     L. c. 519     Hague 27 August l677                                         
+I have at length got sight of ye Ltr written by ye P of Orange to ye           
Deputies for secret affaires giving ye reasons of his raising ye                
seige of Charleroy; hee says yt ye enemie having (wch was ye fault              
of ye D de villa Hermosa who was [to?] cover the Seige) posted himselfe         
very advantageously neare their Camp soe yt they might hinder theire            
horse from forraging & very much incomode theire Convoyes wch came              
from Brussells, it was unanimously resolved yt ye Seige could not               
bee continued after wch it was debated whether they should attacke              
ye Enemy in theire Camp  some were for doing it by all meanes though            
wthout hearing ye difficulties yt hindred it, for ye Enemies Camp by            
reason of woods & Rivuletts yt environed it was unaccessible but in             
one place & there ye passage was soe narrow yt 2 squadrons could hardly         
march in ffront wherefore ye hazzard being soe great & ye hopes of              
successe soe impbable his High: thought it better to suffer something           
in point of reputacon then to endanger ye Army of ye States, wch in case        
of defeate must have all p[er]ished there being noe roome for a retreat.        
The States are very well satisfied wth these reasons & have ordered             
his High: theire thanks                                                         
                   Hague 31 Aug:                                                
+Wee expect his High: very suddenly, he is very much displeased as to           
ye Spaniards who are still waiting on theire pt & then lay ye envie             
of it upon ye P, whome it is certaine they have little kindnes for              
& endeavour to engage him in occassions wch may ruine him & his                 
Army, The King of Danemarke has quitted his prtensions on Bremen in             
leiu of 100000 men wch ye Princes of Lunenburg are to asist him with            
The King of Danemarke has sent his Cavalry to ioyne Guldenleiu who              
will beseige Gottenberg.  Stetin makes a good defense.                          
                   Paris 1 September.                                           
+The D of Luxenburg wee heare has put most of his Infantry into                 
Garrison having sent 4000 men to raise contribution in ye Country of            
Waes; The P of Orange is come to Mauberge where he found good store             
of fforrage & provisions wch is sent to Mons & has sent a great                 
detachmt towards Guise in Picardie to raise contribucon & ye D of               
Luxenburg has sent a detachmt after them  I have letrs from Metz                
of ye 29th past wch say yt ye Impiall Army had passed ye Moselle                
about 6 leagues below Thionville & marched towards Alsace, ye D of              
Lorraine being gone post to Vienna M de Crequi followed them & to               
facilitate his March divided his Army into 3 bodies.  The King has              
already raised ye moneys to bee given out for ye making of recruits             
wch are to bee compleat by ye first of January.                                 
                   Brussells 31 August                                          
     Yesterday ye P of Orange & his Excie continued encamped at Estherue        
[?] neare Binch wth out any appause of action, his High sent out 2500           
horse wth whom went ye D of Albemarle & ye Earles of Ossory & Plymouth          
to attack 2000 ffrench yt were at Bovay but they came too late.  The            
25 instant ye M de Humieress came wth 10000 men to Ninove from whome            
M Chamilly marched into ye Country of Waes to raise contributions wch           
they exacted from ye Suburbs of Ghauent. upon this Allarme 9000                 
Spanish horse arrived hither yesterday but came too late.  The D of             
Luxenberg having passed di [?] Conde came againe wth his Army into              
fflanders & encamped last night at Gaure neare Audenarde wth intention          
to pass ye Schelde as this day & to qrter his Army between yt River & ye        
Lis.  He has sent a great detachmt towards ye M de Ossora who is wth            
a small Army neare Dyxmuyde.  Our last Ltrs from ye Impiall Army of ye          
27 wch was then going to pass ye Moselle.                                       
                     Bruges 1. Sept                                             
     The M de Ossora who has been wth a flying body neare Dyxmuyde &            
has raised in ye ffrench territories 100000 Crown in money decamped             
ye 30th past & marched towards Ghaunt.                                          
    L. c. 520     [Handwriting changes here.]     [See date below.]             
Mr. Johnson  I lately sent a Gazett by one of your servants, wch was            
Omitted to be sent in its Course, wch Robins assures me was ye same             
you mean, & that noe other is wanting  last nights post brought me              
onlye an account that two Duch, two flanders, & one french packet were          
wanting soe that there is noe forreigne news & as little English.  Sr           
Isaack Gibbon will Certainly be at my Greene to morrow when I shall not         
faile to acquaint wth what you write  in ye meane tyme let your Mr know I       
begg his Excuse that I can send him noe news by this, who am his Worpps         
humble / servt, & yo[u]r                                                        
Aug 27 / 1677                                Ra Hope.                           
     L. c. 521     Whitehall. 3 Sept.                                           
                       Hamburgh 31 August 1677                                  
+ Wee have advice from Danemarke yt ye King having sent his Cavalry by          
land to ioyne ye Sieur Guildenlieu wth orders to ruine all ye Country           
in theire march yt ye Swedes might not bee able to follow them had              
embarked his Infantry on vessels prepared for yt purpose at Landscroon          
& was sailed wth them in pson towards Gottenburg where he would meet            
ye Sieur Guildenlieu in order to ye beseiging yt city, Wee have nothing         
new from Stetin.                                                                
     Brussells 3 September l677                                                 
The P of Orange is encamped with his army at Maebeuge & ye other                
confederates under ye command of ye D de ville Hermosa between Binch            
& Mons.  Its thought ye P will endeavour to doe something sepately, pt          
of ye Pioniers & waggons wch were sumoned in [?] are appointed to bee ye        
5 instant at Lovain with wt designe wee know not unless it bee to               
fortifie yt & other places where they intend to fix winter qrters.  The         
ffrench have laid ye city of Tongres in ashes having neither spared             
Churches nor Religious houses, And from Luxemburg they write yt ye              
Inhabitants of yt pvince are reduced to soe great misery yt multitudes          
must needs starve this winter  The D of Luxemburg lies between ye               
Shelde & ye Lis having sent out servall detachmts to observe ye                 
mocons of our Armyes.  ffrom Cadiz we have Lres of ye 1st past wch say          
yt ye P of Portugall had sent 7 men of warre wch wth 3 Spanish sailed           
from Cadiz towards Oran to releive yt places beseiged by ye Moores.             
     Hague 7 Sept.                                                              
Stetin continues to make a stout defense ye Burghers doing Service on           
all occasions as well as ye soldiers  The Beseigers hope that when theire       
great Battery is finished on wch will be planted above 40 peices of             
Cannon they shall force ye Inhabitants to a surrender or else batter            
ye towne about theire eares.                                                    
     In Alsace there has passed some skirmishes between ye ffrench & ye         
Germans & theire Cannon were exercised very briskly on both sides.  The         
ffrench attacked a fort wch ye Imperialist had raised before theire Camp        
& tooke it but soone after were forced to leave it againe not being able        
to endure ye Impialists Cannon wch played upon them.  When these Lres           
came away ye 2 bodyes continued very neare each other, the Germans being        
forced to change theire grounde for yt ye ffrench through ye advantage          
of a hill did very much annoy theire Camp with their Cannon.                    
     Its sd ye ffrench were resolved to attacke them in good earnest &          
to force them to repass ye Rhyne  ffrom Nuremburg they write yt ye 24           
past the Elector of Bavaria mustered 12000 men at Nieumarke.                    
     L. c. 522     Brussells 7 September 1677                                   
+The P of Orange having sent to ye D de Villa Hermosa to invite him to          
enter upon some action considering ye fairnes of the weather; yesterday         
his Exie wth ye Confederate troops repassed ye Sambre at La Bussiere            
between Maubeuge & Charleroy & ioyned ye P of Orange againe who is              
marched this day towards ye Country of Leige theire designs being to            
beseige Dinent upon ye Meuse wch is above Maestricht to wch purpose             
Cannon & ye Pioniers will bee drawn from Namur, The D of Luxemburg              
continues between ye Schelde & ye Lis, wee shall see wt hee will doo            
upon this motion of our Armyes.  The P of Oranges Cannons continue in ye        
vessells at Antwerp expecting further orders.  Two days since arrived ye        
Spanish Ordry & brought Bills of Exchange for 600000 Crowns to bee              
employed for carrying on ye seige of Charleroy.                                 
     Copenhagen. 31 August                                                      
+As I told you in my last ye Danish Cavalry consisting in about 600 men         
is returned to Landscroon having lost as is said 7 or 800 men, The              
Swedes Army will as wee are informed approach towards Landscroon soe yt         
ye Danes will bee forced to fight or to quit Schonen, yt is to say their        
horse for theire foot is already in Garrison.  The Danes ffoot lyes             
still before Colmar but cannot affect theire designe wch is to burne 8          
or 9 Swedes men of war yt lye there.                                            
     Paris 11 Sept.                                                             
+According to our last advice from fflanders ye P of Orange was at              
Maubeuge & had caused 2 bridges to be laid over ye Sambre.                      
     The 3 instant ye Imperiall Army was at Vaudre faige between ye Saar        
& ye Moselle  wt theire designe is wee cannot penetrate into.  The M de         
Crequi keeps neare them.                                                        
     Whitehall 4 Sept.                                                          
+The E of Essex arrived here last night from Ireland having delivered ye        
Govermt of yt Kingdome into ye hands of ye D of Ormond.                         
     L. c. 523      Brussells 10 Sept: 1677                                     
+In my last I told you yt ye D de Villa Hermosa had repassed ye Sambre &        
was ioyned wth ye P of Orange in order to ye undertaking some action,           
wee cannot yet certainly tell wt it may be though ye Armies still               
continue neare Maubeuge while ye prpation is makeing for Pioniers &             
other things necessary, but in ye meane time we are held in ye greatest         
consternation possible at ye approach of ye Enemy for ye D of Luxemburg         
takeing ye advantage of ye distance of our Armyes came last night to            
Alost wth a body of 12 or 14000 men & this day advanced to our Canal            
after having made himselfe master of ye fort called ye 7 holes  wee know        
not wt hee will doo next  some say hee will pass towards Malines & ruine        
all ye Country  others say hee will fortifie Alost & put a strong               
garrison into it this winter wch would in a manner block up this city &         
cut off our Comunication wth Ghaunt & those places, At ye same time ye          
Marshall de Humieres is wth another body in fflanders & as it is                
beleived will attempt something on yt side.                                     
+ffrom Luxemburg they write yt ye Imperiall Army marches towards                
Sarbrucke having suffered extreamly in its march & lost a great many            
horses  Marshall de Crequi advances wth all diligence towards Alsace.           
     Hague 10 Sept.                                                             
+The Confederate ministers here continue to make great Complts agst his         
High: & this State who they say have been unfaithfull to theire cause           
but ye ministers here retort ye blaim upon ye Spaniards & conclude yt           
nothing but a peace is able to deliver them out of ye ill condition             
theire affairs are in, for ye longer ye warre lasts things still                
growe worse.                                                                    
+ffrom Hamburg wee have an acct yt if ye ill weather continues ye               
beseigers at Stetin will pass theire time very ill they having been             
already forced to quit theire attacks on ye side of ye Lastody wch is           
a marshie ground.  The States having advice if ye King of Poland had            
an intention to send 5 or 6000 men to ye assistance of ye Swedes agst           
ye Elector of Brandenburg have writt a Lre to diswade him from it               
for yt may engage a quarrel with his Matie in favour of ye Elector              
theire Allie                                                                    
     Paris 11 Sept.                                                             
+There is news in towne yt ye Sieur de Monclar in Alsace has made               
himselfe master of ye D of Saxe Eysenachs bridge & yt hee had very              
much straitned ye Germans in theire Camp.  It is thought yt ye D of             
Lorraine aswell as ye M de Crequi will bee suddenly in those pts.               
Wee have nothing of [sic]                                                       
     L. c. 524     Whitehall 11 Sept 1677                                       
+The Lrs wee had on Sunday from ffrance spoke of considerable                   
prpations yt had been made by ye Marshall de Humieres had been sent             
for & all other things for attacking of a place pvided but yt after             
all ye reall intention of them was only to divert ye Confederates               
from ye designes they might have formed, ye Ltrs adde yt a fond was             
already pvided for ye raising of between 20 & 30000 men agst spring             
to recruit & reinforce ye Kings Army.                                           
+ffrom fflanders we have an acct of a manifest come abroad there                
in ye name of ye D de Villa Hermosa (though its disowned by him) wch            
is a most venomous & malitious invective or Libell agst ye P of                 
Orange whome it may accuse of having betrayed ye common cause & in              
very insolent & undecent exprssions charges ye whole ill success of             
this Campaigne upon his High:  Wee must expect to see how his High:             
will resent it for although ye Spanish Governour disownes it yet it             
is noe more then wt ye Spanish ministers have sd in most of ye                  
Courts of Christiandome soe yt this manifest may well be lookt upon             
to come from them.  Wee have iust now a fflanders post.                         
     Brussell 17 Sept.                                                          
+The D of Luxemburg having quitted our Neighbour hood marched toward            
Ghaunt neare wch place he passed to ye Schelde & entred into ye Country         
of Waes where having lived 2 dayes at discretion hee repassed ye River          
againe carrying away wth him a great number of horses & cattle & marched        
towards Courtray.                                                               
+Our Army continues at Soignees & Branville [?] Comte & will remaine            
there some dayes longer, a great Convoy being gone from hence to them           
wth bread for 6 dayes & wth 50000 wtt of powder & ye like quantity of           
Match wch is to bee sent from ye Camp to Mons.  The last news wee have          
from ye Imperiall Army is yt on ye 9 instant it passed ye Saar at               
Sarbruck & it was beleived they would goe directly into theire winter           
qrters wch they would take on this side ye Rhyne theire head qrters             
being intended at Wormes.  That in ye meane time ye D of Lorraine               
intended to possess himselfe of all ye Castles & strong holds wch ye            
french have yt upon ye Saar & for yt purpose has sent for sevrall peices        
of Canon for battery to Phillipsburgh.                                          
+The M de Crequi according to our last advice was neare Marsall in              
Lorraine.                                                                       
     L. c. 525     Whitehall 13 Sept l677                                       
+I have seen a Ltr from a principall officer in ye ffrench Army under           
ye Command of Crequi wch speaks as followeth:                                   
+The Impiall Army marches towards ye lower Alsace & has been forced             
to take a way wch they will finde very difficult & ruinous to theire            
Army wch wee beleive will pass ye Rhyne at Strasburg or Phillipsburg, Our       
army marches towards ye upp [?] Alsace by ye way of Saverne & I am almost       
of opinion wee shall likewise pass ye Rhyne to disquiet ye Impialists           
ye more in ye matter of winter qrters, wch is otherwise like to give them       
trouble sufficient; things are very much changed since ye Impialists            
were in ffrance at Mouzon for wee now are following them & besides ye           
D of Saxe Eysenach has been forced to repass ye Rhyne.  Our army is in          
a very good condition.                                                          
+There is a great discourse every where yt a peace will bee concluded           
this winter though in ye meane time wee cannot heare yt any pgress is           
made towards it at ye assembly at Nimeghen, & ye Impialists & Spaniards         
are soe to have declared klin theire discourse yt they cannot thinke of a       
peace whilest ffrance is in soe much success but ye Dutch doe all they          
can to dispose them thereunto as having a prspect that very good                
conditions may bee obtained of ffrance.  2 or 3 Months more will give us        
a great light into these matters.                                               
+Yesterday his Matie went to Windsor wth intention to stay there till           
Saturday.                                                                       
+Wee have this after noone ye Dutch Lrs of ffryday last  they tell us           
yt ye P of Orange was expected at ye Hague about ye beginning of ye next        
Month theire stile.                                                             
+That they had advice from Hamburg yt ye King of Danemarke embarked             
ye 1/11 instant to goe on his intended expedicon.  That ye Danish fleet         
was returned into ye Soundt not having been able to attempt anything            
upon ye Swedish ships yt lay at Colmar, but they landed some men &              
ravaged ye Country.  Admirall Juell is to cruise wth a squadron in ye           
Baltick, & Admirall Tromp wth ye rest of ye fleet attends ye King.              
+That ye 8 instant ye beseigers at Stetin began to fire upon ye towne           
wth 110 peices of Canon & 25 Mortars wch had done great Execution, but          
ye pticulars they know not.                                                     
+The Lrs from ye Camp are dated ye 10th when ye Inhabitants psisted in          
theire resolucon.                                                               
     L. c. 526     Brussells 14 September 1677                                  
+What I told you in my last of ye ffrench having cut ye Canall & taken          
ye fort called ye 3 holes proves a mistake.  On Sunday morning ye D of          
Luxemburg after having made 2 Attacks upon ye ffort in both wch hee was         
repulsed, & wth out any other success besides blowing up ye stone bridge        
wch was ye passage over ye Canall by ye ffort wch was commanded by one          
Carpenter an Englishman who behaved himselfe very well  they retired            
carrying off theire dead but ye number or of wt quality wee know not            
only 5 they left at ye Palisades of ye ffort; yesterday they passed ye          
Dender & are now between Alost & Audonard, upon this news our Armies            
decamped on Sunday morning & marched neare Roells & last night his              
High: encamped at Soignees & his Excie at Brain le Comte where they will        
stay some dayes having sent a great Convoy hither for prvisions.  Wee           
are told from Lesle yt many Cannon & Granadoes have been embarked there         
ye 12 instant yt many Pioniers & Waggons are gone to Courtray upon wt           
design wee know not but ye discourse is they march towards Dyarmuyde            
or Ipres neare wch former place ye Baron de Quincy still continues wth          
out having done any thing more then ruine ye Country.                           
     Hamburg 10 Sept.                                                           
+The Lrs wee receive from Copenhagen give us an acct yt ye King of              
Danemarke is drawing his forces out of Schonen having strong Garrisons          
in Christianstadt & Landscroone wch former towne is beseiged by ye              
Swedes.                                                                         
+Stetin makes stout defence, ye Burghers who are 100 [a digit or two may        
be missing here] being as daring as ye soldiers who are but 1700.               
+The beseigers have finished theire Batteries on wch they have                  
planted 250 peices of Canon & Mortars wch they hope will oblige them            
to a surrender.                                                                 
      Paris 14 Sept.                                                            
+Our Lrs from Germany tell us yt ye Impiall Army was marched by                 
Sarbrucke yt Crequi followed them & hoped to bee in Alsace before them          
when ye ffrench had forced them to repass ye Rhyn & to abandon theire           
bridge wch they had brought to Brisac.  In fflanders ye Marshall de             
Humieres has summoned in a great many Pioniers & made other prparations         
as if they intended some action                                                 
     L. c. 527     Spire 18 Sept. 1677                                          
+The 15 instant the D of Lorraine & ye D of Saxe Lawenburg passed wth ye        
Impiall Cavalry by Deux Ponts taking theire way towards Landau ye               
Margraef of Baden marching at ye same time wth ye Infantry & ye                 
Artillery towards Keyses lautern where they arrived ye 16 & continued           
yesterday  This day its beleived they will march towards Landaue to             
ioyne ye Cavalry  The Impialists prtend to have theire winter qrters on         
this side ye Rhyne.                                                             
               Strasburg 17 Sept.                                               
+The ffrench Army is come since ye 14 instant by ye way of Saverne &            
Lutzelstein into Alsace being divided into 3 bodies who reioyned ye 15          
at Ingweiler from whence ye whole army marched yesterday & came to              
Wegessheim wch is 3 leagues from hence wch has put us in great alarme           
here, to morrow ye Sieur de Monclar will ioyne ye M de Crequi & then            
wee shall see wt they will doe  The Impiall army is come into ye                
Palatinate  theire Infantry is at Keyserslauterne & theire Cavalry at           
Landaue                                                                         
               Copenhagen 18 Sept                                               
+This day we have accont of a battle fought ye 28 past neare Odenwaldt          
in Norway between ye Danes & ye Swedes ye former commanded by                   
Guildelieu & ye latter who were about 10000 strong by ye Chancellour of         
Sweden yt ye Danes obtaind ye victory most of ye Swedes infantry having         
been cut in peices. As far as wee can learne 1400 men were slaine upon ye       
place, besides many officers & 600 taken prisoners wth 10 Collrs 8              
Standards 11 Brass & 2 Iron Canons & all ye Enemies baggage amongst wch         
was ye Chancellours owne Coach who narrowly escaped himselfe                    
               Hamburg 21 Sept.                                                 
+The Danish fleet has been seen off ye Isle of Rugen & some say have            
already made a descent  Count Conningsmarke is there in pson wth wt             
troops hee can draw together soe yt there may bee brisk doings.                 
+Since my last ye beseigers at Stetin have made sevrall brisk sallyes &         
though ye towne lyes in ashes they continue as obstinate as ever & its          
sd they have arrested theire Govnor because they suspected him inclined         
to a treaty  On ye other side ye Elector of Brandenburg has (as is sd)          
pmised his soldiers 3 dayes to plunder when ye towne is taken.                  
     L. c. 528     Whitehall 20 Sept 1677                                       
+Yesterday morning earely his Matye went downe to Chatham to see a new          
Yatch launched and returned againe this Evening.                                
+It seemes ye Prince of Orange is comeing over hither & wee are told            
that the Yatchs & men of war yt are to bring him over are already ordered       
to attend his High: at ye Briell whoe its thought may bee here in 10            
or 11 dayes & because his Matie will bee about yt time at Newmarket             
whither hee goes on Monday next its beleived his Highness will land at          
Warwick & pass from thence in his Matys Coaches to Newmarkett.                  
+The onely news ye ffrench Lrs brought yesterday was yt ye Mareshall            
de Crequy had passed the Rhyne above Strasburg & some say that hee will         
attacke Offenburg & other places on that side & make them winter qtrs           
in wch hee will meet with little disturbance the Imperiall Army being           
in ye Lower Palatinate And as is said in a very ill condition though wee        
are told that some fresh Regiments are on theire march to reinforce it.         
+Capt Booth & 5 others are condemned for Killing ye Man at Yarmouth & ye        
27th is appointed ye day for ye Capts Execucon                                  
+Tis confidently reported that Dr Lucy Bp of St Davids is lately dead           
wch if soe that See will bee supplyed by Dr Thomas Deane of Worcester.          
     L. c. 529      Brussells 21 September 1677                                 
+Our Armies continue at Soignees & Brain le Comte wthout any appearance         
of moving as long as ye forrage lasts wch they say will bee about 7 or          
8 days; some of ye P of Oranges forragers plundred ye other day                 
Cambron Abbey not withstanding there was a safeguard thereto secured ye         
place on wch occasion 40 or 50 were killed or wounded.  This morning a          
great Convoy is gone from hence to ye army wth bread for 6 dayes                
when wch is spent they will its beleived thinke of going into theire            
winter qrters & yt ye P of Orange will begin his iourney for Holland            
leaving ye remaines of his Army to Count Waldeck.  The D of Luxemburg           
continues about Audenarde where ye troops of ye M de Humieres has               
ioyned him having countermanded ye Pioniers & waggons hee had sent              
for & wee suppose ye enemy will onely keep the field till they see our          
troops sepate.                                                                  
+The Lrs wee receive from Alsace give us an acct yt ye D of Saxe                
Eysenach has been forced to repass ye Rhyne having suffered some loss.          
     Wee have nothing fresh from ye Impiall army.                               
               Hamburg 17 Sept                                                  
+Stetin holds out still most resolutely notwthstanding ye great Execucon        
by ye Canon of ye beseigers.  The Burghers have removed themselves & ye         
goods out of their houses into Caverns & lodge under ye walls.                  
+ffoure of ye greatest Mortar peices belonging to the Elector of                
Brandenburgh burst ye other daye & did much harm:                               
               Copenhagen 4 Sept.                                               
+On Saturday last ye King & his brother P. George went on ship board &          
yesterday they sett saile for ye East sea attended wth 9 men of war &           
above 60 other vessells, theire designs being upon ye Isle of Rugen.            
               Naples 31 August                                                 
+Some dayes since wee had notice yt ye french fleet sailed from Messina         
consisting in 23 men of war & 21 Gallies & since wee have a report yt they      
have beseiged Melazzo by sea & by land wth pt of theire forces & Catanea        
wth ye rest.  By my next I may bee able to give you ye certainty.               
     L. c. 530     Whitehall 22 Sept 1677                                       
+Wee had yesterday a fflanders post wch ought to have come in on teusday        
last & by it an acct yt ye Confederate armies continued in ye same              
Posts as formly.  That ye P. of Orange intended to leave ye Army on             
Saturday last & to be at ye Hague as on Teusday & yt ye D de Villa              
Hermosa was likewise expected in few dayes at Brussells however yt ye           
troops would not Sepate soe long as ye french continue in ye field.             
That ye D of Luxemburg lay wth his army at Guare between Ghaunt &               
Audenarde. ffrom Germany they write yt ye french Army had got much ye           
start of ye Impialists & yt ye Marshall de Crequi had soe besett all            
ye passages yt lead into Alsace yt ye D of Lorraine would not bee able          
to advance yt way whose army besides is sd to bee in a very ill                 
posture & yt a great number of theire Cavalry have left theire horses           
soe yt after all ye Impialists contrary to theire resolucon will be             
forced to pass ye Rhyne & to seeke winter qrtrs on ye other side.               
+Our Italian Lrs come in this after noone say yt ye french had                  
feigned an attempt upon Melazzo but soone retreated and made for                
Catanea wch they have beseiged by sea & land & tis beleived will take it        
having little less then 100 saile of men of war Barkes & Gallyes & 1300         
foot & 1500 horse Before it.                                                    
+from Paris they write yt ye M de Crequi having passed ye Rhyne marched         
towards Offenburg wch place hee would attacke in order to ye putting his        
Army into winter qrtrs in Brisgow.                                              
+Just at ye coming away of these Lrs there was news at Paris yt ye M de         
Crequi had beaten ye Duke of Saxe.  The pticulars not sd.                       
+The ffrancis a small ffrigot of about 10 Guns cruising upon ye                 
Coasts of ffrance met an Ostend man of about 20 guns wth a prize to             
whome when ye Capt called to strike to his Maties flag hee bid ye               
Capt strike to ye King of Spaine for wch contempt ye Capt gave him a            
gun & was answered wth one & then gave him a broad side & was answered          
ye Same againe but though ye Capt did wt he[e] could being of unequall          
strength hee could not hinder but yt ye Ostender got off wth his                
prize  ye Capt had none killed but his Boatswaine & some other wounded.         
     L. c. 531     Whitehall 25 Sept.1677                                       
+Wee have our fflanders Lrs of this Day Sevennight wch being old bring          
little News.  The armies in fflanders continued in ye same Posts as             
formly, As well ye ffrench as ye Confederates & ye P of Orange was              
gone for Holland from whence hee would make a step for England as was           
said for 2 or 3 weekes onely.  Wee have fresher news from Germany               
already then these Lrs bring.                                                   
     The acct ye ffrench Ambr gives of the Rencounter wth ye D of               
Eyesenach is yt ye Sieur Monclar coming upon his Army on one side & ye          
M de Crequi on ye other they could not soe disengage themselves but yt          
7 or 800 of theire horse were cut off  The D was himselfe at Strasburg          
when this happened & sent to Crequy to desire a pass to goe to his Army         
wch was granted him though the french rally ye D for it.                        
     The french say yt ye Impiall Army will bee hard put to it to finde         
winter qrters & yt ye M Crequis passing ye Rhyne astonishes all those           
pts.  wee cannot yet penetrate upon what designe ye Count d'Estrees who         
is ready to sayle from Brest wth 14 men of warr is going though in all          
pbability it is for ye Indies.                                                  
+ffrom dover they write yt ye Master of the fflanders Packett Boat wch          
arrived there yesterday reported yt M d'Humieres was come wth 15000 men         
between Ghent & Bruges & had burnt & destroyed 15 villages not sparing          
the Churches & yt hee was marching towards Dixmuyde wch place its thought       
he would attacke.                                                               
     L. c. 532     Whitehall 27 Sept 1677                                       
+Our ffrench & fflanders Lres coming in yesterday you will finde all ye         
publique news in ye Gazette and among ye rest ye pticulars of ye action         
between ye ffrench & ye D of Saxe Eysenach who it seems was surprised by        
ye M de Crequis so sudden passing ye Rhyne wth pt of his Vanguard onely         
& had hee not been happily advertised by some Country people of ye Enemies      
motions hee would inevitably have been cut in peices between Crequi &           
Monclar but hee escaped by getting under ye ptection of ye city of              
Strasburg who to save his troops gave him passage over theire bridge            
but at ye same time being unwilling to offend a victorious Army they            
sent out deputies to ye M de Crequi to offer him yt if he would pmitt           
ye sd troops to march quietly to a place called Rathstadt in ye                 
Marquisate of Baden they would not suffer them to pass into Alsace to           
ioyne ye D of Lorraine who was advanced to Haguenaw as ye intention of          
ye D of Saxe was, depriving him by yt meanes of soe considerable a              
reinforcemt for the Duke of Saxe had about 5000 men, wch Crequi                 
consented to & because of ye Extraordinarines of it I give you a Copy           
of ye Pass.                                                                     
+ffrancois Sire de Crequi Marshall of ffrance & Genll of his Maties             
Armyes in fflanders, upon ye instances made to us on ye pt of ye                
Magistrates of Strasburg in favour of ye German troops wch have put             
themselves into one of ye Isles of ye sd city yt wee would suffer them          
to retire by securely to Rathstadt wee enclining to theire request &            
being willing to treat them favourably have sent some of our Guards to          
conduct ye sd troops securely to Rathstadt comanding all ye troops wch          
are under our command to suffer them to pass freely to Rathstadt aforesd        
wth out any molestatacon, the said Magistrates being security for ye            
safe returne of our sd Guards.  Given in our Camp at Wirtemwicke 24             
Sept 1677 Signed / The Marshall de Crequi                                       
     The Sieur de Monclar is come againe wth his troops on this side ye         
Rhyne to observe the D of Lorraine, ye P of Orange has been recd wth a          
great Demonstration of affection from ye people in his return from the          
Army, and especially at the Hague as if he came from gaining a great            
Victory.  His Highness leaves 30 Regimts in Flanders where they will            
winter; and 10 Battalions are to be put into Mons, wch by that meanes           
and the other Provisions they have made there, will bee in a condition          
to defend it self if attackt this next Spring.                                  
     L. c. 533     White hall 29 Sept 1677                                      
+On ye 26 ye Officers of his Maties household appointed to attend ye P          
of Orange went aboard ye ships & ye yatchs appointed for his Exportacon.        
[Upper left margin near paragraph above has this note in another hand:]         
for Mar: 25.74. v. Ich. Dranc- [?] titled my stock at Ich. according to         
ye acct my Sheaphd. gave.                                                       
+A new Commission is granted to his High. P. Rupert ye Ld high                  
Chancellour, Ld Treasurer, Ld Privy Seale, D of Monmouth, D of                  
Lauderdale, D of Ormond, Earle of Ossory, Ld Chamberlaine of ye                 
household, ye 2 Principall Secretaries of State, ye Chancellour of ye           
Exchequer, ye Master of ye Ordinance & Edward Seymour Esqr or any 3 or          
more of them to exercise ye office of Ld high Admirall wth all powers           
Authoritys &c                                                                   
+In ye after noone ye Maria yatch wch was launched at his Maties late           
being at Chatham to his very great satisfaccon set saile thence being one       
appointed to attend on ye P of Orange, they are all very intent upon ye         
new ships wch they forward wth theire utmost endeavour.                         
                                                 29 Sept                        
+Yesterday morning Sr Gabriell Sylvius sailed wth ye men of war &               
Yatchts yt are to bring over ye P of Orange for Holland.                        
+Yesterday morning about 2 of ye Clock hapned a sad fire in ye Temple           
occasioned through the Carlesnes of a gentleman that went to bed & left         
ye Candle burning wch in less then 2 houres consumed all that part called       
the Kings bench hole with 500 houses more in White ffryers  severall            
persons are said to have been burnt killed & maimed.                            
+Our forraigine Lrs due this day are all wanting                                
     L. c. 534     Hague 3 October 1677                                         
+On ffryday next ye states of Holland will bee Extradry assembled yt            
ye desire of ye P of Orange to receive comunicacon from him of momt             
wch is Supposed to bee his designed voyage into England.                        
+I heare yt in ye report wch his High: made to ye states he made                
complt in genll yt both impialists & Spaniards have failed in ye                
pformance of wt they pmised & sd of ye Spaniards in pticular yt hee had         
reced affronts from them in ye prsence of ye D de villa Hermosa wch             
hee would warrant on ye other side  I am informed yt ye Impiall Minister        
here hath order to complaine yt ye warre hath been made this Campaigne          
more on these then reality & at ye same time he intimate[s] yt better           
success is not to be dispaired of for ye future & to declare for ye             
obtaining it his Impiall Matie will send 2 [?] considerable armies into         
ye field next yeare.                                                            
+The last accts wee have of matters in Rugen is yt both ye Danes & Count        
Conningsmarke are posted upon ye Isle wth out having as yet attempted           
any thing agst each other.  The Danes have reced some hopes from ye             
Elector of Brandenburg but ye King not thinking yt sufficient was gone          
to Copenhagen to fetch a greater supply.                                        
+The Seige of Stetin grows hott in ye meane time by ye Springing of             
mines on both sides.  Its sd ye beseiged have lodged themselves upon            
ye Counterscarpe.                                                               
+The D of Lorraine having passed ye Rhine at Phillipsburg advances              
towards Strasburg.  The ffrench make a terrible desolacon in Brisgow            
having burnt above 20 Bergs & villages already                                  
               Brussells 8 Octob: l677                                          
+Our Armies continue at Enghien wch place as well as Dibelle [?] will bee       
demolished.  ffrom Alsace wee have Lrs of ye 1st instant wch say yt ye          
D of Lorraine was encamped wth his Cavalry at BistleRhein [?] far from          
Strasburg on ye other side of ye Rhine where ye troops of ye D of Saxe          
Eysenach being reinforced wth 2 Regimts raised by ye P. of Dominstad            
had ioyned him  ye next day he expected ye coming up of his Infantry &          
then he would pass ye Rhyne having already given orders for ye laying of        
a bridge over it above [?] Strasburg.  Monclar was encamped at Benfeldt         
Vlenheim on this side ye Rhine & Crequi on ye other side at Graffen heuten      
ye bridge at Rheinnaw being continued by ye communicacon of ye 2 Armyes         
The french continued theire Ravage & had burnt ye towne of Thou                 
                Hague 8 Octob                                                   
+On fryday ye states of Holland met, ye Prance [sic] not thither but ye         
Pentionary acquainted them in his name wth ye occasion of theire                
meeting, after yt ye Deputyes had all taken an oath of service [?].  On         
Monday ye P is expected here from Loest Dyke & then wee shall know when         
hee will begin his iourney for England.  The service grows hotter &             
hotter at Stetin  ye Luxemburgs have taken a certaine outwerke & mines          
are springing daily on both sides.  ffrom Hamburg they write yt ye              
Brandenburgs have made a Genll assault upon Stetin but were repulsed            
wth ye loss of 4000 but I will not answer for the truth of it.                  
     L. c. 535    October 6. 1677                                               
+The Paris Lrs of ye 9th speake of a new Conspiracy disscovered agst ye         
ffrench in messina to let in ye Spanish forces of ye Garrison of Melazzo        
& to destroy all ye ffrench during ye absence of ye D of Vivonne & ye           
ffrench troops in Campaigne & yt it went on soe far yt ye Spanish troops        
were for yt purpose drawne very neare ye towne.                                 
+They write from ye ffrench Camp at Goure date 9 October yt ye Army             
was to decamp next day & goe into winter qrters neare ye frontiers,             
marshall de Humieres is returned to his Govermt of Lisle, & ye D de             
Villeroy went for St Germans, & 6 battalions of foot & 10 squadrons of          
horse pted from ye Army for Valenciennes & St Quintin.                          
