      L. c. 211     August 10 1675                                              
 +Wee are told from Windsor that on Saturday last Mr de Ruvigine                
 received an expresse from the Governr of Cabre, giving an acct of the          
 defeate of Monsr de Crequis army near Treves, & the Marschalls being taken     
 prisonr, the manner is said to be, that the Marschal receiving advice          
 that the Duke of Lorraine & the other confederates had begun the seige of      
 Treves, & were busied about makeing their lines about the towne, he            
 thought he might with safety enough beate upon of [sic[ their quarters, but    
 the Duke of Lorraine haveing advice of his March, was better prepared          
 to receive him, than the Marshalls had expected, for he drewe his &            
 the Lunenburgh troops from the seige & advanced to meet the ffrench,           
 sending at the same time a strong army round about, to come upon the           
 ffrench in their Rear, by which means the ffrench, were beset on all           
 sides, almost all their foot Reckoned at 4000 men of the best Regimts          
 of ffrance were cut of, their horse was 3000 who were many of them             
 killed, 8 the rest fled,  It is certainely said that as well at Brussells      
 as at the Hague is arived some person on the part of the Mutiners of           
 Britany to designe protection & assistance but we doe not heare what           
 the States have answered for the matter is managed very privately              
 +Wee doe not hear any thing of the Duch fleet under De Ruyter to the           
 Streights, the last Lettrs is from Holland, telling that it had been           
 proposed in the states to imploy the said De Ruyter in the Baltique            
 against the Swedes but nothing was resolved upon it                            
 +The Letters from ffrance just now arrived confirme the defeate of             
 Crequi, but disagree with the aforesaid in severall perticulers.  they         
 say that the Lorraine & the Lunenburg had not beseiged Treves, but onely       
 pertended to do so, to draw Crequi that way; that Crequi had with him          
 8000 men, & advanced to Succor the place keeping still the River Saor          
 between him & the Enemy which he was informed was no where fordable,           
 but he was mistaken for the Confederates found 3 or 4 fords fell upon          
 Crequi on a suddain, & his men after some resistance, finding themselves       
 overpowered fled, about 3000 of the ffrench was killed upon that place,        
 the rest escaped through the greedines of the Germans who presently fell       
 aplundering the Bagage, which they tooke as well as all Crequis                
 artillery, he himselfe fleed with 5 or 6 men, & got safe to Treves,            
 the Duke d ffrouillade is gathering the scattered troops of Crequis            
 army, in whose stead he is to Command, & has already with some                 
 fresh troopes, gott 7000 men together, The Prince of Conde was arrived         
 in the army near the Rhine with 3000 horse, the foot followed.  The            
 Duke de Duras was likewise arrived there from the Strathe Comte with           
 what troopes he could draw from thence haveing onely left there                
 2500 men  Montecuculys according to the advice they had at Paris was           
 encamped between Colmar ffleckstadt [?[ & the ffrench army not fair from       
 thence                                                                         
 +The former was reckoned 30000 men, & the latter not above 18000 before        
 the Prince of Conde & De Duras arrived.                                        
 +De Vivonne has certainly quitted Messina haveing brought of with him          
 severall of the Principal Rebells.                                             
      L. c. 212     August 11 1675                                              
 +Since Sunday last there hath been some disorder about the suburbs of the      
 Citty as about Spittle feild Southwarke & occasioned by severall loose         
 disorderly persons, who call themselves silke weavers; they pretended to be    
 aggrieved that many of their owne profession did worke with a certaine Engine  
 (which its said was first invented in Queen Elizabeths time) by means of       
 which two men & a boy could doe as much worke as 20 men could doe otherwise    
 & consequently all that had been brought up to that mistery, could not find    
 imployment by reason of the encrease of those Loomes or Engines, this I        
 say being the pretende grievance, monday, fryday, & yesterday they             
 assembled in severall Companies first about Spitlefeild, & afterwards          
 in Southwarke, broken open the Houses where such loomes were, broke            
 them in pieces & afterwards burnt them; Yesterday in Southwarke they           
 setting upon a house and the Master thereof defending it, one of the           
 rabbles was killed. & two others wounded.                                      
 +Yesterday a Counsell was held at Whitehall and the Duke of Monmouth           
 came to towne, for though the thing in it selfe seems but a foolish            
 businesse & without any designe then to destroy the said loomes, yet it        
 hath been though fitt that a vigorous course should be taken for the           
 suppressing these Riotors, & bringing the Ring leaders to exemplary            
 punishment.  The fflanders letters which came in last night late, brought      
 us not any thing of news, but confirmed the defeate of the Marshall de         
 Crequi, that is of his Infantery, for his horse made a shift to escape.        
 The Prince of Orang did not yet stirr from Hall expecting that the             
 ffrench Army, or at least part of it commanded by the Duke of Lunenburgh       
 would be at last forced to quitt fflanders, to goe to the assistance of        
 the ffrench in Alsatia.  The duke de Duras was arrived there & had taken       
 the Command of the Army which was not above a league & halfe from              
 Strasburg.  The Imperiallists with whome were likewise the troop of the        
 Circles under the Command of the Duke of Saxon Lawenburg, pretended to         
 goe & attacque Haguenaw, where the ffrench have a Magazine                     
 +Those late successes of the Germans against Turene & Crequi have very         
 much encouraged people in fflanders & Holland, insomuch that the actions       
 of the East India Company are allready raised 10 p cent  It is said on all     
 hands that Crequi escaped himselfe, but no body well knows where he is,        
 though the ffrench will say he got to Treves, which is still beseiged,         
 & will its thought not hold out long                                           
 +No farther action passes between the Swedes & Brandenburgs, though there      
 may suddenly for the Imperialists under Caps have joyned the latter [?[.       
 The Imperialists being reinforced by sevrall troops of the Circle they         
 say past the Rhine on the 8 & were on their march to give the ffrench          
 battle.  The Count d'Lorge is said to be retyred & the Army to be              
 Commanded till the arrivall of the prince of Conde by the Marshall             
 d'Duras who has joyned them with a Recruit of 6000 men drawne out of the       
 Neighbouring Garrisons, Marshall Schombergh has taken Colcastle a place        
 of much Consequence to him as being the Cheife Sanctuary of the Micklers       
 who gave him much disturbance                                                  
 +The Seditious at Nevers are appeased  Monsr Matignon is sent towards          
 those at Avranche and an Amnesty sent to Dyon, There was lately an             
 skirmish betwt some of the nobility of Bretagne & the Seditious in which       
 the Nobility killed 40 of them.                                                
                                                                                
     L. c. 213     August 14 1675                                               
+There has been for many yeares, a difference in the body of the Ribbon         
weavers, about a certaine sort of loome or frame, called an engine loome,       
with which one man is able to weave as much worke as ten men can doe with       
the ordinary loome, on monday last some of the common weavers that worked       
with the ordinary loome, gott together in Spittle feilds to destroy all         
those Engine loomes and by the negligence of the Civil Magistrates              
proceeded to execute their designe, in severall houses in Southwarke,           
and other places about the towne, but without any other violence, then          
barely to fetch out their loomes, where the[y] heard they were and burnt        
them at their doores, and in any place the Owners freely delivered them         
for feare of worse usage, though all were not of that mind for on               
tuesday [?] was killed one man, & two wounded in Southwarke by a man that       
defended himselfe and his house, but on Wednesday in the afternoon the          
Lords of the Privy Councell meetting at Whitehall commanded a proclamation      
to be issued streightly charging the said weavers, and others forthwith         
to repaire to their severall houses, & forbare any farther Assembly             
on paine of beeing proceeded against as Traitors, & gave such other             
vigourous orders, that Yesterday all was everywhere quitt, except that          
in Westminster, about a 100 of the rabble gott together and burnt an            
Engine, but 7 or 8 happened to be met with by the guard & was taken             
by them, brought before the Councell and after examination sent to              
prison, severall others are likewise in prison, & will doubtless be             
made examples                                                                   
+a Comission of Oyer and Terminer is issueing out for the trying them as        
guilty of treason and rebellion  Mr Greenvill Brother to the Earle of           
Bath, is parted on his journey to Savoy whither he is sent by his Maty to       
make his Complimt of Condolence  to the Duchesse and young Duke                 
+The 11 instant arrived a vessell at Lime, in 6 Weekes from Barbadoes,          
who bring advice that Just before her comeing away, there had been              
discovered a Conspiracy among the blacks to destroy the Whites, that            
some had been already executed, and tho farther surch was makeing after         
the principall continuers of this wicked designe, which had been formed         
with greater cunning & sorcery then any other of that kind, & was               
carryed on till the time it was to be executed, for the blacks belonging        
to one Capt seventy did arise & killed their patron.                            
+Wee have an account from Newengland of the riteing [sic] of the Indians,       
in those Colonis that they had already killed severall English & burnt          
& plundered their houses, upon which they of Boston had set out 4 or            
500 men horse, & foot  they of Plymouth had likewise sett out some men          
and those together prosecuted the Indians, who at the comeing away of           
those ships, continued greatly to infeast the English.                          
     L. c. 214     August 17 1675                                               
+The letters we had on Saturday and Sunday last from Holland and fflanders      
brought nothing but what is made publique, save that those from Holland         
said that the Elector of Brandenburgh is resolved not to attempt any            
further upon the Suedes, till the King of Denmarke has declared against         
that Crowne, which he still delays though no body knows for what reason;        
many people will indeed not beleive that he really intends it, but that         
he means rather to employ his arms for the advanceing his private interests,    
& perhaps for the makeing good his pretensions upon the Citty of                
Spamburgh, to which Citty some of the Danish troopes were come & lodged         
soe near, that the Magistrates threatened to fire upon them                     
+In fflanders people are more & more dissatisfied that so much of the           
summer is spent & that the Prince of Orange has not yet done anything           
with his Army to their advantage though on the other side it is said,           
that the Prince acts most prudently not to hazard any thing at this time,       
when the ffrench are declineing in that manner, that it may probally be         
expected his highnesse will before the end of the Campaigne be able to          
attacke some of their townes, & they out of a condition to opposse him,         
but time will show more.                                                        
+The businesse of the weavers is fully at an end  severall of the               
Justices of the peace of those quarters, where the discord begun, have          
been severely checked, & some of the officers of the Militia of the Hamlets     
of the tower who refused to Assist the Sheriff of London & Middlesex for        
the suppresseing the tumult, haveing been committed to Custody, but upon        
their submission discharged.                                                    
+Wee heare of 6 Dutch men of Warr that have passed the Channell with two        
East India men & severall merchant men bound to the Streights  The vessells     
that arrived in the West from the Coast of ffrance, say that 5 or 6000          
men are marching towards Britainy to suppress the Mutineers, who though         
they are numerous yet are not in any body & without a head.                     
+Wee want our letters from fflanders & Holland of friday last & two             
mailes from ffrance.                                                            
     L. c. 215     [Handwriting changes here.]     August ye 19 1675            
   His Maties late proclamation agst ye insurection of ye silke weavers         
had soe good effect yt Imediately upon its publication they all disperst & ye   
buisiness now wholly over tho severall of ye Ring leaders are in hold, a        
Comission of Oyer & terminer being issued for trying them as guilty of          
treason & rebellion severall of ye Justices of peace of those quarters          
where ye rebellion began have bene severely Chequet & some of ye officers       
of ye Millita of ye hamblets of ye Tower who refused to assist ye Sheriff       
of London & Midlesex for ye surpressing ye Tumult haveing bene Comitted         
to Custody but since upon their submission discharged.  Since this Bustle       
a Councell is held out at Whitehall Wednesdays & frydayes.                      
   Its not yet Certaine when his Maty returned from Windsor.  some say on       
the 28th instant then not till ye 12 of next moneth presently after wch         
hee intends for newmarket.                                                      
   some Conventiclers of Bristoll yt removed themselves thence by               
Habeas Corpus to london Were remanded Back by ye Judges to their former         
prisons, & upon tryall such of them as were produced being fairely heard        
both by themselves & their Councell for 3 houres were found guilty by           
ye Court & orderd to abide in prison till payment.                              
   They write from Cowes of 2 flushing Capers arived there who had bene         
Cruiseing in ye West Indies & sailed home some very Rich, from my myn           
head [?] they telle us of a french privateer under ye Island of Lundy of        
about 16 guns Watching for ye Duch Vessels expected into ye Channell, from      
Portsmth they say 9 or 10 vessells Came to anchor in sight of yt place,         
who by ye report of a vessell that Came by them were part of Leiut Admell       
de Ruyters fleet who was on ye Back side of ye Isle of Wight wth abt 50         
saile of men of War & Merchtmen.                                                
   The Holland Letters say ye Elector of Brandenburg is resolved not            
to attempt any further upon ye Swedes till ye King of Denmarke has              
declared agst that Crowne, wch he still delays tho noe bodyes knows for         
what reason  many will not beleeve hee really intends it but yt he meanes       
rather to Employ his armes for ye advancing his private interests, &            
perhaps for makeing good his private interests upon ye Towne of                 
Hamburg to wch some Danish troops were come soe neare that ye Magistrates       
threatned to fire upon then yet ye Danish Ministers assures ye states that      
his Master will act in ye Warr & yt they should speedily have an account        
of their fleet at sea  The Prince of Orange lyeing so long still affords        
matter of Wonder to all people & dissatisfaction to those places where          
hee lyes, yet some excuse him rather Comending his prudent Conduct as           
designeing to keep his army intire in Expectation of some greater advantage     
where he may doe ye better execution  some say tis ye designe of ye states,     
by Confineing him from action to diminish ye repute of his Conduct in           
ye Opinion of ye people least hee should grow popular, yet there is much        
talke of his decamping to goe Either to Leige or Maestricht, they tell          
us that every day they peake [?] discoverys of accomplices for ye surrender     
of Magdenburg to ye Swede many of Whom are sent to Prison, Coll Smyth is        
sent to ye army to be sentencet & executed there but his sonn set at            
liberty, who Confesst that if ye Elector had stayd two dayes longer             
yt Citty had bene put into ye Swedes hands.                                     
   ffrench letters newly arived say 2 Couriers were arived at ye french         
Court wth advice that ye Prince of Conde Reacht their army in Alsatia ye        
19 instant to ye great Encouragement of ye Souldrs, who before were             
somewt Cast downe, where hee was Recd wth all testimonies of Joy tho            
its said hee shewd some displeasure at ye ill Choyce of ye Ground where         
they were Encampt  The Germans since their passing ye Rhyne had not             
attempted any thing but were marcht toward Spire  The Prince of Conde           
on ye 20th marcht as was said to follow them & Bid them Battle wch              
according to the generall Opinion would very sudenly happen,  The               
Germans had ye fortune but 2 dayes before to intercept 100 some say             
200 Waggons wth a Convoy of 300 Horse goeing toward ye french army.             
   Its to ye disadvantage yt Marshall Crequi resolvd hee himselfe is            
not much blamed in ye action being disected [?] by ye greater part of his       
Horse, upon wch was said ye King would Cashier all ye Horse officers            
except those of ye Duke of MunMouths Regimt, who distinquisht themselves        
by their bravery & Execution & made a good retreat tho wth great loss,          
ffeuillade & Rochfort were getting together a body of ye remainder of           
Crequis scatterd troops & some from fflanders to attempt to raise ye            
seige of Treves where Marshall Crequi Endeavrs to repaire his honr              
& is said to have behavd himselfe wth such Gallantry that in salleys            
hee had kild 1500 of ye besigers Tho one letter sayes ye place on ye            
21 surrendered on Capitulation                                                  
   A letter from an English Coll who Comanded the Duke of MunMouths             
Regimt of Horse under Crequi sayes that most of ye foot & Dragoons              
were kild & taken prisonrs that of their Regimt of Horse 80 were kild &         
halfe their Horse lost, tho ye french in their publique relation of that        
action say the germans Knew soe litle how to pursue their advantage             
that 3 Batalions of french foot marcht off in order with Drums beateing         
&c: but this agrees not wth other advices though its genelly said the           
germans might have pursued their victory more Close & have destroyed            
more of their enimies, tho ye forementioned letter say they were pursued        
2 leagues.  Turenes body will be enterred at St Dennys wth great                
sollemnity at ye Kings Cost                                                     
   Tis said ye Duke de Vivonne has burnt ye Spanish men of Warr yt              
lay at Naples of wch wee expect to hear further.                                
   The seditious in Brittany are entered into an association ye severall        
parishes mutually obligeing themselves in severall articles & are at last       
Come to ye Choyce of a Cheife, one St Pauls man of good experience in           
Warr tho of noe family.  5 or 6000 are marching toward ym                       
   At Bordeux they have again affixed Placaerts on occation of chooseing        
Jurats &c:  As at ye Marshall D' Albretts dore as those of ye Intendt           
& premier presidt full of menaces & signed [?] as formerly Infans Perdus,       
But that wch was Worse, a ship coming in thither with markt paper, & ye         
Inhabitants Judging it to be vented there though they say it was designed       
for another place, grew to yt fury that they burnt both ye ship & paper         
& drownd all ye Marriners, & kild some of ye Custome officers, looseing         
all their respect to their Governr who thought it best to retyre to             
the Cittadell & ye archBpp who got home wth much adoe after many fruitless      
exhortations, in Brittany 14 of ye discontented parish had designed to          
Beseige 4000 of their men investing it but finding ye rest not Keep tyme        
wth them & ye Governour ready to recieve them returned wthout doeing any        
thing but Wasting the Neighbourhood, some have accepted ye Kings Indemnity      
others refused it pretending they have done nothing agst their duty to          
ye King onely sought to have their priviledges Continued to them.               
     L. c. 216     Aug: 21 1675                                                 
+There are at present at ye Isle of Wight abt 20 saile of mercht men            
& 6 men of Warr. who were put in by storme & are part of de Ruyters             
fleet from wch they were separated                                              
+Into Weymth is likewise come the Sr Van Haven in a ship of 76 guns             
being de Ruyters Viceadmell all alone who intended for Plymth to expect         
de Ruyter there.                                                                
+ffrench letters speake of some disorders likely to happen at Bourdeaux         
& that ye appearance of ye Duch fleet on their Coasts twas thought might        
Contribute thereto, the french King has appoynted strong guards all             
along ye Coasts soe long as ye Duch fleet shall Continue thereon.               
   Letters from flanders say ye 21 inst Prince of Orange decampt                
from Hall & next to lodge at a Towne Cald Braine le Count in ye way             
toward Charleroy where ye army lay still ye 2 following dayes, the              
french army under ye Command of Marshall Montmorency wch is still reckond       
at 12000 Horse & as many foot was not yet moved, but hee had sent out           
1000 Horse to observe ye motion of ye Duch in their march to whom they          
Came soe neare yt 7 or 8 were taken & as many kild                              
+What his Highness designed was not knowne  Coll ffennick had orders            
to bring his Regimt from Boilduc where it had its quarters & consisted          
of 800 men,  The Marquess of Huntly was arived in flanders & had offered        
to accompany His Highness this Campaigne, who had kindly accepted it.           
Treves holds out still though ye Confederates expected in a few dayes           
to be masters of it.                                                            
+Letters from Stratzburg say ye french had bene forcet still to retreat         
before ye Germains who had lately taken a Convoy of 200 Waggons laden           
wth Corne & 2 wth men, goeing from Nancy to ye french army.                     
That ye Imperialists had taken 3 small townes in wch ye french had              
garrisons who surrendered upon discretion, That Montecuculy was resolved        
to attaque Hagenaw & Saverne both at one tyme unless ye french prevented        
him by offering him Batle  that ye french soulders were extreamely              
Wearyed through their Continuall retreat wch they had made in ye night          
& Well together, & in ye day tyme they were soe near ye Enimie as to be         
in Continuall allarms.                                                          
     L. c. 217   [Handwriting changes here.]   August 24 1675                   
+On Sunday morning came in all our forreigne letters from all ports, &          
by what was made publicke the next day, you will see the posture of the         
severall armyes to which may be added that though no body knowes with           
certainty the designe of the prince Orange, yet the generall opinion of         
all is that he may have his eye upon Charleroy or else that he will goe         
& beseige the cittidelle of Leige, where the[y] promise themselves the          
assistance of the Inhabitants wearied as they say with the ill treatment        
they receive from the ffrench, & among all sorts of people the expectation      
is great that his highnesse will now doe some great action, to make             
amends for the time that has ben already lost the Campagne                      
+The Dutch Ships that came into Portsmouth are still there, and its             
beleived that d' Ruyter is gone with the other parte of the fleet over          
to the Coasts of ffrance                                                        
+The shipps arrived from the East Indies bring advice, that the Chinneses       
who some yeares since were overran by the Tartars, had revolted & taken up      
armes against them under the conduct of a famous Chinese, who had been          
made Viceroy of China, by the Tartars, & now revolted, likewise revolted        
beeing provoked by the ill usage his Country men received from the Tartars.     
+The Letters from Sr John Narbrough of the 11th past, say that he lay then      
before Tripole, that he had forced a shore a large Tripoline wch had been       
formerly made their admiral ship; but now was employed to fetch timber &        
masts, that there had been a change in that govermt the dey deposed and         
another elected; & that the new Dey had sent severall Messages to Sr            
John to desire him to renew the peace promiseing to consent to what ever        
he demanded for what regards the future, but said he could not make any         
satisfaction for what is past, without which Sr John would not hearken to       
any proposalls.                                                                 
+Its verily beleived that the next letters from ffrance will give an            
account of an other engagement between the Armies in Alsatia, the Prince        
of Conde being advanced with the Army directly towards Strasburg with a         
resolution to fight, or if the Germans decline it, to attempt to burn the       
bridge of Strasburg, to prevent which, the Germans had quitted the seige        
of Haguenaw, & put themselves under the guns of Strasburg.                      
+Though the King of Denmarke has not as yet made any Solemne declaration        
of Warr, yet by the Comissions given to the Captaines of his ships, he          
commands them to attacke & seize the ships of the Swedes where ever they        
meet them, for that Crowne had attacked & committed hostility up[on?] the       
allies of his Maty.                                                             
+Three men of Warr of Amsterdam are joyned with those, fitted out in            
the Maas [?] for the elector of Brandenburgh, they have many land men           
on board & are sailed by this time.                                             
+The ffrench letters of 21/31 instant just now arrived, onely say that          
Treves holds out still, that Crequi had made severall retrenchments within      
the towne, & had raised a fort in the midst of it, resolveing to defend that    
to the last, the armies in Alsatia were so neare that their out guards          
were within pistol shot, the Germans had certainly raised the siege of          
Haguenaw after haveing opened the Trenches, the great expectation of a          
battle.                                                                         
     L. c. 218     August 26 1675                                               
+The letters which came in yesterday from fflanders dated the 30 instant        
brought very little newes, the Prince of Orange nor Marshall d'Montmerency,     
haveing not made any remove since our last.  The Prince of Orange it was        
said intended to send a good body of his troops, who should joyne with          
some Spanish Regimts drawne out of Mons and other Garrisons, and goe to         
beseige some place, while the prince of Orange would remaine with the           
grosse of his Army, to observe the ffrench motions, the beseiged in Treves      
make a vigorous defence, & the beseigers already have lost many men before      
it, in soemuch yt they want to be reinforced                                    
+The last letters from ffrance, spoke of a prospect that had been made          
for a peace, between the ffrench & the Dutch on these termes                    
that matter of Commerce should for the present be reduced to the                
treaty of 1662 that within 6 moneths a nearer treaty should be made,            
that all places taken dureing this Warr should be restored on both sides,       
as Masstricht St Thomas in the Indies &c and that the Dutch should joyntly      
labour with the English mediators for the procureing a Generall peace,          
Wee heare that the Count de Horne is comeing hither in quallity of Envoy        
Exterordnary for the Crowne of Sweden, which is thought would willingly         
be disengaged of ye Warr, or else be assisted in it.  The Danes now             
wih out doubt will show themselves, Their fleet is certainly saild ere          
this, it was to repasse over for the Coasts of Domeren, to attend the           
orders of the Elector of Brandenburg & it is beleived will block up             
Wismare by sea: while the Elector beseiges it by Land, however the Duke         
of Hanover seems to remaine firme in his engagement with the Swedes, for        
as much as concerns the guarantie of the Duke of Bremen.                        
+Here has been a report in towne of the death of the old Duke of Lorraine,      
but with out any truth, however its certaine he is not at the seige of          
Treves, though his troopes are there, but in a Castle hard by  he was of        
an opinion that upon the defeate of Crequi they ought to have marched directly  
into Lorraine and give the ffrench a divertion, & perhaps the Inhabitants       
of that Country, would have taken that occasion to have risen in favour         
of their D. whereas this seige weakens the Army, & probably makes them          
unfitt for any further action this Campaigne.                                   
+This morneing his Maty & Royll Highnesse came to towne from Windsor, &         
hath been at Wolwich to see a fourth rate ffrigate Launched who is to           
carry whole Cannon in her lower tyre, & returned againe to Windsor              
+The Emperor is gathering a fresh body of 10000 men at Egre                     
+The Duch troops formerly spoken of are now marching to their rendezvouz        
at Grave, to be commanded by P Meurice                                          
+The Ruyter was the 27 instant at Schonevelt, so it seems those ships           
came to portsmouth were sent before.                                            
     L. c. 219    [No date; seems only the latter folio of a bifolium]          
                [Handwriting changes here.]                                     
...Where ye french have a great Magazine, they retreat of ye french  tis        
belevd will quite lose their reputation & that ye souldiers will scarce         
be brought to looke there enimies in ye face againe, besides their horse        
are Extreamely out of Case.                                                     
   It seemes ye discontented in Brittaigne have refused ye succors of 4         
Duch ships that came upon there Coast with offers of assistance, fireing        
at them & wth all signifying they had noe designe of prejudice agst ye          
King or his Govermt but onely agst ye Corruption of his officers nor            
would they Endeavour to take off any thing that belongd to ye King              
but onely to recover there owne Rights & priviledges, The troubles in           
Bourdeux are said to be appeasd severall of ye Inhabitants being kild           
& some hangd, many of there & Brettagne are goeing to Crave ye Kings            
pardon & offer their service in his wars.                                       
+fflanders letters just come in say the Prince of Orange had taken Binik        
& intended to beseige Charleroy, that ye Confederates had taken ye out          
workes of treves & hopet to be masters of it in 2 dayes                         
     L. c. 220   [Handwriting changes here.]   August 31 1675                   
+To morrow will be opened at the old Baylye the Commission of Oyer &            
Terminer for the tryall of the weavers, that were guilty of the late            
Ryot, & Tumult,                                                                 
+In the news booke it is so large & fayre an account of the retreat of          
the ffrench Army & agreed so perfectly with severall letters, that              
have been seene from English Officers that are in the Prince of Cond's          
Army, that there remaines little to adde, onely that its said, that the         
ffrench souldiers are extreamely discouraged, to see themselves thus            
forced to fly before their Enimyes and its beleived by all                      
understanding people that this blow will be followed quickly by a much          
greater to the ffrench, for the Germans will pursue their advantages,           
and perhaps ridde themselves of the greatnes of those feares of the             
ffrench, that the Duke of Hanover has quitted the ffrench partie, it            
comes confirmed from all hands, he haveing declared, that seeing neither        
the ffrench nor the Swedes, could not any longer protect him, it was            
reasonable he should provide for his owne safety, this is a heavy               
blow to the Swedes who have not now one declared freind left in                 
Germany, & it is not to be doubted but they will endeavour all they can         
to gett out of this Warr,                                                       
+The Danish fleet is certainly at the sea & the Brandenburgh minister           
here in Towne, sayes he has letters from his Ministers Court, which say         
that Wismar is beseiged                                                         
+On saturday last happened an unhappy Accident at the play house, for a         
Quarrel ariseing there between Sr Thomas Armstrong, & one Mr Scroope,           
it went soe farre, that they both drew, & the latter was killed upon            
the place, Though all people excuse Sr Thomas, Mr Scroope as they say,          
given the provocation, & drawne first,                                          
+The letters come in this morneing from fflanders bring noe great               
newes, besides the account they give that the Marshall Crequi, begun            
to capitulate the 3d of September,  He demands to march out, but the            
beseigers would have the Garrison prisoners of Warr, which is beleived          
the ffrench were forced to submitt to, They give much the same relation         
of the retreat of the ffrench Army as our former letters;  Onely the[y]         
adde of the takeing of 30 mules laden with baggage, & some provisions;          
which they took out of the ffrench rear, & some prisoners, The 2 Armyes         
in fflanders continued in the same posture as our last, Each of them            
was reckoned 30000 strong, but the Prince expected a reinforcemt of             
severall Regiments from Holland, The Prince of Orange will now begin            
his intended designe                                                            
     L. c. 221     Sept 4 1675                                                  
+His Maty named the new fregat the Wollage which promiseth to be an             
exterordnary ship of her Rate, & returned to Windsor the same night             
+Some of Dover since admirall de Ruyter lay so near them went aboard him,       
who speake much of his Civility & that he commanded a ship called the           
Endrast & told them he was bound to the Streights.                              
   the Emperors Resident at Hamburgh has in a full [?] Senate                   
demanded, in the name of his Mr that they [?] should noe longer                 
suffer the Ministers of ffrance to abide with them, & if they would not         
in a freindly manner depart, that they should put them out by the Citty         
guard, & that they should produce the Originall treaty made between the         
Sweden & yt Citty, & renounce it by an act under their hands which              
if they should doe his Master would protect them against theire                 
enemyes, or in case of refusall force them to it by his owne Armes,             
& those of his Allies, this gives the Senate no small disturbance, & the        
rather for yt the ffrench Ministers refuseth to goe unlesse thrust out,         
though they say the Sweden Minister will be content to reside in the            
precincts of the Cathedrall the Revenew of which lying in the Bprick of         
Bremen gives it a great dependence on the Swedes.                               
+They write from Bruxells dat 21 of a plot discovered by a Negro woman          
of a Combination of the slaves at Barbadoes to kill the English for             
which on the 21 [?] of June last 17 of them were executed some hangd some       
burnt &c since which severall have been condemned of whome a more               
particular account may be expected.                                             
+Upon a former complaint of a ffrench Minister to the Senate of Venice,         
that they had suffered some German forces, to passe the Gulfe for the           
releife of Sicily, they ordered the Captaine of the Gulfe to seize all          
ships with souldiers that offer to passe that way, in persuance of              
which say the Venice letters date 23d the Capt about a fortnight before         
meeting 2 ships with German forces set them ashoare at the same place,          
where they Embargued & among the rest about 20 in Chaines, whom the             
Coll pretended Criminally [?] sent by order of the Emperor to serve as          
slaves in the Spanish Galleyes & upon that gained liberty to putt them          
under guard to prevent their escape  these poore wretches proved to be          
protestants Hungarian Ministers who were thus dismally doomed, because          
the Arch Bp of Possonia [?] had Commanded them to forbear preaching, they       
persisted the Command, being agt the Constitution of their Country,             
& priviledges granted to them 4 of them found freinds at Trieste who            
purchessed their liberty, the others sent one of their number to the            
protestant Merchants at Venice, for Ransome, the Coll putting an 100            
Crownes on each head, the Merchants have sent 800 Crownes, for which if         
the Coll dos not free them they must goe to the Galleyes at Naples,             
whither 33 of them were formerly sent, the people of Hungary not knoweing       
what was become of them,                                                        
+Tis generally affirmed from Hamburgh and those parts that the Duke of          
Hanover has declared for the Allies but desired a fortnights time to            
give notice to his former party,  Noe news of the Danish fleet appearing        
before Wismar though land partyes every day take away their Cattle from         
under the walls, some talk of beseiging Stetin.                                 
+A Body of 19 Regimts of Dutch foot & 9 Spanish Regimts are met at              
grave to be commanded by the Prince of Nassaw & Count Stirum & these            
with those in the Prince of Oranges Army are accounted 50000 Men.               
+The Bruxells letters dat the 6 tell us they expected that night by             
the post to hear of the surrender of Treves for that on the 3d about 6          
in the Evening the beseiged sent hostages in order to Capitulation, but         
had for an answere that unlesse they yeilded themselves prisoners of War        
with in an houres time they must expect to be upon discretion.                  
+The Bruxells Gazet of the 7th tell us that the beseiged in Treves sent         
out hostages not haveing Hostages from the beseigers, & that the                
beseigers [?] would hearken to no other proposalls than to take the             
Germans into service to sent the subjects of his Majesty of great               
Brittaine into England with their Armes & baggage & to have the ffrench         
Prisoners of War which being not agreed to the beseigers, began on the          
4 in ye morneing to play their Cannon againe upon the towne                     
+The Prince of Oranges Army is at St Wast [?] about 30000 more marcheing        
to him, the ffrench not much Inferior in stength haveing yt advantage           
in Horse which they want in number of Men,                                      
+The Discontented in Leige who was proscribed by the Placaart of the            
Governour of the Cittadell of Leige haveing sent to the Spanyard for            
Protection.                                                                     
+The ffrench advises on the 7 tell us that most of the seditious in             
Brettagne upon the news of the march of the Kings troopes dispersed             
themselves & have by the Managery of the Duke de Chanlos [?] submitted          
& accepted the Kings pardon, they have delivered their Ring laders to           
Justice severall of whom are hanged up in the highwayes  they are to            
make good the damage done to the Country to reestablish the Custome             
houses & to pull downe their bells upon the Ringing of which they were          
to meet together, so that they question not upon the assembling of their        
States which is to be on the 20 at Dinan that province may againe be            
well established.                                                               
+The Prince of Conde is Encamped near Scholisdardt & Montecuculy marching       
to be set up & 5 Redoubts.  The Comrs for the tryall of the weavers met &       
adjourned.                                                                      
     L. c. 222     September 4th 1675                                           
+We have not any forreigne letters since our last, save from Holland,           
which arrived yesterday, but brought hardly any news, unlesse we may            
beleive what they said of the Swedish fleet being consisting in                 
about 30 or 40 men of Warr, & of their haveing a good body of                   
Infantry on board to recruit Generall Wrangells Army, & to make it              
24000 men, according to the advises they had at the Hague from Hamburge         
Wismar was not as yet beseiged, but the Danish troopes wer marching to          
the Randezvouz at Mullem, about 6 leagues from Wismare, & the King              
intended to be here in person, the 6 instant New stile from ffrance  the        
last letters said that upon the approach of the troops, which the King          
sent towards Brittany, those mutineers were all dispersed, & by an              
Early separating, & retireing to their severall homes, had endeavoured          
to show their submission.                                                       
+The 30 past Leiutenant Admirall de Ruyter past by Rye West ward, with          
his fleet of men Warr, Those that were at Plymouth are likewise sailed          
away from thence to joyne him, The ffrench & Dutch haveing permitted            
each others a free fishery not onely on their one Coasts respectivly but        
likewise on the Engish Coasts which many looke upon as an introduction          
to a better understanding between them, severall hostilityes have already       
passed between the Danes & the Swedes, on the River Elbe, the latter            
find themselves hard beset, especially if it be confirmed what is               
said of the Duke of Hanovers haveing quitted their party, which is              
very probable, the last letters from Holland said that he had designed          
15 dayes to declare himselfe.                                                   
+Since the takeing of Binck the Prince of O had possessed himselfe              
of the Coasts of Carlemont, Lovigny, & one or two other small places.           
+The letters from fflanders come in this day say that the 5 instant             
the Articles for the surrender of Treves were signed, the Officers of           
the garrison have compelled the Marshall Crequi to consent to them, for         
otherwise they would have given up the towne without him, the cheife            
articles are  That the ffrench shall march out to Vitry  they shall             
promisse not to beare Armes for 3 months, The Officers were to go out a         
horse back & to have a Spare horse to carry their baggage but the horse         
men as well as the foot, were onely to goe with their swords, the Scotch        
were to march with the ffrench & to make the same promisse, the Marshall        
himselfe the Treasurer, pay Master, & Commrs of Warr, & the Imperiall           
in Alsatia were come the 2 instant within a league of the Prince of             
Conde & had taken a Castle called Dambecke in which were 50 ffrench             
within halfe a league of their campe, & the Imperialists were resolved          
to remove them from thence or attaque them there.                               
