L. c. 421 January the 10th 1676 +On the 8th arrived o[u]r Dutch lettrs of that day seavennight which give us an account ffirst as to the affaires in Holland, yt the Prince of Orange & Councell of State had ordered the traine of artillarie, as it was to be the next Campagne, & that ye next worke would likewise bee to modell the Army, for notwithstanding all the discourse of a peace, & the reall inclinations the States have to it, they continue to make preparations necessary for the next Campagne The Prince of Orange was to goe about the midle of this month to Cleves or Wesel, to meet ye Electr of Brandenburg & to conferre with him as well concerning mattrs relateing to ye peace as Warr. As to the affairs in Schonen the Sweds being Mrs of the feild, overrune the whole province at their pleasure, they have burnt down to ye ground a great many villages, & are very cruel to the Bores, sparing neither man, woman, or child, while in the mean time the King of Denmarke is doeing all he can to recruit his Army & to procure assistance from his allies, & it is affirmed that the Duke of Zell will lend him 6000 men, besides which the Danes are in expectation yt the Sieur Guldenlieu will give the Enemy a diversion on the side of Norway, he being already fallen into the Swedish Territorys with 6000 men. We received the 9th instant the Dutch lettrs of friday last, all the news they tell us is, that they had advice from the northerne parts that the Sweds had tak: the Castle of Helsingburg after haveing burnt the towne. L. c. 422 [Handwriting changes here.] January 13 1676 +Wee have Now the Sweeds Relation of the late Battle Betweene them and the danes In Sconen on the 4th of december last Vizt That the King of Sweden himselfe In person Broke up with his armie about 3 or 4 a Clocke In the Morning & marched over the pass Betweene him & the danes, Advanceing himselfe with the Lord helmfield & generall Ashenberg at the head of the Armie & Attacking the Enemie with greate Courage & Resolution In which action the King of Sweden ordered & Commanded his Armie with greate Vallour & Conduct Chargeing 14 or 15 times at the heads of his owne Regement of horse against the Enemie & secureing likewise his Right wing with very greate Advantage & his Majesty Continuing In the action from the Begining to the End thereof Immediately after the Victory was Obtained the towne of Usted with severall other places surrendred petitioning the King for pardon & Mercy which a greate Many of the principle families have likewise done But those who Judging there Endeavours More Enormous are Retired Into danemarke The Sweeds haveing playd with there Cannon for 4 dayes Togather without any Intermission Upon helsingberg In the meane time the mines were prepared & layd In 3 severall places Under the Castle & Ready to spring upon any warning The governour was desired & sent to to send some out to behold the same That soe he might forbeare to be oppinionated & prevent his owne destruction This Being accordingly done & the governour finding himselfe Unable to hold out longer desired to Come to a Capitulation But that Being denied him he surrendred Upon descretion In the Castle was found a greate many peeces of Cannon with a greate quantity of Amunition & provisions also many of the King of danemarks owne Best horses 48 daneish Vessells small & greate were Burnt In pomeren the Swedish affaires goe Now a greate deale Better and there is Noe Apprehension or feare left Touching the Island of Rugen +Count Coninsmarke hath got 1000 dragoones & Can goe abroad with 4000 horse his Majesty hath Bene pleased to graunt to leonard Bosvile Esqr the sole Use & Benefitt for 14 yeares of a new Invention of mills or Engines for the speedy & More Effectuall makeing of Cider & perry In greate quantities Also his Majesty hath Bene pleased likewise To graunt for the like tearme of yeares To Kendricke Edisbury Esqr the sole Benefitt of his New Invention of makeing a sort of plaister of an Extraordinary hardness Called Glasses which may be Used Insteed of ffreeston for paveing of floores Being as it is Alledged handsomer Cheaper & full as dureable And for makeing of watermills for Corne which will goe with halfe full as Undershott mills & with a 5th part of the water whereby Inconveniency for want of water may be Avoided The prices of wine for the yeare Ensuing are Appointed In Councill Vizt Canaries 36 s p pynt In gross & 12 d p pint Retaile Tent [?] & malaga 30 s p Butt & 10 d p pint Allicants sherries & Muscadells 27 s p But & 9 d p pint french wines 36 s p tunn & 12 d p quart Rhenish wines 9 s p Aulme [?] & 19 d p quart The letters from the downes on the 17th give us No other account then the arrivall of about 20 sayle from Malaga Canaries &c Also of his Majesties 2 New gallies Being there Bound for Tangier The hague letters dated 15 say the Ld Embassador hide had Audience of the prince of Orange & went to Roterdam the 15 where he Received a pacquett sent to him by Express from Nimigen which may determine his Motions [At end of letter appears this note in another hand:] +I Recd your Worpps yesterday, concerning Tompson but have not since seene him, he has bene at Rugby this day, & I have sent downe 2 or 3 tymes to Night to speake wth him, his Wife promised to send him to mee but I heare noe thing of him soe that I presume he persists in ye same obstinacy I last left him in wch was to run ye Hazard of wt ever might happen rather then be at any Charge soe that I am sorry I gave yo[u]r Worp any farther trouble about him L. c. 423 January 15 1676 +Yesterday Arrived heare 2 flanders Mailes & Bring [?] o[u]r letters from Brussels only Brought any thing that Ma[tters?] & I give you the Extracts of them Brussells 12/2 January 1676 +This Court is very much perplexed with the account they have of the ill posture of things In these provinces Cambray Valenchiens & all the other garisons In haynault Being blocked up where the people Begin to be very disorderly Through the scarscity of provisions & wee conclude one or both of those places will be lost If a Royall armie Be Not Ready to succour them Upon the ffirst opening of the Campaigne the Enimie In the meane time Bring dayly more forces Into those provinces & wee have Reason to Believe that they will Attempt Something upon us dureing the winter +The ffrench have Upon paine of death & Confiscation of there waggons & horses prohibited the boores of the Neibouring parts to Carry any provisions to Cambray or Valenchiennes, The Millions Remitted hither from Spayne is to be paid by the Merchants of Antwerp at 4 payments But his Exelency Meanes to goe himselfe to Antwerp to try all wayes to get the Moneys Advanced: o[u]r Allies In the Meane time Vizt the danes duke of Lunenburg & of Newburg &c Clamour Extreamly for want of the Arrears of the Subsidies due to them ffrom Spayne the hollanders Especially are dissatisfied with us and it is Believed They will at last Compell us to a peace which some of the Ministers heare Thinke would be Best for us; for without a speedy peace These Countryes will be lost as Things are Mannaged Wee have Indeed some hopes That when don Juan hath taken the Minestry In his hands Affaires will goe Better & its high time they should The danes will have greate dificulty to bring Into the field against spring An Armie Capable to deale with that of the Sweds however they are going to Raise 12 Regements of foot & hath sent to his Allies for succors But they are Not forward to send him any The greatest parts of the walls & fortifications of Limberg are Blowne up & 3 Battalions of foot with the Cannon Ammunition & provisions are gone to Maistricht & its Believed by this time the place is totally demolished & the Rest of the garison Retireing wee heare ffrom germany That the ffrench are demolishing MonVilliard They write also of doing the like at dieux ponts But this is Uncertaine Brussells 15/5 January 1676/7 +The ffrench King hath published a seveare placeat Requireing all persons who have any Estate within his Conquest to Repaire to it Upon paine of Confiscation which putts the gentry to greate Extremity for that they Must Either quitt the service or starve here for want of subsistance There Employments Not being able to Maintaine them his Exelency holds his Resolution of going the Next weeke to Antwerp for hitherto the Merchants are Very slow In paying the Moneys Remitted ffrom Spayne his Exelency was yesterday Advertized ffrom severall parts the ffrench Troops were marching from divers places to the Randevous at Aras: That Marquiss Lonvoy was come privately to perronne for Carrying on some great designe which wee Apprehend was Intended upon St omers The ffrench haveing lately seized Upon the places & Castles Round But the sudden Thaw wee had last Night put us at Ease o[u]r Letters ffrom Strasburg tell us that the ffrench were drawne togather In a body In Alsase & Marched with severall Carriages Towards hagenaw which place they are demolishing & wee doe the like to Saverne Its written that there Intentions are to Burne wessenburg & severall other places Towards phillipsburg & some Even thinke They have a designe Upon the fort at phillipsburg [Written on outside of letter in another hand:] From January 13 1686/7 [1676/7?] to March 25 1680 They are all in order. J.SS. L. c. 424 January 18 1676 +Yesterday Arrived two ffrench posts and the following is an Extract of a letter ffrom paris Paris 20 January 1677 +On Satureday last about 3 a Clock In the afternoon the River did on a suddaine Grow to a greate height Through the abundance of water which Came ffrom above with soe Much Violence togather with greate flakes of Ice that It was Imposible to prevent the disorder and Mischiefe that hapned by that meanes for almost all the boates that were In the River were Carried away by the Violence of the streame & Broke Into peeces against the Bridges all our Mills (None Excepted) were quite destroyed & that which was Most sad a greate many Boates full of poore women who were washing Cloaths In the River the said Boates Being Carried away among the Rest Most of them were drowned In the sight of a greate Multitude of people who Could Not give them any assistance greatest part of the Red Bridg is Broken down aswell as 2 other Bridges Between This and St Germaines It has Been the Newes heare for these 2 or 3 dayes that the queen of Spayne is In a Monastrie & that her favorite the Marquiss de Villa sierra is fled and don Juan Come to Court Our preparations Continue for an Early Campagne and you may expect to heare of Greate Enterprizes assoon as the weather will permitt The King is going to send ffresh troops to Scicily & among the Rest 1500 Swisses Though perhapps this will be the ffirst time that any Swissers In the service of this Crowne have Been sent Beyond sea wee want o[u]r dutch & fflanders letters L. c. 425 January 20 1676 +The greate Exspectation is at prsent to heare from Spaine what has hapned at that Court Upon the Arrivall of don Juan of Austria for it is Certaine that the queene as well as her greate favorite the Marquiss de Villa sierra was prepareing to Leave it This Change of Ministers will doubtless have a greate influence In the Alliances [?] in the war if it Continue for the greate Experience & Capasity of don Juan seemes to promise that the Affaires of the Crowne will be Better ordered then hitherto they have Been: But many are Rather of an oppinion that don Juan considering the ill posture the affaires of Spaine at present are In will turne his thoughts to obtaine a peace Yesterday wee had a dutch post all the Newes it Brought is that the Castle of helsingburg holds out still that the preparations for the Campaigne are Carried on with all dilligence That the prince of Orange seing In the Meane time the greate danger flanders is In had given orders for the Marching of 6 Regements of foot to Reinforce the garisons In flanders That the Brandenburg Minister at the hague had proposed the formeing a Campe of 8000 men Neere Ruremond to Curbe the Garison of Maistricht and for that End the Electors of Brandenburg & Collogne the duke of Newburg & the states shall Each of them furnish 2000 men That the States