     L. c. 646     June 24th 1678                                               
Commons  Thursday 20 June                                                       
+Ordered that the Committee of Elections & priveledges doe proceed No           
farther In any Cause before them during this sitting & all witnesses to         
be dismist                                                                      
     A Message from the Lds to desire A Conference which being had mr           
Powell Reports the Conference vizt What the Ld treasurer had told the           
Lds before Concerning the ffrench K declaring they would Not Restore any        
places In fflanders till the sweds were Reinstated                              
     A Message sent from the Lds to mind them of the supply bill                
     The house in A Grand Committee Resolved That the Impost on wines &         
vinegars be granted [his] Maty from the ffirst August Next for 3 yeares         
on such wines as may be Imported by law                                         
     The question being put whether the words for the Better Enabling of        
his Maty to maintaine his Navy should be Added passed In the Negative           
yeas 127 Noes 176                                                               
Commons  ffriday 21 June                                                        
+The Hemp & fflax bill Read & ordered A 2d Reading                              
   The bill to prevent the Removall of suites out of Inferior Courts            
ordered to be Engrost                                                           
   The Bill for Burying In woollen past                                         
+The Election of westbury Reported & Resolved That mr Bertie is duely           
Elected                                                                         
+The house In A Grand Committee Resolved That A supply Not Exceeding            
400014 L be granted to his Maty for paying off the Extrary Charge of the        
Navy & ordnance & for paying the princesse of Oranges portion & for the         
Repayment of the 200000 L borrowed on the Excize                                
   The house to be In A Grand Committee to morrow to Considder of               
the Meanes of Raiseing the same                                                 
   The Lords being this day upon the supply bill Resolved that the              
army be kept till the 27 July & the forces beyond sea till 24 August            
   satureday 22 June                                                            
+The supply bill sent downe from the Lds with some Amendmts as to the           
time of disbanding the Army to which this house disagree & have                 
Appointed A Committee to drawe up Reasons for such their disagreement           
     L. c. 647     June 27th 1678                                               
Commons satureday 22d June                                                      
+The supply bill sent down from the Lds with some Amendmts as to the            
time of disbanding That the army be kept up till the 27 July & the              
forces beyond sea till the 24 August                                            
+To which the Commons disagred & Appointed A Committee to draw up Reasons       
   Whitehall 25 June                                                            
+The ffrench Ambrs at Nimeghen haveing declared to the dutch that the           
Intention of the K their Master was Not only Not to Restore the places          
In fflanders but Even Not Maastricht, till sweden had their Entire              
satisfaction but that he should have occasion to make use of the last           
place perticularly In the warr that Its [sic] most likely will be               
Continued by the Elector of Brandenburgh                                        
     The dutch Ambrs thought this A point of so greate Importance that          
upon it they Refused to signe the treaty & sent An account thereof to           
the states who approved what their Ambrs did & seem to think this New           
pretension of the ffrench so unreasonable that If they persist In It;           
Its Believed It may occasion A greate Change In affaires                        
   sr Wm Temple his Matys Ambr hereupon is hastning to the Hague                
     The ffrench letters Come In this day say that they had Advice from         
the M: de Crequis campe of the l7/27 Instant that the 24th the Imperial         
Army decamped from Bucken & marched towards the valley of Walkirke,             
That M: de Crequi thereupon sent some troops to skirmish with their Rear        
but that the sd troops were ordered soon after to Rejoine the Army for          
that the Imperiallists Maine body turned upon the ffrench Right wing &          
Attacked the Church at Langerdents Lingen In which were 100 musketteers &       
had planted 3 or 4 peeces of Cannon against It, But M: Crequi having sent       
severall battalions thither the Germans Retired & Continued their March         
Commons Monday 24 June                                                          
+Resolved In A Grand Committee that 200000 L of the 4000l4 L to be              
given his Maty shall be Raised upon New ffoundations                            
Commons Tuesday 25 June                                                         
+A Conference had with the Lds In which they give them to understand            
that the Commons disagreed to their Amendmts but after A proviso that           
If the Army Cannot be disbanded by the last of this moneth It be                
within 30 dayes after                                                           
     The house disagrees with the vote of the Committee yesterday               
Concerning the Charge to be layd upon New ffoundations  Then In A Grand         
Committee Resolved the 400014 L shall be Raised by A subsidy which being        
Reported to the house the farther debate was Adjourned till to morrow           
     L. c. 648     June 29th 1678                                               
+On the 21st the Commons ordered A petition of the Inhabitants of               
ffowey Newe In Cornwall to be Referred to the stannary Committee                
& Appointed A 2d Reading to the bills for Encouraging the sowing Hemp           
& fflax ordered the bill to prevent the Removall of suites of Inferior          
Courts to be Engrost & past the bill for Burying In woollen & then In           
A Committee of the whole house they Resolved that A supply Not                  
Exceeding 414000 L be granted his Maty for paying the Extrary Charge            
of the Navy & ordinance & for paying the Princesse of oranges portion           
& for Repayment of the 200000 L borrowed on the Credit of the Excize            
     On the 22d the Commons ordered the bill for Hindering papists to           
sitt In Either house of Parliamt to be Engrost & past the bill for              
Admeasuring of Keeles & boates  The Lds sent downe the supply bill with         
Amendmts as to the time of disbanding to which the Commons disagreed &          
ordered A Committee to draw up Reasons for it                                   
     On the 24th the Commons were In A grand Committee Upon the                 
Manner of Raiseing A supply & the New buildings & Review of the Poll            
bill were offered  They ordered A 2d Reading to the bill for Granting           
An Imposition on wines & vinegars & the Engrost bill sent from the              
Lds for Reviveing an act for Avoydeing Unnecesary suites & delayes &            
for Continuing another act for the better setling Intestate Estates,            
Committed the Bill for Reverseing outlawries In the Kings bench, Gave A         
2d Reading to the bill for Reliefe of poore prisoners & Adjourned A             
debate Arrising therein to that day sevnight & past the Bill for                
Encouragemt of Woollen Manufactures                                             
     On the 25th the Commons ordered A 2d Reading to An Explanatory             
bill for prohibiting ffrench Commodities Committed the fflax & Hemp             
bill, past the bill for High wayes, layd aside the Vote of the Committee        
for laying 200000 L on New buildings & Resolueing Into A Committee voted        
the whole 414000 L to be Raised by the old way of subsidy                       
     A Conference had with the Lds wherein the Commons declared they            
find themselves oblidged to disagree to their Ldships by Reason of the          
Method & Rights of their house In A Matter Very tender to them, but             
for Answering the Ends which their Ldships seem to Aime at they offer           
An Expedient by A proviso that If the army Cannot be disbanded by the           
last of this moneth It shall be within 30 dayes after, upon debate              
of which the Lds disagree to the proviso offered by the Commons &               
Appointed A Committee to draw up Reasons                                        
     On the 26th the Commons Committed the Pawnebroakers bill layd              
aside the Manner of Raiseing the 414000 L by subsidy & In A Grand               
Committee Resolved that It be Raised by 12 moneths tax after the Rate           
of 34410 L 9 s 6 1/2 d  p moneth to Commence from the 24 feb Next               
     On the 27th the Commons agreed with the Committee for A land tax           
& ordered A 2d Reading to the bill; & Committed the Explanatory bill            
for ffrench Commodities & the bill for granting An Additionall duty             
upon wine & Resolved on A ffree Conference with the Lds to morrow               
morning at 10 A Clocke                                                          
     They write from Paris dat July 1st there were orders for more              
forces to be sent to the d of Navailles  The gallies & squadron under           
M Quesne were gone to Tripoly to bring them to Reason                           
     They had Advice from Martenico dat Aprill 24th that Count de               
Estrees was Gone with 8000 men & 4 moneths provision to make A descent          
at st domingo                                                                   
     The Hague letters dat June 1st Advise that they had A peremptory           
declaration from the ffrench Ambr at Nimeghen Importing that their King         
would Neither allow A Neutrality for Cleves &c or make any                      
Restitution Either to the states spaine or P of Orange Nor permitt              
any ffishing or Commerce till Entire Restitution be made to the sweds,          
alledging that though they should be Content to part with some places           
In order to A peace It should Not Consist with the glory of their Master        
that they [Swedes] should be loosers of one Inch of Ground by the warr          
     This vigourous language & Law did so discompose the states                 
& Irritate Most of the provinces that It was believed they would Refuse         
to signe the peace upon those tearmes                                           
+Nor were they lesse Allarmed at this Newes at Brussells where out of A         
Confidence that the ffrench would performe their part they had layd aside       
preparations for warr & dismist their traine of Artillery & Ammunition          
waggons                                                                         
     The Earle of Ossory is upon his Returne to Holland & so is the Ld          
Ambr Temple                                                                     
   The Earle of sunderland is going from his Maty for ffrance                   
+Whitehall 26 June, It Not being Knowne what things may Come to                 
Abroade seeing the states persist that they will Not signe the peace            
unlesse ffrance agree to Restore Maastricht & the places In fflanders           
Immediately & to grant A Neutrality to the Country of Cleves &c & the           
ffrench on the other hand threatening they will Renew the Hostility,            
His Maty has ordered 2000 men to post Immediately to bruges & 3000              
to Newport for the security of those places                                     
+The letters from Vienna say that the Emperor Inclines to accept the peace      
     L. c. 649     July 1st 1678                                                
Whitehall June 29th 1678                                                        
+The ffrench Ambr haveing on Thursday night last Recd A Courrier ffrom          
ffrance wee are told that the Contents of the letters he Recd by it was         
     That the ffrench K is Resolved Not to depart from the demand he has        
Made to Keep Maastricht & the places In fflanders till sweden be Entirely       
satisfied so That In all probability things are going to take A Greate          
Turne                                                                           
     This day was held A Rendevous of the Army on Hounslow heath                
     Our letters ffrom Paris on Wednesday last say That the Imperiall           
& ffrench armies had made severall Motions that on the 30th past hapned         
A Rencounter between 2 Considderable parties, Two ffrench Regemts were          
Routed but two other Repaired their fault & treated the Imperiallists           
very smartly & tooke severall prisoners  The M: de Crequi when the              
letters Came away besieged Rheinfield & the d of Lorraine was hastning          
thither being Resolved to fight him & Relieve the place  That King had          
sent orders to his forces In fflanders to Renew Hostilities upon the            
the spaniards & the M: de schomberg is to Come with his Army Into               
fflanders to Reinforce them so that Now all thoughts of peace seem to be        
layd Aside                                                                      
Commons ffriday 28 June                                                         
+A Bill to prevent the Exportation of wooll Revived & Committed                 
   A bill sent downe from the Lds to Enable Creditors to Recover their          
debts of Creditors &c                                                           
   A Conference had with the Lords on the subject Matter of the last            
Conference                                                                      
     L. c. 650     July 4th 1678                                                
Lds ffriday 28 June 1678                                                        
+An Act to prevent the unlawfull Courseing, Hunting, Killing, selling or        
buying of deer                                                                  
   The Commons being Come to A ffree Conference the house Adjourned             
dureing pleasure, The ffree Conference being Ended & the house Resumed          
then the Ld privy seale Reports the Introduction to A ffree Conference by       
sr Thomas Meeres & others that passed there                                     
     Upon Considderation thereof and of the house of Commons Not agreeing       
to the Lds Amendmts & Adhereing to their Proviso, Question was put              
whether the Lds will Adhere to their Amendmts Resolved In the Affirmative       
     A Message to the house of Commons by sr William Low & sr William           
Child to desire A present ffree Conference In the painted Chamber Upon          
the matter of the last ffree Conference                                         
     An Act for preventing abuses In Returning Jurors Committed, And            
Adjourned till Monday                                                           
Lds Monday 1 July                                                               
+The bill Concerning the Killing of deer Reported with Amendmts which           
being twice Read the bill is ordered to be Engrost with the Amendmts  The       
question being put whether the bill shall passe Resolved In the                 
affirmative                                                                     
+A Message to the house of Commons by sr Edward Low & sr John ffranklyne        
to Carry downe the bill & desire their Concurrence                              
    A Message from the Commons with An act for Regulating Pawne broakers        
    And to desire A ffree Conference upon the subject matter of the last        
Conference  To which Answer was Returned the Lds will give A ffree              
Conference & Appointed it to be to morrow at 11 of the Clocke In the            
Painted Chamber.                                                                
Commons Monday 1 July                                                           
+The Committee for the bill Concerning Maintenance & Champerty Revived          
     A petition of severall Merchants Concerning the Makeing of searges         
Read                                                                            
     Resolved that No farther proceedings shall be made by the Hamburg          
Company before A Recesse                                                        
   A bill to Enable Creditors to Recover their debts of the Executors           
& Administrators of Executors Read A 2d time & Committed                        
     Whitehall 2d July                                                          
+The five Regemts I told you were designed for fflanders will Embarke           
In A day or two  The King was Extreamly pleased with the forces on              
satureday last at Hunslow they being all brave men & In Excellent               
order  wee are Expecting o[u]r fforreigne letters which will doubtless          
bring some Newes of Moment                                                      
Commons 2d July                                                                 
+The bill for preventing Maintenance & Champerty Read                           
     A Message from the Lds with 4 bills                                        
     A ffree Conference had with the Lds on the subject matter of the           
last Conference                                                                 
     Resolved that the Members who mannaged the Conferences doe prepare         
& draw up A state of the Right of the Commons In granting of Money with         
the Reasons & proceedings that were offered at the Conferences to be            
Entred Into the Journall of this house & they are to Considder how the          
Rights of this house may be Ascertained & also of the Method & Manner of        
proceeding upon bills In Conferences between both Houses                        
     L. c. 651     July 6th 1678                                                
+On the 28th the Commons Readmitted the bill to prevent the Exportation         
of wooll ordered A 2d Reading to the bill sent from the Lds to Enable           
Creditors to Recover their debts of the Execrs & Administrators of Execrs       
& had Conference with the Lds about the subject Matter of the last              
Conference                                                                      
     On the 1st the Commons Committed the bill Concerning Maintenance &         
Champerty, Read A petition of severall Merchants Concerning makeing             
searges & Committed the bill to Enable Creditors to Recover their debts         
of the Execrs & Admrs of Executors                                              
     On the 2d the Commons were at A Conference with the Lds Upon the           
supply bill for disbanding the Army In the painted Chamber & Not agreeing       
left the bill there which since is Missing  They Returned to the house          
& ordered the members who Mannaged the Conference to draw up the state          
of the Case with their proceeding &c to be Entred Into the Journall,            
They also Recd A Message from the Lds with bills to prevent unlawfull           
hunting killing buying & selling of Deer [and?] for Returning able Jurors       
& for Registring the decease & Buryall of the Nobility & Gentry, The bill       
to prevent Maintenance & Champerty was ordered to be Engrost                    
     On the 3d the Commons Committed the bill for Avoydeing unnecesary          
suites & delayes & for better setling Intestate Estates & past the poore        
prisoners bill  They Resolved that all Aides & supplies Granted to his          
Maty In Parliamt are In the sole Gift of the Commons & all bills for            
granting such Aides & supplies ought to begin with them & It is the             
undoubted Right of the Commons to direct lymitt & Appoint In such bills         
the Ends purposes Considderations Conditions limitations qualifications         
& Grants which ought Not to be Changed or altered by the house of Lds &         
farther Resolved that A provision be made In the bill for Raiseing              
414000 L for Raiseing 206462 L: 17 s: 3 d for disbanding the Army               
     On the 4th the Commons Committed the supply bill & the house to be         
In A Grand Committee to morrow upon the same, & ordered A 2d Reading to         
An Additionall bill for makeing wayes out of Chancery lane & other places       
     On the 29th his Maty tooke A Review of severall of the New Raised          
Regemts at Hunslow Heath & was Extreamly pleased with them                      
     The Hague letters Give us the unamimous Resolution Not only of all         
the provinces but of all the townes In Holland to take up armes againe if       
the ffrench persist to Refuse the Restitution of places, which Resolution       
they have sent to Nimeghen with orders to Require a finall Answer of the        
ffrench; since the Receipt of the ffrench Kings last letter deliberations       
have been held with greate secresy which they Intend to Continue & to           
that purpose haveing doubled the Number of their deputies for secret            
affaires from 7 to 14 they have Empowered them to dispatch all buisnesse        
that Comes from Nimeghen without Communicating it to the assembly               
     But the Paris letters dat 8th say that the day before A Courrier           
was dispatched thence who Carried as they thought An Expedient that might       
Compose the New diference which some tell us is that Immediately upon           
the Ratification of the treaty Gaunt oudenard & Cotrick shall be                
delivered Into the spaniards hands & the ffrench fforces drawne from the        
spanish dominions upon their owne ground                                        
     Whitehall 4 July 1678                                                      
+The letters wee had yesterday ffrom Holland brought not anything of            
Moment, things as to the peace Continuing In the same posture the               
dutch Refuseing to signe the peace & the ffrench Ambrs saying They              
have Not yet their order upon this New dificulty Concerning the                 
quitting the townes In fflanders, Wee are yet without o[u]r fflanders           
letters of ffriday last  they perhaps may bring us something New                
+The 5 Regemts designed for fflanders will Certainly Embarke this weeke         
which are the Ld Marpeths Coll leggs, Coll sidneys sr Hen: Goodricks &          
sr John ffenwicks, Its said 4 more have orders to be In A Readinesse            
+The ffrench letters speake of An action between An Imperiall detachmt          
& part of the body Commanded by Choiseull Neer Rhinefeldt In which              
the former they say sustained Greate losse  they speake of A bridg              
that broke as 2 Regemts of Curiassers were passing over it & by that            
meanes many of them were lost. They Say the Imperiallists were 6000             
horse that they were totally Routed 900 Killed upon the place besides           
those drowned (among which is Count staremburg) & the prisoners; M Crequi       
it seemes Got between them & home, But all this Comes only from ffrance         
& Its hoped will Not prove true at least In all its perticulers                 
     L. c. 652     July 8th 1678                                                
   Whitehall 6 July 1678                                                        
+By the fflanders letters of yesterday seavennight wee have an account          
that though the hostilities were Not yet Renewed yet they were In               
Exspectation of it, 5000 men which were ordered towards Germany being           
Returned towards the d of Luxemburghs Camp & those which he had sent to         
Aeth were likewise brought backe                                                
     The dutch Army Consisting In 22 battalions of foot & 6000 horse was        
Encamped at vilvord Not haveing orders to Advance farther, The states it        
seemes being unwilling to Renew the hostilities on their side                   
     Wee heare as yet Nothing farther of what I told you In my last             
of the action between the Imperiallists & the ffrench the former being          
A detachment of 6000 horse which the d of Lorraine had sent to Relieve          
Rhinefeldt who are said to have been quite Routed 900 Killed upon the           
place & drowned & 500 prisoners taken & after all wee must Exspect to           
heare farther                                                                   
     The letters from above Add That It was believed the P of Orange            
would Not Come to the Army till the states had Recd the french Kings            
finall Resolution as to the quitting the places In fflanders, That Mons         
was Not In so greate streight as hath been said  Neither the governour          
Nor the Majestrates haveing as yet opened their stores & that they wanted       
Nothing so much as wood & salt  Mareshall schomberg Continues Encamped at       
Gulpen Neere Aix la Chapelle where he layes up greate Magazines                 
+Mareshall d Humieres is drawing men out of all the ffrench Conquests In        
fflanders to Reinforce his Army                                                 
Commons 6 July                                                                  
     some private bills Read                                                    
+The house Resolved Into A Committee of the whole house to Considder of         
the bill for Continuing the Impost on wynes & vinegars & ordered it to be       
Reported on Wednesday next                                                      
   The supply bill Reported & ordered to be Engrost                             
     Adjourned till Monday                                                      
          [Handwriting changes here just for rest of letter.]                   
+The report of ye surpriseing The Ld Midleton &c: is not yet Confirmd           
+Mr Combe of Stratford dyed in London on Wednsday last & Comes home to          
morrow to be interrd                                                            
     L. c. 653     July 11th 1678                                               
+Whitehall 9 July 1678                                                          
+The letters which Came In on sonday from ffrance Confirme the Newes            
they gave us by the last post of the defeate of 6000 Imperiallists being        
all horse & dragoons who were sent by the d of Lorraine to Cover                
Rhinefeldt, The ffrench tooke them at An Advantage & Charged them as they       
were passing A Narrow lane & put the whole body to the Route 800 Killed         
800 prisoners & almost the Number drowned, all their baggage taken,             
and Many persons of quality killed & taken, but hitherto wee have No            
account from the other side of this action, so that wee are yet to              
Exspect how the Imperiallists will Relate it                                    
     On sonday arrived An Expresse from Nimeghen which brought An               
account that the ffrench Ambrs had declared that the King their Master          
would not depart from his Resolution he had taken to Retaine the places         
In fflanders till sweden be Restored to what It hath lost In the warr           
     And yesterday morning Came In the letters from Holland which say           
that there being now no other appearance but of warre the P of Orange           
was Hastning to the Army, And the Earl of Ossory haveing by this post           
Received letters from his Highnesse is Returning this Evening for               
Holland There Comes greate Complaints from Holland of the ill usage of          
the English soldiers there                                                      
Commons   Monday 8 July                                                         
+The bill for An Additionall duty upon wynes & vinegars Reported &              
ordered to be Engrost                                                           
+The bill touching Executors In their owne wrong Read A 3d time & past          
+The Affidavitt bill Reported & ordered to be Engrost                           
+The bill to prevent the Exportation of wooll Reported & ordered to             
be Engrost                                                                      
   The supply bill Read & past                                                  
+By the ffrench post Comes A letter from Lisle which sayes that they of         
Mons had made A greate sally & done greate Execution Upon the ffrench           
the Confirmation & perticulars wee must Exspect                                 
+Commons  July 9  Tuesday                                                       
     The bill for Continuing the Impost on Wyne & vinegars Read A 3d            
time & past & sent up to the Lds                                                
     A bill to prevent the Exportation of wooll Read A 3d time & past           
+The Hearth Money bill Reported & Recommitted                                   
                      Adjourned till thursday                                   
     L. c. 654     July 13th 1678                                               
+On the 5th the Commons In A Committee Resolved the supply bill & ordered       
It to be Reported on the 6th                                                    
     On the 6th the Commons ordered the supply bill to be Engrost               
     On the 8th the Commons past the bill touching Executors In their           
owne wrong & the supply bill & sent it up to the Lds & ordered the              
affidavitt bill to be Engrost                                                   
     On the 9th the Commons ReCommitted the hearth Money bill & past the        
bill to prevent the Exportation of wooll & the bill for Continuing the          
Impost on wynes & vinegars & sent it to the Lds                                 
     On the 11th the Commons ordered A 2d Reading to A bill for Reliefe         
of poore protestant strangers & In A Conference with the Lds Adhered to         
the Amendmts to the bill for burying In woollen                                 
     The Ld Ambr Temple went for Holland on the 2d & with him the Myn           
Heer Lewen the late Envoy Extrary from thence.                                  
     On the 6th the Ld Ambr Mountague arrived from ffrance                      
     Tis said that the governour of Maastricht had seized the deputies          
of Liege going to Nimeghen & had sent to the King his Master to Know how        
he shall dispose of them                                                        
     They write from Coppenhagen dat 5th that Kimstrop was taken & the          
Garrison Carryed prisoners of warr to Landscroon, And that the sweds had        
made An Assault upon Christianstadt & were Repulsed with the losse of           
500 men & that some boates were got Into there with provisions                  
+On the 10th his Maty R Highnesse & severall of the Commons (the house          
Not sitting that day) went to deptford to see A 3d Rate ship Launched,          
The ship was Very much Commended & Named Hampton Court                          
     They write from Vienna dat June 30th That mr Cracan Returned               
thither the Monday before being sent by the Elector of Brandenburgh             
to disswade the Emperour from makeing A peace with ffrance, which he &          
the Envoy from denmarke did what they Could to prevent, It was Reported         
that the Emperour Insisted to have Nancy Restored to the d of Lorraine          
& that Phillipsburg & ffriburg may be dismantled. But on the other side         
it was talkt That the Electors Palatine saxe & Bavaria had writt to the         
Emperour to dispose him to peace or otherwise they should be forced to          
Enter Into A league with some other princes of the Empire whereby the           
westphalia treaty might be preserved, which with the prsent ill posture         
of their affaires, The Rebells being strong & haveing so good Artillery         
as that they feare will beseige Caslaw zalmar or Esperies hath so far           
prevailed upon the Emperor That they write he dispatched the Monday             
before A Courrier with orders for A Cessation of Armes                          
     Brussells 15 July                                                          
+yesterday his Excye was Advertized by Mounsrs Boreell & Dickfield That         
the states haveing Recd the ffrench Kings Answer by his Ambrs at                
Nimeghen that their Master would deliver no townes till sweden were             
Entirely satisfied, The states thereupon tooke their finall Resolution          
for Continuing the warre                                                        
+This Resolution of theirs has put his Excye upon A Necesity of makeing         
all the preparations he Can for warr & has Caused him to send Expresses         
to spaine England Vienna & all the Confederate Princes to Animate them          
to Continue the warre, To which End he Called yesterday all the                 
Confederate Minesters together, Told them the Condition he was In & the         
Resolution he had taken desireing them to Communicate it to their               
Respective masters & to posesse them with An Absolute Necesity of               
Continuing the warre since the ffrench would give them no peace                 
     The P of Oranges Army Continues Encamped on the other side of              
vilvord & is about 15000 men                                                    
     The D of Luxemburghs Army Continues Encamped at Lember keeping A           
strong guard at Hall which they Intend to secure till they are Masters          
of Mons which wee are much affraide will fall Into their hands                  
     Wee have letters from Mons of the 12th Instant which give an               
account that the ffrench Endeavouring Every day to shut them up Closer          
& Closer have posessed themselves of A Church hard by the towne whence          
they sent out their small parties to hinder the Reapers who are                 
gathering In the Corne very Neer the towne. The governour on the other          
side sent out men to protect the Reapers, whereupon the Baron de quincy         
Comes with A stronger party of horse & foot to the Reliefe of ffrench           
upon which more men Came out of the towne & A very briske skirmish was          
maintained for some time till the french were forced to Retire haveing          
lost 3 or 400 men  The body of A Coll & Another officer was brought Into        
the towne & the Chevaleir de Momma Capt of dragoons with some other were        
taken prisoners the losse on the spaniards side haveing been very               
Inconsidderable                                                                 
   The German letters Come In this day speake of An action that has             
hapned between the Imperiallists & the ffrench Neer Rhinefeldt, The             
Relations wee have as yet are very uncertain the Imperiallists aswell           
as the ffrench pretending to have the victory: M: Crequi has Advanced           
with his Army towards Basle & the d of Lorraine kept Close to him being         
Advanced beyond Newburgh which the ffrench were passed before                   
     L. c. 655     July 15th 1678                                               
Commons Thursday 11 July                                                        
+The Amendments sent to the Lds to the bill for Admeasuring Keeles &            
boates Not agreed to                                                            
     A present Conference had with the Lds about the bill for Burying           
In woollen Resolved                                                             
+That this house doe Adhere to their owne Amendments on the said bill           
Commons  ffriday 12 July 1678                                                   
+The bill for Avoydeing unnecesary suites & delayes past                        
+The bill for Reliefe of poore protestant strangers sent downe from the         
Lds & Rejected as also that to prevent the unlawfull Hunting of deer            
     A Message from the Lds to Acquaint the house that their Lordships          
have agreed to the bill for Repealing A Clause In the act for High              
wayes with some Amendmts                                                        
   A Conference had with the Lds about 5 A Clocke                               
          Post Meridiem                                                         
+The Amendment In the poor prisoners bill agreed to In A Conference had         
with the Lds                                                                    
     Whitehall 13 July 1678                                                     
+yesterday morning Came In o[u]r letters from Holland which told us             
that sr William Temple arrived at the Hague on Wednesday last was               
seavennight & that the states had Appointed deputies to treate with             
them upon the subject of his Errand to them                                     
+That the P of Orange Intended to part from the Hague to the Army on            
Tuesday last, That his ffirst Entriprize would be to Relieve Mons               
   They have Not yet any account In Holland of the action Neer Rhinfeldt        
     The ffrench letters Arrived this Evening say they had an account           
from Germany of Another action which hath happened between the ffrench          
& the Germans  they say to the disadvantage of the latter, They had             
Not yet the perticulars but acknowledg to have lost A greate Many brave         
officers & persons of quality                                                   
   The Marquesse de Rannes Generall of the ffrench dragoons & Lieutenant        
Generall of the Army is slaine                                                  
          [Handwriting changes here just for rest of letter.]                   
+one of our men of warr has brought in 2 french officers belonging to a         
french man of warr, who would not strike saying they had orders to              
strike to none but to force all to strike to them, Except ye English.           
     L. c. 656     July 18th 1678                                               
Monday 15 July 1678                                                             
Lds  His Maty being seated In his Royall Robes In his throne & the H of         
Commons attending, The speaker In A short speech prsented the 2 Money           
bills which with the other publicke & private bills passed the                  
Royall assent after which the Ld Chancellor by his Matys Command                
Expressed the sence his Maty had of the service the Parliamt had                
done him him & that his Maty was willing they should Refresh themselves,        
but In Regard he Knowes Not how soon he may be Engaged In A warr he             
Cannot spaire them for A long time Relying on their service & Assistance        
& therefore (Though his Maty Intends they shall not sit till towards            
winter) must Keep them In Call by severall short Prorogations & for             
that Reason doth at prsent Resolve to Prorogue the Parliamt till the            
ffirst of August  And if there be occasion for their sitting sooner then        
winter he will give timely Notice by his proclamation & accordingly the         
Parliamt was Prorogued till that time                                           
     Whitehall 16 July                                                          
+Wee have o[u]r fflanders letters of this day seaven night  They give us        
an account of the defeate of Count staremberg after which the ffrench           
had Burnt stockingen one of the fforest townes, That the Engagemt was           
very sharpe on both sides  3 Imperiall Battalions were Retired Into the         
vineyards to secure the Retreate of their Cavalry & dragoons & being            
ouerpowered In Number & Charged on all sides by the ffrench dragoons            
were all Cut In peeces or prisoners The Cavalry Retireing In the Meane          
time to the Bridg of Rhinefeldt where they behaved themselves very              
bravely, The Count de Mercy Maintaining it so long as was posible  he           
set fire to it when most that were thereon were Either Burnt or                 
drowned  Among the latter was the prince of Baden, That the M: de Crequi        
was Encamped Neer Rhinefeldt with Intention to beseige it haveing layd          
A bridge ouer the Rhine at Basle & had with his Cannon & Bombes burnt           
severall houses In the towne In which were 3000 who were Resolved to            
defend it to the last, That the d of Lorrain was Marching towards               
Rhinefeldt being Resolved to fight the Enemy or Relieve the place               
     That they had An Account from Lisle & Ghent of A 2d Engagmt between        
the d of Lorrain & the M: de Crequi & that the ffrench were Intirely            
Routed which wants Confirmation                                                 
     M: de schomberg had with his Army passed the Meuse & as was                
believed would passe towards Mons, Count Waldeck was Come to the P of           
Oranges Army In order to the Reliefe of it which would In few dayes be          
30000 Effective Not Reckning 10000 of the Confederates                          
     The ffrench troops on all the frontiers began to march towards             
Mons & it was believed the King would Come thither In person                    
     The letters wee Receive[d] this Evening from ffrance say Not one           
word in one of the last action[s] between the ffrench & the Germans             
which showes sufficiently that it hath Not been very Advantagious to            
the ffrench                                                                     
   They only say that the M: de Crequi after the Engagemt with Count            
staremberg Neer Rhinefeldt arrived thither with his whole Army & had            
attacked that place with his Cannon 2 dayes together & vpon the                 
Approach of the d of Lorrain (who hath posted himselfe Between seckingen        
& Lauffen) & at the Instances of the swissers had quitted that designe          
& was going to passe the Rhine & that some of his troops & his Cannon           
have Already done it                                                            
+The ffrench King will it was said Returne to fflanders to Command his          
Army In person                                                                  
     L. c. 657  [Handwriting and size of paper change here.]  [No date]         
+Then the Lord Chancelor Made A speech                                          
+My Lords &c                                                                    
+His Majesty doth very graciously Accept the service you have done him          
this Session and is as well pleased with your worthy and dutifull               
Carriage towards him as with the noble and Liberal present you have             
made him: He doth now consider that some recesse is necesary for                
your healths and refreshment after all your Labours though he would             
bee glad it might bee for some Longer time then His affayrs at present          
will admitt for His Majesty doth not know How soon He may bee ingaged           
in a warre and when he shall bee soe  He is sure that He can by noe             
meanes want the Councill and Assitance of His Parliament and therfore           
He is resolved never to put off this Parliament too farre from him:             
ffor this Cause His Majesty Hath resolved To keep His parliament alwayes        
in view by Making severall but more short prorogations but with an              
intention However that the parliament shall not sitt untill towards             
winter unlesse His Majestyes pressing and important occasions shall Call        
for your advice sooner and If they doe soe His Majesty will bee sure to         
give notice thereof by His proclamation to the end there may bee a full         
appearance                                                                      
+Sr/I was not Under A Mistake as to Sr Robert Townsend for He was att           
Rews Coffey House yesterday and is just Now from whence I had intelligence      
[In margin and in another hand appear a date and label for this letter:]        
15 July. 78. Ld Chancellors/speech at proroguing the/Parl.                      
  [These words and figures appear in another hand on outside of letter:]        
Breaking Kerf          2f - 6in  deep                                           
1p of B & Q            9 --      long                                           
reckning of time      27.                                                       
allowing once           4 . 6ye 1/2f                                            
for care                2 - 3 1/2                                               
Quarters               33 - 9                                                   
ye quartering.         11 - 3.                                                  
ye other quartering     2                                                       
both --------          22 - 3                                                   
                       56                                                       
Severall Kerfes        24 - 6                                                   
of Boards & Qu.        9    9                                                   
17.10 / 160.6 /      276.                                                       
 9    / 220.6 /        4  - 6                                                   
153.  / 380.0 /      220  - 6                                                   
  7.6 /  56                                                                     
160 -6/ 447 [a sum]                                                             
Breaking Kerfe         2 - 8                                                    
43/1 Peice of         12.                                                       
12/Bords & qus        24-0                                                      
85/12 foot long        6...2     32                                             
43                    32.        48                                             
516                   16.        80                                             
 80                   48                                                        
596. Tot:                                                                       
   [More words and figures appear, but are very difficult to read.]             
   L. c. 658  [Handwriting and size of paper change here.] July 20th 1678       
+The George arrived At Bristoll from Virginia In 5 weeks left that              
Countrey In perfect peace  the disturbance occasioned by the Indians            
Killing 4 or 5 of the English was fully Appeased the Indians haveing            
delivered up the offenders to the English who Caused them to be Executed        
according to Law                                                                
     The Primrose Arrived from Jamaica left them there fortifying &             
makeing preparation for defence                                                 
     There Run severall discoures about A ffrench man of warr Refuseing         
to strike of which wee Recd this account ffrom Portesmouth dat 14th             
     That his Matys ship the Dover In her passage ffrom Jersey &                
Guernsey on the 10th discovered 5 saile with ffrench Coulours to whome          
shee ffired A Gun to make them strike upon which all strucke but one            
who was A Kings man of Warr upon whose Refusall the dover fired About           
20 guns which obliged the Lieutenant of the ffrench ship to goe aboard          
the dover to Demand the Reason  The Captain told him because they did           
Not strike  he Replyed they strucke to Noe Nation but made all strike           
to them Except the King of Englands ships, which being Not satisfactory         
the dover made after her & shot about 60 or 70 guns but Not being able to       
ffetch her up brought the Lieutenant & 2 others to spithead on ffriday In       
the afternoon, The ffrench fired Not one gun all the time                       
     The dutch letters dat 19th tell us don Emanuell de Lyra had by             
desire of the states sent for men to spain & preparations were makeing          
as In Certain prospect of warr, only some of the Common people who              
hankered after peace Conceived some small hope of obtaining it Upon the         
Comeing of the Heer Oliverhwants the swedish Ambr who they fancy will           
Encline to some Reasonable Conditions that might End In An accomodation         
     On the 17th the Right Honrble the Ld George Berkeley was                   
sworne & Admitted of his Matys privy Councill A personage soe very              
worthy of so greate A trust soe perticularly Adapted thereunto for his          
greate Industry & Knowledg In trade & Commerce things absolutely necesary       
to the fflourishing Condition of the Kingdome                                   
     The dutch letters dat 22d tell us the ffrench Ambrs had delivered          
A Memoriall to the dutch Ambrs at nimeghen to Justify their Kings               
proceedings as to the Resolveing Not to quitt the places In fflanders &         
Challenge An Engagemt from the states by their haveing accepted his             
proposalls to suffer his procureing the satisfaction of sweden by his           
Armes Unlesse they will propose Any other way of secureing it, which they       
were Invited to doe Either by A perticular Negotiation to them the              
ffrench Ambrs at Nimeghen or by sending to their King or sending some           
Commissioners to Ghent for that purpose                                         
     But they are so far from submitting to the ffrench Kings Law That          
they have sent for his finall Resolution haveing In the Meane time              
proceeded In such Negotiations as may secure themselves & Give the              
spaniards such powerfull assistance as may preserve them from the Jawes         
of their Enemyes                                                                
     The Brussells letters of the same date say they & the dutch are            
Resolved to Relieve Mons or perish In the Attempt & the P of Orange was         
Exspected that night at vilvord Coaches being layd for him                      
     The Earle of sunderland is going Ambr Extrary for ffrance                  
     The Earle of ffeversham is going over to the D de Villa Hermosa            
& with him the Marquesse de Burgamerino the spanish Ambr                        
+Whitehall 19 July 1678  The ffrench Ambrs at Nimeghen In their                 
memoriall to the dutch Ambrs In the Close of all offer for An Expedient         
that ffrance will Restore the sd places If the states will Undertake            
that sweden be satisfied which the states Reject as signifying that they        
should Joyne with ffrance to Expell denmarke & Brandenberg.                     
+Wee are told his Maty has ordered More forces to passe over Into               
fflanders Immediately there being already 11 or 12000 men & that orders         
are given for 8 Companies of sr Tho: slyngsbyes Regemt to goe forthwith         
for fflanders & more will suddenly follow                                       
     Coll Legg is gone over to Newport to see his Regemt there but              
Returnes againe, sr Hen: Goodriche went yesterday to stay with his              
Regemt which is at Bruges, The Earle of Mulgrave & Sr Tho: slingsby goes        
hence to day or to morrow                                                       
         [Handwriting changes here just for rest of letter.]                    
+tis said Mr Montague is turnd out of all places, that of Master of ye          
Horse to [b]e given to ye Earle of Plimth & that in ye Wardrobe to ye Ld        
Dunslane.  Our soulders in france Consisting in 32 Companys are said to         
be dismist & have to come home but a very small allowance to bring them         
     L. c. 659    July 22d 1678                                                 
Whitehall 20 July 1678                                                          
+Wee have An Account from Ostend & Newport of the Arrivall there of the         
Regemts of Coll Legg Coll sidney & the Ld Marpeth & that severall               
Vessells were then Comeing Into the Roade who had on board the Rest of          
the troops                                                                      
     Yesterday about Noon Arrived here from Holland the secretary of            
his Matys Ambr & brought over as wee are told A treaty Concluded by             
sr Wm Temple with the states  Wee Are farther told That the P of Orange         
who In this last turne of affaires gained himselfe A greate Reputation          
& Esteem In the severall Townes & Established his Interest & Authority          
In the state more then Ever parted on Tuesday last from the Hague to the        
Army being Resolved to use all Endeavours for the Reliefe of Mons, he           
will with the Confederates have An army of 40000 men                            
     Wee have o[u]r fflanders letters of Tuesday last  They tell us             
that the d of Luxemburgh Continues Encamped with his Army (which is             
50000 Effective) at Limbert where he is dayly Reinforced haveing strongly       
fortified the severall passes In the way to Mons had sent Away his              
sicke & Heavy baggage & his Carriages & put himselfe Into A posture             
of fighting & had with him 70 peeces of Canon  That they Expected the           
P of Orange at Vilvord That night & that the Army would march In                
A day or Two to the Reliefe of Mons                                             
     That M: schomberg who Commands the ffrench army on the Meuse had           
passed it & would as believed march to Joyne the d of Luxemburgh, That          
the Confederate troopes followed him 100 of which Advancing too far &           
fearing to be Cut In peeces In Case they should Retreate Resolved to            
Attacke the vantguard of the ffrench as if they would be Assisted by            
more troops which they did & forced them to Retire with the losse of            
30 Killed & wounded                                                             
     That they had letters from Alsace which said That the ffrench              
were posted at Buckem opposite to Rhinefeldt from whence they had with          
their Cannon burnt some part of it, That the d of Lorrain haveing               
Marched though the Mountaines to Come downe on the side of Rhinefeldt           
& viewing from the hills the ffrench Army before him Turned to the              
left hand & passed the Rhine at Lauffenburgh                                    
     The Marquesse de Rannes In the meane time Remounting some part of          
his Army & Caused them to Retire with losse to the Maine body, But the          
Marquesse de Rannes In his Retreate was Slaine & the Count de Plessey           
wounded                                                                         
     The M: de Crequi had sent A detachment to hinder the Imperiallists         
from Returning who are said to be In A good Condition                           
          [Handwriting changes here just for rest of letter.]                   
+the Earle of Plymth is marryed to ye Ld treasure[r]s youngest Daughtr          
The Earle of Lindseys sonn is marryed to sr Richard Winns Daughter a            
very great fortune.                                                             
+Tis said both Bruges, Ostend, & newport are to be put soleley into             
ye hands of ye English, & that they are all to be quitted by ye                 
other forces, by ye 7th of August & that ye states have resolvd to              
prohibit all trade for a yeare                                                  
+The Convention of scotland have Resolvd to give ye King 30000 L p ann          
for 5 yeares for maintaining a Regmt of foot, & some troops of Horse.           
    [A few figures appear in another hand on outside of letter.]                
     L. c. 660     July 25th 1678                                               
Whitehall 23d July 1678                                                         
+There are 2000 horse & dragoons ordered to passe Immediately over Into         
fflanders & A squadron of 100 horse out of the guards which will be gone        
the latter End of this weeke or the beginning of the Next.  It seems the        
dutch have given the french till the 1/11 August to have their last &           
positive Answer Concerning the quitting the places In fflanders                 
     On sonday & yesterday wee had Newes at Court which Came by the             
ffrench letters that the M: de Crequi after his haveing been forced             
to quitt Rhinefeldt & Comeing backe to Newburgh he Resolved to surprize         
Offenburgh where the Imperiallists had A very greate Magazine                   
     The d of Lorrain haveing Notice of it As he lay Neer Luxemburgh            
marches himselfe Immediately with 6000 horse & dragoons, Repasses the           
Rhine, Takes his way between the Mountains & ffriburgh & uses so much           
dillig[ence] that though the ffrench were A dayes march before him he           
got to Offenburg A day before them & haveing Reinforced the garrison he         
posts himselfe with the Rest of his troops Neer the place & Entrenches          
himselfe                                                                        
     M: Crequi Comes downe with part of his Army & Attacks Lorrain In           
his Entrenchmts who finding himselfe overpowered quitts it & Retired            
towards the Mountains & the grosse of his Army which had followed him,          
The ffrench pursue him & Kill him 4 or 5000 men, But on the other side          
that M: de schomberg is wounded & taken prisoner by which & other               
Circumstances (however the ffrench tell the Story) it Rather seems the          
Germans had the Advantage, It Appeares they gained the Maine point In           
saveing Offenburgh A place of greate Importance.                                