     L. c. 223   [Handwriting changes here.]    [n.d.; first leaf of            
bifolium is almost all torn away, only fragments of words remaining             
from last twelve lines on recto and some phrases and word fragments             
from about eighteen lines of verso; second leaf is intact:]                     
+The 5th instant Lt Admirall de Ruyter came to Plymth & haveing Joyned          
ye ships that expected him there Continued his voyage toward ye streights,      
   Wee have letters from Sr John Norbrough from before Tripoly of ye            
20th [?] of July wch say he had forcet a shoare 3 vessells belonging to         
that place one of which he had got off & causd ye Other 2 to be burnt           
     L. c. 224   [Handwriting changes here.]   September 9th 1675               
+They write from Rye that August 31 de Ruyter who had bene deteined some        
time by Contrary winds neer the Downes [?] past by that port with a             
ffleet of 40 sayle, men of Warr & marchants.                                    
   The difference betwt the Governor and Magistrates of Liege, the Dutch        
Letters tell us, is still open for that [?] when the Governor sent to the       
Magistrates to acquaint them, that he had some what to Comunicate to            
them from the King, & therefore desired that they might have 2 of the           
Officers Hostages, which being done the Governor porposed that all the          
Burghers sould bring their armes into the Cittadell & put 2 of their            
gates into his hands, This they say the Burghers denyed & the Governor          
told them, he must as soone [?] as he can [?] fullfill the Kings pleasure       
upon which they sent for [?] the Duke de Villa Hermosa Governor of the          
Spanish Netherlands.                                                            
   The Dutch ships & effects are still deteined by the Swedes except 3          
which had passe ports from the King  the Colledge of Commerce & Count           
Brahe the Swedish Ambr, The Swedes are fitting out a fleet of 48 sayle          
to goe under admirall Steinbeck,  They are large [?] of money by way of         
voluntary Benevolence, the Ring Drots [?] have given 1500 L & the nobility      
give proportionally  On the 4 the Proposalls were recd for the ffarmes          
of the excise Custome &c of Ireland his Majesty present                         
+The King of Denmarke has now at last declared against Sweden                   
+The St Thomas arrived lately at Bristoll from Monserat in 6 weeks, tell        
us the people there are dayly in feare of the Indians who came from the         
adjacent Islands 40 or 50 in a Cannon [canoe?] in the darke nights rob          
many of the Inhabitants of their goods & carry off severall prisoners,          
+The Elizabeth & ffrances of the same place in returne from Virgina met         
3 ffrench men of Warr 15 Leagues off Canada Commanded by a Knight of            
Maltha  their businesse was to cruise up & downe to intercept the               
Spanish ffleet, who many times hale to the Northward neer which place           
they then were.                                                                 
+The[y] write from Naples dat Augt 20 that a Messinese Galletta with about      
80 men & 32 Oares being under a ffrench Commander to seeke purchest, he         
used them so harshly beating the Rowers as slaves & that the Conspired          
together steered into that place killed their Commander & brought in his        
head with them, they report the ffrench at Mesina have made ready 12 or 14      
ffire ships, as if the[y] intended to fight the Dutch & Spanish men of          
Warr when they appeared before Messina.                                         
+The Mallaga letters of the same dat tell us that the Turkes who left           
the seige at Oran continue still about 3 qts of a league off, with              
resolution to renew their seige, assone as the Spanish Armada shall             
be gone.  The Portugall Navy consisting of 12 men of Warr & 3 fire ships        
going to Gibralter, put a great jealousy in the Spanyards, who was so           
cautious as onely to admitt some officers & sea men a shoare, but noe           
souldiers  some conjectured they might assist the ffrench at Messina,           
others that they had designed upon Santa, a Spanish Garrison on the             
Coasts of Barbery betwt Tetuan & Tangier, & accordingly that place was          
put in a posture of defense but the most probable was that they were            
going to doe themselves reason with those of Argier                             
+There are Bruxells letters that troubles at Leige were likely to               
be composed, the ffrench Residt Monsr Carriers, haveing offered that            
if the Spanyards will forebeare takeing Contributions from the Countryes        
of Leige the ffrench will do the same that commerce shall be free as            
formerly, & farther will yeild up the Cittadell into the hands of the           
Prince of Leige provided the Imperialists & Spanyards give caution not          
to seise it.                                                                    
+The Holland letters dat 13 tell us a Bridge is laid at Ruremond for the        
fforces that met at Grave to passe the Meuse & many waggons commanders          
from the Countrys of Leige, ffalconbergh & Juliers for their use, They          
speake of advises from Stratsburg as if Montecuculy finding the Prince of       
Conde too strong to be forced in his post, was returned with his Army           
seemingly designing to beseige Haguenaw or Saverne the Governr of               
which had lately burnt 13 villages with the forage in them.                     
   The ffrench letters dat 13 tell us the Prince of Conde by their last         
advises continued neer Schestadt & that Montecuculy was at Staltzbein a         
league from him, the Germanies had stopt the passage from Saverne & Hagenaw     
in order to beseiging them there & were endeavouring to shutt up the            
passage of St Marieaux Mines which was the onely great place left for           
carrying provisions to the ffrench Army, & that they had not expected a         
Convoy goeing even [?] that way but that there were 12000 men at & neer         
Verdun, who were on their march as is generally said to joyne the               
Prince, & who might make his Army able enough to answer all their designes      
in those parts notwithstanding the dayly reinforcmts which are sent to          
the Imperiall Army.                                                             
+The Confederate Army which lay before Treves they say are marching toward      
Leige  Monsr Crequis was treated with all civility being the same night         
that the towne was taken sept [?] & lodged with the Prince of Vaudemont &       
by his meanes put under no other restraint, than[n] that of his Parolle         
+The seditious in Bretagne being the most part, if not wholy returned to        
obedience, those troops that were sent to reduce them are dispersed into        
the places where they suppose the Dutch ffleet in their passage may             
endeavour an attacque in Rousillon.                                             
+The ffrench are Masters undr Count Schombergh & have lately beaten a party     
of Micklers  some will have it that the Count shall be sent to Command          
the Army in Germany to give the Prince some ease after so many fatigues.        
+The Bruxells letters dat 13 tell us the Prince of Orange sent on the 12 a      
party from his Campe at Waure to reremond who marched all night upon advise     
that the ffrench had made an inroad into the Countrey of Waes lest otherwise    
they might surprize that place.  Those of Leige whom the Governour of the       
Cittadell would have put out of the towne are for the most removed to           
avoyd the ill consequence they apprehend from a farther delay                   
+On the 5 ffleet of Dutch Merchant men lying in Rye Bay sent some long boats    
for provisions one of which a ffrench Shallop with Comission picked up in       
his passage & waited more till 3 of them joyning together boarded ye            
Shallop fired killed one man & carryed the rest prisoners                       
+On the 4 de Ruyter past with his fleet in sight of Plymouth to the             
Westward & upon firing some guns his vice admirall with 3 others who were       
in Plymouth sone went after him.  Count Horne Envoye Extrardy from Sweden       
is arrived.                                                                     
+Orders are signed for removall of the Court from Windsor the Queen to be       
here on the 10 & his Maty on ye 11                                              
     L. c. 225     September 14th 1675                                          
+Our last from ffrance said, that of my Lord Douglas Regiment, which was at     
Treves, & consisted in 1200 men, were onely some off to mets, [above the        
line at this point appears a cross, and in the left margin, in                  
Newdigate's hand: "some mistake in my coppy"] with the other ffrench            
that were in that Garrison which before the seige were 4500 men compleate       
[?] and all old troops, onely 1500 men were come off, & therefore they          
now blame Monsr Crequi for looseing so many men, when he saw that he            
would gett no releife, & that he did not rather by an early capitulation        
made better conditions if not for himselfe, at least for ye garison             
+Its said his Majesty will not goe to Newmarkett this season, the time of       
the sessions of the Parlament drawing nigh                                      
+Yesterday Monsr Spanhouin Envoy from the Elector of Palatine had               
audience from his Majesty, Its said he comes to recommend to his Majesty the    
interrest of the Elector in case of a treaty in order to a generall peace.      
+Its generally beleived that those late Successes of the Confederates           
will lengthen the Warr, for Spain & the Emperor whatsoever are the              
intentions of the rest seem resolved to prosecute the Warr, till they           
have brought ffrance to their own Termes, in which the Spanish are soe          
eager, that they begin to talke already of haveing an Army of 30000 men         
in fflanders the next spring for they grow extreamely weary of the              
assistance of the Dutch, whom it's said the Spanyards will desire the           
next yeare, if the warr continue so long, to furnish the necessary summs        
of money towards the subsidies, to the King of Denmarke, Dukes of Lunenburgh    
&c but to keep their army at home, but this is but discourse.                   
+It is said as if the King of france intended towards the latter end            
of this month to passe with what fresh forces he can gett togeather into        
Lorraine, to countenance things on that side, for its to be beleived            
the Germans will make a Winter warr of it, but this without any                 
certainty                                                                       
+Just now came in our fflanders Letters  they say that the Prince of            
Orange came with his Army to Lorraine, the 20th instant, & that the             
artillery marched from Brussells the day before to meet him there               
+the 12th instant the Imperiallists began ye seige of Saverne                   
     L. c. 226     September 17 1675.                                           
+The ffrench & fflanders letters which came in Yesterday brought very           
little newes, the former told us that the Imperialists after haveing            
been two dayes before Saverne, marched the 14th instant towards Haguenaw,       
we shall not know till the next letters come from fflandrs what hath            
been the occasion here of.                                                      
+Its now not doubted but that the Prince of Oranges designe is upon             
Leige, in which he will be assisted by the Lunenburg troopes, who are           
comeing downe from Leige,                                                       
+The disorders in Brittany in ffrance are wholly appeased, & some of            
the Ring laders Exemplaryly punished, though the ffrench King has               
taken off the late impositions which was the first occasion of them,            
& in consideration thereof the Parlament of Brittany is to make him             
a yearly present of a certaine summ of money, There has been a report           
in towne for these two dayes past, of the death of the old Duke of              
Lorraine, but without any certainty in such case, his Countryes of              
Lorraine &c devolve upon the Prince of Lorraine, his Brothers sonn,             
Generall of the Horse in the Emperors Army  The Barron Horne who is             
come from Sweden has not yet had audience of his Maty & its said he             
has not any of the Character, soe that we doe not know the bussiness            
he is come about.                                                               
+The ffrench King though its said, he would have been as well pleased,          
that the Marshall de Crequi had himselfe Endeavoured to procure better          
conditions for the Garrison of Treves, yet not to countenance such              
disobedience in Officers against their superior, those that signed the          
Capitulation of Treves, will be severely proceeded against.                     
+Wee are told that my Lord Barkley appointed his Matys Ambr to the              
ffrench King, may nowe in a short time begin his journey thither, for           
that it is thought it will be very proper, at the Close of the Campagne         
to make Overtures for a generall peace, in which his Majesty as mediator        
will greatly labour, though the truth is the severall partys are as             
yet at a great distance.                                                        
+There are letters from ffrance which say that the generall Montecuculy         
is gone to beseige Philipsburg, which is not very improbable  The Gazett        
tells you of his haveing left Saverne  Tis advised from Otranto that 2          
Galleys of Barbary comeing from the gulfe were chased by some galleys of        
Venice & finding themselves not able to hold out longer went to the             
coast of the Morea, belonging to the grand seigniour thinking by that           
means to escape, but the Venitian Capts gave order to burne the galleyes        
though in respect to the Grand Signiors Coasts they set the men ashoare         
+The last letters from Jamaica say the Lord Vaughan sent to the Governor        
of Havana to acquaint of his arrivall & his good intentions to preserve         
the last peace inviolable on his part, according to the orders he had           
received from his Mr desireing him to doe the like & in order to it,            
to deliver up the ships, which had been wrongfully taken by Privateers          
acting by Spanish Comissions in those parts of which we question not            
a good issue                                                                    
+On the 11 his Majesty finally declared himselfe as to the ffarme of            
Ireland, which was let to George Pits Esqr Comptroller to his Royall            
highnesse & partners, On the 13th proposalls were offered for the               
lar-farme [?]                                                                   
+On the 14 his Majesty did the Honour to the Secretary Coventrey to Dine        
with him at his lodgings [?] in Endfeild Chace.                                 
+The Bruxells letters dat 21 tell us that on the 19 in the morneing             
the Prince of Orange his Army decamped early from the Waure & was that          
night at Conroyl 2 Leagues from Waure toward Poroys, the traine of              
Artillery with many Amunition waggons being sent on the 20th from               
Bruxells with Count Horne under a convoye of three Regiments of foot &          
many horse to joyne them                                                        
+This day the weavers were Comitted at the old Bayly 2 for Riots 9 for          
Trespasse & all found guilty                                                    
                   [Handwriting changes here.]                                  
   Tis the whole discourse of ye towne yt ye old Duke of Lorraine is dead       
[On about two-thirds of outside of letter appear notes in another hand          
about a building or buildings on Newdigate's land, with several                 
computations; these notes are hard to read because of the folds in the          
letter.]                                                                        
     L. c. 227     [Handwriting changes here.]     Sept ye 18 1675              
   The body of Sr Wm Lockhart his Maties late Amb in france being brought       
Over in ye Merlin yacht, is Carryed Over into Scotland to be there interrd      
wth his ancestors                                                               
   The Revenue of Ireland is farmd to Mr Pitts & his partners for 240000L,      
wch is 50000L more then my Ld Ranelagh gave, besides wch they are to            
advance 40000                                                                   
   A petition haveing been presented to his Maty in Councell setting forth      
ye horrid murthers & Pyracy Comitted by One Phillip ffitzgerald in the          
West Indies, a Proclamation is Orderd for ye Calling him in, & if he            
does not Come in wth in ye tyme prefixt to set a fine of 10000 peices           
of eight on his head whether dead or alive                                      
   yesterday the Baron de Horne Envoy from Sweden had his first audience        
of his Maty                                                                     
   The greatest punishmt that will be inflicted uppon the Ring leaders          
of ye Weavers will be Whipping & burning in ye hand, 11 of whom were            
Convicted of Riott & Trespass                                                   
   Some passengers lately Come from france tell us of ye great Endeavours       
yt are used to raise men all that Kingdome over, & that severall agents         
are Employd in Swisserland to make levies & to buy horses there & ye            
french seeing all feares of disturbance now among themselves are removed.       
think themselves in a Condition still to Continue ye Warr  The Empr &           
Spaine Its Certaine doe not yet desire a peace unless upoon their Owne          
termes, nor doe any of ye allyes seeme to have any disposition to it            
Except ye Duch, who however are not soe fond of it but that they will           
Easily be perswaded to furnish ye Expences of One Campaigne more                
Especially if this present turne to account as according to                     
appearance of things it seemes to promise                                       
   ffrom Harwich wee heare that 40 or, 50 Scots of My Ld Douglas Regimt         
who deserted were Come over in ye Paquet boat from Holland, nor are ye          
English in ye service of ye Duch very well used Especially as to their          
pay for 40 in a Company diserted as they were goeing from Mallines to           
Brussells                                                                       
   There are letters from Hamburg wch say that Wismar was beseiged by           
sea & land, The Danish fleet haveing taken a small Isle wch lyes neare          
it & that ye King of Poland had defeated 5000 Tartars neare Leopold             
   ffrench letters tell us ye Imperialists quitting ye seige of Saverne         
is Imputed to ye scarcity of provisions wch may yet farther Oblige ye           
Imperialists Even sudenly to repass ye Rhyne,  The troups wth ye Prince         
of Conde left in Conde have Joynd him being betwixt 4 & 5000 men of whom        
almost halfe horse, besides wch hee is dayly reinforcet from ye garrisons       
of Lorraine & franch Compte soe that they question not but hee will be          
quickly in a capacity to follow ye Imperialists                                 
     L. c. 228     [Handwriting changes here.]      September 22 1675.          
+Yesterday came in the fflanders letters, & by them we receive the              
confirmation of the death of the old Duke of Lorraine, & an account of          
the Prince of Oranges, being encamped neer Pirroyes between Tillemont           
& Namur, his cannon that was conducted by Count Horne from Brussells            
being arrived at Louraine, where its thought it will continue for some          
dayes, The Prince of Orange as those letters said had quitted his designe       
of marching towards the Countreys of Leige, &c  seemingly that means he         
should leave Brussells, & those parts naked & exposed to the Enemy, who         
was within 2 leagues & a halfe of the Prince & besides deputies were            
arrived in his Highnesse camp from Leige and assured his Highnesse that         
the ffrench King was willing to drawe his forces out of the Cittadell of        
Leige, Huy & Dinant, & to grant them neutrality, if his Highnesse would         
doe the like, which offer its beleived the Allyes will accept of, but           
desirous to defer it for some time, that the ffrench may not have the           
advantage of so many men, as they would draw out of those places                
+The Prince of Orange designe is now said to continue in those parts            
where he now is to keep the ffrench from attempting any thing while the         
Lunenburg troops who the 10/20 instant arrived within 3 leagues of              
Cologne, & were comeing downe to the Maese in Conjunction with the              
dutch troops that are at present at Ruremond to beseige Limburg,                
+The Letters from Strasburg by the way of fflanders are of the 6                
instant, they say that Montecuculy had quitted Saverne, & that the              
generall opinion was, he was goeing to beseige Philipsburg haveing sent         
the greatest part of his Cannon & a great quantity of provisions which          
he brough[t] at Stratburg downe by water that way.  The Dukes of Lunenburgh     
are returned to their owne Countreys leaving the Command of their forces        
to the Prince of Holstein.  wee have letters from Hamburg of 10/20              
instant which say not any thing of the seige at wismar farther then that        
it was dayly expected the Swedes still say that the Duke of Hanover will        
remaine neuter, & that he will not quitt the Guarantie [?] of Bremen            
+By the ffrench post on Sunday came a letter from Leghorne which speake         
of some great action which had been done by Sr John Narborough, but             
referred it to Sr Johns owne letters, which be not come in, soe yt wee          
remaine in the Darke, but people believe he hath burnt the ships at             
Tripoli  we heare that Mr Scrimbale [?] & Mr Jones who murthered Sr             
Sandford, are apprehended & are prisonrs in Reading Goall                       
+The letters from Holland just now come say that the Munster troops had         
passed the water neer Bremen, though with some opposicon of the guns            
on the other side, a Leiutenant Coll & severall men, had been killed            
of the Swedes, & a Major & some men likewise of the Munsters                    
     L. c. 229     September 26th 1675                                          
+Yesterday was comitted to the Tower, by his Majestyes order in Councill,       
one Coll wemer lately Governor of Antego in the West Indies upon complaint      
made against him by Sr Johnathan Atkins Governor of Barbadoes                   
+Our last letters from Holland & fflanders putt us in Expectation of a          
battle in fflanders & another in Pomerania, but it may be believed that         
the greatest enemyes they will have to deale with all, will be the              
diseases of the season, which are already very sharp in the Armyes              
in fflanders.                                                                   
+The Duells that have happened in the Prince of Oranges Army, will              
its feared greatly highten the discontents that are already between the         
Dutch & Spanish.                                                                
+The Dutch letters say possatively that the Duke of Hanover hath yeilded        
to a neutrality &c that there upon quartters are assigned him for his           
forces, which will be there contained without any charge to the Duke,           
& that besides a private treaty is on foot, for the Engageing him into          
the party of the confederates, at the conferance that was between the           
King of Denmarke & the Elector of Brandenburg, the former was for the           
seige of Wismar, but the Elector Alledged that, by that means they              
should weaken the Army, & give the Swedes time to recruite & therefore that     
it was best to march directly towards the Swedes & fight them whilst they       
are in this wake condition.                                                     
+The ffrench letters come in this afternoone bring letters of the 21            
instant from Stratsburgh which says the Imperiall Army was come to              
Landaw which is about 2 leagues from Philipsburg, that it was said              
he would beseige that place, or else raise severall forts about it, to          
block it up, to give contentment to the Elector of Palatine, who declares       
that he shall be otherwise forced to make peace with the ffrench.               
+The Prince of Condes Army begins to recover out of the ill condition it        
was in, the greatest part of his cavalry that lost their horses are             
mounted againe, & the ffrench say, the prince will now be quickly in            
a condition to leave his camp near Steckstadt, & to march towards the           
Germans  It is certaine that the Elector of Palatine has made a Truce           
for 3 weekes with the garrison of Philipburg with which Montecuculy             
is not at all pleased.  [Handwriting changes here.]                             
   They write from Mallaga Sept ye 3d that ye mores had totally diserted        
ye seige of Oran & are returned to their old places againe, The                 
Spanish armada haveing left ye garrison well provided are proceeded             
for Barcellona where haveing discharged ye souldrs they were to goe             
to Naples under ye Prince of Montesarchio,                                      
+The Prince of Morocco who returned to his owne Country from England            
is made Leuit Genell of ye King of ffez his army & has sent 2 or 3000           
head of Cattle to discharge some debts at Tangier uppon some complaint          
made at ye Court at Madrid of some arbitrary proceedings of Don Balthasar       
de Pantesa Capt Genell of Cantabria agst ye subjects of England, &              
cheifely in ye port of St Sebastian where hee resided  hee is removed           
from ye Governmt to appeare & answer it at Madrid                               
   They write from Sarum that ye long designed Worke, & for wch an act          
of Parliamt was past of make ye River Navigable betwixt Christ Church           
& Sarum was on ye 21 instant happily begun & as was hopet may in some           
moneths be finisht,  Dr Ward their Bpp whose care & cost had revived &          
Encouragd it was ye first yt put hand to spade in the Worke & next him          
ye mayor who wth ye Citty have subscribed freely for Carrying it on             
   ffrom Dover Wee heare that on ye 18th past by 40 Duch merchts with           
3 [?] men of Warr Convoy, & that Warr was proclaimed at Callais agst            
Hamburgh on ye 15                                                               
   They Write from france on ye 25 that ye Court was on ye morrow to goe        
into mourning for ye death of ye old Duke of Lorraine  they talke of 2000       
Portuguez souldiers yt were landed or suddenly to be landed at Toulon           
to serve ye french, & yt ye ships should assist them by sea for takeing         
in Roses  the french King has given out his Comissions for ye Leavying          
of 52 troups of Horse & as many Companyes of foot, which Comissions are         
sent downe to ye Governrs of ye severall provences, who shall stand             
obliged to answere for ye severall officers to whom they deliver them           
& for provideing money as well for ye leavies as for Carryeing                  
on ye warr, they speake of severall Edicts for ye Establishing soe many         
new [?] officers & ye readmitting of others who have bene laid aside            
as Will bring into ye Kings Coffers 40 millions wthout laying any further       
Charge on ye people  The french seeme very doubtfull of ye march of             
Montecuculy some thinking hee designes to march directly into Lorraine  There   
is great talke in france as if ye Portuguez fleet that Went lately out          
would uppon occation Joyn that of france                                        
   Duch letters of ye 27 Confirme ye takeing of ye Island Pohl neare            
Wismar & ye Endeavours of ye Swedes to repossess themselves of it Who           
to yt purpose sent out a party of 200 men whom wth ye affection of those        
of ye Island they thought sufficient to surprise it but whether those           
wthin had some notice of it or noe but they gave them such Entertainment        
that of ye 200 yt went upon that designe onely 2 returnd  The Danes &           
ye forces of Brandenb being Joyned marcht directly toward ye Swedes to          
give them Batle but ye Swedes are soe posted on ye side of a river that         
they will find it great difficulty to come at them. The King of Denmarke        
passing by Wismar wth 1000 Horse went soe neare the towne that 6 of them        
were shot by ye Cannon from thence                                              
     L. c. 230     Sept ye 28th [?] 1675                                        
     On ffryday & saterday arived in ye downes the shaftsbury Pink & ye         
ship cald ye Prince Rupert from Hudsons Bay in ye northwest passage  It         
seemes they were forcet to Winter there, & by that meanes spent ye              
provisions that should have bene left there wth ye new Governor & men           
that were to have stayed there who for that reson are come backe haveing        
left 4 English to keep possesion                                                
   yesterday alsoe arived in ye Downes a vessell from ye streights ye           
master where of reports that Sr John Norbrough has burnt all ye Tripoline       
men of War yt were in port, wch wee are ye more ready to beleive for that       
Sr John said in his last letters hee was resolvd to make an attempt uppon       
them.                                                                           
   My Ld Berkley prepares for his Embassy to ffrance for now ye season          
advances a pace wch Will put an End to all military actions in Will [?] bee     
soe much ye more propper to make Overtures in Order to a generall peace,        
for besides ye Weather there is another thing wch in all likelyhood will        
put an End to ye Campaigne in flanders wch is ye disagreemt of ye Prince        
of Orange & ye Spaniards as to ye proceedings of ye army, & besides all         
this ye Prince of Orange is greately disapointed for instead of ye Whole        
Lunenburg army of wch hee made account, onely 2000 horse are coming to          
Joyne him, this distracts his resolutions & breakes all his designes            
   People likewise Cannot sufficiently wonder at ye retreat of                  
Montecuculy who according to all advices is goeing to pass ye Rhyne, but        
its hardly beleived hee has any designe uppon Phillipsburg at this tyme         
of ye yeare but rather to have an eye uppon ye Elector Pallatine, who they      
say is about to make his Peace wth ye french                                    
   The fflanders letters arived this afternoone say that ye Prince of           
Orange Continued wth his army at Hennatt where he fortifyd his Camp,            
wch argues he has noe intention to remove thence very suddenly                  
   The 2000 Lunenburg horse had Joyned ye Duch Regimts at Ruremond &            
they together had passt ye Meuse & were marching toward ye Prince of            
Oranges army, The people in flanders are much Concernd to see things            
fall out soe ill, & that their great expectation of ye takeing of Leige         
& Lymburg are frustrated                                                        
   Wee cannot yet possibly understand ye designe of Montecuculy, ye 28th        
instant hee was wthin halfe a Leage of lauterburg on ye Rhyne, ye Bridge        
there was finisht & was not knowne when or Wheather ye Imperialists would       
pass it   Montecuculy had taken a Certaine Castle neare Phillipsburg, Tis       
said hee is to returne to Vienna & to leave ye Command of ye army to ye         
Duke of Burnonville, but this is not given wth any Certainty.                   
[On outside of letter, in Newdigate's hand, appears this note:]                 
R. H Newes being a transcript of Sr Joseph Williamson from ye 13 of             
Jan: 73/4 at wch time I began to have them untill the 1st of Oct 75. but        
many are wanting viz all June 74 & Mar: 75 and many others.                     
     L. c. 231     [Handwriting changes here.]      September 27 1675           
+Yesterday came letters from Sr John Narborrough dated the 15 of the last       
moneth before Tripoli  They tell us that on the 31 of July he had forced a      
Show, & burnt a Barke & three gallyes, belonging to Tripoli, which was a        
great losse to those people, for that those gallyes of which sort they          
have noe more, were usefull for keeping of fire ships from their ships,         
which lay holed up close under the Castles  The Dey &c had sent severall        
times to Sr John to desire a peace, & had even offered to give the demanded     
satisfaction in money, or the heads of those that have been the authors         
of breaking the peace, & we heare that a Chaux is on his way from the           
Grand Signior to command them to give the English satisfaction                  
+Our last letters from fflanders which likewise arrived yesterday make not      
any mention of the Duells, which were reported to have been in the Princes      
Army, so that we may well doubt the truth thereof, the prince had made          
another remove towards Harmett, but the weather was soe rainy & the Winter      
season comeing on so fast, that there is now hardly any expectation of          
any action in fflanders                                                         
+The young Duke of Lorraine has taken possesion of the troops belonging         
to the late Duke his unkle, & its thought he will Joyne them with the           
Imperiall Army                                                                  
+This day came in fresh letters from Holland & by them we have advice           
from Stratsburg of the 24 instant Montecuculy was there still with his          
Armys about Wesenburg, & a bridge was amakeing over the Rhine at                
Laterburg, in order as is said to the seige of Philipsburg, which few           
understanding men can beleive he intends, in the meane time the Prince          
of Conde sent out from his camp severall partyes into Alsatia to learne         
an account of the Germans                                                       
+The Lunenburg Armyes continue about Cologne & is goeing into Winter            
quarters in the Dioxesse & in the Country of Juliers except 2 thousand          
horse who are marched toward the Meuse, to joyne the Regiments of foot          
& 2 of Horse Commanded by Count Stirum, who in order there unto was to          
march the 28 instant from Ruremond, on what designe we know not, the            
Danish & Brandenburg forces are marched directly towards the Swedes             
in Pomerania, soe that we may quickly heare of action on that side, the         
Munster cannot yet passe the water being hindered by the Swedes who stand       
on the other side, the Swedes in Wismar made an attempt with 200 men to         
retake the little Island Pohl, but was repulsed with the losse of most of       
their men                                                                       
+The Munsters have passed the Weser at Hoye by permission from the Dey          
of Hanover.                                                                     
     L. c. 232     October 2 1675                                               
+The letters which arrived yesterday from Holland told us, there was            
a discourse as if the Prince of Orange would very suddenly returne              
thither, & leave his Army under the command of Count Waldock.  the              
truth is the Prince & Spanyards are by no means agree, they laying the          
fault each upon other that this Campagne has not been more successefull         
The Dutch complaine that the Spanyards who promised to bring into the           
feild 8000 foot & 5 or 6000 horse, & to provide good Maggazins in severall      
places for the subsistance of the Army, have failed in both, haveing            
as to the first, not had men enough to man their owne Garrisons & as to         
the latter taken no care at all                                                 
+We cannot yet unriddle the mystery of Monser de Montecuculys march             
toward Phillipsburg, for noe body noe longer beleives that he designes to       
beseige that place, & for the rest they know not what to thinke,                
especially if it be true, what some letters say, that Montecuculy is            
returneing to Vienna, which would certainly putt an end to the                  
Campagne likewise in those parts. Though many people think that the             
Germans intend to play an after game, in which they promise themselves          
an advantage over the rest.                                                     
+People begin more & more to discourse of peace & it is very probable           
that this winter will at least bring the Ambrs together againe at               
Nimegen or some other place.                                                    
+It is said that the Pope who is accepted for Mediator by france,               
Spain & the other Roman Catholick Princes concerned in the warr,                
endeavours to change the place of congresse for that he cannot send his         
Nuncio or Legat to Nimegen or any other place, where the Roman Catholick        
Religion is not professed; but the P[r]otestant partyes will take little        
notice thereof, but apply themselves to his Majesty of great Brittany           
as sole Mediator                                                                
+The Earle of Essex we are told intends to returne very suddenly to             
his Government of Ireland.                                                      
+It is now beleived in good earnest that the Portiguez armada will              
assist the ffrench in the Mediaterranean which the Dutch are so                 
apprehensive of that they have written some time since a long letter            
to the Prince Regent of Portugall to disuade him from it, by which              
he must unavoidably become engaged in the warr, which has already spread        
it selfe so far                                                                 
+The late Duke of Lorraine Aged 75 yeares they say has left behind him          
in money 15 millions besides vast riches in diamonds the greatest               
share of which they tell us will go to Prince Vandemont his Natural             
Son, who upon the death of his ffather, was putting himselfe in the             
head of his troopes, till Prince Charles of Lorraine the Nephew &               
heire came who himselfe tooke the charge upon him, & they swore fidelity        
to him as their Soveraigne being then neer the Saar towards Vandrefange         
an appertinent of the Dutchy of Lorraine.                                       
     L. c. 233      [Handwriting changes here.]     Oct. ye 2d 1675             
   The severall armys (except those wch are agst ye Swedes) seeme now           
to have noe other thoughts then to provide themselves Winter quarters,          
that wch is ye most wondred at is, that Montecuculy should make noe             
better use of that great advantage wch hee once had over ye french              
the Summer, & now that side sayes that hee Cannot subsist wth his armies        
in alsatia, all that Country being quite destroyed & therefore is forcet        
to put his army into Winter quarters, in ye meane tyme ye Swedes are            
threatend from all sides & according to ye present appearance of things         
they will not be able to Oppose ye force yt comes agst them, but Will           
be turnd out of their faire posessions in Germany, & yt wch adde to             
their trouble is that even their freinds ye french seeme not much Concernd      
for them but privately say they suffer deservedly for not Entring into          
ye Warr more briskly then they did                                              
   By vessells Come from ye Coast of ffrance wee are assured that in            
Brittany all is quiet & ye late mutineers wholly supprest                       
   Letters arived this afternoon from flanders say that ye Prince of            
Orange Continued at Hannut that Count Stirum was Come wth ye troups             
under his Command wthin a League of ye Princes army, & would Joyne it           
in a day or 2 but ye french army was Come to Gembleurs wch is a League          
nearer to ye Duch then they Were before, & some thinke from thence that         
Luxemburg has a mind to attempt something upon ye Prince                        
   In flanders are heard nothing but Complaints agst ye Prince for haveing      
done nothing all this Summer, wch ye Duch on ye other hand attribute to         
ye Want of resolution in ye Spaniards who will not now let ye Prince            
make an attempt upon Leige, wch at first they themselves proposed               
   Montecuculy continues neare Lauterburg  hee has put garrisons into           
severall places, & his maine designe seemes to be to block up Phillipsburg      
this Winter but in ye Interim ye Prince of Conde gathers strength & is          
makeing a Bridge Over ye Rhyne neare Brisach wth intention as is said           
to vissit ye Germans once more on ye Other side                                 
   On ye 29 [?] Sr Joseph Sheldon was chosen Ld Mayor of London                 
     L. c. 234      [Handwriting changes here.]     October 6th 1675            
+Wee are told of an Envoy that is on his way hither from the young Duke         
of Lorraine, to give his Majesty an account of the late Duke his Unkles         
death, & to recommend himselfe & his Intrests to his Majestyes favor &          
protection.                                                                     
+The ffrench King its said upon the news of that Dukes death, went into         
close morneing, & some add that he hath sent to Compliment this young           
Duke, & that his Majesty will make lesse difficulty to restore Lorraine,        
his displeasure haveing been onely against the late Duke.  Mr Pitts being       
removed from his place of comptroller to the Duke, the same is given by         
his Royall Highnesse to Coll Worden                                             
+yesterday sailed out of the downes a ffleet of 200 saile of Merchants          
men, bound for severall parts, & indeed the English navigation was never        
more considerable then at this time  yesterday his Majesty was hunting at       
Bamsteed Downes & afterwards did my Lord Berkley the honor to dine with         
him at his house.  On Thursday last were tryed severall pyrates who have        
plundered certaine Bremers & Hamburgers as well as English ships  they          
were all English & Irish men & 6 were condemned.                                
+The Dutch letters of ffryday last, which came in this morning,                 
tell us, that the Prince of Orange was expected at the Hague, in                
15 dayes at farthest; though some were still of opinion that his                
highnesse would attempt some thing upon Leige before he left the feild,         
& the rather for that some more of the Lunenburg troopes were marching          
from the Diosesse of Cologne towards the Meuse to joyne the Prince  The         
Armyes on the Rhine continue in the same posture, the Imperialists about        
Landaw & Germersheim near Phillipsburg, & the Prince of Conde near              
Steckstadt, they have both a bridge over the Rhine, the former at               
Lauterburg, which they have fortyfyed, & the latter at Brisach  some            
have said that the Prince of Conde would passe it, & enter into the             
Country of Brisgow, which we can hardly beleive.                                
+Carelstat in Bremen holds out still, which hinders the farther progresse       
of the confederates, who have taken Otterburg & Rodenburg the latter by         
storme, so that all the garrison which was 100 men were put to the sword        
+Wee have nothing fresh from Hamburg, farther then that the Danes have          
possessed themselves of Rostock, where they are makeing a Magazine, &           
that severall Regiments continue to block up Wismar.                            