of holland were to Assemble on wenisday last But that they would Not sit above 2 or 3 dayes There Chiefe Buisniss Being about Raising of Moneys & the Matter of the Reprizalls against Spaine This Morning Comes In a french post they say that it was Certainly Resolved to demolish hagenaw Saverne Montbelliard & Limburg out of which places the King would at least draw 10000 men to Reinforce the Armies the Next Campagne & that it was Confidently Reported at Court That the duke of Luxenburg would againe Command the Armie In germany while the King goes In person Into flanders where he Intends as it said to open the Campaigne with 2 sieges at a time Vizt That of St omers & Cambray They write from Rochester dat 13 that Notwithstanding the stormes on the 11th at Night were soe violent there that they Blew downe severall trees yet his Majesties Navie Recd But little dammage Vizt the Revenge her Anchors did Come But stopt her againe that shee did Not Blow on shoare The Victorys Maine top & foretop Both Blown over the heads of the Masts Into the marshes: The Munmouths Mizen top Blown of the head of the Mizen Mast, This perticular account is given to prevent Reports On the 12th Arrived at Spithead from havre de grace 2 french frigotts of 28 and 30 guns that Brought In a ostend sloop of 6 guns There Buisness is to Convoy off 9 Bankers from thence Its advised from Muscovy that the Czar haveing heard the Report of the Comissioners that had treated with the Sweds sent to the Brandenburg Envoy to take his Audience of Conge & it was thought the daneish minister Could Not Stay long but that the Czar Intended a war with the poles some said his forces had Already made Attempt In Ukraine The ffrench privateer that was Condemned to the gallies for 20 yeares his sentence is Changed to 5 yeares which is More seveare then the other being there is Noe other meanes left then to Undergoe that Corporall punishment whereas those that are Condemned in 20 yeares are In a Capasity of Redemption mr Brisband hath Been soe sucsessfull In his Negotiation that he had cleared the ships that had Not Before his going abided triall & is Now upon a Review of those who had formerly by Neglegence otherwise Received Condemnation the Captaine of the privateer that Killed one of the English & was Condemned to dye is Executed L. c. 426 January 22 1676 +The following is an Extract of the letters wee Received yesterday from holland & fflanders Copenhagen 9 January 1677 [sic] +The Castle of helsingburg holds out still & the Enemie Continues obstinate In the seige of it wee heare that the Beseiged Begin to be In want of fresh water & some other Necesaries wherefore our King is prepareing to Attempt the Releife of it & for that End has ordered a greate Many Boates to be provided on which the Souldiers are to be Embarked That are to be Employed In the Enterprize which will be taken In hand In a day or two Count Magnas de la gordee is wee heare fallen with a Considerable Body of Sweds Into Norway where they Committ great spoyles all posible preparations are makeing heare to Recruite our armie against spring Strasburg 15 January +The ffrench are actually at worke to demolish hagenaw & its feared they are Not Content to myne the fortifications aswell Antient as moderne But they are Resolved to demolish the Castle the Arsenall & other the principle houses In the towne which may serve for Magazines Its said they will doe the like to duex ponts & Saverne the fortifications of which latter place Cost many Millions Its farther said that the ffrench Intend to Burne Weissenburg Lauder & other places Between hagenaw & Spire & that severall Imperiall troops are on there March to hinder them To which Ends They will pass the Rhine at phillipsburg Cologne 15 Jan ffresh orders are Come from the Emperour to Require the Osnaburg troops forthwith to quitt this diocess But whether they will obey them time Must Shew This is Certaine that the Matter about Winter quarters has Not only occasioned Much trouble to the Emperour But greate diferences amonge the Allies themselves & the Cryes of the people all the Empire over Its Not doubted But the duke of Newburg will at last Effect his designe of Makeing his second sonne Coadjuter of Cologne & Marrying his Eldest to the Emperours sister the said duke is at present Imployed by the Emperour to Endeavour to Bring the Elector of Bavaria (whose Kinsman he is) over to his Interest Brussells 23d January On Satureday Next the prince of Orange parts hence for Soesdike [?] & dieren where he will Continue as long as the publicke affaires will permitt: In the Meane time his higniss & the Counsell of State have demanded another million for the Extraordinary Charges of the Campagne 6 or 8 Regements will be ordered to march towards flanders where the posture of things are such as that the ffrench may well promise themselves greate Advantages there The States have Received a letter from the King of Spaine In which he acquaints them with his haveing put the Administration of affaires Into the hands of don Juan of Austria whome he had accordingly sent for to Court Brussells 23 January wee are heare Extreamly pleased with the Newes wee Receive ffrom Spaine. our govenour has a letter from the Kings own hand In which he tells him that he had sent for don Juan & had Caused the Marquiss de Villa Sierra to Leave the Court which it seemes was But Necesary to prevent the disorders which would otherwise have hapned for Most of the principle Nobility & the grandees had Combined togather Either by persuasion force to Bring don Juan to Court who is accordingly on his way thither with 5000 Armed men Commanded by the Count de Monteri +This Change however has this ill Effect on our Affaires that the Bankers will Not pay the Bills lately Come ffrom Spaine Till they see things setled & this want of money does us greate prejudice heare & is the Reason that our Recruites are not yet Begun soe that I know what wee shall doe the Next Campaigne our governour has made hard shift to Raise 140000 Crownes to stop the Clamours of the Admiralty of Amsterdam In part of payment The ffrench had Certainly a designe upon St Gislain But the thaw disappointed it Copenhagen 12 January yesterday the Castle of helsingburg surrendred to the Sweds There were 700 men In it But what Conditions they made wee Cannot Learne Its said they are prisoners of warr had they held out But one day longer the King would have Attempted there Reliefe They wanted ffresh water [Figures in another hand cover about a third of the outside of letter.] L. c. 427 January 25 1676 +All the Newes I Can at prsent write you will find In the following which wee Received yesterday Paris 24 Jan I Can assure you that the King will be Very Early In the feild & its said wee have Already 50000 men In flanders Some are of oppinion that the King will Attacke Valen[ciennes?] If he have Not Changed his Resolution Upon the Advice wee had that a Considerable supply is got Into that place In which Case Cambray Mons or St omers will be beseiged The troops of the Kings household were Never stronger Nor Better Cloathed then at prsent The King had Added to them a troop of grenadiers who are to be on horsebacke They are 200 In all desperate men Extreamly well Cloathed & armed: 16 Companies of Munmoths Regement were Reformed the other day soe that there Remaines only 16 Companies they haveing Been 32 at first Brussells 26 Jan Upon the Motion of the french troops from all parts Towards haynault his Exelencie has sent to mons Mounsr de monde with his Regement Both officers & souldiers Carrying fire armes Leaveing ther pikes heare & devided into 3 severall parties got safe to mons +6000 ffrench are Come from picardy to orchis [?] to Relieve the troops that have there station about Valenchiennes 4 or 5000 more are Come to Binch the garisons of Banoy [?] & Mauberg are likewise strongly Reinforced & Besides greatest part of Mounsr Crequis & Mounsr Schombergs Armies is Come to our frontiers The last Night wee had also Newes that 6000 ffrench are Come to Enghien to fix a quarter there & by that meanes to Cut off all Communication Between this place & mons In Summe the Enemies Environ us on all sides while wee are Not In a Condition to oppose them Except our allies helpe wee Expect 10000 men from holland at prsent; Limburg is Now quite demolished the ffrench seem Resolved Entirely to Ruin what they Cannot Keepe & turne Citties Into Villages Witness what they are doing to hagenaw & what they Intend to do to Saverne &c which they doe Because they intend to have Noe Armie In Alsace the Next Campaigne The Matter about winter quarters Continues to Create greate disturbances In the Empire The Osnaburgs will Not quitt the diocess of Cologne though they have Received 3 positive orders from the Emperour to that purpose They are hardly In all 1500 men & yet they Charge the Inhabitants as if they were 5000 But the brandenburgs that had taken there quarters In the Bishop of Bambergs territories have by force Been driven out of them In the scuffle many were Killed & amonge others the Baron de Joers [?] Counsellor & Chamberlain to the Elector of Brandenburg Copenhagen 2 Jan after 17 dayes seige the Castle of helsingburg surrendred on Satureday last The tearmes wee Know Not though the King sent thither the Next day a Major & a drummer to Enquire who Brought only this Answer backe that hee who made the Capitulation was with the King It is Most Certaine they were much straitened In the Castle & wanted ffresh water & Ammunition yet had they held out but on day longer the King would have Attempted there Reliefe the Night following +The souldiers were already Embarked & the King at Elsenore to see it Effected wee have heare a pretty hard frost which if it Continue the Sound will be frozen In few dayes & In the Apprehension of it a greate many people are Remooveing from Elsenore +here is a Report that Guildenlieu is defeated In Norway wee hope it is Not true if it should our Condition would be very ill L. c. 428 January 27 1676 +It now appeares that the loss that the King of Denmarke sustayned in the late Battle In Schonen was Indeed very great by the greate leavies that King is Endeavoring to make & the Assistance he presses for from his Allies to whome he does not sticke to owne that most of his [word of about six letters smeared] destroyed In that fight. Upon which comes the loss of helsingburg A post of greate importance to the one or the other party though In it selfe not very stronge & if guildenlieu has recd any defeat in Norway as the Sweds still Report the affaires of the danes will be In a very ill condition The Emperors forces are very quiett In there winter quarters where they however devour the poore inhabitants & occasion greate complaints on that account They tell us Indeed that the Emperour will have the next Campagne 50000 men in the feild devided into 2 Armies the one Commanded by generall Montecuculi & the other by the duke of Lorraine but these are but words while the french are begining the Campaigne in flanders & to that purpose have already brought above 20000 men Into these Coutries The marshall de humieres was come with 7 or 8000 men to hall which is within 2 leagues of Brussells another body was come to Nizelle & a third to Brisach where they had found greate quantities of forrage & provisions for these places haveing hitherto enjoyed a Neutrality the Countries people had brought there stores thither thinkeing they were there In safety In the meane time the french give out that they Intend to Beseige mons however it is This is certain that the french will Enter upon some action sooner then the Spanyards will be able to oppose them as to the worke of the peane it Advances very slowly & there is little Appearance that anything Materiall will be Concluded at Nimeghen till the parties see what the sucsess of this campaigne will be & its probable that In this the ffrench & the confederates are both of a mind wee heare Nothing farther from Spaine soe that the queen continues to make a party to oppose don Juan of aus[t]ria They write from minhead [?] that severall vessells have Been lost by storme on that Coast & 2 forced up the