+ffrom ye french camp at Grussin housons in Brisgaw Oct 28 they                 
advise yt Monsr Monclar had quitted his post at Quinzall having burnt ye        
Country in those pts as villages being all on fire at once, from ye             
same Camp they write 3d October yt on ye 1st ye Marquis de Rennes was           
sent wth 6 batallions of foot & 14 Squadrons of horse & 2 of Dragoons           
commanded by Count Swerenberg & yt ye Army past ye Rhine into Alsace late       
at night marched on ye 2d by breake of day & on ye 3d arrived at a              
place formerly a very fine walled towne whether Marshall Turrenne made          
his retreate after ye battle of Englishein & there having ioyned Monclar        
they were a potent Army.                                                        
+They add further yt ye D of Lorraine had resolved to releive Sarrburg          
& they were in expectation whether hee would force theire Army or repass        
ye mountains ye same way hee went home.                                         
     Whitehall 6 October 1677                                                   
+The Lrs come in this after noone from newmarkett say yt ye P of Orange         
was expected there as this night, & yt there upon his Royall High: (whoe        
was expected here this afternoone) had changed his intention, by wch it         
seemes ye King had some advice of his High: being landed, or at least           
his being upon ye Coast, of wch wee have as yet noe acct: from Harwich,         
but yt may very well bee & wee imagine it was not thought worth theire          
time in ye absence of ye Court to send an Express hither from thence to         
give notice of his High: landing.                                               
+Most of our forraigne Lrs due this day are still wanting.                      
     L. c. 536     Whitehall     9 October 1677                                 
+Notwithstanding I told you in my last yt ye P of Orange was expected at        
Newmarket yt night his High: is not yet arrived.                                
+The Lrs wee reced on Sunday from Holland sd ye states of Holland               
were to bee reassembled on Wedensday last to take a finall resolution           
upon wt had been prposed to them by ye Pentionary by order of ye P. ye          
sd Lrs adding yt it was beleived his High: would leave ye Hague to              
begin his iourney hither as on Saterday last, hee will bring wth him a          
very great traine  there is a list of above 40 Gents most men of quality        
yt come wth him besides servts & ordinary attendts.                             
+The Lrs wee had yesterday from Newmarkett told us yt ordres were               
sent to Sr Charles Cutterell & Sr Stephen ffox at Harwich yt if his             
High: arrived on thirsday or before yt then hee should conduct him to           
Newmarkett, but if after then to goe & lye at ye D of Albemarles house          
at Newhall & ye next day to meet ye King at London.                             
+ffrom ffrance wee have an acct of an action passed between them &              
ye Germans in Alsace vidt yt ye D of Lorraine having sent a pty to              
attacke ye Castle of Kotsberg being a pass ye french upon advice thereof        
sent fresh troops to second theire men  ye Impialists did ye same on            
theire side & ye dispute was very sharp ye Germans having thrice forced         
some squadrons of french horse to retire in great disorder but in               
conclusion ye french had ye advantage maintained theire Posts killed 500        
of ye Germans upon ye place tooke ye Count de Nassaw Sarbrucke wth              
sevrall officers Prisoners & forced ye rest to retire in great disorder         
to theire Army wch was encamped neare Strasbourg.  wt loss ye french            
sustayned is not sd.                                                            
+Wee have now ye Dutch Lrs of fryday last wch say yt ye States of               
Holland were assembled on wedensday & thirsday last that on thirsday            
ye P of Orange came into ye assembly stayed there above an houre                
acquainted them wth his iourney to England &c wch they not only                 
apprved of but seemed pleased wth & prayed his High: would use his              
endeavours wth ye King his uncle to & pmote a peace & soe wished him            
a good Journey.                                                                 
+His High: was afterwards wth ye States Genll to take his leave                 
of them & ye same day ye sd States genll ye States of Holland & all             
ye Colledges by formall deputacons sent to wish his High a good                 
iourney, ye same Complemt was afterwards pformed by ye Deputies of              
ye sevrall townes in pticular  His High: intended to embarque as                
yesterday soe yt being hee this night or to morrow at Newmarkett  all           
psons of any note in Holland are to accompany him.                              
+Wee have nothing new from Stetin or Rugen.                                     
+Take ye following from Alsace                                                  
+Strasbourg 8 Oct Maior Gnll Schultz having ioyned ye D of Lorraine             
wth ye troops yt were at Offenburg his High: advanced towards ye Enemy &        
understanding yt Crequi had posted some troops upon ye hills at Kaltsburg       
hee sent ye Regimt of Bournonville wth 2 others to attacke them wch they        
did yesterday about 4 in ye after noone wth soe much fury yt ye french          
were forced to quit ye first hill & to retire in disorder to theire             
maine body but ye Germans pursuing them soe far fresh troops of ye              
Enemie fell upon them & made a great slaughter  Lieut Genll ffourlaine          
ye Counts of Kilborg & nassau being killed & Genll Harrant prisoner.            
     All this morning wee heard great shooting & wee concluded yt 2             
Armyes were engaged, but iust now wee have advice yt Crequi avoids              
a battle & retires towards Saverne.                                             
     L. c. 537     Newmarkett 10 October 1677                                   
+Yesterday about 7 at night ye P of Orange arrived here; there is come          
along wth him ye Counts Horne Brederode & Benthem & this day is expected        
5 or 6 coaches full of his attendts  ye rest wch were ye greatest               
number were sent from Harwich to London  ye P supped wth ye King & is           
this morning gone wth him a hawking, to morrow ye King. P. & Court goe          
to Euston after ye plate is run for where ye King rides himselfe & will         
bee back on fryday.                                                             
               Paris 16 Octobr                                                  
+Wee have Lrs from ye M. de Crequis Camp dat 10 instant wch was then at         
Kaltsberg  ye acct they give is yt ye 6 instant ye Impiall army encamped        
very neare ours yt on ye 7 in ye morning sevrall skirmishes passed on both      
sides  about 3 in ye afternoone ye M de Crequi was informed yt ye D of          
Lorraine caused sevrall troops to advance & yt yey attacked some of             
our advanced Posts wch were guarded by ye Regimts of Vallette Villars           
& Cayenn comanded by ye Chevalier d'Estrade who defended themselves very        
well but being over powered were forced to give ground but at ye same time      
ye M de Crequi pceiving yt ye enemies right wing was advanced at a good         
distance from ye maine body resolved to make use of his opportunity and         
imediately ordered ye Guards du Corps ye Gens de armes & light horse to         
advance & to engage ye enemie  wee had 25 squadrons & ye Enemie had 30          
ye dispute lasted not long for our troops immediately defeated 2 of their       
best squadrons wch put ye rest into disorder & wee pursued ye 30                
Imperiall Squadrons of wch most were Curassiers to theire Camps leaving         
sevrall prisoners behind them & about 600 killed upon ye place wth 4            
standards upon wch ye D of Lorraine began to move wth his whole army            
wth designe to have possessed himselfe of a certaine village wch was            
neare his first line but observing ye good posture our army was in hee          
did not execute it but remained all yt day drawne up in Battalia                
+The Prisoners wee tooke are Maior Genll Harrant ye Count of Nassau             
Maior Genll (who dyed ye next day in our Camp of his wounds) Coll               
Fourlaine 2 Capts wth sevrall inferiour officers   Wee understand               
likewise yt servall eminent officers were killed & wounded.  Wee heare          
nothing new from fflanders.                                                     
     L. c. 538     Whitehall October 13. 1677                                   
+On ye 9 ye P of Orange arrived at Newmarkett between 7 & 8 in ye Evening       
his lodgings was at ye D of Ormonds house  yt night he supped wth ye            
King & ye next day they went a hawking  On ye 11 ye King & ye P dined           
at ye Ld Chamberlaynes at Euston  there came along wth ye P into England        
Sieurs de Overeke Bentin de Alberanswart Baron ffaukinstein Baron Travis        
Count Horne Monsr de Vandendoss Monsr Lavergne Marquis Monponttin Monsr         
Zuylestine Mons Lecke Count Bederode Baron Sparr Monsr Wassena Count            
Warfulo Mons Guickell ye Rhinegrave fflodross Count Noyelle Monsr               
ffilates besides Domesticks Monsr de Odicke Count de Solins Count Nassau        
Sr Colliers Adj Genll Ernest Capt Leiut of his life guards Ryswich              
Cornet &c  The States of Holland have given consent to ye Princes iourney       
& offered him more powers then hee desired.  This day about noone his           
Matie Royall High & ye P of Orange returned hither from Newmarkett  The P       
has his lodgings in his Royall High: apartmt at Whitehall.                      
     L. c. 539     Whitehall 16 Octobr 1677                                     
+This morning the Heer Odyke who came over wth the Prince of Orange has         
audience of the King having the Character of Ambassador Extradry from ye        
States Genll                                                                    
     Wee are told his High: stay will not bee longer then 3 weekes or a         
moneth, hee has a very noble retinue wth him; ye psons of ye cheifest           
quality are ye Count Thorne Genll of ye Artillery ye Young Rhynegrave           
the Count of Nassau ye Heer Brederode the Marquis de Moinpeillein               
principall horse Officer Monsr Benthem &c.  In all they are about 40            
for whose dyett 4 tables are served twice a day in ye Princes lodgings          
at Whitehall by ye Kings Officers  Wee have not any Lrs from abroad             
since this day sevenight.                                                       
     L. c. 540     Whitehall October 18th 1677                                  
+Yesterday ye Ld mayor of London accompanied wth ye Recorder Aldermen           
& Sheriffs were to waite upon ye P of Orange in his lodgings here at            
Whitehall & to complemt his High: upon his arriveall here in England.           
By ye ffrench Lrs wee reced yesterday wee understand yt we are not like         
to have any more action in fflanders or Germany this Campaign ye                
weather necessitating ye armies to goe into winter qrters.  It seemes           
each strives to remaine ye longest in ye field.  The ffrench speake             
big of ye Rencounter between them & ye Germans on ye 7th instant new            
stile & will have it yt theire loss amounts to 8 or 900 men killed or           
wounded, but I have seen a Lre from a private hand in ye ffrench army           
wch says yt hee beleives there was as many killed on ye ffrench side            
as on the Impialists & yt it was ye fault of some troops yt engaged too         
farr yt Genll: Harrant &c was taken prisoner.                                   
     ffrom Tangier wee have acct of ye death of brave Capt Harman ye            
same yt soe signally behaved himselfe at Buggia when Sr Edward                  
Spragg burnt ye Algerines there & yt fought and sanke ye Dutch man of           
war of Cadiz in 1673/4   Hee was cruising wth ye Saphire ffrigatt               
off of Tangier & met wth a Turks man of war of 36 guns coming up wth him        
hee gave him a broad side  ye Turk answered it wth a volly of small shot        
and mortally wounded ye Capt killed his Master & wounded 10 or 12 men  at       
ye same time it blowing a very stiffe Gale ye Saphires maine mast was           
brought by ye Board wch gave ye Turk ye opportunity to escape  ye               
Saphire came into Tangier where ye Capt dyed.  Wee have this evening            
our Dutch Lrs of ffryday last a former Post being still wanting  ye             
only news it brings is yt ye King of Danemarke was returned wth a               
supply of men to Rugen wth C. Coningsmarke had there upon quitted &             
was come over to Straelsond Leaving only ye Heer Schom well guarded,            
there be reports ye City of Straelsond had shut theire gates agst C.            
Coningsmarke but noe great credit is to bee given to them.                      
+The Ltrs from Stetin are of ye 5/15  ye beseigers advanced but                 
slowly & began to bee very much hindred by ye ill weather, they spring          
mines dayly on both sides.  In fflanders they say ye Armies were going          
to sepate & in Alsace they would doe ye like before ye end of this month        
& ye D of Lorraine was prparing to goe to Vienna to consumate his               
marriage.  Noe action had passed in Alsace since ye 7th wch these Lrs           
make not any mention.                                                           
     L. c. 541     Whitehall 20 October 1677                                    
+Yesterday ye City of London invited theire Maties theire Royalle               
Highnesses ye 2 Princesses & ye P of Orange to honour theire feast on           
Monday come Sennight wth theire prsence.  Yesterday ye P of Orange              
went a fox hunting wth his Royall High:  The Swedish Envoy here has let         
mee see Lrs from Straelsond dat Sept. old stile wch sayes yt ye day             
before Count Coningsmarke had reced a Lre from Stetin wherein they              
tell him yt there continued a pfect good union between ye Burghers &            
ye Garrison yt they had obtained considerable advantages in theire              
sallies but yt they had lost a great many brave officers both horse &           
foot yt they had of late forborne to make any sallys to spare ye                
garrison wch was extreamly diminished yt they desired Count                     
Coningsmarke would let them know ye certainty as to ye Succours they are        
to expect from Livonia not but yt they hope (although it should not             
come) to defend ye place this winter but yt they would mannage theire           
men accordingly for if they were certaine of being releived they would          
make such sallyes as should very much ruine ye Elector of Brandenburgs          
Army.  otherwise they would spare theire men being resolved to defend ye        
place to ye last extremity  Wee have this Evening a Dutch post & by it          
Lrs from Alsace of ye 8/l8 instant when ye Armies continued in theire           
former qrters each striving to remaine ye longest in ye field.  Lrs             
from Stetin of ye same date say yt ye Lunenburgs had taken post on ye           
towne walls  ye Brandenbergs on theire side were descended into ye Ditch        
but ye Burghers continued in theire former obstinacy & ye ill weather           
very much incommoded ye Beseigers who hoped in few dayes to bee masters         
of ye Place.                                                                    
     L. c. 542     Strasburg 22th October 1677                                  
+The 19 instant very early in ye morning yer ffrench army decamped from         
Kocherberg & march towards Dochstein between wch place & Molshein               
they are now encamped.  Maior Genll Dunewaldt was sent after them wth           
1200 horse to fall upon theire Reare, but hee found noe opportunity to          
doe it & soe returned.  The M. de Crequi has sent a detachment of 4000          
men to hinder ye fortificacons ye Inpialists are makeing at Sarbrucke           
but it is thought Genll Rabata who is wth a body of men neare Pistch            
will bee able to prvent theire designes.  Yesterday was made an                 
exchange of sevrall prisoners but Genll Harrant & Coll ffeurlein                
remaine at Slechstadt.  The Sieur de Monclar has passed ye Rhyne wth            
10000 men at Brisac.  It is said yt Capt Gregoor had defeated a pty of          
400 horse  this afternoone orders were given for ye army to march to            
morrow, but wee know not whether.                                               
          Hamburg 26 October 1677                                               
+We have Lrs from ye Camp before Stetin of ye 22 instant wch tell us            
yt by reason of ye ill weather ye Beseigers had for sevrall dayes past          
advanced but little.  That on ye 19 ye beseiged made a sally in wch             
besides ye Soldiers of ye Garrison were 400 Burghers & seamen  They             
fell wth soe much fury upon ye beseigers yt they beat them out of theire        
workes, killed Coll Jegen who commanded in ye trenches wth between              
30 & 40 officers & above 150 common Soldiers & tooke 2 peices of Cannon         
wch they carried into ye towne wth them, they [sic] losse of theire side        
likewise was not inconsiderable.                                                
+There at night they made another sally but were forced to retire               
againe wth ye loss of sevrall men, some are of opinion yt this obstinate        
defense of ye beseiged may oblige ye Elector to raise ye Seige ffrom            
Rugen  wee are told yt ye Danes beseige ye ffeerschans wch is ye onely          
fort yt hinders them from being absolute masters of yt Isle.  The Lrs           
from Copen hagen assure us yt ye Swedes had againe formally beseiged            
Christianstadt.                                                                 
     L .c. 543     Whitehall 23 October 1677                                    
+This pap[er?] will phaps surprize you wth ye great & happy news of ye          
marriage between ye Lady Mary his Royall High: eldest daughter & ye             
Prince of Orange being declared yesterday morning  ye King having caused        
the Privy Councell to bee extraordinarily assembled declared to them            
yt hee had made a match between his Neice ye Lady Mary & ye Prince of           
Orange & yt hee intended it Should bee consummated forthwth; The Lds            
of ye Councell thereupon wth theire humble thanks congratulated his             
Matie upon what done being a thing in wch ye whole Nation would rejoyce.        
At 3 in ye afternoone ye privy Councell assembled againe & went in a            
body to St Jameses to complemt ye Lady Mary & afterwards did ye like wth        
ye P of Orange in his apartmt at Whitehall.  In ye evening ye Queen went        
to give ye young Lady a visitt to wish her joy &c  You will beleive yt          
ye rejoycing in London by ringing of bells Bonefires &c was great & soe         
I will not prtend to pticularize thereupon  This day ye Ld Mayor &              
Aldermen have been to make theire complemt to his Matie: to his Royall          
High: to ye Lady Mary & to ye P of Orange.                                      
+The last night ye P sent an Express to Holland to give ye States an            
acct, upon whose returne ye marriage will be consummated.  The Ambrs here       
from yt State having already in theire Masters names given his Matie &          
his Royall High theire thanks for ye honour of this alliance &c  After          
soe great a peice of news I will not entertain you wth any of soe small         
importance as is yt wee receive from abroad at this time.                       
     L. c. 544     Brussells 29 October 1677                                    
+His Excie has deferred breaking up ye Campaigne untill Sunday or Monday        
next, ye principall reason is yt ye Convoy wch came last to Namur               
cannot returne before Monday, In ye meane time sevrall detachmts of ye          
army are gone towards their winter qrtrs, Maior Genll Webben is gone            
wth a very considerable one towards Bassett, & will command ye troops,          
wch were posted this summer about Maestricht & wch are now dispsed into         
theire winter qrters Maior Genll Spaen being very sickly.  It seems after       
all ye paines taken by his Excie for setling ye winter qrters ye Munster        
troops prtend to bee soe far dissatisfied wth theire allotmt  they are          
resolved to repasse ye Meuse & ye Rhine & to goe & winter in Germany,           
wch his Excie is very much dissatisfied at his aime being to have all           
ye confederate troops to winter in those pts yt they might bee at hand          
to oppose ye french who will begin ye Campaigne very early.  I have             
seen a Lre dated at Passham in Hungary wch sayes yt they had advise yt          
6000 Poles (who its sd have been raised by ye ffrench Ambrs in Poland           
to assist ye Rebels) were marching towards ye ffrontiers & yt Genll Cobs        
was drawing together in a body of 8000 Poles to make head agst them in          
case they pass theire owne limmitts.                                            
               Hague 2 November                                                 
+ffrom Hamburg they write of ye 29 past yt they had Lrs of ye 25th from         
ye Camp before Stetin wch sd that yt day ye beseiged had made another           
Sally wth 3000 men; That ye Lunenburgs had on theire side taken a               
certaine Ravellin & yt few dayes would put an end to ye seige one way or        
another, yt is ye place would bee taken or else ye beseigers would bee          
forced to rise.  There is nothing new from Rugen save yt ye Danes               
beseige ye ffeersthaus.  The King of Danemarke was returned to                  
Copenhagen.  In Alsace ye Impiall Army is in good Earnest looking               
towards theire winter qrters.  A very good summe of money hath been             
comitted from Spaine to Amsterdam to bee employed for ye fitting out ye         
ships long since designed for Scicily, soe yt Equipage will now bee             
taken in hand wth all vigour.                                                   
+His Matie has resolved in Councell yt ye Parliamt bee adiourned from ye        
3d of December to ye 4th of Aprill next.                                        
      [Figures in another hand cover much of outside of letter.]                
     L. c. 545     Whitehall 30 October 1677                                    
+Wee have not anything from abroad since my last, soe that I have onely         
to tell you that theire Maiesties, his Royall Highnes, the Lady Mary, the       
Lady Anne & the Prince of Orange honoured the Lord Mayors shew yesterday        
with theire presence.  The Express which the Prince of Orange sent on           
Monday was sevennight is not yet returned, but expected every houre.            
     It is the discourse at Court that the marriage will bee privately          
consummated on Sunday next at St. Jameses.                                      
    [A few figures in another hand appear on outside of letter.]                
     L. c. 546     Whitehall 1 November 1677                                    
+By ye french Lrs wch came in yesterday wee recd [?] a considerable peice       
of News vidt yt foure french squadrons were ordered to march from               
fflanders to Peidmont to follow the orders of the Dutchesse Regent of           
Savoy who our former Lrs said was prvailed upon to enter into ye interests      
of ffrance & to make war upon ye Spaniards in Milan; If this bee soe            
Italy is going to bee involved in the war.  The ffrench like wise               
confirme ye news wee had before yt 6000 Poles were fallen into Hungary to       
ioyne ye Rebells wch they think will give the Empour worke enough on yt         
side; These are men raised privately by the french Ambr in Poland.              
+My Lord Carlisle will now in good earnest pt very suddenly for Jamaica.        
+The Serieants of Law having taken theire oaths ye first day of ye              
terme at ye Chancery hall did on ye 26 goe in theire formalities to             
Westmr & pform ye rites [?] of ye office being 13 in number.  Vidt Sr Wm        
Dolben Mr Holt Mr Rawlins Mr Gregory Mr Weston Sr Robert Baldock Mr             
Holloway Mr Strode Sr Jno Shaw Mr Raymond Sr Tho: Stringer Mr Street &          
Mr Sympson.                                                                     
    His Matie hath by Pclamacon given liberty for a farther adjournmt of        
his 2 houses of Parliamt from ye 3d of December to ye 4 of Aprill next.         
     They write from Hamburgh of ye 19 yt between ffryday & Saturday at         
night ye Brandenburghers took a Ravelin wthout ye loss of a man & had           
advanced theire approaches to ye walls & Pallisadoes of stetin soe yt by        
some deserters they were assured yt ye beseiged were now inclined to            
harken to termes in case ye Isle of Rugen were lost wch as then they            
would not beleive but flattered themselves yt ye Danes were beaten off          
againe & yt ye Lunenburghers were going to leave ye seige.                      
     The D of Lorraine still attends at Hochfeld ye mocon of M Crequi           
who is sd to bee indisposed by ye Gout till hee heares wt success Count         
Rabota will have in his attaque upon Petite Piere & then marches to take        
winter qrters bread being baking to goe under theire Convoy.                    
     Tis advised from Vienna Octob: 11/21 yt 7000 Poles were fallen into        
ye Country of Rugotzi & had burnt 7 villages theire designe being known         
to ioyne ye Rebells yt 600 of them & 200 Tartars had already ioyned             
Wesselim who wth 2000 Rebells stood wthin 3 leagues of Zutmar.  Genll           
Smith mett 100 Poles, cut off 60 & ye rest fled.  They were in great            
ptyes about Zendee & Ouod, The warr was like to bee most barbarous yt           
has been heard of  They on ye 9 tooke 11 German Horse & 2 Jesuites some         
of whome they empal[e]d: & sawed others in ye middle upon wch Genll Cobb        
had given orders to use them in ye same manner.                                 
     On ye 29 ye Queen R Highnes Princesse Mary & P of Orange were              
pleased to honour ye Day wth theire prsence at dinner in Guildhall & to         
gratify ye comon people did expose themselves to theire great                   
satisfaccon in a Balcony at Cheapside whilest ye Ld Mayor &c past by in         
in theire splendor                                                              
     The last acct of ye Bp of Canterburys condition is yt after ye             
strangury had left him he was againe taken wth a feaver though but              
little & wch quickly past off.                                                  
     Yesterday ye 2 Regimts of Guards of foot ye 3 troops of his Matyes         
guards of horse & ye Earle of Oxfords Troope were drawne into Hyde              
Parke while ye P of Orange had ye view of theire Exercise.                      
     Tis advised from Cadiz Octob: 8 yt Capt Story in ye Portsmouth             
pursued wth a Levant wind ye Streight of Gibralter ye Golden Rose of            
Algier of 36 guns 265 men Capt Hans Raize a Dutch Renagado commander            
ye Algier man to escape ye Portsmouth made out of ye streights before           
ye wind but ye Portsmouth following wth her guns gave such [seal tear           
removes about seven letters] ye ffrigotts under Sr Jno Narborrough in           
Tangier yt they slipt theire Cables & gave her severall broad sides as          
shee was making her escape, & ye James a Gally shooting downe some of her       
masts she was taken though Capt Canning was lost in ye encounter                
     The french Lrs date Nov 6 speakes of theire Ppatons for war agst ye        
next Campaigne & ye Ponds they are laying for money to defray it.  They         
say from fflanders yt both Armies are disposed into winter qrters &             
those townes of wch ye Spaniards had any iealousie might bee attacked           
are well garrisoned wth Dutch foot.                                             
     ffrom Marshall Crequi they mention nothing of farther removeall nor        
anything yet undertaken in ye Attaque of Sarbrucke though they dayly            
expect to heare of it.                                                          
     Tis writt from Vienna yt ye Marquis de Grana in ye acct he gave to         
ye Empr of ye condition of ye Army & had told him yt since ye beginning         
of ye Campaigne they were lessened 15000 men wch it was sd might encline        
them to an Accommodacon.                                                        
+The P of Orange was treated most magnificently by ye Spanish Ambr yt           
being ye King of Spains birth day and yesterday by ye Duke of Monmouth.         
     To morrow a great Ball will be at Court.                                   
+Monsr de Barillon ye ffrench Ambar who has been here for some time is          
now making preparation for his publick entry wch will bee made in few           
dayes.                                                                          
  [A (very) few figures in another hand appear on outside of letter.]           
     L. c. 547     Whitehall     3 November 1677                                
+On wednesday was held a Genll muster in Hide Parke of all ye Guards both       
horse & foot in ye prsence of ye King his R. Highnes & ye P of Orange           
after wch they were treated at a very noble dinner by ye D of Monmouth.         
+ffrom Algiers wee have an acct yt those people had heard of Sr Jno             
Narborroughs being come into ye Streights & of his having taken 2 of            
theire men of warr wch had put them into great consternation, yt they had       
sent to Sr Jno Narborrough to desire him to come to Algiers & yt they           
would give him all ye satisfaccon hee could expect from them.                   
+The Genll discourse at Court is yt ye marriage between ye Lady & ye P          
of Orange will bee consummated to morrow being his High: birthday, but yt       
it will bee privately at St Jameses.                                            
+here has been a fire at Plymouth but noe great harme done.                     
+Coll: Whitley having resigned his place of Deputy Postmaster under Ld          
Arlington ye same is given to one Mr ffroad.                                    
+Wee have this afternoon 2 posts from Holland  the freshest is of               
Tuesday last.  They tell us yt that Country was filled wth a Genll ioy          
at ye news brought on Sunday last to ye Hague (by an Express) of ye P           
of Oranges marriage wth ye Lady Mary, That the States Genll had there           
upon assembled in ye afternoone & ordered a Lre of Congratulacon &              
approbation to bee written to ye P of Orange & yt theire Ambars in              
England bee directed to make theire humble thanks & Complemts to his            
Matie: for ye honour of this Alliance  The States of Holland were to bee        
assembled as on Thirsday & would wth out doubt give great testimonies           
of ye satisfaccon they have in this Marriage.                                   
+The States Genll had in ye meane time given orders for examining               
ye Records to see wt was done in ye case of ye Princess Royall, yt soe          
they may not now fall short but rather exceed wt was then done.                 
+stetin seems to bee on its last leggs, ye last Lrs from them are of ye         
13/23 past.  The beseiged had made other Sallys, but ye beseigers had           
made themselves Masters of pt of ye Bastion, & are lodged in sevrall            
places on ye towne walls, & besides ye Garrison is very much weakened &         
begin to bee out of heart.                                                      
+The Danes had not yet taken ye ffeersshans in Rugen  The Lrs from              
Strasburg are of ye 7 Nov & then ye D of Lorraine was prparing to repasse       
ye Rhine.  The Squadron fitted at Amsterdam for Scicily will bee ready to       
saile before ye end of this Month comanded by Evertson.                         
     L. c. 548     [Handwriting changes here.]     Nov 8 1677                   
+The happy worke of the lady Maries Marriage is Now Compleated for on           
sonday about 9 [?] at night shee was married to the prince of orange            
privately In her Bedchamber by the Bishop of London in the Prsence of           
the King their Royall highs and some Lds and ladys of the Chiefest              
quality.  The Next morning his High: presented her with a Necklace and          
a very Rich Jewell vallued at Between 20 and 30000 L sterling                   
     The Expresse which the prince sent to holland Returned on sonday           
Evening and the account he Brought (besides the letters he Prsented             
to his high from the states) was Confirmed by the ordinary letters              
which arrived yesterday vizt  That on thursday the states of holland            
assembled on the occasion of the Marriage and with greate demonstrations        
of satisfaction and Contentment passed a Resolution In approbation of it,       
which was made knowne to the States generall about noon and had their           
concurrance who likewise ordered a present of 50 L sterling should be           
made to the Capt of the yatcht that Brought over the Expresse, That his         
high: and the princesse should be Received with the same honours and            
Respects (or rather greater) as was the princesse Royall, That a generall       
day of Rejoycing should be appointed throughout all the provinces, that         
their Ambr In London should prforme the Complemt and Congratulation of          
the state to his Maty and his Royall high: with their humble thanks for         
the honour and advantage the state Received by the alliance.                    
     The letters from stetin and of the 6 Nov New stile  They say that          
on the 4 the Brandenburgers sprunge a Myne In order to the makeing              
themselves masters of the whole Bastion Before the holy ghost gate on           
the face of which they are already Lodged, But the mine did Not the             
Execution Expected and Besides the Beseiged stood Ready to Receive them         
Soe that the Beseigeers made not the attempt designed                           
     They say the Burghers have A new Bonnd themselves to defend the            
place to the utmost                                                             
     In Rugen the danes were Not able to make themselves masters of the         
feerfrans by Reason of the Ill weather                                          
     ffrom strasburg of the 4 they tell us that the Imperiall army was          
marching towards wormes to goe Into winter quarters                             
     ffrom france wee have the Confirmation that 9000 foot and 2000             
horse are Marching towards Savoy who with the assistance of that                
dutchesse are to Carry the warr Into milan                                      
     wee have an account of a greate Miscarriage Committed by the               
spaniards In scicily, vizt That the viceroy haveing Mannaged a                  
Correspondance with some of the Principle persons at messina he so farr         
succeeded that it was agreed the place should be delivered up to                
the spaniards while the french forces were lately abroad with a design          
upon Catania  That Just as the spanish gallies were Ready to saile from         
palermo, the Marquesse de Bayonne generall of the gallies arrives there         
from naples, demands of the viceroy whither the gallies were going, the         
viceroy acquaints him with what is In hand, Bayonne sayes he will command       
them In person, The viceroy thinks it Not Convenient, But Rather that           
the person who had all along mannaged the Correspondance and was Knowne         
to and Confided In by those Messineses should be left to finish the             
worke, Bayonne Commands the gallies Not to stirr without him, In the            
Contest 4 or 5 dayes are lost and the french Returne to messina sooner          
then was Exspected, get light into the Plott and apprehend and Execute          
the authors of it                                                               
     If this be true the Spaniards have lost an occasion they will Not          
have Easely offered them againe                                                 
     L. c. 549     Nov l0 1677                                                  
 whitehall 8 nov 1677                                                           
+The ffrench have Notwithstanding the season taken the advantage of the         
greate distance of the Imperall army (which is marched downe towards            
Spire and wormes to goe Into its winter quarters) to Beseige friburg            
In brisgow which is the patrimony of the Emperor and of that Importance         
as that it is the only fortified place In that Countrey and if the french       
take it, it will let them Into that side of germany and for the prsent          
furnish them winter quarters on that side the Rhine, The ffrench                
perswade themselves this seige will be only a worke of 10 or 12 dayes In        
which time it will be hardly posible for the duke of Lorraine to Come           
to its Releife                                                                  
     In flanders the danes are actually In winter quarters                      
     What the dispute betwen the Munsterians & the hollanders upon the          
formers pretending to winter In the diocesse of Leige will Come to wee          
as yet Know not, only this much that the hollanders are Resolved to             
Resist them by force In Case they will not by faire meanes be perswaded         
to give over their pretensions,                                                 
     There passes no greate matter of moment at the treaty at nimeghen          
but the Expectation is that when the prince of orange Returnes from             
England the Negotiation of a peace will be begun In good Earnest, In the        
meane time there is some little Contest Upon the Imperall Ambrs                 
Refuseing to admitt the Minister of the Bp of straasburg to the treaty          
for which Reason the ffrench will Not take notice of the minister of the        
duke of Lorraine to treate with till they have satisfaction In the Case         
of their allye the sd Bishop                                                    
     The prince of orange will be Returneing for holland prsently after         
the queens birth day which is the 15th Instant                                  
     his Maty is extreamly pleased with the Complimt and Congratulation         
of the states generall (on the occasion of the Marriage) performed by           
their Ambrs here on tuesday night last which was Exprest In tearmes so          
full of joy and Respect that nothing more could be desired of them              
     last night between 9 and 10 of the Clocke her Royall highness was          
happily brought to bed of a yonge prince the greate joy of all people           
This evening the yonge prince was Christened by the Bp of durham by the         
name of Charles; The King and prince of orang being godfathers and Lady         
ann godmother                                                                   
     on the 2d at night the Ld Ambr Mountague arrived from france for           
some time on his owne private occasions.                                        
     sr John Elmes is made one of the governors of his Matys Revenue of         
Excise and Sr ffran Lawley Comr of the Customs In place of mr Upton             
     on the 17th Sr Robt howards buisnesse was heard In Councill and was        
to be heard farther on the 9th                                                  
     L. c. 550    Nov 12 1677                                                   
 whitehall 10 Nov 1677                                                          
+last night died the archbishop of Canterbury dr sheldon at his house at        
Croydon, I doe Not heare his successor is yet declared                          
     wee are told that the prince of orange purposes to part hence on           
friday next and that accordingly all things are preparing,                      
     The dutch Ambr (when he made his Complement to the King on the             
Marriage on tuesday last) prsented a letter to his Maty from the states         
generall In the most obleidging and Respectfull tearmes Immaginable             
     yesterday his Royall highnesse Received the Complements of all the         
forreign Ministers Upon the birth of the prince Charles duke of Cambridg.       
     all our forreigne letters are wanting                                      
       [A few figures in another hand appear at end of letter.]                 