     L. c. 235     October ye 7th 1675                                          
+This morning arrived our fflanders letters, they say, that the Prince          
of Orange continued at Hannut, with out any intention of removeing              
from thence, till he leave the feild.  That on Sunday was seenenight            
the Count de Stirum arrived in the camp with the troopes under his              
Command; that the next day the prince had sent orders to the Count de           
Horne who was at Tillemont to carry the Artillary back to Mallines, &           
embarke it there for Holland.  That the wednesday following being the           
9 instant the prince sent out 3 Regiments of Spanish foot, & 8 of Dutch         
& a good body of horse under the Command of the Spanish Maistre de Camp         
generall, and the Rhynegrave on what designe not knowne, That the next          
morneing very early 30 Squadrons of ffrench horse appeared near the Princes     
camp, who thereupon advanced with 6000 horse & foot, toward the party           
he sent out the day before, upon which the ffrench retired, who it seems        
were the vanguard of the ffrench Army, who marched that day & about noon        
encamped at Bonesse Abby; soe that the two Armies lye within 2 leagues          
of each other in an Open Champagne Countrey, though they have each a            
River before them.  In the meane time the Spanyards continue theire             
complaints or rather Clamors against the Prince of Orange whom they charge      
with the ruine & desolation of their Country, for that he hath not              
prevented it, though in truth their owne ill management of things is the        
cheifest occasion there of.                                                     
+The incursion of the french into the Countrey of Waes, where they burnt        
above 1500 houses & killed many of the paysants, encreases the cry of the       
people, who complaine that they are equally destroyed by their freinds &        
their enemies.                                                                  
+There is nothing fresh from Alsatia, nor from the Northern parts.              
+The Barron Horne who lately arrived here in quality of Envoy from the          
King of Sweden is prepareing for his returne home.                              
+The members of Parliament begin to come thick to towne, soe that its hoped     
there will be a full house, which the King very much desires.                   
+On Tuesday dyed the Bishop of London.  Its said the Bpp of Salisbury Dr        
Ward will succeed him.                                                          
     L. c. 236     [Handwriting changes here.]     Octob ye 9th 1675            
   The Bp of London it seemes dyed not till Thursday night last nor it is       
yet knowne who shall succeed him                                                
     On Thursday the Duke of Munmouth [and] persons of quallity went to         
new market to see ye Races run                                                  
     Last night happend a sad fire at Aston in Midlesex abt 7 miles of          
London where many houses were burnt downe & much harme done.                    
   Its very certaine that some Overtures have bene made for accomodateing       
matters betwixt ye Elector Pallatine & ye french. & that on this subject        
letters have past betwixt him & ye Duke of Orleance his sonne in law yet        
soe, as ye Elect all along declares hee would not come to any conclusion        
wthout ye approbation of ye Empr, to whom hee communicated his                  
proceedings, in answere to wch ye Empr that it was a matter of great            
consequence, & that hee would send one on purpose to him to tell him his        
mind on this subject, soe that tis expected ye next advices from those          
parts will give an account of ye arrivall of this Envoy at Heydleburg           
& wt ye Emprs mind is in this matter                                            
   The Swedes in Bremen have bene pretty successfull in One or 2 late           
Rencounters they have had wth their Enimies, haveing taken neare 600            
prisoners & among them 18 officers whom they Carryed to Stade, ye               
perticulers whereof are that 7 men of Warr fitted out in Holland on             
account of ye Elector of Brandenb being Come before Carlestadt  they            
landed about 900 men to attaque it by land, that after they had bene            
there about 2 dayes a strong party of Horse & Dragoons Came from Stade          
& fell uppon them, uppon wch ye Brandenburgers Retyred to their ships           
but were intecepeted leaveing 300 prisoners behind them & two peices            
of Cannon which they had taken from ye Swedes who had sallyed out from          
Carlestadt ye day before repulsed, after which ye Swedes heareing of 600        
Danes that were come into ye Country of Sweden [?] marcht agst them & totally   
routed them, 400 being taken & ye rest kild The Coll & one Capt onely           
Escapeing, The munsterians have had better success haveing taken Burg           
Ottersberg, & Rothenbuf places of great Importance, & are now before            
Bremenvene                                                                      
   This afternoon was launched a new yacht neare Cuckolds point where           
shee was built for his Maty by ye direction of Sr Streths: [?] Dean  Shee       
is cald ye Charles, his Matie & Rll Hss were present at her launching           
     They write from Hamburg Sept ye 24 yt ye Treaty of Neutrallity             
of ye Duke of Hannover is Compleated & he offerd by ye allyes to be a           
Mediator                                                                        
   Tis said ye Empr to fix ye Duke of Bavaria to his interest has               
offered his Daughter to ye Electors son, wth all ye Hereditary                  
Countries of ye Empire in case hee shall have noe Heires male, & in             
ye mean tyme to make ye Elector Viccar of ye Empire,  They talke yt             
ye marriage betwixt ye King of Sweden & ye Daughter of Denmarke is              
broke & another proposed betwixt that King & mounsrs Daughter                   
+Tis said the Spaniards are highly insencet agst ye Venetians for               
hindring ye Germans to pass ye Gulfe to revenge wch twas said ye                
Spaniards had Entred into ye Venetian Teritories in ye Dukedome of              
Millan & comitted severall Hostillities setting 2 Villages on fire,             
but this is not given wth an Certainty                                          
     L. c. 237     [Handwriting changes here.]     October 13th 1675            
+Since my last we have not any forreigne news; & at present people              
are taken up with the expectation of the Parliament which meets on              
Wednesday, a great many members are allready came to towne, & its               
beleeved there will be a very full house.                                       
+We are told that his Majesty has lately written to the King of Sweden          
& Denmarke to offer them his mediation for the putting an end to the            
present war, in which they are now become Partyes.                              
+Most people beleeve that this winter will doe much towards the makeing         
a peace, for the severall Princes concerned in the War begin dayly more         
& more to show a disposition toward it, & particular the Dutch, who             
seem so forward to promote the peace that the Imperialists & Spanyards          
are some what jealous of them, and think them even too forward.                 
+We doe not heare that the Bishoprick of London is disposed of as yet,          
to which there are severall pretenders                                          
+We are told that Mr Pitts is restored to his place of Comptroller              
to the Duke.  We cannot yet penetrate into the designe of the Portuguese        
Armada, which is now in the Mediterrean; The Portuguese still say,              
that they will attempt some thing upon Argiers, by meanes of the                
Intelligence they have with the Bassa there, who is a Portuguese                
Renegado, but the more understanding people still say, that this Armada         
is to assist the ffrench.                                                       
+Just now arrived our ffrench letters, but they bring nothing new; the          
Prince of Conde was still near Stockstadt, & Montecuculy near Landaw,           
prepareing to passe the Rhine to goe into Winter Quarters in ffranconia         
& Suabia, & haveing sent the troops of the Circles towards ffriburg             
to secure the Country of Brisgonia against the attempt of the ffrench.          
The Marshall de Rochefort assembles a body about Metz to oppose the             
Duke of Lorraine, who is towards the Saar, & threatens that he will             
beseige Saar Bruchen.                                                           
     L. c. 238     October 17th 1675                                            
+A Message from the King by the Usher of the blacke Rod to command this         
house to attend his Majesty in the house of Peeres where his Majesty was        
pleased to make a speech.                                                       
+The house being returned, the consideration of his Majestyes speech            
adjourned till munday next.  The bill to prvent papists to sitt in either       
house of Parliament, read & ordered a 2nd reading                               
   The grand Committees appointed for Trade, Religion, Grievances,              
Courts of justice & Priviledges  writts ordered to be sent to the places        
vacant since the last sessions                                                  
+The house being informed of a difference like to arise between my Lord         
Cavendish Sr Thomas Mores & Coll Thomas Howard upon a paper or letter           
found in the Pall Mall, Coll Howard ordered to be sent for to Mr Speaker,       
and such persons as shall owne the paper to be committed to the Sargent         
at Armes, and adjourned till munday morneing 8 a Clocke.                        
+The Lords after haveing read one bill about the Tryall of the Peeres           
adjourned till to morrow.                                                       
     14 October                                                                 
+The Lords met & haveing read a bill adjourned till Tuesday next, where         
they will take into consideration his Majesties speech                          
My Lords & Gentlemen                                                            
+I meet you now with a more than usuall concerne for the Event of this          
session; & I know it is, but what may be reasonably expected from that          
care I owe to the preservation of the Government.  The causes of the            
last prorogation, (as I for my part doe not desire to remember) soe I           
hope noe man also will, unlesse it be to learne from thence, how to             
avoid the like occasion for the future, & I pray consider how fatall            
the consequences may be, & how little benefitt is like to redound to            
the people by it.  However if any thing of that kind shall arise, I             
desire you would deferre those debates, till you have brought such              
publique bills to perfection, as may conduce to the good & Safety of            
the Kingdome, & particularly I recommend to you whatever may lend to the        
security of the Protestant Religion, as it is now established in the            
Church of England.  I must likewise desire your assistance in some              
supplyes as well to take of the Anticipations, which are upon my Revenue,       
as for the building of ships, & though the warr has been the great cause        
of those Anticipations, yet I find by a late account I have taken of my         
expenses, that I have not been altogether so good a husband, as I might         
have been, & as I resolve to be for the future, Although at the same            
time, I have had the satisfaction to find, that I have been far from            
such an extravagancy in my expence, & some would have the world beleive.        
I am not ignorant, that there are many that would prevent the kindnesse         
of my Parliament at this time, but I as well know that their affection          
have never failed me, & you may remember that it is about 3 yeares              
since I have asked any thing to my owne use.  The rest I reserve to my          
Lord Keeper.                                                                    
     L. c. 239   [Handwriting and size of paper change here.]                   
                                    Whitehall 19 Oct. 1675                      
Commons. 18/ mr Speaker reports ye Ld Cavendish and Sr Thomas Mores             
had attended him touching ye Paper read in the House and yt he had              
sent to mr. Thomas Howard who was sicke, but had Engaged not to                 
doe any thing in that matter till he had attended mr. Speaker, and              
thereupon severall membrs were appointed to attend him, to know whether         
he will owne the Paper.  The House then proceeded to the consideracon of        
his Matyes speech, and resolved the House will resolve into a Committee         
of the whole House to take into consideration ye part of the speech             
which relates to the Supply to morrow morneing.                                 
+That the House will on Wednesday next resolve into a Grande Committee          
of ye whole House, to take into consideration the part of the speech that       
relates to the setlement of Religion.                                           
+The Bill for the appropriating of Customes to ye use of the Navy,              
read and ordered a 2d reading.  On Thursday next a Committee appointed          
to consider of the Trade betwixt England & France to sitt this afternoon.       
a Bill to prevent Illegall Exaction of monys from the subject read.             
+Resolved that on monday next the House will goe into a grande Committee        
to consider of ye State and ye Condition of the Kingdome.                       
Tuesday 19 Octob.                                                               
+The Pet[iti]on of the Tho: Shireley legr. being offerd, & desireing a heareing 
after a debate whether it should be first considered.  His Matyes speech        
the Bussinesse of the day was read, and then the House entred into a            
debate concerneing the Priviledge of appeales & the Peton aforesd and           
after a long debate be adjourned till to morrow morneing 2 of the clocke.       
The 19. Octob.                                                                  
+Sr Tho. Litleton reports that in obedience to the order of the House           
they had been with Coll. Tho: Howard, who told them that he not being           
versed, in such affairs might give Occation to their farther displeasure        
if he should give any answer to their Message said he had sent a                
Message to Mr. Speaker, that he would not prosecute this bussiness farther      
& still gave the said Engagemt Resolved, that the Paper read. in the            
House signed thomas Howard of Richmond and Carlile is a scandelous paper        
and a breach of the priviledge of this House  Then the House went into          
a Grand Committee, and came to this resolution that it is the opinion of        
the Committee not to grant any supply to his Matie for the takeing of the       
anticipations upon his Revenue.  To which the House agreed, and resolved        
to be in a grand Comittee on friday next to take into consideration of          
that part of his Maties speech which relates to a Supply for the                
buildeing of shipps.                                                            
     L. c. 240     Whitehall 21 Octob 1675                                      
+The Lords satt upon the debate of Sr [?] Shireleys peticon, praying a          
heareing upon the cause depending since last session agt Sr John Fagg,          
and after much time spent therein, the farther debate was adjourned till        
Monday next till when the House likewise adjourned.                             
     Commons                                                                    
+A Bill for the augmentacon of small Rectoryes & vicaredges read.               
+The Bill to prvent Illegall Imprisonmt of the subject read.                    
+The House then resolved into a grand Committee about Religion, & came to       
these conclutions.                                                              
+That a Committee be appointed to inspect what books have ben printed           
that are Scandalous & Dangerous in matters Touching Religion or                 
Governmt. Eccleciasticall or Civell as now Established.                         
+That a Bill be brought in for the better observation of the Lds day            
& to prevent Sweareing and Curseing.                                            
+And that the Bill to prevent the Growth of Popery be read to morrow.           
+a Committee to be appointed to report how the out Parishes in the Bill         
of Mortality may be provided with Charters Capable to receive the people.       
+to prepare a Bill that the Children of the Royll family may be Educated        
in the Protestant Religion, and that no Popish Priest may have accesse          
to them.                                                                        
+to bring in a Bill declareing that the Religion now Establisht may not         
be altered, nor the Lawes touching the same suspended, but by act of            
Parliament.  to which the House agreed & Resolved that the Ld Cavendish         
is guilty of a breach of Priviledge in prosecuteing his Bussinesse about        
Coll Howard, while the Same was depending before this House, and yt he be       
forth with sent to the Tower.                                                   
NS [?]/ The Ld Cavendish has posted Mr Howard yesterday.                        
+And then adjourned till to morrow.                                             
     Commons     Thursday 21 Octob.                                             
+A Bill for the prservation of fishing in severell Rivers read & ordd           
a 2d reading.                                                                   
+A Bill for paymt of the Debts of Ellexandr Davis desist [sic] read &           
ordd a 2d reading.                                                              
+A Bill for continue a late act for giveing leave to buy & Export Leather       
read & ordd a 2d reading                                                        
+A Bill for appropriateing the Customes to the use of the Navy rd a 2d          
time & Committed.                                                               
+ordered that the Bills agt Popery be read on Satt morneing.                    
+Leave given to bring in a Court of conscience in Westr. another in             
Middlesex & Southwerke.  and then adjourned till to morrow 8 a Clocke.          
     L. c. 241(1)   [Handwriting and size of paper change here.]                
       friday, Octob ye 22d 1675                                                
+A Bill to prevent ye exportation of Wooll read, & orderd a 2d reading          
   A petition of ye Ld Cavendish prisoner in ye tower read, & hee Orderd        
to be discharged. his Comittment                                                
   A petition of Mr John Mayne a Mercht touching ye Election of Exeter          
read & repeated                                                                 
   The House then went into a Comittee of ye Whole house to take into           
Consideration yt part of his Maties speech wch relates to ye building           
of ships, & resolvd that 20 ships of ye 1st 2d & 3d rate be built wth all       
convenient speed, ye Comittee to sit againe abt it on Tewsday                   
Saterday ye 23d/ A Bill for augmentation of small vicaridges read a 2d          
tyme & Comitted                                                                 
   A Bill for uniteing some parishes read & orderd a 2d reading                 
   Leave given to bring in a Bill for repaire of high wayes & churches          
& recovery of small tythes.                                                     
   The Bills for ye Courts of Conscience to be read on Munday next              
   Leave given to bring in a Bill for ye Ease of ye Coale Trade & for           
Encourageing Navigation to New Castle                                           
   A Comittee appoynted to Consider of Matters touching ye Coale Trade          
& ye Duty Imposed uppon it                                                      
   a debate ariseing abt such of ye Kings subjects as are in ye french          
Kings service Contrary to ye Proclam: Resolved, That such subjects as are       
now in ye french Kings service or shall be Contrary to any Proclamation         
shall be held Contemners of his Maties Royall authority & opposers of           
ye interest of their Countries & a Bill Orderd to be brought in pursuant        
to this Vote wth penalties                                                      
   A Bill to hinder papists sitting in Either house read a 2d tyme.             
+The Swedes have sustaind great losses both in Pomaren from ye                  
Confederates, & in Bremen from ye Brandenburgers                                
     L. C. 241 (2)  [Handwriting changes here.]  [See date below.]              
        Coll Howards letter                                                     
Sr/   The late severity against Roman Catholicks having forbidden me the        
ambition to any place pr pretension at Court, & the severe usage of the         
goute makeing me unfitt to appeare in any company, but where I am well          
acquainted, besides a most sensible losse of my poore Brother John killed       
at the battle of Stratsburg, I resolve not onely in person but thought          
from all temptations this world will give me & to spend the rest of my          
dayes in such domestick & private content as a man of those principles          
& of some seeing hopes in an honest retreate.  But It happened by a             
certain, though unjust & malicious accident That I am awakened from             
the quiett & repose I hoped for, And findeing my selfe engaged by the           
nearest tyes of freindship & honour (And obligations I have alwayes             
esteemed dearer than my life) to let some unworthy & base people see            
that I am yet alive.  Not long since in St James Park the Ld Cavendish          
& St Thomas Moores (two bold & busie members) upon the news of the              
ffrenches retreat over the Rhine where many English were reported to be         
killed (whose lives amongst all honest men was much regretted)  Those           
incendiaryes with a most plausible temper of such worthy patriotts              
openly declared, That it was but a just end to such as went against any         
Vote of Parliament, (with all respect of that honourable house this             
Cankered & malicious saying will neither deserve the thanks of that             
house.                                                                          
+(it being false as to my brother who went by his Majestyes command at          
the head of his Company before the Vote was in force) or the approbation        
of any honest men.  But of it I will not trouble my selfe or others to          
let you see by (an exact character) how those two worthy & unbiassed            
Sanators ought to be credited  next october will produce such efforts           
of their care & capacity of securing property & Religion in a Christian         
humane way.  That I beleive I shall be called to the Barre to answare           
those Slanders (as they will call them) yet I doubt they will not, for          
though an ill orator I shall most surely prove what I write, As for             
any other way of revenge I doe not apprehend it, for men that are               
given to spit bloud seldom draw it                                              
  Sr I have troubled you too long with my just resentments, but knowing         
the show that you have alwayes taken in my concernes, I must beg of you         
that you will in St James Park in the Mall dispose those papers.  It            
being all the way that is left to doe right to the dead And assure you I        
will not doe you the ill office of dispersing a libble, for I will signe        
the Copyes with all my titles.                                                  
ffrom Ashteed in Surrey     30 August 75.                                       
Thomas Howard of Richmond & Carlisle.                                           
     L. c. 242     October 27th 1675                                            
+The house went upon the debate of Dr Shirleys Pet[iti]on this day, &           
afterward adjourned till Thursday sevennight                                    
+The Commons read a bill to prvent more burning & ordered a 2d reading          
+A bill settleing the estate of Hen. Merchant a Lunatique ordered a 2d          
reading                                                                         
+A bill for payment of the Lord Killmurrys debts read & ordered a               
second reading                                                                  
+A bill for the better assurance of such as clayme under Ancient fines          
& recoveries read & ordered 2d reading                                          
+Sr George Downing reports the State of the Trade between England &             
ffrance & the consideration thereof adjourned till Saturday                     
+The house ordered to be called over on Tuesday & letters to be sent            
to the defaulters                                                               
+A Test for purgeing the Members touching receiving rewards for giveing         
their Votes read & referred to a Committe.                                      
+That his Majesty be desired that the members of his house may be               
summoned to give their attendance by Proclamation onely and then adjourned      
till Tuesday next                                                               
+The bad weather we have had for these 4 or 5 dayes keeps our letters           
from us soe that we have not any forreigne news                                 
+Last night the Lord Berkley after he had taken leave of the King in            
order to the beginning his Embassy to ffrance was suddenly taken ill in         
the privy gallery of a strong fitt of an Apoplexy which continued upon          
him 10 houres but this day his Ldpp is much better & this evening is            
removed to his owne house from the Lord Chamberlines Lodgin where he            
was immediatly carryed upon his falling ill.                                    
+The Hamburgh letters of the 11 speake of letters from Sweden by way of         
Riga (for the usuall way of letters is stopt by the Danes who forbid all        
sort of Communication with them) which makes the Swedes fleet formidable        
46 men of War almost all betwixt 60 & 100 guns & the Pearle admirall            
of 128 Brasse guns ready in Dalhem & expected onely a faire wind & that         
in other ships halfe the Regiments of the Malitia are embarqued, to             
which they adde that the Rixtag or Parliament have resolved not to              
forsake the ffrench interest & that the peasants have offered to send           
every second man into the feild.                                                
     L. c. 243     [Handwriting changes here.]     October ye 29 1675           
   from Tangier wee heare that ye Governr haveing uppon ye information          
that was given him by one Hamatt a moore who was lately here in England         
& turnd Xtian, of a great number of Catle yt were feeding near ye towne         
sent out abt 500 foot & 30 horse, but its thought Hamat betrayed them,          
for ye moores were laid in ambush, & abt 150 of our men were cut off            
ye rest makeing a brave retreat                                                 
+The 25 a message was sent by Sr Wm Coventry to ye Lds desireing their          
Concurrence to ye Vote of ye Commons concerning such of his Maties              
subjects as are in ye french service &c: to wch ye Lds answered they            
would returne ym an answere by a messenger of their Owne.                       
   The house being informed of a Challenge & quarrell like to arise             
between the Ld Cavendish, Mr ffra: Newport, & Mr Atkins, Orderd that Mr         
Newport be summond forthwth to attend ye house  And Resolved, that they         
haveing punisht ye Ld Cavendish for posting up provokeing papers some           
persons have presumed notwithstanding to send challenges to ye said             
Ld, They declare that whoever shall prosecute any quarrell uppon                
this account shall be Esteemd as disturbers of ye Publique peace, &             
Contemners of ye Justice & priviledges of this house & shall be                 
proceeded agst accordingly.                                                     
   A Comittee appoynted to bring in a Bill to prevent duells &                  
provocations there to                                                           
   The House then went into a Comittee to Consider of ye State &                
Condition of ye Kingdome and Resolved, that on Wednesday next they              
will resolve into a Comittee of ye whole house to Consider of ye                
Condition of ye Kingdome.                                                       
+The 26 the Lds were againe uppon debate of Dr Shirleys petition, but           
adjournd it till another day                                                    
   Coll Howard attending ye house of Commons according to Order was             
Comitted to ye tower for his breach of priviledge                               
   Then ye house proceeded to ye Consideration of that part of his              
Maties speech wch relates to ye building more shipps, & resolvd, that           
ye mony wch shall be given shall be appropriated & applyed to ye                
building of more shippps onely & then Resolvd that ye house will resolve        
into a Comittee of ye Whole house to proceed in ye Consideration of ye          
same.                                                                           
     L. c. 244     [Handwriting changes here.]     [n.d.]                       
+I doe protest before Allmighty God and this house of Parliament that           
directly or indirectly, neither I or any other for my use to my                 
knowledge have since the first day of January 1672 had or received              
any Summe or Summes of money by Wages of imprest gift Loane, or otherwise       
from the Kings Majesty or any of his officers or sworne servants, or            
any other person by his Majestys order, direction, Leave or knowledge,          
or by authority derived from his said Majesty, or any pardon discharge          
or respite of money due to his Majesty upon account.  Or any grant,             
pension, gratuity or reward, or any promise of such or any office of            
employment, or any promise of reversion of any office place or comand           
of or from his Majesty, or out of any money treasury or estate of or            
belonging to his Majesty, or of or from or by any foreigne Ambassador,          
Agent, or Minister or of or from any other person in the name or by the         
appointment, or with the knowledge of his Majesty or any of them,               
otherwise then what I have now in writeing faithfully discovered &              
delivered to this house, which I have subscribed with my name, Neither          
doe I know of any such gift, grant or promise soe given or made since           
the said time to any other Member of the house, but what I have alsoe           
inserted in the said writeing.  Nor have I ever given my vote in                
Parliament for any reward or promise whatsoever.                                
     L. c. 245     [Handwriting changes here.]     [n.d.]                       
+Before the houses rose great debates were among ye Lds Concerning              
priviledges Especialy in ye buisness of Shirly & ffagg  They resolveing to      
be a house of Judicature or noe house, wch point tis feared may be of ill       
Consequence & many thinke may tend to a dissolution  The Ld Hollis has          
wrote a Booke Concerning their priviledge &c:                                   
+It was debated in ye Commons whether to put ye mony that should be given       
for ships in ye Exchequer or Chamber of London, & ye question being put         
whether in ye chamber of London or noe, it was Carryed in ye negative           
by 11 Voyces                                                                    
   Uppon ye debate about mony Sr John Hotham stood up & said hee                
beleived ye King could want noe mony haveing given soe Liberally amongst        
yt ye members of yt house. upon wch hee was Cald to ye Barr, & made a           
good defence, uppon wch ye Test for a purge was Orderd to be brought in         
   Sr Harbotle Grinston made a smart speech about a dissolution                 
Intimateing that standing Parliaments as well as armys were Equally             
dangerous to the Governmt, or to that purpose                                   
     L. c. 246     Die Martis, 2de Novemb 1675                                  
   A protection granted to a Wittness summoned to attend ye Comittees of        
Eclections [sic] & privledges                                                   
   Leave given to bring in a Bill for makeing ye River Darwent Navigable        
   The report abt ye french trade to be debated on Saterday, & then ye          
State & Condition of ye Nation as to ye Woollen Manufacture, ye Trade of        
Ireland, & ye makeing of Malt to be alsoe taken into Consideration              
   a Bill to prevent ye illegall Imprisonmt of ye subject to be read            
to morrow morning                                                               
   The House to be Cald over Thursday morning                                   
   Then ye house resolvd into a Comittee of ye Whole house to Consider          
of that part of his Maties speech wch relates to ye building of ships           
& after a long debate thereof Resolvd to be in a Comittee of ye Whole           
house to morrow morning, & then adjournd till to morrow 8 a clock               
Amsterdam, November ye 5th                                                      
     The last night & this Whole day till this tyme being 5 in ye               
Evening, the Water wth a storme of Wind at N:N:W broke in wth great             
Violence (wch now has Continued abt 48 houres) the Water stands 4 Inches        
higher then it did in all Sts day 1572,  Things are on all sides in a           
miserable posture, many sea dikes & Damms are broke through, the Water          
passes Over ye Nearlomer Dyke vizt the great dyke, The meadow & Every           
thing else there lyes like an Open sea, & nothing is to be seene but            
ye houses, The last night & this day ye Bells have rang in Waterland            
to give Notice of ye great Callamity they are in  The Dyke betwixt              
Horne & Edam is broke through, by wch meanes ye fine Burmer is ruined,          
Beyond Myuden ye sea is likewise broken through, The Water flows over           
ye Ring Dyke from the Beyrilomier [?], & as is said that meer is likewise       
broken in, Dremer meer holds still, The Water runs very violently Over          
ye flaper wch defends Haerlem & Leyden.  The sky lookes black & ye              
storme at N.N.W. continues, the Water still grows higher, ye flood              
runs violent & ye great ships mend [?] more ye flood, yn ye storme, at ye       
new Enlargemt by ye Jews Church above 200 people are at Worke to make           
6ood a peice of a Dyke wch is but Weake, the magistrates have Comanded          
by sound of Trumpet that ye Inhabitants should remove their goods out of        
ye Coblers before divers of ye Sea Dykes were broken through, & While           
ye Water onely flowd over the [rest of letter is missing]                       
     L. c. 247     Novemb ye 4th 1675                                           
Wednsd ye 3d/ A Bill to Enable ye Countess of Warwick to performe ye            
Will of ye late Earle read a 2d tyme & Comitted                                 
   A Bill for Confirming ye sales made by ye Coheires of Leonard                
Robinson read a 2d tyme & Comitted                                              
   A Bill for suppressing Hawkers, Pedlers & petty Chapmen read &               
orderd a 2d reading                                                             
   A Bill for releife of poore prisoners for debt read & Orderd a 2d            
reading                                                                         
   The House then Resolved into a Comittee of ye Whole house to proceed         
in ye Consideration of that part of his Maties speech wch relates to ye         
building more ships & came to these Resolutions                                 
     That one 1st Rate ship be built of 1400 tunn, allowing for its             
building 14 L p tun                                                             
     5, 2d Rates of 1100 tunn at 12 L 10s p Tun                                 
     14, 3d Rates of 900 Tunn at 9 L, 10s p Tun                                 
That they will againe resolve into a Comittee to morrow morning to              
proceed in ye farther consideration of ye same buisness, & soe adjournd         
till to morrow 8 a clock                                                        
Thursday ye 4th/ A Bill for drayning of Lindsey Levell orderd to be             
read on Munday next                                                             
   Leave given to bring in a Bill for Erecting a Court of Judicature            
to setle differences yt may happen by ye fire at Northampton                    
   A Bill to Enable Trustees to sell an Estate of Tho Berkley Esqr              
read & orderd a 2d reading                                                      
   A Petition of ye Inhabitants of ye Isle of Wight agst ye officers of         
ye Customes read & orderd a 2d reading                                          
   A Bill for recalling his Maties subjects from ye french Kings service        
read & orderd a 2d reading                                                      
   A Bill to hinder Papists from sitting in Either house of Parliamt            
reported & orderd to be Engrost                                                 
   Then ye house resolvd into a grand Comittee of ye Whole house to             
proceed in ye Consideration of building ships & agreed that a supply            
not exceeding 300000 L shall be raised for ye building & toward ye              
Rigging of 20 ships                                                             
   The house will be in a Comittee of ye whole house on Tewsday to              
Consider of ye State & Condition of ye Kingdome                                 
   His Maty has bene pleased lately to pass A graunt of armes to ye             
Duke of Richmond, & to ye Earle of Plymouth to ye former ye Royall              
Armes of England wthin a Bordure Go Ponce [?] Arg: & gules in ye first          
Roses Gules to ye Other ye same Royall Armes wth a Batton vaire.                
     [A few figures in another hand appear on outside of letter.]               
     L. c. 248     Novemb ye 6 1675                                             
   The Lds after a long debate on Thursday wch Kept them till 8 at Night,       
at last resolvd that ye 20th inst should be appoynted for ye heareing           
ye Cause betwixt Dr Shirley & Sr John ffagg a memb of ye house of Commons       
at ye Barr of ye house of Lds                                                   
+The Comons on ffryday being ye 5th of November went to heare Dr Sandcroft      
preach                                                                          
+On Saterday they voted Dr Sandcroft ye thankes of ye House for his sermon      
wth desire he would print it                                                    
   Read a Bill ye 2d tyme for assurance of such as claime under ancient         
fines & Recoverys & Comitted                                                    
   A Bill for makeing ye River Darwent Navigable read & Orderd a 2d             
reading                                                                         
   A Bill for Rebuilding ye Inne of Northampton & Erecting a Court of           
Judicature there read & orderd a 2d reading                                     
   A Bill to preserve ye libertys of ye subject read & orderd a 2d              
reading                                                                         
   A Bill to Enable Justices to sell ye White Lyon prisons read & orderd        
a 2d reading                                                                    
   A Bill for assertaining ye duty of Hearth mony read a 2d tyme &              
Comitted                                                                        
   Sr John treavor reports from ye Comittee of ye Whole house ye severall       
votes by them agreed, concerning that part of his Maties speech wch relates     
to ye building of shipps, & uppon a division whether ye house should            
agree wth ye Comittee in ye last vote that a supply be raised not               
exceeding 300000 L for building ships, it was resolved in ye affirmative,       
& likewise to all ye rest of ye votes as for ye number, Rate, burden, &         
price of Each Tunn ye house alsoe agreed & to be in a Comittee abt ye           
State of ye Kingdome on Monday.                                                 
+Letters from Paris of ye 10th instant say that they had advice from            
alsatia that Generall Montecuculy had past ye Rhyne at Lauterburg               
haveing drawne 100 men of each company of foot (their Companies being           
generally 200, & 250, in a Company) & 150 out of Each Regiment of Horse         
to mayntaine ye Pass they have taken abv [?] Phillipsburg, Genll                
Vertmuybeer Comands these troups in cheife, wch its said are to be              
releived Every moneth by fresh troops who are to come from ye maine             
quarters  The Duke of Lorraine likewise marches wth his forces, their           
Winter quarters being assigned wth ye Imperiall troops in Suabia                
   The Prince of Conde is very sudenly expected at Paris, some say ye           
Duke of Luxemburg will goe & Comand & alsatia [sic]                             
   The Citty of Rennes in france where ye disorders first begun                 
this summer is goeing to be intirely ruined the souldrs liveing there           
according to their owne discretion                                              
   Wee have noe farther perticulers of ye damage sustained by ye late           
Inundation in Holland but its not to be doubted but its very Considerable.      
     L. c. 249     [Handwriting changes here.]     Novemb ye 9th 1675           
+A Bill for makeing the river Darwent naviagable read a 2d time &               
Comitted.                                                                       
+Leave given to bring in a bill to assertaine weights & measures.               
   A Petition of Coll Howard tendered & he ordered to be discharged &           
to attend Mr Speaker with Ld Cavendish & Sr Thomas Moores who is desired        
to reconcile them.                                                              
+The house being informed of St German & another popish priest that             
entered the Camber of one Luzancy & forced him to examine what priests          
have been convicted & reprieved & by what Warrtt                                
   A bill to enable the Countesse of Warwick to performe the late Earles        
will read & ordered to be ingrossed.                                            
   The house then resolved into a Comtee of the whole house to proceed in       
the Consideration of the supply for building of ships & resolved That the       
supply shall be raised by a land tax & monethly assessmt of 18 moneths at       
17204 L 17s 3d p moneth to be paid by quarterly payments that noe other         
charge shall be layd upon the subject this session & soe adjourned till         
to morrow 8 a clock.                                                            
     Tuesday 9th                                                                
+Severall persons sworne in order to their Naturalization                       
     ffive booksellers ordered to be taken into Custody for seizing             
Almanackes                                                                      
+The bill to enable the Countesse of Warwick to performe the late Earls         
will read a 3d time & passed.                                                   
+A bill to encourage the rebilding of Northampton read a 2d time & comitted     
+A bill to prevent the exportation of wooll read a second time & Comitted       
   A Petition of Cloathyers Merchants & others against the East indya           
Company referred to the same Comtee to sitt to morrow.                          
   The house to resolve into a Comtee to morrow to Consider the condition       
of the Nation & on Thursday to proceed on the Supply, & on Saturday to          
consider how to improve the woollen Manufacture & soe adjourned till to         
morrow 8 a clock                                                                
+The house of Lords being informed of a booke lately printed entitled a         
letter from a prson of quality to his freind about a Test as it is              
said, & the same haveing been there read, it was ordered that it should         
be burnt by the Common Hangman at the exchange & Westminster & that             
enquiry should be made after the Author, Printer & publisher.                   
+The Lords took into Consideration a debate a former message from the           
house of commons concerning his Majestys subjects in the ffrench                
service contrary to the late Proclamation, & resolved that an addresse          
be made to his Majesty in that matter                                           
+wee have not these 8 days had any letters from a broad.                        