Channell by Extremity of weather one of them the Elizabeth of Midlebrough a privateer haveing been a prize taken from the ffrench in august last On the 19th severall dutch seamen arrived at portsmouth who had lost a ship of 18 guns Neer padstow they Came from guinea & stopt at Curassau where they tooke on board 100000 peeces of 8 from that governour which were all sawed [?] to 5000 Sr Richard Rooth Commander of the Adventure & the Swallow were on the 22nd safe in the downes where were 50 sayle of Merchantmen outward Bound whereoff 3 for East Indies +Mounsr Meyriron has presented a Memoriall to the states pressing them to thinke of an Equipage for the Baltique proposeing it Necessary to make up 40 men of war They answer they cannot determine tll the Returne of the Embassador de Lyra L. c. 429 Jan: 29 1676 +The last weeke arrived a vessell from the Isle of providence which in her voyage outward bound touched at virginia the master sayes that Bacon had not with him above: 5: or 600 men Amonge which was not any person of noate that all the principall Inhabitants were to gether with the governour Retired on board, some ships In the Roade In Exspectation of the succours that are gone from hence, but that in the mean time Bacon and his accomplices did Extreamly ruein the Countrey behaveing themselves more like Robbers then anything Else. Wee are told that a yacht is appoynted to stand over for holland to bring over mr hide who is att Nimeghen with the carector of Embassador In which its said his Majesties Intention only was that mr hide at his return might be able to give him an ample accounte of the present posture of affaires there and the dsiposition the severall parties shew to A peace. By a vessell Come in by Spaine we have advice that it was the apprehension there that don Juans Comeing to Madrid would occation some troubles for that the queen & her party is Resolved to oppose him Even with force Yesterday his Majesty was at hide parke to see the band of pensioners Muster for the first time who are Now mounted together with there servants & make 2 troops of 50 Each That of the gentlemen Being as they are New Cloathed in whiteish Camblet coates with gold lace In the seames & white feathers In there hatts very fine & Noble & are to attend the King when he goes abroad Upon any solleme occasion as well as doe there duty above stayres Wee have Now a dutch post the letters speak of a plott that had Been discovered of Betraying Jueliers to the ffrench And that from denmarke they had account That the garison That was in helsingburg was made prisoners of war That the Sweds seeme to Intend to Attacke landscroon & that the sound was frozen over yet Not soe as any troops could pass it Another Express was arrived ffrom Brussells at the hague to give the prince of orange an account of the greate danger these countreys are In the ffrench appeareing In greate Bodies In many places & have Certainly some design In hand L. c. 430 [Handwriting changes here.] Feb ye 3rd 1676 On ye 30th past 4 Dutch men of Warr of ye seiur Almonds squadron wch came from sicily (& lately sailed from ye Isle of Wight) returnd back to ye said Isle, haveing bene 10 days upon their owne coast & were all like to have bene lost by ye great mountaines of Ice, haveing lost most of their Anchors & Cables, & one of their number they feare is lost. Ye letters wee Receive from Spaine by ye way of france say that Don Juan was Come to Madrid, & yt he had causd ye Queen to Retire from thence in Order to her goeing into a Monestery, & tis added that shee had chosen to retire to Granada Most people seeme to be of opinion that Don Juan is swayed to much by his owne Ambition & that he will have more regard to gratify that, than to provide for ye publique good, & if soe Spaine will be in an ill Condition The Lords of the Councell Continue to meet frequently for ye forming & agreeing to a project of a Treaty of Commerce betweene us & Portugall, wch ye Merchants think very necessary for ye good of their trade in those parts Noe forreigne Letters [Some figures in another hand appear on the outside of letter.] L. c. 431 [Handwriting changes here.] february 3 1676 +Wee have This morning the flanders Mayle The following will tell you all that is newes ffrom these parts aswell as from germany Brussells 5 february Marquess Constons is returned ffrom the prince of Orange with a satisfactory answer, his highness Assureing him of his Readiness to Assist those provinces and that whatsoever ill offices had been done to Create jealosies of his highness Intentions yet his Exelencie might be Confident They were alwayes Reall and that he was Ready to get on horsebacke & to march with his whole Army whensoever his Exelencie should desire it and that he would Immediately give orders for 8 Regements of foot to be Embarked which should be at Antwerpe as to morrow to be disposed off as his Exelencie should thinke fitt soe as we are in hourely expectation of there Arrivall before the Cannall be frozen which wee feare may be in few dayes This supply comes very seasonable and will Enable his Exelencie to Reinforce his garrisons that they may be out of danger & that he may draw all the Spaniards to serve In the feild Wee are Much troubled to see St omers blocked up aswell as soe many other of our principle Townes our feares seeme Most for Mons and St. Omers if the ffirst be taken all haynault will be lost and therefore his Exelencie had sent from hence 2 nights past the Regement of Obtes [?] Consisting In 8 Companies of dragoones with orders to Enter Mons or to perish & they were soe well Conducted Through the words that they got In with the loss of only 15 men haveing taken 2 french parties of 25 men. last Night his Exelencie sent severall officers hence for Valenchiennes to Command the Regement that is Newly Raised by the Burghers his Exelencie is Resolved Instead of makeing Leavies & Recruites for the Cavalry, to have 3000 horses Bought for the Remounting and makeing up the troops and hath agreed with a person to furnish them at 40 crowns p horse his Exelencie has Received a perticular Advertisement from the Emperour That his owne armie that will be Considerable this Campaigne shall march directly to the Moselle to enter Lorraine and france that way while the Army of the Circles shall be upon the defensive In alsace and that the Confederate troops of Lunenburg Osnaburg &c shall Come hither to Joyne his Exelencie while the prince of Orange will act seperate towards the Meuse which is said to be the designed disposition of our Armies this Campaigne Our letters ffrom hagenaw say that the outworks of hagenaw are demolished and that they are Now about the Inward fortifications That that they are demolishing Saverne But keepe the Citadell there Makeing it stronger and larger then it was Before One Muggleton had according to sentence past on him for most horrid Blasphemy stood 3 times on the pillory at the old Exchang Temple bar and smithfield and is Returned to the goale till he pay 500 L and give in security of good men for his Behaivour but though the Lawes Could proceed Noe farther against him the people deeming the punishment unequall to his Crime Could Not be kept from throwing durt & stones with much More violence then hath Been seen on other occasions On the 26th the 2 fleets of English & dutch with the 3 dutch men of war were still at plimouth and the day Before his Majesties 2 gallies went Into that sound haveing for a day & night Rid it well In a very hard gale of wind The Canary shipps Arrived there and at falmouth Met very ill weather by the way & whilst they had such very foule & various weather that many times the shipps in the Roade were forced to ship & put to sea On the 29th of the last a fire Broke out in the temple but was happily quenched In 2 hours without doing any Considderable dammage his Majesty has graunted to ffredericke Blewston Esqr the sole use & Benefitt for 14 yeares of his New Invention for Melting downe forgeing Extracting and Reduceing of Iron and all Mettells & Mineralls with pit coale seacoale Tarse and as well and Effectually as Ever yet hath Been done by Charcoale his Majesty has put of his Journey for windsor till Munday Next On the 31 of the last one Thompson was Committed to Newgate for printing unlicensed Books &c [Figures in another hand cover about a third of the outside of letter.] L. c. 432 Feb 8 1676 +The greate Newes we have at present Comes ffrom Spaine ffrom whence we have letters of the 17/27 past which gives us This account That the Newes of don Juans approach to madrid with a Body of 2000 horse and 6000 foot haveing Increased the Apprehensions people had of there designe Those about the King were obliged seriously to Consult what was fit to be done whereupon his Majesty Called to him the Constable of Castile the Cardinall de Arragon &c to Consult with him They unanimously Concluded that the King ought to be removed ffrom the queen his Mother and that to Induce don Juan and the rest of the Nobility to disarme and Not to bring there forces to madrid it was proposed that he should be Made Colonell of the Regement of guards These Resolutions haveing Been made publicke the grandees and Nobility at Madrid were Incouraged to present a memoriall to his Majesty wherein they honrbly thanke his Majesty for haveing sent for don Juan praying his majesty would please to give order for Arresting the person of the Marquess de Villa sierra who was guilty of great Enormities and Excesses and that he would please on pretense of hunting to goe out of towne to meet don Juan Adding that the Consequences might be very dangerous if he Consented Not to there Request upon which Consultation was had amonge the above mentioned Lords of which the duke de Medina Celi was one They Resolved to remoove the King ffrom the pallace to the Retiro [?] which was done the Night following without the privity of the queen to deceive whome the King went to bed at his usuall houre of 9 and Rose againe at 11 and passing out of the pallace by a Backe way was Conducted to the Retiro privately which the queen noe sooner knew but shee was Infinitely Afflicted and would have put her selfe Into a Monastry But that the King sent to Vissitt her & desire her to stay In the pallace The Next step that was to be done to gratifie don Juan was the Arresting the Marquisse de Villa sierra to which End the duke de medina went out of madrid with 400 gentlemen and surrounded the Escuriall The prior of the Convent Refused them Admittance till they had 2 dayes In a manner Beseiged it and kept the provisions ffrom the Monkes who Being forced to open there doores 2 dayes were spent In search for the Marquess who at last by the treachery of a servant was found the 21 in a Monkes Cell and seized though he offered 2000 pistoles to the persons that discovered him to hold his peace his goods were likewise seized and Carried In 16 waggons to madrid Being Valued In money plaite Jewells &c at 1400000 L sterling he was by the Kings order Conducted to a Castle 18 leagues ffrom madrid and will be severely prosecuted by the Nobility he is said to have Borne his Misfortunes with greate Equality of mind The next thing demanded by don Juan was that the Kings Regement of guards should be sent away which accordingly marched on the 22nd In the Morning towards Catalonia of all which don Juan haveing Advice left his forces the 22d In the Evening under the Comand of the Count Montery who has been very active In this Confederation of Nobility with orders Not to Come Nearer Madrid then 8 leagues and haveing travelled all Night with a small attendance he Reached Madrid by 6 In the morning the 23d Entring the Retiro a Backe way and went directly to the Kings Bed side was with him about a houre and then Betakeing himselfe to his apartment. That day was spent In Receiving vissitts and Complements and the Next he began to dispatch severall affaires of state as Chiefe Minester L. c. 433 Feb 10th 1676 +The last letters ffrom Nimeghen told us that Noe sooner one dificulty In the preliminary points is Remooved by the paines and Industry of his Majesties Embassadors mediators but another is started by some of