     L. c. 661    July 27th 1678                                                
+On the 24th his Maty went downe to woolege to see A New 3d Rate ship           
Launched & Named                                                                
     Capt Bridges is sworne groome of his Matys Bedchamber In place             
of Mr Godolphin & Mr Godolphin Upon the Resignation of Mr hide is to be         
made Mr of the Robes                                                            
     On the 18th his Maty was pleased to declare that he will Not have          
the peace at sea made the 28th August 76 with the Emperor of Morocco            
to Continue any longer then 28 August 78 when the 2 yeares Expire               
according to the Capitulation                                                   
     Our letters from Newport give account of the Kind Reception the            
English had there, The spanish Governour Recd them at the watergate on          
foot & had made proclamation that No man should give them any offence &         
Caused the walloon & Italian Regemts to march out to make Roome for             
the English, There were most of Coll Leggs Coll sidneys & Coll ffenwicks        
Regemts 2400 Effective & Not above 200 of the K of Spains standing              
souldery In the garrison                                                        
     The Privateers of sweden haveing formerly taken & Carried to               
straalsond 22 ships bound for Amsterdam which were sold by Count                
Conningsmarcke to pay his Army The states by their Ambrs at Nimeghen            
acquainted the swedish Ambrs that they Exspected Reparation as being A          
breach of the treaty of Commerce made 2 yeares before as also punishmt          
to be Inflicted on the offenders or otherwise they shall take such              
satisfaction that they shall find most meet                                     
     The Paris letters dat 30th tell us the E of sunderland was                 
Exspected there that night                                                      
+They write from the Hague dat 29th that the states are Come to A               
Resolution about the Number of forces demanded of them by the P of              
Orange & have agreed to maintaine 16000 foot In Garrisons & An Army In          
the field of 27000 men, They have also Recalled A Placaert which                
did forbid their subjects to Make prize of the ffrench At sea which was         
done at the Instance of zealand who Complained of severall losses from          
the ffrench & have Now permission to Revenge themselves  They Resolve           
In Case of A warre to prohibitt all ffrench Commodities In the same             
Manner that England hath done, The states Generall have signed the              
treaty with England, Its said that butter is sold at Mons for a peece of        
Eight pd & No wine In the towne & their windmills broke downe by the            
ffrench Canon                                                                   
     some of their letters say Mounsr Oliverhrants the swedish Ambr             
hath Acquainted the states that the King his master finding his Concerne        
to be the greate obstruction of the peace was willing for the generall          
benefitt of Christendome to quitt some of his owne perticular Rights            
     Whitehall 25 July 1678                                                     
+Our fflanders letters of ffriday last Come In this Morning tell us that        
the P of Orange arrived on tuesday In his Campe at Vilvord & the Next           
morning was visitted by the d de villa hermosa who acquainted him with          
the state & Condition his affaires were In                                      
     The Next morning his High: went to Brussells [and?] was In Councell        
with the d about An houre & they have Its said Resolved on the                  
Enterprize of Mons which they Intend to Relieve Cost what it will & In          
order thereunto the Army was to March on satureday last & would be Joyned       
by the Lunenburgh troops Commanded by Mounst Chauvet the Next day at            
Enghien Though it was believed his High: would Continue In his quarters         
till the Arrivall of the Brandenburghs Commanded by Generall spaen &            
then they Compute his Army to be stronger then the Enemy Especially In          
horse being In all 40 Regemts of foot & 120 squadrons horse                     
     That M: schomberg was marching to Joyne with the d of Luxemburgh who       
on wednesday last decamped from Limber & is Now Neer soignes & when             
schomberg has Joyned him his Army will Consist In 66 battalions & 126           
squadrons & lyes so posted that If the Confederates Advance to the              
Reliefe of Mons he is Ready to Receive them or fall Upon their fflanke on       
which side soever they passe                                                    
     And to put their Army to yet greater Extremities has Commanded all the     
fforrage & standing Corne on both sides his Campe to be burned (Unheard         
of Cruelties Never practised but among Infidells) designing the Entire          
Ruine of those Countries, But their greatest Advantage is that Mons is          
Not In that Extremity it was believed the governour assureing the d de          
villa hermosa his Condition was Not yet In so much danger if he Could           
be Relieved In any Reasonable time, That some believed that since the           
ffrench Kings Resolution would be Knowne by 1/11 August the P would not         
hazzard his Army Unlesse some Extrary Necesity Requires it because by           
that time they would be Assured of A peace or of the Continuance of the         
warr, If the latter they hoped for Assistance from abroade & In the             
meane time If they should have ill successe They Should Not only loose          
Mons but also that whole Countrey & bring their affaires which are Now          
very hopefull Into A desperate state, & therefore the P would march up          
very Neer the Enemy but be very Cautious of Giving them any Advantage           
+They tell us of A sad mischance which happened Neer Malines  the               
passage boate going from thence to Antwerp was blowne up & about 60             
persons drowned among whome were severall officers & persons of Note            
& 30 saved, by what accedent they Know not though it was belieued               
to be A designe to have destroyed the ships at Malines laden with the           
Princes Ammunition which (had it taken Effect) would Certainly have             
destroyed the Citty  Their letters from Germany say that the armies             
Especially the germans were In A sad Condition, some letters affirme            
that Mons is actually beseiged by 54000 ffrench & 60 peeces of Canon            
This Evening Arrived an Expresse ffrom ffrance which brought the                
ffrench had taken the fort which guards the bridg of Strasburgh by a            
storme which lasted 6 houres, That the Germans which were In garrison           
defended it well & the ffrench have lost 4 or 500 men & many officers           
          L. c. 662          July 29th 1678                                     
     Whitehall 27 July 1678                                                     
+wee have Nothing abroade since my last but what I told you of the              
ffrench haveing taken the fort of straasburg seemes of very greate              
Importance & will very much Affect the Imperiall Army who hath Its              
greate Magazine Especially of Bread at straasburgh                              
     The D of Lorrain was at offenburgh & haveing ffriburgh on side &           
his Comunication with strasburgh Cut off on the other side will find            
himselfe much streightened                                                      
     The 2000 horse & dragoons which will Embarke this Next weeke for           
fflanders will be Commanded by sr John Langer late Coll of the D of             
Monmoths Regemt In ffrance                                                      
     Wee have this Evening o[u]r letters from Holland of Tuesday last           
they say That the ffrench Ambrs at Nimeghen had given In another                
Memoriall to the Dutch In answer to that they Recd from them In which           
they say that their King is very much Inclined to Remove the dificulties        
that at prsent hinder the peace & If the states will send deputies              
to st Quentin the King will come thither In person or If they Chose to          
send to Ghent as being Neerer he will send likewise thither on his part         
who may treate About Remooveing the sd dificulties aswell as about A            
farther Cessation of all hostilities                                            
     The letters from straasburgh by the way of Holland are of the 15/25        
Instant  They tell us that the M: Crequi beseiged Offenburg haveing his         
Heavy Cannon from Brisac  That the D of Lorraine had Indeed put 3000 men        
Into the place under the Command of Count starenberg & had himselfe who         
followed with 4 or 5000 men & 2 peeces of Cannon A sharpe Rencounter with       
the ffrench In which being overpowered he lost 3 or 400 men, however the        
ffrench had some losse too seeing that the Marquesse de schomberg was           
taken prisoner                                                                  
+The letters Add that Just before their Comeing away they had A Report          
from straasburgh that the ffrench had taken the Counterscarpe of                
offenburgh & that the sieur de Monclar was posted with A body of Men Neer       
the fort of Kiell which guards their bridge                                     
     By this Way of Holland wee have Newes likewise that the ffrench            
have formally beseiged Mons with 45000 men & had Begun their lines of           
Circumvallation &c                                                              
     By A vessell Come In from Brest wee have an account That 2 men             
of warr were Arrived there from the West Indies being of the squadron           
of the Count de Estrees the Rest of which vizt 8 men of warr & 6 greate         
Merchantmen fitted out for men of warr & In them Neer 10000 men were            
Perrished In A Hurricane In those parts, The Count de Estrees is said to        
be Aboard one of those ships Come to Brest                                      
     Another vessell Come In from Lays brings Advice of A Combate on the        
Coast of Catalonia between the Dutch squadron Commanded by the sieur            
Evertron & the ffrench Commanded by the sieur de quesne, That the latter        
was quite beaten but that the sieur Evertrons owne ship was lost & he In        
it but that will Need Confirmation                                              
      This Evening about 150 soldiers of the D of Monmoths Regemt In            
ffrance Came up by water                                                        
     Just Now Comes In the fflanders letters  they say nothing of Mons          
Being beseiged                                                                  
     The 2 Armies were posted Not far from Brussells                            
  [New letter starts here, but Folger Library does not so number it.]           
                                                August 1st 1678                 
   Whitehall 30 July 1678                                                       
+The Newes wee have from Brest of the losse of the ffrench fleet In the         
West Indies is Related so positively & with so many Circumstances that          
wee have all the Reason In the world to give Credit to it                       
     On sonday In the Evening his Grace the Duke of Monmoth parted              
hence for fflanders                                                             
     Wee heare dayly of More troops that are appointed to be sent over          
& more horse & dragoons, And 200 of the Guards are drawne out to forme a        
squadron And 100 Grenadiers on horsebacke which will Embarke Its said           
In few dayes                                                                    
     About 400 of the D of Monmoths Regemt In ffrance are Come over             
& severall hundreds more are Exspected  These Complaind very much of            
their ill usage                                                                 
     sr John Arrundell has the place of Master of the horse to the queen        
In the Roome of mr Mountague                                                    
     Wee want o[u]r fforeign letters                                            
          [Handwriting changes here just for rest of letter.]                   
+Tis said that ye Marquess de Burgemanero ye spanish Amb is gone over           
wth ye Duke of MunMouth to give him ye Keys & possession both of Bruges,        
Newport, & Ostend, that ye Duke of yorke will follow himselfe suddenly          
wth a Considerable body both of Horse & foot & that ye Earle of Ossory is       
got into Mons wth 3 or 4000 English.  That Lorrain is drawne up in              
Batalia resolveing to fight Crequi, & that ye Earle of ffeversham is            
returnd whose answere seemes not to tend much to peace, that ye french          
Kings subjects are soe Weary of their taxes that that King has sent a           
Regemt into Normandy, another into Brittany, & another into Picardy, by         
fforce to Leavy their severall Contributions. / you may please to credit        
what you please of this till tyme makes it more Authentick for I dare           
not give it you all as soe yet                                                  
      L. c. 663      Aug: 3d 1678                                               
+On the 21st at night A fire happened by the Neglegence of A Boy In             
the Torrinton Merchant when shee was Ready to goe to sea & In A short           
time was Burnt to the Water But the Wind being very Calme the Care of           
the people preserved the other ships from Mischeife although Many &             
some very Neer                                                                  
     The smirna fleet & streights fleet are safely Arrived                      
     The Deputies of zealand seem to have A prospect of A through warr          
& In order to it have proposed to the states to prohibitt trade with            
the swede aswell as ffrance which is Appointed to be taken Into                 
Considderation & their principles to be Consulted In it                         
     some Paris letters date 4th tell us that straasburgh Bridg was to          
be burnt by orders from M: Crequi & that they Justify the seizeing the          
fort of Kiell to be No breach of Neutrality alledging some of the D of          
Lorrains soldiers In it  The King hath sent to M: quesne which is about         
Corsica to Joyne the Gallies of Porto fferrarro & Go before Genova where        
they Refuse to give the ffirst salute to show upon the Towne                    
     There were on board de Estrees fleet 8000 men & Its Confidently            
said their designe was on the Havanna                                           
     The Hampshire Arrived at Allicant from the Coast of Algeir left            
there vice Admirall Herbert & sr Roger strickland, The Corsayres were           
all layd up Except 3 gone to the Westward & they are Inclinable to              
peace  sr Jo. Narborough was 8 leagues to the Westward takeing In water         
     On the 28th the D of Monmoth went for fflanders & the 29th the E of        
ffeversham Returned who gave his Maty an account of his Negotiation             
     On the 29th the D of Monmoth Arrived At deale In A yatcht where            
the Soldiers attended on him as A Convoy to Ostend  The d of Albemarle          
has made all preparation & is this day going for fflanders, you had             
formerly the Names of 6 Leiut Generalls & Now there are made 2 Major            
Genlls The Ld Allinton & Coll Trevers                                           
     The George of London George Bricholt Commander arrived at Waymouth         
Report that the Algerines abroade have taken 2 English ships the one            
of London the other of Bristoll that is that ship that In the same              
voyage outward bound met A turks man of warr of 44 guns was boarded &           
put them off with Much losse to the Turks & little to themselves                
     Wee heare dayly of More troops that Are Appointed to be sent over, 4       
Regemts of foot are Now ordered to be sent & more horse & dragoons & 200        
of the guards are drawne out to forme A squadron & 100 Grenadiers on            
horsebacke who will Embarke Its said In few dayes & all the horse have          
orders to be In Readinesse                                                      
     About 400 of the D of Monmoths Regemt In ffrance are Come over &           
severall hundreds more are Exspected  these Complaine very much of their        
ill usage                                                                       
     Its said don ffrancisco de Mello the Portugall Ambr is dead & that         
sr John Arrundell is made master of the horse to the queen In the Roome         
of mr Mountague                                                                 
     Whitehall 1 August 1678                                                    
+by the ffrench letters Come In this morning wee have the Confirmation          
of the losse of the ffrench ffleet In the West Indies  The Names follow         
     ships lost        Commanded by                                             
The Terrible  64 guns     The Count de Estrees                                  
The Thunderer -64         mr de Grancey                                         
The warrior    64         Mr de Nemon                                           
The prince     54         mr de St Aubris                                       
The Bourbon    54                                                               
The defence    54                                                               
The Hercules   54                                                               
+fflyboates, The Conception The Jambonne the little ffluives [?] The King       
david which served for the Magazine & the Cocke which served for the            
Hospitall                                                                       
               ships saved                                                      
The duke    --50 guns     The vigelant  36                                      
The Brillant  40          The Mercury 36                                        
The starr     40          The Tempest 28  This last                             
The lyon      40          brought the Newes to Rochell                          
+fireships The Serpent The Windmill the fireship & 2 fluives  They were it      
seems through the Ignorance of the pilotts driven by the Currant against        
Certain Rocks Neer Currassaw & most of the Men drowned, The Count de            
Estrees himselfe Escaped & is Come home  The said letters add that all          
the discourse at the ffrench Court was that there would be A peace of           
which they Exspected however In few dayes to speake with of More                
Certainty                                                                       
+The Account wee have from Germany by these ffrench letters of the 29           
July from Straasburgh That Aswell the ffrench as Imperiall armies were          
Encamped Neer Offenburgh The one on the one side & the other on the             
other  That what was said of the M: Crequi haveing Beseiged that place          
proves A Mistake  That If he designed it The Approach of the D of Lorrain       
had made him alter it & Content himselfe with the takeing of the fort de        
Kiell which Mr Monclar Began to Attacke the 25 July at Night & tooke it         
by Assault the 27th In the Evening.  The Garrison that was there after          
haveing made A Brave defence Retireing by the bridge to the Two forts           
that the Towne of straasburgh still holds on the other side the Rhine,          
of the sd Garrison 120 swissers & 100 soldiers were Killed with severall        
officers & about 20 taken prisoners besides the Wounded, which it may           
safely be believed had put the Citty straasburgh Into a Great Allarme           
which was Encreased by Mr Monclar Causeing severall troops to passe the         
Rhine In designe to Attacke the sd 2 forts which the Citty has on the           
side of Alsace if Not the Citty it selfe, whose safety only Consisted           
In the protection of the Imperiall Army, The 28th the M: Crequi sent to         
straasburgh the prisoners & wounded men & at the same time signified to         
the Majestrates that if they would make good their Neutrality for the           
future he would forget the past & be their very good ffreind  But the           
sd Majestrates thinke of Nothing but how they may Recover the fort of           
Kiell which they batter very furiously from the 2 forts above Mentioned,        
wee are Not told the perticulers of the french losse In the takeing the         
fort but you may be sure it was very Considderable, This Morning the            
Parliamt mett & was prorogued till the 29th by Commission                       
     L. c. 664      August 5th 1678                                             
Whitehall 3d August 1678                                                        
+His Maty was pleased yesterday In Councill to declare the Parliament           
should sitt the 29th Instant being the time Appointed by their                  
Prorogation & accordingly A proclamation is prepareing for Calling the          
Members by that time                                                            
     On Wednesday Arrived 7 ships from the East Indies In the Downes            
Richer then any of A long time                                                  
     Wee are Exspecting to heare what the finall Answer of the ffrench          
K will be upon the last memoriall about the quitting the Townes In              
fflanders which Answer the Dutch Exspected by the 1/11 Instant, It is           
said that the sweds have desired the ffrench Not to delay the peace             
upon their account but to Restore the sd places which makes people thinke       
ffrance will Comply In the point though the last letters from ffrance           
said That that King whatever he does with the other places will Not part        
with Maastricht Nor Charleroy till there be A Generall peace because of         
the use those places will be to him In the Warr he must Continue against        
Germany                                                                         
     Wee have o[u]r fflanders letters of yesterday seavenight  they tell        
us That that day the P of Orange Retired with his Army within 2 [?] leagues     
of Brussells  That the day before A party of his High: horse Encountred         
2 squadrons of ffrench whome they defeated & Killed 20 upon the place &         
13 or 14 were taken prisoners & 2 Cornets though with the losse of as           
many of the dutch.  The d of Luxemburgh hath sent severall detachments          
from his Army, one of 4000 to Reinforce Gaunt & severall others for the         
security of Aoth Oudenard & other places that lye Naked & Exposed               
      That In Germany the Imperiallists were In A very bad Condition            
which with the takeing of the fort of Kiell Renders the Citty of                
straasburgh Almost desperate                                                    
     L. c. 665     August 8th 1678                                              
   Whitehall 6 August 1678                                                      
+yesterday Morning by A yatcht that Returned from Ostend wee have An            
Account that the d of Monmoth haveing drawne out of Bruges Newport              
& Ostend 8 Battalions of English 800 In A Battalion was Marched with            
them to Joyne the P of Oranges Army They takeing their way by water             
to Antwerpe                                                                     
     On sunday morning Came In o[u]r Dutch letters which said That the          
ffrench Ambrs at Nimeghen had declared that the K their Master at the           
desire of the sweds did desist from his pretension of deteyning the             
Townes In flanders till sweden be satisfied but that he desired the             
states would send deputies Either to him at st queintin or to Ghent to          
treate about Restoreing of sweden                                               
     And In the Evening Arrives An Express from Nimeghen with An account        
that the 31st past the Dutch Ambrs had signed the peace with the ffrench        
But that the spaniards had Not yet signed it Nor had any part In it             
     The Troops Commanded for fflanders as wee are told are to pursue           
their orders & this day 2 Battalions one of villers & the other of              
Monmoth Embarke In order to their passing over                                  
     Our fflanders letters of this day seavenight Come In this Morning          
tell us that the P of Orange (whose army was 43000 Effective all Brave          
men In good order & So unanimously Resolved to fight or Relieve Mons            
that those people were Almost Confident that An Army of that force will         
be able to goe through with any Enterprize) was Encamped at Enghien No          
day passing without Rencounters In which they were alwayes sucsesfull,          
And the ffrench who were about 40000 at soignes secureing all passes to         
hinder the Reliefe of Mons  That at Ghent the ffrench have planted              
severall peeces of Canon In the Market places & other places to prevent         
any Insurrection of the Burghers of whome they are very Jealous                 
     That In Germany Crequi was Advanceing Either to fight the d of             
Lorraine or hinder his passing the Rhine which he was Resolved to doe to        
Regaine his Communication with straasburgh & had sent to Encourage the          
Majestrates In defence of their Citty which they are Resolved upon & have       
sent A fflat Answer to Crequi of their desisting [sic] A Neutrality, And        
Crequi according to the Advices wee have this Evening from ffrance had          
Resolved to demolish the fort of Kiell & accordingly had Began to doe           
it & to Burne the houses that were there                                        
     They say the Imperiall army was In A very ill Condition & that the         
d of Lorraine was going to Repasse the Rhine                                    
     Its said the peace above mentioned was signed soe privately by the         
Dutch Minesters that None of the Rest suspected it till it was done  when       
the Dutch gave this Reason for it that they were Reduced to so low A            
Condition that they were Necesitated to it, so that Its believed that           
Except spain be Comprehended wee shall Ere long declare warr against            
ffrance on the spaniards account whome wee are Oblieged to protect In           
order whereunto both men provisions & Ammunitions are dayly sending over        
as Briskly as Ever & Its said his R Highs is Resolved to goe over               
speedily for which preparations are makeing & that 15 ffresh Regemts            
shall be forthwith Raised for which Commissions are prepareing & Most of        
the officers already Nominated.                                                 
      L. c. 666     August 10th 1678                                            
       [First paragraph is almost the same as that of L. c. 665.]               
     Our horse are Not yet shipt off but all In Readinesse to goe upon the      
first Notice most of them In places Convenient for their transportation,        
sr ffrancis Compton is Made Lieut Coll of the E: of Oxfords Regemt &            
takes Ranke as his Matys Lieut Coll of horse                                    
     Coll Worden & sr Jo: Lanier have Commissions of all the Bregadiers         
of horse                                                                        
     On the 2d Arrived at spithead 8 of his Matys men of Warr under sr          
Jo: Holmes & Joyned the Rest of his Matys fleet under Sr Thomas Allen           
     On the 30th July the Ld Willoughby Eldest son to the E of Lindsey          
was Married to the sole daughter & heire of sr Richard Wynn deceased            
     Wee shall have for A while A Cessation at Court the Councill &             
treasury being Adjourned till the 29th                                          
     They write from scotland that the d of Lauderdale haveing setled           
the affaires of that Kingdome did Intend to Begin his Journey for               
England on Monday last                                                          
+They write from Rome dat 23d July that A Courrier Arrived from                 
Poland who brought Newes of A Rupture that was likely to Ensue betwixt          
them & the Turks Notwithstanding the treaty was so far Advanced, & that         
the Pope had been Moved to send them succours In Case of A warr & he had        
hopes In Case An Accommodation should be made at Nimeghen that A greate         
part of the Christian forces Now In Armes will be perswaded to take up          
the quarrell against the Common Enemy                                           
     They speake of About 6000 of the Rebellious Messineuses all In             
greate want there who dare Not Adventure home out of A feare they had           
offended beyond Mercy & Among the Rest was the Eldest son of him who was        
Employed as their Ambr to the ffrench K so miserably poore that he would        
have perished for want of Bread had he Not Recd Reliefe from the Convent        
of the Crucifary to whom his family had been bountifull benefactors             
     The perticulers of the treaty between the Dutch & ffrench are Not          
Communicated, some Report the Dutch have signed A treaty offensive &            
defensive with ffrance which is so far from truth that the ffrench In           
their proposalls Required No more then A Neutrality that they might Not         
hinder the progresse of their Armes to force In those that will stand           
out & that they should use all faire Meanes to perswade the Confederates        
to A generall accommodation                                                     
+A ship lately Arrived att southampton Reports that In her way home shee        
mett 2 East India ships Each of 500 tuns who dispatched some letters by         
her but went themselves North about for their security                          
     Whitehall 8 August 1678                                                    
+Our letters from Nimeghen said that they hoped that the spaniards would        
In 5 or 6 dayes be brought likewise to signe the peace & that In order          
thereunto A Conference was to be held between the Dutch ffrench And             
spanish Ambrs on ffriday last, And If the spaniards Came In the peace it        
was Not doubted but the Emperour would follow their Example being his           
Army [?] In Germany is In A very ill Condition & is one third weakened          
since It Came Into the field                                                    
     The 2 Battalions of villers & Monmoth which were ordered to Embarke        
on Tuesday for fflanders are Countermanded till farther orders                  
     His Maty upon the greate Change of Affaires Abroade within those few       
dayes has altered his mind as to the sitting of the Parliamt & has this         
day In Councill ordered A proclamation to be Issued out giveing Notice          
that the Parliamt should the 29th be prorogued till the 1 october Next          
    Our letters from fflanders of the 2/12 Instant tell us that the P           
of Orange haveing Called A Councill of Warr It was Resolved to march            
Immediately towards the Enemy but upon the Notice he had they were              
Decamped his High: made A Hall & sent out severall parties who Returned         
with Newes that the Enemy were Returned to their Campe at soignes               
whereupon his High: went & Encamped At steenbecke & Commanded his               
Dragoons & A Detachment of Infantry to passe the River of that Name             
The former to post themselves In A Church & the latter In the woods for         
the security of his March being Resolved to Relieve the place or fight          
the Enemy of which he had Given Notice to the governour of Mons who             
promised him If his High: should Attacke them Neer that place he would          
sally with 12000 men & Just at the Comeing away of those letters Certain        
Newes was brought to Brussells that the ffrench were Marched away &             
had left the way open to Relieve Mons                                           
     That In Germany the Imperiall Army was In An Ill Condition & that          
the Majestrates of straasburgh had quitted their Neutrality & declared          
for the Emperor.                                                                
     L. c. 667     [Handwriting changes here.]   Aug ye 12th 1678               
+Wee have not any of our fforeigne letters wch were due this day, but           
this morning Coll Macarty who Came in a yacht yesterday from Callais            
says that he haveing made a Visit to ye Duke of Sharroy Governr of              
Callais, his Excellency told him he [?] had yesterday in ye morning             
letters from Lisle wch gave an account that ye two armies in flanders had       
engaged, that ye fight had bene most furious & bloody, but said nothing         
of any pticulers                                                                
     This is a peice of news wee know not here what Credit to give to           
or by ye last post from flanders wee Recd letters from ye Princes army          
dated on fryday last in ye afternoon soe that this fight must                   
consequently have bene on saterday or sunday, before wch tyme tis               
Impossible but ye Generalls must have Knowne of ye peace signd ye               
Wednesday before between ye french & ye Dutch & on ye other side some           
Consideration must be had of ye person from whom it comes vizt ye               
Governr of Callais                                                              
   Just now wee have ye Confirmation of the above mentiond news by Our          
ffrench letters newly Come in wch say that on sunday about 3 [?] a clock        
in ye afternoon the Prince of Orange attaquet ye french in their Camp           
& beat them quite out of their lines, wch ye french say they recoverd           
againe towards Night.  the fight lasted till 10 at night, when ye night         
parted them.  the maine bodys of ye army Could not engage but Onely in          
detached bodys.  the next day the 2 armies were drawne up in Battalia           
ready to Engage againe Just as these letters Came away.  The ffrench Owne       
to have lost a great many brave Officers, & betweene 3 & 4000 men, but          
say they have taken 2 field peices, some Collours & prisoners & that ye         
Duch have lost as many in Number as they.  On sunday Night they had a           
Truce to burry their dead.  the English Comanded by the Earle of Ossory         
bore ye greatest brunt of ye day & behavd themselves wth great Bravery.         
The Duke of Munmouth & ye rest of ye English were not Come up to them.          
   some letters say that ye next morning as ye 3 Armies were goeing             
to renew ye fight ye Prince of Orange recd by Express an account of ye          
peace & some againe say that he Knew of ye peace but for that it was            
concluded wthout his Consent or knowledg he would take noe Notice of it.        
+Next Weeke the King Queen & Court goe to Windsor to spend about a              
moneth there.  there is much discourse of a Mariage sudenly to be Concluded     
betwixt ye King of Spaine & ye Lady Ann Daughter to his Royll Hs                
     L. c. 668     [Handwriting changes here.]    Aug 15th 1678                 
     Whitehall Aug 13th 1678                                                    
+Besides what you will see In the Gazett of the late action In fflanders        
which is Indeed very greate & Extreamly to the honour of the P of Orange        
Considdering upon what disadvantage he Attackt the Enemy who lay posted         
In such A Manner That A Mareshall of ffrance said some dayes before the         
fight That although the ffrench were but 10000 he would defye An Army of        
50000 In that Campe where the D of Luxemburgh was                               
+I can only Add That wee have letters from the Princes Campe of the 6/16        
Instant which say, That the P had Indeed Recd An Account of the peace           
being signed between the states & the ffrench but had not orders to             
Cease Hostilities And that he was Resolved to Attacke them againe as on         
Wednesday or Thursday last In Case they hindered his passage to Mons            
which he was Resolved whatever It Cost to Relieve, & by that time It is         
hoped o[u]r 8 or 10 English Battalions who went from Bruges Ostend &c           
had got up to the Army & that they have had A part In the 2d Action of          
which wee have the More Reason to Exspect A good successe Considdering          
the greate Heart the Princes Troops were In upon the former                     
     Wee have o[u]r letters from Holland of ffriday last which say That         
the states had letters from the P of Orange of the 7/17 Instant In              
which he gives them an account That upon the Knowledg he had of the             
peace being Signed he had Sent to the d of Luxemburgh to give him Notice        
of it & to Know what he Intended to doe In Relation to Mons, That the sd        
D Answered he understood from Nimeghen that the peace was made but that         
he had Not any orders about permitting any Reliefe going to Mons but            
offered to write to the K About it & that there might be a Cessation            
for 48 houres to have his Answer In, which the P agreed to & that the           
Cessation was to begin on the 17th & End on ffriday at the same time            
     The said Dutch letters say that they had Advice from Germany That          
the ffrench did Attacke the Citty of strasburgh & that the d of Lorraine        
had passed the Rhine In order to Its Reliefe                                    
     This Afternoon Arrives An Expresse from fflanders with letters of          
the 10/20 Instant which say that the d of Luxemburgh upon the orders            
he had Recd from his K had proposed A Cessation for 5 weeks In                  
fflanders which the P had agreed to, That the 2 Armies were to draw off         
the 11/21 Instant A ffree passage being left open to Mons to Carry              
thither what provisions & other Necesaries they wanted & that the P             
of Orange was the same day Returned to the Hague                                
     Just Now are Come o[u]r ffrench letters  they say very little of the       
fight In fflanders But by letters from strasburgh of the 13th they give         
us An Account that the M: de Crequi had on the 12th taken the 2 forts           
which were on the same side the Rhine as is the Citty of strasburgh &           
that the D of Lorrain Endeavouring to passe the Rhine at Lauterburgh the        
ffrench had defeated 1200 Imperiallists who were already on this side           
     L. c. 669     August 17th 1678                                             
+ffrom yarmouth Lynn & those parts they tell us Their Island & North            
seamen Come dayly home haveing made very good voyages, The North seamen         
such as have not been Knowne these many yeares both for the quantity &          
Largeness of their fish                                                         
     The Case of strasburgh has Been Represented to the states of the           
Empire who are willing to Assist & have sent to the Emperor In their            
behalfe who may now be In A Better Condition since Its said By letters          
from vienna dat 4th That the Elector of Bavaria will Now not only Give          
his quota of Men to the Army of the Empire but declares himselfe wholly         
for the Emperor if the war Continue & that the Emperor has upon that            
Electors Request given his Consent that his 2d son shall be Coadjutor of        
the Bishopricke of Heising                                                      
     The English Battalions that went from Bruges &c Consisted of his R         
High: Regemt & the Ld Howards Coll leggs Coll sidneys & sr Tho:                 
slingsbies Regemts And 8 Companies of the E of Cravens Regemt & 8               
Companies of the E of Mulgraves Regemt                                          
+Its Advised from the Hague date 9/19 That the spaniard has Not yet             
signed the treaty with the ffrench & that the ffrench had Given them            
farther Cause of persisting In their Refusall by New demands they had           
made to have Bromes In the Countrey of Liege & the County of Beaumont           
yeilded to them which manner of proceeding the states had taken so ill          
that they had Resolved Not to Ratify their treaty till the Spaniard be          
Included In the peace                                                           
     The Ratification of the late treaty between his Maty & the states          
was Exchanged at the Hague on the 5/15                                          
     On the 13th the Ld Ambr Hyde went for Holland                              
     There was offered An Expedient at Nimeghen In order to An Accomodation     
between the Emperor & the ffrench K In the diference between them               
  That Phillipsburgh & ffriburgh should both be dismantled & the fort           
Jucalions Razed The former to be Rendred to the Bishop of spire & the           
other to the Emperor & the fforrest townes to be dismantled & left open         
     They write from Naples date 26th that the Viceroy of scicily had           
Appropriated the publicke Rents of Messina to the Royall Chamber & had          
put the Common people upon A New ferment who began Already to pretend to        
their old priveledges & to Claime 2 Castles to be put Into their hands          
discovering some Inclination to Mutiny, That the viceroy had sent over to       
Reggio for some Regemts to be sent him thither to Keep them In obedience        
     The warr is likely to breake out Againe with A Greater heate then          
Ever betwixt the Turks & the Polanders who have Not perfected the peace         
which was Carryed on so far betwixt them & upon this account the                
Muscovites & them are In A faire way of Agreement that they may act             
vigorously against the Turks whose armyes threaten them being on their          
march                                                                           
     A vessell Arrived from Guernsey at Southampton Reports they had            
Advice of some Turks men of warr washing & tallowing at Brest Isle              
     Whitehall 15 Aug: 1678                                                     
+In my last I told you there was Concluded A Cessation of Armes for 5           
weeks In fflanders & that by it Mons was Relieved to which Its Certain          
the ffrench would Not have Consented had they not been Induced to it by         
the late Engagemt & that they Knew 8 or 10 English Battalions were              
Comeing up who would have Joyned the Army In A day or two at farthest,          
The d of Monmoth is Comeing for England & is Exspected on satureday or          
sonday, Notwithstanding which orders are given for 2000 horse & dragoons        
whose march was once stopt to passe over with all dilligence & they will        
Embarke to morrow or Next day by which It seems the peace is Not Certain        
     Yesterday the K went hence for windsor whither the queen goes to           
morrow  His Maty Intended to have gone on the 12th to Portesmouth to take       
A view of the fleet & Garrison but the late Important Advises put A stop        
to it.                                                                          
   [A few figures in another hand appear on outside of letter.]                 
     L. c. 670     August 19th 1678                                             
   Whitehall 17th Aug 1678                                                      
+Wee have this day our Dutch letters of Tuesday last  They give us An           
account that the P of Orange was Returned to the Hague & had given the          
states an account himselfe of the Cessation of Armes he had made with           
the ffrench for 5 weeks which is the Remaining Tearme that the peace            
between the Hollanders & ffrance is to be Ratified In                           
     That accordingly the 11/21 Instant the 2 Armies Drew off from Mons         
which was done at the very same time, The ffrench Insisting that the            
Baron de Quincy should have Continued with his troops A day or Two longer       
about Mons for the Honor of it but the P would not allow of it, so the          
ffrench drew of towards the sambre & the Dutch towards Nivelle, And Mons        
is now as ffree & as open as Ever it was to the greate disappointment of        
the ffrench who had Raised very strong works & lines about the Citty            
     The letters from strasburgh are of the 5/15 Instant  Then the              
ffrench Continued In the Neibourhood of strasburgh Continually Allarmeing       
that Citty Into which the D of Lorrain had put 5000 men under the               
Command of the Count de Mercy who had made severall salleys & had taken         
the ffrench waggons of provisions, The d of Lorrains Army is said to be         
In A very ill Condition & Cannot yet Get on this side the Rhine the             
ffrench haveing hindered him from laying A bridge over & Especially at          
stolhoffen where they defeated 400 of his men as hath been already told         
you                                                                             
+Wee Exspect Every moment the d of Monmoth backe from fflanders                 
     This day the E of ffevershams Regemt of Dragoons Embarked                  
     The Cessation above mentioned was agreed between the d de villa            
Hermosa & the D of Luxemburgh & Approved by the P of Orange, It tooke           
place the 10/20 Instant the Armies marcheing out the Next day & Its not         
only to Continue for 5 weeks but untill the peace between ffrance &             
spain be Concluded & Ratified                                                   
     The Armies were both to march off at one Instant upon the signall          
of the discharge of 3 peeces of Canon, The d of Luxemburgh attended by          
severall hundreds of ffrench officers had An Interview with his                 
Highnesse between whome passed the usuall Complements                           
    The P upon his Arrivall at the Hague was Complemented by A deputation       
from the states by whome they gave him their thanks for what he had done        
with so much glory to himselfe                                                  
     L. c. 671     August 22d 1678                                              
    Whitehall 20 August 1678                                                    
+In my last I told you that the P of Orange Arrived at the Hague That           
day the letters Came away & the Heer Van Benenring one of the states            
Ambrs at Nimeghen had made A Report to the states which was Recd so             
Coldly & with so many Reflections upon his Conduct In it that the               
Ambr Immediately Retired In much dissatisfaction to his Countrey house &        
Could hardly be hindered by the perswasions of his ffreinds from giveing        
up his Commissions & medling no more In publicke affaires                       
     upon the whole Its Believed that the states will not Ratify their          
treaty with ffrance till spain has likewise Concluded theirs, seeing            
without that they shall loose the Greate point of all which they so long        
Contested about vizt the Immediate Restoreing the places In fflanders           
to the spaniards                                                                
  There are at prsent some proposalls on foot at Nimeghen for the makeing       
A Generall Cessation of Armes between all the parties for some moneths          
which the Imperiallists doe perticularly promote Considdering the ill           
posture of their Affaires In Germany for wee are assured that the D of          
Lorrain has lost alone halfe his Army & that he has not at prsent above         
15000 men when on the other side the M: de Crequi is dayly Reinforced &         
will be more by A ffrench detachmt which is sent from fflanders since the       
Cessation there                                                                 
     On sonday his Grace the D of Lauderdale Arrived from scotland at           
Windsor & was most Graciously Recd of his Maty                                  
+This day about Noon Arrived the D of Monmoth ffrom fflanders  he went          
Immediately to Windsor                                                          
     Wee want all o[u]r fforreign letters                                       
     L. c. 672     Aug 26: 1678                                                 
   Brussells 30 Aug 1678                                                        
+Our Armies (which are at prsent at Gennep) are only Employed In finding        
forrage & subsistance while the Cessation lasts & the ffrench are on the        
sambre where they are Reinforced with ffresh troops & have stopt the            
detachment sent towards Germany In feare least the peace should Not             
succeed                                                                         
     Our letters from strasburgh of the 24th tell us That the ffrench           
army (which was Neer saverne & Hagenaw) It was supposed had A designe upon      
the fort which guards the Bridge of Phillipsburgh for the security of           
which the d of Lorraine had sent A strong detachment that way staying           
himselfe on the other side the Rhine till he be Reinforced with severall        
ffresh Regemts that are Comeing to him from Treves & other places               
     The ffrench of Maastricht have Made An Incursion Into the Countrey         
of Juliers & Burnt severall villages                                            
     In Hungary things grow worse & worse which Inclines the Emperor            
very much to A peace of which wee have No other account from Nimeghen           
save that the diferences between the ffrench & the spaniards Continue           
to hinder the Conclusion of the treaty                                          
      Hague 30 Aug: 1678                                                        
+Wee are told that 5 of the 7 provinces have declared that they will            
Not Ratify the late Treaty signed by the Ambrs of the states unlesse            
spaine May make the peace upon the first Conditions offered by the              
ffrench In Aprill last & Consequently unlesse ffrance depart from the           
New demands of Beaumont &c.  The last account wee had from the Army was         
That 8 English Battalions under the Command of the Ld Howard had Joyned,        
& that the D of Luxemburgh had stopt the detachment designed for Germany        
Not Knowing what things may yet Come to on this side                            
     Whitehall 24 Aug                                                           
+The troops I told you were ordered for fflanders vizt 27 troops horse          
12 of dragoons & the Battalions of Monmoth & villers doe Certainly              
Embarke on Monday                                                               
          [Handwriting changes here just for rest of letter.]                   
+The Ld Leift of Ireland has sent up 16 acts for his Matys approbation          
amongst wch One for giveing his Maty 120000 L &c:                               
+Tis said the places of ye great Wardrobe shall be managed by 2 Comissrs        
+There is a discourse of a new project betwixt france & spain The former        
to quitt intirely, Cattalonia Rousillon & all his pretensions in alsace         
&c: in Consideration of haveing ye spanish Netherlands.                         
+The spanish Amb here declares that his Masters Ministers at Nimeghen           
have absolutely refusd to signe ye peace                                        
  Tis said Genell schultz has fallen upon the french forragers taken            
1000 & Kild many                                                                
     L. c. 673       August 29th 1678                                           
   Paris 31 Aug                                                                 
+There is at prsent very little to write from hence  The last letters           
wee had from Alsace are of the 23d Instant, They only tell us that              
the M: de Crequi Continued Encamped from Brumpt to Hockenfelden on the          
sarre Ruineing And destroying all the Countrey Round to deprive the             
Imperiallists of subsistance, That he had burnt the severall villages           
belongeing to strasburgh which did more & more Exasperate that Citty            
against the ffrench, And that the M: de Crequi had sent 3 detachments           
one to Montzenaw The other of 5 squadrons & 2 Battalions to Blobsheim           
to guard the Bridge they have there & the third Consisting of 3000 men          
towards saverne to secure that passage, And In the meane time the d of          
Lorrain Continued on the other side of the Rhine Exspecting the Comeing         
up of severall troops of the Circles But that he had Caused A small             
body to passe the Rhine at Jorkenen where he had made A bridge                  
     At strasburgh 2000 men are Continually at worke upon the                   
fortifications                                                                  
     strasburgh 26 Aug                                                          
+yesterday the ffrench Army decamped from Brumpt & marched to daffenhoven       
with designe as is believed to attacke A body of Imperiall troops who are       
at prsent Neer Landaw under the Command of Genll Caprara who have within        
these 2 dayes been Reinforced with 6000 men from Hesse saxe Eysenach &c         
     The Imperiall Army marches likewise In order to their passing the          
Rhine so that wee may Chance to heare of some fresh action                      
     Prince Herman of Baden Continues here still                                
     On Tuesday some troops of this garrison beate A french party Killed        
severall & brought In 22 prisoners                                              
     Hamburgh 30 August                                                         
+The daneish fleet is Come againe upon the Coast of Rugen & all the             
Brandenburgh troops are marching that way In order to the attacking that        
Island                                                                          
     Hague 3d september                                                         
+The states wee are told have sent orders to their Ambrs at Nimeghen to         
presse those of ffrance to quitt their New pretensions about Beaumont           
&c & to Conclude the peace with spaine upon the Tearmes offered by them         
In Aprill which spain then accepted, otherwise that they the states             
Cannot Ratify their late treaty, It was it seems proposed In the states         
that Ambrs should be sent In the meane time to ffrance to Negotiate this        
Matter In that Court but five of the provinces were against it & so it          
was layd aside                                                                  
     On the other side the ffrench Ambrs at Nimeghen have offered that          
they will Immediately put the places that are to be Restored to the             
spaniards when they shall come Into the peace Into the hands of the             
states to be Kept by them In the meane time but this the states have            
absolutely declined                                                             
         [Handwriting changes here just for rest of letter.]                    