     L. c. 250     [Handwriting changes here.]     Novemb ye 13th 1675          
fryday 12/ A Bill for drayning Lindsey Levell read & orderd a 2d reading        
   a Comittee appoynted to bring in a Bill for regulateing Election of          
members to sitt in Parliamt                                                     
   A forme of a Vote to prevent Expences drinking & bribery at Elections        
read & referd to ye Comittee of Elections                                       
   The Bill to prevent illegall exactions of mony from ye subject               
reported & orderd to bee engrost                                                
   The house to be in a grand Comittee on Tewsday to Consider of ye             
State of ye Kingdome                                                            
   a Comittee appoynted to Consider of ye laws abt ye poore & abt               
Vagrants & to propose remedies to lessen ye Charge uppon ye subjects            
for ye poore                                                                    
   A Writt Issued to Elect a member for Pembroke                                
Saterday 13/ A bill for setling ye Estate of ye Ld Killmurry reported           
& ordered to be engrost                                                         
     A Petition of ye Weavers of London read & referd to a Committee            
     A Bill to Enable Tho Berkley Esq to sell bonds for paymt of debts          
read & Comitted                                                                 
     A Bill for paymt of debts of Allexander davis read & orderd to be          
Engrost                                                                         
     An address to be presented to his Maty to represent ye default in          
not apprehending St German, & a Comittee to draw it up                          
   The house being informed of some dangerous words spoken by some              
papysts it was referrd to a Comittee to examine                                 
    An Order being servd upon Sr John ffagg for hearing ye Cause                
depending betwixt him & Dr Shirly at their Barr ye 20th inst it was             
read & ye debate adjournd till to morrow                                        
   The house to be in a grand Comittee on Tuesday to Consider of ye             
Woollen manufacture & on fryday to Consider of ye Irish act                     
   The Comons have resolved that ye mony for building ships shall bee           
paid into ye Exchequer & yt penalties shall be inflicted uppon ye               
officers of ye Exchequer & Navy in Case ye same shall bee Imbezelld             
& misEmployed & yt ye accounts thereof shall be transmitted to ye               
Comons in Parliamt                                                              
   and that ye Bill for ye appropriated [sic] ye Customes to ye use of ye       
Navy shall bee anexed to ye Bill for ye supply                                  
     L. c. 251 (1)   [Handwriting changes here.]   November ye 13th 1675        
+Wednesday 10th The high Sheriffe of Suffolke to attend to show cause why       
he hath not returned the Writt for Election of Eye                              
+The Pedlars bill to be read to morrow                                          
+The bill for recalling his Majestys subjects out of the ffrench Kings          
service read a second time & Comitted                                           
+The bill against the illegall exaction of money to be reported on              
Tuesday & the piscary bill to morrow                                            
   A Conferance being desired by the Lds, agreed, the effects was that          
they had changed the vote about the subjects in the ffrench Kings service       
into another forme the consideration of which adjourned till Tuesday            
   The house then resolved into a grand Comtee to consider the State of         
[most of lower half of this sheet is torn away; top half of verso resumes:]     
+A bill for preservation of the piscary reported & ordered to be                
ingrossed                                                                       
     A bill for continueing an act about piscary read & ordered a second        
reading                                                                         
+A bill to prevent Theft & Rapine in the Northerne borders read & ordered       
a 2d reading                                                                    
+The house then resolved into a Comtee of the whole house to proceed upon       
the matter touching the supply & Resolved  That the supply shall be paid        
into the Exchequer & kept a part & appropriated to the building & towards       
the rigging the 20 ships & that penaltyes shall be inflicted upon the           
Officers of the Exchequer in case the same shall be misapplyed & that           
the account thereof shall be transmitted to the Comons in Parliament            
[The large tear starts here, but at least the right half of the next            
three lines can be read if necessary.]                                          
   L. c. 251 (2)     [n.d.]                                                     
          A Scheme of the trade as it is at present carryed on between          
          England & ffrance in the Comodityes of the Native product             
          & manufacture of each Country calculated as exactly as                
          possible in obedience to the Comand of the right honble the           
          Lds Comers of the treaty of Comerce with England & humb[l]y           
          tendered to their Ldpps                                               
+The particular of the Comodityes exported from England to ffrance & the        
Comodityes imported from ffrance into England are for brevityes sake            
omitted, & by the account given to the Lds Comrs it is perceived that           
the Linnen & Silke Manufactures onely imported from ffrance amounts to          
upwards of 800000 L & that the Manufactures of Wooll & Silke exported           
into ffrance doe not amount to 85000 L as alsoe that all other Comodityes       
of the product & manufacture of England exported into ffrance doe not amount    
to 90000 L whereas the wine, Brandy & other Comodityes of the product &         
Manufacture of ffrance imported into England amount unto upwards of             
320000 L besides an incredible value of toyes [?] rich apparell poynt lace      
&c  And soe it is apparent that the exports of our Native Comodityes &          
Manufactures to ffrance are lesse in value by at least 1000000 L str            
then the Native Comodityes & Manufactures of ffrance which we receive from      
thence.  And if their Ldpps please to reflect thereupon they will               
discerne the perjudice the English Nation has susteyned & the great             
advantage the ffrence have & doe daily make by holding yt treaty in             
suspense  This notice upon the matter excluded trade thither while              
in the meane time the ffrench enjoy all and as great advantages as they         
can reasonable expect by any treaty.                                            
     L. c. 252     [Handwriting changes here.]     Novemb ye 16 1675            
Munday 15/ A Bill for Enlarging a passage betweene chancery lane &              
Lincolne feilds read a 2d tyme & Comitted                                       
   A Bill to prevent ye growth of popery read a 2d tyme & comitted              
   The bills for releife of poore prisoners, & preservation of fishing          
read                                                                            
   A Bill for preservation of ye libertys of ye subjects read a 2d              
tyme & Comitted                                                                 
+Ordered, That ye Lds bee put in mind of ye Bill to hinder papists              
sitting in either Parliamt, in ye next message to then [sic]                    
   The house to bee Cald over on Thursday next                                  
   Resolved that ye prosecuteing ther appeale in ye Lds House by Dr             
Shirly agst Sr John ffagg is a Breach of the Priviledge of ye House             
   That Sr John ffagg doe not make nay defence at ye Lds Barr in ye said        
appeale  The farther debate thence adjournd till to morrow                      
   The House to Resolve into a Comittee on Wednesday 10 a clock to proceede     
in ye Consideration of ye State of ye Kingdome & then adjournd till to          
morrow at 8 a clock                                                             
+The Lds haveing bene this day in debate abt entring of Protests adjournd       
ye farther debate thereof till next weeke                                       
Teusday 16/ Severall private Bills this day read, and Resolved, that            
it is a breach of priviledg of ye house for any member thereof to bee           
made shiriff dureing ye Continuance of ye Parliamt                              
   A Comittee appoynted to Consider of a Way to Supersede ye Comission          
of makeing Sr Ed Jennings Sherriff of yorkeshire                                
+Sr John ffaggs buisness adjournd till to morrow & ye further Consideration     
of ye state of ye Kingdome till Thursday                                        
   An act for encouragemt of Preists &c to Come Over from ye Church of          
Rome to ye Church of England read.                                              
   An act agst Atheisme & profaneness read                                      
   Leave given by ye Lds to ye Duke of Bucks to bring in a Bill for ye          
ease of protestant dissenters                                                   
   The Lds have read ye Bill to prevent Papists sitting in Either House,        
& orderd it a 2d reading                                                        
+The onely forreigne news at present is that ye confederates have quitted       
Staden, obligd to ye Munsterans who would goe into Winter quarters tho          
in Pomeren.                                                                     
   The Confederates continue in ye feild, ye King of Denmarke before Wismar,    
the Elector of Brandenb has made himselfe master of Wolgast [?]                 
   tis said ye States have resolved to have ye same forces by Land &            
sea ye next summer they had ye last, & tis now feard there may not be           
ye same prospect of a generall peace as was hopet                               
   Letters from Spaine give us an acct of ye arivall of Don Juan of Austria     
very unexpected at Madrid & that hee had bene declared first minister,          
wch is looket on as great news, wt ye Consequences may bee wee expect           
to heare                                                                        
   Paris letters say that King intends in ffebruary next to take a              
Journy of very great Importance, but whether, or to what end not Knowne         
+Saterday last the Ld Berkley Embarkt in one of his Maties yachts at Dover      
on his Embassy to ffrance                                                       
     L. c. 253     [Handwriting changes here.]     November ye 19th 1675        
   Wednesday ye 17th/ A bill to unite the Parishes of Chitterne St Mary         
& All Sts in Com Wilts [?] read & Commited                                      
+A bill for erecting a Court of Conscience for Westminster read &               
ordered a 2d reading                                                            
   The Bill for rebuilding of Northampton reported & ordered to be              
ingrossed                                                                       
   Leave given to bring in a bill to regulate the fees of Courts of             
Justice & the number [?] of Atturneyes & Bailiffs                               
   A Message from the Lds that they had sent downe a bill for rectifying        
a mistake in a deed of the Ld Maynard & had agreed to the Lady Warwicks         
bill without amendmts:                                                          
   A Bill for recalling the subjects out of the service of the french           
King reported & ordered to be ingrossed                                         
   The house then proceeded in the debate of the businesse of Sr John           
ffagge & adjourned till to morrow 8 a clock                                     
      Thursday the 18th                                                         
+The house called over & the defaulters to be called on Wednesday next          
& the house to be called over againe on Munday come Sevenight  Noe member       
to goe out of towne without leave.                                              
   The five booksellers which were Committed for breach of priviledge upon      
Petition discharged                                                             
+Then Sr John ffagges businesse debated & Resolved                              
+That a Conference be desired with the Lords for avoyding the occasions         
of reviving the differences between the two houses                              
+Severall sworne in order to their Naturalization & soe adjourned till          
to morrow 8 a clocke.                                                           
+The Lords have assigned a Councell for Dr Shirley, read a bill sent            
from the Commons for the preservation of the piscary, ordered The bill          
against forreigne Manufactures to be Engrost, & read a petition of Sr           
Nick: Stoughtons agt: Mr Onslow, a Member of the house of Commons, upon         
an appeale depending which they deffered till this day three weeks for          
a hearing                                                                       
   His Mr [?] Majest has been pleased to make the Ld Aungier Lord               
Viscount Longford in Ireland                                                    
   A Commission of Oyer & Terminer is ordered by his Majesty in Councill        
for the tryall of Coll Warner in the Barbados for killing of severall           
people of which he stands accused.                                              
   A Prevandary of Westminster being become voyd by the death of Dr             
Boreman his Majesty was pleased to bestow it on Dr Brevall a converted          
Capuchin.                                                                       
+The venice Letters dat 1st tell us that the day before the ffrench             
Minister there did by order from the King his Mr present a Writeing             
to the Senate wherein he declares that he had no other inducemt to              
send his forces into sicily than his Compassion on so miserable a               
people who besought him to free them from in supportable yoake of Spaine        
and to take them into his protection & although he might Justly pretend         
to unite that Kingdome to his Crowne, the house of ffrance haveing              
many [?] times given Lawes to Sicily & Naples, yet haveing noe other aime       
but to give them succour, he proposed to give them a King of his owne           
bloud to whom he would make over his Right to that Kingdome, & that he          
might be the more agreable to them, would have him instructed in the            
lawes & Customes of that Country & would oblige himselfe to give him            
assistance with all his power                                                   
   But the Naples letters tell us that the Messineses begin to be weary of      
the ffrench & that they require that the Castles should be restored to their    
poss[ess]ions according to an agreemt made, by which the ffrench promised       
to returne the possion assoone as they should be Masters of any other place     
in the Islands which was now done in the takeing Agusta, to which some adde     
that the Spanish ships being Cruising about the Ware, they had Conveighed       
a letter to the Admirall to assure him of their readinesse to returne to        
their obedience.                                                                
     L. c. 254     [Handwriting changes here.]     Novemb ye 20 1675            
Novemb ye 19  Commons/ A Bill to Confirme a decree betweene ye Deane &          
Chapter of Ely, & ye tennants of Sutton read                                    
   A Bill for augmentation of small vicariges read & Orderd to be engrost       
   Northampton Bill read & past, & sent up to ye Lds as alsoe ye Ld             
Kilmurreys Bill                                                                 
   A Bill from ye Lds to rectify a mistake in ye Ld Maynards setlement,         
read.                                                                           
   Reasons to be offerd at ye Conferrence wth ye Lds reported, The              
Conferrence had, & ye reasons deliverd at it                                    
   An Engrost Bill from ye Lds abt forreigne Manufactures read & orderd         
a 2d reading                                                                    
   A comittee appoynted to draw up an address to his Matie to discountenance    
ye Weareing forreigne Manufactures.                                             
   Whereas ye House has bene informed of severall appeals depending in ye       
house of Lds from Courts of Equity to ye great violation of ye Rts &            
liberties of ye Commons of England, they have Resolvd & declared                
   That Whosoever shall sollicite, plead, or presente any appeale agst          
any Commoner of England from any Court of Equity before ye house of Lds         
shall be deemed & taken to be a betrayer of ye Rights & priviledges of ye       
Commons of England & proceeded agst accordingly and this Resolution to be       
posted up at ye Hall dores & all ye Inns of Court & other publique              
places, to ye end that all persons Concernd may take notice of it               
Lds House,/ Priviledge of Parliamt granted to Sr Robt Viner as ye Kings         
Goldsmyth                                                                       
   The Lds went to ye Conference & being returnd & report made, it was          
Resolvd that ye Cause should stand as it did  The Lds then went into a          
grand Comittee to Consider of Religion, & orderd that his Maty be               
humbly moved from ye house that he would be pleasd to direct the Ld             
Arch Bpp of Canterbury & ye Ld Arch Bpp of yorke that ye Convocation            
of ye Clergy may meet frequently & that Writts may bee Issued forth for ye      
supplying ye places of such members as are dead, & that when they are           
met, they make unto ye Kings Maty such Representation as may be for ye          
safety of ye Religion now Establisht                                            
No: 20th  Comons/ A Bill to prevent theft & Rapine on the Northerne             
borders read a 2d tyme & Comitted                                               
+A Bill to Enable ye Ld Culleyne to sell lands read                             
+A Bill to make Commisrs to take affidavits in ye Country for ye Court of       
Westmr read                                                                     
   A bill for appropriateing ye Customes, & ye raiseing ye supply read          
& orderd a 2d reading                                                           
   A message from ye Lds wth a Bill for augmentation of small vicaridges        
& that they had agreed Mr Davis Bill                                            
   Dr Shirley Orderd to be taken into Custody for breach of priviledges         
   Mr de Cardinall Orderd to be taken into Custody for Breach of                
priviledges, but on petition discharged                                         
   Sr Nicholas Stoughton Orderd to be taken into Custody for serveing an        
Order on Mr Onslow                                                              
+The Lds sate till 10 at Night on Saterday abt Sr John ffaggs buisness          
but what they Resolvd not knowne                                                
+Tis said Dr Shirleys Councell would not plead on Saterday morning              
   Tis said ye Lds on Saterday had a long debate abt ye dissolution of          
Parliamt Concludeing the proceeding of ye Commons prejudiciall to ye            
Governmt &c: & moved to have an address to his Maty for dissolution & uppon     
debate whether ye question should be put for an address to his Maty,            
ye question was put whether there should be such a question put or noe,         
wch was Carryed in ye affirmative by severall voyces & then ye maine            
question being put whether an address or noe, it was Caryed in ye               
Negative by 2 Voyces.                                                           
     L. c. 255     [Handwriting changes here.]     November 23 1675.            
+A Proclamation is ordered to be forth with issued to prohibitte the            
transportation of all European Commodityes to his Majestyes Plantations         
in the West Indies but such as are shipt here in England, & Mr Atturney         
Generall is commanded to draw up another proclamation to prohibitt the          
importation of all ffrench & other fforreigne wrought silkes into this          
Kingdome.                                                                       
   On Wednesday last his Majesty was pleased to appoint a Committee of          
the Lords of his Councell to consider of a retrenchmt of his expence.           
+His Majesty haveing been some dayes since informed that two young              
Ladyes daughters to Sr Warner of Suffolke were intended to be carryed           
beyond sea, to be brought up in a Nunery, was pleased to comand that            
notice should be sent to the severall Ports, that care might be taken to        
stay them, till such time as other course should be taken to prvent             
their transportations according to law.                                         
   Yesterday arrived two vessells in the downs from the Coast of ffrance,       
who all agree in the account we already had of the miserable condition of       
all the Inhabitants of Bourdeaux through the great number of soldiers that      
are quartered upon them, which those poor people are besides obliged to         
maintaine.                                                                      
   The letters from Paris yesterday said that the Duke d'Enghien was            
arrived at Paris, & the Prince of Conde expected in a day or two that           
great perparations were a makeing agt Spring, & that in the meantime            
that King had made a great step towards a peace by yeilding that point          
of honour which was so much insisted upon the last winter about the             
Liberty of the Prince of ffurstemburg without which the ffrench King            
then declared he would not enter upon any treaty but at prsent his Maty         
has been disposed out of his desire to promote the peace that the said          
Prince, shall be putt into the hands of a neutrall Prince to remaine            
there till the conclution of the peace provided the Emperour promisse           
that the first businesse at the congresse shall be to treat concer[n]ing        
the affaire of that Prince                                                      
+Yesterday the Earle of Denbigh dyed at Dunstable in his way home from          
London                                                                          
     L. c. 256     [Handwriting changes here.]     Novemb ye 23 1675            
+Yesterday his Maty Coming in his Royall Robes into ye house of Lds, &          
sending for ye Commons thither was pleasd to give his Royall assent to          
3 Bills,                                                                        
1  A Bill for Enabling ye Countess of Warwick to performe ye Will of ye         
late Earle her husband,                                                         
2  A Bill to Enable Mr Alexander Davis to sell lands for paymts of              
debts & raiseing portions                                                       
3  A Bill for Rebuilding ye towne of Northampton.                               
Which done, his Maty Commanded ye Ld Keeper to prorogue ye Parliamt till        
ye 15 of ffebruary 1676                                                         
     ffrom ffrance they tell us that King Certainly intends to begin a          
Journey of great Importance towards ye latter End of february, some say         
that hee will goe toward Germany in Order to ye marrying the Dauphin            
wth ye Daughter of ye Elector of Bavaria  others report his Maty designes       
to make a League wth severall of ye Princes of ye Empire but ye truth is        
yet uncertaine                                                                  
   Duch letters say Wismar still defends it selfe that ye Governr to            
Ease ye towne have sent out many people that were unnecessary in it but         
ye Danes forcet them to Returne thither againe  There are great dissatisfactions
between ye Bpp of Munster & ye Dukes of Lunenburg for yt ye latter have         
quartered their troups in ye territory of ye former wch its feard may           
have very ill Consequences.                                                     
   After all ye promises of ye Imperialists to keep Phillipsburg                
blocket up this Winter, they have quitted ye posts they had taken about         
it, & soe that garrison is now at liberty to use all manner of Hostilities      
in ye Pallatinate & ye Bpprick of Spire                                         
   Tis said Montecuculy on account of his great age has defered leave of        
ye Empr to resigne his Command wch its said will be given to ye young           
Duke of Lorraine                                                                
   ffrom Stockholme they write of ye great trouble that Court was in            
uppon ye Returne of their fleet from wch they had promisd themselves soe        
great matters  they speake of grat [sic] divisions among ye principall          
ministers there wch were like to breake forth into publique accusations         
& disorders.                                                                    
                                                                                
       The Commons Reasons deliverd at a Conferrence wth the Lds                
                                                                                
+His Maty haveing recomended to us at ye Opening of this session of             
Parliamt the avoyding of this difference if possible & if it Could              
not be prevented, that wee should deferr ye debates till Wee had                
brought such publique Bills to perfection as may Conduce to ye good &           
safety of the Kingdome; The Commons Esteeme it a great misfortune that          
Contrary to that most excellent advice, the proceedings in ye appeale           
brought ye last session agst Sr John ffagg by Dr Shirley have bene revived,     
& a day set for heareing ye cause & therefore ye Commons have Judgd it ye       
best way before they Enter into ye Argument for defence of their Rights         
in this matter to propose to your Ldpps ye putting off ye proceeding            
in that matter for some short tyme, that soe they may according to his          
Maties advice give a dispatch to some Bills now before them of great            
Importance to ye King & Kingdome, wch being finisht the Comons will bee         
ready to give your Ldpps such Reasons agst those proceedings, & in defence      
of their Rights, as wee hope may satisfy your Ldpps that noe such               
proceedings ought to have beene.                                                
     L. c. 257     [Handwriting changes here.]    November ye 26th 1675.        
+Sr Leoline Jenkins one of his Majestyes plenipotentiaryers for the treaty      
to be held at Nimeguen hath orders to prepare with all dilligence for his       
Journey; & in the meantime the Ld Berkley from ffrance & Sr William Temple      
from the Hague will repaire to the said place of treaty                         
+It is the generall opinion, that wee shall heare of some action this           
winter in Alsatia, for which the ffrench seem to propose with great             
application, & it seems in fear of it, the Imperialists quitted the post        
by which they blocked up Philipsburg, except Lauderburg which is strongly       
fortifyed & which the Imperialists will endeavour to maintaine, haveing         
by means of their bridge there as free passage over the Rhine                   
+The severall partyes seem to prepare with great eagarnesse for the next        
Campaigne with noe great appearance of any disposition of a peace, and          
especially the Northerne Princes seem so intent upon the Warr, that they        
seem not to have any thought of it as yet, It is certaine the confederates      
on that side have already in imagination dispossed the Swedes of all they       
had in Germany, & its probable they will not give over till they have           
done it in reality unlesse their successes should happen very much              
contrary to their expectations.  according to o[u]r last advices from the       
streights Sr John Narbrough was come to Leghorne to cleane his ships & to       
victuall, while he lay before Tripoli, four of those Corsairs gott              
aboard, takeing the opportunity of the night, & though our ships                
discovered them & chase that to them yet they still escaped, and in             
plaine English out sailed our ships, who were foule.  Sr John proposed          
to send some ships towards the Lavant to looke after those Corsairs             
that are gott aboard & to serve our Merchant men in those parts                 
+The Inhabitants of Burdeaux are likely to suffer, as they at Rhennes           
have already, above 10000 men being quartered in that Citty, soe that           
there is heardly a family, which is not charged with 10 or 12 souldiers.        
The King its said has given orders for the building two fforts for the          
owing [?] that Citty.                                                           
+His Majesty has been graciously pleased to graunt his Royall Proclamation      
to be issued forth prohibiting the Importation into his plantations in          
the west Indies, of any goods or Comodityes unlesse Shipd from England,         
& has given order for drawing up a proclamation prohibiting all forreigne       
wrought silkes to be Imported into any part of England.                         
     L. c. 258 (1)     [Handwriting changes here.]     Novemb ye 30 75          
   Yesterday arived our Spanish Letters & by them wee had ye confirmation       
of Don Juans arivall at Madrid but was gone thence upon ye Express Comand of    
ye King obtaind at ye most Earnest prayers of ye Queen, who feared & not        
without reason, that if hee had stayed any longer in ye Towne there would       
have bene great disorders as well amongst ye nobillity as Comonalty, who        
it seemes had an Extraordinary affection for Don Juan wch they exprest in       
their acclamations, & their assembling in great multitudes in ye streets        
as hee past along; but hee did not think fitt to make use those                 
favourable dispositions in ye people, leaveing Madrid privatly according        
to ye Kings Command, but instead of takeing his Way in order to his             
Imbarcation for Sicily he returned to ye place from whence hee came &           
where he has all along resided in arragon resolveing to Continue there, &       
not to undertake ye Journey to Sicily, notwthstanding hee has received          
fresh & strict orders to that purpose since he left ye Court, in answere        
to wch he has writt to ye King. that seing hee is unWorthy of any place         
neare his person, he thinks himselfe unfitt for soe grat [sic] a trust as       
to Command all his Maties forces in Italy wch besides hee should not be         
able to discharge to his Maties services seeing ye mallice of his Enimies       
whose Contrivance it is to Remove him at distance would still be Endeavouring   
by keeping from him the necessary supplyes, by makeing ill representations      
at home, & by ye other meanes, to ruine him & at ye same tyme Publique          
good wherefore he desires he may have leave Wholy to retire from all publique   
Concernes to lead a private life                                                
      Miserable is ye Condition of Bourdeux, part of ye Towne is demolisht      
to make roome for ye building a new Cittadell, the Walls are alsoe demollisht,  
& ye Burgers disarmd who besides ye trouble of haveing ye Souldrs in            
their houses, are forcet to give them mony to [Continued after L. c. 258 (2).]  
     L. c. 258 (2)   [See date two lines below.]                                
+A list of the Lds who voted in the vote for an addresse to the King for        
dissolving the Parliament November 22d 1675.                                    
[A tear on upper and lower left margin of sheet removes parts of these names:]  
     ffor the addresse                    Against the addresse                  
     Highnesse                            Lord Keeper                           
     am             Arundell of Wardr     Ld. Treasurer                         
                    Lovelace              Ld. Privy seale                       
                    Tenham.                  Ld. great Chamberlaine             
                    Mohun                    E. Northampton                     
      tt            Bellasis                 E. Bristoll                        
[E. Sa]lisbury      Carington                E. Bath                            
[E.] Bridgewater                             E. Craven                          
[E.] Westmoreland   Delamer                  E. Aylesbury                       
[E.] Bullingbrook   Townesend                E. Guildford  D. Lauderdale        
E. Chesterfeild     Gray of Roll             Ld. Windsor                        
E. Stamford                    41            Ld. Powlett                        
E. Peterbrough      By Proxy 7               Ld. Howard de Estreeck             
E. Manchester.      Lds that were absent     Ld. Byron                          
E. Berks            & sick & gave proxyes    Ld. Lucas                          
E. Mulgrave         E. Denbigh               Ld. Vaughan  E. Carbury            
E. Scarsdale        Ld. Hollis.              Ld. Gerrard                        
E. Sunderland        Other Lds absent who    Ld. ffretschevill [?]              
E. Clarendon         were for the addresse.  Ld. Butler E. Ossory               
E. Essex            E. Bedford            21 Ld. Arundell                       
E. Cardigan.        E. Burlington            13 Bishops who were all            
E. Shaftsbury       Ld. Fitzwater               that were in the house          
E. Powys.           Ld. Ewer [?] & others    16 Proxyes                         
V. ffalconbridge    ____________________     _______________________            
V. Halifax              In all 48                50 in all.                     
V. Yarmouth                                                                     
[V.] Newport                                                                    
[V.] Sandys                                                                     
[tear] Morley                                                                   
[tear]  arton                                                                   
[tear]  rton                                                                    
[tear]   ers.                                                                   
                                                                                
[L. c. 258 (1) resumes:] keep them, wch in 5 moneths, that it is                
intended ye souldrs are to Continue there                                       
will according to ye present Taxation amount to above 400000 L sterl:           
together wth ye other Charges ye people are to be at at their Cost  ye          
new Cittadell is to be built, & old one further fortifyed, the Parliamt         
removed to Comden, & ye Chamber of Edicts & Court of aides to libourne          
7000 foot are quarterd in ye towne & 5000 Horse in ye Neighbourhood             
     L. c. 259     Decemb ye 2d 1675                                            
+Dr Compton Bpp of Oxon is now declared Bpp of London, & tis said Dr            
Fell Deane of Christ Church in Oxon shall succeed in that see,                  
   The Ld Widdrington being dead, tis said ye Earle of Ogle is to be            
Governr of Barwick & Ld Leiut of Cumberland                                     
   His Maty has bene pleasd to give severall directions of late in              
Councell as well for ye sending for such Children over as he is informed        
are put into monasteries beyond seas to be Educated in ye Romish Religion,      
as ye takeing care of such whose parents are deceased here in England,          
to whom his Maty has appoynted Guardians to take care of their Education        
   The Comittee of ye Lds appoynted to consider of a Retrenchmt of ye           
Kings expences have met two or three tymes but wee doe not heare they           
have yet made any progress therein                                              
   The Duke of Albemarle & ye Earle of Oxford are made Ld Leuits of             
Essex besides wch ye Duke of Albemarle is made Ld Leiut of ye County of         
Devon except Plymth of wch ye Earle of Bath                                     
   Sr Leoline Jenkins has Orders to be goeing on Munday or tewsday next         
at farthest, hee will pass directly for ye Hague & thence take his Journy       
together wth Sr Wm Temple to Nimegen                                            
   Tis now ten dayes & more since wee had any letters from Holland or           
fflanders soe that there is litle forreigne news.  The french letters wch       
arived on Tewsday Continue to tell us of ye great inclination the french        
King has to a peace, at least in appearance, wch perhaps may make ye            
other partys ye more back war, but tis said if ye rest will not comply,         
ye Duch will Enter into a separate treaty themselfes                            
     L. c. 260     [Handwriting changes here.]     Decemb 6th 1675              
   Wee have not as yt any Letters from fflanders or Holland which is            
extreamely wonerd [?] att the wather haveing beene of late very calme &         
moderate                                                                        
+His Maty wee heare has absolutly declared that Dr: ffell Dean of Christ        
Church in Oxon: shall succeed in that Vacant See & that hee shall hold          
his Deanry in Commendum, which wee understand att the same time that hee        
wholy declines against, but the King thinks fitt for severall reasons to        
have it soe                                                                     
   His Maty has appointed Mr Shelton one of the Groomes of his Bedchambr        
to goe in quality of Envoye to the Emperor to Endeavour to remove all           
Difficulties which may yet remane in the affaire of the Prince of               
ffurstemburg & to press that Count to hasten its Plenipotentiaryes to           
Nemeguen                                                                        
   It is beleived his Maties Ambrs those of france & those of the States        
Generall will bee their about the middle of this month,                         
+Wee have Letters from Jamaica give an account of the arrivall there of         
the Commissrs which his Maty sent to Surrinam with three Shipps to fetch        
off the English from thence accourding to the late Treaty with the Dutch        
with the said commisers arrived above 1200 English & their servants             
Negroes as well as whites to whom the Governor of Jamaica hath distributed      
Lands to plant, so that that Island will receive great advantage from this      
increase of its inhabitants, for many of those come from Surrinam being         
provided with all things necessary for planting, will in a short time have      
very Considerable Plantations, wee are told that the English which are          
att St Christophers being very much impoverished by the frequent                
hurricanes, which happen in those parts desire likewise to remove to            
Jamaica.                                                                        
+A vessell arrived yesterday in the Downes from the Barbadose gives an          
account of a Violent hurricane that happened there the last of August in        
which 14 Shipps that were in the rode of Barbadose were cast away & most        
of the men drowned & much other damage done                                     
+Just now are come in the Dutch Letters of yesterday was seavennight,           
they bring very little newes & say, that the States of Holland had              
resolved that the State of Warr for the next year should be the same  it        
was this least That Monser Grevins [?] was cited before the Court of            
Justice Some discovery haveing been made agst him in the papers of Monsr        
Vicquefort, Wismar continued to be besieged & to defend it selfe bravely        
   The Elector of Brandenburg was returned to Berlin,                           
                   [Handwriting changes here.]                                  
+This last Weeke dyed the Earle of Lincolne, the Bpp of Norwick, the            
Ld Baltimore & Mr Brunker, tis said the Comissrs appoynted for his Maties       
expences, have taken away ye Duke of Lauderdales pensions of 4000 L p.          
ann.                                                                            
   Mr Samuell Hopkins Sr Richards sonne is dead at Jamaica                      
     L. c. 261     [Handwriting changes here.]     December ye 7th 1675         
+Yesterday & on Sunday arrived all the forreigne letters wee wanted, the        
newes they brought is made publique soe that all that I can add is to tell      
you, that though the ffrench seem very much disposed to peace, & without        
doubt will be glad to [?] conclud it upon good termes, yet at the same time     
they make great preparation for Warr, The confederates doe the like, &          
the Dutch have resolved to be in the same posture the next Campagne  they       
were the laste, & the Governor of fflanders endeavors all he can to have        
a good body in the feild the next Spring; but it is to be feared the            
want of moneys will breake all his Measures; for as to the Spanish              
Netherlands they are so empoverished by the Warr, that they cannot              
contribute anything considerable, soe that all is to be expected from           
Madrid where matters seem in so much disorder between the Queens party          
& that of Don Juans, that such care its apprehended will not be had of          
carrying on the Warr with vigor as is necessary                                 
   The Emperor makes leavies in all his hereditary Countries & seems            
intent upon the Warr, but the States of the Empire grow very weary of           
it, suffering dayly more by the Imperiall soldiers then by the ffrench,         
which hath occasioned great clamores against them, & severall Countries         
have been soe far provoked by their insolent way of liveing that they           
have putt themselves into a posture to deny them with force winter              
quarters & by this means it happened that the troopes of the Circles,           
whom generall Montecuculy had with soe much care & conduct placed for           
the blocking up of Phillipsburg this winter, on the suddaine quitted            
those severall Posts without the knowledge of the said generall, by             
order from their Superiors, who designed to employ them even against            
the Imperialists, who exacted Winter quarters from them contrary to the         
Emperors agreement                                                              
+Don Juan of Austria is certainly retired to Saragossa, from whence he          
hath written from the King to beseech him to be at ease, & not to               
apprehend any thing from him.                                                   
   It is true most of the nobility have a great esteem & the common             
people a veneration for him, & with nothing more then to see their young        
King assisted with his great experience in affairs both Civill & military,      
but such is the force of the Loyalty of those people that they continue         
in a profound obedience to the present government of the Queen though           
they are most dissatisfied at it                                                
     L. c. 262     December ye 10th 1675                                        
+The States of Holland have it seems consented to the raiseing of 9             
Millions, every Million being about 100000 L Ster: for the defrayeing           
the Extraordinary expences of the next year, with a declaration that they       
will hereafter raise such other summes as shall be found necessary for          
the carrying on the Warr, with vigor, if a peace be not made this winter        
of which there seems but small likelihood                                       
   This morneing are come in fresh letters which tell us, that Wismar           
holds out still bravely, that the Swedish Governor thereof, whose name is       
Wrangell is obstinately resolved to defend it to the last, that in order        
there unto has caused severall mines & Countermines to be made, after the       
same manner as was practised in the famous seige of Candia, where this          
Wrangell served severall yeares, soe that it is not doubted but the Danes       
will at Last, be obliged to make the generall assault, which they soe           
much talke off but have hitherto avoyded as well to spare their owne men        
as the towne, and hitherto the seige has been managed with so much regard       
to the safety of the soldiers, that the beseigers have not had above 20         
killed, and about that number wounded                                           
     His Majesty has been pleased yesterday in Councell to order, that          
the young Lord Conroy, hitherto brought up in the Romish Religion, should       
be demanded of Sr Edward Scot, and conveyed to Oxon, to be delivered into       
the hands of the Dean of Christ Church, to whome he is committed to             
take care of his Education.                                                     
   It was likewise ordered that Mr Atturney generall should prosecute           
the authors of that false and Seditious news about selling of Tangier           
and the plantations with all vigor.                                             
   And one Green was committed to the gate house for publishing &               
dispersing seditious & treasonable papers.                                      
+Though Sr Leoline Jenkins is suddenly dispatching away & the ffrench are       
as early expected at the place of treaty as he is, yet Dom Pedro de             
Ronquille, the Envoy here from the Court of Spaine, who is to be one            
of the Plenipotentiaryes on their behalfe, is not so forward & tis said         
does yet expect his orders from thence before he can have power to goe          
thither.                                                                        
+Tis said the Leiut: of Ireland will be goeing to his charge about the          
latter end of the next week                                                     
     His Majestyes revenue of his Kingdome of Ireland held by the Lord          
Renolah &c being to determine at Christmas & the new ffarme not yet             
fully settled, his Majesty has been pleased to appoint Sr Charles               
Meredill, Sr James Casse, John Stone, Dr Robertwood, Thomas Taylor              
Sr Robert Gorges, Thomas Sheredon, Edward Wigg, Thomas Waller & Morlagh         
Dowling Esqre to manage it as Comrs dureing his pleasure                        
   The ffrench letters dat 13 say an envoy is arrived at the Court from         
the Prince Elector Pallatine whose Errand is given out to be to                 
Compliment Monsr & Madam upon the Recovery of the Duke de Valoye  Their         
Bourdeaux letters speake of putting the Kings ordrs in effectuall               
operation in raising the walls & building the Cittadells & that they have       
seized upon 2 persons one Carre who was an advocate & one Durall who was        
runing away whom they intended to make example as being the cheife              
Ring leaders of the sedition, the forces that were there before the             
Parliament went away & those that still continue are pd, a Captaine of          
Horse 23 livres a day, a Capt of foot 11 Livres 10 sols all the other           
officers proportionably & the souldiers at free quarters                        
   The Dutch East India Ships that came some time since to the downes           
continue there still & some report 5 Dutch men of War for their Convoy.         
     L. c. 263     [Handwriting changes here.]     Decemb 11 1675               
+The ill Weather Wee have had of late makes ye passage of ye packet             
boates very tedious & uncertaine soe that wee are still Wanting ye              
Duch & flandrs that should have come on Tewsday last                            
   Wee have lately had an account from flandrs of ye ill posture things         
are in at yt Court, wch has occationd great clamours agst ye Regents, who       
dureing ye Kings minority Engagd ye Crowne in this unfortunate war, &           
Especially agst ye Chancellr who is meerely upheld by ye neare Relation         
hee has to ye King, haveing marryed his fathers sister  And as for Genll        
Wrangell a man soe famous in ye former Warrs, he is falln into yt               
generall disEsteem by reason of ye ill success in Pomerania, & Even             
ye young King seemes to have an ill Opinion of him, soe that ye affaires        
of that Court are in great disOrder                                             
   Sr Leoline Jenkins is not yet gone hence but Will set forward abt            
Thursday  Mr Skelton sets forward toward Vienna sometyme this next Weeke.       