the allies who very plainly Manifest the little Inclination they have to a peace The greate diference is at prsent Between the danes and the ffrench about there language for the ffrench King according to his Constant stile Gives the power to his Embassadors in ffrench the Emperor Sweden and all the poweres of the Empire theires In lattin as this likewise has Been the practice of denmarke But at the prsent the danes Embassadors say that if the ffrench have there power In ffrench his Master will give him his In daneish and therefore demands that the ffrench Embassadors power be in Lattin and Then his shall be soe to The ffrench Appeale to the practice of all former times and makes use as an Argument that the Emperor Makes Noe dificulty to give his Embassadors In lattin while theires the ffrench are In ffrench But hitherto the danes will Not be Moved But ffirmely Insist upon it as a thing Necesary to marke the parity Between his King and the King of ffrance But the dutch are like to Leave the danes In this Matter and say they will Not loose time in such trifles But will proceed to the treaty Wee are Informed that the Emperor had written to the States that he and his allies will have this Next Campaigne 80000 men in the Empire which he doubted Not But would Give the ffrench worke enough to which the States answered that they on there part would have an armie of Between 37 and 38000 The last Advices wee had ffrom flanders Give us a Better account of the posture of things then our former and Even ffrom ffrance they write that the King will Not Begin the Campaigne soe soon as was said The Elector of Bavaria hath Given In his Answer In writeing to the Emperour that he will Not give any Contribution of Men or Money to the Empire But recommends the sending to the treaty for peace at Munster and that he hath 20000 men Ready against the Adverse party The Majestrates In these parts finding an effect Answerable to there Continued Care In suppressing the Meeting of papists and Nonconformists Resolve still to persevere On the 5th his Majesty went to windsor and Returned on the 6th On the 6th at night some by a ladder Entred Into the Closet of the Lord high chanceler of England at his house In queenstreet and stole away the Mace and 2 Empty purses which I the rather mention for that there was a Jolley Report about towne as if the greate seale had Been Carried away with them They speake of Advice ffrom denmarke that the King had Given order for the raising 16 Regements of foot to Consist of 800 with allowance of 8000 Crownes for Every Regement They write ffrom ffrance that amonge other Newes ffrom Spaine they heare of an Intended Equipage of 45 ships they doe Not Now speake of the Kings march till the Begining of the Next moneth mr Brisband is Intent upon the Review of the ships formerly Condemned and our treaty of Commerce Neere a Conclusion L. c. 434 (1) [Handwriting changes here.] A particular Relacon of ye Action at Tobago as it comes from ffrance Feb 11 76/7 +The 11 of ffebruary 1676/7 The Count d'Estrees vice Admirall of ffrance pted from Martenico wth 10 men of war 2 barks & one fire ship wth designe to goe & attake ye Dutch men of warre under ye command of ye Sieur Binches yt were at Tobago. Wee arrived there ye 29 of ffeb. & coming to an anchor ye Sieur Rowley [?] wth some men were sent ashore to take some prisoners, who returned ye next day wth a Negro who informed us yt there were 14 Dutch ships in ye Road Vidt 9 great men of war, 2 smaller ffriggots, 2 ffluyts, one fire ship & a Portuguesse Ship. Our vice Admirall designed first to have made a descent, & to have attacked ye enemy by Land & water but one of our men of war touching upon a Rock from wch shee was prsently got off, ye design was changed for wee thought it unsafer to enter into ye Road for feare there were more hidden Rocks. Our Admirall then contented himself to land 700 men under ye command of ye Sieur Grand ffontaine who meeting wth noe opposition advanced about a league & posted himself upon a hill from whence hee could discover ye Enemies ships in ye Road, & what they did in ye ffort on shore & resolved yt ye night following they should attack ye fort, & at ye same time they should give ye Enemy a diversion, with there Chaullopes wch was accordingly pformed but ye Sieur Grand ffontaine being come very neare ye ffort found a great Ditch or Rivulet wch hee could not passe. The next day ye C d'Estrees went againe on shore wth ye rest of ye land men yt were in ye ships & tooke 2 peices of Canon & a Mortar peice to batter ye fort in wch was 300 men, but finding they could doe noe good neither way they embarked againe wth there men; A Counsell of war was then held & ye Sieur Gabbaret who had been sent out to sound ye entrance into ye Road reporteing ye ships might very well enter, it was resolved to make an Attacke by water & land & ye troops were put on shore again under ye command of ye Sieur Herobard who was ordered to make 2 false & one reall attacke upon ye ffort. & yt 2 houres after ye Action at sea was begun our ships could not enter into ye Road but one after another, & ye Sieur Gabbaret was ordered to bee ye first accordingly on ye 3 of March early in ye morning wee went in & found ye Dutch ships at Anchor in a lyne prparing to have come out upon us, The ship ye Marquis was ye first yt boarded one of ye Enemies of ye same force wch latter taking fire by wt means wee know not they were both burnt: The C d' Estrees who was in ye Glorieux boarded ye Dutch Rere Admirall of 66 Guns whome hee set on fire; The Dutch Capt though wounded saved himselfe in his Chaulope & ye Lieut came on board ye Glorieux & told us yt in ye sd ship was there greatest riches as being ye biggest & 18000 weight of Powder; wee did there upon all wee could to get ye Glorieux at a good distance, but while wee were yet pretty neare ye Dutch ship blew up & covered the Glorieux wth sparks & brands wch tooke fire & prsently was in a flame wth out any possibility of quenching it. The C d' Estrees got off in a small boat wth his Capt Leiut & another Gentl (his Exec [?] being wounded in ye head wth a splinter) wch ye enemy pceiveing fired very vehemently at ye sd boat, & one shot hit it & sunk it, but soe neare ye land yt ye Count & ye rest got all to shore but there found themselves in a new danger of being made prisoners by sevrall Dutch soldiers, who though armed were soe affrighted yt they demanded qter of us & became our prisoners. The C d' Estrees continued in this condicon an houre & a halfe on shore, when hee was fetcht of by a Chaullope of one of our ships, haveing before had ye satisfaction to behold ye Enemies fleet quite destroyed for 11 of them were burnt & 3 driven on shore, & there remained only the ffort wch fired upon our ships of wch were lost 4. 2 as you have heard being accidentally burnt & 2 others sunk. The C d'Estrees being come on board retired wth his remaining ships to ye Mouth of ye Harbour to repaire ye damages they had susteyned wch in some was very great ye Combate having lasted from 7 in ye morning till 5 at night during wch time ye Enemy did greatly annoy us wth 30 peices of Canon they had planted on ye shore, & our victory would have been compleat had ye attempt on land succeeded wch is attributed to ye Conduct of ye Sieur Herovard for wch hee & ye rest of ye officers paid, all of them having been killed or wounded & ye next day ye soldiers came all on board againe, ye C d'Estrees not thinking fit to renew his attacke by land because ye Enemy was reinforced wth a great many seamen and soldiers yt came on shore from ye ships yt were lost +On our side ye Sieur Gabbaret wth 3 Capts of his were killed & 4 more wounded, 4 Leiutenants killed & as many wounded Wee cannot as yet tell ye certaine number of Seamen & Soldiers yt were lost but they cannot bee a few considering ye losse of 4 ships besides those killed in ye other ships as well as those on ye stand, who were sevrall times repulsed in ye Attacke they made upon ye ffort, wch they attacked in ye strongest place, & contrary to order made but one attack. The Enemy must needs have lost a great many men all the Capts of there ships save one are killed & wounded [Text of letter continues after the lists of ships in L. c. 434 (2):] L. c. 434 (2) [No separate date] A List of ye ffrench Ships commanded by yer Count d'Estree. Brass Guns Men Count de Estree In ye Glorious 72. 445 burnt. The Defendant 62. 380 his maine mast shot over board The Pearle 58. 350 taken by ye Dutch The Enterpride 50. 320 taken. The Gallant 50 320 The Mattons 48. 300 burnt The Margola. 46. 260. 38. 240. 38. 240 36. 240. Smaller ships. ---- 1 ffire ship 25 men burnt 2 small ffriggotts 50 men each 1 of them burnt. 1 Katch. 1 Galliott. on board ye men of war were 450 soldiers besides 400 Planters & 250 Gentl Voluntiers. List of ye Dutch ships commanded by Binches. Guns Men The Seiur Binches. The Defender. 50. 153 run ashore The Zealand 44. 118. run ashore The Groningen 56. 128 burnt 36 83 [Bracket 34. 73 burnt includes 24. 72 these 28. 74 four ships.] A ffrench Prize 24. 75 run ashore Ammunition ships & victuallers Guns Men Duke of Yorke 26. 34 [Bracket Golden Monck 31. 25 burnt includes Providence 12. 20 all three.] 2 ffire ships burnt. +The Count de Estrees means to stay there till ye 11 of March & then would saile to Granada. Whitehall. 10. May +By this relation of ye ffrench you see they have paid deare, for theire prtended victory over ye Dutch besides were worsted on shore, their busines was to take ye stand but failed in it & were not in a condition to make any further attempt in those pts wch has eased us of ye feares wee were in for ye Spanish West Indies, Wee may well compute ye ffrench have had 2000 men killed and wounded. +Besides ye Dutch had on shore in ye ffort & at a Battery they had raised 450 men. +1490 of ye ffrench were killed, & taken prisoners on shore besides those killed in ye ships having been repulsed in 3 sevrall Attacks they had made on ye fort. +The 11 of March ye Count d'Estree sailed wth his remaining ships from Tobago. Whitehall. 17. May. +The above is a pticular Acct: of wt ye strength of ye ffrench & Dutch at Tobago as well as theire loss was; It comes from a Dutch merchant on ye Island by ye wy of the Barbados. +By the Publick news of this day you will see wt is come from abroad since my last. The ffrench King intended to bee on Teusday last at Paris, having appoynted 4 Armies to bee commanded by soe many Mareschalls, one on ye Moselle by Crequi, another between ye Sambre & ye Meuse by Schomberg, & ye other 2 in fflanders by Luxemburg & Humiers. +Great is ye expectation of wt ye Duke of Lorraine will doe wth soe powerfull an Army. The Prince of Orange will not bee idle on his side & has sent for great Cannon for a seige from Holland. +The great Navall prpacons of ye Turks does put all Italy into a ffeare. +A Patent is passing for making his Grace ye Ld Duke of Ormond Ld Leiut of Ireland, & tis said yt Sr Cyrill Wych will continue ye office of cheife Secretary. +Tis advised from Tangier yt ye Moores had desired a cessation of Armes & yt ye Governour impowered by the King Muly Ishmael had sent in 2 considerable Moores & a Jew to treat whose pposalls being refused they returne, & afterward ye Governour sent a Jew wth easier Proposals & assurances yt Sr Palmer ffarbonne would send a Gent to treat at Alcazar, there was noe doubt but they would come to an Agreemt, upon wch Capt Lesly was sent out who had writt to Tangier ye civill reception hee had found, & ye faire prospect of a good issue. +May 16 his Maties Regimts of Guards wth ye Earle of Oxfords Regimt, were exercised in Hyde Parke where ye Duke de Bovisson the Count de Soissons &c which went not away wth the Arch Bishop of Rheims & Mons Barillon were to see them & this day they goe to the Cleusand [?] Yatch wch attends to carry for ffrance. +On ye 14. ye Meremaid sailed from ye spit head toward ye Downes, on ye 16. it was expected ye Nonsuch, & Sweepstakes would saile after, & yt ye Plimouth would goe to ye Spithead. [Figures in another hand cover about a third of the outside of letter.] L. c. 435 [Handwriting changes here.] feb 