L. c. 316 Aprill ye 24th 1676 +We have this morning our lettrs from fflandrs of Tuesday last which give us this following account, that on Satturday last the Prince of Orange marched with his troops from Gaesbeck [?] which is two leagues from Brussells, the Duke de Villa Hermosa at the same time marching with the Spanish horse and foot, on Satturday night the[y] quartered at Hall, on Sunday they continued their march and quartered at the abbey of Crambron about a league from Aoth, intending on Munday to have their quarters at Baston a league and a halfe from Conde and to attacke the ffrench in their entrenchments or else engage them in a battle on Tuesday, which according to the last advice his excellency had from the governour of Conde, would have been time enough to have releived the place ffor by lettrs dated on Satturday noone, that Governour advised, that the ffrench haveing notice that the Prince of Orange was on his march towards their releife had resolved to take the place cost what it would, that accordingly they had made severall assaults upon the Counterscarp but had been as often repulsed with great losse, and that he doubted not to maintaine the place till the Thursday following, adding that that morning he had made a sally and done great execution upon the ffrench of their Pioneers and some officers of note, this news I say made it not doubted but the Prince would come time enough to raise the seige. On Sunday the Spanish horse and dragoons arrived at Brussells from artois and the farthest part of fflandrs, haveing that day marched 8 leagues and after 4 houres refreshment they continued their march after the Army. [Handwriting changes here.] The Spanish troups from Lunenburg and Namur were alsoe past towards Mons, to joyne ye army wch would then be above 50000 men Reckoning ye troups from Mons, & Vallenciens, the Spanish haveing Draynd all their Garrisons to strengthen their army. & Wee heare the King of france has done the like, & that Marshall Destrades was marching from Maestrickt towards Conde, where it was beleived he arived on Sunday, but after all on Munday in the Evening they Recd at Brussells Certaine advice from all parts that Conde was taken on Satturday night by storme, but wthout any other perticulars then that it had cost a great many mens lives, that above a 1000 of the garrison had bene put to ye sword ye rest saveing themselves in houses in ye towne, where they obtaind quarter, Wee doe not heare what is become of ye Governr himselfe, the french its said have lost above 3000 men in ye storme. How far this news may have alterd the Resolutions of ye Prince of Orange of fighting ye french We know not, but this is certaine that haveing a great army hee will not be able to find forrage & provisions for it, and therefore will be forcet to attempt something quickly. Just uppon ye coming away of ye letters from Brussells a great report was brought thither that ye french understanding that most of ye Garrison was drawne out of Ipress had sent 10000 men to surprise or invest it & that there uppon ye Governr of Brussells had Commanded two Regimts that came ye day before from Ipress to march back with all dilligence possible +ffrench Letters Just come in doe not make ye action at Conde soe Bloody. They say the Counterscarp & other ye out workes were taken in less then halfe an houres tyme, the King was Resolvd to continue wth ye army 3 or 4 dayes to refresh it L. c. 317 [Handwriting changes here.] Aprill the 26 1676 His Majesty has been pleased to make Sr John Everely Chancellr of the exchange in the roome of Sr John Duncomb. The lettrs from fflanders and from ffrance doe very much disagree concerning the number of men said to be killed in the seige of Conde the former speak of thousands and the latter hardly allowing 100 to have been killed, and not one officer of consideration, there are some lettrs from certaine Gentlemen in the ffrench Camp, which speake in the same stile and assure us, that the beseigers lost very few men, and that the place was taken in a manner by a surprize on the side of the water, where it was weakest. By the way of Holland we have lettrs of the 19/29 just from the Prince of Oranges Camp, which was then near Mons, they say that they were on their march on Sunday was Seavennight, about noone they received the news of Condes being taken, upon which the Prince of Orange who before diverted his march towards Conde, went and encamped at Mons and that it was not yet known what his High: would doe, the ffrench Army lying encamped on the other side of the Schelde between St Amond and Tournay The lettrs from Holland add that they had a report at the Hague, wch they were unwilling to give any creditt to, that the Prince of Orange haveing sent out 3000 horse to discover the Enemy they had been cutt of by them. According to our advices from Germany it plainly appeares that the ffrench have a great concerne for Phillipsburg and to releive it, they were againe assembling their troops at Colmar in Alsatia and the Duke of Lorraine was on the other side goeing to march with his troops to oppose them. The Confederates cannot yet agree into whose hands Stade shall be put when taken and that is the true reason why they doe soe long delay the seige of it, which perhaps may give the Swedes time to put a succor into the place, which it at prsent very much wants, being in a very ill condition. The ill successe of the Spanyards on Sicily has given that side a great[er] discouragement then perhaps the thing itselfe deserves, to find themselves soe much mistaken in the strength of the ffrench, who they did not in the least beleive to have been able to have made a sally with 7000 men, as it seems they did. This morning the Earl of Essex is parted hence towards Chester in order to passe over to his Goverment of Ireland. Its agreed from all hands that the Prince of Orange has at prsent an Army of above 40000 men togeather, reckoning the Spanish troops, that have been drawne togeather from all parts, but with all that he will find it a very hard matter to subsist with them at a time, when there is as yet no forage abroad, and that therefore he will be forced to come back towards Brussells, o[u]r fflandrs lettrs which we expect every minute may be able to tell us farther concerning his High: intentions, as those from ffrance will certainly doe of the ffrench. L. c. 318 Aprill the 28th 1676 +This morning arrived o[u]r fflandrs lettrs & they tell us that the Prince of Orange and the Duke de Villa Hermosa continued encamped at Mons, whither two Captains that had been at Conde escaped, & had given an account of the manner of the takeing of the place Vidt that the attack had been made upon the side of the water, where the Governr had posted only 2 Companyes, haveing drawne all the garrison to the side the King had his quarters, for that the ffrench seemed to designe their greatest fury there, that the Governr finding the ffrench entred, retired into the towne and surrendred upon discretion, and they and their governour were sent to Tournay; They add that the garrison with the succors that came in after the seige were onely 1400 men, and that the defence of the place required twice that number. That part of the towne was pillaged and 3 Captains killed, in the first fury of the soldiers before they could be stopt, that the ffrench in the attack lost not above 20 men, but that a great part of the garrison had been destroyed dureing the seige. The ffrench have put 5 or 6000 men into Conde to bridle the neighboring garrisons; those lettrs likewise tell us that the King of ffrance lay with his Army at Sebourg, and that it was beleived he had sent severall troops to beseige Bouchin, they tell us farther that on the 29th past the Prince of Orange took a revew of his Army which consisted in 32 battaillions of foot 650 men in each battaillion, and 22 Regiments of horse, each Regiment containing 6 troops, each troop 60 men and 2000 drago[o]ns, The Spanish forces about 3000 foot and 6000 horse and dragoons soe that the Army may be 40000 men. their cavalry is in an ill condition through want of forrage, soe that his Highnesse will be necessitated to some action very suddainly In the mean time the consternation and discontent among the people of fflandrs, is realy very great, who publickly declare their wishes to be under the ffrench Dominion, since the Spanyards are not able to protect them, and if Bouchain should likewise be lost, its feared there may happen great intestine disorders. ffrom Germany they write that the Prince of Baden was marched from Lauterburg to attack the fort that lyes over against Philipsburg, and is of great security to that place, which if the Germans succeeded in they will have made a good step towards, though all the lettrs tell us that the Imperiall Generalls seem rather to have a mind to make an irruption into ffrance by the way of Lorraine The Duke of Newburg instead of sending any assistance to the Spanish Netherlands will want it from thence, and he hath sent to that Governr to represent to him the necessity of keeping his owne troops at home to secure him against insults of the ffrench, and farther to desire his Excellency to have some troops ready upon occasion. Yesterday arrived a vessell in the Downes from Virginia, and confirmes that the Indians have done much mischeife there, and destroyed severall plantations. L. c. 319 Aprill ye 29th 1676. The Holland lettrs arrived yesterday make not any mention of the seige of Bouchain but tell us that according to their last advices the Prince of Orange continued encamped near Mons in expectation of a great convoy from Brussells after the arrivall of which the Army would decamp but with what designe was not knowne, that the troops of the Princes of Luxenburg were on their march in order to the seige of Stade that they were about 13000 men besides those of the other confederates which were to joyne with them that the place was in a very ill condition through the want of severall necessaryes and that 150 soldiers of that garrison had discented and taken service under the Duke of Zell ffrom Germany they write that the Imperiall Army was to randevouz the 6 of the next month new stile near Lauterburg and that in the mean time the Prince of Baden was marched with severall troops to begin the attack of Philipsb The great difficulties which remained in the matter of the forming the assembly at Nimeguen hath at last been removed by his Majestys instances in the ffrench Court, that King haveing finally discended [sic] to give the Duke of Lorrain the title of Duke, and stile of brother, and accordingly on Thursday the ffrench envoy here delivered to his Majesty a passeport for the Lorrain Ministers in that forme soe that now the assembly may be suddainly formed and the negotiation begun in order to a peace, this afternoon we have o[u]r fflandrs lettrs they tell us that the Prince haveing finished his revew of his Army had this day 7 night called a councill of War where it had been resolved to passe the river of Mons, and to attempt on the other side of it, to see if the ffrench upon yt would advance and offer them battle, which if they did not the Prince had resolved to go with his Army into quarters of refreshment into the Countrey of Alost untill such as there was forrage in the feild for want of which their horses were already in an ill condition, and much lessened in number, that on the same day they had a hot allarme that Bouchain was beseiged, upon which the whole Army was draw[n] up ready to march with ordrs to leave their baggage at Mons but the news was contradicted againe. That the ffrench lay very strongly encamped at Leyburg and Kenvain [?] there being a very narrow laine [?] to passe before the Dutch come to them being supplyed there with abundance of provisions by water from Douay Tournay &c that on monday the great convoy marched from Brussells Vidt 2000 waggons guided by 3 Regiments of Dutch foot 2 Regimts of Germains, 3 of Spanish horse who arrived in the Princes Campe on Munday night, that on Tuesday the Prince of Orange received certain advice that Bouchain had been beseiged 3 dayes upon which ordrs were given that the army should march on Wednesday morning early towards the ffrench notwithstanding their being soe Advantagiously posted there being noe way to releive Bouchain but first to force the King from Kenvain which the Prince was resolved to attempt and to hazard all to succor it, soe that o[u]r next lettrs will certainly give us an account of a bloody engagement We hear that Madam Brinvillers is brought to Paris where she had been under examination and to prevent all occasion of any escape has besides her ordinary guard 4 women to watch her, they are goeing to make a tryall of some balls she had in a little Cabinett, which she sayes is to cleare the Complexion as alsoe severall violls of water to one of which there was a direction how many drops were to be given to dispatch one in 2 dayes a week or giveing longer time till 2 years which water is fine and of good scent. The Comet formerly mentioned was seen at Naples and Rome and in the lattr they tell us soe bright that they could easily read a lettr of a small hand. The East India Company have made choice of Sr William Thomson to be their Governr & Sr James Edwards their deputy Governor for the year ensueing. [A near-square of two or three inches is cut from the second folio of letter; none of the text seems to have been removed. On outside of letter appear seven lines in another hand, evidently part of a note. They are canceled with the same pen and are thus very hard to read; the cut in the paper may have removed much of the note.] L. c. 320 May the 3d 1676. You see into what expectation o[u]r last lettrs from fflandrs put us, It seems that at a Councill of War held on Monday was seavennight in the Dutch camp, three things were proposed Vidt that considering the want they had of fforrage, and severall Provisions, which they could not have but from Brussells, and yt with great convoys, to the distruction of their cavalry, who would be extreamly ruined by marching backward and forward soe far that they would not be able to recover it all summer, on this consideration, I say, it was thought convenient to goe into quarters of refreshment with the Army, till such time as forrage was in the feild; and that the rest of the confederates began to march, which would obleige the ffrench to send succors to Germany. 2dly It was proposed to move the ffrench from the advantagious post they had taken, they should goe and beseige some place. and lastly that they should march directly to the ffrench, and if they would not come out they would attack them in their Camp. this last prevayled and accordingly the Army was to march on Wednesday. However we hope the Prince will be bettr advised then to attack an Army not inferior to his in number, & superior to it for officers &c in a place where they are extreamly secured by nature & art, And therefore we expect with impatience o[u]r ffrench & fflandrs lettrs. The Articles concluded by Sr John Narborough with Tripili [sic] are now made publick, though you have already seen the substance of them. It seems that instead of the 80000 Crownes which they were to have paid, Sr John has redeemed a good many poor Christians of forreigne Nations that were in slavery there, as perticularly severall knights of Malta, who thus owe their liberty to his Matys Generosity and Charity. On Sunday in the morning his Maty and Royall High: went downe to Sheernesse among other thing[s] to see two ships yt are ready to sayle Commanded by Captain Wood, & fitted out at the Kings Charge, to discover the NorthEast passage. The Dutch lettrs are come in they tell us yt Philipsburg & Stade will now suddainly be beseiged & that the Imperiall Army will be 40000 strong part of which will remayne with the troops of the Circles, while the rest march into Lorraine. By the way of Holland we have advice that the Dutch and Spanish Army did actually decamp on Wednesday morning last, and passed the River at Mons over 8 Bridges takeing their march towards the enemy, but farther we know not. [Some figures in another hand appear on outside of letter.] L. c. 321 May the 5th 1676 The lettrs we received yesterday from Brussells left ye people there in great perplexity, being agitated between hope and fear; for that the Countrey people yt came on friday last reported that they had that morning heard great shooting, and thereupon concluded that the Armys were engaged in a battle, but we here doe not beleive it, for the Army marched but the morning before, and as for the shooting it might have been at Bouchain, where according to wt they write from ffrance they began to make use of their batteries on ffriday morning. However it is very probable o[u]r next lettrs may tell us of some action. The Princes Army togeather with the Spanish foot is counted 30000 foot and 15000 horse, soe that they doe not want number but rather provision and subsistance. ffrom Germany they write that the Dyet at Ratisbonne, the Deputies of the Elector of Bavaria doe very much crosse the designe of the Austrian who endeavour all the[y] can to prswade to War and the Bavarian to peace, he pressing mightily that a solemne Ambassy may be sent to Nimeguen in the name of the whole Empire which the Emperor is against for that it would lessen his greatness and authority. By this proceeding it appeares that Bavaria has not as yet Embraced the Emperors Interest. The[y] still entertaine us with the discourse [of?] the intended seige of Philipsburg, but it dayly appeares more and more that the Imperialists have noe such mind, for the Duke of Lorraine would faine get into his owne Countrey, and onely leave some troops to block those pleaces up. As for the troops of the circles they march but slowly and will want of the number designed, and now they should come into the feild they are consulting at Ratisbon, about provideing of Magazine and Artillery. The King it seems went on Sunday to see a ship that has been built leatly to cheat the Turkes. She is built in manner of a fly boat with a narrow sterne, and to outward appearance looks like a ship of 150 tun; but in reality 600 tuns, and carrys 40 Guns and 200 men and besides is a most excellent sayler. This afternoone his Majesty is gone to Windsor and will be back againe to Morrow. On Sunday last Mr Baxter the eminent Preacher was committed to Newgate by My Lord Major for continueing to preach contrary to his Majestys commands. Last night happened a great fire in London in Bishop gate street near London Wall amongst the stables and 3 or 4 horses were spoyled. Tis advised from Upper Hungary that a party of 400 Turkes had made an Inroad into the Countrey exercising all sort of Hostility & endeavouring to drive away their cattle but were met by the Emperor['s] Troops who killed 150 of them and made most of the officers prisonrs. They tell us from Hamburge of a brisk encounter between some of the Lunenburgrs and a party from Stade of some horses and that the Swedes are forst to retire, but that the Lunenburgrs following them to[o] near their guns charged with small bulletts the Swedes killed them there about 100 with 5 officers they speake too of a sally from Stetin wherein the Swedes had killed and taken near 200 men and many Cattle. L. c. 322 May the 8th 1676. The lettrs we had yesterday from Holland told us that they had an account from fflandrs that the King of ffrance upon the approach of the Prince of Oranges Army, had quitted his camp between Sebourg and Kienrain, and was retired to Bouchain to joyne his forces employed in that seige, haveing left the Marshall de Humiers with 8000 men to guard a certain passe, but that he looking upon himselfe [as?] to[o] weake and apprehending he might be cut off from the maine Body, likewise retreated towards Bouchain. That on Sunday last the Prince arrived at Valenciennes with intention to continue his march from thence to raise the seige of Bouchain, which we are apt to beleive his Highnesse will effect, for that the ffrench seemed to draw all their men togeather to fight the Prince, and consequently must quite the seige. o[u]r ffrench and fflandrs lettrs when they come may be able to tell us more. In the mean time we have nothing new from Germany, things continue still in the same posture as formerly, Our fflandrs lettrs are arrived and tell us that the Prince of Orange after haveing sent out the Prince Vaudemont on the 7/17 instant with 4000 horse with ordrs to pass through Mons, and to march directly towards Kienrain, to make the enemy beleive the Army would march that way, about 7 in the evening the whole Army decamped, and leaving their baggage at Mons marched towards Perwes [?], in the night the Prince of Vaudemont repassed the Haigue [?], and joyned the Army, which encamped at Perwes, the Marshall de Humieres haveing quitted the passe he was left to guard. The 8th instant in the evening the Army passed the Schelde before Conde, and march towards Valenciennes, where it arrived this day seavennight about noon, and possessed themselves of a certaine hill hard by, from whence they could see the whole ffrench Army, for you must know the King was retired from Seburg, and had joyned the troops that were at the seige of Bouchain. Our freshest lettrs are dated on Munday last in the afternoon at Valenciennes, they tell us that the Armys continued in sight of each other, that the ffrench had fortified their camp, and that the Dutch had raised two Batteries upon the hill near Valenciennes, and that both partys pleayed upon each other with their Cannon, and that in the mean time severall skirmishes had been between small partyes, that Bouchain still held out, but it was feared the place would be lost, if the Prince did not attempt some thing very quickly. A Deserter come to Valenciennes reported that on Sunday last at night the ffrench made an assault upon Bouchain but were repulsed with the losse of 500 men of a halfe moon which they had before gained. We have advise by the ffrench post that Bouchain was taken on Tuesday last. [On outside of letter and in another hand appear these lines of verse:] Here sits a Rook, & there a Raven flyes And in that Nook a Nest of Chatter Pyes. [and this list:] a Ld Treasurer b Duke of York. c Nell Guins baby L. c. 323 May the 13th 1676. We had the 11th instant the lettrs from Holland of ffriday last, they tell us they had the news that Bouchain after haveing made what defence it could was surrendred on Tuesday last, that in the mean time the Armies continued in sight of each other, and had each fortifyed their campe, soe that they who could hold out the longest would have the advantage to fall upon them that retreated, that the Dutch Army was very well supplyed from Valenciennes, and that a great convoy was prepareing at Brussells to goe to it. The ffrench at Maestrickt takeing advantage of the absence of the Dutch and Spanish troops have with 5000 men made an incurtion into Gelderland and Cleves, burnt severall considerable villages, and sett the rest under contribution. They had lettrs from Strasburg of the 9th instant which said that the whole Imperiall Army was actually on its march towards the Rhin, which it was beleived they would passe at Lauterburg and soe march into Alsatia, leaveing some troops with those of the Circles to keep Phillipsburg blocked up, the ffrench in the mean time made hast to assemble their forces at Sleckstadt but would not be able to make head against the Imperialists unlesse reinforced from fflandrs. That they had advice from Copenhagen that Van Tromp was arrived with 15 Dutch men of War, and that there had been an Engagement in the Baltick between some Danish and Swedish men of War of which the successe was not yet knowne. There are some lettrs from Amsterdam which say that they had advice there that the ffrench King had sent a detachment of 10 or 12000 men from his Army in fflandrs into Alsatia, but if this had been soe our last ffrench lettrs would have made mention of it as they did not. this is certaine that we shall now very suddainly hear that the Duke of Lorrain is entred with the Imperiall Army into his owne Countrey, for that is his designe and therefore the ffrench must take some care to oppose him, for as yet they are but weake in Alsatia. In the mean time the seige of Phillipsburg will be carryed on by some of the Imperiall troops joyned with those of the Circles, who are very eager to remove that thorne out of the side of the Empire. The Emperor continues still indisposed which occasions some trouble in that Court. By the ffrench post the 12 came a report that the Prince of Orange being upon retireing from Valenciennes had to that purpose laid severall bridges over the Schelde, but that the ffrench have sent out a strong party had cutt of those bridges and consequently their retreat, but this meets with noe great creditt. On the 4th a Gentleman was by order taken into custody for dispersing a seditious libell & on the 6th appeared before the Councell, who haveing freely confessed from whom he had it, was discharged and the other party sent for to tell from whom he had it that soe the author may at last be found and punished according to his default. The People of Leige since the takeing away the Cittadle were crumbled into partys, who are growne soe innumerous that its thought they can be noe longer kept from ffalling together by the Earles [ears?] among themselves. The Copenhagen lettrs of the 25th say their forces will speedily be Embargued for Schonen though it was thought they would make it late in May ere they would be ready. L. c. 324 May the 15th 1676 We are wanting of all o[u]r forreigne lettrs and two posts from fflandrs, which make us wholly ignorant of what has passed between the two Armies. though we are all of opinion that there has not been any action between them, each Army haveing fortifyed its camp. And if the Dutch can hold it out any time, the ffrench King will be obleiged to weaken his Army by the supply he must send into Germany. The Duke of Mecklenburg who I formerly told you had desired leave to come hither from ffrance, arrived here two or three dayes since, and yesterday in the evening was to waite upon their Majestys It is thought he will stay some time here. He has only a traine of about 30 persons. We have the 11th instant the fflandrs lettrs of yesterday was seavennight, and the ffrench of Wednesday last By the former we have lettrs from Valenciennes of the 14 instant which tell of the great concerne the whole Dutch Army and especially the generall officers were in for the losse of Bouchain; and particularly that nothing had been attempted for the releife of it, which would have been had the place held out a day or two longer for on Tuesday it was resolved to Attack the ffrench in the Camp the next morning, and accordingly 12000 men were appointed to begin the attack &c but on Tuesday in the evening they had the certainty that the place was surrendred, upon which 2500 men were immediately sent to reinforce the garrison of Cambray, And now since the place was taken the great trouble was to get of [?] Armie, for that they should not be able to subsist [?] their Camp, and their out guards was soe near as to talke to each other. At Brussells this news had made a genll murmering and discontent among the people who cry they are betrayed to the ffrench. By the ffrench post we have lettrs of the 17 instant from the Armies which still continued in their former station without that any action passed between them, the main point is who can hold out longest The Imperiall Armies certainly on its march and its expected the next lettrs from fflandrs which are this day due will tell us, that they have passed the Rhine. We hear that the Dutch and Spanish troops are reckoned 50000 and the ffrench about that number They were in the Dutch Army in great want of their baggage for want of which the officers suffer much It is impossible the Armies should part without some action. L. c. 325 May the 17th 1676 On Saturday night the ffrench Ambr here receivd lettrs by expresse from the ffrench camp dated this day seavennight wch was the 19/9 instant, wch say yt the King had sent 35 squadrons of horse and 6 or 7 battallions of foot amounting in all to about 8000 men undr the command of the Marshall de Lorge towards Germany, and that the King finding the Dutch and Spanyards had very strongly encamped themselves soe that nothing could be attempted upon them, and on the other hand yt the ruines of Bouchain were repaired, and resolved to decamp the 8/18, but that receiveing that morning an account from some deserters that the Dutch intended to march the next day Vidt the 19, he had deferred his resolution but finding to the Contrary, that the Dutch continued firme his Maty had finally resolved to decamp the next day being the 20, but not in the night or by stealth, but at noonday to give the enemy oppurtunity of comeing to an action if they pleased. We have lettrs from the Princes Camp of the 8/18 which is a day slater [sic] then was above said, which tell us that severall consultations had been held to make a safe and honorable retreat, yt to that purpose severall bridges had been laid over the Schelde, yt hitherto they wanted no provisions being supplyed from Valenciennes and the neighborhood, however that they should not continue there many dayes longer. That they had advice of the Kings haveing sent 8000 from his Army towards Germany, but yt some deserters that came over, reported that the king had expected as many fresh troops from ffrance, and that the King resolved to continue in the Army as long as there was any appearance of Action, that on the 17 a ffrench Trumpeter arrived in the Dutch Camp to tell the Prince of Vaudemont, that the Prince of Sishbononne who marryed his sister & severall others of the house of Lorraine had a desire to see him, Vaudemont with the leave of the Prince of Orange and the Duke de Villa Hermosa accordingly met them at the place appointed between the two Armys, and had a short conference with them, about indifferent things onely. It is said from all hands that if the Dutch & Spanyards had fallen upon the ffrench soe soon as they arrived, they might have ruined them, for their whole Army was not come up, the King being advanced with a body of horse onely. On the other hand it is affirmed yt the King when his Army was come up would have fought the Dutch but was dissuaded by ye Marshalls. At prsent the case is both Armys are desirous to draw from the ground where they are both prpareing for it, & o[u]r next lettrs will tell us who went first and whether any action had been occasioned by it. In Alsatia the Imperiallists begin to be brisk, by the way of ffrance we have lettrs from Strasburg which say they had taken the great fort which guards the bridge of Phillipsburg by storme, wch would very much contribute to the lose of the place, from whence severall deserters are come of late, who say that ye place is in an ill condition. ffrom Sicily we heare that ye Spanyards with the help of the Dutch have retaken the citty of Augusta. Just now came the fflandrs lettrs wch say yt the 20 instant the ffrench king decamped marched towards Doway and yt on the 21 the Prince of Orange began likewise to decamp and to march towards Mons without that any action had passed betwixt them. The ffrench king has sent a second detachmt towards Germany. The Imperialists have not yet taken the great fort at Phillipsburg but severall redoubts that are about it. L. c. 326 May the 20th 1676 There was a lose report on Tuesday of a fight between the Dutch and Spanyards and the ffrench fleets in the Mediterranean, which met not with any credit till the Dutch lettrs arrived the 17th, the accounts they brought is made publicke, soe that I have onely to adde here, that the Dutch complaine extreamly of the Spanyards who kept at such a distance that their shot which they did not spare, hardly reached the enemy, soe that the whole stresse lay upon the Dutch ships who are onely 17 and much inferior to the ffrench as well in strength as number what losse the ffrench sustained neither the ffrench or Dutch lettrs mentioned, though there be some reports as if Monsr d'Almeras was killed and some of their ships lost, the designe of the ffrench we doe not know, whether it was purposely to fight de Ruyter and releive Augusta, which de Ruyter shut up by sea, or whether they were goeing to meet their gallyes however it was they fayled in it, if o[u]r lettrs say true, that the ffrench were retired to Messina. Yet they have obtained the advantage of putting the Dutch fleet out of a condition to doe any service till they have been repaired at Palermo, which will take up time. We all fear that de Ruyter will hardly recover considering his age, if not he will dye lemented by all people You see in what posture the Armies in fflandrs are, the one marched towards Doway and the other towards Mons, it is said the Prince of Orang will take his measure from the Motions of the ffrench, that is if they shall goe into quarters of Refreshmt and that the King returnes to Paris, as is beleived the Spanyards & Dutch will doe the like, takeing the Countrey of Alesso [?] to quarter in till such time as all the Confederates are come into the feild, when they think they shall be able to give the ffrench worke enough, but in the mean time in fflandrs the people are not a little troubled that this Campagne has been soe unsuccessfull to them contrary to their great expectation. It is certain that soe soon as the Germans have taken the fort of Phillipsburg, they will leave some troops only to block it up, while the Duke of Lorraine marches with the main Army as is thought towards Haguenaw, where the ffrench have laid up a very great Magazine of all sorts of Provision for the subsistance of their Army this summer, and if the Imperialists could take place [?], the ffrench would be extreamly disappointed for want of their provisions Three dayes since the Duke of Newburgs Residt here prsented his Maty with a lettr from his Mr in which he gave the king an account of his being entred into the confederation, and the reasons that have induced him to it, and desires if his Majesty would be pleased to procure of the ffrench king passeports for his Ministers that are to goe to Nimeguen. It is not doubted but that the Elector of Bavaria will by means of the Duke, they being near related be likewise drawn into this Confederation and in recompence the Emperor will marry the Duke of Newburgs daughter, who is now goeing with her father and Mother to their territorys on the Danube, to be soe much the nearer Vienna. The Councell after severall prsons examind of whom they had the libell brought it at last up to one Mr John ffreake of the Temple who not produceing whence he had it, is supposed the Author and sent prsoner to the Tower The Lord Leiut of Ireland landed safe at Dublan on the 6th On the 15th the Dutchesse of Portsmouth went to the Bath to make use of the waters for her health L. c. 327 May the 24 1676 +By the way of Holland we have advice that the 12/22 instant the Imperiall Army marched from the neighbourhood of Spire, And that it was beleived it would take its way towards Haguenaw to beseige it, which was said to be already invested by Prince Pio, who had passed the Rhine at Lauterburg with the Impll troops that came from Suabia, and lately passed the Neighborhood of Strasburg, but the Lorraine troops who came with the said Prince Pio almost to Lauterburg were countermanded and sent backwards from Strasburg to guard a passe and to prvent the ffrench from sending any succors to Phillipsburg on that side the Rhine, that the Duke of Luxemburg intended in few dayes to march with what troops he had from Sleckstadt to have an eye upon the Imperialists That a squadron of Danish men of War who were at sea had made a disent upon the Island of Gotland which lyes in the midway between Sweden and Pomeren, notwithstanding the opposition of 600 Swedes, landed and made themselves Masters of Wisby the cheife port town in the Island, if the Danes can but keep there they will greatly incommode the Swedes Navigation. That the Elector of Treves was dead. That they had lettrs from Antwerp of ye 18/28 instant which say that the ffrench Army was come from Ligne near Aoth into the Countrey of Alost & was quartered between the Grammont & the Ninoven, in the same place where the Prince of Orange & the Duke de Villa Hermosa intended to have taken their quarters of Refreshmt that the inhabitants of Dendermont which lyes between Ghent & Brussells were in a great apprehension of the ffrench, to secure themselves had opened their sluyces and lett all the Countrey round them underwater. The Dutch & Spanish Army continued at Hall near Brussells. ffrom Copenhagen of the 9/19 instant they write that the Admirall tromp after haveing been honored by the King with the order of the Elephant was sayled with 12 men of War to joyne the Danish men of War that were at Gotland, & that the King intended to begin to march with his Army On the 30, On the other hand we hear very little of the preparations of the Swedes. We have this afternoon o[u]r ffrench lettrs they confirme what is above Vidt that the King is come with his Army into the Countrey of Alost & had his quarters between Ninoven & Grammont they had a report at Port that de Ruyter was dead but we hope bettr. L. c. 328 May the 27th 1676 They write from Hollandrs [sic] that a conspiracy was discovered for betraying Venlo into the ffrench hands & that the authors were secured & that it was supposed a fire that burnt an house near the Magazine of Gueldre