+Sr Gabriell Sylvius is appoynted by his Maty to pass to ye Hague to            
Returne ye Complement of ye Prince of Orange uppon ye Death of his              
Grandmother, & will be goeing in few dayes                                      
+when your Worp has read ye Enclosd be pleasd to let it be returnd              
     L. c. 264     [Handwriting changes here.]    December ye 15th 1675         
+Yesterday arrived a vessell in the Downes from the Barbadoes, by which         
we have the confirmation of the great losses sustained in the late              
Hurricane at the Barbadoes, vidt: that 14 Ships had been lost, that in          
those Ships were loaded above 500 hhs of sugar which reckoned at 10 L [?] p     
hhs amounts to 50000 L that not one house in Ten was left standing, & not       
one of hundred that had not received considerable damage, that very near        
50000 lb of sugar, had been lost in the moring houses, that about 120           
men, women & Children had been killed, that they had already an account         
of & expect to hear of more, that all their Canes were destroyed & that         
they have noe hopes of makeing Sugar the next year, that there is not           
a stalke of Corne standing, soe that without considerable supplys from          
other parts, a famine is greatly feared.                                        
     Yesterday Sr Leoline Jenkins, one of the Plenipotentiarys for the          
treaty at Nimegen tooke his leave of his Maty in order to his departure         
   The Hall the ffrench Ambrs seemed to make to sett forwards on their          
journey to Nimeguen, does not please the confederates, who are not willing      
to see that the ffrench Ambrs should be any upon the place with those           
of the States Generall without the other Ambrs that are to meet there,          
whither the ffrench have hereupon delayd a littell their journey  wee           
know not but its said now that it will be towards the latter end of the         
month before they will part from Paris.                                         
+The Evening the Duke of Albermarle entertains their Majestyes & Royall         
Hig[h]nesses at a Supper at Clarendon house now called Albermarles house        
& afterwards with a ball.                                                       
     L. c. 265     December ye 16th 1675                                        
+The Jamaica letters dat Augt: 16 tell us they were all there healthfull        
& quiet & most peoples thoughts fixed on planting of which great                
inprovemt: is expected since the arrivall of the Ld Vaughan their Governor      
the Royall Company had sent 4 ships of Negroes & the Gambay Company one         
of whom they had so good markets & the planters so well satisfyed that          
it was beleived the Company would be encouraged to send them a more             
plentifull supply: the Governor had been then 10 dayes returned from the        
Northside of the Island a place not visited by any governour before,            
where he found a great many hopefull plantations going on & great store         
of Corne very prosperous noe [?] signe of blast appearing & the stalkes         
already bearing                                                                 
+Sr John Tetty Alderman of Dublin is comitted to the Custody of a               
Messengr for prsenting a petition to the King & councell containing             
severall false & contemptuous expressions of the Ld Leiut: privy Councill       
& Ld Chancellr of Ireland & for flying from the Justice of that                 
Kingdome where he had committed severall Crimes & offences & to be kept         
in Custody untill he shall give security of 1000 L with sufficient              
suretyes to appeare the first day of Hillary Terme next at the Court of         
the Kings bench in the Kingdome of Ireland.                                     
   This day the Baggage of Sr Leoline Jenkins was sent a board & to             
morrow he resolves to goe aboard himselfe the new Yacht the Charles             
which is appointed for his Transportation  Sr Gabriell Sylvius &                
Captaine Shelton may stay till the next weeke                                   
   They write from ffalmouth that very much Corne has of late been shipd        
off from those parts from the Canaryes and Holland & that there is order        
for buying up so much more for transportation as has raised the price           
very Considerably there.                                                        
+The Privateers of all sides are very busy about the Coasts who though          
they rarely Carry away ships belonging to the English yet one heare that        
they too often visit many of them & tooke such goods away that give             
just Cause of Complaint                                                         
+The Adventure of Penryn arrived at ffalmouth from St Malos in his              
passage met off the Start a Boardeaux fleet of about 60 saile which by          
this may be supposed to have reached their intended ports.  There were          
at ffalmouth some Irish Officers who had been in the ffrench Kings              
service & waited the first opportunity of returning into their Countrey.        
   The Ld Stanhope of Harrington is lately dead.  Dr fell Dean of Christ        
Church is now declared Bp of Oxon & is to hold his deanry in Commendam,         
the kings will being that it should be soe                                      
+The Mary rose frigat arrived in the downes from the Streights brings           
from Cadiz 7 Spanish horses being a prsent from the King of Spain to his        
Majesty                                                                         
+The Duke of Albermarle is appointed Ld Leiut of the County of Devon            
upon the voluntary surrendr of the Earle of Bath of his Comission               
+There hardly ever was such a scarcity of forreigne newes as at prsent          
there wanting at this time 8 forreigne mailes ffrance, Holland &                
fflandrs                                                                        
     L. c. 266     December ye 18th 1675                                        
+Last night arrived two mailes from Holland with Letters of the 13/3 and        
17/7 instant, by which we have advice that the states generall have             
entirely approved the state of Warr, proposed by the Prince of Orange,          
& the Councell of State, & that the States of Holland intended to raise         
their part of the Charges of the same by Leavying twice 200 penny, &            
the Prince of Orange had charged all his officers to have their recruits        
ready before the end of ffebruary, & had sent orders to the Dutch troops        
quartered in Brab[ant?] to hold themselves ready to march upon ye first         
Command occasioned, as is thought by the news that Comes from Leige that the    
Mareschall d'Estrados governour of Maestricht was marched out with 800          
men & expected the conjunction of some other troops in order to some            
act which was kept secret.  That a proposall had been made to the States        
on the part of the Bpp of Osnabrug, that seeing the troops of the               
Duke of Lunenburg & those of Munster were designed to be imployed the           
next Campagen in the Dutchy of Bremen, he the said Bpp of Osnabrug              
would raise 3 Regiments, besides the troops he has already on foot,             
to which the Dutch & the Spaniards should joyne 7 Regiments more to             
be commanded by him & to act as should be found good, that to enable him        
the Bpp is to raise & maintaine the said 3 Regimts.  the states should          
pay him before the new years day the arreares of the subsidy due to him         
& besides should advance to him one month.                                      
+Wismar makes still a brave defense & all the Grounds the Danes have            
to hope to take it at last, is that the Swedes cannot releive it,               
for on the side of the water lye 4 stout Danish men of Warr to shutt            
up the passage, the beseigers finding all other means of noe effect,            
for they Count 7 or 8 houses burnt by them in the Towne, however the            
King spares it all he can  on the 6 instant new stile the Danish Canon          
had wholly battered downe, one of the gates of the towne which looks            
towards the Lubecke, but the beseiged with great diligence imediatly            
filled it up with earth, the letters adde that the beseiged had                 
suffered the Danes to possesse themselves of two outwarkes, makeing             
but a weake resistance in the defence thereof, but that being filled            
with Danish Soldiers, the beseiged sprung up two mines, which they had          
porposely prepared by which means most of the Danes that were there were        
killed, that on the 7 or 8th the Beseiged made a very vigourous sally           
& did great execution on their enemy, those successes are by some made          
yet greater & by others lessened, for the Relation doe not all agree but        
this is most certaine that the beseiged are obstinately resolved to             
defend themselves & the king of Denmarke, as obstinate to carry on the          
seige with vigor notwithstanding the great disadvantage of the season,          
& it is not to be doubted but the place will be forced to yeild at              
last, the Danes haveing received a reinforcemt: of some Brandenburg             
troops.                                                                         
+The Differences betwt the Bp of Munster & the Duke of Zell, about the          
latter quartering his troops in Westphalia, is come to that hight, that         
its feared they will breake out into acts of hostility agt each other           
+Carelstate in the Dutchy of Bremen, is still beseiged or blocked up            
by the confederates                                                             
+This day was performed the solemnity of the Translation of the late            
Bishop of Oxon to the see of London.                                            
     [On outside of letter in another hand appears this note:]                  
   Mem. Wee have recd all the mony due to any of us for bricklaying             
or hewing stones from the begginning of the work to this day. (having           
now recd seventeen shillings for ye brick Pillars north east of the             
Garden, & having recd our allowance for going home on Friday next,              
(George Knowles & John Stanly being likewise fully paid to that time            
also only excepting (what brickwork Tho: [Side?]bottom did at Itchington        
[?] is not yet reckned, by the Road, though hee & the workmen are paid by       
our Master by the day also excepting that part of the Stone Pillar wch          
stands between the bowling green & East End oth new stable, and excepting       
all other stones wrought by us two & J. Stanly & lying loose about the          
yards.  for all the rest wee are fully paid. witnesse our hands this            
present 22 of Dec: 1675                                                         
     L. c. 267     December ye [blank] 1675.                                    
+If the Swedes have lost their credit in the feild this summer, they in         
Wismar by the stoute resistance they make seem in some measure to               
repaire it.  The Danes have made use of all means to frighten the               
Inhabitants to surrender, haveing made great preparations & talked of           
more for a generall assault, but it is certaine the King is loth to             
expose his men to soe much danger & his owne honour to the hazard, yet          
after all if he will have the place, he must venture, it at                     
last, his army will be much weakened by this seige & will not be able to        
come soe early into the feild next spring as may be wished.                     
+Great are the complaints that are made in all parts of Germany, for            
what through winter quarters & contribution, the poor inhabitants are           
every where miserably expossed & on this occasion quarrells are like to         
arise amongst the confederates themselves  amongst the rest the King of         
Denmarke pretends to quarter some of his Regimts in a certaine territory        
belonging to the Citty of Hamburg in which the Imperiall troops that have       
been in Pomeren this summer under the command of Generall Cops, designe         
to have their quarters, & on this occasion sharp words have passed              
between the Ministers of the two partys                                         
+ffrom Spaine they write that great divisions continue still in that            
Court, though the party that favored Don Juan seems quite broaken,              
yet they continue to give the other side much disquiet, especially the          
people who alwayes love novelty & change, on their side, Don Juan               
lives at his house at Saragosa & his excuses concerning his journey to          
Italy are now accepted at Court                                                 
+ffrom fflandrs they tell us they have received a great summe of money          
from Spaine, & that will enable them to make the intended preparations          
agt spring, most certaine it is that the confederates desire nothing            
more then to see the successe of the next Campagne before they think of         
peace, as appeares by the little hast they make to send their Ambrs             
to Nimeguen, it being probable they seek to delay the same, that the            
Campagne may be begun before the conferences at Nimeguen                        
+The Dutch however manifest an appearance of a great inclination to a           
peace, & a great deference to whatever his Majesty proposes concerning          
severall preliminary points, but in the mean time they are not wanting          
in their preparations, & that which is like to be very beneficiall is           
their over[strong?] Magazines in severall places in the Spanish netherlands     
which they say they intended.                                                   
+Monsr Spanheim Envoye extraordinary from his Electorall Highnesse              
Palatine haveing been here about 4 Moneths, & upon his returne home             
presented from his Majesty with a Diamond Ring of Considerable value.           
   Complaint having been made to his Majesty in Councell that Mr Robert         
Edwards an Merchant was Barbarously murthered at Calagnna in Teneriffe,         
his Majesty has sent to his Ambr in Spaine to move that Court, to a             
severe inquisition after the Murtherer & to his Consul at the Canaryes          
to use his utmost endeavour in search of him that so horrid an action           
may be justly punished                                                          
+The highwaymen doe still frequent the Roads about us, & are of late            
growne soe busy that his Majesty has thought fit to renew his                   
proclamation for allowing 10 L p head to any that shall apprhend any            
of them, he has alsoe been pleased to give to Leiut. Coll Kennedy a             
reward of a 1000 L to be paid by the Sheriffe of Essex for takeing that         
Notorious private George Cusack, who was some time since executed for           
his villainyes.                                                                 
+Notice being given that notwithstanding his Majestyes care in causing a        
publick valuable farthing to be made for the benefitt & necessary charge        
of the subjects some have notwithstanding presumed to vend & utter              
private farthings of their owne, order is given to his Majestyes Atturnay       
Genll to prosecute all such offenders according to law.                         
+A person under severall Names Bell Agliarbe &c haveing about 3 months          
since cheated Mr Gumbleton Jeweller to his Majesty of a Jewell to the           
value of a 1000 L upon notice given thereof by his Correspondents to            
Monsr Colbert secretary of State to the ffrench King, he was so far             
from giveing him the protection of the Country, that he caused him to be        
apprehended at Thoulous in Languedoc to be carryed to Paris to answer           
what shall be alledged against him                                              
+They write from Madrid that a Dominican ffryar the Kings confessor and         
his Tutor, being instrumental in bringing Don Juan to Court, the                
confessor is put out of his place & the Tutor banished  The Constable           
of Castile being upon the death of the Marquesse of Castel Rodrigo              
preferred to the place of president of the Councell of fflanders the            
Count Montery looking upon himselfe as neglected desired leave to               
withdraw from Court, which being discovered to be of stomach he was             
forbide the Court.  Another fleet is prepareing at Lisbort against              
next summer & leavies makeing for the Regiments to be employed in the           
service                                                                         
+The Streights letters tell us the Algier men of War are already 25             
saile some of 40 guns the Kings son admirall.  The Tripolins putting up         
ffrench Colores, the bristoll merchant fell into their hands whose men          
will those of another small English ship they Landed at Cape Buona to be        
sent to Tripoly with hope by them to make their peace.                          
     L. c. 268     December 25 1675                                             
+The ffrench letters tell us that their preparations for War are                
greater than the last years and proportionable to their greatnesse of           
their preparations are the peoples presents to the King, The province of        
Languedoc for their benevolence sent 2 Millions 100m Livres which the           
King having with great satisfaction accepted, returned to them the              
100m Livres.                                                                    
+The Chevalier de Treson continues still Ambr at Denmarke and the               
King has sent to desire him to accompany the Queen to the seige of              
Wismar                                                                          
+The Dutch letters to the 27 tell us the ffrench King has given notice          
to his Resident at Leige that he is willing to goe on with the treaty           
of Neutrality for their territoryes and the evacuation of the                   
places, but thinks the towne of Tongres at too great distance and               
therefore desires it may be changed to the Marchionna au Pont, upon the         
Sambra with wch the Resident has orders to acquaint the states and the          
Prince of Orange.  The Baron de Hankes the Osnabrugh Envoye is said at          
present to be negotiating that since the Dukes of Zell and wolfen buttle        
are willing to act the next Campagne in the County of Bremen & neer             
home he will raise 3 Regimts more besides his proportion, according to          
the last Treaty on Condition that Spaine & the states adde 7 more to            
them to be Commanded by him and to be employed in any parts where they          
shall thinke fit that the arreres of the subsydyes due to him to be             
laid downe betwixt that and the new yeare, and a due monthly payment to         
be made of those he is to receive hereafter, and the Treaty but to last         
one Campagne, to which the states seem inclind.  They talke of a new            
agreement with the Bp of Munster to command a body of 12m men about             
the Marestrand the next spring  They are forming an army about Coblents         
and Treves which is to consist of 13 Regimts of the Emperors 13 of the          
other Allyes & 13 of the States who are already on their march                  
+The Paris letters dat ye 28 say that Navarre is almost all up in Armes         
and that the people have beseiged Pampoline & that some seemed to feare         
that the Governour of the Castle might have some intelligence, with             
Don Juan.                                                                       
+This morning we receive the Dutch & fflandrs letters of ffryday last,          
by which we understand that the Danes by reason of the illnesse of the          
weather had not been able to putt in execution the assault they intended        
to have made on the 15 instant, & that the Swedes under the Command of the      
Count of Coninsmarke understanding that a body of Danes under the               
Command of Generall Arensdorf, was on their maarch towrds them had              
retired againe to Demmin for the Swedes have againe taken possession of         
Demmin, Domgarton & those other postes which the Danes had quitted, at          
the coming away of these letters, there was a great report at Amsterdam         
that the King leaving the seige of Wismar to his Generalls was returned         
to Copenhagen of which we must expect to hear further                           
+Some of the Ribbon weavers haveing represented an apprehention that            
dureing the Christmas holydayes the ordinary sort of that profession            
would againe make tumults, and endeavour to destroy all the Engine              
loomes, his Majesty directed the Lord Major to see things in the Citty          
were in a posture to prevent any disorder, upon which the Leiutenancy           
of the Citty mett, and ordered Commissaries to goe from house to house          
to see that every family was provided with Armes they ought to have &c          
                                                                                
          The Copy of a bill brought into Parliamt by a Member of               
          ye house of Commons last session                                      
                                                                                
+Whereas by an act made in the first yeare of King James of happy               
memory, It was enacted that if any person or persons within his                 
Maties dominions of England & wales having marryed or which hereafter           
shall marry any person or persons the former husband or wife being alive        
That then every such offense should be felony & the person or prsons            
soe offending should suffer death as in Case of felony.                         
+And whereas by late experience manifold inconveniences & exile have            
arisen to the present governmt by the promiscuous use of loose                  
expensive & strong women, Women contrary to the law of God & the                
good interest & profitt of this Nation.                                         
   Be it therefore enacted by the Kings most excellent Maty by &                
with the advise & consent of the Lds Sperituall & temporall & the               
Comons in this present Parliamt assembled & by the authority of the             
same.  That the said act made in the first yeare of King James & all            
& every branch [?] Article & matter in the said act mentioned & declared        
shall from hence forth be repealed utterly voyd & of none effect &              
that from & after the time of repealing the said act it shall & may             
be lawfull for every or any man from time to time & at all times to             
marry wives at their discretion                                                 
+And be it further enacted by ye authority aforesd that from the time           
of passing this prsent not all & every the Children hereafter to be             
begotten by any husband on a 2d wife the former being liveing &                 
haveing not issue shall be inheritable according to the Course at Comon         
law to such husband as the said Children shall happen in priority of            
birth or seniorty of age & soe in like case if the 2d wife shall                
not have issue It shall & may be lawfull for the issue of the 3d wife           
to inherit the said husband & for the issue of any succeeding wife              
or wives the first [?] failing of issue relatively to inherite any law          
custome or use to the contrary hereof in any wise notwithstanding               
   Provided alwayes that noe Woman who is not Native of these                   
dominions shall have receive or take benefitt by Virtue of this                 
prsent Act, but that they & their issue by Virtue of this present               
act shall be utterly excluded from any advantage hereby except by               
authority of succeeding Parliamts they shall be especially enabled              
thereto.                                                                        
     L. c. 269     [Handwriting changes here.]     December ye 30 1675          
     The Danes are now goeing to ease themselves a little in their              
winter quarters, & the king is returning to Copenhagen full of honour,          
& reputation for his personall Conduct, and the dangers, and fatigues           
he exposed himself to dureing the seige.  The Suedes are as much                
disheartened on ye other side, and they have reason being upon the point        
of loosing those faire Conquests in Germany, which gained the Crown soe         
much advantage, & reputation.  The ffrench & the Suedes seeme hearty to         
turn themselves to the thoughts of peace which in this present conjuncture      
of things must needs be very advantageous to them, & for the same reason        
ye Confederates are as backward; and in Holland is lately come out a            
little treatise shewing the impossibility in this Conjuncture of affairs        
to make a sure, & lasting peace with the ffrench till yt Crown be brought       
lower, which if it cannot be done when all the greate powers of Europe          
are Confederated when can it?                                                   
[Large tear here removes about six lines at bottom of first recto and           
verso and all the rest of the bifolium; letter resumes on second verso:]        
. . .renew the treaty which was broken up at Cologne till the Emperour          
had set the Prince of ffurstenburg at Libertie.                                 
     Though the ships in the Downes have rid out the late stormes, yet          
we heare of a great many Ships lost on the Westerne Coasts of this              
kingdome, and we may well feare we shall heare of more.                         
     In fflanders the preparations are very backward against the next           
Campagne, & that through want of money soe that it is very probable that        
the ffrench will be in the feild againe, & take some Consideration or           
other before the Duch & Spaniards will be in a Co[njunction?] to oppose         
them, and in truth it must be the prince of Orange that must still              
preserve those promises, or else [?] they must be lost.                         
     The greate Complaints that were dayly made to his Majestie of that         
Licence yt was taken in Coffee houses to utter most undecent,                   
scandalous, & seditious [Remainder of letter is torn away; a few words at       
the ends of remaining six lines can be read.]                                   
     L. c. 270     Jan 1 1675                                                   
     ffrom Plymouth we have an account of neare 20 shipps lost on those         
Coasts within these few dayes of which many are ships comeing from              
Burdeux with wines.                                                             
   His Majestie has ordered Mr Atturney Generall to prepare a                   
Proclamation to suppress libells & seditious pampletts, & in order              
thereunto a reward of 20 L will be promised to any person that shall            
discover any libell, while in the press, or writeing, & to him that             
shall discover ye Author, & for the greater Encouragement of ye company         
of stationers to be diligent in seizing all unlycenst books his                 
Majestie has given them all fines & forfeitures, yt shall belong                
to his Majestie on yt account.  His Majestie has alsoe ordered, that the        
Lycense of every Booke shall be printed on the Backside of ye Title             
page                                                                            
     We have not any fresh forreigne letters, nor can we expect any             
considerable newes at this time, the armyes being at this time in               
their winter quarters  Some Merchants pretend to have advice of the             
riseing of the commonalty of the Kingdome of Navarre belonging to the           
Spaniards in favour of Don Juan of Austria, & some 900 yet further [?],         
& tell us that there have been some little disturbances neare Madrid            
on the same account, but the latter part we doe not Credit, though its          
Certaine, the whole Commonalty, & most of the Gentry of Spain desire            
nothing more, than to see Don Juan at Court performing the part of the          
first Minister of State.                                                        
     Twenty stout ffrench men of warr being gon from Thoulon wth fresh          
succours for Messina, its expected some action must necessarily pass            
between them, & de Ruyter, who is now in those Coasts, but inferiour            
to the ffrench in Number of shipps, unless the Spanish men of warr, joyn        
with them time Enough, which ye feared, they haveing been Extremely             
Shattered in the late stormes.  If the Duch, and Spaniards can hinder           
this supply from getting to Messina, they will quietly reduce yt citty,         
for ye Inhabitants are not now soe patient under their wants as at              
first & before they will see themselves reduced to any very greate              
straits, they will submit to the Spaniards.                                     
[Some scribbles in another hand appear on outside of letter, including          
an alphabet with no "v."]                                                       
     L. c. 271     January ye 5th 1675                                          
+We have letters from Stockholme of ye 6/16 past which speake of the            
conclusion of a treaty for a free trade dureing the prsent War between          
that kingdome and the Hollandrs, from wch the Swedish ministers                 
promise themselves great advantage in that it may be step towards a             
generall peace, but particularly that it [?] will give great encouragemt        
to their people who are greatly dejected, nay the principall ministers          
doe not sticke to owne the ill condition their affaires are in at               
prsent, & to declare that the misfortunes come soe thick and heavy              
upon them, that it must needs be a judgemt from God, they complain              
that the ffrench doe not give them the assistance they are obliged to by        
the treaty of alliance between them, on the other side the King of              
Denmarke growes formidable, especially since the takeing of Wismar, and         
the Swedes Courage & Conduct is every where denyed                              
+In fflandrs they complain extreamly of the want of the promised                
supplyes from Spain by which means they are not able to make any                
preparations against spring, but they promise themselves things will be         
better managed for the future, now the Queen Regent is goeing to quitt          
the Governmt, it seems the discontent & murmurings grow soe high                
amongst all sorts of people that the Councell of state found themselves         
obligd, to passe a resolution & to gett the Kings concurrance to it,            
in which they desire the Queen to retire to a Monastrey either at               
Granada or Toledo, the same letters add that Don Juan was even                  
expected at Court before Christmas and from him great matters are               
expected                                                                        
+The 15 of the next month the ffrench King setts out from Paris                 
towards Germany whether his Majesty seems to bend his greatest force            
this Campagne, and therefore the Imperialists are soe much the more             
diligent to make suitable preparations on their side, Montecuculi is            
certainly on his way to Vienna, & the command of the Emprs forces               
in his absence is given to the Duke of Lorraine, we receive still the           
ill news of the losse of severall ships on the Western Coasts in the            
late bad weather, some reckon near 40 that have been lost, though we            
hope upon better enquiry the number will be much lesse                          
+Yesterday Morning his Majesty accompayned with his Royall Highnesse            
went to Windsor with intention to lodge last night at Mr Caryes                 
Master of the Bucke hounds, this day they were to hunt the hind, &              
to morrow his Majesty will be here againe.                                      
     L. c. 272     January ye 6th 1675                                          
+The nearer the time is of the ffrench Kings intended Journey, the              
greater are the apprehensions abroad of the efforts thereof, & yet              
the greater because nothing can be yet penetrated into concerning               
that Kings designe, but those that remember how 2 yeares since about            
the same time of the yeare he made an expedition in the ffrench County          
[?], and on the sudden possessed that whole Country, feare some like may        
happen againe                                                                   
+Besides this, in fflandrs they are very much concerned for Namur,              
which its most certaine the ffrench have a desire to gett into their            
hands as soon as they can find a fitt occasion, which they seem they            
will take at opening of the next Campagne, and to that end they have            
quartered their troops thereabouts, as at Charleroy, Mastricht,                 
Charleville &c from whence they may draw them on the sudden, and                
forme a seige before the Prince of Orange can be ready to oppose                
them, and all the Spanyards can doe is of supply it in the mean time            
with a good garrison                                                            
+The Ambrs begin now from all parts to put themselves on their way              
to Nimeguen, where Sr Leoline Jenkins is already arrived, the first             
+Leiutennant admirall de Ruyter is certainly arrived in Sicily, his             
Squadron consists not in above 12 men of War, which were to have                
joyned with 16 Spanish men of War commanded by the prince of                    
Montesarchio, and by that means have made a good fleet, but the                 
Spanish have been shattered & torne in the late bad weather that                
noe great Service can be expected from them, and then it is feared              
the Dutch will not think themselves strong enough to engage the                 
ffrench ffleet which continues its course towards Messina, with                 
orders to fight through the Dutch & Spanyards if oposed, should                 
there happen an engagement between them, the successe would be as               
great consequence to the one or the other side, for if the ffrench              
should be beaten, the next news would certainly be that Messina had             
Submitted to the Spanyards, who hitherto have been every where so               
baffled, that nothing but Don Juans coming in Court seems able to               
recover their courage as well as reputation.                                    
+The Dutch are useing great endeavours to conclude a peace with                 
Algiers, and in ordr to it, they liberally bestow their bribes                  
amongst those people, though hitherto without effect, at which they             
are the more troubled to see that Govrment remaine soe firme in the             
peace with us, to which the reputation of the kings Navall force in             
the Streights does not a little contribute.                                     
     L. c. 273     [Handwriting changes here.]     Jan: ye 8 75                 
+The Coffee housekeepers haveing presented a Petition to his Maty in            
Councell praying his Maty would bee pleasd to recall his proclamation           
& permit them to fall under Certaine quallifications, they were heard           
by their Councell & at last his Maty was pleasd to allow ym 6 moneths           
more, provided they enter into bonds for their good behaviour in                
ye meane tyme, Other Wise they are to be proceeded agst according to            
ye proclamation                                                                 
   yesterday his Maty was pleasd to Order that Notice should be                 
given to ye Ld Holles & L Hallifax to forbeare Coming to Councell for           
ye future.                                                                      
   The proclamation against libells & seditions Pampletts has bene              
read at Councell & approved                                                     
   The King of Poland desireing a nearer Correspondence wth this                
Crowne then has bene formerly, & haveing sent Over to desire his                
Maty to be godfather to his Daughter, his Maty was prepareing to                
send an Envoy ExtraOrdnary thither to stand for him, when the last              
post brought news ye young Princess was dead.                                   
   all eyes are at present turnd toward france, for Impatiently                 
every one expects to see what way ye great expedition yt King has               
in hand will bee turnd.                                                         
   The Indians in new England Continue to doe ye English much mischeife,        
Even to that degree that all trade is in a maner interupted, and by a           
vessell arived yesterday from Virginia Wee have advice that ye Indians          
had risen there likewise to ye Number of 5 or 600 & that they had killd         
severall of ye English.                                                         
   About ye latter end of ye next month wee expect here Monsr                   
Courtin the new Amb from france  hee has bene formerly under ye                 
same Charracter in England & was one of ye french Plenepotentiarys at           
ye late treaty at Collogne.  an Amb is likewise comeing from Spaine             
& indeed all Europe seemes to make their applications to his Maty               
as ye Mediator & moderator in all things relateing to ye peace                  
     L. c. 274     [Handwriting changes here.]     January ye 17th 1675         
+Some passengers that came over in the last packett boat from Holland           
reported, that when they came from Rotterdam, there was a report there          
had been an engagement between the Dutch & ffrench on the coast of              
Sicily, to which we cannot give any credit, seeing our last letters             
from those parts by the way of ffrance make not any mention thereof,            
though Sr Leoline Jenkins began for Nimeguen, yet Sr William Temple             
remaines still at the Hague, to adjust finally the matter of the                
passports, & of the circuit of the Country to be made newtrall about            
Nimeguen for the conveniency & security of the Ambassadrs that are              
to meet there, as to the first it seems the States have found some              
defects in the passeports granted by the ffrench, & desire they may             
be amended till which is done the passe ports will not be given out             
on their side to the ffrench Ambassadrs who continue at Charleville             
expecting.  The last letters from Hamburg tell us the great                     
discouragement the Swedes every day more & more fall undr by reason             
of the ill successe that has attended all their actions ever since              
this Warr.  It seems the King of Denmarke finding his Army much                 
weakened by the diseases occasioned by the ill weather had resolved             
to quite the Seige of Wismar, when be so [?] the very day.  The same            
was to have been put into operation, a letter was intercepted from the          
governour of the towne to the Constable Wrangell in which he tells              
him that they were one way or other supplyed with some powder, which            
they already soe much wanted that they were forced to take it out of            
the Mines they had prepared, & some money to pay the soldiers who               
wanted wherewithall to buy them victualls, for the Burgers would                
trust them noe longer, he should be forced to surrender the place.              
Hereupon the King of Denmarke not onely resolved to continue the                
seige but to make the generall assault, which succeeded soe well on             
the 23 Decem: the very same day the Danes tooke Ribiuts & in it                 
400 Swedes, & the Swedes attempting to surprize Wolgast were beaten             
of with the losse of 5 or 600 men, besides some Canon which they were           
forced to quitt, & now all the discourse is, not without some                   
appearance of truth, that the Danes will passe Sound, especially if             
it should prove a hard winter & endeavour to retake from the Swedes             
that fine Country of Schonen                                                    
+Don Pedro & De Ronquillo the Spanish Envoy here has orders to part             
forthwith for Nimeguen, being one of the Plenipotentiarys of that               
Crown, though after all it is most plaine, that the confederates                
doe not yet in reality turne their thoughts to peace                            
    [Some figures in another hand appear on outside of letter.]                 
     L. c. 275     January ye 13th 1675                                         
+The report that comes of the defeat of the Danes in Norway meetts              
with some creditt, & the rather for that they themselves have here to           
fore confessed that they were afraid of receiveing some designe on              
that side through the want of good officers to supply, which they               
desired some from Holland, which the States granted them to the Number          
of about 20 Majors & Captains                                                   
+The letters which arrived yesterday from Holland besides what is made          
publicke, said, that severall defects had been likewise found in the            
passeports of the Emperor & the Spanyards to the ffrench done                   
purposely as is beleived to gaine them time, that soe the Campagne              
may come on, before the assembly at Nimegen can be formed, for every            
day letts us see more & more the small disposition the partyes have             
at prsent to a peace.                                                           
   Notwithstanding which Sr Leoline Jenkins has made all hast to                
Nimegen, and by this time the Dutch Ambrs are likewise on their way             
thither, to give good example to all the rest of all the Ambrs that             
are to meet there, those of Denmarke & brandenburg are the most                 
backward, for those Princes seem not to be able to endure the thoughts          
of peace, till they have quite turned the Swedes out of Germany.  The           
Corsaires of Tripoli continue to demand a peace, but will not be thought        
to make any satisfaction for past injuries, Sr John Narborrough omitts          
nothing on his part to compell them to it, though the truth is, the             
nature of that Government is such, that it is next degree to impossible         
to gett any money from it, for soe sone as any purchasse is taken it is         
devided amongst the great officers & soldiers, who as well as the               
publicke, are alwayes soe poor that if they would they are not able to          
repay any money, & therefore its said that Sr John has orders to have           
satisfaction in [space left for about eight letters] though of other            
nations, by which the King will doe an act of great charity to soe many         
poor wretches, and of honor & reputation to himselfe, and at the same           
time, though it is of noe advantage to us, yet it will be damage to             
those Corsairs                                                                  
   Yesterday the Lords appointed for the retireing the Kings expenses           
mett as they had done severall times before, & that matter will now be          
brought to a speedy issue                                                       
   Severall persons have of late been taken into Custody for seditious          
discourses, & spreding fa[l]se & seditious news, & will be proceeded            
against according to law, & some discovery hath been already made upon          
the Proclamation against Libells.                                               
     L. c. 276     January ye 15th 1675.                                        
+The King of Spaine has appointed the Marquis de los Balbaces, at               
present his Ambassador at Vienna, to be the head of his Embassy to              
Nimeguen                                                                        
     One of the difficultyes found by the States in the matter of the           
passe ports, is that the ffrench in those for the deputyes of Lorraine          
onely stile him, Prince Charles of Lorraine, by which they seem as if           
they would not owne the Duke, & till this be mended on the part of the          
ffrench, the passes will not be exchanged, and consequently their               
Ambassadors will not be able to repaire thither                                 
   Our last letters from Sr John Narborrough which arrived some dayes           
since said that he was watching for some of the Tripoline men of war,           
of whom he had notice where they cruised, and that he hoped to give a           
good account of them, in the meane time all care is taken to supply             
him with whatever he shall stand in need of                                     
     The intended Retrenchment of the Kings expenses, we understand             
to be finally setled & though the particulars are not yet declared, yet         
tis said that the Kings servants are to forbear their wages & Board             
wages for 15 months, most of the great pentions, or part of them are            
taken of, soe that we are tolde the Retrenchment will come to above             
3000000 L                                                                       
   We have not any forreigne letters since Tuesday last, all the news           
that can be expected must come from Hamburg & those parts, as well in           
relations to what was passed in Norway where its said the Danes have            
received a very considerable defeat, as what is doeing in Bremen  The           
King of Sweden & the Elector of Brandenburg have accepted the Mediation         
his Majesty offered them, for the composeing the particular quarrell            
between them, though this will likewise be treated at Nimeguen                  
   As to the affaires of the Prince of ffurstemburg Mr Skelton the              
Kings envoy to the Emperor in that Errand is still at the Hague,                
expecting the states dispatches for their journeying with his Majestyes         
in the offices to be made in that Princesse behalfe, & its not doubted          
but they will have their effect, for his Majestyes instances are in this        
Conjuncture most pervalent every where                                          
+Sr Gabriell Silvius appointed to compliment the Prince of Orange upon          
the death of his Grandmother is still here but will certainly part on           
Monday next.                                                                    
   The Dutch letters dat the 11th tell us that the Danish Camp before           
Wismar beeing broken up the Maine consultation is about expelling the           
Swedes out of Bremen but that which cheifly retards the businesse is that       
the confederates cannot agree which of the places shall be demolished           
when taken which still is kept in possession, or by whom some of the            
Dutch fleet goeing with Vice admirall to Naples  part of the Seamen went        
a shoare when the saccrament hapening to be carryed by, and they                
observed not to give the customery respects, the people were soe                
incensed that the[y] fell upon the Dutch men & runing for Armes had made        
some slaughter had not they taken themselves to their heels & got to            
their ships.                                                                    
     The Constant endeavour of London arriving at ffalmouth from                
Virginia in 7 weeks reports that they have had but an indifferent crop          
there this yeare, & that the Indians were run to the top of the River           
Pentmak [?] in a body of 5 or 600 have cutt off several English and that        
at his coming away they were not dispersed, in his coming home he mett          
with bad weather the sea having washed an Anchor from his bow & a man           
over board.                                                                     
     L. c. 277     January ye 18th 1675.                                        
+The letters which arrived yesterday from Holland said that Sr Leoline          
Jenkins was arrived at Nimeguen with a traine about 20 persons haveing          
left his baggage to follow by water, that he had purposely avoided              
all publique honr & respects which were intended by the governr                 
upon his arrivall to be an example to the rest of the Ambr that                 
are to follow, likewise to avoid all publique receptions, wch are               
subject for the most part to disputes about the prsedence &c                    
   Don Emanuell de Lyra the Spanish Minister is arrived from Brussells          
at the Hague & has brought with him the Spanish passport for the                
ffrench & Swedish Ambrs which he is willing to putt into ye hands               
of Sr William Temple his Majestys Ambr provided he promise not to               
deliver them out till he hath received the ffrench passes for the               
Ministers in all [?] the allies in the forme demanded.                          
