestant Religion upon ye 3 heads  1st Concerning ye          
 Education of ye Children of ye Royall family, 2dly their Marriages, 3ly        
 ye Queens priests & servants, & ordred it to be read againe adjourning         
 ye debate of ye Irish affaires till Munday next                                
   The Commons read a Bill to prevent ye illegall Exactions of money from       
 ye subjects & Ordred it to bee ingrosst & read ye ingrosst Bill abt            
 Habeas Corpus wch was Ordred to be Considerd on Munday, & Ordred two           
 Bills to be brought in abt erecting Courts of Conscience &c [?] for            
 Westmr & Southwark for ye better releife of ye poorer sort of people           
   Noe Duch letters are Come Over but hourely expected                          
      L. c. 21     ffeb ye 24 1673                                              
 +This morning the King comming in his Robes to ye Lds house was                
 presently attended by ye Commons Where he was to speake to them to             
 this Effect                                                                    
 My Lds & Gentlemen/ When I was last here I told you ye peace was               
 signed, I am now come to tell you that its ratifyed, & I hope it               
 will prove a happy & a lasting peace to both nations; this, &                  
 ye spring Coming on fast, it will be Convenient for you to be in               
 your Counties, both for your owne buisness, & mine, I therefore                
 thought fit to make a Recess at this tyme, the Winter being more               
 Convenient for buisness  In ye meane tyme I will Endeavour                     
 to satisfy ye World of my stedfastnesse for secureing ye                       
 Protestant Religion as its now Establisht, & your properties, & I              
 desire that you in your severall Counties will endeavour to satisfy            
 ye people therewth.  I have noe more to say at this tyme but that I            
 have Commanded my Ld Keeper to prorogue ye Parliamt till ye 10th of            
 November next, wch was accordingly done, wch much surprises [?]                
    L. c. 22    ffebr ye 26th 1673                                              
 +His Maty haveing Issued out his Orders for ye disbanding ye army              
 ye 6th of ye next moneth, ye officers are gone downe to their                  
 severall quarters to put it in execution, & besides ye 8 Regiments             
 last Raised the King, to lessen ye Expence of ye Souldiery, has                
 Orderd to be disRegimented ye Dragoones & ye Other 2 Regiments wch             
 were raised before ye 8, & takeing some Companyes out of them will             
 send them as Independ Companys into Ireland, to Reinforce ye army              
 there, all other forces in garrison are to be Reducet to 50 in a               
 Company, & those of ye Guards to 60.                                           
   The exchange of ye Ratifications of ye peace from Holland being              
 hourely expected ye King has bene pleasd to revoke his former Orders           
 at ye severall Ports for staying any persons that Come from his                
 Enimies Country, that soe all freedome of Commerce & Communication             
 may from henceforth be Open between us & them. & perfect amity &               
 freindship be Renew'd, ye like Orders of good usage to all other               
 Princes subjects & ships, he has bene pleasd to give to ye severall            
 Ports as a neutrall party in all their present quarrells & disputes.           
  The Proclamation lyes ready for ye press for publishing ye peace soe          
 soon as ever ye Ratifications Come back from Holland wch are hourely           
 expected, ffrom ye day of ye Publication of ye peace all acts of               
 Hostillity are to Cease in 12 dayes from ye soundings to ye Naze               
 in Norway, in 6 Weekes from ye soundings to ye Citty of Tangier, in            
 10 Weekes in ye Ocean Mediterranean & Else Where from Tangier to ye            
 Equinoxiall Line, & in 8 moneths in all parts of ye World &                    
 whatever damage after, satisfaction shall be given for ye same, & ye           
 actors punisht as Violators of ye peace.                                       
   His Maty has given Orders for a Proclamation to Issue to recall ye           
 dispensation of ye act of Navigation, & orders are Issued to take              
 of ye Embargo, that a free & open trade may succeed our agreemt wth            
 ye Duch.                                                                       
   His Maty has given a gold Chaine & meddall to Capt Cutters who in            
 ye affrica of London soe bravely behaved himselfe agst a Duch Caper of         
 18 guns, 10 of whose men he brought wth him into Plymth.                       
 +The Lieutenancy of ye West Rideing of Yorkshire, formerly in ye hands         
 of ye Duke of Bucks is now given to ye Ld High Treasurer, the Duke of          
 Monmouth is like to be suddenly Mr of ye Horse                                 
   ffrom Vienna Wee heare that ye Empr is makeing very great leavies            
 in [seal spoils about eight letters] of his Hereditary Countries               
 wch were [about five letters spoiled] to send downe ye Rhyne a new army        
 [of] 16000 men to reinforce those that Lye still in ye Electorate of           
 Collogne & that 5000 Saxons & other auxilliarys will bee Joynd wth             
 them, ye house of Lunenburg & ye lower Saxony will remaine neuters in          
 this present quarrell, & onely Oppose ye Swedes or any else shall that         
 disturb ye peace of those Countries, Brandenburg has left france & will        
 make a new league wth ye Empr.                                                 
   The Duch begin to speake of ye Prince of Oranges marriage, but               
 they say he has declared he will not till this Campaigne is Over               
 & his Country in peace, The States are now takeing into                        
 Consideration ye fond for this yeares Warr, & ye present raiseing              
 ye mony they are to pay our King by Vertue of this treaty, Tis                 
 said ye Bp of Munster has certainly made an agreement wth ye                   
 Empr, & Recd an Imperiall Garrison into many of his Townes &                   
 a sum of Mony to pay his army.  the like tis said ye Elector of                
 Collogne will suddenly doe upon ye arrivall of Sr Gabriell Silvius             
 in Holland wth ye articles of peace,  Notice was given to ye                   
 people thereof by a publique Cryer upon wch ye streets were                    
 Coverd wth people who spent ye night wth Bonefires, drinking ye                
 Kings health & all manner of Jollyty, & tis said many were soe                 
 Over Joyd that they burnt both their Caps & Coates                             
      L. c. 23     ffeb ye 28 1673                                              
 ffryday 27th/ Letters of this day from Bristoll speake of some                 
 Mercht men from ye West Indies being arived there who not long                 
 since left two of their Companions behind them that were taken by              
 a man of Warr of 50 guns of Evertsons squadron in his Returne                  
 home, these ships bring news that ye peace betweene ye King of                 
 ffez & ye Citty of Tangier was concluded & that it was to                      
 Comprehend Salley & all his Other Territories, soe that that                   
 Collony must of necessity flourish by such an advantage.                       
   The Duke of Bucks is abt Resigning his place of Mr of ye horse               
 to his Maty, to his Grace ye Duke of Monmouth, at his Maties                   
 interposition wch will suddenly be done.                                       
   Capt Godfrey, Gentleman of ye horse to ye Duke of Monmouth has               
 Sr Phillip Munktons Company in his Maties guards                               
    Here is lately come Over the Ld Vaughan from france where he                
 left ye English in that Kings service in a very good Condition                 
 & shortly  returnes to them againe                                             
   Sr Jonathan Atkins haveing finisht all his buisness relateing                
 to ye Carribean Islands, meanes to part hence wth ye next ships                
 to take possession of it in ye Roome of my Ld Willoughby.                      
 Saterd: 28/ Yesterday came a Duch post wch brought news of ye                  
 peace haveing bene Ratifyed there on Munday last & interchangd ye              
 next day & proclaimed wth ye usuall solemnitys, & wth ye greatest              
 Joy & satisfaction of ye people posible upon wch advice his Maty               
 was pleasd to summon the Counsell to attend him & there gave Orders            
 for its being publisht here, wth ye like Ceremony which was this               
 afternoone accordingly done as well at Whitehall gate as in ye                 
 usuall places of ye Citty by sound of Trumpetts & all other                    
 accustomed Attendts of his Maties servts as ye Heralds, serjeants at           
 armes, &c: wch was Recd by ye people wth such a universall Clamour &           
 Joy that scarce any thing of ye like nature was ever seene.  at ye             
 Entrance of ye Citty ye Ld Mayor & Aldermen met them & accompanyed them        
 in ye action & afterward treated them very nobly                               
   Sr Gabriell Silvius is dayly expected wth ye Instruments themselves          
haveing beene very nobly enterteynd by all persons there.                       
   The french begin to think of takeing ye feild that King haveing              
 Resolvd to be at ye Camp earlier then he was last yeare, upon ye               
 proffer of ye french Merchts of a Considerable summ of mony to that            
 King toward ye Warr, ye King thankt them & told them he had now in             
 owne Coffers 17 millions over & above what would fully discharge               
 ye expence of this next Campaigne.                                             
   The Duch talke of haveing an army of 16000 men in ye feild to be             
 Employd in takeing ye townes they have lost  Duisberg & Arnham are             
 quitting [?] by ye french, & Rees & Wesell putting into ye hands               
 of Brandenburg                                                                 
      L. c. 24    March ye 3d 1673                                              
   His Maty has Resolved to goe to Newmarket abt ye midle of this moneth        
 where are appoynted some matches for his Maties diversion, & order is          
 given for makeing preparation for it                                           
   His Maty has bene pleasd to make Sr Henry Chickly deputy Governr             
 & Genell of his forces in his Collony of Virginia, under Sr Wm Berkley         
 whose Comission is accordingly past.                                           
   ffrom severall quarters of ye army wee heare that ye souldrs are all         
 disbanded, & gone toward their homes wthout Comitting ye least rudeness        
 or disorder.                                                                   
    ffrom Collogne Wee heare that upon ye news of ye peace, the publique        
 ministers there, had Complemented ye English Ambrs, & now they expect          
 what will next be done abt Prince Wm of ffurstenburg  the french King          
 has orderd His Ministers there to Cease all further negotiations there         
 till he be releaset   They are much Concerned at a new breach of ye            
 neutrallity of that place by ye seizure of a Cart wth 50000 Crownes            
 sending by ye french to pay off Wesell, wch at ye goeing out of that           
 towne was deteyned by the Impll Garrison there, who still keep it.             
    ffrom the Hague of th 8th Wee are told that ye 14 instant being ye          
 day appoynted by them for a Genell Thanksgiveing for the peace,                
 ExtraOrdnary preparation were makeing, as fire Works &c.  The like             
 Whereof they say was never seene, for ye sollemnizeing ye same, They           
 bragg there of haveing taken dureing this Warr 2800 ship, 1800 of wch          
 were french.  The Bp of Munster they say proffers to send two deputies         
 to them to renew the Leagues wth them. offerring to Resigne up all his         
 acquists, & and leave things as at ye Treaty of Cleaves and they hope ye       
 Bp of Collogne will doe ye like, They have appoynted 66 saile of ships         
 for their next summers fleet & will put a board them 9000 land men to          
 make a descent on some part of france, Gray is still closely beseigd &         
 in danger to  be lost, as is alsoe Burgundy if not quickly Rescued by ye       
 Empr & Duke of Lorraines forces wch are therefore hastening by 2               
 Expresses from flanders                                                        
 [Note in same hand at end of letter:] Tis said ye Chester & Shrewsbury         
 Coaches are both robd this Weeke beyond Dunstable.                             
      L. c. 25    March ye 5th 1673                                             
   The King has bene pleasd to conferr ye Honr of Vice Countess of              
 Bunning on ye Lady Anne Murry of Toxly, in Berks Daughter & Co heire to        
 ye late Ld Vicount Bunning dureing her life                                    
   The Earle of Lindsey was this week sworne of his Maties bed chamber          
 in ye Roome of ye Duke of Bucks.                                               
   The Company of foot lately Commanded by ye Duke of Bucks as Capt is          
 given to Mr Wicherly                                                           
   His Maty has bene pleasd to make Mr Powle Brother to Sr Richard Mr of        
 ye Rolles in Reversion after Sr Harbotle Grimston, who is very ill             
   His Maty has bene pleasd to make a further Retrenchmt in ye expences         
 of his family.                                                                 
   The Spanish Ambrs secretary being returnd from Holland has brought           
 wth him Passports from ye states Genell, for our ships to goe freely &         
 quietly, notwthstanding, tis wthin ye time permitted for Hostillitys, &        
 in returne thereof, ye like are sending to them that soe ye subjects on        
 both sides may as soone as possible, recieve ye full benefitt of ye            
 peace soe that our ships are hasteing out wth all speed.                       
   The Duch have sent a present of 40000 Guilders to ye Marquess ffresno        
 ye Spanish Ambr, & another of 15000 to Don Bernardo de Salinas,                
   The Articles of ye peace being in ye press Orders are sent to Portsmth       
 & other places to unrigg ye great ships & lay ym up                            
    The Parliamt of Scotland Will be adjournd to ye 10th of October             
    Paris Letters say that that King had held a Councell of Warr for            
 takeing advice about ye carrying on ye Warr this next Compaigne, in wch        
 ye Prince of Condes Opinion being required, its said he made a long            
 discourse intimateing that ye reason why ye Capts of this age did not          
 such great things as Heretofore, was, because they were to mercifull, &        
 therefore his advice was that his Maty should Enter ye Spanish Netherlands     
 wth a good army & make himself master of ye Country & what ever place or       
 towne Resisted to put all to ye sword, give ye Pillage to ye souldrs, &        
 Raze it, & alsoe to have 3 flyeing armies that should destroy ye Country       
 round about, & not leave ye enimie any provision or substance wch would        
 soone put an End to ye War and make every place freely surrender rather        
 then Hazard a certaine Death or Ruine, but ye King told him that Way was       
 to Cruell, & not practicable in this age, & so nothing was Resolvd on          
 that meeting.                                                                  
    That King proposes to have in ye feild this summer an army of 180000        
 Infantry & 40000 Cavalry of wch 120000 are to be in ye feild, ye rest in       
garrisons, & shall be all soe divided as to give play to ye Enimies every       
 where, & he doubts not but to make Considerable inroads into flanders,         
 Burgundy, & other parts of Spaine, & at ye same tyme face ye Empr who he       
 supposes will be Enough diverted by ye Turkes in Hungary                       
    Madam ye Duchess of Orleans was soe Concernd at ye takeing of               
 Germierstein ye Hostillities Comitted in that Country belonging to her         
 father the Elector Pallatine, that shee went Imediately to ye King to          
 beg hee would not ruine her father, or treat him soe severely, to wch ye       
 King replyed that he had bene soe ill treated by that Elector, that hee        
 Could not but doe What hee did wch course he was resolved to proceed in        
 unless hee Imediately quitted ye Emprs allyance, upon wch hee would            
 Receive him into his protection & allyance againe                              
 +The Elector of Collogne upon ye application of ye Deputies from Leige         
 has sent to ye frencch King to Withdraw his forces from Mayseyke & ye          
 other villages in that Diocess                                                 
    L. c. 26    March ye 7th 1673                                               
 fryday 6/+ffrom all parts of ye Country ye Complaints continue of ye           
 Damage done by this great snow wch is soe deep that Horse & man are            
 frequently in danger of being lost upon ye Roads wch much hinders ye           
 people & ordinaryes from all parts                                             
   This Weeke was broght into Plymth by ye Henrietta 2 Duch privateerrs,        
 ye one ye Portsmouth sloop that was, the other of flushing of 8 guns &         
 50 men.  all ye Ports fill wth our ships for ye West Indies, our               
 manufactures are Extreamly advancet in their prizes upon this peace.           
   from Scotland wee heare that ye Parliament there met on Tuesday              
 last, & was by his Maties Command prorogued till ye 10th of October            
 next, soe that his Matyes Comissrs may suddenly return to Court to give        
 him an account of affaires there.                                              
   This day his Maty in Councell takeing into Consideration ye                  
 Effectuall suppressing of popery, was pleasd to Order that ye Ld Keeper        
 doe give it in charge to ye Judges that at their next genell sessions,         
 or else where they put ye lawes to ye full in execution agst Popery, &         
 that all persons take notice of it & yeild due Obedience                       
 Saterday, 7th/ This morning his Grace ye Duke of Mun mouth was sworne          
 into ye place of Mr of ye Horse wth ye usuall Ceremony in ye Roome of          
 ye Duke of Bucks, his Liveries being made, & all things ready for his          
 entering on ye Execution of yt ofice, The Duke of Bucks intends suddenly       
 to retire into ye Country.                                                     
   Some stop is put to Mr Powles Grant of ye place of Master of ye              
 Rolles upon a pre promise made long since to my Ld Chiefe Barron Turner,       
 soe that how it will goe is not yet knowne                                     
   Sr Harbotle Grimston Continues very Weake but in noe great danger of         
 Death Otherwise then by his great age.                                         
   Sr Gabriell Silvius is not yet returnd this bad Weather being Judged         
 to be his onely Impediment.                                                    
  Noe Resolutions are taken about our Plenipotentiarys at Collogne nor          
 Will till his Maty has ye Emprs answere abt ye late insult Comitted on         
 ye Prince of ffurstemburg.                                                     
   Noe fresh Letters of any kind from abroad.                                   
     L. c. 27    March ye 10th 1673                                             
    My Ld Windsor has its said made an agreement wth Mr Henry Jermyn for        
 his office of master of ye Horse to his Royall Highness, & will shortly        
 enter upon ye execution of it                                                  
   My Ld Peeterboroughs Regimt that is in ffrance is to be broke up &           
 some Companyes of it Joyned to some Companyes that Went out of ye              
 Guards here last summer & be incorporated into one Regimt & to Remaine         
 there for ye present under ye Command of Capt. Churchill, sonne to Sr          
 Winston Churchill.  My Ld Vaughans Regimt remaines yet on that side.           
   ffrom Edinburgh of ye 3d instant Wee heare that ye day before Duke           
 Hamilton arived there, haveing bene mett by many of his freinds who            
 accompanyed him to that Place, & went wth him to Waite on my Ld Comissr        
 the D of Lauderdale, the next day, Vizt, Tewsday last the Parliamt             
 according to adjournemt met, where my Ld Comissr Comunicated to them ye        
 Commands he had Recd that morning from his Maty to adjourne them farther       
 to ye 14 of October next, wch was accordingly done & ye assembly dismisst      
 wthout proposeing any buisness soe that abt ye begining of ye next             
 moneth the Ld Duke may be expected here.  The Road being soe bad &             
 Especially there that there is scarce any passage, & ye snow soe deep,         
 that it covers many of their Countrey houses & destroyes much of their         
 Catle doeing them many other prejudices.                                       
    ffrom ye Coasts of Barbary Wee heare that Muly Ishmaell ye King of          
 Fez intended to publish very speedily ye peace he has made wth ye              
 King of England & his Citty of Tangier but it was feared it would not          
 long Continue, his subjects being soe divided that he much dreaded a           
 Revolt but if he stood firme ye articles Were very Beneficiall to ye           
 English & their trade in that Country.                                         
   ffrom Vienna of ye 20th past Wee heare that ye day before arived             
 an Ambr from ye Port wth above 80 persons in his traine, himselfe              
 being a person of great Employmt, his audience was to be ye yext Weeke         
 of ye Empr, & that his buisness was to make a more strickt allyance            
 abt ye Empr in case he Will not assist ye Poles & to procure ye                
 libertie of diverse Eminent Turkes, prisoners on ye borders                    
 in ye meane tyme ye Hungarian Rebells Joyned wth some Transilvanians           
 & Turkes, comitt great spoiles on ye Borders soe that ye Empr                  
 has dispatched some Regimts more to hold them in Play till he                  
 can send them more succours wch hee will doe as soone as hee has               
 modelld ye great army he intends to send downe ye Rhyne agt ffrance.           
 That by his Ambrs from Denmarke & ye house of Lunenburgh, he heard that        
 those Princes had promised to Joyne in his assotiation or Remaine neuters.     
 That ye Elector of Brandenburgh's Envoy was come there abt a secrett           
 treaty wth his Imperiall Maty & that it was said that both that Prince,        
 & ye Elector of Saxony have declared for ye Empr,                              
     ye ffrench have Releaset ye Count de Stratz & convey'd him to              
 dusseldorp, to show ye Imperialists an example.  The Bp of Stratzburg          
 has at Keyserwaert stopt all ye Duch vessells that were carrying ye sick       
 & wounded of that nation from Bonne tho they had ye french & Swedish           
 Ambrs passes                                                                   
     The Duchess of Orleans has put off all her servants of her owne            
 Country to oblige her husband the King by takeing  away all suspition of       
 their holding any Correspondence or intelligence wth her father their          
 enimie.                                                                        
       L.c. 28     March ye 14 1673                                             
 +On Wednsday last at Councell his Maty was pleasd to Receive ye report         
 from the committee appoynted by him to examine ye Complaints of some           
 Injuries done to his subjects by ye Spaniards in ye West Indies, who,          
 finding there was noe other cause given by ye English for it, then ye          
 pretense of cutting Loggwood at Jacklan, where severall hundreds of ye         
 English have long Inhabited, & that that Trade is Beneficiall & lawfull        
 to his Matie in all unfortifyed & ungarrisond places, were of opinion          
 that Reparations be Imediately demanded both at ye Court of Spaine, & of       
 the Spanish Ambr here, wch if they doe not Comply wth that his Maty            
 Cannot in honr but permit his subjects to get satisfaction by way of           
 Reprisall, & that in ye interim ye Governr of Jamaica be Ordred to bid         
 ye people prepare themselves &c: to Resist all such acts of Hositillity        
 at any tyme done to them, & because one ffitz=gerrald, & yellow's 2            
 fugitives of his Matys subjects doe most of those injuries by Spanish          
 Comissions, a Proclamation should Issue to Command home all subjects from      
 these parts, wth a promise of pardon for what is passed, wch his Maty          
 approved of & Ordred the Secretarys of State to Receive this Order & put       
 it in Execution                                                                
   ffrom Paris Wee heare that King had wthdrawne his forces from Burgundy,      
 his approach thereabouts haveing causd ye Swisses not onely to delay but       
 to Refuse to Leavy men for him as they Intended, & this has given the          
 Spanish occation to get ye Catholique Cantons to permitt him to raise          
 600 men for ye security of french Compte, for ye neutrallity of wch all        
 ye Cantons offer ffrance to be their Warranty, & that they shall give          
 passage to noe persons that may disturb either ye french or ye Spaniard        
    The Elector of Mayence has they say sent a Courier to Paris to offer        
 that King to be under his protection, not being able to undergoe ye            
 violence used to his people by ye Imperialists abt ffrankfort, New             
 propositions are made to ye Elector Pallatine by france for all damages        
 he pretends to have Recd & Re=entrance into his amity,                         
    All ye discourse at Paris is, of a Treaty lately Concluded at               
 Stockholme betweene france & that Crowne, that in Case ye Imperialists,        
 Spaniards & Duch accept not a Truce by ye 15 of May next, that then ye         
 King of Sweden Will declare in favour of ffrance, upon Condition they          
 Will allow him 50000 Crownes a moneth dureing ye Terme of 6 yeares or          
 a Conclusion of peace wch putts them up wth ye hopes of a Cessation, wch       
 his most Xtian Maty is Willing to accept of to promote a generall peace.       
    Capt Skelton on ye 9th Went for Holland & has taken wth him 200             
 passports for Duch ships more then Were deliverd to ye Spanish Ambr, &         
 is alsoe to desire of ye Prince of Orange Passports for 3 Companies of         
 his Maties guards who lay at Wesell, to pass quietly thro Holland in           
 their way for England, being by his Maties Order Calld home.                   
    Hamburgh Letters say ye disputes in Poland abt ye Election grew very        
 high, that Abassi, Prince of Transylvania offers for ye Crowne 5 Millions      
 of present mony & to entertaine 15,000 men at his Owne expence dureing         
 ye Warr wth ye Turkes & to incorporate his Territories wth theirs              
     Tis said ye Empr has sent ye Elector Pallatine 3000 Horse of his           
 army, who are to be Joynd wth 5000 Saxons for defence of his Country.          
 +fflanders Letters say that on ye 13 the ministry of ye Emperour, Spaine       
 & ye states had a Conference at ye Hague abt an accomodation wth ye            
 Elector Collogne & Bp of Munster, upon wch, the Bp shall give his army         
 to Reserving [sic] onely 2500 men, & Seiur Ham was Comeing from ye Bp as       
 his deputy to Compleat ye agreemt                                              
      L. c. 29    [Handwriting changes here.]   March ye 14th 1673/4            
      from Cologne of ye 9th Instant we heare that there was come thither       
 the Emprs justification of his seizing the Prince of ffustenburgh as           
 that he was a feudatory Prince of the Empire and Matriculated into the         
 Nobillity of Austria by the Emper[o]rs peculier favour to him, and             
 Nevertheless he had disobeyed his Comand when empl[o]yd by him in              
 foraign service and spoake dishonorably of his person, and a Maine cause       
 of the present Warr, and not a Plenepotentiary duly Constuted in the           
 Treaty, and Orders is therefore come to remove yt Prince from Bonne            
 under a Guard of 400 Men som say to Ernbriestein Neare Coblentz but            
 Others to Newstadt within 4 Miles of Vienna, and from thence of ye 13th        
 Instant wee heare farther that the Swedish Minister in the Emprs Court         
 had put in a very sharp memoriall not onely about Continewing of his           
 Mediation. but also as a part of itt the Offering his good Office in           
 this Matter urgeing the publique faith given to them all and that the          
 prince was a lawfull Embr and Plenepotentiary and soe allowed by all           
 the assembly, soe how it will be accomodated its not yet knowne                
      His Maty haveing accepted ye Termes his great Care now is ye              
 Generall intrest of Cristendome for a Generall peace so that he has not        
 thought fit to recall his Embrr from Cologne till they have done what is       
 possible to that Effect but tis feard they will not yet be able to do          
 much good in it by ye little signe of a disposition in the partyes to          
 acomodate Matters soe suddenly Espetially till sattisfaction be given          
 about ye prince of fustenburgh till when the french will not proceed in        
 any thing and talke of returning or at Least removing                          
      ffrom Brussells Wee heare that Govt is extremely allarmed at the          
 drawing together of the french about Maestricht and the great party of         
 them that went last weeke towards Ardenbourgh  hee has therefore sent          
 very strong Garrisons into the Waes the Weakest part of fflanders and an       
 inlet into Antwerpe itselfe on which hee feares this is a designe and          
 sent Monsr Levigny wth 2000 good horse besids dragoons and 5 or 6              
 Regiments of foot to fall upon Binch of which disapoynted by the bad           
 Weather he has Ordred him to return after haveing forttified Mons and          
 ffally one which places he feeres the Prince of Conde will first fall,         
 the absence of those fforces gave oppertunity to the french to plunder         
 and burne a great part of a Village Called Saken halfe a Mile from the         
 Citty of Brussells it selfe, the 16 [?] Instant in the Morning all the         
 Governower forces for want of Horses not being able to appeare to their        
 releife to the great Damage of the poore Country men who betwene them          
 and their owne Mas[seal removes about three letters" are quite ruinned         
 and the frequent outrages of the Spaniards in the Legises [?] has Caused       
 them to resolve to declare Warr against them and to Joyne wth france           
 which will much Incomode ye Spanish Netherlands.                               
      ffrench Wines and all other french Comodityes are most strictly           
 prohibited in all parts so that they will suffer very much for want of         
 Traide                                                                         
      L. c. 30      March ye l7 [?] 1673                                        
   The 4th of ye next Month the King has appointed to goe to New Markett        
 feereing that sooner as he intended ye season will not permitt, about ye       
 Middle or Latter end of May his Maty goes to Windsor for a Considerable        
 time                                                                           
      Some of ye Disbanded souldrs haveing put themselvs privately on           
 board Vessells in ye River wth there Officers to goe to Holland to serve       
 that State (but wthout his Maty Leave or Knowledge) Orders were sent to        
 stay them wch was accordingly done, and ye Comanders brought before his        
 Maty who reflecting on their former Carriage and present desire of             
 Emplyment was pleasd to pardon them and Ordred that the men should be          
 kept on board to be added to his Garrison at Tangier                           
      ffrom Harwich wee heare that on Satterday Last there went off             
 there Capt Skelton Carrying wth him passes for ye Duch ships and               
 that Morning were dispatcht hence 400 more for ye same account                 
      On fryday Last his Maty in Councell was pleasd to Order that ye           
 Ryoters of Capt Lassells Company at Canterbury on ye 2d Instant should         
 be returnd to the Mayor there to be Tryed at the assizes and that the 2        
 RingLeaders of Sr William Lockharts Regement at Ashford on ye 10th [?]         