was the effect of some designe. They tell us that on the 15th at night the ffrench sallied out of the great fort on this side the Rhine upon the 2 Redoubts which the Imperialists had gained, & that with such a brisknes that they killed 60 & wounded 100 Imperialists, but that it cost the ffrench dear who had lost 6 Captaines a Canissary [?] of the Artillery &c The ffrench lettrs that dat the 27th tell us their fleet was commanded by Monsr de Quesne & give those killed which were mentioned before, as alsoe Monsr Valbello & Chevalier Jacerville with severall persons of quality. Those from Holland dat the 26 tell us the reason why the Prince fought not, for that the States considering that the great strength of ffrance was upon his hand, write severall lettrs to him not to hazard a fight without appearent advantage, but to keep his Army entire for the more vigorous designes when the Imperialists and other confederates should be entring upon action, which must probably divide & weaken the ffrench Army which effect is already seen in the detachments sent to Alsatia, which must be followed by others, both for those parts & to oppose the Osnaburg forces. The Duke of Lorraine had advice that the ffrench have quitted the great fort and a sufficient force being putt into it, soe that now nothing can get out or into Phillipsburg he was marching with the rest of the Army towards Sleckstadt to aid out [?] the Duke of Luxenburg On the 19 Mr Radford was sent prisoner by order of the Councell to the tower upon account of the Libell & he and Mr ffreake are ordered to by [sic] tryed the next session at Hickshall and the partys concerned bound in 500 L to give in their evidence. The lettrs from Nimeguen dat the 10th tell us that though the people promised to send to Maestricht to Compound with the ffrench intendent for their contribution & that Monsr Cabro had told them in case they did not he would come and take it as he found it, the townsmen of themselves were not very forward to pay it, & Heer Amerongen one of the States passing 3 or 4 dayes before through that towne had confirmed them in that resolution soe that they sent a Gentleman to Cleve to Prince Maurice the Governr to consult with him about the bringing into the feild a small Army to defend the Land of Cleves and Maes land that joyne together from the Incursion of the ffrench & to that purpose they were about drawing out their garrison & to bring some Newburgh forces into the Neigborhood but they had noe horse among them. It was said there that the ffrench King had reserved to himselfe to enter a protest at the treaty that his calling the Duke of Lorraine Duke in his passeports could not produce his Right and title in that Dutchy. The Dutch lettrs of the 28 tell us that the Bishop of Munster had raised some new difficulties before he made farther progresse disputeing first the repartition of the Conquests of which he required the 5th part & alsoe refused to ratifye a late treaty with the Emperor & allies till such time as he should receive his subsides the latter he was satisfyed in by the Emperors paying of the Due remaineing, and as to the other they offered him a 5th part valued in money, but he told them that he wanted not money, being willing to lend them 4 Millions upon good security but it was beleived they should compose the difference. The ffrench lettrs of the 25th speake but imperfectly of the 2d engagement with de Ruyter in which they worsted him, they will not owne any disadvantage in the 1st [and?] value themselves upon account they putt de Ruyter of from his designe of assisting the Spanyards in takeing Augusta, they tell us that their fleet of 25 galleys went off from Civitta Veschia the 18th where they were furnished with plentifull Refreshments, besides which they were sending another supply of Victuals & other necessarys with 4000 men under the Convoy of 9 men of War were then in readinesse. The Copenhagen lettrs of the 9th say that the Comrs met on Wednesday at the Cittadle for the tryall of the Chancellor Griffenveldt where the siscall [?] accused him of high treason on the 10th they were to meet againe to receive his answers On the 22d was appointed the generall Randevouz of the Army who made noe question to retake Schonen. On the 25th it was ordered in Councell that the Proclamation against Privateers be renewed We had lettrs from Paris of the 24th instant which said very confidently that the Queen had received an expresse giveing among other things an account that Leiutenant de Ruyter dyed the 5th day after the fight the wounds he received then putt him into a feavoar but we expect our Italian lettrs for the confirmation. You see by the gazett the posture of the Armys to which I adde that according to what they write from Germany we all beleive that Haguenaw is beseiged by the Duke of Lorraine while the troops that are left at Philipsburg will doe some thing more then block it up, the Elector Palatine presses very much to have it formally beseiged and will contribute all he can towards it, & tis said that the Imperialists have begun to [o]pen some trenches against Phillipsburg, and their attacks will be more vigorous as the troops of the circles arrive. The detachment the King of ffrance sent from fflandrs arrived the 11/21 instant under the command of Duke de Villory at Sedan and to continue their march with all diligence to Alsatia to joyne the Duke of Luxenburg. ffrom fflandrs we hear of nothing but complaints from all sorts of people whose trouble and affliction for the losse they sustained is soe much the greater for that they are as much ruined by their freinds as their enemys and that the great Army they have doe nothing to secure them. In fine the lamentations of those people are soe great and soe just likewise that every body that hears them must be concerned, there is not at present any appearance of action, for till other confederate troops as those of Osnaburg &c be come into fflandrs the Prince of Orange will not think fitt to attempt any thing, in the mean time both Armys will refresh themselves in the Countrey of Alost where there is a bundance of things for their subsistance. ffrom fflandrs they write that the most Christian King will leave his Army about the midle of the next month & returne to Paris which will likewise divide and weaken the Army by takeing from it the guards du Corpes. They write from Holland that the ffrench had a designe to surprise Briell, thus, four or 5 ffrench vessells appeared upon the coast & sent in to tell them that they had 500 English Recruits on board by an Englishman but the governr of Briell being more circumspect then they imagined sent back word that he wanted order to receive them ashoar, but said he would send to the Hague, this is a currant story in Holland, but the truth I cannot warrant The ffrench keep the Elector of Bavaria in their interests and are endeavouring to conclude marrage between him & the Dutchesse of Savoy. On the 26th instant about 2 a clock in the morning happened a very sad fire in Southwarke hard by the tolbat Juno [?], which continued till about 3 or 4 this morning dureing wch time the best part of Southwark was burnt downe they reckon about 400 houses & St Mares Over Church hardly escaped & about 50 houses were blown up. We doe not hear any thing farther of de Ruyter & there are those that still hope the late report of his death may be false. L. c. 329 May the 31th 1676 By the ffrench post which arrived Sunday there were lettrs from good hands, which said that the ffrench Army in Alsatia commanded by the Duke of Luxenburg consisted in 20000 men, all Veteran troops, besides the detachment that lately went from fflandrs which was not yet come up, but that soe soone as it did the Duke of Luxenburg had orders to attempt the releife of Philipsburg, which notwithstanding all the pressing instances of the Elector Palatine remaines onely blockt up We are told sicknes begins to get among the Dutch soldiers in fflandrs & that their troops are already lessened very much, but this hoped that some time of refreshment in the Countrey of Alost will recover those that now lanquish. The delay of the Osnaburg troops does very much disappoint the measures of the Prince of Orange & the Duke de Villa hermosa for it was all along concented [?] that the said Duke should with the Spanish troops joyne the said Osnaburgs & beseige some place, while the Prince of Orange with his Army recovered them from the enemy We have o[u]r ffrench lettrs of Saturday last which say that the armys in fflandrs continue in the same quarters as formerly in the Countrey of Alost, the K being lodged at Ninoven that they had lettrs from Alsace of the 20/30 instant giveing an account that the Diligent march of the Duke of Luxenburg who on the 18/28 encamped between Haguenaw and Saverne, had broke the measure of the Duke of Lorraine, who still lay on the other side of Haguenaw, being not able to advance any farther by reason of the narrow lanes he must passe, which he could not doe with out giveing the ffrench a great advantage upon [?] him, the ffrench promise themselves they shall be able not onely to secure Haguenaw, but likewise to releive Philipsburg. The ffrench pretend absolutely to the victory in the late sea fight, for they say our fleet kept the sea 9 dayes after the fight, passed twice in the vew of Siracusa, where the Dutch & Spanish fleet lay to repaire, being extreamly torne and disabled & haveing raised the seige of Augusta, returned the 10th of May new stile to Messina, where the ffrench galleys are dayly expected haveing on board 1200 foot & 300 dragoons to be mounted at Messina, besides which the death of De Ruyter will be of great advantage to the ffrench, whose affairs seem to be at prsent in a bettr posture then they have been for some months past, soe that the Spanyards will hardly remove them from thence unlesse by a peace. A lettr from a good hand which sayes that the Dutch and Spanish forces in fflandrs are not at prsent above 38000 fighting men soe much are they lessened since they came into the feild, but besides we must beleive they never were this summer 50000 as was said & adds that the Spanyards are not at all satisfyed with the proceeding of the Dutch, however they think fit to dissemble it all they can, & to submitt to the necessaty of their affaires. L. c. 330 2d June 1676 The Last weeke arrived here the Sieur Olivikrans in an english man of War from Sueden, being one of the plenipotentiarys of that Crown for the treaty of peace, he comes hither in order to his passing with his Colleague the Baron Sparre from hence to Nimeguen, whither its said the ffrench Ambassdrs are likewise on their way from Charleville. His Majesty takeing notice of the severall abuses that are committed by the men of War of the severall partys now in War, has commanded a very strict proclamation to be published for the security of our Navigation, as far as it lyes in his Majestys power to provide for the same. Mr ffreake a gentleman of the Temple continues a close prisoner in the tower on account of a very scandelous and seditious lible of which he is charged to be the author of, at least he will not declare if he be not, from whence he had it, the thing is of that nature that its beleived he will be proceeded against according to the severity of the law. Mr Hide who I formerly told you was appoynted to goe to Poland to Christen in his Majestys name a little princesse lately borne to that King, as godfather will have the Character of Ambr Extraordinary & a traine suitable to that quality. Mr Skelton who has soe long continued at Ratisbon by reason of the difficulties arisen in that matter of the Lorraine passeports seeing those difficulties are now taken wholly away & that the Congresse is goeing to be formed will have very suddainly ordrs to proceed to Vienna to sollicite the liberty of the Prince William of ffustemburg The gazett will give you an account of what o[u]r last advices from abroad are concerning the posture of the severall Armys as well in fflandrs as Germany to which I can onely add that the Confederates begin to have some discouragmt finding their expectation soe far deceived for before the Campagne began they had almost persuaded themselves that the ffrench would not be able to make head against them It is now not doubted but the Duke of Newburgs daughter will be the future empresse We hear that the English [Indians?] in New England doe continue very much to vex and annoy the English, & to ruine their plantations. They write from Mosco Aprill the 29th that there was then a great fire with them which had continued for 3 weeks without intermission & was burning when the lettrs came away haveing been soe violent that day that it destroyed above 1000 houses. L. C. 331 [Size of paper changes here.] Whitehall June 3d 1676 +On Thursday his Maty accompanied with his Royall highnesse went to Windsor, to see the new buildings in the Castle there, wch goe up apeace, & this daye about noone his Maty returned hither againe. +The severall ambrs begin now every where to putt themselves on their Joyrneys to Nimiguen, in order to the forming ye assembly them [there?], and to begin the negotiation of a peace, wch its plaine ye ptyes in warr seeme every daye more and more disposed to, so far that some of ye cheifest Confedrts doe not stick to declare that if the rest of this Campagne doe not prove more favourable to them, then ye begining has done, The best way will bee to make peace: and it is certaine that ye ill Success of things in flanders, so contrary to expectacon, has been a great means to begett the aforesaid disposition to a peace Some Gentlemen lately arrived from Sweden doe assure us that that King will have a fleet some tyme this month att Sea; consisting in 60 very stout men of war, the Swedes lying this for a fundamentall pocrit [?], that unlesse they can bee Mrs of the Sea, their Territorys in Germany must bee absolutely lost. +Yesterday arrived two English vessells in ye Downes, who about ye lands End mett with three Algerin men of warr, who upon producing their Palles Treated and dissmised them very civilly, the said Algerins had taken a duch East Indy ship outward bound. +This day Mr Freake a gentleman of ye Temple, who was committed close prisoner to ye Tower on account of a most Infamous and treasonable libell, charged upon him, was broaght, upon a habeas corpus to ye Kings bench Barr, and after some examination, was remanded backe to ye Tower by ye Judges, on Munday hee will be brought againe to ye Same barr, when its beleived an information will be given in agt him of high treason, soe that its like to goe very hard with him. +Wee have nott any forraigne letters. L. c. 332 [Size of paper changes here.] June the 7th 1676 We are in great expectation to hear what has been the issue of the mattr in Alsatia, you have seen in the news booke how the Armys then were posted on the 6 instant. the Imperialists you see the assailants & the other the defendants the great point then in contest was about gaining a village in which the ffrench posted themselves to cover their Army, & if the Imperialists could get it, ye ffrench would be in a very ill condition for their whole Army would lye exposed to the Implls Cannon, the next point is whether the Imperialists could hinder the ffrench succors from Lorraine from joyning the Duke of Luxenburg ffrom Holland they write of ye 9 instant that ye Resident of the Duke of Osnaburg had assured that ye troops of his Mr began to march the 8th, but the lettrs adde that it was yet a secret whether those troops would be employed on the Moselle or in fflandrs The Count de Caperara who is envoy from the Emperor in ye Dutch Army in fflandrs haveing written in disrespectfull termes of the Prince of Orange, to the Ministers at Vienna, it happened those lettrs were intercepted by the ffrench who sent them to the Prince to let him see the respect his allyes had for him, upon wch the Prince was very much offended, & Caprara has left the Army. yesterday Mr ffreake was againe brought to the Kings bench barr when Mr Aturney Generall moved that seeing there was but one wittnes against him, & yt in case of high treason the law required two, their Lordpps would take baile which was accordingly done for his appearance at the next sessions at the old Bayly for yt in ye mean time new evidence might come in, the other Gentleman that is a prisoner on the same account will hardly escape for there are two wittnesses against him besides his own confession. we have advice from Portugall that the ffrench are useing great endeavours to draw that Prince into a war agt Spaine, & yt to that end great offers are made but hitherto without any effect. We had the 6th o[u]r fflandrs lettrs of an old stay he [?] bring nothing new farther then that the Prince of Orange entended on Wednesday last to take a turn to antwerp to conferre with some of ye States that were come from the Hague & that the King had taken a revew of his Army, & yt it was compleat 40000 men, stronger then the Dutch & Spanyards & yt severall civilitys & compliments passed between ye King & ye Duke de villa Hermosa they confirme what is above said concerning the Count Caprara. We have likewise o[u]r ffrench letters of Saturday last, they bring us nothing new from the Armys in Alsace, for ye last lettrs they had from thence were of ye 6 instant, which gave just ye same account you have already seen onely add that in the action that had passed, in which Sr George Hamilton was killed yt the ffrench had lost 100 common soldiers & severall officers & part of their bagage, soe yt we must expect o[u]r next lettrs from fflandrs to hear the particulars & what happened after the ffrench came to Saverne. The ffrench gallys are arrived at Messina & the Duke Vivonne is dead of an apoplexy. L. c. 333 June ye 9th 1676 It seems the Swedes have got their fleet to sea sooner then the Danes expected, on the 23 past the Swedish fleet consisting in 52 sayle met with the Danes which were 27 men of War onely the former had the wind, & notwithstanding their superiority in strength, avoided a close engagement, but after haveing for severall houres continued in sight of each other, fireing all the while at a great distance, the Swedes stood a way to the coast of Pomeren to putt on shoar as is beleived the troops they had on board, by which means the Swedes have gained this point of succoring Pomeren. Though as to Stade they have not succeded soe well, for the Confederates being Masters of the fort on the hoinge [?], noe releife can be brought to the place by water There are lettrs at Court from ffrance wch say that the succors consisting in about 10000 men were come up to the ffrench Army in Alsatia, which still continued encamped under the Walls of Saverne, & the Imperialists near it both partys makeing use of their Canon against each other, but the Imperialists had not yet been able to take the village in wch the ffrench are posted. We have this afternoon o[u]r lettrs from fflandrs of friday last, they say yt the Prince of Orange, haveing been two dayes at Antwerp, was returned to his Army which continued encamped as formerly, as did likewise that of the Enemy, though the King was gone to Aoth with intention to be back againe in his Army in a day or two. The lettrs we have this way from Alsace are onely of the 5th instant & tell us nothing but what we know already There has been a pretty Action in fflandrs on the side of Cambray, which was thus the Governour of Cambray understanding that the Baron de Quincy who lately quitted the Spanish service, was every day [space for about seven letters left blank] went out with 35 Squadrons of horse and some foot to endeavour to lay an Ambush for the ffrench, but the Baron de Quincy had it seems information of the Governrs designe, & therefor came out to meet him, being one third stronger then he, The Dispute was sharpe but at length the Spanyards had the victory, 400 ffrench being killed upon the place severall prisoners taken, 12 Standerts, & 2 ketle drums, with which the Governr returned to Cambray in Triump. The fflandrs lettrs confirme the takeing the fort of Stade, the Garrison it was 150, of which two was killed & 3 wounded in the attack, & the rest were made prisoners of War, Stade is by this means in a bad condition & must be starved for no succors can come to them by water which happens very unluckily for them, for 5 men of War & 4 ships were arrived with men & provisions in the Albe. On the 6 was a tryall betwixt the Loyall Indigent officers plantife & Sr John Benet defendant wherein he haveing proved the payment of the moneys charged to be received by him & the verdict went for him. On the 8th 2 of the Cornwallos foot men were tryed at the king bench about killing a boy in St James parke & by the Jury discharged. L. c. 334 June the 12 1676 Yesterday according to his Majestys order the mercers attended his Majesty in Councell & there received a positive command not to sell any forreigne silkes or stuffes for the future, with a checke that they had not bettr observed his Matys late order in Councell on this subject, & at the same time the Lord Chamberline has commanded all the officers undr his directions that they turne out of the Court any person that shall presume to come into it, weareing such forreigne Manufactures, his Majesty been resolved to doe all that in him lyes to encourage those of his owne kingdome & especially the English drapery. We are informed from a good hand that the Spanyards have lately intercepted a lettr written from Messina by the Duke de Vivonne to the ffrench king in which he complaines of the ill condition the ffrench affaires there are in, through the wearinesse those inhabitants seem to have of their forreigne protectors & their desire to returne to their former obedience & that therefore the ffrench soldiers live in continuall fear of haveing their throats cutt by the Messinesses, which he almost seems to apprehend himselfe, the sight of this lettr has very much rejoyced the Spanyards, We have o[u]r letters from Paris of Wednesday last which say that there had been some fresh skirmish between the ffrench & the Germans in Alsatia in which the former pretended to have had the advantage & to have taken severall hundred prisoners but this the lettrs say positively the 9 instant the succors came up to the ffrench Army which was then about 30000 men & that the Imperialists wanting provisions & especially bread were retired towards Strasburg ye ffrench continueing in the neighborhood of Saverne. The lettrs add that their fleet of men of War were arrived from Messina at Thoulon, but would in few dayes returne to Sicily with fresh supplyes. In fflandrs the army continue as formerly without any action, +We have lettrs from Strasburg of the 1/11 instant which say the Imperiall army had that day passed the Rhine there over the bridge of Strasburg (haveing after all obtained the passage[)] & that their designe was to goe & beseige Phillpsburg, with the whole Army by which means the ffrench if they intend to releive the place will be forced to goe after the Germans and give them a fair opportunity of A battle, which now the Germans could not obtaine, the ffrench act defensively this gives a great turne to things in those parts, & will putt the ffrench to take new measures who must passe the Rhine. likewise if they will succor Phillipsburg, & consequently goe far from their owne garrisons, the Rhinsians with the Imperialists now have hindred all succors from comeing to Phillipsburg from Alsatia side. L. c. 335 June ye 14 1676. +The ffrench triumph mightily at the Imperiall Army passeing the Rhin, saying that as to Phillipsburg they doe not fear at all, but time must show. Yesterday we had o[u]r Dutch lettrs of Satturday was seavennight they tell us that the Readt Pentionary ffagall was returned to the Hague & with him Count Horne Generall of the Artillery who had embarked at Dort 45 peices of Canon & 25 at Delfe, which are to be Convoyed up to the Rhine towards Ruremond & Venlo, the same lettrs adde that the designe is to beseige Maestrickt, which the troops of Osnaburg, Lunenburg, Newburg &c makeing in all about 25000 men & that the Prince of Orange will command at that seige leaveing the command of his army in fflandrs undr the Command of Waldeck but this news seems almost incredible, when we Consider the strength of Maestrickt at prsent it is provided with men & all things necessary for its defense but a short time will make things plainer to us. By a shipp arrived the last week we understand yt in new England & even in Virginia things stand very ill, the Indians doeing them great mischeife dayly, in soe much that its said the English have lost more ground then they will be able to gaine againe in severall years Its said that his Majesty will send them some assistance from hence though hitherto I cannot hear that the New English men have sent for any We have o[u]r lettrs from ffrance of Wednesday last wch gave us an account of a great victory obtained by the ffrench fleet in the Mediteranean who on the 2d past attacked the Dutch & Spanish fleet as it lay at Anchor off of Palermo, & comeing downe upon them with the wind, the ffrench made a such good use of their fire ships, that in an hours time they burnt 11 men of War of which the Spanish admirall & the Dutch admirall made two & the other 9 are said to be most considerable ships as well Dutch as Spanish some of which to seave themselves endeavoured to get into the Port of Palermo, by which means they fell soon on the Spanish gallys, that 5 of them were burnt, Capitana being one. We must expect to hear what account our fflandrs lettrs will give us of this great action. L. c. 336 June the 16th 1676 Though the news concerning the burning the Dutch & Spanish ships at Palermo, is related with severall perticulars & circumstances which might seem to be of credit to it, yet we cannot absolutely beleive it, till we see what o[u]r Italian letters will say to it which we expect on Saturday next. the relation we have now comes from the ffrench Consull at Leghorne, who sent to Monsr Colbert at Paris the coppy of a lettr he had received from the master of a barke attending the ffrench fleet & it is wondred at that none of the cheife officers have given an account, as well as that master, of soe great an action. and even the ffrench ambr that is here says he does not know what to beleive of it. some Gentelmen that are come from ffrance this last weeke, assure us that that King intends to remayne the whole or greatest part of the Campagne with his Army which is contrary to what they write from fflandrs of his Majestys intention to leave it very suddainly. We have this morning our fflandrs lettrs of ffriday last, they say that this day seavennight very early in the morning the ffrench army decamped from Ninoven, & marched towards Aoth, that the apprehension was the King would goe & beseige Valenciennes or Cambray, haveing already 8 or 9000 men in that part of that Countrey. This noebody doubted but that the King had some great designe in hand. To prevent which the Prince of Orange likewise decamped the day following, which was friday last, and that evening encamped againe at Hall, intending to regulate his march according to the Motions of the ffrench. +Those letters tell us that at Brussells they were very much surprized at the news they received of the Imperialists passing the Rhine, occasioned partly by the want they were in of provisions at a time when they looked upon the ffrench Army to be soe penned up, that they could not escape & absolute destruction by ffamine or sword, but they now comfort themselves with the expectation of the takeing of Philipsburg which they doubt not to be masters of before the end of the month The troops of Osnaburg are certainly on the march towards the Rhine +We have likewise the lettrs from Holland of ffriday last, they tell us that the ffrench Ambassadrs were arrived at Nimeguen That the Province of ffrezland had made a difficultie to send the troops of their partition to joyne the body that is forming in Gelderland The discourse of the seige of Maestricht comes to nothing & yet people are puzled to know what use the Canon, that hath been sent from port up the Rhine, is designed for Some think they are for the service of Osnaburg & the other confederate troops that are drawing together on the Rhine but the[y] would not need soe great a number. The Swedes men of War who came into the Elbe to releive Stade, finding they cannot pass in their succors are upon the point to returne, to Gottenburg, & it will behove them to make hast or else they will be snapt by the Sieur Bostinenz, who is sayled with severall Dutch men of War towards the Elbe to look after them, The Sieur Engell de Ruyter sonne to the late Leiutenant admirall being arrived from the Streights is goeing to the Dutch fleet in the baltick to be Vice admirall of it L. c. 337 June the 19th 1676 The ffrench King takeing a strickt vew of his Army found some of his Captains made false Musters of men out of service for which he Casheered & Imprisoned the Captains & in exemple of terror to the men caused 3 of their noses to be cutt off. Madam Brinvillers claimeing the Priviledge of her quality is to be tryed by the Parliament the grand Chamber & Tournalle, in the mean time many persons are brought in as accomplices among the rest the Sieur Penellier receiver of the Clergy & Treasurer of the States of Languedoc was arested on the 15th & clapt into prison. On the 9th was ordered in Councell that the Proclamation should be renewed for burning his Majestys part of prohibited forreigne goods On the 15th instant his Majesty went to Sheerenesse & returnes the 17th On the 29th the tryall of my Lord Cornwallis will be held. We have the Dutch lettrs of Tuesday last, they tell us that they were very much surprized at the various Motions of the Duke of Lorraine, who haveing understood that the Duke of Luxenburg marched towards Haguenaw, had in great dilligence passed the Rhine againe on the 15 instant at Lauterburgh, & was resolved once more to advance towards the ffrench, & try them if he could engage them to a battle, the ffrench on the other side seem resolved to attempt the releife of Phillipsburg, which they cannot doe unlesse they fight their way through the Germans On the Thursday was seavennight the ffrench King decamped from Ninoven in the Countrey of Alost & marched towards Aoth, upon which the Prince of Orange likewise decamped, & took his way towards Hall resolveing to regulateing his march according to the motions of the enemy, some apprehend that the King will goe & beseige Valenciennes, & the rather for that the Monsr d'Humires is already in that neighborhood with 8 or 9000 men, but the more probable opinion is that this [sic] Majesty is only marched off that he may be the better able to send more detachments towards Germany. The Baron de Quincy has been in some sort revenged of the disgrace he lately received near Cambray Coll Mosielle out of Valenciennes with a good party, he had laid an ambush for him totally routed the Spanyards killed 80 upon the place, together with the Coll Mosielle [?] who is much lamented ffrom Copenhagen they write that Griffenvaldt was pardoned at the Minute he should have been executed & that they were in great expectation of news from sea, which they wanted through Contrary winds that the last they had left the fleets soe near that some of the formost ships were already engaged & some report that the Danes had the victory. We have just now o[u]r ffrench lettrs which bring us the conformation of that great action in Palermo, a person of quality haveing been sent expresse to give the King an account of it, the perticulars cannot be inserted here but the substance is the same you have already heard, only they say that 12 of the principall ships were burnt & 6 gallys, the admirall & Vice Admirall of Spaine & the Reer Admirall of Holland being of the number L. c. 338 June the 21th 1676 Though the ffrench Ambassadrs are already arrived at Nimeguen, yet those of the Contrary party seem not to make any great hast, for in reality they doe not desire a peace, till the posture of things are soe farr altered by the continuance of the Warr, that the[y] may be able to make it on bettr termes, then as matters now stand they can pretend to doe, & therefore many people who very well know the dispositions of the Princes of Germany are of opinion that we must not expect any suddaine peace. It is much wondered that the Danes & Brandenburgs are soe backward in their preparations by land, consider how much it is their interests to presse upon the Swedes, & not to give them leasure to recover themselves. Much will depend upon the successe of the Swedes ffleet for if they can be masters at sea & consequently send over the succors they intend for Pomeren the Count Coninsmarck who commands in those parts may be sufficiently able to make head against the Brandenburgs. It happens mighty well for the Swedes that the Confederates cannot agree about Stade, or else that place which is the onely one remaining to them in the Dutchy of Bremen must inevitably have been lost We want all our forreigne lettrs wch makes us [?] we have not wherewithall to enlarge. L. c. 339 June the 24th 1676 The lettrs we received the 21th instant from Holland & fflandrs left those people much dejected at the news they heard of the burning their shipps at Palermo, they have not as yet the perticulars but on the losse of 10 men of War & 6 gallys, and adde that it was easy to foresee that some such disgrace would befall them, through the disagreement between the Dutch & Spanish admirall, about the Supream command which was soe great as to hinder any good resolution to be taken or executed, this encreases a desire in Holland to a peace & those poore people in fflandrs are not wanting to joyn with them herein, for the expectation they had of the Confederates doeing such great matters this Campagne, has hitherto fayled them, & what between freinds & enemys their Countrey is quite ruined & eaten up, It is veryly beleived that the Prince of Orange will for his own honors sake beseige Maestricht or Charleroy & if he can succeed in it, perhaps the Spanyards will have little reason to be glade at it for in all appearance the ffrench will in the mean time make themselves mastrs of Valenciennes. They are soe posted round about it that it is in a manner blockt up & not able to draw any provisions from abroad & to reduce the Inhabitants to greater streights & thereby to a desire of change the ffrench have destroyed all the corne & forrage round about, ffrom Hamburgh they write that though Stade is in the worst condition immaginable for want of provisions & both soldiers & Inhabitants on that account are full of dissatisfaction, yet it is preserved by the quarrelling among the confederates, which are very great between the Bishop of Munster & the Dukes of Luxenburg +On the other side the Swedes are like to gaine a great advantage by the slownesse of the Elector of Brandenburg, who does not yet appeare in the feild. The Swedes are very much blamed that either through want of Courage or experience, or both, they made noe better use of the advantage they had; when their fleet consisting of 50 men of War met with 27 Danes (which was before Tromp came up to them) after fireing some houres at a distance parted, & thought that they had done enough to make their enemys retire before them, though soe much inferior to them in number. In Alsace the designe seems to be wholly turned upon Phillipsburg, the Duke of Luxenburg has posted himselfe so advantagiously that it will be a hard matter to releeve the place, & therefore it is beleived the ffrench will not attempt it, by way of diversion, & perhaps they may take this time to call Strasburg to an account for their partiallity to the Imperialists. But its feared the seige will cost the Imperialist (who are more dextrous in the feild then in the trenches) much time, & that thus most of the summer will be spent. It is very much apprehended that the last successe of the ffrench in Palermo may endanger the losse of that Kingdome the ffrench intend to doe their part towards it, & we are told that at Thoulon & Marseilles are 4000 soldiers to be embarqued for Messina, and the ffrench beeing now masters of the sea the Messinesses will receive store of provisions from a broad. There are some lettrs which say that the ffrench King finding the weak posture the Spanyards are in Catalonia he has remanded part of the troops he has in those parts in order to the imploying them in Germany where the ffrench seem to have the hardest game to play. [Handwriting changes here.] On ye 21 ye Court of Verge was held at Westminster, who by Especiall Comission are to try ye prisoners in ye Marshalsea & discharge as they shall see cause, there was 3 grand Jurys, one of ye yeomen of houshold, One of Midlesex & one of Surry to whom Sr James Butler steward of ye Marshalsea haveing given ye charge, ye Court adjourned till July 17 [? seal tear damages second digit] The same day his Maty was pleasd to take notice of ye many late accidents of fire, wch had given Ocation of Rumours as if designd by Evill men & therefore appoynted ye Comittee of ye board of Greivances to Examine all persons that can give Information of ye begining of any such fires Especially those of Southwark & East Smithfeild, (wch latter begining Tewsday night last about 20 houses were burnt & blowne up) & that ye Neighbouring justices doe appeare & give notice to ye Constables & others that can give Information to appeare before ye said Comittee who begin to sit on ye 23d On ye 16 the defiance a 3d Rate ship of 70 guns was Launcht, wch promises to be an Excellent ship & wth wch his Maty seemes very well pleasd. [These names and amounts appear in another hand on outside of letter:] ing.0-3-6. Millhouse 5. 