   In the meane time ye spring comes on a pace & we are told yt the             
prince of Orange hath upon occasion lately declared that he saw no              
likelyhood of a peace before the successe of the Campagne now comeing           
on, had disposed the severall partyes to a greater desire of peace then         
they seem at prsent to have.                                                    
+The ffrench keep all people in a great expectation of the issue of             
those great designes they are said to have in hand, and that the                
execution of which the King will assist in prson  it appeares the               
ffrench Armes are as yet terrible by the apprehensions, Cologne, Munster        
[?] Treves & Strasburg are in of being attacked in the opening of the           
Campagne by the ffrench forces, some tell us that the Swedes perswade           
themselves that the ffrench King will send a considerable force to              
their assistance, to enable them to recover what they have lost this            
summer, which should he doe it must be beleived to be now out of a              
point of honr, then affection for it plainely appeares that the                 
ffrench thinke the Swedes suffer deservedly for their owne ill conduct          
& for not haveing proceeded sincerly for the advantage of their freinds         
which would have obliged them to have entred into the Warr sooner &             
more vigorously                                                                 
   On Sunday was apprehended & sent to the tower one Coll Danvers a man         
who besides his haveing all along served against the king & his being of        
knowne dangerous & disaffected principalls was about 7 yeares since             
ordered to be sent to the tower for threatening as I take it the death of       
Genll Monck, but in his way was rescued upon which a proclamation was           
issued out for the apprehending him, which it seems has hitherto been           
ineffectuall & now besides all this, a fresh information is brought agt         
him for Treasonable words spoken and designes agt: the Kings person & soe       
I say he was discovered & apprehended on Sunday as he was in a                  
conventicle in the suburbs of the citty.                                        
     L. c. 278     [Handwriting changes here.]     Jan: ye 20th 75              
+The Seizeing of ye Duchy of Deux Portz by ye french gives great allarms        
to ye Neighbouring Princes to see ye french still advance into Germany.         
This present King of Swedens Grandfather was of ye family of ye Duke of         
Deux Ports, & ye other bravely being now extinct the King of Sweden is          
next heire to ye Duke of Deux Ports that now is, but he being Old &             
very infirme, the french in behalfe of ye Swedes have taken possession          
of ye Country, wch Joyning to Lorraine is very Comodious for ye french.         
   The Prints tell you ye great difference that is like to arise betwixt        
ye two Electors of ye Rhyne, Mayence, & Pallatine & many are of Opinion         
that ye latter is Encouraged in it by ye french wth whom they say hee has       
made his accord wch when ye french King comes into ye feild will as they        
suspect be made publique, & for that reason ye Imperialists have a              
Watchfull eye uppon ye Elector Pallatine                                        
+by ye Letters wch Came yesterday from Brussells wee understand that            
Don Juans freinds Cannot as yet soe farr prevaile at Madrid as to               
bring him to Court, The Queens party keeping still ye upper hand, &             
tho tis Certaine that ye violent humour of most people in favour of             
Don Juan will at last beget an alteration in that Court yet ye Queen            
seemes Resolvd to excersise her power as long as shee can, & therefore          
some tyme may yet run on before shee be obligd to quit ye Governmt tho          
much to ye prejudice of ye officers of that Monarchy wch would take             
new life from ye experience & conduct of Don Juan                               
   The matter of ye peace advances extream slowly & appeares more &             
more that things are not yet ripe for it, the Confederates promiseing           
themselves a great advantage by ye Continuance of ye Warr, & ye french          
being still in a Condition rather to give then receive Termes.                  
     Some Letters from ye Northerne parts tell us that ye Swedes are            
not less disquieted wth disorders at home, then thro their ill success          
abroad that ye Crowne Chancellr is publiquely accused, & that Prince            
Adolph ye Kings unkle, a man of a Mellancholly & Capricious disposition         
was calld from his retreat to ye Comand of ye army.  But this will want         
confirmation                                                                    
   Wee are in great expectation of some considerable news from Italy            
for ye Duch & french fleets must unavoidably meet, & to what side               
soever ye success of a Rencounter shall happen it will be of great              
Importance for it will either setle ye french in Sicily if it bee               
favourable to them, or else it will quite turne them out of Messina             
+Theye Write from Bristoll that by their advises from Virginia the              
English had fought a Considerable number of ye Natives & kild 5 or              
600 of them wch in all probabillity would quiet ye disturbances in              
those parts                                                                     
   Letters are by Order of Councell sent to ye Bpps to take Care that           
ye day annually Observd uppon ye Martyrdom of ye late King may be kept          
wth all sollemnity                                                              
   The report of ye defeat of ye Danes under Guldenheim in Norway,              
begins to lose Credit  at least it is not yet Confirmd                          
   The last letters from Sr John Narbrough said hee was then Careening          
at Malta but would in 10 dayes returne to Tripoly to bring those people         
to reason.                                                                      
     [Some figures in another hand appear on outside of letter.]                
     L. c. 279     [Handwriting changes here.]     January ye 22d 1675.         
+I formerly gave you an account of the difficultyes that were made              
by the states in the matter of the passeports for that the ffrench in           
the passeports dispatched by them had not inserted a clause authorizing         
the severall Maties [?] to send Couriers to & from as they should have an       
occasion with their dispatches, & that they had omitted to give the Duke        
of Lorraine the title of Duke  to these points an answer is come from           
ffrance that that King hath not been able to consent to the said clauses        
about the Couries [?] which might be a cover & pretext of sending spies         
into his Countrys & places besides that the place of treaty being soe           
wholly in the midle of the allyes Countrys, it seems a thing unnecessary        
and as to the giveing Lorraine the title of Duke he absolutely refused          
for that by a treaty made 1667 with the late Duke that King looks upon          
himselfe to have the right of Succession.  thus all the hopes of                
forming the congresse at Nimeguen before the Armys come into the feild          
begin to vanish for till the ffrench have granted those 2 points                
especially that about the Duke of Lorraine the allyes will give out             
their passes, for the ffrench Ambr who for want of them will its                
beleived be commanded backe to Paris.  These difficulties will it feared        
likewise hinder the successe of Mr Skeltons negotiation at Vienna.              
   ffrom Holland they assure us that the Prince of Orange will be the           
next Campagne at the head of the Army 40000 men with which he will act          
but has demanded of the governour of the Spanish netherlands that he will       
take care to supply the Army with bread dureing his being in the feild          
which he excuses as not being able to performe it.                              
+The last letters from fflanders said that their Governour had received         
a supply of 40000 crowns from Spaine but that the wholl summe was to be         
paid to the Dutch for the continueing Leiut Admirall de Ruyter in the           
Mediterranean six months longer, soe that not any moneys have been as           
yet comitted to the said governour for the service of those Countrys,           
which makes them militous [?] preparations very backward in ffrance  the        
cause of this is the factions of the Court at Madrid between the                
Queen & Don Juan which disturbs & putts things in disorder, hitherto            
the Queen continues the most powerfull, but besides this the late               
arrivall of the Gallions this yeare putt the Spanyards into great               
streights for moneys                                                            
+Sr Stephen ffox as it seems Layd by from operateing the place of               
paymaster of the forces though without any marke of the Kings                   
displeasure to him.                                                             
       [Scribbles in another hand appear on outside of letter.]                 
     L. c. 280     January ye 26th 1675.                                        
+On Sunday at evening prayer was performed in the Kings Chappell the            
Ceremony of Confirmation of the Lady Mary & ye Lady Anne the Dukes              
Daughters by the hands of Dr Compton Bp of London & Dean of the Chappell        
in the prsence of great concurse of the nobility & other persons of             
quality.                                                                        
   yesterday morning his Majesty accompanyed with his Royall highnesse          
went out of towne to hunt towards Windsor & he will be backe to morrow          
+ffrom fflandrs they write that the Dutch Ambassadors now arrived               
at Nimeguen & by the example of Sr Leoline Jenkins they had likewise            
avoided a publick entry, but its beleived they will not be very                 
suddenly followed by the other Ambassadrs                                       
   The King of Denmarke has absolutely refused to grant passeports to the       
Swedish Ambassadrs designed for the treaty at Nimeguen to passe by              
land through their territoryes but if they please he will give them             
passeports to passe by sea from Gottenburg.                                     
     Carlestadt was certainly surrendered the 22d instant to the                
confederates  the Swedes had prepared a good supply of men & provisions         
to be sent thither by water, & it was already on its way, but was it            
seems to late, And now the next work will be upon Stade                         
   The King of Sweden is on the side of Gottenburgh & has a prety good          
Army together most Country Militia, his designe is to passe the sound           
if the weather favour him & visit the Danes at their o[w]n Doores.              
   The Dutch are very well pleased with their treaty for free trade             
lately concluded with the Swedes, for that was the thing they aimed at,         
where they first declared war against that crowne who would not then            
hear of it, and doubtlesse the greatest advantage there by will redound         
to the Hollandrs, who if they can have their Commerce free at sea, the          
War at land will not be soe heavey to them, one Article of the treaty           
is, that if the men of War of both partyes shall happen to meet being           
convoyes to Merchant men they shall treat each other as freinds                 
   The ffrench seem to begine the Campagne already in fflanders  we are         
told that the confederates are content to allow them some advantages            
in the beginning of the summer, but they hope to be even with them in           
the end, though hitherto ffrance has found his account in being                 
offensive at ye begining & defensive only towards the latter part               
of the Campagne                                                                 
     L. c. 281     January ye 29th 1675                                         
     They write from Edinburgh dat Janr 13 that the Union fregatt of            
London bound for Amsterdam from Smyrna arrived that day in Leith Road           
She was blown off from the Coast of Holland Dec: 13th & had spent 2 suites      
of sayles their water & Beer staved [?] some provisions lost, & noe             
observation in 14 dayes & on Christmas day was in danger of being lost          
on the Coast of Norway when plying to the southward  she met a Yarmouth         
Doggr fishing who supplyed them with some provision, halfe the men being        
downe with hunger & Cold & helped them into that Road where they were           
prepareing to fitt for Holland as wind & weather offered                        
     Upon the death of Dr Tulley Dr Cartwright is made Dean of Rippon.          
     His Majesty for the better support of the Children of his Royall           
foundation of Christs Hospital who are 30 brought up in the mathematicks        
to prepare them for Navigation has been graciously pleased to adde to his       
former bounty a settlement of 370 L 10 sh p annum after the year 1678 to        
which time his Maty has allotted an ample provision.                            
     They write from Holland that the disputes about Quarters in East           
ffreisland being not yet composed the States had held severall Conferences      
about it & tis said write to the King of Denmarke the states of that            
Country & to the Emperor, & upon that occasion to the King of Denmarke          
to withdraw those forces of his that had taken possession of those              
quarters, to the states of East ffreisland to agree with the Duke of            
Lunenburg to whom those quarters were alsoe assigned for a summe of             
money, & to the Emperor to desire that for the future such care might be        
taken as to prvent any disputes of the like nature.                             
     Severall have been executed at Molazzo [?] for haveing Contrived to        
deliver up the Vice Roy & Towne into the hands of the ffrench the               
discoverrs only pardoned who yet tis thought would have informed had they       
not seen the Dutch fleet goe into Port & feared by that means they should       
be disabled to carry on their designe                                           
     They write from ffrance Jan 28 that the King will take a review of         
all ye Troups of his houshold the 1st of the next Month & that most of          
the troopes that were at Bourdeaux are marching to returne to Catalonia         
& tis thought they will take the feild their to try if they can promote         
the troubles in Arragon.  The Citty of Strasburg have refused passage to        
any ffrench Vessells through their Bridge fearing they might take               
occasion to fire it.                                                            
     They write from Nimeguen dat Jan: 19 that the Messengers Beverning         
& Van Haren left their Yachts and landed there.  some of the ffrench            
Ambrs domestiqus [sic] arrived there on the 19th to make the houses             
for the Ambrs.  Mr Skelton passed through Nimeguen on the 19th                  
designing to reach Cleve that night & Cologne on Saturday                       
     The Amsterdam letters dat ffebruary 1st tell us ye officers which ye       
States send to Norway were ready only expecting a fair wind.  They say          
there is a dispute whether Carls[t]adt shall be raised or kept & that it        
is agreed that 200 Danes, 200 Lunenburghs & 200 of the forces of Munster        
shall keep possession of it till the dispute be decided & it be agreed          
which of the Confederates shall keep it.                                        
    On the 21 Dr Henry Compton Ld Bp of London took the oath & place of         
Privy Councellor to his Majesty.                                                
     On the 19 was cast away neer Portland the Thomas Hay of London             
bound from Kingsale for Roen being the same vessell in which some Irish         
Passengers murthered the whole Company except the Steersman & Carrying          
her for Ireland were apprehended & most of them executed  the men all           
saved & most of the goods.                                                      
     L. c. 282     January ye 29th 1675.                                        
+We have an account from Yarmouth that a Vessell is arrived there               
from Marseille from whence she came the 11 Instant  the Master sayes that       
the day before he came from Marseilles they had news there that the             
ffrench and the Dutch fleets had been engaged in the ffare of Messina,          
but knew not the success which we are the more apt to give credit to for        
from an other hand we understand that an English vessell passeing through       
the fare of Messina had mett the Dutch & Spanish fleet cruising there in        
all about 30 saile, and that haveing sailed about 30 Leagues farther he         
mett the ffrench fleet consisting of 40 saile, that the Master of the           
said ship had been on board the ffrench Admirall & had told him where           
the Dutch were & that the ffrench had continued there course as before          
directly for Messina declareing that they would fight the Dutch &               
Spanish fleet if it came in their way.                                          
     The Swedish Ambr here has acqainted his Majesty that he has received       
the passeports from Sweden for the Ministers of the allyes but at the           
same time complained of the refusall of the King of Denmarke to permit          
the Swedish Ambrs to passe through his territoryes by land                      
     The Dutch letters they [sic] arrived yesterday told us that when           
Carlestadt was delivered up on the 22 instant there remained not bread          
for the garrison for on[e] day longer, but a great quatity of Ammunition        
& about 40 pieces of Cannon  300 Swedes Marched out, & 200 danes 200            
Lunenburghs and 200 Munsterians entred in their place who are to command        
alternatively, till it be agreed to whome the place shall belong, that is       
to say the Danes to command the first 3 dayes then the Lunenb 3 dayes &         
soe on.                                                                         
     There was a report at the Hague that the treaty between the Empr           
Spaine & the States & the Duke of Lorraine was goeing to be renewed with        
some additionall clause conserning their mutuall assisting each other &         
not makeing of peace but Joyntly.  Certaine it is the ffrench have tryed        
in vaine to seperate Holland from its allyes & that they will never be          
able to succeed in such endeavours as longe as the Prince of Orange has         
soe great a part in the Goverment he has at present                             
+Yesterday at Councell his Majesty was pleased to approve of the                
retrenchmt which had been made by the committee of the Lords Vidt that          
all board wages & dyett & halfe of all pention & salaryes, except those         
to the Judges shall be taken of for 15 months to come commenceing from          
the first of this Instant, the whole retrenchment its said does amount          
to upward of 300000 L                                                           
     L. c. 283     ffeb: ye 2d 1675.                                            
+All the newes at prsent is of the Engagemt between the ffrench & Dutch         
fleet on the Coasts of Sicily, of which I will give you all the account         
there is.  Yesterday morneing we received letters of the 14 instant from        
Naples & of ye 24 from Venice new stile, they said by a Cott [?] Vessell        
arrived there, they understood there had been an Engagement between the         
said fleets that the Dutch & Spanyards being joyned together were in all        
about 26 or 27 men of War & some gallyes & that the ffrench were but 20         
men of War, but what the successe had been they knew not farther then           
that the Spanyards reported both at Venice & Naples that they had had the       
better & that 12 of the ffrench men of War had been sunke & two burnt,          
this was the account our letters gave us with uncertainty as to the             
successe, but yesterday after the King came from Chappell the Spanish           
Envoy waited upon his Majesty & told him that ye said fleets had engaged        
on the 9 of January new stile in ye faro of Messina, the Dutch and the          
Spanyards haveing the word that the fight had continued very smartly            
that day, & had been renewed again the next morning but at length the           
ffrench had been entirely defeated that severall of their disabled              
ships had been taken & burnt but the Spanish gallyes who were 7 in              
all (and the ffrench had noe gallyes) that thereupon the rest fled              
& that de Ruyter was in persuite of them, if this newes hold true the           
ffrench must quickly take their leaves of Sicily, for Messina at prsent         
is said to be in such want of Provisions that it cannot hold out long,          
if they misse this intended supply from ffrance                                 
   The Spanish Envoye added that the Viceroy of Sicily had taken a place        
about 5 miles from Messina where the ffrench had a great Magazine & 700         
men in garrison who were all cut in peices                                      
+ffrom fflandrs they write that the Governour had by the last ordinary          
from Spaine received a promise of two Millions of Crownes, which were           
suddainly to be remitted from Spaine.  That Don Juan of Austrias interest       
was after all goeing to prevaile, that he had been sent for to Court & that     
the Queen did no more signe the publicque dispatches as she had done even       
ever since the Kings entring into his Majority                                  
     ffrom Holland & Germany they onely write of the preparations they          
are every where makeing against the Campagne that the Emperor will send         
8 or 9000 men to the assistance of fflandrs & that the Prince of Orange         
will act apart with his Army.                                                   
     L. c. 284     ffeb: 5th 1675.                                              
     We cannot tell you anything farther then we did in our last                
concerning the engagement between the Dutch & the ffrench on the Coast of       
Sicily, we all beleive that the ffrench had the worst & after a brisk           
fight seeing they could not force their way through the Dutch &                 
Spanyards, they stood off to sea, to expect some more favourable                
opportunity but their losse hath been so great as is reported we very           
much doubt, our next letters will fully inform us.  Some passengers             
come from fflanders since the last letters say that there was news that         
the Dutch had lost 2 men of Warr & that the Spanyards on [sic] galley,          
but these are but all reports.                                                  
     A vessell arrived two dayes since from Boston in new England & brings      
an account that on the 19 of December there was a sett battle fought            
between the English & the Indians that the first was 1400 commanded by          
Major Winslow & that the latter 3000 that the fight had lasted two              
dayes together & that at last the Indians haveing had 500 of their men          
killed & haveing spent all their ammunition were forced to retire, that         
the English (who lost 207 Common soldiers 5 Captains & other officers)          
there upon took a kind of fort raised by the Indians & burnt aout 300           
hutts or houses that were there, that in them the poor women & Children         
they had left behind, but that they were afterwards forced to quitte the        
said fort, the Indians being reinforced & comeing downe with intention          
to venture another battle                                                       
     The Swedish Ambassadr here haveing received the necessary                  
passeports from Sweden for the Ministers of the allyes he hath put them         
into the hands of his Majesty who has sent them to his Ambassador at the        
Hague to be enterchanged, but the Difficulties made by ffrance still            
retards the matter                                                              
     The last letters from ffrance speake of vast preparations there            
against spring & that there lay ready a fond of 5 millions pretend [?]          
for the defraying the expences of the Campagne  They will not owne to           
have any newes concerning their fleet bound for Messina, which makes us         
more apt to beleive that the things have gone very ill on their side,           
its not yet knowne whether the Prince of Conde will goe to the feild            
this summer, he being growne very infirme & much troubled with the              
gout on which account he desires to be excused.                                 
     There being Merchants in London who pretend to have letters of             
the 16 past from Naples by the way of shipping, which are two dayes             
fresher then what came by the ordinary post, with advise that the               
ffrench had been to [sic] lately routed & that they had lost 10 or 11           
men of War & that the rest gott away to the west ward, that the Dutch           
had likewise sustained some losse but the particulars they know not.            
     The Hague letters dat ffebruary the first advised that they were           
informed from Bremen dat the 25th that the Swedes about 500 passed              
through there on the 23 haveing surrendred Charlestadt the day before,          
all their bread & corne was spent the last days allowance delivered at          
their gowing off, but they lost great store of bullets & powder & 80            
peices of ordinance.                                                            
     On the 20 went in Cowes 2 Capers who met with a fly boat of 300            
tuns belonging to the ffrench of 18 guns & 6 paderas  they fought most          
part of the day till bad weather parted them neer St Malos where she            
made her escape.  The Capers boarded her 4 times and had gained the             
steeridge & yet were beaten off  one of the Capers who had 48 men 6             
guns & 3 Paderas had 4 men killed & 14 wounded, another of 3 guns had           
three killed & 9 wounded.                                                       
     On the 25th 4 boates who had formerly been seised at Dover &               
condemned in the Excheqr for Transportation of Wool was by order of the         
Lord High Treasurer burned at Dover, which tis hoped may deterre the            
Transporters & give a great check to their practise soe pernicious to the       
Manufacture of the kingdome.                                                    
     The ffrench letters dat ffebruary the 4th tell us that the troupes         
have all orders to march that they may be on the 21 on the frontiers            
& the King has sent to every Captaine of horse to send him one out of           
every troupe the best appointed to put in his guard.                            
     All the Townes & Castles between Aoth & Charleroy are declared             
Neuter  The Councellor Vas is gone on the behalfe of fflandrs & De              
Heer Van Deytfeild for the States Generall to Marchienne au Ponts to            
treat with the Abbot Gravell deputed by the ffrench for settling the            
Commerce of Neutrallity in the Country of Leige.  The Knights of all            
orders in Spaine are ordered to serve in Catelonia either by themselves         
or a sufficient horsman which will amount to above 4000 men.                    
     The Amsterdam letters dat the 4th tell us that the treaty with the         
Bp of Osnabrugh was fully concluded on Saturday & that it is affirmed           
for certaine that there is an agreemt between Denmarke & the States to          
set out a fleet of 40 ships of which the States were to furnish 15.             
+ffrom Hamburgh dat January the 24th they advise that they have not             
heard that the Swedes had regained Wolgast nor that they were like to           
doe it, they are in much trouble that the Elector of Brandenburg keeps          
their Merchants in arrest at Magdeburg, whom he denyes to deliver till he       
receives reparation of 80M Crownes for receiving a ffrench Privateer            
whom his frigate persued and for an affront offered by some of his people       
to his Envoy goeing to Gluckstadt                                               
     At Genova 400 Greeks lately arrived to whom that state allotted            
severall lands in Corsica.                                                      
     On the 28th an order passt in Councell for the Lord High Treasurer         
to suspend the payment of part of Salaryes Pensions &c for one yeare &          
quarter ensueing except the Judges and others therein excepted.                 
     Just now arrived the ffrench letters which confirme the Dutch haveing      
obtained a great vi[c]tory that severall of the fffrench ships were             
destroyed but for the particulars they know not, though the Dutch &             
fflandrs letters say they have lost 10 ships.                                   
     L. c. 285     ffebruary ye 8th 1675.                                       
     The great news of the victory obtained by the Dutch over the               
ffrench in the faro of Messina is now come to this that the question            
is whether the ffrench succours be gott into Messina or not, which is           
ye main point of all.  This evening the Venetian Resident showed the            
King a letter dated the 21 past at Naples, written as he said by a              
person of quality there, & without any partiality gives an account,             
that the 7th in the evening the ffrench & Dutch fleets appeared in              
sight of each other, the former consisting of 22 men of war & 6                 
fireships that the next morning the[y] began the fight, which was               
continued all that day, that the ffrench had lost one man of War,               
which was sunke & 2 fireships that on the other side one Dutch man of           
War had been towed of towards Palermo, & that it was reported she               
sunke in the way thither the men all saved, the next day which was              
the 9 both sides were busied about their reparing their damages, &              
13 men of War, which came from Messina joyned the ffrench & the                 
Prince Montesarchio joyned de Ruyter with 6 men of War, both the                
fleets continued in sight of each other, what happened afterwards               
we doe not know but the said letters adde that it was feared at Naples          
that ffrench Victualers dureing the first dayes fight gott into                 
Messina, soe after all we must have some farther patience to know               
the truth.                                                                      
     His Majesty finding the ffrench to insist soe positively upon the          
two points he often mentioned concerning the passeports & by that means         
to take away those same hopes there was not long since of forming               
suddainly the Congress at Nimeguen had renewed his orders to Mr Skelton         
who is goeing to the Emperours Court to solicite the liberty of the             
Prince of ffurstemburg to stop somewhere in Germany & not to proceed till       
farther orders.                                                                 
     The truth is most people condemned the proceedings of the ffrench in       
the particulars above mentioned and tooke upon them not to favor any            
disposition of a peace.                                                         
     The Dutch letters arrived this afternoone of this day 7 night,             
brings nothing new onely that there was a meeting at Bremen of the              
deputyes of the allyes to agree whether Carlestadt should be demolished         
or not & into what hands it should be put into the allyes begining it           
seems to disagree about the partition of their conquests.                       
     L. c. 286     ffebruary ye 10th 1675                                       
     We are still without any fresh forreigne letters soe that we know          
nothing farther of the fight between the Dutch & the ffrench                    
     Yesterday the King pricked a new Sheriff for Hertfordshire, it             
seems Sr John Read, who has served as such almost 3 months refuses              
to doe soe any longer, the case is he standing excommunicated for               
refuseing to obey a decree of the Spirituall Court, for setling a               
maintenance upon his wife from whom he is parted, cannot receive the            
Sacrament as is directed by the act to prevent the danger ariseing              
from Popish Recusants and on that account he refusses to serve                  
Sheriffe any longer, for that would subject him to the penaltyes imposed        
in the said act, the Judges have laid a fine upon him, seeing it is             
in his power to take off the said excommunication by obeying the said           
decree, he has stood out & will not submitt to the fine; but has                
answered the information in the Excheqr where the matter still depends.         
     This morneing Captaine Wetwang (Captaine of the Newcastle lately           
arrived from the streights) is come to towne, & was to pay his duty to          
his Majesty, to whom he gave an account of the Dutch & ffrench fleets,          
haveing been on board them both, he sayes the ffrench was in much better        
condition then the Dutch, & their ships of a greater force, & that              
the Dutch had a great many sicke in their ships, which in number were           
likewise inferior to the ffrench.                                               
     On Munday the Bp of Oxon did homage to his Majesty with the usual          
Ceremony                                                                        
     This afternoone the Dutch letters arrived & bring a letter from            
De Ruyter Printed in Holland of the late fight Viz: that the fight was          
begun the 8 past off of the Island of Lipari, & continued all that day          
very smartly, that the ffrench had lost 2 fireships & one man of War            
to their knowledge: That on the Dutch side the ship called the Essen            
was very much disabled & haveing received severall shotts between wind          
& water, had been towed off to Palermo by two gallyes: that the Dutch           
had received much damage in their Tackle & Sayles which they had soe            
repaireing, that they were in a condition to renew the fight with the           
ffrench, who (at the comeing away of the letters dated the day after            
the fight) were still in sight, de Ruyter concluded his letter, that            
the Prince of Montesarchio was there in sight with 9 saile & hoped              
they should be joyned before night, he sayes nothing of the ffrench             
ships comeing from Messina to their fleet, but that may be & he not             
know it, de Ruyter before the fight had with him 9 gallyes & one man            
of War, but the night before the fight it blew soe hard that the                
gallyes were forced to choose the shoare, though dureing the fight &            
the day after, the weather was extream calme & the gallyes before the           
fight was over joyned the Dutch againe.  The ffrench had the wind               
dureing the fight, soe that after all we doe not know whether any succours      
be gott into Messina, the Dutch & Spanyards deney it & its probable we          
shall hear of a 2nd fight for the 1st had not decided.                          
     It is said that the E: of Essex goes noe more for Ireland but ye           
Lord Sunderlain goes in his stead.                                              
     A Patent is passing makeing Sr Henry Puckering Alias Newton                
Receiver & paymaster of his Majestys guards with allowance of 400 L p           
annum in place of Sr Stephen ffox                                               
     The Lord Duras is suddenly to be marryed to the daughter of Sr             
George Sands of Kent.                                                           
     On the 3d Sr Richard Belstode kist his Majestyes hand beeing               
goeing to fflanders to which Court his Majesty has made him his                 
Resident                                                                        
     His Majesty has been pleased to passe a grant to the Dane & Chapter        
of St Paul to raise stone in his Majestys Quarryes in the Isle of               
Portland or Common there to be employed toward the building of the said         
Church paying the accustomed Dutyes.                                            
     L. c. 287     ffebruary ye 14th 1675.                                      
+The ffrench letters which arrived the 11th instant brought very fresh          
letters from Rome & other parts of Italy, which tell us that the ffrench        
succours be gott into Messina that is the vessail that was laden with           
provision, which the ffrench Admirall had before the fight sent away            
about, that soe unperceived by the Dutch they might gett into Messina           
as they did, while in the meantime the ffrench & Dutch fought, of               
which de Ruyters letter gives the most sober & impartiall account we            
have yet had, the day after the fight 10 men of War joyned their                
fleet, and the Prince of Montesarchio came up with the Dutch, but               
De Ruyter understanding that the ffrench succours were gott into                
Messina declared that there was now remaineing noe more for him to              
doe his order being positive that hee should endeavour to hinder those          
succours which if he could not doe it was in vaine to hazard anything           
farther, & besides he complained the Spanyards had not done their part,         
that the viceroy of Sicily pressed de Ruyter most earnestly to make             
some farther attempt upon the ffrench fleet in Conjunction with the             
Spanyards, and offered to engage in the name of the King of Spaine              
to make good what ever losse they sustaine, & in part of security,              
offered to putt his Jewells and plate into his hands, but that                  
De Ruyter still declared that he could doe nothing more, and                    
accordingly was returneing homeward with his fleet, if this prove               
true the affairs of the Spanyards in those parts will be in a very              
ill condition                                                                   
     All the letters say the Dutch ship which was sent into port by             
De Ruyter sunke in her way thither  all the men have been saved by              
the gallyes:  There be letters of ye 10th speake of the arrivall of             
the new Spain fleet at Cadiz very rich                                          
   All Rotterdam are setting forth 4 men of War and in Zealand 6                
(besides the 15 that are to joyne with the Danes in the Baltick)  on            
the former are to be Embarked 1400 land soldiers & its beleived they            
are designed for some expedition out of Europe.                                 
     There be letters from Vienna from very good hands which assure us          
that the Emprs Army will be this next Campagne stronger by 10000 men then       
it was the last, that Court being resolved to carry on the War with all         
the vigor possible.                                                             
     L. c. 288     15th ffebruary 1675                                          
     The letters which arrived yesterday from ffrance of the 15th               
instant confirme that the ffrench succours were gott into Messina &             
that De Ruyter was returned home with his fleet haveing passed by               
Leghorne  the reason of the latter is said to be that De Ruyter                 
found the Spanyards were not in any degree soe strong by sea as he              
expected, for that that Crowne had engaged to the States to have a              
fleet on the coast of Sicily which should alone be able to engage the           
ffrench, in stead of which onely 8 or 9 men of War appeared the day             
after the fight, under the command of the Prince of Montesarchio, and           
even those in soe ill a condition, that noe great service could be              
expected from them, & therefore de Ruyter did not think fitt any                
farther to hazard the honor as well as the ships of the States with             
soe little probability of successe, & besides its said his ordrs                
were that if his assistance to the Spanyards were not sufficient to             
prevent this great succour getting in, he should returne home, but              
the letters add that two dayes after de Ruyters leaveing the coast              
of Sicily, that viceroy by an expresse received fresh promptory [?]             
orders from the States to De Ruyter to continue on the coast of                 
Sicily sometime longer which ordrs were sent after de Ruyter with               
hopes to overtake him time enough to bring him back.                            
     The Elector of Cologne & the Bp of Munster and Bp Paderborne               
have made a league by which they oblige themselves to have an Army of           
15000 men for their mutuall defense  the Duke of Newburg will                   
likewise have a good body of foot as likewise the Elector of Saxony,            
and though all is prtended to be for their owne defense only, yet it            
gives jealousy to ye Empr who does not love to see those Princes                
become Arbitrators of the peace & to be able to give the law to him             
& his allyes                                                                    
   We are told that letters are latly arrived from Tangier, which               
give an account that the Moores had had the boldnes to attacke severall         
of the outworks of that citty within the line with a prsumption to              
have made themselves master of them, but they had been repulsed with            
great losse 500 of them being killed upon the place and amongst them            
some of their great men.                                                        
     There is a discourse that the L: Cheife justice Hayles does                
in respect of his great age request of his Majesty that he may have             
leave to retire.                                                                
     At a councell of War held on Saturday by the Admiralty one Capt            
[space for about five letters left blank] late Comander of the Quaker           
ketch to be shot to death for stricking his flagg here in the Channell to       
an Ostendr, the execution was to have been to day but he is reprived.           
     L. c. 289     ffebruary ye 17th 1675.                                      
+yesterday the King went out of towne towards Windsor with intention to be      
backward againe to night or to morrow morninge                                  
   ffrom Holland we heare that there is a Marriage treating between             
Elearnora Queen Dowager of Poland the Emperors sister, and the Duke of          
Lorraine, & that is gone soe far as to have the consent of Spaine.  This        
Princesse has for severall yeares been designed by the Emperor for this         
Duke of Lorraine, who he hopes to make King of Poland and accordingly at        
the two last Elections all endeavours are used in order thereunto, if           
this be soe it may well be supposed that the Emperor will be firme to the       
Interest of the Duke of Lorraine, and not to admit of any treaty of peace       
till the ffrench have given him the title of Duke                               
   They likewise tell us that the allyance between the Dutch and their          
confederates for the carrying on of this war are goeing to be renewed,          
with great ease to the Dutch in the Matters of the subsides payable by          
severall of the confederates then the former.  Thus in all appearance           
the war does not look as if it would be suddainely ended, soe that on           
the contrary the minds of severall partyes seem imbittered more then            
ever                                                                            
     This afternoone arrived 2 fflandrs posts by which we have letters          
from Italy, confirmeing what has been already told you of the french            
succours being gott into Messina, and of De Ruyters beeing on his               
returne homewards of which the cause is said to be that his commissions         
was limitted to a certaine time which was expired, and that on the              
next place the Spanyards were not in any degree in that posture as it           
was promised the States they should, that soe with a joint force they           
might be able to attack the ffrench                                             
   The 2d of this Month New Stile De Ruyter came before Leghorne, and           
sent in 5 men of War to fetch out such men of War as should happen to           
be there, that soe they migh[t] returne home together, but that the             
framed [?] the orders from the States to De Ruyter to continue till             
farther order in the Mediteranean, which has in some measure conforted          
the Spanyards, who were quite put out of heart with two such blowes,            
as the ffrench succours getting into Messina, and afterwards De Ruyters         
leaving them, who is said to be extreamly concerned at the former,              
but lays the fault of all upon the Spanyards.                                   
   The sluyce between Bruses [sic] and Ostend is finaly opened, and a           
ship of 30 guns passed up to Bruges, which will be of great advantage to        
that citty.                                                                     
   Tis said that the Duke of Holsteine Gottorpe has sold an Island              
called Norderstrant two leagues from Toningen to Monsr Pomier [?]  but          
that the Councellor Judgeing it sold to cheape, the Duke requires more          
money for composing of which diference Monsr Terlon had lately been at          
Gottorp, but in the mean time the allyes were taken into consideration          
whether the Island ought to be suffered in ffrench hands since it may           
give them oppertunity of assisting the Swedes, & disturbing the trade in        
those parts.                                                                    
     The Burghers, the Cittisens and the Clergy of Sweden doe all joyne         
together in voluntary offereings to the King for raiseing a powerfull           
Army and setting forth 50 ships of War which unlesse the States of              
Holland send in a more powerfull assistance then that they have                 
designed they will be too many for the Danes to deal with                       
   On the 12 Dyed Coll Grey Leiut Coll of his Majestys Royall Regiments         
of guards of foot, who shall succeed in that command is not yet declared.       