     L.c. 551     Nov 15 1677                                                   
+wee doe Not yet Know who will succeed In the archbishoprick of                 
Canterbury which has Been Vacant since friday last                              
     The lady Ann his Royall High: second daughter has been ill since           
wednesday it Being turned Into the small pox which Begun to appeare             
on satureday                                                                    
     what Newes the dutch & ffrench letters which Came In on sunday             
Brought you will see In the print of which the most Remarkeable is that         
stetin holds out still & may yet some time though the Beseigers talke           
of makeing a generall assault  This is certain that they must Either            
take the towne or Raise the seige In a short time                               
     yesterday arrived the flanders letters of this day seavenight              
which give an account That a Conference had been had at Antwerp                 
Between the duke de villa hermosa the Marquese de los bulbares the              
Marquesse de fuentes designed Ambr for England and de Emannuell de lyra         
the spanish minister at the hague of which wee Know Not the Effect  That        
on tuesday (the same day these letters Came away) The duke de Montalto          
generall of the spanish horse & Count Egmont Arrived at Antwerp from            
Brussells and Count waldecke from malines  That they and the other              
generall officers had held a Councill of warr upon the Newes they Recd          
that the ffrench assembled a Body of 15000 men Neere Aoth with designe          
as was Belived to attacke hall which is about 2 leagues from Brussells or       
at least by this their assembling to keep the spanish and dutch troops          
In Continuall motion & to weary them, In short orders were given that           
all the troops as well dutch and spanish that were quartered In the parts       
thereabouts should hold themselves Ready to march upon the 1st Command          
and accordingly Count waldecke was Returned to Malines to give the              
necesary orders there to that purpose, They had not as yet any account          
of the seige of friburg so that wee cannot tell what Resolutions the            
duke of Lorraine will take when he shall heare thereof though In all            
appearance he will Not be able to Relieve it and wee are Indeed apt to          
Believe he will Not attempt it for that will spoile the designe he has          
to take his winter quarters on this side the Rhine & Besides the place          
is Not of so greate Importance for it is but small and the                      
fortifications the Imperiallists are makeing there are Not quite                
finished and whoever has it, Notwithstanding the Country of Brisgow lyes        
open to Brisac                                                                  
     wee have this afternoon our flanders letters of friday last  they          
tell us the french make greate preparations for the attacking st ghislin        
so soon as the weather permitts and at the same time Continue their             
designe Upon hall, That they were Much surprized at the Newes of                
friburgs Being Beseiged which was so soon that the government had Not           
time to Call In the Countrey people  That the garrison Consisted In 2500        
foot & 400 horse  The duke of Lorraine was Resolved to march to its             
Reliefe (which he might doe through a Ruined and desolate Country) if           
he Could have Reason to hope he Could Come time Enough and In the meane         
time he had sent 5 Regements Under the Command of Major generall                
schultz  Before [Letter ends here.]                                             
     L. c. 552    Nov 17 1677                                                   
      whitehall 15 Nov: 1677                                                    
+This day Being the queens Birth day the Court appeares In its splendor         
and in the Evening will be entertained with a Ball and to morrow the            
prince and princesse of orange part for holland who will Embarke at             
greenwich where 6 yatchts attend them with severall men of warr lower           
downe In the River                                                              
     This day the archbishop of Canterbury is buried at Croydon  its            
thought that on sonday his successor will be declared                           
     The letters wee Received from holland Confirme most people In the          
oppinion that the Elector of Brandenburgh will after all be forced to           
Raise the seige of stetin the weather Beginning to grow Intolerable and         
his forces Being Extreamly weakened as well as wearied with the greate          
dificulties they meet with  The danes have Not Better successe In the           
Isle of Rugen against the fehr schans                                           
      wee have this Evening the french letters dated on satureday               
morning which say that the newes at paris was that a Courier arrived            
some hours Before with the newes that friburg was taken                         
     by a letter dat octobr 10 from algeir from george bowes master             
of the arke of biddiford its advised that on the 20 sept last In his            
Returne from Cadiz he with other English vessells were taken by the             
turks and Carried to algeir and that the men were Kept prisoners In             
a Tranyard [?]                                                                  
+They write from malaga date october 26 that sr John Narborrow was              
dayly Exspected with his whole fleet In his passage to algeir the wind          
Being then faivourable for that purpose                                         
     his Maty has taken perticular Care for the supply of the princesse         
of orange her Chappell haveing appointed the learned and pious Dr loyd          
deane of Bangor and another to attend her highness for 3 months In which        
time he is to settle that affaire and another to be sent assistant              
     on Monday Next the french Ambr makes his publicke Entry                    
     L. c. 553     Nov 19 1677                                                  
+Though In my last I told you that the ffrench letters said they had            
advice that friburg was taken yet Being wee have Not the Certainty &            
if it be true it may be only the towne & the Castle holds out still  I          
will tell you the progresse of the seige till the date of the ordinary          
letters thence of the 4/14 Instant                                              
     That the 9 the sieur Monclar Invested the place & on the 10th M:           
Crequi arrived there & haveing given orders for the disposeing the              
severall quarters he Caused the trenches to be opened  that night 2             
batteries were Raised which the Next day made a Breach 18 yds wide  the         
same day the Beseigers attacked & posessed themselves of 2 Redoubts, the        
12 the M: Crequi Caused the sieur schultz governor of the place to be           
summoned who answered that haveing learnt his trade among the french            
troops he would defend to the last, The 13 they passed the ditch &              
the 14 posessed themselves of another outworke after a sharp dispute, of        
the french abt 200 have Been Killed & wounded among which are the               
marquesse de la ferte Brigadier the Marquesse de freshliere, one lieut of       
the guards and 8 or 10 other officers of foot wounded, The Count de             
bushly Lieut generall of the artilery the Lieut generall of the Regemt of       
picardy the Lieut Coll of the Regement of normandy & Lieut Coll of              
picardy with about 12 or 13 other officers killed                               
     on thursday Being the queens birth Night there was a Ball at Court         
and the Next morning Early the prince & princesse of orange Intended to         
Embark at greenwich but were hindered by Contrary winds & ill weather           
but so soon as its faivourable they will be gone                                
     by a dutch post just now arrived wee have letters from straasburg          
of the l5 which say friburg defended it selfe well that the french had          
posessed themselves of a hill which very much Incommoded the Beseiged,          
that on the 13 the duke of Lorraine (who is Resolved to put all at              
stake to Relieve friburg) arrived at offenburg with a body of 15 or             
16000 men & from thence Next morning marched with all dilligence                
towards friburg, They had newes there that the Marquess de Baden who            
had the van with 4 Regemts was arrived Neere friburg and that Count             
Manssolt had with 1500 men fought theire way Into the towne though              
with the losse of neere 200 men  The duke of lorraine purposed to face          
the Enemie on the 16  That In the meane time they understood the                
ffrench pressed the place with all posible vigor, that their Cannon had         
done greate Execution & that they had lost one Coll 3 Lieut Coll & 16           
Capt                                                                            
     The letters from stetin are of the 15  they say the beseigers had          
made themselves masters of a whole Bastion & thereupon the Beseiged had         
desired a Cessation of armes which the Elector would Not grant                  
     The Munster troops have by force attempted to make themselves              
masters of the towne of liege but it Succeeded Not                              
     I have only time to tell you that just now arrived the ffrench             
letters & give us the Certainty of the takeing of friburg                       
     L. c. 554    [Handwriting changes here.]                                   
      Att the Court att Whitehall / the 21th of November [1677]                 
          By the Kings most Excellent Majtye and the Lords                      
          of his Majtyes most Honoble Privy Councelle                           
+The humble Peticon of George Dashwood Esqr and Partners Managers of            
his Majties Revenue of Excise being this day read at ye Board,                  
Complaining that Mathew Blackford Jno Woolmer and Thomas Taylor                 
Justices of the Peace of the Burrough of Stratford in the County of             
Warwicke 6 nov. hearing of severall informacons exhibitted agt severall         
Alehouse keepers of the same Burrough for Non Entry of their respective         
duties of Excise, did not onely Demeane themselves partially, revileing         
the Wittneses produced on his Majties behalfe, and interrupting them            
in giveing their Evidence, but have in favour of the said Defaulters,           
passed illegal Judgments, contrary to the possitive Evidence of the             
Witnesses in behalfe of his Majtye and the Expresse Directions of the           
order of this Board of the 23d of Aprill 1669: wich if permitted will be        
of most distructive & pernicious consequence to this Branch of his              
Majties Revenue, the Judgmt of the Justices of the Peace being finall:          
And therefore praying some remedy may be applyed for the prevention of          
soe growing a mischeife, It was thereupon ordered by his Majtye in              
Councell That the said Mathew Blackford Jno Woolmer and Thomas Taylor,          
and every of them Bd & they are hereby required personally to attend            
this Board on Friday the 7th of Decembr next to answerre the aforesaid          
Complaint, And that they come prepared to give an Account of the grounds        
and reasons upon which they proceeded to give Judgmt.  And it was               
further ordered that some of the Petico[n]rs doe then likewise attend           
with the Evidence in the Case aforesaid in bahalfe of his Majtye.               
                                       Jno Nicholas                             
     L. c. 555     [Handwriting changes here.]      Nov 22 1677                 
   whitehall 20 Nov 1677                                                        
+yesterday morning about 9 a Clocke the prince and princesse of orange          
parted from hence In order to their Embarkeing on the yatchs which              
attended them about gravesend whither his Maty and his Royall Hi:               
accompanied them but the wind is so Contrary that they are Not able             
to get out of the River                                                         
     The dutch letters of friday last are arrived  they speake of the           
greate surprize they were In at the surrender of friburg, the garrison          
marched out the 16 Instant with their baggage armes Colors flying &c            
They tell us very few perticulers of the seige only say that the                
french haveing with the losse of about 100 men posessed themselves of           
a Certain hill which Commands the Castle the beseiged prsently after            
Capitulated and that the garrison which Consisted In about 1500 foot            
and 400 horse marched to Rhinifelden, the ffrench have put 4000 foot            
into the Towne & Castle  The duke of Lorraine (who was advanced as far          
as Ettenhein) upon this was Returned Backe to straasburg In the                 
neibourhood whereof he would make some stay with his troops to Cover            
offenburg and other places on that side which lye now very much opposed         
to the french & for the same Reason he would be forced to Change the            
winter quarters which has been Resolved on for his troops                       
     The advices from stetin are of the 19 by which wee understand              
that the Beseigers had not made any progresse since our former letters          
& that the Beseiged abated nothing of their Courrage & Resolution, and          
there is a letter from hamburg which sayes that on the 19 the Beseigers         
sprunge a myne and followed it with an attacke In which they were               
Repulsed with the losse of 80 men                                               
     In the Isle of Rugen the sweds seem Resolved to follow the Example         
of the stetiners In the defense of the fehr schans                              
     Nothing is more Certain than that the warr will be Carried (and            
that very suddenly) Into Milan by the french and Savoyards                      
     and on the other hand it is advised that the Rebells of hungary            
begin to grow very heady so that the Imperiallists are Not able to meet         
them In the feild                                                               
     The Archbishop of Canterbury is Not yet declared                           
     L. c. 556     Nov 24 1677                                                  
  whitehall 22 Nov 1677                                                         
+from the streights wee have an account that the algerins have taken            
some of our Newfoundland men, 4 men of warr will saile In 8 or 10 dayes         
Comanded by Capt herbett to Reinforce sr John Narborrough that he may           
Carry on the warr the more vigourously against the turks                        
     The french perswade themselves affaires goe very ill for the               
Imperiallists In hungary and have an account from the french officers           
that Comanded the polish In the late action that the Imperiallists lost         
3000 men with all their Canon & baggage & have printed a perticuler             
Relation of it at paris                                                         
     The Imperiallists are Not able to dissemble the Concerne they are          
In for the losse of friburg Not only for the Importance it is In of it          
selfe but also for the Consequence it may have it haveing forced the            
duke of Lorraine to alter the scheame of winter quarters that had Been          
agreed on for his troops for now he must keep a body towards offenburg          
to secure those parts, But besides it seems to facilitate the                   
Communication betweeen them and the Elector of Bavaria                          
     Though stetin makes a stout defense beyond all Exspectation yet its        
thought it will be taken though the weather helps them Every day more           
and more  Those poore people might have some hopes if wee saw the sweds         
to make any step towards their Reliefe, But the army In Livonia of which        
they have so much talked does not yet stirr.                                    
     This morning arrived one for fresh provisions for the prince of            
orange whome he left at anchor neer shernesse                                   
     his Maty findeing the Benefitt of gallies for his service In the           
streights hath given order for the Building 2 more                              
     from Rochester & portesmouth wee have an account of the Cheerfull          
Carrying on the Building of the new ships the yards haveing Incouragemt         
by good payments.                                                               
           [Handwriting changes for just this paragraph:]                       
+The Bishop preaches here to morrow, I think in ye forenoon  he is              
already in ye towne                                                             
     L.c. 557     Nov 26 1677                                                   
   whitehall 24 Nov 1677                                                        
+last night wee had our dutch lettere of tuesday last  they tell us that        
the french pursued their advantages In Brisgow, Not only by takeing             
Markirke where they found a greate quantyty of forrage & provisions,            
But have likewise Beseiged the Castle of hoogberg the usuall Residence          
of the Marquess de Baden Dourlach after the takeing of which they will          
be masters of brisgow and will be able to Extend their Contributions            
very farr Into germany while In the meane time wee cannot Certainly             
heare where the duke of Lorraine is  only this appeares plainly that            
he is Not In a Condition to make head against them Most of his troops           
Being seperated and gone Into their winter quarters before they had the         
newes of the seige of friburg  This successe of the french In those parts       
putts basill and Rhinifelden In greate feare                                    
     our letters from stetin are of the 12/22  Nothing of moment has            
passed since our former, the Beseiged had made a sally but without any          
greate Effect and on the other Side the Beseiged had not made any               
progresse                                                                       
     This last weeke a goldsmith (who at the Commotions that hapned at          
the hague In 1672 was a principle actor and one who had his hand the            
deepest In the blood of the de witts against whome he was so Implacable         
that he Kept their hearts a long time & showed them as a Curiosity to           
them that Came to him[)] haveing been apprehended at leyden for some            
misdemeanors Committed by him, and sentenced to be publickly whipt and          
then to be put Into their bridewell or workeing house dureing his life,         
had the same sentence accordingly Executed upon him with much severity          
and In the Concourse of thousands of people who were pleased Extreamly          
to see this Infamy & Chastisemennt fall on a man who had Been guilty of         
so much villany In the murther of the de witts and it seems his Judges          
Considdered more his former Crimes then those he stood Before them for          
for those would hardly deserve so much severity                                 
     his Maty haveing on thursday In the Evening sent downe a gentleman         
to Invite the prince of orange to Returne hither with the princesse till        
the weather is more favourable, he Returned hither In the Evening haveing       
left their highs about 12 a Clocke that day 2 miles from Canterbury             
whither they were going, and where they purposed to Continue till the           
weather would permitt them to pursue their voyage                               
     L. c. 558     Nov 28 1677                                                  
  ffrom the Campe Before stetin 16/26 Nov                                       
+This Morning his Electorall High: Intended to spring the greate mine           
over the Ravelin between the holy ghost gate & the New gate but                 
perceiveing the Enemy had abandoned the Ravelin wee tooke posession             
thereof Withoute springeing the mine, New batteries are makeing upon the        
sd Ravelin & the green bulwerke to Ruine the Enemies Retrenchmts                
     The Dantish Regemt of Major generall densdoff is arrived In the            
Campe from Rugen & wee hourely Exspect the Rest from Coppenhagen                
+postscript; Just Now wee have taken one of the Enemies outguards  by a         
deserter wee are told that the principall of the towne were willing to          
surrender upon good Conditions But that the Comon people Continued most         
obstinate & declared they would defend the place to the last & Rather           
drowne themselves in the River oder then surrender the towne                    
     Straasburg 16 Nov 1677                                                     
+what was said, In our last of the french haveing Beseiged hoogberg             
proves a mistake  they have Razed the walls of walkirken & have sent            
8 battalions Into friberg, The duke of Lorraine is Encamped Between             
Elsach & walkerken & has Comanded the Regemts that were appointed to            
winter about the saar to Repaire to him                                         
+The french appeare Intended to beseige Saarbruke But the Imperiallists         
are quitting it.                                                                
     The M: Crequi is laying a bridg over the Rhine Neere basill                
          Whitehall 27 Nov                                                      
+The prince of orange Being gone with the princesse to Canterbury on            
satureday the Earle of ossory & yesterday the duke of monmoth & E of            
sunderland went downe to Canterbury to visitt the prince of orange              
who its Believed is there still                                                 
     This afternoon Mounsr Barillon the ffrench Ambr made his publicke          
Entry with the usuall Ceremony                                                  
     L. c. 559     Dec 1 1677                                                   
   whitehall 29 Nov 1677                                                        
+on tuesday night the Earle of ossory Returned hither & gave the King an        
account that the Day Before the prince of orange being In greate                
Impatience to see himselfe thus detained by the weather parted from             
Canterbury to margatt the wind Being more faivourable then Before and           
there he Embarked with the princesse on the Mountague Comanded by Sr Jo:        
holmes and on monday about 4 In the afternoon went to sea, But the wind         
Changeing againe the Mountague was forced to Returne to margatt from            
whence they put to sea againe yesterday, the yatchts Being Come up with         
him                                                                             
     The french letters yesterday brought an account that the ffrench have      
Beseiged st ghislain and they were prepareing to doe the like to Ipre           
     letters from a good hand at hamburg assure us that the brandenburg         
army was In a very ill Condition & that it was the generall oppinion            
they would be forced to Raise the seige                                         
     wee have this afternoon our french and flanders letters, They say          
that yesterday was seveanight st ghislain was Beseiged Being Invested           
the day Before, The M. Humieres Commanded, there & that they pretended          
to be masters of the place by sunday, after which it was thought they           
would Beseige mons In order where unto the ffrench troops are Marching          
from their severall quarters & would forme an army of 40000 men                 
     on the other side there is Not any signe of attempting the Reliefe         
of the place for that their troops Cannot March In this season unlesse          
there were the same provisions made for them as is for the french troops        
and if they moved they were Not strong Enough                                   
     There are Between 12 and 15000 men In st ghislain but want                 
provisions, Ipres is blockt up & the governor of Maastricht has                 
Beseiged the Castle of Bremont                                                  
     In Brisgaw the M: Crequi was going to seperate his troops to put           
them Into winter quarters                                                       
     The Rebells In hungary Begin to grow so Considderable that its             
thought they will be able to give the french a greate diversion on that         
side this next Campaigne & some apprehend that the turks seing them             
so Considerable may be tempted to joyne with them                               
     The affaires of the french In scicily have not advanced of late  The       
soldiers dye there In greate Numbers Insomuch that they have Not 6000 men       
In all that Island of which if the spaniards Knew how to take the advantage     
they might perhaps quickly turne the french out of that Kingdome                
     on the 24 the Comrs and paymasters made an end of paying the 6             
months pay to his Matys yard at portesmouth                                     
      The lady ffran Villars governesse of his Royall High: Children            
being dead on sunday, the lady henrietta hyde wife to the Ld Ambr hath          
that office Confirmed on her                                                    
+upon the death of Sr Jo: temple Master of the Rolles In Ireland that           
office is graunted to Sr wm temple his Matys Ambr for holland                   
[Handwriting changes for next two paragraphs; the second occurs at the          
bottom of the second recto as a note:]                                          
+The Earle of Pembroke has in a Duell run a gentleman thro (one Vaughan)        
but he not being dead (tho presumd mortally wounded) his Lopp has yet           
his liberty upon Bayle                                                          
+Capt Lloyd advises me that Mr Palmer is dash't out of ye Rolle of              
Justices by ye Kings Imediate hand.  ye reason I presume I need not             
tell your Worp                                                                  
     L. c. 560    [Handwriting changes here.]    Whitehall Decembr 3 1677       
+The Lettrs wee receaved til day from Holland bring not any thing               
Considerable more then that the beseigers at Stetin are very much               
incomoded by this ill weather, that the beseiged had made so many               
workes & retrenchments within the Towne, & filled up a great many               
houses with earth for their better defence, that that seige was like            
to prove yet a worke of time & difficultie.                                     
     The ffrench Lettrs tell us, that at St Guislain the beseigers had          
taken a certaine redoubt, wch lyes att a Small distance from towne; by          
that they hoped to bee masters of it in few dayes                               
     L. c. 56l     [Handwriting changes here.]     dec 6 1677                   
    whitehall 4 dec 1677                                                        
+yesterday morning the parliament pursuant to their last adjournment            
Met, when mr secretary Coventry brought a Message from the King In              
writeing to the house of Commons wherein his Maty told them that for            
severall weighty & Important Reasons he had thought fit to shorten the          
adjournment appointed  by his late proclamation and to Require them to          
adjourne to the 15 January Next which they did accordingly, as did              
likewise the Lords who had the same Message Brought to them                     
    You will partly see In the Newes booke what the flanders letters            
which arrived on sunday brought                                                 
     what is not made publicke you will find under the following dates          
     Naples 16 Nov 1677                                                         
+wee are at present very quiet the french Not giveing of late the least         
disturbance to this Kingdome Nor seem they much Inclined for action             
In scicily being very suspitious of the messineses who are often                
conspiring against them there being Certainly a great antipathy                 
between them                                                                    
     hamburg 23 Nov [and] 3 Dec 1677                                            
+The danes have left the fehr schans In Rugen and have posted                   
themselves all along the River for feare of being surprized by the              
sweds, wee are told that the Beseiged In stetin Not only defended               
themselves but were also Resolved to Exspect a generall assault                 
wherewith they had been so long threatened & which they Now Exspected           
would be made since the brandenburgers had Received a Reinforcement             
of 2000 danes                                                                   
     brussells 7 dec                                                            
+his Excy accompanied with all the Nobility posts heare to morrow to            
the army of which he has the sole Command & which Consists In 33 dutch          
Regements of foot 60 squadrons of horse & 7 of dragoons; and the                
osnaburgs In 14 squadrons of horse 3 of dragoons and 4 Battalions, and          
Count waldecke has positive orders to obey his Excy In all things &             
Even to hazzard a Battle for the Reliefe of St Ghislain which is much           
straitened   But if they shall Either Come to late or be unable to              
Relieve it They will at least be able to Reinforce the garrison of mons         
& provide it with Necesaries, In the meane time wee stand In greate Need        
of generall officers; of foot there is None but Count waldecke & lieut          
generall alba & Not above 6 Colls; and of horse none but Count Nassau           
     our spanish letters bring Nothing Considderable but a Remission of         
100000 Crownes & a Resolution taken by that Crowne to goe on with the           
warr                                                                            
     wee are told from Vienna that the Emperor is Concerned for the             
losse of friburg and the more for that it was taken on his birth day            
which is lookt upon as ominous & that the Emperor had there upon                
ordered a generall fast to be Kept throughout all his dominions                 
     L. c. 562    dec 8 1677                                                    
   whitehall 6 dec 1677                                                         
+mr Mountague his Matys Ambr In france haveing Been here some time              
Returned forthwith & wee are told he will part to morrow                        
     by the ffrench posts which Came In yesterday wee had letters from          
Calais which said that st ghislain was taken, The Capitulation was made         
on satureday  The farther perticulars as likewise how farr the allies           
were advanced In order to the Reliefe of it wee must Exspect by our             
flanders letters of tuesday Next, which will Not Come In till to morrow         
or Next day                                                                     
     our flanders letters of friday last are still wanting                      
     st ghislain wanted both men and provisions otherwise might have            
held out longer                                                                 
     The french are said to have Invested mons                                  
     on the 2d arrived In the downes about 100 sayle from burdeaux of           
which the greater part went Eastward                                            
     The paris letters tell us the King has set forth another Severe            
placaert forbidding the Exportation of wheate Rye or any other sort of          
Corne designing to maintain his plenty at home & to supply his army &           
its Believed he will goe himselfe In person Into the field In January           
or the Beginning of february                                                    
     L. c. 563    dec 10 1677                                                   
 Brussells 10 dec 1677                                                          
+his Excy parted hence on wednesday morning to the generall Rendevouz           
Neare hall and Encamped that night with the army Between limbeck &              
tubies [?], yesterday he Encamped Between Brain le Conte & Soignes              
Intending to divert his march towards mons In order to the Raising the          
siege of st ghislain and the Reinforcing of mons Being assured that the         
Enemies Next attempt will be upon that place                                    
     Yesterday morning Count Nassau passed through this Citty with some         
Regements of horse which were quartered on the other side of Brabant            
he Intending to joyne the Reare of the army as last night, his Excy In          
the meane time has sent positive orders to the governor of st ghislain          
Not to surrender the place promiseing to Relieve him Either as to morrow        
or on sonday and In order thereunto his Excy Intended to decampe this           
Morning                                                                         
     wee have No just account of the Enemies strength but are apt to            
Believe they are Not above 20000  But according to the severall advices         
of the troops which have Been drawne out of the french garisons they            
must be much stronger, The 4 Instant Mounsr de Lonvoy passed through            
douay & tooke with him the whole garison of that place to the seige             
of st ghislain  wee are told by letters from mons that the Cannon have          
Not playd since yesterday morning & that their greate Redoubt is                
Battered downe levell with the ground, But wee suppose the Breaking of          
the frost has spoyled their bateries which is the occasion the Canon            
have Not been heard                                                             
     from Metz They write That Mounsr de Raines with a Considderable            
part of Mounsr Crequis army is Comeing Into those parts  That greate            
Magazines are prepareing In all places on the Moselle which makes them          
thinke the french will open the Campaigne with the seige of treves or           
Luxemburg                                                                       
     whitehall     8 dec                                                        
+wee have this afternoon the dutch letters of tuesday last  They tell           
us they had just Before the Closeing them Recd their flanders letters           
and In them this following account of st ghislain  That the french had          
taken it on Friday night by storme all the garison which Consisted In           
dutch troops and Commanded men Being put to the sword                           
     That the Beseigers at stetin had taken some new post on the                
Bulwark Before the holy ghost gate But with Considderable losse of men          
without greately advantageing the seige thereby                                 
     L. c. 564    dec 13 1677                                                   
  whitehall     11 dec 1677                                                     
+It seems the dutch letters which said st ghislain was taken by storm           
were In the wrong, for by those letters we Recd on sonday from france           
wee have a more perticuler Account vizt                                         
     That the place Capitulated on friday was seavenight after the              
french had taken some of the outworks by assault, That 80 men marched           
out with their armes Baggage & 2 peeces of Canon to Brussells, That             
the Confederate Army Contented themselves with Reinforceing the garison         
of mons with 3000 men was seperated again and the duke de Villa                 
hermosa was Returned to Brusells  The french troops are likewise                
seperated & gone Into those quarters they were drawne out before the            
seige to Refresh themselves                                                     
     wee have this afternoon our flanders letters which confirme what is        
above Vizt That after an assault of severall houres wherein the Beseiged        
made a good defense, But the Enemy haveing turned the River by which            
meanes the water In the ditch was Not above a foot deep, and gained             
the Rampart, Broken downe one of the gates and Ready to Enter the               
towne) [sic] The governor was oblieged to Capitulate, The garison               
Consisted In 1200 men of which 400 were Killed & 200 wounded & the Rest         
soe fatigued with Continuall duty that it was almost Imposible for them         
to make any longer Resistance, which they would have done But wanted            
firearmes which were most Broken with Continuall fireing                        
     The garison obtained honble Conditions & were arrived with one             
Canon at Brussells                                                              
     As well the Confederates as the french army was again dispersed            
again Into winter quarters & In germany the armies were doing the like          
     L.c. 565     dec 15 1677                                                   
  whitehall 13 dec 1677                                                         
+since my last wee have Nothing from abroade save the letters from              
france which bring nothing worth Communicating the troops Being Every           
where gone into their winter quarters though it is a greate question            
how long they will stay there for it is Certain wee shall Ere long here         
of some more Exploits of the french, They tell us that in the seige of          
st ghislain They had Not above 120 men killed & 200 wounded which seems         
Incredable & very much Contradicts what they write from flanders that           
of the Beseiged 400 were killed & 200 wounded, The french say they will         
fortify st guislain & make it one of the strongest In Europe which will         
be No little shame to the Spaniards to have taken No better Care of a           
place which may be made so Important                                            
     The duke of Lorraine haveing extreamly harassed his troops by their        
long and various marches & that to little purpose has put them Into             
winter quarters & is himselfe going to Vienna to Compleate his Marriage         
with the Emperors sister  were it Not for his greate quality which puts         
him above Being found fault with the ill successe of this Campaigne             
would make him very ill lookt Upon at Vienna, Matters at that Court seem        
very much perplexed The Rebells In hungary who are said to be 2000              
strong giveing them greate allarmes on that side whilst the progresse           
of the french In Brisgow doe as much on the other                               
+The Cruelties hitherto Exercized Between the parties In hungary are            
like to Cease, The Imperiallists haveing promised to treate all they            
meet as prisoners of warr & the Rebells promise to doe the like                 
     from the hague they write that the prince of orange has since his          
Returne had severall private conferences with the deputies of the states        
as was Believed Concerning a peace which its Believed will be made very         
suddenly or not at all for this winter                                          
     The Court is In greate Griefe for the death of the yonge Duke of           
Cambridge                                                                       
     His Maty In Considderation of the greate meritts of & services of          
sr Robert sherly & his father who for his Eminent loyalty died prisoner         
in the tower hath ordered the Ld Chancellor to Ishue out a writt of             
summons for his Comeing to the prsent parliament under the name & title         
of Ld severs                                                                    
     The Ld dumblaine son to the Ld treasurer went on the 7 for france          
with the Ld Ambr                                                                
     some ships of warr are lately gone to the streights some Now Ready         
& more prepareing                                                               
     upon the death of mr Clifford master of the Charterhouse William           
Erskin Esqr Cupbearer to his Maty is to succeed him                             
           [Handwriting changes for only rest of letter.]                       
     Tis said ye Duke of Norfolke: is dead                                      
     The buisness of stratford Concerning ye excise was heard at ye             
Councell board on Wednesday where it was ordred that a Comision of              
association be Imediately sent downe to Empower 6 Gentlemen of ye Country       
to act as Justices of ye peace, there, as [is?] also a quo Warranto agst        
their Charter  The 6 gentlemen in ye Comission were all nominated by Mr         
Maine & approved of by his Maty Whereof sr William Jetson [?] is one            
     L. c. 566    dec 17 1677                                                   
  whitehall 15d dec 1677                                                        
+This morning wee have our dutch letters of tuesday last  They bring us         
Nothing worth Communicating save what they write from stetin of the 3/13        
Instant vizt That the Burghers had entred Into a New Engagemt to hold to        
the last, That on the 11 the Beseiged sprung 3 mines that the two               
first did No greate Execution But the last Being on the side of the             
lunenberg quarter blew up about 60 men who were most killed  That on the        
13 the brandenburgers sprung up 2 mines and on their side And                   
Endeavoured to post themselves there, In the first attempt they were            
Repulsed but In the second they succeeded & Maintained the said post            
That the Beseigers were Maintaining severall batteries which when               
finished they pretend will doe greate Execution, That the Elector of            
Brandenburg had sent for 5 Regemts which were quarted In his Country            
of Cleve to Reinforce his army, That the frost was broken and the               
thaw did more Incomode the Beseigers then the frost  Those that Came            
out of the towne Reported that the works they had made within were Not          
to be described & that the Burghers were Resolved to defend Every foot          
of ground Even when the Beseigers should be within the towne, Its said          
that the sweds Army In lyvonia is on its March                                  
     The Imperiall troops In germany are all actually In their winter           
quarters                                                                        
    L. c. 567     dec 20 1677                                                   
   whitehall 18 dec 1677                                                        
+The letters wee Receive from flanders tell us that at Brussells Nothing        
But loud applauses were Continually heard of his Maty for Calling the           
parliament so soon, and that the former proceedings of that Court were          
Not so much decryed by that people as they are Now approved for solid,          
just and ground upon Right Interest                                             
   That as to the publicke Newes they had little save that the french had       
assembled a Considderable body Between the Sambre and the Meuse towards         
Charlemont without haveing yet atempted anything                                
     That the Count de Caprara who Commands a body of imperiallists             
haveing left only 400 horse & dragoons at treves was marched towards            
deux ponts which he is fortifying with greate dilligence                        
     In the meane time the Marquesse de Ramis with the french troops is         
cleareing the Saar and has taken the garison at Saarbrucke & stripped           
the garison to their shirts                                                     
     That the duke of Lorraine haveing by a fall at phillipsburg Recd so        
hurt which may obliege him to keep his Bed for some time, Its Believed          
Count Montecuculi will Command the army the Next Campaigne                      
     wee have our dutch letters of tuesday last  they tell us that the          
Councill of state with the Concurrance of the prince of orange had setled       
the state of the warr for the yeare Ensuing which is the Same as was the        
last                                                                            
     That In hungary the Rebells who were headed by french Commanders and       
assisted by poles and others are growne to be very formidable, however          
the Emperor will by no meanes Restore to the protestants their Churches         
and Estates though it would gaine the good will of the people                   
     That the Beseigers In stetin made little advance the Elector shewing       
no Inclination to a storme & that it would be very dificult to gaine the        
place by such slow paces                                                        
     That the danes in Rugen were Retired from the fehr schans and were         
gone Into their winter quarters on that Isle                                    
            [Handwriting changes for just this sentence:]                       
     Tuesday night last sr ffullman Skipwith dyed in London & will be           
brought downe to Kirby to be interrd                                            
     L. c. 568    dec 22 1677                                                   
  whitehall 20 dec 1677                                                         
+yesterday Came In the french letters  they only speake of the                  
preparations that are makeing for the Campaigne & that it was Believed          
that King would be In the feild by the 10 January                               
     On the 13th the body of the duke of Cambridg was privately enterred        
at westminster                                                                  
     A patent is granted to one Laurence george georgering to Enjoy for         
14 yeares the Benefitt of an Invention for pickling Mackrell so that they       
may last 2 yeares                                                               
     The Earle of Carlisle is suddenly to goe to his govermt of his             
Matys Island of Jamaica                                                         
     There are Now Ready to goe speedily to sea 6 of his Matys fregotts         
for the streights, Besides those lately gone with Capt herbert                  
     A ship lately arrived from the East Indies Adviseth that severall          
of the moore and Banyan merchants desert suratt from the ill usage of           
the governor & were Resolved to make their addresses to the King, and           
that the towne people of suratt lye Continually In dread of savagees            
army who had made himselfe master of all the Countrey adjacent &                
might be there In a dayes march                                                 
     from bantam it was advised that mr arnold white The agent mr               
albanns willoughby and mr dudley North were on the 21 Aprill most               
barbarously murthered Comeing downe from the washing place, The dutch           
are Embroyled In almost all places they posesse In the south seas,              
Malacca is Beseiged by the Mallaians and the Battavians have had                
very bad successe to the Eastward on the Coast of Java                          
     on the 16 the turkey ships set saile from the downes westward              
under the Convoy of sr Richard Munden In the st david and about 100             
saile of other merchants ships tooke that oppertunity                           
     L. c. 569    dec 27 1677                                                   
    whitehall 25 dec 1677                                                       
+I must pray your Excuse if the devotions of this day keeps from you the        
usuall Extracts of our Newes which Could otherwise Containe nothing of          
Moment                                                                          
     wee have on [?] this Evening our dutch letters which say that the          
Elector of Brandenburg is finally master of stetin by Capitulation which        
was signed the 14/24 Instant and which is very advantagious to the              
stetiners, The Elector Not only Confirmeing to them all the priveledges         
granted them by the King of sweden But likewise according them New              
     L. c. 570     dec 29 1677                                                  
+Mounsr Campriolit the emperors Resident at the hague hath presented a          
Memoriall to the states desireing them not to mix In the diference              
Betwixt the states of friezland and their princesse for that they were          
summoned to decision by his Imperiall Maty who is their governor as             
Chiefe of the Empire of which they are members and desired them to              
Recall their troops that they had sent to Embden &c that they might give        
no jelousy to the allies & perticularly to the Bishop of munster, The           
states have Referred the examination of the Memoriall to Comrs but              
have sent no answer  In the meane time The sieur alting agent for the           
states of friezland solicitts the french generall to maintain their             
Rights and Not to Recall their forces.                                          
     Tis said the Elector of Bavaria hath given late orders for                 
Raiseing 8000 men which gives the allies a jelousy they may be Employed         
In the french service                                                           
     The Lord Douglas Earle of dunbarton is lately Come over from the           
french army                                                                     
    The price set upon wines this yeare is the same as was the last yeare       
     The Cantons of swisserland haveing Called an Assembly to Consult           
their security Upon the progresse of the french, Mounsr gronville the           
french Minester appeared unexspectedly amonge them and declared (though         
without Expresse orders from his master) that his Intention was Not to          
allarme the Cantons, that what had past their frontiers was occasioned          
and Begun by the Imnperialists and if the forrest and other townes they         
designed to protect gave the King No offence he would let them Continue         
unmolested, which declaration prevailed so farr on the Cantons, as to           
seperate their assembly without takeing any Resolution for the security         
of their Countrey                                                               
     The last hamburg letters talked of a greate division likely to             
arise Betwixt the princes and the Electors of the Empire which they             
lookt upon of the more dangerous Consequences for that it was said the          
house of Brunswicke was the head of it which had greate adherents, There        
was also some doubt whether the greate alliance made In the Empire              
might Not speedily be shaken                                                    
     The french letters of the 28 tell us the whole buisnesse there             
was Not preparations for warr  The Nuncio had Been with the King with a         
letter from the pope full of perswasions to a generall peace to which he        
answered that it was his hearty desire and to that purpose he had               
disposed his armies so as to force those that were obstinate to Encline         
to it, the Nuncio Intimated something of a warr designed against Italy          
In answer to which it was told him that the King would have Regard to           
the territories of the Eccliasticall state                                      
+The letters from leghorne dat 10 said some french men of warr were Come        
In thither without any account of late action, Their Comeing was for            
provisions of which there is greate scarcity at messina                         
      Its advised from germany that the elector of Bavaria had signified        
to the Emperor that unlesse a peace were made he must thinke of takeing         
his measures accordingly, as also that the french were gathering a              
Considderable body to fall Into the Emperors hereditary Counties, It            
was said that a fond was made at vienna for Carying on the next yeares          
warr and that they should be In the feild by the 1st of march                   
     wee heare from Treves that greate preparations are makeing upon            
the moselle and that they much apprehend a seige,                               
     The marquesse de fuentes designed Ambr to England will begin his           
Journey thither In few dayes where his presence will be Necesary                
     Vienna 19 dec 77                                                           
+The affaires of hungary doe very much perplex this Court and the more          
for that the Rebells are Not only assisted by french But likewise by the        
turks and the Elector of Bavaria under hand & are become so Considderable       
as to be In a Condition to attacke stronge places                               
+straasburg 24 dec 77  whether there is any Reall grounds of our                
apprehensions of the french I know not, But this is Certaine that all           
sorts of people here seem perswaded the french have a designe upon this         
Citty which time must shew                                                      
+The Catholic Cantons have made a league with the spaniards by which they       
are oblieged to assist them with 1600 men In Case milan be attacked by          
the french                                                                      
+Paris 1 January  It is said the King will be In the feild by the End of        
this month or sooner and that mons and Namur will be beseiged both at a         
time  The Duke de vivonne desireing leave to Return from scicily                
Confirmes us In the Beliefe that things are there In an ill posture             
     L. c. 571    Jan 3 1677                                                    
  whitehall 1 Jan 1677                                                          
+The Conge de lere [?] for the Electing dr sandcroft archbishop of              
Canterbury is passing & dr stillingfleet has kist the Kings hand for the        
deanery of St paulls                                                            
     The newes wee told you of In our last of the french Kings Intending        
to part from st germaines as yesterday makes us somewhat Impatient after        
our Next french letters which may be able to tell us farther of that            
Kings designes & the more for that its said at court that the french            
Ambr seems to Contradict it                                                     
     on sonday wee had our flanders letters  they speake Chiefly of the         
apprehensions they have of some sudden action In those parts & they tell        
us perticularly of greate preparations makeing at dunkerke which they           
thinke are designed for some place on that side at Newport or Ipres             
which latter place they are In most feare of as Being In the worst              
Condition for as for mons and Namur they are at present well provided           
for, there being In the former a garison of 9000 men                            
    wee have this Evening our paris letters of satureday last  They say         
that the Kings heavy baggage parted the day before for st quentin But           
that the King has put off his Journey for some dayes upon the                   
Representations that had been made to him that his said baggage would           
be able to march but slowly & that it would be Necesary to give them            
severall dayes advance                                                          
     L.c. 572     [Handwriting changes here.]     Janr ye 5th 1677              
+Upon ye surrender of Stetin the Elector of Brand: is said to have sent         
2500 Horse & Dragoons to ye Isle of Rugen & that some footmen to follow         
to assist ye Danes there, tis said that not above 500 sound men were            
remaineing in Stetin at its surrender, the garrison Consisting in above         
3000 at ye beginning of ye seige, & that ye beseiged had been forcet soe        
to manage their powder to have Enough in Case of a genll storme.  the           
Artillery found there Consisted in 135 peice of Cannon whereof 90 Brass.        
the King of Denmarke is said to be Equiping a fleet of 50 men of Warr,          
& that he Will make up an army of 40000 men  Wee heare that ye Elector          
of Bavaria is Endeavouring to make him selfe King of ye Romans & that he        
has a great party in Germany                                                    
     From Hamburg they write this perticuller account concerning ye             
surrender of Stetin, That on ye 23 past ye Governr in his Owne & ye             
Burghers name sent out to desire a Capitulation that ye next day                
Hostages Were Exchanged & Articles agreed on, & amongst others ye               
Garrison insisted to be Convoyd to stralfondt & to have Coll [space             
for about five letters left blank] who has bene a long tyme prisoner wth        
ye Brandenbs set at liberty wch the Elector Would by no meanes agree to &       
there Upon the beseigd recalled their Hostages, but hypon better thoughts       
they sent out againe ye 26 & accepted ye Articles offerd by his                 
Electorall Highness wch you have already at large & the same day a              
Brandenburg Garrison tooke posession of one of their gates.  besides            
those Articles there is other of favour accorded them by the Elector,           
vizt, that ye Burghers shall for 10 years to come enjoy a free fishery          
Without paying any thing for ye same, provided that at their owne charges       
they repaire & rebuild ye ruind churches, except ye Great Church wch ye         
Elector rebuilt at his Owne proper Cost  As for the privledges his              
Electorall Highs confirmed them, they are ye same wch they enjoyd in the        
tymes of ye Dukes of Pomeren, not those granted them by ye King of sweden       
     Upon severall Complaints made to his Maty agst ye Earle of Pembroke        
his Maty has orderd him to be sent to ye Tower Where he is now a prisoner       
     The Earle of Ossory parts hence wth ye first faire Wind for Holland        
to viset ye Prince of Orange                                                    
     Tis Said ye Duke of Norfolke is Certainly dead at padua.                   