1 thatch ----0-4-0 J. Atk: 6. ------ ----0-3-4: N. Ball. 5. ------ ----0-3-6. W. Hill. 6. ------ ----0-3-6. Hackwd. 6. ------ ----0-3-6. J. Holms. 6. ------ ----0-2-4. J. Paul. 5. ------ ----0-3-6. J. Britten. 6. ------ ----0-3-6. R. Paul. 6. ------ ----0-0-7. J. Wotton [?] ------ ----0-2-6. R. Holms. 5. ----0-1-3. Wm. Ashby. 5. ------ ----0-2-0. N. Sergt. 6. ------ ----0-3-9. Taylor. 5. ------ ----0-3-6. Lan: Knight.6. ------ ----0-4-0. J. Harris. 6. ------ ----0-4-0. Bolt. 6. ------ ----0-3-6. M. Merry. 6. ------ ----0-3-6. Th. Musson. 6. ------ [It seems that the writer of this list held or folded his paper so that the left side of each line is a continuation of the right.] L. c. 340 [Handwriting changes here.] June ye 24th 1676 +This day the Comittee of the board sate to heare Informations Concerning fires &c: & severall persons were Examined, one [sic] Munday their Ldpps meet againe tho hitherto there appeares to have bene noe other Cause then ye hand of god & ye Negligence of ye people +Thursday next my Ld Cornwallis will be brought to his tryall for Killing ye boy in St James's Park ye Court & all other things are prepareing, & ye Ld Duke of Ormond is its said to be Ld High Steward for ye day. The states have an account of a great victory obtained by tromp over ye Swedes, The fight was on ye 11th instt at ye begining of wch ye Swedish Admirall carrying 130 brass guns, & 1000 men was blowne up, that there upon Tromp wth his Owne ship attackt ye Vice Admirall of 90 guns & 800 men & after some fight haveing shot downe her maine mast & very much disabled her a Duch fire ship clapt her a board & burnt, severall others of ye Swedes being burnt sunk & taken at least 8 or 10 & Tromp still in pursuit of ye Rest The farther perticulers wee expect to heare L. c. 341 [Handwriting changes here.] June the 28th 1676 Though we have as yet from Holland onely the account of the defeat of the Swedes fleet, yet we doe not doubt the truth thereof, though perhaps there may be some abatement as to the losse, there are lettrs that assure us that before the fight the Swedes had landed severall thousand men in Pomeren, but that will not doe the worke, the consequences of the Danes being Mastrs at sea, will have such influence upon their affaires every where, that the Swedes in all likelihood will find themselves obliged to have recourse to a peace. The King of Denmarke has an Army of about 10000 foot & 6000 horse & being now freed of all fears of the Swedes fleet comeing upon the back of him when he has passed with his Army into Schonen, we expect in a post or two to hear that his Army is accordingly transported thither, though the King of Sweden is at prsent there with 20000 men to oppose the passage of the Danes. It is not to be doubted but that we shall in a post or two hear that the Prince of Orange has beseiged Charleroy or some other important place his designe is to goe with 10000 men from his Army to joyne those troops that have for some time been drawn together in Guelderland, while the Duke de Villa Hermosa remayns with the rest of the Army to observe the motions of the ffrench . The troops of Osnaburg according to o[u]r last advices were marched towards Bonne & it seems their intention is not to come towards fflandrs but to march towards Mosselle & make a diversion into Lorraine On Satturday last the citty of London elected Sr Thomas Harges & Sr Charles Rich sheriffes for the year ensueing. we want all o[u]r forreigne lettrs. L. c. 342 June ye 30th 1676 You see the defeat of the Swedes is confirmed, & there be lettrs from Stockholme, which apprehend it to be soe great that the fleet of Sweden will hardly come out any more this year, or if it does, its feared it will be to very litle purpose. +The Elector of Brandenburg is now ready to take the feild, & he promises himselfe no lesse then the conquest of all Pomeren this summer, In the mean time the difference of the Confederates is the security of Stade; though wee are told that the Garrison & Governour desire nothing more then to be beseiged, that they might deliver the place honorably, seeing other wayes they must leave it through want of subsistance. In fflandrs they now talke of great matters & nothing will serve but the seige of Maestricht in which the States are perticularly concerned, because of the Vexation that Garrison gives to the neighboring Countries, from whence it raises by way of Contribution no lesse then 220000 L p annu The Prince of Orange in order to this seige is gone from his Army but has not taken with him above 5 or 6000 men, the rest of the Army under the command of Duke de Villa Hermosa will goe & post it selfe near Namur, from whence it may be supplyed with all things necessary, & at the same time have an eye upon the enemy, the great fear is that while the Prince of Orange is makeing the seige of Maestrickt, the ffrench will make themselves masters of Valenciennes, with the assistance of the private intelligence there is great ground to beleive they have in the towne. We had certaine advice that the ffrench king intended to part from his Army (which he leaves undr the command of the Marshall de Schomburg) on Satturday last, & to be at Paris to morrow, which will give a great encouragemt to the Confederates who have an opinion that if the King had any good prospect of things he would stay with the Army to have himselfe the honr of it, The States are soe much concerned at the late disgrace that happened to them & the Spanyards at Palermo, that its sayd they all [are?] about resolveing to fit out a squadron of 20 men of War to be sent into the Mediterranean against the ffrench, whose fleet is at present arrived at Thoulon, but will suddainly returne againe to Messina with a great supply of men & provisions. Yesterday one Mr Jewkes of London linen draper was by ordr of the Councell, committed prisoner to the Gatehouse, for haveing on the 24 instant at a common hall then assembled for the chooseing of Officers for the next year in a most seditious manner, openly moved & stirred up persons there present, that before they did proceed to the choice [of] officers (which was the onely occasion of that assembly) they should go to the Lord Major & desire him to call a common Councell that they might make an addresse to his Majesty to call a new Parliament as appeared by the dispositions of the Sherriffes of London & others which the sayd Jewkes was to farr from denying or extenuateing, that he did in a presumptious & arrogant maner endeavor to Justifie the same. The[y] write from Paris that the advocate Genll has at last drawn up the Sentance of Madam Brinvillers that in way of repentance she shall stand with a burning torch in her hand before Nostre Dame then to be carryed to Monsr d'Albrays house whom she poysoned & thence to Grave where she is to be hanged & burned. [On outside of letter and in another hand appear some figures and:] 17 July . 10s' [?] pd Johnson. [Perpendicular to this note but with a bracket:] 16 manusc. Dr. Mr Townes. 27 Print. L. c. 343 [Handwriting changes here.] July the 4th 1676 Yesterday the Lord Cornewallis was brought to his tryal before his Peers in Westminster Hall concerning the killing a boy some time since in St James Parke, a Court was according to custom prepared in Westminster Hall, the Lord Chancellor being Lord high Steward for ye day & 35 Lds [Handwriting changes here.] sumond to be ye tryers, the Court being set ye kings Councell manag'd ye tryall agst my Ld wthout omitting any thing to set out ye offence to ye full, & ye Evidence haveing bene heard the Lds Tryers went out & after about 3 houres Consultation returnd, & all of them declared ye prisoner not guilty except 6 who found it manslaughter, & accordingly he was acquitted The 1st instant arived a vessell from Stockholme, at Stockton [?] ye master sayes he saw ye Swedes fleet before it put to sea that it Consisted in 58 or 60 men of warr, & that he Likewise saw it when it came in after ye fight wth ye Danes & then it consisted in onely 36 sayle. He gives ye same account you have already heard of ye loss of ye Swedes admirall & Vice admirall & that that soe much discouragd ye whole fleet that they began to run for it, That ye Swedes intend to Call many of their officers to an account for not fighting but that one Capt Lee of Whitby had savd severall of ye Swedes ships, & therefore had bene made an admirall & rewarded wth a gold Chayne, the master adds that ye danes in that fight, & afterward, had taken 6 great men of war of ye Swedes. This afternoone are Come in all our forreigne letters, they tell us that ye french King arived at Versailes on Satterday night last & that ye Prince of Conde would in few dayes goe & take ye Command of ye army wch at present was under of [?] ye mareschall de Schomburg, & continued Encampt at Revanna [?] & about Vallenciennes being very much Weakened by ye detachmts that had bene sent from it & greatest part of ye troups of ye houshold that went away wth ye King That in flanders ye troups designed for ye seige of Maestricht, Vizt, those of Duke of Newburg & ye states are on their march, that on fryday last in ye afternoon ye Prince of Orange arived neare Maestricht & Causd it to be invested, ye forces that are to beseige it are 26000 men & they pretend to take ye place in 14 dayes, the Duke de Villa Hermosa Continues in ye meane tyme at Nivell to Cover ye seige In alsatia ye armies Continue as formerly ye Imperialists at Weisenburg & ye french neare Stratsburg where they burne & destroy all ye Country, they make not as yet any step towards ye releife of phillipsburg, ye seige of wch advances but slowly, however ye Germans hope to take it by august. ffrom Hamburg they write that ye King of Denmarke upon ye late victory of his fleet will in few dayes pass wth his army into Sweden, & that ye Confederates are now in good Earnest goeing to beseige Stadt, it is affirmed from all hands that ye Swedes lost 12 Capitall ships in ye late fight +Mr ffreake & Mr Radford have had their tryall upon account of ye libell, & are acquitted. L. c. 344 [Handwriting changes here.] July the 4th 1676 The Prince of Oranges resolution to beseige Maestricht (notwithstanding all that was said of it yt none beleive it till they have seen him set downe before it) putts us into great expectation of the sure [?] successe, for without doubt it will produce some brisk action seeing the ffrench cannot in honor lye still & see it taken, and as for the beseiging of Valenciennes at the same time, the Spanyards are not soe apprehensive of that, since they have assurances of the good disposition of those inhabitants towards their King. ffor to attack Valenciennes with a formall seige is lookt upon as a thing impossible soe long as an Army of 25000 men is soe near it, as that of the Duke de Villa Hermosa whose buisness is to have an eye upon the enemy, & to hinder all action on their side, while the Prince makes seige of Maestrickt with a body of 20000 foot & 6000 horse, all that is feared is, that such difference may fall out between the Prince of Orange & the Duke of Osnaburg concerning the Supreame command, but surely they will be soe wise as to avoid the occasion. The Germans goe on but slowly with the seige of Phillipsburg, it is a work they doe not well understand, & they say that the necessary provisions has not been made for it, & besides the place is one of the strongest in Europe. The severall Ambrs begin to hasten to Nimeguen the place appointed for the treaty; My Ld Berkley his Majestys Ambr at Paris has orders to repaire forth with thither, & Sr William Temple from the Hague, but it is very apparent that there will be very little to be done till winter, the severall parties especially the confederates being soe intent upon the war to have any thoughts of peace, of which the Swedes seem to stand in greatest need considering the present posture of their affaires, & their divisions among the great men at home. It is said that the ffrench are goeing to send 7 or 8 men of war under the command of the Duke de Estrees to the assistance of the Swedes, but they will now come to late. At the sessions at the Old Bayly on ffriday last Mr Bradford was indicted of high treason, for publishing a very infamous libell but for want of sufficient proof he was acquitted. L. c. 345 (1) July the 7th 1676. +All o[u]r fforreigne letters coming in yesterday you will have an account in the newsbook of the present posture of the Armyes abroad, so that I shall not need to repeat it here But shall add what is not made publick vidlit. That in ffrance they were much surprised to heare of the seige of Maestricht by the Prince of Orange though it has been discoursed of all most this months post yet they could not beleive the Prince would undertake a work of so much weight and difficulty The King has here upon declared his intention of passing from St Germans as this day upon his returne to his Army whither he will not be followed with so great attendance as formerly, many of his servants being ordered to stay behind so that its beleived the King designes some notable action It is true his Army in fflandrs is att this time very much weakened and not reckoned att present above 14000 men but he can reinforce it with his troops he may draw out of his Garrisons in fflanders. On the other hand the Duke de villa Hermosa besides the troops that are employed in the seige of Maestricht has an Army of 30000 men and if the French attempt to raise the seige the first action will be with him so that there must be a battle to decide the matter. The seige of phillipsburgh is like to prove a tough peice of work and the Germans have allready lost a great number of men as yett the Duke of Luxemburg though twas said he has an Army of 45000 fighting men does not make any step towards the reliefe of it but it seemes the ffrench thinke it time enough. We have letters from Stockholme which say that the destractions there are so great as well through the ill success abroad as their divisions among the great men att home that that Kingdome seems to hasten to its ruine they very much feare that the Muscovites will be tempted with this opportunity to fall into Livonia which if they do in all appearance they will find no great opposition. The States are positively resolved to repay the affront they and the Spaniards received att Palermo, and therefore they are goeing to fitt out a very considerable squadron of men of warr some speake of 26. [?] to be sent into Scicily the Sieure Allamond, who is Reare admirall of the Dutch Squadron in the Baltick is sent for to be vice Admirall of their ffleet in the Mediterranean. yesterday Sir Philip Munkton was by order of Councell committed to the Tower for writeing into the Country scandalous and seditious letters to defame the Goverment and Lords of his Majestyes privy Counsell. Among the rest of the Prisoners att Newgate there was one this Sessions that Confessed there was money offered to him to sett houses on fire And that it was by such persons who living by theivery may take Advantage thereby to carry away the goods of the distressed people Since the late great fire att Musco tis advised that on the 19th of May there happened another which consumed 5000 houses; so that what with the former and that, there is not left above one 3d part of that great Citty Standing. Our Frigatts and Yachts which are sent to Looke after pirateers are very diligent in the quest of them and sent severall in. On the 30th of the last About 12 att night broke out a fire at Southampton which being soone discovered was by the diligence of the Major as suddenly putt out & only the Master of the house being in bed with two of his Children was much burnt of which one of [Rest of letter is numbered L. c. 345 (2).] his Children is since dead Tis beleived the Carelesse takeing a pipe of Tobacco in bed was the Cause of that unhappy accident. There are lately arrived 3 great East India ships from the Coasts. The Muscovites are said to have been on their March against the Swedes in Livonia with 20m foot and 47800 horse of which 30m Gentlemen which have onely his man [?] some 2 or 3 or more all mounted and armed who are not accounted amongst the Number. The letters from the streights give account of the great disturbances att Palermo where the Arch Bishpp being fled they Razed his house to the Ground, And that the people being gott in had killed all the Messineses and ffrench they could find. Sir Thomas Clargies haveing been excused and Sr Charles Rich fined for Sheriffes a Common Hall was called on the 3d when they proceeded in an orderly election of 2 worthy Citizens. They write from Holland that the States of Drent have made the Prince of Orange their Heriditary Stadt-holder after the Death of the Prince of Frisland. Sir William Temple his Majestyes Ambassador was on the 8th to have his Audience of the States upon his departure from Nimeguen the next weeke. The letters from Smyrna Aprill the 29th Confirme the Returne of the Grand Segnior to Constantinople which he for a bout 14 yeares had abandoned but the occasion of that sudden and unexpected resolution they give with Certainty, some say it was a dreame which took so great Impression in him that he could not be att rest till he had done it, others say the disturbances att Cairo are the Cause, some add to that the Commotions of Babylon, as allso that the Xeriffe of Mecca wrote to the Grand Segnior in which he sayd he could not acknowledge him for protector and head of the Mussell man faith so long as he abandoned his Imperiall City and lived in the Mountaines, Others say the murmure of the Janizaries. But most are of the opinion that the Grand Segnior Intends not to fix att Constantinople, but to remayne there till the great Seraglio be built, The soldiers who were to come from Alexandria under the Convoy of the Tripolines upon news of the disorder att Cairo and the Imprisonement of the Bassa are Returned to their home And Report makes the Disturbance there more then a popular Tumult. L. c. 346 [Handwriting changes here.] July ye 8 1676 Mr Hide who you have formerly heard was appoynted by his Maty to goe his Amb to ye king of Poland to performe ye Ceremony of Christening that Kings daughter in his Maties name will part hence ye begining of next Weeke haveing a very noble trayne & Equipage Mr Justice Ellis of ye Common Pleas has his quietus Est & Sr Wm Scrogg is appoynted by his Maty to succeed him Sr John Narbrough haveing finally Confirmd ye Peace he made wth Tripoly so much to ye Honnr of his Maty & Advantage of ye nation, is now returning home but Sr John Berry will Continue wth 8 frigatts to secure our trade agst all accidents, By Sr John The Tripolines have sent his Maty a present of Horses & severall Wild Beasts, My Ld Berkley has Orders to repaire forthwith to Nimeguen whither Sr Wm Temple is already gone from ye Hague in Order to ye Opening ye assembly. The master of a Vessell arrived from ye sound tells us that before he came from thence ye Whole danish army was landed in Schonen, where ye people seemd very much to favour them, the Swedes had not at all Endeavourd to Oppose their landing & ye generall Opinion is that ye Danes will wthout any great Oposition recover yt provence wch formerly belongd to them. There is noe fresh forreigne letters come in L. c. 347 [Handwriting changes here.] July the 11th 1676. Yesterday arrived the Dutch post of ffriday last, by wch we have letters from Copen=hagen of the 4th instant they give us an account that Admirall trump after haveing been battered by severall ffrigatts Upstadt in Schonen, had with his shallops landed neare the towne 3000 men, notwithstanding the Swedes with severall hundred horse and 200 foot endeavoured to oppose the same, which after about the loss of 200 of them were found to give way, and leave the Danes att liberty to advance to the towne, which they did, and were ready to storm it, when they understood that the Swedish Garrison was retired, and accordingly the Danes entred it, and Admirall Tromp had the Oath of Allegiance sworne to him in the name of the King of Denmarke. On the 10th whilst Admirall Tromp continued before Upstadt with the greatest part of the fleet, the King of Denmarke landed with all his forces neare Essenbourg which is a small towne and Castle right opposite to Elsinore without the Least opposition on the part of the Swedes, who had drawn all their force that was in those parts towards Upstadt to recover that place, and immagining the King would have landed there abouts. Essenbourg surrendred to the King the 11th, who had Encamped his Army not farr from thence which consisted in 16000 men. In Pomeren the affaires of the Swedes do not goe better, they have abandoned the strong pathe [?] of tribsee as also the Isle of Usodome; and the Brandenburgs are advancing into the heart of the Swedish Pomeren with intention to goe and attack Straetsond, which, and Stetin are the only considerable places that remaine to the Swedes in that Country. Stade is hitherto secured by the difference between the Confederates that lay before it, for they write from Hamburgh of the 14th that the Bishop of Munster has permitted 12 Waggons laded with provisions, to pass through his quarters into Stade, att which the Duke of Lunenburg was much offended, and its beleived thinges will be so farr as to begett acts of hostility between them. I had forgott to tell you that in Pomeren Domnim is beseiged by the Brandenburg's, and that there goes a report of a sharp action that had happened between the Swedes and the Brandenburgs but the particulars we know not, nor who had the better. The beseigers of Philipsburg began the 9th instant to batter the towne with 12 halfe [?] Cannon, and had done Considerable execution, their other batteryes would be allso finished in a day or two, and then they hoped to make quick worke with the seige, 5000 men of the Circle of Franconia were arrived in the Camp The beseiged in the meane time continued to made vigorous sallyes as well the Duke of Lorraine as the Duke of Luxemburg remained encamped as in o[u]r former, only the latter had sent 3000 horse to Lorraine; where Creguy gathers an Army together in order as it is beleived to releive Maestricht on that side. Our letters from Maestricht are of the 14th, when the Cannon was not yett arrived in the Camp, nor the trenches opened, but they were hard att work to finish their lines, and prepare their batteries. The Dutch say the Garrison is stronger then they expected, and that they had made a salley with 400 men with designe to have destroyd the Bridge, in the Princes quarter, but that they had been repulsed with great loss, and Coll: Fennicks English Regiment had been concerned in that action or att least part of it, and had behaved themselves much to the satisfaction of the Prince. L. c. 348 [Handwriting changes here.] July the 14th 1676 My Lord Berkley being removed from Paris to Nimeguen his Majesty has appointed Mr Montague master of the horse to the Queen to goe his Ambr into ffrance. A great inconvenience haveing been found in the brasse farthings that are at present current for that they may be easily counterfeited, as well as for other reasons his Majesty has resolved to call them in, and to cause in their stead farthings and halfe pence to be made of Tinne to the full value every peace beares. To Morrow or next day Mr Hide will passe hence on his Ambassy to Poland Our ffrench & fflandrs lettrs comeing in the 12th, the publick news, leaves me little to adde here, the great expectation what the ffrench will doe in fflandrs they make great preparation, and it is the generall beleife they will beseige some place of importance to countervayle the losse of Maestricht, the seige of which goes on as yet but slowly, & men are wanted. The Bp of Munster who is to have part in that seige not being expected till the latter end of the month new still [sic]. At Phillipsburg they begin to be pretty briske & the beseigers seem to promise themselves to be masters of it before the begining of August, certaine it is that the Duke of Lorraine wishes to see an end of it desireing nothing more, then to be moveing with his Army towards Lorraine. ffrom New England we have an account that the Indians continue to doe much mischeife & to burn severall plantations, The Constant John of Hull arriveing at ffallmouth on the 3d reports that he departed on the 23 of May last from St Maryes in Mary Land where he left a very incouradgeing trope on the ground, though the people were in dayly expectation of the Indians riseing for prevention of which had in continued motion 100 Troops in each countrey whose pay was 30 L of Tobacco p Diem there was an expresse to the governr of St Maries from Virginia acqu[a]inting that the Indians were up in Armes at Rapahanac & that the English were at difference among themselves about a generall Leavy made as well upon those that fought as those that did not fight, In the Latitude of the western Island he met a private man of war with ffrench coullers who kept him 4 houres aboard took from him a Hogshead of tobacco some furre & his & his mens clothes. [Handwriting changes here.] Mr Jenkes who stands comitted prisoner to ye Gatehouse did on ye 6th by Councell move to ye Ld Chancellr for a Habeas Corpus, wch motion was answerd by his Maties Councell, & afterward ye unreasonableness of it soe amply showne by ye Ld Chancellr as not onely gave satisfaction to all those of ye long robe but Even Convincet those of Jenkes' freinds of ye Justice in denyeing it +There is a young man lately taken for Coyning false mony, ye Occation this, hee went to Turnestile to buy shoos for wch he chargd a pistoll & Causd ye shoemakers Boy to Carry them to his lodging wch was in Warwick Street neare Charing Cross The shoemaker finding his mony false made Inquiry after him & Causd him to be apprehended after wch they found in his Lodgings severall Impressions on hard mettall of Guinneys & forreigne Coynes, of wch he had offerd some counterfeit to a Goldsmith & thereupon he was sent prisoner to ye Gate house. The Comission for ye Wine Leevies is renewd in wch Sr John Griffith, Mr ffletwood & Mr Bringhouse are continued, & Mr Nathaniell Coursen Mr Robert & Mr Charles Rives added to ye number in place of Mr Ously Mr Downes & Mr Young wth a sallery of 200 L to each L. c. 349 [Handwriting changes here.] July the 17th 1676 +The 14th we had o[u]r Dutch & fflandrs lettrs of Tuesday last, they tell us, first as to fflandrs that the Duke de Villa Hermosa had for three or 4 dayes been much allarmed with the marches & countermarches of the ffrench & with the advice he had that they were drawing troops out of the severall garrisons in fflandrs, they had summoned some thousands of Pioneers, & had drawn out a great many cannon out of Lille & Tournay, that thereupon his Excellency had on Tuesday morning last being 10/20 instant marched wth all the Spanish foot & 6000 Dutch foot from Genap towards the Province of fflandrs leaveing the rest of the Dutch Army with count Walder, to have an eye upon the Marshall de Scomberg, who continued with the body of the ffrench Army at Kienvain, and in the effect [?] the close of o[u]r lettrs they say they had certaine advice that a detachment sent from Scomburgs Army, haveing joyned the marshall de Humieres & the troops he had drawn togeather out of the severall garrisons, at Lille, they had marched with 30 peices of Cannon & all other necessarys for a seige towards Ipresse, and that passing forward the 9/19 instant they set down before Aire, the utmost frontier of the Spanyard in the Countrey of Artois, which would it [is] thought hasten the march of the Duke de Villa Hermosa who encamped on Tuesday night near Hall, they say that Air is very ill provided, haveing but a small garrison & some of the fortifications not perfect, soe yt Its feared it cannot hold out till it cannot [sic] be releived, considering that it will take up the Duke de Villa Hermosa at least 10 days march thither, which would tire his soldiers & make them almost unfitt for action, & then it is a question whether the Duke de Villa Hermosa will think it safe to march soe farre from Maestricht while Schomburg lyes still at Kenrain the next post will tell us what measures they have taken. The Batteries were not finished before Maestricht till the 10/20 instant, and that night or the next morneing they would begin to make use of them the Lines on the side of the Princes quarters were perfectly finished but on the side of the wyche they were not, & on that side they wanted mightily the troops of the Bp of Munster, the beseigers fired very briskly with their cannon, & few dayes had past, that 20 of the beseigers were not killed with the Cannon. many of the Pioneers had been likewise killed The States to encourage the soldiers had sent 300000 crownes to the Prince, to pay them they had not yet opened their trenches In Alsace the two Armyes continued as formerly the seige of Phillipsburg went on after the old rate, the beseigers have as yet but on[e] battery of 12 Cannon, with which they fired furiously upon the towne & had made severall breaches in the walls two thousand fresh troops of the circles were expected in the Camp but this seige will take up some time as yet Marshall de Crequi gathers an Army of 14000 men in Lorraine, Its not doubted but it is for the releife of Phillipsburg & that he will come by the way of Deux Ponts, while Luxenburg keeps the Duke of Lorraine in play ffrom the Northern quarters we have as to the affaires of the Danes that the castle of Hollingburg was not surrendred till the 3/13 it haveing held out 3 dayes that the Danish Leut Genll Rosencrans was killed before it & that the King of Denmarke was goeing to beseige Landscroon a place of great strength. The King of Sweden was gone for Stockholme where its said 10 captains was hanged for not doeing their duty in the late sea fight. Nothing considerable from Pomeren or Stade. L. c. 350 July the 19th 1676 +Yesterday & the day before arived in the river two or 3 vessells in 6 dayes from the Soundt, the masters not onely tell us of the King of Denmarke being landed in Schonen & his haveing taken the castle of Holsinburg, but what is more considerable the Sieur Galdensien viceroy of Norway was come with an Army near Gottenburg & had already taken possession of all their iron mills, & that the towne of Gottenburg was in soe great a confusion that it was feared it would fall into the hands of the Danes We are assured from all hands that the Duke of Luxemburg, has orders to try his utmost to releive Phillipsburg & our last lettrs from ffrance told us that the Duke of Luxemburg was on his march in order to it. The ffrench seem resolved to goe on with the affaire of Sicily with all the vigor possible & with their fleet they are now sending near 8000 fresh men into Sicily with which & the troops they have already there they mean to conquer that whole kingdom Our ffrench lettrs just now arrived tell us that in Alsace the Duke of Luxenburg being possitively resolved to succor Phillipsburg decamped the 8/18 instant & marched directly towards the Duke of Lorraine who had quitted his quarters at Weissenburg & was retired nearer Phillipsburg haveing demolished & abandoned the fortifications at Lauterburg, that the 20th instant the 2 Armys were within 3 leagues of one another & that the next day the Duke of Luxenburg intended to advance nearer the Duke of Lorraine, who lay encamped near Gersmerseine, soe that by o[u]r next we must expect to hear of a battle. +Aire as you have already heard is beseiged by 15000 men under the command [of] Marshall d'Humiers. It was invested ye 21 in the morning, the 22 at night they opened their trenches within 60 paces of the fort St ffrancis, which the[y] attacked but were repulsed with the losse of between 40 & 50 & 3 or 4 officers The 23 they would begin to batter the said fort which they must take first before they can make their approaches to the towne which the ffrench pretend to take very quickly for though it be strong yet it has but a weak garrison. The Duke de Villa Hermosa continued his march for the releife of it, & for that reason Scomberg had sent 5000 men more who passed by Lisle the 24 instant to reinforce it. The ffrench say that the seige of Maestricht advances very heavily & that the beseiged have in their sallies killed & taken prisoners above 500 of the beseigers Some lettrs say that Scomberg was likewise marching with his whole Army towards Aire, but this is not certaine as it is that we shall hear of a great deale of brisk action in few dayes. We have just now o[u]r Dutch lettrs they tell us that the trenches before Maestricht were opened ye 20 at night & at the same time they battered the towne with 20 peices of Canon. but the 22d they had advanced their trenches very considerably & the beseiged [?] had not disturbed them with any sallies The seige of Phillipsburg goes on briskly. L. c. 351 July the 23d 1676 In Germany you see things are drawing to a Crisis, & a battle in all appearance has by this time determined whose Phillipsburg shall be, The Duke of Lorraine has quitted severall Posts to reinforce his Army with the Garrisons, & without doubt the dispute has been very sharpe. In fflandrs the Duke de Villa Hermosa is at a stand & finds it out of his power to releive Aire for that the Marshall de Scomberg marched with his whole Army to cover the seige, de Villa Hermosa alone is to weake to attempt to raise it, unlesse Count Waldecke with the Dutch troops would joyne him, but he will not stire from Maestricht to assist the Prince upon occasion, soe that Air must be given for lost But as to Maestricht the Prince of Orange hopes to make an end of it assoon as he could have expected, the trenches are advanced beyond what he could have hoped for in soe short a time, not haveing received the least disturbance from the beseiged, which is very much wondered at & makes it beleeved the garrison is not soe strong as the ffrench pretend; Wednesday was seavennight the 3 English Regiments commanded by ffennicks Ashley & Widdrington, had the guard of the Trenches where about 40 of them were killed as an officer of one of those Regiments writes, and adds that the beseiged did very great execution with their cannon, soe that hardly a day passed in which 30 or 40 men & horse did not fall besides those killed in the trenches, to conclude the action is sharpe & will be sharper when they come to attack the counterscarpes, which are soe mined that of necessaty many must loose their lives in takeing of them +The affaire of Palermo troubles the Spanyards very much & good reason, the Mutineers though they have chased out the Spanyards & sett up a Goverment of their owne yet they pretend that it is without prejudice to their Allegiance to the King of Spaine this was likewise the plea of the Messinesses in the begining. In Naples things have likewise a very ill aspect & seem to protend [sic] the like revolutions, if not prevented by the Spanyards manageing their affaires a little better then hitherto they have done This news will make the Dutch hasten the equipage of the 14 men of War they intended to send to reinforce their fleet in the mediterranean but let them make all the hast they can the ffrench will have all the remaineing part of the summer to play the masters, which they will doe to [sic] with great advantage to themselves considering the force they will have upon the returne of their fleet to Messina The Prince of Mecklenburgh that has been here some time is returning to his Estate in Germany Mr Hide is parted on his Embassy to Poland, L. c. 352 July the 24th 1676 By the Dutch post arrived yesterday we have advices from Copenhagen dat July the 20th that the King of Denmarke goes on with the seige of Landscroon a place of great strength, the 16 the king received advices by an expresse from the viceroy of Norway that on the 28th past he had a successefull reincounter with the enemy, of whom 800 were killed upon the place 8 collers taken & severall prisoners & that he was marching directly to Gottenburg to beseige it. Hamburg July the 24th The brandenburgs have taken Anclam in Pomeren & its said the Confederates are agreed to attack Stade. Spire July the 21. The 19th a new batterie was finished in Count Steremburgs quarter before Phillipsburg of 11 Canon, they had played all day & dismounted severall of the beseigeds Canon, that night about 10 a clock Count Steremburg attacked two great retrenchments made by the ffrench between their counterscarpe & the head of his trenches & cavated [?] them about midenight the ffrench made a vigorous sallie to dislodge the Germans but were repulsed, the next morning the enemy made another great sally & beat the beseigers out of one of those posts but they came on againe & repulsed the ffrench the second time & kept those posts, its said that in those actions were killed on both sides above 800 men. The Imperiall Army was come to Gernesheim where they expected the ffrench who was comeing downe towards them, soe that we expect a battle. ffrom the Camp before Maestricht 25 July This seige grows now very hott, we have three batteries & have dismounted severall of the beseiged['s] Cannon & made two large breaches. The Trenches in the Princes quarter are come within pistole shot of their out Bastions, we are likewise workeing on severall approaches which branch out in diverse lines to find out their mines which they very much