 (one Buchanon and Lovelace) should be prosecuted according to Law to           
 terrifie Others and give sattisfaction to ye Country.                          
      ffrom Brussells wee heare that the Country is still in great              
 apprehensions of ye french and are forttifieing themselves wth all             
 dilligence and expect the Duch will send some men under the Prince             
 himselfe for their security                                                    
      ffrom Collogne of ye l6 instant wee are toold that ye Negotiation         
 their [sic] stops at ye Old point of the Duke of Lorrains deputies and         
 the seizure of the Prince of ffostenburgh soe that our Embrs know not          
 what to think of a Generall peace finding all parties yet not very well        
 disposed to it and if they were thoes 2 Rubbs must be first removed the        
 Prince of fustenburgh is they say sent to Vienna where ye Empr has given       
 Orders to forme his Process not wthstanding ye pressing Instances of all       
 partyes                                                                        
      The Elector Pallatine is drawing together his Owne and a supply of        
 Imperiall troops Joyned wth ye Circle of franconia swabe and Saxony            
 which will make up a body and wth them hope to returne the assaulte of         
 ye french King who offers him that if he will renounce ye Treaty he            
 has made wth ye Empr and becom Neuter he will restore him his places           
 againe and to his protection but their Violencys has caused ye Prince          
 to be angry wth ye french                                                      
      ffrom Paris of ye 24th wee heare that sr William Lockhart had his         
 Audience of his Most Xtian Maty and by his Masters Comand offred that          
 King his Mediation for a Generall peace, which was most readily                
 accepted off, and wee dayly expect the Like from ye Other partyes              
      L. c. 31  [Handwriting changes here.]    March ye 19 1673                 
 The Duch Letters say ye states have not yet given an answere in                
 Wrighting to Monsr Sparres memoriall tho they have had 2 conferences wth       
 him upon the matters of his proposition therein to have Spaine disposed        
 to give france Cheire "?" St Omer, & Ipre, on Condition they Restore to        
 that Crowne Maestricht & Other places, ye reason of wch is, said is,           
 because they noe Whitt approve ye project as being inclined to give            
 france no thing, thinkeing themselves able to force that King to restore       
 all that he has taken since ye Pyrenean treaty, that soe ye                    
 Catholique Netherlands may Remaine an intire frontier to their                 
 Country, & not entred into by those people when they please, & were it         
 not for these intrests, they say they might soone have peace to wch ye         
 Prince is soe much inclind, & can have such good termes but that ye            
 states are Resolvd not to leave them that stuck soe fast to them in            
 their late great Callamitys, but assist them, & got in what is most            
 Reasonable On this Occasion, & they ye other side have Resolv'd to             
 doe ye like by Holland, & therefore will bring into ye feild 6000              
 Horse, & 16000 foot, & ye Empr 30000, besides what ye Duch will have           
 themselves together wth a good fleet.  Orders are sent to the                  
 severall deputies to have all things ready for action by ye first of           
 May, Gronningen & ffreizland are Ordred to get ready their part                
 by that tyme, & to dispatch ye payment of their part of ye subsidy to          
 ye Empor wch has hither to bene defray'd by Holland alone, The states          
 in their last assembly proposed to ye Prince that hee would be pleasd          
 to thinke of Marryeage, haveing now settld his affaires, wth Monsr             
 Breningen & VDyke  Comes over ye Deputies named by ye Duch East                
 India Company to adjust ye Commerce wth his Matys Comissers as to ye           
 East India Trade, 20 of their men of Warr are to goe on ye coast of            
 Spaine to act Joyntly wth their armado agst ye french in ye                    
 Mediterranean, soe that onely 46 of their ships intend to ply in ye            
 Channell & french coast & land the 10000 men they intend to make               
 descent wth.  Tis said ye Bp of Munster demanding more places &                
 mony then at first is denyd, & Letters are sent to the offices                 
 of ye Imperiall army to invade his Country, Tis said ye Prince                 
 of Orange demands 200000 Livres satisfaction for ye damage done                
 in his Country of Linglen [?] by ye Bp of Munster. & is treating               
 wth officers for raiseing 120 Companyes of foot.                               
    The french Compte has agreed wth ye french abt a neutrallity,               
 paying to ye french 400000 florins yearely.  & ye french being to              
 demolish Gray, the Duch promise themselves much from ye Electr of              
 Brandenburg, who, they say, upon a Complaint made to him by ye french          
 minister abt the seizeing ye Prince of ffurstemburg, in stead of giveing       
 him an answere shewd him a list of great Damages to his Country of             
 Juliers had suffred from ye french army since ye agreemt was made, wch         
 amounted to 400000 Crownes for wch hee demanded satisfaction,  Tis said        
 the Elector Pallantine has publisht a declaration agst ye french wth his       
 [one to three letters torn away] that inducet him to it.  Tis said ye          
 french have quitted Arnheim & are doeing ye same [?] at Zutphen.  ye           
 Governor haveing treated wth ye inhabitants abt it.  The Marquess Obezi        
 that Comanded ye party that seizd Prince William was soe wounded in ye         
 action that he was seizd in Collogne & kept under a guard, but being           
 pretty well recoverd has made his escape to Bonne. The french make great       
 Complants of ye seizeing their mony at Collogne, of wch place they             
 threaten to take Reprisall in case satisfaction bee not given, the towne       
 had once thoughts of takeing it by force from ye Barron Killmansiek in         
 whose [sic] it Continues who haveing notice of it doubled his guard soe        
 that they forbore.                                                             
   Paris Letters say ye King has declared hee will goe to ye army ye            
 20th of April  ye Queen & ye Dauphin accompany him part of ye way              
 & will stay at Lisle dureing ye Campaigne.  The King has augmented             
 his Regiment of guards wth 20 new Companys, the officers of wch are            
 to purchase their places of him, a Libell has bene found in severall           
 places of paris putting ye people in mind of their sufferings &                
 inciteing them to shake off ye Burden, strict [?] search has bene              
 made after ye authors.                                                         
      L. c. 32     March 21st 1673                                              
 +My Ld Duras is Returning to france by his Maties Command to bring             
 back his troops wch were taken Out of his Maties guards but himselfe           
 intends to Waite on ye french Campaigne all this summer.                       
   There is a discourse about ye towne that his Maty is about to                
 dispose of ye Bprick of Durham, that ye Bp of Oxford stands faire for          
 it, & Dr Compton to be Bp of Oxford.                                           
    The Mayor of Windsor being informd agst for haveing spoken some             
 unhandsome & dangerous Words abt ye Parliamts riseing, tending to              
 Create feares & Jealousies in ye people.  The King has bene pleasd             
 in Councell to Order him to be sent for by a messenger to attend ye            
 Councell to answere it.                                                        
    On Wednsday last 5 of ye highwaymen Concernd in these later Robberies       
 were beset & taken by ye Country people neare Hamsted, they made a stout       
 Resistance, killing some & wounding others, but at last being soe hurt &       
 overpowerd were taken & brought to Newgate & his Maty has Ordred his           
 attorney Genell to attend ye Judges & Consult them abt drawing up a            
 Comission of Oyer & Terminer for their speedy Tryall, lest they should         
 Tamper wth Wittnesses or make their Escape, dureing ye Intervall of ye         
 sessions                                                                       
 +His Maty has alsoe bene pleasd to Order ye Recorder of London to examine      
 ye disOrder & disturbance on Teusday last at ye Dukes Theater by some          
 persons in drink, to proceed agst ym according to law for ye Ryot              
   ffrom Antwerp of ye 23th Wee heare that ye french in partys dayly            
 infest ye Country thereabout, as they did that day to a Village Calld          
 Andernacht, a League from Brussells wch they Burnt & alsoe part of             
 another village neare Antwerp                                                  
   The Elector Pallatine haveing declared Warr agst france, ye                  
 Imperiall forces are drawing wth all speed toward him, who has left            
 Heidelberg under a good guard, & is gone to Weinham to Consult wth ye          
 Genlls, most part of ye Empire Espouse his quarrell, & ye bad Weather          
 onely hinders action, ye french King has appoynted to be at ye head of         
 his army ye latter end of Aprill,                                              
   The Empr urges as an argument of ye seizure of Prince Wm, That of ye         
 like nature done to ye Count de Nassau by Monsr Granell, ye                    
 french minister Contrary to his publique faith given in that Case, soe         
 that tis Judgd ye Prince Will be proceeded agst wth all severity.              
      L. c. 33      March ye 29 1674                                            
   On Teusday an express arived from Sr Gabriell Silvius wth more               
 Pasports from ye States for our ships,                                         
   Wednsday night Barron Sparr has audience of his Maty, but his buisness       
 is not yet perfectly Knowne, hee takes noe house whilest hee stays,            
 meaning to Returne in few days to Collogne, to be there before                 
 ye assembly breake up.                                                         
   Thursday [?] next ye Judges intend to sitt upon ye Comission of Oyer &       
 Terminer for ye speedy tryall of ye high way men.                              
   The Ld Vaughan is makeing all preparations to goe to his New Governmt        
 of Jamaica                                                                     
   Thursday Sr Richard Dutton went for france in Order to ye bringing           
 over ye Ld Duras troup.                                                        
   To ye account given in ye Gazette of Capt Harman have[ing?] action           
 before Cadiz, this farther is added, that ye Duch made themselves soe          
 desirous of fight, that their Consull (tho' deny'd) askt leave of ye           
 Governr to post up ye Challenge in severall places of ye Citty, &              
 yet had Capt Harman neither when hee was on shoare, nor on shipboard           
 any other notice than Common talke of ye people, However Resolvd hee           
 was to put to sea ye next morning to prevent ye Credit ye Duch might           
 gaine from vulgar report, Everson was ye onely Duch man of Warr in             
 that Harbour Carreening, tho 3 Amsterdam men of Warr were not farr             
 off it since wch ye English Consull gave Capt Harman notice of, &              
 used as an argument to diswade him from goeing out least an unhappy            
 shot from ye ship he fought wth might disable him soe that he might            
 become ye Purchase of those wthout, but ye Capt told him hee would             
 shew ye Duch a new way of fighting by wch hee would either Conquer             
 or bee Conquerd in an howres tyme, wch hee made good, for ye                   
 Consull Observeing his Watch at ye first gun hee shot found hee had            
 compleated his Worke in 3 quarters of an houre.  the Capt haveing              
 possest himselfe of his prize there arose a fine                              
 Gale at West wch brought both him & his prize into ye Bay.  the 3              
 Amsterdammers being in sight, but ye same Wind that brought them               
 forward Carryed him in, of ye 270 men in ye Duch ship but onely 40             
 remained sound, & 80 wounded, ye rest all killd.  tis hopet Capt               
 Harman is in  a faire Way of Recovery.  Tis ye same man that Cut ye            
 Boome at Brigia [?] by Argier under ye Comand of Sr Edward                     
 Spragy when they burnt ye Algerine ship there.                                 
 +Tis said that Evertson being made Vice Admall of Zealand would goe            
 home by land, his ship not being in a Condition of sailing for want            
 of men, there being onely 40 left, the rest were lent away to                  
 his Vice Admall to fight Harman.                                               
 +from Yarmouth they write of great Damage done thereabt to severall ships      
 by ye late Winds by wch severall vessells were lost.  a ship goeing            
 thro that Road ran upon a vessell of 50 tun then at Anchor, ye men             
 forsakeing ye vessell got into ye ship for their safety, leaveing 2            
 boyes behind, one of 13 yeares old the Other abt 9, who haveing hung           
 out a West for a day & night, & now being wthout hope, & ye stormes            
 Continueing, cut or slipt ye Cable, & losed ye fore saile & by                 
 Gods great providence brought ye Vessell safe into Harbour notwth              
 standing ye Violence of ye Weather.                                            
   ffrom Brussells Wee heare that they were very much allarmd upon ye           
 discovery of a Conspiracy of their townes men to deliver up ye fort            
 & Consequently ye towne to ye french upon wch severall of ye                   
 Reformd officers have bene apprehended & punisht for ye fact who               
 after torture Confest ye Whole Plot.                                           
 +The Duke de Navaile since ye surrender of Gray has taken 3 townes             
 of great Importance more in Burgundy.  & were it not for ye ill                
 Weather would soone OverRun ye Whole Provence                                  
   ffrom Collogne they write that a League offensive & defensive is             
 Concluded betwixt ye Swede & ye Duke of Saxony upon ye same Conditions         
 wth that of ye Elector of Brandenburg, & that ye treaty made in ye             
 Winter betweene ye Empr, K of Denmarke, D of Saxony The Elector of             
 Brandenb: Landgrave of Hesse &c: is alsoe signed & Ratifyed.  They             
 further say that Germershein was taken by ye Elector Pallatines                
 troopes, & ye french Garrison put all to ye sword, ye Cavalry onely            
 Escapeing                                                                      
   The Swedish ministers offer their masters mediation betweene ye              
 french & Elector Pallatine & Continue their instances for release of           
 ye Prince of ffurstemburg, & have sufficienty answered all ye                  
 arguments used by ye Empr for his detention insoemuch that hee                 
 Continues in Custody.  they declare their Resolutions of leaveing ye           
 assembly, & thereby expose ye Whole Empire to those Evills wch ye              
 Warr by the Rash act of ye Empr will bring upon it  the states in              
 acknowledgmt of ye services of ye Prince of Orange & have presented            
 him to ye Vallue of 200000 L for discharging his fathers debts, &              
 offer that if his Royall Highnesse will be pleasd to marry, they will          
 fetch over his Princess at their owne Charge.                                  
      L. c. 34       March ye 31st 1674                                         
    Munday morning his Maty went downe the River to see the Duch prize,         
 & Returning in the Evening was wth most of ye Court nobly Entertaind           
 by Sr Robert Carre.                                                            
   ffrom Edinburgh of the 26 Wee heare that his Maty haveing ye 17              
 instt sent the Ld Comissers & Councell there a most gracious Letter            
 by wch hee Commanded them to signify by Proclamation to ye People              
 his haveing granted a Genell pardon of all arbitrary, & pecuniary              
 penalties more full & free then ever was granted by any of his Royall          
 Ancestors, the Duke of Lauderdale had causd a Proclamation to Issue            
 accordingly wch was on ye 25 proclaimed in that Citty wth noe less             
 sollemnity, then Genell applause and acclamation of the people.                
 Since a letter of thanks is Come to his Maty in acknowledgmt of this           
 his Matys soe great Grace & favour wch has much quieted ye minds of            
 his Matys subjects there & the Whole Kingdome.  & now the Ld Comissr           
 intends in a fortnight to set forward for London to give his Maty a            
 more perticular account of all things Relateing to that Kingdome               
   The Merchts have advice of ye loss of 6 or 7 Victualling ships               
 goeing for Tangier that were taken by ye Duch neare ye Streights.              
   ffrom Holland of ye 3d of Aprill Wee heare that after all they               
 hope to have a Genell peace before ye actions of ye spring alter ye            
 dispositions Every one has now to it. That ye states have assured the          
 mediators that they will Consent to a suspension of armes & Indications        
 [?] to bring their allyes to it if france will quitte all their late           
 Conquests. the Prince of Orange intends to be first in ye feild                
 haveing given Order at Bergen op Zome for provisions to be made for            
 a body of Horse.                                                               
   ffrom Collogne of ye 30th Wee are told that ye munday before the             
 Duke de Bournonvill had advice that 8000 french horse Comanded by              
 ye Marquess de Beavise haveing bene to seize some of the Imperiall Ports       
 betweene & Manheim "sic" had at the first ye advantage, but ye Count de        
 Caprara Coming to their Releife wth 50 troops of Lorraine horse & as           
 many as his Owne Routed ye french Killing 100 on ye place & takeing 200        
 prisoners.  The Marquess de Beauvise himself being dangerously wounded,        
 the Duch Ambrs have put in another Memoriall to ye Mediators of Sweeden        
 insisting upon ye admitting the Lorraine deputies as principalls in the        
 Treaty.  The ffrench are getting together great numbers of men abt Lindaw      
 from Alsatia & Lorraine & have a Considerable Artillery wth them.              
      L. c. 35     Aprill ye 2d 1674                                            
    Monsr Sparr has deliverd in a memoriall to his Maty abt Continueing         
 ye Ambrs at Collogne till ye Empr has given his finall answere to ye           
 Complaint of ye Prince of ffurstemburghs seizure upon wch the King has         
 againe wrote to the Empr upon that subject & tis beleivd our Ambrs             
 may yet Continue at Collogne till his Maty shall Receive an Answere            
 from ye Empr                                                                   
    The Bp of Stratzburg now sick at Keyserwaert has writt very Earnestly       
 to his Maty for his Interposition on ye behalfe of his brother the             
 Prince of ffurstemburg begging his assistance for his Liberty, wch has         
 beene seconded by severall other Princes of ye Empire, & at ye same tyme       
 came over the Duke of Lorraines Compliment to his Maty upon ye peace.          
     Tewsday morning the Receipts were sent to Holland for the first            
 payment for the summ of 800000 Pattacoons due upon ye Peace  The               
 Prince of Orange haveing Intimated to his Maty that it was ready to            
 be paid upon demand, & by ye same Opertunity went orders abt ye                
 delivery of new yorke to Major Anders the Intended Governr, 400 more           
 Passports are come over from Holland for our ships                             
      The Ld Vaughan will suddenly Part hence to his Governmt of                
 Jamaica, Coll Morgun as his Deputy Governor                                    
   Thursday morning his Maty wth his attendance went by 5 a clock to new        
 market severall persons of honnour being gone before.  his Maty thinks         
 to Returne abt Saterday next.                                                  
   ffrom Deale wee heare that ye East India fleet haveing orders to saile       
 wth ye first Opertunity were accordingly all sayled thence                     
      All ye discourse at Court is that her Royall Highness is Certainely       
 wth Child                                                                      
   ffrom Hamburg of ye 30th past they tell us that at Copenhagen all            
 discourse was that ye King of Sweden should suddenly marry ye King of          
 Denmarks sister, that ye sound was so frozen that it was Passable to all       
 carriages, that ye Turkes had Releived Camuemier [?], & furnisht               
 them wth all sorts of provisions, & that ye whole Turkish army would bee       
 there by ye 1st of May.  That ye Crowne of Sweden was soe provoakt at ye       
 seizure of Prince Wm that ye chancellor of Sweden told Count Staremburg        
 ye Imperiall minister that except the Prince was suddenly Restored to          
 his liberty his master would Certainly declare upon it.                        
   The Elector Pallatine since his late success neare Spire agst ye             
 french is putting his frontiers in ye best manner of defense hee Can.          
 & to that purpose many of ye Imperial auxilliary troops dayly pass ye Rhyn,    
 & he expects hourely the Prince de Gotha wth ye rest of ye Saxons & on         
 ye other side Monsr Vanbrun is makeing what force he can to secure             
 Germershein & ye other places hee holds in those parts, soe that some          
 materiall action is suddenly expected thereabout, yet some are of ye           
 Opinion there will yet be a Cessation of armes on each side Ere long.          
 Monser Sparr thinks of returneing next week for Collogne                       
   ffrench Letters tell us that deputies have bene sent from Bourdeux           
 to desire a mittigation of their tax wch they say they are not able to         
 pay, but could gaine noe favour  The King was to goe in a day or 2             
 to take a Veiw of his troops in ye plaine of Houille [?]  Orders               
 were given Out for ye Kings goeing to flanders on ye 19 his Maty               
 intending notwthstanding ye scarcity of fforrage to be at ye head              
 of his army all this Campaigne, the stations of their armies are               
 alterd for the King Intends to give up Wesell Rees & Emerick to ye             
 Elector of Brandenburg the garrisons goeing all to Nimegen Where               
 they are forming a great Body of men.                                          
   Both the Imperialists & Duch are entred ye territorys of ye Bp of            
 Munster wth much Hostillity, & will now harken to noe more of his              
 offers, hee soe long borne them in hand wth pretences to noe purpose.          
 The Elector of Collogne has offerd a new project for a new accomodation        
 but tis thought it will not take.  The Duch talke of haveing an army of        
 36000 men Betwixt Mallines & Brussells to observe ye french motions,           
 Consisting of 16000 Spaniards, 10000 Imperialists & 10000 Hollandrs            
 besides an army of 10000 under Monterey, & De Ruyter is to goe out very        
 Early wth a squadron of ye ships to lye on ye Duch Coasts to hinder ye         
 Conjunction of their ships                                                     
      L. c. 36     Apell ye 4 1674                                              
   Wednsday last ye Danish Envoy Complimented his Maty upon ye peace            
 by his Masters Orders.                                                         
   Saterday Went hence the Envoy from Poland, haveing gaind great               
 Reputation here by his demeanor  from hence he intends for Holland             
 on ye same Errand                                                              
   There is againe a project on foot to promote ye Herring fishing              
 toward wch they intend to beg of his Maty 10000 L formerly                     
 gatherd for ye same purpose. & yet Remaining in ye hands of ye                 
 Gatherers, to wch they will add by subscription as much more, &                
 and fix their Trade at Yarmouth wch ye King much Encourages, &                 
 its much Wisht it may take Effect.                                             
   from Chester wee heare that severall of ye souldiers lately                  
 gone downe had Embarquet there and landed safe at Dublin                       
 +ffrom Ostend of ye 12th wee heare that the Prince of Orange was               
 suddenly Expected in those parts to reveiw ye forces there, that ye            
 Prince de Brabanson was that day passt by there for Newport, where the         
 yacht attends his transportation for England                                   
   from Lisbon wee heare that our Streights fleet appeared off of               
 that Rock much separated in their voyage, wch had Caused ye loss               
 of ye 7 victuallers that were in their Company by two Duch Capers              
 who carryed then into ye Groyne.                                               
 +from Sweden wee heare that ye Emprs Ambrs there had made great                
 Instances to have that Crowne take part wth them in addmitting                 
 the Lorraine deputy to ye treaty, wch some say they will doe.                  
 That ye Queen of Poland is Recovered of her illness, & preparations            
 makeing for ye Election                                                        
   That ye french have put 400 men into Phillipsburg, that ye Elector           
 Pallatine had reveiwed all his troops wch were divided into 3  squadrons       
 & are at present encamped neare furstenheim  The Imperiall & Saxon             
 troops have changd their quarters, ye first are gone to Opach.                 
 the other to ----- neare ffrankendale                                          
   ffrom Collogne of ye 6th We heare that ye french Ambrs haveing               
 Recd Orders to returne home had for yt purpose that they demanded              
 passports of ye Duch Ambors, & that a Courier was gone to ye Hague             
 for them wch ye Swedes Endeavour to hinder or at least to gaine a              
 suspension of it till ye Courier returnes from Vienna.  They talke             
 of Transferring ye Congress to Wesell or Basle.                                
   The Queen has bene ill but is now pretty well againe.                        
       L. c. 37   [Handwriting changes here.]    April 7: 1674                  
 +His Maty has beene pleasd to make my Lord Powis an English Earle by           
 the title of the Earle of powis wth the usuall priviledges belonging           
 to that Honor.                                                                 
 +From Newmarket we heare that his Majestie arrived there on thursday           
 about 4 of the Clock where his stay is not like to be long for theire          
 are noe Matches yet or like to be.  The plate is to be run for next            
 Thursday & the next morninge after that its supposed his Matie will            
 returne.                                                                       
 +Two foot Companyes for Ireland that lately belongd to Capt                    
 Savage and Capt Wicherly being gon to Winchester on there way did take         
 occation to quarrell wth theire Officers upon a pretence of money due          
 to them and Mutined and so tumultously marched backe towards the               
 place upon notice of wch some of the Guards were yesterday sent out            
 to meet them wch they did at Brainford and returnd wth 4 or 5 of them          
 wch they tooke.  ye rest dispersing themselves Imediately upon theire          
 Appeareance and some suddaine order will they say be taken to punish           
 the Offenders.  besides Races at Newmarkett there is great Matches made        
 at Salisbury by severall gentlemen assembled there and this pleasant           
 season invites many of the persons of quality into the Country wch             
 makes this place very emptie                                                   
 +Sir John Howell pursuant to his Maties order of Councell last weeke           
 examined the late Ryott at the play house & sumoned severall                   
 Gentlemen concerned to make theire appearance next sessions to                 
 answer the same, It seems at Harford this spring their has bene noe            
 assizes Sir John Read ther Sherriffe elect being an excommunicated             
 person and soe incapable to take the Oathes enjoyned by the Act of             
 Parliament for all Offices for which he will they say be fined &               
 some body else put into the Office  On Saturday Night last came to             
 Towne ye Prince de Brabanson from fflanders and waites his Maties              
 returne for his audience  Monsr Roed that [sic] Duch minister here is          
 to be they say one of the first of the Duch Ambassadors the other two          
 now expected every weeke for whom a house is preparing                         
 +Monsr Sparr has not yet taken his leave of the Court waiting for the          
 Emporours Answer to his Maties last letter about ye Prince of                  
 ffurstemburgh upon wch ye whole affaires of this spring depend and are         
 like to turne                                                                  
 +In Holland they say the prince of Orange has some thoughts to sett on         
 foot againe ye old Regiments of English and Scotch yt were there in            
 1660 but how true not knowne                                                   
 +The Bp of Munster will they thinke be forced to come to an Agreement          
 with them, there being noe french Troopes nigh to lend them                    
 assistance since thire leaving Wessel The treatie betweene the                 
 houses of Lunenburgh & Brunswick is at last they hope concluded                
 +His Majestie has sent his Comands to the Lord Lt. and Councell of             
 Ireland to take some Speedy Order to banish all the Papist titular             
 & Porgio [?] out of the Kingdome & to examine the late Misinterpretation       
 of his orders about regulating Corporations, that all imaginable               
 satisfaction may be given to his people there.                                 
 +ffrom Paris of the llth instant we heare that the King intended to            
 leave that the 19 [sic] to be nigh his Armyes and yt 20000 men were            
 preparing to follow Monsr Turene to oppose the Germans who began to            
 peep out of theire  Winter quarters That it was much rendered [?] there        
 that the Pope at a private Conclave should resolve to give a                   
 dispensation to the Emperour Sister to Marry the King of Sweden                
 wch they thought would not have bene done he being a protestant                
 prince                                                                         
 +yesterday her Royall Highness was taken extreamely ill & suddainely           
 mischarried to the great greife of the Court but thankes be to God             
 she is prettie well & the Duke expected in Towne this Night                    
       L.c. 38   [Handwriting changes here.]   Aprill ye 9th 1674               
 +By an Express from NewMarket wee heare yt Wednsday afternoone 3               
 matches were run there ye 1st betweene Mr Mayes Horse, & Mr Elliots            
 Mr ffelton Rode Mr Mayes Horse & won ye race, ye 2d was for ye Kings           
 plate wch was rode by the Earle of Suffolke & Mr Griffin who lost it           
 to ye Earle, the other was betweene Blew Cap ye Kings, Criple my Ld            
 of Suffolks wch Mr ffelton rode & won ye match. soe that these                 
 sports being over there, on Saterday the King setts out from thence            
 & intends to be at home by noone. the Duke of Munmouth on Wednsday             
 night Entertaind ye King at Supper at a most noble treat, her                  
 Royall Highness being pretty well the Duke Came not to towne as hee            
 was expected, but Comes along wth his Maty.                                    
      A privy seale is passing with all dilligence for ye usuall                
 allowances of Sr Wm Temple appoynted by his Maty to be his Ambr                
 extraordnary wth ye States Genell, wch, when finisht his                       
 Excellency intends suddenly for ye hague.                                      
    Sr Walter Vane is gone for Holland where hee is to Command in               
 quallity of Major Genell.                                                      
    His Maty since his being at Newmarket has beene troubled wth a              
 payne in his knee, occationd by some cold, but is now very Well againe         
 +ffrom Harwich Portsmth & other places wee heare of ye great                   
 dilligence used in Paying of ye seamen of ye severall ships now layd           
 up, to ye great satisfaction of ye seamen.                                     
   from Cadiz We heare yt March ye 15 our English Convoy arived there           
 under Capt Ruth wth abt 60 sayle of Marchtmen & that ye Weather had bene       
 soe Extreamly bad that a frigatt or 2, a fire ship & some mercht men           
 were wanting                                                                   
    Our Envoy is returned from Paris wth ye news that this day ye french        
 King intended certainely to leave Paris for ye army, who are goeing all        
 to their Genell Rendezvouz, & that there was noe signe there or any            
 where else of a sudden accomodation but that this summer was like to be        
 a Very hot one, & full of great actions in all parts                           
   from Collogne of ye 6 Wee heare that ye french Ambrs have Recd               
 their Orders to returne, wch they meant to doe in 8 or 10 dayes,               
 that ye day before ye Swedes framed a Kind of memoriall to be                  
 given in at Vienna & Paris, wherein to prevent ye breakeing off                
 ye Treaty  they proposed as an Expedient that on ye one side ye                
 Emprs Will release Prince William, & on ye other, ye french to                 
 grant passports to ye Lorraine deputies, & in ye meane tyme that               
 ye french King will let his Ambrs continue there, this was sent                
 away that day to Vienna but wth noe great likelyhood of success                
 matters being already gone soe farr. so that Wee Expect our Ambrs              
 from thence suddenly.                                                          
   The Empr has sent Orders to ye Baron de Isola to redeliver ye                
 mony taken from ye french at Collogne.  if hee finds ye matter as              
 represented to him but this wthout restoreing ye Prince of ffurstemburg        
 signifys but litle as to what french in satisfaction [sic]                     
   from Lisbon Wee heare that ye Comons had sent a message to ye                
 nobillity & clergy intimateing their great obligations to ye Prince            
 & his Prudent Governmt & that they thought necesary to Petition him            
 to accept ye Crowne desireing both these Estates to Joyne wth them in          
 it, the Nobillity Imediately approvd it but ye Bpps at first desird            
 tyme to Consider of it, & at last sent their thanks to ye Nobillity &          
 Comonalty for Comunicateing their desires for Crowning ye Prince but           
 that they Could in noe Wise Joyne wth them in address of that nature,          
 wch they Considered as a thing contrary to Honnr & Conscience, &               
 for wch they saw noe necessity &c:                                             
      L. c. 39      Aprill ye 16 1674                                           
 +On Sunday ye Prince de Brabanson had his first audience of his                
 Maty to wch hee was brought by ye Master of ye Ceremonys in ye Duke            
 of Munmouths Coach.  a perticular favour to this young Prince for his          
 great quallity, it being onely ye Custome to send onely my Ld                  
 Chamberlaines Coach for those Envoyes that Come not from Crowned heads,        
 after wch hee was entertaind at a noble dinner by ye Ld Chamberlaine, &        
 then Went to have his audience of ye Queen. & their R:ll Highnesses, on        
 Thursday he had his audience of Conge of their Maties & Royll                  
 Highnesses, a yacht being appoynted for his Transportation on wch hee          
 intended to Embarque ye next day in Order to his Returne home.                 
   On ye 10th 4 of ye highway men lately taken were tryed, ye 5th being         
 dead of his Wounds.  on ye 15th 3 of them were executed, 2 at Tyburne,         
 ye other calld Jackson at Hampstead, where he is to hang in chaines,           
 his Maty haveing bene pleased to spare one.                                    
   Munday night Went for Holland Alderman Barkwell to Receive ye first          
 payment of ye 800000 Pattacoons, wch ye Duch say lyes ready & this             
 Weeke the Duch Ambrs are expected here who will now, its said be 4             
   Barron Sparr ye Swedish Ambr expects Orders to remaine Ambr here             
 for some tyme & now we shall see very suddenly what Course ye Swedes           
 will take to renew ye negotiation or to promote a new one.                     
    Munday last the Duke of Lauderdale meant to begin his Journey               
 hither                                                                         
   The Duke of Ormond goes for Ireland abt a month hence & tis thought ye       
 stewards staffe will be given to ye Earle of Ossory.                           