12 1676 +his Majesty was yesterday pleased in Counsell is [sic] order the immediate passing of a Grant under the greate seale to the Bankers for the punctuall and Constant payment of the Interest of the Money oweing to them and to that purpose a fond will be Established upon the Excise which order of Counsell for the better satisfaction of those Interessed will be printed yesterday by his Majesties order In Counsell one dr Cary was sent to the tower for haveing published a scandalous Libell Concerning the perogation [sic] of the parliament Sr John howell Recorder of London haveing Resigned that place his Majesty has Recommended to the Citty mr dolben Brother to the Bishop of Rochester who was yesterday morning sworne Into that place and In the afternoon Knighted by his Majesty wee want our fforraigne letters [Rest of sheet is cut off, but letter almost certainly ends here.] L. c. 436 feb 15d 1676 +On the 12th wee received the dutch letters of friday last by which wee have advice that at Nimeghen the preliminary points were all adjusted and Especially that maine one Concerning a forme of powers to be made use of by all the parties to Avoide those Exceptions which the Imperiall ffrench & dutch Embassadors &c had Mutually taken at severall clauses of the powers which there Adverse party had brought with them to Nimeghen +The only dificulty that Remained was Between the ffrench and the danes Concerning the language they were to make use off In there publicke Instruments the daneish Embassador declareing as you have heard that if the ffrench make use of there language the King his Master would likewise use the danissh But it is thought the dane will Not be able to Insist upon this point seing his allies doe Not stand by him In it and Even the Imperiall and dutch Embassadors have declared that he is In the wronge and that if he doe Not accomodate this Matter In a few dayes they will proceed to the treaty without staying for him and In Effect wee Exspect to heare by a post or two that the severall parties have put Into the hands of the Mediators the tearmes or Conditions on which they are willing to make a peace which however according to the generall opinion will hardly be Concluded till towards Next winter at soonest for the allies are altogather Bent to see the sucsess of this Campaigne Before they lay downe there Armes which they promise themselves will be more sucsesfull then hitherto have Been ffrom the greate Change at Madrid and ffrom the Resolution the Emperour is said to have taken that his Armies which will be more powerfull this summer then hitherto have Been shall act according as the states and the prince of Orange doe desire that is Not to spend time in Beseigeing Brisac or any other place But to Endeavour by all meanes to Enter Into the Bowells of ffrance aswell to Revenge the desolations which the ffrench have Made by fire and sword In soe Cruell a manner as to oblige them to make a peace upon Reasonable tearmes The Imperiall armie is said to have already all its Recruites Compleate and Besides will be Reinforced with severall thousand hungarians who have put themselves Into the service while the Rest are Retired to there severall homes upon the publication of the Emperors generall pardon with Restitution of goods and Estates and liberty to have In Every province a Church to serve god In The king of poland haveing sent the Marquess de Bethune sonne to the ffrench Embassador at his Court who is Brother to the queen to Complement the Emperor upon his Marriage the Emperor was soe much offended with the Choyce of the person that he would Not give him Audience and soe he Returned without seeing the Emperor The states have Resolved to fit out 15 men of war to joyne the daneish fleet In the Balticke this summer The severity of the ffrench in flanders is very greate But of that you have account In the Newes booke and of the posture of things there L. c. 437 [Handwriting changes here.] Feb ye 17th 1676 +The Commons were busyed Fryday & saterday about Ordring writts for Election of new members into vacancys Fryday the House of Lds Orderd the Duke of Bucks Earle of Salesbury Earle of Shaftsbury & Ld Wharton to be sent to ye Tower for proposeing & asserting in that House that this Parliamt is dissolved, The Duke of Bucks absconded upon it, till ye House past an Order to have him declared a traytour if he appeard not by 10 a clock ye next day, he according rendred himselfe [This sheet is likewise cut below this line, but letter almost surely ends here.] L. c. 438 [Handwriting changes here.] Feb. 17. 76/7 My Lords and Gente +I have called you togather againe after a long prorogation that you may have the opportunity to Repaire the Misfortunes of the last sessions and soe Revive and soe Restore the Right Ends and use of parliamts The time I have given you to Recollect yourselves & to Considder those diferences that have been soe unhapily mannaged & Emproved [?] Between you is Enough to Leave you without all Excuse if Ever you fall Into the like againe I am now Resolved to let the world see that it shall Not be my fault if they be Not Made happie by your Consultations In parliamt for I declare myselfe very plainly to you that I Come prepared to give you all the satisfaction and security In the greate Concernes of the protestant Religion as it is Established In the Church of England that shall Reasonably be Asked or can Consist with Christian prudence And I declare myself as ffreely that I am Ready to gratifie you in secureing your liberty and property if you Can thinke you want it; by as many good lawes as you Can propose as Can Consist with the safety of the goverment without which there will be Neither liberty nor property left to any man haveing thus plainly told you that I am Ready to doe for you I shall deale as plainly with you againe & ffirst I doe Exspect and Require ffrom you that all occasions of diferences Between the 2 Houses be Carefully avoyded or Else they who have Now hopes to prevent your good Resolutions will hope by this Reserve to hinder them from taking any Effect and let all men judge who is Most for arbitrary goverment those that foment such diferences as tend to dissolve all parliamts or I that would preserve this and all parliamts ffrom Being made useless by such dissentions +In the Next I desire you to Concidder the Building more ships and how much all our safeties are Concerned In it and since the additionall Revenue of Excize will shortly Expire you that know mee to be under a greate Burthen of debts and how hard a shift I am makeing to pay them off as fast as I Can I hope you will never denie mee the continuancie of the Revenue and some Reasonable supply to make my Condition more Easey And that you may be satisfied how Imposible it is whatever some men thinke to support the goverment with less then the present Revenue you may at any time see the yearly Established Charge by which it will appeare that the Constant and Unavoydable Charge Being paid there will Remaine Noe one place towards the dischargeing those Contingencies which may happen In all Kingdomes and which have been a Considderable Charge to mee this last yeare To Conclude I doe Recomend to you +The Kingdome In the Carefull prevention of all diferences +The safety of the Kingdome In provideing some greater strengh at sea +The prosperity of the Kingdome In assisting the Necesary Charge and the support of the goverment +and if any of these good Ends should happen to be disappointed I Call god & Men to witness that day that the Misfortune of that disappointment shall Not lye at my doore feb 17 1676 +The Master of the John & Thomas of London arrived at Liverpoole ffrom the Barbados Reports that he lost all his men on the Coast of Anglesea who forsooke his vessell and left him alone In her to the mercy of the seas But the Next day proving a Calme and assistance Comeing to him he saved Both ship and goods The Lord Abbot Mountague is lately dead wee are told that those that stole the mace lodging In a honest widdows house were dicovered by her whilst Breakeing it In order to Melting and 5 of them are upon that Notice seized and In Custody The Court is full of a letter sent ffrom Maryland which speakes Bacon dead by a debauchery of Brandy But whether the party fell or another is set up is Not said Its Advised ffrom Algiers that the people Endeavored to pacifie the English to prevent any farther Injuries In future haveing lately delivered severall persells of goods taken ffrom English ships without passes But a more Eminent Instance of there Inclination is that one of there ships haveing taken an English ship and Carried it Into Tunis prize, another of there men of war seized the ship and prize and they had Executed 6 turks for it as they would the Rest when they should fall Into the hands of the goverment, the poore English ship In the way was lost & In her 14 English 2 ffrench & 36 Turks perished his Majesty has Been pleased to grant to Charles Milson of London Merchant at the petition and Nomination of Edward Noethorp Merchant the Inventor the sole Benefit of a New Invented Engine for hulling of Blacke pepper Barley &c for 14 yeares. +The King sent a message by the usher of the Blacke Rod that his Majesty Commanded the house to attend him at the house of peeres where he made a speech The house of Commons Read a Bill for Regulating the Election of members to sit In parliament & ordered a 2d Reading Ordered that the Kings speech be taken Into Concidderation Tuesday Next and then the house Adjourned till morning [sic] 10 a clocke The lords haveing sate late & the Kings speech Being soe large wee have Not time to add anything more till the Next L. c. 439 feb 22d 1676 Monday 19 feb Commons A Bill for Regulating the Election of Members to sit In parliment was Read a 2d time and Committed to a Committy of the whole house on wenesday Next A petition of mr Edward and Mr Bernard howard and others about the duke of Norfolk a lunaticke Confined to padua In Italy Read & Committed A Committy Appointed to Inspect the Bills depending last sessions and to Concidder and Report which are ffirst to be proceeded in and dispatched The Record of the Conviction of Sr Thomas Strickland for popish Recusancy Read and mr Speaker ordered to give him Notice to shew Cawse by a day why a new writ should Not Issue forth for a New Member to serve In his Roome. Tuesday 20 feb Commons A Bill for the preservation of the liberty of the subject Read and ordered a 2d Reading The house then proceeded In the Concidderation of his Majesties speech and a Motion Being made for a supply for his Majesty it was Resolved that the house would to morrow morning goe Into a grand Committy to Concidder thereof. L. c. 440 feb 24 1676 Wenesday 21 feb 1676 Commons severall persons sworne In order to there Naturalization A Bill for drayning linsey levell ordered to be Read on Monday next A Bill to Enable trustees to sell lands for payment of the debts of Thomas Berkley Esqr Read and ordered A 2d Reading A Bill for laying a Charge on houses in Northampton for better maintenance of the Minester there Read and ordered a 2d Reading The house then Resolved Into a Committy of the whole house to Concidder of a supply for his Majesty & Resolved that a supply be given to his Majesty for Building ships Not Exceeding 600000 L Ordered that 2 Bills against popery be Read on Monday morning Next Ordered that the house Resolve into a Committy of the whole house on ffriday Next to proceed In the Concidderation of the said supply Thursday 22 feb 1676 Commons The Committy Appointed to Examine what Bills Brought In last sessions were fit to be proceeded upon Reported 11 Bills vizt for Augmentation of small vicarrages and to prevent unnecesary suites and delays &c A Bill for Recalling the forces out of the ffrench service Read a 2d time and Committed Ordered that noe member goe out of towne without leave. [Note in another hand in lower left margin of first recto: "...hand & seales the present 9 of March in the yeare of our soveraine Lord &c. 1676/7"] A Bill to prevent the illegall Exaction of Money Read a 2d time and Committed I cannot sent you the Journall of the Lords. But