apprehend. In a day or two we shall attack some of their outworkes. This day the Prince as he came out of the Trenches, which he vissits twice a day received a musket shot in the Arme which onely passed the ffleshy part without touching the bone soe that it was of small importance. The Rhinegrave was wounded in the cheek but without danger. We have since we opened our trenches lost about 30 or 40 men every night. We have just now our ffrench lettrs & they bring us these advises Paris July We hourly expect to hear of a great battle in Germany, the ffrench Army being marched towards the Germans who are encamped on the River of Landaw & soe reach as fare as Spire, by which means they perfectly cover the seige of Phillipsburg & may on occasion be succored by the troops of the circles Yesterday the King received expresse from the Duke of Luxenburg but the contents of them are kept secret we shall now in few dayes hear of great actions L. c. 353 July the 27th 1676 +We received not till the 24th instant o[u]r fflandrs lettrs of Tuesday last the advices we received by them from Germany & Maestricht are of the same date, as those we have by the way of Holland of Satturday last, what they tell us new is, that the Duke de Villa Hermosa had for 2 or 3 dayes been encamped near Ghent in expectation of Count Waldecke with the Dutch troops who had been at last perswaded to march towards fflandrs & accordingly the 16/26 he encamped from Navere after haveing sent a detachment to the campe before Maestricht & the 18/28 lodged near Brussells from whence the next morning he could continue his march towards Ghent, but he moved soe slowly that the Spanyards were highly displeased with him, that the Marshall de Scomberg lay encamped at Pontespecies between Tournay & Audenorde to have an eye upon de Villa Hermosa who besides could not possibly come time enough to releive Aire for the ffrench had there the 4th or 5th day of the seige taken the fort of St ffrancis. The Spanyards finding themselves too weak after they had withstood two assaults retired into the towne in the night the garrisons of Bruges & other places are marched to joyne de Villa Hermosa & two Dutch Regiments were likewise marched for the same purpose from Ghent. We have lettrs from Dunkerke of the 30/20 instant which said that the ffrench pretend to take Aire by Tuesday next though the Spanyards beleive it will hold out much longer. We have lettrs from Naples wch say not any thing of the revolt at Palermo, soe that we look upon that report to be altogether false & that the ffrench at Messina had attacked the Scalotta but had been repulsed with great losse. The Scalotta is a very strong post possessed by ye Spanyards about 2 leagues from Messina. We are assured that the Emperor will marry the Duke of Newburgs Daughter. We have o[u]r ffrench lettrs of Satturday last as to Aire they tell us that the place makes a very good defence but yt ye Marshall de Humiers pressed the seige soe clossely that it was not doubted but the place would be taken in few dayes. But o[u]r lettrs just now arrived from Calais say that it surrendered on ffriday last the outworkes haveing been taken the night before by storm. L. c. 354 July the 28th 1676 +Yesterday the ffrench Ambassadr here received an expresse from ffrance giveing him the perticulars of the takeing of Aire, Vidt that on the 2d day after the opening the trenches the Spanyards abandoned the fort of St ffrancis, that on the 5th the ffrench by shooting bombes into the towne set fire to their Magazine, that on thursday night last that is yesterday was seavennight the beseigers took the counterscarpe by assault, that the next day the beseiged capitulated, & that on Satturday last the ffrench entred the towne, the Spanish garrison consisting in 700 men marched out to Ghent. The losse of this place is of soe great concernment to the Spanyards, the ffrench being by this means lett into Ortais, It was very strong & might have made a better defence, if it had been better man[n]ed, but it is the misfortune of the Spanyards that they are not able to make the provisions for the security of theire ffrontiers as they ought, as to the seiges of Maestricht and Phillipsburg litle may be added to what is in the Gazette I may tell you that as to the former the Dutch pretend to be masters of it in few dayes & at the same time the ffrench seem not to doubt, but it will hold out yet a good while if not bafle the Prince in the end, but the successe of the generall assault which is said was to be given on ffriday last at night, will decide the dispute, This in the mean time is certaine that the Prince has not men enough for such a seige his whole Army being not above 23 or 24000 men by which means the soldiers are at hard duty, it being their turne to goe every 4th night into the trenches, & on the side of Wycke they have noe attackes at all, there lying on that side but 5000 in which hardly serve to close up the place. +As to the seige of Phillipsburg the late overflowing of the Rhine has put it 8 or 10 dayes more backward then it was before. It seems that after all the Duke of Luxenburg will be forced to stand & look on, & see the place taken being not able to succor it The Germans haveing soe strongly fortified themselves. The affaires of the Spanyards in Sicily grow dayly worse Palermo has certainly revolted, though as yet they pretend to act with some respect to their King while in the mean time they came [sic] (as some lettrs say) sent deputies into ffrance to pray for assistance for them. It is expected that Malezzo & other places will follow the same exemple, As unsuccessefull are the Swedes they are lost every day, & we (cannot to the admiration of all people) hear that they have a body of 6000 men together, for all that was said of that Kings haveing an Army in Schonen, it appears that he had but 8000 men & they are now disperst & be gone for Stockholme, It is certainly said that the Muscovites are comeing downe to fall into Livonia On Tuesday morning his Majesty & his Royall Highnesse went to Windsor & returned on Thursday in the evening The Emprs marriage with the Princesse of Newburg will now very suddainly be declared. Sr George Lane is created Baron Lane of ffulske in the County of Rossecomen & vis[coun]t Lannesborrough in the County of Longford His Majesty has been pleased to grant 6 months liberty to the Coffe house to vend Coffe under the condition mentioned in the proclamation. [Some figures and this note appear in another hand on outside of letter:] oats for 4 Coach horses 45/4 10 other horses.130. L. c. 355 July the 31th 1676 We have our lettrs from fflandrs of Tuesday last they tell us from Spire dat 28th July that the ffrench Army continues encamped near Croon Weissenbourg & Soltz without any appearance of removeing from thence, that at Phillipsburg the place almost advanced their trenches to the foot of the Counterscarp nothwithstanding the beseiged continue their sallys almost every night in one of which Count Staremburg was wounded in the Arme, that the beseigers batter the towne very furiously & began to throw in fireballs, that the Duke of Lorraine continued encamped from Spire to Mecktersseim. Brussells 4 August That the seige of Maestricht goes on with great difficultie, that the 30 past the Prince ordered the English to attacke the Dolphins Bastion which they did & after much resistance gained it, but before they could make their Lodgements the ffrench made a thundering sally & recovered that post with great losse to the English, upon which the Prince made another attack with his owne guards but they were likewise repulsed & many officers & persons of quality killed & wounded Stade was finally to be putt into the hands of the Duke of Zell on Monday last, who was already in possession of one of the gates, by which means a considerable Army will be free to act against the ffrench There has been a lettr received from a perticular hand which saith that the English after they had gained great honor in gaining the Dolphins Bastion, was againe beat of by the accidentall fireing of some powder that was bringing to them, after they had been near 2 houres in possession of the Bastion, which putt them into great confusion they apprehending the Springing of a Mine, whereupon the enemy being ready & near attacked them with a great body of men & beat them of, Then came on the regiments of the guards but they were repulsed likewise. That above 1000 men had been killed on both sides, but the greater number on the part of the ffrench, in so much that there had been a cessation for two houres to carry of their dead on the part of the Dutch the Prince de Vaundemont the Count de Sosne &c were wounded. That another unlucky accident had happened in the Camp, the powder on a battery happening to take fire had destroyed above 50 men, Monsr Ronvigny narrowly escapeing However cost what it will the Prince is resolved to have the place dureing the above Mentioned attacks, the Princes Regiments of horse were drawn up within Pistole shot of the Palisadoes, for the enimys horse appeared in the Counterscarp, where standing exposed to the enemys shot they suffered extreamly there hardly being one troop of which one third was not killed or wounded The beseigers are about mineing the said bastion to blow it up. L. c. 356 [Handwriting changes here.] August 1st 1676 Tho ye attack that was made at Maestricht on ye 20/30 past did not succeed well yet ye English gained a great deale of Honr & in all proballity had ye attack bene left to them as they desired wthout manyting [?] any Duch among them, they had kept ye Bastion haveing soe bravely gained it, but ye Duch granadoes spoiled all, for upon that accident of some Powder fireing they run all out of ye Bastion as the Divell had drove them & by their Example many of ye English soe that ye french had an Easy taske to beat out ye rest from Spire Aug 1st They write that ye seige of Phillipsburg grows every day warmer, that ye beseigers had advanced their trenches within 20 or 30 paces of ye Counterscarp, tho wth great difficulty, ye french makeing a Continuall fire uppon them & killing them a great many men, amongst others Prince Pio had bene kild wth a Cannon shott & ye Barron de Say desperately wounded that ye Marquess de Grana was wounded wth a musket shot in ye arme & other persons of Note, that ye 30th past in ye morning the beseiged made a salley wth 200 foot & 150 Horse but were repulst tho wth loss of 60 killd & 30 wounded on ye part of ye beseigers Notwthstanding they soe far advancet wth their Trenches that ye Night a generall attack was to be made upon ye Counterscarp Prince Harman of Baden was wounded in ye arme. The Duke of Lorraine continues posted as formerly & ye french army wee heare are Coming downe to releive Phillipsburg +ffrom Pomeren they write that ye Brandenburghs had taken Anclam by storme, most of ye souldiers & many of ye Burghers being put to ye sword, & that ye Danish fleet had appeared upon that Coast their designe being upon ye Isle of Rugen in Schonen, the Castle of Landscroon holds out still Hague July ye 7th We have letters from Maestricht of ye 5th instant wch gives us an account that ye mines being ready the Prince Orderd the Dauphins Bastion to be againe attaqut ye night before, wch was accordingly done but that his men were thrice repulst but renewing ye attack ye fourth time they entred ye Bastion & tooke it & Continued in posession of it when these letters came away wch was about noone. Tis said ye Duch had about 400 men kild & wounded & ye french many more but ye further perticulers we yet know not, the Governr in ye meane tyme resolves to defend the place to ye last extreamity & has made proclamation that if any person whatsoever doe soe much as speake of a parley or surrender he will Imediately Cause him to be broken on ye Wheele. The 3d instant arived in ye Camp 5 or 6 fresh Regiments wch were posted on ye side of Wycke Wee have Just now our flanders letters They Confirme ye retakeing ye Dauphins Bastion by ye beseigers the Honnr of wch is due Cheifely to ye English who behaved themselves to admiration & had above 200 kild & wounded. On Saterday night last ye Prince intended to attack ye Counterscarp Marshall Humiers has taken ye fort of Linck L. C. 357 [Handwriting changes here.] August the 4th 1676 There is noe doubt but our next lettrs from ffrance will give us an account of some attempt of the Duke of Luxemburg in order to the releife of Phillipsburg. He has positively ordrs from the King to hazard it, and he has as fine an army as can be to doe it with, he has 130 squadrons of horse & 130 battaillions of foot which togeather may be about 35000 men In fflandrs you see the seige of Maestricht begins to draw to an end for which they are not a little obleiged to the English, who behaved themselves soe well that an English modesty can hardly relate it, noe action is performed without their haveing a principle share in it, & have even the preferrence before the Princes owne guards but this is but grining [?] honor, a great many of the English being killed & wounded in soe much that ffenwicks Regiment who went over 700 men is at prsent hardly 400 The Spanyards in the mean time are not at all pleased with the hopes of takeing of Maestricht, when they consider that in the mean time they have lost Aire & Lyncke places of great importance & that which gives them the greatest trouble is to observe how the affection of the people to them abate daily, & that on the contrary they extreamly encline to the ffrench in soe much that there is hardly on[e] towne in fflandrs that would not willingly open their gates to the ffrench. The Earle of Inchequin being now in England by his Majestys leave upon his request to act something in his own affaires, his Majesty has granted a Commission to Colonall Roger Alsop & to Sr Palmer ffairbon dureing the Earls stay to command that garrison or either of them in the absence or indisposition of the other. His Highnesse Prince Ruperts Invention of Iron guns has been throughly tryed none of which have brooke, but tis found they are of more service then the others of a far greater charge There are still great complaints of our Merchants against the ffrench for injureing their ships & carrying away their goods On the 28th Mr Monancy was brought before the counsell & after examination sent Prisoner to the gatehouse upon vehemt. suspition of haveing counterfited the kings Signet & Sign Manuall as alsoe the hand of the Earle of Arlington now Lord chamberlaine when Secretary of State to make forreigne ships free A ship lately arrived from Bristoll in New England adviseth that the English had in 3 or 4 engagements severly beaten the Indians killing & takeing many of them prisoners which wrought so far into their hearts that 100 of King Phillips men came & submitted themselves to the English & Uncas an Indian Christian King and Ally had made a prsent of severall of his English prisoners to the Magistrates of Norwich. L. c. 358 August the 7th 1676 Our Dutch & fflandrs post being come bring us these advices Spire 4th August The March of the Duke of Luxemb and his designe to put a succor into Phillipsburg haveing hastened the Resolution of the beseigers to attacke the Counterscarpe, the 2 instant was the day appointed and the Duke of Lorraine came into the Leaguer [?] to be present at an action of soe great importance, four Battaillions of foot were appointed for it, and about 8 at night Generall Vermuller begun with a false attack on the Counterscarpe on the side of his quarter, when presently after the true attack began on the quarter of the Marquis of Dourtack; the assailants made the attacke at three severall places, succeed [sic] at all of them, and lodged themselves in three places on the Counterscarpe, though not without great effusion of blood, for the beseiged makeing a most vigorous defence, a sharp & bloody fight was continued for 8 houres, dureing which time showers of small shott, Granadoes, spring of Mines &c was the sole entertainment, & covered the place with dead bodies. The Germans being in possession of the Counterscarpe quitted 2 of the Lodgements they had made, & united in one, that they might be the better able to defend it, & in few houres had soe strongly fortifyed themselves as to have sufficiently secured their new conquests. It is reckoned that on the part of the Germans 1000 were killed & wounded in the attacke, all owne 600 and among them most of the officers that commanded at the attack, on the part of the beseiged 150 were killed, & in the counterscarpe the Germans took a great quantity of amunition, and owne [sic] Canon, in a day or two some farther assault will be made upon the towne which cannot hold out long. The ffrench Army is at prsent very near the Imperiall & they are bringing downe the Rhine their Machines to break or burne o[u]r bridge, the Duke of Lorraine has taken all possible care to prevent the same by putting chaines crosse the River maning [sic] out boates &c soe that we are here in great impatience to see the successe of this enterprize. L. c. 359 August the 9th 1676 The Dutch lettrs arrived the 8th bring us these advises Hamburg the 11th of August. All the newes now is that Stade is to be delivered to the Duke of Zell the 13th instant, Landscroon gives the King of Denmarke a great deale of worke Spire the 8th of August, The french Army has for these two dayes been within halfe a league of the Imperiall Army, who has almost ever since been drawne up in Batalia & tis said the Duke of Lorraine has thrice offered the Duke of Luxemburg battle, which he has not yet thought fit to accept, but we are assured that he has not provision for above 2 dayes longer, soe that in the mean time he will be forced to fight or retire. In the mean time the ffrench Machines prepared to ruine o[u]r bridge have not succeed, one of them was noe sooner launched but through the great weight it was charged with sunck & the other rune a shore in the Rhine & there stuck, however the Duke of Lorraine keeps a great number of boats on the Rhine to have an eye upon the ffrench, whom they doe not now apprehend on the side of the water, Major Generall Dunewaldt & Schultz haveing been a board with parties of horse are returned into the Imperiall Campe with above 200 ffrench prisoners. The Duke of Lorraine haveing drawne all the forces that could be spared from the seige of Phillipsburg to his Army, that seige has not at all advanced since o[u]r last, the beseigrs makeing it their bussines onely to maintaine what they have gott, till it be seen what the Duke of Luxemburg will doe Just now we have advice that the ffrench Army is retireing. L. c. 360 August the 12th 1676 The lettrs that came in the 9th from ffrance seem to give Phillipsburg for lost, for the Duke of Luxemburg being now come to Germersheim had found the Imperialists soe strongly posted that he could not attempt any upon them, for besides their retrenchments the Imperialists had a wood just before them, that would be passed onely by three narrow passages & when that was done there was not roome between the Imperialists retrenchments & the said wood for the Duke of Luxemburg to draw up the one halfe of his Army in Battalia, & as for the boats & Machines the ffrench had prepared on the Rhine, they did not answer the designe intended. These difficulties its said made the Duke of Luxemburg retire againe with his Army towards Landaw, & consequently leave the Germans to pursue the seige of Phillipsburg, which being thus disappointed of the releife the beseiged expected, it will doubtlesse hold out not many dayes which will be great losse to the ffrench, In the mean time tis thought it might goe hard with Phillipsburg the Governor of which it seems sent out a girle of 12 years of age with a billet wove up in her haire to give notice to the Duke of Luxemburg that without prsent releife he must capitulate on the 10th, which child being intercepted by the Duke of Lorraine has confirmed him of their distresse. The ffrench Armyes in fflandrs have ordrs to joyn (as supposed) to endeavour the releife of Maestricht for the preventing of which Count Waldeck has posted himselfe conveniently upon the advice of the march of the Marshall de Humiers to be joyned to the Duke Villa Hermosa. The Bruxells Gazet speaks of a new Conspiracy at Messina carryed on by one Carlo Lana one of the antient Jurates for putting the place into the hands of the Spanyard but that the Duke de Vivonne had made an early discovery of it, seized severall conspiratyrs & putt 4 of them to death, but whether that Carlo Lana was one of them is not said. The Paris lettrs dat August the 12th tell us the nobility of Naples had made an offer to the Vice Roy of 20000 ducates by way of voluntary contribution but would not suffer any new imposition. The troubles of Palermo tis said are appeased & the Dutch ships ready to saile ready to cruse [sic] but the Spanish ships not in the like condition. They had nothing from Rome about a new Election of a Pope the conclave being not shut up. The Streights lettrs informe us that Sr John Narborrough arrived July the 17th with 7 men of War from Algier before Malaga, that they of Algier had carryed in severall English ships for want of passes, some of which were cleared by Sr John Narborrough among which the Leopard, of others they condemned the goods & paid the commandrs the ffreight, made a distinction between the English built & the fforreigne bottomes. By lettrs from Constantinople they apprehend noe cause of fear from the Turk this year by Sea & therefore judge the great fleet that was seen must have been the ffrench. On the 9th the Envoy from Russ[i]a had audience from his Majesty On the 3d was carryed undr guard from Portsmouth by waggon to London 66 L weight of plate & Coin brought thither by Sr John Berry in the Bristoll ffrigat. On the 4th upon Complaint against some Justices of Westminster for not putting the lawes against conventicles in execution they were commanded to doe it, but more particularly that at Westminster. Since the admonition given they have caused searce [sic] to be made for the teacher who is not found. Upon the farther exemining the bussinesse of Lawrance for printing popish books he was ordered to be out of custody giveing bond of 1000 L to stand the prosecution of the atturney Generall Monsr Morel [?] secretary to the Portugall Ambassadr is sent to the gate house for proposeing a warrent for printing the Masse books in Latine & English but Upon his humble petition he was on the 9th ordered to be at liberty giveing security to appear before the Councell upon summons & to abide the tryall & judmt in any of his Majestys Courts and the like was granted. Mrs Anne Brewster is sent to Newgate for unlicensed pamphlets till she give security of 500 L for her good behavior for a year The Earle of Kinkoldin is discharged the Councell. [Handwriting changes here.] Upon ye Death of Dr Reynolds late Bp of Norwch Dr Sparrow Bp of Exeter is to be translated to that see. Dr Cary Deane of Exeter to be Bp of Exeter & Mr North to succeed him in ye Deanery, but Dr Cary haveing in a modest letter refused ye great Charge of a Bp, Dr Lamplugh is made Bp of that see, Dr Lake Arch Deacon of Exeter, held by ye late Bp, & Dr Barker Chaplaine to ye house of Commons, made arch Deacon of London held by Dr Lamplugh, Dr Castilban is made Deane of Rochester & Dr Horne [?] of St Mary Overs prebend of Worcester L. c. 361 [Handwriting changes here.] August the 14th 1676 A gentleman, who arrived here yesterday from Germany & passed through the ffrench Army in Alsace, assure us, that it consists of 40 battaillions of foot reckoning each Battaillion one with another betweene 5 & 600 men & in 120 squadrons of horse, a squadron being about 120 men, soe that it is the greatest Army the ffrench have had in Germany since the warr, & there fore the Confederates may the more vallue themselves, if that they take Phillipsburg, as it is not doubted but they have ere this time expetially if it be true what some perticular Lettrs did mention by the last post that the Duke of Luxemburg was retired to Landaw after haveing been soe near, that 3 or 4 men were killed in the Imperiall Camp, by the canon the ffrench had before their right whing, Just now arrived our fflanders Lettrs but being late I can onely tell you what is most remarkeable, Spire 11 of August The 8th instant the ffrench made an attempt to succor Phillipsburg by water & accordingly brought downe the Rhin 5 great Machines followed by a great numbere of boates, but Prince Herman of Baden, wholy posted att Rhinsheim, sent of the number of boates hee had prepared who set fire to the said Machines & quite burnt them this successe being soe bad, the ffrench in the night passed 500 men over the Rhin to gett into Phillipsburg but they were discovered & many of them killed & drowned, & this morning the Duke of Luxemburg is retired to Landaw, despaireing it seems to releive Phillipsburg, wch wee hope now in few dayes to bee masters of, though the place continues to make a stout defence +The Camp att Maestricht 16 August wee have not been able since our last to make any farther progresse, but onely to keep what wee have got the 12 & 14 instant the beseiged made 2 great salleys but were valiantly repulsed in the last by the English, though with Considerable losse, Coll: doleman being killed & the Rhingrave dangerously wounded whose place is to be supplyed by Monsr Lonnigni wee are raiseing batteries on the Dauphins Bastion & are mineing the Hernewort though the great number of officers 6 soldiers wee have lost makes the service soe hard however wee hope a good successe Brusseles the 18 August all the news wee have here is that the ffrench are drawing their forces together to releive Maestricht, & Marshall Humiers is goeing to Joyne Schomburg upon wch villa Hermosa is marchd with all dilegence to Joyne waldeck & renew the seige Stad is surrendered to the Duke of Lunenburg whose forces entered the town L. c. 362 August the 16th 1676 +You see by the publick news in what posture the seige of Maestricht is, & the preparation of the ffrench to releive it, to wch I can onely adde that the Slaughter of men has been soe great & especially of the English that of three Regiments there can hardly bee made 3 good companies, there not being above 150 [?] sound men in each, wch att the begining of the seige were between 7 & 800 men, however that they lost their lives honorably & with great reputation to their Country, The Princes Regiments of guards have been likewise severly treated 8 Captaines being killed of wch you may judge of the rest, there being killed, wounded & sicke att least 5000, the Rhingrave is much missed being their best generall officer they had there. The Army the ffrench are draweing together in order to the releife of it consists in 45 battailions of foot & 130 squadrons of horse. Upon the complaints made by our Merchants against the ffrench privateers, orders have been sent to the ports to stop all that shall putt in their till farther order Just now arrived o[u]r ffrench Lettrs they tell us that Phillipsburg holds out still the late report of it being taken proveing without ground however the place is given for lost. L. c. 363 [Handwriting changes here.] August the 19th 1676 On the 11th severall Merchants brought to the Councell the Counterfit warrants which they bought to make forreigne-ships free, which warrants were returned then againe that they might take their remedy or law against those that sold them. The same day Mr Monancy who stands committed to the gate house upon that account caused a petition to be presented to his Majesty in Councell desireing his liberty upon good bayl, but was answered that Counterfiting the Kings hand was treason & therefore not bayliable. The same day the Councell adjourned till wednesday October the 4th. The Viceridge of St Martins in the feild held by Dr Lamplugh is given to Dr Lloyd Dean of Bangor. Upon the death of Dr William Belke late Prebend of Canterbury his Majesty has appointed Dr Thomas Belke his sonne to succeed him. The Lord John Botelar Earle of Gowran is lately dead in ffrance by which the place of Captaine of the guards in Ireland is become voyd. By the fflandrs lettrs which arrived the 17th instant we had what followeth Brussells the 22d August. after all the noise the ffrench have made with their marches in order as they give out to releive Maestricht, we have great reason to beleive they have some other designe in hand, which may be of as great importance to them as to raise the seige & of which the successe may be the more certaine, we therefore very much apprehend they will beseige Cambray or else on the suddaine turne back towards fflandrs & beseige Ipres, the first is most likely 20000 Boores being commanded out of Picardy to repaire immediately to Peronne, where the Marquis de Lonvoy is to be as they say as this night. Certaine it is that those marches & Countermarches of the enemy doe strongly confound us, & makes that we hardly know what we have to doe, In the mean time Count Waldeck marches with all dilligence to Maestricht & de Villa Hermosa followeth him, though perhaps he will not make soe much hast till he see what the designe of the enemy in reality is, which we shall doe in a day or two. In the mean time the seige of Maestricht goes on but slowly & instead of makeing any further progresse, the 18th instant the beseigers were beat out of the lodgements they had on the Counterscarp, which they attempted the night following to regaine, but were repulsed with great losse which news we received by an expresse the 17th instant in the evening. Soe that unlesse his highnesse receive a considerable reinforcement of Infantry he will not be able to finish the seige & this was the reason that Count Waldeck was sent for in soe great hast with his Infantry, who by this time is arrived there, haveing passed St Tron on Thursday last. L. c. 364 August the 21th 1676 +By sea we have received lettrs from Sweden, which give us an account of the sad posture of affairs there, occasioned as much by the factions at home as the ill successe of things abroad, that the great Chancellor who is a man of great parts is altogeather removed from businesse being lookt upon as the cheif author & promoter of the prsent warr, & nothing but his near relation to the King being married to his Ant keeps him from some publick disgrace; That the Crowne admirall who went to sea with the fleet in 1675 & returned without effecting any thing, it being soe late in ye yeare, & therefore commanded not the fleet this last summer, has now received a very severe sentence, vidt: to be put from all his places & offices & to be fined in 100000 Crownes, & yt these being men of great emenence & quality make factions by their partisans, That in the mean time the yong King is left himselfe without money, troops or Councell, That as his last refuge he has called as it were the arreare ban of Sweden, that is all prsons from 16 to 60 years to take up armes for the publick safety & of these the King will forme an Army & march agt the Danes, who in all appearance will in the interime possesse themselves of Hassandt & Schonen. At the same time the Muscovites are certainly on the borders of Lonvonia with 20000 men, though hitherto they have onely keept the Swedes in fear, & have not done any thing to breake the peace. The King of Denmarke haveing sent out 1000 or 1200 horse towards Christianstadt, the King of Sweden who was there with a body of horse went in great hast from thence to Colmar leaveing part of his baggage & a good summe of money a pray to the Danes, who by the help of the Bores possessed themselves thereof. The States Generall have sent ye Sieur Amerongen to ye Duke of Zell to convers with him about the speedy march of all his forces towards the Rhin soe that they may be able to give the ffrench a great diversion on that side. No forreigne lettrs have arrived since o[u]r last, therefore little can be said of the seiges of Phillipsburg & Maestricht, as to the first it is ye generall opinion that in a post or twoo we shall here that it is taken for besides the troops of the circles all the Infantry of the Imperiall Army has passed the Rhin & are now imployed in that seige. But as to Maestricht it is the opinion of most sober people that it will take up much time yet, if it be not in the mean time releived, which the ffrench still give out they peremptorily resolve, though the lettrs from fflandrs make us doubtfull, whether it be not advice to draw the Dutch & Spanish Army that way, while they have some other designe in hand, but this doubt o[u]r next lettrs will fully clear, Count Waldeck is gone to assist at the seige with the troops that were left undr his command especially the foot wch the Prince very much wanted. It being affirmed by very good hands that he has lost above 6000 men since the seige, that is killed wounded diserters & sicke L. c. 365 August the 23d 1676 +The accounts we have had from Maestricht for these two posts, not haveing been very perfect, you may see by what followeth the account, which hath been received from a very good hand at the seige Vidt that on the 2/12 instant the beseigrs had lodged themselves on the Counterscarpe of a Horneworke. That from that day to the 17th the beseigrs made severall sallyes in which many were killed on both sides & nothing else considerable passed, save that the beseigrs raised 3 new batteries & one near the Daulphin Bastion. That the 19th at night the English being upon the guard made an attack upon the enemy between the first & 2d row of their palisadoes & beat them from thence but the beseigers were soe gauled on their flankes with the enemys shot from the Horneworke & halfemoon that they were forced to quit their new post. The next day Monsr de Lonvigny came into the trenches & the night following made 2d attack upon the enemy though with noe bettr successe then that the night before, Though the Duke of Osnaburg was himselfe the whole night in the trenches; and this was that wch occasioned the report of the beseigrs being beaten out of the Counterscarp, from the 19 to the 22 was spent in battering the towne, prepareing of Mines, and makeing other preparations for assaulting the Horneworke. And there has been a lettr received from a very good hand at the ffrench Court, which says that the King had by an expresse received lettrs from the governor of Maestricht, in wch he gives an account that ye beseigrs had taken a ravelin, and a halfe moon, & were lodged on the Counterscarp of the towne that ye garrison was soe wearried & weakened that it would be impossible to hold out many dayes longer & that the Kings Leiut: of the place & severall other principall officers were killed, and that upon the news, it was the generall opinion at the ffrench Court, that the place would be taken, before Marshall Scomberg could come up to releive it, & its added in the said lettr that the King had sent ordrs to Calvo to retire into Wyke but when he could noe longr defend Maestricht to make honorable conditions for the garrison, soe that the ffrench themselves seem to give the place for lost. The 22d Capt Wood who went out 3 or 4 Monthes since to discover the northwest passage came to towne haveing lost his ship on Novasembla after haveing been 20 dayes togeather in a very thick fog, the fly boat that went to attend him saved him & all his men except twoo & brought them home None of o[u]r lettrs due are arrived. L. c. 366 August the 26th 1676 +The fflandrs lettrs which wee received the 23d, brought us the ill news of the raiseing of the seige of Maestricht, you will see what is made publick which you may give creditt to for it comes from a good hand, & there are besides some perticulars which were not fit for the news book, & those I will tell you here; first that the seige was raised soe suddainly & in soe much disorder, that they had hardly time to draw of their cannon, & truely its said some were left behind, which was occasioned as well by the enemys comeing downe a day or two sooner then was expected, as by the hopes the Prince had to have gained the horneworke, in which case he would have left 10000 men at the seige & with the rest would have engaged the enemy. The first must be attributed to be for want of intelligence, otherwise they would have had a better account of Scombergs march, who came to Tongresse within two houres after de Villa Hermosa passed through that place, hastning to joyne the Prince, whose attack upon the Horneworke that afternoon proveing soe unsuccessefull with soe terrible a slaughter of men, his measures for the leaveing 10000 men at the seige were broken, & soe in a Councell of war it was resolved to abandon the seige & to fight the enemy, the confederates being joyned togeather being 40000 & upwards, & the ffrench were about 3500 [?], The seige was noe sooner raised but Montall gott into Maestricht with 6000 men, it may easily be imagined in what consternation the army was, to see themselves in an enterprize which has cost them already soe much sweat & blood. Our lettrs add that the Prince of Orange would be forced to stay a day or two near Maestricht to see his cannon ship away, dureing which time its not to be doubted, but the ffrench Army will retire, or else post themselves soe as to be able to avoyd fighting if they please which surely they will seeing they have done their businesse without it, & besides the Confederates are soe numerous, and the leaguer [sic] being broke up, That they will not be many dayes able to subsist soe that in all appearance they will in few dayes be forced to retire or separate. This ill successe