 +Mr Henshaw at his owne desire has his Maties leave to returne from his        
 Embassy in Denmarke.                                                           
    The Earle Marshall is upon his departure haveing obtayned lycence of        
 his Maty to travell.                                                           
    My Ld Treasurer has recd diverse propositions abt farmeing ye Hearth        
 mony, but not being able to dispatch it Orderd that on Munday next those       
 that propose for ye managemt of it still as it was advanceing onely            
 100000 L shall consider of a new offer, & then Receive his Lordships           
 opinion of it.                                                                 
   ffrom Collogne Wee heare our Ambrs went from Collogne ye 13, & would         
 be at Rotterdam ye 20 whither an Express is sent to meet them. & a             
 yacht Orderd for Holland for their speedy transportation.  the french          
 Comeing away before soe that ye assembly is now quite broke up, & all          
 ye Publique ministers left ye place but ye Swedes, who resolved to be          
 ye last men there. & have Endeavoured all they Could to Continue ye            
 negotiation wch had bene done Could any expedient have bene found out          
 to Palliate ye great Injuries done to ye neutrallity of ye place.  The         
 Duch Ambrs are much troubled at ye breakeing of ye assembly. & much            
 prest ye English & french to have Continued it 8 dayes longer in wch           
 they were in hopes of a satisfactory answere from ye Empr, the                 
 Spaniards are satisfyed that Collogne was noe fitt place for ye                
 Treaty. & now there is some talke of transferring it to London, wch is         
 probable may be if they will admitt his Maty as sole mediator                  
   from ye Hague of ye 20th Wee heare that ye 5th Monarchy men                  
 encrease soe fast that ye magistrates begin to take notice of them.            
 & Consult their suppression, A man of a good Interest in ye                    
 magistracy of Amsterdam has bene soe foolish to disperse diverse               
 medalls in severall of ye townes of Holland Representing ye Prince             
 of Orange standing on a great Pillar blasted wth lightening, & from            
 his mouth a scrole in wch is Writt dissimulation. & at ye foot of it           
 diverse people of all sorts kneeleing wth this inscription, the Idoll          
 of Holland but ye Author has found that place too Hott for him & is            
 fled away Privately wth others of his sect none knows whither.                 
   The Elector of Brandenburg intends to begin his march wth his army           
 ye first of ye next moneth. & soon after his sonne will follow wth ye          
 Rest of his troopes wth intent to enter into ye Bishopprick of Munster.        
 Since ye late advantage of Monsr Robenhaup agst ye troops of ye Bp             
 hee has bene forcet to quit ye feild, his foot being Retyred to                
 Coesvelt & his Horse to Munster. & Letters from Osnabrugg say that             
 Monsr Robenhaup has since taken ye Castle of Benthem by assault                
 soe that 4 Regiments of foot have bene sent him from Campen &                  
 freezland to assure ye places hee takes & to put that Bpprick under            
 Contribution.                                                                  
 +from Paris of ye 20th Wee heare that King went thence ye day before           
 toward franch Compte where Besancon is Beseigd, & has resolved to              
 quitt all ye Conquests in Holland except Maestricht.  His most                 
 Xtian Matys march into ffranch Compte has strongly allarmd ye                  
 Suisses who have therefore Calld an assembly of Protestants Cantons            
 to Consider what they must do to secure that & themselves from ye              
 approach of soe Potent a neighbour, ye Issue of wch Will soone                 
 bee seene, but its thought ye dispach ye french will make in their             
 affaires there will leave noe Roome for Consultation.  & that they             
 will master that Compte before its Releivd by any of their neighbours.         
      L.c. 40     Aprill ye 23d 1674                                            
 +Wednsday morning his Royall Hs went to Windsor to take a Veiw of that         
 place & give directions abt his lodgings                                       
    My Ld Peeterburrough is againe made Ld Leiut of ye West division of         
 Northamptonshire, wch hee Resignd when hee went into Itally for ye             
 Duchess                                                                        
   ffrom ffalmouth they write that a Duch Caper of 6 guns had brought           
 in thither 2 french vessells, one laden wth Rye, the other bound from          
 Bourdeux, both for Bretany.                                                    
   from Portsmouth Wee heare that Sr Thomas Allen was gone thence for           
 London haveing finisht ye Paymt in ye yard, that neare 500 persons             
 labourers & ship Carpenters were dismisst that ye adventure & some             
 other ships were expected there.                                               
    Orders are gone to ye Greene Clothe to cause all things to be               
 prepared for ye Reception of his Maty at Windsor on ye 20th of May, on         
 ye 28, 29, & 30 the sollemnity of ye garter will be performed there.           
    They write from ye Downes that 5 East India men saild thence on ye          
 14th & that severall ships were arived there from Lisbon & ye Streights        
   ffrom Ostend Wee heare that ye Merlin yacht was come thither wth             
 My Ld Howard & his family, & in his Way had some dispute wth an                
 Ostend Caper wch at first delayd to strike to her but when shee saw            
 them prepareing to make her, by shooting 3 or 4 guns shee submitted &          
 Came under her Lee.                                                            
   ffrom Wesell they write that ye 18th ye 3 Companys of English Guards         
 Went thence on their Way home under ye Comand of Capt Skelton.                 
   ffrom Collogne Wee heare that the Elector of Brandenburg had sent            
 orders to Monsr Sweven his Ambr there to part Immediatelly                     
 thence into England upon a perticular Errand not yet knowne.  That abt         
 ye later End of ye last Weeke the Duch Ambrs meant to follow alsoe,            
 & wth them ye Baron de Isola, who has made the Bpp of Munsters Peace           
 & was in hopes to doe ye like wth ye Bp of Collogne.                           
   Duch Letters say ye Emprs ministers assure them that ye Empr Will            
 have 40000 men on ye ye Rhyne besides those hee sends in assistance            
 of ye Elector Pallatine  These states have Entred a treaty wth ye Princes      
 of Lunenburg who are to keep 7000 foot 5000 Horse & 1000 Dragoons for          
 wch ye Empr, Spaine & ye states are to pay them out of ye Banke at             
 Hamburg 500000 Rixdollars, & 60000 Livres every moneth, they are to            
 be Comanded by Marshall Wurtz as Comissionated by all of them.                 
   from Vienna of ye 5th Wee are told yt ye Prince of ffurstemburg              
 was at Wessendorp Examind by ye Chancellor & secretary of state                
 & after that caryed to Newstadt & there put into a sad and miserable           
 prison where hee has since bene examined againe & all Imaginable               
 Rigour used toward him.  & from Ratisbone Wee heare that ye States             
 of ye Empire had  made a decree in favour of the Count de Nassau               
 & other prisoners deteynd at Metz ever since ye surprize of Trieres            
 that a party of Phillipsburg had pillagd and burnt ye Villages of              
 Horechstein & oostersheim, & that Monsr Turene had perswaded ye                
 town of Stratzburg to admitt of a garrison from him, besancon                  
 Continues still beseigd, the garrison is Retyred into a very strong            
 Cittadell in wch is all their hopes.  The french Cavalry are                   
 yet posted betweene alten & Wetterwick & are to continue                       
 thereabt in Expectation of Monsr Bellefonds who is to Joyne them               
 to the Infantry wch hee is drawing out of ye Conquerd townes wch               
 are all to be quitted except Maestricht & Grave to forme a body                
 of 18000 men wch hee is to Comand.  Some letters say Spaine has                
 refused his Maty of Englands mediation soe that nothing but Warr               
 was thought on by all parties                                                  
     L. c. 41   [Handwriting changes here.]   Aprill ye 23th 1674               
      ffrom Edenburgh of ye 14th instant we are toold that ye day               
 before my Ld Duke of Lauderdaile began his Jorney from that place for          
 London accompanyd wth a very great traine of Nobilyty and Gentrey              
 the Provost of that City and above 550 Citticens as far as Barwike             
 haveing before his Leaveing that Kingdom Confered ye Honour of Knight          
 Hood on severall deserveing persons yt have Long Merited that favour           
 for their good service to their King and Country and from Newcastle wee        
 heare that his Grace was expected there on Wednsday Night Last being at        
 all places Complimented by the Magistrates and Gentrey and attended to         
 ye Limitts of their Jurisdictions.                                             
      There is now daly expetations of ye Duch Ambasidors who wee               
 heare intend to Come wth a most splendid traine and Equipage soe               
 that great preparations are makeing for there Receiption, and Sr               
 Will Temple is gon into the Country to settle his affairs before his           
 goeing in the same quallity for Holland                                        
      ffrom Linne wee heare that some forreigners endeavouring to list          
 men there & at Wisbich [?] wthout order or leave to serve abroad this          
 yeare the Officers of the Customes pursuant to his Majesties Comand in         
 that perticular have refused to lett them goe on board & soe they are          
 returned to theire homes againe                                                
          [Handwriting changes here for rest of letter.]                        
   ffrom Cologne of the 10th instant we heare that ye french have prepared      
 theire Mines & dismantled the Garrison Germershein in the Palatinate &         
 drawen out all the soldyers except 80 in order to theire quitting it as        
 soone as ever the enemy appeared against it  the infantry were gon to          
 the Reyn & the horse to Landale that the Coumpt de Souches is to comand        
 the Imperiall Army in the Roome of Count Montecucily to wch will be            
 joyned the severall Circles of the Rhyne & those of the Compte de              
 Caprara & Generall Sparkes who are to lye all along the Rhyne & the            
 Duke de Bournovelle & the Duch forces to observe the Prince of Conde in        
 fflanders  The Emperours Army is to be 25000 foot & 20000 horse that the       
 french are gon out of Newes all but 3 Regiments who are suddenly to            
 follow to Mastricht were there are forming an Army designed as its             
 thought towards Cologne wch the french King resolved to call to an             
 account for his money & from ffrance they further say that Marshall            
 Turene had acquainted the King that he had well secured all the passages       
 by wch the Imperialist could send succour to those of ffrench Compte           
 soe that the people who were sensible of it & that the Swisses would           
 act nothing against the Armes of ffrance would doubtlesse upon notice          
 of His Maties drawing neere them at the head of Army submitt themselves        
 & lay the Keys of theire Townes at his feet                                    
 +ffrom Brussells of the 24th instant we are tould that the ffrench haveing     
 ordered the Eldest sonnes of all the Nobility that had any estates in          
 the ffrench Dominions to come and live upon them upon paine of                 
 Confiscation who haveing obtained leave accordingly divers of them went        
 to ffrance but were faine to returne againe theire estes [sic] however         
 being taken from them wch hath made them accept Employments in the Army        
 there that the Towne was already full of Duch Officers & the Prince of         
 Orange his Army daly expected who are to be desposed of in that place.         
 Mallines & Lovaine for a Moneth or six weeks till the forrage is more          
 plentifull  the[y] say futher from theare that they hoped the Elector of       
 Brandenburgh would endeavour in case the Bpp of Munster should continue        
 further obstinate to reduce him by Armes the Elector Palatine being            
 acquainted that the ffrench demanded Contribution of his people has            
 given order that if any french should come againe of the same account          
 they should hang them                                                          
 +On Thursday next the King has appoynted a Chapter of the Garter for           
 the electing the Earle of Mulgrave into that Noble Societie & on the           
 29th of the next Moneth the King intends to hold the ffeast at Windsor         
 and there install him wch will last 3 dayes with great solempnitie             
 +The buisness of the accomodation of the Elector of Cologne stands             
 still upon that poynt that he will not enter into any unless the Bpp of        
 Stratburgh and Prince of ffurstenburgh be comprehended though tis said         
 the latter would be content to remaine prisoner untill a Generall peace        
 be made                                                                        
 +Letters from ffrance tell us that the late taxes that the King has layed      
 on the Officers doth amount to more then 25 Millions besides wch there is      
 a New order come forth to forbid under the penaltie of 500 livers any          
 person whatever as well in Parris and other places to sell any paper           
 who have not paid the imposition putt upon it wch will raise very              
 great summes for the Carring on the Warr                                       
      L. c. 42   [Handwriting changes here.]   April 28th 1674                  
      Sunday in the afternoon his Maty and his attendance went by water         
 to Chattam where he is to see lanced [sic] a very good ship and                
 from therre he thinks to proceed to Harwich                                    
      ffrom the Hague of the first of May we heare that the day before          
 their Excellencys ye English Embassadors arrived at Rotterdame from            
 Cullen having been nobly treated in their way by the Duke of Newburg           
 at Dusseldorp and the Bishop Stratsburgh at Regswaere and complimented         
 by the Governors of the severall places  by that day they intend to pay        
 their respects to the Prince of Orange and all over that country the           
 newes is the ffrench will quit all their conquests upon the Rhyne that         
 the 29th they were all ordered to march out of them that five thousand         
 of the Elector of Brandenburgs troopes at Caldor [?] to take possession        
 of Wesell upon the quitting of by the ffrench and Mareschal Belfound           
 who is in the last place intended to assemble them together in order           
 to march them into fflanders  the Prince of Orange arrived there on            
 Sunday from Utrech and the next week will goe to Brussels                      
      ffrom Ostend ye 3d of May we are told that on the first the kings         
 yatch arrived there wth the Prince de Brabanson from England and is            
 gone thence to Brussells                                                       
      The English frigate from Smyrna we heare is taken by a Dutch              
 caper and carryed into Naples richly laden but forreigners mostly              
 concerned in her                                                               
      ffrom Holland on the 4th of May we are told they expected daily           
 to heare of the arrival of their fleet in the Wolings in order to their        
 setting sayle Mounsieur de Ruyter having taken his leave two daies             
 before and they are putting the soldiers on board wth all speed who wth        
 the Pra [?] men make up 19000 men soe that they will be able to make a         
 descent wth 14000 which has caused that Prince of Conde though not quite       
 recovered of the gout to goe speedily to Tournay to command 30000 men          
 and will be opposed by Monterey wth 40000 including the auxiliary troops       
 of the Emperour and Holland who presses to have the sole command which         
 is beleeved will hardly be granted him  And seeing the ffrench King            
 intends to begin this Campaigne wth the conquest of Burgundy the better        
 to oblige the Spaniard to admit of a peace and by quitting his conquest        
 to engage the Dutch to have a cessation  The English Embassadors have          
 they say orders to press the point of a suspension to the States at            
 their being there and tis thought not unlikely that if their allies can        
 be brought now to it but Spaine seemes so little to vallew burgundy as         
 to slight the proffer the Marquess de Grana is gone to Brussells to            
 conferr wth that governmt about the campaigne which will be soone              
 opened and they are much puffed up by the assistance of 14000 men which        
 the houses of Brunswick and Lunenberg have agreed to furnish them wth          
      On Tuesday Evening his Majesty and Royall Highness returned to            
 towne from Chattam and Sherenesse.                                             
      L. c. 43     May 2d 1674                                                  
      The Justices of peace in and about London have been summoned to           
 give an account of their proceedings against Roman Catholiques in              
 pursuance of his Matys late Proclamation                                       
      On the 24th the Dutchess Dowager of Somerset dyed.                        
      On the 25 arrived at Dover 3 vessels from Doop [Dieppe?] who              
 brought over 60 of his Maties guards of horse from thence & on the             
 26the went back againe to bring over Sr Richard Dutton & ye Remainder          
      The Cleaveland yacht is gone for Holland to bring over o[u]r              
 Plenipotentiarys                                                               
      Mr Samuel Speed is made cannon of christchurch in the roome of Mr         
 Sebastyan Smith lately deceased                                                
      Thursday Evening the Duke of Lauderdale arrived here wth about 100        
 Horse & a great traine of ye Nobillity & persons of quality & was most         
 graciously received by their Matys & & [sic]                                   
      ffrom Vienna we are told that ye Ministers of Sweden Mayenne              
 Brandenburgh Bavaria Newburg & diverse others doe still sollicit ye            
 Emperour to release the Prince of ffrustenburg & give him a generall           
 pardon but wthout any hope of success, the Emperor & his allyes being          
 resolved to continue the warr, that Monsieur Vanbrun continues still in        
 the Palatinate & does very great damage to ye Inhabitants there burning        
 & destroying their houses and goods & lately burnt to ye ground ye towne       
 of Solts [?] belonging to the Elector of Pallatine that Count Monterey         
 had demanded of the Inhabitants of Brussells lodgings for the succours         
 from Holland which makes them grumble & beseech him to find out another        
 way to billet them.                                                            
      ffrom Brussells ye 4th of may they say they had discovered                
 treason in Burgundy upon which ye ffrench chiefly depended & which             
 had made them soe confident of overrunning the whole province that             
 they were not a minute idle in their attempts of it but since they had         
 provided a very great change in that affaire all in [sic] Inhabitants          
 in that Country having taken up armes for their defence & ye Suisses           
 to forward them in it have given leave to ye Duke of Lorraine to pass          
 his troopes through their county for their succour, & Borne [Berne?]           
 who made all ye opposition hitherto has now sent 400 men to Saline,            
 that on Sunday next ye Prince of Orange is expected at Malines, where          
 there is to bee another grand Councell of warr at which Count Monterey         
 and ye Marquess of Grana are to be present who stays there for that            
 purpose.  Mounnsieur Levigny is gone to Lorraine about providing               
 quarters for ye Dutch succours ye 30th past, ye Count d'Estrada                
 governr of Maestrich confiscated by placert all the estates and                
 goods of the Spanish & Dutch in Maestricht & Maybyk [?] which doubtless        
 will cause ye like to be done in other places                                  
      The last letters from ye Prince of Conde say he was arrived at            
 Arras & from thence goes suddenly to Tournay                                   
      ffrom Ostend on ye 6th of May we are told that ye Dutch fleet for         
 this summer service were all but 3 ready to sayle  That ye ffrench have        
 quitted all their conquests except Maestricht which it was their beleif        
 they would soon leave  alsoe it's discoursd there as if ye Spaniard had        
 a design on Dunkirk [?] & other conquests in flanders but soe far tis          
 certaine that ther is none in ye Spanish Jurisdiction that dare deale          
 wth or scarce speak of ye ffrench                                              
      They write from Hamber yt severall [?] vessells pass ye Elve wth          
 soldiers levied in ye Country of the neighbouring princes for the service      
 of Spaine in fflanders                                                         
      An Envoy is comeing from ye States of genoa to compliment his             
 Maty for ye good office he did them in getting them their Galley from          
 the ffrench.                                                                   
      Sr Robt Holmes goes in quality of Envoy extraordinary to ye Count         
 de Monterey in answeare to his compliment made by ye Prince de                 
 Brabanson                                                                      
      L. c. 44     May 2d 1674                                                  
 ffriday. 1                                                                     
      Yesterday went Sr Walter Vane for Holland in one of the Kings             
 yachts being one of them which they say is ordered to attend on our            
 Ambassadors comeing from Holland who are therefore dayly expected              
      Yesterday at the old Bayley we heard the business of killing the          
 tailour in ffebruary last past in Cannon Street wherein Capt Savage            
 was concernd who not being present the gentlemen that were wth him and         
 then arraigned were acquitted and the business left for farther tryall         
 at his appearance                                                              
      The persons that stole the Duke of Buckinghams plate were all             
 found guilty and cast & severall other lesser felons & to morrow the           
 sessions will have an end and they all receive their sentences                 
      This day Danzas Arton & Walkendenck the three Dutch prisoners             
 returned for Holland over [?] there being released some time since             
      Saturday ye 2d his Maty was pleased to be present at Councell             
 where ye Proclamation formerly mentioned about discountenancing the            
 Spreaders of false newes was read & ordered to be printed & published          
      ffrom Harwich we heare that there lately passed by there a very           
 considerable fleet of laden colliers for London who are since safely           
 arrived                                                                        
      ffrom Lynn we heare that at Walton a markett towne 12 miles               
 distant from that place last Saturday happend a very sad fire which            
 began in a smiths forge & in 3 or 4 houres time burnt down 3 parts of the      
 towne & consumed most of the goods of the poor Inhabitants in them to          
 their very great damage.  Trade fllourishes extreamly in all our ports         
 & this year's likely to be very fruitful & happy in the increase of all        
 manner of commerce                                                             
      ffrom Brussells we heare the Emperor having sent his approbation          
 to Ratisbone ye 26th past about ye Diets resolution to assist                  
 vigorously the Elector Palatine & other Germane princes against                
 ffrance:  The States of the Empire had yt day ordered That the troopes         
 of the 10 Circles Should joyne wth ye Implists and act joyntly against yt      
 crowne & these resolutions were much heighned by the Elector of                
 Brandenburg declaring to the Diet that he would enter into a new               
 alliance of the Empire and therefore had ordered his Generall                  
 Derfelling to fall on the Bishop of Munster but that Prelate has               
 prevented it by his late treaty & ye 23d past vh [?] Sr De Gravell             
 ye ffrench Plenipotentiary at the Diet received the Emperours command          
 to depart that place in 8 days & the Empire in 8 weekes upon which he          
 the next day went thence accordingly towards ffrance                           
      We now daily expect the Dutch Embassadors who were ready at the           
 comeing away of o[u]r letters & waited onely for Mr Vdyke who was to           
 into Zeland on some private affaires                                           
      L. c. 45   [Handwriting changes here.]    May ye 5th 1674                 
    Munday morning his Royall Hss Duke of Mun Mouth & severall persons          
 of quallity went a hunting & returnd in ye Evening                             
    Into Portsmouth is newly arrived the Grayhound from Brest who sayes         
 that there are severall thousands of men dayly at worke in fortyfying          
 that place to secure ye Entrance into ye Harbour & have made 3 Boomes          
 & have laid a Chayne a Cross for feare of ye Duch fleet who they               
 apprehend may attempt some thing upon their shipping, & have raised a          
 new fort of 16 guns at ye harbours mouth for its greater safety, &             
 that in all ye Coasts of yt Country they are doeing ye like for their          
 owne defence                                                                   
    Letters from Lisbonne tell us that ye Cortes have granted the               
 Prince 800000 Cruzadoes per an for 3 yeares for defraying ye publique          
 charges of ye Kingdome, but it being not to be raised in hast that             
 Court have fallen a fresh upon ye buisness of ye Jews for procureing           
 them a genell pardon, & ye priviledg of being Tryed for Judaisme as            
 for other Crimes, ye Jesuites & ye nobillity favour ye designe but ye          
 clergy & comunalty are very highly agst it, & have begd leave to send          
 to roome [Rome?] by their agents to shew their reasons agst it.                
    from Madrid of ye 25 past wee heare that that King & Queen were             
 gone into ye Country, & that a fryer that had bene Imprisond wth               
 severall others for a Conspiracy agst their Maties was Escaped wch             
 has Causd Search to bee made for him & his accomplices all over ye             
 Kingdome that 2 dayes before Capt Rooth Returnd from Tangier into              
 Cadiz intending for England in a moneth or 6 Weekes, & in ye meane             
 tyme was Ordering Convoyes for our ships home or for ye Streights,             
 that one of his squadron had retaken an English prize of 100 Tun wch           
 was upon his appearance diserted by ye Duch Caper.                             
 +The last Duch Post bringing us noe Letters from o[u]r Ambrs Wee               
 Conclude them on their Way hither, & therefore daly Expect them, but           
 hitherto ye wind has been soe Contrary that since Sunday last                  
 Wee have had noe forreigne letters.                                            
    Its now not doubted but that all partyes will thinke of Warr this           
 summer Spaine seeming soe averse to a suspension nothwithstanding it           
 has bene urged at ye Hague, but wee shall soone see what ye affaires of        
 Burgundy will come to by wch may bee guest ye Rest.                            
      L. c. 46     May ye 9 1674                                                
    A Vessell come into Pendennis from Corke ye 4th instant, sayes that         
 a french man of warr of 46 Brass guns on ye Coast of Ireland mett in           
 her way 3 Duch Capers of 36, 26, & 20 guns who fought her soe long             
 that shee was at last sunke to Rights wth about 800 men in her, none           
 Escapeing but two                                                              
 +ffrom Falmouth wee heare a french man of Warr Come in there this Weeke        
 sayes yt ye most Xtian King is fitting out 60 great men of Warr 30 of          
 wch are to goe to ye Streights & ye rest to keep ye Channell & that ye         
 better sort of ye Inhabitants of St Martins & ye Isle of Rhee are              
 goeing to Rochell & other strong places farther off into ye Country            
 for feare of an invasion from ye Duch                                          
    ffryday morning his Maty went to Woollwich & returnd at noone               
    The same day were Executed at Tyburne 6 of ye fellons that Were             
 last sessions Condemned to dye for severall offences amongst whom one          
 of those that stole ye Duke of Bucks Plate                                     
    The Ld Mayor & aldermen have presented a Petition to his Maty in            
 Councell wherein they begd his Maties Order to his attorney Genell to          
 take off his Noli prosequi of ye suites commenced some tyme since abt          
 ye new builders in ye N: E: & north part of ye Citty, upon wch it was          
 Ordered to be taken of, & they at liberty to prosecute the offenders           
    ffrom Rotterdam May ye 15 Wee are advised that our Ambrs were               
 still Wind bound at that place haveing Waited there since ye yatchts           
 arivall 8 dayes & ye Wind still Continueing Contrary, tis not                  
 Certainely Knowne when they will come.                                         
    Duch Letters of ye 15 say that ye Elector of Collogne has made his          
 peace at last wth ye Empr & his allyes by wch hee is to relinquish             
 Reinburgh, but ye states to pay him for ye fortifications, that ye             
 Empor is to restore him Bonne, Breuill, & Kerpen from                          
 whence hee is to take his troops, & yt ye Hostges of Dementer shall            
 bee dischargd freely, that ye Bp of Munster has restored  ye whole             
 provence of OverIssell to ye states againe, & wthdrawne all his                
 forces, that ye Empr has desired all ye Princes of ye Empire to                
 dismiss ye french ministers wth them, and send their quota of men with         
 all Expedition into ye feild, That ye Duke of Newburg has given his            
 troops to ye Electr of Brandenburg who had put them into Wessell               
 under ye Command of Genell Snaren [?]  That Monsr Turene finding that          
 ye Duke of Lorraine could not possibly get into franch Compte was              
 intending to return to Releive Phillipsburg at present blockt up by ye         
 Elector Pallatin. wch Elector is soe incenst at ye burning Seltz by ye         
 french that hee had hangd up some french officers, had not a very              
 Powerfull Interception bene made in their behalfe                              
    french letters say that ye Prince of Conde upon application made to         
 him to accept ye Crowne of Poland, refused to be Elected unless they           
 would Pre Elect his sonne ye Duke de Enguijen for his successor.  ye           
 same letters say they feard Besancon would not be soe soone taken as           
 they fancyed but that it would cost them more tyme & men then they at          
 first Calculated.  but if his Most Xtian Maty succeed not there hee            
 will turne his whole force upon flanders.                                      