   On saturday One Nullet a Parliamt [man?] was Comitted to ye Tower            
for Treasonable words                                                           
     L. c. 674     Aug 29th 1678                                                
+At the Cessation it was agreed that both Armies should march off               
togather at the discharge of 3 peeces of Canon After which there was An         
Interview between the D of Luxemburgh & the P of Orange which was held          
& Complements past marching along for some miles In the Midst of 1500           
horse of A side, Its said Among other discourses the D desired of the P         
the faivour of A question whether he Knew of A peace before he attempted        
that bold action & that the P assured him that he did not                       
     One of the ffrench officers told A Dutch officer that of the               
ffrench were Killed & wounded 500 officers & 6000 men                           
     The Paris letters dat 24th give account that the ffrench K is              
much troubled at the Baffle his Army Recd at st dennis as what Confutes         
the oppinion he would have the world Entertaine of them that they were          
masters of the field & that they gave the peace (as they Phrase it)             
Rather then any wayes Constrained thereunto, And his passion upon that          
occasion doth so far transport him that he Cannot at some times forbeare        
to discover his Resentments Endeavouring to blast that Brave Action with        
Reproachfull Expressions the Easyest of which is that It was An                 
Unseasonable surprizall                                                         
   The Dutch letters dat 26th tell us that the P of Orange doth Every           
day gaine A greater Esteem & Reverence among the people                         
     On the 20th the D of Monmoth Arrived & went that day for Windsor           
     A squadron of ships were sent out some dayes since from spithead           
haply In quest of some Turkey Piratts that were said to be Cruiseing            
that way                                                                        
     The virginia Mirth of Barnstable Arrived on the 14th In 6 weeks            
from Maryland laden with tobacco gives Notice of A Greate Crop like to          
be there this yeare                                                             
     The Malaga letters dat Aug 2d tell us that on the 31 July sr Jo:           
Narborrough Arrived there with 14 men of warr & 50 merchants & haveing          
washed sailes the Next day to the streights mouth, That place is now            
freed from the suspition of the plague                                          
     They tell us from Marselles dat 16th that the Gallies were Come            
Into that port but Mr du quesne with 13 men of warr & 2 fireships lay           
before Genova to hinder all vessells from Comeing In or going out & that        
there is A Continuance of the Negotiation between ffrance & Savoy which         
may give genova A Just Apprehension                                             
     They write from vienna that the grand seignior upon the Instance of        
the Emperors minesters who acquainted him that the P of Transilvania &          
some of his Basas had Assisted the Rebells, had given A streight                
Charge to them to forbear it Upon paine of death & upon this the Rebells        
finding their Confedracy began to breake has (as they write from                
Cologne) published An Edict wherein after A preamble of the violation of        
their priveledges they say That the Most Christian King In Compassion           
of their sufferings had taken them Into his protection & therefore In           
the vaile [?] of all summons In all, Threatening to prosecute the Newtors       
Even with fire & sword                                                          
     Brussells 24 Aug 1678                                                      
+On satureday o[u]r 8 English Battalions passed through this Citty &            
Encamped by Anderleeke, They are Extreamly Applauded by all that saw            
them march, On sonday the P of Orange tooke A view of them In his passage       
towards the Hague  The D of Monmoth saluted his Highs at the head of them       
with A pike In his hand                                                         
     The d of Luxemburgh has sent 18 Squadrons & 36 battalions towards          
Alsace                                                                          
     Here is published A Relation of the victory obtained by o[u]r Army         
the 14th Instant In which Its said that the ffrench had 8000 Killed &           
Wounded & among them 500 officers & of o[u]r side wee lost 2500  But from       
more Impartiall hands wee are assured that of o[u]r Army there Could Not        
be lesse then 6000 Killed & Wounded & about that Number of the Enemy            
because wee made o[u]r Attacks with so prodigious A disadvantage of             
Ground, Its Certain that if the Attacke upon the Abbey of st dennis had         
been made halfe An houre sooner they had taken Luxemburghs baggage who          
was at dinner when the Canon began to play & Could Not believe the P            
Intented to Attacke him till he saw the Dutch troops began to Approach,         
At the Interview after the Cessation Luxemburgh very Highly Complemented        
the P saying he had done a very glorious action                                 
     Brussells 26 Aug 1678                                                      
+Wee talke here much of the peace but there seems yet some Rubbs In the         
way for the states they say will Not Ratify their treaty with ffrance           
till the spaniards have made theirs & the spaniards will Not Consent            
to the New demands the ffrench make of Beaumont Chimay & Bovines                
  The ffrench Army is Not yet Removed far from Mons for which Reason            
o[u]rs which was once as far as Escaussins marches Now to Mariemont             
Neer Binches                                                                    
     By the Articles of Cessation both Armies ought to Continue within          
their owne territory                                                            
+The troops of the allies who together make 16 or 17000 men Intend to           
quitt o[u]r Army & to post themselves neer Namur to take their farther          
Measures according to the detachmts which the D of Luxemburgh sends             
towards Germany                                                                 
     The D of Lorrains army is Certainly In A very ill posture & In want        
of many things, Care haveing Not been taken to supply him with moneys           
& other Necesaries which ought to have been & besides his Marches have          
lost him many men, And In Hungary the Rebells are to strong for the             
Imperiall troops & have taken Esperies A place of Greate Importance             
+Whitehall 22 Aug 1678  yesterday Embarked 12 troops of dragoons vizt 6         
troops of sr Jo: Talbotts Regemt & 6 troops of the Royall Regemt, There         
will Embarke to day or to morrow 30 troops of horse being out of Each           
Regemt 6 troops, And Coll villers Regemt of foot & some other Companies         
of foot.                                                                        
     L. c. 675     Aug 31st 1678                                                
+On the 25th died John Lord Berkeley of Stratton                                
     On the 29th the Parliamt was P[r]orogued by Commission till the 1st        
october where were many Peers prsent & Among them the D of Buckingham           
which I the Rather mention because there were some wagers on it                 
     They write from Portesmouth dat Aug 25th that money was brought            
downe to pay off the Royall Charles the Charles & the Royall James & that       
they would begin to pay on the Morrow, There was A draught Appointed of         
14 out Every Company for fflanders but there went 14 voluntiers out of          
Each Company without staying till the officers made Choyce                      
     In fflanders the Countrey is Generally sickly though it is Not so          
mortall as Reported  they accounted no lesse then 15000 sicke at one time       
In Antwerpe                                                                     
     The garrison of Maastricht have lately burnt 6 villages In the             
Country of Juliers which severity there & In Germany is pretended by the        
ffrench to make them more desirous of peace but it Rather Exasperates           
them to Revenge                                                                 
     The states upon Complaints made of severall losses suffered by             
their people from those of Algeirs have given orders to Admirall Evertron       
to employ the squadron under his Command against the Algerines to bring         
them to Reason                                                                  
     The Pope doth by his severall Nuncios presse zealously for A peace         
Especially In the Imperiall & ffrench Courts hopeing by that meanes that        
the Christian armies will act with one Consent against the Turke their          
Common Enemy, The Nuntio at Nimeghen proposeth A general Cessation which        
is Relished by all parties well Enough Except the dane & Brandenburgh who       
Exspect Advantages by the prsent posture of their Affaires                      
     The Coppenhagen letters Dat Aug 27th say the sweds fleet was at            
Colmar sund & the Danes at the Isle of Rugen & had greate Numbers of            
fflat bottomed boates &c for An Attacke of which they Exspected the             
successe                                                                        
     The Elector of Brandenburgh haveing sent out Coll Trefferfield with        
300 horse & 200 dragoons to surprize the suburbs of straelsond he               
performed it with successe & made himselfe master of it haveing Killed &        
taken prisoners most of those on the guards & gave such an Allarme to           
the towne that some within thought It had been taken                            
     In the Meane time some passengers from Riga to Luber Affirme that          
the sweds Lyvonian Army Consisting of 15000 men were on their March &           
have passage permitted them by the D of Curland & that mr de Bethuns            
forces In Poland were Ready to Joyne them                                       
     They write from Rome dat 13th that the diferences at Messina were          
over being begun by the Inhabitants of A small village neer them who            
pretended their liberties were Enfringed by A New Impost which being            
taken off they Ceased                                                           
     That Morning the Genova Resident had Audience of the pope upon             
the ffrench assaulting them Cardinall Pio the Imperiall Agent In that           
Court haveing had Audience of the Pope upon the birth of the Emperors           
son, The Pope was upon the Nomination of A person to Carry the swadling         
Clouts to him & It was thought that don Benedetto Pamphilo brother to           
the prince of that Name would be pitched upon if his Minority doth Not          
Render him Uncapable of Being An Archbishop which is A dignity Necesary         
for the person Employed In that function                                        
     An Envoy is Arrived at the ffrench Court from Genova to Endeavour          
to take away the offence that King has taken which if he Cannot prevaile        
Its said he has orders to Con[tinue?] for England to desire his Matys           
faivour In it & then to goe for Nimeghen to procure that the diference          
may be Composed at the genll peace                                              
     Whitehall 29 Aug: 1678                                                     
+ffrom the Northerne quarters wee have An Account of A New treaty               
Concluded betwixt the K of denmarke the Elector of Brandenburgh the Bp          
of Munster & the d of zell for Carrying on the warr against sweden              
by which It seems those princes are wholly set upon Continuing the warr         
on that side although there should be A peace on this, And at Nimeghen          
upon the proposalls that were made of A generall Cessation of Armes the         
Brandenburgh minester said he was willing to consent; but for what              
Concerned sweden In it he had no orders                                         
+This day fortnight the Tearme for Exchangeing the Ratifications of             
the late treaty between ffrance & Holland Expires & hitherto the states         
have Not given any orders In it; but on the contrary seem Resolved &            
have so declared to the ffrench Ambrs at Nimeghen that they Cannot              
proceed to Ratify till Spain have likewise Concluded their treaty (which        
is only hindered by the New demands of the french) seeing without that          
they shall Misse their maine Aime which was to make [about five letters         
blurred] the Barriere in fflanders by the Restitution of those places to        
spain                                                                           
     The states have finally with the good likeing of the P of Orange           
Resolved to Reforme 235 Companies of foot & 35 troops of horse & when           
that is done they will have left 60000 men In their pay  This Reduction         
will only Reach the officers for the Common soldiers will be taken Into         
such Companies as are Defective                                                 
+The ill posture of the Emperors affaires makes the princes of the              
Emperor Extreamly desirous of A peace & to presse the Emperor very much         
In this point                                                                   
     yesterday the Earle of ffeversham Parted for fflanders where he is         
to Command the Kings forces, The Ld Howard of Estricke who had that trust       
being taken with A sudden defluxion of Rheume at Brussells is given over        
by his Phisitions & some say he dyed on satureday last                          
     L. c. 676     sept 2d 1678                                                 
   Whitehall 31 Aug: 1678                                                       
+This Morning wee have o[u]r Dutch letters of Tuesday last  They tell           
us that some of Those dificulties that hinder the Conclusion of the             
treaty between spain & ffrance had been Removed The ffrench haveing             
quitted the demands they made of [about seven letters smeared] & Aigemont       
& that the dificulties that Remained Concerning Beaumont, The                   
Chastelline of Aoth & the Comprehending In the treaty the Messineuses           
that are fled their Countrey which is stifly Insisted upon by the               
ffrench & as stifly Refused by the spaniards, But after all these are           
points which Its believed will Not be lookt upon by the parties of so           
greate Importance as to hinder the peace which it seems to be Not only          
much desired by the Dutch but Even by the spaniards whose affaires are          
Certainly in the worst Condition In the world                                   
     The letters wee have this way from Germany say That the M: Crequi          
had Caused A Manifesto to be published declareing warr against the Citty        
of strasburgh & that he Continued on the 19/29 Instant at Werdt, That the       
Cavalry of the Imperiall Army had passed the Rhine Neer Phillipsburgh &         
that the Infantry were following                                                
     The Northerne letters say that the K of denmarke was highly offended       
at the losse of Christianstadt the fault of which was layd upon his             
Generall Arensdorfe who was put out of his Command & was to be Tryed by         
A Councill of warr  The sweds army which is stronger then the danes was         
Advanced within 2 leagues of Landscroon with designe as is believed to          
Attacke the danes who are Encamped Neer that place                              
     mr Knight the Kings Chirurgeon & others to Assist him is gone over         
to fflanders to take Care of the English that are sicke there                   
     The Battalion of Monmoth Embarked yesterday                                
     L. c. 677     sept 5th 1678                                                
   Whitehall 3 sept 1678                                                        
+The Easterly winds has hindered the departure of the Troops designed           
for fflanders, The vessells lye In the River Ready to saile with the            
ffirst faire Wind                                                               
     You have heard of the death of the Lord John Berkeley, On sonday           
Morning dyed the Ld O Bryan who Came sicke from fflanders                       
     Wee have our Dutch letters of ffriday last  They tell us as to the         
greate Matter of the peace, That things Continued yet In suspence.  That        
the ffrench Ambrs had sent A Courrier to their Court upon whose Returne         
It would be Knowne what the Issue of things would be                            
     The Citty of strasburgh has put out A Contra Manifesto In Answer to        
that of the M: de Crequi In which they show how faithlesly the ffrench          
have all Along proceeded with them Especially at A time when they               
promised them all ffreindship & Amity, But In the meane time that Citty         
is Every day more & More streightened & the ffrench have Now lately             
posessed themselves of A small Isle In the Rhine Neer the Citty by              
which it will be likewise shutt upon that side as it is by the ffrench          
troops on the other                                                             
     The ordinary letters from ffrankfort of the 31 Aug: say That the           
Imperiall Army was about Philipsburgh Committing A Thousand spoyles &           
Ravages In the Palatinate to the very walls of Heydelburgh.  But ffrom          
the Hague they write That the Imperiall Minester there had Advice That          
the said Army has passed the Rhine but It is Not seen what they will be         
able to doe for ffirst They are In an ill Condition hardly 15000 fighting       
men & some dissatisfaction among the Generalls who Complaine That the d         
of Lorraine since his Marriage to the Emperors sister has quite Changed         
his Carriage towards them                                                       
     In the Next place the ffrench Army which is Come as low as Landaw          
destroys all the Countrey Round that they will Not be able to subsist           
     The Electors of Bavaria of saxony & the Palatinate presse the              
Emperor Extreamly to the peace perticularly to Consent to the Cessation         
of Armes that is proposed                                                       
     L. c. 678     sept 7th 1678                                                
+Our men are dayly going for fflanders & severall are drawne out of those       
Companies that Remaine here for the Recruiteing those that went over            
formerly some of them being taken off by sicknesse that hath generally          
spread it selfe over all those Countries & with them are sent A Competent       
Number of Phisitions & Chirurgeons to Apply Necesary Remedies for the           
preservation of the soldiers                                                    
     And Indeed the severall Advices from the parts of England Complaine        
of A More then ordinary sickly time among them & some of them that they         
have Not had A More sickly time these 20 yeares Though London God be            
praised stands In good health & their bills of Mortality doe Not Exceed         
what may be Exspected this season                                               
     On the 30th was finished the Payment of the st Michaell R Katherine        
Rainebow & Unicorne at Chattham where there is A very good 3d Rate ship         
that will be Ready to Launch the latter End of this moneth the other            
ships proper for the Approaching sea [illegible word of about six               
letters] still to Continue in service                                           
     A ffrench ship arrived at dartmouth on ffriday last Reported that          
3 dayes before he saw 7 turks men of warr about 30 leagues off scilly           
which finding him ffrench left him, The Crosse winds Kept long backe 10         
Men of warr under sr Robinson or Else by this wee might have some               
account of the Turks who adventure so neer us                                   
     ffrom Cologne They write that the ffrench have burnt 7 more Townes         
In the Countrey of Juliers & that In 6 moneths the ffrench have burnt           
them downe 60 townes & they are Terrified with the Apprehension of more         
being told that one st Louis the Cheife of those Incendiaries had orders        
from the King to lay the whole Countrey wast without Regard whether they        
pay Contribution or noe                                                         
     On the 1st dyed the Ld O Bryan of A feavour he brought with him            
from fflanders                                                                  
     The Plymouth letters dat 27th say The streights ffleet were 30 of          
them In sight of that harbour & past them that Afternoon to the Eastward        
     Upon Notice of the death of sr Wm swan his Matys Resident at               
Hamburgh, His Maty has granted that Employmt to sr Peter wych formerly          
Envoy from his Maty to the Emperor of Russia K of poland &c                     
     At Paris all the discourse is of A generall peace although there           
were outward simptoms of warr for the drums which for A while had laine         
quiet made A Noyse againe In the streets & were beating Affresh for             
voluntiers                                                                      
     The Dutch letters dat 28th tell us the states had Not ye Ratified          
the treaty although the ffrench K had omitted Nothing to them for he            
had promised to supply those things that were omitted when they signed          
& offered farther to Remit the Moety of what they had paid for the duty         
of ffrench Comodities for severall yeares past, But It seems what he            
gives overplus to the dutch he would Gaine from the spaniards for it            
But there are those at the Hague which doe not only presage A good              
Issue of this but talke of A Genll peace & In order unto it they are            
Now upon A 6 moneths Cessation & tell us of proposalls for the                  
Satisfaction of other princes & that the Emperor shall have Phillipsburgh       
& ffriburgh demolished & put Into the hands of the Elector palatine or          
Bp of Tryer, The K of denmarke shall Restore Wismar & Keep schonen              
Gotland and Maarstrand, The Princes of Lunenburgh & Bp of Munster shall         
have 2 Millions of dollars for what they posesse of the sweds & the             
Elector of Brandenburgh upon the Restoreing of domin & Amklam shall Keep        
stetin & Wolgast with the dependancies                                          
     Whitehall 5 sept 1678                                                      
+The last letters from Holland say that there was greate Appearance             
the diferences depending between the ffrench & spaniards At Nimeghen            
would be at Lengh overcome, There Remained only 3 The 1st Concerning            
Beaumont The 2d Concerning Comprehending the Messineuses & the 3d about         
the Chastelleine of Aoth which is to be Restored togather with that             
place to the spaniards  the diference is this                                   
     The ffrench since their being masters of Aoth have taken away part         
of that Chastelleine which was very greate & Anexed it to that of               
Tournay.  The ffrench will Restore it as It is Now  The spaniards demand        
it as It was before the peace of Aix la Chapelle, But the Conclusion of         
all Its thought will be that the ffrench will Referr these diferences           
to the Arbitration of the states Genll as its said they have already            
done.  But the spaniards are Not willing to it, But the tearme In which         
the dutch are to Ratify their treaty with ffrance drawing towards An            
Expiration wee shall quickly see what the states will doe                       
+The fflanders letters Come In this morning dated on ffriday last say           
That on that day the dutch Army had been drawne up In Battalia In order         
to the makeing the Reduction Resolved by the states, That 16 Colonells          
with their subalterne officers were to be Reformed but most of the men          
would be put Into other Regemts, Two dayes before the D de villa Hermosa        
tooke A Review of the whole Army & was perticularly pleased with the            
English battalions                                                              
     The letters speake of peace                                                
+In Germany the Armies doe quite Ruine & destroy all the Countrey the           
ffrench on the one side & the Imperiallists on the other side the Rhine,        
But If those latter doe not find A way to Relieve strasburgh that Citty         
will Ere long be Reduced to greate Extremities                                  
     The Ld Marpeth lyes dangerously sicke here In towne                        
     L. c. 679     sept 9th 1678                                                
   Whitehall 7 sept 1678                                                        
+This afternoon arrived our Dutch letters of ffriday last, They say             
that aswell the spaniards as the ffrench had Consented to Referr the 3          
points In diference between them to the Arbitration of the states Genll         
& that the sieur D'Avauxe one of the ffrench Ambrs at Nimeghen parted           
from thence on Monday last on his way to the Hague                              
     In Germany the d of Lorrain finding In Case he passed the Rhine            
his army would Not be able to subsist In Alsace was marching backe              
towards strasburgh & offenburgh & perhapps would take this time to              
beseige ffriburgh, & the M: de Crequi was thereupon marching likewise           
backe towards the upper Alsace                                                  
     the Hamburgh letters brought yesterday an account by letters of            
the 27th past from straelsond In these Tearmes                                  
     yesterday the Danes Attempted twice upon Rugen but were Repulsed the       
ffirst time with the losse of 3 & the second time of two sloops & Many          
men, The 3d time they landed with 37 sloops which Count Conningsmarke           
permitting Commanded some troops to lye In Ambuscade till they were             
all landed after which the sweds fell upon them, Killed A greate Many           
& tooke the Rest prisoners                                                      
          [Handwriting changes here just for rest of letter.]                   
+Three persons were Condemned this last sessions for their attempt on           
Mrs [?] Hide, but are reprievd till next sessions                               
     L. c. 680     sept 12th 1678                                               
   Whitehall 10 sept 1678                                                       
+The Dutch letters wee Recd yesterday tell us that the ffrench finding          
No force able to prevaile upon strasburgh But on the Contrary were Much         
Incommoded by the garrison had offered to Revoke their late Edict & be          
ffreinds with them againe, but those people have Resolved Never to trust        
them more, That the ffrench had quitted the little Isle In the Rhine &          
that It was posessed by the Imperiallists whose army is Neer Philliipsburgh     
& the ffrench Army Neer Weissenburgh & both of them Continue In A Most          
Lamentable Manner to destroy the Countrey on both sides the Rhine               
     ffrom Hamburgh of the 3/13 wee are told that the Elector of                
Brandenburgh had landed 7000 men upon Rugen & that they had taken post          
there but It needs Confirmation                                                 
     ffrom Nimeghen they write that the ffrench had quitted the demand          
of Beaumont &c so that Nothing more Remained between ffrance & spayne           
but that they proceed to Conclude their treaty & then Its believed that         
the dutch would Ratify theirs, That In the Meane time A Cessation is            
Endeavouring to be made between the other parties to which the                  
Imperiallists are willing to Consent for 8 weeks But the sweds & danes          
Ambrs say they wanted order from their Kings                                    
     That the Imperiall & spanish Minesters Endeavoured to get the              
Reformed soldiers Into their service, But the peace between spayne &            
ffrance & Holland being lookt upon as good as Concluded Its believed the        
Emperor will follow their Example to which he is very Earnestly pressed         
by most of the princes of the Empire who are not able to suffer the             
devastations of the Warr & that with so little Advantage to the Common          
Cause                                                                           
     The D of Monmoths Battalion which was Embarked In order to Its             
passing for fflanders is Come Ashoare againe & Marches to its former            
quarters                                                                        
     L. c. 681     sept 14th 1678                                               
+Our last letters from Leghorne tell us of the sad Condition of the             
people thereabout who are Afflicted with Extrary sicknesses occasioned          
as they suppose from the hardships the people generally Endured the             
last yeare for want of Corne & that which Adds more to their Affliction         
is that this yeare there is A greater Appearance of death then there            
was the last                                                                    
     The Terrour of the ffrench is so much upon them that they let them         
lye within their ports who when they see A Genoesse or whome Else they          
have A Mind to Meddle with passing by, They presently send out after            
them & fetch them In as If it were their owne home.  No one offering to         
dispute it with them or so much as aske them A Reason                           
     Coll stapleton his Matys governour In the Island of st Christophers        
hath Entred Into A treaty with the ffrench Governour In the said Island         
& they have sent it over hither & Into ffrance for Ratification whereby         
they stand obliged to observe An Exact Neutrality whatever may happen In        
Europe                                                                          
   some ships lately Arrived from Nevis say there was A greate Crop of          
sugars there this yeare                                                         
     Its Reported by 2 vessells lately Arrived at ffalmouth from Cadiz          
that the Phenix Cruiseing Espied A vessell under the land to the Eastward       
of Tangier & makeing up to her shee proved A turks man of warr of 20 guns       
who got their men Ashoare & set the ship on fire                                
     upon the Death of the Ld Howard, Coll Clerk is Made Lieut Coll of          
his Matys owne Regemt of foot guards Coll John stroud Governour of Dover        
Castle Major, Coll Jeffreis Capt of his Maty owne Company, Capt saunderson      
(who was Capt Leut) Captain of the Ld Howards Company & one Corbet Capt         
leut                                                                            
     dr Morgetson late Archbp of Armagh & prince of Ireland is dead  who        
shall succeed him is Not said                                                   
     The Emperor since the Routeing of the Rebells In Hungary has offered       
them Mercy In this time of their distraction & has againe published A           
Genll act of oblivion & Its Not doubted but the greater part of them will       
Returne to their obediance to their lawfull soveraigne                          
     Its said at Windsor that upon the 25th Instant his Maty Intends to         
Returne to Whitehall                                                            
     The Battalions of Monmoth &c designed for fflanders are Marched            
backe to their quarters                                                         
     The states have Recd Complaints of severall of their subjects that         
their ships had been taken by the Capers of st sebastian & Confiscated          
for which they Could have No Redresse at Madrid & desire letters of             
Reprizall, The states thinke good before the granting thereof to write          
once more In very Earnest tearmes to the K of spaine for obtaining              
Restitution to the Injured parties                                              
     At the Reformeing of the Dutch Army the E of Ossory ordered to             
discharge all that were Not Really his Matys subjects out of those 6            
Regemts that beare that name                                                    
     On the 3/13 The E of ffeversham Arrived at Brussells                       
     The Paris letters dat 14th tell us that the drums beate In all the         
southerne parts of ffrance for New leavies                                      
     Whitehall 12 sept 1678                                                     
+Wee are Exspecting Every houre to have an account from Holland that the        
treaty between ffrance & spaine is signed which was Intended to be done         
as on satureday or sonday last, all the Articles of the treaty haveing          
been Adjusted before the last letters Came away & all that Remained             
being to write them over faire & translate them Into spanish, yesterday         
the Tearme Expired In which the Ratifications of the treaty between             
ffrance & Holland were to be Exchanged & wee doubt not but wee shall            
heare they are Exchanged before the Expiration for Now the spaniards are        
Come Into the peace the dificulties which the states made to Ratify             
their treaty are taken away                                                     
     The parties have all Consented to A Cessation of Armes but they            
Cannot agree the time It is to last, The Confederates propose it may be         
for 6 moneths but the ffrench & sweds thinke 8 weeks is sufficient              
+the letters wee have ffrom fflanders tell us that of the Reformed dutch        
troops 2 Regemts Each 25 companies had taken service with the spaniards         
& that severall others would doe the like with the Emperor, That In             
fflanders the spaniards are Considdering how to Raise A Considderable           
army That the Countrey was willing to Maintaine 30000 foot & 5000 horse         
Each towne being willing to pay their owne garrison or more as they             
shall be able Though at the same time they were In hourely Exspectation         
to heare that the peace is signed                                               
     That ffrom spaine they had An Account that the queens party In             
opposition to don Juan Encreased dayly & that for that Reason Don Juan &        
those of his faction whatever their outward Countenance may be are very         
desirous of a peace that so they may be more at leasure to strengthen           
their owne Interests at home                                                    
     L. c. 682     sept 16th 1678                                               
   Whitehall 14 sept 1678                                                       
+Last Night Arrived An Expresse from Nimeghen with an Account that the          
treaty between ffrance & spaine was signed on satureday last, And this          
Morning Came In o[u]r fflanders letters which say that there was greate         
Rejoyceing among all sorts of people at the Newes of the peace but that         
the generall Cessation was Not yet agreed on, The allies had allowed the        
sweds 3 weeks to write to their Court about It, But they had declared           
that If the Danes went on with their Enterprize upon Rugen & succeeded          
they would Not consent to any Cessation                                         
     The dutch Army haveing Eaten up all the fforrage Round their Campe         
at Gennep Intended to decampe as on Wednesday last & to goe & Encampe           
between Glemblours & Tirlemont they Resolveing to Keep the field till           
the peace is Ratified & the places In pursuance thereof Evacuated               
     The Munster Troops Commanded by Major Generall Montaigne who are at        
prsent about Ruremond Committ A Thousand violences Not to be suffered           
     They had Nothing of Moment from Germany                                    
[A few figures in another hand appear on outside of letter, as do the           
names "Mr Dashwood, Mr Hopton, Mr Brookes, Mr Brome Clark of Skinner."]         
     L. c. 683     sept 19th 1678                                               
  Whitehall 17 sept 1678                                                        
+This morning wee Recd our dutch letters of ffriday last, They tell us          
that the 10/20 Instant the Ratifications of the peace between ffrance           
& Holland were Exchanged at Nimeghen, And that between ffrance & spaine         
would be Ratified within 6 weeks to Commence from the 7/17 Instant, That        
the peace would be published at Paris & at the Hague as on to morrow &          
that A more generall & formall publication would be made the 5th of             
october throughout ffrance & the united provinces, And that the sieur           
d'avaux the ffrench Ambr would make his sollemne [entry?] Into the Hague        
that day where they began already to make preparations to solemnize it with     
bonefires & feastings which would be suitable to the Joy the Conclusion of      
the peace gives them In Holland, That the states were dispatching 3 or 4        
Ambrs to be sent Immediately to the ffrench K, That the Next worke would        
be for the ffrench to deliver up Maastricht, But because they are by the        
treaty to Keep all the Artillery & Ammunition that is there The states          
are sending A person to Maastricht to tre[at] with the governour about          
buying some of the Canon to Remaine there                                       
     That the Bp of Munster died at Swol the 9/19 Instant                       
     The letters from Hamburgh say that the Brandenburghs had not yet           
made the Intended Attempt upon Rugen, That an Interview was to be within        
few dayes between the K of Danemarke the Elector of Brandenburgh & the          
dukes of Luxemburgh In order to the Converting that or some other designe       
     The letters from the Rhine say that the Imperiall troops Continue          
their Ravages In the Palatinate, That the D of Lorraine was going to            
passe the Rhine to Joyne Caprara & schultz, And Crequi had thereupon            
Commanded Monclar to Come & Joyne him leaveing garrisons In the forts of        
the Bridge & In A small Isle In the Rhine & was Marching lower [?]              
towards spire                                                                   
     The Electors of Bavaria, saxony & the Palatinate presse the Emperor        
Extreamly to A peace                                                            
     My Ld Ambr Hyde & the E of Ossory arrived here on satureday last           
from Holland.                                                                   
     L. C. 684     sept 21st 1678                                               
+On the 19th Instant Dom Carlos E of Plimouth was Married to the Lady           
[space for about four letters left blank] second daughter to the Ld High        
Treasurer at Wimbleton                                                          
  The Dutch have Ratified their Treaty with Condition that the Ratification     
should be voyd if the ffrench doe Not Ratify the spaniards treaty &             
deliver up the townes &c according to the Articles they had made                
  The d de villa Hermosa that he might oblige those whome the states            
have Reformed to Enter Into the spanish service hath promised them they         
shall Not be disbanded In 16 monthes & that for the security of their           
pay they shall Receive it from those townes where they are put In               
garrison, he wanting many men for the security of his garrisons, when           
the Army shall be drawne off & therefore Its said he will make use of           
the English forces that are there & place them In those townes which the        
french shall Restore to spain & which make up the Barrier between               
ffrance & them, These being the places that In Case of Any quarrell             
are likeliest to be first Attacqued  The people about the Maas who are          
dependants of Maastricht & so become againe subjects to the states have         
already made their Earnest Applications to them Complaining of the              
Contributions Exacted of them by the forces of Brandenburgh Munster &c          
& the states have taken Notice of it as their Lords acquainted the              
Minesters of the Allies that unlesse they prevent It they shall make            
stoppage of the subsidies due to them                                           
     A ship arrived at ffalmouth on the 8th from Havre de grace Reports         
greate Joy there at the proclamation made for A free trade betwixt them         
& Holland                                                                       
+Its writt from Vienna that the Emperor is Every day more & more Inclinable     
to peace upon the perswasion of the d of Newburgh who omitts No arguments       
that may Induce him to it, The Newes of the successe of the Muscovites          
against the Turks is lookt upon as very uncertain                               
     sr Palmes Harbon being made Commissary of the victualls, Coll dungan       
is to be deputy governour of Tangier & Coll Macarty to have Coll dungans        
Regemt                                                                          
     The Genova letters of the 7th suppose sr Jo: Narborrough to be with        
his whole squadron before Algeir which is by all accounts said to desire        
his Returne In order to An Accommodation our ffrigotts In those parts           
giveing such terrour that most of them are layd up & murmuring for wante        
of their former liberty, The Genovesse are In good hope of An                   
Accommodation with ffrance being told that the King will yeild that the         
diferences be Referred to the Popes Nuncio                                      
     Both sweds & danes Refuse the Cessation In hopes of gaining                
Advantages of Each other, That which Encourageth the Danes is his late          
accession of above 5000 men from Norway & besides those he has Recd             
Elsewhere that he Resolved to march up to the sweds who were Encamped           
within 2 leagues of Landscroon & push on for A Battle                           
     On the other side the swede is Encouraged by the Returne of his            
forces that have Raised the seige of Bakus & the swedish Admirall               
haveing secured his fleet at Colmar had drawne out his men & Added them         
as A Reinforcemt to that Kings army so that he seemed In A good Capasity        
to Entertaine them                                                              
Whitehall 19 sept 1678                                                          
+Our fflanders letters of ffriday last say the d de villa hermosa was           
still In the field & would Continue there till the places that are to           
be Restored to spaine are actually Evacuated which are the Citty & Dutchy       
of Limburgh, Charleroy, Aoth, Courtray Oudenard, st Ghislain, which is          
to be demolished & Ghent with all their Castellaines dependancies &             
Appurtenances, which will be done so soon as the Ratifications are              
Exchanged for the doing of which 6 weeks time is allowed them                   
     And the ffrench letters which Came In yesterday said that the King         
had already sent orders to withdraw the Canon Amunition & other                 
provisions of warr out of the said places which by the treaty is to             
Remaine to the ffrench, But for Every thing Else the places are to be           
Restored In the same manner they were before the warre of 1667                  
     In the same Manner Maastricht is to be Restored to the dutch who           
are therefore about buying of the ffrench the Canon that are In that            
place  which the ffrench will perhapps make the lesse dificulty to part         
with because aswell the Dutch as the spaniard have obliged themselves by        
their severall treaties Not to Assist directly or Indirectly the Enemies        
of the ffrench or of their allies, which It was thought the spaniard            
would Not have been brought to seeing the Emperour with whome they have         
so Neer A Union & still Continues [?] In the warr but It seems they have        
     The people In Holland aswell as In fflanders are Extreamly Joyed           
at the peace, Though for no other Reason then that It putts an End to           
the heavy burthen that has laine on them dureing the warr the latter            
haveing most Cause who have Been quite Ruined by the Armies that have           
Now so long lived upon them                                                     
     Wee have seen A Memoriall prsented In the Names of the Electors            
Palatin Bavaria & saxony to the Emperor In which very pressing Instances        
are used to perswade him to Come Into the peace & Not to delay it In            
Considderation of Denmarke Brandenburgh &c Nor for the sake of the              
Emperor or Empire to make Conquests of which they have made Enough to           
obtaine A good peace when they please                                           
     It is Certain that the K of denmarke & Electors of Brandenburgh            
are Extreamly offended with the dutch for their proceedings with                
Relation to the peace & their Minesters at Nimeghen & Elsewhere have            
given In very sharpe Memorialls on that subject                                 
     The Court Returnes from Windsor on Wednesday or Thursday Next              
    [A few figures appear in another hand on outside of letter.]                
 L. c. 685  [Handwriting changes here.]   Whitehall 21 [and 23] Sept 1678       
+There is not anything from abroad since Wensday and wn the letters             
doe come we cannot expect any great matters by them                             
+on tuesday or wensday next his Matie & the whole Court returnes from           
winsor                                                                          
+The parliement will certainly meet & continue to sitt at ye time               
appointed, wch I mention because some reports have bene abroad, as if           
a farther Prorogation was intended                                              
+I was told that Sr Thomas Meeres is dead at his hous in the Country            
     L. c. 686     [Handwriting changes here.]     sept 26th 1678               
   strasburgh 23 sept 1678                                                      
+the Imperiallists haveing posessed themselves of severall small Islands        
In the Rhine Neer Goldtsheim they had the good lucke to Intercept 14            
ffrench vessells which Came downe from Brisac with provisions &                 
Ammunition for the french Army, two others made A shift to get by But           
one of them was so shattered by the Imperiallists shott that shee sunke         
prsently after, In those they tooke they found 1123 sacks of Corne Each         
Containing 200 weight, 20 fatts of Wine, 800 paire of shooes, 2000              
paire of Boots, 10 fatts of Brandy wine A greate quantity of Bread &            
other provisions & 18000 Rix dollars In specie, The boates were guarded         
by 2 Companies of ffoot whereof severall were Killed 80 taken prisoners         
with two Lieutenants 2 Ensignes &c, the Capt that Commanded them being          
Killed                                                                          
     Hamburgh 23 sept                                                           
+Wee have letters from Pomeren of the 20th Instant which said that the          
Brandenburgh troops were all shipt [seal spoils about four letters]             
Attacke was Intended to be made on Rugen the night before  That there           
would be 3 Reale Attacks & severall false ones & that the K of denmarke         
was Exspected every houre & perhapps might Come time Enough to be prsent        
at it                                                                           
     Nimeghen 25 sept                                                           
+All the parties have Consented to the Cessation proposed & Its probable        
they would agree about the time it is to last But the demand of the sweds       
that things may be In the same state they were before the first of this         
moneth putts the whole at A stand                                               
     Hague 27 sept                                                              
+The states of Holland wee are told Concluded last satureday by the             
voyces of all the townes That the disposall of all Matters both Civill &        
Military at Maastricht should be left wholly to the P of Orange                 
+The Bp of Munster who was 74 yeares old & governed 28 being dead, The Bp       
of Paderborne who was his Coadjutor succeeds him In that Bishopricke, A         
prelate of A More quiet temper & More given to study then his                   
predecessors,                                                                   
     L. c. 687     sept 28th 1678                                               
+On the 24th the queen Returned from Windsor & his Maty Returned on the         
25th & on Tuesday Next goes to Newmarket & may Returne about A fortnight        
hence                                                                           
     On the 24th the body of the Ld Howard of Estricke who died In              
fflanders being brought over In one of his Matys yatchts was Attended by        
A greate Number of Coaches suiting his quality & 10 Companies of his            
Matys guards from the Piazza In Covent garden to st Martins In the              
fields where he was Interred                                                    
   The death of the late Ld Primate hath given way to the promotion of          
these very worth persons dr Boyle Chancellor of Ireland & Archbp of             
Dublin to be Ld Archbpp of Armagh & primate dr Parks Archbp of Elfin to         
be Archbp of Dublin & dr very Bp of Limerick to be Archbp of Elfin &            
dean digby Bp of Limerick                                                       
    By the deale letters of the 18th all the streights fleet with their         
Convoy that way bound were Arrived on the 17th, The Portesmouth fregot          
Hapned to be A ground on the goodwin sand But all the Deale seamen              
going off Imediately & the men from the Kings ships In the downes they          
staved the beer & water tooke out her upper tyre of guns & gott her             
off In the afternoon without any dammage to the ship                            
     On the 21st Mr Michaell Waller was Comitted prisoner to the tower          
       They write from vienna dat 8/18 That the P of Newburghs marriage         
with the Emperors sister is deferred the Reason Not said                        
     Generall Wirmal [?] with designe to surprize the Rebells marched 3         
dayes with much disadvantage the water being dryed up by the greate             
heate that they wanted both for their men & horse so that many of them          
were lost & when they Came Neer the place were Informed the Rebells             
were Retired Into Transilvania                                                  
     It is thought that since spaine has Complyed the Emperor may be            
Induced to A peace though great offers are made to him by the d of              
Brandenburg & princes of Brunswicke to Continue the warr                        
     Whitehall 26 sept 1678                                                     
+The letters which Came by the last Dutch post from Nimeghen said that          
the Imperiall Ambrs did Every day more & more shew their disposition to         
A peace which Its probable they may make seperate without the Northern          
allies  In the meane time they presse the Cessation which only sticks           
with the sweds who Its Believed will Not Consent to it being the                
Brandenburghs &c as landed on Rugen                                             
     The Armies In Germany have quite Consumed their forrage where they         
are & must Remove to other quarters & so the Campaigne is like to be            
Ended & not at all to the honour of the D of Lorraine  at least his             
Enemies make Reflections on his Conduct & they write from vienna that           
if the warr should last another yeare Montecuculi as old as he is would         
goe Into the field with the army                                                
     The last letters from spaine said that the Court had sent orders to        
their Ambrs at Nimeghen to make the peace upon the Conditions offered           
by the ffrench so that it is Not doubted but what they have done will be        
very acceptable to Don Juan & the Minesters there                               
     The Bp of Paderborne who was Coadjutor to the late Bp of Munster           
Refuses to be his successor because he sees he shall not be able to             
succeed to his Bprick without succeeding likewise to greate troubles &          
diferences with the dukes of Brunswicke about the dutchy of fferden             
which they have posessed themselves of &c                                       
     The D of Newburgh labors to get his 2d son (whome he likewise              
Endeavors to make Coadjutor of Cologne) Chosen by the Chapter of Munster        
   The french & Dutch begin already to Complemt Each other by Revokeing         
severall Edicts made to the prejudice of trade on both sides                    
     The Point of the Neutrality of Cleves which the Dutch oure [?]             
Insisted on as Necesary for their owne security on that side haveing            
been left by them out of the treaty which they Concluded with so much           
precipitation, They are Now Endeavouring to Recover it & are treating           
now with the ffrench Ambr at the Hague about it In which they will Not          
only doe A greate Kindnesse to themselves But also to the Elector of            
Brandenburgh who will otherwise be very much Exposed on that side               
Especially at this time that the D of Luxemburgh is past the Meuse              
+The Cardinall d'Estrees has been for severall moneths at the Court             
of Bavaria to Keep him from yeilding to those Advantagious offers               
made him on the part of the Emperor & to that End to feed him with the          
hopes of the Marriage between the Dauphine & the Electors Daughter              
[Note in another hand on outside of letter:] Mem. speak/to Joseph Mason/        
& Harry/S. M./Mr. St. G. L.                                                     
     L. c. 688    [Handwriting changes here.]     Whitehall 28 sept 1678        
+The Earle of ffeversham Earle of Midleton and sr John ffenwick and             
others are arrived from fflanders, haveing left ye English troops in            
severall Garisons  the King continues his resolution of parting hence           
for Newmarkett on Wednesday next                                                
+Duke Hamilton and the Earle of twedeaile &c who came from scotland             
since ye late Convention of the steates there, are at Court and have            
been very gratiously received by his Matie                                      
          [Handwriting changes here just for rest of letter.]                   
+we have not any letters from abroad since Wednesday  Tis said that in ye       
streights the french put up Algerine Collours & take the English they           
meet wch sr John Norbrough haveing Notice of Made ready 14 ships,               
Causeing all the guns & tokens of men of Warr to be taken in; & sent            
in quest of them till refreshing [?] ye french ships makeing up to them         
he put forthe his guns wch ye other perceiveing & finding them men of           
[war?] stood off again & saild away                                             
     The ffrench King has set forth proclamations in all places                 
signifying ye peace & prohibiting any further Hostillities either by            
sea or land, either toward ye subjects of spain or ye states                    
     L. c. 689     October 3d 1678                                              
   Whitehall october 1st 1678                                                   
+You will without Doubt heare from all hands of A Plott that hath               
been discovered against the Kings prson & Exspect to have An Account            
of A thing of that Importance, All I Can tell you is That the Lds of            
the privy councell upon the Informations that have been Given have              
Caused severall persons to be Apprehended & Committed to Newgate, for           
High treason In Conspiring against the life of the King And that their          
Ldpps sate on satureday forenoon & afternoon to Examine the prisoners           
Informations &c  The Chiefe actors In this horrid designe were                  
according to the Informations to have been Certain priests & Jesuits of         
whome some are apprehended & others not yet found                               
  The K parted this morning very early for Newmarket                            
     It seems her Royall High: The Lady Ann & the dutchesses of Monmoth         
Richmond & Buckingham are going to make A step over for Holland to give         
the princesse of Orange A vissitt                                               
  Wee had yesterday o[u]r letters of this day seavennight  They tell us         
that the Next day was to be the greate day of Rejoyceing at the Hague           
for the peace  That the Minesters of the Allies because they would              
Not be prsent at it were gone out of Towne, That the D of Luxemburgh            
Continued to Allarme the Lower part of Germany & Even the Citty of              
Cologne to whome he had sent to demand 40000 Crownes seized there by            
the Imperiallists when the treaty of peace was Kept In the Citty & they         
feared he would follow himselfe  some thinke he may have An Eye Upon            
Liege neer which place he was with his Army when the last letters Came          
from those quarters  the Germans had passed the Meuse at Ruermond               
   That the Chapter of Munster had Admitted the Bp of Paderborne Into           
that see                                                                        
   That severall dutch Regemts lay Ready to march Into Maastricht so            
soon as the french were Ready to give it up                                     
   ffrom Hamburgh wee have An Account that the sweds In Rugen had upon          
the Landing of the Brandenburghs without makeing any greate opposition          
Retired towards the old Veer schans where Count Commingsmarke Embarked          
with part of his troops for straelsond, That the Brandenburghs who              
followed them found In their march many waggons Armes & deserters & In          
Some Small Skirmishes with the sweds they tooke 300 prisoners Killed 60         
& A Capt And Advanced to the old Veerschans which they forced & found           
therein besides the Garrison which Consisted of 1000 men besides their          
officers many Canon &c, Besides these they tooke 3000 horses 4 peeces of        
Canon many Colours & prisoners after which they advanced to the New             
Veerschans to storme it whereupon the garrison threw downe their armes          
& Compelled the Governor to surrender & that the Danes were going to            
Attacke A small Isle between Rugen & straelsond                                 
          [Handwriting changes here just for rest of letter.]                   
+The persons in hold are One Dr ffogarty Wm Ireland John ffennick John          
Grove Tomas Pickering &c  One White & one Conyers are sought for but not        
found  Mr Coleman late secretary to ye Duchess is sent to ye Tower, The         
Only thing yet appearing agst him is a suspitious letter intercepted            
goeing for france  Dr Tongue & one Oates are said to be ye first                
discovery of ye plott wch Its said was to have Kild ye King &c: to have         
fired ye Cittys of London & Westminster &c                                      
     L. c. 690     October 5th 1678                                             
+A dangerous Conspiracy against the life of his sacred Maty haveing             
been made out upon oath before his Maty In Councell severall persons            
of the Popish Religion have been Examined thereupon & these Comitted            
to Custody, Jo: Grove, Wm Ireland Jo: ffenwicke, Tho: Pickering, dr             
ffogarty John smith & Tho: Jennison, white & Coniers 2 priests for whome        
warrants are likewise out are fled & therefore orders have been sent to         
all part to have A strict Eye on all persons that would goe beyond sea,         
mr Coleman is likewise In the Custody of A Messenger                            
     The guards have been Doubled to prevent disturbances & there went          
on the 2d with his Maty to Newmarket besides his usuall guards of horse         
3 troops of the New Raised horse & 3 of dragoons  His Maty went hence           
about 4 In the Morning & got to Audley Inn about 10 where he dyned with         
the E of suffolke & went to Newmarket at A quarter after 11                     
     Wee are god be praysed In pretty good health about us the decrease         
of the Bills of Mortality being last weeke 52 & this weeke 43                   
     The treaty between the ffrench & spaniard haveing not yet been             
publicke I shall give you the most Materiall Articles  The ffrench K            
is upon the Exchange of the Ratifications to Restore Charleroy Binches          
Aoth, Oudenard, Cambray with the dependancies as they were held in the          
yeare 1667, Except Conde & the district of Momon [?], Also the towne &          
dutchy of Limburgh, Ghent & the fort of Rodenhais, The Countrey of              
Waas, st Leewe, st Ghislain But the last place demolished And Puysarda          
In Catalonia with all the dependancies as also all places that may be           
taken since the Conclusion of the treaty & shall Renounce his                   
pretensions to the sluys of Newport                                             
     The ffrench K shall Keep the ffranche Comte Besancon, valenciennes,        
Boucham, Conde, Courtray with Cambresis, Air, st Omer, Ipres, Wanup [?]         