when anything Extraordinary passes there you shall likewise know it +The 21st day were Introduced Into the house of peers the duke of Newcastle Earle of darby Earle of denbigh Lord shandois Lord Cornwallis Bishop of Oxford and Bishop of Exeter +his grace the duke of Newcastle was on the 16th Admitted of the order of the garter +The deane of yorke Being dead dr Tobias wickham one of the prebends of yorke is made deane +on the 19th Sr ffrancis winninton was Chose Burgesse for windsor on the 14th about 160 ships sayled out of the downes for all parts L. c. 441 feb 26 1676 ffriday 23 feb 76 Commons A Bill to prevent symonicall Contracts Read a 2d time and Committed A Bill for augmentation of small vicarages Read and ordered a 2d Reading A Bill to Impower Commissioners to take Affidavits In the Countrey Read and ordered a 2d Reading A Bill for planting of hempe and flax all over England Read and ordered a 2d Reading A Bill ordered to be brought In to Regulate the abuses In Collecting the duty of hearth Money The house then Resolved Into a Committy of the whole house to Concidder of greivances and Resolved that the Extraordinary power and Jurisdiction of the high Court of Chancery and other Courts of Equity In Matters determinate at Common law is grevious to the subject A Committy Appointed to Bring in a Bill for the Redressing of the same The house to Resolve againe Into a Committy to Concidder of grevances and then Adjourned till monday 8 a Clocke On wenesday and thursday the Lords house ordered severall heads to be put Into Bills for the security of the protestant Religion as Established In the Church of England on the 23d dr Cary was Examined Before a Committy of the Lords our letters ffrom flanders gives us an account that a Body of 4000 ffrench horse and foot under the Command of the Count de Nourie [?] Came ffrom Enghien to the Cannall that was Between Brussells and Antwerp with designes to have Cut the sluces which are at a place Called the 3 holes But that the duke de Villa hermosa haveing had timely Notice of there March sent two or 3 Regements thither who Behaived themselves soe well that the ffrench after a dispute which lasted about 2 hours were forced to Retire Carrying off 2 waggons with there dead and wounded and Besides left Behind 2 waggons with spades pickaxes &c +The loss on the Spaniards side was very little But there Advantage greate haveing prevented a designe which would have Been of Infinite prejudice to Brussells The ffrench troops march on all sides but as yet wee Cannot learne there designe L. c. 442 March 1 1676 Commons Monday 26 feb 1676 The petition of mr Savile and mr paull Neale about there Being Elected Burgesses for Newarke ordered to be Read at the Barr of the house on friday Come fortnight An order Made on friday last for Releaseing a prisoner In the Compter Recalled upon Information of his Being a prisoner Before he Became servant to Sr Lewis palmer The Bill for drayning Lindsey Levell ordered to be Read on friday Next A Bill to prevent the growth of popery Read and ordered a 2d Reading the house of Lords haveing ordered an Address to be made to his Majesty Concerning frequent Meeting of the Convocation my Lord treasurer Reported this day that he and the other Lords had waited on his Majesty with the said Address and that his Majesties answer is that the Convocation should be fild up to goe upon the worke that is proper for them to doe Commons Tuesday 27 feb the sheriffe of Lincoln upon complaint made against him ordered to Expedite the Elections for Stamford A Bill for Naturalization Read a 3d time and ordered to be Engrossed A Bill to Renue and Continue the exportation of Leather Read and ordered a 2d Reading A Bill for Augmentation of small vicarages Read a 2d time & Committed A Bill against patrons takeing Bonds from there Clerks upon presentation was Read and Rejected The house then Resolved Into a Committy of the whole house to proceed In the Concidderation of his Majesties supply And a doubt Arriseing whether the Committy should proceed In the ffirst place to Concidder of the manner of Raising a supply for the Building of ships The house Resolved In the Affirmation and ordered that the house Resolve againe into a Committy of the whol house on friday Morning Next to Concidder of the Manner of Raising thereoff All Committies Adjourned till thursday Next and Commons Adjourned till thursday 8 a Clock The Lords house did on Monday Adjourne till thursday 8 a clock wee are told that the treaty of Commerce is finally Concluded by mr Mountague the Kings Embassador at paris which will be of greate advantage to our trade The Greate and Indeed only Newes wee have from abroad was Brought us by the last ffrench post vizt that on thursday the 22 feb: the ffrench in flanders set down Before Valenciennes in order to the seige thereoff and that the King was Exspected In the Campe In a day or two and at the same time st omers will be likewise Beseiged which has somewhat surprized the Spaniards who Conciddering the Illness of the weather thought it would a Been Imposible to Begin any seige till About the latter End of march [Figures in another hand appear in margin of recto and verso.] L. c. 443 March 3 1676 +on the 18 of March Came a flanders post and by it the following account Brussells 5 march on Monday last the ffrench troops after they had Amased us with there diferent Marches set downe before Valenciennes and tooke there severall posts In order to the seige the Marquess de Lonvoy and duke of Luxenburg have there quarters at the Abbey of Laurece And the Marshall de humieres his at Crepina; yesterday the King arrived In the Campe and this day they were to Breake ground wee are Assured that there is 45000 foot Before Valenciennes that the Cavalry is quartered In the villages Round about that Citty they have 6000 pioneers Armed and 80 peeces of greate Cannon for battery and 50 Mortarpeeces and that they have vast quantities of provisions In there Campe which are sold at Easy Rates At the same time the letters wee have ffrom Lisle give an account that great preparations are Makeing there and at other places for the seige of st omers ffrom holland wee heare that Count waldeck is hastning with all posible dilligence that on wensday last was to be held a generall Review of the princes Armie and that this day they were to Begin there March towards Rosendale wee are told ffrom germany that the Emperour has sent orders to the Count de Chavignac to pass the Rhine with severall Regements and to march towards the ffrontiers of ffrance to take severall posts till such time as the whole Imperiall armie be able to Come Into the feild which will Not be till towards the latter End of Aprill The Emperors Armie will consist of 60000 Combatants besides the Newburg Lunenburg osnaburg troops Baron quincy has got a paper to be spread among the Inhabitants of Valenciennes Exhorting them to Make an Early surrender, as to the sucsess of that seige much will depend upon the Burgers who are a sturdy warlike people and will doe greate service if they are Not Corrupted by the ffrench promises A Regement of horse and 4 Companies of dragoones got into Valenciennes ffrom Cambray where there is now 6 Regements of foot and 14 horse wee doe Not heare there is any Intention to Relieve the place but wee hope it will Ruine the ffrench armie Thursday 4 march Commons severall Bills were Read and ordered that the house goe Into a grand Committy on wenesday Next to Concidder of grevances Lords: dr Cary was Examined at the Barr of the house Concerning the Booke Called the grand question & upon his Refusall to Name whose servant went with him to the press the house fined him 1000 L for his Contempt and to Remaine Close prisoner in the tower till the same were paid The Lord Chiefe Justice presented 3 Bills drawne up upon the heads given him vizt An act for the farther secureing the protestant Religion An act for the More Effectuall Conviction of prosecution of popeish Recusants An act for the Better observation of the Lords day The Baptizeing of infants and Catichizeing Read and ordered to be Read againe L. c. 444 March 5th 1676/7 ffriday March 2d 1676 Commons A Bill for drayning Lindsey Levell Read and ordered a 2d Reading A Bill sent from the Lords Entituled an act for perpetuating an act to prevent unnecesary suites and delayes 2 petitions Concerning the Elections of Newarke and Newtowne in Isle of wight Referred to the Committy for Elections The house then Resolved into a Committy of the whole house to Concidder of the Manner of Raising the supply for his Majesty Not Exceeding 600000 L for the Building of ships & Resolved That the whole supply Not Exceeding 600000 L be given to his Majesty for the Building Rigging furnishing Guns &c for 30 ships of the 1st 2d and 3d Rates shall be Raised by a land tax and Monthly assesment That the said supply shall be Raised In 17 moneths according to the proportion of the Royall aide Adjourned till tomorrow 8 a Clocke Satureday 3d March 1676 Commons A Bill to Enable sr trevor williams and his sons to Make jointures Reported & ordered to be Engrossed A Bill for Naturalization Read a 2d time and Committed A Bill touching the Lord Cullen tendred & Received A Bill for Repareing Churches and Chapells Read a 2d time and Committed A Bill for Makeing the River derwent Navigable Read and Received A Bill for presentation of the liberty of the subject Read a 2d time and Committed The house then Resolved Into a Committy of the whole house on Monday morning to Concidder of the heads for the Bill for Raising 600000 L for a supply for Building ships A Bill ordered to be Brought In to Indempnifie the Countries Citties and Boroughs of England for paying any wages to any Member that serve In this parliament severall petitions Relating to the Election of Newtowne In the Isle of Wight Read and Rejected The house to Resolve Into a Committy of the whole house on wenesday Next to Concidder of greivances And then Adjourned till Monday 8 a Clocke wee have this Morning a dutch post and are told by it that the prince of Orange Returned to the hague on Monday last that he had layd Aside his journey to wesell But was hastning to take feild not that he had any hopes to be able to Relieve Valenciennes but to shew the Spaniards that he was not wanting to doe his part L. c. 445 feb [i.e., March] 8 1676 Monday 5th March 1676 Commons A Bill sent from the Lords Concerning the Lord Manchester Read and ordered a 2d Reading A Bill for Rectifying a Mistake In a settlement of the Lord Maynards Read a 2d time and Committed A Bill for Naturalization of Alice Remicards [?] Read a 2d time and past A Bill for sayle of Lands for Sackford Cage Read and ordered a 2d Reading A Bill to Impower Commissioners to take Affidavitts In the Countrey Read a 2d time and Committed A Bill for Regulating abuses In Collecting the duty of hearth Money Read and ordered a 2d Reading The Members of the house of the long Robe Not to goe the Circuite But to Attend the service of the house The house Resolved into a Committy of the whole house to Concidder of the heads of a Bill to Raise the supply And Resolved that the ships to be Built shall be 1 of the 1st Rate Not under 1400 tuns 9 of the 2d Rate Not under 1100 tuns 20 of the 3d Rate Not under 900 tuns That the Commencement of the 600000 L shall be at lady day the ffirst payment at midsomer Next and then quarterly till the 17 moneths be Expired The ships to be built In 2 years ffrom midsomer Next That the money shall be paid Into the Exchequer and kept apart for the Building and furnishing the 30 ships and penalties to be Inflicted on those that shall divert the moneys to any other use and the account thereoff to be kept apart and transmitted to the house of Comons +Lords The house ordered a grand Committy to Concidder of the farther security of the protestant Religion and made some progress therein Tuesday 6 March 1676 Comons A Bill for payment of the debts of Thomas Smith Baronet Read and ordered a 2d Reading A Bill for the payment of the debts of the Lord Kilmurry and for Raising portions for his sons Read and ordered a 2d Reading Upon debate of an Answer sent by sr Thomas