      L. c. 47   [Handwriting changes here.]   May 9 1674                       
 +ffrom ffrench Compte we have advice that the ffrench are still before         
 Besancon & prtend to be soone master of it but its much doubted the            
 Cittadell being a very strong one & the Swisses soe highly alarmed that        
 severall Cantons have held a debate what they had best to doe upon this        
 Occation & some Letters say the Duke of Lorraine was come nigh with his        
 succours but if so we should soone heare of accord [?] Monsr Turene            
 lying still in his way & eyeing all his motions, if this succeed not its       
 said his Most Christian Matie will turne his whole force into                  
 fflanders, the Apprehension of wch has hastned the Prince of Orange into       
 the feild & the fleet out to sea to give a divertion or at least an            
 Amazement to the Coast wch they will terrifie with theire land forces          
 & have therefore made all manner of prepartion for such an Attempt             
 Monser de Estrese is still fortifying Brest & the Coasts thereabouts           
 +The Hamberrough Letters say the King of Denmarke was to be the 20th           
 instant betweene Rusbourg & Gluckstat wth an Army of 20000 men & that          
 he had given order for his fleet to be also ready by the first of June         
 upon what designe not yet knowne.                                              
    ffrom Brussells of the 12th instant wee have advice that an express         
 arrived there that Night had informed them that Marshall Bellefond had         
 in his way home attacqued the little Towne called Herquelous belonging         
 to Spaine, in the midst of the Country of Juliers wch he had over              
 powered at the second assault & put all to the Sword therein who were          
 not many but one Company of the Prince de Salme & they say he has had          
 the like advange [sic] on some other small places & that at Maiestricht        
 they are providing Boates for some designe not yet knowne; That all the        
 Officers & Soldiers were comanded to be in the feild in eight dayes            
 Count Waldocke haveing bin there to conferre wth that Governor & was           
 gon backe to meet the Prince of Orange; who was following his troops into      
 that quarter 50000 of them being allready come to Sanauthim [?] & the          
 neighbouring Villages that the Prince of Conde was come to Tournay with        
 but 5000 men & none of the Troops drawen out of the deserted Townes in         
 Guilderland & Holland & therefore they hoped he could not suddenly gett        
 any considerable Army together & from Heidelbourgh that that Elector           
 was begining to take the feild & had wth his forces already blocked up         
 Phillipsburgh that Monsr Turene was at Roxheme a league from                   
 Ensillheim wch had allarmed the Swisses so that they had gott together         
 60000 men to guard the fronteres and had fortified Basle & Mulhausen &         
 the Canton of Shatsome had held a generall Assembly upon this approach         
 of his most Christian Matie & that the Elector of Cologne had finished         
 his treaty wth the Emperour wch would be ratifyed suddenly & at the            
 same tyme, that wth the Prince of Lunenburg & Holland at the Hague             
                                                                                
      L. c. 48     May 12 1674                                                  
    Yesterday morning his Maty went by Water to Woolwich & returnd at           
 night as did alsoe his Royall Hss from Hunting                                 
    To morrow sennight his Maty & ye Court Certainly remove to Windsor          
 for ye best part of this summer                                                
    ffrench letters newly arived bring noe other account of the                 
 Condition of Besancon then that A considerable Breach was made in the          
 towne by ye Cannon of ye Beseigers seconded by a Briske attaque in wch         
 there was loss on both sides wch had made them retyre to a Cittadell a         
 very strong place & may hold out long yet, Marll Bellfonds they say is         
 fallen into ye Kings disfavour for leaveing, as is said 50 peices of           
 Ordnance unbivake [?] in a towne he had diserted wch ye Duch finding           
 had possesst themselves off, upon wch he is to sell his Employmts &            
 retyre.                                                                        
    The Duch Ambrs are now dayly expected being on board at ye Brill            
 when our Ambrs came by.                                                        
 +ffrom Brussells of ye 18 instant Wee are advised that that morning            
 Count Monterey was gone thence to speake wth ye Prince of Orange at            
 Duffield 2 leagues from Mallines & was to returne that night that              
 there was Just then arived an Express there wth ye news of Novaques            
 [?] being ye night before closely invested by ye forces under Marll            
 Bellefonds & for 4 houres attaquet very Briskly soe that it was                
 thought it would soone be forcet to yeild it haveing not above 400             
 men in it  The place is of great Consequence, cutting off all                  
 Comunication betweene Maestricht & Leige, The Count had not then               
 sent any assitance to it but intended wth all speed, & hopet that ye           
 Duke de Bourneville who lyes betwene Durell & Reckneck [?] would               
 save him ye labour, as hee had promised not long since upon ye                 
 apprehension of some designe then, they had noe later news of                  
 Besancon wch made thinke all not well there, The Imperialists are              
 Rendezvouzing at Bonne, & the Elector Pallatine haveing gotten his             
 forces together Resolves to make some attempt wth them                         
    The Duch fleet are dayly expected in Zealand to take in their               
 land forces there & are in great hopes of success, Leige has treated           
 for a suspension, & at Brussells they say That ye french King haveing          
 violated ye Treatyes of ye Pyreneans, & Aix la Chappell, ye Crowne of          
 Spaine had declared they would revoake all their Concessions made to           
 france by vertue thereof, & would Endeavour to Reposess themselves             
 of ye places againe                                                            
    The Prince of Conde haveing Rendezvouzd his men at Tournay is gone          
 thence toward Charleroy                                                        
      L. c. 49     May ye 14 1674                                               
 Wednsday 13/+This morning his Maty, Royall Hss, & the Prince Went              
 downe to Shereness to veiw ye fortifications there & intend to                 
 Returne againe on fryday.                                                      
    The Other night the Duch Ambrs Monsr Beningen & Monsr Haren                 
 Came into Greenwich where they remaine incognito, on Munday they are           
 to make their publique Entry, & on Tewsday have their audience & stay          
 not for Monsr ODyke because of ye Courts removall. ye day after for            
 Windsor, wth them are come ye Deputies from ye East India Company to           
 adjust trade wth our Comisrs who will be suddenly appoynted  great             
 preparations are makeing for their Entrance & audience, & Exeter               
 House alotted for their Residence after their Treatmt at my Lady               
 Williams's at his Maties charge                                                
    Sr Wm Temple is prepareing to begin his Journey for Holland, next           
 Weeke Monsr ODyke is expected, Monsr Rheed who was here before is              
 Joynd in ye Embassy                                                            
 Thursday 14/ Wee have yet noe forreigne Letters soe know nothing             
 farther of Besancon more then that a person of quallity in that Leaguer        
 [sic] had wrott hither That ye towne was taken, but the Cittadell              
 not yet, That ye loss was considerable on both sides & ye whole                
 Country soe frighten'd at their aparent danger That ye Elector                 
 Pallatine was Ordred to joyne wth ye Duke of Lorraine to Releive               
 them. wch they feard might come too late. & his Most Xtian Maty bee            
 master of it in a little tyme                                                  
    This morning dyed here my Ld Vict ffanshaw Remembrancer of the              
 Exchequer after an Indisposition of severall dayes                             
    Munday next ye guards appoynted to attend his Maty at Windsor               
 marcht thither & ye Court are prepareing to attend his Maty On Wednesday       
 next  In his Maties absence they say my Ld Craven will Command in Cheife       
    The Spanish Ambr being indisposed is goeing to ye Bath dureing his          
 Maties absence from towne, but Expects suddenly Orders to returne home         
 & another to Come in his roome                                                 
    Noe forreigne Letters yet,                                                  
      L. c. 50     May ye 16 1674                                               
 +from Plymouth they write that ye providence of that place ariveing            
 at forways [?] from Virginia reports that all ye Towne ships were              
 arived there except 3 wch they thought by that tyme might be there             
 alsoe.                                                                         
    On ye 10 the Cambridge & Crowne set saile from ye Downes for Tangier        
 & wth them severall mercht men outward bound.                                  
    The guards that came from france are ordred to returne to ye severall       
 squadrons out of wch they were taken.                                          
    Letters from Lime tell us of 2 ships arived from france wth Corne,          
 one of wch of Ushant, who met a small Duch Caper of 3 or 4 guns & abt          
 40 men who soone left her upon notice of 10 saile of french men in             
 veiw, wch hee made up to & being got betwixt them & ye shoare ye               
 ma[ste]r Concludes he tooke as many as he could man.  there was                
 then Coming in a ship of that place from the Barbados whence he parted         
 wth 26 saile who were scatterd by storme abt 3 Weekes since but hopet          
 to be all Well.                                                                
    They tell us from Gravesend that 6 Duch men of Warr arived ye night         
 before at ye hope [?] wth severall mercht ships under their Convoy.            
 They put to sea on ye 9th wth their Whole fleet Consisting of 64 good          
 men of Warr, fireships &c: wth 6 moneths provisions of Victualls &c:           
 2 of their men of Warr set saile on ye 12 in ye morning for yeir fleet,        
 ye other 4 came to an anchor before Gravesend who brought 2 of their           
 Ambrs.  The ship wherein ye Ambrs came over weareing a flag at maine           
 Top. struck it passing by ye St David & afterward approaching neare ye         
 fort after an usuall salutation was againe hois[t]ed up but was                
 Imediately comanded downe againe by two shotts from ye fort.                   
    Duch Letters say ye Circle of franconia had sent out their troops           
 who were on their Way to Windsheim to goe to succour ye Prince Elector         
 Pallatine who has made a bridge to pass ye Rhyne.  The Baron de Isola          
 scruples ye signeing ye Elector of Collognes treaty except upon some           
 further Conditions------------last post affords noe more                       
      L. c. 51     May ye 20 1674                                               
    Munday Evening the Duch Ambrs made their publique Entry & were              
 brought from ye Tower in his Maties Coaches accompanyd by ye Ld                
 Berkly & ye Master of ye Ceremonyes & attended wth a numerous trayne           
 of Coaches of ye Nobillity & Gentry of 6 Horses a peice, & brought to          
 my Lady Williams's in new pallace yard where they were Complemented            
 from ye King by my Ld Cavendish, & from ye Queen by Sr Wm Killiegrew           
 & were that night most nobly treated by his Matyes speciall order.             
   Tewsday afternoone they had their audience of his Maty in ye                 
 Banquetting house & after of ye Queen & Royall Highnesses by all whom          
 they were Recd wth all Imaginable respect & Kindness                           
    Munday Night his Maty Rll Hsses & many persons of quallity were             
 Entertaynd at my Ld Treasurers wth a most noble Banquett & a stately           
 Ball.                                                                          
 +ffrom Deale Wee heare that on su[n]day the Duch fleet of 50                   
 Capitall ships besides tenders appeared off of ye Goodwins, wth a good         
 Wind sayleing between Callais & Bullogne thro ye Channell                      
    ffrom ye Hague of ye 24 instt Wee heare that from Berlin they write         
 that ye Citty of Hamburg has Writt to ye Elector of Brandenburg that           
 they are very much allarmd at ye march of ye forces of ye King of              
 Denmark wch will in all lykelyhood fall upon them & therefore have             
 desired succours if a seige should happen & have askt ye like of ye            
 Swedes verely beleiving themselves in some danger.  The Prince of Conde        
 & Marshall Bellefonds are Joynd but ye latter has bene Obligd to raise         
 ye seige of Navagne feareing ye forces of ye Duke de Bournonville wch          
 arived ye 18 at Venlo, That it was ye Common discourse of all there that       
 ye allyes Would Joyne & divert ye King of france by Entring his Countrys,      
 That ye designe of ye french was to make themselves masters of french          
 Compte, Navaigne, & Limburg, That they may have some thing in their            
 hands to offer Spaine in Leiu of Ayre, St Omar &c: or at least to bring        
 things in that Condition they were at ye treaty of Aix la Chappell, That       
 ye Comissrs of ye East India Company were dayly expecting to depart for        
 England, That ye states have Recomended the Prince of Lorraine to ye           
 Crowne of Poland for their King.                                               
    Nothing further from Besancon but that ye Towne surrendred ye 15th          
 instant but ye Cittadell held out bravely.  Tho ye King has Threatned          
 that if they doe not suddenly yeild hee will give them noe quarter             
 give them noe quarter                                                          
      L. c. 52     May ye 21 1674                                               
 +His Maty has bene pleasd to give to Capt Idle a gold chaine & medall          
 in Consideration of his service in bringing an English ship taken by           
 Evertson at New Yorke home safe from Cadiz after haveing masterd ye Duch       
 who were then set over them.                                                   
    from Portsmouth they Write that ye Cambridge, Crowne, Norwich,              
 Henrietta, were Come into that Road, ye 2 first designed for ye                
 streights, ye other to Cruise abroad                                           
    On ye 16 Sr Edward Lee of Ditchley in Oxfordshire was marryed to ye         
 lady Charlotte Daughter to ye Duchess of Cleaveland  Hee is Created            
 Baron Spelsbury Vicount & Earle of Leichfeild                                  
    from Dover they write of ye 18 that abt 10 a clock ye day before            
 ye Duch fleet consisting of 100 saile in all came to an anchor in our          
 Road.  De Ruyter told some that Went aboard him that he expected 40            
 sayle more from Holland 12 of wch came to him yt night & that there            
 was 20 saile more to Joyne wth him from ye South ward soe that they            
 would consist of 170 at least of all sorts  The next day they weight           
 but how they will ply is not knowne.                                           
    The Seuir ODyke ye Other Duch Ambr is not yet come over, & tis              
 thought may stay for Van Isbrants who being but lately arived from             
 Collogne would require some tyme for to give an account of his                 
 Negotiation there & fitt himselfe for his Coming hither.                       
    They write from Madrid that a Proclamation was Issued out to                
 Comand all laqueys Water Carriers & porters who were not marryed to goe        
 to their Countries unless they list themselves souldrs upon wch many           
 were pickt up in ye Country for ye service                                     
    from Cadiz Wee heare that Capt Wright ariveing there in ye nonsuch          
 from Lisbon in his way met a ship wth Ostend Cullours & men sayleing           
 her, The men forsooke her upon wch he possest himselfe of ye Vessell,          
 & as was supposed may prove an English prize out of ye hands of ye             
 Duch.  Some dispute happend betwixt ye marriners of an English ship &          
 an Ostend Convoy in that River wherein 2 of ye English were desperately        
 wounded & ye Captains sonne of ye Ostender Kild upon wch ye Governr            
 seized ye English Vessell, but upon application of our Ambr Mountague,         
 ye prosecution is staid till they shall Receive Orders from ye Court           
 +Letters from Mallaga of ye 1st instant say that ye Mary Rose goeing           
 out to Cruise met of ye Bay of Tetuan [?] 2 ships who gave her chace,          
 till makeing her they altred their Course, & finding ye Mary Rose gaind        
 both, by & Large, parted, ye one for ye Spanish Coast, ye other for ye         
 Bay of Tettuan, wch latter being ye biggest, ye frigatt followed,              
 being Come neare her ye frigatt put out Holland Culloures & gave 3             
 guns  ye frigatt put out alsoe Duch Culloures but fired not till ye            
 Other came to anchor, wch was very neare ye shoare.  ye frigatt then           
 coming into 5 fathom Water & haveing taken in ye Duch & put out                
 English Cullores powred in a Broadeside & those aboard sett her on             
 fire & Went on shoare.  The Capt Imediately sent his Boat on board her,        
 quencht ye fire & found onely one Hamburger a slave in her who told them       
 ye ship was of argier the Capt a french Renegado, upon that advice ye          
 Capt Comanded ye men off wch ye Moores ashoare seeing their Capt went          
 aboard ye Mary Rose wth a flagg of Truce, where being demanded why he          
 made from them & fired, he answered he tooke him to be ye St Pattrick, &       
 that ye Moores did it without Orders                                           
    Navaignes is Certainely taken by ye french & ye Cittadell of                
 Besancon, Dole is surrendred alsoe                                             
      L. c. 53   [Handwriting changes here.]   June 23d 74                      
 Thursdaye 18                                                                   
 +from Deale we heare that about 5 yesterdaye morning they espyed some          
 small vesseles neare the South foreland & presently after a standard           
 upon the Top Masthead of a yatcht upon wch they were assured it was            
 his Matie who presently answeared in St Margates Bay 4 or 5 miles S.           
 ward of Deale & since we heard they come up the River & were expected          
 at whitehall this noon                                                         
    Into Plymouth are returned severall merchant men from abroad & into         
 Whitby a vessell with corne wch sayes soe great a quantity of Corne is         
 in these holes [?] that the King had sent orders to inspect the stores,        
 that they maye not be unbearthed [?] this last year being not very             
 hopefull                                                                       
    This morning her Maties Court went to Windsor to expect his Matie;          
 & this Evening his Matie & Prince arrived here from Greenwich.  Sir            
 William Lockhart went two dayes since for Scotland upon his private            
 affaires of setling his estate: his father being dead.                         
    Her Royall Highness thankes be to God is againe with Child &                
 therefore great care is taken for her travelling or disturbance                
 Last night aboute 11 his Matie & the rest arrived here, where having           
 supped with the Dutchess of Monmouth went to Windsor very well                 
 pleased wth his voyage at Sea                                                  
    from Holland we heare yt Generall Souches Army was arrived                  
 before Leige the 24, pillaged 2 villages neare the place to force              
 them to admitt of an Imperiall Garrison                                        
   From Brussells we are told theire Army was ready to march but know           
 not yet wch waye they shall  The Prince of Conde being still in the            
 neighborhood of Mons they have noe newes of their fleet since theire           
 being on the ffrench Coasts                                                    
    The Spanish relation of the last fight Confess themselves to have           
 recd a defeate from Mounsr Turene but will not allow above 2500 men            
 killed on their side and yt the french had a great loss                        
    Ltrs from Hamburg say the french King has ordered the Bp of                 
 Marseilles his Ambr in Poland goe as his Mediatr to the Grand                  
 Signior to propose a Peace betweene Poland & yt Crowne with the                
 vestiture of Caminien & the Ukraine to the Poles, that the King                
 of Denmarke was at Coldenken with his Army  That ye Swedes are on              
 their march out of Pomerania                                                   
    My Ld Duke of Ormond is gone to Holyhead to imbarke thear for               
 Ireland.                                                                       
      L. c. 54   [Handwriting changes here.]   June ye 27 1674                  
      On ye 20th Sr John Narbrow & 3 more of his Maties frigatts returnd        
 from Portsmouth to ye Downes & in their way met a Duch privateer who           
 had boarded 2 English merchant ships, one from france bound for London         
 ye other to Dover, & to make ye men Confess they had french mercht goods       
 on board, tortured ym with burning matches betwixt their fingers.  Sr          
 John Narbrow brought ye privateer into ye Downes secured ye Capt & sent        
 an account of it to his Maty.                                                  
      Dover Letters of ye 22d tell us of a vessell from Nantz that              
 informed them that on ye 12 instant hee saw ye Duch fleet off Brest            
 standing there about 10 in the morning & that abt 2 in ye afternoone hee       
 heard ye guns play very briskly for abt 4 houres, & soe left them & tis        
 hotly discourst in Towne as if ye Duch had taken brest, but ye truth of        
 it is yet questiond                                                            
      The french Capers have Carryed into Yarmouth 2 ffly Boates & a            
 Buss taken upon ye Coast of Holland, & on ye 21 a small Duch Caper             
 Carryed into Rye 3 french prizes                                               
      Wednsday Evening her Maty came to towne from Windsor, & returnd           
 on fryday.                                                                     
      The Duch Capers Continue so buisy upon ye Coasts of Rye that they         
 in a maner quite spoyle ye french fishery there.                               
      There is some talk as if ye intended martiall divertisements of ye        
 fort at Windsor is to be laid a side.                                          
    The french Gazette gives ye Honnr of ye Batle betwixt Turene &              
 ye Duke of Lorraine, to Coll Hamilton & Coll Douglass Regiments. who hee       
 tells us when ye french Retreated, & had lost their Cannon, beat off ye        
 Enimy, they yet give noe particular account of their losses, but makes         
 ye Germans loss 2000 men slaine & 900 taken. The french make that dayes        
 action a perfect victory, but the Germans & Duch will have it but a            
 drawne Batle, & ye number of ye slayne Equall, but that wch makes it           
 seeme to be on ye french side is that they kept ye feild, & put a great        
 part of the Pallatinate under Contribution.  Both partys acknowledge           
 both the English & Scotch to have gaine[d] great Honr to their nations         
 in that dayes action.  The Duke of Lorraine is much applauded, who its         
 said Chargd in person 5 tymes that day wth ye Horse, & once on foot wth        
 his halfe pike in his hand at ye head of Coll Streams Regiment.                
    Duch Letters say that in Order to ye blocking up Grave Coll                 
 Heindebasle was gone out wth 1600 men a League above Grave along ye            
 Maas where hee Rebuilds ye ffortifications which ye french deserted to         
 streighten ye place, wch is already invested, & Cannon & other                 
 necessaryes sent from Nimigen to that purpose, whilest Monsr                   
 Rabenhaupt is gone for Guilesland to raise an army ye more closely to          
 beseige it, who is to be Joyned by ye troops of Over Issell &                  
 Guildesland & because ye army [is] mostly of foot Monsr Rabenhaupt             
 has Invented a new sort of Wagons wch being gunned may on occation             
 secure their Infantry against ye Enimies Horse.  The Dukes of Zell &           
 Wolfenbotle have given notice to ye states that their forces are in            
 readiness to march upon their 1st orders.  The men of name they                
 Confess slayne in ye late Engagemt on ye German side are Major                 
 Neitch Leiut Coll to ye Prince of Saxe, Coll Heldenzeith sergeant              
 of Batle, Count Keichen, Coll to ye Duke of Lorraine, The Prince of            
 Saxe Gotha said to be mortally wounded, & Coll Streem's arme shot              
 off, & Coll Barrier much Wounded                                               
    The Imperialists are past Leige takeing their way by Namur there            
 to pass ye Maas by wch meanes they will Either Joyne ye Prince of              
 Orange or have ye Prince of Conde betwixt them, but tis beleived               
 there will not be much done by the Imperialists; they Coming wth               
 that Circomspection as if they were not soe nearely Concernd as ye             
 Duch think they should, but Spaine now beares ye burden of                     
 provisions for wch they Constantly stipulate before they march, &              
 such animositys its apprehended may arise among ye severall Genells            
 who allready pretend too be Equally as good can be expected from               
 their Conjunction, & single they cannot be strong Enough to doe any            
 thing, Monsr Turene has left ye Pallatinate thinking it more prudent to        
 Waite for ye Enimies in Lorraine where hee has ye force of that Country,       
 then to Expect them at Phillipsburg whither tis Judgd they will doubtless      
 come now they are Joynd.  The Empr is sending 12000 men more from Egra         
 [?] to reenforce his army.  The french King is goeing into flanders            
 in person to head an army for some great designe  The french themselves        
 looke on Grave as in a manner gone & expect the Enimie will next attaque       
 Maastriecht                                                                    
      L. c. 55     June ye 30 1674                                              
      On Thursday night last dyed at his house in Tedington Sr Orlando          
 Bridgman, late Ld Keeper of ye great seale of England.                         
    The 24 arived at Topsham a vessell wch ye Wednsday before was on            
 board Admell de Ruyter off of Bell Isle, & reports that ye day before          
 the Duch landed their forces on that Isle, & that hee heard much               
 shooteing, but hastning away cannot give any certaine account whether it       
 was taken or noe, he further reports that a Duch squadron of ye Duch           
 fleet was gone toward Bayonne to assist by sea the attempt ye Spaniards        
 will make by land on that place.                                               
    On Sunday Evening arived here the Marquess Durazzo Envoy                    
 Extra:or from the state of Genoa, his buisness is to thanke his Maty           
 in ye name of that state for his good offices wth the most Xtian               
 King for Composeing the Differences betweene that Crowne & them.               
 +There is a hot report abt towne as if news were Come by express               
 of a second Engagemt betwixt Monser Turene & ye Confederates in the            
 Pallatinate & that ye french had bene Worsted, but nothing of                  
 Certainty is yet Knowne. soe that there is yet litle Credit given              
 to it.                                                                         
    Tho there be at present noe Assembly of Ambrs from ye severall              
 Warring parties yet in ye meane tyme the Crowne of Sweden is not               
 Wanting by their ministers at ye Courts of ye Respective Princes               
 to promote a generall peace. & many say ye states Genell are not               
 averse to it & beleive they could procure for themselves, a Peace              
 upon Termes Honrble enough, but now ye great difficulty is how to              
 satisfy ye Spaniards who seeme now cheifly to promote ye Warr.                 
    The Imperialists have wee heare used great indeavours to perswade           
 ye states of Leige to receive an Imperiall garrison, & to reduce               
 them to it.  The Genell Souches uses some threatning words but to              
 noe other purpose then that it has made ye states Open their purses            
 & make him a present of a Considerable sum of mony, wch has given              
 the Genell some satisfaction for ye present.  Its said ye Prince of            
 Conde has beseigd Conde.                                                       
    This last Weeke the Ld Buckhurst dyed.                                      
 [A few figures and names in another hand appear on outside of letter.]         
      L. c. 56   [Handwriting changes here.]   July 4 1674                      
 +On ye 25 instant dyed at his house at Teddington Sir Orlando Bridgman         
 Late Lord Keeper                                                               
      [About ten letters illegible] from Brittany advises that the Duch         
 fleet on the 28th had all under [?] Bell Isle that they landed a               
 considerable Number of soldyers & after some dispute became Masters of it      
    A salt ship from St Martins putt into Dartmth on the 26 reports             
 that the Duch had landed 2000 on the Isle of Ree & that it was                 
 supposed they had Taken it, Another ship from Bourdeaux reports some           
 of theire fleet gone for Bayonne.                                              
    The Sea Flower of Plymouth arrived from ffrance on the 27th laden           
 with Corne affirms that the Duch fleet after a sharpe dispute tooke            
 Bell Isle, On Thursday sennight the seamen say they saw the ffrench            
 wounded men carried over in Boates  they past by the Duch fleet also in        
 theire Returne home.  Some of theire Boates goeing aboard & examining          
 them  The fleet was 170 [?] saile haveing with them 2 or 3 ffrench             
 Marchants wch they had taken & then nd [?] before Bell Isle.  [Rest of         
 this paragraph repeats almost word for word the fourth paragraph of            
 L. c. 55; next paragraph repeats almost word for word the matter of the        
 third paragraph of same letter.]                                               
    The last Letters tell us from ffrance yt the Duch haveing landed            
 60000 men on Bell Isle advanced toward the Castle wch is upon it, wch          
 by a Trumpett they summoned who comeing to the Governor was very               
 kindly received by him & carried about to the fortifications & the             
 Garrison the Magazine &c after wch the Governour sent the Trumpeter            
 backe with his Answer That indeed the Dutch would gaine themselves             
 much Honor in makeing themselves Masters of a fort wch would be soe            
 well defended  But he thought it the most prudent way for them not to          
 attempt it  Upon the returne of the Trumpett the Dutch held a Councell         
 of Warr where they resolved that night following to returne to the             
 fleet.  Some Letters say that the ffrench made a sally & Killed a              
 great many of the Dutch as they were retreating, But this is the               
 ffrench account  Some say his Most Xtian Maty will not move from               
 Versallies to eclipse the Prince of Condes Glory this Summer.                  
    fflanders Letters doe not deney but that the ffrench in the late            
 engagemt on the 6 last did keepe the place of Batle & followed theire          
 enemyes for some howers, but will not allow them to have received any          
 disadvantage  Nay rather that they gained at least in reputation for           
 that being the Lesser Number they fought them soe many houres with             
 equall loss and at last accomplisht theire designe in joyneing                 
 Bournonville   Hamburg Letters also give the victory wholly to the             
 ffrench confirming that the Germans lost theire baggage &c.                    
 +Tis wrote from Alepo April 6th that they had avice from the East              
 Indies Sept the last that 20 Dutch men of Warr whereof 15 stout                
 ships the Admirall haveing 60 Brass Guns & 250 [men?] fought 10                
 of our Merchant men August the 22 from Morning till Night & after a            
 continued stout resistance tooke 3 of them, The President; the                 
 Sampson & the Antelope.  The Anne the London Marchant & Bombay                 
 are perticular comended for theire Valour that day & on Sept the 1st           
 got into Mudaro Road with 4 others that lay under St George his fort           
 to recruit  The ffrench have Letters that say ours have destroyd 5 of          
 the Dutch in the Engagement & that there arrived at St Omars 20 ffrench        
 men of Warr and 3 Merchant men & that theire Director Browne was to            
 depart St Omar for Surat with 4 men of Warr & our English ships in theire      
 Company  Tis advised from Argers that all the ships are abroad except          
 one & that they had 5 ships ready to lanch one of forty Guns, the other        
 of Twenty, Each they keep a very faire Correspondence wth the English &        
 upon Complaint made by the Consull of Injury done to the 2 English             
 ships, they Cashered & punisht their Commanders & comanded the army to         
 make a full restitution at Tangier to assure him of theire frendship &         
 to lett him know that if he has occation for any thinge they have they         
 shall be ffurnisht with it                                                     
    Dutch Letters of the 6th say theire last advice from ye Palatinate          
 told them the Elector was sicke.  The Duke of Lorraine in discontent           
 with Caprara the Confederates encamped at Lemperthein, strong in               
 horse and in expectation of the foot of ffranconia  That Turene was            
 about Newstadt Reinforet with about 60000 horse & in good Condition            
      L. c. 57   [Handwriting changes here.]   July ye 7th 1674                 
  On fryday his Maty came againe to Councell at Hampton Court from              
 Windsor                                                                        
    This Weeke my Ld Treasurer returnes from the Bath to Windsor, as            
 alsoe the Spanish Ambr, who has bene at ye Bath for his health sake,           
 & is now pretty well recoverd.                                                 
    Wee have not any account of ye Duch fleet since their quitting              
 Bell Isle, nor is there yet any Certainety in the reports of their             
 loss of any men in their going off the Island, as some reports                 
 seeme to affirme                                                               
    Munday morning dyed of ye small Pox, in Towne, Mr Lewes of Wales,           
 a very hopefull young Gentleman.                                               
    The East India Company have now an account from ye Indies of ye             
 loss of the 3 East India ships & that ye other 7 are safe, haveing             
 defended them selves with much bravery, The loss of ye East India              
 Company is not at all Considerable, in ye said ships.                          
    from ye Hague Wee heare that Sr Wm Temple was arrived there, but            
 Remaind incognito, till he could prepare his things for his audience           
    They tell us ye Prince of Oranges army was prepapeing to march. &           
 would Certainly decamp on Thursday or fryday                                   
    The Prince of Conde Continues still in his quarters abt Aoth.               
    Monsr Turene has written to ye assembly of ye states of ye Circle           
 of Suabia to disswade them from sending any assistance to the                  
 Confederates assuring them that if they doe not, hee will not enter wth        
 his forces into any of their Territorys.                                       
     flanders letters give us an account that ye Prince of Oranges army         
 had quitted their quarters about Deist [Delft?] & Aerschot & were              
 advancet toward Mallines                                                       
    The Imperiall Army Continues still at Namur, & its said Generall            
 Souches demands a moneths pay for his army before hee passes ye Meuse,         
 wch is to be paid by ye Duch & Spaniard. & accordingly Monterey is             
 sending his part.                                                              
 +Its said that ye Confederate army is 12000 & Monsr Turenes 18000 strong       
 who its beleived will suddenly attack Kayserslautern                           
    There are some advices wch say Monsr Turene has fallen upon ye              
 Confederates & Totally routed them.  & that Turene has sent an account         
 of it from his owne hand to his most Xtian Maty, but this needs further        
 Confirmation                                                                   
      L. c. 58     July ye 9 1674                                               
    This day his Maty Came to Towne from Windsor haveing bene yesterday         
 a hunting wth ye Duke Prince &c: & dined at Mr Chiffinches                     
    The Ld Ambr Lockhart is upon his returne to London from Scotland            
 where hee has bene to setle his Owne affaires upon ye death of his             
 father.                                                                        
    On ye 6th arived at Weymouth a vessell from ye Barbadoes wch left           
 34 saile in that Road ready to saile in 2 or 3 dayes                           
    On ye 6 ye Plymouth & Dover arived in ye Downes from ye Streights           
 wth severall mercht men in their Company.  There Came alsoe a Duch             
 man of Warr wth 6 other Duch ships bound to ye fleet wth provisions            
    Duch Letters say that ye states of utrecht have made a present to           
 ye Prince of Orange of 150000 Livres, & a Donative of St Maryes                
 Church of 7000 Livres per ann to him & his Heires, tis said ye french          
 have laid ye places about Grave under Water to hinder their approaches,        
 Mounsr Ernstein the swedes Ambr has at his audience Congratulated ye           
 States upon ye good Condition they are in, has offerd his masters              
 mediation for a Genell peace, & desired Comrs to treat wth him in Order        
 to it, Sr Wm Temple being arived at Rotterdam was goeing to ye army to         
 find ye Prince, The Imperiall army they say marches up higher along ye         
 Maes as if they had a mind to pass it at Gimet & soe goe into france           
 whilest ye Prince of Orange &c Employ ye Prince of Conde, They assure us       
 that de Ruyter is gone wth 17 men of Warr to ye Carribean Islands, &           
 that they doe not expect ye rest of their fleet should attempt any great       
 matter on ye french onely to allarme them                                      
    In Holland they advise by a ship lately arived at Bergen from Bantam        
 of ye fight betwixt ye English & Duch in ye East Indies & that one of          
 ye 3 ships said to be taken was soe shatterd that shee sunck.                  