Warmeton on the Lys, Popering Boullant Cassell Bovoy Maulberg with all          
the Rights & dependancies                                                       
     spaine shall Keep Charlemont but Endeavor to gaine of the Emperor &        
Empire to passe over their Right to dinant, Artillery & Ammunition to be        
Carried out of the places Restored & the Piren[ees] treaty & that of Aix        
la Chapelle to be observed In all things Not Contrary to this                   
     Both Kings to Endeavour Reciprocally A Genll peace & spaine                
promiseth not to Assist any against ffrance dureing the warr                    
     The Marquesse de grana takes Into the Emperors service all the             
Reformed Germans & obligeth the Capts to Carry their Companies to               
Ruermond Each 75 Effective he paying 150 all winter on Condition they           
Carry so many Effective Into the field the Next Campaigne & all the             
Lunenberg troops Enter Into the same service & In order thereunto are to        
be put Into good winter quarters which is A signe the Emperor Intends not       
A peace but on Honble Tearmes                                                   
+A ship from the Barbados Arrived at Bristoll Adviseth that about the           
middle of July the E of Carlisle was as far as Barbados where he only           
stayd whilst sr Jonathan Atkins the governour went on board & paid him          
A vissitt & the Next day sailed for Jamaica                                     
     At Genova they have with much Joy Recd the Confirmation of the             
Composeing of the late diference between france & them by the Popes             
Nuncio at Paris & Now some french gallies are to goe thither with A             
french vice admirall to Receive the first salute, They haveing past A           
decree to salute the popes french & spanish gallies first if they               
Come with An Admirall or viceadmirall                                           
     They write from Marselles sept 27th that A Majorca satia had taken         
A vessell of that place Comeing from smirna of A Considderable vallue           
     At Toulon were 3 Algeir men of warr to Adjust with that Government         
the setling of A New Company at Bastion & paying Arrearages                     
   They write from Paris the d of Luxemburghs Army quarters by Brigates         
In the Countrey of Liege & strucke A terrour In the Countrey of Juliers         
Treves & those of Bonne But some thinke their fury will be poured out           
upon Juliers to whome they will not admitt of any offers tending to An          
accomodation but designe them wholly to destruction                             
     whitehall 3 october 1678                                                   
+The persons who are apprehended for High treason In Conspireing against        
his Matys sacred person haveing been Examined before the Lds of the             
pryvy Councill are Recommitted to Newgate In order to their tryall              
     Her Royall High: The Lady Anne & the Dutchesse of Monmoth Richmond         
& Buckingham with A small trayne Embarked on Tuesday on the yatchts at          
Greenwich for Holland to give the princesse of Orange A vissitt & the           
wind being very tame Its supposed they are by this time at the Hague            
+Our last letters from Nimeghen said that the sweds Ambr upon the Newes         
of the losse of Rugen did now absolutely Refuse to agree to any                 
Cessation unlesse that Isle were first Restored, That the Imperiall &           
french Ambrs had frequent Conferences & that It was the oppinion of             
Every body A peace would be Concluded this winter between the Emperor           
& france                                                                        
   Just Now Came In o[u]r ffrench letters  they tell us That the                
Imperiallists had taken A greate many waggons & horses laden with               
provisions that were going to M: de Crequis Army Neer Landau haveing            
deserted [?] their Convoy which Consisted of 200 men, That M: de Crequi         
was Removed towards saverne                                                     
     That the d of Luxemburgh was Encamped along the Meuse but wanted           
forrage                                                                         
     That Mounsr Calvo was prepareing to Evacuate Maastricht                    
     L. c. 691    [Handwriting changes here.]    Whitehall Octr 5 1678          
     The same orders yt have been sent downe into ye Contry for ye              
disarming all Roman Catholicks & all yt are reputed to bee soe, were            
yesterday begun to be executed in London & ye Suburbes.  Mr White who it        
seems is provinciall of ye Jesuites, & hath lived many yeares at ye             
Spanish Ambrs & one concernd in the perniscious designe Informd of lyes         
dyeing & coniers another of yt Society has it seems made his Escape, The        
rest who are 8 in all 4 of wch [?] Preists & all prisoners in new gate &        
in chanes                                                                       
     Tis said yt a Constable serching yesterday for armes in St martins         
lane found accidentally some papers hid in a Ceileing, & that they have         
given light to ye discovery of other papers, soe yt ye councell sate last       
night till 9 a Clocke, & yt Mr Coleman is committed close prisoner to           
new gate                                                                        
     L. c. 692    [Handwriting changes here.]    October 10 1678                
   Hague 11 october 1678                                                        
+The Princes Continued absence suspending all Resolutions here In               
matters of any moment or at least Retarding them here is very little            
to write at prsent, His Highs is Exspected backe here this day upon             
the Notice given him from hence of her R Highss & the Lady Anns                 
Intention to Come over suddenly upon A vissitt to the Princesse  Her            
Highs hath ordered the Princesse dowagers house to be furnished (which          
is accordingly doing) for lodging her R Highs & her Company                     
     Mareshall de Humieres is said to be now Joyned with the d of               
Luxemburgh In the Countrey of Liege where their army Consists of at             
least 30000 men  it is Not yet Knowne where the Storme will fall but            
Its said here are some still violently suspecting they may begin upon           
the Citty of Liege, They have lately desired some hundreds of horses            
from hence for their money to draw their Canon from Maastricht                  
pretending want of water In the Maas which is lookt upon by many As A           
designe to delay the Evacuation of the place  I doe not heare the horses        
are yet granted them & some thinke they will be Refused least they              
Should be made use of to draw their Canon for some other designe, The           
Jealousy that the ffrench may possesse themselves of Liege does arise           
In part from this that all the Magazines that have been drawne from             
Maastricht lye In boates before that Citty                                      
     Whitehall 9 october 1678                                                   
+ffrom Hamburgh they write that the Citty of Straassond had upon the            
Incowragemt of Count Commingsmarke Recd all his troops Into the Towne           
& planted their Red flags upon the walls & fired their Canon upon the           
Brandenburghs as a token of their Resolution to defend themselves to            
the utmost & that the Brandenburghs were going to Invest the place In           
order to a formall seige                                                        
     L. c. 693     Oct 10 78                                                    
     The name of those that were to have bene Commissioned by ye Pope           
in case ye Plott had taken Effect to many of whom Mr Oats has sworne            
hee has declined Commissions from ye Pope for ye same places & yt they          
had Reced them very willingly & this day there is my Ld Bellassis               
Arrundell, Peters, Powis, Stafford, & Castlemaine sent to ye Tower &            
many others to other prisons, The Parliamt are wholly taken up abt              
Secureing ye King & Kingdom agst popish Conspiracies                            
     Ld Bellassis genll                                                         
     Ld Peters Lieut: genll                                                     
     Ld Arrundel of Wardour Ld L Chancillor his son Comiberg [?]                
     genll                                                                      
     Ld Powis Ld Treasurer                                                      
     Sr will: godolphin Ld privy seale                                          
     Ld Stafford pay master of ye army                                          
     Ld Baltimore a Regemt of horse                                             
     Off [?] dLassells a Regimt                                                 
     Lambert Ajutant genll                                                      
     Mr Cerrill a Regimt                                                        
     Langhorne Judge advocate                                                   
     Coll Thomas Howard a Regimt                                                
     Coleman Secretary of State                                                 
     Sr ffrancis Ratcliffe Major Genll                                          
     Sr George Wakeman phisitian genll                                          
     Mr Roper a Regimt his Sonn a Capt                                          
     Coll Tasott genll for Ireland                                              
                 ffrench officers for ye fleet                                  
     Midburne a Capt:                                                           
     Panny a Capt                                                               
     Townely a Capt                                                             
          Bpps                                                                  
     ffather Talbott Primate of Ireland                                         
     Cardinell Howard Arch Bpp of Canterbury                                    
     ffather Whitebread Bpp of winchester                                       
     ffather voter Bpp of London                                                
     ffather coniers Bpp of Sarum                                               
     ffather vincent Bpp of Ely                                                 
       The Comissons are under ye hand of Pantus [?] Johannes de Oliva          
provinciall genll of ye Jesuites                                                
       The murthers of Sr Edmond Berry Godfrey are not yet discovered           
     L. c. 694     October 12th 1678                                            
+the Councill haveing been very zealous In Peereing Into the Bottom of          
the Confedracy & that Nothing may be wanting that may tend to the               
preservation of his Maty orders are given for disarmeing the Papists In         
all parts  Mr Edward Coleman who was for some dayes only In the Custody         
of A Messenger was on the 4th sent to Newgate where the Rest are, And           
the Councill Continue very busy In makeing farther Searches Into the            
Conspiracy & have sent mr Richard Langhorne of The Temple to Newgate            
     Its Confidently said that Coniers (one of the Chiefe of the                
Confedracy) was taken In or about Whitchurch going for Ireland & is             
secured In Shrewsbury Goal                                                      
     The tell us from ffeversham of A Horrid Murther Committed Neer that        
place on A woman greate with Child & A Child of hers about 14 yeares of         
Age  The Child Choaked with A Cloth & the Woman strangled & stabd with          
A Knife In the Belly, The Murtherer as supposed is Apprehended his              
Cloathes being found bloody & some peeces of Money about him which will         
be proved to have been the Womans                                               
     By A ship Arrived sept 17th At Leghorne from Tunis Its Advised tha         
that sr Jo: Narborrough was before Algeirs with 25 men of warr  he had          
Retaken An English ship with sugars from Lisbon, forced the 2 Algerines         
which tooke her Ashoare & Burnt them  he had also burnt severall of their       
barks laden with Corne & some of his men landing In the night had seized        
A Caravan of about 80 of the Camells laden with oyle & provison for             
Algeirs, he had made above 6000 shott upon the Towne to their very              
greate damage but they had not then made any overtures of peace by              
Reason that the Greate Men most Concerned were then In the Army                 
     The Brussells letters dat 9th tell us the ffrench have already             
shipt all their Canon & Ammunition at Maastricht & are sending already          
from Charleroy & other places to be delivered to the spaniards                  
     The English are Now well setled In Garrisons & Recover apace, some         
dispute there was at Lyme where the burghers stood upon their priveledge        
being free from quartering & the soldiers upon their orders, But by the         
Prudence of sr sam Clarke who succeeded the Ld Howard the heats were            
allayed & they lived quietly together                                           
     They dayly Exspected the Ratifications from spaine                         
     The Paris letters date 15th say that A detachment of M: Crequi had         
taken the towne of Liechtenbergh & on the 8th M: Crequi had made A              
Lodgment on the Conntrescarpe of the Castle & that whilst he was                
giveing orders for the Carying o[ut] the seige The Count de Montpeiron &        
3 other officers to whome he was shewing what he would have done were           
wounded, The ffrench have lately burnt the Bailewicks of Randerath &            
Hemsburgh & the Townes of Aldenhove & Gilenkirke In the Countrey of             
Juliers with severall villages thereabout, The Rest Exspect the same            
usage the ffrench haveing declared that they will lay the whole Countrey        
desolate & not leave one ston[e] on another                                     
     The M: Crequi since strasburgh has been taken off from their               
Neutrality has been forced to send such large Convoys as has sensibly           
weakened his Army, which the d of Lorraine takeing Notice of had                
Resolved to push him on to A Battle, But the Mareshall Removed farther          
where the d Cannot well deale with him  But it was said that if the D           
Could get some more foot of which he stood In greate want he should             
after him & yet force him to an Engagemt                                        
     The ffrench try all wayes to bring the Citty of strasburgh to A            
Complyance & have lately Confiscated all the goods lands & Revenues that        
belong to the Citty or any of the Inhabitants thereof which Insteed of          
bringing them to A Complyance animates them to Revenge, Its said that           
they have thoughts of Recommending their Cause to the Arbitration of the        
Mediators                                                                       
     The ffrench K has put In Execution his designe of Reformeing his           
Army to 45 In A Company                                                         
     Its Advised from Madrid dat sept 13/23 that they had notice that           
the spanish Galleons & fleet made the Canary Islands the 23 July                
+The dutch letters are full of the Joyes they & the ffrench made [of?]          
the peace, The wine Ran from A fountaine at the ffrench Ambrs all the           
Afternoon  both of them had severall Representations & the ffrench among        
the Rest A sun with A globe under it on the one side & on the other             
A bunch of arrows the states Armes with An Inscription Quis separabit           
     Its Remarkable that as all the minesters of the Allies desired of          
the states that no materialls should be sent them for bonefires so the          
spanish Ambr did the same because the spanish peace is Not yet                  
Ratified, Also the states ordered that the Minesters at the Courts of           
the allies should only give notice of the peace without makeing any             
publicke Rejoyceing & at Nimeghen the Dutch forbore bonefires & only            
declared the peace by their officers                                            
+A house which belonged to the Princesse dowager was prepareing for the         
Reception of the dutchesse of yorke &c                                          
+Last night being the 9th one [space for about four letters left blank]         
Peters was sent prisoner to Newgate                                             
     L. c. 695     October 19th 1678                                            
+His Maty God be praysed Returned safe to Whitehall on the 16th                 
     Wee have No more of the takeing of Conyers at Whitchurch & therefore       
shall put that to the Rest of the stories that have past so Briskly about       
Towne                                                                           
     The Towne is full of discourse about the absence of sr Edmund Berry        
Godfrey who being the Justice of peace before whome mr Oates Made his           
deposition upon his discovery & haveing now been wanting since satureday        
morning without any Notice given to his servants or Relations In which          
he was alwayes observed to have been punctuall they Entertaine hard             
thoughts of the Roman party, A little time may better Informe us                
     Our letters from the Ports give an account of very Tempestuous             
weather but little losse  The High winds have Kept above 100 ships In           
the Downes outward bound                                                        
     On the 9th at Night A fire broke out In A ship at the Ballast Key          
In yarmouth In the Midst of about 30 sayle who all lay board or board           
the other & the wind being so very High made the people feare the losse         
of the whole fleet, But the tyde Comeing In the ship on fire floated so         
they got her from the Rest & Cutting holes In her Hold sunke her without        
the losse of any other                                                          
     The Holland letters Date 21st tell us the states are Not well              
satisfied with the ffrench delayes to deliver up Maastricht & take it No        
lesse ill that the ffrench have broken & taken away all the wood In the         
Mynes under the fortifications & Batteries by which they are sunke In &         
Ruined & besides they have plundered the Countrey of Over=Maas of all           
which they had sent to their Ambrs at Nimeghen to make Complaint demand         
full Reparations as they have likewise done of Monsr D'Avaux                    
     A Memoriall is lately put In by Mounsr Campricht Requireing the            
Arreares of subsidies from the states to the Emperor & Elector of Treves        
upon which they had sent to the Severall provinces that are behind to           
bring In their quota                                                            
     The Garrison &c of Maastricht It is thought will be sent to Aix            
la Chapelle which yeilded upon the first summons haveing In Confidence          
of A due observation of the Neutrality Neglected their meanes of                
defence And Now Cologne have Resolved to offer the 50000 Rix dollars            
demanded by the ffrench & glad if that Can make their Composition               
     The ffrench letters tell M: Crequi gone backe againe towards               
strasburgh & that It was generally thought In the Army that If A Truce          
were not made speedily he would lay seige to that Citty for that the            
Troops who were In Lorraine & those under the Comand of M: schomberg            
were on their March to Joyne his Army & others from ffranche Conte sent         
to the places In Lorraine                                                       
     It is generally believed the Turks Encouraged the Rebells of Hungary       
to their late Incursion because they gave them ffree passage by New             
haussell & through part of their Countrey & denyed it to the Emperors           
forces by which meanes the Rebells In one dayes March haveing that              
Advantage proceeded as far as the Emperors going about Could doe In 6           
     The Hamburgh letters Dat sept 30th tell us the Luxemburgers were           
decamped from Braushagen & Marching towards straelsond to assist the            
Brandenburgers In the seige of that place  That they were makeing A fort        
upon Dane danehohne & Raiseing 3 batteries against the towne with 27 guns       
& 13 greate Mortar peeces to throw their bombes & that those of straelsond      
the Elector of Brandenburgh was before the place In person                      
+His Maty hath not been pleased to Nominate any one successor to dr             
Broadeoake late Bp of Chichester                                                
     L. c. 696     October 21st 1678                                            
   Whitehall 19 october 1678                                                    
+The vienna letters dat 9th tell us the Rebells haveing made                    
themselves Masters of severall passes were advaunced to the ffrontiers          
of the dukedome of densen In silesia where the Inhabitants heareing of          
their Approach gathered togather 15000 well armed which not only                
hindered their progresse but Caused them to Retire, ffather Joshua with         
his squadron Marching & plundering the Countrey of Mitria was pursued &         
surrounded by Count Andredi & after A sharpe fight taken prisoner, But          
A party upon the borders of Ternavia have forced severall of the                
Inhabitants to take their side & put themselves under their protection,         
A party of Rebells In sight of the Citty of Emperies drove many Cattle          
whome Bargotzi pursued with 60 Musquetteers & advanceing too far with           
some few before the Rest was taken prisoner & tyed up with Cords but            
Immediately Rescued by the Rest the Cattle Retaken & all the Rebells to 7       
Killed or taken, Genll Lesly In the meane time has made An Inroade Into         
Transilvania Burning & plundering severall villages & Among others              
Paul Vetelius Castle where some transilvanian horse were got togather           
but defeated by the Imperiallists though to the losse of the Major of           
Palfys Regemt & severall soldiers                                               
+By the Paris letters of the 22d the Castle of Liechtenberg Capitulated         
the 15th & surrendred the 16th upon Honble Articles, The Army of M:             
Crequi was Moveing towards Molshein & A detachment sent to the Baron de         
Monclar who was decamped within two leagues & A halfe of strasburgh             
     Her R Highness the dutchesse of yorke &c Landed safely at Merget In        
the Isle of Thanet on the 15th & Came safe to whitehall on the 16th at          
Night                                                                           
     Maastricht being suddenly to be delivered to the Dutch Don                 
Emanuell de Lyra the Envoy Extrary from spaine hath by memoriall                
demanded that It may be put Into his Masters hands by vertue of the 4th         
Article of A treaty made betwixt spaine & them In the yeare 1673                
+The delay of the Ratification of spaine hath given occasion of                 
discourse as if that King scompelled [?] the Article of being obliged           
Not to give assistaunce to the Emperor                                          
     On Thursday last about 6 at Night the body of sr Edmond Bery               
Godfrey was found with his owne sword through It In a byy [?] field             
Neer Marybone his Money &c In his pocket but upon Inquisition it is             
believed Murther & by A Circle about his Necke that he was strangled            
     L. c. 697    [Handwriting changes here.]    October ye 22d 1678            
+yesterday the Parliamt being met his Maty sent for ye Commons to ye            
Ld hous where he maid a very gracious speech to them telling ym he              
thought the time long since he saw ym Last yt he had not deferrd                
their meeting by soe many prorogations if he Could have met ym sooner           
that he Judgd they were not unsencible how great a share he had borne           
in ye greate acomodation of his neighbors & how Instrumentall his               
arming had bene thereto wch had bene a vast charge to him beyond wt they        
Imagined wch he hopes they would consider, for yt the Polle Bill had            
fallen much short of Expectation & that his Revenue was much Clogd &            
anticipated &c & that as to ye army he left it to ym to consider of &           
whether they thought it Expedient to lay it down in this Juncture               
acqu[a]inted them wth a discovery of a great designe agst his person            
wch he would say ye less about because he would leave it wholly to ym           
& to the law &c & in ye close requireing them to Consider of a supply           
and that they would looke into the Condision of his Revenue wth duty &          
affect[i]on all wch was enlarged uppon by ye Ld Chanceller                      
+after wch the Comons returned to yr hous recd some bills & petitions           
Concerning undue Elections appoynted Comitteess for severall occasions          
as to take care for the security of his Maties person to enquire into           
ye Murther of sr Edmund Berry Godfrey &c                                        
+Ordred an address to his Maty to cause all Papists to depart the City          
of London &c & none to continue wthin 20 miles thereof, Orderd an               
address for a generall fast & sent for Mr Rich: Mallet (a member) from          
the Tower whither he was againe remanded, & this day after some                 
private buisness & reading some Peticons they were Orderd to attend his         
Maty in the banquetting house to their address for a fast &c                    
     L. c. 698    [Handwriting changes here.]    October 26th 1678              
+On the 17th at Night the body of sr Edmund Berry Godfrey was found with        
his owne sword through it Neer Marybone In A place Covered with                 
Brambles, his Belt scabbard & Glooves In An open place which served as          
directions to find him, his Money &c In his Pocket, But upon Inquisition        
made of his death his Neck was found Broke so that It Could Not be              
believed An act of his owne but An Horrid Murther                               
     His Maty hath by proclamation promised A Reward of 500 L to him            
that shall discover the Murtherers & If one of the Murtherers shall             
discover the Rest he shall have his pardon & the said Reward                    
     the Parliament Being Mett, Both houses on the 21st fell upon the           
Matter of the Designe & the Lds Appointed A Comtee to Inquire Into it &         
that his Maty be desired to Communicate such papers to them as he should        
thinke fitt & sent to the Commons for their Concurrance In A fast               
     The Commons appointed A Comtee to Consider of Remedyes for the             
Better preservation of his Matys person, Agreed an Addresse to be               
prsented to his Maty that popish Recusants may be Removed 20 miles out          
of Towne & ordered A Comtee to make Inspection Into the death of sr             
Edmund Berry Godfrey as also An Humble Addresse to be prsented to his           
Maty to desire the Communication of the Paper to that house Concerning          
the Plott & Conspiracy against his Matys person & Govermt                       
     On the 22d the Commons spent the Morning In private businesse  mr          
Mallet one of their Members was by their order brought to the house but         
they Came to No Result about him so he was Carryed backe to the Tower           
     In the Afternoon both houses attended his Maty Concerning the fast         
     The Jamaica letters dat July 31st tell us of the Arrivall & greate         
welcome the E of Carlisle the gouvenour had there of the Inhabitants            
+The dutchesse of yorke &c Returned to whitehall on the 16th                    
     The Paris letters Dat 26th talke as if the Archbp of Cologne would         
accept of A Neutrality                                                          
     They tell us of A Delugue which hath Ruined severall places In             
Rousillon &c & that one of the Bastions of villa ffranca was Carryed            
away by it & Lymours had about 300 houses washed downe & more falling,          
Breaches were made upon the New Channell which is to Joyne the 2 seas In        
severall places & so much sand & Rubbish throwne In that It will Require        
In some part of it as much labor as when it was first made                      
+They write from Rostcoke [sic] that on the 21st they saw at straelsond         
The Church of st Nicholas the Towne house the Magazine & Most part of the       
Towne on fire & some Hamburgh letters say it was surrendred on the 22d          
     The Dutch letters of the 28th say the states had notice from               
Brussells that the Ratifications were arrived, Maestricht being to be           
delivered to the dutch don Emanuell de Lyra the Envoy Extrary of spaine         
hath by Memoriall demanded it may be put Into his Masters hands by vertue       
of the 4th Article of A treaty between spaine & them In the yeare 1673          
     The Count d'Avaux the ffrench Ambr at the Hague has argued for the         
surrender of Hassell Into his Masters hands for that they stand obliged         
to give no assistaunce to the Enemies of his Master & ought Not to Keep         
that place It being A towne of the Empire, To which the states answer           
That they first put forces Into Hassell to secure the lands of their            
dominions thereabouts & Not In the least In faivour of the Empire & that        
the states had been at very greate Charges In fortefying it & therefore         
did believe his Maty would Not oblige them to Abandon it                        
+The ffrench doe also desire severall things In faivour of the Chapter          
of Maastricht & for the ffreer Exersize of the Roman Religion In the            
Countrey of OverMaas, To which the states answer that they shall                
punctually observe the treaty with his Maty & that It is Not their              
Custome to give their subjects any trouble for the Exersize of their            
Conscience but that they should not Establish the Roman Catholicke              
Religion In places where they were Not obliged to doe it or suffer it           
+Whitehall 24 october 1678  Both houses have been Much Busyed about the         
Conspiracy, The Lds have ordered An Addresse that No papist may goe             
above 5 miles from his owne house The Commons this day have sent to the         
Lds for their concurrance In An Addresse to Remove all papists 10 [20?]         
miles from the towne & that London Westminster Middlesex & surrey               
trayne bands may be on their guards                                             
+mr Oates has been upon Examination yesterday & this day before the             
Commons, They ordered Benedictine Muncks & preists to be apprehended            
by warrants from Justices of peace which was done & 2 taken His Matys           
Answer to the Addresse for A fast was that he would give order speedily         
& Its said the 13th November is appointed                                       
     L. c. 699     Nov 1st 78                                                   
   Commons 23d october 1678                                                     
+Ordered that the Deane of st Paulls be desired to preach before this           
house on the fast day & the deane of Canterbury on the 5th of November          
     Commons 25 october 1678                                                    
+sr John Trevor Reports from the Comtee which are Appointed to search           
Counceller Langhornes Chamber That the same was full of papers &                
writings which would Require greate time to puruse, But that they had           
found some papers already which did give some light to what mr Oates had        
Related                                                                         
     Commons 26 october 1678                                                    
+Ordered that his Maty be humbly Entreated that the papers of mr                
Coleman Concerning the Plott be Communicated to the house                       
+Ordered that A Comtee be Appointed [to] take Information of Dr Tong            
Concerning fireing of the Citty of London                                       
     Commons 28 october 78                                                      
+mr speaker acquaints the house that mr Oates had Buisness of Moment            
to Communicate to them                                                          
  Ordered that mr Oates be sent for to Attend & give Information at the         
Barr of the house                                                               
     The house being Informed that there was A designe to Blow up both          
houses of Parliament with gunpowder on this day ordered that Coll Birch         
&c doe goe Into the seller under the house & make dilligent search              
     the Knight Marshall Reports mr Oates Information against mr Weld           
     A bill for hindering papists for sitting In Either house of                
Parliamt Read A 3d time & passed                                                
     Ordered that the Members of this house that are Justices of the            
peace for Middlesex doe forthwith take the Information of mr Oates              
against sr Wm Goreing sr Jo Cage & the Dutchesse of Mazarine & that             
No other member be prsent at the Examination                                    
     Whitehall 29 october 1678                                                  
+On the 24th at Night the E of sunderland his Matys Ambr In ffrance             
Arrived at dover & went the Next morning for London, sr Ellis Leighton          
Comeing over In the same yatcht & Not goeing Ashoare was fetched In             
prisoner to dover Castle till farther order                                     
     His Maty upon the Addresse of his 2 houses of Parliamt ordered his         
proclamation to be Issued forth Comanding all papists or so Reputed             
upon paine of his Matys Highest displeasure & the Execution of                  
the Lawes against them to depart they & their families from                     
whitehall somerset house & st James the Cittys of London & Westminster          
& all places within 10 miles other then householders being traders              
& Exersizeing some trade or Manuall occupation & setled for 12 moneths          
last past In houses of their owne not haveing An Habitation Elsewhere           
Giveing In the Names of themselves & their families to the 2 Next               
Justices of peace, As also Enjoyneing all Constables Churchwardens & all        
other parrish officers Immediately after the time lymitted for departure        
to take the Names of all papists so suspected & to Carry them to the 2          
Next Justices of peace who are to tender them the Oaths of Alleigance           
& supremacy & upon Refusall to Committ them to prison till the Next             
sessions And then proceed against them according to Law & that No               
lycence be granted but at the Councill board & signed by 6 privy                
Councellors of which the Ld Chancellor Ld treasurer or A principall             
secretary of state to be one                                                    
     His Maty likewise In pursuance of the other part of the Addresse           
has given order to the Ld Chamberlaine &c for takeing Care that No              
suspitious persons be suffered to Come Neer his person, As also to the          
Ld maior & Lieutenancy of London the Ld Lieut of Middlesex &c for               
Appointing guards of trayne bands dureing this session of Parliamt              
     One Thompson is secured who is by profession A Milliner But                
tradeing In popish Books of which A Loade or two was Carryed from his           
house In Eagle Court                                                            
+severall Lds went to Newgate to Examine mr Coleman vizt: the Ld                
treasurer E of shaftesbury E of Essex Ld Hallifax & Bp of London                
     mr Rosewell the Chiefe schoolemaster of Eaton is made prebendary           
of Windsor In the place of the Bp of Chichester deceased                        
     His Matys letter is gone Into Ireland for dr Michaell Ward provost         
of Trinity Colledg Neer Dublin to be Bp of Ossory & for dr Narcissus            
March to be provost                                                             
     L. c. 700     Nov 2d 1678                                                  
+On the 29th the solemnity of the Ld Maiors day was performed with all          
the Grandeur these distracted times Could permitt  only they wanted that        
which was to Render it Compleate, The presence of his sacred Maty the           
queen his Royall Highs &c whose persons It Could In no Reason be                
Exspected should be Exposed to the hazzard of so Numerous & Mixte               
Multitude whilst good Cause is found to shutt up all the doores of st           
James Parke & the Passages to Whitehall where were then Double guards is        
Kept & none suffered to be Admitted but such as they have that Knowledg         
of which may take off all Kind of Jealousy                                      
     The Brussells letters dat 4th [?] tell us the Ratifications arrived        
not within the time lymitted (whether the fault of the Courrier who made        
not due hast thither or that they past not their Resolution In Hast In          
A matter of so very High Consequence) But An Extraordinary arrived with         
An Assurance that A very few dayes would produce it, with which Advice          
the d de villa Hermosa dispatched A Courier with all Expedition to the          
Hague where the spanish & dutch Minesters Improved it with their utmost         
Endeavour with mounsr d'Avaux but nothing Could stay the ffrench from           
the Rigour of the forfeiture That 200 troops of horse are let loose upon        
them who are said to Exact of those Inhabitants 100000 guilders A day           
     The Townes of Lubec Hamburgh as also Bremen have desired to be             
Comprized In the 19th Article of the states treaty of peace, but it is          
Not said they have yet agreed to doe it for any of them but Lubeck  They        
seem very positive for the Includeing the D of Newburgh Into their              
treaty which the ffrench Ambrs at Nimeghen haveing made dificulty to            
Admitt they Complained to Mounsr de Avaux of it & told him they lookt           
upon it as An Infraction of the peace & therefore Required satisfaction         
for it which Monsr de Avaux Made them promise that they should have             
     Not only Cologne But the Electors of Mentz & Treves are said to            
have made A seperate peace with the ffrench, And No wonder if after all         
this the Emperor has as some with Confidence Affirme it to have been            
Certainly done Agreed the Alternative with the ffrench which is the             
Rather Believed for that the ffrench have quitted the places they had           
about strasburgh with Ruine sufficient they being observed Not to Leave         
any place they have once seized without lasting marks of their Tallons          
     how far the Power of the Northerne Princes may be able to withstand        
them haveing Now wholly unroosted the swede from Germany or whether             
they also how Resolute soever they yet seem will Not be Inclinable to           
Accomodation some short time may discover, But If they succeed In it            
they are like to be more beholden to their scituation then the Constancy        
of their Allies                                                                 
+There is Not any yet Come In that makes discovery of the death of sr           
Edmund Berry Godfrey Notwithstanding his Matys late declaration In              
Assuraunce of what he has offered In his proclamation                           
     The Corps of sr Edmund Berry Godfrey was Interred In st Martins In         
the feilds Attended thither ffrom Bridewell Hall In London with all             
due solemnity by about 100 of the Clergy & many hundreds of Gentry &            
Citizens, The house of Comons have ordered that No more Journalls of the        
transactions of their house shall be Communicated Especially dureing            
this grand Affaire Now before them & have unanimously Resolved that It          
Appeares to them that there has been A Most Horrid & Hellish plott for          
the destruction of the Kings person & govermt Religion &c, Both houses          
sitt Close In Examination of Oates & all Circumstances Relateing to his         
Information  Its said the E of shaftesbury has procured 3 Blanke warrants       
from the Lds to seize 3 persons he desires Not yet to Name                      
     L. c. 701     Nov 4th 1678                                                 
   Commons october 30th 1678                                                    
+Ordered that Captaine Richardson Keeper of Newgate doe forthwith attend        
the house                                                                       
     mr secretary Williamson acquaints the house that he did attend his         
Maty & that his Maty was pleased that those papers of mr Colemans which         
have been sorted & purused by the Clerke of the Councill should be              
Communicated to the house & that those which are not sorted & purused           
should be delivered over to A Comtee or otherwise as the house appoints         
to translate & Examine the same                                                 
     Ordered that the Clerke of the Crowne doe give an account to morrow        
to this house of all writts Ishued by him for Electing members to sit In        
parliamt & how the same had been disposed                                       
     Commons 31 october 1678                                                    
+the house being Resolved Into A Comtee of the whole house Resolved,            
that upon the Evidence that hath appeared to this house they are of             
oppinion that there is & hath been A damnable Hellish plott contrived &         
Carryed on by the Popish Recusants for Assassinating & Murthering the           
King, subverting the govermt & destroying the protestant Religion Now by        
Law Establish, Nemine Contradicente                                             
     Commons 1 Nov 1678                                                         
+The house Considering that greate danger may happen to his Maty by this        
Conspiracy discovered Resolved                                                  
     That the Trayned bands of London Westminster & surrey be Raised for        
the defence of his Maty & the 2 houses of Parliamt dureing this session         
  Then the house proceeded upon Colemans letters & papers & Resolved            
     That the letters Concerning the 3 last yeares proceedings about the        
Plott be Entred Into the Journall of this house                                 
     A Motion being heard that A Noyse had generally been heard of              
digging under the Parliamt house                                                
     Ordered that A Comtee be Appointed to search the same & to Examine         
what the Cause of the Noyse was                                                 
     A Message sent to the Lds to desire A Conference with them about the       
vote yesterday for preservation of his Matys person & Govermt                   
     Afterwards the Lds sent A Message to the house for another                 
Conference In which they were acquainted that the Lds unanimously               
Concurred & were Joyfull to see the Commons soe zealous In that Matter          
     And that they would Considder proper Remedyes & Give notice thereof        
to this house & desired the like Care of them, That they had also               
ordered to sit de die In diem about the said Matter                             
     Ordered that Articles of High treason be drawne up against the Ld          
Arrundell of warder                                                             
     Whitehall 2d November 78                                                   
+On the 31 october the Ld vicount stafford the Ld Bellacise, Coll Roper         
& his son & mr Ratcliffe prisoners In the Kings bench for Treason were          
Removed from thence to the Tower at the desire of the Lds                       
     The Ld Castlemaine was Removed the same day from the gatehouse             
(where he was prisoner for Treason of the Highest nature) to the Tower          
     A Warrant is signed for the Removeing of sr Wm Goreing & sr John           
Gage prisoners In the Kings bench for treason to the Tower with order           
that aswell the Ld Arrundell as the said sr wm Goreing & sr Jo: Gage be         
Kept Close prisoners & Not suffered to come neer Each other, nor                
suffered to have pen Inke Nor paper till farther orders  this was also          
done at the desire of the Lds                                                   
     Our last letters from vienna dat 13/23 give still A worse account          
of the Emperors Affaires with the Rebells for it seems he had Recd Newes        
they had made themselves masters of the Principle townes where the gold         
& silver mines are vizt, scheminth, Creminth, Nazoll & oldzoll which is         
of so much more perplexity to the Emperor as that the Revenue of those          
places were paid Into his owne privy purse & the Ld treasurer was heard         
to say the Emperor had better had lost the province of Moravia & It             
seems the Emperor takes it so much to heart that In some passion he             
Burst out that he was never let to understand the truth of the buisnesse        
but perswaded they were only an Inconsidderable Rabble                          
     The last Hamburgh letters haveing given the perticulers of the             
takeing of straelsond add this that among the greate desolation which the       
fire made the whole magazine of Corne & their mills were Consumed so that       
the sweds must have been forced to surrender through famine                     
   The places which the ffrench have powred their fury on In the spanish        
Netherlands are the Chastellanes of Aoth Oudenard & Courtray the                
vienburgh of Ghent & Countrey of Alost where their men live at discretion       
Exacting what they please from the Inhabitants Alledging they doe it to         
Hasten the Comeing of the Ratifications they being ffree to doe with            
their owne Countrey what they please as long as it is theirs & this             
occasions greate Clamour against the spanish Minesters Especially among         
those who have any Interest In those parts                                      
     L. c. 702     Nov 7th 1678                                                 
   Commons 2d Nov 1678                                                          
+Resolved that An Addresse be made to his Maty that A proclamation be           
Ishued out against simonds Beddingfields Coniers & Catway demanding them        
to Render themselves by A day Certain Imposeing A penalty on any that           
shall Entertaine them And promiseing A Reward to any that shall discover        
them & that his Maty would give order for secureing the sea ports & that        
A Comtee be appointed to draw up the same                                       
     Ordered that the Clerke of the Councill doe attend with what               
letters & papers are before the Councill Relateing to the plot                  
     A Message from the Lds to acquaint the house That they had                 
Information upon oath that the Roofe of their house was so Ruinous that         
any wind Endangered the falling of it & If the house thought fit his Maty       
would fit up the Court of Requests                                              
     Ordered that mr speaker be desired to goe to Newgate to Examine mr         
Coleman upon the whole matter now before the house & assure him of the          
Intercession of this house to his Maty for his pardon upon his full             
discovery which if he Refused he should heare no more from them In that way     
     And that An Addresse be made to his Maty that he will grant A pardon       
under his signe Manuall to mr Coleman In Case he will make a Confession         
satisfactory to both houses                                                     
            Adjourned till 8 Monday morning                                     
  Commons 4 Nov 1678                                                            
+mr speaker made Report that sr Hen Capell sr Tho: Leigh & mr Cambden           
had been yesterday with mr Coleman & shewed him the order of the house          
& the Kings warrant for A pardon if he would Confesse but all they Could        
get of him was That he was so unfortunate as that they Knew so much of          
him as would hang him, but he Confessed he had Recd money from the              
ffrench & spanish Ambrs for promoteing the Catholicke Cause which he had        
disposed of accordingly                                                         
     Then A Motion was made for An Addresse to the King that the d of           
yorke should be Removed from his Councells & presence which after A long        
debate was Adjourned till friday Next                                           
          Adjourned till 8 to morrow                                            
     Whitehall 5 November 1678                                                  
+the dutch letters dat 11th tell us that upon the Continued delay of            
the spanish Ratifications the ffrench Ambrs at Nimeghen began to                
Enter their Complaint Alledging that the spanish Ambrs Must have Recd           
them & that they kept them as an Artifice to gaine the better tearmes to        
the spaniard  Thus occasioned some Conferences & that Conference begat          
A greate Confidence Insomuch that the ffrench K had prolonged the Tearme        
for the Exchange of the Ratifications till the End of this Month                
     The states doe frequently urge the 19 Articles of their treaty to          
the ffrench Ambrs by which it is agreed that all princes &c who shall           
desire to be Comprized shall be Recd In A time Certain which time is            
Not Expired & though the states make such use of it as to picke out             
whome they please for their faivour accepting Lubeck & Rejecting                
Hamburgh yet doe they with all Earnestnesse presse for the d of Newburgh        
And Its said that the Towne of Amsterdam have been so hardy as to desire        
Mounsr Dickfeild to Entreate the ffrench K Not to thinke of Advanceing          
his designes against them by Intrigues In which he would find himselfe          
mistaken for though they were sometimes devided upon domesticke accounts        
he should find them alwayes well united for the Common Interest                 
     On sonday seavenight Maastricht was surrendred to the dutch who            
were now sending all sorts of provisions of warr to make it tenable             
     since the surrender of straelsond the K of denmarke makes dificulty        
of Granting passports for Transporting the swedish Cannon some of them          
being Cannon peeces taken at Rugen                                              
     the Emperor is at last disposed to give satisfaction to the Rebells        
In point of Religion he hath given safe Conduct to their deputies &             
Appointed Comrs to treate with them but the Bp of Grava their Chiefe            
persecutor is the Chiefe In the Commission                                      
+His Maty has Commanded An order of Councell to be printed Granting 20 L        
to any one that shall make discovery of any officer or soldier In his           
horse or foot guards who since the oaths & the Test hath been perverted         
or hereafter shall be perverted to the Romish Religion                          
   Both houses are wholly Intent day by day upon farther discovery of           
the horrid Conspiracy, This day being the Solemnity for the preservation        
from the gunpowder treason the lds as usually Kept it at westminster &          
the Commons at st Margaretts                                                    
     L. c. 703     Nov 9th 1678                                                 
   Commons 6 Nov 1678                                                           
+Ordered that the Matter of the Returne for the borrough of Northampton         
be Examined at the barr of this house on Monday Next & that the high            
sheriffe & undersheriffe of that County & the Maior of that Borough doe         
attend the Clerke of the Crowne with the Returne                                
     Ordered that the thanks of the house be given to dr Tillotson &            
that he be desired to Cause his sermon to be printed                            
     Ordered that the 10 letters from st Germains directed to mr Coleman        
be forthwith translated & unciphered, That an Addresse be made to his           
Maty that mr Colemans letter of the 29 sept 1675 & the Next following           
letter acknowledging the Receipt of that letter may be printed                  
     That the Translators of the Gazetts Into ffrench & the printer be          
summoned to attend this house to morrow                                         
     Comons 7 Nov 1678                                                          
     mr Powell Reports the Addresse for printing Colemans letters               
     Ordered that the Lds Concurrance be desired & their Ldships put In         
mind of the Bill to hinder popish Recusants to sit In Either house of           
Parliamt                                                                        
     Ordered that mr Moranvile translator of the Gazetts Into ffrench be        
Committed Into the Custody of the serjt of Armes & that his house be            
forthwith searched & his papers seized & that he togather with the Printer      
Attend the Comtee Appointed to Examine them farther this afternoon              
     Whitehall 7 Nov 1678                                                       
+The ffrench K pretends by the treaty with the Emperor that his                 
Imperiall Maty shall not directly or Indirectly assist those that are           
Enemies to sweden & that he shall Not grant them any winter quarters In         
the Empire & shall Recall those troops which he has Already sent to their       
succour, but it is alledged the Contrary & that the Emperor is Not by any       
former proposall obliged from sending what succours he shall thinke meet        
The ffrench K will also have the d of Holstein Gottorp Restored to all          
his Estates as before the warr, as also Prince william of ffurstenburgh         
to be set at Liberty & he with his brother the Bp of strasburgh to be           
Restored to their former Rights & dignities, he pretends also to                
ffriburgh & the County & A way Royall betwixt that place & Brisack              
     mr Coleman hath been severall times Examined & his papers Inspected        
by which & other Evidences appeareing to the house It is Judged to be A         
damnable & An Hellish plott by the Romish Recusants for Murthering his          
Matys sacred person subverting the govermt & destroying the protestant          
Religion                                                                        
     There is a wonderfull Concurrance betwixt the Lds & Commons In this        
affaire & they are unanimous In all their Conferences & have No other           
Contention then who shall shew the Most zeale In it  They Kindly                
Communicate Each to other what is offered to them Relateing to the              
Conspiracy & have agreed to Sit forenoon & afternoon till they have             
brought it to some period                                                       
     There are some that say the Emperors pleinipoteniaries have gone           
so far as to accept the alternative that the ffrench shall Keep Brisack         
& the Emperor Phillipsburgh                                                     
     L. c. 704     Nov 11th 1678                                                
   Nov 8th 1678                                                                 
+Ordered that there be A New Election of A New Member In the Roome of mr        
Wood for Dunwich                                                                
+mr soliciter Reports the Addresse against Beddingsfeild simons Gattaway        
& Coniers                                                                       
+Ordered that the Lds Concurrance be desired thereunto & that the               
Clarke of the Crowne doe attend this house with A list of the Names of          
all the Justices of peace within England & wales that have been turned          
out of Commission & Within 7 yeares last past                                   
     Ordered that Coll Macharty & such other popish Recusants as are Now        
waiteing In the Court of Requests In Westminster Hall & places Adjacent         
be forthwith sent for Into Custody of the serjt at Armes to attend at           
the barr of this house                                                          
     Ordered that Coll Macharty doe Imediately withdraw himselfe 10             
miles from London In pursuance of his Matys proclamation                        
     ordered that the Considderation of the debate touching the Addresse        
for Removeing his R Highs from his Matys presence & Councells be                
adjourned till thursday Next                                                    
     Ordered that An Addresse be prsented to his Maty by such members as        
are of the privy Councill to desire his Maty to give order that                 
perticuler prayers may be Composed for the Churches of London &                 
Westminster Relateing to the plot Contrived & Carryed on by the popish          
Recusants against his Matys person & Govermt                                    
     On the 9th his Maty made this speech to both houses                        
+MY LORDS & GENT, I am so very sencible of the greate & Extraordinary           
Care you have Already taken & still Continue to shew for the safety &           
preservation of my person In these times of danger that I Could not             
satisfie myselfe without Comeing hither on purpose to give you all my           
hearty thanks for it nor doe I thinke it Enough to give you my thanks           
only but I hold myselfe obliged to let you see withall that I doe as            
much studdy yo[u]r preservation too as I Can posibly & that I am as Ready       
to Joyne with you In all the wayes & meanes that may Establish As firme         
A security of the protestant Religion as your owne heart Can wish &             
this not only dureing my time (of which I am sure you have No feare)            
but In all future ages Even to the End of the World & therefore am              
Come to assure you that what Reasonable bills you shall prsent to passe         
Into Lawes to make you safe In the Reigne of my successors so as they           
tend not to Impeach the Right of succession nor the descent of the              
Crowne In the Right Line & so as they Restraine Not my power Nor the            
Just Right of any protestant successor you shall find from mee A Ready          
Concurrance & I desire you will withall thinke of more Effectuall meanes        
for the Conviction of popish Recusants & to Expedite your Councills as          
fast as you Can that the world may see o[u]r unanimity & that I may             
have the oppertunity of shewing you how Ready I am to doe anything that         
may give Content & satisfaction to such Loyall & dutifull subjects              
     Whitehall 9 Nov 1678                                                       
+That which at prsent makes the greate Noyse about towne is the discovery       
of the death of sr Edmund Berry Godfrey by one Bedno  This man as               
Reports speake him is A person seduced to the Romish Religion about 4           
yeares since, standing Enough to put such An Employmt upon as to assist         
In the Carrying of the Murthered body In A Chaire & yet it seems they           
had not that Confidence In him but that they would Conceale as much as          
they Could Conducting him only with A small thread of Light through A           
Lanthorne from A Chamber In somerset house                                      
     The poore Wretch had Not so far Unlearned his former principles but        
that haveing done his part In this Trajady he was smitten In Conscience &       
being sencible of the danger he had Incurred made to his Mother about           
bristoll, His mother quickly Read by his Countenance that all was Not           
well within & urgeing him still with the greatest Importunity to Ease his       
mind to her, The meeting with his Matys proclamation which opened a way         
to pardon Confessed how far he had been an actor In it & Came Imediately        
to whitehall surrendred himselfe & gave the account you have heard he           
being only brought for the latter part & Cannot but by heresay give any         
account of the former but he is still under Examination  sr Ellis               
Leighton is brought prisoner from dover Castle to Newgate for holding           
forreigne Correspondance for the Advancemt of popery In this Kingdome           
     severall vessells arrived from Nantes & Burdeaux at ffalmouth bound        
for Holland Report the vintage very good but that the people In ffrance         
are much troubled at the prohibition of Carrying their goods Into England       
+The Monmoth & Henrietta were lately Layd up & paid off at Chattam  there       
was lately Launched there A very good 3d Rate ffregot                           
     The peace between the Emperor & ffrance is as good as Concluded  The       
spanish soldiers are In such want of bread that they are like to desert         
their garrisons                                                                 