falls the heavier upon the Hollandrs, for that the seige was undertaken against the sentenient [sic] of the other confederates, who lookt upon it as an enterprize to great to succeed in as things stood. Phillipsburg holds out still but however it must yeild at last On Satturday last the Portugall Ambassadrs Chapell at St James was shutt up by his Majestys command. It being his Majestys pleasure that that chapell shall not be any more used for the exceriseing the Roman religion On Thursday his Majesty went to Windsor & will be back againe on ffriday or Satturday His Majesty has sent a lettr to ye Lord Leiut of Ireland that the Lord ffetz Harding may have the command of the troop of guards, become voyd by the death of the Earle of Gowran, son to his grace the Duke of Ormond, as alsoe another for makeing Sr Thomas Newcomen one of his Majestys most honorable privy Councell of that Kingdome. L. c. 367 [Handwriting changes here.] Aug 26 1676 There is noe further account of what has passed betweene ye 2 armies since ye raiseing ye seige of Maestreicht, tho tis ye Generall Opinion that they have parted wthout doeing any thing, The Spainiards its said doe very much apprehend ye Consequence of this Misfortune as to them, & feare it will Occation great revolutions in flanders, where ye people before seemed estreame weary of ye Spanish Governmt, as not being able to protect them as appeard at aire, wch may bee said to be deliverd up to ye french by ye Inhabitants Notwthstanding they were some yeares since counted ye greatest haters of ye french of all ye Townes in flanders +The last letters wee had from Spaine sd that ye two factions (vizt, that of ye Queen, & that of Don Juan[)] did very much disturb ye affaires of that Governmt to wch in great measure may be attributed all their ill success abroad Our ffrench letters say that this day sennight the King Recd an express, from Mareshall Schomburg giveing an account of ye raiseing ye seige of Maestricht & that Montall was got into ye towne, That on Munday last the King Recd another express, wch brought advice that Montall goeing out of Maestricht againe wth a body of Horse & dragoons had taken 35 boates wch were passing downe ye Meuse toward Ruremond after haveing defeated a body of Horse that guarded them, That in ye said boates 40 peices of Cannon a great many Bombes & mortar peices, great store of amunition & 500 wounded men amongst whom 60 officers, & that they were in pursuite of a great number of boates more, wch were before these, that ye Rhinegrave & his lady who were in a litle Castle hard by Maestricht were taken prisoners by ye french. As to Phillipsburg they say that ye beseigers are not advancet farther then they were 14 dayes since that they loose dayly a great many men, & that ye beseiged had burnt ye Gallery they had laid Over ye Ditch & yt ye Duke of Luxemb was goeing to pass ye Rhine againe to attempt to releive it +We have likewise ye Duch letters They say that ye Prince of Orange & ye Confederates were retired toward Diest, that they were greatly astonisht at ye news in Holland, but say noething of ye loss of any Cannon. as to Phillipsburg they owne ye Gallery had bene burnt by ye beseiged but adde that ye beseigers would quickly repaire it, they speake of ye loss of many men dayly & amongst others of some persons of quallity, in fine they say Phillipsburg may hold out 14 days longer yet L. c. 368 [Handwriting changes here.] August the 30th 1676 On Monday morning her Royall Highnesse was brought to bed of a Princesse Sr Phillip Monkton upon his humble petition to his Majesty his [sic] discharged from his imprisonmt in the tower upon baile, as is likewise, Mr Jenks out of the gate house. We have o[u]r ffrench lettrs of Satturday last they give us this particular account of Maestricht that the Prince of Orange upon the advice he received of the approach of the enemy caused a generall assault to be made upon the Hornework Halfemoon & pallisadoes & were thrice repulsed with the losse of 1000 men killed & wounded, & that prsently after a Councell of War being held it was resolved to raise the seige, that the said 26th in the morning Scomberg came to Tongresse & took there 1200 prisonrs being the Rear of the Spanyards, that the 27th in the morning the confederate troops drew of from the siege & drew up into Battailia behind a fort which the Prince of Orange caused to be made dureing the siege to favor his retreat in case he was obliged to raise the siege, while in the mean time their Cannon were embarked of which Scomberg haveing advice advanced with 8 squadrons of horse & skirmised with the Rear of the confederates while the Sieur Montall & the Duke de Villeroy marched in on the otherside of the Meuse & took 50 of the enemys boats, in which were 40 peices of Cannon, besides a great quantity of ammunition & baggage & many sick & wounded men & 3 peices of Cannon more the Dutch left behind them in their trenches, after this Scomberg thought not fit to make any farther attempt upon the enemy, who retired toward Hastel & Diest in a consternation & disorder which may easily be imagined. ffrom Alsace they write that Phillipsburg deffends it selfe to admiration, the beseigrs have done nothing since the burning of their gallerys, they had a great deal of raine there, & if the weather continue soe the ffrench doe not fear the losse of the place this Campagne. The Duke of Luxemburg was the 29th two leagues below Brisace where he could goe & passe the Rhine to goe & beseig ffriburg in Brisgow or at least to destr[o]y that Country yesterday we had o[u]r fflandrs lettrs of this day 7 night by which we have lettrs from the Prince of Oranges Camp near Tron of the 31 August, they tell us that after haveing with extraordinary difficulty embarked their Cannon & all their provisions except a great quantity of meal which they were forced to throw into the River, after haveing set fire to 14 or 15 empty boats which were on ground they retired thither in some disorder. That they arrived near Tron the 30 where they continued that day the next and on the first of September intended to march to Warrom on the Grand Chaussy to observe the enemys motions, the[y] had news in the Campe of Rhingraves death & that the ffrench had taken two of their boats as they were passing to Ruremond & in them 14 peices of Cannon & that they were in pursuit of the rest which ran in great danger, soe that we must expect by o[u]r next lettrs to know whether the news from ffrance be true of taking of 50 peices of Cannon, the trouble & constarnation was great throughout fflandrs. The lettrs add that the Duke of Osnaburg left a great many sick & wounded men at Maestricht for want of Carridge. L. c. 369 September the 1st 1676 We have all our forreigne lettrs that are due, & the publick news you will see in the news booke, I shall add first as to the raiseing the seige, the Spanyards lay it all upon the Prince of Orange, for that de Villa Hermosa & the Duke of Osnaburg were of opinion that they ought to have continued within their lines, & rather venture all, then make soe shamefull a retreate, but that the Prince of Orange alledged they wanted foot, & that a pointe of honour ought not to drive them to dispersion, that his advice prevayled, others againe say the quite contrary, & say the Prince would have continued in his lines, but the others would not; this appears plainly that the disagreement among the generalls in their opinions is the great source of their misfortune, as to the takeing of the cannon, the lettrs from the Hague & Brussells speake of hearsays only, & those from the Princes Camp of the 3 instant take noe notice of it [?], which is very strange, for there seems not room to doubt the truth of it, there was a lettr from Monsr Scombergs own hand to a person of quality in London, where in he says they had taken 46 peices of Cannon &c & there be other lettrs from Maestricht of a farther date, which say that not only these but 10 more taken afterwards had been brought thither, & that a great many boats laden with Merchandizes, which were brought to the leauger to be sold had been likewise taken. The Prince of Monaco & the Marquesse of Sossas [?] are lately come hither to take the divertisment of this Court, Tis said that his Majesty if the weather prove seasonable will goe to Newmarket the 18th His Majesty sends a man of War to attend the Russian Envoy as far as Narva & with him goes Mr John Hobdon as Envoy from his Majesty to the Czar & not Sr Peter Wyck as was formerly notified. We are informed from ffrance that his Majestys lettr to that king & Ministers instances, on behalfe of the English Merchants satisfactions for the injuries they have sustained have wrought soe effectually in that Court, that their cases are speedily and carefull heard, every day severall dispatched & the ships carried in on false pretence discharged. The Envoy from Muscovy haveing since his Compliment acquinted his Majesty of the earnest desire of the Prsent Czar not onely to maintain the antient freindship & allience, but to enter into a nearer treaty for the advancement of traffick and commerce, as a matter which was left him particular command by the late Czar, his fathers last will & Testimony has in soe serious an obligation resolved to pay the respect of his memory, as on Sunday next to putt on mourning. L. c. 370 September the 2d 1676 This week is arrived the Prince of Monaco, a soveraigne Prince in Italy, & its said will make some stay here to visit the Kingdome. We cannot now any longer doubt the takeing of the Princes Cannon, for there is a lettr from an officer who says he was at the takeing of 52 peices 7000 Musketts &c but makes no mention of any wounded men, some passengrs come from Holland tell us that the discouragement among the people there is very great, & that the Louvestein party make all the use they are able of this ill successe to cast reflections upon the Princes conduct. And that the States had sent an expresse to their Minister with the Duke of Zell to hasten the marches of the forces of that Duke, as a thing upon which the good of the alliance depends. Our ffrench & fflandrs lettrs arrived late this evening, they tell us that yesterday was seavennight the confederate Army upon the news they had, of the ffrench being within a league of them decamped from Jancke, and drew up the Army into Battailia on a hill between Jancke and Perioys [?], the Generalls riding from Squadron to Squadron to encourage their soldiers, when they had certaine advice that the enemy was still at Warem 4 leagues of, upon which the confederates marched to Perioys being resolved to hinder the returne of the ffrench from Charleroy, but in the mean time the Bishop of Osnaburg begins to talke of returning home soe that its feared the confederate Army will soon break up. as to mattrs in Germany the Duke of Lorraine haveing left 24 battailions at the seige of Phillipsburg is marched with all the rest of his foot & all his horse in great hast to oppose the designe of Luxemburg, who is passed the Rhine the 1st [?] instant the Duke of Lorraine joyned Caprara at Wistel near Strasburg +Nothing considerable has passed at Phillipsburg the beseigrs had repaired their gallery, and againe filled up the Ditch, and in a day or two intend a generall assault. L. c. 371 September the 7th 1676 +We have o[u]r Dutch lettrs on the 6th instant of ffriday last, & by them have these advices Copenhagen the 1st of Sept. what we told you in o[u]r last concerning the defeat of Major Genll Duncan proves true; he was sent out with 3000 horse & foot to invest Holmstadt, but he had hardly taken his post there, when the Swedes who were much stronger, fell upon him, the Danes made a brave defence, & sold their lives very deare, soe that the Swedes sustained very great losse, of the 3000 Danes 800 with Durane were taken prsoners & 250 escaped, & the Danes lost likewise 14 peices of Cannon; This successe will without doubt putt the Swedes into some heart, & the King of Denmarke upon it is marched with all his forces to Holmstadt, where the Swedes Army lyes encamped being about 12000 men & if the Swedes keep their ground we shall suddainly hear of a battle. Admirall Trump is ordered to goe & cruise upon the coast of Sweden to give them a diversion. Strasburg the 4th Sept: The ffrench have made a great revenge in Brisgow, the Imperialists comeing to late to hinder them, however some rencounters have happened between the Croats who had the vanguard & the ffrench, in which the former had the advantage. We have just now advice that the ffrench haveing made a very great body, have repassed the Rhine and are marching towards lower Alsace againe, upon which the Imperiall Army marches likewise back towards Phillipsburg, Crequi gathers a body of an Army on the Soar. Spire 5 Sept: The 3 instant in the afternoon the beseigrs made an attack upon the Ravelin with 400 men onely, they surprized the ffrench that were there, who were 200 killed most of them, without any great difficulty gained the Ravelin, but before they had lodged themselves the ffrench made vigorous sally, & with the assistance of the mines they sprung, quite beat the beseigrs out againe. The last night the beseiged came out againe & had already sett fire to the ffagotts with which the Ditch is filled up, but the beseigrs quenched it againe, this afternoon the beseigrs will again attack the Ravelin in 4 severall places Hague the 11th Sept. The States Generall as well as those of Holland, have writen to the Prince of Orange to inform him, & to assure him of the sattisfaction they have of his conduct &c 3000 munsteriens are fallen into East ffrizeland on pretence to secure their winter quarters, while 7000 more, & as many Lunenburgs are marching towards the mosell, mattrs succeed hitherto soe ill at Phillipsburg that we begin to fear that seige will have the same end as Maestricht. L. c. 372 September the 8th 1676 +In fflandrs the Campagne seems at an end with soe much dishonor & disadvantage to the confederates; The retreat of the ffrench to Charleroy in their view, without any the least opposition, is by many counted a disreputation almost as great as the raiseing the seige of Maestricht. On yesterday was seavennight the ffrench Army was advanced within a league of the Confederates, & they instead of meeting them, as they all along gave out their designe was, turned out of the way & not onely gave the ffrench a free passage, but likewise an oppurtunity to attack their baggage & take part of it, the Dutch turne the blame upon the Spanyards & say de Villa Hermosa would not be perswaded to a battle, alledgeing the disadvantages they should engage the enemy upon, & that the preservation or losse of fflandrs dependes upon the successe; however it is, most are of opinion that the Campagne will have begot in the Dutch a disposition to a peace, & will lett all parties see how impossible it is to doe any thing with confederate Armys. The truth is the successe of this Summer in fflandrs & Germany has been soe contrary to expectation, that nothing can be more, and ffrance who pretends to act defensively comes of the great winner, The slow advance that is made at the seige of Phillipsburg, has made the Princes thereabouts who are concerned, enquire into the conduct of matters, which they say has been very ill in many perticulars, but those are things of which people generally speake according to their perticular affections, or else through ignorance make conclusions from successe. there is a lettr from a very good hand which says that there appears some disagreement between those that have the cheife command at that seige, & that even they begin to suspect their Generall, they seem to mean the Duke of Lorraine but goe noe farther, it being in those parts a nice point to touch upon. +The 5 instant new stile as o[u]r lettrs tell us the beseigrs were to make a generall assault, upon the successe of which soe much depends, that there are those in the campe, who beleived that if they succeeded not they should be forced to raise the seige. In Brisgow the ffrench pretend only to eat up the country & ruine the poore people, & that they doe with a witnesse to make the cry for a peace the greater. L. c. 373 September the 9th 1676 The Luce of ffalmouth arrived home August the 24th from Virginia, reports that the Indians still continue War but soe as they dare not appear in a body to give Battle but Skulke up & down in the woods, & as they find advantage fall upon them as they are at worke. Tis said her Majesty will be pleased to spend some dayes in divertisment at Euston, Newmarkett, &c: A Ketch arrived at Cowes Road from Salley gives advice of a peace made upon a late treaty by Sr John Narborough & 14 dayes time will be allowed to them to send to the King of Morocco for a Ratification of it, which those of Salley made not the least question to obtaine. By the Dutch post which arrived on ffriday night we had these advices[:] Hague the 15th of September. The 15th instant arrived here the Secretary of the Envoy of the State in the Imperiall Army, sent expresse to give an account that the governor of Phillipsburg had finally capitulated, & the accord was signed the 9th, but that the garrison was not to march out till the 15th, to have the more time to prepare their baggage, or that the Governor expected some change might happen in that time, the conditions are very honorable Vidt. 1 That the governor & garrison shall march out within 6 dayes Vidt. on the 15th, with Armes colors flying &c in case a Royall succor arrive not in that time 2 They shall take with them two halfe & 2 quarter Cannon. 3 As likewise all their baggage, Gold, linen, and whatever belongs to the King as well from Contribution as otherwise. 4 In the mean time all the Cannon upon the walls shall be turned & noe more use shall be made against the beseigrs be it that the succors arrive not. 5 The Dutch sentenalls & guards shall be putt with the ffrench upon the breaches to see that they be not repaired by the beseiged 6 they shall take noe soldiers with them but such that have been raised by the King. 7 The Burgers may march out with what belongs to them & be conveyd to Brisack. Signed the 9th of Sept: 1676 L. c. 374 September the 13th 1676 The news of the Capitulation of Phillipsburg has very much revived ye Spirits of the confederates in fflandrs as well as the hopes they have that the Imperiall Army will be able to make some farther attempt upon the enemy before the end of this Campagne, besides the diversion is expected the Munster & Lunenburg troops will give the ffrench on the side of Treves, This consideration will its beleeved keep the Confederate Army in fflandrs yet some time in the feild, & there is those that beleeve that the Prince of Orange will returne againe to his Army soe soon as he is perfectly well, (haveing been very indisposed when he left it) & that he hath setled some mattrs in Holland, where his prsence was necessary to breake the contrivances of those of ye contrary party, grounded upon the successe; his Highnesse has been very well received by the States, who were satisfyed sufficiently with his conduct; for what has happened ill cannot be laid at his doore, but must be attributed either to the want of good officers & Ingenrs which appeared in the seige of Maestricht, or else to want of good intelligence by which means the ffrench Army gave them the goe by & returned to Charleroy, & this lattr the Spanyards are blamed for, being in their own Country. It is not known whether the Emperor will putt a garrison into Phillipsburg, or whether he will cause it to be demolished, but it is beleived the Emperor may consent to the latter, because the vast charge he would be at to putt the place into a posture it was before. On Monday the Envoy of Russia had his Audience by their Majestys & was afterwards treated at dinner by Mr Secrary Williamson, & on Tuesday by my Lord Major. Some English soldiers are come over that were at the seige of Maestricht, and among other things assure us, that Weddringtons Regimt which was at first 700 men, marcht not above 40 into Bolduce [?] where the 3 English Regimts are now in garrison. The ffrench Ambr here owns not as yet to have any news of the Capitulation of Phill, though it is soe without doubt. We have not any fforreige Lettrs since o[u]r last. L. c. 375 September the 14th 1676 +By the ffrench lettrs arrived the 13th at night we understand that the garrison of Phillipsburg was actually marched out, consisting as the ffrench say hardly in 600 men, which were not able to resist a generall assault, besides the want they had of powder, haveing for 6 or 7 weeks had none but what they made themselves, which was not above 6 pound a day. The ffrench notwithstanding they long time told us they expected this news, are now it is come very much concernd at it, for in reallity they had of late perswaded themselves that the Germans would not have been able to take the place, till the ill weather which must now quickly be expected come in, & are not now a little troubled to part with such a darling as Phillipsburg was. The ffrench themselves who pretend to be the great Mrs in millitary matters commend the Conduct of the Germans in proceeding slowly & securely in that seige; that is by makeing good workes & Lodgments every step they advanced, which though it cost much time, which was much bettr then to have proceeded more briskly, as at Maestricht, then to have imagined to have taken the place by force of attacks for in such cases Phillipsburg alone would have destroyed a whole Army, & then have been easily releived. The Dutch fleet say the Naple lettrs dat August the 25th went in thither from Palermo consisting of 14 men of War 4 fire ships & 8 tenders, they say the[y] met the ffrench fleet goeing from Messina, & both fleets stood on with another & both called councells of war, which done each stood their owne Coarse without disturbing each other & there they staid in expectation of a fleet from Holland. On the 13th his Majesty was pleased to Dinne with Sr Richard Mason, and his Royall highnesse with the Artillery men of London. His Excellency the Lord Ambr Montague is soe forward in his preparations that it is said he will set forward about the begining of the next week for ffrance. The Allys promise themselves somewhat of action from the Lunenburg & Munster force, marching towards the Rhine whom they account 18000 men effective under the command of the Duke of Zell, who the last year had great successe against Marshall Crecqui. The differences that were between those princes about shares, they say by the Emperors Mediation are at prsent accomodated & they doubt not will very suddainly be throughly composed soe that their forces may unanimously act togeather & noe farther delay be occasioned by future disputes. L. c. 376 September the 18th 1676 We received the 16th instant our Dutch & fflandrs lettrs of friday was seavennight, and from the Hague they write that the Prince of Orange upon an expresse he had received from the Army was returned againe to it in great dilligence in order as is beleived to the executeing some designe upon the enemy. The news we had of a fight between the Swedes & the Danes Army near Holmstadt proves false; but most certaine it is that the Sieur Geldenlien has defeated 3000 Swedes on the ffrontiers of Norway. Its said the said Guldenlien is marcheing to joyne the King of Denmarke Admirall Tromp Cruises on the Coast of Sweden to intercept 5 or 60 vessells comeing with soldiers from ffinland, under a convoy of 7 men of War. Just now arrived o[u]r ffrench lettrs of last wednesday & assure us that the garrison of Phillipsburg was actually marched out with 6 peices of Cannon, & were arrived at Haguenaw, & that the Kings Leiutenant of Phillipsburg was arrived at Paris. On the 6th a ffrench privateer of 6 guns & 53 men called the Vive Orange Captaine Du Vall Master was by contrary winds forced into ffalmouth, & there according to order stopt the rudder being taken off & the sayls from the yards & carryed ashoar, the Master saith he hath not been 6 dayes from St Malos. L. c. 377 September the 20th 1676 The Prince of Orange hath since his returne to the Hague layd in his discourse concerning this Campagne, the whole blame upon the Spanyards, and as they have not been wanting to retort the same upon him, soe now particularly they think they have reason to complaine of his Highnesse: for that through him they were disappointed in the designe they now lately had upon the enemy, It seems the ffrench had prepared 1000 waggons with all sorts of provisions conveyed to Maestricht by the greatest part of the Cavalry of Scombergs Army under the command of Montall, of which the Duke de Villa Hermosa haveing advice, proposed the army should march immediately to intercept the said convoy or if they came not time enough for that to march directly & attack Monsr Scomberg in his quarters, being soe considerably weakened through the detachment sent with the said convoy; Count Waldock approved of the thing but said he could not enter upon an action of soe great importance without haveing first his highnesse orders, wherefore an expresse was immediatly sent to the Hague & the Prince came post to Masines which would not be done without the losse of 2 or 3 dayes & when the Prince came to Masines he received advice that the said Cavalry was returned from Maestricht and had joyned the ffrench Army & thereupon he returned immediately towards the Hague. The last lettrs from Holland said that the Equipage designed for Sicily was counterman[d]ed, for which noe other reason could be given, but the great dissatisfaction the Dutch at prsent have against the Spanyards soe far that many are of opinion the States will make peace with the ffrench this winter L. c. 378 September ye 22d 1676 His Majesty has appointed Sr John Beery, Coll: Morison, & Major ffairfax to goe his Comrs to Virginia to setle mattrs there which have of late been in some disorder. The new England men we hear are now pretty well at ease haveing quite overcome the Indians, & though King Phillip still holds out yet his party is soe inconsiderable, all the Collonies about Boston & Plymouth haveing been forced to submit, that they doe not at all feare him. Sr John Narborough is arrived in the Harwich with a fireship & a satee [?], a vessell he took from the Tripolins at Plimouth, where he is deteined through contrary winds, the rest of his squadron remaine in the Streights. As to fforreigne news I can add little, our lettrs arriveing before the last ordinary, there were some things I had not time to tell you, & therefore will doe it now; Vidt that in Holland the discourse runs mightily of a peace occasioned by the observation that is made, that the States incline delay [daily?] more & more to it. They have of late made severall stepts towards it, & one great one is their takeing upon them to fix a day for the Ministrs of the allies to repaire to Nimeguen, or otherwise they will begin the treaty without them, yet soe as to communicate to them whatever passes, which the States have been obleidge to, because of the delay they perceived their allies made to send their Ambassadrs to Nimeguen, soe yt without some resolution like this, it might perhaps have been yet this 6 monthes ere the treaty had begun. There are those that beleeve the States may be induced to clap up a seperate peace with the ffrench this winter, but that seems very improbable & whatever their inclinations may be, they will think it their interest to disobleige soe many & soe great allies, but this is generally beleived that they will push on the treaty, & perhaps obleidge their allies to abate of their pretentions, which otherwise they would not, this however is certaine that the allies are not pleased to see the States soe forward to a peace nor are they lesse allarmed at the report spread abroad in Holland of the Prince of Oranges comeing for England, this winter, what the ground of it is I know not, though the thing is likely enough. Not long since it was the prayers of all Germany to see Phillipsburg out of the hands of the ffrench, because of the Scourge it was to all the neighboring Countries, & all that while the discourse of the Imperiall Ministers that the place must be demolished but now they change their note, & speake of the importance of soe commodious a passe on the Rhin, & that the Emperor is obleiged for the good of the common alliance to secure, dureing the war a post, which may be of soe great an advantage to his affaires, & how true soever their allagations are, yet the neighboring Princes are apt to fear, that when the Emperor has it in his own possession, it will be a hard matter to perswade him to part with it againe & therefore for their own perticular interests they would have it demolished. The Place antiently belonged to the Bishop of Spire, & he pretends to it, but that the Electr Palatine cannot endure. They write from Yorkshire of great stormes with raine, Thunder & Lightening on Satturday night & Sunday morning last & perticularly at Beverly where part of the Steple of the Minster was carryed away, some of the stones being thrown above 60 yards, though the greatest part brook through the lead into the Chancill to the damage of at least 500 L and that at St Maryes another church in the same towne most of the chancill was beaten downe & the stones thrown above 40 yards from the church to the damage of above 1000 L L. c. 379 September the 25th 1676 The 17th instant arrived at ffalmouth the James of London in 30 dayes from Neavis in Ameri[c]as, the mastr reports that there was in those parts a Squadron of 9 Dutch men of War commanded by the Sieur Binches that they had taken from the ffrench 3 considerable Islands Vidt Cajanna, Marigoland, & St Martins, & that they pretended to make farther conquests upon the ffrench before they leave those parts; where are likewise 8 or 9 Dutch privateers who had taken severall prizes. It seems Sr Dennis Gawden [?] who came in on course to be chosen Lord Major of London for the next year, has this last week quitted his gowne of Alderman for some perticular reasons to himselfe. The Dutch Ambassadr here has acquinted his Majesty with the resolution of the States for their settling a day for their begining the treaty at Nimeguen & seemed to intimate the 1 of November might be the day, by which time the Emperors Ambrs & those of Spaine which are the farthest of, may arrive at Nimeguen if they please, But the Confederates are not at all pleased that the States should take upon them to prescrib them a rule, & 2d that they soe much hasten the Congresse. The King of Denmarke in his perticular is not at all satisfyed to find them soe exact in keeping of 6 months, (which according to agreement their Squadron ought to remaine in the Balticke) as to recall the same soe soon as the said terme expires without haveing regard to the service they might by staying a month longer render that King. +We have o[u]r fflandrs lettrs of Tuesday last they tell us, that the Duke of Lorraine continues near offenburg in expectation of the infantry that was at ye seige of Phillipsburg wch joyning with him will make his Army between 16 & 17000 horse & 13000 foot the troops of the Circles being comprehended therein, & yn the Duke of Lorraine will begin some farther action. The other day the Baron de Mercey a Lorrainer had a rancounter with a ffrench party & took 150 of them, & since the Major Generall Schultz fell upon the ffrench forrages & upon the guard they had with them, killed 300 took 80 with 150 horses & a standart. The Duke of Luxemburg has quitted his quarters & marched higher to Brisac whither he has removed his bridge in order to his repassing the Rhin. The Brusells lettrs of the 22 tell us that the Governor of Newport had given advice to the Court of a conspiracy laid there to betray the place into the hands of the ffrench but that it had the same fate with that of Bendermond that the conspirators were discovered & secured. L. c. 380 Sept: ye 27th 1676 The ffrench lettrs which arrived Sunday told us, that commissions were already prepareing for raiseing recruits against spring, which were to be at least 30000 men, many more then can be possibly presumed that king has lost this summer. the conduct of Luxemberg was mightily decryed at Paris, where people are touched to the quick at the losse of Phillipsburg, & its written by a good hand that the Marshall de Grammont had taken the liberty to tell the King, that there were twoo things which were the cause of the losse of Phillipsburg; Vidt the death of Turenne, & the indispositions of the Prince of Conde, makeing by that means a shew of reflection upon the Conduct of Luxemburg as if he was not capable of soe great a command. The 25th we had 2 Dutch posts, the most considerable news they brought us was, that in Holland the disposition to a peace increases dayly, not onely in the ordinary sort of people upon whome the burthen of the war lyes the heaviest, but likewise those that were in the goverment. The States had certainly sent ordrs to their men of Warr at Naples to returne to Cadiz & expect farther ordrs there, being resolved to trouble themselves no farther with the affaires of Sicily, but to leave it wholly to the Spanyards to take care of them. that the discourse of ye Prince of Oranges comeing for England this winter still continued, though it was said his highnesse would make a step to the Army in fflandrs which was goeing to march towards Namur, to have an eye upon the ffrench that are on that side, who seem to have some designe in hand by their possessing themselves of Marsheen ffanines &c though others think monsr Scomberg will be obleidged to send a great part of his forces towards Lorraine (to oppose the Munstrs & Lunenbergs &c who are arrived not far from Coblent) as not to be able to attempt farther in fflandrs this Campagne. It is most certaine that the confiderates will keep the feild as long as they are able to favor their allies in Germany, but after all it is in soe ill a condition that it cannot stay long abroad, the Osnaburg troops who when they came to Maestricht were accounted 8000 are now not 4000. L.c. 381 September the 30th 1676 +The 27th arrived o[u]r fflandrs lettrs what they brought you will see partly in the print, what may be added here, comes from very good hands, Vidt that the Confederates troops are in soe very ill condition & soe dimolished & especially the Cavalry, that it is hardly to be beleived, & that for that reason they are forced to look after winter quarters, into which they will goe in 9 or 10 days at farthest, leaveing the ffrench by that means at liberty to send great detachments towards Germany, which they have already done, soe that Monsr Scomberg has at prsent but a small Army with him. We cannot be able to imagine what the Munster & Luxenburg troops will be able to enterprise on the Moselle considering how far the season is spent, & besides that they will have a body of 14 or 15000 men to deal with commanded by Marshall Crequi & therefore there is great reason to beleive their cheife aime is to seek winter quarters which the confederates are extremely put to it to provide for all the forces they have on foot, & this is not one of the least cares of the Emperor who has hitherto had a bundance of trouble to provide winter quarters for his Army, every countrey useing all means possibly to be excused, & this winter it will be more difficult then the last, because of the seat of the War being in the heart of the Empire, dayly more & more wasts & ruins its severall countries, & untill ye war can be brought into the territory of the ffrench, that King will never be brought to a necessaty of desireing a peace. The Duke of Lorraine according to o[u]r last advices from Alsace by the way of ffrance which are alwayes the ffreshest by 2 or 3 dayes, was advanced very near the Duke of Luxemburg, the former has doubtlesse the bettr Army & that his troops are in a bettr condition & even as to the number the Germans exceed the ffrench who have been much weakened by sick men since their retire [?] from Phillipsburg, I mean after their designe to releive Phillipsburg. We may now in a post or two expect to hear who shall be the Imperiall bride. The Generall opinion is that, in favor of the Princess of Denmarke, by which means the house of Austria will have a near alliance with that Crowne in opposition of the ffrench, who have the Swedes on their side. The talk of the Prince of Oranges comeing for England seems to have some ground & in a short time we shall know the certainty We are told that at Brest & Rochell the ffrench are fitting out severall men of war designed for the West Indies where the Dutch play at prsent the Mastrs & have taken severall ffrench ships. L. c. 382 September the 30th 1676 +On the 29th Sr Thomas Davies was elected Ld Major for the year ensueing, Sr Dennis Gawden who was before him haveing laid down his gown of Alderman This morning we have o[u]r Dutch lettrs & they bring us these advises. Copenhagen 25th September o[u]r King continues with his forces, near Holmstadt, & Major Generall Arendorst having been out with 1600 horse is returned with an account that the Swedes Army is retired from the place they had for some time layn encamped at, 4 leagues beyond Helmstadt. Hamburg 2 Oct: The Brandenburgs continued to presse Deminin [?] very closely, & with the fireballs they shoot into the town, they have burnt greatest part of it, however the garrison is obstinate, & will not heare of a capitulation as yet. Strasburg 29th Sept: the 26th Instant the Imperial troops being joyned with the troops that came from