     L. c. 573     [Handwriting changes here.]     Jan 7th 1677                 
+The deputies from groningen & some from the ommelands being arrived at         
the hague their diferences will probably be Composed In a little                
time, The latter makes greate Complaint against the gruffier of the             
states for a transposition [?] Comitted In the drawing up the last              
Resolution Concerning that affaire, for whereas it was thereby ordered          
the Rengers should be first released and then a generall amnesty should         
be passed on both sides, The Resolution is now found to Run that the            
amnesty should first passe and afterwards Rengers should be Released            
     They had advice from straasburg that Coll Kunnitz marching with a          
party of horse and dragoons towards the Castle of Brenbacke within 3            
houres of Basle after some small Resistance made himselfe master of it          
which is a strong fortresse & In that prevented the french who had a            
designe Upon it to Cache those of the forrest townes                            
     The advices from nimeghen of the 20 are that Mounsr Beverning Came         
thither but on sonday night & the Next morning Mounsr Van hacen tooke           
his turne to goe out of towne, Mounsr ulhen was arrived from the duke of        
holstein to procure the Bringing that dukes Interest Into the treaty of         
peace                                                                           
+on the 27 don Carlos de Borgia sent from the duke de Villa hermosa             
Returned In the Charles yatcht which brings over the Marquess de fuentes        
the Spanish Ambr                                                                
     his Maty hath Nominated dr Sandcroft deane of St Paulls to be              
archbishop of Canterbury and dr stillingflash [sic] who was Residentary         
is made deane & the place of Residentary is given to dr Tillotson deane         
of Canterbury                                                                   
     dr parry is made Ld bishop of ossory in Ireland                            
     They write from Vienna that the Emperor was sending a minester to          
the Country of Swisserland who are to hold an assembly on the 25, The           
Estates of Bohemia are to meet & the Count petting marshall of the Court        
was deputed from the Emperor thither from whence it was judged that some        
propositions of Extraordinary Consequence were to be made because the           
Emperors usuall Custom was to send only a gentleman & not a person of           
that quality, The Conspirators to deliver up Caschaw In upper hungary           
Into the hands of the Rebells are timely discovered & Executed although         
they made so sure of Carying on their plott That its said the marquess          
de bethaume the french Ambr In poland did Confidently declare that it           
was In their posession, The Rebells In hungary have sent to that                
marquesse to head them Exspecting by that meanes a Considderable force          
from poland by the Interest he hath by his long Residence among them &          
the Rather for that he is brother In law to the queen                           
     The Catholicke swisse Cantons have taken such allarmes at the              
designes of the french upon Italy that they are said to have agreed upon        
a leavy of 10000 men to be prsently made for the defence of milan Though        
its said the french will not this yeare proceed In their designe In             
those parts & will Content themselves to have given the Spaniards the           
trouble & Charge of putting those places In a posture of security which         
hath In some measure prevented him from so well supplying other places          
they Intend to attacque                                                         
     at vienna they are giveing orders for the Raiseing severall new            
Regemts and Recruiteing the old & that nothing may be wanting of moneys         
its said the Emperor has made off all his private tresury  some talke           
that he would Not upon occasion spare his jewells                               
     The paris letters of the 8 say there is a greate want of                   
provisions at messina & many dye of a new distemper which some whisper          
poyson  the King has given permission to the dutchesse of savoy to              
transport Into her Country 10000 sacks of Corne                                 
     The master of a ship belonging to linne [?] hath sent advice that          
severall ships have been lost [?] upon the Coast of france In his               
Company & that he Escaped with much dificulty & had Recd much dammage           
& that he saw many men lye drowned on the shoare                                
     L. c. 574     January 10 1677                                              
   whitehall 8 Jan 1677                                                         
   yesterday arrived two Expresses with letters from my Ld Ambr Mountague       
     wee have this Evening our dutch and french letters  the former tell        
us that when the garrison of stetin marched out it Consisted only In            
120 foot & about 90 horse of which only 9 were Mounted when at the              
Beginning of the seige they made up above 3000                                  
     That they had advice from flanders that the french had Reposest            
themselves of the posts about mons and that the french officers gave out        
that it would be beseiged In few dayes, That their dutch Companies who          
Endeavoured to put themselves Into mons had been mett with and quite            
Cutt off by a french party, That In the meane time they talke much of           
peace In holland Especially upon the Newes they had from france that            
that King had deferred his journey to his army which they Believe was           
done In Considderation of his Maty of England                                   
     The french letters only say That things were prepareing for the            
Kings march                                                                     
     L. c. 575    Jan 12 1677                                                   
   whitehall 10 Jan 1677                                                        
+yesterday Came In all the forreigne letters which were due Except one          
french post  what they brought is made publicke, all that is Certain is         
that the french preparations are very greate                                    
     on the other side people Entertaine themselves with greate hopes of        
peace from the King of france stopping his Journey, so soon as he               
marches things will presently appeare                                           
     In flanders mons and Namurr are In a very good Condition, Ipres is         
In the worst Condition and therefore the most feared for                        
[In left margin near paragraph above and in another hand appear these           
words:] From the 13 of Jan: 76/7 to the 13th of Jan: 1677/8                     
     on the 7 at night came 2 Expresses from france and 3 Cabinet               
Councells have Been since held upon which severall discourses are Raised        
But Being only Conjecturall I forbeare to mention them, mr Thin sent            
from his Maty to holland is safely Returned                                     
     Some Barnstaple ships arrived home from Cadiz say all the vessells         
Belonging to that port that went from newfoundland were safe & that they        
heard not of any late mischiefe from the turks                                  
     They write from amsterdam that they are hastning away the fleet            
designed for scicily and Exspected Van troup home Every day who is              
declared lieut admirall of the fleets of the states In de Ruytiers place        
& Mounsr Bastientz succeeds him In admirall of north holland & mounsr           
walenburg is made lieut admirall of north holland                               
     Its advised from st Christophers dat Nov 2d of the arrived [sic] of        
the soldiers lately sent to them & that the Count de blanaque was               
arrived at Martinico who is made generall of all the french Islands &           
had sent orders to one mr Laurence to transport himselfe & all the              
soldiers with some Islanders to martinico to attend the motion of the           
Count de Estrees who was dayly Exspected with 8 or 10 greate ships with         
fireships &c                                                                    
     This day the Earle of dunbarton went for france,                           
          [Handwriting changes here just for rest of letter.]                   
     upon the arrivall of 2 Expresses from My Ld Mountague in france 3          
Cabinet Councells have bene held wch occations much discourse but ye            
buisnes is as yet altogether private                                            
     L. c. 576     Jan. 14th 1677/8                                             
   whitehall 12th January 1677/8                                                
+Yesterday morning mr Godolphin parted hence for flanders &c                    
     wee have our dutch letters of tuesday last  They tell us that That         
day the princes foot guards marched from the Hague towards the generall         
Randevouz of the dutch forces Neere Malines whither the prince of Orange        
would suddenly follow for he had Newes that the Marshall de Humieres was        
Come with 25000 men to Aoth                                                     
     wee are In hourely Exspectation to heare of some action from those         
parts                                                                           
     L. c. 577     Whitehall the 15 of Jan: 1677                                
+The last night wee had an old ffrench post, the Lettrs being dated on          
Satturday was seavennight, they tell us that the day before an ordr was         
published requireing all officers to bee the 15/25 instant at their             
respective commands upon pain of being cashiered for that the King              
intends a very early Campagne                                                   
     These twoe dayes the drums have beat in Towne for the raiseing             
recruits for the Regimts of Guards wch are to bee made up 100 men in            
each Company                                                                    
     Wee are told that the English fforces in ffrance are calld home            
     The Parliamt being this day mett, his Maty sent them a Message,            
that for weighty Considerations, & because hee could not yet give them          
ye account hee desired of severall matters, his Maty had thought fit            
they should adjourne till Monday com seavennight, & accordingly they            
adjourned till that time                                                        
     The Kings Message 15 Jan:                                                  
     His Maty hath mattrs of very great importance to communicate to            
bothe houses in ordr to ye satisfaction of their late Addresses for             
ye preservation of fflanders, but it happening that matters are not at          
prsent so ripe as within a few days they will bee.  There fore his              
Matyes pleasure is, that this house bee immediately adjourned till Monday       
the 28 Instant Jan:                                                             
        [On outside of letter appears this list in another hand:]               
                          D.H.  16.                                             
                          G.N.  10.                                             
                          I.M.  22.                                             
                          Bab.  40.                                             
                          NP.   12.                                             
                          Th. Hall. 12.                                         
                          Th. Cl.   05.                                         
                          Ro. Gr.   05                                          
                          Cookes    08.                                         
                          Ap. fur.  12.                                         
                          Bul. w.   20                                          
                          Wardfd &c.16                                          
                                  ------                                        
                                   178.                                         
                                   ---                                          
     L. c. 578     [Handwriting changes here.]     Jan 19. 1677                 
   whitehall 17 Jan 1677                                                        
+severall Commissions have Been given out for the makeing the Earle of          
Cravens the hollands and the admiralls Regements 20 Companies Each and          
100 men In Each Company  The 24 Companies In the Kings Regemts of guards        
are likewise to be made up that Number besids which severall New                
Companies are to be Raised for guernsey Jersey Jamaica & other places           
     The dutch letters of the 11th say they had advice from flanders            
that there were 10000 french wth 3 or 4 field peeces at grammont which          
is 6 leagues from Brussells, But that it was Believed their maine               
designe was to destroy & Ravage the Countrey                                    
     The only Newes wee Can Exspect is from france whether the french           
King is parted from st germains or Not  for so long as he is there wee          
must Not Exspect any Considderable action                                       
     The duke of Bournonville In scicily has taken a place Called la mola       
from the french & was Battering firmina                                         
     on the 11th the Earle of ossory went for holland                           
     Greate preparations are Makeing at Chat[h]am portesmouth &c for            
setting out a Considderable fleet                                               
     The french letters of the 19th tell us there are frequent Conferences      
Betwixt the french King & his Ministers & the Ld Ambr Mountague                 
     on the 13th In the Evening mr Brisband who was Commissioned by his         
Maty to Negotiate In Behalfe of the English merchants In france Arrived         
at dover & Rideing post all night was at whitehall on the 14th                  
     L. c. 579     Jan 21st 1677                                                
   Whitehall 19 Jan 1677                                                        
+Wee have our ffrench letters of satureday last & by them This following        
account                                                                         
     Paris 11 Jan                                                               
+It has Been said here at Court that the M: Humieres had a designe to           
Attacke the fort Called the 3 holes on the Canall of Brussells as               
likewise Vilvord But as yet wee doe Not heare of the Execution of it            
     The last letters wee had from these parts Give us an account that          
the said Mareshall had Burnt Enghien & Nivelle & that he Continued to           
destroy & Ravage that Countrey and to allarme the Spaniards In which            
his Intention is to obliege them to draw out their troops to make head          
against him & to weaken the garison of some place or other which the            
french would Immediately Attacke to which End a good body of men is             
kept In the Neibourhood of Mons Ipres & Charlemont                              
     Wee have letters from germany from very good hands which say that          
the sweds affaires are In so very ill posture that nothing can hinder           
them from being driven out of germany very suddenly                             
     part of the troops of the Kings household marched 3 dayes agoe             
     The swissers Began their March yesterday as the french guards will         
doe this day or to morrow & it is Most Certain that the King will               
follow the Beginning of the Next Month                                          
     The day of his departure is Not yet fixt though the discourse at           
court is that it will be the 10th of the Next month But I am apt to             
Believe it will be sooner                                                       
     The Cardinall de Estrees is arrived at Munchen the Elector of              
Bavarias Court  his Buisness is to presse that Elector to assist the            
dutchesse of savoy with 8 or 10000 men without which it seems that              
dutchesse will Not Enter Into a warr against milan                              
     The generality of people here are Much Concerned at the appearances        
there seem to be of a Rupture with England                                      
     The M. de Crequi parted here yesterday for Lorraine                        
     L. c. 580     Jan 24th 1677                                                
    whitehall 22 Jan 1677                                                       
+Wee had severall Expresses passe Forward & Backward between this place         
& Holland Spaine ffrance And here at Court wee talke more & More of the         
Appearances there is of a warr                                                  
     This Morning wee Recd our dutch letters of last tuesday  They tell         
us from Pomeren that Count Conningsmarke was passed over with 5000 men          
to the Isle of Rugen haveing with him 600 burghers of Stetin armed with         
long Guns, That he had already forced the Danes who were 7000 to quitt          
severall posts to draw togather In a body & when the letters Came away          
away from Straelsond they had an account that the 2 armies were going to        
Engage                                                                          
     The Earle of Ossory is arrived In Holland  Its said his Lordship           
will Command all the English In the service of the states with the              
quality of Lieut Generall                                                       
     At the Hague the Ministers of the allies have severall Greate              
Conferences Concerning the present Conjuncture                                  
     On sonday Next the Archbishop of Canterbury is Consecrated                 
     L. c. 581     Jan: 26th 1677                                               
   Whitehall 24: Jan 1677                                                       
+Wee had yesterday 2 posts from ffrance the last letters Being dated the        
19/29 Instant, They tell us that my Ld Ambr Mountague had audience of           
that King In which he had demanded the Return of the English scotch &           
Irish forces at present In his service which its said the King Complied         
with & has granted them liberty to passe ffreely home, all things are           
prepareing for that Kings journey, he goes directly for Nancy In                
Lorraine & by the  preparations that are made on that side Its Believed         
Luxenburg & Tryer will be Beseiged at the same time or as others think          
straasburg                                                                      
     His Brother the Duke of Orleans stayes Behind to Command the armies        
In fflanders so that there is like to be briske doings this summer all          
thoughts of peace seeming now to be wholly layd aside                           
     On the 23 mr Sydney Godolphin Returned from Brussells & gave his           
Maty an account of the affaire In which he had Employed him & then a            
Cabinet Councell was Immediately Called & Indeed the Councell sitts             
frequently & Couriers are dispatched & all dilligence used to bring             
matters to a full Ripeness to be Communicated to the High Court of              
parliament                                                                      
     The voluntiers Come In so freely Upon beates of drum that the              
Captaines picke & Choose their men & Its Not doubted but the seamen will        
as willingly Enter Into the service as fast as the ships are fitted for         
which all dilligence posible is used                                            
     The Lynn letters dated 14th say there had so much Rain falne that          
the fenns were much overflowne                                                  
     The newes our ports afford us is mostly of wrecks & misfortunes            
at sea by the late stormes  Those ships that Come from france tell us           
of greate wrecks seen on that Coast, The Concord of Bristoll Ran upon a         
Rocke putting Into scilly & Imediately sunke                                    
     His Matys ship the Hampshire sailing from Portesmouth towards              
Jersey was forced to stop at Cowes where on the 17th at night amidst            
much thunder & lightening They write that a thunderbolt splitt the maine        
mast & Maine top mast the fall of which hurt severall & the lightening          
Burnt others but though severall were Burned None were killed                   
     L. c. 582     January 28th 1677                                            
   Whitehall 26 January l677                                                    
+Yesterday Came In the severall Mailes from Holland & fflanders which           
were wanting  the latter bring nothing of Moment But the letters from           
Holland bring us an account of the greate victory obtained by the sweds         
In the Isle of Rugen  you have already heard that Count Conningsmarke           
was passed Into that Isle with what forces he could make which In all           
made not above 4500 men & the advantage he had of the danes In severall         
skirmishes, on the 8/18 Instant, They Came to a determining action for          
after the Cannon had playd for some time on both sides & done                   
Considderable Execution & perticularly the sweds Cannon which was               
more advantagiously placed, The danes left wing advanced & Engaged the          
sweds Right wing But was Not only Repulsed But presently put Into               
greate Confusion of which the sweds takeing advantage pressed upon them         
& made themselves masters of 6 peeces of Cannon where upon Count                
Conningsmarke advanceing the same time with the sweds left wing the             
danish Infantry were so discouraged that they threw downe their armes           
& fled  The Cavalry behaived themselves not much Better for after one           
discharge they likewise fled, The Imperiall dragoons & some Brandenburg         
horse behaived themselves pretty well & they were most Cutt off & the           
Rest taken prisoners                                                            
     The sweds pursued their victory very Closely that & the next day &         
pickt up all those that had sheltered themselves here & there & 2000            
daneish horse who Retired In a body & Endeavoured to make their tearmes         
to be transported to danemarke had No other allowed them then to yeild          
themselves up Upon discretion as they did & besides those that were             
killed the Number of prisoners Exceeded the sweds                               
     severall daneish officers & soldiers Endeavoured to Escape In boates       
& most of them were mett with & taken by boates sent from straelsond            
     Generall Major Rumor who Commanded the danes was killed In the             
Beginning of the fight by a Cannon Bullet & after that the danes disputed       
about the Chiefe Command, which very much Contributed to their defeate          
     on the sweds side the losse is but small & not one generall officer        
killed                                                                          
     A list of the daneish prisoners 1 Coll 5 lieut Colls 11 Capts of           
horse & 15 of ffoot 6 Capt lieutenants 5 quartermasters, 50                     
lieutenants, 12 Cornets 41 Ensignes 3 adjutans about 4500 Comon                 
soldiers 12 peeces of Cannon 5 Mortar peeces 100000 weight of powder &          
a greate quantity of provisions                                                 
     just at the Comeing away of those Letters 15 officers more were            
brought to straelsond & more will be dayly pickt up, Most of the Common         
soldiers have taken service with the sweds who have likewise got a              
greate many good horses & by that meanes may be able to make up a body          
of 10000 men                                                                    
     The danes were 7000 when they began the fight                              
     L. c. 583     January 31 1677                                              
   Whitehall 29 Jan: 1677                                                       
+Wee have Advice from Barbados that the Count de Estrees was Arrived            
there with 10 men of warr &c That he Intended to visit the dutch again          
at Tobago & it was Believed he would goe thence to the spanish West             
Indies                                                                          
     On the 28th the Ld Howard & Ld Mowbray & Ld fferrors were brought          
Into the Lds house & placed                                                     
Commons 28 Jan                                                                  
     A message Being sent by the Usher of the Blacke Rodd to Command            
the house to attend his Maty, The house went up where his Maty made a           
speech, Upon their Returne his Matys speech was ordered to be taken             
Into Considderation to morrow morning                                           
     New Writts are ordered to be Issued out for New Elections for              
Winchelsea Yarmouth Lichfield stamford Cheshire Norwich Bristoll                
Newport In Cornwall Leswould Lennington In Hampshire Warwick                    
     Commons 29 Jan                                                             
+This day the Commons after a debate of his Matys speech Resolved that          
an addresse be prsented to his Maty Containing their humble thanks for          
their Greate Care of the protestant Religion In the Marriage of his             
Niece with a protestant & Humbly to Beseech his Maty that he would be           
pleased to admitt No treaty of peace but such a one that may Leave the          
ffrench King In No Better state then he was left In by the pirenian             
treaty for the obtaining of which his Maty shall Never want the                 
assistance of that house                                                        
+Also his Maty is humbly desired to print his speech                            
     That neither our selves Nor any other of the allies shall hold any         
Commerce In trade with the ffrench King or his subjects during the warr         
     The house to sitt to morrow In the afternoon to Considder of the           
more decent & solemn Enterment of his late Maty                                 
     His Maty In his speech declares he hath used all meanes to procure         
a just and Honourable peace to Christendome  But if it Cannot be had by         
faire meanes it shall Not be his fault if it be Not had by force and            
that if the dutch doe their part its Necesary wee have out 90 Capitall          
shipps & 30 or 40000 landmen & shews them the severall occasions he hath        
for a large supply                                                              
     L. c. 584     [Handwriting changes here.]                                  
         The Commons Address to his Maty 31st of Jan. 1677/8                    
+Wee yo[u]r Matys most humble & Loyall Subjects the Commons in this prsent      
Parliamt assembled doe in all duty and gratitude render o[u]r most Humble       
thanks to yo[u]r most Sacred Majesty for the great care yo[u]r Matie hath       
Expressed for the preservacon & Incouragement of the Protestant Religion        
by concludeing a marriage with the Lady Mary yo[u]r Mats neese & the Prince     
of Orange being a Prince professing the same Religion with us and engaged       
In Arms for the defence of ye Common cause of Chrisendome for the promoteing    
of which we doe with all humillity wth the highest felte [?] to yo[u]r          
Mats honnr & the safty of yo[u]r people Beseech[ing] yo[u]r Matie not to        
Admitt of any treaty of peace whereby the ffrench King shall be left in         
the possession of any Larger Dominions & Teritories or in any greater           
power then what he obtained by the Pirenian treaty less then which wee          
[?] [seven letters illegible] cannot secure yo[u]r Mats Kingdome & the          
rest of Europe from the Growth and power of ye sd King but that he may be       
able to disturbe the Peace thereof whensoever he is minded to Attempt           
it, The places reserved by the King of Spaine in the Netherlands Being          
Advantagious aswell by the vicinity of some Important Towns & Garrisons         
to the Kingdome of ffrance as by ye Extent of their Territories                 
+And wee doe most humble desire That in all treatys Articles &                  
confederacons In wch to ye obtaining of that end your Matie will be pleased     
to provide that none of the partys whoe shall Joyne with yo[u]r Matie in        
makeing warr for that purpose may lay down their Armes or depart from           
their Alliances untill the sd King be reduced to the said Treaty.               
+And wee doe farther desire as one of the most effectuall meanes to             
obtaine the sd ends that it may be Agreed betweene yo[u]r sd Maties and         
the Confederates that neither our selves nor any of them shall hold any         
comerce or have with the ffrench King nor any of his Subjects dureing the       
sd warr and that noe Comodity of the Growth pduct or Manufacture of             
ffrance or any of his Territorys or dominions either by Land or Sea be          
sold wthin the same but that they may be seized & destroyed wheresoever         
they be found and days to be limitted for the same In as short a tyme as        
the notice of such affaire will permitt.                                        
+And that in all treatys Articles & confederations made in order to             
or for the psecucon of such Warr it may be agreed & declared that noe           
vessell of any Nation whatsoever shall be permitted to Enter into or come       
out of the ports of ffrance but that the Shipp & men shall be Seized &          
the Goods destroyed.                                                            
+Wee doe therefore most humbly desire of yo[u]r Matie to proceed to             
makeing such Alliances & Confederations as shall be necessary for the           
Obtayning these Ends  And though wee beleive yo[u]r Matie can never doubt       
of the Affections of yo[u]r People yett upon this Occasion wee doe with         
all Allacrity & wills wth one Unanimous consent Reno[un]ce our former           
promisses & Engagemts beseeching yo[u]r Matie to rest confident of o[u]r        
persiverance in the psecution of the sd Warr, And when yo[u]r Mat pte [?]       
yt to Impart such Alliances & Confederations to us in Parliament wee            
shall upon all Occasions give yo[u]r Matie such ready Assistances &             
Supports as may by the blessing of God bring the said Warr to a Happy           
Conclusion                                                                      
          His Majestys Answere to the Commons Address.                          
+His Matie hath Recd & perused the late Address of this house & thereunto       
wetnesseth this Answere  that he is not a little Surprized to find soe          
much Inserted there of what should not be and soe little of what should.        
+In the first place his Maties Speech was to both houses Joyntly & the          
Matters being of soe publique a Concerne it is certainly very convenient        
the retourne of the Speech should be made joyntly for to receive sevrall        
Addresses & possible very different cannot but Administer matter of             
distraction to his Councells & consequently to the Affaires of this             
Nation, Nor is the house of the Peers reasonably to be left out in              
transacting those things which at last must needs pass by them.  In the         
next place he Observed in the Address of the house of the 20th of May           
last you invite his Maty to a league offensive & defensive with                 
Holland against the Growth and power of ye ffrench King and for the             
preservacon of the Spanish Netherlands & upon Declaration of such               
Alliances you Assure his Maty of such speedy Assistances and Supplys as         
may fully and plentifully answere the Occasions.                                
+His Maty hath Accordingly made the Alliances offensive & Defensive with        
Holland & declared it to you in Parliament soe his part is performed but        
as to that of this house for Supplys though he Asked it in his Speech you       
give him noe Answere Nor the least hint of Affording him any thing to           
Support the Alliances he hath made onely the Old promisses are putt to          
New Condicons & soe he may be used to Eternity should he seeme sattisfied       
with such proceedings.                                                          
+you are not to thinke that either his Maty or the States being to              
Embarque in soe great a designe will deprive themselves of the other            
Considerable Alliances, some Ministers of the most concerned Princes have       
knowne and Approved of his treaty with the States Genall & that he hath         
not formally Concluded one with them  the reason is the distance of the         
places the Princes concerned Reside in would not give tyme to perfect soe       
many Treaties to be Ratified in places soe remote, And laying well the          
foundacon in Holland there could not be much doubt of their consent for         
whose Intrest the treaty is made, But nothing can delay or indeed               
disapoynt those treatys more then the fayling of this house to support          
those his Maty hath made, he must acquitt [?] his credit there & soe            
[?] his word [?] can be mentioned before he can Engage it elsewhere             
affresh.                                                                        
+In his Maties Answere to the Address of this house of the 20th of May          
last he told you how highly he was offended at the great Invasion of his        
Prerogative but you take noe notice of it but on the Contrary Add to            
yo[u]r former Ill Conduct New Invasions Equally offensive to his and he         
thinks to most mens Judgments.                                                  
+The house desireth his Maty to oblige his Confederates never to consent        
to a Peace but upon Condicon that the most Christian King be reduced to         
the Pirenian treaty at least; A determination fitting onely for God             
Allmighty for none can tell what can be fitting Conditions for a peace          
but he that can certainly foretell the Events of the Warrs.  You advise         
his Maty not onely to Engage his Allies but all the world not to lett a         
shipp of theirs to goe or enter frome ffrance upon the loss of shipps           
Goods and men Not Excepting either Allies Princes or Ambassidors if             
amongst them, hee doth not beleive that ever any Assembly of men ever           
gave soe great and Publique a provocation to the whole world without            
either haveing provided or soe much as considered how to provide one            
Shipp or Regimt or one peny towards Justifying it at least soe farr as          
you have Acquainted him.                                                        
+However to show how willing his Maty is to give all reasonable                 
satisfaccon how unreasonable soever the proposicons be made to him he           
doth againe repeate to you what he sd on the 28th past, That if by              
yo[u]r Assistance he may be putt into Armes sufficient for such a worke,        
his Maty will not be weary of them untill Christendome be Restored to           
such a place as it shall not be in the power of any Prince alone to             
Disturbe.                                                                       
+This is the consequence of it asmuch as a Prince that values his word          
can say to you and he is such a one, but to say he will make no other           
p[eace?] then such a perticuler peace whether Both [?] or not and [?]           
whether Abandoned by his Allies or not is not to be sd upon sollemne            
Engagemts because not to be pformed.                                            
+In Summe Gent: the right of makeing Warr and peace is in his Maty and if       
you thinke he will depart from any part of it you are mistaken.  The            
Reines of Goverment are in his hands and he hath the same Resolutions           
and concerne to prserve them as he hath to prserve his own person and he        
keeps both for his peoples protection and safty and will Employ them soe        
farr as he can.                                                                 
+If this house Incourage his Maty to goe farther in Alliances by                
supporting him in maintaining those he hath made his care and utmost            
Endeavours will be Employd for you.                                             
+If this house doth intend this it must be speedy  the tyme and                 
Conjuncture affords not leasure to consult and therefore his Maty               
desireth that without farther Loss of time you Apply your selves in the         
Considerations of the Supply for from thence he must take his measures.         
     L. c. 585     [Handwriting changes here.]     ffeb 2d 1677                 
   Whitehall 31 Jan 1677                                                        
+On the 30th In the afternoon the Commons ordered the thanks of the house       
to be given to dr spratt & he desired to print his sermon                       
     The House Resolved Into a Committee of the whole house to Considder        
of the more decent Enterment of his late sacred Maty & Resolved that two        
moneths tax according to the prsent Monethly Rates be given for the             
Enterment of his late Maty & for Erecting a Monument to Commence from the       
Expiration of the prsent monthly tax                                            
     on the 31st the house of Commons agreed the addresse & 2 Billes were       
sent from the Lds the one to prevent Clandestine marriage & the other           
Concerning Baptizeing & Catechizeing                                            
     our letters tell us of the greate appearance of the Elector of             
Bavarias dclareing for france & this Every Body Believes is the occasion        
of the Kings journey towards Germany; Certain it is that the Cardinall          
de Estrees has Besides the Marriage of the Daulphin to that Electors            
daughter made very greate offers to him & that the last weeke a Courrier        
arrived at St Germains with letters from the said Cardinall directed to         
the Kings owne hands & that the King Returned In [sic] the messengers           
within few houres with an answer to the said Cardinall the King haveing         
Been up most of the night to write the dispatches himselfe which makes it       
Evident there is some greate Negotiation In hand and should that Elector        
be brought to declare ffrance would Receive a very greate support In the        
prsent warr for that hee has at prsent 18 or 20000 men on foot & is Now         
going to Raise 10000 men more                                                   
     On the other side its said that to bring him off from ffrance, The         
Emperor ofers to marry his daughter to the Electors sonn & to make him          
In case the Emperor hath no male Children King of the Romans  But this          
last wee hardly Believe                                                         
     On Monday passed by deale a very greate fleet of Dutch ships for           
the streights among which were 16 men of warr being those Designed for          
scicily                                                                         
     Wee heare that the ffrench are fitting out Neere 40 men of warr at         
St mallo which are Intended for Private men of warr In Case of a warr           
with England                                                                    
     They write from plimouth dat 25th that the ffrederich of that place        
John Mathews Commander arrived that afternoon who Came from Havre de            
grace on wednesday the 23 Jan: whence he was Much hastened & After he had       
got out of Command his Merchant sent him word that if he had stayd 2            
houres longer he had Been stopt by an Embargo                                   
     L. c. 586     feb 4th 1677                                                 
Commons 31 Jan 77  severall persons sent Into Custody for breach of             
priveledg                                                                       
     The addresse Reported & agreed to                                          
Comons 1 feb 1677                                                               
     A Bill for the Better assurance of such as Claim under antient             
fines & Recoveries Read a 3d time & past                                        
     A Bill for the preservation of fishing In the severall Rivers of           
this Kingdome Read a 2d time & Comitted                                         
     The house to attend his Maty this afternoon with the addresse              
     The Comittee to sit this afternoon with the hearth money Bill &            
the farmers of the hearth money to attend on tuesday with their pattent         
+Resolved that mr Franklin a Member In granting protection to mr                
Cottington & mr Jones not being his Meniall servants hath violated the          
justice & honour of the house & that for so doing he shall be Expelled          
the house                                                                       
     The officers of the Exchequer & Comrs of the Navy ordered to bring         
In Estimates of the Charge of a Regement of foot an account of the ships        
& the men to be employed In them & the Charge thereof on Monday morning         
Next & then adjourned till Monday morning                                       
    [Figures in another hand almost cover the outside of letter.]               