    Paris Letters say there is now noe talke of the Kings removall from         
 Versailes, that the Prince of Conde was said to be gone from toward            
 Mons wth 14000 Horse & as many foot on some designe that ye french             
 in french Compte have taken ye Castle of St Anne by storme, & were             
 become sole masters of that Country, that Count Stromberg has                  
 Complaind to ye King of ye behaviour of Monsr Brett his Leiut Genell           
 in Rousillon who is thereupon Commanded to ye Court to Justify him             
 selfe  They tell us that Marshall Turene in his late action at ye              
 Neckar (mentioned in ye Gazett) has in pursuit of ye Imperialists              
 taken 1800 prisoners, haveing beaten their Reare guard, taken their            
 Baggage wth 6 peices of Cannon to make yet a more Effectuall progress,         
 the King has given out Comissions for raiseing 250000 fresh men, since         
 ye Duch quitting Bell Isle ye french seeme to bee in less feare of             
 them for ye future & can see thiere fleet appeare wthout being soe             
 much allarmd as they were before.  Some advices make ye french to              
 have ye worst of it in Rousillon haveing 2 [?] officers Kild & taken           
 prisoners                                                                      
    flanders letter say that ye Estates of the Empire have compleated           
 their debates for ye Comon security & resolvd to assist ye Empr to             
 wch purpose they have againe writt to ye Circles & perticular Estates          
 for their severall forces, & given them a tyme by wch they must be at          
 ye Rendezvouz wth all their officers, They confess the Confederates            
 being to small a number to resist ye army if Turene doe retreat, upon          
 their approach till more forces to them [sic] to put them in a Capacity        
 of fighting                                                                    
 +Tis said ye Elector Pallantine has desired ye Confederates to breake          
 up that they might not be engaged in an unequall Combatt. tis said             
 Genll Souches will send some of his army to their assistance in ye             
 meane tyme  The Duke of Bournonville much blames ye Confederate                
 Princes for not sending their supplyes, wch has forcet him to                  
 retreat wth loss of Reputation, & danger to ye Pallantinate                    
      L.c. 59     July ye 11 1674                                               
    Thursday his Maty came to town from Windsor, but made a very short          
 stay, for haveing dined wth ye Duke of Munmth his Maty went downe to           
 Deptford to see a second Rate frigatt Lancht, Wee are told it is a very        
 Excellt ship & is cald ye Royall Oake & to carry 80 guns, in ye afternoon      
 his Maty came back to Whitehall & Imediately returnd to Windsor, whether       
 the Spanish Ambr is returnd from ye Bath, pretty well Recoverd of his          
 late indisposition                                                             
   ffryday the Earle of Peeterburrow was sworn of ye privy Councell &           
 accordingly tooke his place at ye board.                                       
    A proclamation was read & approved concerning ye Collecting his             
 Maties revenues ariseing by fire hearths & stoves &c:                          
 +His Maty has bene pleasd to order in Councell That ye Comrs of his            
 Customs doe oblige all masters of Merchts ships outward bound to take          
 wth them such sea breifes & passports as the treaty betweene his Maty          
 and the Crowne of Spaine doe prescribe                                         
    Letters from Holland tell us that ye 13 inst Sir Wm Temple his              
 Maties Ambr to ye States Genll arived at ye Hague, that he had bene            
 vissited by ye Raed Pensionary Fagell, that his Excellency intended to         
 goe & wait on ye Prince of Orange in ye army soe that it may be a moneth       
 before hee have his publique audience, That ye Treaty betweene the states      
 Genell & ye Dukes of Lunenburgh was signed ye 14: inst & that in               
 pursuance of ye same the Duch ministers had bene present at ye                 
 Rendezvouz of ye Troops of ye Duke of Wolfenbotle wch consisted of abt         
 3300 foot and 800 Horse wch its said are to Joyne with ye forces of ye         
 Duke of Zell & then act together as shall bee thought most convenient          
 for ye service of ye allyes that ye Treaty betweene ye States and ye           
 Elector of Brandenburg is not onely signed but alsoe Ratifyed.  They had       
 not any news of ye Prince of Oranges army, but the Pensionary Fagall           
 being ye 11th inst in the assembly of ye States told them ye Pr: of            
 Conde was marcht toward ye Sambre  The Imperiall army was about Namur,         
 its thought ye french in ye Palatinate will suddenly attaque Heydleburg        
 tho there bee a very good Garrison in it.                                      
    Marselles letters say Monsr Vivonne was arrived at Thoulon wth his          
 ships wch wth those there make 22 saile of good men of war, wth wch, &         
 ye 24 galleyes that lye ready, tis thought hee will attempt somewt             
 suddenly upon ye Spaniards in Cattalonia.                                      
      L.c. 60     July ye 14th: 1674                                            
    Sr Wm Lockhart being now Returnd from Scotland is prepareing to             
 Returne for france there to Reside as his Maties Ambr Extraordnary             
    ffrom Holland they write that Sr Wm Temple his Maties Ambr to ye            
 States, has offerd his Maties mediation for procureing a Genell peace.         
    The Crowne of Sweden Continues by its ministers in ye severall              
 courts of Europe to Endeavr to restore the peace of Xtendom,                   
 & its said their Ambr at the Hague has assured the States they                 
 may obtaine very good & Honrble Conditions of his most Xtian Maty              
    Wee heare not any news of the Duch fleet but that ye Duch themselves        
 are much Concernd at their ill success at Bell Isle, & that they should        
 spend soe much tyme to soe little purpose                                      
 +On Thursday last arived here the Duch Deputies to treat wth o[u]r East        
 India Company abt regulation of Trade & were on Munday presented to his        
 Maty                                                                           
    The Envoys from Brandenburg, Mayenne & Genoa have taken their               
 leaves here in Order to their Returne home.                                    
    The 8th inst arived a Duch Caper at Plymoth, the Capt. Whereof              
 reported that hee had mett in the Channell wth an English vessell,             
 & that ye master of it had told him that 8 Turkes men of Warr Were             
 Cruiseing off Scilley & that hee had bene on board 2 of them                   
    There is yet noe flanders letters Come over this Weeke.  The last           
 from Holland tell us the Prince of Orange had absolutely resolvd to            
 offer the Prince of Conde Battle, & if hee declined it, to use all             
 wayes to oblige him to it, Monser ODyke has taken his leave                    
 of ye Prince of Orange in Order to his Coming for England.                     
 +from Vienna Wee heare that ye [sic] in Hungary begin to grow very             
 powerfull & its feared may give ye Empr some disturbance on that               
 side                                                                           
    from Poland Wee heare that ye Tartares had give the Poles a                 
 defeat betwixt Camuenioc & Leopold, & that ye Poles have quitted all           
 ye places betwixt those 2 Cittyes for feare they should be made                
 prisoners before ye Poles army could get up to their succour, in ye            
 meane tyme the Poles are hasteing out wth all dilligence, but its              
 that after all these may be a peace for that ye Poles are not over             
 Willing farther to Engage in soe disadvantageous Warr, & for the               
 Turkes seeme willing to afford them good Termes as rather desireing            
 to prosecute their Conquests in Hungary then Poland                            
      L.c. 61   [Handwriting changes here.]   July ye 16 1674                   
    On ye 8th Will Earle of Pembroke dyed at ye Bath and is succeeded           
 by his Brother Sr Phillip                                                      
      The 10th of Sept his Maty has appoynted to goe to New Market              
 intending to Remove from Windsor ye 20 of ye next moneth haveing in            
 ye meane time given Orders to make severall additions and alterations          
 to ye Castle and Parke of Windsor to make it more fitt for his sommers         
 Residence every year takeing great delight in the situation of the             
 place                                                                          
    On fryday ye King was at Councell at Hampton Court                          
    A proclamation has bene read at the Board and approved concerneing          
 ye Collecting and answering his Matys Revenues ariseing by fire hearth         
 and stoves                                                                     
    his Maty has ordred that ye Comissrs of his Cofferas doe oblige all         
 Masters ships [sic] outward bound to take wth them such sea breifs             
 and pasports as the treaty betwene his Maty and ye Crowne of Spaine doe        
 prescribe                                                                      
    Duch letters tell us there has happend a Rencounter betwene a party         
 of Duch Comanded by Monsr Rabenhaup and a party of french sent out of          
 Grave the Duch Relate it thus, that Monsr Rabenhaup haveing sent 200           
 men to posess themselves of an Isle Caled Midleweent not far from Grave        
 who had not bene there above halfe an houre when severall troups in all        
 1000 [?] men Horse and foot Came from Grave under ye Comand of ye Marquess     
 de Chamilly and attaquet them, the french both Horse and foot Imediatly        
 put themselves into the Water supposeing it had not bene deep but that         
 they might have Waded through it to ye Island where the Duch were but          
 they found the Water soe high that they were forct to swim, wch put            
 them all into great disorder, the Duch at the same time makeing severeall      
 discharges upon them, they say many of the french were Kiled and Wounded       
 but the Ende of all was that the Duch feareing more forces were Coming         
 against them quitted ye Isle and retyred, the Duch say the french lost         
 above 20 officers in yt action and that Chamilly was wounded but we            
 expect to heare how the french will relate it                                  
    Mr Henshaw his Matys Ambr to Denmarke is arrived from thence and            
 has given his Maty an account of his Negotiation in that Court                 
   His Grace ye Duke of Monmouth is Elected Chancellor of ye University         
 of Cambridg                                                                    
    A new 2d Rate frigatt is Launcht at Deptford Cald ye Royall Oake said       
 to be an excellent ship and will carry 80 guns                                 
    The account of ye Duch fleet by ye Certaine hand from Rochell is,           
 that after they had Left Bell Isle, they tooke ye Isleland Marmonteir          
 where they kept posession wth 7000 men, they had Anchored 10 dayes in          
 sight of Rochell but attempted nothing                                         
    Our Letters from Holland arived Thursday morneng tell us that by the        
 Treaty Lately Concluded betwene the States and the King of Denmarke            
 that King is to send 16000 men to act as the allyes shall thinke fitt          
 for which his Maty is to Receive a Monethly subsidy to be paid by ye           
 Empr, the King of Spaine, and the States, that the Imperiall army              
 Marches towards Sedan, and that they had allready taken Dinant not             
 far from Namur and that ye Prince of Orange has demanded of the States         
 a Million of Mony for payment of ye army                                       
      L.c. 62    [Handwriting changes here.]   July ye 18 1674                  
    His Grace The Duke of Munmouth being by ye unanimous consent of the         
 University of Cambridg Elected Chancellor of that place in ye Roome            
 of the Duke of Bucks Hee will suddenly Receive the usuall Complements          
 there upon                                                                     
    The Earle of Oxford has bene ill of late, & tis reported the Ld             
 Brooke is dead, but tis Judgd a mistake.                                       
    from Paris of ye 21 inst they write that their last letters arived          
 from Nants ye 18 say ye Duch demanded 10000 Crownes that they might            
 forbeare theire burning ye Isle of Normonstein, there being 40 men of          
 Warr in ye Road of Bourneuf wch is 7 Leagues from Nantz, that they take        
 all ye ships they meet, that ye Batle lasted 5 houres at Normonstein,          
 where ye Inhabitants being unable to resist yeilded                            
 +fflanders Lrs of ye 20th say that on ye 18 ye Prince of Orange decamped       
 from ye abby of Bethelme neare Lovaine & encampt on ye other side that         
 Citty halfe a League from it, his army being 30000 attended with 36            
 great peices of artillery                                                      
 +The 19th marched from Brussells 7000 horse under the Comand of ye             
 Marquess d'Assentar, the Duke de Villa Hermosa, & the Prince de Vaudemont      
 who desynd to goe & Joine ye Imperiall army who lay about Dinant The           
 Duke of Luxemburg being not farr from them on ye other side of ye Meuse        
 wth 10000 Horse & foot from ye Prince of Condes army (now Encampt neare        
 Charleroy) to Observe their motions                                            
    from Germany they write that ye Confederates under ye Duke de               
 Bournonville lyes still betweene frankfort & Hochst, & that Monsr Turene       
 Continued his Camp at Ladenburg on ye Neckar, his troops in ye meane           
 tyme pillageing, & burning the Villages in ye Pallatinate                      
    fflanders Letters of ye 23 inst say yt ye Prince of Orange marcht ye        
 Sun[day?] before from Lovaine to ye abby                                       
 of Hey[seal spoils about three letters]steyn to Joine ye Imperialists          
 who had left Dinant & passt ye Meuse at Namur ye Day before in order to        
 their Conjunction, Tis thought they designe to set upon ye Prince of           
 Conde, they beeing much stronger but wee are told ye Prince of Conde was       
 marcht from Charleroy, & was ye 22 at Manbeux on ye Sambre, the 22d Count      
 Monterey marcht from Brussells wth what forces they had ready towards ye       
 Prince of Oranges Camp soe secretly that it was not Knowne till hee was        
 gone                                                                           
      L.c. 63   [Handwriting changes here.]   July ye 23 1674                   
 +Letters from Jamaica April 30th speake the prosperous and healthfull          
 condition of that Island; the Inhabitants haveing sent from thence             
 a greater quantity of goods of the sole produce of that Country that           
 voyage more then ever came formerly from thence & yet the ships lef more       
 goods then they carry  The portland wch was sent to the Havanna comeing        
 by pt Aguina a Small Island in the Bay of Honduras, tooke a Duch caper         
 of 16 Guns 200 tons & 100 Ton of Logwood  The ffrench Governor of              
 Tortugas has bene at port Rico with about 8 or 10 vessells & 500 men but       
 without success.  The Vessells that carried up the men being victualled        
 after the Indian manner fell into want & not being able to keep Company        
 landed at the first Leeward Bay of Port Rico were stragling up & downe         
 to looke [for?] victualls 3 or 4 Spanish Lancers fell upon them & cutt         
 of about 50 The governor himself narrowly escapeing, upon wch he returnd       
 for Tortugas wch he has since deserted out of an Apprehension of the           
 Spaniards & Capers & is now setling on the maine of Hispaniola, Sancta         
 Domingo is distroyed by an Earthquake & the Spainards very few & poore         
 otherwise it had bin easie for them to have escaped the Coast of the           
 french, who are likewise few & Miserable poor and under great                  
 apprehensions  There is also come from Jamaica one of the Kings men of         
 Warr that was sent with the Governor of that Island for his uses bringing      
 with him a Dutch prize wch they tooke of Guiny wherein were 600 Negroes        
 a great quantity of Gold, & teeth [?] & to a Very considerable Value           
 With them is also returnd the Lady Linch wife to Sir Thomas & Mr               
 Muddyford Eldest son to Sir Thomas late Governor, who all affirme the          
 place to be in a very good Condition, but that they had not heard of           
 the peace or for some Monthes past had any ships from England                  
 +ffrom Parris we heare that Leiut Collonnell Scott who served his Maty         
 under that Carrector in the Lord Vaughans Regiment, has bin most               
 strangely murdered in a quarrell by some persons of quality upon wch           
 his Most Christian Majesty has dispatcht an express to his Maty of             
 England wth his assurance that the persons that did the fact shall             
 be carefully sought for & receive from him neither protection or               
 pardon but be prosecuted wth all possible severity  They also tell             
 us that Madam Moysilla Monpensive has at last obtained the freedome            
 of the Count de Lawson her favourite by surrendring her principalityes         
 of Danby to Madam Monrespan upon which the King has sent Coaches to            
 fetch the Count to Court & into his favour againe  the King is makeing         
 great Leveys againe there & now all Overtures of peace seeme to                
 sleep for awhile since the Death of Count Tott the great promoter of           
 them whose loss is much bewailed by that Court, the defeate in Rousillon       
 is said to be confirmd wch does a little disturbe the pleasure that            
 Court now takes at Versallyes where there is the rarest divertisments          
 by fireworks &c that has bene seen in france                                   
    The Spainards give this account of the action that on the 27th of           
 June the Duke of Scomburgh intending to releive Barnes in                      
 Rousillon wch the Spainards had beseiged the Duke de St German who             
 commanded the Spanish forces upon the appeareance of the french                
 withdrew his Army & caused them to march away wch made the french more         
 Eager to pursue them but when the Spaniards saw the french over the            
 River wheeled about & haryed the french wth such success that they             
 Killed 1600 upon the place & tooke 400 prisoners whereof the Generall          
 of the horse & Scomburgs sonne were of the Number with many officers &         
 volunteers beside 600 horse all the Baggage & Artillery & were in              
 pursuit of the Duke of Scomburg who was goeing to perpignon                    
    from Brussells of the 27th they write yt Sir William Temple was             
 returned to the Hague by the way of Antwerp haveing visited the Prince         
 of Oranges Campe, That the Prince has resolved to attaque the Prince of        
 Conde, but tis said he will not be able to oppose him  The Duke of Savoy       
 has write to the Elector of Bavaria that [about nine letters blurred]          
 stand stifly to the interest of france he will disert him, the Emperor         
 has sent to bid them guard Conflans & withdraw theire succour from             
 france to wch they have answered they will doe wch is best for them            
 Turene lyes on this side phillipsburg & Bournonville within 4 houres of        
 Mayenne with intention to goe thence to Conflans  8 hundred Germans            
 meeting a party of french last weeke neere Openheim worsted them &             
 brought most of them prisoners to ffrankendale   The french are said to        
 Murmure much the want of Trade soe that if some speedy course be not           
 taken they must of Necessity necessarily be some disturbance on theire         
 account                                                                        
    The Confederate Princes have had some consultation about the peace &        
 would have the Venetians admitted as mediators & tis said if it goe on         
 London may be the place for it  from Nantz & places thereabouts wee            
 heare that the Dutch still keep possesion of Marmonteire where most of         
 theire fleet then were   They made some ffortifications in the Islelands       
 & demanded a summe of Money of the Inhabitants not to spoyle theire            
 Harvest and wast theire estates but they being not in a Capacity to pay        
 leave themselves to the discretion of theire Conquerors wch hitherto           
 there has bene more Comendations then [?] Complaints  6 of their ships         
 more [were?] at anchor at the South end of the Isle of Rhee & an Army at       
 the North end who if they containe & be watchfull many of the french           
 Merchants must fall into theire hands                                          
      L. c. 64   [Handwriting changes here.]   July ye 25 1674                  
    Thursday Evening arived in ye Downes 7 East India ships most Richly         
 Laden The names whereof are                                                    
    The London of 400 Tun                                                       
    The East India Mercht of 350                                                
    The Anne of 450                                                             
    The Bombay of 370                                                           
    The Ceasar of 500                                                           
    The Unity of 325                                                            
    The Massing Beard of 450                                                    
    These are all our Company Expect this yeare, Wanting but 3 of their         
 whole number wch were unhappily taken by the Duch before they left ye          
 Indyes.                                                                        
    from Plymouth Wee heare that a Duch man of Warr was come in there           
 in her Way home from their fleet wch shee left at Normonstein, but were        
 then designeing a farther attempt, on what hee would not owne, he alsoe        
 sayes that De Ruyter has got wth him the last part of their fleet &            
 land men, & that they doubt not of makeing themselves masters of all ye        
 french have in ye West Indies                                                  
    The German advices bring nothing yet of any action, the Empr has of         
 late permitted ye Prince of ffurstenburgh to Enjoy more liberty then           
 formerly wch makes his friends hope his Imperiall Maty may at last             
 hearken to ye great Intercessions made for him, & by that meanes               
 Introduce a Concession to a treaty for a Genell peace, wch most believe        
 Wee shall soon have, Monsr ODyke is not yet arrived, from Holland, &           
 they say Comes to make some very materiall Overtures to his Maty on ye         
 Prince of Oranges account                                                      
    fryday his Maty was pleasd to bee present at Councell & adjournd ye         
 farther meeting of that Board till ye first Councell day after ye 22 of        
 next moneth when his Maty Returnes to White hall, the buisness of ye           
 Composition Trade, & the petition of ye Cloath Workers agst ye                 
 exportation of White Cloathes were put off                                     
    The french post being newly come in brings litle of Moment, ffrom           
 Genoa Wee heare ye french men of Warr on their Coast were returnd for          
 Tholoun, Where they have 32 men of Warr, 24 galleyes, & there are 30           
 Barques ready to sail for Cattalonia & 10 or 12 men of Warr, where ye          
 Spaniards say they have given the french a defeat  This last weeke Capt        
 Purefoy of Coldecort dyed in London & is intended to be interrd at             
 Coldecort Wednesday Evening                                                    
      L. c. 65   [Handwriting changes here.]   July 28 1674                     
 +Our Letters from ffrance bring us nothing of newes and give us noe            
 account of the Dutch fleet wch is reported to be sayled under the              
 Comand of Leuit Admirall Vantromp towards the Streights to joyne               
 with the Spanish Armado                                                        
    All our Letters from fflanders say that the Dutch are resolved              
 to fight & use all meanes to provoke the Prince Conde to a Battle,             
 who is soe strongly intrencht yt he may avoid it if he please, In the          
 meane tyme the Spaniards Complain of the disorders of the Dutch                
 Soldiers, & they that care is not taken [sic] yt ought to supply them          
 constantly with provisions for its confidently said yt they have bine          
 sometymes 2 or 3 dayes together without bread, Count Mountery Continues        
 in the Campe in quality of a Voluntere onely                                   
   from Holland they write that Mountseiur Rapenhaup has now formally           
 beseiged Grave that he was about Raising his Battery and that the 21/31        
 passed they would open theire trenches, in the meane tyme the beseiged         
 Defended themselves very well & have made severall sallyes, and as they        
 have sufficient stores of all sortes of Amunition soe are they not in          
 the least sparing of it, but fire upon the beseigers without any               
 intermission   The 29 Sir William Temple his Matys Ambassador to the           
 States returnd to the Hague not haveing been able to see ye Prince of          
 Orange by reason of his continuall march.  The Spanards Its said are as        
 yet very unwilling to heare of a peace that ye Raed Pensonary Fagell was       
 goeing to Nimigen to assist at the seige of Grave  The Marquis de Chamely      
 is Governor of that place  The States have resolved to raise ye 200th          
 [?] soone by way of Loane at the rate of 4 per Cent & that this interest       
 may be constantly payd, they have settled a ffond for it by doubling the       
 Imposicons yt are allready on turfe, and burning wood  the money now           
 raised is to be imployed for the payment of the Prince of Oranges Army &       
 the other expenses yet of this yeare, Its said that the Brandenburg            
 fforces are on theire march towards the Palatinate but that its beleived       
 it would be the later end of the Next Moneth before they arrive theyre         
    ffrom Rochell wee heare yt 2 french East India ships vallued at             
 300000 L were gott safe thither haveing strangly escaped the Dutch fleet       
 yn before yt river                                                             
      L. c. 66    [Handwriting changes here.]   July ye 30 1674                 
    ffrom Brussells of ye 4th of August wee heare that ye Imperialists,         
 Spanish, and Duch armyes were all joynd & make up one entire army,             
 though under severll Genells, Genell Souches has the Right Wing wch            
 makes ye van Guard, wch great body (Consisting as is said of above             
 60000 men) advances toward the Prince of Condes camp wch is still at ye        
 old post, & soe fortyfied yt they cannot attaque him wthout great              
 disadvantage to themselves.  yet are they now come soe nigh each other         
 now that parties of Each meet dayly & Skirmish, the Elector of                 
 Brandenburg is alsoe on his march toward ye Meuse wth 16000 men                
    ffrom flanders of ye 7th of august we heare that ye 3d ye armyes,           
 were to bee abt Genappe 3 Leagues from Tresigne [?] where the Prince of        
 Conde is encampt, haveing a Considerable recruit Come to him of 8000 men       
 soe that now hee is 44000 strong & all our Letters give great expectation      
 of some great & sudden action, The seige of Grave appears more difficult       
 than was at first Imagind, soe that more men & cannon are sent to              
 reinforce Monsr Rabenhapt,  Turene has the Pallatinate at his                  
 discretion, & is goeing or gone to Phillipsburg.  Bournonvill has not          
 recd Recruites enough to adventure on him. The Circle of Suabe being very      
 backward in sending [sic]                                                      
    The Effects of the late great stormes in Holland ye Gazett mentions         
 [Note in same hand at end of letter:] Sr the more then ordnary buisness        
 of this Anniversary of Lammas affords us here this day, will not               
 possibly allow us to Waite on yo[u]r Worpp this day  therefore humbly          
 begg yo[u]r Worpp pardon.                                                      
      L.c. 67     August ye 1st 1674                                            
    This morning came to towne from Windsor his Maty & Royall Highness,         
 who were pleasd to Honor my Ld Viscount Yarmths sonne by being God             
 fathers to his Child Joynd with ye Lady Yarmth, & ye Lady Shannon ye two       
 grandmothers, & gave it ye name of Charles after wch Ceremony they             
 returnd to Windsor againe                                                      
    The Earle of Pembroke is to bee Interrd wth much pomp & state for wch       
 great preparations are makeing                                                 
    ffrom ffallmth wee heare that a vesell from france was Imported there       
 who left Rochell a few dayes since & ye Duch fleet then before it.  She        
 alsoe sayes that by agreemt wth ye french they had ye liberty to Come          
 ashore at Bell Isle wch put ye Country about in great feare & made them        
 heartily wish for peace, it was partly a mistake that was formerly said        
 abt ye 2 East India ships comming into Rochell, these being but one from       
 ye East Indies, ye other from ye West Indies but both very richly laden.       
 & Escapt narrowly                                                              
    All our letters from Spaine & ye Streights bring us dayly Confirmation      
 of ye good news that Tangier is like to prove the Riches Port & ye             
 greatest of any in those parts, for dureing this Warr it is the Whole          
 mart & harbour for all European Comodities, & it will bee found soe            
 convenient that in all probillity it will long Continue soe                    
    ffrom Heydleburg of ye 26 past wee heare that Monsr Turene haveing          
 pillaged Ladenburg, and ye villages thereabout left his quarters on the        
 Neckar & marcht toward Phillipsburg, to Repass ye Rhyne there but what         
 hee will doe afterward is not knowne.                                          
    Its said 4 Rigimts are comeing from Bohemia to Joyne wth ye Duke of         
 Bournonville, & that 5000 men are gone from ye Imperiall army and ye           
 Comand of ye Baden likewise to Joyne wth ye said Duke, but ye Circles of       
 ye Empire are not very forward to send their troops beeing frightend at        
 what they see has happened in ye Pallatinate.                                  
 +Letters from ye East Indies of June last say the french wth ye men of         
 warr under Monsr de la Hay had taken St Thome by surprize, where they          
 landed their men & cannon, & fortifyd the place, but that ye Duch had          
 sent severall men of Warr to Retake it, the french in it are said to           
 have behaved themselves bravely makeing severall salleys to ye great           
 slaughter of ye Dutch & hold out wth much Resolution, in the meane tyme        
 upon a report that King of Candy upon ye Island of Ceylon from whence          
 they have all their spices, They have sent for their men of Warr from          
 before St Thome, The Dutch say in their advices from ye Indies that ye         
 English are forbiden to trade to Japan.  The taken [sic] our 3 East            
 India ships cost them for besides some of their ships lost, they had 700       
 men kild in ye action                                                          
    L. c. 68   [Handwriting and size of paper change here.]  Aug: 4 1674        
 Monday 3/On Saturday last the Spanish Ambr left Windsor in a very              
 weak Condition and is gone by Coach to Southampton for Spaine in one of        
 his Matyes yachtes yt lyes there ready for him                                 
 +on Satt night her Maty and attendance Came to towne for a few dayes           
 and returnes to morrow they say to Windsor                                     
 +Sr John Baker is shortly to marry my lady Viscountess Bayning of foxley       
 it being already agreed on                                                     
 +This morning came my lord D of Monmouth earles of Arlington Ossory &          
 divers other persons of honr to dyne to morrow at Grayes Inne, as yeet         
 it is not certainly knowne whether his Maty will be here or noe.               
 Tuesday 4/our letters from Holland of the 7th inst new stile tell us           
 that they had that day newes from flanders that ye armyes were quarterd        
 in the Neighborhood of Nivelle and yt that day they were to march              
 nearer to the Pr of Conde who Continues in his former quarters that            
 ye seige of Grave advances but slowly the beseigers haveing not as             
 yet made use of theire Cannon yt in ye meantime ye besieged forced upon        
 them, wthout Intermission [?] though wthout doeing any great harme not         
 above 6 prsons haveing been killed by their shot  That they had not an y       
 newes of their fleet though they expected to hear of some action from          
 ym  That Monsr Turrenn has repassed the Rhine at Philipsburgh, but yt          
 it was uncertaine whether he would march into Lorrain or goe and               
 beseige Frankendall                                                            
 +The last newes from ye Palatinate sayes yt Monsr Burnonville had been         
 refused boates from frankfort, but yt had not hindered him makeing a           
 bridge on ye rein at Florsheim  from Switzerland wee heare the Canton of       
 Zurich had received 60000 Crownes in part of ye great summe due to ym          
 from france  The Liege ltres say that Monsr Ventall [?] Comeing from           
 Charleroy to Grave wth 300 horse was taken and carryed a way to Namur,         
 but Its believed to be a Dutch lye  The 31 past wee hear yt 70000 french       
 wth 6 pieces of Cannon were Come wthin 2 leagues of Neivelle to forrage,       
 and had carryed from thence 300 carts of Corne and other things.               
   L. c. 69  [Handwriting and size of paper change here.] Augt. ye 6 1674       
    ffrom Marselles of ye 1st inst they write that an English Vessell           
 was arived there in 13 dayes from Tangier the master of wch said               
 3 days before hee came thence & being in that Road news came that              
 the Earle of Midleton dyed of an accidentall fall ye day before                
 but could give noe further perticulars, onely that it was feared the           
 Governors death would very much Retard the Treaty that was soe well            
 advancet betwixt that citty & the Moores, since wch Letters from Mallaga       
 July ye 17 give this farther account, that hee had beene very Weake &          
 troubled wth ye flux about 2 moneths before, & on ye 28th of June being        
 in his bed called for one of his servants at midnight to bring him a           
 Candle who not heareing, his Ldpp rose out of his bed himselfe to looke        
 for a light and his servant lyeing Cross ye doore hee stumbled & fell          
 over him and broke his arme short off by ye shouldr soe that he Dyed ye        
 30 & was to bee buried ye 13 of July                                           
    ffrom Paris Wee heare that Count Lanson had not onely obtained his          
 liberty & ye King's favour but had got leave to Marry Maddam Montpensier       
 & was to bee restored to all his former Employmts & besides to bee made        
 Coll of his Maties Regimt of Swiss guards  The Prince of Conde has Writt       
 that hee lyes within a league & halfe of ye Imperiall army, there was          
 some talke that if ye Prince would not be gott to fight they would pass        
 by him & get into france, but it is not very probable, but something           
 they say must bee done very suddenly                                           
    ffrom Dover Wee heare that a packett boat from Callais was come in          
 there bringing many passengers that travelld through fflanders who say         
 it was expected Every day when both armyes would Engage ye Prince of           
 Conde haveing dayly recruits come to him, & ye fflanders letters are           
 hourly Expected by wch tis Expected wee shall heare further.                   