Phillipsburg, decamped & took their march directly towards Brisace where the ffrench Army continues encamped, yesterday the Imperiall Army had its quarters at ffrisenheym, between the River Schatter & Lohr & this day they intended to advance to Wiell, where the Duke of Luxemburg not many days since had his quarters Cologne 2 Oct: The Munster & Luxenburg troops march very slowly, the former according to o[u]r last advices had their quarters still in the Country of Nassaw near Wetzlaer, & the latter about Seigen, we have reason to beleive these troops will not doe much this Campagne otherwise they would make more hast, Hague 6 Oct: The Prince of Orange haveing made a turne to Breda, where Count Waldock mett [word of about five letters torn off] is a gaine returned to Soesdike we have nothing new from the Army in fflandrs which was prepareing to goe into winter quarters ffrom Leige they write that the ffrench at Maestricht had caused Tongues, Maseyche & all the castles in that Countrey to be demolished that the Dutch might not take their winter quarters there, that they had had the boldnes to put 400 men into the castle of Herontalls & another castle near Malines but that Count Nassaw with 4000 had retaken them & made the ffrench prsonrs of War. The Marshall Scomberg has sent some troops who beseige Bouillon. Admirall Tromp is expected very suddainly with the Dutch men of war from the Baltique & there is noe appearance that he will returne thither again in the Spring the discourse of the Prince of Oranges goeing for England ceases but the desire of a peace among all sorts of people encreases dayly. We have News from the West Indies of the Sieur Binches haveing taken the Isle of St Martin from the ffrench & that severall Dutch privateers had taken 14 or 15 Dutch Merchant ships from the ffrench at St Dominico. Our Merchants have advice that 6 Dutch Capers who went out from Holland in March last, have quite destroyed the ffrench fishing fleet at Newfoundland in soe much that of 100 sayle above 90 were taken & destroyed togeather with their convoys & that the Dutch had afterwards landed & possessed thems: of a Castle of Canida The King of Spaine is to marry with the young arch Dutchess of Austria the Emprs daughter & the marriage is declared. The news goes that after all the Princesse of Newburg will be Empresse. [Figures in another hand cover about a third of outside of letter.] L. c. 383 October ye 3d 1676 On Satturday arrived a vessell from Virginia which brought an account that the disordrs there are grown to a great hight, that Bacon who is at the head of 12 or 1400 men did play the absolute Master that he had imprisoned Sr John Chichley the deputie Governor & severall of the most considerable planters & that the governr Sr William Berkley fearing the like or worse treatmt had retired by the Convenience of a ship then in the Road to Neavis &c upon which the King has resolved to send 1000 men thither with 2 ffrigatts to quell ye Mutineers. The king not being able to endure the insolence of the Algirins, who have even taken severall English ships that had passes, the King is resolved to make war upon them & that a fleet to be fitted out with all speed as is said of 16 or 20 men of War to be commanded by Sr John Narborrough as Admirall, by Mr Harbert as Vice admirall by Sr Roger Strickland as Reer Admirall who will be ready to sail with in 2 months, but what is most extraordinary is that the Duke of Monmouth goeth to sea with this fleet in quality onely of Captaine of the Resolution a ship of between 60 & 70 guns. An Embargo is laid upon the ships bound for Virginia to the end they may be deprived of the necessarys they receive from thence, & may be the easier reduced Upon the Petition of severall Merchants complaining of ye ffrench Capers haveing carryed [?] up an English ship to Dinkirk, his Majesty was not onely graciously pleased to assure them that the said ship & others taken by the ffrench should be restored without delay, but yt ye treaty of commerce should be very suddainly held with ffrance to prvent the like inconveniences for the future & that his Majesty would not admit of any farther delay from ffrance in the matter. The East India Companie resolved this day to lend the king 40000 L. The 23d [?] the King parts for Newmarket We have no forreigne lettrs L. c. 384 (1) October the 6th 1676 We cannot now expect to hear much from abroad, for it is likely no farther action will happen this Campagne, unlesse it is occasioned by their striveing about winter quarters, It appears plainly that the Imperialists have no other design, then to provide for themselves good quarters & out of the Empire in which they will gaine a great advantage, for nothing has made the war to seem easy [?] to the States of the Empire, as their being obleiged to grant winter quarters to the Emperers forces, by which means their countrys are extremely ruined & they disabled to raise their proportions of men granted by the dyett & therefore if the Duke of Lorraine can winter his Army in [two words of about five letters each illegible] on that side the Rhin they will have gained a great point, which ye ffrench are very sensible of & endeavour to hinder the same by opposeing force in guardeing the severall passes, & by induceing the Swisses likewise to doe their parts to hinder it, we shall see what the successe will be, the ffrench in the mean time have repassed the Rhin, at Brisack & said to be in a very ill condition through the many sick they have in their Army & that the Duke of Luxemberg has not 20000 men with him, haveing sent of severall detachmts towards Lorrain. While the Imperiall Army is 16000 horse & 12000 foot effective & in a very good condition. The Bishop of Basle is wholly inclined to the Imperialists, but the Suisse Cantons are prevailed upon by ye ffrench. The 5 instant new stile ye Imperiall Army was at Rhinfeld where its thought it would passe the Rhine, the Elector Palatine makes great instances at ye Court at Vienna to have Phillipsburg demolished, & severall neighboring Princes haveing joyned with him, but there is noe appearance that the Emperor will gratify him in this point soe long as the war lasts It being a post of soe great importance to part with soe easily after soe much pains to take it, it is said that a body of men is marched from thence togeather with some troops, of the Elector Palatine & severall peices of Cannon to attack Deux ponts where the ffrench have at prsent a garrison as to the Munster & Lunenburg troops who togeather may make 14 or 15000 men, I cannot think they have any other design then to take winter quarters in or near Lorraine soe that they may be ready to begin an Early Campagne the next year. ffrom fflandrs they write that ye Osnaburg troops who from 8000 were reduced to 4000 will likewise march to the Rhine to joyne the Lunenburgs & Munstrs above mentioned In fflandrs both quarters are goeing into winter quarters, Count Waldeck who lately met the Prince of Orange at Breda being returned with finall orders in that matter. The Duke of Osnaburg at his late being at Antwerp, received from the Spanyards 10000 crownes the marryage between the King of Spaine & his Neice the Emperors daughter is much wondered at considering that Princesse is not above 7 or 8 years old, & that in Spaine their cheife aim ought to be to marry the King to a Lady that might prsently bear children, but its the Queens party which prevails not without occasioneing great discontent, In the last you had an account that the King had resolved to send 1000 men to Virginia to quell the Mutineers there, of which 500 are to be drawn out of the [--L. c. 384 (2)] starts here.--] companyes which are dispersed in severall garrisons in this Kingdome & 500 are to be new raised & to be commanded in cheife by one of the Captains of the Kings guards, Capt Jeffryes. It is certainly said yt the Emperor will marry the youngest Princesse of Newburg, by which means that Duke will be recompensed for what he suffers from ye ffrench of Maestricht, who not content with the ordinary contributions have commanded all the Dukes receivers to pay what they receive to them. His Majesty the day before he went to Newmarkett ordered in councell a more strickt care to be taken for hindring his subjects resorting to the Chappeles of forreign Ambassadrs or any places of masse & caused some former orders to that purpose to be revived, Captaine Herbert Jeffries is appointed in place of Sr Henry Chichley formerly mentioned & Capt Robert Waters in place of Thomas fairfax Esqr in their charges relating to Virginia. L. c. 385 October the 7th 1676 The 6th we received the Dutch lettrs of ffriday was seavennight, & of Tuesday last togeather, & in them these advices. Hague 9 Oct. Yesterday was held a conference between the Deputies of this State, & the Ministers of the allies, concerning the putting into execution ye treaty of Commerce lately concluded with Sweden, which some of the allies oppose, The Mutineers at Roterdam who hindred the setting of the Winefarme, & intend to have begun the same game as was plaid in 1672 will without doubt receive the punishment they deserve, two Regiments of foot being brought into the towne & quartered there by order of the State, We are told that the Duke of Hanover is goeing to leave the ffrench party, & to embrace that of the Emperor, & that there is a treaty on foot which if it succeeds the Duke of Hannover will put 8 Regiments into the service of his Brother the Duke of Zell The Dukes of Lunenburg & severall other Princes of the Empire, continue to demand yt ye Ministers they send to Nimeghen, be treated with the stile of Ambassadrs which ffrance says they have no right to, & this begetts great difficultys Hague ye 13th of October. The Dutch Squadron of men of War which has been in ye Baltique, is now returning home, Spaine is in arreare for the part of the charge, of this Squadron, & that in the Mediteranean 80000 L Sterling which this State calls for very instantly, The Bishop of Munsters Envoy haveing adjusted the matter of his Masters Subsidies, & received assignments for them from the Spanish Ministers hath exchanged the Ratification of the leat [?] treaty. We are informed from good hands that the Confederates in fflandrs will not goe into quarters yet this month wch the Duke of Zell & the Bishop of Zell have engaged them to, that the ffrence may not be able to oppose the designs of their forces, who are now near upon passing the Rhine. Copenhagen the 6 Oct: Our troops being very much worryed with the service of this Campagne, & on the other side the Swedish fforces being retired into Sweden & their King gone to Stockholme, his danish Majesty is putting his Army into winter quarters, except a flying Camp, which he will have at Holmstadt to keep that place blookt up & in a day or two his Majesty is expected at Helsinburg where he will reside most of the winter. Hamburg ye 9 Oct: The Brandenburgs have made a Generall assault upon Dommin, but were repulsed however the place cannot hold out long. The Elector himselfe continues with 8 or 9000 men near Stetin. The 7 instant the Duke of Zell parted by post to joyn his troops, who are now near the Rhin Strasburg 5 Oct. The Imperiall Army haveing prsented the ffrench batle and they refuseing, marches towards Rhinfeldt, to passe the Rhine there & to winter in Stuntgow [?] & Burgundy & the Duke of Luxemburg has sent a detachment to hinder their passage It is said that Luxemburg has not at prsent with him above 15000 men, & those in no very good condition. Collogne 9 Oct: The Lunenburg & Munster Troops have not as yet passed the Rhine, but we expect they will in few days, when we shall be able to inform you further of their designe, ffrom Vienna they write that the Rebells in Hunguary have appeared 9000 in a body & that the Empr finds it necessary to send severall fresh Regimts thither from Bohemia & Austria. On the 8th by the fflandrs post that ought to have arrived on Satturday we have these advices. Naples 22 Septem. This morning arrived here 3 Spanish men of War from Cartagena, & 7 more are dayly expected We hear not as yet of any action of the ffrench fleet Brussells ye 13th of Oct: our Army continues still at Tillemont, from whence severall troops are dayly sent into winter quarters, Yesterday the Prince of Chinnoy marched from thence with severall troops designed for Namur & Luxemburg. The Osnaburg forces doe not march towards the Moselle, as you heard in the last, but will winter in those countries being extreamly harrassed & reduced to 1900 horse, & 1600 foot, who when they came into the feild were between 7 & 8000. Marshall Scombergs Army is likewise goeing into winter quarters, part of them are past at Conde & Pont a Haine & another part is arrived at Chasteau Cambreso, & besides has sent a detachment of 4000 horse towards Lorraine. The Duke de Villa Hermosa is expected here about the latter end of the weeke. We are assured by an expresse from Vienna, that the Emperor has declared his marriage with the Princesse of Newburg & that Count Souches is made Generall against the Rebells in Hungary, who grow dayly more & more powerfull, being as is said assisted from abroad. We have the Dutch lettrs the most considerable news is of a great victory obtained by the Poles against 30000 Tartars, whom they beat out of the feild. L. c. 386 October the 14th 1676 +In the last I told you that the ffrench lettrs gave an account that the Imperiall Army had passed the Rhine at Rhinfeldt, which was the great point the ffrench contested with them, & which it seems the Imperialists have at last gained, but we must expect to hear what the consequence will be, The Duke of Lorraine seems to have a faire game to play if the weather hinder not, that is rainy weather. In fflandrs we see the troops are seperated & most of them gone into winter quarters, but the ffrench intend to order matters so as to block up Cambray & Valenciennes this winter, that soe the place may the more easily fall into their hands in the Spring when they intend to be very early in the feild, and are already makeing preparations for it. ffor the rest of fflandrs seems to bear the greatest burthen of the warr & the poor inhabitants are ruined with the miseryes & devastations of it, there hardly being a foot of ground which is not fortifyed, that pays not excessive contributions, & besides that does not secure them from secret plunderings, &c soe that those provinces are mealy [?] an object of compassion. ffrom Vienna o[u]r last lettrs spook as if there were some appearance of the Elector of Bavarias marriage with the Arch Dutchess of Austria, the Emperors sister, which if the Imperialists effect, that they would have that Elector in their interests with an addition of 20000 men (which he has at prsent on foot) to their forces. But hitherto this Elector remaines very firme to his engagments with ffrance, in expectation of marrying his daughter to the Dolphin of ffrance. They write from Rome that ye new Pope Innocent the 11th is hitherto very much commended & that the Nephews of the late pope haveing been to waite on him upon some businesse of great moment, staid with him 3 houres but were observed at their gowing out much discomposed, He is one of the Richest familys of Sujects in Italy & has made his Nephew heire of the family generall of the Church, but without any pension telling him that he has already 40m of Crowns p ann to which he would joyne 10m left him by his ffather with which if vertuous he might live like a Prince if extravagant he deserved noe more. The onely persons he has yet disobleiged are some officers and Captains of the Guards from whom he hath taken away most of their pensions. His Majesty tis said will stay at Newmarkett till Satturday come seavennight. L. c. 387 October the 21th 1676 Severall Complaints haveing been made by the Merchants against Sr Ellis Leighton, employed to sollicite the concerns of those whose ships are carryed up by the ffrench privateers, & his Maty haveing [been] pleased yesterday to hear the whole matter in Councell, ordered Sr Ellis to be sent prisoner to the tower Yesterday morning the ffrench Ambr acqu[a]inted his Majesty of a great victory obtained by the King of Poland against the Turks & tartars, haveing quite beaten them out of the feild & taken 6000 prisoners This morning we had our Dutch lettrs of Tuesday last the onely news they bring is of the Emperors marriage with the Princesse of Newburg being declared, for the advices they bring from Strasburg are of the 19, which we had by the last post from ffrance, they say that the Imperiall Army will now hardly passed the Rhin, but that it is beleive[d] the Duke of Lorraine will fortify Newburg in order to the blocking up of Brisac this winter, ye Munster & Lunenburg troops have not yet passed the Rhin which is much wondered at. +In Pomeren the Elector of Brandenburg is indeed before Stetin, but it is much questioned whether he will goe on with the seig considering the season The Prince of Orange returned on Tuesday last to the Hague & there was still, some discourse of his goeing for Zeland, an officer haveing been sent from the Hague to Roterdam to seize severall prsons who were disorderly upon the late letting to farme the excise upon wine, the Magistrates at first declared they would protect the Burghers, but were afterwards forced to yeild, & some of the Mutineers were taken & others were forced to flye. Twoo of the 6 Privateers that destroyed the ffrench fishing fleet at Newfoundland, and afterwards took the Castle of Canada, are arrived in Zealand with 3 or 4 prizes. At Amsterdam is likewise arrived a prize taken by the Sieur Binche at St Domingo in the West Indies, by which the States have an account that 7 or 8 ffrench privateers mounted from 24 to 6 guns were taken & destroyed. The Dutch men of War that were in the Baltique this summer are arrived in the texell. L. c. 388 October the 22d 1676 The Society arrived at Bristoll from Barbados reports that they have not recovered then the great distruction of the last years Hurricane, soe that severall ships of London went thence halfe laden for want of Sugards [?]. The[y] speake of a Guiny man arrived there who met 3 Dutch men of War goeing to settle Tobago on whom they were severall dayes aboard & were very civily treated in their way home they putt into Ireland where they say the Dutch carry into Crookhorne a prize belonging to ffrance laden with salt from Newfoundland. The Swedes lettrs reach but to Sept: ye 9th they can onely tell us of some Regiments arrived at Stockholme from ffinland & that more were designed to come from thence assoon as they could clear themselves of the apprehensions they still have that the Muscovites may taken [sic] an opportunity & fall upon them upon their former pretentions, to which the Swedes have not hitherto given satisfaction. The Legorne lettrs of October the 5th tell us that the people now begin to be satisfyed again, that English ships with passes goe free, & begin to lade againe on English ships. His Majesty went on the 14th to Euston the Lord Chamberlains house, the same day his Royall Highnesse came to towne. By lettrs from Bristoll dat 14th tis advised that a new English man goeing from Lexbon to the Maderas with salt &c mett two Turkes men of War who told them they had bin long out and for that reason could not possible have new passes on which consideration they lett the ship goe. They tell us farther of 4 English ships of which the Katherin of London was one who haveing been taken by the Turkes were retaken by the Portuguez & in them 79 Turks. The ffrench lettrs dat Oct: the 20th say their last advices from Rousillon told them that the two Armies were in sight of each other, which made them impatient of the successe of the battle which if to their advantage may be an inducement to the attacking of Punanda [?]. They say that the Imperiall Army are still on the other side of the Rhine, except the detachment of 2000 men who passed under Generall Schultz at Rhinfeildt & are passed under the Cannon there, without entring in to the territory of Basle & that the Cantons had sent to the Duke of Luxemburg to pray him to for bear coming thither promissing to usse all their force to maintaine the passage in case it should be attacked & to that purpose had sent to desire the assistance of the other cantons. They say that the Spanyard had a designe to quarter their troops in Leige & the Bishoprick & that it was upon that account the ffrench had demolished severall places, in those parts as Judgeing the best way to be rid of those birds was to pull down their nests. The Sieur de ffay late Governor of Phillipsburg is made governour of Brisac the present governour there being preferred. They write from Hamburg dat October the 6th that the Duke of Holsteins Ambassadrs were arrived at Coppenhagen upon which the 2 kielmans would be sett free, yet the late Chancellor of Denmarke now Schunenmaker had gained more liberty in prison viz: 2 Chambers a servant, books paper Inke & a greater allowance of bread & wine, & Burghermaster ffalkenburghs wife was made prisoner her husband beeing fled for haveing correspondence with the Swedes shortly before the action with Duncan, & haveing related the Swedes not to be soe strong as they were The Swedes Garrison who went out of Staden consisting of 7 Colours & many waggons of sicke marching through the Duke of Zell Country to Lubeck of which the Elector of Brandenburg haveing notice sent to the Magistrates of Lubeck that if they gave passage to them through their town and suffered them to embarke he would treat them as enemys soe that haveing noe hope of goeing that way tis not known how they can dispose themselves unlesse the Duke of Mecklemburg suffer them to enter into their territorys. His Royall Highnesse on the 16th returned to Newmarkett They write from Jamaica date August the 2d that about 5 dayes before a vessell from Tartudos advised that 7 saile of Dutch men of war had been at Cape ffrance & taken it & made all the ffrench there swear allegiance to the States Generall & that afterwards they made saie for Petit Ruarris where the ffrench haveing advise of their comeing made all the preparation they could in that time they had to defend themselves placeing their ships in a halfemoon throwing up a small fortification & planting their guns to annoy the Enemy soe that when the Dutch went up which [was] about July the 20th the ffrench defended themselves for some considerable time, but haveing the misfortune to have one of their best ships blown up & the Dutch being farr bigger and treble the number of Guns they took all the ffrench, notwithstanding which the ffrench dared them to land, But the Dutch not thinking themselves strong enough went of. It is advised from Malaga dat Sept. the 29th that the fruit & wine are generally very good this year, but by fall of some late immoderate raines much damage was done both to the one and the other by which the price of the good might be encreased Cartagena continues infected, but the Contagion Spread not to other places. The German lettrs tell us that the Emperor haveing declared the Princesse of Newburg his Empresse had sent the Count de Bichstein to carry her prsents & that the marriage would be consummated at Newburg on the Danube, November the 19 being the feast of St Leopold. Tis said that the Rebells in Hungary have gott together above 12000 men soe that a considerable part of the forces under the Generall Cobs are called to goe against them. The Paris letters of October the 24th tell us 6000 men are in Basle that the forces on each side the River fire one another frequently, but the officers in each parly meett often in Basle & eat & Drink kindly togeather. The Duke de Vivonne with the ffrench fleet has taken Leontini a very advantagious post on the sea coast & the frrench land forces, another post called Mirillo near Saracusa; His Majesty is God be praised safely returned to Whitehall. L. c. 389 October ye 25th 1676 Vienna Oct: ye 13th We are prepareing for Sollemnizeing the Emprs marriage on the 15th of the next moneth & we are told that the Duke & Dutchesse of Newburg will accompanie their daughter hither Copenhagen 20 Oct: The Danish men of war yt was sent towands Gottenburg have obleiged the Swedes, who had their Station there to retire in some disorder 5 of o[u]r men of war haveing taken the fort at Carelshaven, soe that the whole province of Bleking as well as that of Schonen is now in o[u]r hands. In the said fort was found 370 Iron guns & a great quantity of amunition. Griffenfeld is treated every day better in his prison. one of o[u]r great men of War took fire yesterday by accedent & burnt in the road, but the men & Cannon saved. Strasburg ye 23rd Oct: The Imperiall & ffrench Army continue encamped as formerly, & as yet we cannot hear whether the Imperialists will passe the Rhine or not, but this is most certaine that if they doe the Swisses will oppose them in it. In the mean time the citty of Basle has sent deputys to the Duke of Lorraine to pray him not to approach their territorys. On the side of Basle the ffrench have planted 16 ps of Cannon to hinder the Imperiasts passage if they should attempt it there, A ffrench party goeing from Saverne towards Lorraine has been defeated by Some troops belonging to Keyserlauterne & 300 as is said killed upon the place. Hamburg the 27th Oct: ffrom Pomeren they write that the Elector of Brandenburg had resolved to turne the seige of Stetin into a blocked for the weather being cold & wet the soldiers grow sickly & ill in case [ease?]. Cologne the 13th Oct: on ffriday last 6000 Luxenburg & Munster troops passed ye Rhine over two flying bridges on this side. It is beleived the ye said 6000 have joyned the Imperiall detachmt under Dunewaldt will attack Deux Ponts & haveing succeeded in it, will then goe into winter quarters, the ffrench we hear have quitted Sarbrucke & Marshall Crequi is encamped between Diedenhaven & Walderfangen. Hague the 30th Oct: The Prince of Orange appears here with a new equipage all his guards being new cloakt & especially his new suisse guard of 50, who watch 20 at a time in his Court. The deputies for secret affaires have had severall meetings this week, concerning the matter of the peace, which this State is very much inclined to, considering the offers ffrance makes to restore the commerce between this State & ffrance to the same state it was in some years since to restore Lorraine & what hath been taken from the Spanyards since the war, provided Denmarke & Brandenburg & the other allies restore what (or at least part of it) they have taken from the Swedes. Here is still a discourse of the Princes goeing for Zealand though without any certainty. we doe not expect much from the Munster & Luxenburg troops, & the minister of the Duke of Zell here, has said that since the forces in fflandrs were gone into winter quarters, they must not wonder if his Master doe the like. L. c. 390 October the 27th 1676 The Paris lettrs dat Oct: 31 speak uncertainly as to the Imperialists, some saying that the Duke of Lorraine would returne & take quarters in the Vetaenother [?] as if the Catholick Cantons of Switzerland had too much intelligence with them & might appear in their favor, but as to the Army under Marshall Crequi they tell us they received lettrs from the Campe betwixt Sambrie & Mozell dat 25th to this effect. That they had the same day gained advise that the confederates were marching all together in great hast towards Treves which had obleiged Monsr de Crequi who was troubled with the gout in one of his hands to send a dispatch to Monsr de Reynel to passe the Mozell with 4000 horse & joyn him with all speed. They add that they expect to give battle to the Confederates who were coming to them on the same designe. The Duke of Zell haveing taken post to fight in person & to command the whole Army. The Citty have sent with due ceremony to invite his Majesty &c to doe them the Honour of dineing with them at Guildhall on the Lord Major Day. Some ships lately come from the Streights doe intimate that a peace is lately made with those of Salle & Tetuan. We cannot at this time of the year expect to hear any great store of news from abroad & in effect the ffrench & fflandrs lettrs which arrived the 25th brought not any thing besides what is made publick for most of the forces are already in winter quarters & the rest are goeing to follow & perticularly the Elector of Brandenburg who is obleiged to leave the seige of Stetin till the next year before which time the Swedes hope to be in a better posture then they have this The Armys being gone of the stage the generall discourse now every where runs concerning a peace which in Holland people seem very eager after. And hitherto we doe not hear of any talk there of prepareing against next year, but on the other side the States presse all they can the oppening the assembly not without some offense to their allies, And perticularly from Vienna they write that the Emperor is very much displeased that the States should goe to impose a law upon him & his allies for fixeing a day upon which they would begin the treaty at Nimeguen, whether the Ambassadrs of their confederates were arrived or noe. It is said that his Majestys Ambr in ffrance upon the instance he hath made to that King for satisfaction in behalfe of o[u]r Merchants, who have great complaints against the ffrench Capers hath obtained a very satisfactory answer & that that King has given possitive ordrs to the ffrench Privateer not to bring up any English vessell. L. c. 391 Oct: 30th 1676 Warsaw the 19th of October. We have this morning very ill news from o[u]r Army that it had been engaged with the Turkes, Tartars, & that in the fight 6000 Poles had been killed, & among others severall prsons of quality, & though its said the Turks have lost twice that number, yet that will doe us little good, since they will not misse that number, & that o[u]r fforces are in a manner beseiged by the enemy. The Arch Bp of Guesne has issued out Patents for ye calling the arreare ban with all speed. Copenhagen the 27th of Oct: Yesterday o[u]r King party [sic] home againe for Schonen upon the advise that ye Swedes approached towards Holmstadt. The affairs of that town are in much bettr condition then they were lately; & we are told that King has an Army of 18000 men, with which its beleived he will not lye still this winter. The takeing of Carelshaven is lookt upon as a matter of great importance. There were 4000 Sweds in it. Hamburgh 30 Oct. As yet the Elector of Brandenburg continues the seige of Stetin & since o[u]r last he has begun to batter it, but the beseiged seem resolved to hold it out till the last, & it is generally beleived this seige may prove a worke of to much difficultie at this time of the year. Strasburg Oct: The 21 instant the Duke of Lorraine upon the report of the Duke of Zell decamped & from the quarters at Heytersheim, which is not farr from ffriburg, & marched to Scheffinger near Rinfeldt in order as is said to his passing the Rhine there, being resolved to force his passage if the Swisses should oppose him in it, as we are told they will, & to that end they guard their ffrontiers with some 1000 men. The ffrench Army is here upon likewise marched higher up into Suntgow & has beset all the passes in Burgundy, soe that we may yet expect to hear of some action. The 24 instant the Duke of Lorraine was still at Scheffingen expecting ye comeing up of the Electorall Prince of Saxony, with 1400 horse & the return of the Major Generall Schultz who was abroad & some think the Imperialists will not after all passe the Rhine. Cologne ye 30th Oct: The Osnaburg troops that were in fflandrs are arrived in this diocesse & are at prsent quartered within 5 leagues of this citty. & this afternoon arrived here the Count of Lippo to acqu[a]int o[u]r Elector that they must winter in this Countrey. ffrom ffrancfort they write that the Munster & Lunenburg troops, who passed the Rhin, expected only the conjunction of the Imperiall detachment under Dunewaldt & that then they would march directly against Marshall Crequi, who had put 2000 men into Deux Ponts. Hague the 3 Novembr Though severall consultations are held here with the forreigne Ministers concerning a peace, yet in the mean time the Councell of State is prepareing the State of the Warr against next year & in ordr there unto a good summe of money would be demanded of the States of Holland who assemble next week. The States at the instance of their allies are resolved to deferre the opening the assembly at Nimeghen till the 14 instant (the 1st instant being the day at first appointed) There is a new treaty concluded between Spain, this State, & the Duke of Newburg. L. c. 392 November the 1st 1676 On the 30th of October arrived the ffrench lettrs due on Satturday, & brought what follows. Brussells 3 November. Our lettrs from Germany say there is noe likelyhood the Imperiall Army will passe the Rhin, but that they will take up winter quarters in Suabia & ffranconia. In the mean time the ffrench guard all passes haveing abundance of provisions & all things necessary. We must not expect to hear of any thing considerable this year except it be about takeing winter quarters. We hear that his Imperiall Majesty is sending his prsents to the Princesse of Newburg. We are told from Valenciennes that the ffrench haveing left a strong garrison in Chasteau Cambresier are retireing into winter quarters. That don ffrancisco Marcus de Velascons got safe to Cambray with all his troops haveing narrowly escaped by reason of Baron Quincys comeing halfe an hour to late with 58 Squadrons of horse, who we hear has since received ordrs to march towards Lorraine with his forces. That the Elector of Bavaria will send his Plenipotentiarys very suddainly to Nimegen. Our Troops designed for St Omers are likewise safely arrived there. ffrom Sicily we have likewise advice that that Viceroy was endeavouring to retake Mesilla from the ffrench. The 30th the Lord Majors day passed with the usuall sellemnity their Majestys & Royall Highnesses honoring it with their presence. The ffrench Ambrs pretend to have advice by the last ffrench lettrs which arrived on Sunday that as well the Duke of Lunenburg with his & the munster troops, as Major Generall Dunewaldt with the Imperiall Regimts have repassed the Rhine, the first near Coblentz & the lattr near Phillipsburg, haveing found the Marshall Crequi has soe posted himselfe that they could not effect their designe of entring into Lorraine soe that now they are goeing into winter quarters which we doe not entirely give credit to, till we have it by o[u]r own lettrs Just now arrived o[u]r ffrench lettrs of Satturday last they say nothing of the Duke of Zeles repassing the Rhin, but on the contrary that their last advices gave them cause to expect an engagement between him & Crequi. Lonvignoy had joyned the Duke of Zell with 3000 men drawn out of Luxemburg. The Duke of Lorraine was still on the other side of the Rhine prepareing to goe into winter quarters. L. c. 393 November ye 3d 1676 It is a very considerable peece of news that the Dutch & fflandrs lettrs brought the 1st instant of a peace concludeing between the Poles and ye Turks, for by that means the Turks will be at liberty to looke towards Hungary, & whether they doe breake the peace or not with the Emperor, yet they will still give that Court great jealousies, & consequently the lesse against the ffrench in Germany. As you have heard the States of Holland formerly resolved they would begin the treaty at Nimeguen the first of November, whether the Ambrs of their Allies were upon the place or not, at which the Emperor & the Spanyards especially were not a little offended, for that the States should goe about to impose upon them. Since the States have deferred the opening the said assembly till the 14 instant upon the instance of their allies. +It is said their hath been lately a new treaty concluded between ffrance & Sweden by which the former warrants to the latter the restitution of what ever has been lost in the war, which will without doubt serve to lengthen the warr, ffor that the Northerne Princes will by noe means hear of restoreing what they have taken from Sweden. ffrom fflandrs they write that the king of Spain intended to have an Army entire [sic] the next Campagne in fflandrs & that in ordr thereunto a great summe of money will be remitted thither from Spaine & the truth is without such an Army the Spanyards will never be able to doe any thing of Moment Besides the Marriage of the Emperor we are told that the Prince of Newburg is to marry the Archdutchesse of Austria the Emprs Sister, by which means the family of the Duke of Newburg will be raised to a greater height, & to make it yet higher that Duke pretends to make one of his youngest Sonnes Coadjutor of Cologne & Consequently in time Elector of Cologne. All the instances that has been made on the part of the Emperor & the Empire to the Elector of Bavaria, has not been able to withdraw him from his engagements with ffrance, soe that he is resolved still to maintain his neutrality. The Right in question between ffrance & the Prince of the Empire concerning the sending Ministers with the Character of Ambassadrs to Nimeghen, is not yet determined, & that for that reason the said Princes declare they cannot send Ministers thither. Tis writ the Electresse of Brandenburg given her Lord a visset before Setin [sic] walked soe near the town that a canon bullet gave her that affreight which occasioned a miscariage & that the Elector caused his tent to be pitched upon the same place