     L. c. 587     feb 7th 1677                                                 
Comons Monday 4th feb 1677                                                      
+his Matys answer to the addresse prsented & Read to the house                  
     The house then Resolved Into a Committee of the whole to Considder         
of a supply to his Maty & for the prsent support of his allies                  
Lds 4 feb 77                                                                    
+The house being Informed that the Earle of salesbury was at the doore &        
was Ready to make such submission [as?] they should require, His Ldship         
was Called Into his place & being told the house Exspected his Ldship doe       
make the same submission now which the [Lds?] formerly Required of him he       
said                                                                            
+My Lds In obedience to your Comands I doe agone [?] pardon of his Maty         
& the house for Asserting that the Prorogation of the Parliament was            
illegall, with which the house was satisfied & he continued in his place        
     Complaint being made of a servant of the Ld Cromwells Being                
arrested Upon Examination of the Matter it Could Not be prooved he was          
his Ldships servant upon Considderation whereof it was ordered that the         
Ld Cromwell doe pay the Costs & dammages that the Creditor of John Milmer       
Now In Ludgate hath sustained by this protection, and that it be                
Referred to the Comittee of Priviledges to Report what penalty shall be         
Imposed on a Lord that shall give any protection to one that is Not his         
servant & that the Ld Cromwell attend the house before thursday Next            
     5 feb 77 The Comons sitting, late I have only time to tell you of          
this dayes proceedings that they have Resolved that a supply be given to        
his Maty for the support of his Alliances &c The sum to be fixt to morrow       
     The ffrench King parted from Paris towards Germany On Monday was           
sevenight the 28 January                                                        
     L. c. 588     feb 9th 1677                                                 
Lds 5th feb 77                                                                  
+Upon petition of Phillip Risant of Charing In Kent Esqr against the E          
of Pembrooke Complaining of an Assault made by The sd Earle Upon him            
They ordered him to be Called In and Averring the truth of the petition         
upon oath they ordered the Earle to give 2000 L bond to keep the peace          
against the petitioner & all the Kings subjects for one whole year              
which the Earle acknowledged                                                    
     Sr Jo Cartwrights Bill Read & Committed                                    
Comons 5 feb 77                                                                 
+The Committees to whome the sale of Cobham parke &c & the ffishing Bill        
sent from the Lds were ordered to sitt this afternoon                           
     The Ld Morleys & mr samines Bills Read a 2d time & Committed               
     The Clerke of the peace of Middlesex according to order delivered          
the Conviction of Recusancy against sr soloman swaile a member of the           
house & his petition being Tendered it was ordered that he be summoned          
to attend the house that day fortnight                                          
     Ordered that the farmers of the Hearth money Attend the house with         
their pattent to morrow morning                                                 
     & then the house Considdered of the supply                                 
Lds     6 feb 77                                                                
+The Ld Cromwell appearing; The order of his summons & the order                
Concerning priviledges were Read upon which he declared he Never knew           
the orders of the house before & is sorry for what he hath done & will          
Revoke what is past & will doe so No more & then the house Being Mooved         
that something is to be done Effectuall for preventing the                      
Inconveniencies of Protections They ordered the Committee of priviledges        
should meet this afternoon to Considder of prepareing somewhat to be            
published declareing the tenor & Import of the standing orders of the           
house Relateing to the priviledg of parliamts                                   
     The Comons Returned mr Cooks Bill with some Amendmts which was             
twice Read & ordered to be Read againe                                          
Comons     6 feb 77                                                             
+mr Cooks Bill Reported & Read a 3d time & past                                 
      The house then Considdered of the supply & Resolved that 90 ships         
of warr are Necessary for the support of his Matys prsent alliances with        
the states of Holland for the preservation of the spanish Netherlands &         
lessening the power of ffrance                                                  
Comons     7 feb 77                                                             
+The house Comitted a Bill to prevent Rapine on the Northerne borders &         
ordered a 2d Reading to A Bill for Regulating the Court of Chancery &           
then proceeded Upon the supply & appointed a Comittee to Considder of           
the Charge of setting forth & Maintaining 90 ships of warr for a Moneth         
vizt 4 of the first Rate: 5 of the 2d Rate. 16 of the 3d Rate. 47 of the        
4th Rate 12 of the 5th Rate; & 6 of the 6th Rate & to Report it to the          
house                                                                           
     On the 6th the Archbishop of Cant was sworne & tooke his place of          
his Matys Most Honble privy Councell                                            
+all written Protections are declared voyd & a publication to be made of        
it throughout England                                                           
     The Earle of Exeter is lately dead & so is sr Herbert Price Master         
of his Matys household                                                          
     L. c. 589     ffeb 11th 1677                                               
+The Considderation of the papers prsented by the Master of the Ordinance       
& mr secretary of the Admiralty Referred to the Comittees that Considder        
of the Charge of 90 ships                                                       
     All written protections declared to be voyde & publication to be           
made thereof Throughout England                                                 
8 feb     Commons                                                               
+A Bill to prvent the Importation of silke & woollen Manufactures Read &        
ordered a 2d Reading                                                            
     A Bill for setling a Charitable use for Kelshall Read a 3d time &          
past                                                                            
     A Bill ordered to be brought In prohibbitting the Importation of           
ffrench wines Brandy Linnen salt silke paper & all other Comodities of          
the growth product or Manufacture of ffrance for the terme of 3 yeares          
     Then the house went Into a Grand Comittee & Resolved                       
     That dureing an actuall warr against ffrance 26 Regemts of ffoot           
Each of 1000 men 4 Regemts of horse Each of 490 men And 2 Regemts of            
dragoons Each of 960 men are Necessary for the support of his Matys             
alliances with the states generall for the preservation of flanders &           
lessening the power of ffrance [in margin at left of this paragraph             
and in another hand these amounts are computed] & the Committee to whome        
the Considderation of the Charge of the 90 ships was Referred is also to        
Considder of the Charge of the sd Regemts for a Moneth                          
+The Earle of Dunbarton is Marching with the scotch & other Regemts of          
his Matys subjects out of the french service                                    
     L. c. 590     feb 14 1677                                                  
  Monday 11 feb 1677                                                            
Comons  A Bill for Erecting a Publicke Registery for lands In Every             
County Read & ordered a 2d Reading                                              
     The Committee about the Kings supply & all others that were to sitt        
on satureday Revived & to sitt this afternoon                                   
     whitehall 12 feb                                                           
+Wee just Now Receive the ffrench letters of satureday last, They say           
That the King & the Court was arrived at Thoul in Lorraine, That his            
designe was Not yet knowne But many Believe he would have an Interview          
with the Elector of Bavaria, That the Mareshall de Crequi had passed the        
Rhine with [15?] or 20000 men at Brisach & It ws thought he would Enter         
Into Suabia & joyne the troops of Bavaria or Else Attacke Offenburg             
     They had advice from the Count de Estrees of his haveing taken the         
Isle of Tobago & all the dutch ships that were there, The Commander the         
sieur de Binches was killed In the action                                       
    Nothing of Moment past In parliament this day, The Commons Read only        
some private bills The Committee Not haveing yet Been able to Report            
Concerning the Equipage of 90 ships                                             
     And Adjourned till Thursday                                                
     L. c. 591     feb 16th 1677                                                
 Whitehall 14 feb 77                                                            
+According to all appearance the designe of the french King is upon             
straasburg to have his Revenge Upon that Citty for haveing so often             
violated their Neutrality In favour of the Imperialists and among               
other Reasons to think so this is one  That the M: de Crequi is Now             
past the Rhine and gone as they say to Attacke offenburg which is               
about 2 leagues from straasburg                                                 
     On the other side wee doe Not heare that the germains make any             
preparations to put themselves In a posture to oppose so greate a               
force as the french will have Besides the additional forces of Bavaria          
if he declare In faivour of the french as its Much feared he will               
     The Kings subjects In the french Kings service Cannot yet get              
Leave to Come home, The french say there Must be a warr first declared          
& In the Meane time Use them somewhat hardly & have Cashiered severall          
of the officers & sent them away without paying them anything                   
     They have sent the scotch Regemt of which my Ld Douglas is Coll as         
farr as Dauphine & the duke of Monmouths Into the franche Comte &c              
     The Dutch have Not only lost the Isle of Tobago but as the french          
say 11 men of warr & all the men that were there  It is Believed the            
Count de Estrees will from thence passe to the spanish westindies               
+The King has Appointed Comrs to treate with the spanish Minister here          
     This day the Comons Read the stanary Bill and the Comittee haveing         
made their Report of the Charge of the ships to be 108840 L:10 s:0 p            
Moneth & of the army to be 49113 L:31 s:4d p Moneth  the house after            
a long debate agreed to it, besides which the Master of the ordinance           
has Brought In an account of the Monethly Charge of a trayne of Artillery       
Armes & Ammunition                                                              
     The Earle of shaftesbury prsented a petition to the Lds for his            
liberty but was Rejected                                                        
     severall persons of the greatest quality & Interest In their               
Countrey have lately Kissed his Matys and his Royall Highs Hands                
profferring to Raise Regents & goe themselves with them whenever his            
Maty shall please to give them his Commands                                     
                  [Handwriting changes here.]                                   
      Tis said the Earle of Pembrooke since his Enlargment has kild a           
man, besides 2 Horses, upon wch his Ldpp is fled beyond sea.                    
    The Earle of Ossory is gone againe for Holland, & an Envoy dispatcht        
to ye Duke de Villa Hermosa at Brussells about matters of great Importance      
     On ye 10th arrived an Envoy from ye Duke of Lorrayne to his Maty           
A vessell arived from Rochfort at Bristoll reports ye people much               
troubled at ye apprehensions of a warr wth England, vizt [?] as yt may          
ruine them in hindring ye vent of their goods  A man of men of warr went        
from Rockfort to Brest, 2 of betwixt 50 & 90 guns, ye other of 30, &            
more were following                                                             
+The feare of Mons being actually beseiged seames to vanish  Tis                
said ye french King has some great designe in hand, Resolveing to stay          
not above 6 [?] Weekes, & haveing by Computation noe less then 70000 men        
wth him, The french seeme not soe intent as of late in fortifying Troy          
[?] bourg, & are demollishing Ingweiler, & severall places they have in         
those parts                                                                     
     The Dutch letters say ye allyances intended betweene Poland &              
Sweden are Come to Nothing, the Elector of Brandenb haveing made such           
offers to ye Pole, that they had resolvd upon a Neutrallity, wch tis            
thought will put a stop to ye march of ye swedes from Livonia, in               
Prussia Ducale as was intended.  The Admiralty of Amsterdam are much            
concernd at ye loss of Tobago, Especially for that Binches was sent by          
them wth out ye permission of ye states, soe that pretensions are makeing       
upon them to pay the Whole charge, the Dutch ships intended for sicilly         
are to Rendezvouz at ye Isle of Wight Where Evertson is to come to them.        
      Brussells letters speake of a long Conference between [?] the Duke        
Villa Hermosa & ye Duch agents Concerning ye preparations for ye                
Campaigne, The Prince desireing to know what number of troops &c he             
could furnish & that all possible dilligence may be used for provideing         
Magazines &c: all appearances of peace being vanisht assuring him that ye       
Prince & ye states were makeing all Imaginable preparations for ye              
Campaigne.  to wch ye Duke gave them great apearance of takeing other           
measures than hitherto for Carrying on ye warr & that he would soe              
mannage ye publick affairs as should be most for ye advancemt of ye             
Common Cause                                                                    
     L. c. 592     [Handwriting changes here.]     feb 18th 1677                
   Thursday 14 feb 77                                                           
Comons  A Report (to the Committee to whome the Estimate of the Charge of       
the Navy & land forces was Referred) to a Comittee of the whole house who       
agreed to the 2 following votes                                                 
          ships          Rates                                                  
            4              1                                                    
            5              2                                                    
           16              3                                                    
           47              4                                                    
           12              5                                                    
            6              6                                                    
togather with fireships & tenders manned at 25562 men which amounts to          
108840:10:0 p moneth Consisting of 28 dayes Inclusive, The office of            
the ordinance & all sicke [?] on board                                          
     That the totall Expense for one Moneth of 26 Regemts of foot 4 of          
horse & 2 of dragoons amounts to 49130:13:4                                     
     friday                                                                     
Comons  A Comittee appointed to Inspect the lawes Concerning the poore &        
to bring In a Bill                                                              
      A Bill sent from the Lds for Explaineing a late act for preventing        
dangers which may happen from popeish Recusants Read a 2d time & Rejected       
      A Bill ordered to be brought In Enforceing the Buriing in woollen         
      satureday 16 feb                                                          
Comons  A Bill for Impowering & lycenceing Protestant strangers to              
Exercise their trades In the places Mentioned In the Bill Read & ordered        
a 2d Reading                                                                    
     A Bill for punnishing Atheisme & Blasphemy Read & ordered a 2d Reading     
     A Bill for prohibitting the exportation of wooll Read a 2d time &          
Committed                                                                       
     L. c. 593     feb 21st 1677                                                
   Whitehall 19 feb 77                                                          
+ffrom Tangier was had an account that the Moores had on Twelfe Night           
about 9 of the Clocke given them a very Hott Allarme on the sudden,             
fireing at No Lesse then 5 of the forts at once vizt Charles, Anne,             
Pond, Henrietta & Kendall bringeing ladders & other Requisitts for an           
attacke along with them & Contrary to their former practice they                
Attacked the 2 latter In good Earnest, Henrietta they became Masters            
of Killing 2 of the men and Carrying away the Rest as they suppose,             
while In the meane time fort Kendall (whether by accedent from within           
or without is uncertain) blew up                                                
     That dureing the action which lasted 2 houres the Canon of the             
towne & Castle did Greate Execution upon the Enemy who they Conclude to         
be very Numerous from their Constant & thicke fireing & for that Reason         
made No sally, But the Next morning the governor Resolveing to Retake           
fort Henrietta by storme (In Case the enemy Continued In it) Marched out        
with a Good party of horse & foot but they had deserted it & so gave him        
a More Easy posession                                                           
     Monday 18 feb 77                                                           
Commons  A Bill from the Lds about Catechisme & Baptizeing Read &               
ordered a 2d Reading                                                            
     The house then Resolved Into a Committee of the whole house &              
Resolved                                                                        
     That the summe of 100.000 L be Raised for Enabling his Maty to             
Enter Into an actuall warr against the french King                              
     Tuesday 19 feb                                                             
+The Commons have this day Resolved that part of the 100000 L Given             
yesterday shall be Raised on New foundations In and about London that is        
every New foundation since 1656 to pay halfe a yeares Rent                      
     Wee have all o[u]r fforreigne letters  they say that the 12/22             
Instant the french King arrived at Nancy, That his designe was declared         
upon Treves that pioneers were sumoned In & other preparations makeing          
     Its Believed Luxemburg will be beseiged at the same time                   
     L. c. 594     feb 25th 1677                                                
Commons feb 19th 1677                                                           
+A Bill to prevent Theft & Rapine on the Northerne borders of England           
Read a 3d time & passed                                                         
     A Bill sent from the Lds for preservation of fishing Read a 3d time        
& passed                                                                        
     The house then resolved that towards the Million to be Raised for          
his Matys supply a Charge shall be Layd on all Buildings on New                 
foundations since 1656 to pay one halfe of a full yeares vallue &               
appointed a Comittee to take such surveys & Estimates as may Ascertain          
the vallue                                                                      
Comons 20 feb 77                                                                
+The Matter Concerning the Patent for hearth Money to be taken Into             
Considderation to morrow & then the house made some farther progresse           
In the supply                                                                   
Lds 20 feb 77                                                                   
+The petition of the E of shaftesbury was Read praying his Enlargement &        
submitting to what the house will Enjoyne him & therein Begging pardon          
of his Maty & their Ldships upon which the Ld Chancellor acquainted them        
his Maty had Recd a 3d petition from the sd Earle, But understanding            
that he had Endeavoured to free Himselfe from their Censure by an               
appeale to the Kings Bench dureing the late Adjournment thought Not fit         
to declare his pleasure as to his Enlargemt till they had taken the             
same Into Considderation Upon which after a long debate it was ordered          
that the Record of the Kings bench Court be brought Into the house to           
morrow & that this Buisness be proceeded Upon In the first place                
Commons 21 feb 77                                                               
+The Comons have this day Resolved a Pole to be Raised on the same foot         
as that In the 17th yeare of his Matys Reigne was                               
     They recken that the Tax on the New foundations will Come to 5 or          
600000 L                                                                        
     The Lds have declared that it is a breach of Priveledg for any             
member of their house to appeale to an Inferior Court dureing the               
sitting of the parliament, However that this shall Not be any barr to           
any plea the E of shaftesbury has to make                                       
     The Dutch letters tell us Admirall Evertson was gone with 20 men           
of war 6 fireships & 4 with provisions & Ammunition to which were joyned        
3 men of war built at amsterdam for the Spanish Kings service & that a          
Resolution was past for the equipping of 20 ships of war forthwith But          
its Not said for what service,                                                  
     They Talke as if the 2 Northerne Crownes and the Elector of                
Brandenburg might Come to an accomodation                                       
     The Paris letters tell us of a Greate fleet designed this yeare for        
the Mediterranean of No lesse then 80 saile of all sorts                        
     Whitehall 23d feb 77                                                       
+Little of moment past In the house yesterday save that the Commons             
Resolved that a Charge be layd on the East & West Indies without                
Mentioning the same                                                             
     The Lds ordered yesterday that the Earle of shaftesbury be on              
Monday brought to the Barr of the house                                         
     Wee have o[u]r dutch letters of last Tuesday  They say that the P of       
orange upon the advice he had Recd That according to all appearance the         
french would Beseige Namur & Charlemont was parted from the Hague some          
houres Before the letters Came away by the way of Breda to his Army             
which was Already marched towards Hassell                                       
     In Germany the Imperiall troops Begin likewise to draw togather            
     L. c. 595     feb 28th 1677                                                
   Whitehall 26 feb 77                                                          
+On sonday Evening by a letter from Dunkerke wee had Advice That In             
flanders the french had drawne their forces togather under the Command          
of the Mareshall de Humieres That they had Beseiged Ghent the Capitall          
Citty of the Province of fflanders And yesterday Morning this Newes             
was Confirmed by letters from Newport with these following perticulers          
That all the troops that were posted about Ipres were Marched that way,         
That In four dayes they had Not had any Letters from Ghent Antwerpe             
Brussells Nor Germany the french haveing stopt them all, That it was            
Not Exspected that Ghent Could Make any Resistance Being so large &             
populous A Citty without any soldiers In it save what are In the                
Citadell & those to few & the Citadell besides so little Tenable                
against an army that very little is to be Exspected from it, That the           
french King was likewise Come Into flanders & It was Believed he would          
March directly to Brussells,                                                    
     It may Easyly be Immagined Into what A Confrontation this has put          
those Countries In                                                              
     The Dutch letters Come this Morning assure us That Charlemont on           
the Meuse was Beseiged on the l6/26 Instant by the french & it was              
probable Namur would In few dayes, They give no acccount from Ghent             
save what they heard from Antwerp That a body of french was Come Into           
the Neibourhood & had Begun to fire upon it from their Batteries  Its           
said here at Court that advice is Come that the french King Arrived             
In person at Ghent on friday last of which his troops were Masters the          
day before haveing Marched about 80 miles In two days But I know Not the        
certainty of this                                                               
     On Monday the Commons Read only some perticuler Bills, one about           
Encourageing the wearing woollen Manufactures                                   
+The Bills for the Raiseing the Million are prepareing                          
     The E of shaftesbury was Brought to the Barr of the Lds and upon           
his Acknowledging the Error of his former opinion & his humble                  
submission to his Maty & the House, It was Resolved that his Maty be            
addressed to discharge him of his Imprisonment                                  
     On Tuesday the Comons Read & Committed The Bill for Incourageing the       
wearing woollen Manufactures, and Read the Poll Bill & that about               
Burying woollen & ordered a 2d Reading                                          
     L. c. 596     March 2d 1677                                                
   Whitehall 28 feb 77                                                          
+In my last I told you that the french had made themselves Masters of           
Ghent  what I have Now to tell you is That yesterday morning 12 Companies       
Consisting Each In 100 men drawne out of the Kings guards Embarked In           
the River & Imediately set saile for Ghent Carrying with them all manner        
of stoores Necesary as Amunition provisions &c Being joyned Into a              
Regement of which my Ld Howard of Estwicke is Colonell sr Samuel Clarke         
lieutenant Colonell & Capt downing Major                                        
     After they were gone there Came Newes from dover that a gentleman a        
passenger arrived there from Calais who said that the french King               
arrived on friday last at Ghent That Citty surrendring without any              
Resistance  That on satureday the french Kings army Came downe to Bruges        
which likewise opened their gates & from thence severall troops were            
marching as was thought towards ostend                                          
     upon which advice 3 or 400 men more were prsently drawne out of the        
guards & shipt last night likewise for ostend & about midnight the Duke         
of Monmouth followed Being Commanded by the King to put himselfe with           
all posible dilligence with the said men Into Ostend for the defense of         
that place In Case it should be Attackt                                         
     This Evening arrived o[u]r french letters  they say that the french        
King arrived on satureday last about two In the morning Before Ghent            
which Citty was surrendred that day & it was Exspected Bruges would doe         
the like                                                                        
     The Kings army Consisted In 100 squadrons of horse & 69 Battalions         
foot In all about 60000 men                                                     
      They say the P of orange had a very good trayne of Artillery at           
Bruges which is lost                                                            
      This morning the D of Monmouth Returned hither againe being               
hindered by Contrary winds but about Noon parted againe accompanied with        
severall persons of note                                                        
Comons 27 feb                                                                   
+The Poll Bill Read a 2d time & Committed to a Comittee of the whole            
house & Instructions Given to the said Comittee that No wines Brandy            
salt silks &c or any other french Commodities be Imported for 3 yeares          
& that wheresoever they shall be found there shall be penalties                 
Inflicted Equally to the vallue of such goods                                   
     That it be Referred to the Comittee to Considder of an Appropriateing      
[sic] Clause                                                                    
     The E of shaftesbury is Released of his Imprisonment                       
     L. c. 597     March 4th 1677                                               
   Whitehall 2d March 1677                                                      
+It seems the Newes wee had here these 3 or 4 dayes has Been a Mistake          
Grounded upon Report only for On Thursday Night arrived here a gentleman        
who Came from the french Campe on Tuesday morning who said that the King        
arrived there on satureday, That on Monday the trenches were opened             
against the Citadell that when he Came away the place still held out            
     And last night mr Brisband whome the King had sent over to Ostend          
to Informe him of the Condition of things there & at Bruges Returned            
hither & Informed the King that he was at Bruges on Thursday about 10 In        
the morning that Ghent was Not yet taken  That the Governor of Bruges           
Informed him that there was Not above 4 or 500 soldiers In Ghent But            
that the Majestrates had listed 15000 Burghers & setled a very Good             
pay upon them  That they had Beaten the french out of a halfe moone             
which they had taken on sonday & Monday last that they hoped they would         
be able to defend themselves for some time                                      
     That at Bruges there was 2000 men In Garrison & the Governor a             
very Brave man & was Resolved to defend the place to the last In Case           
the french Came Before it & that the P of Orange was come within 6              
leagues of Ghent                                                                
+Last night Came In our flanders letters  they say that the french army         
Consists In 35000 foot & 20000 horse & that the french have so fortified        
their severall quarters that it is Imposible to force any of them               
     It is hoped that by this time our Men are safely arrived at Ostend         
They Carryed with them very Considderable stoores of Powder Granadoes           
&c & Tis said they will be shortly followed by 5 or 6000 men More to be         
put Into such places as most Need them                                          
     The Commissions for the New Leavies are prepareing with all posible        
hast & will be given out In a day or Two                                        
     The parliament have Been since my last Every day Upon the Poll Bill        
& that for the prohibitting the Importation of french Manufactures which        
are to be put Into one, They have made a Considderable progresse therein        
so that its hoped it will be finished In a day or Two                           
     L. c. 598     March 9th 1677                                               
   Whitehall 7th March 1677                                                     
       Charges in the Poll Bill [This line is in another hand.]                 
+Yesterday Arrived a Vessell from ostend who brings an account that my          
Ld Howard arrived there on satureday with the Men that went with him &          
that on Monday the D of Monmouth Arrived there with the Rest  That his          
grace was Received with the discharge of the Cannon Round the towne, That       
after haveing Been there some houres he went to Bruges where those men          
are to be put Into garrison & their place at Ostend to be supplyed by           
those that are gone over since                                                  
     Just Now arrived Capt sunderland who parted from ostend yesterday          
In the evening being sent by the D of Monmouth to acquaint the King             
That their men are all landed Except some few, haveing been hindered by         
bad weather                                                                     
     That the Citty of Ghent was surrendred to the french on Wednesday          
last In the afternoon but the Cittadell Not till sonday morning, The            
french King was Marched with his army towards Ipres, haveing In all hast        
sent 3000 horse & a footman behind Each of them to put themselves Into          
Dunkerke Upon the Newes he had Recd of o[u]r Motions on this side               
     On the 27th february arrived at Falmouth the East India Merchant of        
London Capt Cooke Commander In 5 Moneths from Bantam  our Men of                
warr are dayly fitted out, The Charles ship of the first Rate was the           
28 february launched at Rochester New Built from the Water Edge &               
In a Better Condition then when at first New And the first Instant the          
Resolution a 3d Rate ship docked In her Roome In order to the fitting to        
sea, and on the 2d the Princesse sailed In order to her Repaire In some         
Merchants docke In the River thames                                             
     The letters from Vienna dat feb 20th tell us the generall officers         
had orders to Repaire to the army Imediately & that the D of Lorraine           
would presently follow them with whome it was thought Generall Cobs             
would be sent & that Count Lesly who Commanded the Emperors Forces In           
Denmarke should supply his place In Hungary                                     
     The dutch letters of the 11th tell us of a sale Exposed by the Dutch       
East India Company the day before where the Bidders were so few &               
profered such meane Rates that they Could Not vend any of their                 
Comodities A thing Never knowne among them before                               
     The sweds army In lyvonia was Ready to March But are stopt by the          
death of their Generall Bent horne till their K has appointed another           
generall                                                                        
     L.c. 599     [no place or date]                                            
[This letter is best read from the heading, "The severall Charges layd in       
the Poll Bill," below, to the end, then from the start to the heading.]         
Eldest son of a [duke?] 16 yeare age                        30 L                
yonger son of a duke                                        25 L                
Eldest son of Marquesses                                    25 L                
yonger son of Marquesses                                    20 L                
Eldest son of Earles                                        20 L                
yonger son of an Earle                                      15 L                
Eldest son of a vicount                                     17 . 10 s           
yonger son of a vicount                                     13 . 6 . 8 d        
Eldest son of a Baron                                       15 L                
yonger son of a Baron                                       12 L                
Barronets                                                   15 L                
Knights of the Bath                                         15 L                
Knights Batchelors                                          10 L                
Every sergeant at Law of the Kings Councill                 20 L                
Every other sergeant at Law                                 15 L                
Esquires so Reputed                                          5 L                
Gentlemen so Reputed                                         1 L                
Every widdow the third part of what her                                         
husband according to his quality should pay                                     
The first meeting of the [Comrs] to be at or upon the 12th of Aprill            
l678 & within 8 dayes after In the severall divisions                           
             The severall Charges layd In the Poll Bill                         
debts & Ready monies                      1 L p Cent                            
Offices & places of publicke Employmt     2 s In the pound                      
Pensions granted by his Maty              3 s In the pound                      
Judges sergeants at Law Councellors       2 s In the pound [A bracket connects  
Advocates proctors & publicke Notaries                     these two lines.]    
Servants wages                            1 s In the pound                      
All persons for their heads 1 s Except the Children Under 16 yeares of          
age or of Labourers servants In Husbandry & all that by Reason of               
their poverty pay Not to Church or poore, or all that are Not worth             
50 L In Lands or goods & have 4 Children or More                                
Every deane 1 th [?] 10 L   drs of divinity Law & phisicke     5 L              
Every archdeacon 2: 10 s    those of liveings of 120 L p Ann   5 L              
Every prebend    2: 10      "                                                   
Merchants Not freemen & liveing within 10 miles of London &                     
tradeing In the Port of London                          10 L: 0: 0              
Merchants & others that Rent a house of 30 L a yeare In                         
London or within the Bills of Mortality                  0 . 10 s .0            
Members of the East India Company for stock upon                                
the first Capitall subscriptions                         1 L p  Cont            
The Members of the Guinney Company the same to be paid by the                   
Governor & treasurer of the East India & Guinney Companies                      
Merchants strangers & aliens                                 10 L               
Jewes Resideing & tradeing In London                         20 L               
The same Comrs as were In the act for Building 30 ships to be Comrs             
In this Bill                                                                    
All dukes         50 L           Archbishops          50 L                      
Marquesses        40 L           bishops              20 L                      
Earles            30 L           barons               20 L                      
vicounts          25L                                                           
            [See editor's note at start of letter.]                             
     L. c. 600     March 11th 1677                                              
   Whitehall 9th march 1677                                                     
+The letters wee Receive from flanders Bring us the Confirmation of the         
surrender of Ghent But what the Articles are they know Not, only it was         
said that the King had promised them the Confirmation of their                  
priviledges & that the soldiers should Not be quartered Upon them  That         
Mounsr de Lonvoy had In the Kings Name assured the Grand Baliffe of the         
Country of Waas that his Maty would Not this yeare Attempt anything             
against Antwerp But that he would turne his armies another way (which           
as its supposed will be towards Ipres Bruges & those parts[)]                   
     That the P of Orange had sent 6 Battalions by water to sluyce with         
orders to put themselves Into Bruges for the security of that place             
which they are In most feare for                                                
     The letters wee Receive from Ostend tell us That my Ld Howard              
Arrived there with the men under his Command the 2/12 Instant In which          
place was only a Spanish Regemt of 400  That the deputy Governor had            
Refused to Receive them till he had orders from the Governor who was            
then at Bruges  But the Arrival of the D of Monmouth the Next day               
Removed all scruples  That on the 4/14 Instant my Ld Howard Landed with         
his men the officers haveing their quarters In the towne & the soldiers         
In Baraques, That the men that Came with the D of Monmouth Were Not all         
Landed haveing Been hindered by bad weather but so soon as they are Come        
Ashoare togather with 1000 men More Exspected out of the ffriggotts In          
that Roade) [sic] part should be sent to Bruges where is a Garrison of 5000     
men & that the D of Monmouth had sent 400 men to Newport  That on the           
5/15 Instant our men tooke the guard of their posts which Reached from          
they [sic] Key port to the Newport gate In all 5 Bastions with demy lines       
and Redoubts which Cover about halfe the towne towards the Campaigne            
side & that they had Newes that the french were about Dixmude & Ipres           
both which places were said to be beseiged                                      
[In left margin next to this paragraph and written upside down in               
another hand is this note:] Due to F. 6-10-2.  Pd H. King. all & gave           
him this 19 2+.  Pd the Brewer 2+  Given him 1+. 5'                             
     Yesterday the Poll Bill past the Commons house  the Title is  To           
Enable his Maty to Enter Into an actuall warr against the french King &         
for prohibitting the Importation of french Commodities which was sent up        
to the Lds where it was Read for the 1st time                                   
     All the Commissions for the New Leavies are Given out                      
     L. c. 601    [Handwriting changes here.]     [no place or date]            
           Articles agst Mr Coleman                                             
1  ffor writing letters of news to St Omars wth treasonable observations        
   thereon                                                                      
2  ffor writing treasonable letters to Monsr Lackee ye french Kings             
   Confesor                                                                     
3  Receiveing a Comision from ye Genll of ye Jesuites to be secretary of        
   state                                                                        
4  Being privy to the treasonable results of the Jesuites Convention in         
   the moneths of aprill & may.  Concerning the murthering ye King              
5  Receiveing Monsr Lackees instructions & dispersing them to the               
   principall Contrivers & Conspirators of ye Kings Death here in England       
6  Consulting to raise rebellion in Ireland & promoteing ye same                
7  Paying sr Georg Wakeman 5000 L in pt of 15000 L for poysoning the King       
8  Receiveing severall summs of mony in Order to the Carrying on ye Plott       
   agst ye Kings person, Religion & Governmt                                    
9  Transmitting 200000 L into Ireland to Carry on ye Rebellion by the           
   resistance of ye Jesuites there & for designeing wth them ye murther         
   of ye Duke of Ormond                                                         
10 Receiveing & transmitting mony to Windsor to ye 4 Ruffians that were         
   to assassinate the King & Encourageing ye messengers to Carry ye mony.       