Strickland a Member of this house Being a Convict Recusant ordered that a New writ be Issued out to Elect another In his Roome Lindsey levell Bill ordered to be Read on thursday Next And the house then Resolved into a Committy of the whole house to Concidder of grevances and Resolved That a Committy be Appointed to prepare an Address, to present to his Majesty the danger of the power of ffrance and desire his Majesty by such alliances as he shall thinke fitt to secure his Kingdoms and quiet the feares of the people and for preservation of the Spanish Netherlands Adjourned till Wenesday 8 a Clocke last Sunday one browne Clerke of the Coopers Company was by order of Counsill seized and Committed Close prisoner to the tower for that he had Caused to be printed a seditious pamphlet on Monday Came a ffrench post with this following Paris 10 March The seige of Valenciennes does Not advance soe quicke as wee had Immagined for wee are told that trenches were Not to be opened till last Night; The King has his quarters at the abbey of st amand about a league ffrom Valenciennes, on the 7th Instant Arrived at St amand by water 50 peeces of Cannon and 33 morter peeces which are to be Employed In the seige; wee heare our troops had a designe to have seized the sluces Between Vilvord and Brussells But that it suceeded Not and that wee lost 400 men In the action +The troops that Blockt up st omers are drawne off againe Not being able to Endure the ill weather ffrom Spaine wee heare that severall of the grandees had declared for the queen and Raised men which had obliged don Juan to Recall the troops he had sent towards Catalonia under the Command of the prince Montesarchio and that don Juan had seized a very great summe of money In the Jesuits Colledg Belongeing to the queen and don Valenzeula wee had also on wenesday 2 flanders posts The most Concidderable Newes they bring is that this day seaven=night the trenches were opened and on thursday last the ffrench Began to make use of there batteries That on thursday and ffriday the Beseiged made 2 sallyes with good sucsess of which as yet wee know Not the perticulars; at Brussells they were prepareing for the Reliefe of it or else to divert the Enemie by Beseigeing some place soe soon as the prince of Orange is Arrived with his army [Some figures in another hand appear on outside of letter.] L. c. 446 March 10 1676 Wenesday March 7 1676 Comons A Bill to Enable trustees to sell lands for payment of the debts of the Ld Cullen Read and ordered a 2d Reading A petition of John dalton and others about a vexatious prosecution against them for putting the act for prohibitting Irish Cattle In Execution Read and Referred to a Committee to Concidder of an Explanatory act to prevent ffraud in Exporting Irish Cattle A petition of severall Coachmen against the Commissioners of lycensing hackney Coaches Read and Referred to a Committee A petition of severall Merchants tradeing to the Bermudas against the Company Read and ordered to be Read to morrow The house then Resolved Into a Commitee of the whole house to proceed In the Considderation of grevances and Resolved that a Committee shall Examine the Imposeing fees Rates and bonds upon the subjects for passes for ships and to Consider the Mischiefs Arriseing thereby and how to prevent the same The house to be in a Committee on Monday againe to Considder of grevancess and on friday Next to Considder the Kings speech 2 Bills sent ffrom the Lords one to prevent frauds and perjuries another to Explaine the act to prevent dammages which may happen ffrom popish Recusants Serjent Maynard ordered to be sent for ffrom the Circuit by a Messenger And then Adjourned till tomorrow 8 a Clocke Lords The Lords house ordered the booke which dr Cary is In prison about and 2 others written upon the same subject to be burnt by the hangman as seditious and scandalous libells and Contayning many treasonable Expressions Thursday 8 March 1676 Comons A Bill for Erecting a Court of judicature In Southwarke to determine touching houses Burnt there Lindsey Levell ordered and Committed A Bill tendred for the preservation of Timber A Bill to hinder papists to sit In parliament Read & ordered a 2d Reading A Bill to be brought In to Abolish the writ de heristico Cumburendo A Bill to prevent the growth of popery Read and Committed The house to be In a Committee of the whole house to Considder of the motion for a farther supply for his Majesty Adjourned till tomorrow 8 a Clocke This morning sadler Johnson and Reniger were Convicted at the old bayly for that they had feloniously and Burglary [sic] tooke away the Lord Chancellors mare L. c. 447 March 12d 1676 ffriday 9 march 1676 Comons A Bill for the Ease of the Coate trade Read and ordered a 2d Reading A Bill for the sale of lands of herbert Elery Read and ordered a 2d Reading The Matter Concerning the sending Burgesses for durham to sit In parliament Referred to the Committee of Elertions Sr Trevor williams Bill Read a 3d time & passed The house to be in a Committy of the whole house on Monday Next to Considder of a motion for a farther supply and on tuesday Next for grevances A Report ffrom the Committee Concerning the duke of Norfolke and the Matter thereof ordered to be heard at the Bar of the house on wenesday Next Satureday 10 march Comons A Bill for sale of lands of the Lord Manchesters and setling others In lieu thereof Read a 2d time and Committed A Bill for sale of the Lord Cullens lands Read a 2d time and Committed A Bill for payment of the Lord Kilmurries debts Read a 2d time and Committed A Bill for Erecting a Court of Conscience In westminster Read and ordered a 2d Reading A Bill for Reliefe of poore prisoners Read and ordered a 2d Reading A Bill for dischargeing the Counties Cittys and Boroughs ffrom there wages doe to ther parliament men Received The Address to his Majesty about the power of ffrance Reported and Carried to the Lords for there Concurrance The Report touching the Election for Beverley Between mr herbert and mr folio made and Resolved that mr herbert is duely Elected and the Returne to be ammended Accordingly Adjourned till Monday +Just now Arrived the ffrench and flanders letters But it is soe late that I Can only Briefly tell you, that the Beseiged In Valenciennes make a very smart Resistance But the ffrench push on the seige as vigorously; They have four Batteries with which they play very furiously upon the towne and have twice got severall houses on fire which were soon quenched that on monday last the ffrench Attacked an outworke Before the Counterscarp upon Mount Aryne But were Repulsed with greate loss The Marquese de genlis Being killed amonge other persons of quality But at last the ffrench gained a point of the Counterscarp ffrom germany they tell us that the duke of Lorraine was marched with a good Body and Intended to pass the Rhine and give the ffrench a diversion which is greate Newes L. c. 448 March 15 1676 Monday march 12 1676 Comons A Bill for Confirmeing and perpetuating Augmentations made by Ecclesiasticall persons to small vicarages Read & ordered a 2d Reading A Bill to Enable mr Aubery to sell lands for payment of debts Read a 2d time and Committed A Bill for Erecting a Court of Conscience in Southwarke and the parrishes of surrey & Middlesex within the Bills of Mortality Read and ordered a 2d Reading A petition of divers Brewers of London & Middlesex was Read & Referred to a Committee of the whole house and then the house Resolved Into a Committee of the whole house to Considder of a Motion for a farther supply for his Majesty Resolved that for a farther supply to his Majesty the Additionall duty of Excize be Continued for 3 yeares Lords: The Address Concerning the Netherlands being Read after a debate ordered that they agree with the Commons that an addresse be made to his Majesty and that a Conference be also desired with the Commons thereupon for the Explanation of the said address sent by them up to the Lords Comons Tuesday 13 march 1676 A Bill for Assurence of such as Claime under Ancient fines and Recoveries Read a 2d time and Ccommitted A Bill to prevent the Exportation of wooll Read & ordered a 2d Reading A Bill from the Lords to prevent frauds and perjuries Read & ordered a 2d Reading A Conference had with the Lords Concerning the Address Concerning the power of ffrance A Coppie of the Comons Address last Satureday +May it please your Majesty./ wee your Majesties most Loyall subjects the Knights Citizens and Burgesses Assembled In parliament find ourselves obliged In duty and faithfulness to your Majesty and discharge of the trust Reposed In us by those whome wee represent; Most humbly doe offer to your Majesties Most serious Considderation; That the minds of your Majesties people are much disquieted by the Man[moth?] danger Arriseing to your Majesties kingdoms by the growth and power of the ffrench King; Especially the acquisions Already made and the farther progress like to be made by him In the Spanish Netherlands; In the preservation of which wee humbly Conceive the Interest of your Majesty and the safety of your people are Concerned; and therefore wee humbly beseech your Majesty to take the same Into your most Royall Care and to strenghten your selfe with such alliances as may serve you Majesties kingdoms and preserve and secure the said Netherlands and thereby quiet the Minds of your Majesties people. heare has been a report these 2 dayes that Valenciennes surrendred on thursday last to the ffrench and this Newes Comes ffrom Calais by the last ffrench post which arrived on Satureday But meets with little Credit heare Because Eaven the ffrench Embassador had Noe Advice of it last Night Came In the dutch letters of friday last They say the Prince of Orange is gone towards wesell and ffrom there would pass to the army; That they had letters ffrom Antwerpe dated Thursday last which find that Valenciennes made Brave defence That on tuesday the Beseiged made a sally and had killed above 1000 ffrench and Nayled [?] 18 peeces of Cannon and that the King was Retired to Conde That on tuesday night the duke of Luxenburg was to make a generall Assault upon the Counterscarp of the hornworke on Mount Azyne of which they know Not the success But the Relations that Come ffrom Antwerpe are generally Not Much Relyed upon wee have letters of the 3/13 ffrom Coppenhagen which say that by a snow [?] Come over ffrom Sconen they had Received Advice that the Sweds had taken Christianstadt Just Now Comes in the ffrench post & gives us the certainty that st omers was taken on wenesday last between 9 and 10 In the morning by storme The greatest part of the garison (which were surprized at soe unexspected an assault In the day time) were killed and many of the townes people and the desolation would have been Entire had Not the King In person stopt the fury of the souldiers The governour was desperately wounded and the Major killed The place was taken In halfe a houre The Attacke haveing been made by 10000 men among which were all the grenadiers In the army L. c. 449 March 17 1676 Tuesday 13 March 1676 Lords A Report ffrom the Committee of the Lords with these following Reasons for amendment of the said Address vizt That there Lordships doe fully Concurr with the Comons In the Matter of the Address sent up to there Lordships on Satureday last and doe only Apprehend that it may Not altogather answer the Ends designed; There Lordships very much doubting this Address may Not sufficiently Incourage his Majesty to pursue the Necesary Methods for Compassing soe greate a worke unless the humble Advice of his 2 houses be backt with such Assurances as may let the world see that if our security Cannot be Attained by such alliances as his majesty shall thinke fit to make Nothing be left unattempted to procure it The Lords doe farther offer to there Considderation that the words (and In Scicily) may be Added after the word Netherlands In the 14th line, And after the same word In the 22d line (and Scicily) it Being of greate Importance to our trade That Scicily be Not In the hands of the ffrench King wenesday 14 march 1676 Comons A Bill for Reliefe of poore prisoners Read