 +Sir Wm Swan his Maties Residt at Hamburg is arived thence                     
   Wednsday night happend a litle fire amongst ye stables in Duke Street        
 in Lincolnes Inne feilds wch did noe great harme.                              
    His most Xtian has sent a way part of his household Guards to the           
 assistance of ye Prince of Conde but speakes not of Removeing from             
 Versailles himselfe, being Willing to leave all to the Mannagemt of ye         
 Prince of Conde whose Conduct is highly Comended  The Duke of Orleans          
 has Writt to ye Electr Pallatine to press him to make a peace wth his          
 Bro: to wch ye Elector has answerd that hee accounted it neither safe          
 nor Honrble, nor at all consistent wth his Interest wch is inseparable         
 from ye Empire  Marshall Turene haveing repast the Rhyne had his head          
 quarters at Lund & it was Judgd designed to Joyne the Prince of Conde,         
 before he should Engage.                                                       
 +The Seuir Schellart an Officer in the Duke of Lorranes army being at          
 Mentz shott his pistoll at ye french King's Armes wch stood over the           
 gate of ye french Envoy who Complained to ye Elector & hee to ye Duke of       
Lorraine, the Duke Clapt the Officer in Chaines & sent  him to the              
Elector who deliverd him to the Envoy to use at his pleasure, who Onely         
Doomed him to offre pardon for the Insolence where it was Committed, wch        
done & the officer Excuseing it as done in his Drinke, the Envoy wrott to       
the Duke to Intercede that hee would take him into favour againe                
      L. c. 70     August ye 8th 1674                                           
 +ffrom fallmouth of ye 3d Wee heare that ye day before there came a            
 Vessell from Rochell wch sayes that ye Duch fleet lay still thereabouts,       
 & that it Was said they would goe force St Martins, wch place does not         
 feare them being very Well provided                                            
    Letters from Ostend speake as if they had Certaine news that ye Duch        
 had gott ye Intire possession of Bell Isle to ye noe small Discouragemt        
 of ye Inhabitants thereabouts who saw themselves in a Condition of             
 defence had they had Incouragemts.                                             
    ffrom Brussells Wee heare that a Duch Capt wth ye horse in hopes of a       
 good Booty Went into a Wood neare ye french Camp where they met wth 600        
 french Horse that lay in Ambush & were all Cut off except ye Comander &        
 3 more                                                                         
 +fflanders tell us the 2 armys have Certainly fought, & that ye                
 french are routed though wth great loss to ye adversarys, & Death of ye        
 Holland Genell  Butt Letters from Deip say they have positive news from        
 Paris by express on Wednsday last, that the Prince of Conde had falln          
 upon the Rere of Enimy, had kild many thousands & taken many prisoners,        
 But wch amount to beleive is not yet knowne                                    
      L. c. 71     Aug ye 11th 1674                                             
 +ffrom Paris of ye 15th Wee heare that their letters from ye Camp brought      
 them advice that Capt Monterrey in his returne from ye Campe fell into         
 an ambushe of ye french out of wch hee narrowly Escapet whilest his            
 guards fought & were all cut off, these letters alsoe add that ye Prince       
 of Conde has writt that after ye Battle hee had summond all ye Governrs        
 of frontiers to drayne their garrisons to come to him hee being Resolved       
 to pursue ye Enimy whom they had soe happily disperset, & had blockt up        
 Ipres, & then heard nothing of Monsr Turene  The Swiss they say did not        
 fight although Comanded, & as yet ye reason is not publiquely knowne.          
    from ye Hague they say that ye East India Companies letters advise          
 them yt their admirrall has gained a great victory agst ye french in           
 those parts & had taken yt St Thome in ye Kingdome of Bengale & all            
 their forts, & Monsr la Hay & 1600 french prisoners.                           
    ffrom Bruges they say that a vessell arived there reports that ye           
 Duch have made a 2d descent on Bell Isle & carryed it & haveing put into       
 it a good garrison were sayled toward Rochell.  Trump has bene lately          
 seene off Cadiz Bay wth 30 saile in some other designe                         
    The account wee have from Holland of ye fight ye 11th instant is            
 that ye Prince of Conde sent out, or as some say laid in ambush 10             
 or 12000 men who falling upon ye Reare of ye Enimy routed them &               
 tooke a great part of ye Prince of Oranges Baggage wch they burnt, &           
 had once taken 7 of his Cannon, but by that tyme ye Prince of Orange           
 & ye Germaines faced about & charged ye french soe furiously, that             
 they were forcet to retire into their camp & leave ye Confederates             
 masters of ye feild, & Consequently as they say Conquerours, they              
 say they have lost 4000 men & ye french 6000, of ye Prince of Oranges          
 army Count Waldeck & his sonne Count Erback as alsoe the Rhynegrave,           
 Monsr Overkerk Coll Palme &c: are Wounded, & many cheife officers              
 kild.  The Prince of Orange was himselfe Engaged 2 houres.  The french         
 at ye same tyme speake ye Victory on their side, & that their Returning        
 to their Camp was noe more then they at first Resolvd on after they had        
 Cut off ye Enimies Reare, they owne they have lost 5000 men, but say           
 they have kild 10000 of ye Enimy & that they have taken severall of            
 their Cheife officers prisoners.                                               
      L. c. 72     August ye 13th 1674                                          
    On ye 11th the Ld Dacres [?] was marryed to ye Duchess of Cleavelands       
 Eldest Daughter                                                                
    His Maty intends God Willing to remove to London ye 29th of this            
 moneth.                                                                        
    On ye 10th the Bp of Oxford kisst his Maties hand for ye Bpricke of         
 Durham.                                                                        
    The present Ld Chamberlaine will Certainly lay downe his staff soe          
 soone as ye writeing Relateing to ye agreemt bee finisht, wch done ye          
 Earle of Arlington will be Ld Chamberlain Sr Joseph Williamson secretary,      
 of state, & Mr Phillip Loyd Clerke of ye Councell.                             
    Tuesday Even my Monsr ODyke the Other Duch Ambr arivd here from             
 Holland. & as yet remaines in Cognito                                          
    Wednday Sr Jonathan Atkins Governr of Barbadoes tooke his leave of          
 his Maty & intends to be goeing next Weeke.                                    
    Both french, Duch, & flanders letters all agree that ye fight began on      
 ye 1st, between 11 & 12, & lasted till after midnight, the Confederate         
 army marcht in veiw of the Prince of Condes Camp seeming to designe for        
 france, The Prince of Conde fell upon their Rere, & wth that Violence          
 that wth ye slaughter of many of ye Confederates ye french at 1st              
 posest ye Waggons of ye Prince of Orange, the Waggoners haveing taken          
 ye Horses they could onely Rifle not carry them off  Each party gives          
 themselves ye Victory, but Certaine it is the loss was great on all            
 sides The number not yet agreed to, the french say they have taken 4000        
 prisoners, & lost 3000 men, the Confederates say they kept ye field & ye       
 french Retreated haveing lost more men then they, the Prince of Orange         
 was about 2 houres mingled amongst ye french, in great danger, very many       
 of ye stoutest about him & Vollunteers beeing Kild or Wounded, the             
 Spaniards behaved themselves Bravely, the Germans by Relation of all           
 sides fought to admiration, of those of ye best Character of ye french         
 side, the Duke De Enguien wounded delivereing to his father the Prince         
 of Conde a 3d Horse, Mounsr de ffourilles Lieut Genell Wounded, Monsr          
 Montall & Monsr Rochfort Marshalls de Camp Wounded, the one in ye thigh,       
 Count de Lussan Wounded Monsr Soubicz legg shott off, of ye Prince of          
 Oranges Army Count Waldeck & Count Esbuck his sonne in law Wounded, the        
 Rhynegrave dangerously Wounded wth a musket in ye shouldr, Seuier              
 Overkerke shot in ye head.  Coll Palline & Coll Espe Wounded, Langerack        
 Porlens & Veorsen [?] kild, Prince Maurice of Nassaw, Prince Solmes &          
 Coll Hornbeck Missing  of ye Spaniards Count Lovigny, Marqss d'Alsentar,       
 Kild, Prince Charles of Lorrain Wounded wth many others, & ye more             
 letters arive ye greater is the account of persons of quallity lost            
    Monsr Turene is Returnd toward Neustadt & frankendale as if hee             
 intended to beseige one of those places, the Spanish army is Encampt           
 near Mons, the Imperialists neare Binck, & ye Prince of Orange                 
 neare them on ye other hand all in an Open plaine ready to Joyne               
 Batle upon ye first Occation  all ye Troops that can bee spared are            
 drawne out of ye Spanish garrisons & a considerable body of them got           
 together, & on Wednsday night Genell Agourta Went out on some unknowne         
 designe.  Its Certainly thought ye army will make a new attempt one one        
 [sic] another suddenly, the States have sent 500000 Guilders to ye             
 Officers of their army for a supply, all ye money in their Camp haveing        
 bene plunderd, the Swedes Ambr has bene with severall of ye States             
 deputies & exprest his feares of ye ill Consequence of this fight, in          
 retarding ye peace, & that there was noe hope ye King of france would          
 name a place for a treaty. haveing already protested hee will not named        
 any till ye Prince of furstenburg be releast                                   
 +The Confederates in the Pallatinate are hard beset, & feare some Blow         
 wthout speedy help  The Duke of Bournonville is Retreated to Gensheim [?]      
 or Gustaffsburg where hee expects to meet ye succours promised him, the        
 States have Recd in letter from Count Horne & tromp that the french            
 Coasts Were too Well Guarded to bee attaquet, but that they promise            
 themselves much success from that part of ye fleet that is gone to ye          
 West Indies  They still lye upon ye Coast of Bayonne.                          
      L. c. 73    [Handwriting changes here.]    August the 13th 1674           
      ffrom flanders we heare that ye Prince of Conde continues still in        
 his Campe at Pieton thought [sic] the confederats by the Siege they            
 resolve to under take hope to draw him from thence though at the same          
 time their feare is that when they are set downe before any place the          
 Prince of Conde may march directly to Brussells, wch the not so strong         
 [sic], or else goe releive Grave the Siege of wch advances very slowly.        
    ffrom Sebastian they write that the 31 of July arrived there Leiutt         
 Admirall Trompe wth 60 Sayle of men of warr, & others haveing left a           
 Squadron on the Coast of france, the said Leuitt Admirall Trompe & Count       
 Cesario were a shoare & treated by the Governor, & Supplyed wth fresh          
 provisions, & such [?] refreshmts that it was not knowne when they would       
 sayle againe.                                                                  
    ffrom france we hear not as yet a perticuliar account of the names of       
 their chief officers that were killed & wounded in the late fight.  Its        
 said the King of france is about calling the arriere band of all Gentry        
 of the Kingdom together                                                        
    ffrom Cologne they write the D: of Bournonville does at prsent no           
 thing but chang his Quarters in Expectation of the arrivall of the D: of       
 Lunenburghs troops as likewise those of the Elector of Brandenburgh wch        
 when arrivd he will have an army of 26000 men & will doe something of          
 moment  Monsr Tureen is not marching as was said towards flandrs but           
 according to our last Lres hee has his quarters about Philipsburgh all         
 the Lres from flanders say the Confederates armys were going to beseige        
 doway or Tournay, & some Lres say that Leiutt Genll Agurto had allready        
 invested the latter wth a body of horse                                        
 +Since the fight Count Montery has joyned 5000 fresh foot wth the Armys,       
 drawne out of severall Garrisons,                                              
    Our Lres arrived this day from Holland seem to Complaine very               
 much of the Spanish horse & say that they giveing ground neare their           
 own Infantry & put them into great disorder, they likewise complaine           
 that the Spanish Comandrs makeing use of their knowledge of the Country        
 sent their bagage as a few [?] wilst they expected the Prince of Oranges       
 wch they say was pillaged more by the Spaniards runawayes then by the          
 french that the Prince of Orange is very much offended wth Monsr Lovigny       
 to whome this miscarryage is imputed, they add that the waggons wth the        
 Princes money that were thought to be lost are Come to Monse                   
                     [Handwriting changes here.]                                
 +ffrom Southampton we heare that on friday was 7 night the Spanish             
 Ambr imbarqued there for the first port in the Spanish Territoryes             
 being still very sicke & weake & will be in hourely expectation of             
 another Minister from thence being at present without any from that            
 Crowne  On friday last the first approaches to the attake on the fort          
 at Windsor was made, and the most part of this weeke the forme of the          
 Solemne seige will be shown there                                              
    This Morning my Ld Tresurer went to Windsor from whence he intends          
 for the Bath for a few dayes for the better recovery of his health             
    The Muscovite has assured the K of Poland of his Masters helpe              
 who sayes has already obtained a considerable advantage in the Ukraine         
 against the Tartars haveing taken theire Generall & 3 of theire Chefe          
 Commanders and 40 of theire princi[p]all officers & se[seal spoils             
 about three letters] to the Czarr all their standards & ensignes.              
 +ffrom Vienna we heare that Count Montecuculi was returning to his             
 Command of Schalisteine [?] of the Imperiall army in the Roome of the          
 Duke of Bournonville & was to bring wth him considerable recruits  That        
 a conspiracy had bin discovered of some of the Prince of ffurstenburghs        
 friends to sett him at Liberty, upon wch many considerable persons were        
 in great trouble and strickly prosecuted by the Emperours Ministers  The       
 Confederate Army are incamped Betweene Ryhne & the Maine & Monsr Turenne       
 betweene Landau & Weisenburg                                                   
      L. c. 74    [Handwriting changes here.]    Aug ye 20th 74                 
 +The English & Duch Comissers for Regulateing Trade have had a meeting         
 at ffishmongers Hall soe that something will bee done in that affaire          
 suddenly.                                                                      
    On Teusday sennight his Maty Resolves to Returne to London for all          
 Windsor [sic] except hee make a step to new markett wch is yet uncertaine.     
    Wednsday his Royall Hss was in towne & dined at Sr Allen Appsleys &         
 returnd at night                                                               
    Dr Crews Conge D'Estre [?] for ye Bpprick of Durham is past, &              
 another passing for Dr Compton to succeed him to Oxford.                       
    A quarrell & Rencounter has lately happened at Salisbury betwixt the        
 now Earle of Pembroke & Mr Bernard Howard, in wch the Earle Recd               
 severall Wounds, of wch hee lyes dangerously ill tho not wthout hopes of       
 Recovery.                                                                      
    On Teusday the fort at Windsor was beseiged by ye Dukes of yorke &          
 Munmouth & ye Trenches carryed on neare to ye Out Workes, but ye King          
 goeing on Wednsday to a foot Race at Banstead Downes, & on thursday a          
 Hunting it was to lye still till fryday when ye Guns Would bee planted         
 agst it &c:                                                                    
 +Wee heare not as yet of a new Governr for Tangiers in ye Roome of ye          
 Earle of Midleton, many pretend to it, among wch are said to bee my Ld         
 Inchequin or Sr Hugh Cholmly.                                                  
    The Earle of Oxford is now perfectly Recoverd of his late illness           
 soe as hee goes abroad.                                                        
    The french have this list among them of their Inferiour officers,           
 in ye late fight vizt, 38 Capts Kild, 177 Wounded, 60 Leiuts Kild 276          
 Wounded, 1 ensigne Kild 25 Wounded 163 Sergeants Kild, 202 Wounded, &          
 of private Soulders 2115 Kild & 274 Wounded, what persons of greater           
 note were lost they mention not.                                               
    They Write from Ratisbon that they are pressing much ye speedy march        
 of ye forces of ye Empire & that ye Princes are now more unanimous then        
 Ever many giveing more then their quotas  The Duke of Bavaria indeed           
 does not hearken to ye instances made by ye Empr & ye Princes, who have        
 not bene able to prevaile wth him to grant passage to ye forces of             
 Stratzburg to Joyne wth those of Regensburg, alledging that ye King of         
 france has not yet declared him selfe Enimy to ye Empire, in soe much          
 that they have Resolvd to concerne themselves noe farther wth him nor          
 to require any of his advice in matters relateing to ye Empire &               
 therefore have Comanded ye forces of Ratisbon to goe downe ye Donau to         
 Lintz & there to Joyne those of Stratzburg & Passaw & thence to                
 march thro Bohemia into ye Pallatinate wthout giveing the Elector of           
 Bavaria any trouble.  There is some Jealousy the Turke may take an             
 ocation to quarrell ye Empr upon a Rencounter lately happend bet               
 the Governr of Leopoldstat, and ye Governr of Newhawsell                       
    The Elector of Brandenburg tis said will goe in person into ye              
 Pallatinate, hee, the Duke of Zell, Duke of Wolfenbotle, & ye                  
 Landgrave of Hessen haveing Resolved to keep an army of 20000 men on           
 foot in their Countrys to defend ye lower Saxony.  The Citty of                
 Bremen is in ye same allyance, The Empr, Spaine Denmarke, Holland &            
 those princes haveing Engaged their Guarranty in Oposition of any that         
 shall give them disturbance                                                    
    The Grandseignr has past ye Danube wth his army, & is said to have          
 sworne not to lay downe his armes till hee has taken vengeance on the          
 Poles for ye losses hee has lately sustaind, upon wch ye King of Poland        
 is about raiseing ye Ban & the areare Ban & has given a great summ of          
 money out of his owne treasury to ye Army to Encourage them agst ye            
 Comon Enimy.                                                                   
      L. c. 75     August ye 25 74                                              
    ffrom ffallmth Wee heare that a Vessell is come in there from               
 Rochell & sayes that ye Duch squadron under Tromp are Returnd to               
 Normonstein upon their Refusall to pay the mony they Contracted for            
 its ransome  that some of ye Duch ships heareing of 24 french that were        
 comeing out of Brest they were goeing to looke after them haveing done         
 nothing of moment since their leaveing ye french Coast                         
    ffrom Tangier Wee heare that ye 28 past there were then thereabout          
 24 ships from divers Countrys rideing in that Road wch had brought             
 ashoare there 100000 L worth of goods, that ye mole was in a prosperous        
 state & 6 stately Warehouses finisht upon it, & 14 more to be made on          
 that part allready finisht  That the Earle of Midletons death was a            
 great loss to that place, & the peace wth Sally not yet finisht                
    Sr Jonathan Atkins is Embarkt at Southampton on a man of Warr in            
 order to his passage to his Governmt of ye Barbadoes.                          
    This day sennight his Maty Certainly returnes to towne, & on fryday         
 sennight holds a Councell by wch tyme most of ye persons of Honnr Will         
 bee Come to towne.                                                             
    The Conge D'Elire [?] is this day past for Dr Comptons promotion to         
 ye see of Oxford.                                                              
    from flanders Wee heare that it was very uncertaine Wch Way the             
 Imperialists & Confederates army would march.  The litle agreemt that was      
 betweene the Genells being the Cause they soe long deferrd it, Monsr           
 Lovigny haveing bene but outwardly pardond by the Prince of Orange who         
 alsoe stomacht Count Montereys giveing ye Counterrsigne wch hee alwayes        
 pretended to when in ye army, & seemd to ye Others but a spy Upon their        
 actions wch Causd ye Imperialists to bee soe slack in their returne to         
 ye Batle at ye last attaque.                                                   
 +from Holland they write that they had advice that ye Confederate              
 armys had Resolvd to pass the Somme abt St Quentins & soe march by,            
 quite into france wch has allarmd ye frontiers of that Kingdome &              
 Caused the french King to hasten his areire ban, intending to appeare          
 at ye head of them himselfe & repell ye Enimy, & all ye inhabitants            
 have bene soe sensible of their danger that they are retyred into ye           
 fortifyed places wth their goods & Effects, & all ye seashoare is              
 filld wth troops of ye millitia & gentry that are guarding it agst ye          
 attaque of ye Duch fleet.                                                      
    Tis said Grave is almost upon ye point of surrendering, the french          
 haveing forsaken ye out workes & set fire to ye hutts they had                 
 builded on ye Counterscarp & retyred into ye body of ye place.  The            
 Duch Relations of ye late fight begin now to be more perfect finding           
 their loss not soe Considerable as they feard, they say what advantage         
 the Enimy had was at first, that 2 whole Regimts of Swisses Were Cut to        
 peices a 3d Refusd to fight & demanded quarter but it was not granted          
 them.                                                                          
      L. c. 76    [Handwriting changes here.]   August 27 1674                  
 +Thursday next the University of Cambridge prsent his Grace the Duke           
 of Munmouth with the Choyce of him for their Chancellor who receives           
 them at Worcester house in the Stran  the Ceremony its said will be            
 very Magnificent because many of the Nobility will out of respect to           
 the Duke be present at it                                                      
    ffrom Collogne the 28th past we heare that Barron de Issolla parted         
 thence for Vienna three dayes before & but [sic] a prospect of suddenly        
 returning thither againe to revue [?] the Treaty for a Generall peace          
 for wch many persons offer theire Mediation & tis thought the Emperour         
 may accept of his Maty of Brittains mediation if he continues soly Newter      
    The Elector of Bavaria has they say given passage to the Troopes            
 of the ArchBpp of Stratzburg through his Countrey & they are expected          
 dayly at Ratibon to goe wth those that Towne will send & wth those of          
 Swaben & to joyne the Duke of Bournonville in the Pallatinate  There           
 has bin great joy all over the Empire for the Emperor Sons Birth the           
 Newes of wch is they say carried by Express to divers princes                  
 +The Dutch fleet continue still before Mormonteere, but Count Horne            
 went a shore at St Sebastian, whence he went wth Don Bernard de                
 Salinas to Madrid whence he goes to Barcelona whilst some Dutch men of         
 Warr are sayling to put on shore 5000 of the Spanish Infrantry to be           
 joyned with theire Army haveing noe occation for them at Land.                 
    If this wett wether Continues its thought his Maty will returne to          
 Towne on Saturday, if the house can be made ready for him by that tyme         
 wch has beene all this while repaireing.                                       
    They talk of Don Charles being to be made Earle of Plimworth but as         
 yet noe pattent past for it                                                    
    From Paris we heare that the Count le Grand Pre & Marqhess Porsan           
 were reported to be dispatcht away to the prince of Conde the first to         
 be Leuit Generall of the horse the other of the foot under that prince         
 +There is a discourse that Treves will be demolisht to Augment the             
 Prince of Condes Army by the addition of that Garrison & those of the          
 fronteeres (wch are to be supplyed by the Militia) under the Governor          
 of Maestricht that he may be in a Capacity to doe something against            
 the Confederate Army who hover up & downe to disguise theire Intentions        
 wch are thought to be at last on some of the french Conquests in               
 Flanders.                                                                      
 +The Elector Palatine hath resolved to Comand in person the whole              
 Confererate Army in his Countrey & with them will beseige Phillipsburg         
 wch is much fortifyed and Mounsr Turene soe posted that he seems to            
 have noe intentions to remove.                                                 
 + ffrom Holland that the Duke of Hanover had sent to the King of               
 Denmarke to acquaint him that in regard the Elector of Brandenburg was         
 ready to pass thorrough his Countrey with a great Army, he had bine            
 forct to raise another to oppose him that if in his passage he should          
 keep within the bounds of the Constitutions of the Empire, he would            
 permitt it, but not suffer such disorders as they acted two yeares             
 since & desired his Maty that according to the treaty betwixt that Crowne      
 & the house of Bromswick he would Joyne his forces Jutland [sic] with          
 his Army to assist him to wch King answered it was a matter of great           
 Consequence to be well considered of                                           
 +The protestants in Hungary are handled wth such severity that 500 of          
 theire Ministers have left theire Countrey.                                    
      L. c. 77    [Handwriting changes here.]     August ye 29 1679             
      ffrom Ligorno they write that St John Baptist du Teill has                
 obtained of ye Grand Duke of Tuscany 50 slaves & 30 souldrs to help him        
 to carry the Gally built there for his Matys service to Tangier                
 intending to begin his voyage toward that place abt ye latter End of           
 this moneth.                                                                   
    The 24th instant arived at Plymth a small Vessell in 3 dayes from           
 Croysich [?] who sayes there was a squadron of 25 Duch men of Warr on          
 those Coasts, & that they had news there of ye arivall of ye french            
 West India fleet at Brest being very Rich                                      
    Sr Wm Lockhart Went hence for Paris on fryday                               
    His Maty continues his Resolution of Returning to Towne from Windsor        
Tewsday, many persons of quallity being come already                            
 +ffrom ye Hague of ye 4th of Sept Wee heare the Swedish Ambr has put           
 in his memoriall to ye States abt a treaty in wch tis beleived there           
 will bee noething done by reason ye Prince is absent who Continues wth         
 ye army & in great repute soe that they all would faine have him take ye       
 Whole Command upon himselfe, wch tho Souches much urges & seemes to make       
 appeare very necessary yet it gives Monterey noe small Jealousy, there         
 is great need of Infantry in his army wch wants 9692 of their number           
 Comprehending ye 2620 Wounded in ye late fight & ye 250 officers               
 prisoners.                                                                     
 +The Prince of Conde gives the Garrison of Grave Hopes of releife by the       
 drawing together 6000 men abt Meyseyke for that purpose, the beseiged          
 made a sally ye 30th instt at noone day wth 300 Dragoons wth Every one         
 a musketteer behind him who kild but 24 upon ye place but carryed away         
 70 prisoners 2 Capts 2 Ensignes & filld up a great part of ye trenches,        
 however Monsr Rabenhaupt sayes hee onely lacks drye Weather to make            
 himselfe master of ye place.                                                   
    The Duch have intercepted letters from Monsr Turene to his most Xtian       
 Maty wherein hee sayes hee has a sickness in his army of wch many dye          
 dayly.                                                                         
    On Saterday last Sr Wm Temple had his audience of ye states very            
 much to his satisfaction, being kindly Recd by them, hee offered his           
 Masters mediation for a peace & most partys seeme very Willing to it.          
      L. c. 78     Sept ye 3d 74                                                
    The Ld George FitzRoy 3d sonne to the Duchess of Cleaveland is made         
 Earle of Northumberland &c: for wch a pattent is passing, as alsoe             
 another for Createing Don Carlos Earle of Plymth:                              
    The Ld Dacres is made Earle of Sussex & a Pattent passing for it            
    Thursday afternoone the heads of the University of Cambridg made a          
 very handsome proceeding from Derby house to Worcester house where the         
 Duke of Munmouth was ready to Receive them & after the Ceremony treated        
 them most nobly at a Magnificent supper in ye presence of many persons of      
 great quallity                                                                 
    They Write from Hull Aug ye 29 that their greenland ships are Well          
 arived & Well laden  On ye 27 they had a Violent storme but had noe            
 account from ye Coasts of any loss more then a Swedish flyboat laden           
 wth hemp & flax from Riga who unfortunately ran ashoare to ye Norward          
 of Humber & in halfe an houre was splitt to peices, the Mr & men               
 saved but ye goods all lost, there were then abt 40 saile rideing in           
 Humber bound from ye East to London                                            
 +from Rye they Write that on ye 28 in the morning they saw in their Bay        
 70 or 80 saile of ships plyeing to ye Eastward at wch 2 flemish ships          
 Went into harbour who informed them they were part of ye Duch fleet            
 homeward Bound                                                                 
    ffrom ye Hague of ye 7th instant Wee heare that Grave has not yet           
 surrendred tho the Pentionary told ye States it could not hold out much        
 longer, the 4 guns that are planted on ye Ravelin they lately tooke does       
 them wthin much hurt, & when ye 4000 foot from Breda & Barsleduc [?]           
 arrived they hoped to make short Worke of it   the designe of ye               
 Confederates is not Certainly knowne but said to have bene that Ct             
 Souches should have Entred france whilest ye other 2 armies attended ye        
 Prince of Conde, but that Resolution was altred upon Count Montereys           
 faileing to send his promised recruits of 10000 foot & 5000 Horse soe          
 that now by ye great magazines makeing at Ghent, & 10000 peasants              
 gathering together betwixt that & Brussells makes it appeare they meane        
 for ye french Conquests                                                        
 +Mayseyke is dismantleing to Reinforce Maestreicht in wch there was            
 before 7000 men compleate                                                      
    ffrom Collogne of ye 4th they say that ye Confederates Were gone from       
 their quarters neare Mentz & by their march towards Crutznach Were             
 thought to intend for Lorraine but they had suddenly alterd their              
 march towards Openheim wth intentions to fight Turene, that their army         
 is 34500 strong, & that they expect beside the Brandenburg forces being        
 16000 2000 from ye Landgrave of Hess & Count Haran, that Monsr Turene          
 has had a supply of 4500 men, & Monsr Van brun is Coming to him wth more       
 besides ye forces hee Expects from ye Sar & ye Garison of Treves               
    They Write from Paris that ye Gentlemen of ye Ban & arrier Ban had          
 petitiond ye King to have a Prince to Command ym according to Custome,         
 & not to serve under ye Count de Rochfort.  They are all on their march        
 to their Rendezvouz & are to Beare their owne Charges as well in ye            
 army as else Where & none are exempted from service but onely ye Gentry        
 resideing in Paris who have offices in ye Parliamt & those above 60            
 yeares of age & have no sonns, the Citty of paris offer ye King 20000          
 men & to pay 10000 at their owne Charg Imediately if his Maty will             
 Winter there wth his houshold                                                  
      L. c. 79     7br ye 5th 1674                                              
    On Tewsday last was ye first tyme of our Comrs meeting wth ye Duch          
 abt adjusting trade in ye Indies, where Each Others powers Were perused,       
 & a begining made in the buisness wch tis hopet may have a good Effect         
    The New Lord Northumberlands titles are Earle of Northumberland             
 Viscount ffallmth & Baron of Pontfract in yorkshire, that for the Earle        
 of Plymth is not yet past ye signet                                            
    ffryday his Maty was pleasd to be at Councell but did nothing of            
 publique Concerne, & now ye Councell will be as regular as formerly.           