       all wch articles were fully & clearely proved agst him & he              
accordingly sentencet to be drawne hangd & quarterd                             
     L. c. 602     [Handwriting changes here.]      March 14th 1677             
   Whitehall 12 March 1677                                                      
+On sonday morning very Early the d of Monmouth & d of albemarle Earles         
of Mulgrave Plimouth Feversham & the Rest that accompanied him Returned         
hither from Ostend from whence they parted the day Before  The Newes            
they bring is That Ipres is Beseiged  That the 5/15 Instant the french          
K Arrived there  That Next day the trenches were to be opened & that it         
was Exspected the french would be masters of the place In few dayes             
     That at ostend there were 8 Companies of English foot Commanded            
by the Ld Howard  That 4 or 500 were Marched from there to Bruges under         
the Conduct of the Earle of Middleton the Rest of the men Being Not yet         
Arrived by Reason of the ill weather & Contrary winds, That their               
Reception at Ostend from the Burghers had been Cold enough But that the         
governor had Received & treated the Duke with all posible Honours &             
Respects, That Besides the English there are 400 Spanish soldiers In            
garrison but are sad soules  There are More Men going over dayly for            
flanders                                                                        
     On satureday the Lds Being in a grand Committee Read the Poll Bill         
a 2d time & made a Considderable progresse therein, The Commons have Now        
before them the Bill Concerning the Laying A tax on the New foundations         
     All that I have time to tell you of the proceedings In parliamt            
of this day is that the Lds have agreed to the Poll Bill without any            
Amendments & to morrow they Read it the 3d & last time                          
     The Commons past the Bill for the More Easy Collecting of the hearth       
money  that about burying In woollen Reported & ordered to be Engrost           
     L. c. 603     March 16th 1677                                              
   Whitehall 14 March 1677                                                      
+By the french letters which arrived yesterday wee have an account that         
the trenches were opened Before Ipres the 6/16 Instant that It was              
Beseiged only with 20000 men the Rest Being put Into quarters of                
Refreshment & that they Exspected to be Masters of the place In 5 or 6          
dayes, They say that the King was Exspected backe at st Germains against        
Easter their stile, and that part of the troops who are at prsent In            
flanders will be sent towards Germany                                           
     The Mareshall de la ffevillade In scicily has Not succeeded In the         
first Attempt he made  you know he went out from Messina with all his           
forces to Attacke siracusa or Augusta, It seems he first Attackt the            
Castle of mola but was Repulsed with the loss of 450 men upon this              
place and about 200 taken prisoners of which wee Expect a more                  
perticular account                                                              
Lds 13 March                                                                    
+An act for Makeing salt water fresh & wholesome at land & sea Read             
     An additionall act to prevent the spoyleing all high wayes by              
waggons & Carts Read & Committed                                                
     An act for the Better Regulating the Residence of Ecclesiasticall          
persons & plurality of Benefices Read                                           
     An act for Regulating the office of the Marshall of the Marshalsea         
of the Court of Kings bench & warden of the fleet Read                          
     An act for Raiseing Money by a Poll & otherwise to Enable his Maty         
to Enter Into an actuall war against the french King & for prohibbiting         
severall french Comodities Read with Amendments & past & Returned to the        
Commons                                                                         
+Comons  The Bill for Encourageing the wearing of woollen Manufactures          
Reported & ordered to be Engrost                                                
     The house also made a greate progresse In heareing the Matter              
Concerning Lindsey levell                                                       
     On the 14th the Commons past the poll Bill with Amendments & ordered       
that an addresse be prsented to his Maty Humbly to Advise him that his          
Maty (to quiet the Minds of his Loyall subjects & to Encourage the              
princes & states Confederated against the french King) will be                  
graciously pleased Immediately to declare & Enter Into an actuall warr          
against the french King And to give his Maty assurances that this               
house will Constantly stand by him & aide his Maty In the prosecution           
thereof with plentifull supplies & Assistances And that his Maty will           
be Graciously pleased to Recall his Ambrs from france & Nimeghen & to           
send home the french Kings Ambrs                                                
     severall Commissions are already delivered out for the Raiseing            
severall Regemts of foot vizt to Coll Villars to sr Charles wheeler             
Ld Allinton Coll Legg sr Jo fenwick Ld Douglas sr Lionell Waters Ld             
Morpeth Ld Brian mr sidney sr Henery Goodrich sr Thomas slingsby &              
Coll stradling                                                                  
     for Horse                                                                  
for the Kings Regemt to the Duke of Monmouth                                    
for the queens Regemt to the Duke of Albemarle                                  
for the Dukes Regemt to the Earle of Peterbrough                                
for one other Regemt to the Ld Gerrard                                          
     for Dragoons                                                               
for the Kings Regemt to the Earle of feversham                                  
for prince Ruperts Regemt to sr John Talbott                                    
     L. c. 604     March 18th 1677                                              
Lds   ffriday 15 March l677                                                     
+The Bill for discharge of all prisoners for debt before the 2d of              
february last with some Amendments Read & Upon the Debate of the house          
Recommitted                                                                     
     Mr Powell Reports the addresse which the house agreed to & the Lds         
Concurrance desired                                                             
     The Bill for laying a Charge on all New Buildings Read & ordered           
a 2d Reading                                                                    
             severall private Bills Read                                        
     The Addresse                                                               
+May it Please yo[u]r Maty, wee yo[u&r Matys Most Humble & Loyall subjects      
the Commons In this prsent parliamt assembled doe with all duty &               
faithfulness to yo[u]r Matys service humbly prsent yo[u]r Maty with this        
o[u]r Advice, That for the satisfiyng the minds of yo[u]r good subjects         
who are Much disquieted with the apprehensions of the dangers arriseing         
to this Kingdome from the growth & power of the french King & for the           
encouragement of the princes & states Confederates against him would be         
graciously pleased Imediately to declare proclaime & Enter Into an              
actuall warr against the sd french King for the prosecution whereof (as         
wee have Already passed a Bill of supply which only wants yo[u]r Royall         
Assent so wee doe desire yo[u]r Maty to Rest Confidently Assured that wee       
will from time to time proceed to stand by & Aide yor Maty with such            
plentifull supplies & assistances as yo[u]r Matys occasions for so Royall       
an Undertakeing shall Require  And Because yo[u]r Matys Endeavours by way       
of Mediation have Not produced those good Effects yo[u]r Maty Intended wee      
doe most Humbly Beseech yo[u]r Maty that you would graciously be pleased        
to Recall yo[u]r Ambrs from france & Nimeghen & to Cause the french Ambr        
to depart from hence that yo[u]r Maty being publickly disengaged as a           
Mediator or upon such tearmes & Conditions as were then proposed, yo[u]r        
Maty may Enter Into the warr to No other End then that the french King          
may be Reduced to such a Condition as he may be No longer terrible to           
yo[u]r Matys subjects & that Christendome May be Restored to such a peace       
as May Not be In the power of any prince to disturbe                            
     satureday 16 march                                                         
+Resolved That it be Referred to a Committee to Considder whether persons       
Called quakers or any other dissenting protestants have Been Convicted as       
popish Recusants & two thirds of their Estates leavied & the sd Comittee        
to Considder to make a distinction of popeish Recusants from other              
dissenters from the Church of England                                           
     That on Tuesday Next the house will take Into Considderation the           
dangers the Religion of the Church of England is In by the growth of            
popery                                                                          
     The Lds have Adjourned the debate Concerning the addresse till Monday      
     They have Resolved to pray his Maty to appoint a generall fast             
     L. c. 605     March 21st 1677                                              
Commons  Monday 15 March 1677                                                   
+A Bill for Makeing the River Vale in Cornwall Navigable Read & ordered a       
2d Reading                                                                      
     mr shalnoffes Bill Committed                                               
+A Bill against Hawkers & pedlers Read a 3d time & passed                       
     A Bill for the More decent Enterment of his Most sacred Maty Read          
twice & Committed to a Committee of the whole house to sit on Wednesday         
     The Members of the privy Councell to Acquaint his Maty that there          
is a Bill of Aide passed which only wants his Royall Assent                     
     sr Thomas Meere Reports the Election for Malton That mr                    
Geblethwaight is duely Elected to which the house agreed                        
Lds  18 March                                                                   
+The house went Into a grand Committee to proceed In the Considderation         
of the addresse which was Read and after a long time spent In the debate        
thereof the question was put whether they should agree to it as it was          
sent up & Resolved In the Negative & then they went upon it In                  
paragraphs  And Insteed of the word IMMEDIATELY they added WITH ALL             
THE EXPEDITION THAT CAN POSIBLY CONSIST WITH THE SAFETY OF YO[U]R MATYS         
AFFAIRES And Resolved to leave out that part Concerning the sending away        
of the french Ambr Beginning at these words AND BECAUSE to the words TO         
NO OTHER END which being Reported was agreed to                                 
Commons  Tuesday 19 March 77                                                    
+A Complaint on the behalfe of sr Edward Bish that the proffitts of his         
office are Sequestred dureing the time of priveledg Referred to the             
Committee of priveledges                                                        
     mr Samines Bill Read a 3d time & passed                                    
     A Bill for a Registry for pawne Brokers Read A 2d time & Committed         
     mr Thorrolds Bill Read a 3d time & passed                                  
     The Bill Concerning New buildings to be Read a 2d time on Thursday         
     mr powell Reports the Reasons to be used at the Conference touching        
the fishing Bill which was this day offered at the Conference                   
     A Message from the Lds with Amendments to the Addresse which this          
house did Not agree to & Appointed a Committee to draw up Reasons for           
their dissenting                                                                
     mr secretary Coventry delivered this following Message from his Maty       
               CR                                                               
+His Maty hath Recd the Notice sent him by this house that the Poll Bill        
was Now Ready for the Royall Assent which his Maty was well pleased to          
leave off & Resolveth to passe it to morrow; His Maty desireth this             
house to dispatch the Rest of the supplies promised him with all                
Expedition, The sea & land preparations Run greate danger of being              
disappointed if these supplies be Retarded, And it will be A                    
satisfaction to his Maty to heare from this house that Noe More time            
should be lost In a worke so necesary for the safety & Reputation of the        
Nation at the finishing these supplies dated 19 March 77                        
     whitehall 19 March 77                                                      
+By an Expresse Arrived this Morning from Newport wee had an account            
that Ipres was surrendred to the french on friday last, the Spaniards           
say the french have lost severall thousand men In the seige of Ipres But        
little Credit is to be given to it for at the same time that they writt         
from Ostend that 3 or 4000 men had Been killed In the seige of Ipres the        
french say they had Not lost above 500 men                                      
     L. c. 606     March 23d 1677                                               
   Whitehall 21 March 1677                                                      
+Wee have Not yet the Capitulation of Ipres which was surrendred on             
ffriday the 15th Instant save that the garison was to March to Bruges           
     The King is Certainly Gone Backe to Paris & his troops In flanders         
will goe Into quarters that they may be able to take the field againe           
About A Moneth hence                                                            
Comons 20 March 1677                                                            
     A Bill for the More Effectuall punishing of Champerty & Maintenance        
Read & ordered A 2d Reading                                                     
     The tobacco pipe Bill Read & Rejected                                      
     The Bill for Measuring of Keeles & Boates for Carrying of Coales           
Read & ordered a 2d Reading                                                     
     his Maty After haveing Given his Royall Assent to the Poll Bill &c         
Made this following speech to both houses                                       
My Lords & Gentlemen./                                                          
     I Am so zealous for the good of the Nation that I Cannot Choose But        
tell you that it shall be your fault & Not mine if all be Not done that         
should be for the safety & happiness of it & I must tell you there Must         
be No time lost.                                                                
Commons 21 March 1677                                                           
+A Bill to prevent stealing deare Read & ordered a 2d Reading                   
     A Bill to lycense protestant strangers fo exercise their trades            
here Read a 2d time & Committed                                                 
     sr George Downing ordered to goe up to the Lds to desire a                 
Conference about the Amendments to the Addresse which he did accordingly        
& the Lds have agreed to A Conference to Morrow at 11 A Clocke                  
     The Bill Concerning New Buildings Read a 2d time & A debate                
Arriseing about the Commitment thereof  The same was adjourned till             
satureday & the Committee to whome the Estimate of the Buildings is             
Referred to perfect their Report by that time                                   
     The house to take Into Considderation the dangers Arriseing to             
the Church of England by the growth of popery on wednesday                      
     The house to be In A Committee to Morrow about the Bill for the            
Interment of his late Maty                                                      
     The Dunkerke letters say the french lost 8 or 900 men Before Ipres         
which is to be dismantled  the garrison which was 3000 are Marched to           
Bruges                                                                          
     severall troops of horse & dragoons have proceeded so far as to            
Muster As have Also many of the foot, The soldiers Comeing very freely          
Into the service                                                                
     On the 17th there were 14 saile of his Matys ships in the Downes           
besids what are In ports &c and those that attend In Convoys with               
more soldiers aboard for the service of fflanders, The preparations for         
sea Aswell as land are Carried on with the greatest dilligence  On the          
14th was Launched At Chattam the sr Andrew Graves for sea, The Next tide        
the french Ruby  The Next tide after that the Cambridg  The next tide           
being the 16th Instant the Royall oake & when shee was out the                  
Henrietta put Into the docke                                                    
     Both swede & dane prepare with greate vigour for a warr  The danes         
send out ships Raise men & have appointed 3 dayes of fasting & the              
sweds Resolve to put In armes Every 4th man throughout the Kingdome             
of sweden                                                                       
    L. c. 607                                                                   
    Reasons Used by the Commons at the Conference March 23d 77                  
+Impris  That his Maty haveing declared to us since this Meeting That he        
had made a League offensive & defensive with Holland against the growth         
& power of the ffrench K And for the preservation of the spanish                
Netherlands wee Cannot but Judge that his Maty hath disposed of his             
Affaires In order thereunto & is therefore Now so far Engaged that An           
Immediate declaration of Warr against the ffrench K Cannot be Either            
prejudiciall or dangerous to his Matys Affaires                                 
2  That by declareing warr Immediately his Maty may begin the warr              
against the ffrench K At this time upon Equall tearmes whereas If               
things Continue In A Doubtfull State the ffrench K may begin upon us            
when he sees his Best Advantage & surprize his Matys subjects whilst            
they goe on In security In their trade In Confidence of A seeming               
peace  And if wee should agree to the amendments yo[u]r Ldships propose         
the provocation to the ffrench K will be Equall to An Immediate                 
declaration of warr & will Equally Justify him In such A manner of              
proceeding & yet at the same time leave o[u]r selves & the Confederates         
In greate uncertainty                                                           
3  That the Armies of the ffrench K have been of late soe prosperous &          
soe succesfull that It may be doubted that If his Maty doe Not                  
Immediately declare A warr the Confederates or some of the principle of         
them may be Constrained to make A peace Upon such tearmes as the ffrench        
K will grant whereby wee may be left to defend o[u]r selves Alone or Upon       
Much greater disadvantages then wee may at prsent                               
4  That by the words yo[u]r Ldships have put In, the time may be left           
Indefinite & so May be subject to the Exposition of those who have              
prevailed with his Maty to deferr the Entring Into A warr too long Already      
5 That by declareing Warr Immediately the force his Maty hath Raised            
Must be prsently sent Abroade & Employed beyond sea, whereas otherwise          
they must be kept In this Kingdome, Then which Nothing Can be More              
dangerous & More destructive to the Lawes liberties & properties of the         
subjects of this Kingdome, the feare of which hath Already posessed             
their Minds                                                                     
6 That by just declaration his Matys subjects Now In the ffrench service        
will be Recalled & brought thence & by that meanes the Armies of ffrance        
will be deprived of that Assistance & the Confederates strengthened with        
the Addition of so many forces, who may otherwise suddenly be Employed          
In fighting Against those whome wee desire to support                           
7 That the Charge of Maintaining the sd forces will be greate & wee Can         
Noe wayes satisfie those wee Represent Chearfully to leavie those taxes         
that Are Necesary unless the Imediate Employing them Abroade be plaine          
& visible                                                                       
8 That if his Maty make himselfe A party In the war It will be                  
Inconsistant with the Continuance of o[u]r Medi[ation]                          
9 That the Continuance of English Ambrs at Nimeghen as Mediators May            
Raise a Doubt In the Confederates that his Maty hath Not layd aside all         
Endeavours of peace by way of Mediation & would therefore prosecute the         
Warr with lesse vigour & may Also cause Apprehensions that the forces           
sent Into fflanders are Rather to Enforce a peace then for the defense          
of those Countries against the ffrench                                          
10 That In the powerfull Condition the ffrench K is at prsent In, It            
Cannot Reasonably be Exspected he will Condescend to any peace whereby          
his Matys Kingdoms may be sufficiently served                                   
11 That the Continuance of the ffrench Ambr here after the declaration          
of warr may be Very prejudiciall In Respect of Inteligence & private            
Correspondance  And as to the English Ambrs In ffrance wee Conceive it          
better for his Maty to Recall his owne Ambr ffrom thence then to have           
them sent away                                                                  
     L. c. 608    March 25th 1678                                               
   ffriday 22d March 1677                                                       
+Commons The Bill for the Repaireing the Cathedrall of St Asaph Read A          
2d time & Committed                                                             
     The house then Adjourned Into A Committee of the whole house About         
the Bill for the More decent Enterment of his late Maty & Made some             
progresse therein And are to be In A Comittee Againe on Thursday Next           
     satureday 23d March 1677                                                   
+some private Bills were only Read In the Commons house to day, That for        
A tax on New foundations is Committed & the house to proceed upon it on         
Tuesday                                                                         
     Wee have No letters from Abroade since Tuesday & Wednesday last            
     L. c. 609     March 28th 1678                                              
   Whitehall 26 March 1678                                                      
+Yesterday wee had the dutch & fflanders letters which were wanting  the        
account they give of Ipres is That the governor & Garrison haveing              
Repulsed the Enemy In one Attacke they made were at lengh prevailed with        
by the Bishop & Inhabitants to Capitulate & obtained very Honble                
Conditions the towne haveing all their priviledges Confirmed & the              
garrison Marching out with 4 peeces of Canon & A Mortar peace to Bruges         
where they are Arrived, the garrison of which place Consists In 6000 men        
of which 2000 are English  The Marquese de Conflans who was governor of         
Ipres is to Remaine there as governor                                           
      The letters Add that the ffrench had lost 4 or 5000 men before            
Ipres.  That they had put the troops that were employed In that seige           
Into quarters of Refreshmt  That the King was gone with the queen from          
Lisle on his Returne to Paris, However they feared In flanders they             
should Not be quiett In his absence but that the M de Humieres would            
beseige Mons                                                                    
     The P of orange Continues posted with the small Number he had              
Neare Antwerp Not being In A Condition to undertake anything                    
     Yesterday Being A holy day the parliamt did Not sit                        
     An Embargo is layd Upon all ships since satureday last                     
     Wee have Just Now an account from ffrance of A Rancounter Between          
6 ffrench men of warr who were Cruiseing In the Channell & the dutch            
squadron designed for scicily Consisting In 12 or 14 men of war & that          
the former had Come off as they say without any Considderable dammage           
     L. c. 610     March 30th 1678                                              
   March 26th 1678     March 30th 1678                                          
+Commons  An Addresse to be prsented to his Maty by the Privy Councellors       
as are Members to desire his Maty there May be A short Recesse Just as          
May Consist with his Matys Affaires                                             
     The 2d day of Meeting After their Recesse the house to take Into           
Considderation the state of the Kingdome In Relation to fforreigne              
Affaires                                                                        
Commons 27th March 1678                                                         
+The Committee of the woollen Manufacturers Made A Report Concerning            
Aulnage & A Bill was ordered to be brought In thereupon  They Also              
made A Report About Tapestry Hangings, And the Manufactures thereof &           
the Incouragemt of them is Referred to the same Committee with the              
Considderation of the Patent for Makeing Hangings                               
     The house tooke Into Considderation the dangers Arriseing by the           
growth of popery & ordered A Conference with the Lds Concerning the same        
     mr secretary Coventry Acquainted the house that his Maty had               
Appointed the house to Adjourne till the 4th of Aprill, Leave was given         
to bring In A Bill for Better Regulating of the poore And the house             
Adjourned till the 11th Aprill                                                  
Lds  The Earle of Aylesbury Reported the Reasons In Answer to the               
Commons Reasons about the addresse which Being Read was agreed to  That         
Being of the same mind with the Commons And o[u]r Earnest desire to have        
A warr procured Against france is A time when wee should be Unanimous In        
o[u]r Councills  That nothing should Appeare of diference Between the 2         
houses In their Reasons upon A Matter of so high Importance to the              
Kingdome, And to lay things which might Afford Matter of ffresh disputes        
Insteed of Arriveing at the Ends wee all Aime at                                
     Wee doe therefore Raither Choose to give this only Answer to the whole     
     That Understanding Its so Absolutely Necesary to the vigourous             
prosecution of the sd warr against ffrance to obliege the Confederates          
Not to leave us alone In it, wee Cannot yet Agree to the Addresse of            
desireing his Maty to declare a warr untill the Alliances with the              
Emperour spaine & Holland at least shall be Compleated, In the dispatch         
whereof wee are Confident his Maty will Not be wanting on his part              
     A Court is Erected In Westminster hall for the tryall of the               
Earle of Pembrooke on the 4th of Aprill for the death of mr Corey               
     his Maty hath set forth A proclamation for Recalling all mariners          
& seafaring men aswell In merchantmen as others out of fforreigne service       
     The Earle of Dunbarton St Jo: Lanier & Coll Duncan are Returning           
from france for England                                                         
     The hague letters dat Aprill 1st tell us of A match proposed               
between the Emperors daughter that was promised to the K of Spaine              
to the Elector of Bavarias son & that the Elector is Now so farr of the         
Imperiall party that he hath declared to the ffrench Minester that unles        
his master shall accept of faire proposalls of peace he shall be oblieged       
to leave his Neutrality & joine his Armies with the Confederates                
     The states are Reduceing their Militia to 50000                            
     L. c. 611     Aprill 4th 1678                                              
   whitehall 2d Aprill 1678                                                     
+There is But little to write to you at prsent for all the account wee          
have had since my last of the french haveing Abandoned Messina is In the        
Newes booke & that which you see there under the title of Leghorne was          
written by sr John Narrborrough for the Kings Information who was with          
his squadron at Leghorne                                                        
     It is the opinion of all people that the french would Never In this        
Manner have left that Island had it Not been for the prospect of the            
warr with England                                                               
     In fflanders & Germany things are Now quiet againe the severall            
parties Being Buissied In their preparations  the greate Impatience is          
to see the Imperiall army In the field which is to Randevouz the 15th           
Instant Neere Wormes, They say it will be A Very good Army & that which         
makes people Exspect more from it then heretofore is that the D of              
Lorraine has a more absolute power to act as he shall thinke fitt               
Lds  Preparations are Makeing for the tryall of the Earle of                    
Pembrooke In westminster Hall on Thursday the 4th Instant for killing           
mr Conly [?] where a house is Raised for the house of peers to sit In           
             [First verso has this note in another hand:]                       
     Building                                                                   
+I would have Martin Bond spoke to, to provide Marston stone for coping         
the West wall of the South Court and stone for the Grotto from Marston.         
I would have T. Teg hew the coping wth speed, but be sure let none bee          
hewd wthin the Walls.                                                           
     Let Andrew lay ye Coping.  And Harry Stanley and hee set up the rest       
of the Statues Jupiter next the house, then Apollo then Mars.                   
     Next Let Andrew & Wm Holms lay the foundation of the Brewhouse             
Wall, yt fronts the new Stable.  also let Andrew lay the Loughs and             
steps in the Flowr Garden.                                                      
     29 Apr. Arbury 68 [sic]                                                    
  20 Days work to follow in Wooddfd                                             
   6 Days to fetch 3 load of lime.                                              
  12 Days to fetch 24 load of Coal.                                             
   6 Days to f.    12 load of White stone.                                      
   6 Days to f     24 of red stone.                                             
  40 Days to f. 120 load of Gravell.                                            
  24 Days to carry Earth from ye Moor [?]                                       
   3 Days to f 6 [?] Coales for ye house.                                       
   6 Days Cox will bee absent.                                                  
  11 Days Pen.                 3)157(52                                         
  12 Bolt.                                                                      
  11 The other horse team.     4)157(39                                         
 ---                              37 24                                         
 157.  Three teames will bee all May and June doing this work.                  
  Mem. make 2 ox: teames.                                                       
   6 Days fetching Brick.                                                       
   6 Days fetching Sand.                                                        
     L. c. 612     Aprill 6th 1678                                              
  whitehall 4th Aprill 1678                                                     
+This Morning Coll Churchill parted hence Being sent by his Maty to the         
P of orange & the duke de villa hermosa to Adjust with them severall            
Matters Relateing to the troops                                                 
     This morning was the tryall of the Earle of Pembrooke for the              
death of mr Corey [?]                                                           
     The Lords that satt were 64 of which 6 brought It In Murther 16            
Not guilty & 42 Manslaughter & soe the verdict was Manslaughter upon            
which the Earle pleaded his peerage & so was discharged                         
     The Magestrates of Bruges have done all that is In their power to          
make satisfaction to the English upon the late Misfortune there haveing         
taken Care of the wounded & given them 20 s Apeece &c                           
     The Earle of Middleton is Much Commended for his greate prudence on        
this occasion                                                                   
     mr Trumball being dead mr Nicholas Morrice is sworne Clerke of the         
Councill                                                                        
     The Dunkerke letters date 10th say an Embargo is layd on all ships         
aswell English as their owne & that it was layd on their owne Capers &          
that they were so strict that at Bologne they [tear near margin removes         
about eight letters] A stop of the Billanders & their Convoys w[hich?]          
are Carrying stoores for the fortifications of d[tear removes about four        
letters]                                                                        
     Many men were at worke at the fort of M[ardicke?] to slight & Raize        
the Remainder of the fortificat[ions] & there are also many hands at            
worke in the harb[our] In hopes for A moneth or two to make it so good          
that the Capers may goe In & goe under the fort of Mardicke with their          
prizes & fitt out there                                                         
      On the 26th went out of the harbour of Portesmouth to the Spithead        
his Matys ships the harwich & the Greenwich where were also Re[fitting?]        
the defiance Woollidge & Centurion                                              
     The southampton letters say that the se[amen] passe dayly through          
that towne to list thems[elves] under the Command of sr Kempthorne              
Ca[pt] of the Royall Charles                                                    
     L. c. 613     Aprill 8th 1678                                              
   Whitehall 6th Aprill 1678                                                    
+The New raised troops Begin to Randevouz & severall of the New                 
Companies are Come to towne                                                     
     My Lord dunbarton is going backe for ffrance to try If he Can Get          
his Regemt from thence                                                          
     Coll dungan who had An Irish Regemt there is gone for Ireland to           
Raise another, for that In france is like to stay there                         
     The Ostend letters of the 10th tell us the people of Bruges seem           
very sorry for their Miscarriage towards the English & have set up              
placaerts In all the Corners of their streets to declare their Innocence        
& have taken 14 of the Burghers thought to be the Chiefe Mutineers out          
of their bedds & Clapt them Into prison  Also have let all the water out        
of the towne ditch to see If any dead bodies Could be found, The scotch         
that lay there were gone to Daume & the garrison of Ipre which it was           
thought should goe to Newport was ordered to March to Brussells                 
      They write from deale that the wind Comeing about faire about 30          
saile of Merchants ships went thence & that my Lord Hatton Governor of          
Guernsey went thence In the faulcon to his Command                              
     L. c. 614     Aprill 11th 1678                                             
   Whitehall 9 Aprill 1678                                                      
+Wee have nothing from abroade save the french letters which arrived            
this morning  they tell us that 8 Companies of the Regement of Truronne         
& about 30 horse who were going to ffriburg had been Attacked by 500            
Imperiall horse and the foot under the protection of A wood defended            
themselves soe well that Not above 20 were killed & the like Number             
wounded  That of the Imperiallists a lieutenant Coll & 4 other officers         
& severall Cavaliers were Killed After which the french Continued their         
March to ffriburg where there is A good garrison & the fortifications           
will be finished by the end of this Moneth  That the Imnperiallists had         
drawne out their heavy Canon from Phillipsburg &c In order to the               
Beseigeing ffriburg & were laying A bridge over the Rhine below                 
strassburg & were provideing greate Magazines there                             
     That In flanders Mons was so Closely Blocked up that the                   
Inhabitants began to be In want of severall Necesaries, That some               
were of oppinion that when the french K tooke the field againe which            
will be about the Middle of the Next moneth It will be on the side of           
Germany Though the More probable beliefe was that it will be In flanders        
all the troops haveing orders to be Ready by the 1st of the same moneth         
     That they had Advice from Catalonia that don Juan Intended with            
the Assistance of the Militia to forme an Army of 22 or 25000 men  that         
the spaniards had formed A Conspiracy at Perpignan & were discovered            
     That the Marshall de la fevillade was Arrived at Provence from             
scicily  That the troops he brought with him are 5000 foot 800 horse &          
200 dragoons the latter haveing Hamstringed all their horses to Render          
them unservisable                                                               
     Most of the senators & about 40 Noble families & 200 others of             
Messineuses had with the french quitted Messina, The french before their        
department demolished the fort salvadore & Carried away the Artillery           
that was there                                                                  
     L. c. 615     Aprill 13th 1678                                             
   Whitehall 11th Aprill 1678    Aprill 13th 1678                               
+The Preparations that are Makeing In this Kingdome are Carryed on with         
all possible dilligence both by land & sea & are In good forwardness            
     Wee are told that his Maty has Nominated the Ld Gerrard Coll               
Russell, the Earles of Craven ffeversham & Oxford to be lieutenant              
Generalls of the forces Now Raiseing & the d of Monmouth to be generall         
of the forces Now Raiseing & the D of Monmouth to be Generall                   
     This day the Commons Being Mett mr secretary Coventry acquainted           
them that his Maty had recd an account of the Indisposition of mr               
seymour their speaker to that degree that he Could Not attend the               
service of the house Nor knew Not when he should & therefore gave them          
leave to Choose another speaker Recomending at the same time to them sr         
Robert sawyer & accordingly the house Chose sr Robert to be their               
speaker & adjourned till Monday Next                                            
     On the 6th his R Highness went to see one of the New Raised Regemts        
Mustered at Blackheath, there are many of them already Compleated & the         
Rest will be In short time                                                      
     On the 29th of March the English were Mustered at Ostend where             
there were 800 And at Bruges the English were 1700 who mounted the              
guards on Good friday & Commanded 4 gates of the towne                          
+The spanish garrison at Ostend was Mustered the same day & Recd 9              
dayes pay which is said to be the first money In 4 Moneths before, but          
Now they are promised more punctuall payment though its Believed they           
will allow to A Colonell but 2 Guilders p day to A Capt but one, to An          
Holfares 10 stivers & to A private soldier 2 stivers, to A Reformed             
Captaine 10 stivers & to An Holfares 4                                          
     On the 5th Capt Clements in the Greyhound set saile from Hull for          
Ostend with Capt Roberts Company of foot                                        
     The last letters from Lisbonne speake the Algerians very numerous          
on their Coasts & that they had found lately floateing on the sea 2             
English vessells without any persons In them whome they Judged to have          
been made prize                                                                 
     The dutch letters say the K of denmarke had againe sent orders to          
Count Anthony his Ambr at Nimeghen to goe to England, The swedish Ambr          
M: Oliverhrants Being there already, They speake of greate probability          
the french Manufactures should be forbidden under severe penalties &            
that the Chiefe Merchants of Amsterdam were sent to be Consulted for            
that purpose                                                                    
     The french haveing sent Most of the dutch prisoners they tooke last        
yeare Into Catalonia against the Spaniards Most of them Ran away & Got          
to Bilboa where the dutch Consull Releived & Cloathed them & the states         
have sent him Money for furnishing all such as shall Come In on that            
account                                                                         
     Although A treaty of peace is on foot Betwixt sweden & denmarke yet        
they both seem willing to try the fortune of this Campaigne                     
     The Paris letters say there was A talke among them that the King           
before he Entred upon the 2d Campaigne would visit the sea port townes          
In Normandy & the Neibourhood, Its said that King has given the Irish           
Regemt to Mr Hambleton A frenchman borne who was lieutenant Colonell            
                   [Handwriting changes here.]                                  
     severall officers are come over from ffrance who have bene long in         
that service, but are come over wth out their pay for severall moneths,         
the french King has offerd that whatever English officers shall stay in         
his service they shall be advancet, upon wch some Capts who resolvd to          
stay are made Colls but tis said they will be hangd in Effigies here,           
for their disloyalty.                                                           
     The Imperiall, spanish, Danish, Brandenburgh & Bavarian ministries         
here, have presented his Maty wth a Draught of allyance as drawne up by         
them & severall Lds Comissionated by his Maty for that purpose, soe that        
tis hoped those allyances will be sudenly Compleated                            
     The Duke of Lauderdale has put forth a proclamate forbiding any            
person to depart that Kingdome wth[out] leave of his grace, tis sd Duke         
Hamilton, & 2 or 3 more Scotch noblemen are Come over to Complaine of ye        
sd duke, who have not yet bene Recd by his Maty                                 
     His Royall Highness goes sudenly for flanders to see in what posture       
afaires are in there, but returnes Imediately, & will soone after goe           
over wth ye new raisd forces                                                    
+The Citty of London have lent ye King 200000 L on security of ye Poll Bill     
           Jo: Smith                                                            
           Sand: Knight                                                         
           Ri: Paul.    [Some figures and the twelve names at                   
           J. Peg.       left appear in another hand on outside                 
           Seth Bemfd    of letter; about fifteen other names                   
           Ri. White.    also appear but are canceled.]                         
           I. Freeman.                                                          
           Tho: Whitemore                                                       
           Robt Suffolk.                                                        
           Georg Green.                                                         
           Wm. Holms.                                                           
           Edwd Jones.                                                          
     L. c. 616     [Handwriting changes here.]     Aprill 20th 1678             
   Whitehall 18 Aprill 1678                                                     
+Its said the Conditions offered by ffrance for A generall peace are Not        
at all approved by the allies Except the dutch, who though they are             
advantagious to them yet Considdering how disadvantagious they are to           
the Rest of the Confederates Its Believed they will Never yeild to them         
     The states of Holland were to meet as on tuesday & then it is hoped        
the Necesary orders would be directed to be sent to their Ambr here             
     On Tuesday night mr Godolphin parted hence for the Hague                   
     On the 9th the Ld Maior & Court of Aldermen & Common Councill of the       
Citty of London being Mett did upon a proposall made to them by the Ld          
Chancellor &c unanimously agree to the Raiseing 100000 L for A present          
supply upon the Credit of the Poll act & at the same time made very             
Ample subscriptions                                                             
     They write from Portesmouth that the works at Gosport & Portesmouth        
are Carried on very Effectually                                                 
     The Cleiveland yatcht arrived lately at Ostend with money & Cloaths        
&c for the English soldiery                                                     
+They were advised from Ghent that the french taxed the Inhabitants with        
halfe their yearely Rent for A Contribution formerly due to them                
     The Paris letters Boast their King hath more men then they Know            
well how to dispose this Campaigne                                              
     The ffrench are Equipping In all their ports & secureing them by           
fortifications & have ordered their ships In the mediterranian to Joyne         
with those already fitted to make a formidable fleet                            
      On the 10th was Towed Into Harwich Harbour A whale of 50 foot or          
more taken dead about the Corke or sledway, A large New 3d Rate fregot is       
there almost Ready to Launch & one of the 2d Rate is In greate forwardnesse     
     They write from Vienna that the Cardinall de Estrees had Not               
prevailed with the Elector of Bavaria to side with his Master                   
Notwithstanding the powerfull offers of makeing his son Elected King            
of the Romans & that the Dauphine should marry the Princesse of Bavaria         
     They write from Tangier that the Emperor of Morocco was out with an        
army of 200000 men & did so Allarme Algeirs that they are Raiseing an           
army for their security by which meanes they may be the more Easyly             
Induced to an accomodation with us  The Algerines for their sea strengh         
are accounted 40 saile besides 4 building & 4 Intended to be put on the         
stocks, This summer only 9 of them are abroade                                  
     The Leghorne letters speake of A list from Algeirs of 45 ships             
Small & Greate taken since the warr broke out & about 520 made slaves           
& yet they Inclined to a peace                                                  
     As fast as the ships Come In they unrigge them Either in feare of          
the Returne of sr Jo: Narborrough or Else to get men to oppose the army         
Comeing towards them                                                            
     [A few figures in another hand appear on outside of letter.]               
     L. c. 617     Aprill 22d 1678                                              
   straasburg 18 Aprill 1678     Aprill 22d 1678                                
+The March of the Imperiall Cavalry towards Willingen does very much            
Allarme the ffrench In those quarters who thereupon draw their troops           
togather about Brisac, About the Beginning of the Next Moneth wee may           
Exspect to heare of some action In those parts                                  
    Brussells 26 Aprill 1678                                                    
+Wee are still Allarmed with the ffrench troops drawing togather About          
Ghent & other places In fflanders & Haynault which Gives us ground to           
feare they may have A designe upon this Citty                                   
     some of o[u]r Generall officers were yesterday by Order of his Excye       
at scarberke upon the Right hand of o[u]r Canall In the way to Vilvord          
where they have Marked out A Campe for o[u]r owne & the Nearest German          
Auxillary troops                                                                
     Count Egmont designed Ambr for England presses very Much his               
departure                                                                       
     On satureday arrived the spanish ordinary but brought as little            
Money as the last                                                               
     Hague 26 Aprill                                                            
+To Morrow the states of Holland will be Assembled & then wee shall see         
what Resolutions they will take In Relation to the prsent Conjuncture           
     The proposalls of the french ambrs at Nimeghen have been sent to           
the severall townes to Consult upon them & when the states are Mett as          
Its said they will be to morrow wee shall know their thoughts upon them         
     The P of orange will Not be here as hath Been said                         
     for other newes wee have None                                              
                     [Handwriting changes here.]                                
+...Comissions More are granted to compleate ye number designed by ye           
parliamt & tis said ye Earle of Pembroke has one, who is raiseing his men       
     On[e?] Mr Parrot lately in prison abt a Lampoon, was this last weeke       
Run thro at ye Devill Taverne by one Capt south [about eight letters            
illegible] dead                                                                 
     Six men & a woman were Executed this last weeke for Clipping &c & a        
woman to be burnt for killing her husband                                       
     The new Raysed forces are to muster on Barron Downe  tis said there        
are at least 20000 men already raisd                                            
+some Merchts in towne have letters from Holland wch say that ye states         
will agree to what ever his Maty of England shall doe tho many much feare       
ye Contrary, & that they will not Consent to prohibit trade wth france          
     L. c. 618     [Handwriting changes here.]     Aprill 25th 1678             
  Whitehall 23d Aprill 1678                                                     
+Yesterday Came In o[u]r Dutch letters of ffriday last, The states of           
Holland had been assembled since Wednesday & they had sent An Expresse          
to Breda to desire the P of Orange to come to the Hague where his High:         
accordingly arrived on friday In the Evening & Next day Intended to             
Assist In the assembly of the states who would then as Its thought come         
to A Resolution In matters before them                                          
     The Princesse of Orange had had A Miscarriage In her Journey to            
Breda but was well againe                                                       
     His Maty has ordered two of the new Raised Regemts to be Imediately        
transported to flanders to Reinforce the garrison of Bruges                     
     The ffrench K: will be the Next weeke at Ghent & wee Exspect to            
heare he will undertake something Considderable                                 
     By letters from Germany wee find the Imperiall army Cannot Come Into       
the field till the Middle of the Next Moneth for want of fforrage               
     A small English vessell who was at Rochell laden with Coales is            
Come back & sayes he was Not permitted to unlade his Coales for that the        
ffrench had prohibitted all English Commodities for 10 yeares of which          
wee must Exspect to heare farther                                               
     he sayes there was No Embargo at Rochell                                   
     Wee want o[u]r flanders & ffrench letters                                  
     L. c. 619    [This letter is an almost exact copy of L. c. 618;            
                  it even bears the same date.]                                 