     somerset house has been searched by order                                  
     L. c. 705     Nov 14th 1678                                                
   Commons 9 Nov 1678                                                           
+Ordered that mr speaker Returne the thanks of this house to his Maty           
for the gracious Expressions In his Matys speech                                
     Ordered that An Addresse be forthwith prsented to his Maty to Cause        
Comissions speedily to be Ishued to the Justices of peace for Imposeing         
the oaths upon popish Recusants In pursuance of the late proclamation           
     Ordered that mr Beddow doe attend the house to morrow to be farther        
Examined as to the discovery of sr Edmund Berry Godfreys murther                
     Commons 11 Nov 1678                                                        
+Resolved that mr Montague is duely Elected to serve In parliamt for the        
Borough of Northampton                                                          
     Ordered that the High sheriffe of Northampton shire be forthwith           
Comitted to the Custody of the serjt at Armes                                   
     The Lds doe desire A prsent Conference with this house In the              
painted Chamber touching the subject matter of the Conference                   
     mr powell Reports from the Conference that A message be sent to            
the Lds to Remind them of A bill for the more Effectuall preserveing the        
Kings person & Govermt & hindering papists to sit In either house of            
parliamt it being A bill upon which the safety of the King & Kingdome           
& the protestant Religion doe depend                                            
   Comons 12 Nov 1678                                                           
+Ordered that mr Atkins be Examined by A Comtee touching the plott &            
the Murther of sr Edmund berry Godfrey                                          
     Ordered that mr Justice Rose [?] be ordered to attend at this house        
touching the Examination Concerning the fire In sr Geo: downings stables        
on sonday last                                                                  
     Ordered that An Humble Addresse be prsented to his Maty for                
Recalling sr wm Godolphin his Matys Ambr In spaine to Answer to an              
accusation against him of High treason & that A speciall Comission be           
Ishued out for tendring the oaths of alleigance & supremacy to all the          
servants of his Maty & his R Highs & to all other persons other then her        
Matys portuguese & that there be A Comission also for tendring the sd           
oaths to all persons within the Innds of Court Chancery & sergeants Inns        
     Whitehall 12 Nov 1678                                                      
+The Warmth & zeale with which his Maty Calld upon his 2 houses of              
parliamt In his speech to them the 9th Nov for the security of the              
protestant Religion Not only dureing his time but In all future ages            
even to the End of the world had such due Impressions on both the               
houses that they Could Not Confine so greate Joy within their owne              
breasts but Communicated it to the Citty & people about who were so             
transported that they Immediately went to Ringeing bells & makeing              
bonefires                                                                       
     You have formerly heard of the greate want of Corne at Leghorne &          
the places thereabouts the people there Exspecting A very greate                
mortality for want of bread but o[u]r last letters tell us they had Recd        
such quantities not only from England but from all other parts who were         
able to send any thither that they had already began to put A stop to           
their takeing In more store so that those that are likely to goe                
hereafter shall find bad Marketts                                               
     The ffrench K has lately been very severe In makeing Inquisition           
Into duells & has sent Into the severall provinces to have An account           
brought him of all within 10 yeares past Resolveing to Make Examples            
of all who have been any wayes guilty, The M: Crequis Army are to be            
quartered part at ffriburgh part on the saar & the Rest on the Moselle          
     The generall discourse here is of the Advance of the peace with            
the Empire which they doubt not will be obtained within A moneth for            
though the Emperor doth not want powerfull applications to divert him           
yet there is not doubt but he will be prevailed upon by the d of                
Newburgh & D of Lorraine whose Interest for Regaining their Countries           
oblige them to A peace & whose Relation will over power all Endeavors to        
the contrary when this shall be over  The ffrench K they say will               
disband 60000 men & In person Give A vissitt to the seaports                    
+His Maty hath Caused A proclamation to be Ishued out Commanding all            
popish Recusants to Repaire to their usually places of Abode & if               
they have none to the place where their ffather & mother lives & Not            
Remove above 5 miles from thence upon paine of fforfeiting all their            
goods & Chattells their lands tennants &c dureing their lives provided it       
shall Not be Construed to Command any person to their places of Abode           
within 10 miles of London or westminster                                        
+A Congere Eshere [?] is passing for makeing the Bp of Bristoll Bp of           
Chichester                                                                      
+upon the desire of the H of Lds that his Maty would be pleased to grant        
mr oates his pardon his Maty hath signed A Warrant to mr Atturney to            
prepare his pardon accordingly                                                  
     Enquiry is made after one mr powell A Merchant who has been missing        
ever since satureday                                                            
     L. c. 706     Nov 16th 1678                                                
     Mr. Bedowes Confession before his Maty of the Murther                      
     of sr Edm: Berry Godfrey 7 Nov 1678                                        
+he sayth that on the satureday sr Edmund berry Godfrey was Missing             
about 2 In the afternoon as he was going home 2 or 3 Gent mett him              
& told him they Could discover some persons neer the strand Bridg that          
were Adjutators In the plott upon which sr Edm: shewed greate Readinesse        
but they desired him to walke In somerset house yard till the Constable &       
warrant were got Ready But sr Edm: had scarse made 2 or 3 turnes but            
severall persons Rushed upon him & stopped his Mouth 2 ffryars & some of        
my Ld Belasis servants Executing the same & haveing Carryed him Into            
An Inner Chamber demanded mr Oates his depositions of him & promised to         
save his life if he would Render them yet their designe was to have             
taken away his life though he had done it  sr Edm: told them the K &            
Councill had them & therefore he Could Not posibly doe what they desired        
upon which Expression they began to use their Inhumanity towards him &          
most barbarously used him Kneeling on his Breast till they thought he was       
dead, But opening his Bosome they found his heart panted  then they tooke       
A Crevatt & tyed it hard about his Necke & so Ended his life                    
     He further sayth that he Came too late to be assistant In the              
Murther but he found him strangled & lying upon the floore but prsently         
Recd An account from the actors In what manner it was performed, His            
Corps were layd under the High Alter In the queens Chappell & Continued         
there till they had Consulted A way of Removeing them thence, He farther        
sayth that 400 Guineys was the Reward promised Amongst the undertakers &        
on Wednesday following it was Conveyed In A sedan to the Ld Belasis             
house & thence Carryed In A Coach to the place where it was found               
     He also acquainted the Lds that he had severall things to                  
Communicate to them Relateing to the plott & that he was able to Confirme       
severall passages which mr Oates had discovered but he desired Leave to         
give his testimony In writeing that so he might make no other discovery         
then what he was able to Justifie                                               
     On the 14th the Commons ordered the thanks of the house to be given        
to dr stillingfleet & that he be desired to print his sermon before them        
yesterday & ordered that the Chancellor of the dutchy of Lancaster doe          
give an account of all the Justices of peace within that Dutchy & the           
names of such that have been turned out of Comission In 7 yeares past           
     mr secretary acquainted the house that his Maty had sent letters of        
Reveration [sic] to sr Wm Godolphin A person In his Eye & hath ordered          
speciall Comissions to be ishued out accordingly                                
+Resolved that A further Addresse be prsented to his Maty that the oaths        
of Alleigance & supremacy be tendred to all the Meniall servants of her         
Maty & her R Highs Except the portugalls & ordered A Message to be sent         
to the Lds to Remind them of the Addresse before their Ldships for printing     
Colemans letters & Resolved that an Humble Addresse be prsented to his          
Maty for A Genll palrdon for mr Bedowes & Resolved that the farther             
Considderation of the Addresse to be prsented to his Maty for Removeing         
his R Highs from his councells & presence be Reserved till Monday Next          
     Whitehall 14 Nov 1678                                                      
+The deputies of the d of Newburgh doe with fresh memorialls presse the         
states Concerning their Masters affaires declareing that Notwithstanding        
their offering of A Neutrality & their accepting of it & Recomending It         
In vertue of the 19 Article of the treaty to the ffrench K, The ffrench         
had Contrary to their treaty spoyled the Countrey of Juliers & were             
still makeing farther wast at discretion, The states made this Knowne to        
Mounsr de Avaux the ffrench Ambr with much Earnestnesse pressing for            
Redresse who Replyes it Can no wayes Consist with the honour & Justice of       
the K his master to let the swede suffer In the least & therefore must          
have a passage through the Countries of the princes of Germany to send          
them succours                                                                   
     The states upon the Rendition of Maastricht have Resolved to quitt         
it to the spaniards by vertue of the 18 Article of the treaty between           
them on Condition that the spaniards pay all the Arreirs due to them A          
price which Its supposed the spaniards will hardly be willing to pay yet        
that they might take no offence the prince hath only disposed the Charges       
there till may Next at which time upon payment they may take posession          
     The K of denmarke is so ill satisfied with the Articles given to           
Count Conningsburgh that he hath sent men of warr to Intercept the              
swedish Cannon                                                                  
     The Reason that makes mr Powell the more Enquired after is that he         
told his wife on friday last that he had been In Company with some              
papists to whome he had spoken words too large that he was Afraide they         
might take Revenge of him, since which time he hath not been heard of           
     L. c. 707     Nov 18th 1678                                                
   Commons 15 Nov 1678                                                          
+Ordered that the Clarke of the Crowne doe bring In the Names of all            
the Justices that have been turned out In 7 yeares past                         
     mr secretary Williamson acquaints the house that his Maty had very         
Readily Granted mr Bedlow A pardon & had already Given order for the            
drawing it up                                                                   
     Resolved that an Humble Addresse be prsented to his Maty that A            
speciall Commission of Oyer & Terminier be Ishued out for trying Charles        
Mahane & ffloyd as popish preists                                               
     Commons 16 Nov 1678                                                        
+mr Knight Reports severall of mr Colemans papers                               
   The Addresse for A speciall Commission of Oyer & Terminier for trying        
some persons as popish preists Reported & Agreed to                             
     An Addresse to be prsented to his Maty for A proclamation whereby          
Incouragemt may be Given to such persons as shall make A further                
discovery of the plott                                                          
     A Message ordered to be sent to the Lds to Remind them of the Bill         
depending before them                                                           
       Whitehall 16 Nov 1678                                                    
+A Minester from the Bp of Basell haveing made Complaint at paris that          
the ffrench In the Neiburhood threaten to take winter quarters In the           
Bishopricke desired to be Exempted from them declareing that otherwise          
the Catholicke Cantons would be obliged to oppose any such Attempt to           
which he had No other Answer then that he should doe all things fairely         
but that the Bp was A prince of the Empire, Besides the ffrench make            
pretension to A place Called Neufschastell & to A part of Walshe                
Jurisdiction of Berne which belonged to the d of Longeville who left            
them by A Testament to the ffrench K, But those of Berne alledge that           
the protection of that territory belonged to them & that the d would            
Not make any disposall of it to their prejudice                                 
     The vienna letters Nov 6 say that A Gent Arrived from the d of             
Brandenburgh & aquainted the Emperor with the takeing of straelsond &           
that Griswold Could Not long hold out which being once over he would            
furnish his Imperiall Maty with A Considderable Army to be Employed             
as he pleased, What the Emperors Answer will be is Not Knowne, But he           
seems not wholly to have layd Aside the thoughts of Warr for he has             
offered to Genll Montecuculi the honour of being made prince of the             
Empire at the End of the Next Campaigne provided he will goe if the             
Warr Continue & Command the Army & In Case he miscarries that the same          
Dignities may be Conferred on his son                                           
     One stalley A young man was lately taken Into Custody haveing been         
accused for speakeing Treasonable words against his Maty                        
     Bedloes pardon is prepareing which when fully past Its said he will        
make further discoveries                                                        
     The Paris letters of the 18th tell us that A Cessation of Armes            
is Granted to the Towne of Juliers & that they make no doubt of the             
spanish Ratifications & An agreemt with the Emperor & so are talkeing           
of A Greate Reforme of their troops & sending Greate Numbers to quarter         
on the Coast of Normandy                                                        
     L. c. 708     Nov 21st 1678                                                
   Commons Monday 18 Nov 1678                                                   
+Ordered that mr Bedlow be sent for to attend this house                        
     That mr Colemans papers be delivered backe to the Clerke of the            
Councell In order to his tryall                                                 
     That An Addresse be prsented to his Maty to give order for the             
Raising the 3d part of the Militia throughout England for secureing the         
peace of the Kingdome & the sheriffs to be Ready with A posse Comitatus         
In Case of An Insurrection & likewise that the Comtee doe bring In A bill       
to make the Militia more Usefull In time of danger                              
     Ordered that mr Lock mr Howard sr Cecill Howard & mr Kingdome doe          
attend this house to morrow morning                                             
     That the Adjourned debate Concerning the duke be also Adjourned            
till Thursday Next                                                              
     Commons tuesday 17 Nov 1678                                                
+Ordered that An Humble Addresse be prsented to his Maty Giveing the            
Reasons that Induced this house to Committ mr secretary Williamson to           
the Tower & that his Maty be Humbly Addressed Not to Release him from           
his Imprisonment & that his Maty would be pleased to Recall all                 
Commissions that have been Granted to any papists or Suspected papists          
within the Kingdome of England & Wales                                          
     Ordered that A Bill be brought In to make it more penall for any           
person being A popish Recusant to Receive any Commission & that the             
persons may take their Oathes & Test & bring A Certificate thereof              
before their Commission be delivered & that there may be A penalty              
Inflicted on the officers through whose hands such Commissions passed           
without such Certificate                                                        
     Ordered that mr Lock mr Kingdome & the 2 Howards attend to Morrow          
againe                                                                          
          Adjourned till 8 to morrow                                            
     White hall Nov 19th 1678                                                   
+his Maty hath Ishued forth A proclamation Commanding George Coniers            
symonds Charles Walsh Lepham Pilchard [?] & Biston Alias Beeston late           
servant of the Lady Belasis to Render themselves before the 10th of             
december to the Ld Chiefe Justice which If they should not doe A Bill is        
to be prsented to the Lords for Attainting them of High treason & A Reward      
of 100 L to be given to any one that shall discover any one of them             
     The proclamation doth also Charge all officers belongeing to               
seaports to use their utmost dilligence In Apprehending the Popish              
preists & all whome they suspect to be Romish Recusants going In or out         
of the Realme                                                                   
     On the 18th mr secretary Williamson was by order of the H of Commons       
sent to the Tower for Granting Commissions to popish officers                   
     Wee are Its said this Terme to have the Tryall at the Kings                
bench Barr of staley & Atkins the former for Treasonable words the other        
for the Murther of sr Edmund Berry Godfrey                                      
     Some ffrench letters make the Agreement with the Emperor & the D           
of Lorraine as good as done & on these Tearmes                                  
     ffriburgh to Remaine to the King                                           
  The Treaty of Munster to be Executed In all points, Bishop of                 
strasburgh to be Restored, prince of ffurstenburgh set at Liberty the d         
of Lorraine to have the Citty of Toul but not to be fortifyed any more,         
Nancy to Remaine to the King  All the passes Le Bavose to be Restored to        
the duke of Lorraine & he not to have A force of above 200 horse & 200          
foot                                                                            
+the Imperiallists not to assist the Enemies of sweden Nor the ffrench          
K the Rebells In Hungary                                                        
+It is Exspected that Griswald is before this surrendred the time that          
they desired being Expired which was the 21 Instant                             
     The ffrench have granted yet further time till the End of the              
Moneth for the spanish Ratifications  Every day brings ffresh & ffresh          
discoveries of persons Concerned In the Conspiracy & In Consequence             
severall are still dayly Apprehended                                            
+This day his Maty was pleased to signe A Warrant to discharge mr               
secretary Williamson & to send for the House of Commons to the                  
Banquetting house to give them the Reason of it telling them that what          
he had done In signing Warrants &c was by his order for that they were          
only to such persons who left the ffrench Kings service In obedience to         
his Commands & the parliamts desire & had his promise of Employmt here          
& were to passe Into fflanders to the assistance of his allies, Its said        
the Lds have past the Bill against papists sitting In Either house but          
so as whoever shall Refuse the Test shall only Incurr A premunire & Not         
loose their priveledg of Sitting In parliamt                                    
     L. c. 709     Nov 23d 1678                                                 
   Commons Wednesday 20 Nov 1678                                                
+A Complaint being made of A Breach of priveledg by Arresting of Timothy        
Remington A Meniall servant of sr philip Monckton                               
     Ordered that the speaker be desired to Examine the Matter of the           
Complaint & Report the same to the house                                        
     Ordered that mr Troy & mr foule be sumoned to attend at the Barr of        
this house                                                                      
     That the Lds Concurrance be desired to the Addresse for A Reward &         
pardon of any person that shall make any further discovery of This plott        
     Commons Thursday 21 Nov 1678                                               
+Ordered that A Comtee be appointed tp puruse & Examine mr Bedloes              
pardon & to Report their oppinion thereof to the house                          
     A message from the Lds with the Bill for hindering papists to sit          
In Either house of parliament with A proviso that nothing therein               
Conteyned shall Extend to hinder his R Highnesse to which the house             
agreed upon the question the yeas being 158 & the Noes 156  Ordered             
that A Comtee be appointed to draw up the Reasons to be offered at A            
Conference to be held with the Lds why the house Cannot agree with the          
Lds [on?] the Amendments Relating to her Maty & her R Highs                     
     A Breach of the peace happening In the house between sr Jonathan           
Trelany & mr Ash                                                                
     Ordered that sr Jonathan Trelany & mr Ash be secured by the serjt          
at Armes untill this house have Examined & determined the Matter                
    Resolved that this house will to morrow morning take Into                   
Considderation his Matys speech to both houses of parliamt                      
     Resolved that Sr Jonathan Trelany be sent to the Tower there to            
Continue dureing this session of parliamt                                       
     mr Ash being Called In & Reprehended was discharged & the house            
Enjoyned both not to prosecute the quarrell Adjourned till 8 to morrow          
     Whitehall 21 Nov 1678                                                      
+mr Oates & mr Bedlow have both their pardons delivered to them under the       
greate seale                                                                    
     On the 20th mr Coleman & Mounsr Colombriere were under the                 
Examination of the Lds                                                          
     On the 10th at Noon A 2d Rate ffregott was Launched at portesmouth,        
The men of warr Continue still at spithead                                      
     On the 21st staley was Arraigned & the bill found against him by           
the Jury                                                                        
     It is Reported at the Hague Its not to be doubted but Grisswald            
is In the Elector of Brandenburghs hand but whether by force or                 
Composition is Not said                                                         
     Though the spanish Ratifications are not yet Come the ffrench K            
Consents to act nothing upon any strong place In the spanish                    
neatherlands provided they likewise attempt nothing upon the Conquests          
Reserved to him by the Treaty                                                   
     The greate point Controverted at Nimeghen is about liberty to be left      
to the ffrench troops of passing through the Territories of the Emperor         
towards the assistance of the sweds & which hath hitherto obstructed the        
Conclusion of A peace between the Emperor Empire & ffrance which seems          
now to be almost determined the ffrench K haveing declared                      
     The K of Denmarke hath sent 10 men of warr to stop the passage of          
Count Conningsmarke with his Guns &c so that unlesse the Count shall            
Remitt of the Articles Granted to him by the Elector of Brandenburgh            
which there is Noe probability that he will doe there is greate                 
likelihood that the Elector will have Count Conningsmarke & his forces          
to be his Guests this winter at his owne Charge                                 
     At paris they make noe doubt of A peace between the Emperor & that         
Crowne  Nay some write that the Count de Estrades had sent A Courrier           
with Newes that all the Articles of peace between the Emperor & france          
are agreed & want only to be digested Into forme                                
     One Beeston Came In upon the proclamation but is now Owned by Bedloe       
to be the person Concerned In the murther of sr Edm: Berry Godfrey              
+mr Carrill who was Committed by the Ld Chiefe Justice to Newgate for           
Treason is Removed thence by his Matys warrant to the Tower  [Handwriting       
changes for next sentence and last sentence in letter:]  Powell ye mercht       
is at Worcester haveing it seems left here upon some private discontent         
     This day staley the son of mr staley the goldsmith In Covent garden        
was Condemned to be drawne Hanged & quartered for High treason he haveing       
spoken words Expressing his Intention to take away the life of his sacred       
Maty.  The Ld Carrington is in Custody of ye black Rod upon Bedloes             
accusation & yesterday mr Ral: sheldon was Carryd to Warwick Gayle by the       
Ld Ch: Justices Warrant                                                         
     L. c. 7l0     Nov 25th 1678                                                
   Commons ffriday 22d Nov 1678                                                 
+Ordered that the secretary of the Admiralty doe on tuesday Next bring In       
A list of all his Matys ships abroade & their Comanders & A list of all         
the Commanders of those ships now In Harbour                                    
     The petition of mr James siddall & mr Rogers was Read & they               
being Called to the barr Recd A Reproofe from mr speaker for A breach of        
priveledge Committed on the Ld scudamore & were discharged                      
     Orderd that the Concurrance of the Lds be desired by the Members           
of the privy Councill to Cause mr Bedloes pardon to be more Effectuall          
     Ordered that the Coppy of mr Bedloes Examination be made out &             
delivered to the Ld Chiefe Justice                                              
     The house then Resolved Into A Comtee of the whole house to                
Considder of fitt Remedyes to secure the protestant Religion against the        
danger of popery & have made some progress thereon & are [to] be in a           
Comtee to morrow morning                                                        
     That An addresse be made to his Maty touching the accesse & Recesse        
[?] of fforraigne Ambrs                                                         
                         Adjourned till 8 to morrow                             
     Commons satureday 23d 1678                                                 
+ A bill for Raiseing the Militia In England & wales Read & ordered A 2d        
Reading  Resolved that on Monday next the house will take Into                  
Considderation the state of the Nation In Relation to the Army                  
     A message from the Lds for A present Conference Concerning the             
Addresse for Raiseing the Militia                                               
     Mr secretary Coventry acquaints the house that his Maty had sent his       
Answer to the addresse of this house for not dischargeing of mr secretary       
Williamson                                                                      
     A Message from Lds with A bill Entituled An act Requireing the             
persons therein Named to Render themselves to Justice & In default thereof      
to be attainted of High treason which was Read & ordered A 2d Reading           
     Ordered that the Knights of the shire doe on Tuesday Next Come             
seannight bring In A list of all papists & so Reputed being of Note &           
Resident haveing Considderable estates In their Respective Counties &           
that the Minesters of Each County & borough doe meet togather & agree           
upon the Returne & signe the lists                                              
    That the house be Called over on Monday next Come seanenight & that         
mr speaker be desired to write letters to the sheriffs of Each County           
Requireing them to send to all Representive[s] In parliamt who are now          
absent that they doe Imediately Repaire to the service of this house &          
none to depart without leave had after 10 of the Clocke                         
     The house will on Thursday next take Into Considderation his Matys         
Answer to the adresse of this house Concerning sr Jos: Williams[on's]           
Commitment                                                                      
                              Adjourned till 8 Monday                           
          Whitehall Nov 23d 1678                                                
+The Portesmouth letters of the 21st give us the name of the ship Launched      
to be the Vantgaurd & that she promiseth to be as good as any of that Rate      
     Mounsr Campricht the Emperors Resident at the Hague has presented A        
memoriall to the states by which he tells them that whilst they were at         
warr with ffrance which put them to great Expence his Maty had forbore to       
presse for the Arreirs due to him for subsidies of which they had made          
payment to him only till 1674.  But that Now since they had made peace          
with ffrance & so were now In better Capasity to make payment he desired        
they would make speedy payment of the subsidies due since that time             
      He Required further that they would draw their troops out of the          
Country of Leige as well those In the garrison of Hassell & Mayseck as          
In other places for that haveing the garrison of Maastricht Restored to         
them they had not now the same pretension to Keep them & they further           
Required that they would In future forbeare any more Contributions there        
as being places belongeing to the Empire                                        
   The ffrench looking upon the peace with the Emperor now as good as           
made begin to talke of A treaty with the Northerne princes & the Citty          
of Munsicke [sic] shall be the place for Negotiating the treaty &               
Cardinall de Estrees sent to assist on the part of that Crowne                  
+There haveing been A violent presumption that mr powell the Merchant           
hath been Murthered by persons Unknowne, His Maty hath been pleased to          
Ishue forth his Royall proclamation promiseing 200 L to any person that         
shall make any discovery of the Murther & if any of the murtherers the          
same Rewards with his pardon since which he is found to be at Worcester         
& left his home upon some private discontent                                    
+The bill for hindering papists to serve in either house of parliamt is         
sent downe by the Lds to the Commons with A proviso for his R Highs &           
some Amendments.  The proviso was agreed to but a Comtee appointed to           
draw up Reasons for not agreeing to Amendments & A Conference desired to        
be had with Lds thereupon.                                                      
     L. c. 711     Nov 28th 1678                                                
Commons Monday Nov 25 1678                                                      
+ A bill for Raiseing the Militia was Read the 2d time & Committed to A         
Comtee of the whole house & ordered to be Engrost                               
+A message from the Black Rod to mr speaker that the King Commanded the         
house to attend him Immediately In the house of Peers And accordingly mr        
speaker with the house were to attend his Maty where his Maty made the          
following speech                                                                
+My Lords & Gent I told you in the beginning of this sessions how much          
I had been obliged to hold up my forces in fflanders that without it            
o[u]r neibours would absolutely have dispaired & by this meanes                 
whatever hath been saved there is acknowledged wholly to have been due          
to my Interposition & I assure you with all at last I have been forced          
to Employ the money that hath been Raised for disbanding those troops           
for the Continuance of them to gather & Not only so but that I have             
been much out [of] purse for that service, A service by which the               
honour & Interest of the Nation hath been so far Improved that as I             
was Confident that no man would Repine at it so I did not doubt but             
you would all be willing to supply it.  I have Now undergone An                 
Expence A long time so that I find absolutely Impossible to support             
the Charge any longer & did therefore thinke of putting An End to               
the Charge by Recalling my troops with all posible speed which are              
already Exposed to all the utmost Extremities of want & misery                  
because without any prospect of any future pay or subsistance                   
+And whilst I was about this I have been Importuned by the spaniard             
to Continue them A little longer untill the Ratifications of the                
peace were Exchanged without which they say all that hitherto hath              
been done will be utterly lost & that which hath been hitherto saved            
of fflanders will Immediately fall Into the hands of the Enemy.                 
     And now between their Importunity to Keep up those troops &                
my owne Inability to Keep them any longer I find myselfe In Greate              
Dificulties to Resolve                                                          
     If you doe not thinke that the publicke saftey may Require                 
their Continuance I doe wish as heartily as any man that for the                
publicke Ease they may speedily be disbanded & paid off                         
     I have thought fit thus to lay the matter before you haveing               
acquitted myselfe to all the world by askeing your advice & assistance          
which I desire may be speedily without delay.                                   
+Commons  Ordered that A Comtee be appointed to Considder of A proper           
way for superseding the Commission of Roger Bradshaw A member of this           
house High sheriffe of Lancaster                                                
     That the Considderation of the state of the nation In Relation to          
the army be adjourned till to morrow                                            
+sr Edw: deering Reports to the House of Lds the Reason why the house of        
Commons Cannot agree with them In Relation to the queens servants               
                                Adjourned till 8 tomorrow                       
     Commons Tuesday 28 Nov 1678                                                
+The Militia bill was read A 3d time & passed                                   
+Ordered that mr Bedloe be Immediately sent for                                 
     That An Humble Addresse to be prsented to his Maty by the members          
of this house that are of his Matys privy Councill to desire his Maty           
that mr Bedloes Pardon may Extend Relate [sic] to this time Inclusive           
     mr secretary Coventry Reports to the house he had acquainted his           
Maty with the addresse Relateing to mr Bedloes pardon & that his Maty           
was pleased to say he would Considder of it & Returne them An answer            
     That the Considderation of the state of the Nation In Relation to          
the army be adjourned till to morrow                                            
     Ordered that mr Bedloe doe attend this house at 3 A Clocke In the          
afternoone & the house adjourned till that time                                 
               Whitehall 26 Nov 1678                                            
+On the 23d Coleman was Arraigned at the Kings bench barr where the bill        
was found against by the grand Jury & his tryall ordered on Tuesday next        
whilst he was In Court the Ld Cheife Justice gave his warrant to the            
sheriffe of Middlesex for Executing of staley on the 26th in Tyburne            
     There having been some defect found In Bedloes pardon A warrant is         
granted In makeing In [it?] more ample & In all points Effective                
+Wee have Now A discovery of Powell by letters from Worcester which give        
this account that on Wednesday last the guard at one of the gates stopt         
a man upon A little horse with A small burdeing peece & sent him to             
the Maior & Majestrates to be Examined were he Confessed himselfe to be         
the Powell Mentioned In the gazett to be missing & that he was going to         
one mr sherrard an acquaintance of his who Kept An Inne at Leominster           
The majestrates thereupon with the Consent of Powell sent that night to         
mr sherrard who Came the Next day & Affirmed that he Knew the sd Powell         
very well & the place In London where he lived & that he was the same           
Mentioned In the gazett to have been missing  mr sherrard went on ffriday       
for London to give his wife an account of him  In the meane time he is          
here under Custody though he hath the Liberty of the city with A follower       
   On the 26th staley was according to his sentence drawne Hanged &             
quartered at Tyburne.                                                           
      [A few figures in another hand appear on outside of letter.]              
     L. c. 712     Nov 30th 1678                                                
Commons  Tuesday Nov 26th: 1678 afternoon                                       
+That the house doe agree with the Lds Amendmts as to the queens servants       
+That the house doe disagree with the Lds amendmts as to the dutchesses         
servants                                                                        
+CR his Maty haveing Recd the addresse of the Commons desireing his Maty        
that mr Bedloes pardon may extend & Relate to this time Inclusive his           
Maty is pleased that this answer be Returned                                    
     That mr Bedloes pardon of this 1st novembr is as full to all               
offences as Can be desired.  If any offence has been Committed since            
that time his Maty ought to Know it before he pardon it for a pardon            
for a whole day Inclusive (Amounts to) when it is granted before the            
day be Expired will not be good In Law                                          
     Commons Wednesday 27 Nov 1678                                              
+The house was Informed that mr Bedloe had something of moment to Impart        
Relating to this preservation of his Matys person & secureing the safety        
& peace of the govermt & Concerned himselfe In danger for Concealing the        
same  Therefore this house doth humbly desire that his Maty will                
graciously be pleased to grant his pardon for misprision of Treason till        
the time of such discovery that he may not lye under any dificulty or           
danger In discovering the matter  Mr secretary Coventry acquaints the           
house that his Maty was attended & would take time to Returne an Answer         
     The Reasons for A Conference with the Lds Reported & agreed to & A         
Conference had thereupon touching the bill to hinder papists to sit In          
parliamt                                                                        
     A message from the Lds to acquaint this house that they had agreed         
to the bill Concerning the Militia without any amendmts as likewise to          
what was offered at the last Conference & to addresse his Maty to give          
assent to the said bill                                                         
   Resolved that It is Necesary for the safety of his Matys person &            
preserving the peace of the govermt that all the forces that have been          
Raised since 29 sept 1677 & all that have since that time have been             
brought over from fforraigne service be forthwith disbanded                     
     Resolved that it is the humble petition & desire of this house that        
the forces which be now In fflanders be Immediately called over In order        
to their disbanding & that the members of the privy Councell doe prsent         
the same                                                                        
     On Thursday the house sate so late that Noe Journall was made out          
but you may Exspect something Extraordinary by the Next                         
        Whitehall 28 Nov 1678                                                   
+staleys deportment was such as became his condition  I doe Not find            
that he said much  he denied not the words but seemed to Excuse any             
Intention In him to have done the thinge                                        
     sr Peter wych his Matys Resident at the Hans Townes has taken his          
Leave & is gone to Hamburgh to officiate In that Imploymt                       
     Among other matters of Treason that were proved against Coleman one        
was that he said that If he had a thousand lives & A sea of blood he            
would spend them In this designe & for destroying all Heretick princes          
   And another that he hired 4 Ruffians to Kill the King at Windsor &           
paid them 80 L In mr Oates sight about the 20th August last which when          
mr Coleman had made exception & Called In witnesse that he was out of           
towne his witnesse Could only say that he was out of towne for some time        
but they Could not say but that hee was In Towne the 20th August                
   This day the sentence of A Traytor was passed on him  the time of            
his Execution is not yet Knowne                                                 
   His Maty hath been pleased to give leave that the quarters of mr             
staley Recieve buriall                                                          
     L. c. 713     dec 2d 1678                                                  
Commons 28 Nov 1678                                                             
+mr secretary Coventry acquaints the house that his Maty hath granted           
mr Bedloes pardon for misprision of Treason untill the time of such             
discovery mentioned In the addresse & that his Maty would advise with           
the H of Lds before he will Recall his troops from fflanders                    
   A message from the Lds with a bill Entituled an act for the Better           
discovery & speedy Conviction of popish Recusants which was Read &              
ordered A 2d Reading                                                            
     Resolved that an Humble addresse be prsented to his Maty by such           
members as are of the privy Councill to desire his Maty that mr Oates           
may be under noe manner of Restraint whatsoever & that he may be allowed        
his owne servants to attend him & the liberty of provideing his owne            
Necesaries & that his Maty would be pleased to order that he may have A         
prsent summe of Money In hand & A Competent summe of Money weekly for           
his Maintenance & that his ffreinds & Relations may have ffree accesse          
unto him & that mr Oates his pardon may Extend & Relate to this day             
for misprision of Treason                                                       
     Resolved that An Humble addresse be prsented to his Maty to desire         
that the queen & all her family & all papists & suspected papists be            
forthwith Removed from his Matys Court of whitehall                             
          Commons 29 Nov 1678                                                   
+Resolved that the Comissary bring In A list of all the men that have           
been Raised or Come from fforreigne parts since 29 sept 1677 & when they        
Entred Into pay                                                                 
     Resolved that it is the opinion of this Comtee that the house be           
moved to order the paymaster of the army to bring In an account of what         
moneys hath been payed to Every troope of the forces Raised or Come from        
fforreign parts since 29 sept 1677 & what is due & In arrier to them            
since that time                                                                 
     As also to order the auditor of the Exchequer to bring in an account       
of what money he hath Ishued to the paymaster of the army to the sd             
forces since that time  As also that the house be moved that the Comissary      
Genll of the Musters doe bring In A list of all such forces as are Now          
In fflanders or have Come ffrom fforreigne parts since 29 sept 1677             
    Also it is the opinion of this Comtee that what money shall be Raised       
for Redisbanding the Army shall be paid Into the Chamber of London              
     That It is the opinion of the house that this money shall be               
Ishued out by Comrs to be named In the act & that the Comrs shall Not           
Exceed 3 In Number & that the house be put in mind to Appoint a Comtee          
to prepare Instructions for disbanding the Army                                 
     Commons 30 Nov 1678                                                        
+His Maty sent for mr speaker & the H of Comons to Attend him in the H          
of Lds where his Maty was pleased to say that he did passe the bill for         
Raiseing the militia because it put the militia out of his owne power           
for A time for though it was but for halfe an Houre It was the same             
thing, for the Right of the militia being In the Crowne he would not            
Consent to any act that he might put it out though it be for halfe An           
Houre but If he might be Enabled with money he would Raise such A part          
of the militia as should serve the peace of the Kingdome & his owne             
person                                                                          
     As to the other bill he said it was A bill of greate Importance &          
might hereafter be of greate Consequence, But nevertheless for allaying         
the prsent apprehensions & Jealousies & secureing the people against            
their feares he was Content to passe It Into A Law & Now he haveing             
done so much for the satisfaction & desire of his people he did Exspect         
they would take Into their serious Considderation what he had ffreindly         
Communicated to them this sessions & answer his desires                         
          Whitehall 30 Nov 1678                                                 
+His Maty hath been pleased at the Instance of his 2 houses of Parliamt         
to Ishue forth A proclamation that if any shall before the 25 december          
Next make any further discovery of the late horrid designe against his          
Matys person he shall not only Receive the Reward of 200 L but be they          
principall or accessory shall have his Matys pardon                             
     for the Ridding of Papists out of the fleet the officers & soldiers        
at the spithead neer Portesmouth were all ordered to Receive the                
sacrament aboard on the 24th                                                    
     The ffrench haveing demanded Contribution of the Countrey about the        
Maas as being under the Empire the states have at the desire of the P           
of Orange had A Conference with mounsr de Avaux about it to Represent           
to him that all his Highs demesnes where ever they are ought to be              
Comprehended In the peace upon which Mounsr de Avaux sent to the ffrench        
Commanders to suspend the Execution of the sd Contribution                      
   The Imperiallists had proposed A Cessation for 4 months between the          
Northerne princes dureing which Endeavors may be used for Adjusting             
their peace. The ffrench Its said seemed willing to accept the proposall        
but the sweds haveing Refused it the peace between the Emperor & ffrench        
seems further off than before                                                   
     The Holland letters dat dec 6th tell us Mounsr de Avaux had Nov 30         
given In A memoriall to the states wherein he told them that his                
master had no Reason to believe that the spaniards haveing suffered so          
much time to Elaspe had any Intentions to Exchange the Ratifications yet        
he would give them to the 15th Instant wich past he would be at liberty         
to take what measures seems best to him to bring the spaniards to               
performe their words yet that he should not In the least doe anything           
Contrary to what he had promised the states & that he would give them           
what security he desires Not to fall upon the ffrontier places; but Its         
Confidently affirmed that the Ratifications are arrived                         
   The other ffrench Ambrs at Nimeghem gave In A memoriall to the               
mediators that If the Emperor & the allies accepted Not the peace               
offered to them before the End of the yeare & which the Emperor promised        
to accept that his Maty would not afterwards be obliged to give them the        
like favourable Tearmes                                                         
     Some dayes since one Macarta A priest was stopt at Thetford where          
haveing the oaths of alleigance & supremecy tendred him he Readily tooke        
them & so had been dismist, but that one Espying his sleeve somewhat            
bulky seappled [?] it where among other things he had his orders from the       
Church of Rome.                                                                 
[Figures and a list of names in another hand occupy about a third of            
outside of letter.]                                                             
     L. c. 714     dec 5th 1678                                                 
   Commons 2d dec 1678                                                          
+Ordered that mr Oates doe forthwith attend this house                          
     Mr secretary Coventry acquaints the house that he had attended his         
Maty with the addresse Relating to mr Oates & his Maty was pleased to           
returne this Answer                                                             
CR   His Majesty haveing Received the addresse from the house of Commons        
dated Nov 28th last hath thought fit to Returne this Answer                     
     That his Maty will give pardon to mr Oates for misprision of               
Treason from the beginning of the World till the 28th November last             
     That he shall have Liberty to walke where he pleased In Whitehall          
& st James & Enjoy all the liberties of writeing & Converseing which he         
had In Whitehall before the 24th of the said November                           
     He shall have an Allowance of all things Necesary for him but his          
guards his Maty doth not thinke fitt to withdraw In respect to the              
safety of mr Oates his person                                                   
     Resolved that an Humble addresse be made to his Maty Containing A          
Representation of the prsent state & danger of the nation                       
2dly That It may be made part of the addresse to lay before his Maty the        
Misrepresentation that has been made to his Maty of the dangers that have       
or may Arise from private advice Contrary to the Councells of Parliamt          
3dly The private dangers the Nation lyes under by the growth of Popery          
4thly The dangers that Arise to his Maty & the whole Nation by the              
violation of the Lawes for the preservation of the peace of the Kingdome        
     mr Oates being called In delivered In A Coppy of the Narrative of          
his writeing under his hand Relating to the queen                               
                    Adjourned till 8 to morrow                                  
     Commons Tuesday 3d dec 1678                                                
+Coll. Birch Reports from the Comtee Appointed to prepare Instructions          
for the disbanding the Army to which the house agreed                           
     Ordered that the Comtee that prepared the Instructions doe bring in        
A bill pursuant to the same                                                     
     That A Change be Inserted In the bill To make it Penall for persons        
to Continue togather In Armes after the time of disbanding                      
     A Clause of Indemnity to those that have Continued In Armies               
Contrary to the late act for disbanding                                         
     Ordered that the bill against the growth of popery be Read to morrow       
morning                                                                         
                                     Adjourned till 8 to morrow                 
     Whitehall 3d dec 1678                                                      
   On the 30th of the last both houses proceeded to take the oaths of           
alleigance & supremacy & to subscribe the declaration mentioned In the          
said act for hindering Papists to sit In Either house of Parliamt               
     The Commons were so zealous In it that they mett on sonday december        
the 1st & then tooke the oathe & subscribed &c                                  
     There is A pretty story they write from Holland sent to the states         
by their minester at ffrankfort date Nov 20th that A Jesuite Comeing some       
dayes before from Rome Arrived at Basill with Intention to goe for              
England & that In discourse he told some merchants there that something         
was contrived In England against the King which he thought to heare the         
effect of before he Ended his Journey & that for the Mannagement of it          
above A thousand Jesuits were Employed, but before the discourse was over       
the post brought the Newes that the Conspiracy was dicovered In England         
upon which the Jesuite withdrew himselfe & would not be heard of after          
     The Hamburgh letters say that the Liefland Army stand on the               
ffrontiers of Prusia who with the Polanders destroy all that they Come          
Neer & that the K of denmearke had tooke shiping to have A Conference           
with the Elector of Brandenburgh to adjust the diference about the              
swede &c                                                                        
     The Brussells letters date dec 6th say the people in fflanders were        
very much troubled when they heard tha Ratifications were not Imediately        
Exchanged as Knowing the ffrench will Improve the occasion  nay some say        
that they have Charged the Citty of Ghent afresh with 128 guilders A            
moneth though they have paid the 20th peny 7 times                              
     The ffrench K has lately granted An order absolutely prohibitting          
any farmer of the Revenue to Employ any as Comissioners or In any               
Employmt or place who is of the Reformed Religion                               
     This day Coleman was according to his sentence drawne hanged &             
quartered                                                                       
     L. c. 715     dec 7th 1678                                                 
Commons Wednesday 4 dec 1679                                                    
     A message from his Maty by mr secretary Coventry                           
CR   His Maty to prevent all misunderstanding that may arise for not            
passing the militia bill was pleased to declare                                 
     That he would Readily assent to any bill of that Kind that shall           
be tendered to him for the publicke security of the Kingdome by the             
Militia so as the whole power of Calling Continuing & not Contin[u]ing          
them togather after the time limitted be left to his Maty to doe therein        
as he shall find it most Convenient for the publicke affaires                   
     Ordered that A Comtee be appointed to Inspect presidents touching          
the methods & proceedings In passing of bills & whether according to the        
method of parliamt A bill may be brought In for making the Militia more         
usefull & to Report their opinion to the house                                  
     Ordered that mr Kingdome doe attend the Comtee for disbanding &            
give A perticular account to what time Every perticular Regent & troope         
is paid & to Compute what the Charge of Keeping up the forces till the          
1st of January Next will Amount to                                              
+Mr Williams reports the addresse for apprehending all popish Recusants         
& persons so reputed to which the house agreed & ordered that the Lds           
Concurrance be desired therein                                                  
     That both bills for secureing the protestant Religion against the          
growth of popery be Read to morrow morning  Adjourned till 8 to morrow          
     Commons Tuesday 5 dec 1678                                                 
+The house ordered mr Williams to Carry up the addresse to the Lds for          
secureing the protestant Religion                                               
     A bill to secure the protestant Religion against the growth of             
popery Read & ordered A 2d Reading                                              
     Resolved that the house proceed by way of Impeachment of Treason           
& other high Crimes & misdemeanors against the Lds Arrundell of Warder          
Ld powis Ld peters Ld Bellasis & Ld stafford                                    
     That A Comtee be Appointed to prepare Articles of Impeachment              
against the aforesaid Lds & that the sd Comtee doe attend his Maty to           
desire that all papers In Relation to the plott now under Examination           
may be delivered up to them                                                     
     That sr Trevor Williams doe Repaire to mr Oates to Know of him how         
far his Matys Commands for taking off Restraints are observed                   
+That the vote for proceeding Against the aforesaid Lds by way of               
Impeachment be Immediately Communicated to the house of Lds                     
                                       Adjourned till 8 to morrow               
     Whitehall dec 5th [?] 1678                                                 
+Upon the best Enquiry I Can make Concerning mr Coleman how far he would        
discover himselfe I find that he Confessed that the sentence past Upon          
him was Just according to the Law but would not acknowledg that he knew         
anything of any Conspiracy against the King                                     
     His Maty being Informed In Counsell that the body of mr staley             
was buried in state & not with that privacy which became his Condition          
was so Incensed that his Maty should In that nature be so abused that           
an order of Councell past that his body should be taken taken up againe         
his head set upon London bridge & his quarters upon the gates of the            
Citty which was accordingly Executed                                            
     The Commons have desired the Lds Concurrance to an addresse to             
be presented for Apprehending disarmeing & secureing all popish                 
Recusants Convict & all that may Justly be suspected papists & them             
to oblige In Recognizance with sufficient bayle to Keep the peace & be          
of good behaivour & In default thereof to Committ them to prison                
     The Portsmouth letters of the 3d tell us the Oxford & dover were           
gone out to Cruise  There Arrived from New England A greate fflyboate           
laden with 14 greate masts for his Matys use & 3 Greate yardes for the          
New ship                                                                        
     The German letters tell as that they make so sure of peace there           
that they begin To talke how to Employ their forces & that It will be           
best whilst their Army is togather to Employ them against the Turks             
In whose Countenance they Can Easily Read that they only want An                
oppertunity to fall upon them haveing Notwithstanding all their faire           
provences all along abetted the Rebells against them                            
+There is lately taken one mr green said to be guilty of the Murther of         
sr Edm: Berry Godfrey                                                           
     Wee have had no fforrgeign letters this weeke                              
          [Handwriting changes here just for rest of letter.]                   