   Her grace the Dutches of Monmouth is safely delivered of a daughter.         
     L.c. 290     ffebruary the 19 1675.                                        
   yesterday we had our Dutch letters of the 11th and 21th instant              
which letters tell us that letters were come from de Ruyter with                
this account, that after the fight with the ffrench on the 8th of               
Jan: he had kept two dayes in sight of the Enemy they haveing still             
the wind, but that the third day by favor of a mist they gott clear             
of him & taken their course round the Island of Sicily they gott into           
Messina on the other side of the faro [?] of which we haveing advice had        
resolved to returne home, seeing there was nothing could be expected            
to be done there, and that the six months he was by contract to                 
remaine in the Spanish service were already expired  for the rest he            
extreamly complains of the Spanyards & layes upon them all this ill             
successe of which he is the more sensible, because of the prejudice             
that is to his owne reputation, for that instead of 24 men of War,              
which by the said contract they were to joyne with him upon his arrivell        
there, there only appeared 8 the day after the fight, and those in a            
very ill condition, that as to the money and provisions, which it was           
promised should lye ready for him at Naples he found Neither.                   
   The 3 instant de Ruyter arrived before Leghorne found orders there           
to continue in the Spanish service 6 months longer which some what              
revived the Spanyards                                                           
   Coll Grey being dead that command is given to the Lord Howard of             
Escricke & Sr Thomas Daniel who is the Major of the said Regiment is            
to have the government of Jersey.                                               
+And Sr Samuel Clarke who is the oldest Captaine has the command of             
Major of the Regiment,                                                          
+Mr Kingdon is to take care of the payment of the soldiery under Sr             
Henry Puchering as Substitute                                                   
   The matter of the passeports continues in the same state soe that            
now there is hardly any hopes of formeing the assembly at Nimeguen              
till after this Ca[m]pagne.                                                     
   In fflandrs the ffrench begin to prepare to come into the feild              
& the Spanyards apprehend they will turne their greatest force on that          
side & that the King will come in person into fflandrs                          
[A few figures and sums in another hand appear on outside of letter.]           
     L. c. 291     ffebruary the 24th 1675                                      
+On Sunday the Lord cheife Justice Hayles resigned to his Majesty               
his pattent constituteing him Lord cheife Justice, being very weak &            
crazy, it is said that Mr Bar Ransford shall suceed him, & that Mr              
Serjeant Pemberton shall come in the roome of Baron Ransford                    
   Yesterday we had lettrs of the 18/28 instant from Holland which tell         
us, that at the Instance of the Lt admirall de Ruyter the States                
had resolved to send out 10 capitall shipps more to reinforce him,              
which will supply the defects of the Spanyards, and enable de Ruyter            
to attempt with better successe upon the ffrench for the future, in             
Holland the[y] prepare very vigorsly for the next Campagne, provoked            
thereunto by the frowardnesse of the ffrench.  The Prince of Orange has         
appointed the Randevous of his cavalry at Langenstrat, and his                  
Infantry at Rosendael where the Ra[n]devous was likewise last                   
summer.  The letters add that the Bp of Munster had quitted his                 
pretentions upon the Dutchy of Bremen to the Bp of Osnaburg & had               
agreed to restore that Bprick to the Church, as it was before the               
treaty of Munster, that is that for the future  It shall be constantly          
in the hands of a Roman Catholicke Bp                                           
   Stadt they say will certainly be beseiged in 10 or 12 dayes by the           
confederates.                                                                   
     On fryday last his Majesty in Councell takeing notice that                 
severall Justices of the peace are become Negligent, as well in                 
supporting Conventicles, as in the hindering the growth of Popery, was          
pleased to command the Lord Chancellor to instruct the Judges now               
prepareing to goe the circuits that they give in charg the lawes agst           
Popish Recusants, as likewise the lawes agst conventicles, &                    
perticularly the Oxford Act concerning preachers, and that they take            
notice of such Justices of ye peace as are negligent, in their dutyes, &        
to returne their names to his Majesty, and at the same time it was              
ordered that my Ld Major, Aldermen & Recorder of London & such of the           
justices of the peace for London & Middlesex as are in Towne doe attend         
his Majesty at Councell to morrow, in order to the receiveing his               
Majestyes pleasure for the better executeing the lawes above mentioned.         
     L.c. 292     ffeb: 24th 1675                                               
+Yesterday the Lord Major, Aldermen of London &c attended his Majesty           
in Councell pursuant to his Majestyes order, and were acqu[a]inted by the       
Lord Chancellor with his Majestyes pleasure, for their takeing care to          
see the lawes against Popish Recusants and Conventicles put in execution,       
but especially the act that was made at Oxford, against the Preachers,          
who are cheifely to be lookt after, for that they make it their businesse       
to seduce Ignorant people, & glory in the Numbers that flock to them            
     The orders which were sent after Mr Skelton to stop him in his             
way to Vienna have overtaken him at Ratisbonne, soe that he will                
continue there till farther orders.                                             
     His Majesty as a marke to the Lord cheife Justice Hayles, though           
he gave him leave that he might quite the place, yet continues the              
pension to him for life.                                                        
   The Elector Palatine is treating at prsent its said about a treaty of        
 Neutrality with the ffrench and haveing prayd his Majesty to interpose         
his offices withe [sic] ffrench king for the obtaining some points              
which the ffrench hitherto stick at, Its said his Majesty cannot medle          
or countenance any such particular treaty, unlesse the Elector have the         
consent of the Emperor and his allyes, which has given great satisfaction       
to the Confederates who perceive every day more & more his Majestyes            
great impartiality and justnesse in the worke of his Mediation.                 
   The States and their Alleyes have its said resolved to send their            
Ambrs without further losse of time to Nimeguen, that soe they may let          
the world see that the blame lyes at the doore of the ffrench, that the         
congresse is not formed even before the Campagne.  And the states have          
resolved to send a man of War to Gottenburg to fetch the Swedish Ambrs          
who lye there, in the mean time the States are hard put to it, to raise         
the moneys necessary for the supporting the war, the taxes that have            
been already layd upon the people have greatly empoverished them, It            
was proposed by the States the last week, that all the Inhabitants of           
the Provinces should be destinquished into 4 rankes, that the first,            
that is every family should be taxed at 20 Glds which is about 4s               
that the 2 rank 15 Glds the third ranke at 2 glds & the fourth to pay           
nothing, this being levyed 14 or 15 times in one yeare would bring upp a        
great summe of money, and would be much more easy to the ordinary sort of       
people, then 200th [?] penny wch is the tax which hath been much used in        
Holland                                                                         
     The king of Denmarke has offered Van Tromp Admirall of his fleet           
dureing his life, but the States have not consented, & will only permit         
him to take the quality of Admirall of Denmarke this summer, to enable          
him to command in cheife the fleet in the Baltique.                             
     They write from Paris that 8000 Tents were prepareing with all             
speed for 24m men to be emplyed on some designe before summer  The              
Chavalier de Aigremont is taken into Custody being accused of the               
confederacy of the Chevalier de Rohan & will be brought to a speedy             
tryall  they say that the king of Spaine has sent to Don Juan to put all        
things in readinesse at Saragousa to receive him about the end of March         
where he is to sweare the privileges of the kingdom of Aragon  all the          
Nobles and knights of the order accompany him, he goes thence to                
Barcalona and as is given out to Catalonia upon which account the ffrench       
send a greater Army thither then was at first designed.                         
     The ffrench Ambrs at Charlevill have desired Sr Leoline Jenkins            
to procure passes for their servants who are at Nimeguen that they may          
goe freely upon their occasions & if need be to goe to Charleroy, for           
those Gentlemen it seems went into the States Country without any passes        
from them, haveing only one from the Governour of Namur and meeting at Mooch    
the outmost garison of the States toward Maestricht a young officer of          
the guards got by their baggage & horses for which the officer is in            
disgrace, as who in performance of his duty might have made all their           
goods prize & them prisoners at War.                                            
     Lt Chevalier Sr Chaulmont sent expresse from Monsr de Quesne to            
the ffrench King, gives account that the ffrench in the engagement with         
de Ruyter did not losse any man of War but only 2 fireships & had 2             
Captains killed le fferriere and Bonovisin                                      
     Tis said the Imperialists will take Winter Quarters in Bavaria by          
force and that that Elector will oppose it  The ffrench letters add that        
the ffrench Army are drawing together and may march to his assistance           
& that the Duke of Crecqui is prepareing to goe Ambr to that Elector            
to demand his Daughter for the Dauphine who is the more hastned for             
that if the Empresse being ill should dye they apprehend the Emperor            
may demand her in Marriage.                                                     
     The ffrench King made a revew of his Army lying near Paris on the          
plaine near St Germain and discovers nothing of Alteration in his               
resolution of goeing into fflanders about the middle of Apr.  The               
Kings is to consist of 140 Squadrons and 25 Battilions, that in                 
Germany of 120 Squadrons & 25 Battilions, the Army between the Sambre           
and the Meuse of 50 Squadrons and 15 Battilions and that in Rousillon           
of 40 Squadrons and 12 Battilions besides which orders were to be               
given for calling the Arrier Ban of such as served not the last                 
yeare that they may be in readinesse in case of necessity, It is said           
that through the great industry and care of Monsr Colbert in order to           
the Augmenting the King Revenue the last years Income amounted to more          
then 80 Millions of Livres little lesse then what it was in 1669 before         
the War began.                                                                  
     L. c. 293     ffebruary ye 26 1675                                         
   This morning we had letters from Naples of the 11th instant giveing          
us an account that that day Leiut Admirall de Ruyter arrived there              
with 28 sayle of ships, with extraordinary Joy of his presence, that            
the Viceroy of Naples went with 6 gallyes above a mile and halfe out            
of the port to meet him & was above an hour on Board de Ruyter, and             
the[y] parted with great demonstrations of affections and service, That         
de Ruyter onely intended to stay 2 or 3 dayes at Naples & then to proceed       
to Sicily to joyne the Spanish men of War, that were there, and watch an        
oppurtunity to make some attempt upon the ffrench fleet which was               
still at Messina contrary to the report which was spread a broad of their       
being on their returne homewards.                                               
     The letters we had at the same time from fflandrs bring little new,        
besides what they tell us of that Governours being about raiseing 24            
new Troops of Horses, for which theire appeares to be some want, as well        
in those Countryes as in the Prince of Oranges Army, which they assure us       
will be composed of 50 Battalions of foot each Battalion consisting             
between 7 or 800 men besides 8 or 9000 horse  according to all appearance       
the ffrench King for 6 weeks or 2 months will have his Court at Metz in         
Lorraine, and yet the Army in fflanders will be called his Army and its         
probable he will for some short time be with it in person, if he sees any       
likelyhood of successe                                                          
   This weeke was apprehended one Major Cobbet a man of very ill and            
dangerous principles & for whom a warrent has been out this month or            
6 weeks                                                                         
   We have letters from Tripoli of the 11th of January which say that           
those Corsaires had not disposed of the ladeing or men lately taken by          
them in the Bristoll Merchant with the entire restitution of which they         
hoped to purchase a peace.  And in effect Sr John Narborough is a[t]            
present before Tripoli treating with them.                                      
   The Lord Yarmouth we hear is made Lord Leiutenant of Norfolke in the         
roome of the Lord Townesend                                                     
     It haveing been pretended the whitefryars near the Temple was a            
priviledge place severall Gentlemen took their quarters there to be out         
of the power of arrests: but it seems complaint haveing been made to the        
Lord Major, he sent the Undersherriffs who on Wednesday last with above         
50 men besides a great number of Constables and Beadles went & seized           
severall persons there on account of debt & amongst others we hear Sr           
Robert Holt                                                                     
     His Majesty expressely declared that whatever Justices of the peace        
are wanting in their dutyes to execute the lawes against Recusants of all       
kinds according to what we told you in our last he will give orders that        
they be forthwith turned out of their Commission                                
     L. c. 294     ffeb: ye 28th [1675/6]                                       
+By some private lettrs arrived the last post from fflanders [&] ffrance,       
we have account that a strong party haveing marched out of Brisac under         
the command of Sieur de Monclar who commanded in cheife in Alsatia for          
the ffrench, and is an officer of note amongst them to execute severall         
villages in Briscovia, for failing to pay their contributions  they             
executed their designe, but being on their returne home with booty              
they were surprized by a party of Imperialists commanded by Major               
Generall Schaltz, and totally routed, the Sieur de Monclar & severall           
other eminent officers taken prisonr & as many of the Comon Soldiers            
as escaped being knocked on the head, this is a considerable losse to           
the ffrench, & yet the losse is not soe great as the disgrace, but we           
expect to hear what account our fflandrs lettrs, which we expect                
every minute will give this Action                                              
     It is said that his Maty has proposed an expedient to the partyes          
at prsent engaged in the war for the removeing of the difficulties              
arrisen in the matter of the passeports, & we are expecting to hear             
what successe it will have  It is much wondred at by many that ffrance          
is soe backward to come to a treaty, & the confederates ymselves argue          
from thence that that King has the expectation of some great successe this      
Campagne which they think may be by the Elector of Bavarias declareing          
for him agt the Empr, but this seems not soe likely but that the Poles,         
if a peace can be made between them & the Turks, which is greatly               
endeavoured by the ffrench, may be induced to fall upon the Elector of          
Brandenburg in Prussia, & soe divert him from assisting the other allyes.       
the pretense which the Poles may have is that Prussia formerly belonged         
to the Crowne of Poland and was held in homage by the Elector till              
Casimire in the year 1659 or thereabouts gave it into soveraignty to            
ye present Elector, on his account of assisting him agt the Swedes.  Now        
it was said that it was not in the power of the king Casimire to alienate       
the dominions of the Crowne, & that the Elector can only hold that Country      
in homage as he did before                                                      
   The fort of Schenkshaus is goeing to be restored by the Elector of           
Brandenburg to the States, his Electorall high: haveing had it in his           
hands ever since the ffrench quitted it, in 1673  it is a place of great        
strength & great importance for the Dutch, for it guards the passages of        
the Rhine which leads into the province of Utrecht.                             
[A few small columns of letters and an alphabet (with no "I," "N," "S,"         
"U," "V," "W," or "Z,") followed by "Faber." appear in another hand on          
outside of letter.]                                                             
     L. c. 295     March ye 4th 1675                                            
   The lettrs we receive this morning from Holland tell us that orders          
were sent to young De Ruyter sonn to the Leiut Admirall of that name,           
who is at prsent with 4 or 5 men of War in the Mediteranean to serve            
for a convoy to their Marchant men to saile towards Sicily, to Joyne            
his ffather, & to continue with him till such time as the new succours          
arrive from Holland                                                             
     The Dutch & Spanyards doe now agree in their Opinions that the             
successes of the affairs of Sicily, depends wholly upon the conduct of de       
Ruyter, & they tell us, they are assured, that the ffrench if they cannot       
force him out of those seas, will quitt Messina, and all their hopes of         
those parts.                                                                    
     The King of Denmarke they tell us has at present an Army of 11000 men      
together near Elsenore, & that it was beleived he would in few dayes            
passe with them into the Isle of Schonen formerly belonging to Denmarke,        
but now in the hands of the Swedes, where the King promised himselfe the        
affaction [sic] & inclination of the Inhabitants; & to reinforce his            
army he had sent for some Regiments from Wismar & those parts.                  
     It seems the confederates cannot yet agree about the shareing their        
conquests made upon the Swedes; of those made in Bremen the Dukes of            
Lunenburg demmand Staden & severall villages depending thereon; the King        
of Denmarke demmands Charlestadt which the other confederates would have        
demolished, and the Bp of Munster claims the Dutchy of fferden  this            
disagreement creates jealousies between them, & these jealousies may            
produce worse consequences.                                                     
    However it is not doubted but they will unite their forces to beseige       
Stadt & that very suddainly, and we are informed, from very good hands          
that that place is very ill provided with men and worse with provisions,        
soe that it will in all appearance be not able to hold out long, when it        
comes to be attacked.                                                           
     Just now we receive our lettrs from fflandrs & they tell us, that          
the ffrench are marching from all quarters towards their ffrontiers,            
that they have cutt downe the woods & made a great way for an Army to           
march, but their designe as yet no body can tell, however the Spanyards         
are in fear for severall places & especially for Ipres, which is a              
ffrontier place of fflandrs  They add that the ffrench have built 8             
ffrigatts at Tournay each of them to carry 8 small guns and are soe             
contrived that they may be drawne over land upon wheeles, & soe employed        
to attacque any towne which lyes on a River on that side, they will             
carry each 400 men                                                              
     The long stay of the Galeons this yeare makes the Spanyards almost         
out of their witts through the want of moneys; in fflandrs the Governour        
as well as the Generall officers being soe poor, that they cannot make          
the preparations they out [sic] to goe into feild                               
     Lt Admirall de Ruyter has been treated at Naples with all honrs            
and respects Imaginable, he intended to saile from thence the 19th              
past for Palermo                                                                
     4000 Dutch are marching towards fflandrs to reinforce the Spanish          
garrisons there                                                                 
     We just now hear that the Lord Cheife Baron Turner is dead in his          
Circuit.                                                                        
     L. c. 296     March the 4th 1675                                           
+His Majesty haveing received a prsent from the Duke of De Arcas a              
Spanish Grandee of 7 very fine Spanish horses his Majesty has ordered           
a very rich Coach & a set of English Running horses to be sent back as          
a prsent to him.                                                                
+Mr Noel son to the Lord Cambden is made Lord Leiut of the County of            
Hampshire in the roome of the Marquesse of Winchester as the Lord Viscount      
Yarmouth of Norfolke in the roome of the Lord Townesend                         
   We are told that the expedient proposed by his Majesty for the removeing     
the difficulties ariseing in the affaires of the passeports by ffrance,         
refuseing to give the Duke of Lorraine the title of Duke & that Dukes           
absolute refuseing to receive a passport without that title is that the         
severall partyes engaged in the War will by some solemne act declare that       
his Majesty shall in his owne name give passes to the severall Ministers        
that are to repaire to Nimeguen or such proper forme that his Majesty           
shall think fitt & that such papers shall be as valued as they were             
given out by severall partyes respectively & by that means his Majesty          
may give Lorraine the title of Duke without any prejudice to ffrance, we        
now expect to hear what successe the expedient will have.                       
     The rencounter which hath happened between the ffrench & the               
Imperialists near Brisack was not so much the advantage of the latter as        
was at first reported, the greatest losse on the part of the ffrench            
being that two of their Generall officers were taken prisoners or one           
killed or mortally wounded.                                                     
     The Imperialists endeavour all the[y] can to keep the Elector Palatine     
from concluding any accommodation with ffrance by assureing him it shall        
be one of the principle articles of the Instructions to General Montecuculi     
to secure his Countrys against the insults and the vexations of the             
ffrench, either by beseiging or blocking up of Philipsburg.                     
     The Endeavours of the ffrench in Poland have at last been made             
manifest to that Kings proposeing at the opening of the dyett to make a         
peace with the Turkes though upon termes not very honorable to the              
Crowne and all the Okrain [sic] to the Turkes for such a peace & to make        
war upon the Elector of Brandenburg in order to the recovery of Prussia         
to the Crowne, but the letters add that the nobility stifly opposed it &        
that the King on the other side adhered thereunto soe that its feared           
the dyett would have an ill conclusion.                                         
     The Chevalier d'Humieres whom the ffrench King made Bregadier thinking     
himselfe preferred went to the King and gave up his Commission, complaining     
that he had made men that had not deferred better Marechaux de Camp for         
which the King sent him prsently to the Bastille & gave his Regiment to         
the Marquesse Villeroy  upon a like complaint he ordered a Coll of the          
Regiment of Sault to be seised                                                  
     The last lettrs from Nimeguen ffebr ye 19th tell us nothing but that       
the Electorall Prince of Brandenburgh who keeps his Court at Cleves went        
with ye Governour the Baron of Swerin & Generall Spaen & dyned with             
o[u]r Ambr, when the Prince who is about 19 years of age exprest great          
kindnesse to the English and said he hoped in time to have the honor of         
Knight of the Garter.  He has instituted an order called the Order of           
Generosity of which the knight wears a Crosse just on the pitt of the           
Stomack                                                                         
     The Emperor of Germany at the Instance of the Elector of Saxony            
and other Princes has given order for releasing the poor Protestant             
Hungarian Ministers who were condemned & sent to serve in the Gallyes           
of Naples and Sicily and to that purpose has caused a dispatch to Trieste       
and Naples with passeports for their returne to their owne homes where          
they are promised to live quietly soe long as they shall keep within the        
bounds of their dutyes and Allegiance                                           
     The fflandrs lettrs of the 6 confirme the takeing of the                   
Marquess de Monclas prisoner and Monsr de la Brosse besides about 4[one         
or two digits torn away] Officers of Note 400 private soldiers and              
as many killed on the place.  To this their Gazett adds 6 feild                 
peices a great number of Grenads and a very rich booty, giveing                 
the cause of the great losse to a surprise in the night soe unexpected          
by the ffrench that the Marquesse of Monclas & de le Brosse were at             
Cards at the time of the attacque.  The lessen [sic] the losse of the           
Imperiaists reduce them to 40 and make their forces much unequall in            
strength to the ffrench which cannot soe well be allowed to them.               
     The ffrench Gazett on the other side confesseth the Marquesse de           
Monclas & le Brosse prisners surprised at midnight by the Trechery of           
the Landlord of the house where they lay but that the Marquesse de              
fflorensack charged them soe well that he killed 400 Imperialists and           
tooke 50 prisoners among whom the Governour of Halkirk and Leiutenant           
Coll of the Regiment of Mercy [?]  you have both their relations and may        
make your owne Judgment.                                                        
    The Imperial Diet at Ratisbon have resolved to prohibitt all ffrench        
Manufactures to be brought into the Empire                                      
     The Honorable Bernard Greenville Esqr his Majestys Envoy Exterordinary     
to severall Princes of Italy took leave of the States of Genova on the 20       
[?] set forward on his journey, on the 24 and on the 27 arrived at Turin        
in Savoy  The Duke at his Audience of Conge did from his throwne very           
much applaud his prudent managery of affaires & owned the obligation            
the States have to his Majesty in sending them a person of great meritt.        
     L. c. 297     March ye 10th 1675                                           
     Pursuant to his Majestys commands for the putting in execution the         
lawes against disenters the Lord Major of London haveing signifyed his          
ordrs to the Masters of such Halls as were made use of for holding              
conventicles in that they should forbear for the future to be those Halls       
be employed [sic] for that use, on Sunday most of the Halls was kept            
shutt & noe person permitted to meet there, & one Vincent and one or            
two preachers haveing notwithstanding the Lord Major had acqu[a]inted           
them with the Kings pleasure held their meetings in Bishop gate street          
& in other places the Constables with their watch were sent thither to          
seize the said p[r]eachers but they thought fitt to retire in time              
     Our last lettrs from Paris told us that the King had accepted the          
expedient proposed by his Maty Vidt that to remove the difficulties             
arisen by the Duke of Lorrains title the severall partyes should give a         
power to his Maty to grant the severall passes in his owne name with            
circumstances & such titles as his Majesty should think fitt, soe that          
we expect to heare what the allyes will say to it.                              
     Its said the Lord Windsor has sold the place of Master of the horse        
to his Royall highnesse [to?] Coll Legge Governour of Portsmouth                
     Some ffrench lettrs speach of a great number of severall sorts of          
birds that have lately been found dead near d'Dole in Burgundy, some their      
eyes pickt out others their brains & others againe are very much torne,         
by which it is supposed that there has been a fight of birds & that             
there those birds were killed, & upon this a prophecy has been found out        
of a ffrench Poett called Nostre Damus written about 150 years since in         
which he says that a great number of birds should be seen fighting near         
Dole, that soone after a great person should dye & end the War.                 
     ffrom a broad we hear of little else but great preparations that are       
makeing on all sides, In Germany according to all appearance the                
Germains will be assoone in the feild as the ffrench, but in fflandrs           
the confederates themselves fear the fffrench will have taken some              
place or other before the Prince of Orange will be able to oppose them, &       
upon him the preservation of fflandrs is to depend                              
     Just now arrived the lettrs from Holland fflandrs & from ffrance but       
bring nothing of moment  in fflandrs the Spanyards expect every day to          
heare that Ipris or some other place is invasted by the ffrench, who            
begin to draw their forces together.  The Governour of fflandrs had             
received a supply of 300000 Crownes from Madrid, which did a little             
enliven him.                                                                    
     L. c. 298     March the 11th 1675                                          
   His Majesty takeing notice of the great losse that the Nation sustained      
by the ffrench trade that is the wearing of ffrench Manufactures here in        
England, and by neglecting o[u]r owne was pleased yesterday in Councell         
to order that a Comitte of Lords of the Councell should meet this               
afternoon to consider of a regulation of the said trade, and of some            
effectuall means to discountenance the w[e]aring of ffrench stuffs and          
druggets to which his Majesty will contribute by his own example and            
that of the whole Court                                                         
     His Majesty has been pleased to confere upon the Lord Duras in             
consideration of his services the honour of an Earle of this Kingdome,          
by the title of the Earle of Feversham.                                         
     The Merchants have some lettrs from Italy which speake of Sr John          
Narborough, haveing concluded an honorable peace with the Corsairs of           
Tripoly, they restore the ship of Bristol. Merchant, the men & her ladeing      
entire but there are not yet any letters from Sr John adviseing it.             
     What the forreigne lettrs bring us yesterday is made publique save         
in what is said in those from Germany of the intended marrage [sic]             
between the Queen Dowager of Poland and the Duke of Lorraine, and of            
a nother between the younger sister of the Emperor and the Prince of            
Newburg.  Some are of opinion that as to the last the Imperiall Ministers,      
by such an overture cheifely aimes to draw the Duke of Newburg into             
their interest, since he will be now pritty considerable by his Army, he        
is raising of 8000 men                                                          
     Its certain the ffrench will bend their greatest force against the         
Spanish Netherlands as well because the enemy on that side is near              
their homes, as that they have a prospect of better successe there then         
in Germany; for the Spanyards have not made any preparations & seemed           
to have placed all their security in the Prince of Orange                       
     The Prince of Conde does not goe into the feild, because of his            
continuall indisposition and Crazinesse & his sonn the Duke d'Enghen            
stayes likewise at home because the King did not think fitt he should           
command the Mareschal of France which he pretends                               
     After Easter the Sieur Curtin is expected here in quality of               
Ambassdr Extraordnary from ffrance.                                             
     This morning her grace the Dutchesse of Cleveland is parted hence          
for Dover from whence she passes into ffrance to spend some months there        
for the aire                                                                    
     ffrom Spaine we hear that the Queen Regt continues in the Goverment        
there to the great disappointmt of those who labour to bring Don Juan           
into the administration of the affaires of that Kingdome.                       
     L. c. 299     March ye 15 1675/6                                           
   By the Holland lettrs on friday last arrived yesterday we have an            
account of the death of the Emperor of Muscovy in the 55 year of his            
age which is lookt upon as good newes to the Swedes who were before in          
great danger of being attacqued by the Muscovits in Livonia this summer,        
but upon the death of the Emperor & the succession of his sonne aged about      
16 years its beleived they will change their councells or resolve to be         
in quiet till their Prince has some years over his head                         
     The Swedes presse mightily to hasten the assembly at Nimeguen for          
haveing now noe hopes to recover what they have lost by the Sword  they         
must endeavour to doe it by a treaty to which the Dane & Brandenburg is         
for the same reason averse                                                      
     The Sieur Troupe who is goeing into the service of Denmark has             
raised to [sic] Amsterdam 300 seamen to take along with him & besides           
has brought up at Amsterdam all things[s] necessary for the fitting out         
the Danish fleet which may not be able to be had at Copenhagen                  
     The ffrench on the suddain are goeing to quit the Cittadell of Leige       
and the Citty of Limburg which however they intended to demolish, as            
they have already done to Huy and will doe to Diant  some speak likewise        
if they would quit Maestrickt but this is not certain as the other is           
     22 Regimts of foot & horse are ordered to March forth from Holland         
towards fflandrs to oppose the ffrench  the foot are to be transported by       
water at Antwerp and in order thereunto great number of boats have been         
pressed and lye ready at Dort.                                                  
     It is still very much doubted whether Montecuculi will command the         
Imperiall Army this summer & some say the Empr is thinking of putting the       
Command of his Army into the hands of some Prince of the Empire & that          
the Bp of Munster may be he                                                     
     We have lettrs from Marsailles giveing an account that Sr John             
Narborough had burnt in the port of Tripoly two of the men of War of            
those Corsaires & 2 prizes which they had with them & that he was gone in       
pursuit of some others of their men of War, & we every houre expect             
lettrs from Sr John Narborough of this action which will have greatly           
increased the disorder & confusion the Tripolins were in before & ye            
desire they had of a peace                                                      
     The Lds of the Councell have meet twice about the discouraging             
the Wearing of ffrench manufactures & they are about setting severall           
patterns of silke to be made in England as well as of stuffs wch shall          
be made the fashion by ye kings & the Court wearing of them.                    
     His Maty has been pleased to creat Sr George Sands kt of the Bath          
of Kent Earle of Feversham Viscount Sands of Lees Court & Baron of              
Throwley which honrs after his death are to discend upon the Lord Duras         
his sonn in law.                                                                
     L. c. 300     March ye 18th 1675/6                                         
     By the last ffrench post we had some private lettrs which gave us an       
account that the marriage between the Dolphin of ffrance and the Daughter       
of the Elector of Bavaria was said to be finally concluded & that in            
consideration thereof, that Elector would declare in favour of the              
ffrench this summer which should it prove true would very much alter the        
face of things for the Elector has a very good Army ready & lyes soe near       
the Empr that he might on the suddain fall into his hereditary Countryes.       
     But from Italy comes noe very good newes for the ffrench, for there        
is advice of a conspiracy that had been discovered in Messina for the           
driveing the ffrench from thence & that in Generall those people                
grow extreamly weary of the ffrench yoke, and as impatient of the wants         
and necessarys they lay under, and its generally beleived that ere this         
summer is ended the Spanyards will have reduced this Citty, if they             
manage their businesse but any thing like                                       
     As for what concernes the peace there is little or noe appearance of       
formeing the congresse before winter, its true the ffrench have accepted        
the expedient proposed by his Majesty for the facilitateing it but the          
confederates though they have not yet declared themselves upon it, yet in       
the mean time let us plainly see the little disposition they have to it         
     The Elector Palatine has for some Months been endeavouring to make         
a treaty of neutrality with the ffrench to free his countrys from those         
calamitys they at prsent lye under but it seems the ffrench King has            
answered, that he cannot admitt of any such treaty, that if he will make        
a peace with him and assist him against the Confederates, that may be           
done, for that he must be either for him or against him.                        
     The Lords of the Councell have mett severll times about regulateing        
the ffrench trade, the point they are now upon is to encourage the              
wearing of our owne manufactures & putting downe the ffrench trade in           
order to which the King has been pleased to appoint Satturday next for a        
full hearing of the mattr when the Marcers and weavers are to attend            
with severall patternes of stuffs & silke & his Majesty will make               
choice of such he likes & which his Majesty and the whole Court will            
constantly wear to the exclusion of all ffrench manufactures and this           
becomeing by that means the fashion will in short time be the wear of           
England over.                                                                   
     Yesterday his Majesty went hence for Windsor and will be back              
againe to morrow                                                                
     On Satturday last past by Ruye 12 saile of Dutch men of War who            
were goeing to joyne De Ruyter in the Mediterranean.                            
     L. c. 301     March the 20th 1675/6                                        
+We are still expecting lettrs from Sr John Narborough which may give us        
an account of his late action at Tripoli, which in the mean time is             
reported with severall Circumstances of great Gallantry, but wee wholly         
referr ourselves till the arrivall of Sr Johns own lettrs.                      
   In my last I told you of the news that came from ffrance, that there         
was a marriage concludeing between the Dolphin and the daughter of the          
Elector of Bavaria, and that on that consideration the Elector was to           
declare for the ffrench, and by what I have since heard, I find the             
Confederates themselves beleive their is some such matter in hand, and          
greatly apprehend it, as a thing that would very much distract all the          
measures they have taken for this next Campagne                                 
     Yesterday in the evening his Majesty and his Royall highnesse              
returned from Windsor where they had been to see the new buildings              
that are a makeing there in the Castle                                          
     On Thursday the Corps of my Ld Cheife Barron Turner was conveyed out       
of towne in order to its Enterment in the Country with much solemnity,          
most of the nobility and persons of quality haveing sent their Coaches          
to attend his Herse, which had the honor likewise to be followed by             
the Coaches of his Maty and Royall Highnesse.  The same day was buried          
in London Sr William Peake an antient Alderman of the Citty.                    
     By a vessell arrived in the Downes from the Streights, who touched         
about a month since at Messina, we have an account that in truth those          
people are very weary of the ffrench, and that on the other side, the           
ffrench are very jealous of them, soe that there is noe very good               
understanding between them that is to say the generality of the people,         
for some of the Principall, who were the first authors of this                  
rebellion will continue without doubt to labour to keep themselves from         
falling againe into the hands of the Spanyards                                  
     We have just now lettrs from Leghorne which confirme the exploite          
of Sr John Narborough at Tripoli and sayes he had burnt 4 of their men          
of War which were all then in port, referring us still for the farther          
particulars to his lettrs which are not yet come.                               
   The lettrs from fflandrs and Germany speake onely of the prepartions         
[sic] that are makeing, and add an account of the Death of the Electoress       
of Bavaria, which is an accident of great moment, for she was a Lady who        
had a great part in the Goverment there, and was wholly addicted to             
the ffrench, It is now beleived the Elector may be brought to quitt his         
engagement with ffrance and to enter with new ones with the Emperor.            
   [Figures in another hand cover nearly all the outside of letter.]            