     L. c. 620     Aprill 27th 1678                                             
+On the 23d Came Into the Roade of Ilfordcombe A vessell of Bristoll            
from burdeaux with wine & Brandy But durst Not goe Into the Port being          
Informed of the prohibition of ffrench goods  shee Came from Burdeaux           
about 14 dayes before & left Not above 3 or 4 English ships there               
     They Report that the poore people In those parts are already like          
to mutiny foreseeing their Ruine by the obstruction of their trade              
     The Prohibitting the Importation of ffrench Commodities is since the       
20th observed with greatest strictness Insomuch that some vessells that         
Came from Jersey & Guernsey with such Commodities were Not suffered to          
unlade though taken In at those Islands Before the 20th of March                
     The Leyden Gazette tells us how Effectuallly the prohibition of            
ffrench Manufactures &c In England had wrought In france for that In this       
short time Noe less then 20 persons who did drive very great trades In          
silks & Ribbons were already broke for very considderable summs of Money        
     On the 19th sr Lionell watson went to Ipswich where he found 7             
Companies of his Regemt the other Being within a dayes March of that            
place all full & some had 20 or 30 beyond their Complement                      
     On the 23d sr Jo: Berney with other of his Matys frigotts sett             
saile from the downes for Harwich to take In the soldiery there &               
Carry them for Ostend                                                           
     The fflanders letters tell us that Count Egmont is prepareing to           
goe for England & that an Extrary Courrier was arrived from spaine              
whose buisness was not yet knowne, Their prints say the English forces          
doe every day come In for their succour & that they doe observe very            
good discipline In all places where they are                                    
     A ship arrived at dartmouth who had been at st Christophers Reports        
that upon advice sent thither they began to make up the fortifications &c       
     mr Morris the Exeter Carrier was Robbed going from London neare            
Honyton of 600 L by 3 men who Being Closely pursued dropped the money           
which the Carrier Recovered & after the Robbers were taken & Carried            
to prison                                                                       
     Its said the Messineuses have surprised 4 or 5 merchants ships with        
provisions &c who knew nothing of the french deserting the place And            
have since the ffrench left them to themselves sent to the viceroy some         
deputies In the Name of the senate but that he would Not hearken to them        
under that Character It being too greate A priveledg to be Continued to         
them who so lately In the same Name Called In A fforreigne prince               
against their owne                                                              
+The Paris letters dat 27th tell us that the English Regemt of foot had         
orders to march & that, It was Believed the scotch Regemt would have the        
like orders to be Remooved as farr off from England as they Could be sent       
     The Hague letters dat 29th say the states sent to those of                 
amsterdam to give their Reasons in writeing why they agreed Not to              
prohibitt ffrench Commodities upon which the admiralty of Amsterdam have        
sent In their advice Concludeing the prohibition though Not so                  
positively as those of Roterdam but with Certain Restrictions & there are       
that pretend to give the Reason of the Backwardness for th[is?] by their        
seeming Aversness to warr the [seal removes word of about four letters]         
Induce the allies to take off from them the payment of the subsidies            
which they would Now be willingly Eased of                                      
     They write from Vienna dat 7/17 that It was the greate discourse           
there that Count Wallenstein was to be made Ambr In England In Regard           
generall Ambrs were going thither from sweden denmark &c who might              
dispute precedency If he had Not that Character, Generall Cobs hath held        
long Conference with the Emperour about the affaires of Hungary & those         
of the Rebellion are upon New overtures for an accomodation & are               
pitching upon deputies to be sent to the Emperour, The D of Newburg was         
Exspected In 6 weeks of whose Comeing severall of the Minesters were very       
apprehensive as what might Cause some alteration among them The Maine of        
his Buisness Being said to be to assist the Emperour In his Counsills           
+Whitehall 25 Aprill 1678  wee have letters from the streights which give       
us an account that Capt Herbert In the Rupert Mounted with between 50 &         
60 guns & 320 men haveing Mett the admirall of Algiers of 50 guns & 500         
men had had A very sharpe fight with her for severall houres In which           
Capt Herbert was himselfe wounded & most of the officers killed & of the        
turks 200 were killed & wounded & their ship miserably torne which              
Notwithstanding they fought on still till they saw sr Roger strickland In       
the Mary appeare upon which the turks Called for quarter & yeilded their        
ship                                                                            
+orders are given for the transporting all the New Raised Regemts Into          
flanders with all speed  Last night Count Anthony of oldenborch arrived         
Ambr from the K of denmarke & had his 1st audience of their Matys               
     L. c. 621    Aprill 29th 1678                                              
   Whitehall 27 Aprill 1678                                                     
+Last night Coll Churchill Returned from Holland And at the same time           
Came in the dutch letters which said                                            
     That on friday In the Evening the P of Orange arrived at the Hague         
that the Next Day he assisted In the Assembly of the states of Holland          
which lasted till almost 3 In the afternoon that what had passed there          
was Not knowne the members takeing An oath of secrecy, And After the            
assembly was up the P of orange went tp vissitt the deputies of                 
Amsterdam & Leyden at their owne Lodgings & had A long Conference               
with them  the subject is Not Certainely knowne  But those townes being         
the most Inclined to peace It [was] Believed his high: Endeavouring to          
persuade them against [it?]  In the Evening all the deputies as had             
Been Resolved at the assembly went from the Hague to their severall             
townes to Consult their principles & Returned againe on Monday night            
     The Next day being tuesday last the states were againe Assembled           
but wee Know not what Resolutions have Been taken by them, Though Its           
said one was to send Immediately an Extrary Ambr to his Maty upon the           
prsent Affaires & that he will be here In few dayes                             
          [Handwriting changes here just for rest of letter.]                   
+Tis said ye Duke of yorke shall be Generallissimo of all ye forces both        
German spanish & Duch, to be Employd agst ye french, & that ye King of          
spaine has Orderd the D: De Vill Hermosa to prepare a Generallissimos           
Truncheon richly set wth Diamonds to be presented to his Royall Highness        
upon his arrivall                                                               
     L. c. 622     May 2d 1678                                                  
   whitehall 30 Aprill 1678                                                     
+The Parliament Being yesterday Reassembled & the K Come Into the               
house of Lds In his Robes, the Commons were sent for up & Being Come the        
Ld Chancellor by the Ks Comands gave the 2 houses A very Large & open           
account of his Matys proceedings since their ffirst Addresse against            
ffrance In 1676 Of the Carriage of the dutch In the prsent Conjuncture          
& of their violent Inclination to A peace Even upon the tearmes Now             
lately proposed by the ffrench Ambr at Nimeghen In which they have              
proceeded so farr that they were sending an Ambr hither to pray his Maty        
to Consent thereto, Notwithstanding the King had Already by his Ambr            
at the Hague declared to the states that A peace upon those tearmes             
would be As ba[d] A one for themselves & all Christendom as their               
Enemies could wish them, Adding that his Maty was willing that the              
offensive & defensive treaty which he had Concluded with the dutch In           
January last as likewise another alliance Concluded prsently after              
Called A perpetuall defensive treaty should be Communicated to the 2            
houses, Concluding that haveing thus Given them an account of the               
prsent state of things his Maty had thought fitt to demand the advice           
of his two houses what was fitt to be done which he was Resolved to             
pursue, after which the Commons Returned to their own house                     
     Yesterday Morning the Dutch Ambr above mentioned Arrived here &            
last night had his ffirst audience of the King; his name is the Heere           
van Leeuwen Burghermaster of Leyden & one of the states of Holland A            
man who In his owne perticuler is said to be Extreamly for the peace            
     Commons 29 Aprill 78                                                       
+Resolved to pray his Maty that the treaties above Mentioned be brought         
Into the house to be Read to morrow                                             
     And approved Certain Reasons drawne up by the Committee to be              
delivered at A Conference with the Lds against the Growth of Popery &           
then Adjourned                                                                  
     ffrom fflanders wee have this Morning An account That the ffrench          
had surprized the towne & Castle of Leeier [?] towards Liege which is No        
big place but of Greate Importance                                              
     L. c. 623     [no date]                                                    
+The Reasons offered to the Lds touching the Danger the Nation is In by         
the growth of popery                                                            
     The house of Comons takeing Into serious Considderation the dangers        
arriseing to this Kingdome by the Restlesse Endeavours of priests,              
Jesuits & other popish Recusants to subvert the true Religion planted           
among us & to Reduce us againe under the Bondage of the Romish                  
superstition & Idolatry, And findeing how greate Boldness they have             
assumed to themselves by the greate Remissness & Connivance of his              
Matys officers both Civill & Ecclesiasticall whereby so many good &             
Necesary lawes heretofore Made against them have Not of late been put           
In any Effectuall Execution                                                     
     They doe therefore thinke it Necesary to Apply some Remedy to the          
growing Evill Especially at this time wherein the unity of Affections           
& the Mutuall Confidence between his Maty & his people doe so much              
Conduce to the preservation of the whole Kingdome, And because they             
have found by Experience that all those applications they have formerly         
made upon this subject have Not produced any Effect answerable to               
their Expectations they have Endeavoured to discover the Causes &               
grounds thereof which they Conceive are principally these                       
     The dificulty to Convict popish priests by proveing their                  
Ordination from the authority delivered from the see of Rome which              
makes them more Confidently appeare In publicke to performe those               
offices & functions without feare of punishment                                 
     That Justices of peace are discouraged because severall of those           
that have been forward In Executing the Lawes against Papists In such           
Countries where they doe most abound have been turned out of Commission         
without any apparent Cause whilst others suspected to be popishly               
Inclined have Continued In Comission or put In de novo                          
      That In severall Countries Many protestant dissenters have been           
Indicted under the Name of popish Recusants & the Penalty of the Law            
Levied upon such protestant dissenters when the papists there have been         
Either totally or for the greatest part discharged                              
     That papists doe Evade the penalties of the Law by makeing over            
their Estates by secret trusts & ffraudulent Conveyances & yet                  
Receiveing the proffitts of them to their Owne use And Benefitt whereas         
In former times Considderable summs of Money were raised by the                 
forfeiture of popish Recusants                                                  
     That Now by the Remissness of some & discouragemt of others of his         
Matys officers & Minesters of Justice little or Nothing is levied upon          
them or like to be Levied hereafter unless the Care thereof be Committed        
to perticuler Commissioners In the severall Countries & the money               
Arriseing thence be applied to some use for the Advancement of the              
protestant Religion which may Incourage persons to see it Executed              
+That persons are Not discouraged to Bring up their Children or suffer          
them to be bred up In the popish Religion because they are as Capable           
of Inheriting the Estates of their Parents & Relatives as any other of          
his Matys subjects                                                              
     The Commons doe therefore Most Earnestly desire yo[u]r Lordships to        
Considder the danger & sad Consequences that May befall this Kingdome           
by the spreading of that Religion Amongst us & seriously & Cordially            
Joyne with them In Remooveing these & all other Impediments which               
obstruct the Course of Justice & the due Execution of the Lawes                 
Either by Expediting the Remedies that have been offered by them to             
your Lordships, Or by proposeing other as may be more Effectuall &              
that they may be done with all Expedition, Because the Commons Cannot           
thinke it suitable to their trust for them to Consent to lay any                
farther Charge upon the people how urgent soever the occasions be that          
Require It, till their Minds be satisfied that all care & dilligence is         
used to secure the Kingdome & prevent the danger that may Arrise from           
the prevalence & Countenance that is Given to that party, By some More          
Effectuall Course then hath been already provided                               
     L. c. 624     May 4th 1678                                                 
   Whitehall 2d May 1678                                                        
+The letters wee Receive ffrom fflanders give us An account of the great        
trouble the Court at Brussells was In upon the Newes of the takeing of          
Leewe In Brabant 4 miles from Lovaine, A place whose situation Renders          
It of greate Importance & Capable to be made one of the strongest In            
Europe. It lyes In the Midst of A Country most Abundant In Corne from           
whence the Spaniards have of late had all their provisions, Besides             
greatest part of Brabant will by this Meanes be set under Contribution &        
the ffrench have already sent to summon the Citty of Lovain & Even              
Challenge Arriers for A yeare or two past                                       
     They say the Spaniards are More Concerned for the loss of this             
place then for that of Ghent & therefore have sent to the P of Orange           
to see If anything can be done for the Recovery of It before the ffrench        
have settled themselves there                                                   
     Wee are told that the Elector of Brandenburg the D of Newburgh &           
Lunenburg the Munster & Paderbone have offered to forme A body of 18 or         
19000 men upon the Meuse & Even to come to the assistance of fflanders if       
the Spaniarde Could only provide them with bread which They say they            
Cannot doe                                                                      
     The Earle of Carlisle is parting for Jamaica                               
     Yesterday Being A holy day the parliamt did Not sit & this day they        
sat so late that wee Know not what has past                                     
     The Hague letters of the 7th give us an account with what great            
heats those of Amsterdam & Leyden have stood for peace with ffrance upon        
the Conditions offered & what Complaints have been made of their                
Inability any longer to maintain warr & at last agreed to send Mounsr           
Leeuwen hither to declare their Necesities & some say to desire Money           
of us In their assistance                                                       
     The fflanders letters tell us of the greate preparations the               
ffrench make for warr at Ghent & that the hollanders have sent thither          
all sorts of provisions & Ammunition In greate Aboundance Especially            
Cannon Bullets & powder                                                         
     The Virgin ketch of Bristoll Amos Johns Master Came from Morlaix           
the 20/30 of the last were stopt by An Embargo as were all the                  
fforreignes for some time till An Explanation Came from above & then            
they were all set at liberty ffrench aswell as strangers                        
     The Paris letters Mention not anything of A prsent declaration of          
war against England as some without ground Reported here                        
     They write from Vienna that A Courrier arrived there from the              
Emperors Resident In Constantinople to acquaint the Court of the                
likelihood there is the turks will Ratify the treaty with the poles &           
make peace with the Muscovites & afterwards Employ some of their forces         
In Hungary against the Emperour                                                 
     L. c. 625     May 6th 1678                                                 
   Whitehall May 4th 1678                                                       
+since my last wee have Not Recd any letters from abroade so that wee           
have No fforeign Newes                                                          
     And here at home wee are altogather Ignorant of what passes In             
parliament for It seems It has Been thought fitt what is transacted             
there may Not be Communicated at this time                                      
     Just now the Commons Rose after A long debate this whole day  They         
Came to A Resolution                                                            
     ffirst to disprove the offensive treaty with Holland as Not goeing         
High Enough                                                                     
     2dly that An Addresse be prsented to the King That his Maty will be        
pleased to Enter Into An Alliance with the Emperour Spaine & other the          
Confederates for lessening the power of the ffrench King &c, And that           
his Maty will be pleased to use his Endeavours for the makeing a firme          
alliance with Holland.  The addresse was drawne up & Approved before            
the house Rose                                                                  
     L. c. 626     May 9th 1678                                                 
   Whitehall 7th may 1678                                                       
+yesterday morning his Maty sent the following Message to the House of          
Commons                                                                         
     Charles Rex                                                                
+His Maty haveing been acquainted with the votes of this house of the           
4th Instant was very Much surprized with the Matter & forme of them             
But if his Maty had had Exception to Neither yet his Maty haveing asked         
the Advice of his 2 houses does Not thinke fitt to give any answer to           
anything of that Nature till he hath A Concurrant Advice from both              
houses  Given at the Court at Whitehall the 6th May 1678                        
+mr seymour the former speaker was yesterday Chosen Anew (sr Robt sawyer        
haveing Excused himselfe upon his Indisposition) speaker of the house of        
Commons, And accordingly was yesterday In the Chaire                            
     On sonday morning arrived an Expresse from Holland who brought             
Advice that the states had Resolved to accept for asmuch as Concernes           
them the Conditions proposed by ffrance & had sent orders to their              
Ambr at Nimeghen to demand A Certaine time In which they may Endeavour          
to bring their allies to accept of them from whome they say the[y?] will        
Not seperate though at the same time they will let them understand that         
they Cannot posibly Continue longer In the warr                                 
     This morning Arrived another Expresse with An account that the             
states had demanded of the ffrench A Cessation of armes for 3 moneths           
& had directed their Minesters at Nineghen to labour with the Minesters         
of the allies to agree to the sd Conditions to which Its Believed the           
ffrench will Consent                                                            
     L. c. 627     May 11th 1678                                                
   Commons may 7th 1678                                                         
+Resolved That A Humble Addresse be prsented to his Maty that his Maty          
would graciously be pleased to give a speedy Answer to the last Addresse        
prsented to his Maty from this house of the 4th of May last                     
+Resolved That an Addresse be prsented to his Maty for Removeing those          
privy Counsellors who Advised the Answers to the Addresses of the 26 May        
or 31 January last                                                              
     Resolved that An Addresse be pesented to his Maty to Remove the D          
of Lauderdale from his Councell & presence                                      
     Commons 8th may 1678                                                       
+The Commons Being Met after the Reading of some private Bills adjourned        
that the Committee might sitt In the Meane time to draw up the Addresses        
Resolved the day before, Being Mett In the afternoon the Committee had          
only drawne up the Addresse Concerning the D of Lauderdale which after          
A debate was Rejected                                                           
     The Ld O Brians Regemt Embarked on Monday for fflanders as other           
troops did the last weeke                                                       
+By An Expresse wee have An account that the ffrench K: arrived last            
sonday at Ghent                                                                 
     On the 2d sailed from Chattam The Charles ffrench Ruby Royall oake         
& Cambridg, severall other Vessells are fitting & there will be quickly         
Ready to saile the st Michaell Royall Katherine Unicorne & Rainbow,             
There were at spithead the Harwich Greenwich stanerne [?] & frances And         
the R James & R Charles are comeing thither from portesmouth                    
      The Genoa letters date Aprill 27th confirme the unhappy Murther of        
the D of Somerset at a small towne 60 miles Eastward whither the D was          
driven with some other passengers In his way to Leghorne, some frenchmen        
going out of towne Met 2 women of the Best of that place going to               
Church whome they handled so Roughly that their Relations were Resolved         
to Revenge It  The ffrench Aware of It went to the Mountains whilst one         
of the womens brothers went over against the Inne where the strangers           
lay Resolving to kill the first that Came out which happening to be the         
Duke he shot him with 3 Bulletts of which In few houres he died                 
     The letters from Holland tell us the allies doe what they Can to           
Encourage the states to A Continuation of the warr & the P of orange had        
Intimated to them that without breach of faith & totall loss of                 
Reputation they Could not make A peace without their allies                     
+The Hague letters dat 3/13 advise that Amsterdam & leyden were both            
obstinate for A peace the former In Respect to their East India actions         
& the latter In Respect to the vend of their goods & Employmt of their          
workmen & the discourse was that the states have Resolved for peace             
though the deputies of zealand protested against It as Not to be Done           
without Consent of the allies                                                   
     L. c. 628     May 13th 1678                                                
   ffriday 10th May 1678                                                        
+Amendments to the Bill for Burying In Woollen Read & all of them agreed        
Except those that Relate to the disposeing of the fforfeitures                  
     The Bill for Repealing the Clause In An act Concerning High wayes          
which Relates to the Carrying of goods for Hire Committed                       
     This day seavenight appointed to Considder of the suppressing of           
stage Coaches                                                                   
     The Addresse Reported & Agreed to                                          
     A quarrell Happening Between sr Thomas Chickley & the Ld O Bryan,          
whereupon they are Comitted to the Custody of the Sergeant at Armes             
     satureday 11th May 1678                                                    
+The Addresse aforementioned is drawne up Upon the heads Resolved on            
Tuesday, It was passed by 2 3 and 4 Votes upon as many severall questions       
Concerning It, In the Close of the Addresse is likewise their desire to         
have the D of Lauderdale Removed Notwithstanding the Vote of Wednesday          
     This morning his Maty sent A Message to the Commons to let them know       
that unlesse they did farther supply his Maty he should be forced to            
disband his forces & Cease his preparations by sea, The house was upon          
the debate of It & adjourned till Monday                                        
+This afternoon the addresse was prsented, I Cannot yet tell you what the       
King answered for I am loth to take It upon Reports                             
                    [Handwriting changes here.]                                 
     Tis said the Kings answer to ye Commons address, was, that it was          
soe Extravagant a thing that he was not Willing to give it ye answer it         
deserved                                                                        
     The Commons voted that noe member of ye house should leave ye towne        
wth out leave first obteyned of ye house under ye penalty of being sent         
for in Custody of a sergeant at armes.                                          
     Tis said that sr Wm Lowther, Mr Bennet, & Mr savill are removd from        
their Employmt, & places they held.                                             
     L. c. 629     [Handwriting changes here.]     May 16th 1678                
   Whitehall 14 May 1678                                                        
+By the letters which Came In on sonday wee have an account of A letter         
the ffrench K had written to the states Genll dated at his Campe at             
deyase the 8/18 Instant  The substance is that he takes Notice & Applauds       
their greate disposition for A peace & that they have Judged the                
Conditions offered by him Just & Equitable, That on his side                    
(Notwithstanding those greate advantages he may Exspect from his armes)         
he will make the advances which may Contribute towards It                       
     That he observes they made some dificulty upon 2 points the one            
Concerning Commerce & the other the spanish Netherlands  That as to the         
ffirst he absolutely grants them what they desire, And as to the 2d he          
declares, That though spaine should Refuse to Come Into the peace yet           
upon the states Concludeing a treaty with him upon the Conditions               
already by him offered And their obliging themselves to Remaine                 
Neutrall during the Course of the warr he will In Considderation of             
them the states, Be alwayes Ready to accord to spaine the same                  
Conditions they are Now at liberty to accept & that he will make No             
farther progresse with his armes In fflanders, Lastly he advises the            
states if they desire to goe on with this worke to send deputies to him         
who he tells them will find him in the Neibourhood of Ghent till the            
17/27 Instant                                                                   
     This letter they have printed with a designe as is Believed to             
dispearse Coppies of It In Holland from whence wee must Now Exspect to          
heare how It hath Been Received                                                 
+Yesterday Morning the K Came Into the house of Lds In his Robes & the          
Commons Being sent for up his Maty gave his Royall assent to 5 private          
Bills & the parliamt was put off till the 23d Instant                           
     A letter from Holland sayes that In A greate debate of the states          
about Carrying on the warr or Closeing up A peace the P of Oranges party        
urged for Continuing the warr to their utmost & makeing no manner of            
peace without Includeing all the allies                                         
     The Newes of the Exchange this day was, That Bruges was Beseiged           
that the Burghers were eager to have It delivered forthwith But that the        
soldiers were Resolved to fire it ffirst & that they would defend It to         
their utmost                                                                    
     L. c. 630     May 18th 1678                                                
   Whitehall 16 May 1678                                                        
+On saturday & sonday last the Ld Allintons Regemt sailed from Harwich for      
fflanders & the same day my Ld O Bryans Regemt sailed out of the River          
     Its the Newes about towne that the dutch have Consented to the             
prohibition of trade & will doe anything the K desires when on the other        
side I Can assure you that the dutch Ambrs doe declare to the K that            
the states cannot posibly make the sd prohibition Even In Case the warr         
should Continue to which they say they are Not able to Contribute               
anything & therefore Must have A peace which Its Notorious they are going       
to as fast as they Can                                                          
     On the 10th sailed from Chattam the Unicorne On the 13th the R             
Katherine On the 14th the St Michaell & Rainebow & in few dayes the             
Henrietta which Except the prince is the last of the ships out of that          
Harbour, On the 17th sailed out of Portesmouth the R James & the                
ffaulcon & Its said that on Monday Next sr Thomas Allen who has the             
Command goes downe to his ships & within A short time after this the            
fleet will hold their Generall Randevouz There being In the downes &            
passing too & fro 17 or 18 sailes & at Spithead 10 more                         
     yet Notwithstanding this & all other Endeavors the dutch are so            
forward for peace & the spaniards soe Backwards In their preparations           
for warr that Its probable a peace must Ensue                                   
     The Paris letters of the 18th tell us the ffirst Battalion of the          
Irish Brigade was Marched towards Perpignan & the 2d was to follow & It         
was Exspected the same orders would goe for the English & scotch Regemts        
     By some ships lately arrived from Virginia Its advised that the            
Indians were In armes In Maryland & 300 men were sent out to suppresse          
them but the successe was Not Knowne when they Came away, But all was           
quiet In Virginia                                                               
     The Ld Vaughan the late governour of Jamaica is Arrived & the Earle        
of Carlisle was on the 12th as far as Torbay In prosecution of his              
voyage thither                                                                  
     L. c. 631     May 21 1678                                                  
   Whitehall 18 May 1678                                                        
+Yesterday we Recd o[u]r ffrench & fflanders letters of ffriday &               
satureday last  all they tell us is                                             
     That the ffrench K Continued In his Campe at deyuse  That the M: de        
Humieres Continued with a body of 15000 men at Kienveran, That haveing          
sent a detachment towards Mons the 18th Instant with 4 peeces of Canon          
they had ffalne upon the Redoubt, which is without the gate de Hauve            
wherein there Being but 15 spaniards The ffrench succeeded with little          
dificulty & then demolished it                                                  
     ffrom Liege they write that the ffrench are assembling a body of An        
Army below Maastricht at A place called Rocken where they have Already          
between 7 and 8000 men & that they will be twice as strong very shortly         
whereupon the Brandenburg & Newburg troops on that side are likewise            
drawing togather to oppose the designes of the Enemy                            
     People talke Mightily Every where of peace, The Hollanders labour          
hard at Nimeghen to Obtaine A Cessation of Armes for 3 moneths which            
they looke upon would be a greate step towards the peace                        
     Wee have o[u]r dutch & fflanders letters of Tuesday last  The              
letters say that the ffrench K was Removed from deyuse with his Army            
had passed the Canall & was Encamped In the Neiborhood of Ghent where he        
would Continue till the 27th Instant to see what Effect his letter              
written to the states of Holland would have which was Brought them on           
satureday last by one of the Kings trumpeters upon which the states of          
Holland prsently Assembled & haveing Been so severall houres & that night       
all the deputies went home to their severall townes to Advise with their        
principalls & on tuesday last they Returned to the Hague & the states           
were assembled that day, by my Next I may be able to tell you something         
of the Resolution they tooke                                                    
     The Marshall d'Humieres haveing taken & demolished all the Redoubts        
& other separate ffortifications about Mons is Marched towards                  
Dendermonde which place Its feared he will Attacke, M. Schomberg is             
Marched with 8000 men towards Maastricht to Joyne the troops at Rochen          
     The Imperiall Army Randevouzed the 16th Instant  It is thought they        
will passe the Rhine forthwith                                                  
     The states have Resolved to send deputies to the ffrench King              
     L. c. 632     May 23d 1678                                                 
   Whitehall 21 May 1678                                                        
+This morning wee have o[u]r dutch letters off ffriday last & they give         
us this account that upon the Receipt of the letter from the ffrench K          
the states Immediately Assembled & then parted againe till the tuesday          
following which was the 14th Instant, when haveing had severall                 
Conferences with the Minesters of the allies Resideing at the Hague to          
Communicate to them the letter & to Consult with them the Answer that           
should be Returned to It had at lengh by Consent of the said Minesters          
Come to this Resolution vizt                                                    
+To Returne the ffrench Trumpett (To whome they prsented 100 duckitts)          
with a trumpetter of their owne to Carry A letter from the Pensionary           
ffagell Containing only A Complement to the secretary of state                  
to the ffrench K, And Advises that the same should be Immediately               
followed by A deputation to his Maty & accordingly that orders should be        
Imediately sent to the sieur Van Benerning one of the dutch Ambrs at            
Nimeghen to Repaire Imediately to the Kings Campe Neere Ghent & to              
assure his Maty of the Continuance of their disposition to A peace &            
In order thereunto to desire a Cessation of Armes In order to the               
Bringing their allies to accept of the tearmes offered  Not any Newes           
of any other Kind worth Comunicating                                            
     The Randevouz of severall Regemts which was Intended as this day at        
Hunslow heath is put off.                                                       
     L. c. 633    May 27th 1678                                                 
+His Maty & Royall Highnesse have Every Day this weeke gone to see some         
of the New Raised Regemts who are found to be such Good men & so well           
disciplined that they Recd more then ordinary satisfaction                      
     On the 21st Count Egmont Ambr Extrary from the Court of spaine             
arrived here                                                                    
     It is Judged by the ffrench K putting A stop to the pioneers &             
Waggons at Ghent that A Cessation is Granted & A peace will Ensue, And          
the Paris letters tell us they Every day Exspect to heare It is finished        
     On the 21st the stavaren sailed from Portesmouth with soldiers for         
the Islands of Jersey & Guernsey                                                
     They write from Cadiz Aprill 28th that on the 19th the Earle of            
Inchequin arrived there In 8 dayes from Plimouth & on the 24th Imported         
the Leopard & Jersey with about 50 Merchantmen under their Convoy, The          
Algerines were most Layd up In the Mould for feare of the English               
     The Andrew Ketch of Colchester putting Into ffalmouth Bound for            
Roterdam from Burdeaux say they left Not one ship there at their Comeing        
off To the Greate affliction of that people to thinke what Commodities          
must spoyle on their hands                                                      
     The Hague Letters say the discourse Ran there on the 26th That An          
Expresse was come from the D de Villa Hermosa to acquaint them that             
haveing had farther deliberations about the matter of the peace he was          
Not unwilling Considdering the little Appearance of Resisting to Incline        
to tearmes of peace And that M: de Lyra was observed More easy In               
Complying with the proposalls of the states upon that occasion                  
     Their Advice from Coppenhagen was That An Envoy from Munster was           
gone to Denmarke & that the peace between the 2 Northerne Crownes was           
very farr Advanced & that of the D of Holbein Almost Concluded                  
     On the 23d both houses Being Mett his Maty made this following             
speech                                                                          
     MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, When I met you last I asked your Advice            
upon the greate Conjuncture abroade, what Returne you Gentlemen of the          
H of Comons made mee & whether It was suitable to that End I Intended           
(which was the saveing of fflanders) I Leave it to your selves In               
Cold blood to Considder, since I Asked your Advice the Conjunctures             
abroade & o[u]r distempers (which Influence so much have, driven things         
violently on to A peace & where they will End I cannot tell but will            
say this only to you that I Am Resolved as farr as I am able to save            
flanders Either by warr or A peace which way soever I shall find                
Conduceing towards it; & that must be Judged from Circumstances as they         
play from abroade  ffor my owne part I should thinke being armed were as        
Necesary to make A peace as A warr & therefore if I were able would keep        
up my army & my Navy at least for some time till A peace were Concluded         
But because that will depend upon your supplies I leave It to your              
selves whether to provide for their subsidies so long or for their              
disbanding sooner & to take Care In Either Case Not to discourage or            
use ill so many worthy Gentlemen & brave Men who Came to offer their            
lives & service to their Countrey upon this occasion & In pursuance of          
your owne advise & Resolutions                                                  
     I must put you likewise In mind of A branch of my Revenue which is         
Neere Expireing & of Another greater which is Cutt off by A Clause In           
the Poll Bill As also of the 200000 L taken up upon the Credit of the           
Excise at your Request & I desire your Resolutions May be speedy because        
the prsent Necesities Require It And I shall Consent to any Reasonable          
Bills you shall offer mee for the good & safety of the Nation                   
     My Lords & Gentlemen; I shall say No more but only to assure you           
whatever some ill men would have believed  I Never had any Intentions but       
of good to you & to my people, Nor Ever shall, But will doe all that            
I can for your safety & Ease as farr as you your selves will suffer mee,        
And since these are my Resolutions I desire you will Not drive mee Into         
Extremities which must End Ill but for you & mee & (which is worst of           
all) for the Nation which wee ought all to have Equall care of,                 
Therefore I desire wee may prevent any disorders or Mischiefs that May          
befall them by o[u]r disagreement & In Case they doe I shall leave It to        
God Almighty to Judge between us who is the occasion  one thing More I          
have to Add & that is to let you know that I shall Never More suffer the        
Course & Method of passing lawes to be Changed & that If severall               
Matters shall Ever againe be tacked togather In one bill that bill shall        
Certainly be lost let the Importance of It be Never so greate                   
     The Rest I leave to my Ld Chancellor                                       
+23d May 1678  the Commons appointed their grand Comitees Read only some        
bills & then Adjourned                                                          
+24 May 1678  The Commons ordered a Bill to be brought In for secureing         
the protestant Religion & Appointed A Committee to Inspect the lawes            
Concerning the poore & to bring In A Bill for Remedying the Inconveniencies     
thereoff & appointed A Comittee to Considder of the Temporary lawes that        
are Expired & which of them are fitt to be Revived & gave leave to bring        
In A Bill for Exportation of leather & Read A Bill for wearing woollen          
Manufactures                                                                    
+The Lords Read A Bill for provideing Reliefe for poore protestant              
strangers & A Bill for Burying In woollen & ordered A Bill to be brought        
In for preventing Clandestine Marriages And A Bill for punishing of             
Blasphemy & for preventing drunkennesse & swearing                              
+May 25th  The Commons were this day In a long debate about prsenting A         
New Addresse to the King for A warr against ffrance but the debate was          
adjourned till Monday  The yeas were 195 and the Noes 176                       
+Wee have o[u]r letters from ffrance of Wednesday last  they say the K          
was Exspected that Evening at st Germains & that the peace was lookt upon       
as good as Concluded The spaniards haveing likewise accepted of the             
tearmes proposed                                                                
+They had account from Germany the M: Crequi had passed the Rhine at            
brisac & the Imperiall army was Comeing towards [tear removes about five        
letters]                                                                        
     L. c. 634     May 27th 1678                                                
   Commons May 24th 1678                                                        
+A Bill to be brought In for secureing the protestant Religion                  
     A Committee Appointed  to Inspect the Lawes Concerning the poore           
& to bring In a Bill for Remedying the Inconveniences thereof                   
     A Committee Appointed to Considder of the Temporary Lawes that are         
Expired & which of them are fitt to be Revived                                  
     Leave Given to Bring In A bill for Exportation of Leather                  
+A Bill for wearing woollen Manufactures Read & ordered A 2d Reading            
          Lds                                                                   
+An act for provideing Reliefe for poore protestant strangers Read &            
Committed                                                                       
     An act for Burying In woollens Read                                        
+A Bill ordered to be brought In for preventing Clandestine Marriages           
+A Bill to be prepared for punishing of Blasphemy & for preventing              
drunkennesse & swearing                                                         
          May 25th                                                              
+Wee have o[u]r letters ffrom ffrance of Wednesday last  They say that          
the King was Exspected that Evening at St Germains & that the peace was         
lookt upon as good as Concluded The spaniards haveing likewise accepted         
of the tearmes proposed  That from Germany They had account that the            
M: de Crequi had with his Army passed the Rhine at Brisac  his designe          
was Not knowne  The Imperiall army was advanced towards him                     
     The Commons were this day In A long debate about prsenting A New           
Addresse to the King for A warre against ffrance  But the debate was            
Adjourned sine die                                                              
     The yeas were 195 and the Noes 176                                         
     L. c. 635     May 31st 1678                                                
   Whitehall 28 May 1678                                                        
+Wee have o[u]r letters of ffriday last from Holland which tell us that         
the Heer Beverning Returned that Evening to the Hague from the ffrench          
Campe from whence he Came on the Wednesday last (The ffrench K parting          
the same day for Paris) & went Immediately Into the states of Holland           
to make his Reports of which all the account they had abroade when these        
letters Came away was, That the ffrench K had agreed to the Cessation           
of armes for 6 weeks, And it was said that a ffree trade between ffrance        
& Holland was granted by that King from that prsent time                        
     It is said that the ffrench army will goe & Encampe In the                 
Neibourhood of Brussells dureing the said Cessation                             
     It is Certain that the spaniards have accepted the tearmes of peace        
offered by ffrance                                                              
     Yesterday the H of Commons Resolved that the privy Councellors that        
are Members of the house should prsent to his Maty the desire of the            
house That his Maty would be pleased to let them know whether there would       
be A peace of a Warre                                                           
     This morning his Maty sent them A Message  the substance was               
     That the ffrench King had Consented to A Cessation of Armes which          
would Expire the 27 July our stile & that his Maty Believed It would            
be ffollowed by A peace But that he thought It Necesary to Keep up the          
Army till that time, And therefore Calls upon them to provide a                 
subsistance for the forces till that time & for their disbanding them           
     The Considderation of this Message is Adjourned till Thursday              
     To Morrow being the Kings birth day the house sitts Not                    
     L. c. 636     June 1st 1678                                                
+On the 24th the Commons ordered A Bill to be brought In for secureing          
the protestant Religion And Read A Bill for wearing woollen Manufactures        
& ordered it a 2d Reading, Appointed a Committee to Inspect the lawes           
Concerning the poore & to bring In A Bill, and another Committee to             
Considder of the Temporary lawes that are Expired & which of them are           
fitt to be Revived & Gave leave for 2 Bills to be brought In the one            
for Exportation of Leather the other for Linsey levell                          
     On the 25th The Commons Gave leave for Bringing In severall Bills          
vizt for Reliefe of poore prisoners for bringing In Woollen for Better          
Repaire of Highwayes & then takeing his Matys Speech Into Considderation        
were upon An Addresse to his Maty to desire to Know the state of                
affaires as they Now stand In Relation to warr or peace & If his Maty           
shall thinke fitt to Enter Into A warr against the ffrench King with            
the alliances of the Emperor & such other princes & states as would             
Come Into the Confederacy In which they would Assist & support his              
Maty In the Carrying on the warr But they Came to No Result                     
     On the 27th the Commons upon debate of his Matys speech voted that         
if his Maty pleased to Enter Into An actuall warr against the ffrench           
K, They will supply & assist him In such warr or otherwise they will            
Enter upon the Considderation of A way for disbanding the forces already        
Raised, And ordered the Members of the privy Councell doe acquaint his          
Maty with their vote                                                            
     And on this day they Read A Bill for Burying In woollen, And A Bill        
for preventing Maintenance & Buying pretended titles & A Bill for               
Exportation of Leather & ordered a Committee to Inspect the Claimes             
Concerning Bankrukpts & Considder of the defects thereof                        
     On the 28th they ordered the Bill for wearing woollen Manufactures         
& for Regulating the Makeing thereof to be Read on thursday & Read the          
Bill for Reliefe of poore prisoners for debt A 2d time & Committed              
     His Matys Answer to the vote of the house yesterday                        
+Charles R His Maty haveing purused the vote of this house of the 27th          
Instant hath thought fitt to Returne this answer                                
     That the most Christian K hath made such offers for A Cessation            
till the 27th July as his Maty doth not only Believe will be accepted           
But doth also verily Believe will End In A generall peace, yet since            
that is Not certain his Maty doth by No meanes thinke it prudent to             
dismisse Either fleet or Army before that time nor does he thinke it Can        
Add Much to the Charge Because the Raiseing of the Money & paying them          
off would take as long A time as that although the speediest disbanding         
that is posible were Intended,                                                  
     That In the meane time his Maty desires some supply may be provided        
for their subsistance, That as hitherto thay have been the Most orderly         
Army that Ever was togather they may be Encouraged to Continue so               
     That there is another thing which presseth his Maty with very great        
Inconvenience In his domesticke affaires which is the Want of the 200000        
L you promised to Repay at your Meeting after, And which does Effect the        
whole branch of his Revenue by haveing A 5th part taken out of Every            
payment which should be applied to the Necesary use of his household, he        
does therefore desire you would Immediately apply your selves to the            
Repayment of that money to him                                                  
          Given at o[u]r Court at whitehall 28 May 1678                         
     On the 30th the Commons tooke his Matys Answer on the 28th Into            
Considderation & Resolved                                                       
     That all the forces that have been Raised since the 29th sept last         
Except those that have been sent to the plantations be forthwith paid           
& disbanded And to Morrow are to be In A Committee of the whole house to        
Considder of A supply for their disbanding, and have Appointed A                
Committee to Examine the Arreirs due to the forces & to Considder of            
Meanes to lessen the Charge of the Navy                                         
     On the 21st sr Thomas Allen went to portesmouth & thence to                
spithead aboard the R: James                                                    
     The Plimouth letters of the 24th tell us of the safe Arrivall of           
the streights ffleet from Cadiz whence they parted 96 In Number of              
which 3 men of warr the Leonard & Guernsey & Tigur, The last taken              
from the turks by the Rupert & Mary                                             
+The hague letters mention the Cessation & that they are to have A free         
trad from that prsent time                                                      
+Its Advised from Bruges that all Communication betwixt them & ostend by        
water is stopt by Reason of the disturbances given by the ffrench parties       
who were that night at one of their gates & Carryed away severall persons       
and among others a Burghermasters son                                           
     They write from fflanders That the ffrench had Ravaged 8 villages In       
the Jurisdiction of Ghent for Arreirs of Contribution due before Its            
surrender & were takeing downe the Church Bells for Non payment of the          
summe agreed on for the Redemption & had Begun with those of the                
Cathedrall                                                                      
+sr Richard Rainsford hath A writt of Ease & sr William scroggs is Made         
Ld Chiefe Justice of England                                                    
+The Brussells letters say the Cessation with the dutch was with                
this Restriction That if that the states Cannot prevaile within that            
time with the Rest of the allies to accept of the Conditions of peace           
which the Most Christian K has offered that they shall Not directly or          
Indirectly assist them against him or any of his allies                         
     L. c. 637     June 3d 1678                                                 
   Commons 30 May 1678                                                          
+A Bill for makeing the River Vale in Cornwall Navigable Read A 2d time         
& Committed                                                                     
     A Bill for Admeasuring keeles & Boates Read & ordered A 2d Reading         
     A Bill for wearing woollen Manufactures Read A 2d time & Committed         
     Leave Given to bring In A Bill for the Better discovery of the             
Estates of Thompson & Nelthorp Bankers                                          
     The house then tooke Into Considderation his Matys message & Resolved      
     That all the forces that have Been Raised since the 29 sept last           
Except those that have been sent to the plantations shall be forthwith          
paid And disbanded                                                              
     A Motion Being made for A supply to his Maty for the disbanding of         
the Army Resolved                                                               
+That this house to morrow morning A 10 of the Clocke will Resolve Into         
A Comittee of the whole house to Considder of the said Motion                   
     A Comittee Appointed to Inspect & Examine what arreirs are Now due         
to the Army which by the vote of this house is to be disbanded & that           
the paymaster of the army be summoned to attend & that the Committee have       
A power to Considder of A way And Meanes to lessen the Charge of the Navy       
     That on Monday this house will take Into Considderation the state of       
the Navy                                                                        
Commons     31 May 1678                                                         
+A Bill for preventing the Abuses In takeing affidavitts In the Countrey        
Read & ordered A 2d Reading                                                     
     The house then Resolved Into A Comittee of the whole house to              
Considder of his Matys supply & Resolved                                        
     That A supply be granted to his Maty towards the paying And                
disbanding all the forces that have been Raised since the 29 sept last          
     The Committee Appointed to Inspect & Examine what arreires are due         
to the Army & lessening the Charge of the Navy to sitt this afternoon           
     And Then Adjourned till ye mon                                             
                     [Handwriting changes here.]                                