    The Ld Treasurer returnes to towne next Weeke & its hopet has found         
 Benefit by the Bath.                                                           
    ffrom Brussells of ye 11 Inst Wee heare that Ct Monterey has got            
 together 8000 foot, as many Horse, & abt 10000 Peysants, wch are alsoe         
 formed into Companys & had ye night before ordred their march next day,        
 but a Courier from ye Prince of Orange being arived hee had Contradicted       
 those Commands, & wth great Impatience people there Waite for a discovery      
 of ye great designe now in hand, wch is guest to be a seige of some            
 place in the french Conquests in flanders, The Confederate armys               
 Continue still at Vallencienes where Ct Souches is somewt indisposed,          
 but resolvd to keep his Camp at Crispin to face the Prince of Conde,           
 whilest ye other 2 armys prosecute their designd seige, they say he is so      
 posted that hee can Joyne wth Either of them before the french can doe         
 him any mischeife.                                                             
    The Marquess de Breda is returning to ye Confederate army wth ye 8000       
 hee was lately sent to reinforce Bournonville wth, who was to have a genell    
 Rendezvouz of his army in ye Pallatinate ye sunday before, & has 37000         
 men Effective & hourly hopes for ye Conjunction of the Brandenb forces,        
 & when that is done hee resolves they say to find out Monsr Turene who         
 had left ye Pallatinate soe clear that hee was forcet himselfe to quit         
 it for Want of forrage.  The Prince of Conde keeps still his old Post          
    The Duch Post sayes that young Ct Horne was arived at ye Hague              
 being sent Express from de Ruyter to give the States an acct that hee          
 was returnd into ye Channel from ye West Indies, where hee had made            
 some attempts upon Martinico, where the french, (haveing tymely notice         
 of his Coming) had soe well fortifyed themselves & all ye other                
 Islands that hee was repulsed wth loss, & found it Vaine to attempt            
 any further, & therefore desired orders wt to doe, that project utterly        
 faileing to their great disappoyntmt.                                          
 [On outside of letter is a canceled list of thirty-nine numbers of             
 "Gazetts wanting."]                                                            
      L. c. 80   [Handwriting changes here.]    Sept 8th 1674                   
 +On Saturday last the St David wth Sr Jonathan Atkins sayled from              
 Porthmouth from [sic] the Berbadoes with a very favourable wind                
 +Monday senight a ship under the Comand of on[e?] Cusable an                   
 Irishman came to Sherness & as the Governor was informd toke a Scotch          
 Vessell in the river thereabout, upon wch he sent out some Soldyers to         
 take her, of wch she haveing some Notice went to Sea againe, But the           
 Merlin Yacht goeing presently after her happily tooke her & tis thought        
 this person will be found to have done severall Piraticall Actions in          
 severall of the King Dominions  He had then but 13 men on board all wch        
 are seizd with him & will speedily be tryed for theire late actions            
    On Saturday the King went downe the river & returnd a Night                 
 +The King they say resolves for Newmarkett the latter end of the Moneth,       
 there being severall Matteres made for the first of the next, at wch the       
 King will be present                                                           
 +From Brussells of the 14th wee heare that on Tuesday last the 3 Armyes        
 past the River at Pontalhayr & are marched toward Aoth between that &          
 Turnay haveing altered theire intentions of divideing the Army, some           
 thing [sic] they may goe towards Dunkirk where they are least expected,        
 but others think they intend seige either to Aoth or Turnay  the Prince        
 of Conde has not quitted his force upon the Sambre  the Brandenburge           
 Troops bend the Course towards the Muse & when the seige of Grave is           
 over wch they expected dayly the Army before it, shalljoyne with them &        
 either go to Maestricht or march towards ffrance & great care is               
 taken by the ffrench to bring in all provisions into the Towne                 
 to secure it in case of necessity  And Turnay is most apprensive               
 of a seige upon wch they send [sic] upon theire Guard & the Governor           
 hath proffered to yeild it wch the Burgers have peremptory refused,            
 the Duke d Bournonvill continues indisposed at Tormes [?]  the Army of         
 the Confederates under the Comand of the Prince the Elector Pallatine          
 who is marcht with them within 4 dayes of Monsr Turene who continues           
 his post & resolves to accept of a Battell if they proffer it, wch they        
 firmly resolve  Some say whilst the Elector Palantine is fighting              
 Turene Brandenburg will alter his March & beseige Phillipsburg  The            
 Prince of ffurstenburg processe is making at Vienna & the other with           
 him will be executed suddenly but he perhaps not soe soone                     
       L. c. 81     September 10 1674                                           
 +Here has been lately seized & Committed close prisoner to the Gatehouse       
 one Alexander Burnett a Scott; for being a Romish preist in orders and         
 for endeavours to prevent the Kings Subjects from theire Religion and          
 this weeke he will be tryed at the Old Bayly with divers other Criminalls      
    From Chester we heare this weeke went from thence to Dublin my Lady         
 Essex wife to my Lord Leiut of that Kingdom with Divers other persons of       
 Quality                                                                        
 +On Tuesday Night my Lord Treasurer returnd from the Bath & this Weeke         
 my Lord Arlington Intends to go thither also for Confirmation of his           
 health                                                                         
 +The Swedish Ambr hath bine lately with ye Lords of the fforraigne             
 Comittee about something of Moment.                                            
   ffrom ye Hague we heare that the States the most part of the                 
 last month have been assembled about the Taxes for the next yeares             
 Warr  This yeares also not being yet perfectly discharged the States           
 are very much troubled at the returne of De Ruyter Insomuch that               
 they begin to blame his Conduct and thinke though he was repulsed              
 at some places he need not have quitted the whole designe wch will             
 redound soe much to theire prejudice that they no not how to owne              
 his haveing been abroad upon such a project  There other squadron have         
 also done nothing all this yeare to theire very great Charge & Damage          
 The Swedish Ambr at the Hague has renewd his instances for appoynting          
 of the place for the treaty & for nameing persons to manage the same wch       
 memoriall has been putt into the hands of the Deputye of the Secreet           
 affaires to be by them considered & Communicated to the Prince of              
 Orange whose absence is a very great obstacle to those affairs   since         
 Munday wee have had noe forreigne Letter                                       
    This Evening theire Maty & Court are diverted by a play acted by his        
 Royall Hss servants at White hall                                              
 +The ffrench Gazett Dat 15th makes very slyght of the seige of Grave           
 saying that after 40 dayes past since opening ye trenches they are noe         
 more likely to take then at first they came to it  Theire Letters tell us      
 of the Peasants in Picardy have secured theire Corne & prepared to burne       
 theire forrage upon approach of an Ememy  theire Advices from the East         
 Indies assure them the Dutch had not taken St Thome as was noised              
 abroade, but that on the Contrary Monsr De la Hay had defeated 20000           
 moores who beseiged it & beat of the Dutch yt were ashoare & that at           
 prsent ye place was very well fortifyed  The account from Rousillon            
 is yt the Spainard still mantaine theire old post neer the River Zech          
 [?] & that the ffrench keep their wthout any considerable action               
 passing betwixt them & That Monsr de Vivonne was still in the Coast            
 of Catalonia  They tell us of 6 great ships are gon with forces to             
 offer theire assistance to the Revolters of Messina  The Magistrates           
 of Paris in acknowledgment of the Kings favour in Exempting them from          
 the Ban & Arrier Ban waited upon them with theire most Umble thankes &         
 the proffer of 600 horse to serve as his Maty shall please to Comand           
      L. c. 82   [Handwriting changes here.]   7ber ye 12th 1674                
      Tuesday night the Earle of St Albans Ld Chamberlaine of his maties        
 Houshold surrendred his staff to his maty who was graciouisly pleasd           
 the morning to give ye same to ye Rt Honrble ye Earle of Arlington &           
 at ye same tyme to deliver ye seales of ye Secretarys office to Sr             
 Joseph Williamson who was presently sworne into ye same as alsoe one of        
 his maties most Honrble privy Councell, & tooke his place at ye board          
 accordingly                                                                    
      From ffallmouth Wee heare that into that port came 2 or 3 dayes           
 since a small Vessell the master of Which sayes that ye 30th past hee met      
 ye Duch squadron sayleing homeward abt 40 or 50 saile, who had bene upon       
 Bell Isle & plundred it, & burnt & plundred a litle Island calld Gray 6        
 Leagues from thence because those Islanders had hangd 2 men they left          
 a shoare when they were last there to take in Water & yn did ym noe            
 Harme, the people they sett a shoare upon Bell Isle.                           
    ffrom Brussells of ye 18 Wee heare that Grave continues still               
 beseigd, but that ye Duch are lodgd at ye Glass [?] of ye Counterscarp         
 soe yt Monsr Rabenhaup promises himselfe ye Mastership of that place           
 in 10 dayes, wch ye States think long till finisht & have therefore            
 by their letters hastend him                                                   
    Sr Wm Ballandine a Scotch Comander of a Regimt there, reveiwing ye          
 Worke has bene slaine by a Cannon shot                                         
 +The 3 Confederate Armys have at last set downe before Oudenard, & on          
 sunday last opend their trenches, & when ye seige is quite formd they          
 say ye Prince of Orange should wth his forces beseige Courtray, but            
 that buisness its thought Will bee let alone, The Prince of Conde              
 haveing left his quarters upon ye Sambre & marches wth great dilligence        
 toward ye Confederates, & yt night Viz. ye 18th would Encamp at Leuse          
 5 Leagues from Oudenard, where tis judgd ye seige Cannot advance much          
 longer by reason ye great guns were not Come to that army.                     
 +Brussells is very apprehensive that ye french may take a towne toward         
 ym & have set guards upon that place                                           
 +Count Monterey is now Courted by ye Other Genells to returne to ye            
 army but hee talkes more of goeing for Spaine  The Confederate Army in         
 ye Pallatinate Were ye 14 instant incampt halfe an houre from Spire at         
 Babien-rosen & but 6 houres from Monsr Turene who is encampt in ye             
 forest of Bunnswelt soe well that hee feares noe force haveing burnt           
 ye Country severall Leagues round him wch causes ye Confederates to            
 Want forrage & soe might not Continue long at their post, part of              
 their Army are Entred Lorraine thro ye Territorys of ye Duke d Deux            
 Ports.  The Brandenb Troops march soe slow yt its thought they dare not        
 march far fro thence, Genell Souches has Writ to ye States to assure           
 them of ye sincerity of his services, & that at ye late Batle of Seniff        
 he did, & hereafter should duly observe ye Prince of Oranges Orders who,       
 he said, shewd ye prudence of an old Experiencet Capt, ye Courage of           
 Caesar, the steadyness of Marius &c:                                           
   The Duch give this account of ye miscariage of Martinico, that they          
 had stopt up their Harbour wth ships they had sunk, & had wthin a ship         
 of 40 guns wch did them much mischeife at landing that they attempted          
 ye fort & Entred ye first Pallisadoes but before they Could gaine more         
 were beaten off, say Harlem letters, wth ye loss of 150, those of              
 Amsterdam 350, & those of ye Hague 500                                         
      L. c. 83     Sept ye 19 1674                                              
    On ye 14 ye Ld Lattimer son to ye Ld Treasr was made a Gentleman of         
 his Maties Bed Chamber                                                         
    The Oueen is Removeing from Whitehall to Hampton Court Where shee           
 Will spend some tyme for her divertisemt.                                      
    from Linn Wee heare that theire Ireland ships are far ye most part          
 returnd home Well fraight Wth fish                                             
    On ye 15th past by Dover abt 30 saile of ships Wch were Judgd to be         
 De Ruyter & his squadron from ye West Indyes                                   
    On ye 14 in ye morning the Earle of Claire Went from Rye for france         
 in One of his Maties yachts                                                    
    On ye 16 ye wind presenting faire, near 30 saile of English merchts         
 Outward bound set saile from ye Downes for Mallaga Cadiz &c: & ye              
 morning before a Duch Dogger Was sent into ye Downes by a french               
 Privateer.                                                                     
    Mr Secretary Coventry being now Eldest Secretary of State is now            
 Removed to the office Wch Was lately the Earle of Arlingtons, Where hee        
 acts in ye same Capacity the Earle did, Sr Joseph Williamson being             
 placet in that office wch was Secretary Coventrys.                             
 +ffrom Brussells Wee have this account of ye loss of ye Sr William             
 Ballandine, that haveing brought his Regimt from Boilduc to ye seige of        
 Grave hee went & paid his Respects to ye Genell, Wch done hee would in         
 Curiosity goe see ye halfe Moone ye french had blowne up, & in his             
 Return hee & a Leiut that was Wth him Were both kild by a Cannon shot of       
 36t Ball, Wch tooke Sr Wm on ye back Carryeing ye midle part of his body       
 away leaveing his head & Armes hanging by a litle skin, & his Heart found      
 intire 10 paces from his body Wch Were both conveyd to Boisleduc & there       
 interrd. They Could give no Judgment when ye towne Would be taken, that        
 depending upon theire Want wthin more then ye force wthout.                    
    Our Letters from ye Camp at Oudenard tell us that their attaques            
 Went on apace that ye Hollanders were nearest Wth theire approaches,           
 being on Wednsday night wthin 20 paces of the Counterscarp.  60                
 peices of Cannon Continually Battering, severall sallyes have beene            
 made in wch Monsr Spinolas [?] Regimt Recd much loss, & that ye                
 assaylants Were beaten Back, & Imediately after lost a Redoubt, Wee            
 are told from the Camp that ye Ports of Brussells and Tournay are              
 quite beaten downe, most of ye Enimies Cannon dismounted that ye               
 Duke de Villa Hermosa has Recd a slight wound upon ye breast that              
 Mounsr Lovigny had Recd a shott from a musket in his left hand                 
 but there being 3000 souldrs in it, & well fortyfyed its thought it            
 may not bee soe Easily taken as at first Imagind, the Duch have                
 taken a Church neare ye Counterscarp, but ye Waters that overflow              
 3 parts of ye skirts of ye towne will bee a great help to ye beseigd           
 in their defence                                                               
 +By an Express to Count Monterey from Oudenard of ye 21 Wee heare hee          
 was advised that ye Prince of Orange Intended to make ye Genell                
 assault ye next day to wch hee was Obliged by ye neare approach of ye          
 Prince of Conde who haveing draind all his Garrisons was come soe              
 neare them as Mount St Trinity haveing nothing but Cannon &                    
 amunition wth him, that Genell Souches Was to Watch ye french whilest          
 ye Duch made ye attaque, The Confederates are in that apprehension             
 of ye Prince of Condes coming that they begin to secure themselves             
 wth Circomvallations, & have sent most part of theire Baggage back             
 to Ghent.  The Confederates in Germany have yet attempted nothing,             
 Turene is lately reinforct wth 6000 men but is soe fortifyed by a              
 marsh on one side & a Wood on ye other that hee feares not to bee              
 engaged agst his mind, some thinke ye Germans will goe toward                  
 Alsatia                                                                        
 +There are some advises in Towne wch say ye Prince of Conde has                
 Raised ye Seige of Oudenard & defeited ye Confederates.                        
    The Duke of Bucks, if nothing prevents, designes Certainly to bee           
 at my Ld Denbighs this night                                                   
      L. c. 84     [Handwriting changes here.]     Sept 19 1674                 
 +Yesterdayes Letters from fflanders tell us that the Prince of                 
 Conde fell 10/20 instant at Night upon the Spanish troops & defeated           
 them & the next morning attacked the whole Confederate Army, wch               
 beseiged Oudenard & forced them to raise the seige, and retire in              
 disorder towards Ghent  the Action were not ended when our Letters             
 came away & therefore they cannot tell any perticulars, further then           
 yt many Thousands of Dutch soldyers & Boores were come to Ghent in             
 great confusion and said theire Army was routed & that the Prince of           
 Orange would be there the 12/22 at Night, Wee must expect to have a            
 more perticular account by our next Lrs                                        
    The Earle of Midleton son to the Late Governor of Tangier is made           
 Leiut Collonell of the Holland Regiment under the Earle of Mulgrave &          
 Major Bings made quarter Master of the King troop of horse Guards,             
 comanded by the Duke of Munmouth  ffrom Paris the 26 we are told that          
 the persons sent from Messina have not bene at Versayles but had               
 deliverd theire Message in private upon wch succour promised them,             
 and already Monsr Valbell is gon with 6 men of Warr to theire                  
 assistance  they have certaine news of the retreate of the                     
 Confederates from the seige of Oudenard to Ghent                               
    The Count de Crequi Bournouvell is sent to the Bastile upon Monsr           
 Rohans account  The Duke of Savoy Armes a pace & intends to fall on            
 Milan                                                                          
    ffrom Lisbonne we heare that the King is suddainely expected from ye        
 Serceras [?] & is to be brought to Cintra where he is to be kept with a        
 Guard of 200 foot & a troop of horse  A Dutch man of Warr is past by           
 these [?] & reports that Van Trump is past by for the Streights                
    Yesterday the King its said were pleased to order his Attorney              
 Generall to prepare a Proclamation for the further prorogation of the          
 Parliament wch will shortly issue                                              
    Monsr Turene is at Windheim within 5 houres of the Imp[erialis]ts           
 who the 17 instant arrived at Spire where they yet Continue & from             
 Phillipsburg they say they were makeing a bridge where they intend to          
 pass to joyne the Brandenburgh after wch they will pass the Rhyn neare         
 Stratzburg to remove Monsr Turene from his prsent post, who is resolved        
 to fight them in case they pass the Rhyn on which he is encamped wch           
 they may easily doe two houres from that place                                 
      L. c. 85   [Handwriting changes here.]   Sept ye 22 1674                  
 +ffrom Ghant of ye 26 wee heare that ye 3 armyes had not bene may dayes        
 before Oudenard before ye Prince of Conde came to its releife, upon wch        
 ye Confederates Cald a Councell of Warr & resolvd to quitt their new           
 begun trenches & fight them, accordingly ye Imperialists Crost ye river        
 & came to ye Other 2 armys upon wch 4000 french were put into ye towne,        
 & ye next morning Early ye Confederates began to march toward Ghent,           
 halting an hour from Oudenard faceing each Other & Expecting a Batle           
 all that & ye next day ye Cannon playing fruitlessly on both sides &           
 small skirmishes passing betweene them but at last ye Confederates             
 feareing ye french might cut of their passage to Ghaunt they marcht            
 thither all ye Genell[s] being highly dissatisfyed wth each Other,             
 insoemuch that ye Prince of Orange has left ye army to Count Waldeck, &        
 returnd to Holland  what further these armyes Will dow Wee may Expect          
 to heare, the Duch Were to be put on boates to pass ye Scheld, & tis           
 Judgd ye Imperialists cannot long Continue there, & ye Prince of Conde         
 tis Judgd will doubtless attempt somewt upon them since they would not         
 upon him.                                                                      
 +from Collogne of ye 21 Wee heare that Monsr [sic] Continues                   
 betweene Hagenaw & Weisenberg & ye Confederates were broke up from abt         
 Spire & were marcht on his left hand toward alsatia to Oblige him to           
 decamp & follow them who is not yet above 20000 fighting [men]                 
 notwthstanding his recruits, the Brandenburg army marches wth great            
 dilligence toward ye Pallatinate                                               
    The States are much dissatisfyed at Van Trumps passing toward ye            
 Streights                                                                      
      L. c. 86     Sept ye 24 1674                                              
    A Proclamation is Issued for prorogueing ye Parliamt to ye 13th of          
 Aprill next.                                                                   
    Another Proclamation is Issueing for the Regulation of ye Coulours          
 to be Worne by mercht ships                                                    
    Tewsday night a fire broke out in ye house of ye Ld Arlington neare         
 St James's wch, notwthstanding ye great helpe, was most of it in a             
 litle tyme burnt downe to ye greound, his Ldp & Lady being at ye Bath.         
    The Plymth Letters tell us ye Guarland is arived there from ye              
 Barbadoes, who in her Way on ye Coast of Ireland met De Ruyters                
 squadron bound home from whom he Recd an account that ye Duch landed           
 on ye Island of Martinico at Calsond Bay where Imediately they were            
 assaulted by ye french Who lay in ambush to Receive them, & haveing            
 sufferd great loss of men & very many of their officers ye Rest                
 returnd wth Difficulty to their ships  de Ruyter left 5 men of Warr to         
 cruise off ye Island & tooke ye rest wth him                                   
    The Centurion frigatt is Come into ye Downes from ye Streights              
 haveing on board the body of Sr Daniell Harvey his Maties late Ambr            
 at Constantinople.                                                             
    The Royall Citadell is now well neare finisht, & a veiw is made of          
 severall streets in ye towne adjoyneing to it in order to ye makeing           
 it Compleate & Levell.                                                         
    his Maty has Conferrd ye honnr of Knighthood on Mr Phillip Loyd,            
 ye new Clerke of ye Councell.                                                  
    They Write from Venice that those of Messina doe dayly Comitt more &        
 greater insolences, & that they have Kild a Knight of Malta, a native of       
 arragon, & set up his head in ye most Emint place of ye Citty  They have       
 now soe great an aversion to ye Spaniard that they cannot endure any           
 but such as are Cloathd in ye french mode, that wch adds to ye fury of         
 ye people is ye Zeale of ye Religious who goe Every hour abt ye streets        
 preaching wth their Crucifixes in their hands & Encourageing ye people         
 to shake of ye Spanish yoake.  Those of Palermo have alsoe sollicited          
 to Joyne wth them being dissatisfyed wth their Governor, but they are          
 now reduced to soe great Extreamitys that they Canot long hold out             
 wthout assistance wch they expect from france, what that assistance is,        
 our Letters from Marseilles tell us, (viz) that there is order from ye         
 Court that Monsr Vall Bell shall goe wth 6 of ye best men of Warr to           
 Convoy thither french officers amunition &c to secure ye revolted              
 people of Messina, who were to depart in 6 dayes, before whose arivall         
 they feard that matters might be settled, for that they were advised           
 from allicant that 20 sayle of ships were plyeing to ye Eastward, wch          
 they Conceived to bee 12 Biscayers, Joynd wth a squadron under                 
 Montesarchio to reduce them.                                                   
    Count Monterey has tis said prevaild wth ye Prince of Orange to             
 returne back to ye army but tis Judgd there will bee noe more action           
 this yeare, the Pentionary fagall is sent to Grave, wth orders either          
 to storme it wth all Vigour, or to block it up & force it by famine,           
 tis said De Ruyter is Ordred to Joyne his squadron wth Van Trump &             
 Continue out till midle of October                                             
      L. c. 87   [Handwriting changes here.]   Sept 29 1674                     
 +Munday after dinner his Maty went to Hampton Court to see the Queen           
 being to goe to Newmarkett on Wednesday & returnd at night, Her Maty           
 continues there in very good health                                            
    This day Monsr Sparr the Swedish Ambr takes his leave of his Maty           
 & his Court & intends to depart very suddenly being desired to reside          
 at Paris with the same Parrector [?] in the Roome of Monsr To[one or two       
 letters cropped]                                                               
 +ffrom Falmouth wee heare of the 14 instant the Dutch fleet under              
 de Ruyter were mett of the Coasts by some Vessells, who were aboard            
 them & were told by them of theire haveing done nothing in the West            
 Indyes & of theire being ordered to returne home, & another ship               
 come in there, says he mett Van Trumps squadron plying up the Channell         
 but tis beleived a Mistake & all but one & the same fleet                      
    Tuesday the 29 his Maty haveing lately received a letter from               
 Argeires wherein they desire him that according to the late treaty             
 with them the remainer of the Captives may be redeemed; his Maty was           
 pleased to dispatch a Courier with Ltrs to them, assureing them yt he          
 has taken effectuall order about the business & yt many shall assoone          
 as may be dispatch to theire post for that purpose, and that he is             
 resolved to continue strickly to observe on his part the Articles of           
 the peace with them                                                            
 +From Deale we heare that yesterday past by there on the backe of the          
 Goodwin abt 28 sayle of Dutch men of Warr  they were bound home with a         
 South West Wind                                                                
    The Citty out of perticuliar respect from yt Wortly [sic] Sr Robert         
 Vyner, as well as of its being his Turne uniamiously chose him to be           
 Lord Mayor for the Ensueing yeare, & to Morrow the New Sherriffs are           
 to come by water to Westminster to take the Oath of theire Office              
    The Winds continueing still contrary, we have not received any              
 forreign Lres since thursday last.                                             
    His Maty continues his resolution of goeing to Newmarkett, but              
 unless weather proves better after there where it begins he resolves           
 not to stay above a fortnight at most                                          
      L. c. 88     October 1 1674                                               
    This day the Sherriffs after they have bine at Westminster to               
 sweare; Nobly treated my Lord Mayor Elect at a sumtious Dinner at              
 drapers Hall  great preparatons are makeing for the show wch is                
 intended if possible all [sic] the late one of that nature [sic]  A Quarrell         
 hapening betwixt my Lord Mulgrave & Mr Felton Groome of the bed Chamber,       
 his Lordship chose for his second My Lord Midleton and the other Capt          
 Buttley, and soe yesterday fought in wch all But my Lord Mulgrave              
 were wounded but without danger to any of them                                 
 +This Morning his Maty accompanied by the Duke & Prince went to Newmarkett,    
 where they were to see 2 races that Evening                                    
    From Ostend we heare that Count Montery has at last consented to give       
 his Maty satisfaction in his just demands of the many English Vessells         
 seized on by those Capers (though with the usuall passes & sea Breiffs         
 from the Admiralty here and carryed up and detained there contrary to          
 all Custome or justice & has therefore sent 2 Councells of State to            
 that place who were Impowered to sett all the English Vessells free and        
 restore them theire effects and with all str[i]ct prohibition to the           
 Admiralty to meddle in yt batle any more                                       
 +From Spaine we heare that they were much supprised to receive noe good        
 newes from fflanders the three Armys haveing not done any thinge Agst          
 the Prince of Conde, who they thought by the seige at Senefe [?] Could         
 not have held the feild                                                        
 +ffrom Holland of the 4 instant they heare the most Xtian King would be        
 willing to have the King of Denmarke a Mediator between him & his Enemyes      
   The Danish Minister at the Hague seemes to be ready to offer it ye           
 States in his Masters name, but would first know whether they would            
 accept it, to wch he is answered that he must offer it & then he will          
 know theire Minds, & doubtless the States will be Willing to enough to [sic]   
 receive the Dane if they come with him to Sweden who will expecte to           
 be first served.                                                               
 +de Ruyter is come into Hestershuys himselfe & his ships sent to theire        
 severall ports but has not yet beene at the Hague                              
 +Bouchert continues upon the Coast of ffrance & Trumps not heard of            
 since his departure to the Streights whither he goes besides putting           
 5000 men ashore to convey home the Spanish fleet from peru                     
 +Prince Rupert found himselfe not soe well as to venture to goe to             
 Newmarkett as he intended but resolved to continue here & goe to               
 Windsor for some tyme                                                          
 +The seige of Grave continues still to Hasten with the [sic] pentionary is     
 gon againe thither & the Dutch blamed with Monsr Rabenhaup proceeding          
 before it   The 3d instant the [sic] made an assault & past 3 Pallisadoes      
 but were soe warmely entertained by the ffrench that they were forced to       
 returne with the loss of 60 men besides officers by that spewing mine, &       
 some thinke the Prince of Conde will endeavour to raise the seige if he        
 cannot make a diversion some other way                                         
      L. c. 89   [Handwriting changes here.]   Octobr ye 3d 1674                
    ffrom Holland of ye 9th instant Wee heare that de Ruyter was on fryday      
 at ye Councell of State at ye Hague & told them that ye reason of his          
 ill success was occationd by ye french haveing tymely notice of his            
 Coming & had therefore sunk two Vessells in ye Bay of Martinico, wch           
 forcet his souldrs to land wth in pistoll shott of ye french                   
 fortifications, soe that yey did great execution upon his men from             
 thence, his men alsoe Wanted match, & their Bulletts did not fitt their        
 musketts, ye blame of wch hee laid upon ye Councell of State, who              
 answered that they not being acquainted wth ye designe Could not               
 prepare for it as they ought, but it was observd that de Ruyter in this        
 report did not shew that strength of Vigour & Judgment that he used to         
 doe, wch they attribute to his age & vexation for this defeate                 
    Part of ye Prince of Oranges artillery is come to Dort, by wch tis          
 guest ye Campaine is Concluded, both ye Prince & ye States have                
 written to ye Empr to Complaine of Genell Souches who has sent his             
 defence & a Confidt of his to manage his part at Vienna                        
    ffrom Grave Wee heare that ye Repulses ye beseigers had, & ye Extreame      
 bad Weather, had discouraged them from makeing any further attacks, & to       
 that purpose Monsr Rabenhamp has proposed ye makeing of 3 forts wth            
 Lines of Communication to keep in ye garrison, However Fagell in a             
 letter of ye 6th instant writes that ye french began to throw their            
 Cannon into ye River wch hee interprets to bee caused by their                 
 intentions not to hold out much longer                                         
    ffrom Germany wee heare that Monsr Turene was retreated either to           
 Hagenaw or Saverne, that ye Dukes of Brandenburg & Lunenb: wth ye              
 Elector Pallatine have had a Conference at Hailbrun abt Employing              
 theire armys, some think they designe to Block up Phillipsburg,                
 The Elector Pallatines Cheife minister of state has bene found guilty          
 of betraying his masters secretts to ye french, for wch hee is                 
 condemnd to loose his head, but ye Elector has contented himselfe wth          
 his banishmt, there has been a discourse in flanders that Count Souches        
 was seized & carryed prisoner to antwerp but it seemes hee was invited         
 often to a Conferrence at that place or Ghent for an accomodation of           
 all differences wch hee refuted, its said out of an apprehension of            
 some such trap.                                                                
    Our Letters from paris say that ye King has by a Courier recd advice        
 from Turene that hee had on Thursday sennight last obteynd a great             
 victory over ye Confederates neare Stratzburg, but hee Coming away             
 presently after the fight sayes onely in Generall that Turene haveing          
 advice that ye Confederates were marcht toward Schelstadt, attaqut             
 att a small village in wch Were some Confederate Troups who retreated          
 in such hast that they left 8 Cannon behind them wch ye french tooke,          
 whereupon Turene march agst ye Confederates & found them drawne up             
 in Battalia wth whom hee engaged, ye fight began abt 9 in ye morning           
 & lasted till wthin night, the next morning the Confederates marcht            
 off towards Stratzburg, leaveing Turene masters of ye feild, & as a            
 farther signe of ye victory the french have taken severall standards &         
 prisoners  the fight is said to have bene bloody & that 10000 men              
 were kild upon ye place.                                                       
      L. c. 90      Octobr ye 6 1674                                            
    ffrom Newmarket wee heare that Wednesday last abt 3 in ye afternoone        
 his Maty arived there, & Imediately went to ye flatts to see all ye            
 horses brought out.  on Thursday was a match run between a Guelding            
 of Mr Bernard Howards, & stone Horse of My Ld Mountagues, for 500 L            
 ye later of wch wonne   on fryday his Maty hunted & that night his Rll         
 Hss attended by ye Duke of Monmouth went to his house at Colford in            
 Order to his hunting in those parts ye next day  [Handwriting changes          
 here.]  satterday contrary [?] and not fitt to faire [?] out. some say         
 his Maty will returne home on satturday next                                   
    There is a Proclamation in ye press and will suddenly be published          
 for ye Prohibitting English seamen to take french Commissions against          
 the Duch                                                                       
    from Brussells of ye 9th instant wee heire that ye friday before Came       
 an express from Monsr Rabenhaup to ye Prince of Orange wth advice that         
 he had formed a Hornworke at Grave from which he was repulsed wth ye           
 Loss of 800 men wth many good Officers which soe much Lessened ye League       
 that the Prince tooke a Sudden Resolution to goe thither in person to          
 reinforce them and to hasten ye takeing of it heareing that ye Duke of         
 Luxenburge is getting togeather 10000 Horse and a good body of foot from       
 Maistricht to raise the seige and accordingly he went Saturday night           
 with a Rigement of Horse and all ye foot he Could drawe out of the             
 Neighboring Garrisons.  all De Ruyters Land men are sent to Grave  Its         
 thought the Hollanders and Spaniards will pass the Canal at Vitroonel          
 [?] and the Imperalists goe into Lorraine.  The Prince of Conde is at          
 Lesseirs wth his army and will advance towards Enghien upon the Motion         
 of the Enemy.  these Letters speake Nothing of the fight but the Harlem        
 Gazette give severall hints of it  from Stratzburg that Turene haveing         
 made his army 24000 strong wth 29 peices of Cannon marched towards             
 Hogenheim neare Stratzburg and came up with the Confederates the 4th           
 Instant at Rockesburg who being in Readyness a Cruell [handwriting             
 changes here] Batle was fought where ye begining of ye day the french          
 seemd to have ye better but ye left Wing falling into disorder the             
 Lundenburgers tooke 8 Cannon from them & had they not rallyed they had         
 bene Ruind, but they Renewd ye Battle & soe it lasted till night wthout        
 any advantage to Either Except that ye french were forcet to repass ye         
 River & ye next morning Retreated fairely. ye Confederates following           
 them  ye loss has bene by their account 10000 men on both sides & many         
 good officers slaine, of ye English Coll Litleton & others.                    