voweing he would not quit it till he had taken the citty. On the 20th arrived at ffalmouth the assist [?] ffrigget Capt. Holden Commander from Lixbon in 18 dayes, who gives account that he left 70 leagues off the Katherine Captain Andrews Commandr & the other 3 ships taken by the Portuguez from the Algerins who were all cleer at Lixbon. There were then at the same port 9 saile of ships from Bourdeaux & other places of ffrance & more goeing in. L. c. 394 November the 4th 1676 The Elector of Brandenburg has at last consented that the Swedes garrison of Staden shall be transported to Leifland, the Raine & Riggr of the season render the continuance of the seige at Stetin almost impossible & therefore the Elector to make shorter work ordered 3000 Bombes to be spent which upon the 28th of the last had that effect as to set fire on 4 severall places which burnt 2 hours before they could be quenched. By a vessell arrived from the Soundt we have advice that the king of Sweden had reinforced his Army with 8000 ffinlandrs that were come to him, & that he expected other reinforcements of new raised troops, that with this Army the king means to be in Action most of the winter to endeavovr to regaine what he hath lost this summer, in which he is the more likelyhood to succeed, for that the Danish Army is not only very much lessened through the service of this Campagne, but the troops which remains (and which its said doe not exceed 12000 men) are extraemly harrassed & unfit for father service this year. The Elector of Brandenburg is not at all pleased with the peace between the Poles & the Turks, as apprehending the Poles may give him some trouble on the account of Prussia ducase [?], wch the Elector formerly held in Homage of the Crowne of Poland, but in soveraingnty since the concession of King Casimire, which in such a case would be occasion of the quarrell, seeing as it is said Casimire would not make such a concession to the prejudice of the Crowne. The 3rd his Majesty was pleased to order in Counsell that a reward of 100 L sterling shall be given to any such person as apprehends, Sr Ellis Leighton, who lately as you have heard made his escape. We have nothing from abroad. L. c. 395 November the 8th 1676 The following which we received by the fflandrs maile on the 6th, will informe you of the prsent posture of things abroad. Brussells 10 Novem: Our Governor the Duke de Villa Hermosa is in great expectation of receiveing vast summes of money from Spaine, & by the next ordinary he hopes to receive bills of exchange for a million of Crowns & they talke of an other million to follow soon after the disposition of which is already ordered Vidt part of it to recruite the old Regiments, which are at prsent very weake, another part for the buying 12000 in Germany, which are to be old Regimts with all officers compleat to them, in which affaire the Prince of Vaudemont is to be employed; & those 12000 men with the Spanish forces shall forme an Army to be commanded by his Excellency, the residue of the money is to pay in part what is owing to the confederates for subsides; but if these bills come not by the next post they will be disappointed in all their measures. As for the assistance they expect from the States their forces shall act seperately & passe by Sluyce [?] through fflandrs to divert the ffrench on that side by their entring into Boulonnois. These are the resolutions that have been taken before hand, the Bp of Osnaburg is returned home with his guards only, & hath promised to recruit his forces agt Spring, who are at prsent under the command of Monsr de Lonvigny not above 2000 strong; they have left the diocesse of Cologne & march towards Mosell to joyn the Duke of Zell, though they are in a very ill condition. His Excellency has sent 4 Regimts of horse from hence to joyn the said Duke of Zell, upon whose advance towards the Saar (haveing had the 5 instant his quarters at Rushell about 4 leagues from Deux Ponts) Marshall Crequi is said to have retired with 2000 horse, & that Leiut. Generall Chavenet was sent after him with a considerable boody of horse. Some lettrs add that the ffrench have quitted & demolished Deux Ponts, but that needs a confirmation The Munster & Lunenburg troops & especially the former have committed great insolencies & outrages in their march. We hear from Alsace that the Duke of Lorraine for want of subsistance will be forced very suddainly into winter quarters & that he had laid aside all thoughts of passeing the Rhine. We had the 7th instant o[u]r Dutch lettrs which ought to have arrived on Satturday, as to the news from Germany they speake in the same manner as above, & as to their own affaires say, that the Councell of State had not yet finished the State of the Warr, but in the mean time they discourse is, that 8 new Regiments will be Raised agt Spring, & that the Prince of Orange had been severall dayes in the Court of Justice upon the affaire of the Sieur de Groot, to whom he suspected the Judges were to favorable. The Elector of Brandenburg can doe noe good upon Stetin. L. c. 396 November the 10th 1676 We hear of severall ships arrived from ffrance & other places who in their passage have lately mett with privateers, but make noe complaint of any injury done them, nor soe much as any mollestation which is noe small encouragement to our Merchant men. His Royall Highnesse received some hurt on the 3d by a fall of an horse, but God be praised took good rest that night & is in an undoubted way of speedy recovery Our lettrs from the Downes tell us that on the 2d & 3d there arrived about 250 saile of English from Bourdeaux most bound for Holland His Majestys declaration for preventing his subjects from resorting to the Chapels of fforraign Ministers to masse has by the care of the Principall Secretarys of State, who acqu[a]inted the severall Ambrs with it appointed a messenger to observe those that went thither, had such reall effect that very few are found to continue that practice & those being noted tis not doubted but they may forbear in future. On the 8th Mr John Gibson was by the councell committed to the gate house for speaking seditious words tending to the scandal of his Maty & disturbance of his Goverment & peace of his kingdome. Though the States Generall continue constant to a former resolution of haveing the treaty begun the 1st instant at Nimeghen only with this difference that at first they meant the new stile, soe now they are content to reckon the old; yet it appears plainly that their confederates do all they can to retard the same, & therefore I cannot think there is any likelyhood of a peace this winter but on the other hand we hear that great preparations are makeing every where agt Spring. It is said that the Emperor will have above 10000 men more in his service then he had this, & besides has engaged the Elector of Saxony to raise 8000 men, & the Duke of Newburg almost the same number, as for the peace between the Poles & the Turkes the Court at Vienna seems not at all concerned thereat, lookeing upon the Poles as well as the Turks at prsent not to be in a condition of giveing them any disturbance, though others beleive that the said peace will have a great effect in the prsent War to the advantage of the ffrench, which time must show. In fflandrs the Spanyards talke high of the Army they intend to have the next Spring without all doubt they will keep their word if the Spanyards supply of money come in time from Spaine which they more rely on for that in Spaine there is a new Ld Treasurer or President of ffinan[c]e & Don ffernando Velencuela. (the Queens favourite is declared first Minister) who is beleived will signalize their first entring into their Ministry with the perticular care they will have of fflandrs The Duke of Zell is with his troops he commands before Deux Ponts & has begun to batter it which will be the only action he intends this year, for when that is done he will putt his men into winter quarters as the Duke of Lorraine & the Duke of Luxemburg has by this time done. It is much taken notice of that the Prince of Orange should give hims: that trouble to be prsent whole dayes in the Court of Justice upon the tryall of Sieur de Groot, who is lookt upon as one of the Lovestein party & is at last quitted. L. c. 397 November the 11th 1676 The Portugall Ambassadr here haveing some time since resigned his place of Lord Chamberlain to the Queen, her Majesty has been pleased to make choice of the Earle of Ossory to succeed him in it, & accordingly this evening her Majesty delivered the key to his Ldpp We have the certainty of the conclusion of a peace between the deputy Governr of Tangier & the governr of Sally in the name of his Majesty & ye Emperor of Morocco, & the articles have been sent over by the said deputie Governr, which are very much to the advantage of the nation. There have of late noe vessells arrived from Virginia soe that we have nothing new from those parts, but in the mean time the soldiers designed thither are embarked & the ships ready to saile. By o[u]r next lettrs from Nimeghen we expect to here that the Dutch Ambrs have begun the treaty or at least made some steps towards it We have this afternoon o[u]r Dutch & fflandrs lettrs but very little news by them, the Imperiall & ffrench Armes in Alsace, continued in their former quarters only it was beleived they would in few dayes march into winter quarters. In fflandrs the Governr is makeing what preparations he can against spring. And the news at Brussells was that as well the States Generall as the Empr had resolved to continue the war. In Schonen the 2 Armies continue in the feild. The Swedes pretend to succer Malmoe soe that its possible some action may yet happen in those parts. The Elector of Brandenburg maks little advance before Stetin & its probible that he will after all be found to leave it In Sicily the ffrench have taken a place near Scaletta by the treachery of the governor The Duke de Vivonne has its said write to the ffrench King that if he had 4000 men more he would conquer the whole Island & that they will be accordingly sent to him. [Handwriting changes here.] +The last advices say ye army comanded by ye Duke of Zell was very neare Deux Ponts, but it was thought his designe upon that place would not succed, for M: Crequi besides that he had put a great garrison into ye place, was very neare wth a good army to observe ye Lunenb motions, & ye Baggage of the Imperiall Detachmt under Dunwalt had already past ye Rhyne at Mayenne. The Lunenb: & other troops that were marching toward ye Mosell are come back into ye Diocess of Collogne where they will Winter L. c. 398 [Earlier handwriting resumes] November the 15th 1676 By the last Dutch post which arrived on Satturday last we had lettrs from Nimeghen of the 14th which said that the Dutch, Swedes & ffrench Ambrs that are upon the place had resolved to open the next day ye assembly by delivering their powers into the hands of the Mediators, in ordr to the haveing them perused & examined to see whether they be in due & authenticke forme, & when that was over they would then proceed to the more substantiall part of the treaty. but in the mean time we doe not hear that the Ambassadrs of the Empire or of severall of the other partyes are yet in their way. We had o[u]r Dutch lettrs of ffriday last the greatest news they bring is concerning the Danes & the Swedes, & therefore take an extract of the lettrs themselves. Copenhagen 10 No: We are at prsent in great confusion here at the unexpected news we receive from Schonen Viz: that the Swedes are come downe 19 or 20000 men strong, which (the more to distract o[u]r forces we are not above 13000) they have devided into 3 bodys the one commanded by the King of Sweden of 8000 men, who haveing deceived the Danes with their countermarches, on the suddaine turned towards Helsinburg (which lyes on the Soundt opposite to Elsenore, & where we still land o[u]r forces & provisions that were sent into Schonen) which they attacked yesterday & in a short time made themselves masters of, putting to the sword almost all that were in the place & another body of 4000 Swedes is marched towards Malmoe to releive that place, & we have reason to fear that in ye prsent disorder they have effected their design & 8000 Swedes more are in a body for a reserve. Our Vice Admll has ordrs to ship of this night 3000 seamen for Schonen & the whole garrison of this place will follow tomorrow to reinforce o[u]r King who lay yesterday encamped with his Army of 12 or 13000 at Landscroon. Prince George our Kings Brother with 2000 horse has had an unfortunate rancounter with the Swedes, but the particulars we as yet know not. We have just now news that the Sweds have burnt Helsinburg, but we shall not know the certainty till tomorrow. Our king its said is endeavoring to give the Swedes battle Our ffrench lettrs, just now arrived, they say yt the Duke of Luxemburg was expected at Court in 3 or 4 dayes & that the Duke of Zell haveing beseiged Deux Ponts upon the approach of Monsr Crequi raised ye seige in great hast, the 1/11 instant, & afterwards repassed the Rhine The Swedes have taken the Town only, but not the castle of Helsinburg. L.c. 399 November ye 16th 1676 They write from ffalmouth dat the 9th that the Rebecka of New yorke arrived there haveing been 9 weeks on her passage who reports that he left that place in good & flourishing condition & that at New England the Indians were wholy sudued king Phillip being taken his head set up at Plymouth & his body at Boston & the rest of them driven to such necessatys that severall came into the English halfe starved for want of victualls, however that the war had cost much blood there haveing been 17 villages & townes destroyed & according to the nearest computation 2500 men women & children killed. At the same port arrived the Inseguin from Tangier who reports that the Moores were neer the towne but that at his departure there had noe act of hostility past betwixt them. To [?] advised by some lately come from Virginia that Bacon haveing sent the 2 ships which of Merchant men he had made men of Warr, with about 500 soldiers being landed at some distance, whilst the ships made towards him with severall turnings of the River one in the ship sent out a confident of his to acqu[a]int the governr that the ships were reduced soe weak by landing soe many that a few brisk men might surprise them & that if the governr send them out in a boat he would by his handkircheif give them a signall when they should fall on which was accordingly performed on both sides with effect. And the governr haveing gained the ships & placed good men in them went to James Towne & possessed himselfe of that & that 400 men whom Bacon sent to carry Sr Henry Chickley the deputy Governr from one place of security to another had submitted to Henry & offered to him their service as alsoe that the planters had Generally left Bacon who had none now with him but slaves & of those but few white but that he has drone [?] that Rascality the wives the children of the diserters whom when the Army drew towards him placed in ye front for his security. The ffrench lettrs of the 21 doe confirme with cirtainty that the ffrench king had given out orders for an edict commanding his privateers not to give the least stopp or mollestation to any ship carrying passes either from his Majesty the Ld Comrs of the Admiralty the Comrs of the custome house, officers of the other ports & places. By their advises on the 13th they say that the Duke of Zells Army advanceing to Duex Ponts had thrown in severall Bombes & burnt almost halfe the houses, when the Duke of Crequi marching to their succor a skirmish hapned betwixt the troupes commanded by Dunwaldt & the ffrench dragoons in which about 20 on each side were killed & wounded & that the allies troops retired towards Kinserlautron & the Marshall Crequi encamped neer the river Blisse not far from Duex Ponts expecting his allies to repasse the Rhin before he disposed his troops into winter quarters. On the 14th hapened a fire in Southwark which burned down, about 20 houses Her Majestys Birth day being on the 15th the Court appeared in very great splendor every one striveing to out others in that occasion. His Royall Highnesse has some dayes left his chamber & gone about the Court The last Hamburg lettrs gave account of the consternation of the Danes upon the Swedes retakeing Elsingburg, succoring Malmo & takeing the baggage of Prince George Count Revenslow & Coll: Schoffeidt with great part of the infantry & which addes yet to their misfortune an English ship come from the Sound into the river on the 15th reports that he saw the castle of Elsingburg alsoe delivered in to the Swedes possession. The Swedes are mighty severe to the Danes, hanging all they took, which made those yt escaped fly to the Kings Army, where they were a great burthen to the King for want of provisions. [Some figures in another hand appear on outside of letter.] L. c. 400 November the 18th 1676 We have this afternoon our Dutch lettrs, they tell us concerning the danish affairs, this following. The Danish affaires in Schonen are in a much better condition then was apprehended upon the supprise of Elsinburg. The Governr haveing made good the castle, the Swedes were forced to retire after haveing plundered the towne, neither have they releived Malmo as was supposed haveing been twice repulsed in the attempts they made to that purpose. The two Armys when the lettrs came away stood very near each other being devided by a River & each had invited the other to passe it in order to a battle, but the offer was not accepted, some adde that the two Kings had had a conference, of a cessation of Armes, though this is not certaine as to what has passed at Deux Ponts, we have this account. That the Duke of Zell finding it impossible to continue the seige at this season, was retired & marching into winter quarters That in his march severall squadrons of ffrench horse & dragoons attacked his reare, which was commanded by Monsr Chavenet, who routed the ffrench & its said tooke the Marquis of Bisly who commanded them prisoner. there be other lettrs which differ from this relation & say that they were 17 squadrons of horse, of the detachmts sent from Luxemburg & Schombergs Army under the command of Monsr Joyeuse & Monsr Renet & that they were totally defeated. Those lettrs adde that the ffrench had quitted Duex Ponts but we cannot give credit to it, nor doe we know what to beleive of the Rencounter above mentioned soe farr we may beleive that there has benn some litle action in which the Lunenburgs had had the advantage & perhaps it may be the same was mentioned in the last. The Elector of Brandenburg has left Stetin blocked up & is returned to his Residence at Berlin The Armies of the Duke of Lorraine & of Luxemburg are actually marched of to their winter quarters which the first take in Suabia ffranconia &c & the latter in Alsace, Lorraine. L. c. 401 [Size of paper changes here.] November ye 22d 1676 My Lord Power son to the Earle of Tyrone of Ireland haveing had a quarrell with the Lord Chavendish, the former challenged the latter, & on ffriday last they fought with their seconds. My Lord Mohun was second to Chavendish & is dangerously wounded. +At Nimeguen the Dutch Ambassadrs have made severall exceptions against the ffrench & Swedes powers, & at the same time the ffrench have made an exception against one clause in the Dutch powers, soe that this is like for some time to hinder the begining of the treaty. By the last ffrench post we received a copy of the ffrench Kings ordinance published there, by which that King commands all his men of Warr & privateers not to give the least disturbance or molestation to any English ships they shall meet with they produceing their passeports. His Majesty at the instance of the poore protestants of Hungary has resolved to interpose with the Emperor in the most effective manner in their favor, in order to the recovering their churches & the free exercise of their religion, In which its said the States Generall will likewsie joyn with his Majesty. We want all o[u]r fforreigne lettrs. L. c. 402 [Size of paper changes here.] November the 24th 1676 The Paris lettrs dat ye 24th give account yt ye Duke of Lorraines Army being gone into winter quarters ye Duke of Luxemburg advanced toward Montbelbrind [?] where the Prince of that name had under pretence of neutrality putt a garrison, but whether finding themselves too weak to maintaine it when the Imperiall Army was gone, or what other cause ye place surrendred to the ffrench & they have placed a considerable garrison in it. They speake nothing of any losse received from the Duke of Zells Army more then what their former lettrs mentioned & affirme that they were going into winter quarters & part of them already past the Rhine. The Edict formerly mentioned forbiding any of their privateers to give any stopp or molestation to any of his Majestys subjects, whether English Irish or Scotch is sent down & affixed in ye severall ports of ffrance & they proceed soe fairely in the discharge of the ships deteined in their ports, that they have ordered the copies of all proceedings agt such as have been condemned to be delivered into the English Agent to p[er?]use, that if cause should be found a review may be made & as for the ships which since his time have been brought to tryall we have an account of 3 released in one day, the mary of LondonDerry, the St John Babtist of Galloway & another of yt Kingdome, & the Jeweller who was taken in the pacquett boat was discharged & his Jewels restored, processe was formed agt him yt killed the Mr of the Mary of London Derry, who was to be hanged & the privateer who retooke the ship released at Bologne & carryed & [sic] it to Calais it was said would be sent to the Galleyes. And indeed we have not heard of late of any cause of complaints agt the ffrench, the ffalmouth letters of the 16 tell us of severall English & Scotch come into that Port, who in their passage from ffrance mett severall Capers, but none speake of any of the least injury offered except one vessell of Scotland & he onely sayes that meeting 2 Capers they took from him one Hogshead of Wine & some bread. On the 17th the Portsmouth & Dragoon were paid at Spit head where were severall Merchant men with convoys bound for the streights who it was said would saile thence that day His Maty after a due & serious Consideration of the severall proposalls made for the ffarming & managery of the duty of excise, was pleased on the 18th to declare his choice of yt offered by Mr Baker Sr John Corriton, Mr Jaggard Mr Solmes &c by which they stand obliged to the certaine paymt of five hundred & seaventy Thousands pounds p annum whilst the additionall duty continues & of [space left for about seven letters] if the additionall duty be taken off desireing onely 10 Thousands pounds p annum for the Managery all over plus & other advantages to redound to his Maty upon which contract they advance 250m L & are to enter upon the Managery of it at Midsummer next The care for suppressing the papists resorting to Masse either to the Queens chapple or those of fforraine Ministers is still strictly prosecuted by the Bishop of London & his Majestys principall secretraries of State to a visible abatement of that sort of practise On the 19 in pursuance of Warrants from ye Justices of peace to that purpose severall Teachers of Conventicles were enquired after & are to answer the law in that case provided A Patent is past the privy seale giveing to Samuel Hutchinson Citisen & Ironmonger of London the benefit of an Invention for 14 years for melting down lead Oare &c into malleable Mettall with Sea Coales & pit coales. [Here a tear from the right margin of this sheet begins to remove words from the next two paragraphs:] The Lord Mohun who was lately wounded in a duell &c that there was great appre[hension of?] his recovery tis said is now in an hopefull [way of?] amendment. On the 21 were in the Downes sev[erall?] Merchant men bound to the Streights, the [about six letters torn away] & the Virginia fleet from London [about eight letters torn away] a fair wind to proceed on their [Rest of sentence and sheet is torn away, but letter probably ends with this sentence.] L. c. 403 November the 25th 1676 This morning we have a Dutch & ffrench post which ought to have arrived on Tuesday last. Copenhagen the 17th Nov: The two Arm[i]es in Schonen stand in the same posture I advised in my last, & only one or 2 rencounters have hapened between partyes to the advantage of the danes. It is said the 2 Kings happned to be one night abroad with their guards upon discovers [sic] & to meet, they skirmished sometime & then parted, & ye Danes say they had the bettr. In the Swedes retreat from Helsingburg it is said they lost 300 men, the governr of the Castle haveing sallied out upon them. Hamburg 24th Nov: In Pomern all action is ceased, & ye Elector of Brandenburg is returned to Berlin. & on Monday last ye Duke of Zell arrived at Zell haveing left the troops ready to goe into their winter quarters. We have from Poland as if the Turks made some difficulties about executeing the peace lately concluded. Strasburg 20 Nov: The Imperiall troops march in 3 bodys to their winter quarters, the ffrench in their marching of have made thems: masters of of Mombelliard, the Duke of wch refused to receive a ffrench garrison, whilst the contest was about ye Imperialists passing the Rhine, severall ffrench Regimts of Luxemburgs Army are come to Saverne with ordrs to goe & joyne Crequi, but ye campagne being likewise at an end its beleived they will not proceed. Cologne the 24th Nov: The 20 & 21 instant ye Luxemburg & Munster troops repassed the Rhine, in order to their goeing into their winter quarters. The Osnaburg troops live with great licence in this Countrey, and ruine all they come neare. The Duke of Newburgs Ministers have absolutely denyd the winter quarters in his countrey. The Bp of Osnaburg is goeing to begin his recruits agt spring, & besides to raise 3 or 4 new Regimts soe yt he means to have an Army of 12000 men. Hague the 27 Nov: Yesterday his High: with the councell of State in body was in ye assembly of ye States of Holland, to propose the State of the war for the year ensueing which is now under debate, to morrow or next day his Highness parts for Zealand, in ye mean time the discourse of a peace lessens dayly & its plaine that the confederates doe wholly employ their thoughts how to continue the war with the most advantage next summer, & its not doubted but this State will adhere to their allies. We have news from Brussells that there were some speech[es] at that Court, of the Prince of Parmas comeing the next year from Spaine to command the Spanish Army in fflandrs Paris 28 Nov: The Duke of Luxemb as well as M: Crequi is dayly expected at Court. The former has putt a garrison into Mombelliard & the Duke of yt name is retired to Basle. ffrom Sicily they write that o[u]r troops have taken the Scaletta, & that the Duke of Vivonne draws great supplies from the Country round Catanea, which he has set all under contribution, great preparations are makeing against spring. This afternoon arrives another Dutch post & 3 from fflandrs, but altogeather bring not any thing of moment, one speake of some difficulties the confederates meet with about takeing their winter quarters. The treaty that was on foot between the ffrench & the Spanyards about setling the contribution is quite brook of, & those poore countries lye expossed to the incursions & devastations of the ffrench, however the provinces have resolved to give for the next yeare a Million & halfe of Glds [?] which [is] about 1500000 L Sterling, which togeather with the moneys expected from Spaine, will put the Spanyards into a pretty good posture. They are very much offended at ye retreat of ye Duke of Zell, after the hopes he had given of entring Lorraine & pforming great mattrs. L. c. 404 November the 29th 1676 Wee cannot expect much news from abroad now the armies are gone into their winter quarters, wch are very heavie upon the Princes of the Empire, not only for ye number of troops they are to provide for, but alsoe through their licence which is soe great, that the poor people had rather have the ffrench among them then these freinds. It was expected that the Duke of Zell would have provided his troops with quarters in Lorraine. And therefore the Emprs Ministers are hard put to it to assigne them in the Empire, conplaining in the meantime that they are extreamly disappointed by the said Dukes so suddain & unexpected retreat who on the other hand lays the blame upon the Elector Palatine & other Princes, who did not supply him with provisions & other necessaryes he wanted, & which they had promised him. In the mean time the preparations against Spring are every where begining proportionable to the Exegency of affaires. The Dutch will have the same number of forces they had this year, & if the Spanyards make good their part of haveing an Army of 25000 men in fflandrs, the allies may with reason promise themselves great advantage upon the ffrench, but the truth is the Spanyards have hitherto managed their affaires soe ill, that their Allies can hardly rely upon them. & one great instance of the ill conduct of that crowne appears in Sicily, where the ffrench are in a faire way of overcomeing that Kingdome with 6 or 8000 men. They have now taken the Scaletta & by that means have above 60 miles in length from Missina under their contribution, & will be able to draw provisions from thence sufficient for theire subsistence. We have this afternoon o[u]r fflandrs lettrs of ffriday last, they say. That they were hourly in expectation of ye arrivall of ye Spanish ordrs with bills for 3 millions of Crowns without which their preparations for the next Campagne would be very slender. that in the mean time his Excellency is modelling ye Army & is prepareing a placart for encourageing men to come into his service by giveing them liberty after two years to retire whither they please. That his excellency had promised ye Duke of Osnaburg 100000 Crownes out of the moneys expected from Spaine to enable him to make his recruits agt Spring. The Duke of Newburg & ye Dutch likewise sollicite the paymt of what is due to them. Lettrs from Alsace of the 27th past say that 3000 ffrench are in garrison in Mombeillard, by wch means the passage into Burgundy is shut, & the rest of ye ffrench Army are gone into Burgundy, except some foot which remaine in the townes in Alsace The head quarters of the Imperiall Army for this winter is at Eslingen in Suabia, where it was the last year, & yt the Duke of Lorraine is now there in pson. We have nothing new from the Northerne parts. L. c. 405 December the 1st 1676 The ships designed for Virginia are deteined in the downes by contrary winds, but by o[u]r next we may hear that they are sailed. At Nimeguen the Ambassadrs are still buissied about adjusting the preliminaries, in which the partyes spend soe much time, that it argues noe great indisposition in them, to the more substantiall part. The Dutch seem the most forward & by their zeall in the worke seem to stire up the others, but as yet no state can be made of what the treaty may produce this winter. We have severall late instances of ye Algeirins civill treatment of those ships of o[u]rs they meet with haveing the new passeports they ought to have It is a great question whither the Count d'Estrees with the ffrench Squadron, that sailed from Thoulon some time since is gone, some say he is cruising off of Cape St Vincent to intercept the Spanish Plate fleet that is expected home, others say they are gone for Guinnea to endeavor to drive the Dutch from thence, this is certaine that the Spanyards are very uneasie till the said fleet arrives. Our Merchant men have news of the losse of two of their ships comeing from Moscovie very richly laden. This morning arrived the Dutch lettrs of ffriday last but bring nothing new. They give us an account of ye arrivall of the Prince of Orange at Midleburg, where his Highnesse was received with great honrs & respects by the Burghers, & in all appearance his Highn: would determine the affaire about d'Momma to his Highnesse satisfaction. The said lettrs bring nothing new from the northerne quarters. The Danes and Swedes Army stand as formerly but without comeing to action. On the 30th past his Majesty parted hence for Windsor and will be back againe on Satturday. Tis said the Ministers of Sweden had obteined of the ffrench King a treaty of Guaranty by which he stood obliged not to conclude a peace till the places lost by the Swedes in the prsent war should be restored. On the 24 his Majesty by the Lord High Chancelor gave his answer to the citties addresse which was delivered with the hight of Eloquence & strength of reason & such convinceing arguments to every perticular conteined in it that all that heard it were abundantly satisfyed & the Lord Major & Court of Aldermen througly convinced that nothing could be offered for the good & advancement of the citty in which his Majestys care had not prevented them. On the 29th one Thomas Parkhust was committed to the Gatehouse for printing an unlicensed booke called a freindly debate between Satan & Sherlock. L. c. 406 December the 2d 1676 His Majesty did the Duke of Ormond the honor to dine with him to day at Rockhampton in his returne from Windsor. In this barren season you must excuse us if o[u]r letters are some what short, nor can it be otherwise expected, considering how little news passes at home & abroad. The King of Denmarke makes great instance to the Electorall Colledge at Ratisbon to have a toll renewed at Gluckssadt on the Elne, which was formerly granted to his ancestrs, but has been discontinued ever since the yeare 1629; The said King has already soe farr proceeded in the matter as to engage severall of the Electrs to favor it, but this being a thing which may prove very prejudiciall to o[u]r trade: We are told that his Majesty is resolved to interpose with the Emperor & the Electors (in whose power by the constitutions of the Empire it is to grant it) to oppose the same: & the States Generall we heare will doe the like & in the mean time have declared to the King of Denmarke that his endeavrs herein are contrary to the allyance and freindship that is between them. We have this afternoon o[u]r Dutch lettrs of ffriday last, & by them the following. Hague 8 Decem: We have noe news as yet of any action past between the Armies in Schonen; but the States have advice that the peasants had cut in peices a considerable boody of Swedes (of some thousands as is said) under the command of Alefeild; & that another body of Swedes haveing made two or 3 assaults upon Christianople, were repulsed in all with considerable losse, of 500 men at least. ffrom Zealand we heare yt the Prince of Orange had prevailed there, & that the States had put d'Momma out of his Ministry, notwithstanding all the endeavors of Midleburg, soe yt his High: is expected here in 3 or 4 days, fully satisfied. The Osnaburg troops by ordr of ye Empr have left the diocesse of Cologne, & are to winter in the Countrey of Leige. Yesterday Monsr d'Groots sentence was pronounced by which he was acquitted. L. c. 407 December the 2d 1676 [First paragraph is the same as L. c. 405, paragraph 8.] [Second paragraph is the same as L. c. 405, paragraph 9.] The Nimeghen lettrs dat the 20th say that defects had been found in the powers of the Ambassadrs & that the shortest way to avoid disputes about the commissions, was thought to be expedient to gett new ones, as had been done at Munster & accordingly those of the States were already come to their Ambassadrs, the rest were to come assoon as they could, whilst in the mean time they were considering of some way how they might proceed in the treaty, as alsoe was in the same case done at Munster. The Lord Berkley was arrived & had received the visits of the ffrench Ambassadrs Count Kinsky was gott as far as Cologne & Monsr de Somnits as far as Cleves. They write from Nimeghen dat the 15th yt ye Diet at Ratisbon seemed unwilling to allow winter quarters to the Army of ye Empire, but yt every Prince or State should provide for his own men, wch if they should persist in would be of all consequence the next Campagne it being not to be expected yt they should be early enough in the feild, if the troops should be soe farr divided. The Lord Ambr Hide hath sent to his Majesty Envoy at Vienna to procure him the Emprs passes for his returne home, which will be thorow Germany, soe that he is expected there in 6 weeks. The Hamburg lettrs from their Germaine advises give out that the Elector of Bavaria has reinforced his Army with 6000 men to be in a capacity to oppose the Imperialists if they should take winter quarters with him, but the ffrench lettrs intimate him more kindly inclined when they tell us the Empr haveing united him to [?] the marriage in quality of his Cousin Germaine & that he had promised he would not faile to meet him. They write from ffrance that though the Duke of Luxemburgs Army is at prsent gone into winter quarters, yet if the weather prove hard in Germany they may make use of it upon some designe. The Duke of Monmouths Regiments are lodged, the horse at Soissonois, the foot at Metz. A Bristoll vessell from Vienna in Portugall reports that meeting 2 Algeir men off the North Cape they boarded her & took some sugars out of her, the vessell goeing into Waymouth roade drove a shoare, on the 24th in the night the ship splitt in peeces & most of the goods lost. The