+the persons that carryed up the Impeachmt agst ye Lds were Mr Wharton          
Mr Maynard Mr Thynn sr Phillip Warwick & sr Scroop How, who at ye Barr          
of the Lds House in ye name of ye House of Comons Impeacht Early [?] the        
severall Lds  Mr Colemans Quarters were with his Matys leave privately          
buryed by his freinds that day he was Executed  Bedloe has desired to           
take ye Oathes & test & be instructed in ye Doctrine of ye Church of            
England.  Dr Lloyd of st Martins is appoynted to that purpose                   
[On outside of letter in another hand appears a short tally that has to         
do with killing sheep.]                                                         
     L. c. 716    dec 9th 1678                                                  
Commons ffriday 6 dec 1678                                                      
+A bill for the more Easy & speedy Conviction of popish Recusants & for         
the more Effectuall Execution of lawes against them was Read & ordered A        
2d Reading                                                                      
     mr Williams Reports that he had attended the Lds with the addresse         
for secureing all papists In England & Wales for their Ldships Concurrance      
     Resolved that the house being Informed that Notwithstanding his            
Matys gracious Condiscention to the addresse of this house In Relation to       
mr Oates he hath been deprived of the benefit thereof                           
     That It is the humble desire of this house that mr Oates have full         
liberty to Converse with all persons In private & that he may not be            
Interupted or overheard by any of the guard or any other persons                
whatsoever & that all Restraints may be taken off from him Unless the           
guard that may attend him for the security of his person only without           
his chamber                                                                     
     Ordered that this addresse be prsented to his Maty by the members          
of this house that are of the privy Councell                                    
     A message from the Lds to acquaint the house that their Ldships have       
agreed to the addresse for secureing the popish Recusants so Reputed            
     Commons saturday 7 dec 1678                                                
+mr speaker acquaints the house that his Maty was pleased to tell him           
that he had 5 or 6 dayes since given order for Recalling his forces from        
flanders In order to their disbanding & that mr Oates shall have the            
liberty of Converse with all persons In private & that the guard shall          
attend without his chamber doore only for the security of his person            
     A bill for the better dicovery & Conviction of popish Recusants &          
for the more Effectual Excecution of the Lawes against them was Read            
A 2d time & Committed                                                           
     Ordered that A Clause be Inserted In the bill to make it felony            
for popish Recusants Convict & all fforreigners to Receive Commissions          
or appeare In armes & that all Commissions granted or to be granted to          
popish Recusants Convict shall be declared voyd & that no such persons          
shall have any pardon but by act of parliamt for that purpose                   
     A message from the Lds to acquaint the house that his Maty hath            
appointed 3 of the Clocke In the afternoon In the Banquetting house to          
attend him Concerning the last addresse where he told them he would             
grant what they desired & Ishue out Commissions accordingly                     
     That on Monday Next the house will Resolve Into A Comtee to                
Considder of the Report made Upon mr Kingdoms accounts of A way for             
Raising money for disbanding the Army which Its said will amount by             
the 1st of January to 148000 L p an & 33000 L for Cloths                        
     That on Wednesday Next the house will Enter upon Considderation for        
securing the protestant Religion In Case another prince of Another              
Religion should succeed                                                         
                      Adjourned till 8 on Monday                                
Whitehall 7 dec 1678                                                            
+Both houses are very Intent Upon such ways as may best serve the               
protestant Religion & In order thereunto they have bills before them            
that tend to the suppression of popery for the finishing of which the           
Commons are so very zealous that the Committee will not sitt to leave           
& determine Elections till after Crismas Next                                   
     They write from Portsmouth dec 4th that A vessell going from               
Southampton for guernsey was seized haveing been found upon search to           
have Coombed wooll                                                              
     One arrived there from Ireland Reports that the garrisons there Kept       
dilligent Watch Upon account of the Conspiracy & that A day prefixt upon        
which all the papists were to depart from the garrisons of that Kingdome        
     All things are Now hastning for the tryall of the Rest that now            
stand accused of the late Conspiracy                                            
     The Impeachmt against the 5 Lds was Carryed from the Commons by 5          
of their members vizt mr Wharton mr Maynard sr philip Warwick sr scroop         
How & mr Thin who at the barr of the Lds house In the name of the Commons       
of England severally Impeached the 5 Lds formerly mentioned adding that         
the Commons would suddenly send up their Articles against them & Its            
said some of them will be brought upon Tryall Next weeke, The scaffolds         
that are building In westminster hall being Almost finished                     
     A grant is passing Constituting the Right Honble William Ld                
Allinton Lieut of his Matys Tower of London                                     
     On the 6th mr Powell who was secured at Worcester was before his           
Maty In Councell where he was Examined Concerning his absence of which          
he Could give no very good account more than that he was under a                
Malancholly Humour & Knew not well what he did                                  
+severall persons of quality & some of the queens servants have lately          
obteined passes to goe beyond the seas                                          
+The quarters of mr Coleman were by his Matys leave privately Enterred          
by his ffreinds In st Giles the same day he was Executed                        
     Its said the Ld Bindenell [?] upon discourse with dr Tillotson has         
Renounced the popish Religion & was on sonday last at Lincolns Inne             
Chappell                                                                        
     Bedloe has its said desired of the Lds that he may take the Oaths &        
test & have A protestant divine to discourse & Instruct him In the              
doctrine of the church of England & dr LLoyd of st Martins is appointed         
for that purpose                                                                
          [Handwriting changes here just for rest of letter.]                   
+One Ensigne Danyloss [?] is sent for from Ware for saying the people of        
England would repent what the parliamt are now doeing & that wthin 14           
days would be ye Greatest observation that England Ever yet saw  they           
write from the West of severall familys that have renounct ye popish            
Religion, taken ye sacramt, & Come to Church                                    
     L. c. 717     dec 12th 1678                                                
Commons Monday 9th dec 1678                                                     
+Resolved that the money for paying & disbanding the forces be Raised by        
A land tax                                                                      
     Resolved that tax shall Commence from the 29th of November last to         
be Raised after the Rate of 17205 L 4 s 9 d 4 [?] p Moneth for 12 moneths       
     Ordered that a bill brought In pursuant to the said vote                   
     A petition of sr Jonathan Trelany Read                                     
     Ordered that sr Jonathan Trelany in order to the Recovery of his           
health shall have liberty to goe into the Countrey dureing pleasure of          
this house giving security for his Returne to the Lieutenant of the             
Tower when the house shall signifie their pleasure therein                      
                         Adjourned till 8 to morrow                             
     Commons Tuesday 10th dec 1678                                              
+Ordered that mr speaker doe Ishue forth A new writt for Electing A new         
member to serve for Towne of Mongomery In the Roome of mr Harbert Called        
up to the house of Lds                                                          
     An Engrossed bill sent from the Lds for the better discovery &             
speedy Conviction of papist Recusants Read A 2d time & Committed                
     An Engrossed bill from the Lds for preventing the protestant               
Religion against the growth of popery Read A 2d time & Committed                
     Ordered that A Clause be brought In for the better Enabling the            
Universities to Recover their Right to the adverson of the presentation         
of liveings that are In the hands of papists                                    
                      Adjourned till 8 to morrow morning                        
+dr ffogartty A phisitian died lately at Newgate whither he was sent            
prisoner on account of the Conspiracy                                           
     The vienna letters tell us of A Cessation of Armes between the 2           
Armies In Hungary to last whilst the deputies of the Rebells treated an         
accomodation at the Court they haveing delivered all the Berge Townes to        
the Imperiallists & the mines In good Condition                                 
    The Emperor In order to what his Ambrs had declared at Nimeghen about       
Restoreing the house of ffurstemburgh had begun already to put prince Egon      
of ffurstemburgh prince williams Nephew Into posession of all his Estate        
which hath been Kept & sequestred since he married Madomoiselle de Ligni        
     Its writt from Holland that when the utmost of time was Come & not         
till then vizt the [illegible number] Instant the spaniard gave In the          
Ratifications which delay is generally believed to have been In faivour         
of the Emperor & German princes that the whole ffrench force should not         
fall on Germany & now they say the Imperiall plenipotentiaries have             
offered A new project which is like to take vizt                                
     The Exchange of phillipsburgh for ffriburgh & the treaty to be at          
the same foot with that at Munster however they are In such likelihood          
of Agreement thaat the Elector of Brandenburgh & Dukes of Lunenburgh            
dispairing of their holding at long are said privately to Endeaver to           
make their peace                                                                
     The Duke of Newburgh hath sent to the states genll to desire them          
to put garrisons on Juliers & dusseldorp that they might not disoblige          
the ffrench so much as to appeare In it                                         
     The Bp of Munster has demanded of the states the money due to his          
predecessor for subsidies but was answered that his predecessor has             
forfeited whatever was due to him In that Kind forasmuch as a little            
before his death & whilst he stood obliged to assist the states it being        
then the Criticall time & doubtfull whether the states should agree with        
the ffrench The said bishop Contrary to his faith did underhand deale           
with the ffrench & In Case of A Rupture promise upon Considderation to          
send 20000 men against the states                                               
+On Monday last the 9th Instant at Weedon Neer daventry In Northampton          
shire A very sad fire happned which began about Eleaven at Night In A           
Carriers Inne & burnt In A little space 3 Innes to the ground with              
severall other houses as many as Its said Contained 19 families with 27         
Carriers packs & some horses                                                    
     L. c. 718                                                                  
     The Examination of Roland Gastrill of the grange in                        
     Gloucestershire sworne the 20th dec 1678 before the Bp of London           
+This deponent saith that In the yeare 1675 he traivelled to Rome & being       
there he was by many accts & perswasions Inveagled to the Romish Religion       
     Afterwards he was Entertained by Cardinall Barbereno as one of his         
Gent where (after he had Continued about 5 moneths) he was prevailed upon       
by severall English there & by the Cardinall to put himselfe Into the           
English seminary where he Continued 2 yeares & A halfe but whilst he            
Continued In the said Colledge (vizt In lent last) discourseing with            
Gerrard Ireland & wm denmore Preists (Now In England[)] The said Ireland        
told him the Catholicks In England had Exspected long Enough from his           
Maty without any Effect & that It was In vaine to Exspect any longer            
That the King had been much obliged to the Catholicks but that he had           
now forgot their Kindnesses & did not deserve to be A King & was A              
shame to all princes & that It was noe sin to kill him  To which one            
sergeant A scollar replyed why                                                  
   The said Ireland Answered him because it would be for the good of the        
Catholicke Church for If the King were dead the Catholicke Religion             
would soon be brought Into England                                              
     And discourseing farther of their go[i]ng Into England the said            
Ireland & denmore said they hoped Either of them to get good fat                
personages there                                                                
     The deponent farther sayth that haveing an Audience of the pope In         
Company of 4 preists (all students of the same Colledge) & 2 secular            
gents the pope understanding that they were going for England desired to        
know their severall states & Conditions & being Informed by Campion who         
Conducted them to the pope that 2 of them were seculars he asked the            
said seculars what was their designe of going Into England & whether            
they designed to be souldiers for that they were fit for the same               
     This deponent saith that In the beginning of may last A few dayes          
before his Comeing from Rome upon Cardinall Barbarino who lay then sicke        
In bed when he bid the deponent at parting (The Rector being                    
present) take to the true & faithfull & serve the d of yorke which the          
said Rector also desired him to beare In his mind                               
     That the Cardinall afterwards (applying himselfe to the said               
Rector) said If the Catholicke Religion were brought Into England               
notwithstanding his greate age he would give men Leggate de Latere              
                                   Roland Gastrill                              
     Whitehall 4 Jan: 1678                                                      
The ships that were from the downes to fetch the English souldiers over         
from fflanders were forced backe againe by Contrary winds but want for          
the first oppertunity                                                           
     The Comtee of Councell that are Employed to search Into the plott          
sit dayly & have serve for severall persons In order to A more full             
discovery                                                                       
    On the 30th James Earle of salisbury was sworne & tooke place of A          
privy Councellor to his Maty                                                    
     The Paris letters of the 10th tell us That Its said Mareshall              
schomberg is to Command A greate Army for the swede Consisting of 38            
battalions 12000 horse & 3000 dragoons & they doubt not but they will           
make their way Into Cleves Thence Into Bremen & thence Into the dukedome        
of Verdon                                                                       
     They speake also of A very Considderable fleet set out at brest &          
other parts on that Coast where they are to take In A greate Army               
Commanded by Mounsr Bellefonds to make A descent Into Holstein                  
+The penzance letters tell us of A ship lately arrived there from               
Havre de grace which gives an account of 6 ships of between 40 & 50             
guns fitting out there but upon what designe they Could not learne              
They say further that they are fortifying all their ports & fortresses          
on the sea Coasts                                                               
     They write from Cologne dat dec 30th of their apprehensions that the       
ffrench will Erelong attack them, Their horse beginning to move that            
way & Its supposed they will passe the Rhine & burne the Elector of             
Brandenburghs Countrey & those townes of the duke of Newburghs that             
Refuse Contribution                                                             
   The Treaty between the Empr and the Rebells is so far advanced as they       
are like to have an act of Indemnity                                            
+The Cadiz letters of the 19th make us doubt of the former account of 5         
Algeir ships being taken by the English & brought In there being they           
give noe mention of them                                                        
     L. c. 719      dec 14th 1678                                               
Commons Wednesday 11 dec  1678                                                  
+A bill for granting A supply to his Maty for disbanding the Army was           
Read & ordered A 2d Reading to morrow                                           
     Ordered that the house will Adjourne for Crismas Eve & Crismas day         
and noe longer during the holy dayes                                            
     Ordered that the house be Called over on Wednesday Next & that the         
members that are then absent shall be sent for Into Custody & shall not         
sit In the house until they have paid the serjeant his fees & Charges           
     severall members Committed Into Custody for disparting the house           
without leave                                                                   
               Commons Thursday 12 dec 1678                                     
+A bill for granting A supply to his Maty for the speedy disbanding the         
Army was Read A 3d time & Committed to A Committee of the whole house           
     A Message from the Lds to remind this house of the Engrossed bill          
sent from their Ldships for the more speedy Conviction of popish Recusants      
     Leave given to sr Wm smith & sr John Otway to goe Into the Countrey        
     The house then Resolved Into A Comtee of the whole house upon the          
supply bill & have gone through part thereof & are to be In A Comtee            
againe to morrow morning                                                        
     Whitehall 12 dec 1678                                                      
+The Ld Herbert of Cherbery being lately dead his brother mr Henery             
Herbert Burgesse for the Towne of Montgomery succeeds him & is Called           
up to the house of Lds                                                          
+Wee had yesterday A strange Allarme of war [that the] french landed In         
the Isle of purbeck which lasted till this morning & they give the              
occasion of the Mistake to be That sr John strouds House was on fire &          
severall both horse & foot flocking to give their Assistance, some whose        
feares would not suffer them to goe neer seing such Numbers at A distance       
& at the same time some ships In the Roade were strongly posest that they       
were french landed & by Express posted away their Apprehensions as Reall        
truth                                                                           
     sr Ellis Leighton has been Examined in the house of Lds mr Oates           
being present where no Extraordinary matters proved or yet appeareing           
against him he has his liberty upon bayle                                       
     One Oneale was this weeke seized In the Temple & Committed to prison       
being said to be the person designed to have killed the Earle of Ossory         
     A servant of the Ld Arrundell of warder being accused of haveing           
too solicittously Enquired after parliament Mens Names Habitations &            
Lodgings upon Examination & search A list was found upon him of the             
Names & dwellings &c of severall members for which he giveing no good           
account was Committed to the gatehouse                                          
     One ffrench is Comeing from Ireland being sent by the d of Ormond          
to make A further discovery of the plott                                        
     L. c. 720     dec 16th 1678                                                
Commons ffriday 13th december 1678                                              
+Ordered that mr Pitt sr Jo: stroude & mr ffowle haveing departed this          
house without leave be sent for Into the Custody of the serjeant At armes       
But if they appeare before the Riseing of the house the warrant shall be        
Respited                                                                        
     That sr Wm Beckett & sr Jo: steward have liberty to goe Into the           
Countrey                                                                        
     That mr Remington A meniall servant of sr Philip Moncton be by mr          
speaker discharged of his Imprisonment                                          
     The house then Resolved Into A Comtee of the whole house & went            
through the bill for disbanding the Army & ordered the Report thereof to        
be made Next morning                                                            
     A Message from the Lds with an Engrossed bill for disabling all popish     
Recusants to use or Exercize Certaine professions or trades & Compelling        
them to Remove from London & westminster, Adjourned till 8 to morrow            
          Commons satureday 14th dec 1678                                       
     Ordered that sr John salisbury & Coll sands have liberty to goe            
Into the Countrey                                                               
   The bill for granting his Maty A supply for paying off & disbanding          
the forces Reported & ordered to be Engrost                                     
     A petition of Edwards Giles was Read & Resolved That the petitioner        
attend on Monday next & owne his petition & that the Considderation             
thereof be adjourned till that time                                             
     Ordered that the paymaster of the Army doe Immediately make up his         
books of the forces to be disbanded within 20 miles of London                   
                                      Adjourned till 8 Monday                   
  Whitehall dec 14th 1678                                                       
+Coll Birch sr Gilbert Gerrard & Coll whitley are appointed by the bill         
to be Comrs for disbanding the Army                                             
     Its advised from Tangier upon the Earnest desire of the Alcaid of          
Alcazar to treate A peace with the garrison  the Earle of Inchequin had         
sent mr John Wollaston & mr William ffitzgerald to him with Commissions         
to adjust it which done will be of very greate advantage to that place          
where within 15 days about 10000 L worth of Barbary goods were Exchanged        
for English Commodities                                                         
     The Paris letters of the 16th tell us that Mounsr O dicke and of           
the Ambrs of Holland meeting at versailles  on his day of Audience the          
Marquesse of Montbas who is much An Enemy to the P of Orange broke out          
Into Reproachfull language of him to which the Marquesse only Answered          
that were it not for his Regard to the place he Knew how to answer him          
which the King haveing heard of sent to the states genll to doe him             
Reason                                                                          
     They write from Vienna dat dec 1st that the buisnesse with the             
Rebells was not then adjusted & that they declare that if the Emperor           
Agree not speedily they will take protection under the Turks                    
     A party of the Turks of 2000 foot & 1000 horse made an Incursion           
Into the Countrey about Raab tooke greate quantity of Cattell & many            
Christians but In their Returne were fought by some Hussars at A passe          
who Recovered the booty Rescued the Christians defeated the whole               
Infantry the horse only Escapeing & tooke severall prisoners of quality         
     They write from Genova that on the 28th of Nov sentence was passed         
In the senate on the d of somersettes murtherers  The younger brother           
was Condemned to the gallows the Elder to the gallies for 10 yeares the         
sentence not to be Remitted without the Consent of the dukes                    
Relations & 4/5  of the senates Consighells [?], The window whence the          
shott was made to be Closed up & A ston of Ignomy fixt on the place             
     On the 14th one mr Whitticar was Committed by the house of Lds to          
Newgate for saying there were but 5 protestant bishops In the house             
          [Handwriting changes here just for rest of letter.]                   
+Its said a vessel arived from Legorne has brought letters relating to          
a farther discovery of ye plott                                                 
     L. c. 721     dec 19th 1678                                                
Commons Monday 16 dec 1678                                                      
+Ordered that sergt Hardis sr Jo: shaw & mr Henery Bertie haveing               
departed the service of this house without leave be sent for into the           
Custody of the sergt at Armes                                                   
     Daniell Giles was Called In & owned his petition delivered In on           
satureday last                                                                  
     A petition of severall Hamburgh Merchants Concerning prohibitted           
goods Read & the Considderation thereof Adjourned to a day                      
     Leave given to mr Williams to goe Into the Countrey                        
     The bill for granting A supply to his Maty Read A 3d time & passed         
& sent up to the Lds                                                            
               Commons Tuesday 17 dec 1678                                      
+Ordered that sr Jo: Hatton being departed the service of this house            
without leave be sent for Into the Custody of the serjt at Armes                
     Ordered that sr Robert southwell doe forthwith Repaire to mr               
Atturney Genll with the 5 letters dirrected to mr Beddingfeild at windsor       
     Ordered that sr Philip Harcourt & mr Monaton have liberty to goe           
Into the Countrey                                                               
     mr speaker being Indisposed Adjourned till 8 tomorrow                      
        Whitehall 17 dec 1678                                                   
   The ffirst 13 of the Comtee for drawing up the Impeachmts against the        
5 Lds are to be made A Comtee of secrecy  Wee were here under A greate          
mistake In the account of the Purbecke Allarme for the letters from those       
parts tell us there was no fire as was Reported but that it was an Unusuall     
appearance  most horse [sic] that misled some good men Into that opinion        
+Old Biernsley A preist brought from Worcester was by the Lds Remanded          
backe to the goale to be Kept there In Custody till delivered by due            
Course of Laws                                                                  
     On the 16th upon petition of Peter Middledorpe & other Hamburgh            
merchants to the house of Lds that the prosperous of London by them &           
their agents laden at Roan In ffrance & designed for Hamburgh but               
comeing Into one of the seaports of this Kingdome was by A verdict of           
the Court of Exchequer Condemned Judgment therein Entred, The                   
petitioners have leave given to prepare A bill to be prsented to the            
house for their Releife                                                         
     The Lds have Committed one Nevill alias Paine to Newgate                   
     The Lds proceed so fast In the bill for disbanding the Army that           
this day they gave It A 2d Reading                                              
     This day Pickering Ireland, grove, whitebread & ffenwick (their            
severall Impeachmnts being found before by the grand Jury) were                 
arraigned at the old Baily where the 3 ffirst were Convicted & the 2            
last Reserved till further time                                                 
     The Yorke merchant of Hull Come home on the 13 Reports that shee           
left Hamburgh but 6 dayes before & that at his Comeing away he had it           
from severall Merchants that the sweds had taken Konningsberg                   
     Upon mr Malletts petition to his Maty to goe Into the Countrey             
for his health his Maty was pleased to give him leave but to Render             
himselfe upon Demand                                                            
     L. c. 722     dec 21st 1678                                                
+Commons Wednesday 18 dec 1678                                                  
+A bill Entitled an act for preventing of the Children of popish                
Recusants for going beyond the seas out of the Kings protection                 
     The names of such members who have not attended the service of this        
house this sessions were Called over                                            
     Ordered that such absent members whose Excuses are not allowed of be       
sent for Into the Custody of the serjt of Armes                                 
     That all the defaulters who have Not taken the Oaths Nor subscribed        
the declaration be Read over & that all the defaulters be sent for Into         
Custody                                                                         
    A message from the house to acquaint the Lds that they have buisnesse       
of greate moment before them & therefore Intended to adjourne only for          
Crismas Eve & Crismas day dureing the holy dayes                                
                                     Adjourned till 8 to morrow                 
     On the 17th sr George Jeffries Recorder of London past sentence upon       
Ireland, Pickering & Grove to be drawne hanged & quartered  They were           
Condemned for haveing attempted to take away the life of the King which         
was fully & Amply proved against them, Grove & Pickering were lured to          
doe the Execution, Grove was to have A reward of 1500 L & pickering to          
have as much In masses at the Rate of 12d A Masse                               
      Pickering was In st James Parke with Resolution to have pistolled         
his Maty as he was walkeing In the Pal mall but finding his flint of his        
pistoll when he was going to us it somewhat loose he would not that time        
attempt it                                                                      
     The Lds have Read the bill for disbanding the Army the 3d time but         
have not past it                                                                
     The Paris letters of the 23rd say Mounsr Colbert has Raised A fond         
of 12 millions to Carry the warr In succour of the swede they Continue          
to furnish their Arsenalls & put stoores In their magazines upon the            
Coasts & though they Reforme severall of the Regemts they doe not meddle        
with the officers March                                                         
     Mounsr du quesne hath not for some dayes appeared at Court which           
though his Indisposition is given as the Cause yet Its thought to have          
A further Reason                                                                
     They are sending A fleet to be sent to Tripoli to Reduce them to           
Reason who of all the piratts are the only people with whome they are           
not In League                                                                   
     There still Remaine obstacles which hinder the finishing of the            
Treaty betwixt the Emperor & them but they doubt not but the Spaniard           
haveing Concluded they also will suddenly Come In                               
     The Honble the Earle of Carnavon was lately married to A lady sister       
to the Ld Norris                                                                
     L. c. 723     dec 23d 1678                                                 
Commons Thursday 19 dec 1678                                                    
+sr Edmund Windham Complained of A breach of priveledg upon his servant         
Ordered that the Comtee of priveledges Report the same                          
   sr ffran drake & the Ld Longford have leave to goe Into the Countrey         
     The bill from Lds for the Effectuall preventing the Children of            
popish Recusants for going beyond the seas out of the Kings protection          
Read & ordered A 2d Reading                                                     
     mr Christopher Pluck High Constable was Called In who Informes the         
house of A Riott Committed by souldiers Commanded by A Capt upon the            
watch at Hamersmith last night, ordered that A Comtee Examine & Report          
the same                                                                        
     A message to [from?] his Maty by the Chancellor of the Exchequer           
CR   That his Maty haveing Recd Information that his late Ambrs In              
ffrance mr Mountague A member of this house did hold severall private           
Conferences with the popes Nuncio there has to the End that he may              
discover the truth of that matter given order to seize mr Mountagues            
papers                                                                          
     That the house Cannot proceed to make any Judgment Either In               
Relation to their members or to the priveledg of this house which may be        
In greate measure Invaded without Knowing whether the sd Information            
were upon oath or of what nature of offence the Matter was                      
     mr Mountague Informes the house that he had In his Custody papers of       
very high Concerne & hoped that they were Not yet seized                        
+Ordered that the Ld Cavendish Ld Russell sr Hen: Capell & mr Herbert           
goe to fetch them                                                               
     The addresse being prsented by the Ld Cavendish sr Jo: Earnly & sr         
Tho: Meers his Maty Returned this answer                                        
     That his Maty was busy & wished them to Come again after the house         
was up                                                                          
     Then mr Mountagues Papers being brought Into the house mr mountague        
produced 2 letters which were Read & after A long debate the house came         
to this question                                                                
     Whether there be matter Enough In those 2 letters to Impeach Tho:          
Earle of danby Ld High treasurer of England                                     
     Upon this the previous question was put whether the question should        
not now be put & it was Carried In the affirmative, Then the Maine              
question being put it was Carried In the affirmative                            
     Ordered that A Comtee be Nominated to draw up the Impeachmt with           
power to Receive further matter to send for persons papers & Records            
     That the 2 letters of mr Mountague be left In the hands of the Ld          
Cavendish & that he bring them Into the house to morrow to be Entred            
Into the Journall booke                                                         
     Ordered that mr speaker doe not adjourne the house without the             
question put If desired                                                         
     Commons ffriday 20 dec 1678                                                
+The Bill for the more Effectuall preventing of the Children of popish          
Recusants for going beyond the seas out of the Kings protection Read A          
2d time & Committed                                                             
     other bills against popery & A bill to hinder popish Recusants from        
Exersizing severall professions & occupations Committed to the same Comtee      
+mr speaker Informes the house that he had Read A letter from the Ld            
Treasurer Intimatimateing [sic] that he had sent him 2 letters amongst          
many of mr Montagues for his owne Justification                                 
     The one was signed & dat January 11th 1678 which was ffirst Read           
The other was not signed but dated 18th Jan: 1678 which was Read by mr          
Mountagues desire                                                               
               Commons satureday 21 dec 1678                                    
+The Lds Returned the bill for disbanding the Army with severall                
Amendments most of which were to order the payments of money Into the           
Exchequer & not Into the Chamber of London to most of which the Commons         
did agree                                                                       
     Ordered that A Comtee draw up Reasons for Conference with the Lds          
     That sr Jo: Talbott be sent to desire the Lds to sit this afternoon        
     sr Jo: Talbott Reports that the Lds will sit this afternoon                
     mr Williams Reports six Articles of high treason against the Earle         
of danby Ld High treasurer of England                                           
     Upon A long debate of those articles the question was put whether          
they should be Recomitted & It passed In the Negative                           
     That he had traiterously assumed to himselfe A Regall power to make        
peace of himselfe without Knowledg of the privy Councell                        
     Ordered that the Comittee have power to send for persons papers &          
Records & to Receive any further Information that shall from time be            
given them                                                                      
     Whitehall 21 dec 1678  on the 16th there were In ffalmouth Roade           
upward of 60 sayle of ship outward & homeward bound from ffrance  The           
masters Report A very good vintage but A sad Complaint amongst the              
poore people for want of tradeing with the English by Reason of the             
prohibittion                                                                    
     There was lately An Allarme about Hull occasioned by the                   
deposition of A Countrey man that he had seen upon Buforth moor about 10        
miles thence 80 men & horse well Armed but upon Inquiry it proved to            
be 2 juries from 2 Townes adjacent with some other persons that                 
accompanied them                                                                
+One Orante is taken upon the Murther of sr Edmund Berry Godfrey whome          
Bedloe sweares positively to have been one of the number                        
     Wee have fflanders letters but 4 dayes old & then the ffrench had          
not Evacuated any garrison                                                      
[Outside of letter has some words and figures in another hand on a rental       
agreement on Sir Richard's estate.]                                             
     L. c. 724     dec 26th 1678                                                
+On satureday last mr Williams Reports to the house the articles of High        
treason against Thomas Earle of Danby Ld High treasurer of England              
1 That he Traiterously assumed to himselfe A Regall power In treating           
with fforreign Princes & giveing Instructions to Ambrs                          
2 That he had Endeavoured to alter the Auncient forme of govermt & to           
Introduce military power & hinder the disbanding of the Army                    
3 That he is popishly affected, withdrawing Evidences against the               
Popish Traitors & discountenanceing witnesses against them                      
4 That he has Endeavoured to subvert Parliamts by procureing greate summs       
of money from the ffrench King                                                  
5 That he hath wasted his Matys treasure by vast & unnecesary pensions          
6 That he had procured unto himselfe vast grants of his Matys lands &           
Hereditamts Contrary to the late Acts of parliamt                               
     Commons Monday 23rd dec 1678                                               
Leave given to sr ffrancis Wagman to goe Into the countrey for 20 dayes         
In order to the Recovery of his health                                          
     sr Jo: Earnly acquaints the house that his Maty had ordered to             
prsent them severall letters for their Information In Relation to the           
addresse & desired they might be Read                                           
+Ordered that A Comtee be appointed to Examine the Engrossed articles           
with the Originall                                                              
     The Clause of saveing A liberty to the Commons of Exhibitting              
further articles & Replying to the Answers of the Ld treasurer were Read        
twice & upon the question agreed to & ordered to be Engrost                     
     Ordered that sr William Hickman be sent to acquaint the Lords that         
the house doe Intend to sit this afternoon & to desire that their               
Lordships would doe the like                                                    
     Ordered that An Humble addresse be prsented to his Maty humbly to          
desire his Maty to take greate Care of the safety & preservation of his         
person & that the members of this house that are of the privy Councell          
doe Imediately Attend His Maty to Know when the house shall attend him          
with the addresse                                                               
     The debate Arrising In the house Concerning the delayes In not             
Executing severall persons Condemned for high treason                           
     Ordered that the further debate be adjourned till thursday next 10         
of the Clocke                                                                   
     That the Comtee appointed to draw up the articles against the 5 Lds        
doe goe to Newgate to take the Examination of mr Pranse Concerning the          
Plott & the murther of sr Edmundbury Godfrey                                    
                         Adjourned till 4 afternoon                             
              Post Meridian                                                     
+sr Hen Capell went up to the Lds with the articles of High treason             
against the Ld treasurer.                                                       
     The Reasons to be offered at A Conference with the Lds why this            
house should not agree to their Ldships Amendmts to the bill for granting       
A supply to his Maty for disbanding the Army Reported & A prsent                
Conference with the Lds Concerning the same desired                             
     The Lds have agreed to A Conference on Thursday next at 10 of the          
Clocke                                                                          
                                       Adjourned till 10 Thursday               
     Whitehall december 24th 1678                                               
+The Circumstances of Taking Pranse are very Remarkable, On the 20th            
the day before his apprehension as Bedloe was walkeing along the stre[et]       
with his guard, Pranse severall times made towards him & once pressed so        
Rudely that his brother who alwayes accompanied him thrust him off &            
told him that If he offered to doe the like againe he would breake his          
pate, But this while Bedloe himselfe going on minded it not                     
     At night his Brother Related to him the passage & then he wished           
he had seen him                                                                 
     The Next day being the 21st this Pranse was taken Into Custody of          
A Constable upon Information of his being absent from home 8 dayes &            
nights at the time when sr Edm: Bury Godfrey was murthered & being              
Carried to westminster to the same place where Bedloe was His brother           
Espyed him & told Bedloe that there was the man that the day before past        
so much by him  Bedloe Imediately Knew & discovered him Upon which he was       
Carried to A Comtee of Lds Examined & sent to prison                            
    Whitticar who spake so scandalously of the Bishops upon his humble          
petition & Begging his pardon upon his Knees at the barr of the Lds             
house had an order to be discharged of his Imprisonmt                           
+On the 23d In the afternoon sr Hen Capell by order of the house Carried        
up to the Lds the Impeachmt against the Ld High treasurer demanding that        
his Ldship be sequestred from his seate & his person secured upon which         
the Lds had A very long debate whether his Ldship should be now Removed &       
It was Resolved that his Ldship should not be now Removed                       
+On the 23d at night the porter of somerset house with 2 other over the         
stables & some In other places were taken Into Custody                          
     On the 24th Pranse was brought before the Councell where his Chaines       
were ordered to be taken of & meate & wine sent for to Refresh him              
     L. c. 725      Dec 28th 1678                                               
Commons Tuesday 26th dec 1678                                                   
+Resolved that the Conference of the Lds Amendments to the disbanding           
bill be perticularly Committed to the Care of mr Powle                          
     mr Powle Reports that he mett the Lds At A Conference & left the           
bill & Amendmts togather with the Reasons with their Ldships                    
     sr Jo: Trevor Reports from the Comtee of secresy that they had take        
the Examination of mr Prance & had apprehended severall persons upon            
that Information                                                                
     Ordered that the Recorder of the Citty of London doe attend this           
house to morrow & give this house an account why he doth not Ishue out          
the warrant to Execute the 2 persons that were Condemned the last               
sessions upon account of the plott                                              
     That the Comtee to whome the bills against popery stand Committed be       
Revived & doe sit de die In diem till they have perfected their Report          
     That the officers of the green cloth & the queens Vicechamberlain          
doe Returne to the house the names of all such papists as are Resident &        
such others as Inhabitt within whitehall somerset house & St James              
     That the Comtee Appointed to Considder of A proper way to supersede        
the Commission of sr Roger Bradshaw A member of this house High sheriffe        
of Lancaster be Reviewed & doe sit this afternoon In the place appointed        
                                      Adjourned till 8 to morrow                
     London dec 26th 1678                                                       
+On satureday last one Prance A silver smith being accedentally seen by         
mr Bedloe was Charged by him but stoutly denyed it so he was Committed          
to Newgate but being afterwards prevailed with by A Comtee of Lds to make       
An Ingenious Confession of the whole upon promise of pardon he Confessed        
     That himselfe was one of the Murtherers of sr Edmund Berry Godfrey         
he with 2 others haveing for 2 dayes waited his Comeing by somerset             
house & on satureday In the afternoon perceiveing him they hurried him          
downe the Backe way which heads to the water side, Its said they killed         
him In the stable & afterwards Carryed him Into the Lodge  one Green that       
was lately taken he sayes stamped upon his Breast  ffrom thence they            
Carryed him to one hills house A shoemaker Jesuite, But fearing he was          
not safe they removed him Into the Chamber where Bedloe saw him & Pranse        
with A darke Lanthorne shewed the Corps to severall ladyes & other[s]           
Concerned therein                                                               
+ffrom thence they Carryed him In A sacke to the place where he was             
found, This Prance haveing A horse for that purpose  besides this he            
tells greate matters of the plott & who were the principall actors In           
this Murther                                                                    
     One Everard Come from Ireland is this day to be Examined before the        
Lds about A further discovery & another is Come from Bristoll upon the          
same account                                                                    
     letters this post ffrom Ireland give us this Relation  That one            
Jepson A youth In dublin whose ffather was Executed some yeares since           
In the duke of ormonds time fell In Love with A papist maide  The               
preists & Jesuits Incouraged him In it promiseing that they would not           
only procure him the same Maide but A portion also but he must ffirst           
Revenge his ffathers death by Killing the duke, They Caryed him often           
to their Masse & with their Jesuiticall policy at Length Ensuent [?] the        
youth Gave him often money & Instructed him In the method of his acting         
In it & being just upon the point of putting it Into Execution A letter         
was found that one Jesuite sent to another about the Murther which was          
accedentally lost the whole Buisnesse being therein Contayned so that           
Jepson was secured & after some time Confessed it accuseing one Burnet A        
preist Plunket A Jesuite & one Owen A preist with some others  These 3          
were Committed to prison                                                        
     A letter writt from London to Albert Hawkins of Newcastle dated 14         
dec 1678 through A Mistake was Carryed to Hoskins & by him sent up              
hither, That if there were A glorious saint In Heaven Co: was for he            
Continued faithfull to the death  If B. and W: doe soe too wee doe not          
feare successe but that wee shall yet triumph over the Hereticks                
The staires were Happily Removed the day before the search & the Armes          
are yet safe, Continue stedfast & be Corragious, ffather P hath A               
dispensation for all oaths & Tests, Oates will be dispatched within             
A weeke by S Con [?] Waites at S and is Carryed of at scarbrough                
     Many other Circumstances but those are the most materall                   
     L. c. 726     dec 30th 1678                                                
Commons ffriday 27 dec 1678                                                     
+mr Barrowes petition for faivour as to his Recusancy Rejected  mr              
Recorder of London being Called In acquainted the house that the Next           
day after the sentence had passed upon the prisoners for high treason           
he had attended his Maty to Know his positive pleasure therein & that           
his Maty was pleased to let him Know that he would Considder of it &            
that In the meane time he should suspend Execution                              
     A question Arriseing In the house whether mr Recorder had done his         
duty In deferring Execution after some debate thereof the further               
Considderation thereof was adjourned till Monday                                
                              Adjourned till 8 to morrow                        
     Commons saturday 28 dec 1678                                               
+sr Jo: Morton Informes the house that severall papers of Concernment           
were found at Dullidge & In sr Cha: Herberts hands                              
     sr Cha: Herbert Informes the house that he had such papers of              
Concernment but had delivered them to the secret Comtee appointed to            
draw up the Evidence against the Lds                                            
     Ordered that sr Jo: Earnly doe Immediately Carry An addresse of            
this house to his Maty that his Maty would be pleased to Ishue out A            
Commission of Oyer & Terminier for the tryall of the 3 last persons             
taken for the Murther of sr Edmundbury Godfrey                                  
     sr Jo: Earnly Reports that he had waited upon his Maty & that              
his Maty was pleased to answer that he would Immediately ishue out his          
Commission for their tryall                                                     
     A message from the Lds desireing A present Conference upon the             
subject matter of the last Conference                                           
     mr Powle Reports the Lds Reasons at the Conference, The Commons            
agree not to one of them but have ordered A Comtee to draw up Reasons           
for A Conference                                                                
     Ordered that mr Bennet goe to desire the Lds to sit this afternoon         
which the Lds Consented to                                                      
                           Adjourned till 4 afternoon                           
   Whitehall dec 28th 1678                                                      
+Prance Confesseth himselfe one of the Murthers of sr Edmundbury Godfrey        
as also Hill, Green & Berry & 2 Preists named ffitzgerald & Kelly  That         
they had A fortnight before sought his death Resolveing to Kill him with        
the ffirst opportunity  That the satureday of his [?] they had doggd him,       
set him about the May pole & betwixt 8 or 9 at Night Trapanned him Into         
somersethouse yard by desireing his assistance to part 2 fighting & In          
A house neer the stables strangled & Broke his Necke  In that night they        
put him In lodgings Kept by Hill & Removed him to severall places In            
somerset house till Wednesday night when they Carryed him In A Chaire to        
the townes End & thence on horsebacke to the place where they left him          