     L. c. 302     March ye 22d 1675/6                                          
   Yesterday the Mercers attended the King in Councell & showed his Maty        
severall stuffs and silks made here in England, no way inferior to those        
in goodnesse yt come from ffrance, ye result of all at this meeting was         
that his Majesty was pleased to declare that he was not for the future          
wearing other but English manufactures and that he would take care the          
Queen and the Ladyes, and the whole Court should doe the like                   
   The lettrs wch arrived this morning from Holland and told us yt ye           
men of War who about 14 dayes since sailed out of the texell to ye              
number of 9 or 10 and which we by all circumstances suppose to be the           
same that passed by Rye on Satturday was seavennight was commanded by one       
Binches that they had 1000 land souldiers aboard, and were not gone to          
reinforce Leiut Admirall de Ruyter as was supposed, but on some great           
designe which is kept very secret.  The States Generall have as we are          
told proposed that if Spain will take upon it the subsides [sic] wch            
since this war the States have payed to their allyes they shall then be         
able and very willing to continue the War, & its beleived ye Spanyards          
will gratify the States in this mattr, notwithstanding it will soe              
considerably encrease their expences in this War, they beleiving that if        
they can at last bring ffrance to their owne termes it cannot have cost         
them to Deer.                                                                   
     The ffrench being about quitting the Castle of Leige and other             
places makes the confederates think they intend to draw all their               
force into the feild and to put it upon a battle, for which reason              
the Prince of Orange will make his Army stronger then he intended, and          
to that end will draw out most of the garrison of the state, leaving            
the guards of those places to a sort of Country Millitia they have              
there, & in 8 or 10 dayes time his Highnesse will part to the                   
Randezvous of his troops.  Monsr Verjus the ffrench Envoy at                    
Strasburg, hath proposed to the Magistrates of that Citty that they             
will cause their Bridge over the Ryne to be forthwith broken downe,             
yt soe the Imperialists may not be able to make use of it this summer,          
which the ffrench otherwise beleive they will, if they have occasion,           
notwithsanding all the protestations of those magestrates to maintain           
a neutrality.                                                                   
     We have lettrs from Marseilles which say yt the conspiracy, which          
had been formed at Messina for the burning the ffrench fleet in Port &          
the cutting their throats in Garrison had gone soe far that 500                 
Spanish souldiers had already been brought into the towne when it was           
discovered to the Duke de Vivonne who had punished the authors of this          
conspiracy with death, the men of War and gallyes designed with a farther       
succor to Messina lye ready a[t] Thoulon and Marseilles and expect              
onely orders to saile.  de Ruyter according to o[u]r last advice was            
arrived at Mollazzo in Sicily not haveing with him above 18 men of War          
& ye ffrench fleet consisted in near 30 soe that de Ruyter will not be          
able to doe much till he is reinforced.  ffrom Denmarke we hear that the        
great Chancellor of that Kingdome and Principall Minister had been              
arrested that morning  the lettrs came away as he was goeing to Court           
and committed close prisoner to the Castle by the Kings order but the           
cause not yet knowne.                                                           
   The lettrs from Germany say that ye Duke of Newburg had made a treaty        
with the Emperor and the allyes to assist him with his troops, and that         
the Imperiall Army would be in a body and begin to march immediatly             
after Easter, Phillipsburg was quit[e] blocked up on that side of the           
Rhine which is towards Suabia.                                                  
     L. c. 303     March 24th 1675/6                                            
+By the fflanders post which came in Yesterday we have lettrs from              
Copenhagen, which say that a very considerable summ of money had been           
brought in English Vessails from ffrance to Gottenburg, for the releife         
of the Sweds in this their ill condition which will indeed some what            
amend their affaires, but not quite heal them, for its not money onely          
that can make them equall to their adversaryes at this time, when they          
can raise men noe where, but in their owne territoryes which cannot             
furnish enough to deal with their adversaryes                                   
   The States of Holland are sending aman [sic] of War to fetch over the        
Swedish Ambassadrs designed for Nimeguen who will accordingly be very           
suddainly upon the place, from which the Dutch propose to themselves a          
double advantage first that it will give a jealousie to the ffrench, who        
see the Ambassadrs of Sweden at Nimeguen with those of the States while         
theirs are excluded from thence for the want of Passports occasioned by         
the difficultyes that remain in that affair, and that that jealousye            
may dispose the ffrench to a Complyance in the matter or else in the 2d         
place that this Conjoncture may be made use of to seperate Sweden from          
ffrance, & that the Ambassadrs of that Crown being alone at Nimeguen            
will give a fair opportunity for such a private negotiation and in the          
point of the passeports Sweden has already provided seperatly from              
ffrance haveing given out the said passeports on their part in the very         
forme desired by the confederates and with the title of Duke for the            
Duke of Lorraine.                                                               
     In the mean while the time for the Campagne comes on a pace and            
according to preparations that are every where makeing, and that eagernesse     
of the partyes wee may well conclud that it will be a bloody one.               
     We are told of a project that is agreed of by the confederates for         
the employing their forces this summer, In the first place the Emperors         
Army under ye command of Montecuculi or the Duke of Lorraine is yt [?]          
in Alsatia while the troops of the Circles first block up and then beseige      
Philipsburg, and that succeeding, then Brisac, 2dly a flying army of 10         
or 12000 men composed of Munster and other confederate troops is to             
remaine above Treves, and perhaps fall into Lorrain, 3 the King of              
Denmarke will remaine in Denmarke with his Army to eye the Swedes and if        
opportunity passe over to them assisting the Elector of Brandenburg with        
7 Regiments of foot 14 of Horse and one of Dragoones in Pomeren, & the          
confederates in Bremen with 4 of foot 2 of horse 1 of Dragons [sic].            
besides in Pomeren the Elector of Brandenburg will be assisted by a boody       
of Imperialists.  In Bremen the Dukes of Lunenburgs forces are the              
chiefe, assisted by Danes Brandenburg & Munsters.  The Prince of Orange         
will act apart with an Army of 40000 men and the Governor of ye Spanish         
netherlands joyneing 9000 men furnished by the Duke of Osnaburg to his          
own will act a part, thus you see how considerable the forces of the            
Confederates are like to be.                                                    
     On ye 16 dyed the Lady Daventry Wife to the Lord High Chancellor           
of England.                                                                     
     Mr Robert Long is to be made Consull of Marseilles in place of Mr          
Colston and a Commission is now passing for that purpose                        
     Tis the discourse of Paris that the Campagne is already opened by the      
blocking up Charlemont by Monsr Montall to which place Monsr de Crequi          
is in few dayes to lay close seige, preparations are makeing for the            
slighting [?] Huy and Dinant being already mined in order to their              
blowing up.                                                                     
     They write from Ratisbon dat 19 that all the genll officers are            
appointed for the next Campagne and that the severall troups about Nuremburg    
were on their march  The Marquesse of Baden Darl and Traine [?] arrived         
there on the 19th and he himselfe was expected on the 20 to give necessary      
orders to the Army.  The Emperor has made answer to the addresse from           
severll parts of the Empire about sending his plentipotentiaryes to the         
treaty, that it was not yet necessary a maine point being not fully             
cleared whether the ffrench King would accept the mediation of the Pope         
or the Spanish that of Venice, They were at Vienna in expectation of an         
Ambr from the grand Signior with proposalls of peace for 30 years and of        
another from Poland to offer a firme league offensive and defensive             
between that Crowne the Emperor of Russia and his Imperiall Majesty.            
Genll Montecuculi was in few days to goe toward but not to the Army onely       
to stay in some place near them to give advise on occasions.                    
+The Paris letters tell us their advises from Languedoc told them that          
10M of the Militia of that Country were to be putt into the garrisons of        
Rousillon the troups that were formerly there being to be other wise            
employed and particularly 4000 of them to be sent to Messina, They begin        
now to talke as if the King would take a short turne toward the ffrontiers      
and then retire to ffontainbleaux to spend part of the summer.  The Lord        
Ambr Berkley on the 26th made his complemt of Condolence on his owne            
behalfe to Monsr and Madam at St Cloud upon the death of the Duke of            
Valois which title not haveing proved lucky, tis said the King has              
declared it shall noe more be given to any of his land [?]  The Dutchesse       
of Cleveland was expected at Paris the next day.                                
     The Bill is now passing for letting the farm of Ireland to Sr James        
Shane and others, soe yt the Earle of Essex his Majestys Lord Leiutenant        
of that Kingdome is prepareing to returne to his Chardge.                       
     L. c. 304     March ye 27 1676                                             
+It is said that this next weeke the Prince of Orange will leave the            
Hague; and part to the Rendevouz of his troops, which will consist in           
above 40000 men, The States of Holland before they seperated attended           
his Highnesse in body to wish him all happinesse and successe this next         
Campagne praying him above all to take care of his owne person and              
not [?] to exposse him, the safety of which was soe necessary to the            
welfare and preservation of the States.  The States at the Instance of          
the Prince of Orange have resolved to build 12 men of war, 6 of wch to          
be of the first ranke, and are to be forth with taken in hand, and              
accordingly the moneys necessary have been already assigned, and the worke      
commended to the Admiralties of Roterdam and Amsterdam.                         
     Though there are lettrs from ffrance which say that the Duke               
continues to receive subsidies from that Crowne, yet o[u]r letters from         
Zell as well as from the Hague assure us of the contrary, and that that         
Duke will lend 2000 men of his to his brother the Duke of Zell, and as          
many more to the Bishop of Munster.                                             
     ffrom Denmarke we hear that that King all [sic] Hamburg ships              
that passe the Sound and their goods though in English Vessells, to be          
arrested soe that that Citty is reduced into great perplexity not               
dareing to reply upon its owne strength, and yet unwilling to have              
recourse to any forreigne Assistance: however in the meane time they raise      
men to putt themselves in the best posture they can.                            
     The Citty of Strasburg has absolutely refused the proposition made         
by the ffrench Envoye about the breaking downe of Phillipsburg.  The            
ffrench of Phillipsburg haveing lately made a sally with 700 men most of        
them were cut of by the Imperialists.                                           
     I know nothing more worth the communicateing to you, and besides           
the time makes me shorter then usually.                                         
     L. c. 305     March the 29th 1676                                          
+We are told that on Sunday last his Majesty was pleased finally                
to resolve and to declare that a fond should be assigned out of the             
revenue ariseing from the constant and punctuall payment of the                 
interest of the moneyes oweing to Bankers, and the arrears thereof forever      
till the principall shall be payd, and this to be established under the         
great Seal irrevocable, and its said that his Majesty will be pleased           
to confirme it by act of parliament the next meeting which will be as           
good as if the principall debt was actually paid: its said this interest        
money comes to above 80000 L per ann.                                           
     We understand that the cause of the disgrace of the Chancellor of          
Denmarke is for haveing held correspondence with the ffrench and                
Swedes and discovered by the intercepting some of his owne lettrs which         
is soe monstrous an ingratitude considereing how he has been raised from        
nothing to the greatest honr and dignity in yt Kingdome, that he finds          
no body that pitties him.                                                       
     The seige of Staden has hitherto been delayed by the disagreement          
of the confederates (who are to undertake it) concerning their respective       
shares of the conquest, to be made upon Sweden The Dukes of Lunenberg           
being unwilling to admitt the Danes to any share in Bremen, and they on         
the other side pretending the States generall are to warrant them a share       
there, in case their other designes agt Sweden prove unsuccesfull               
     ffrom fflanders they tell us that the Prince of Orange had assured         
that Governr that he would be at the Rendevous at Rosendale on the 6 of         
next month, which its beleived may be time enough to prevent the designes       
of the ffrench, while in the mean time the Governour of fflandrs under          
the covert of the Princes Army may be able to draw his forces into the feild,   
which will be 20000 effective, with some troops he expects the Prince of        
Orange will lend him, 4000 men of the Duke of Newburg, and some horse of        
the Elector of Brandenburg, who its said are on the march, with these           
forces the Duke de villa Hermosa will act apart                                 
     The Danes and Brandenburghs are not at all pleased yt the States           
exchanged their passeports with the Swedes, and sent a man of War to            
fetch their Ambrs from Gottenberg fearing they may lay up [?] a peace with that 
Crowne, which is a thing the Danes and Brandenburgs cannot endure to hear       
of, at a time when they have a prospect of soe much advantage in their          
continuance of the Warr.                                                        
+Sr Richard Rainsford is made lord cheife Justice of the Kings Bench in         
the room of my Lord Hayles, & Sr William Jones Judge of the Kings Bench         
in the room of Rainsford and Mr Montague the Queens atturney Lord cheife        
Baron in the room of Judge Turner.                                              
     We hear from New England of a great successe obtained by the English       
against the Indians, they haveing killed above 1000 of them and among           
them King Phillip                                                               
     L. c. 306     Aprill ye 1st 1676                                           
   The Confederates very much vallue themselves that they have been able        
to draw the Duke of Newburg of from the ffrench interests.  ffor he has         
lately concluded a treaty with Spaine by which he obliges himselfe to assist    
the Spanish Netherlands with 4000 men.  The Confederates perswade themselves    
that now the Electresse of Bavaria is dead they shall be able to worke          
the like change in that Court, which if they effect they will give ffrance      
a very great blow for its beleived by all that it is not soe much the           
present forces which ffrance relyes on, as the intragues that King has in       
severall Courts of Germany, of which what had been discovered in Denmarke       
in the Chancellor is a great instance.  This Chancellor is said to have         
been wholly corrupted by the ffrench, and besides the markes of it are          
notorious as the intercepting his owne lettrs to the ffrench Ministers,         
it is wholly imputed to his Ministry of affaires that Denmarke moved            
itselfe soe slowly towards the engageing itselfe with the Confederates,         
notwithstanding they were obliged by the treatys to have entred into the        
War before they did.                                                            
     The lettrs from Holland say that the Prince of Orange takes                
abundance of paines to get into the feild, and the rather for that he is        
very sensible of the ill condition the Spanish netherlands are in and           
that they stand in great need of helpe, for though that Governour               
pretends to have an Army of 20000 [?] men to act a part with, yet it being      
to be composed of severall confederates, it will be to late ere they can        
get into the feild and to late to help themselves.                              
     The Prince of Orange is in great power and esteem in Holland for           
he not only wholly and solely mannages all matters relateing to the Army,       
but has an influence upon the States that he in a manner solely governs         
in all other matters.                                                           
     The letters from Holland of the 29th said that the ffrench were likewise   
resolved to quit Oudenarde, Courtray, and other places of their conquests       
in 1667 which is a strange peece of newes and hardly to be beleived, and        
if they doe quit them, there needs no other argument of their finding           
themselves weake to make head against soe many Enemys and therefore             
draw out what garrisons they possibly can.                                      
     The Earle of Essex will in some dayes returne towards Ireland to           
continue his Goverment of that Kingdome                                         
     L. c. 307     Aprill the 3th [sic] 1676                                    
   ffrom Newmarket we hear that there is a very great Court, but that the       
weather is soe drye and consequently the ground soe very hard that noe          
races especially between any good horses can be runne, soe that if it           
does not raine its thought his Majesty will not stay soe long as he at          
first intended.                                                                 
     There be marchants upon the exchange who have advice of the                
arrivall of the Spanish Galeons at Cadiz which will greatly revive the          
affaires of that Crowne.                                                        
     We have formerly told you of an expedient proposed by his Majesty          
to the severall partyes engaged in the war, to remove the dificulties           
arisen in the matter of the passeports about the Duke of Lorrains title,        
Vidt that the said partyes should agree that his Majesty as Mediator            
should give out the necessary passeports for the severall ministers             
that are to meet at Nimeguen, & soe might give the Duke of Lorraine,            
the title of Duke which is a point in Controversie.  The expedient has          
been accepted by ffrance, but the States and their allies say that they         
cannot accept, and amongst other things alleadge this principall one,           
that when his Maty shall have given such a passeport, for the Duke of           
Lorrains Ministers, they still want an assurance, that the Ministers of         
that Duke at Nimeguen shall be treated by the ffrench Ambassadrs there,         
as ministers of the Duke of Lorraine, and not of Prince Charles as the          
ffrench have hitherto stilled him.                                              
     We have this afternoon o[u]r lettrs from fflandrs of Tuesday last,         
they tell us, that the ffrench begine to draw together severall                 
considerale bodies, haveing assembled 10000 men near Oudenarde, with            
designe as they say to make an incursion into the Country of Waes, a            
nother body of 14 or 15000 men are drawing together near Maestricht, to         
be commanded by Marshall Crequi; but as yet it is impossible to say             
what the designes of the ffrench are, besides the Citadell of Leige	            
they have quitted Huy upon the Meuse, and intended to doe the like with         
severall other places in those parts, but in ffimburg they have                 
put a good garrison as likewise in Dinant.                                      
     On the other side the Dutch troops ae marching towards fflandrs            
& by the 16 of the next month the Prince of Orange will be at the head          
of his Army                                                                     
     In the last news book you saw that the Mareschall Rochefort was            
returned from Saverne to Lorraine, and the lettrs the 1st of April said,        
he was in great hast to come back againe to Lorraine, with orders to put        
a supply into Phillipsburg of such things which that garrison is in some        
want of, cost what it would, which on the other hand the Imperialist            
endeavour to prevent, and to that end they assemble their forces at             
Lauterburg, It appeares plainly that the designe of the latter is to            
be beseige [sic] Phillipsburg forthwith                                         
   In Denmarke they proceed to the Confiscation of the Chancellors              
estate, They speake of a very great summe of money that hath been found         
in his house.                                                                   
[On outside of letter appear some figures in another hand, mostly "3/4"         
cross-multiplied by "4/9."]                                                     
     L. c. 308     April ye 5 1676                                              
+You may remember I formerly told you that it was said in Holland that          
9 or 10 dutch men of War which about a month or 3 weeks since passed            
through the Channell under the Command of Sieur Binches [?] were gone           
out on some private designe as was beleived out of Europe, but after all        
it appears in reality these ships are gone to joyne Leiutenat Admirall          
de Ruyter in the mediterranean, and yt the report of them being sent            
out on some other designe was purposely araised [?] to amuse the ffrench        
however if they be soe we shall now quickly hear of their arrivall in           
the streights                                                                   
     We have an account from severall hands of the arrivall of the              
Spanish fleet and that it is very rich as well for the account of the           
King of Spain as for particular merchants                                       
   The Prince of Orange is now on his way to the Randevouz of his Army          
at Rosendale  he will have a very fine Army and great mattrs are                
expected from him  we are told that he has declared that he will not            
be very forward to hazard a battle unlesse upon advantage or yt the             
ffrench lay seige to any considerable place for in such a case he is            
absolutely resolved to doe his part to raise it.                                
     The lettrs of ffriday last from Holland are come in and in forme           
us that that morning the Prince of Orange parted thence, towards the            
randevous of his troops, they add that they had advise from Denmarke that       
the treason charged against the Chancellor was of a very high nature Vidt       
the deposing the King & setting up his brother Prince George & some go          
farther and say that the sd Prince George and Queen mother were fled out        
of Denmarke but these are mattrs we must not give any credit to till we         
can be certaine of the truth of them                                            
     The ffrench lettrs tell us that the most Christian King intended to        
part from Versailles as yesterday or this day but that it was not yet           
knowne whether he would take his journey towards fflandrs or Germany  We        
may now quickly fear of some considerable altercation in Alsatia for from       
Strasburg of ye 13 instant they write that the Duke of Luxemburg was            
himselfe arrived in those parts that he had assembled 6000 men, and was         
marching with them towards Phili[p]sburg in order to the putting a succour      
into that place cost what it would, and yt on the other hand the Duke of        
Lorraine had draw[n] together 6000 men and passed the Rine with them            
at Lauterburg, & was marching directly to meet the Duke of Luxenburg            
and to fight him, upon the successe of which depends the losse or the           
preservation of Philipsburg.                                                    
     L. c. 309     Aprill the 8th 1676                                          
     It is said that his Royall Highnesse will returne hither on Satturday      
next, and his Majest[y] will likewise leave Newmarkett the begining of          
the next weeke  he returnes hither intending to doe the Duke of Albemarle       
the honr to passe a day or two at Newhall.                                      
     The death of the Electresse of Bavaria and the ill condition               
the Empresse is in setts the great ministers in those parts on worke to         
advantage their affaires by new marriages, which they already propose           
between the Emperor and the daughter of the Elector of Bavaria who was          
designed for the dolphin of ffrance, and is aged about 15, or else between      
the King of Spain and that Princesse which would be more proportionable to her  
age and at the same time they intend a crosse marriage between the Elector      
and the Queen Dowager of Poland the Emperor['s] sister, certain it is           
the Imperiall ministers will not omitt any thing which may serve to draw        
the Elector from the ffrench Interst in which they have rather hope to          
succeed, for that its beleived that it was more to gratifie the inclinations    
of his Dutchesse then his own that he entred into any engagement with           
ffrance  nay its said that already since her death there is a great             
change in that Court to the disadvantae of the ffrench.                         
     The fflandrs lettrs assure us that the Prince of Orange had                
written to the Duke de Villa Hermosa that he would be the 15 instant            
in the neighborhood of Malines with an Army consisting of 40 Regiments          
of foot and 14000 horse, the ffrench are much more backwards in their           
preparations for the Campagne, then was expected, and instead of the            
fears the Spanyards have been all this winter in of being swallowed up          
by the ffrench this Campagne before their freinds could come to their           
assistance, they now talke of attacking the ffrench.                            
     Its confidently said that the forces of ffrance Employed in all            
parts this Campagne will be one third lesse then they were the last,            
and on the contrary that the Confederates will be one third stronger, and       
therefore its not to be wondred that these last are so backward to              
forme the assembly at Nimeguen, they promiseing themselves that before          
this summer be ended the ffrench will be put into a condition that will         
oblige them to condescend to things that they will not now hear of              
     Its beleived the ffrench King will not part from Paris till the            
begining of the next weeke  we are in great expectation to hear of what         
has passed between the Duke of Luxemburg and Lorraine in Alsatia upon the       
successe of which very much depends especially upon the side of the             
ffrench.                                                                        
     L. c. 310     Aprill ye 10th 1676                                          
     By a vessail arrived in the downes in 10 dayes from Bourdeaux we           
have advice that the new Cittadell there was quite finished and furnished       
with Cannon soldiers &c soe that the citty will be extreamly armed [?]          
for the future But that all the other troops which had been quartered           
upon those inhabitants this last summer were marched toward Catalonia           
where the ffrench pretend to be very considerable the next Campagne.  An        
other vessail being arrived from Rochell the master sayes that 4 or 5           
dayes before he came from thence there arrived 3 Dutch vessails, who            
brough[t] thither the Governour and other ffrench that had been upon the        
Ill [Isle?] of Mad[a]gascar in the East Indies they haveing been driven         
from thence by the Dutch who sent them these 3 vessells to transport them       
home.                                                                           
     The States Generall have returned formal answer to the memoriall           
that was lately presented to them by his Majestyes Ambassadr at the Hague,      
proposeing his Majestyes expedient in the matter of the passeports in           
which they at large sett downe the reasons why they must refuse it soe that     
now there is very little appearance of forming the Congress at Nimeguen         
this summer, unlesse the aime of the States in sending a man of War to          
Gottenburg to fetch over the said Swedish Ambassadrs have its effect,           
which is that the jealousie which they beleive ffrance will have to see         
the Ambadrs of Sweden and of all the confederates at Nimeguen and               
theirs onely excluded, will oblige that King to condescend to the point         
in question, and to give Lorraine the title of Duke that soe his                
Ambassadrs may likewise repaire to Nimeguen to observe the motions of the       
Swedes there.                                                                   
     The 8 instant we have the fflandrs lettrs which left those countryes       
in great consternation for that the ffrench with 8 or 9000 men had passed       
the Schelde and fallen into the Country of Waes, which they had quite           
destroyed with fire and Sword to the losse of a Million Sterling to those       
poore inhabitants.  The Prince of Montalto had a good body of horse             
endeavoured to oppose their passage, but had been repulsed; the Duke            
together with the Prince of Vaudemont and others haveing been wounded           
and severall persons of note killed.                                            
     The Prince of Orange arrived the 2/12 instant at Rosandele  The            
troops lay all quartered at large about him ready to march as soon as           
the season will permitt, some of his Regiments have been transported by         
water to joyne the Spanyards who are to endeavour to cutt of the retreat        
of the ffrench and Count Walder was come to Dendermond where the Duke de        
Villa Hermosa was to come to be ready at hand.                                  
   The ffrench in Alsatia have failed in their designe to succour               
Phillipsburg  They fou[n]d the Germans to be to strong for them and             
therefore gave its [sic] over, and retreated a party of 100 horse               
they sent out before haveing been cut of.                                       
     The Marshall Crequi is marched with 10000 men from the neighborhood        
of Maestricht towards Alsatia.                                                  
     L. c. 311    [Handwriting changes here.]     Aprill ye 11th 1676           
+Letters from Marselles of the 7th instant tell us that ye day before           
arrived there a Barke from Malta, ye Master Whereof reported that hee           
had left two English frigatts                                                   
there in port who related that Sr John Narbrow being to ye Eastward of          
Tripoly met wth 4 Tripolines, wth whome hee & onely one other ship soe          
Warmely Engaged that he Killd them 600 men & pursued them into Tripoly,         
where being arrived the Governmt sent out to him to treat, & that he had        
Concluded an Honrble peace wth them, they haveing deliverd all ye               
English slaves &c:  This is given Creditt to for that Sr John had               
dispatcht Convoys for Smyrna & Scanderoone in february according to our         
last advices from Malta abt ye last of that Moneth  he left himselfe onely      
two men of Warr                                                                 
   The Earle of Essex haveing taken his leave of his Maty at New Market         
is passing directly to his charge.                                              
+Our last letters from france told us yt it [is] much taken notice of           
at ye Courts That ye Elector of Bavaria had not sent some person of             
Quallity formally to acquaint that King wth ye Death of ye Electrice his        
lady shee being soe neare a relation to ye King--wch is lookt on as an          
argumt that that Elector is Withdrawing himselfe from ye french interests       
   Wee heare ye States have received letters from Leift Admll Ruyter            
dated ye 9th past neare ye faro of Messina giveing an account that he           
had wth him 50 saile of ships who Were all in a Very good posture, that         
the french fleet uppon his approach was retired out of ye faro into ye          
Bay or Port of Messina, & that ye Jealousies between ye french &                
messineses Encreased dayly                                                      
   ffrom Amsterdam they Write that 12 of ye 15 men of Warr designed for         
ye Baltick Were ready to saile, & that ye other three would be ready            
speedily, In Holland they seeme still of an Opinion that the french will        
suddenly quitt Limburgh Maestrickt, & some other places, wch a litle            
tyme will shew.                                                                 
     L. c. 312     [Handwriting changes here.]     Aprill the 14th 1676         
     The news we received by the last fflandrs post hath a little               
surprized us, for we did not yet certainly know that the ffrench King was       
parted from Paris, when they tell us of his arrivall in fflandrs, and his       
being ready to put himselfe in the head of an Army of 45000 men, according      
to the report of the more Moderate, others speake of 60000 men, against         
this great force no body can make an opposition but the Prince of Orange,       
who its true has a very good Army, but no body is soe partiall as to            
think it not inferior to the ffrench, as well in respect of the                 
officers as the soldiers, and its hardly beleived the Prince will               
hazard a battle; unlesse some pressing occasion urge him to it, upon            
the successe of which soe much depends.  The businesse of Waes has              
quite cast downe the ffleming [?] not only the ordinary people who are          
the greater loosers by it, but the officers and Principall persons, which       
latter turne all the blame upon the Prince of Orange, for that he did           
not send the Regiments he promised to be quartered in the Spanish townes,       
till such time as the Army was in the feild, when they might have been          
drawne out againe to reinforce it.  And some doe not stick to say publickly     
at the Court of Brussells that his Highnesse designes only to ruine the         
Spanish Netherlands, which will certainly beget jealousies and                  
disagreements between his Highnesse and the Spanish governour and what          
then can be expected.  Certaine its that this ill beginning & the brisckness    
wth which the ffrench manage their buisnesse gives the contrary part a          
great discouragemt in fflanders.  But ye treasons of the late Chancellour       
Gristonsell are of greater weight then was at first discovered, that its        
found a great many persons of quality are concerned with him and the            
letters adde that these matters will retard the Campagne on ye part of          
the Danes.                                                                      
     The Swedes have lately received a halfe yeares subsidie from the           
ffrench which came very seasonable for they are there in great want of          
money, & by that meanes their affayres are in a very ill posture as well        
at home as abroad.                                                              
+We expect our next letters will tell us that Stade is actually beseiged,       
the Governour has made all the provision he could, but yet farr from what       
may be sufficient to maintaine the place, and what is as badd as the rest       
that the greatest Garrison are Germans, who when they come to be                
smartly attacqued will in all probability yeild to the Emperours mandates       
which upon paine of death can call them from the Swedes service.                
     From Germany they write as if there had beene some misunderstanding        
between the Marshall de Rochfort and the Duke of Saxonburge in theire           
late march to releive Philipsburg but no great credit is to be given            
thereunto.                                                                      
     His Majesty leaves New Market to Morrow morning and goes to Newhall,       
from whence its said his Majesty will he here on Saturday.  We heare now        
that the Articles concluded by Sr John Narborrough with Tripoli which           
are very honorable but the cheife are to sett att liberty all the English       
captives without ransome and besides to pay his Majesty 80000 Dollars for       
past in paynes.                                                                 
   The ffrench lettrs of the 18th tell us that Madam Brinvilliers the           
famous prisoner is at Rocroy [?] in her way to Paris undr the guard of          
100 men  She once runne her head agt the glasse of the Coach broke it &         
with the peices of it endeavoured to cut her throat, She would starve           
herselfe but they force Panade and broth into her by little engines to          
open her teeth.  They say she poysoned Monsr de Lyonne at a dinner with         
7 more eminent prsons who all dyed on[e] after another in a short time          
She did the like to Monsr Perefin Arch Bp of Paris and diverse others of        
great quality  She never failed to rid the man of the wife he complained        
of nor the woman of her husband or indeed any one that stood in way of          
him that would give her reward, till growing noted she was forced to fly        
and dareing to trust nobody she was found at Leige doeing the work of an        
ordinary servant a condition she thought might conceale her, but it             
pleased God she was there discovered and is goeing to Paris to be made          
Example to posterity.                                                           
     L. c. 313     Aprill the 17th 1676                                         
+The Articles concluded by Sr John Narborrough with Tripoli on the 5 of         
March last past, are all of them infinitely to the honor of his Majesty         
and to the advantage of the Nation in its trade and Commerce.  It would         
be to tedious to give you an account of them as they concerne the lattr.        
I shall onely tell you one or two of the Principall Articles By which it        
is agreed that none of the ships of Tripoli shall be permitted to cruise        
in sight or near Tangier not to give that place any disturbance.  That          
when any English men of War arrive at Tripoli, they shall in respect of         
his Majesty first salute her with 21 p[iece]s of Canon, And lastly the          
Dey, the Bassaw and other Governours of Tripoli, doe accknowledge that          
the late breach was occasioned by the injuries done by their people to the      
English, and declare their sorrow for the same, adding that the offendrs        
have been some banished and that the others are fled, and in satisfaction       
for the said injuries they agree to sett at liberty all the English             
Captives, and all other persons taken undr English Collars [sic] without        
ransome and further to pay his Majesty 80000 Dollars, to be forth with          
paid in money goods or slaves.  And finally doe engage themselves that          
in case these present articles shall be broken on their part soe that a         
new war follows thereupon, not onely to make reparations for the injuries       
done by them or their people, but to make good the charges and damages          
done by such a warre.                                                           
     The lettrs we had yesterday from Holland bring us advice of the            
death of the Empresse and of the likely hood there was that the Emperor         
would for consideration of State very quickly marry againe to the daughter      
of the Elector of Bavaria (who was all along designed for the Dolphin           
of ffrance) or else to the daughter of the Duke of Newburg, but rather          
the lattr, the other being some what to young.                                  
   The Dutch lettrs add that the Prince of Orange was on his march from         
Rosendell towards Malines, being much concerned for what happened in the        
Countrey of Waes, though the ill conduct of the Spanyards, who when his         
High: (about a month since [)] offered them some men to secure that             
country they answered they had noe need of them, and that they would take       
sufficient care of it.                                                          
     It is said Mr Hice [?] master of the Robes is to goe to Poland to          
Christen in the name of his Majesty a little princesse, to whom that            
King has desired his Majesty to be Godfather.  In his way he will call at       
Bavaria and the Emperors Court to performe his Compliment of Condoleance.       
     We have just now our lettrs from fflandrs  they tell us that they          
had the confirmation of Condes being beseiged that the ffrench had raised       
batteries and intended to assaulted [sic] it as on Tursday [sic] last,          
the Prince of Orange arrived on Sunday last at Lemps [?] 3 leagues from         
Brussells where the Duke de Villa Hermosa went to vissit him.  that on          
thursday night last the Prince and his whole Army being come up would           
passe the Canal or River between Antwerp and Brussells on the fflandrs          
side towards Mons, and towards Conde being resolved to fight the ffrench        
or raise the seige.                                                             
     His Majesty is arrived from Newmarkett.                                    
     L. c. 314     [Handwriting changes here.]     Aprill the 18th 1676         
+Last night arived our flanders letters wch give us an account that ye          
french had attacquet Conde very furiously haveing before it 30000 men           
ye King haveing his quarters at Marimont wch is not far from thence, That       
on ye other side the Prince of Orange marcht but slowly to its releife, &       
that it was said hee was even Resolvd not to hazard a Batle wth ye french       
to raise that seige, Especially considering how strongly ye french had          
Entrenched themselves, & that ye situation of Conde is such, Environ'd          
wth woods & narrow passages , that it would be Very Difficult for an army       
to approach it when an Enimy lay before it  However that ye Prince of Orange    
intended to march toward Mons to secure that place & Vallencienes, that         
accordingly the Prince had passt ye Canall that goes from Brussells to          
Antwerp, & had taken his quarters at Grimburg, The army continueing there       
all Wednsday & Thursday, his Highs makeing in ye meane tyme a turne to          
Brussells to vissit ye Duke de Villa Hermosa, On fryday ye army decampt         
from Grimburg & marcht to Galsbeck about 2 Leagues from Brussells on ye         
other side of it; in three or 4 dayes the Duke de Villa=Hermosa will            
likewise take ye feild wth his troups, wch for ye present not being             
considerable enough to make a body a part, would joyne wth ye Prince of         
Orange.                                                                         
   The french have set ye Duke of Newburghs country of Juliers under            
Contribution, because of his haveing entred into ye interest of ye Empr         
& his allyes.                                                                   
   Wee are told of a great change that has bene of ye ministers in ye           
Court of Bavaria, that ye Lord Chamberlaine who was a savoyard, & a             
great favourite of ye Electress deceast, had bene removed, & that ye            
secretary Pignatelle, a man alwayes inclined to ye french party, had bene       
in prison                                                                       
   The generall Rendezvous of ye Imperiall army is appoynted to be ye           
20 of this moneth at Hailbrun, from whence it will march directly toward        
Phillipsburg, a Bridge in ye meane tyme being prepareing  to be laid Over       
ye Rhyne near Spire, where it was ye last yeare.                                
   Some letters say that after all Montecuculy will come downe & Command        
ye Imperiall army                                                               
   The last Weeke arived two vessells from New England, & as Wee are            
told, brought advice, that notwithstanding ye severall successes of ye          
English, the Indians continued to give them great disturbances to ye            
great interuption of trade, & tis added that in Virginia the Indians            
began alsoe to be disOrderly a party haveing burnt one or 2 plantations         
neare James River, & Kild & Carryed away severall English                       
+Wee have just now certaine news that ye french have bene repulset in two       
assaults they made uppon Conde wth great losse, & that ye Prince of             
Orange marches wth a positive Resolution to releive it or fight                 
     L. c. 315     [Handwriting changes here.]     Aprill the 22d 1676.         
     We are now in great expectation to hear of some great action in            
fflandrs for according to our last advices from Brussells, the Prince           
was marched towards Conde with a firme resolution to releive it, haveing        
of his owne troops 20000 foot and 7000 horse, besides those of the              
Spanyards would joyne with him, and by Tuesday last he purposed to              
be soe near Conde as to obleige the ffrench to draw of from the seige who       
doe not beleive they are above 30000 fighting men but they have more            
Cavalry then the Dutch, wch will stand them in great stead in case of           
a batle, which the Prince of Orange seems soe much inclined to.  ffrom the      
ffrench side they write, that if the place hold out till monday, the            
Governour would have behaved himselfe very well, soe that its like to           
come upon a day.  It is certaine that what the Prince doe he cannot doe         
quickly, for his soldiers have onely with them provisions for 5 dayes           
and when those are spent they are to seeke for more, unlesse they come          
back to Brussells for the Countrey about Mons is not able to supply them,       
and besides that which pleaseth the Prince of Orange is to see the Army         
at his owne Command without haveing any partner with him in it, which           
has hitherto very much hindered the publick good.                               
     The Confederates doe now not doubt but that in a short time they shall     
bring the Elector of Bavaria into their party which if they doe, ffrance        
will not have one freind in the Empire.                                         
     The Duke of Mecklenburg a Prince of the Empire, haveing been some          
time in ffrance has sent a Gentleman over to desire his Majestys leave          
to come and render his Majesty his respect  his Majesty has returned the        
Compliment, and given ordrs for A Yatch to fetch him over from Calais.          
     Monsr Courtin is now suddenly expected here in quality of Ambassadr        
extraordinary from ffrance.                                                     
     It seems the Lord Mayor of London has committed to Newgate severall        
Preachers for holding Conventicles contrary to the lawes and his                
Majestys pleasure in this mattr                                                 
     ffrom Sicily those of the Spanish party continue to write that the         
jealousies between the ffrench and the Messinesses are growne to that           
hight that either the ffrench must keep them under by a high                    
hand, or else the others will cutt their throats, for though some of the        
Principall Cittizens, who have been concerned in this Rebellion side            
with the ffrench, yet the Common people are most averse to them.                
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