ffrench lettrs of December the 5th speake much of action in all parts if the weather shall permitt, as well in the Spanish Netherlands as else where, some talke as if the Scene would be at Cambray, others are for mons & some have Ypres in their eye, but they generally agree that some attempt will be made none mentions it with any certainty, & the greatest grounds of their conjectures seemed to be yt Monsr Lonvoy was gone into fflandrs The King has received the Duke of Luxemburg very kindly & in approbation of his conduct told him publickly that he had done as much as man could possibly doe in persuance of his ordrs. They have received an expresse of takeing Taormino & the Scaletta, at the later of which they say they were assisted by the Jurats of Messina in person & 6000 Messinois under the command of Monsr de Valaovir, who raised 3 batteries against it, each planted with 16 peices of Canon whilst Monsr de Vivonne blocked it up by sea & hindered the releife the Spanyards intended from Naples. They write from Madrid Mon: the 19th yt Carthagena is not yet free of the sicknes, but that more dye of Hunger then of the plague by reason of the very strict prohibition of all communication with the Port. +[Of this letter the remaining paragraphs, numbers 10 through 16 are practically identical with paragraphs in L. c. 405, as follows: No. 10 is the same as L. c. 405, paragraph 10. No. 11 is the same as 405, 1. No. 12 is the same as 405, 2. No. 13 is the same as 405, 4. No. 14 is the same as 405, 5. No. 15 is the same as 405, 6. No. 16 is the same as 405, 7.] L. c. 408 December the 6th 1676 The last lettrs from Holland among other things said that the Duke of Newburg soe soon as the Empr has consumated his marriage with his daughter will resigne the soveraignty of his Countries to the Prince his sonne, who its said will there upon marry the Arch dutchesse of Austria the Emprs sister, & that the old duke shall be made Governor of the Spanish netherlands. but this is a peece of news which we know not how to credit. It is certaine the Governr of ye Spanish Netherlands has an assurance of 3 millions of Crowns from Spaine, upn wch they make soe farr account that he is goeing to make leavies in ordr to the formeing the Army he intends to have on foot. In Spaine the administration of affairs is now altogether in the hands of the first Minister the Marquis de Villa Sierra; & though its generally beleived he will be to hard for his enemys, yet at the same time its probable he may meet with some trouble, most of the grandees & nobility sideing with Don Juan agt him, who in ye mean time is intent upon severall things which may gaine him a generall applause; the one is his care of fflandrs whither he will send great summes of money; & the other his perticuler applications to increase the Navall force of Spaine, to which end severall new ships are to be built & others bought in Holland soe far that the Spanyards pretend to have the next summer in Sicily a fleet of 500 men of War of their owne. We have our fflandrs lettrs of ffriday last they tell us new from Germany, unlesse it be of the disputes about winter quarters & as for their own affaires in fflandrs they onely speake of the great fears they are in for Valencienes, near wch place the ffrench prepair great Magazins as if they intended to make the seate of the War in the Spring there abouts. Monsr de Lonvoy has been about in fflandrs to visitt the Magazins & the fortifications of ye most important places, which as yet appears to have been the maine designe of his comeing into fflandrs There was news at Ostend when o[u]r letters came from thence that the Spanish plate fleet arrived at Cadiz the 27 past. The Elector of Saxony has absolutely refused to permit any of the Brandenburg troops to winter in his territories as they did the last year which its though[t] might occasion some disorder. The affairs of the Spanyards grow daily worse & worse since the takeing the Scaletta (which was by force of Canon both by weater & land for the place being Scituate on a rock the soldiers could not dig nor cast up any works to cover thems[elves] & soe were forced to surrender, though the garrison consisted in 1000 men) have taken severall other advantagious posts & besides was goeing to beseige Catanea where the Spanish viceroy was & what was worse all the nobility begun to encline to the ffrench, & many fall of to them daily. The citty of Perlermo begins to be very Mutinous, the inhabitants haveing rescued a Gentleman that was to be beheaded for holding correspondence with the ffrench. L. c. 409 December the 8th 1676 +The ffrench lettrs which arrived the 6th gave us reason to beleeve that we shall ere long hear of some great action exploited by the ffrench in fflandrs & in all probability Valencienes or Cambray are places they have an eye upon; & there is reason to suppose that Monsr de Lonvoy, however he disguised the matter by saying he came onely to visit the garrisons & Magazins, came about this designe into fflandrs. This they write for certeine that the troops in fflandrs are ordered to be ready to march about the midle of January, & that the M. Crequi is to come about that time with part of those troops he has at prsent in Lorraine into fflandrs The ffrench doe extreamly please themselves with their successe in Sicily, & the expectations they yet have of greater & by this means propose to procure the Swedes restitution of what they have lost in the War; by their restoring their conquests in Sicily to the Spanyards, but even in such a case it will be a hard thing to perswade the King of Denmarke, Elector of Brandenburg & Princes of Lunenburg to part with the conquests they have made upon the Swedes. The ffrench lettrs dat December the 12th they tell us that the ffriday before Sr Ellis Leighton was gott to Paris haveing after his escape continued some dayes in London & fearing the other Ports might be laid for him, went to Plymouth then to ffowey where took shipping for Bourdeaux & went thence by land to Paris A ship lately arrived at Cowes brings lettrs from New England dat Oct. 23d which say that the trouble still continued in Virginia that many were killed & James Towne burnt, that the governr was gone abroad & the ship he had taken for accomacke & that Sr Henry Chickeley was taken by Bacon & condemned, but kept in Chaines with designe as was thought to exchange for Bland On the 6th one William Berry was committed to the gate house for printing & dispersing a Popish book called the naked Catholicke truth. On the 3d the Wind presenting fair about 50 saile of English Merchant men, set saile for the downes to the East Indies, Streights & Virginia. The Chichester lettrs of November the 26 confirme the losse of ye ffrench men from the Bank 10 of which gott off to Portsmouth & 9 struck upon a Pole which runs out of the mouth of the Harbor 8 were stranded the men gott off & some part of their goods might have been saved if they would have suffered the countrey to have given assistance in due time, they were all stout ships of about 2 or 300 Tuns from 10 to 16 peices of Canon. [Note in another hand written at end of letter, then canceled:] 740. by ye Pit M. K 600. by Bicklys well. L. c. 410 December the 9th 1676 The Dutch lettrs dat December the 11th tell us that the same state of War is agreed as formerly, but to continue noe longer then the conclusion of the peace, & that they had resolved to grant noe farther subsides to the allies. The Muscovites who were drawn off from the frontiers of Sweden are upon fresh sollicitations of ye Elector of Brandenburg returned thither againe. We expect to hear what effect the lettrs wch his Majesty has been pleased to write to the Empr & the Electors for the opposeing the endeavors of the King of Denmarke for the renewing a toll at Gluckstadt will have, though in the mean time we are told that the said King of Denmarke has already some of the Electors on his side, & perticularly the Elector of Brandenburg, who has declared to the Ministers of the States resideing with him, that he had already given his promise to assist him in it. Our Merchants had news on the 8th upon the exchange from Virginia that Bacon haveing gathered what force he could togeather went to James towne & had burnt part of it, takeing Sr Henry Chickley the deputy Governr againe prisoner & forced Sr William Berkley to retire on board his ships in the Road & when this was done the said Bacon retired againe into the Countrey. Here are arrived Comrs from New England to answer before his Majesty certeine complaints made against them, they arrived on Tuesday last, & say the Indians in the Eastern parts of that collony have taken armes againe & pretend to renew the War. From Nimeghen they write that the Popes Nuntio intended to come thither from Cologne if the States would grant him protection & security. In which we doe not yet hear they have as yet resolved. We want o[u]r forraign lettrs L. c. 411 December the 16th 1676 On the 3d a Dutch Caper of 26 guns carried into Cowes a ffrench Merchant man of 14 guns richly laden from Martenico, they fought 2 dayes & had the ffrench stood by their commander it is thought they might have made their escape. In Monsr Lonvoys Journey it was resolved to renew the former designe of fortifyeing Cateau Cambresi to which end that minister gave order for its seisure & upon his conference with the Marquesse de Quincey, who commanded the forces which in a manner blocked Cambray it was concerted that from time to time those troups should be releived by others out of the neighboring garrisons to make the ffatigue of yt Blocns [?] the more supportable, It was alsoe ordered that a generall detachment be as well of all the horse as of those of foot to randevous near Lows on January the 6th but the designe not said. The businesse of contribution is at last agreed by Comrs on both sides whereby it is concluded that each party should recriprocaly abate one third in future, & that nothing should be exacted for time past. The Governr of Cambray had made proclamation that who ever brought in provisions should be well paid, upon which alsoe the ffrench published that what ever of the neigboring villages under contribution should send or carry provisions to that place fire and extreamity should be their punishment. The lettrs from Cowes of the 3d mention only the arrivall of the Blessing of Boston from New England ffrom Deale they write that 2 Canary ships bound for London rune aground betwixt Deale & Dover & staved in peeces, & all the wine is lost. On the 5th the Rose his Majestys ffrigott sailed from the downes after Sr John Berry for Virginia. ffrom Lyme they write that severall ships were there laden with corne for Holland but the frost was soe great that they durst not adventure out. On the 8th the Lord Major & Court of Aldermen of the citty of London were required in councell to put the great part of the act of corporations, which is perpetuall relateing to takeing of oaths daily in execution against the choosing of the comon councell next. There has lately been a noise about the towne as if 6 English ships comeing from Bourdeaux were carryed by some privateers into Dunkirke which being in prejudice of the ffrench Kings late edict, his Excellency Monsr Courtin the ffrench Ambassadr soe far concerned himselfe to send to the judge of the admiralty of Dunkirke to give him a true account of it, who returned an answer date December the 10th that since the publication but one ship brought thither & that she was immediately discharged, & with this agrees very well the account of o[u]r consul there, who makes noe complaint of any ship brought in thither, & says that though ships had be carryed into ports by privateers it had been done by such that were not present and could not have notice of the divulging the edict. The Intendent of Picardie is at prsent at Bologne makeing processe against Jacob de Wyne who murthered Alexander fferry the Mr of the ship the London Derry The Pope has desired of the ffrench King a reconciliation to Cardinall Alliery the late cardinall Patron but that he had not yet yeilded to it, Abbot Mazians who is very familiar with him represented to him the Resentment of Dom Lewis his nephew, that he could never appear at Rome as the former Nephews of the Popes did; to which he was answered that what temporall fortune he had, he had disposed to him which might make him live a Prince in his Countrey, & that he might give God thanks that his owne family had the honor to be advanced to the chaire. The Embargo being now taken off from the ships bound to Maryland & Virginia they have ordrs to saile to James River & there expect ordrs of Sr John Berry commandr of his Majestys ship the Bristoll & to receive his direction before they proceed to the Ports to trade under the penalty of what his Majestys subjects are by law for aiding such as are in open rebellion against his Majesty. Mr Baker &c who made the proposall for the managery of the duty of excise haveing made noe late progresse in it, it was resolved on the 11th that it should be putt into the hands of Mr Kent & Mr Brat &c the prsent farmers of the excise. The Blossome of Barnstaple arrived home reports that since the killing of King Phillip the English had spoiled most part of the Indians corne, & that the Indians had quitted all the West part of the land where the war had been, & went to the East of Piscatoway where English men inhabited for the fishing trade & killed about 100 English & forced about 300 others from their habitations about the begining of September above 300 were gott into a Swamp to the Eastward of the Piscatoway, whence they could not be removed by force, but were drawn out by termes, to every one to have a dram of Liquor & a Biskett cake & then disarmed & sent prisonrs to Boston. By the ffrench lettrs we have an account that Quincy has been fitted with horse & foot & Monsr Lonvoy is to furnish 2500. They adde to their late conquests in Sicily the takeing of Terminni within 10 miles of Palermo & that 2 other considerable places had sett up the ffrench Standards is desired their protection, but there is with all some what of mortification by a storme which lasted 10 dayes & had carryed away 4 of 10 men of War whom they gave over as shipracks on the coast of Sardinia and they feared Captaine Granier with a ffrigott of 60 guns might have rune the same fate. L. c. 412 December the 20th 1676 +On Sunday we received thre Dutch & as many fflandrs posts togeather As to the northerne quarters, they told us, that the Arm[i]es in Schonen are still in the feild, that the Swedes are the stronger by severall thousand men, & prtend to have a great advantage upon the Danes, whom they think they shall totally ruine by obleidgeing them to continue in the feild in this hard season for which the Danish soldiers are not at all provided, and yet after all they will be forced to goe into winter quarters, and then the Swedes will be at liberty to play their game, this is certaine the Swedes look upon their afairs to be in a much better condition then they were some months since, & there are lettrs which say though with out certainty, that the King of Denmarke has sent to offer to the Bp of Munster, that if he will immediately assist him with a succor of men, he will renounce to his share of his conquests in Bremen. In Germany nothing is to be heard but crys & lamentations of the poor inhabitants, who in many places abandon their habitations to the soldiers, for that there is not roome for them both In all appearance Sicily will be lost this winter The Spanish Courier was arrived at Brussells but brought noe money. [Some division and multiplication are figured on outside of letter; three drawings of what seems to be a house window as viewed from the outside also appear.] L. c. 413 December the 23d 1676 On the 14th his Majesty in compassion of the poore in this very severe weather made a gratious motion in councell & ordered the Bishop of London to signify his pleasure to the respective Ministers within the lines of the communication that they earnestly presse in the severall congragations a contribution for their releife, & hath farther given order to the Lord Major & Aldermen of London that they make use of all means to take care for their preservation in pinching weather. A proclamation is ordered for the prohibiting the importation of printed earthen Ware, & order given for one to be prepared to signify that its his Majestys pleasure that the parliment meet at the day appointed at the last prorogation and to require all the members to come accordingly. The Dutch are very instant in their application to those of Algiers for a peace under pretence not soe much for preservation of their owne trade as to annoy the ffrench to which purpose they offer 18 saile of men of war to guard the coast of Barbary, to prsent those at the Helme with 8000 Rix Dollars to redeem their slaves, in 4 months to give them 2 brasse guns for their Caffabee & a considerable quantity of powder, yet after all at a publick Duana called November the 2d, it was unanimously declared that they desire noe peace with any Nation but the English, & the Dey & some others were then put in mind to make provision for the continuance of it. On the 16th the duty of excise was disposed to George Dashwood Esqr &c. Our advises from the Streights say they have not yet heard that the Turks have taken any of o[u]r ships with new passes & that many newfoundland ships had been taken by the salley men but for the late peace. They write from Vienna dat December the 6th that that morning the Ld Ambr Hyde arrived there & it was said that the Elector of Bavaria was gone to Straubring to receive & treat the Empresse there and convey her to Passua. Our Merchants have conceived some doubt that in regard of the ffrench Kings edict gives order to his ships of War & privateers not to molest any that are furnished with passeports from the King the Comrs of the admiralty & the passeports signed by Majors &c & that the ffrench might give them lett if they went not furnished with such passeports, the ffrench King is willing to give them satisfaction has caused it to be explained & made the passeports of the King or Comrs of the admiralty signed by Majors &c as alsoe caused an addition after the English Irish & Scottish vessells & alsoe of all English collonies in any part of the world, where the governr or Magistrates passeports of the said places shall be of the same vertue. On the 20th the proclamation requireing the members to meet & make up a full house according to the time of their prorogation was read & approved. You must know that upon the Ambassadrs produceing their powers which was the first step that was made, the Dutch excepted against severall clauses and expressions in the ffrench powers & the ffrench did the like of those of the Dutch upon which it was proposed by the Dutch that to remove this & all other difficultys of this nature, the English Ambassadrs mediators should draw up a certain forme of a power to be made use of by all the partys & that the severall Ambassadrs should by a sollemne act engage the Mediator to procure by a set time new powers from their respective Masters & that in the mean time the treaty should be begun. To this the ffrench & Swedes have finally agreed & the mediators are about drawing up a forme of the said power & engagement & when that is done & the Ambassadrs signed the said engagement, the Dutch declare that without expecting the Emprs Ambr (who is still at Cologne indisposed) they will give in their demands in writeing to the ffrench which as we understand will consist in these 4 heads. 1 In restitution of Maestricht. 2 In reimbursement of the Prince of Orange concerning the principality of Orange in ffrance. 3 Reglement of Commerce. 4 Satisfaction of their allies. [This letter is addressed to Newdigate "at Mr Sergeant Newdigates in Leaden=Porch Court, in Holburne / London"] L. c. 414 December the 25th 1676 On the 22d arrived a lettr date the 5 instant at Elsenore in Denmarke from the Kings Resident there (which comes by shiping) and says: That the day before the 2 Armys in Schonen engaged, that there were severall reports concerning the successe, but that not knowing the certainty, he would not venture to give relation till by his next but in the afternoon we received lettrs from Deale with addvice that there arrived a vessell from the Soundt, which came from Elsenore the 13th instant, that the master reported that the Danish Army had been totally defeated, & that 7000 of them had been killed, and among the rest 1400 Seamen, of these Tromp lately [space for about five letters left blank] over into Schonen, that the King of Denmarke narrowly escaped being taken prisoner, haveing fled onely with 4 persons in his company, This relation though it be thus perticular we are unwilling to give entire credit to, for yt the reports of Masters of ships are often very ill grounded, but o[u]r lettrs which we expect every houre from Hamburg and those parts either by the way of Holland or fflandrs will without doubt give us the certainty. We have o[u]r ffrench lettrs of this day seavennight, they bring nothing of moment save that they say that the marriage between the Dolphin and the Elector of Bavarias daughter was very much advanced by the Ambrs which lately arrived at that Court on the part of that Elector We want o[u]r Dutch & fflandrs lettrs [In left margin of letter, which occupies only half a bifolium, appear the name "Mr Mark," a drawing of a bisected isosceles triangle, and some figures probably in Newdigate's hand. Verso has a long but canceled list of books and prices thereon.] L. c. 415 December the 27th 1676 On the 25th we received the Dutch & fflandrs lettrs which were due, but brought nothing of certainty concerning what had passed in Schonen, between the Danes & the Swedes, by the way of Holland as well as fflandrs we have lettrs from Hamburg of the 12/22 instant, which say, that as then their lettrs were not arrived from Denmarke, but that by a vessell arrived at Lubecke from the Soundt they had advice, that the Armys engaged the 4/14 instant, that at first the Danes whole left wing was routed, but that the King of Denmarke comeing in person with 5 fresh Regiments, made a great slaughter among the Swedes of whom 3000 are said to be killed, but what the issue of the battle was, is not said, & in the whole this is lookt upon as a very uncertaine account It was thought that the Prince of Orange had wholly settled mattrs in Zealand but on the contrary it seems there remaines yet a great faction at Midleburg, where even the people are very stubborne, & will not come to church to hear the Minister put in by the Prince & demand to have de Momma restored. On[e] Rothes a fifth Monarchy man, who has putt out in Holland severall infamous libells agt the States & the Prince of Orange The last weeke hee & severall of his Complices were seized at Amsterdam & made prisoners & will be severely proceeded against. L. c. 416 [Handwriting changes here.] Whitehall 30 december 1676 Mr hide his Majesties late Ambassador Into poland Being on his Returne home by the way of Germany is Appointed by his Majesty to stop at Nimegen And to Assist at the treaty held there with the Character of Embassador Extraordinary And plenipotentiary till farther Order As for the Affaires of the Conquests They still Continue at a stand, Through the dificulty that still Remaines about the Concert of the severall Embassadors which it is Endeavoring soe to order that They may be to Mutuall Satisfaction Two dayes since Arrived a Vessell In the River ffrom Spayne who the 11th Instant Met off of the Northerne Cape 9 duch Men of warr Bound for the West Indies It is the Generall Report That the ffrench Squadron That sailed ffrom Thoulon some time since under the Command of the Count d'Estrees is gone for guinea to Attacke the dutch There The Merchants Tell Us that the Returnes of the Spannish plate fleet This yeare have Been Extreamly poore, Insomuch That the Merchants Concerned In that trade have lost 20 p Cent of there principall; of which the greate Reason is That the Indies are at present overstored with European Commodities, And for this Reason the Spannish Merchants have petitioned there King That No ffleet may Goe out This Next yeare wee want our fforraigne letters L. c. 417 (1) [Handwriting changes here.] December the 30th 1676 As for the engagement between the Swedes and the Danes, you may see fully by what is made publique, then can yet ye given. It is most certaine that the Danes have received a great brush which will appear yet more when we see the consequences of this action. ffor the Danes haveing left their Enemys Master of the feild, tis not to be doubted but they will make the use they ought of it & there be some lettrs which say that the Swedes have already invested Christianstadt which they hope to regaine in as short a time almost as the Danes took it in. The Governr of the Spanish Netherlands haveing desired of the Prince of Orange an assistance of 6 Regiments has had a perfect deniall, at which the Spanyards are not a little displeased, & think the Dutch have not the concerne for the common interest as they ought to have. The States of Holland have declared against raiseing more moneys by extraordinary wayes till all arrears of former moneys are brought, for the effecting of which they have consented under approbation of their principles, that the defficient places shall be proceeded against by execution, a way that some Judge will hardly be brought in practice with out much difficulty if not much opposition Mr Brisband hath been hitherto very lucky in his Negotiation on behalfe [of] o[u]r English Merchants for the discharge of their ships deteined in ffrance, haveing on Monday discharged three of o[u]r ships. On the 17th the Unicorne of London arrived at ffalmouth from Bantam haveing been out of England 21 months they had much sicknesse aboard lost 15 men and were forced to winter by the way. There hapned a late dispute at Nimeghen about a visitt to the Lord Berkley, at his comeing the ffrench Ambassadrs sent seperately for their houres, the Marshall d'Estrades had that of 2 given him, Monsr Colbert halfe an houre after, & Monsr d'Avaux 3. The Swedes had likewise sent for an houre & had that of between 3 & 4, Monsr d'Avaux came some what before 3 and went away from his visitt about 3 quarter of an houre after 3, but he had noe sooner been in and had scarce time to sitt downe when news was brought that Count Oxensterne was at the door, who finding the place taken before him would have that taken for a form all visitt, but that it is since reconciled by a meeting at the ffrench Ambassadrs the Swedish Ambassadr finding him by appointment payd him all the respect of a formall vissitt. A proclamation is comeing forth to call all copper farthings in which that noe damage may accrew to the subject, they are to receive as many of Tynne which are to be made of Intrinsicke vallue with an abatement for coyne onely. They tell us from Paris dat December the 30th that the day before many ships were released at St Germains the perticulars of which they did not give, the Secretary Marme being not then come thither, onely mentioning 2 ye Sarah of the Isle wight with her goods & the little mary of London The king complimented the English officrs telling them that they had signalized [L. c. 417 (2) starts here.] themselves in all places where they had been but however tis thought that they may be reduced to fewer companies to make the rest compleat, in regard that they cannot Judge that they can gett recruits enough to make them up. The same lettrs say that the marriage between the Dauphin and the Elector of Bavarias daughter was very much advanced by the Ambassadr which lately arrived at the Court on the part of that Elector. His Majesty has been pleased to creat the older son of Madam Guyns Baron Heddington & Earle of Burford by the name of Charles Beauclaire. [On outside of letter appears the following agreement in Newdigate's hand:] Mem. It is agreed by and between R. N: of A. in ye county of W & Thomas Wise of London stonecutter their exs and assigns that hee the said Wise or his Ass[igns] shall provide work and well and finely polish for ye said R N his Ex or Ass a certain Number of black & white Marble substantiall stones to ly diamond wise all but the first list or step, wch is to bee wrought wth a small botele mould and list, for wch hee the said R N doth promise to allow him money [?] and that hee shall likewise provide & well & finely polish 2 hearths or footpaces to ly before Chimnys, one of black another of white Marble, and both to bee compassed wth lists or edgs of the like Marble of about four inches wide, for all wch hee the said Wise is to have and receive of him the said R N two shillings eight pence the foot when they shall bee so polishd & finely jointed & laid (hee the said R: N: paying for the Carriage, & allowing three shillings a day to Henry Wise the Brother of the said Wise or some other sufficent workman for 2 days going & two days coming back: & hee the sd Wise doth hereby covenant & agree to provide the stone by Midsummer next & that hee the said R N shall take his own time to fetch it between that time & Michaelmas next at his own conveniency & hee the said Wise doth farther covenant to deliver to him ye sd RN or his Assigns as much Normandy stone wch hee the sd Wise doth warrant to endure the fire as shall serve for one chinmy & shall send a sufficient workman to lay the same being well & truly facd wrought & jointed at one shilling a foot square superficiall measure, & of large Surry fire stone for one other chimny at fifteen pence a foot well facd wrought jointed and laid. and shall before our Lady dye [?] send 2 good & sufficient workemen readie to hew & set up 6 statues 3 foot high apeice of stone which hee the said R. N. is to provide, for all wch six statues hee the said R. N. doth hereby covennt & agree to pay to him the said Wise seventeen pounds and to allow the workman [the?] aforesaid dyet & house room All wch mony hee the said R N. doth for himself his heires Executors and Ass. hereby covenant & promise well & truly to pay to him the said Wise his Executors or Ass. respectively as the said Works shall bee performd and done, & hee the said Wise for himself his heires Ex & Ass. doth hereby covenant and engage to and [?] wth the said R. N. his Ex. and Ass. that hee will well and sufficiently accord to the judgment of any indifferent Workman perform the said works as abovementioned. In witnesse whereof the said partys to these presents have interchangeably set their hands and seals this present 2d of Jan 1676/7 &c. +& Whatever work the said R N shall employ the said Tho. Wise his workmen about hee is to allow them 2-6 a day apeice besides their Dyett. Over & above the two shillings & eight a foot for the superficiall measure of the whole flat L. c. 418 January the 3d 1676 We have our ffrench and fflandrs lettrs they tell us that 3 Regiments of Spanish horse & 4 Companies of Dragoons haveing by the helpe of Ice passed 2 Rivers between Douay & Bonchain, got safe into Valenciennes, which is a thing of great importance, for that place is now lookt upon as safe enough haveing provisions and all other necessarys for five months, before which time they hope to have an Army in the feild able to make head against the ffrench The Spanish ord:y was arrived at Brussells but without money, however by the next they shall infallibly have it, and in the mean time to keep up mens spiritts it is publickly affirmed that they are come. The Governr of fflandrs has sent into Holland to buy severall men of War for the service of Spaine, where they make all preparations possible to have a fleet at sea able to oppose the ffrench in the Mediterranes. ffrom Paris they write that the Chevalier d'Estrades Collonell of horse is prisoner in the Bastile, because of some disorder committed by his Regiment near that citty, & for that he was not there to hinder them, severall march from thence already towards fflandrs. By the Dutch post wch arrived the 2d instant we have advice yt the King of Sweden haveing caused those that were slaine in Schonen in the late fight to be numbered found them to amount to 9400 men, of which the Danes own not the losse of above 4000, but acknowledge 22 peices of Cannon to have been taken by the Swedes, to supply which they are prepareing a new traine of artillary, The Swedes are certainly Mrs of the feild, when the Danes are forced to look on & see them overrune the whole countrey with their partys, & what is worse if they have not assistance from their allies they will be in an ill condition. L. c. 419 January the 6d 1676 We have now a certaine account that Jacob d'Wynne who killed Alexander ffenny master of the Mary of London Derry was condemned at Calais December the 30th by the Intendent of Picardy to be hanged at Bologne & his body to be exposed on the wheel on the most part of the haven next the sea, as alsoe Captaine Nicholas Goure of Calais was condemned to the Galleys for 20 years for haveing stranded a ship called the Christian of kincardy George Blythe Master which had been released at Bologne by the ffrench Kings order & the Master of that privateer not appeareing according to sumons sentence past that he should be hanged. On the 31st of the last dyed the Lady Duras wife to the Lord Duras & daughter to the Earle of ffeversham. They tell us that a scuffle hapned at Nimeghen by one of the Brandenburgs footmen, who standing before his Masters doore knocked down one of the Swedes footmen with a ffflambeau & that the Swede crying out for help some of his countrey men & most of Count d'Estrades footmen went in to his releife, & forced the Brandenburgers to retire, which being a riot thought among the worse sort, the Mediators intended to take care that the beginers of it may be punished that the Example may spread noe farther. +Tis Confidently affirmed that the Lord cheife Justice Baily [?] dyed on Christmas day last. On Christmas day dyed the Duke of New[castle?] aged 83 upon the receipt of which his son the prsent Duke hastned down to take care of preparations in order to an honorable interment in Westminster. By the letters from Vienna dat the 14th they say that the rebells in Hungary begin to be very strong & that it is said they would have an Army of 30m men towards the next spring, they say alsoe that if they can made themselves Masters of some strong places in Hungary they will make choise of a new King which caused great apprehensions in those parts & that the Empr had but few troops to resist the rebells if they should attempt any thing. The fflandrs lettrs of the 8th tell us of a Conspiracy at Cambray & that a woman who was a principall party in it being found with a lighted match in her bosome was condemned to be burnt. On Tuesday his Majesty was pleased to goe to see a street of 38 houses on the Thames betwixt Lambeth & ye Lower end of Westminster called now Thames Street but since they have been wasted away. The Spanyards in fflandrs are very much enlivened since the arrivall of the Spanish ordinary which brought them bills of exchange for a million of Crownes, of which 20 thousand are to be paid to the Prince of Orange to satisfy him & to stop the reprisall he has obteined of the States for the moneys oweing him by Spain ever since the peace of Munster, & besides the governr of the Spanish Netherlands expected another million of Crownes very speedily, but that which troubles them more then this rejoices them is that they perceive the Dutch push on the treaty with the greatest earnestnesse & show an inclination even to a seperate peace. L. c. 420 January the 8th 1676 Our last lettrs from Spaine say that the new great Favorite the Marquis de Villa Sierra finding himselfe unable to withstand the opposition that was framed agt him by the Grandees & the nobility, had endeavored to bring don Juan of Austria to Court, to support himselfe by him, & reconcile him to the Queen as to the affairs at Nimeghen they still continue in the same state, the disputes concerning the formeing of a power for the severall Ambassadrs to the satisfaction of all partys still remaineing. The Emprs Ambr is now upon the place haveing hastened his journey thither from Cologne upon the advice he had of the great forwardnes of the Dutch to begin the treaty. It appears yet more and more every day that the Danes received a great defeat in Schonen, the Minister of that king at the Hague haveing represented to the States that the affairs of his Master are in soe ill a condition that without a speedy & considerable assistance from his allies he cannot make head against the Swedes, but what the said Minister presses the States in, is the payment of the arrears of the subsidies due to Denmarke & the Equipage of a fleet for the Baltick, in neither of which doe the States seem to gratify him, but on the contrary expresse themselves on all occasions much dissatisfyed with the conduct of their allies & even to be weary of the War. At Nimeghen the Ambassadrs cannot yet agree about a forme for the powers of the severall Ambrs those they brought with them haveing expressions in them which to the contrary partys, by which it notoriously appears that they are not desirous for a peace since they spend their time about disputes in such triviall mattrs. But the Dutch are not soe backward as the rest, & doe declare that they will not loose more time about mattrs of soe little moment, but that they on their part will begin the treaty forthwith in which they will advance faster then their allies will desire.