haveing ffirst Run his sword through him                                        
     On the 26th Information was given to the Lds of A Jesuits Colledge         
at Combe In Herefordshire & A library discovered fitt for the use of one        
Harcourts A popish Preist In Hereford Goale who is sent for up                  
     The Hague letters of the 20th tell us of A greate summe demanded of        
the spaniards by the ffrench for arreirs of Contributions of Noe lesse          
the[n] 1700 guilders, A summe which the spaniard is In no way able to           
pay & yet without which the ffrench say It Cannot be Exspected the King         
should withdraw his fforces out of the Countrey  They add that the              
Brussells letters of that day advised that the ffrench pretend to detayne       
2 places till the payment of those arriers upon which the proclaimeing of       
the peace appointed on the 25th was put off till further time                   
     They had Advice from denmarke that Mounsr Pomponne had obteyned A          
free passage for the ffrench letters too & from sweden by Elsenburgh for        
the facilitation of the peace between the Northerne princes & some say          
further that at the late Interview between the King of denmarke &               
Elector of Brandenburgh the King had proposed the exchange of Wismar for        
straelsond without which the Island of Rugen was not tenable but that           
the Elector was very bold In it & that the ffrench did worke upon this          
occasion to Improve A misunderstanding betwixt them                             
+The ffalmouth letters of the 23rd tell us of the fflying dragon of             
ffluffen Arrived In 14 dayes from ffaro John Prophett Master, sayes that        
the day before he Came thence A dutch ship Come thence from Cadiz told him      
the English had brought 5 Algerines Into Cadiz vizt the Greyhound 42 guns       
the Kings son admirall the 5 starrs 36 guns, Another Algerine 36 guns           
the golden Tyger 34 guns & the New fountaine 34 guns                            
+The Lds were upon the further debate of the Impeachment against the Ld         
Treasurer on the 27 & the question being put whether his Lordship should        
be Committed ordered that he should not be Committed & that he should           
have A weeks time to put In his Answer                                          
     L. c. 727     Jan 2d 1678                                                  
Whitehall 31st dec 1678                                                         
+A Commission of Oyer & Terminier is prepareing for the Immediate tryall        
of the persons for the Murther of sr Edmundbury Godfrey                         
     On the 30th Prance was before the Councell where he denyed what he         
Confessed before                                                                
     The same day his Maty about 11 A Clocke Came Into the house of Lds &       
sent for the Commons & declared his mind to both houses In A short              
speech as followeth                                                             
+My Lords & Gent, It is not without greate greife that I come this day to       
prorogue you but all of you are witnesses that I have been ill used  The        
perticulars of it I Intend to acquaint you at A more Convenient time  I         
ashure you I will Immediately Enter upon the disbanding of the Army & let       
all the world see there is nothing I Intend but the safety and welfare of       
the Kingdome & will use all posible dilligence to search the bottom of          
the plott & to bring the Instruments of it to punishment & will use all         
dilligence to preserve the protestant Religion as by Law & Established          
+My Lords & Gent I have no more to say to you at this time but leave it         
to my Ld Chancellor to prorogue you                                             
+Ld Chancellor/  his Maty Commanded the Parliamt to be prorogued to the         
4th of ffeb Next & the Parliamt is prorogued accordingly                        
     Wee have Now from denmarke & Hamburgh A full account of the sweds          
stranding at Borneholme In their voyage from Pomeren by which 1000 were         
drowned & 3000 made prisoners of warr with all their baggage & Artillery        
     ffour danish men of warr & other vessells are ordered to goe for           
Borneholme to fetch the Prisoners & some of the sweds officers were             
already at coppenhagen  That which added to their destruction was that          
the Countrey Militia Apprehensive of their Numbers fell upon them at            
Landing & killed many before they Could make Knowne their Misfortune            
     Our fflanders letters dated the 3rd of January tell us on the 29th         
peace was proclaimed at Brussells & other places between ffrance & them,        
Limberge & Lewewere were Already surrendred & they Exspected that               
Charleroy, Binches Beaumont & Chimoy would follow & also Aoth Oudenard          
Gaunt & at last Courtray                                                        
     And yet wee have no more from Nimeghen of the peace between the            
Emperor & ffrance then what wee are told some weeks before, though the          
Vienna letters tell us that the people thereabouts were much Joyed at           
the arrival of the last Courrier there who gave an account that the             
plenipotentiaries were so neer an agreement that there was noe doubt but        
that the Emperor would put an End to it                                         
     The ffrench however Insist still upon the point for ffree passage          
through the Empire to bring In those that shall stand out which is the          
greatest If not the only Remaining dificulty of Importance                      
     In the meane while they tell us from Cologne dec 30th that the             
ffrench were putting themselves In A posture to passe the Rhine with the        
ffirst hard frost & that they had cut off the Course of the River which         
worke the mill at Julieres                                                      
     L. c. 728     Jan 4th 1678                                                 
+His Maty haveing thought fitt to prorogue the Parliamt on Monday last          
to the 4th of ffeb next The Next day he sent for the Ld Maior &                 
aldermen to attend him at Whitehall where his Maty made A speech In             
substance to that he made to the Parliamt willing them to Rest satisfied        
& forbeare Irreverent discourses of his proceedings  That he would bring        
the plotters to Justice & secure the protestant Religion disband the            
Army & doe all other matters that can be Exspected from him & gives them        
liberty Either to Increase or decrease the militia as best liked them           
     They being Returned ordered 4 aldermen to Returne the Cittyzens            
thanks for his gracious Expressions & Care over them                            
     Capt wetwang & 11 men of warr went on the 30th to ostend as Convoy         
to severall flyboates to fetch over the souldiers In order to their             
disbanding                                                                      
     sonday last Prance being brought before the Councell to be further         
Examined denyed all that he had before Confest & was ordered to newgate         
but hath since with A greate deale of Reluctancy Confest againe but             
though this may seem to be some disreputation to his testimony yet              
agreeing with mr Bedloes & A greate likelihood In it as to the                  
Circumstances will not Invalidate it                                            
     Monday night ffather Benningfeld prisoner In the gatehouse on              
account of the plott dyed & mr Oates was sent thither to give his               
testimony that he was the right person                                          
+Last weeke the d of Albemarle haveing some notice of A greate summe of         
money brought from Harwich hath seized the same & Its supposed it               
may be 10000 L & Its said that it was Exprest that It was the last              
summe to make up the 200000 L but mentions not to whome it belongs  Tis         
believed to belong to papists to Carry on the designe                           
     letters from Herefordshire tell us of A discovery of A Jesuits             
Colledge & that there were others In the Kingdome  they give an account         
of the manner of seizeing it. That the Jesuits were Escaped but they            
found greate quantities of popish books & many preists vestments & A            
Catalogue of their Names, who was their founder & Benefactors & A booke         
of the disbursments of the Colledge with Its Revenue                            
+Staffordshire/ The Information of stephen dugdale gent late servant            
to the Ld Aston of Tipenhall Concerning the plott against the King              
1 This Informant sayeth that prsently after one Howard almoner to the           
queen went beyond seas he was told by George Hobson servant to my Ld            
Aston that there was A designe then Intended for the Reformation of             
govermt to the Romish Religion                                                  
2 He Informeth that the beginning of sept 1678 he mett at Tipenhall             
neer the Lds gate the Ld stafford who said to this Informant It was said        
that they were troubled that they Could not say their prayers but In A          
hidden manner, But suddenly there would be A Reformation to the Romish          
Religion, and upon the 20th sept last the Ld stafford told this                 
Informant that there was A designe In hand & If the Informant would             
undertake it he should have A good Reward & make himselfe famous                
3 That upon the aforesaid day Immediately after this Informant went Into        
the Chamber of mr ffrancis Vrie Alias Ever A Jesuite In Tipenhall & asked       
him what the Lds stafford meant by those words & after that hee had made        
him sweare secrecy on his Knees he told him he might be A person Employed       
In the worke & have A good reward that would make him faimous & then told       
him he must be Instrumentall with others In takeing away the Kings life &       
that It should be done by shooting or otherwise & that this Informant           
need Not feare for the pope has Excomunicated the King & that all that          
were Excommunicated by him were Hereticks & that they might Kill them &         
be Canonized for saints for soe doing                                           
4 This Informant sayeth that the said Evers & Hobson both said that             
their designe was as well to Kill the d of Monmouth as the King                 
5 That George North (Nephew to Pickering & servant to the Ld Aston) lately      
told this Informant that they taken his uncle (meaning Pickering) & put         
him Into Newgate & that he thought the King deserved such An Execrable          
death as was Intended against him because of his whoreing & debauchery          
6 That mr Evers said mr Benefeild had A pacquett of letters delivered to        
him from the posthouse which he feared the Ld Treasurer had notice of &         
therefore he delivered them to the d of yorke & the duke delivered them         
to the King & the King delivered them to te Ld treasurer after he had           
Read them & therefore it was happy for if they had been throughly               
beleived the plot had been discovered                                           
7 that he had Recd Many Pacquetts for Evers some of which this Informant        
opened & found to be & tend to the Establishmt of the Romish Religion           
8  That he had Recd severall summs of Money himselfe & Knew of divers           
others that were Employed to put forth Moneys which is & was for the            
Jesuites                                                                        
+Taken upon oath the 24th dec 1678        stephen                               
 before Tho: Lane: Jo: Vernon             dugdale                               
+Whitehall Jan: 2d 1678  The deputies of the Rebells In Hungary find Not        
that dispatch In their Negotiation as they Exspected & they begin to            
smell out the successe thereof depends much upon that of the treaty of          
nimeghen so that if that take they looke for Tearmes hard Enough                
     The likenesse of peace to Ensue between the Emperor & the ffrench          
give the Notherne princes apprehensions what may become of them &               
Jealousies one of another In perticuler the Brandenburgh Minesters are          
Jealous of the danes for that their minesters at Nimeghen have lately           
held Conference with the ffrench there more then they thinke Needfull           
for Carrying on their Joint Interest                                            
     The letters from the Notherne Ports tell us of the greate Care taken       
by them according to their orders for makeing strict Enquiry what persons       
take shipping least any guilty of the plott should that way Escape              
     The Vienna letters dat dec 15/25 tell us A Courrier was sent thence        
with orders to the Emperors plenipotentiaries to Conclude & signe the           
peace with ffrance                                                              
[On outside of letter in another hand appear a few figures and this             
note:] Mem. Barretts Rate Tith./Widow Crab. [and] Hyat./Wm Heritage/Sh. &       
B./Pres: for a L.                                                               
     L. c. 729     Jan 9th 1678                                                 
  Whitehall Jan 7th 1678                                                        
+sr ffrancis Winington solicittor Genll is put out & mr ffinch the Ld           
Chancellors son is put In his Roome & mr May the Recorder of Chichester         
is made the d of yorke solicittor In mr ffinches place                          
     On ffriday last the attorney Genll & all Judges were Consulted             
before the K & Councell whether by Law the Lds In the Tower Could be            
tryed upon an Indictment dureing the Intervall of the sessions of               
Parliamt.  They all agreed that Lawfully they Cannot but that they must         
be tryed by parliamt upon their Impeachment which Cannot be done but when       
the parliamt is sitting                                                         
     The Judges also gave their opinion that the 3 persons In Newgate           
Vizt Ireland Pickering & Grene had A faire tryall & Its thought will be         
Executed this weeke                                                             
     The duke of Ormond is sent for from Ireland the K desireing his            
advice & the Ld Ossory is gone to remaine there dureing the dukes absence       
     Tis supposed there will be A proclamation for A full parliamt to           
meet upon the 4th feb next                                                      
     The King hath Encouraged mr Oates saying he shall not want anything        
     There are 3 Regemts of horse to be disbanded this weeke Vizt the d         
of Monmouths & of Albemarles & Ld Gerrards                                      
     There is A person of quality who hath made affidavitt that there           
are severall persons that have designed to Kill the E of shaftesbury E          
of Essex & Ld Hallifax                                                          
+His maty had appointed sr Gulston to be bishop of Bristoll In place of         
dr Charleton who was lately Removed to be bishop of Chichester                  
     By the Brussells letters dat 10th Its advised that sieur samiento          
went that afternoon to take possesion of Charleroy which was to be put          
Into his hands on the 12th & that Aoth, Oudenard & Courtray would quickly       
follow & that Gaunt was to be given up on the 26th being told that the          
affaires of the Contribution were to be adjusted, They are told that            
the duke of Newburgh has sent to offer to the ffrench out of his Townes         
upon the Rhine to be admitted to A peace                                        
     The English forces haveing Recd money hence are prepareing                 
themselves for their Comeing over  those that are In fflanders wee must         
Exspect first In Regard that the d de villa Hermosa absolutely Refuseth         
to permitt the Troops that are In Brabant to march through their                
Countrey & the Extreame frosts haveing Closed up the River they must            
Exspect till the weather prove more faivourable                                 
     L. c. 730     Jan 11th 1678                                                
Whitehall Jan 9th 1678                                                          
+On Monday last sr Wm Waller A Justice of peace apprehanded one                 
Marshall A Benedictine & since Another & by his Extrary dilligence he           
found out A Colledge of them at the savoy & has taken 30000 Papist              
books, Their Reliques, The Name of their founder Many Thumb screws, and         
many other Popish Inventions, And since searching Pickerings Lodgings           
amongst A pile of Billitts found An Italian gun Richly Inlaid of A greate       
Thickness with an Antient Locke  its believed It will Carry A Bullet 400        
yards  it was loaded with 11 bulletts & that which is observeable is            
that it was found with 5 bulletts In the Roome of the powder but powder         
In the pan  Tis Judged to have been done by mistake it being the gun            
designed to Kill the King                                                       
     On ffriday last the Judges gave In their opinion that though A             
prorogation Cutts of all Parliamt proceedings unassented to, yet In A           
matter of Impeachment of so Criminall A nature it has noe Influence             
Especially being Carryed up to the house of Lds & there Recorded & that         
house being the supreame Judicature it Cannot be Transferred therefrom          
but Must be Tryed In A parliamentary way And for the 3 Condemned persons        
They had A faire Tryall, full Evidence & A Just sentence so they will be        
Executed so soon as his Maty shall thinke Convenient                            
     yesterday the d of yorks Regemt under the Command of my Ld                 
peterbrough were disbanded at Hampton Court A Carriage of money being           
sent thither the Night before for the purpose  His Highs gave 100 L to          
be distributed among the Troops besides their pay.  Their quarters were         
wholly paid off & all the souldiers under the degree of A Capt but the          
Rest have Ticketts to be paid thereafter                                        
     Tis said that the Bankers will Lend 100000 L upon the hearth &             
Excise money security                                                           
     On sonday last one mr Harcourt was brought to Towne & Examined by          
my Ld Cheife Justice but denyed all & so was sent to Newgate                    
     Also A sergeant of the trayned bands was sent to Newgate for               
speakeing very presumptuo[u]sly of the prorogation of the parliamt              
     The guards of the Citty will be reduced to halfe their number              
     One Lun is Come out of the Countrey & hath made affidavitt that            
watching his wood he heard some persons speake of Killing the E of              
shaftesbury E of Essex & Ld Hallifax                                            
     On the 8th his Maty was pleased to order A proclamation Commanding         
the Immediate Returne of all his Matys subjects as are In any fforreign         
seminary & also Requireing their Respective parents & guardians to take         
the most Effectuall Care for their Returne & his Maty is graciously             
pleased to promise his Royall pardon to such as shall In obedience to his       
proclamation make their speeddy Returne & straitely forbidds all his            
subjects for the time to Come for going to or Residding In any of the           
said seminaries or any of his subjects to send or maintaine any In the          
said seminaries                                                                 
     mr Dugdale hath been Examined before the Lds where after he had            
Informed them of severall matters.  The safety of his person was                
Committed to the d of Monmouth who uses him very Kindly & takes Care that       
noe ill people may Come to Tamper with him                                      
     Letters In 28 dayes from Cadiz mention nothing of the 5 Algerines          
but that the algerines have taken 2 of o[u]r merchants ships seperated          
from their Convoy                                                               
     The Island of Majorca is Almost depopulated through the plague &           
famine                                                                          
+The ffrench are makeing Ready A considderable fleet & Entertaine all           
disbanded souldiers that will serve them                                        
+There are greate Animosities between the K of poland & his Nobility            
assembled at the diet of that Kingdome                                          
     Letters from Venice say That one Mounsr Brasier Reports that he is         
of the family of Valois & Right heire of the ffrench Crowne but the             
french K Keeps it from him by force  The ffrench Resident there has             
given In A Complaint against him desireing that he may be seized & has          
writt to the K his master about it                                              
     The ffrench seem Intent upon the Assistance of the sweds & have            
ordered those regemts that were Raised by mounsr Bethaume to assist the         
rebells In Hungary to withdraw from them & to Joyne the sweds under the         
Generall Horne & to Attacke the ducall Prusia                                   
+On the 8th Monday Henery Earle of Clarendon was sworne & tooke his             
place In his Matys privy Councell                                               
     L. c. 731     Jan 13th 1678                                                
  Whitehall Jan 11th 1678                                                       
+Money is sent Into Buckinghampshire for the disbanding of the Ld               
Gerrards Regemt of horse & to Chelmsford In essex to disband the d of           
Albemarles horse & Next Coll douglasses Regemt lyeing In Cambridgeshire         
Hartfordshire &c is to be disbanded                                             
     The order for disbanding the horse are that 2 or 3 of the deputy           
Lieutenants meeting the Regemts at the place appointed doe first see            
their quarters discharged which done & their Carabines & pistolls being         
layd downe they are to Receive the Remainder the day of their disbanding        
The Non-Commission officers & souldiers to be permitted to Carry away           
their Cloth & Equippage, The Carabines & pistolls to be delivered to an         
officer appointed by the master of the ordinance.  Those who brought            
their owne horses Into the Kings service to Carry them away, where the          
horses were provided by the officers they to have them, The                     
Non=Commission officers & Troopers to have their horses or 8 L allowed by       
the King to be paid downe Immediately at the choyce of the Captains & all       
disputed to be determined by the deputy Leiutenants & upon their declareing     
them to be disbanded they are to dispearse to their habitations                 
     On the 9th arrived at Portsmouth some officers who brought over 4          
Companies of sr Jo: ffenwicks Regemt  they Came In the Rose who by              
stresse of weather was forced In thither & is very leaky.  They were            
bound for Harwich or yarmouth                                                   
     The Kings men of warr were at spithead under the Command of sr             
Robert Robinson                                                                 
     A Breviate of mr Prances Examination                                       
+he sayeth that 14 dayes before the Murther of sr Edm Godfrey he was made       
acquainted of the designe of Killing him by fitzgerald & Kelly 2 Irish          
preists who invited him Into it & told him godfrey was one that loved not       
the queen Nor the Catholicke Religion & It was A merittorious act to Kill       
him Besides which they should have A good Reward from my Ld Bellasis            
     That the day he was murthered one Greene A Cushen layer at the             
Chappell Came & told him & one Hill who Keeps an Alehouse In stanhope           
street, Berry the porter of somerset house ffitzgerald & Kelly that he          
had housed sr Edm & would have them be ready against his Comeing backe          
     That after 8 at night the sd Green gave Notice to them that he             
was Comeing & as he Came to the watergate of somerset house the said            
green bolted out upon him & said Oh Good sr Edm: you are fortunately            
mett for there are 2 men quarrelling In the yard & I am afraide that            
Murther may happen but your presence may prevent it  to which he Replyed        
what have I to doe with A Couple of Idle fellows but was prevailed with         
to goe In & the gates being shut he Entred In at the Wickett which he           
had noe sooner done & that shutt but green with An handkercheife                
provided for that purpose seized upon him & twisted it about his necke          
& soe pulled him downe backwards & stifled & strangled him with the             
helpe of the Rest                                                               
     Prance saith he was appointed to guard that gate & when he Came            
from that duty to the staires that leads Into somerset house sr Edmund          
was not quite dead for that he saw him stir his leggs                           
     That he was put In A Roome of Hills when dead & thence Into                
severall Roomes In somersethouse where severall persons saw him & thence        
Carryed In a Chaire as far as the greeke Church & then mounted before           
the said Hill on A horse & Carried to the ditch where gerrald thrust the        
sword through him                                                               
     Prance Chargeth all the Lds Except the Ld stafford with the plott &        
saith that Ireland grove & ffenwick were often speaking of A glorious           
designe they had on foot for promoteing the Catholicke Cause & If Need          
Required they should not want the assistance of 40 or 50000 to be headed        
by the aforesaid Lds & sayes that he was to Rouse A Certain Number of           
men In the plott & hath seen severall commissions And that Conners [?]          
was At his house within 10 dayes of his being apprehended                       
     His Maty here upon hath ordered mr Bedloe his 500 L promised by            
his proclamation                                                                
     The Hague letters of 7/17 tell us that the ffrench doe not now             
Insist upon the Evacuation of Hassell & Maysecke but were positive that         
all the dutch Troops should quitt the quarters they hold In the                 
bishopricke of Leige or otherwise that Mounsr Calbo should drive them           
out by force & the states have sent to their Ambrs to get that order            
Repeated alledging they Cannot preserve Communication with Maestricht           
nor will their garrisons be of use to them If they have not quarters            
In the dependancies                                                             
+They thinke A peace between france & the Emperor is not far from a             
Conclusion for though ffrance demands 7 places Vizt 3 on the Meuse & 4          
on the Rhine till the swede be satisfied They say the D of Newburgh is          
of oppinion that it is better to deliver him so many at one time than to        
loose all by peecemeale                                                         
     Amonge the greate Number of popish books found at the savoy there          
are severall Catechismes In which among the questions there is one Doe          
you Beleive that it is lawfull to take away the life of Hereticks               
Excommunicated by the pope for the speedy settlemt of the Romish Religion       
             To which the Answer is I doe Beleive it                            
+Tis also observeable that breakeing open A wall neer the place where the       
things were found they discovered A long gallary with many Bedsteds             
standing like an Hospitall where the priests lay & while the search was         
makeing there was A man Intrudeing himselfe amonge the Constables & was         
very Busy often telling them that it was In Vaine to looke any further          
for there Could be working In this or that place upon which one of the          
Constables said what are you that are so busy heare whereupon he                
seeming somewhat blanke they sent him with A guard to mr Oates who              
Calling him by his name said I am glad to see you well  he denyed his           
name or that did he ever see mr Oates before.  Upon which Oates said see        
the Confidence of this man who is A Benedictine ffryar & that you may the       
Easyer beleive it he hath on the backe of his towards his necke A white         
locke of haire  so they pulling of his perewig found it so & he was             
Comitted to prison                                                              
+Notwithstanding One discourse of A proclamation to require the members         
to meet on the 4 feb wee have noe Certainty of it                               
     L. c. 732     Jan 16th 1678                                                
   Whitehall 14 Jan 1678                                                        
+A petition has been fraimed by the Citizens of London to be prsented           
to his Maty Consisting of severall heads                                        
[Note in upper left margin of first recto in another hand:] From the 13th       
of Jan: 1678/9 to the [sic]                                                     
1 That his Maty would be pleased to take A greater Care of his Royall           
person In which their safety is so neerly Concerned                             
2 That he would be pleased to hasten the execution of the 3 Condemned           
persons                                                                         
3 That he will be pleased to take the advice of his parliamt In these           
times of danger                                                                 
4 That none of the popish officers or souldiers that are now to be              
disbanded may be suffered to Come neer the Citty of London &c                   
     Which petition Tis said was signed by neer 20000 Citizens & many of        
the Common Councell but being brought to the Court of Aldermen to be            
signed the Ld Maior opposed it so farr that it was throwne out of that          
Court Tearming it Lilburnisme which occasioned so greate dispute between        
the Ld Maior & Common Councell that their sitting was Interupted                
     There is A strong Report that the Ld Treasurer shall be layed aside        
& his place be supplyed with Either the d of Bucks duke of Ormond Earle         
of salesbury Bedford or Essex or the speaker of the house of Commons            
some say the place shall be mannaged by 3 Comrs vizt the Earles of              
salesbury Bedford or Essex & that the Treasurer himselfe shall goe Ambr         
Into spaine In Roome of sr Wm Godolphin & some say he is not to stir or         
be Removed but will stand upon his vindication                                  
     Oates & Bedloe are now very well treated & have very good tables           
allowed them at whitehall & A weekly allowance of Money                         
     Dugdale has given the King & Councell greate satisfaction In his           
Information Insomuch that his Maty declared that he Beleived it A most          
damnable Hellish plott & that there were few Catholicks but had A hand          
In it.  Dugdale has been face to face with the Ld stafford whome he             
Charged so home & plainely that his Lordship Could make but A slight            
defence & is Committed to Close Custody   he perticularly Chargeth him          
with offering him 500 L to be Concerned In Killing the King for which           
Evers the preist should have been security.  he also accuses mr Weedon          
& mr Howard as Concerned In the plott & also mr ffowler who he sayes            
knew of it but Refused to act In it,                                            
     his Maty hath ordered mr dugdale his pardon                                
     Prance is Returned to his former mind, stands to his first                 
Confession & hath discovered yet much more so that A warrant is sent to         
mr Attorney Genll to draw A new pardon for him also                             
     The ffrench are prepareing with all Expedition A very powerfull            
fleet et Brest Havre de grace &c as also A very Considderable Army to           
goe aboard them  their designe is Not Certainly Knowne  their Collour is        
for the assistance of the swede against the dane  some suspect otherwise        
however they looke for the King to be with them about the beginning of          
ffebruary to give them orders being by that time to have all things             
fitted for sea                                                                  
   The ffrench have made more new demands but not so greate as may              
hinder the Cunclusion of A Treaty , such are, That the prince of Baden          
shall satisfie the princesse his mother for 2 yeares due to her  That           
the prince de solms shall not be disturbed In the Right to the                  
principality of solms by the d of Lorraine & all the decrees past               
heretofore to that purpose made voyde & the d of Lorraine shall pay to          
the prince all that is due to him upon this demesne of Lorraine.  That          
the Elector Palatine shall Restore to Marshall schomberg the Baylywicks         
of Altenheim & Newstead to Enjoy them till such time as his Highness            
shall have paid the whole for which the Baylywicks are Engaged &c               
     Mounsr pompone has signified to the states Ambrs by his masters            
orders that whereas after Mounsr Monbas had made his Escape out of              
Imprisonment upon the first sentence against him In Holland & after he          
was Entred Into the Kings service Another sentence Condemning him to            
death & to be hanged In Effigies was past upon him by A Councell of warr        
which sentence, being then that Kings subject & out of the Territories &        
power of the Councell of warr was not agreeable to the former, His              
master desired the said sentence might be taken off & Remaine noe longer        
In force against him to which the states is Exspected                           
     This post hath brought little of Newes from the ports only the losse       
of the Katherine of London who was of about 300 Tuns & 24 guns bound for        
the Barbados but run Ashoare at dartmouth sands all the men saved to the        
Masters Make though they had many passengers                                    
+The fleet of Merchantmen homewards bound were on the the 12th upwards          
of 100 saile at Cowes                                                           
     L. c. 733     Jan 18th 1678                                                
+mr dugdale hath been Examined before the Councell & there gave such A          
Rationall account of the plott that Tis said severall Lds smote their           
hands On their breasts & Exprest greate satisfaction In his Testimony he        
being A person of a Cleane Reputation & makeing it soe demonstrative            
that it put all things out of question.  He backed his testimony by             
Nominating severall but Especially one ffowler A person of A                    
Considderable Estate & Repute who he said had been dealt with by the            
preists & Jesuits but Refuseing to Joyne with them In murthering the King       
they had him Excommunicated & Knowing mr ffowlers Integrity he doubts           
not but he will Continue the same & he is with Impatience Exspected &           
Harrinton is sent for upon the same account                                     
     mr dugdales Evidence will be of greate validity Especially agt my          
Ld stafford & Tis said he is more feared then all the other by all the          
Rest of the Conspirators, The d of Monmouth has taken him Into his              
Lodgings & there was A greate deale spoken In faivour of him                    
     Tis said that sr Jo: Goodriche will goe Ambr Into spaine In the            
Roome of sr Wm Godolphin deceased                                               
     The 3 Regemts of horse under the d of yorke d of Albemarle & Ld            
Gerrard are disbanded & the dragoons begin to follow & my Ld                    
douglasses Regemt are to have their quarters paid off but to march              
for scotland to be disbanded there & Care is taken to Lodge money to            
disband the whole Army successively                                             
     Prance gives A sober account to the Councell of his Repeated               
Confession & denyall he being then not weaned from his Religion his             
wife with the Terrour of damnation Terrifying him who by the pressure           
of his Chaines & Coldnesse of his Lodgings was Costive for 8 dayes & A          
Kind of feavour seized him which Caused his disquitnesse but now being          
Recovered has made A larger Confession which is that sr Jo: Arrundell           
sr Richd Beeling & mr Mead persons In service under the queen Complotted        
sr Edm Godfreys death & sate Judicially upon him  this is much Credited         
because the sd 3 persons upon the ffirst discovery Retired beyond seas.         
He also sayes that 4 were to Kill the e of shaftesbury one being already        
taken named prawser as also another silversmith & Tis said he named             
staley that was executed for one, His pardon is prepareing  his fetters         
are taken off & he has the best accomodation the presse yard Can afford         
     sr  ffran: Mannet being In Custody at Bury A person In disguise of         
A country man pretending to be his Tennant Came to the Keeper & desired         
Admittance & useing A Country simplicity had leave to goe to him but            
the Keeper listning to their discourse found that he was A preist that          
Came to Comfort him telling him that the plott would yet take Effect but        
as he was going out the Keeper secured him In another Roome & soe               
discovered him                                                                  
     sr Charles shelley A greate Romanist In sussex is lately Retired &         
severall others of Considderable quality  Tis said the d of Norfolke is         
gone for Italy                                                                  
     John George Esqr the Eldest member of Parliamt aged 98 yeares died         
on friday last at Bainton In Gloucestershire he haveing been A member In        
the Reign of K James                                                            
     There is A discourse againe of the Execution of the 3 persons              
Condemned                                                                       
    Tis Credably Reported that the Parliamt will sit at the time appointed      
In the meantime nothing is omitted for the discovery of the plott               
     On the 14th his Maty sent orders Into Ireland to disband Coll              
Macartys Regemt lately Raised there                                             
     The ffrench are makeing A way from grenoble to Pignerolle by which         
Cannons Coaches & waggons may passe with hast which is A designe of very        
greate Charge but will be of greate advantage to the Communication of           
Italy  They are also makeing severall New ports to the sea haveing found        
very many situations Capable of it which may be of greate use to them           
Either In peace or warr                                                         
     The Vienna letters tell us they there Exspected an account of the          
peace between the Emperor ffrance & sweden the ill posture of the               
Emperors affaires obligeing him to do those things which at other times         
he might not be so well satisfied with                                          
     sr Wm Waller found In the Colledge at the savoy 45000 papist books         
& severall writeings that Related to the plott & A list of all those            
they had made prose[lytes?] & seized A greate many superstitious Reliques       
as the girdle of st ffrancis the pretended Milke of the Virgin Mary &           
also severall Nayles & splinters of o[u]r saviours Crosse & aboundance          
other popish Credulities also the seale of the Colledge of st Benedict          
with his Motto Miserecordia super Exaltat Justiciam, And searching              
pickerings Lodgings found An Italian gunn Richly Inlayd worth 20 L with         
A letter that the gun was Consecrated & fit for his purpose                     
     mr Oates mentioned A gun & An attempt of shooting the King but it          
would not goe off & this is beleived to be the very gun it being Charged        
with 5 Bulletts In the Roome of the powder & 6 above & fflax between &          
Judged A greate providence it was so Charged.  since which sr Wm Waller         
has taken A preist In his habbitt an old woman Confessing her sins to him       
at the same time                                                                
     The Cambe [?] In Herefordshire hath about 50 L p Ann belongeing to         
it  It hath faire Chambers & to Each belongs A studdy as is Usuall              
In Colledges & A faire library of books which may Compare with some             
In Colledges In Either University of about 300 folios, some Manuscripts         
lately written, many English books about o[u]r protestant writers as            
Laud Chillingworth stillingfleet &c not bound up & many papist                  
Catechisms.  There were many papers which mention their society the             
society of Jesus & the Colledge of Xaverines in England & some paper &          
Instructions for Jesiuticall Mission.  There is one faire Volloume              
printed at st Omers wherein it was Informed that there are 3 Jesuits            
Colledges In England Vizt one of Ignatius In London of Xaverines In             
Herefordshire & st Alotius In staffordshire or Lankensharre with severall       
houses & Rents belongeing to them  There was found A booke with a list          
of their benefactors to this present yeare Their Insense potts Masse            
belles &c There are scarse any faimous Jesuiticall divines or Casuists          
whose works are not there & about 30 printed books that Contain only            
orders decrees & Rules of the Jesuits                                           
     mr oates Bedloe dugdale & prance have been all Examined by the             
Comtee of Lds  their Informations are Kept with the greatest secrecy but        
thus farr wee Know of the Effect that the Lds Bellasis Arrundell &              
stafford are made Close prisoners & one has been apprehended for                
Endeavuoring to Kill the E of shaftesbury                                       
     L. c. 734     Jan 20th 1678                                                
+The greatest discourse at present is what the ffrench King designes by         
his Armado which will be Ready to put sea the middle of ffebruary for as        
it is not Now, soe probably it will not then be A fitt time for A designe       
In the Balticke sea In Aide of the swede  therefore he Conjectured he           
Intends for some strong Port or Island about England or Ireland                 
     The West Country men are bigg with feares as lyeing Neerest to             
Brest where the ffrench fleet are                                               
     sr Wm Waller went the other day with A Constable and A file of             
Musquettiers to Apprehend A preist that Lodged In A house next to the           
spanish Ambrs but there being A backe doore that opened Into the Ambrs          
house the preist fled thither & the Ambr protected him of which sr              
William Waller hath Complained to the King & Councell                           
     There is one Kirke An Irish taken the next doore to the Coffee             
house In old southhampton biuldings who was one of the 4 designed to Kill       
the King at windsor who when he found that he was surprized Cryed out           
that he was A dead man                                                          
     Greate Cooke of Norfolk son In Law to the Ld Treasurer is lately           
dead of the smallpox & soe is mr Charles Bartues lady secretary to              
the sd Treasurer who was widdow to sr samuell Jones & had 800 L p Ann           
Jointure for her life                                                           
     The Marchionesse of dorchester sister to the now E of darby is also        
dead                                                                            
     Wee doe not heare that mr ffowler hath been Examined before the            
King & councell though tis said he is Come to Towne                             
     In the house of mr Arthur A merchant In London was lately found 3          
Chests of papers & letters Concerning preists & Jesuits their Revenues &        
their Returne of moneys (he being our A factor for them) which were hid         
In the Ceeling of the house which had A doore Into it out of the                
Chimney & though the house had been twice searched before by the Lord           
Maior they were not found till Bedloe Came and pointed out the place            
     The diferences between the Pope and the Republicke of Venice is            
after all the Endeavors for An Adjustment lookt upon as Irreconcileable         
and therefore the letters from Rome of the 24th december say that the           
Chevalier Zeno designed Ambr thither will be Recalled, But our last             
Venice letters say he is Recalled Already by A courier The pope still           
Refuseing to Receive him In that quality so that dureing the life of            
this pope there is like to be Noe Ambr at Rome for Venice  But the              
affaires of the Republicke to be Negotiated by A secretary as it was            
In the time of Urban the 8th when there also hapned A disgust between           
the pope & the venetians                                                        
    The d of Lorraine hath sent severall times to the Emperor for Regemts       
for his Army but hath Not been Answered In his designe Either from A            
necesity of the Emperor or his Confidence of A peace but the ffrench            
are as active as if there were not likelihood of An agreement putting           
all things In order for the Execution of some greate designe & Are              
gathering togather their troops from ffranch Comte & Lorraine who are           
Ready to march Into Alsatia so soon as the Marquesse d' Lovoy shall             
have taken A view of them                                                       
     The rebells In hungary are In greate perplexity how to behaive             
themselves In this Conjuncture for though the Tearmes now offered them          
are not soe large as they promised to themselves yet they must Run A            
greate Garraid In not accepting them Insomuch that they feare that              
the ffrench who have hitherto discouraged them In opposition of the             
Empire will upon A peace with the Emperor wholly abandon them                   
+His Maty upon Information given upon Oath that ffrancis Evers alias            
Enrike Alias Ireland of Tipenhall John Garen Late of Wolverhampton              
One Vavasor Alias Clifford of Boscobell Edward Levson of Wilmott all            
Jesuits & one Broadstreet of Hoare Crosse A popish preist all of the            
County of stafford are guilty of the late damnable & Treasonable plott          
hath Ishued forth A proclamation for their discovery & A Reward of 100 L        
to him that shall discover the ffirst & 50 L to him that shall discover         
any other                                                                       
+The 4 Companies of Coll ffenwicks Regemt that Came from fflanders In           
the Rose were landed on the 15th & went Into the Countrey to quarter            
about Chichester.  On the 16th about 300 of the same Regement Arrived           
at Harwich and were to be sent to stowmarket & the same day the James of        
yarmouth arrived with the Armes of 8 Companies belongeing to the E of           
Mulgraves Regemt                                                                
+Contrary to the Exspectation of all people here The Parliament is to be        
further prorogued to the 25th of ffeb Next to which purpose A                   
proclamation is gone to the presse                                              
     L. c. 735     Jan 23rd 1678                                                
+By the last saturday post wee gave you advice that it was Resolved that        
the parliamt should be prorogued till this 25 feb Next & that the               
proclamation was prepareing for the presse all which was true for the           
Attorney Genll had orders to draw up the same & mr Johnson Clerk of the         
pattents had it In hand & it was exspected out on Monday morning but the        
debate of the prorogation being Re=assumed at the Councell board sonday         
night there is greate hopes that it will be stopt before it Come to the         
presse                                                                          
     Tis not Convenient to Expresse what the discourses of people are           
Concerning the prorogation                                                      
     On satureday last Oates haveing private Information given him by a         
woman that there was A trunke of writeings hid under ground In one              
Jollies house A Taylor In Drury lane which did belong to the Ld                 
Arrundell tooke a guard & went accompanied with A Justice A Constable           
& halfe A dozen men with Pickaxes & shovells & when they come to the            
floore where the trunke was hid being paved with Tile set the men on            
worke where after digging deep they found the Trunke which being opened         
there was A box of gold therein & the popes seale to A paper of greate          
Concerne & other things of moment                                               
     The King & Councill have sent to the spanish Ambrs to let him know         
how ill they take his permitting English priests to Run Into his house          
& there to protect them & have ordered that the Ambr shall have but             
2 wayes of passage Into his house & that the doores of all the other            
houses that open Into that house garden or stables shall be stopt up            
     The papists that went out of towne upon the ffirst proclamation            
are Returned In greate numbers                                                  
     Till money Can be obtained (which is now hard to get) the King             
Cannot proceed Effectually to disband the Rest of the Army from thence          
some doe apprehend the parliamt will yet meet the 4th february next the         
Necesity for money is soe greate                                                
     The ffourscore scotts that Came In A ship from Edinburgh Into the          
River Thames to be sold for Barbados as slaves, severall shipmasters            
Refused to Carry them because they said they went against their wills &         
for no other Reason then for meeting In A feild & there praying togather        
soe one Griffith who bought them finding himselfe at A losse happened to        
say that if he had but part of his money againe he would not meddle with        
them soe A purse was made for A Collection & asmuch money obteyned as           
Griffith desired to have soe the scotch ship that brought them let them         
goe Ashoare  some are gone to ffreinds & some to other places to subsist        
till they Can Returne to scotland                                               
    The last weeke some dirty Idle boyes that lye about the horse               
guards & Mewes & Ride horses to water (Comonly Called the blacke guard)         
held A sessions & there Arraigned 4 of their Company representing 3 Lds         
In the Tower & one out of the Tower & he out of the Tower was first brought     
to Tryall & Condemned to dye soe they tooke that boy that represented           
that Lord & hanged him up But A Coachman Comeing In & Laying about him          
with his whip they all Run away forgetting to Cut him downe soe the boy         
was hanged Indeed almost to death  but some say he is Recovered                 
     The Brussels [letters] of the 29th tell us That the d de villa             
Hermosa has yielded to the Reiterated Instances of o[u]r Resident & given       
leave to o[u]r English souldiers In Brabant to passe by land to Ostend &        
that they are to begin their March In 2 or 3 dayes at furthest                  
     Oudenard was delivered & they hoped to have A good account of Ghent        
which was to be delivered the Thursday following the Matter In diference        
between that Citty & the ffrench K about the 228000 Guilders being              
Composed it being moderated lesse than one halfe                                
     The Hague letters date 24th Complaine that Mounsr Lovoy had                
ordered the ffrench Mailes Not to passe through fflanders but from              
dunkerk by sea which will much Retard the Comeing of their letters              
The dutch Ambrs give little hopes of Moderating the Tearmes of peace            
with the emperor which not accepted the ffrench King will fall upon             
Germany In the spring with 100000 men & though he formerly desired the          
Interposition of the states for the peace he now takes it ill that they         
meddle in it as that which gives encouragemt to the Empire                      
     The sweds still make prize of the Hollanders of which they have            
writt to the K of sweden but at the same time they desire Mounsr de Avaux       
his good offices to him Learneing that If they should take their owne           
Revenge without Communicating the Justnesse of their Cause to him ffrance       
might take offence                                                              
     The prince & Councell of state have demanded 75000 Livers [f]or            
maintaining the fortifications this yeare                                       
     His Maty hath given order for the Repaire &c of the ffortification         
of Portesmouth                                                                  
+Every day brings in discoveries of priests Lurkeing about this Citty &         
scarse any day passes but some are apprehended                                  
     mr ffowler hath been with the Lds appointed to Examine the plott &         
given them A satisfactory account                                               
     The talke now is that 2 at the least of the 3 persons Condemned            
shall be Executed this weeke                                                    
     The Ld Aston is Committed prisoner to the Tower                            
     L. c. 736     Jan 25th 1678                                                
+They write from Paris that Greate designes are In hand but will not be         
discovered till after the peace  The ffrench King has given order for           
makeing seaports In the Channel because there are but few on his Coasts.        