June ye 1st                                                                     
     This day The Commons tooke ye Chancellrs speech into Consideration,        
fell upon ye debate whether ye proceeding of their House were ye                
occation of ye peace, or the Ld Chancellrs mentions, & after long debate,       
& 3 questions put Concerning it, it was adjourned to another day                
     sr Richard Raynsford is to have his sallary allo[wed] him for his          
life                                                                            
     4 troops of Horse & severall Companys of foot are orderd to march          
toward ye North                                                                 
          The Ld Chancellrs Speech to sr Wm scroggs at his                      
           being sworne Ld Cheife Justice May ye 31 1678                        
     The great age of the Ld Cheife Justice Raynsford hath obtaynd his          
Maty[s] writt of quietus                                                        
     Therefore the King haveing great Experience of your knowne Integrity       
& honesty, as well as somewhat of your Loyallty has laid his Commands           
upon me to bring you his Commision to be Ld Cheife Justice of this Court.       
     And in regard you have had Experience as well of sitting on ye             
Bench as at ye Barr. I shall not take up your tyme wth needless Cautions        
and admonitions, but onely say thus much to you, that ye worke of this          
Court will Call for ye Exerciseing yo[u]r uttmost dilligence, for ye            
worke that you will find before you here, is not more Honrble &                 
proffitable, then laborious, for Especially will your great Patience be         
tryed when you have to doe wth ye most stubborne & greatest Mallefactors,       
& then Will you be discredited if you Extend not your Dilligence & Patience     
     Now must you sequester yo[u]r selfe from ye private, totally to be         
given to ye publique Even in such a manner as to borrow some houres             
from your most needfull Recreations & sleep it selfe.                           
     L. c. 638     [Handwriting changes here.]     June 6th 1678                
Commons 4 June 1678                                                             
+A Bill for preventing Maintenance & Champerty Read A 2d time & Committed       
+A Bill sent from the Lds for Reliefe of poore protestant strangers             
     The question Being propounded That the proceedings of this house had       
Not occasioned the peace It Being Moved that the Words (Mentioned by my         
Ld Chancellors speech) may be added, which Being put to the question &          
then the house divided with the yeas 146 and the Noes 181                       
     And so It passed In the Negative                                           
     The question being afterwards put whether the question should be           
Now put the house divided with the yeas 157 And the Noes 181                    
     And so It passed In the Negative                                           
Commons 3 June 1678                                                             
+The Committee Appointed to Examine what was due to the Army made their         
Report but the Charge of the Navy Being Not yet Ready to be brought In          
the house Adjourned                                                             
     On ffriday last being the ffirst day of the Tearme mr Justice              
scroggs tooke his place as Ld Chiefe Justice of the Kings Bench In the          
Roome of sr Richd Rainsford                                                     
Commons 4 June 1678                                                             
+The house Resolved Into A grand Comittee & Resolved                            
That a supply of 200000 L shall be Raised for paying off the fforces            
Raised since Michaelmas last to Commence Next after the determination of        
the prsent Monethly tax                                                         
     A Clause to be put In the Bill that the forces be disbanded by the         
last of June And also for appropriating the Money for that use                  
          [Handwriting changes here just for rest of letter.]                   
+Mr Powell Reports from the Committee that ye Charge of ye Land forces          
amounts to 1800 L a day, & ye Navy to 2500 L a day, in all 4300 a day           
The supply is to be Raised by a 6 moneths Tax at ye Rate of 34010 L-            
9 s- 6 d p month                                                                
     To morrow the Lds have appoynted to heare The Ld Purbecks buisness         
     L. c. 639     June 8th 1678                                                
+On the ffirst Instant the Commons had under Considderation the Ld              
Chancellors speech, The Lds sent downe A bill for Reliefe of poore              
protestant strangers & the Commons Committed the bill for preventing            
of Champerty & Maintenance & the Bill for Erecting A Church In st               
Martins In the fields                                                           
     On the 3d the Commons Committed A Bill for Admeasuring of Keeles &         
Boates & then had the Report what was due to the forces & tooke Into            
Considderation the state of the Navy                                            
     On the 4th the Commons ordered A 2d Reading to the Bill against            
Bankrupts & to the Bill for Encreasing the Revenue of the deanne of             
St Pauls & for assuring the tennants their Estates & Committed the Bill         
for the more Easy Collecting the duty of hearth money, And then In              
A grand Committee Resolved A supply of 6 moneths tax after the Rate of          
34410 L: 9 s: 6 d p moneth to Commence Next after the determination of          
the prsent Monethly tax towards paying & disbanding the forces that have        
been Raised since the 29 sept last And a Clause In the Bill to                  
Encourage people to lend money upon that act & A Clause for the                 
disbanding the forces by the last of June & A Clause for Appropriating          
the Money for that Use                                                          
     On the 5th the house ordered A 2d Reading to the Naturalization            
Bill & A Bill against Pelthorp & Thompson & Gave leave to bring In A            
bill for the discovery of stolne goods & for preventing the oppression          
of the poore, And then In a grand Committee Resolved A supply to be             
given to his Maty for dismissing the Extrary Charge of the Navy                 
     On the 6th the Commons Committed the Bill for Burying In woollen &         
Read the Bill for A supply & ordered A 2d Reading                               
     The ffrench letters of 11th tell us That King out of A prospect of         
peace had abated of the taxes for his Next yeare & is upon paying off           
the greate summs of money which he had borrowed on his Revenue at 8 L           
p Cent Interest, Those that lent their moneys before the warr arre              
prsently to Receive It, But those that lent since the war hope for              
faivour to Continue it at the same Rate                                         
     The E of dunbartons Regemt is Reduced from 16 to 6 Companies &             
Coll Machartys from 14 to 5 Companies  The dutch ships are Already In           
greate plenty at Burdeaux & other parts of ffrance to take off their            
Commodities so that they make No question of A generall [sic] which that        
It may be the more assuredly Effected the M: schomberg is Marched wth A         
body of 25000 men to dispose the Elector of greate dificulty to part            
with all those acquisitions that have Cost him so deare                         
     The Imperiall army & the french were only parted by A wood so that         
they Exspected to heare of An Engagement                                        
     The Brussells letters of June 7th tell us all the Countrey is              
beforend [?] with french who live at Ease & plenty whilst their men are         
Cooped up In Garrisons to which None are suffered to Carry provisions so        
that they generally lye under the penury of A siege                             
     The Hague letters are of oppinion they may prevaile with the allies        
to accept of the ffrench proposalls yet they are willing to see all             
Compleated before they disband any of their forces                              
     They write from Elsenor may 24th that besides those men that were          
forced backe by Contrary winds there was another fleet arrived from             
Jutland with 2000 horse upon the same designe who were set saile that           
day & would make up the forces with M: Guildenlieu 20000 men with which         
they doubted Not but to be soon masters of Gottenburg                           
     By the Leghorne letters date may 21st Its advised that things begin        
to be quiet at Tunis & that the English whose goods were taken                  
promiscuously from them when the towne was taken had all that Could be          
found of theirs afterwards Restored to them                                     
     Two Algerines who were then In port haveing Advise That an English         
ship was off the port went out & after 4 houres fight tooke her, The            
ship was the Neptune formerly the guinney ffregot bound from Alexandria         
with turks goods  Those of Tunis declared Immediately It was No prize,          
But the Algerines who were selling some part of her at Porto ffarina            
answered there was good Justice at Algiers & they would Carry her thither       
+On the 27th Arrived In the downes one English ship from Bantam, &              
on the 30th sr william poole In the guernsey with the Leopard & Turks           
Tiger with the greate streights fleet, The Turks tiger is said to be            
A very Nimble ship & though shee sailed only with a jury Mast Can Keep          
Company with the rest, They bring Newes from Cadiz that the Algerines           
had been beaten by the Moores army that Came downe against them & that          
they were become very desirous of peace with us                                 
+On the 26th was Launched at Harwich A 3d Rate ffregot which will Carry         
76 guns Named the Restaurations  shee went very well off the stocks &           
by Judgment is accounted as good as any of her Rate In England                  
     L. c 640    [Handwriting changes here.]                                    
                         June ye 8th/10th [sic] 1678                            
+Yesterday his maty sent a message to ye house of Commons Reminding them        
of ye advice he gave them ye 23d of May last for ye delaying ye                 
disbanding his forces till ye success of this Cessation appears &               
Telling them he has much Employed his thoughts on ye same subject,              
since, & that he is still of ye same Opinion, & that ye saveing a               
little Charge Can noe way Countervaile ye prejudice that may succeed            
upon his being necessitated to disarme his land & navy forces, upon soe         
great uncertaintys, may tho a peace should Certainly Ensue, Therefore           
Earnestly againe recomending his former advice to them.  Especially             
Concerning ye forces that are now in flanders, whom should soe                  
sudenly recall, it might be of ill Consequences & lyable to bad                 
Construction, for that haveing taken severall Spanish townes into his           
protection it might appear strongly unreasonable to wthdraw his forces          
from them, wth out any timely warning for their Regarrisoning, thereby          
leaving them to ye discretion of ye Enemy                                       
     Upon Receipt of this message a motion was made to goe into a Comittee      
of ye Whole house on ye Consideration of it, but it past in ye negative         
     Then appoynted they Wednesday next to proceed on ye supply Bill            
     And this day after reading some private Bills, they Enterd upon ye         
Consideration of ye 200000 L taken upone ye Credit of ye Excise, &              
Resolved that there lyes an obligation on this House to see ye said             
200000 L dischargd, & accordingly appoynted a Comittee to Examine ye            
severall disbursmts of ye said money                                            
     Noe forreigne posts are Come in                                            
     The Lds have throwne out ye Bill abt Pedlers & Hawkers                     
     L. c. 641    June 13th 1678                                                
June 8th 1678                                                                   
[The first four paragraphs of this letter are an almost exact copy of           
L. c. 640 except that the last two one-sentence paragraphs of L. c. 640         
are omitted.]                                                                   
     Monday 10 June                                                             
+A Bill for hindring Papists to sitt In Either house of Parliamt Read           
& ordered A 2d Reading                                                          
     The Election for Grantham Reported & Resolved That sr Robert               
Markam is duely Elected                                                         
     Tuesday 11 June                                                            
+Resolved that the time be Enlarged for disbanding the forces since the         
29 sept last & Now beyond the seas Not Exceeding 27 July.                       
          [Handwriting changes here just for rest of letter.]                   
+A petition of ye poor Clothiers read & referrd to a Comittee to Consider       
     Wednesday senight appoynted for sr sollomon swale to Certify ye            
house of his Conformity to ye Church of England or Else they will proceed       
to ye Election of a new member to serve in his roome.                           
     to morrow ye house will proced in ye supply Bill                           
     L. c. 642     June 15th 1678                                               
+On the 7th his Maty sent A Message to the Commons to put them in mind          
that In his speech the 23d May last he told them that if he were able he        
would Keep up his army & Navy some time till a peace were Concluded If          
It must be, But because that depended upon their supplies he Referred           
it to them whether to provide for their Maintenance or disband them             
sooner, since which time his Maty hath often had his thoughts Employed          
on the same subject & is Every day more & more Confirmed In his ffirst          
opinion that A few dayes Expence Cannot Countervail with the parting            
with his fleet & Army if after that A peace should Not follow, And              
though It should yet hazzarding [sic] so much of the bare presumption of        
A thing In it selfe altogather uncertain & Not In his power Could not be        
Countenanced by Any procedings                                                  
     Therefore his Maty Recomended to them his sd Advice of the 23d may         
that they would see the Effect of the Cessation In flanders before his          
Maty be Necesitated to disarme them, But more Especially that part of           
the army that is In flanders which if his Maty should Recall before A           
peace it would be lyable to A very hard Construction, That haveing              
severall of the K of spains Townes In his protection he had without any         
Reasonable warning for their Regarrisoning withdrawne his forces &              
abandoned those townes to the discretion of the Enemy                           
     The Message was ordered to be taken Into Considderation on the 11th        
when they were also to Considder the supply Bill of 200000 L                    
     On the 8th the Commons Resumed the debate touching the 200000 L            
borrowed on the Excize & Resolved                                               
+That An obligation lay on the house to Repay it & appointed A Committee        
to take the disbursemts thereof, Then they ordered A 2d Reading to the          
Bills from the Lds for Burying In woollen And Committed the Leather Bill        
& Appointed A Committee to Considder how to Improve the woollen & silke         
Manufactures, The Lds sent downe 3 Bills the one for preventing                 
unnecesary suites & delayed Another for Execrs in their owne wrong [sic]        
to Receive debts of Execrs & Admrs And A 3d for the Better Incouragement        
of the dealers in Butter & Cheese                                               
     On the 11th the Commons Resolved the time be Enlarged for disbanding       
the forces Raised since sept last & now beyond sea Not Exceeding 27 July,       
They also Comitted the Naturalization bill & A Bill to Repeale A Clause         
In the act Concerning Highwayes & A Bill for preserveing fish In the            
River severne And An Engrossed Bill from the Lds for Burying In woollen &       
ordered A 2d Reading to the Bill against papists sitting in parliamt &          
Referred A petition of the Clothiers to A Committee to whome A petition         
of the Creditors of the Hamburg Company is Committed & ordered A Bill for       
poore prisoners for debt to be Engrossed                                        
     On the 12th the Commons Committed the Bill to hinder papists to sitt       
In Either house of parliamt & In a Committee of the whole house went            
through the supply Bill & ordered the Committee appointed to Examine the        
disbursemts of the 200000 L to sit to morrow morning to perfect their           
accounts                                                                        
     On the 13th the Commons Read A Bill to prevent Burglary & Breaking         
up of houses & ordered A 2d Reading to A bill for A Register for pawnes         
+The supply Bill was Reported & ordered to be Engrossed                         
     The dutch letters tell us the D of Brandenburgh has put a stop to          
his March for A Moneth but the Lunenburg forces which were In                   
Mecklenburgh were on their March towards the Randevouz  The Munster             
troops are about 6000 with 30 Cannon haveing Recd their moneys on the           
10th went on the 11th to schonen or Norway                                      
     The Bp of Munster is very angry that such A progresse is made              
towards A generall peace In which the Businesse of sweden Causeth the           
greatest dificulty & yet they Judge that the Bp of Munster & D of zell          
may be brought to part with who[m they?] hold In the Dutchy of Bremen           
for money & they talke that the D of Hannover hath already offered to           
his brother the D of zell from france A Million for what he holds In            
the sd Dutchy though others say he has made him proposalls & will               
settle upon him the Bishoprick of Hildesheim                                    
     The D of Bavaria is said to presse the Emperor that the K of               
sweden may Not be so much A looser for that if he should be beaten              
quite out of Germany It would Make the D of Brandenburgh too                    
formidable to the Emperor & Roman Catholic Religion                             
     They write from france the Rebells of Hungary have got togather A          
Considderable army  some say 30000 men Effective & More are sent them           
still by the Marquesse de Bethune the french Ambr & they have Refused           
those faire proposalls which the greate assembly of Hungary has gained          
them of the Emperour & that they thought might prevaile with them & will        
Not now be Content to have liberty to Erect Churches on the frontiers           
where they say they shall be Exposed to the violence of the Turks &             
Hussers but demanded to have them In garrisoned townes which Its                
Conceived they will Not obtaine it being No small hazzard to Admitt the         
Confluence of such A sort of people In places of greatest strength              
+whitehall 13  June 1678 wee have severall Reports abroade of An                
Engagement between the ffrench & the Germans In Bresgau but no Credit is        
to be given to them  the armies are Indeed very neere & It is likely they       
will Not part without blowes                                                    
     The states generall have Resolved that In Case their allies will           
Not Come Into the peace they will Conclude it seperately, But It is             
Certain they will have the Company of the spaniards who have formally           
declared themselves thereupon, sr William Temple one of his Matys               
plenipotentiaries for treating the peace hath taken his Leave In order          
to his Returne Into holland                                                     
     This day the Ld Ambr hide the E of ossory arrived safe here                
     L.c. 643     None 17th [?]    June 20th 1678                               
Commons friday 14 June                                                          
+A Bill for Better Incouragemt of dealers In Butter & Cheese ordered a 2d       
Reading                                                                         
+A Bill to prevent Exportation of wooll Read A 2d time & Committed              
     A Bill ordered to be brought In for Encouragemt of the lynnen              
Manufactures                                                                    
     mr Nolds Bill sent from the Lds Read A 1st time & Rejected                 
     The supply Bill Read A 3d time & past                                      
Commons satureday 15 June                                                       
     The Bill for fishing In the River severne past                             
     The Affidavit bill Read A 2d time & Committed                              
+Resolved that after Tuesday Next Noe New motion be made for A New              
supply to be given to his Maty before the Recesse                               
     That the house will on Tuesday Next take Into Considderation that          
part of his Matys speech which Related to A farther supply                      
     That Report about the Charges of the Navy and the 200000 L upon            
the Excize to be made on Monday                                                 
     The house have voted that all Apprentices that shall be disbanded          
shall be kindly Recd by their masters without any show of Anger & serve         
their times out                                                                 
     There are letters from Coll stapleton Governour of Nevis in                
America which say that the ffrench fleet under the Command of the Count         
de Estrees Consisting In 16 Kings men of warr & 10 or 12 privateers or          
Bulamines as they Call them had very much Allarmed them haveing had for         
A long time their station very neer them, That the 27 Aprill they               
appeared within sight of that Island but some houres afterward tacked &         
stood away  whether they tooke their Course was Not Knowne  There are Now       
Rideing at the spithead the R Charles & the R James with 14 or 15 of the        
Kings ships Besides those that are Cruiseing abroade & have their station       
in the downes, And I have seen A list of above 90 men of warr greate &          
small which are now abroade in the Kings service                                
Commons Monday 17 June                                                          
     The stannary bill Read A[nd?] ordered A 2d Reading  mr Powell              
Reports the Estimate of the Extrary Charge of the Navy & ordinance of           
which there Rests due 150078 L and also of the disbursemts of 200000 L          
borrowed upon the Creditt of the Excize upon the debate whereof Resolved        
+That It appears to the house that 160000 L has been borrowed upon the          
Credit of the Excize & Expended for the Extrary use of the Navy                 
     That It appears to the house that there has been 40000 L borrowed          
upon the Excize & Expended upon the Extrary use of the ordinance                
     Tuesday 18 June                                                            
+The King Came Into the house of Lds this morning & made A speech to both       
houses which was long & Chiefly Related to his Revenue which he desired         
to have Augmented because some branches were going to Expire                    
     The Commons sat so late that I have Not yet seen Either the journall       
or the speech & In things of this Nature I doe Not love to goe by heresay       
+The letters wee Recd last night from Holland say that on wednesday last        
the states Generall finally Resolved that orders should be Immediately          
sent to their Ambrs at Nimeghen to Conclude & signe the treaty with             
france without any more delay, that A letter should be written to the K         
of ffrance & sent by the Heer de savoy to Acquaint him with this their          
Resolution so that wee may Exspect our Next letters from Nimeghen will          
Enforme us that the peace is signed between ffrance spaine & Holland            
what the Rest of the parties doe time must show                                 
+The letters from straasburgh of the 7/17 say that the 13th at night the        
Imperiallists who began to want fforrage silently decamped from Hockberg        
& Marched [to?] Buckem without the Enemies knowlegd who might have              
disputed their passage over the River Elz: but soe soon as M: Crequi knew       
of it he likewise decamped & Marched to Munzigh within halfe a league of        
the Imperiallists Campe severall skirmishes happening In which some men         
of Note were killed.  It is said the Imperiallists are so posted that           
they hinder Crequis Communication with Brisac, which If so will very much       
Incommode him                                                                   
     Crequi has [Handwriting changes here for rest of letter.] Recd A           
Reinforcemt of 15 standarts                                                     
     The Commons have Orderd an account to be brought into ye house what        
privy seales have bene Issued for secret services since ye 1st of May           
last                                                                            
     L. c. 644     [no date]                                                    
            A letter from the Emperour to the states of                         
               Holland & Read In their last Assembly                            
deare ffreinds Allies & Confederates                                            
+The greate Affection & Kindness which wee have had for your state              
Moveth us Now to direct this letter unto you, Aswell to demonstrate             
to you those obligations due from you to us, as also to Exhort &                
perswade you from those Intentions which wee understand by yo[u]r Ambrs         
here are In Agitation between you & the ffrench K, which doth Not A             
little surprize us when wee Considder the Vast disadvantage that will           
succeed such undertakeings & weighing with o[u]r selves how sincere             
wee have alwayes been unto you & that when the ffrench K had Invaded            
your dominions & territories & had overcome part of your Netherlands,           
wee Even then In the height of your distresse upon your solicitations           
& Entring Into A strict bond of Amity Engaged o[u]r Armes upon your             
account & Brought o[u]r Armies so vigourously against the Enimy as              
obliged him to quitt those townes which he had gained from you, & have          
Ever since Kept A strict Confedracy & alliance with you on o[u]r part           
& are willing to Continue the same, which if you Recede from will be            
greately Injurious to us In this Conjuncture, And wee Cannot find It            
beneficiall to any of us upon those Conditions proposed by the ffrench          
K to Consent to A Unreasonable peace, for the Enemy haveing posest              
himselfe of some Important townes of o[u]r Territories & haveing                
Reserved to himselfe the Best part of fflanders which are your                  
ffrontiers, wee doe verily believe It will Rather terminate to all              
o[u]r disadvantages hereafter then Conduce to the quiet & peace of              
Christendome                                                                    
+Therefore wee finding It so hazzardous A thing wee desire you would            
Not give any Complyance thereto, But with Courriage & Resolution                
prosecute the warr till A much better peace Can be obtained, otherwise          
wee shall Not looke upon you any longer o[u]r Confederates, And that            
which seemes the greatest diskindnesse In you is to make A desertion In         
the greatest height of o[u]r hopes Even now when his Maty of England            
hath so faivoured the Cause as to Raise by the advice of his Parliamt A         
puissant Army & has A Royall Navy Now at sea & has given such testimonies       
of his Intentions towards It as to loose A part of his Revenue by               
prohibitting Commerce                                                           
+This step his Maty hath already made & wee are Confidently assured             
that his Maty will Not be wanting to assist us, If not prevented by             
your overtures with ffrance & those Jealousies you have Amongst                 
you by which the good Intentions of the King is [sic] prevented &               
wee Exposed (whome with An Unanimity wee might suppresse) to A                  
Mercilesse Enemy that no longer will Continue A peace then shall                
Conduce to his Advantage there, on these tearmes wee Cannot be safe             
& so hope that these Animadversions may have such Influence on you              
as that you may Considder the ill you are about & Not anticipate                
those designes which are Now on foot & bring In slavery the Christian           
world to A Tiranick prince, In which Confidence that you will persevere         
In o[u]r alliance wee pray to god to protect you & soe wee Rest &c              
     dated from vienna                                                          
     L. c. 645     June 22d 1678                                                
+On the 14th the Commons ordered A 2d Reading to the Bill for the Better        
Incouragemt of the dealers In Butter & Cheese, Committed the Bill to            
prevent Exportation of wooll, ordered the Bill for Building A Church In         
st Martins In the field to be Engrost & past the supply bill of 200000 L        
     On the 15th the Commons Resolved the Report of the Charge of the           
Navy to be made on the 17th, And that the house take Into Considderation        
that part of his Matys speech Relating to A supply on the 18th, And             
that after that day No farther Mention be made for A New supply                 
to be given to his Maty & ordered A 2d Reading to A Bill to prevent             
Remova[ll]s In suites, Comitted the Affidavit bill, ordered the Leather         
Bill & the Bill for Measuring Keeles & Boates to be Engrost & past              
the Bill for ffishing In the River severne                                      
     On the 17th the Commons ordered A 2d Reading to the stannary               
Bill, Committed the Pawnebroakers Bill & past the deane of st Paulls            
Bill & the Leather Bill, They also Upon A Report made to them of the            
disbursemt of the 200000 L Borrowed Upon the Credit of the Excize               
Resolved That It appeares to them that 160000 L was Expended upon the           
Extrary Use of the Navy & 40000 L Upon the Extrary Expence of the               
ordinance                                                                       
     On the 18th his Maty In his Roabes made A speech to both houses the        
substance whereof followeth                                                     
     That things abroade seem already to have determined In A peace at          
least as to spaine & Holland                                                    
     That notwithstanding there will be greate Conjunctures abroade             
In which the safety & honour of the Nation will be much Concerned,              
That It will be Necesary o[u]r Navys are Constantly strong at sea               
     That It will be Imposible for his Maty Even In time of peace               
with A Revenue so Impaired as his is to Keep up the honour & safety             
of the Kingdome                                                                 
     That at the Best his Revenue is Extreamly disproportioned to               
those of the Kings his Neibours & Even to that of the united provinces          
     That his Maty therefore desires they would find A way of setling           
for his life Not only the additionall duties at [sic] they were at              
Crismas last, But of Adding to his Revenue Upon Some New fonds                  
300000 L p Ann to which his Maty will Add 200000 L more to be                   
appropriated to the Constant Maintenance of the Navy                            
     His Maty assures them he is Ready to Consent to any publick                
& Reasonable bills they shall offer him That he will Employ his                 
whole life to advance the good of his people & will Endeavour while             
he lives that none Else shall Ever be able to doe them harme                    
     ffinally Recommends to them the 40000 L for o[u]r Neece of                 
Oranges portion                                                                 
   After which the Commons Being withdrawne the Lds Entred upon the             
debate of the Claime to the Vicounty of Purbeck & Resolved                      
+That no fine Now Leavied or at any time hereafter Leavied to the King          
Can barr any title of honour or the Right of Any person Claimeing such          
title, After which the d of Bucks offered A Bill to the house to make           
the petitioner illegitimate But It being Irregularly offered was                
withdrawne                                                                      
     The Commons ordered the humble thanks of the house to be given             
his Maty for his gracious Expressions In his speech & Resolved to be Next       
morning In A Grand Committee to Considder of Continuing the duty upon           
wines & for paying the 200000 L borrowed on the Excize & the 40000 L for        
the P of Oranges portion, And ordered that the Auditor of the Exchequer         
doe bring In an account what privy seales have been used for secret             
service since the 1st may 1677 & of the pensions granted out of his Matys       
Revenue                                                                         
     The Bill for Burying In woollen was Reported  They Committed the           
Bills for Butter & Cheese & to prevent the Removall of suites from              
inferior Courts & past the Bill for makeing the River vale Navigable            
   On the 19th the Ld treasurer by the Kings Command acquainted the Lds         
that the french K began to be unwilling to Restore any of the places In         
fflanders till the swede be Reinstated & that therefore the spaniard was        
like to be Comprehended In the peace & that the ffrench K waiting for           
o[u]r Armyes disbanding makes his Maty not thinke It fitt to dismisse           
them so soon as was Intended whereupon the house Resolved to desire A           
Conference with the Comons Next morning                                         
     The Commons ordered the Bill for High wayes to be Engrost &                
Committed the stannary bill & ordered sr solomon swayle be discharged           
the service of the house & there be A new Election for Albrough                 
     On the 20th the Commons had A Conference with the Lds, upon the            
Matter Communicated to them by the Ld treasurer & have Returned the             
thanks of the house to the Lds for the sd Conference & to desire them to        
dispatch the supply bill And Resolved that the Additionall duty upon wine       
be granted to his Maty for 3 yeares to Commence from the 1 August Next          
+On the 10th Arrived at Bristoll 6 or 7 ships from Barbados who                 
Report A plentifull Crop of sugar at Barbados this yeare, And Informe           
they had been In barbados all In Armes & fortified their places of              
strengh out of An apprehension of the ffrench fleet who for some time           
with 20 saile hovered about those Islands, But were set saile as they           
Ghessed by their Course towards Curassau, The Man of war building at            
Bristoll is hastning with all hands & is like to prove An Extrary strong        
ship                                                                            
   They write from Vienna dat 12th that the Hungarians Cannot yet agree         
about Choosing A palatine the Archbishop opposing It asmuch as posibly          
he Can as being that which might lessen his Authority & the Nobility            
themselves Contend for it but Its believed Count fforgats will Carry it,        
The states have agreed the protestants Churches shall be upon the               
frontiers they being for the most part Roman Catholicks, But the Rebells        
being now A Considderable body they will Not Come In without other tearmes      
   The hague letters tell us the Elector of Brandenburghs minester              
desired the states to procure A Neutrality for the Countrey of Cleves           
which though It was by some strongly prest to be sent at the same time          
to the King with the letter of their acceptance of the peace, yet at            
last they only prevailed that they would send to the ffrench Ambr at            
Nimeghen Earnestly to Move him to procure A Neutrality of the ffrench K         
as the ffirst faivour to the states upon the peace                              
   The fflanders letters say the Emperor (if some sudden advantage may          
Not alter his Resolution) is Inclinable to A peace & though It looks too        
low for him to accept tearmes prescribed to him may Not be unwilling if         
the Matter be so managed to him as to passe In some forme of A Negotiation      
     On the 10th the dutchesse of Cleveland went backe againe hence for         
Paris                                                                           