      L. c. 91   [Handwriting changes here.]   Octob the 6 1674                 
    From Newmarkett whee heare that on Thursday afternoon the plate             
 was run for the King Intending to ride him selfe with the Duke of              
 Monmouth & seavll others & that evening was pleased to treat the               
 Duke of Monmouth at a noble Supper & now there will bee daily                  
 races whilst the King stays there which will not be longer then                
 Satt 7 night which time he has declared his intentions to return &             
 ordderd it accordingly to be prepared for, on wednesday the Monsr              
 Griffin came thither & Kissed the Kings hand upon his returne from             
 France & gives an accountte of many officers of English horse & foot           
 under Monsr Turen that are Killed & wounded &c  George Hamilltons Thombe       
 was shott of which soe shattered the bone that his arme was forced to be       
 cut of  his Regimt & the English stopt the fury of the Confedts  else it       
 might have proved a worse battle to the french then it did, of the             
 D of MonMouthes Regimt are Killed Lt Coll Littleton Capt Gwyn & Capt           
 Shelton Major Stanier wounded Capt Charly firke [?] that commanded the         
 Dukes owne troope heath [?] boath his arms Shott of besides 4 Cornetts         
 Killed 3 quartermasters & 3 Lts & there are few of the foot Regimts            
 remaining,  of their officers are killed Capt Lussells & Capt Liegh            
 Capt Lindloft his leg Brocken & more its feard wee shall heare of              
 hearafter, yesterday after noon was to be a foot match between the Earle       
 of Sussexes foot man & Sr Robert Howards Sons the first of wch Carryed         
 a loaf of breade of 17 pound weight 4 miles                                    
      L. c. 92   [Handwriting changes here.]   October 8 1674                   
    This day his Rll Hss came thither from Newmarkett to see the Dutchess       
 who God be thanked continues very Well and on Saturday he returns              
 againe.  His Maty will not now returne so soone from Newmarkett as was         
 thought there being on Munday last many Matches made on purpose for his        
 diversion: yt day his Maty was forenoon and afternoon hunting the Haire        
 & upon the News of the death of Leiut Collonell fferdinand Littleton,          
 has been pleased to give his troope of the Earle of Oxford Regimt to Mr        
 Sandy son to Sr Thomas Eldest Lt in ye Regimt.  His Maty has been              
 pleased to appoynt Sir John Narborough to goe in the Centurion to Algiers      
 about the Matter of the Redemption of the Captives there remaineing,           
 who is accordingly fitting out with all hast & hopes to sayle in two           
 dayes   yester Night Came hither Mr Griffin son to the Treasurer of the        
 Chamber, who left the ffrench Army the next day after the fight & sayes        
 little more upon the ffrench Relation, onely adding that Monsr Turene          
 continued in the feild & not above 2 houres from the place they fought         
 that the English are very many of them Cutt of; leading the Van &              
 mainetaining an Obstinate Strock [?] all the day, soe that the loss has        
 been great on the ffrench side, as well as the other, but sayes nothing        
 of a second engagemt as was soe hotly talked of.                               
 +Yesterday Monsr Sparre the Swedish Ambr went hence from ffrance               
 Monsr Lyonberg ye Envoy only remaineing here from that Crowne                  
 +This Morning his Royall Hss went hence againe for New-Markett to be           
 present at the great races to be run there to day or to Morrow                 
 +ffrom fflanders of the 12 instant, wee heare yt last ordinary Came            
 thither [with?] orders from Spaine for the Revocation of Count Montery from    
 that Governor, his Lady & ffamily part next weeke, & himselfe suddainely       
 followes, his successor, some say is to be the Marquess de les Baltaser        
 (were Ambr Cont the Emperour. [?])  yet others say the Prince of               
 Parina but the great newes that ffollowes of the Battle of Esheim has          
 hindered the divulging this alteration  The Count has received a Lre           
 from Bournonville of the perticulars of that fight, the summe of wch           
 is yt it was begun at 7 & held till 4 the 1st with equall Valour, but          
 great slaughter, yt in the end the victory, fell to the Confederates           
 by the ffrenches retireing, first they could not follow him for want of        
 powder & Ball that the Confederates had lost some Cannon & Colours but         
 the ffrench men & Colours more, but no Cannon, yt many french were taken       
 prisoners, but they heard of none taken from them yt Lorraine &                
 Holstein did Miracles & indeed both sides beyond beleife so that many          
 brave men died on the Spott  The Confederates in fflanders are goeing into     
 theire Winter quarters the Imperiallists into Lorain & so to Leige             
 & the Spanairds into Lunenburg & the Dutch returne home leaving only           
 7 Regiments behind them for the security of Brussells  ye Prince of            
 Conde is with his Army about Ligne quartering in the Spanish Territory,        
 & has sent 7000 men towards Charleroy to goe from thence to Maestricht         
 +By advice from a Certaine hand dated from the Camp at Horkenheim              
 October 6th we have this account.  That the fight began on Thursday            
 before at a place called Esheimnuos [?] above Stratzburgh  it began at         
 10 & lasted till night a very great Raine continueing all the tyme  The        
 Germans were beaten from Severall posts and lost 10 peices of Cannon  at       
 night Both ffrench and Germans retired but the Germans with less care          
 haveing left 2 peices of Cannon behind them, wch the ffrench fetchd away       
 & the day after many men were lost on both sides but noe Number named.         
 The English Regimt of Horse did charge very bravely, Collonell Littleton       
 killed & most of the officers wounded.  All the English Scotch & Irish         
 Regiments are Severally & perticularly taken notice of, for theire             
 signall Vallour                                                                
 +Sir George Hamilton is shott through ye Right arme and his Right hand         
 Thumb shott of, Here is no notice of 2 dayes fight soe that noe Creditt        
 is to be given to that Story (though much talkt of[)].                        
      L. c. 93   [Handwriting changes here.]   Octo: ye 13 1674                 
    ffrom Newmarkett wee heare that on Thursday ye Plate was run for &          
 wonn by Mr Pope a Yorkeshire Gentleman after wch was a match run between       
 Black Buttocks The Duke of Albermarles Horse, & Nuttmeg a Horse of Mr          
 fframptons, ye later of wch wonn, from thence ye King went to ye flatts        
 to see ye foot race, where the Earle of Sussexes footmen who carryed ye        
 loafe of Bread lost ye match but wonn another presently after, agst ye         
 same footmen.  Fryday was a great match run between ye Duke of MunMouths       
 Horse Gee, and My Ld Mountagues Bay lusty, ye later of wch wonn,               
 Satterday ye spoones were run for & wonn by Mr ffelton Eldest sonn to          
 Sr Henry.                                                                      
    On Sunday preached before his Maty & Court at Newmarket one Mr James        
 a fellow of Queens Colledge & soe much to his Matys Satisfaction that ye       
 Duke of MunMouth brought [him] presently to Kiss His Matys hand, who was       
 pleasd Imediately to make him one of his Chaplains in Ordnary in ye roome      
 of the Bpp of Oxford & orderd him to print his Sermon.  His Maty               
 continues his resolution of returning on Saterday next.                        
    This Weeke the Earle of Plymth goes to travell & first into france for      
 some moneths                                                                   
    ffrom ye Hague wee heare that ye 19 they had news there from                
 Grave that after 4 attacks for 4 nights together successively, the             
 beseigers did in the last on Munday after two repulses make themselves         
 masters of all ye outworkes except a litle peice where they were yet           
 fighting when this Messenger came away.  In ye two first attaques they         
 are said to have lost 2000 men amongst whom 150 officers that in ye            
 3d attaque Collonell Gollsteyn lodged himselfe on ye Counterscarp,             
 & had probably taken ye towne if his Bridges had not proved to Short,          
 that ye Beseigers lost in this attaque 250 & ye Beseiged as many.              
 Its said the Prince of Orange is much offended wth Monsr Rabenhaupt            
 for his soe slow progress in ye seige who there upon desired leave             
 to retyre to Nimigen but was denyed.  Genell Souches they say is recalld       
 upon ye Complaint of ye Prince, but who Shall succeed him is not knowne,       
 tis thought Prince Charles of Lorraine will bee ye person.                     
    Tis Said ye ffrench King will propose Mentz for ye place to treat at        
 for a genell peace. That Elector desireing to remaine neuter                   
    The Prince of Conde was on ye 11th with his Horse about Mons.               
      L.c. 94     Octo ye 15 1674                                               
    The Earle of Cardigan and his Daughter the Countess of Shrewsbury went      
 this last weeke from Rye to Deip in Order to her passage as tis said           
 to Roome there to Enter a Cloyster                                             
    They write from Portsmth that Sr Jeremy Smyth had paid of ye                
 Centurion & ye Nonsuch there, & staid in Expectation of ye Crowne              
 from ye Downes to cleare her alsoe wch much Encourages ye Seamen               
    A french Caper of 30 Guns lately brought into Plymth a Duch prize hee       
 tooke Coming from 0porto laden wth Sugar, Oyle &c:  The same Caper tooke       
 a Weeke before another Ship laden wth 500 pipes of Malaga sack                 
    A Ship arived from newfoundland reports ye good condition of our            
 fleet there & ye good voyages they have made, haveing taken Each Boat          
 generally from 2 to 300 Quintalls                                              
    A Dunkerque privateer has brought into Hull a Duch prize laden wth          
 Wooll &e:                                                                      
    All Relations seeme to make the late Batle neare Stratzburg pretty          
 Equall.  The Duch now confess the Confederates did retreat first, but          
 ye french furthest.  The french King has been presented wth 20 Colours         
 of Horse and foot taken in that Batle, wch are all hung up in ye great         
 church at Nostre Dame where Te Deum was sung for their Victory.  tis           
 thought wee may soone heare of another Batle Monsr Turene being                
 reinforct wth 7000 Horse, & 3000 foot under Marshall Crequi & ye               
 Confederates much strengthened by ye Conjunction of ye Brandenburg             
 forces. The Confederates in flanders not Seeming in a Condition for any        
 farther buisness.  The Prince of Conde and his Sonn are Suddenly               
 Expected at Paris.  The Confederates are all goeing into Winter                
 quarters but ye Germans retard their march upon pretense of Want of            
 provisions & Wagons whose supply the Pr: of Conde Endeavours to stop           
 as what hee Judges ye readyest Way to make ye Country revolt                   
 +The towne of Stratzburg have sent their deputies to ye french King to         
 posess him wth an Opinion that the Governmt had noe hand in ye ill             
 treatment of Monsr Vanbrun lately before that place, laying                    
 themselves downe at his Maties feet & beseeching him to Impute what            
 was done to ye Effect of a populer fury in wch ye Magistrates had not          
 ye least part, & tis said the King is satisfyd                                 
 +a manifesto is in the Press concerning ye late Conspiracy of ye               
 Chevalier Rohan whose process is drawing upon whose account some or            
 Other are still dayly Comitted.  The Prince of Orange is Resolved to           
 give the Towne of Grave noe reste till hee has Ended the Seige one way         
 or other, but tis Judged if they can hold out many dayes longer they           
 may bee releived, part of ye Prince of Condes army being on their March        
 thitherward, Trump is Certainlay gone to Messina, wth 24 men of War in         
 assistance of ye Spaniard, & tis said 20 Spanish Galleys are alsoe come        
 thither                                                                        
 +as well ye Popes Nuncio as the Severall Princes Concernd in ye Warr           
 soe zealously press for a Genell peace that its beleivd there may bee a        
 faire prospect of an accomadation yet this Winter                              
   L. c. 95 [Handwriting and size of paper change here.] Octobr 17th 1674       
 ffriday 16th/ Tomorrow night the King & Duke wth all their trains              
 are expected here from Newmarkett, as is alsoe the Queen from Hampton          
 Court to remaine in towne all the winter:  My Lord Chamberlaine treated        
 them most nobly at Euston on wednesday night & yesterday.                      
    The Inland letters of thursday bring us nothing of moment more then         
 the dayly importing of merchants Ships from all parts & great increase         
 of trade & the price of English Shipping wch is extreamely advanced upon       
 the Dutch permitting ffrench manufacture & commoditys to be brought to         
 them againe                                                                    
    There be letters they say in Towne from Barbadoes, wch speake of            
 the great hurt a late hurricane has done that Iland by destroying their        
 sugar works, throwing downe their houses &c; But the particulars &             
 confirmation wee have not yet nor of the landing there of Sr Jonathan          
 Atkins the Governour both which we hope suddenly to be satisfyd in.            
 Saturday 17./ ffrom the Confederates camp neare Stratzburg we heare            
 that they were on their march the 15th that Mounsieur de Tureen hath           
 desired a Cessation for 14 dayes wch was refused him that since                
 skirmishes have past between the armys soe that next lettrs tis thought        
 may bring us news of a battle.  Ye 18th the artillery of the Elector of        
 Brandenburg past the Rhyn consisting of 47 peices of cannon & 2 mortar         
 peices, the next day the Cavalry passed it being 18000 fighting men            
 besides the troops of the Duke of Cell  ye 14th he drew up his army in         
 Battalia at wch time arrived a Trumpetter wth letters from Tureen to the       
 Elector & the next day they all joyned & marched together against the          
 enemy who lyes betweene Wassenheime & Saverne & Mounsieur de Crequi            
 being not yet joyned wth them all endeavours are used to cut them of           
    ffrom Grave of the 20th we are told that the night before the               
 beseigers made another attacque and lodged themselves on one side of           
 the Counterscarpe & the enemy on the other, the same day the ffrench           
 made a sally notice of wch being given by a disserter they were received       
 very warmely & now preparations are makeing for a Generall storme &            
 countermining the emenys mines who have mustered the other day 1600 men,       
 wch is more wondred at considering the great number allready slayne in         
 the Severall sallys  ye 17th Coll Linden was killed before it with a           
 muskett Bullett.                                                               
      L. c. 96  [Handwriting and size of paper change here.] October 20th 1674  
 +ffrom Cologne of the 19th wee heare that there past by there a Courier        
 from Vienna wth foure letters from the Emperor to the Prince of Orange         
 C. Monterey C. Souches & the Marquess de Grana and sayd that at his            
 departure from thence the affaires of the Prince of ffurstenbg were in         
 a very sad condicon all his Intrigues being discovered by his Secretary        
 Bourman.  And from ffrancford we heare they were there very much               
 dissatisfyed with the Duke of Bournonville and Count Caprara,                  
 pretending they did not their dutys in assisting the Lunenburgrs in            
 the late fight & it gives them jealousy that Bournonville & Souches were       
 agreed not to ruine the ffrench  The Report was hot there that                 
 Bournonville was lately Killed by the Prince of Holsteine in his tent.         
 +This morning his Maty & the Duke of Yorke went hence for Hampton              
 Court and returned in the evening.  ffrom Cologne we heare that                
 Mounsieur Tureen was encamped along the Saverne and at Wasseheime and          
 had sent a letter to the Elector of Brandenburg and Stratburg which            
 his Elector Highness had layd aside onely asking the trumpetter if his         
 master resolved to hold his ground and soe commanding his army to              
 march they all decamped and put themselves in Battalia 18000 men               
 Effective & was followed by the Lunenburgrs and Imperialists whose             
 business was to cut off the succors comeing to Tureene under Mr Crequi         
 who was upon the march with 12000 men to joyne with him.                       
 +The Duke of Cell alsoe was joyned with the Confederates and ye 14th           
 15 & 16th they alltogether past the Bridge at Strasburg and came wthin         
 an houre and half of the ffrenche soe that a battle is dayly expected          
 between them                                                                   
 +The P. of Conde having settled all his garrisons & disposed of the army       
 to their greatest ease is returned to Paris                                    
 +The last week there was great action at Grave his highness having much        
 forwarded the Progr by his presence going more roundly to work wth then        
 [sic] Monsieur Rabenhaup did   The Counterscarp is now taken though wth        
 ye loss of many men & the towne will certainely be reduced in few daies        
 some allready reporting it Capitulating others taken  the certainty next       
 letters may bring  Count Monterey hourly expects orders to returne home        
 but his successor is not yet named   Monsieur Horne & Mr Read the Dutch        
 embassador have taken their leave but Mr Beningham & Odyke stay yet here       
      L. c. 97     October 22th [?] 1674                                        
 Wed 21th/ This day Mounsieur Reede & Mounseur Van Horen tooke their            
 leaves of his Maty & waite onely now to take it of Her Maty who returns        
 from Hampton Court to morrow for all this winter & we heare that the           
 States have named another person to come & reside here as their                
 Ordinarye Embassador in the roome of Mounsieur Odyke & Mounsieur               
 Benningen who suddenly are alsoe to returne home                               
 +The Baron de Bergyle now in fflanders was named to come hither Envoy          
 Extraordinary from Spaine but it seemes is retarded & wayts further            
 orders & Don Pedro de Ronguillo is on his way hither from Poland to            
 take upon him the character of Embassador Extraordinary from the               
 Crowne of Spaine                                                               
 +To morrow or next day Mounsieur Crarbow [?] is expected here in the           
 quality of Envoy Extraordinary from the Elector of Brandenburge and            
 wee suddenly expect two persons of quality from ffrance to returne the         
 Kings & Dukes complements made them lately by Mr Shelton & Mr Griffin          
 upon the birth of the Duke of Orleans his young Son.                           
 Tuesday 22th/ ffrom Brussells of the 20th we hear that they had the            
 day before received a report of another engagement between the                 
 confederates & Mounsieur de Tureene wherein they sayd the latter was           
 totally routed & that this should happen the 16th instant but haveing          
 noe other ground for it then a letter from Generall Souches upon report        
 of a third person come lately from Cologne the story has got noe credit        
 there or here.  The Duke of Bournonville by his last letters of the 14th       
 sayd that all the confederates being united they intended the next day         
 to march directly against Mounsieur de Tureene to attaque him in his           
 campe where he was strongly entrenched wch it's beleived was the cause         
 of this report of a fight.  An express from Vienna saies that before his       
 leaving of it Prince Wm of ffurstenberg was degraded of all his Honors         
 & titles in order to his proceeding to sentence against him all people         
 concluding thereupon that he will be condemned & beheaded in few days &        
 the sooner that it may be over before the Sweedish Embassador has his          
 audience who it was probable intended to move in his behalf                    
 +The Paris letters dated 24th tell us ye confederates haveing besides          
 those from Brandenburge received very considerable recruits Viz 4000           
 from the Duke of Brunswick & lesser numbers from their neighbouring pts        
 which in the whole make the confederates by much the greater Army were         
 on their march toward Tureene who has at present encamped for his              
 Security in expectation of more forces to give them battle, in the             
 meane time they tell us that a part of the Confederates troopes made an        
 attempt to enter into Lorraine but that they were vigourously repulsed         
 by the forces the King has in that Province, Tis sayd Mounsieur Tureene        
 will be upon the frontier all this winter but that the Prince of Conde         
 is shortly expected at Court & has made a detachmt from his army of            
 15000 men for what designe not sayd.                                           
 +There are lately brought into the Bastile ye Sieure de Meyermonts [?]         
 [about four letters illegible] to a Mastre Dos Comtes of Rouen   the           
 King has beene pleased to express his satisfaction that none of the            
 reformed religion are found in the late numerous conspiracy wch has            
 given him & his Ministers a good opinion of their obedience & loyalty it       
 being very probable that they might have had very advantagious offers          
 made them if they would have embraced the interest of those that designed      
 soe ill to the governement & some say yt hereupon they may be capacitated      
 to buy offices & execute charges as those of the Romane persuasion.            
      L. c. 98     Octobr 27th 1674                                             
 +ffrom Plymonth of the 22th Instant we heare that a vessell was comeing        
 in there from the Canarys & Says that before his departure from thence         
 Sr Jonathan Atkins his Matys Governor of the Barbadoes arrived there in        
 order to his voyage to that Island & intended after a very short stay          
 to proceed forward                                                             
 +Sr John Narborough waites still att Porthmth for a faire wind for             
 Algiers.  There's lately return'd a Courier from Marsellies where he           
 left Sr John Baptist du Veil [?] in his Matys gally who has on board Ma        
 [?] D d Ossemina [?] to convoy him to his Country and after proceeds on        
 his voyage to Tangier wth her she  being an Excellent built thing &            
 now accomodated for the service of that garrison for which place there         
 is yet noe Governor named here.                                                
 +My Ld Vaughan Governour of Jamaica intends now to depart in 3 weekes          
 at farthest for that governent from whom we lately heard that Sr               
 Thomas Lynch the present Governor was very well & that Island in very          
 flourishing condicon.                                                          
 +On thursday next my Ld Major is to be juvine at Westminster &                 
 preparations are makeing suitable to the great mind of that worthy             
 person, The Splendour of which will exceed what was formerly                   
 +The Winds have been boisterous and contrary soe that we have been kept        
 from the knowledg of any foreigne affaires these two posts, and we             
 despayre of any this  day                                                      
 +The King has been pleased to make Sr Thomas Cleiggs his Son a Barronett       
 by the title of Sr Walter Cleiggs a Pattent for which is passing               
    Here is lately returned from Travell the Earl Marshal who has kissd         
 the Kings hand and was graciously received by him                              
    It seems it's Mounsier Odyke that goes away suddainly, but Mounsier         
 Van Benningen stays a little longer, at least til the arrivall of the          
 States orders Ambassador to reside                                             
    The marriage of my Ld Buckhurst with the Countess of ffalmouth is           
 now publiquely owned.                                                          
 +Last night dyed the Earle of Middle-sex leaving his Estates to the            
 Ld Buckhurst and his honour to the King, haveing noe children.                 
      L. c. 99     October 2?th 1674                                            
 +Yesterday the new Bishop of Dureham was translated and confirmed in           
 that Bishopprick at Covent garden church and kept a most noble dinner          
 at his house in Leicester fields where were most of the principal              
 persons about the Court, and now the Bishop of Oxfords consecration will       
 suddenly follow                                                                
 +Last night went hence Mr Brisbane who is by his Matys commission joyned       
 wth Sr John Narborough and ordered to repaire wth all speed in the             
 Henrietta to Algiers to fetch of the captives that are yet remaining           
 there  they goe aboard at Portmth & from thence Sayle wth the first            
 opportunity.  ffrom Dublin we hear that that kingdome continues in             
 great tranquility that the forces designed from the North parts of that        
 country were on their march and that the 20th Instant 30 companys of           
 foot and 6 troopes of horse were to rendezvous at Loringary whither            
 went a vessell to attend them wth 6 field peices for that purpose              
 +ffrom the Hague of the 30th instant we heare that the seige of Grave          
 gave the states great joy hopeing it might be a good step to a peace,          
 the governor would have had a way 60 peices of Ordinance. but was              
 contented to take 6.  at last he surrendred it by his Masters orders           
 brought to him by a spy sometime before his capitulation  The Dutch            
 found 400 Germans and a vast quantity of other ammunition and                  
 provision in it   It is not knowne what the issue of the Count Souches         
 affaire will come to but the Marquess De Grana who refused to serve            
 under him is by the Emperours order to returne to him.  All the news           
 from Germany is that the Prince of Lobicowitz secretary had been twice         
 examined but would confess nothing; that the Prince of ffurstenberg            
 was beleived to be beheaded he having had some time since notice given         
 him to prepare for it.                                                         
 +The ffrench are passed neare to Saverne then before and the Confederates      
 here about waiting an opportunity to engage them before any succors come       
 to him.                                                                        
 +The Prince of Orange is gone back to the Armys in fflanders to get a          
 body together to awe [?] the ffrench and make them draw the Recruits sent      
 under the Marquis de Genly to Mounsieur Turrene.                               
      L. c. 100     Octobr 29th 1674                                            
 +Letters from Vienna say that Prince William of ffurstenburge is               
 deprived of all his Titles and honours in order to his execucon wch some       
 thinke may be performd though the Sweedish Ambassador in his Audience of       
 the 17th demanded his liberty & that he might be reestablisht in all his       
 dignities & charges & a reparation made for the affront done to the            
 Ambassador at Cologne in taking him away contrary to the security of the       
 Emperor gave by his passports.  he likewise acquainted the Emperour that       
 their was noe cause of jealousy to be taken from his Matys Troopes in          
 Pomerania being onely to justify the Investiture of the Estates he hath        
 in that Countrey                                                               
 +The Dutch letters dat 30th tell us the States are well inclined to            
 a peace & will willingly conclude one if it would stand with their             
 obligations to their Allyes:  They have sent to the King of Denmark            
 who stands obligd to assist them against any one that shall publickly          
 assist france that it would be Necessary to have his affaires in               
 readiness upon the first order, The Count de Chamilly upon capitulacon         
 required all the Cannon that had the ffrench Kings Armes being 60 of           
 which the half new granted him  he marchd out wth 6 pieces & 800               
 sound men with colors flying &c to Maestricht  the rest of the Artillery       
 he sent downe by water with 800 sick & wounded.  The Dutch found in            
 Grave 300 peices of Copper cannon wch had been taken from them                 
 30 brass peices of the french & 45 Iron 1200m pounds of powder 400m            
 of lead 30m hand Granadoes & 200 Bombes wth Armes for 60000 men                
 +Sr Jeremy Smith is returnd to London from Porthsmth having payd of            
 his Matys ships as alsoe an Arreare pay of his Matys gu[ar]d; An Holland       
 man of Warr sent in thither a french prize but she had nothing but             
 ballast in her                                                                 
 +A vessel come into Weymth of the 22th from the Maderas reports that on        
 the 3d Instant Sr Jonathan Atkyns arrived there in the St David wth            
 another ship in company & was treated with great respect  Haveing              
 received the salute from the caper took refreshment some small time            
 there & and then proceeded in his voyage to the government of barbadoes        
 +The ffrench lttrs dat 30th that ye process against Chevalier De               
 Rohan for the late conspiracy was fully finished that immediately              
 after the holydays they expected his adjudication, Count Sparr the             
 Sweedish Ambassador is there where he acts under the same character;           
 Prince of Conde arrived at Chantilly the day before  Mounsier de               
 Matanbane has received orders to goe into Lorraine wth 30 squadron             
 under his command for the security of that province  Some letters say          
 ye Duke of Lorraine has sent his placaerts to several townes there             
 prohibiting them his subjects to pay any further Imposition to the             
 ffrench or to give them any manner of assistance in such terms &               
 under such penaltys as if he was offered of the possession                     
 +The Confederates haveing taken Wallenheim neare Stratzburgh returnd           
 againe towards Tureens army & were soe near on the 29th that it was            
 verily beleived they would come to another fight though Marshal Tureene        
 had placed himself wth much advantage their being betwixt them a small         
 River on his left hand & a marsh on his Right Village eastward [?] about       
 which was a hill where 20 peices of Cannon was mounted.                        
 +A marriage is treating betweene the Earle of Pembrooke & ye Dutchess of       
 Porthmths sister which they say will be suddenly consummated                   