Many people are set on worke In the Haven at calais which tis beleeved          
will be Capable of Receiveing the Greatest ships,  Mounsr de Vanbrun            
Cheife Engineer of ffrance hath the Oversight of this worke & Mounsr            
Signelin hath sent for all his Maritime officers & given them orders to         
put to sea speedily & has Commanded them from the King to maintaine the         
honour of their fflag & not to strike or to shun the meeting of any ship        
whatsoever                                                                      
     The ffrench K begins to make A diference In point of Religion              
haveing Commanded the sieur ffoubert (who Kept an accademy at                   
Paris & whither all the English gentry did generally resort to performe         
their Exercise) to leave off his Employmt & hath also set forth an              
order of Councill forbidding any protestant to Keep any accademy In any         
part of his Kingdome, all the protestant procters belongeing to the             
Court at Montpelier are forbid & throughout all Languedoc there are to          
be Noe protestant Consulls                                                      
+The Lady Crane sister to the Ld Widrington is seized some discovery            
being made that shee danced about the corps of sr ed: Godfrey after he          
was so Barbarously Murthered                                                    
     One Carne An Irishman is taken some discovery being made that he           
was to oversee the 4 Ruffians at Windsor who were to Kill the King              
     There was found In the house of mr Arthur the merchant A Buffe Coate       
& 5 pistolls & writeings of dangerous Consequence & therefore he is             
Closely Confined & the Lieutenancy of London have been sent for to Court        
& Highly Reprehended for not makeing dilligent search for Armes & for           
not putting In Execution his Matys late proclamation for hindering the          
Returne of popish Recusants                                                     
     There were 3 Trunks found under ground at mr Jollies In drury lane         
In one a gold bow with a Ring & the pretended Armes of our saviour In           
another Aboundance of pardons &c & severall deeds, & settlemts of above         
40000 L for the ffranciscan order & the woman that gave the Information         
saith that they had some time before burned some writeings which shee           
supposed to be commissions haveing greate seales anexed to them                 
+One Hall is sent to Newgate it being discovered that the preists &             
Jesuits In the Night got Into st paulls & Consecrated the Building In           
their habitts sprinkeling it with holy water &c & after they Kept the           
Consecration supper at this halls house he being A Cooke In Ivy lane            
     mr dugdale & Prance have their pardons sent them  Prance is about          
takeing the sacramt In the protestant forme dr LLoyd haveing much               
wrought upon him by his good Admonitions                                        
     mr ffowler Came to Towne on sonday last & that Night Kissed his            
Matys hand & on Monday was examined but made not so full a discovery as         
was Exspected  he saith the priests & Jesuits would have given him the          
Oath of secresy to Joyne with them but he Refused it                            
     Two of the 3 Condemned persons will be Executed on ffriday  The 3d         
is Reprieved for some time he being the person that should have Killed          
the King In hopes he will Confess the Circumstances of it                       
     Upon Report of the parliamt being prorogued mr Mountague late Ambr         
In ffrance fearing a dissolution would follow & there being Messengers          
abroade from Whitehall to apprehend him he Repaired to the seaside to           
get passage Into fflanders or Holland but was stayd there upon the              
generall order that none should goe to sea without leave & is Returning         
thither                                                                         
     The Archbishop of dublin is confirmed Ld primate of Ireland & the          
Ambr of Tuan [?] is made Archbp of dublin & the Bp of Limericke made            
Archbp of Taun & dr digby Bp of Limericke  More of the English forces           
are lately Come from fflanders for some of sr Hen: Goodrichs  the Ld            
Marpeths Regemts are arrived                                                    
+Letters from Algiers say sr Jo: Narborrough had been seen off there            
with 20 saile of ships but had not brought them to A peace the people           
there being Exceedingly Heightened with the late successe, severall             
English ships have been sent In Hither & among the rest one bound for           
Virginia which had 100 English men & more aboard  most of their ships           
were abroade lookeing after purchase                                            
+Last night the debate Concerning the further prorogation of the parliamt       
being againe Reassumed at the Councill board A stop was put to the              
Intended proclamation for the prorogation soe that now it is Concluded          
the parliamt shall sitt the 4th ffebry                                          
     L. c. 737     Jan 27th 1678                                                
+Wee have hitherto Remained In greate doubt as to the time of the               
parliamts meeting whether on the ffirst or 2d prorogation but now               
the question is out of doors for the proclamation is Come out to                
dissolve this prsent parliamt & order is given for Ishuing out of               
writts for A parliamt to meet the 6th march next.  This startles people         
much  many of the Members are hasting out of towne                              
     But that which troubles people most at this juncture of time is the        
K of ffrance his greate preparations to hasten out his fleet before the         
End of the Next Moneth  And they write from Nimeghen that after all the         
doubts & dificulties which had happened In the Negotation of the peace          
between the emperor & the ffrench Kings plenipotentiaries they were at          
last Come to an accomodation soe that all the differences were Composed         
& the peace appointed to be signed betwixt them the 4th ffeb:  nor was          
it doubted but Care is taken that the princes of the North may Not be           
Exposed to Ruine but have their share also of quiet In future the               
severall minesters of those Respective princes being gone to Paris              
for that purpose                                                                
     Yesterday 2 of the 3 Condemned persons vizt Ireland & grove were           
Executed at Tyburne, & their quarters being begged were Enterred neer           
mr Colemans In st Giles Churchyard                                              
     Pickering hath discovered something Considderable & is therefore           
Reprieved & A further discovery is expected from him                            
     I Cannot yet learne what Ireland & Grove said at their Execution           
only one passage I Cannot omitt  That one over prest with zeale prest           
towards Ireland & Bid him aloud pray for him whither he was going for           
which some of them who guarded the prisoners tooke him Into Custody             
& did him In it A Considderable Kindnesse by Keeping him from the fury          
of the people who would have given severe usage                                 
     Now that there is noe parliamt In being the Lds In the Tower may be        
tryed by A Comission under the greate seale directed to A Certain Number        
of Lds to try them if the King shall soe thinke fitt Notwithstanding the        
Impeachment of them In the last parliamt but some are of A Contrary opinion     
     mr Mountague late Ambr In ffrance who stayd at dover Intending to          
goe beyond sea seing that the 2d prorogation would beget A dissolution          
is now nevertheless at liberty & his owne coach is gone for him                 
     The Ld Brudenell being A prisoner In the Kings bench upon the              
first discovery of the plott was yesterday upon his Habeas Corpus was           
permitted upon Baile of my Ld Westmorland & others to be at Liberty             
     The Earle of Castlemaine is likewise to appeare the Next weeke upon        
his Habeas Corpus                                                               
     There is Confirmation Come of the losse of 41 saile of Merchantmen         
most of them being Newfoundland men but some are Virginia & Barbados            
ships all which were taken by the Turks  Notwithstanding sr Jo:                 
Narborrough being In the streights it is Computed that there is about           
400 English that are now made slaves                                            
+On the 21st the dunkerke ffregot went to anchor at spithead to Joyne           
the Rest of his Matys ships there & all the rest of the fleet In the            
downes will goe thither so soon as they shall have brought over the             
English souldiers from fflanders                                                
     The dutch letters of the 31st speake of the Instances of their Ambrs       
at the Court of ffrance to Gaine A Neutrality for Cologne & to get the          
order Reversed that is sent to Mounsr Cob [?] to force their troops out         
of the open Countrey of Leige & for the Restitution of their Greenland ships    
destroyed at st Malo &c but that they find but little hope of success           
     Wee want o[u]r letters ffrom fflanders but the dutch letters of the        
31st tell us that the ffrench have not Evacuated Ghent according to             
their promise Mounsr Vanbrun allegding that he Could not Carry off              
till the waters were open but the duke de Villa Hermosa did not take            
that for good Reason to Retard the Execution of the peace In regard             
he offered them to guard their magazines with as many as they desired           
     L. c. 738     Jan 30th 1678                                                
+On sunday last mr Oates preached at A Church In London & gave dr Tong          
& those parrishioners A sermon  the Church was very full & hundreds of          
people Could not get In, His text was out of the 10th of Mathew                 
Concerning those that did beleeve In Christ & he shewed how far the             
papists In their superstitious wayes are from True beleeveing In God            
     The same Night there was A greate Allarme throughout the Cittyes of        
London & Westminster by Reason of the drums beating In the Night & A            
violent fire that broke out In the Middle temple which begun about 10 or        
11 A Clocke at Night & Continued till 10 A Clocke the Next morning In           
which time the Middle Temple was all burnt Except the Hall  That is to          
say, Vine Court, Pumpe Court, Elm Court, Hare Court, Essex Court, & part        
of ffigtree Court                                                               
     The Devill Taverne was twice on fire but with much labour was              
preserved which if it had taken fire would much have Endangered all the         
Timber Buildings In fleetstreet neer the barr Bell yard sheer lane &            
other Buildings without the barr Considdering how the wind stood with A         
Continued blast without Intermission yet In the Temple the fire burnt           
both wayes & Came backe from Pumpe Court where it first begun as far as         
the Cloysters neer the Temple Hall & Church both which were once on fire        
but with greate Industry were put out againe  The hall was somewhat             
damnified but the Church is not In the least spoyled & the lane Leading         
towards it stands well                                                          
     There was greate want of water by Reason the Thames was frozen &           
the Ice driven to the Temple shore that Noe water Could be had there &          
though the pipes In fleetstreet were broke up yet by Reason of the              
greate ffrost they afforded little water so that they were forced to            
make use of about 100 barrels of Beer out of the Temple sellers & Devill        
Taverne to supply the Engines                                                   
     When the fire first broke out it was apprehended to be In pursuance        
of A plott but afterwards it appeared to be by the Carelesnesse of A            
woman who makeing A fire In A Gentlemans Chamber left it burneing & the         
sticks falling down began it                                                    
     The d of Mommouth was there assoon as the Noyse of the fire Reached        
him & he with the Ld Crane did what posible Could be for stopping the           
flames by blowing up severall places & such was the fiercenesse that            
it overleapt many of those Gapps.  The E of ffeversham being with them          
Recieved such A Bruse on his head by the fall of some Timber that his           
freinds feare his Recovery & many others were hurt                              
     Alderman How one of the sheriffs of London on satureday Night last         
going In the street neer the Poultrey 3 fellows like souldiers seized           
on him & Endeavoured to pull his Gold Chaine over his Necke but he              
Calling out; people got about him & he holding the Chaine In his hand           
they were glad to let it goe & Crying an Arrest they Escaped but tis            
said 2 of them were since taken                                                 
     The Clerke of the petty bagg is makeing out writts for new                 
Elections & Messengers are to Carry the writts to the severall                  
Corporations which doth A little Moderate peoples discourse as to the           
sudden dissolution of the Parliamt                                              
   Yesterday the Corps of Greate Cooke of Norfolke was Carried out of           
Towne atended with above 100 Coaches with 6 horses apeece                       
     The dutch upon their Complaint In ffrance against the sweds for            
breakeing the Treaty of Comerce made between them In visitting their            
ships & takeing Danes goods whereas that treaty made ffree ships ffree          
Goods have at last Gained this Answer that the K had sent to his Ambrs          
at Nimeghen to tell those of sweden that they would doe well to                 
Adjust the diference with the states as one might oblige them to use            
their good offices In makeing up the peace with the princes of the North        
but withall told them that the sweds Ambrs Affirme that the states were         
the Cause of the breach of that treaty & that the Ambr would Give In A          
Memoriall to that purpose of which he Exspected A Coppy.                        
     Severall Persells of ffrench Wines have been staved at Waymouth            
haveing been Condemned according to the late acct & more there are that         
Waite A Condemnation                                                            
      Upon the promotion of mr ffinch to be Attorney Genll sr George            
Jeffries Recorder of London is made soliciter to his Royall Highs               
+On the 25th John Gaven A Jesuite one of the 5 pursued by the late              
proclamation with the Reward of 50 L to any that shall apprehend him was        
taken disguised under An Ambrs Livery & sent prisoner to the Gatehouse          
     L. c. 739    [Handwriting changes here.]    [No date]                      
C. P. R.                                                                        
   C P of W the Reg: of ye Ks of E S F & I & yer Dom. thereunto                 
belongeing; & to all his Ms subjects of What degree so ever, greeting;          
As soon as we Conducted by ye providence of God arrived in S, & were            
rejoynd by A Handfull of our Fa[the?]rs faithfull subjects, our first           
care was to make publick his most Gra__s Declar[atio]n; & In consequence        
of ye large Powers By him vested in us in Quality of Regt, We also              
Emitted our Manifto Explaining & Enlargeing ye promises formerly made,          
According as we came to be better Acquainted with ye Inclination of ye          
People of S.  Now that it has pleased God so far to smile upon our              
Undertaking as to make us Mas[te]r of ye Ancient Kingd: of S. wee judgd         
it proper in this manner to make Manifest wt ought to fill ye hearts of         
All his Ms Subjts of wt nation or Province soever with Comfort &                
Satisfaction                                                                    
+We Therefore hereby in his Majs Name declare that his sole Intention           
is to reinstate all his Subjts in ye full Enjoyment of their Religion,          
Laws & Libertys; & that ye present Attempt is not undertaken in order           
to Enslave a free people but to redress & remove ye Encroachments made          
upon them: not to Impose upon any a Religion wch they dislike but to            
secure them all in ye enjoymt of those wch are respectively at present          
establishd among them, Either in E. S. or I. & if it shall be deemd             
proper that any farther security be given to ye Establishd Church or            
Clergy, we hereby promise in his Name, yt he shall pass any law that his        
parlt shall judge necesary for yt purpose                                       
+In Consequence of ye Rectitude & of our R Frs intentions we must               
further declare his sentiments with regard to ye Natl. debt. yt it has          
been contracted under an Unl. Go[v]t, Nobody can disown, no more than           
yt it is a most heavy load upon ye Natn; yet in Regard yt it is for ye          
greatest part due to those very Subjs: whom he promises to protect              
cherish & defend, he is resolvd to take ye advice of his Par[liamen]t           
concerning it in wch he thinks he acts ye part of a just P. who makes ye        
good of his peo[p]le ye sole rule of his actions                                
+Furthermore, we here in his name declare yt ye same rule laid down for         
ye Funds shall be followed in respect to every law or act of Pt. since          
ye Res[toratio?]n; & in so far as in a free & legal Pt. they shall be           
approved, we will confirm them.  With respect to ye pretended Un[io]n           
of ye two Nns, the K cant posibly ratifie it since he has had repeated          
remonstrances against it from each Kin_n [?] & since it is inconceivable,       
yt ye principal point then in view was ye exclusion of ye R-- Famy from         
their undoubted Rs, to ye C for wch purpose ye greatest corruptions were        
openly practiced but whatever may be hereafter advised for ye joint             
benefit of both N[atio]ns, the K will most read[ily?] comply wth the            
Request of his Pt.                                                              
     L. c. 740     [Handwriting changes here.]    ffeb 1st 1678                 
   Whitehall Jan 30th 1678                                                      
+mr Oates & Bedloe have lately been to vissitt the prisons lurkeing there       
In and about London to see if they Could Espye any of the Conspirators as       
it lately hapned at the Marshalsea where one of the Ruffians who had            
undertooke to Kill his Maty at Windsor tooke refuge.  He went In thither        
upon A feigned Action of 6 L but his pocketts were soe well filled with         
money & he lied at such A Rate that those of the prison quickly perceived       
that he needed not se[rve?] there for soe small A summe & this gave the         
Cause of suspition & upon further Enquiry of discovery                          
   tis said mr Oates his sermon is sent to the presse                           
     Tis the Common discourse that Evers who was first Named In the late        
proclamation is taken with another Jesuite at Leverpoole & that there is        
found among the papers of my Ld Aston A letter from my Ld stafford which        
gives A greate light In the Conspiracy but I have noe better Authority          
for those then Common Report                                                    
     Severall of the prisoners on account of the plott have this Terme          
desired their Habeas Corpus of his Matys Court of Kings bench In order          
to their Enlargemt upon baile which hath been granted to the E of               
Castlemaine Reed [?] Ld Brudenell mr Daniell Arthur & Capt spalding who         
are now at liberty  yesterday mr Tasbrough & mr price being brought by          
Habeas Corpus desired the same liberty upon baile but was refused it,           
& severall others have moved for Habeas Corpus which is granted them but        
what successe they will have wee must Exspect                                   
     Tis said mr Oates has put In A ffresh Information against the E of         
Castlemaine soe that tis thought he will be Recomitted                          
     Neither his Maty nor his R Highs will write or suffer to be sent           
any Recommendary letters for Chooseing Parliamt men resolveing this             
shall be an Entire free Election                                                
     sr Wm Waller sr Wm Poultney  sr Tho: Clarges & sr Jos: williamson          
stand for Westminster  tis thought that the 2 first will Carry it & that        
sr Jos sheldon sr Tho Player sr Nath: Herne & Alderman Love are like to         
to be Chosen for the Citty of London                                            
     The women said to have left the fire In the Chambers where [?] the         
late fire broke out upon Examination have sworne they left noe sparke of        
fire In the Roomes                                                              
     A petition was delivered on Wednesday night by the severall                
Relations of the Imprisoned Lords to his Maty to bring them to A speedy         
tryall but it was Rejected                                                      
     The fforreigne letters being not Come may Excuse the shortness of          
the letters                                                                     
     L. c. 741     ffeb ye 3 1678/9                                             
Upon Enquiry Made there are Many Circumstances that doe give occasion to        
believe that the late fire In the Temple was Treacherously designed for         
mr Thornbrough In whose Chamber the fire began & his Laundresse haveing         
been both Examined before his Maty have made oath of those perticulars          
     That there was but A very little Cole fire In the Grate the woman &        
her boy being both In the Chamber  shee left her son Asleepe & went forth       
leaveing the Chamber doore open & Comeing up againe mett A man Comeing          
downe staires whome shee spoke to, He Returning some Churlish Answer            
went away & Immediately after the Next Roome was all on fire & they doe         
Affirme that it was Imposible that so little fire as that was & being           
upon A large ston harth should doe that Mischiefe                               
     A gentleman gives Evidence that goeing along fleetstreet about 10 at       
night he heard one person aske another if the fire were Kindled  he tooke       
it then to Relate to ordinary discourse till he heard that the fire were        
broke out & then he declared the same  Another saith that A person Came         
to him In Hast about that time thinkeing that he had been his Companion         
saying they had done bravely but finding his Error made away as fast as         
he Could                                                                        
+mr Bedloe sayes that the jesuits had A designe upon that place out of          
Revenge for that the Templers Usually burnt the pope before their Gate          
     The further discovery must be left to time                                 
   Tuesday last his Maty was let blood & is now blessed be God perfectly        
Recovered                                                                       
     The Army still goes on to be disbanded there being Now 30000 L             
ordered to mr Kingdome to pay of some more Regemts soe that tis supposed        
that the Army will be disbanded by that time the parliamt meets                 
     Yesterday A gentleman was found dead In A feild neer the Citty & A         
bloody Knife put Into his hands as if he had done it himselfe but it is         
Judged it was done by some other hand by Reason the Knife was loose in          
his hand for tis supposed if he had done it himselfe he would have              
grasped it hard that being the quality of A dyeing man                          
     They write from deale January the 30th that 10 of his Matys fregotts       
were going over to Ostend to fetch over the Remainder of the English            
soldiers that are yet In fflanders                                              
     mr ffoukes the Shropshire minester that was Condemned to dye last          
sessions for Cutting the throate of his Bastard Child went Yesterday In         
A Coach A Cart going before to Tiburne  he had time given him till then         
for space to Repent dureing which time he was vissitted with severall of        
the Ablest divines about Towne & very frequently by that soe learned &          
good A man dr Lloyd deane of Bangor who delights In those greate works of       
Charity & doubtless he had good success being he made A long prayer &           
gave good Exhortation to the people lamenting the Sinfulness of his life        
& said nothing strucke so much to his heart noe not Adultry or murther as       
that he had been A Hippocrite In soe High A degree & delivered A writing        
to the sheriffe which he had prepared for the presse that it might be           
printed so he dyed & though none Could but abhor the fact yet Every one         
pittied the person not without hope that how wicked soever he had been In       
his life he might be happy Even In that death                                   
     On the 31 mr Sheldon was by Habeas Corpus brought to the Kings             
bench but whether the Returne was well made or what Else he was Remanded        
     They say the Court will baile none Committed upon account of the           
Conspiracy untill they have first been with mr Attourney to acquaint him        
with it that so he may be able to Informe the Court with the Nature of          
the Crimes                                                                      
+The Lds Comrs for Examination of the Conspiracy Continue their sitting         
Every morning                                                                   
     On the 31 mr John Garen was before them who was after Examination          
sent backe to the Gatehouse                                                     
     On the 1st one Anthony Turner was brought before them who did              
Confesse himselfe A Jesuite & did voluntarily deliver himselfe into the         
hands of A Constable & is at prsent sent to the Gatehouse                       
+The E of ffeversham is In soe hopefull A way of Recovery are not [sic]         
In that feare of him as they lately were                                        
     The proclamation for priceing of wines is published  Canary at 36 s        
p pipe & 12 d the pint Retaile  Trits [?] & Malagas at 30 s the butt &          
10 d A pint Retaile  Allicant sherries & Muscadells at 27 s the butt &          
9 d A pint by Retaile  Rhenish wines at 9 s p Aulne & 18 d the quart by         
Retaile                                                                         
     Wee have Received noe fforeigne letters this weeke                         
     L. c. 742     ffeb 6th 1678                                                
  Whitehall feb 4th 1678                                                        
The Genova & Leghorne letters tell us that sr Jo: Narborough was with 15        
men of warr Careening at Port Mahoone [?] which done he will Returne to         
Algeirs to try what he can bring that people to                                 
     Capt: Herbert was said to be gone towards Sally to looke after the         
Admirall of Algeirs who was gone to provide A New foremast his former           
being lost In A Contest with An English merchantman                             
     Wee were In greate hopes to have seen suddenly our forces from             
Brabant haveing gained the leave of the d de villa Hermosa by land to           
Ostend, But some part of the way appointed being of the Territory of            
Ghent they thought themselves obleiged to acquaint Mareshall de Humieres        
& Mounsr de Monbras with it who Refused it without perticular order from        
the King soe they must Waite till the Evacuation of those places or til         
the frost be gone that they Can passe by water In Billanders to be Embarked     
     Nor are the ffrench as the Brussells letters of the 7th tell us            
likely or willing to leave Ghent haveing of late demanded a New Tax of          
24000 Crownes to be paid In 10 dayes & that for the good orders Kept            
since they have been masters there                                              
     Their Cologne letters say the ffrench were marched with Cannon &c          
for A seige It was thought to Attacke Bonne & that the Confederate              
troopes were In motion on the other side to hinder their passage                
   Wee have Now Recd 3 ffrench Mailes to ffeb 7th  And A good hand upon         
notice of the jealousies here gives this account, That there were at            
Toulon 8 men of warr & 28 Gallies all Ready to put to sea, 3 of the men         
of warr to Attend  Mounsr Gallivray to goe An Ambr to Constantinople &          
the rest with the gallies to goe against Tripoli                                
     That In Brittany there were 5 men of warr at Brest & 5 at Rochfort         
all Ready with whome tis said 15 others to Joyne to make up A fleet of          
28 In assistance of the sweds                                                   
     That it was true that the sea Commanders had orders to Repaire             
Immediately to their ships for that it was the Custome of those                 
Commanders to Repaire to the Court every January the King In that Moneth        
disposeing all those Commands for the yeare following & that done to            
order them to their Charges which is done every yeare thuogh Noe                
perticular Notice is taken of it                                                
    His Maty upon Complaint that severall Justices of peace had                 
Neglected to put his proclamation for security of his person & the true         
protestant Religion In Execution was pleased to signifie his just               
displeasure therein & In Councell to order all Justices to use all Care         
to direct the Ld Chancellor upon due Complaint of Neglect to put such           
Justices out of Comission & to put In others likely to act with more vigor      
     L. c. 743     ffeb 8th 1678                                                
Whitehall ffeb 6th 1678                                                         
+On saturday last mr Price was set at liberty upon baile but Medburne the       
the player was refused  sr Henry Tichburne was set ffree but 2 of mr Prices     
sons being In the Tower Could not obteine the faivour & mr sheldon & mr         
Vaughan likewise got their ffredome  many others endeavoured the same but       
Could not procure it because the Evidence against them was more Cleare          
     Yesterday wee Recd 5 fforeign posts but 7 are yet wanting  they were       
of such old dates that there was nothing Considderable In them save only        
that the ffrench make Many unnecesary delayes for Evacuating the townes         
to the spaniards & that sr samuell Clarke going to Ghent to take shipping       
with the English Regemts to Come for England the ffrench Refused them           
passes & turned them backe so that they were forced to hire vessells to         
Carry them downe the Rivers                                                     
     Wee Exspect letters from Nimeghen with greate Impatience to know           
the Certainty of the peace which will be of Concerne to our affaires at         
home the preparations of the ffrench being Conjectured to looke towards         
us If the peace be Concluded                                                    
+The hague letters of the 10th Confirme the peace signed between the            
Emperor & the ffrench at Nimeghen which is lookt upon As A neer forerunner      
of A generall peace there being that Honble opinion of the Emperor that         
he would not Comply with A peace for himselfe & leave his allies In that        
Condition that they might wholly to seeke for an accomodation                   
     The states are Informed that they might have peace with Algiers by         
sending A few men of warr to appeare before the place & have Committed the      
Consideration of it to the Admiralties                                          
     Mounsr d' Avaux hath acquainted the states that he had Recd orders         
from the King his Master to Insist upon the Re-establishment of the Roman       
Catholicke Majestrates at Maastricht The Revocation of the sentence of          
death against Mounsr Monbas In 1673 & to acquaint them that if the Majory       
of Bous lerdur [?] In the County of Quich the Marquisate of Bergen op           
zoome & the Barony of Breda did Not pay the Arrears of Contributions or         
give good & sufficient security that they must Use the Extremity & take         
them by force                                                                   
     The letters from Prusia of the 27th of the last say That Count             
Carelson Naturall son of the late King of sweden going to Joyne Marshall        
horne was taken prisoner & Carried to Conningsburgh                             
     The Pole is Highly Counted both by the swede & Brandenburgh for            
his Assistence both of them makeing large proffers                              
     The swede to gaine it offers to deliver him all the ducall Prusia          
assoon as he shall have Conquered it & the Brandenburgh offers that             
assoon as he shall have beaten the swede out of prusia that he will not         
leave him till he have beaten him out of Lyvonia & that done he will            
deliver it Intirely Into the hands of the pole                                  
     To which of those the Poles will harken or whether to Either of            
them wee must Exspect                                                           
     Letters this post from Leghorne tell us that A french ship put In          
there saith that shee mett with some of o[u]r ffregotts who told her the        
Rupert Capt Herbert Commander had stranded 2 Algiers men of warr Vizt           
the Canary & whitehorse   And A letter from Malaga Relates almost the           
same but with this difference that the Canary was stranded the other            
being A prize was Retaken  This Newes is hoped to Come Confirmed from           
other parts                                                                     
     On Tuesday last mr Prance the silversmith was brought In A Coach           
to westminster Hall & appeared before the Grand Inquest sr Phillip              
Mathews being foreman  The Clerke of the peace delivered In A bill              
against 6 of the supposed Murthers of sr Edmundbury Godfrey Vizt Green          
the Chappell Keeper Berry the porter Hill the Jesuite shoomaker                 
ffitzgerard an Irish Teag or rebell Kelly A preist & Another, Prance            
gave In the Charge very positive & Circumstantiall & told the jury the          
substance of the Evidence & though he had before A little Blurred his           
testimony by Confession & denyall yet now he Chargeth them with greate          
Constancy & Resolution & will give such Undeniable Evidence as will be          
sufficient to Convict them  On Monday Next they will be tryed                   
     L. c. 744     ffeb 10th 1678                                               
   Whitehall ffeb 8th 1678                                                      
+Wee had severall posts yesterday from Holland ffrance & flanders  they         
Confirme to us the peace was Certainly Concluded the 3d Instant at              
Nimeghen between the Emperor & the ffrench & that the Negotiation for           
the d of Lorraine was In all points agreed to but about perfecting some         
affaires between the Emperor & sweden they must have some small time            
longer about it  but it is soe far advanced that tis not doubted but it         
will be Confirmed In some few dayes                                             
     sr Wm Temple being sent for to be present Untill Concluded on.             
The ffrench Ambr Refuses to Receive the Congratulation for the former           
greate Endeavours Used to Compose the diference of the North                    
     tis said that the ffrench K hath Expended In the warr 500 millions         
of Livers & has 80 millions still In banke                                      
     The ffrench doe still very much distress Lorraine & the parts              
adjacent burning & destroying severall small villages & the Rhine being         
frozen they have pulled downe some houses that with the Materialls they         
may make A bridge that on the other side they may likewise be masters &         
Exact Contributions from those miserable people which are In A greate           
measure Ruined already                                                          
+letters from Coppenhagen tell us that the danes are provideing A greate        
fleet for the Next summer  they have given order for 107 saile of men of        
warr greate & small which will carry 2328 peece of ordinance  They say          
they will not part with any of their Conquest but by the same way they          
became Masters of them                                                          
     The d of Brandenburgh is advanced Into prusia Upon which the sweds         
have quitt Requests & have set severall places on fire, one of our              
letters mention that they have had an Rencounter & that the sweds are           
much worsted  our Next letters will give us A more ample account of that        
affaire                                                                         
     Generall Cob is dead In Hungary                                            
     The ffrench begin to be very Rigorous against the protestants the          
Jesuiticall party Endeavouring asmuch as they Can to Ruine them  Those          
people doe shamfully abuse us haveing formed A play & In acting it seized       
A person for haveing stole A man of warr of 80 guns Running away with it        
Under his Cloake  the person pleads A greate deale of Innocence saying          
that those Circumstances were utterly Impossible but for answer he was          
told he should have A faire tryall & they doubted Not but to prove the          
fact against him for they would send for mr Oates & mr Bedloe out of            
England who would sweare home to the point                                      
+mr Anthony Turner A preist Resigned himselfe the other day to A Justice        
of peace saying he would submitt himselfe to the Mercy of the King              
upon which he was Committed                                                     
     On the 7th one Calcan was brought by Habeas Corpus to the Kings            
bench as severall others have been but all Except the 4 formerly                
mentioned have been Remanded to prison                                          
     ffrom Harwich they tell us that the Building of the shipps goe very        
well in that A large 2d Rate ship would be Ready to Launch the latter           
End of the Next Moneth & that there was A 3rd Rate In good forwardnesse         
     The Paris letters say the Dutch are not like to to shew their fine         
lyveries at publicke Entries the points of honour being not yet                 
adjusted  The Dutch pretend to the Right of Crowned heads to have A             
prince to conduct them to their audience & to have the drumms to beate          
at their Arrivall which though the ffrench acknowledg that they grant to        
Venice yet they denye it to the Duke of savoy who yet pretends to A             
precedency of the states Generall                                               
     By the letters from Conningsberg tis advised that the Elector of           
Brandenburg haveing sent out Lieutenant Generall Gorsby with 4300 horse         
& dragoons & Coll Teffenfelt with 800 horse & 300 dragoons they first on        
January 30th defeated 6 squadrons of dragoons & A Regemt of horse of the        
sweds & an houre after defeated the Right wing of their Army & tooke            
severall prisoners Kettle drums & horse C[ollars?] with store of                
Baggages  the Elector stayd for his foot and Artillery to Come to him &         
Intended ffebruary the 1st to attacke the grosse of their Army at Tyelse        
+The Cologne letters say Monsr Calvo had declared the Citty Enemy &             
seized some of their burghers & sent them to Zons [?] Upon which they           
have made prisoner 10 ffrench who came thither to buy provisions                
     Tis writt from Vienna that some Turks had made an Incursion as farr        
as Zarketon but they were stopt there & Repulsed with the losse of 13000        
+On the 8th sr Wm Goreing was brought to the Kings bench Upon Habeas            
Corpus & the Court Admitted A Baile for him.  The same day mr Atkins was        
brought & Arraigned at the Kings bench barr & tis said will be brought          
to his tryall on Monday Kept with those for the Murther of sr Edm:              
Godfrey                                                                         
     One dr Needham A dr of Phisicke In the County of stafford is Come          
voluntarily In & surrendered himselfe  tis said he will discover the            
the whole Conspiracy as far as it was Carried on In that County, he             
hath obteined his pardon                                                        
     L. c. 745     ffeb 15th 1678                                               
+mr Needham being Examined before the King & Councell hath Confirmed all        
mr dugdales Information & besides declares That the persons Condemned           
for the Murther of sr Edm Godfrey were talked on by the Papists In              
darbishire to be designed for the fact before it was put In Execution           
     One mr Ravenscourt makeing A greate Bussle In the Court at their           
Tryall being asked who he was & Giveing noe good account had the Oaths          
tendred him which he refuseing to take was secured                              
     Two ships being bound for sr Jo: Narborrough with provisions One of        
them was stranded upon our Coasts  part of the provisions being saved was       
put aboard another ship & soe they were gone on their voyage.  Care is          
likewise taken for victualling the ships In the downes & other places           
about hence [?]                                                                 
     On satureday night there was A man taken In ffleetstreet with A            
bagg of Powder about his middle  he was secured In Bridewell that night &       
on sunday was Carried to A Justice of peace & Refuseing the Oaths was           
sent to Newgate.  The same night another was taken upon suspition of            
going about to fire the Bull Head Taverne In ffleetstreet & is secured          
In Bridewell                                                                    
     Tis said that Green Hill & Berry will be Executed on Monday next           
+The Election of Parliamt Members goes on apace of which wee have this          
following account                                                               
darbishire       Ld Cavendish          mr sacheverill                           
darby            Antichell Gray        George Vernon Esqr                       
Hartfordshire    Coll Titus            ffreeman Esqr                            
st Albans        mr Gape               Mr Blunt         [This name is in        
Hartford         sr Clarke Cesar       sr Tho: Byde       another hand.]        
Cambridg Towne   mr Russell            mr Partridge                             
Cambridg University sr Tho: Eaton      James Vernon Esqr                        
Northampton      sr Hugh Chomley       sr Wm ffarmer                            
Stamford                               mr Bertue                                
Notingham        Richd slater Esqr     Pierpont Esqr                            
Newarke          Ld Dainton            sr Robt Markham                          
Abington         sr Jo: stonehouse                                              
Redding          mr Blagrave           mr Knight                                
Wallingford      Jo. stone Esqr        mr Knight                                
Bucks            mr Wharton            mr Hambden Junior                        
Emersham         sr Wm drake           Roger Hill Esqr                          
Aylesbury        sr Tho: Lee           sr Richd Ingoldsby                       
Wendover         Alderman Bakewell     Hambden senior                           
Wickham          sr Tho: Burlane       mr Lewis                                 
Tewkesbury       sr Hen: Capell        ffrancis Russell Esqr                    
Chichester       Richd May Esqr        Major Braman                             
Harwich          samll Pepis Esqr      sr Anthony deane                         
Evesham          sr James Rushant      mr Parker                                
sussex           sr Tho: Pelham        Jo: Lukenar Esqr                         
Branche [?]      Henery Goreing Esqr   Anthony  Eveffortis                      
Norfolke         sr John Williamson                                             
steyning         Sr Hen Goreing        sr Jo: ffagg                             
Newcastle Upon tine sr Wm Blacket      sr ffran Anderson                        
Newcastle Under tine sr Tho: Bellott   Lovesten Gower                           
Grantham         sr Wm Ellis           sr Jo: Newton                            
Sandwich         sr James Oxenden      mr Thurland                              
Huntingdonshire  Ralph Montague        Robert price                             
Rutland          Tho: Mackworth Esqr   Tho: sherwood                            
Lin [sic] Regis  mr Taylor             Capt Turner                              
Chippenham       sr Edw: Hungerford    sr Jo: Talbott                           
Hatchbury        mr Ash Esqr           mr Ash Esqr                              
Marlbrough       Edw. Goddard Esqr     Tho. Bernet Esqr                         
Brackley         Capt Lisle            mr Pickering                             
Colchester       sr Harbottle Grimston sr Walter Clarges                        
salop County     sr Vincent Corbett    Richd Newport Esqr                       
salop Towne      sr Richd Corbett      mr Kinaston                              
Wroton Basset    Lawrence Hide Esqr    Jo: Bledwell                             
Crichlade        Edw: Webb             Hungerford durch                         
Marlbrough       sr James long         Escutt Esqr                              
Bodwin           Coll devereux         stonehouse Esqr                          
Cheshire         sr Philip Egerton     mr Booth                                 
Denizes          sr Walter Early       sr Edw: Bainton                          
Castle Rising    sr Robert Howard      Oaste Esqr                               
     The Hague letters say that Notwithstanding the peace is signed             
between the Emperor & the ffrench K The ffrench did still Reinforce their       
troops In Germany & had sent Armes & Cloaths to the foot & 50000 Crownes        
to make recruites & to the horse 500000 Crownes                                 
+Upon the Imperial Ambrs Motion of A cessation The denmarke &                   
Brandenburgh Minesters are said Not to have Consented as haveing                
Recd noe Instructions from their Masters but those of Zell were willing         
to A peace & Munster & Osnaburgh were Upon Treating tearmes of peace &          
some say it was Already agreed for A summe of money                             
+The ffrench King is going to take A progresse for 50 dayes In which            
time he will see how the Canall is carried on &c   The denmarke &               
Brandenburgh Minesters at Paris act their Masters affaires & tis not            
doubted but both of them are In A faire way of Agreemt it being                 
Impossible they should stand the force of ffrance when seriously Carried        
on against them                                                                 
+A vessell Arrived on the 10th at southampton from Guernsey Reports that        
there & at Jersey they had Recd Late advices from ffrance that the              
ffrench did still Continue their preparations & were fitting out A              
greate fleet pretended for the Balticke                                         
     L. c. 746     ffeb 18th                                                    
London 11 ffeb 1678                                                             
+On sunday morning sr Jos Williamson secretary of state was Required by         
the King to give up the seales of his office & the King Imediately              
delivered them to the E of sunderland to be secretary In his stead              
various are the discourses what the occasion of this Change might be            
time will discover more                                                         
     Now the report is Revived againe that the d of Monmoth shall be            
Immediately made Constable of the Tower & Capt Tho: Clarke to be                
Leiutenant                                                                      
     Yesterday Berry Green & Hill 3 of the persons accused of the               
Murther of sr Edmund Godfrey were tryed at the Kings bench barr where           
there was A Greate appearance of people as hath been seen upon such an          
occasion & they had as faire A tryall as men Could posibly Exspect &            
there were Circumstances made which did much Confirme the Testimony of          
prance & the other witnesses & when the Jury brought In their Verdict           
the Ld Cheife Justice told them they had done like honest men for never         
was there more apparent proofe of An Horrid Murther then there was              
of this                                                                         
+Prance did publickly declare In Court how long this Murther had been           
Contrived how often they had watched the house &c  That all men were            
well satisfied with the Verdict but the papists who if an Angell should         
Come from Heaven & tell them that sr Edm: Godfrey were Murthered they           
would not believe it                                                            
     mr Atkins was also tryed for the same murther but the Evidence not         
being Cleare against him he was acquitted                                       
     The queen for 3 dayes past hath Retired to somersethouse it being          
supposed that those Horrid murtherers would according to Custome be             
Executed neer the place where the fact was committed Unless to Avoyde           
giveing an affront to the queen it be otherwise ordered                         
     This morning there was found A paper set upon somersethouse                
Entitled thus                                                                   
     This present of Tuesday the 4th ffeb will be acted the 2d part of          
the Tragedy of sr Edm: Godfrey by the queens servants where all that            
will come may see it for nothing                                                
     On the 9th sr Wm Waller made A search In the Marquess dowager of           
Worcesters house & brought away 2 preists & hath lately taken 3 more            
besides & on the 4th there was burnt A Cart loade of popish books with          
Aboundance of Crucifixes &c                                                     
+dr Gulston Bishop of Bristoll was on the 9th Consecrated at Lambeth            
     There are some letters tell us of A very considderable losse the           
Muscovites had lately suffered from the Turks who had lately taken              
Leichen & put the whole Garrison which Consisted of 17000 to the sword          
which had put the whole Countrey to so greate A Consternation that the          
Vizier might make A very Considderable Advantage if the Coldness of             
the Climate should not put A stop to his progresse                              
     Tis Confirmed by severall letters that the d of Brandenburgh is            
succesful against t[he] sweds & is In pursuite of them & that the               
Countrey people doe much Rejoyce at it & assist him all they can.               
Brandenburgh overpowers the swede In horse & the K of swedens                   
Councellors Repent their bringing their yonge King Into A Conjunction           
with ffrance being Pentioners to the ffrench king & Bribed with Money to        
Betray their Master                                                             
     All the swede Could doe for Himselfe or the ffrench Ambr In poland         
for him Could not bring the K of poland over to their party nor hinder but      
that the King hath sent to the Brandenburgh Ambr to assure him that he          
wuold still preserve his Ancient amity with the Elector & would act             
nothing prejudiciall to his progresse                                           
     The dutch letters of the 17th tell us the Imperiall Ambrs at               
Nimeghen had proposed A Cessation for 4 months & doe what they Can to           
bring it to A peace but the ffrench seeme unwilling to have the                 
Cessation continue any longer then the End of Aprill  However A treaty          
is like to be Carried on  In the meane time the ffrench seem ill                
satisfied with the Conduct of the sweds & to discover their Resentments         
that the sweds have severall times Refused to very many Reasonable              
tearmes & withstood Even the Cessation learning too much & pressing to          
hard upon the ffrench                                                           
     sr Lionell Jenkins is Called home & did not signe the Treaty               
because the ffrench would not agree that his Name should be set Equall          
with the Emperor & the ffrench K In one direct line but be writt                
underneath which he refused to yeild to                                         
     L. c. 747                                                                  
   Whitehall 15 ffeb 1678                                                       
+Count Egmont & Marquess Burgamanier the spanish Ambrs have put In A            
memoriall In Behalfe of their subjects that they may be Exempted from           
takeing the Oaths Notwithstanding an order of Councill that has passed          
that those their subjects shall for 2 Months be free from takeing the           
Oaths & those that are In prison shall be Released but this time is             
allotted them to dispose of & sell their Estates & draw off the Effects         
& then to Retire themselves out of the Kingdome otherwise to be                 
proceeded against as his Matys proclamations have directed                      
     One mr Prince the dutchesse of yorks Gentleman being In Company            
with some merchants & Dicourseing about the [?] 3 persons Condemned for         
the Murther of the sr Edm: Godfrey said that it would be found that he          
was Murthered by the ffanaticks & that this Nation would not long Enjoy         
their liberties with other Contemptuous words & being asked what he             
thought of the plott said he beleeved there was noe such thing & that           
Ireland & Grove were hanged to please A ffanatick Citty  They                   
answered that his Maty Called it A Hellish plott In his proclamation            
he Replyed true he did soe but Laught at it afterwards  Oaths being made        
of this A warrant is ordered for his apprehension                               
     mr Bedloe hath been sharpely Reprehended for some Indiscretion that        
he has been guilty of In words Relating to the d of yorke                       
+The d of Norfolke is Retarded from going beyond sea there being some           
Censure of him In Relation to sr Edm                                            
    The popes Nuncio at Nimegen Endeavours to hinder sr Lionell Jenki[n]s       
for signing the peace unless the title of defensor ffide be left out            
     The sweds In Prusia are totally defeated  scarse A 1000 Escaped            
which are driven Into woods all their baggage & Ammunition taken & tis          
said that Brandenburgh hath not lost scarce 100 men                             
     The ffrench King hath Caused to be formed A large Meddall of Gold          
wherein he stands Enamelled In the rayes of the sunn Environed with             
Clouds, thunder & Lighting darting from him on every side which                 
dissipates it selfe Into these words Ortus Est Sol  The states that             
opposed him are Represented by A Hydra with 7 heads with A lyon & an            
Eagle with these words Congregata sunt Adversus me, Underneath In the           
ocean & on the further shoare meaning England there is A lyon dormant &         
A dogg with these words probaverint [?] Et Viderunt  & there is                 
scattered all over the Meddall branches of Olives & round about it this         
Haughty Expression Venite et Videte opera domini qui posuit prodigia            
super Terram Auferento bello.                                                   
     On the 4th were burnt at the New palace westminster A Cart loade of        
books Crucifixes &c which were taken from popish houses by sr Wm Waller         
+sr Henry Goodriche is prepareing to goe to the Court of spaine whither         
his Maty sends him In the Nature of Envoy Extrary                               
     The Barnstable merchant arrived heare from Oporto Reports that shee        
was six weeks on her voyage & saw noe algerins by which they suppossed          
the Coast to be Cleare of him                                                   
     A small boate from Aldeney Island Came there on the 4th to                 
southampton Reports that they Came Acrosse A Greate fleet of merchant           
ships bound towards the downes but it being night & they puzled the Cleare      
[?] their Vessell Could give noe account from what Countrey they Came           
     The letters from the westerne parts say our ships are fitting apace        
for Newfoundland & that their advices from st Malo were that they had           
sent thence & were sending A greate fleet of Merchant ships thither to          
ffish them Usually                                                              
     On the 12th sr Joseph Williamson was married to the Lady dowager           
O Brien                                                                         
     The Brussels letters dat 14th tell us that the ffrench had not yet         
Evacuated Ghent & that the Count de Montbruns last orders were only to          
leave the place so soon as the Rivers were open his pretence being that         
he cannot otherwise Carry off his Ammunition unless the d de Villa              
Hermosa will furnish them with waggons to Tournay which tis thought he          
will Rather doe then longer Keep such guests                                    
     They had sent to Lisle to Adjust the Tearmes for the Arreares of           
Contribution which the[y] had more Reasonable hope they might bring to an       
agreemt In Regard the Intendant Pelitier had promised to be Reasonable          
In that Afaire                                                                  
   But at Bruges as by letters thence dated 18th they are much Allarmed         
at A message which the Majestrates of the ffree Recd from Marshall              
Humieres Governour of Lisle by which he demanded the payment of 1200000         
guilders which the Countrey & lands of Mons & Namur owe for Contribution        
to the King his Master & if they failed In makeing payment had orders           
from his master to Come with 4000 horse & quarter of the lands of the           
said ffree  In the meanetime the ffree had deputed of their Colledge to         
goe to Lisle & Expostulate the Matter with M: de Humieres & withall to          
let him Know they had much adoe to pay their owne Contribution without          
paying for others & since the peace made they hoped for faire Usage             
+The Buisness of the Rebells In Hungary seem In A ffaire way of                 
accomodation their deputy haveing In A letter to the Archbishop of              
Hungary said that he hoped to be very shortly at Vienna with such               
proposalls as the Emperor might Undoubtedly accept of & Recieve them            
againe Into his Grace & faivour                                                 