a 2d time and Committed A Bill for his Majesties supply of 600000 L Read and ordered a 2d Reading to morrow morning The house then tooke up the debate Conserning the amendments sent by the Lords to the Address about the power of the ffrench King and a Committy ordered to draw up Reasons to be used at the Conference about the same A Bill sent from the Lords for Naturalization of severall persons A Bill ordered to be brought In to Lay Impositions for Repaire of yarmouth peere Thursday 15 march 1676 The Bill to suppress pedlers Read a 2d time and Committed A Report of the Election for yorke that Sr henery Thompson was duely Elected was made and agreed to by the house Reasons to be used at the Conference with the Lords Reported and agreed to by the house and a Conference was had accordingly The Lords Agreed to the adress as it was ffirst sent up and ordered some Lords to Attend his Majesty to know when it may be presented A Bill sent ffrom the Lords for secureing the protestant Religion by Educating the Children of the Royall family therein and Continuing the protestant Clergie The Lords sent to let the house Know that his Majesty had Appointed them to Attend him to morrow with the Addresses The Case of the Duke of Norfolke Being heard at the Barr it was Resolved that an Address he presented to his Majesty That the duke of Norfolke might be brought Into England ffrom his Confinement In Italy you see how Basely Valenciennes is lost a place which had it Been well defended might have Ruined the ffrench army Considdering the season; It was the ffirst Attacke the Beseigers had made and there designe was only to have lodged themselves upon the Counterscarpe of the Crowned worke but they gained that with soe much Ease that they were Incouraged to goe on while the garison it seemes thought of nothing But to get Into the towne and soe abandoned all there outworks one after another and that In soe much feare That they suffered the ffrench to get Into the towne through the wicket or sally port which one man Can but pass at a time, our Next Newes is that st omer is Beseiged for the very day Valenciennes was taken the King sent A part of his army towards St omers and if that make Noe Better defence it will be Noe wonder if the ffrench make greater progresses for doubtless the poore Inhabitants are In greate Consternation to see the Cowardice of those that ought to defend them L. c. 450 March 19 1676 ffriday 16 march 1676 Comons A Bill for sale of lands of henery Marchant a lunaticke Read & ordered a 2d Reading A Bill for sale of lands of ffrancis Brand Read & ordered a 2d Reading A petition about the Election for Berwicke Referred to the Committee of Elections A petition of John hariston Read and the debate Adjourned till to morrow Resolved that those that have Compelled Advised or Assisted the Raising or sending any of the Kings subjects Into the ffrench Kings service since the Kings declaration 19 May 1675 Issued upon the Address of this house shall be Esteemed Enemies to the safety of the King and Kingdoms Satureday 17 march 1676 A Bill for Erecting a judicature In southwarke for determining diferences about the houses Burnt In the late fire there Read a 2d time & Committed A Bill for Confirming an agreement about Executing of writts In the severall hundreds of gloucestershire Read and ordered a 2d Reading mr speaker Reported the Kings Answer to the Address yesterday to be; that he was of the oppinion of his 2 houses of parliament; that the preservation of fflanders was of greate Consequence and that he will use all Meanes In his power for the safety of the Kingdom The house to Resolve Into a Committee of the whole house on Satureday Next to Considder of grevances Adjourned till monday L. c. 451 March 22 1676 Monday 19 march 1676 A Bill from the Lords for Avoiding Suites & delays Read & ordered a 2d Reading A Bill for Confirmeing Augmentations made by Ecclesiasticell persons Read a 2d time and Committed A Bill Concerning the Election for plimpton Referred to the Committee of Elections Leave given to Bring In a Bill to lessen the Number of atturneys & Regulate the abuses by them An Explanatory act to prevent dammages ffrom popish Recusants Read & ordered a 2d Reading A Bill to take away the writt de herestico Cumburendo Read and ordered a 2d Reading A Bill for his Majesties supply for 600000 L Read a 2d time and Committed to a Committee of the whole house who are to Considder whether London should be cased [?] and how The house to Resolve Into a Committee of the whole house on friday Next to proceed In the supply Bill all Committees Revived Tuesday 20 march 1676 A Bill to allow Sr Samuel moreland the Benefit of his pumps Read & ordered a 2d Reading A Bill to prevent frauds In Importing Irish Cattle Read & ordered a 2d Reading A Bill for laying a Charge on Northampton for the maintenance of the Minester there Reported & ordered to be Engrossed The Bill for Exportation of leather Reported & ordered to be Engrossed A farther Address to his Majesty for a farther speedy alliance with the Confederates mooved for and Adjourned till Monday A Bill from the Lords for secureing the protestant Religion by Educating the Children of the Royall family therein Read & ordered a 2d Reading The letters which arrived on Sunday last ffrom flanders left those people In greate Consternation for the shamefull loss of Valenciennes which is a thing soe Extraordinary that they Know Not how to Comprehend it and some are apt to suspect there was treachery first; But for that there seemes to be but little ground; But Rather the Commanders In the towne were to be blaimed for there ill Conduct and want of Care; and differing amonge themselves; for after the governour was wounded (which was by Exposeing himselfe too far In the very ffirst day of the seige) the Colonells In garison would Not agree about the Chiefe Command and that occasioned Much disorder In the Conduct of there affaires The letters Add that the 19 the ffrench Invested Cambray that the King was gone thither In person and that the Beseiged had quitted the lower towne and were Retired Into the Citadell and the upper towne which is very stronge where (if they have any thing of Courage [)] they will make a stout defence wee have the Certainty that St omer is Beseiged aswell as Cambray at which latter the duke of orleans Commands who arrived In the Campe the 23d Instant L. c. 452 March 24 1676/7 Wednesday 21 march 1676/7 Comons A Bill for preservation of the liberty of the subject Read & ordered to be Engrossed A Bill for Naturalization sent from the Lords Read & ordered a 2d Reading An Engrossed Bill for Naturalization of severall persons Read a 3d time & Committed A Committee appointed to draw up an Address to his majesty that the duke of Norfolke may be brought over ffrom his Confinement beyond the Sea one ordered to be taken In Custody for delivering a declaration against a member The house proceeded to heare the Case about Newarke and Resolved that by the Charter graunted to Newarke they have Right to serve In parliament That mr Savile and mr paull Neale are Not duely Returned to serve In parliament for Newarke A writt ordered to Choose Burgesses for Newarke Thursday 22d march 1676 +A Bill for setling the Custome Rates on Rough diamonds &c Read & ordered a 2d Reading A Bill for Repaire of Churches Reported and ordered to be Engrost A Bill for Repaire of yarmouth peere Read & ordered a 2d Reading A Bill to Enable mr Standish to sell lands for payment of debts Read & ordered a 2d Reading A Bill for a more Easy way for Recovery of small tithes Read & ordered a 2d Reading A Bill for Redressing the abuses In Collecting the duty of hearth money Read a 2d time & Committed A Bill sent ffrom the Lords to Enable mr Beadle to sell lands for payment of debts A Bill ordered to be brought In for Exportation of Coales Beere ale and mummy +An act for setling the Estate of Robert Cooke Esqre to Enable him to make leases provideing portions for daughters and paying debts An Act for Enabling the Lord Morley to make sale of the mannor of farleton In lancashire for payment of debts And then they went Into a grand Committee to proceed upon the Bill about the Conviction of Romish Recusants & filled up more Blanks In the same and ordered a Clause to be added That Conformity to the Church of England & Receiveing the sacramt of the Lords supper shall discharge persons soe Conformeing ffrom the penalties to be Inflicted by this or any other law against popists Recusants Then was presented a petition of mr Edward and mr Bernard howard and Alexander Mac daniell and his wife praying liberty for the Clerke of the Exchequer to Enter the process of sequestration against the marquess of dorchester Earle marshall and peterbrough trustees for the duke of Norfolks Estate for there Not Complying with the order of the said Court for Rendring an account of there said trust and it was ordered to be Read to morrow morning. Upon Report of the Lord steward ffrom the Committee of priveledges In Relation to noble women That In obedience to there order to that purpose of the 9 Instant they had Examined severall presidents by which it appeared to them that the widdows of peers have Been allowed ffrom time to time the priveledg of parliament and Noe president provided to weaken or take away the same upon debate of which the house agreed thereto Upon Motion made In the house by the Lord de la Meere for the discharge of the 4 lords Now prisoners In the tower after some debate had thereuppon it was layd aside There was this petition of mr Edward & mr Bernard howard Read praying the marquess of dorchester Earle marshall and the Earle of peterbrough may be ordered to wave there priveledges and to answer to the Bill To the Exchequer against them upon the debate of which it was upon the question dismist And it was Recommended to the duke of ormond Lord arrundell of wardour Earle of aylesbury Earle of Carlisle & Lord howard of Estricke Marquess of worcester Earle of Berkshire & Lord Berkley to mediate Between Earle ma[r]shall and his Brothers for Composeing the diferences In that Noble family The house to be In a Committee to morrow morning upon the Bill for Conviction of Romish Recusants don Bernardo de Salines the Spanish minester and his Secretary having Misbehaived themselves are ordered by his majesty to depart England by a day set on the 20th the Earle of Bristoll died at Chelsey a ship ffrom maryland who Came thence 25 Jan: Reports that Ingram who succeeded Bacon is Come In with all his men & submitted to the governour & that there were only a Company of 150 men who stood out and went to the Indians as Judging themselves Uncapable of pardon But that meanes were Used to Reduce them also and as it was hoped Not without Effect But as then they heard nothing of the arrivall of Sr John Berrey [A few figures in another hand appear on outside of letter.] L. c. 453 March 26 1677 ffriday 23d march 1676 Comons Leave given to Bring In a Bill to prevent Theft and Repine upon the Northerne Border A Bill for sale of mr Squibbs lands Read & ordered a 2d Reading A Bill to Enable Commissioners to take affidavitts In the countrey Reported and ordered to be Engrossed A Bill for Sale of my Lord manchesters lands and the Lord Maynards Bill passed The house then Resolved Into a grand Committee to proceed Upon the supply Bill and on thursday Next are to proceed on the same Bill Satureday march 24 1676 A Bill to prevent vexatious suites; Regulate abuses and limmitt the Number of Attourneys Read & ordered a 2d Reading A petition of the hamburg Company Read & Referred to a Committee Upon the Report about passes for ships its Recommended to the Lords of the Admiralty that the graunting them may be Easy to the merchants and to Remoove the obstructions to trade A Bill for preservation of the liberty of the subject Read a 3d time & passed wednesday 21 march 1676 Lords An act for augmentation of the vicarage of Sudbury In herefordshire Read Leave given to the Earle of Salesbury Now prisoner In the tower to goe with the Constable of the towers deputy In a Coach with him to see the Lord Rindall his Brother In Law Being like to dye Thursday 22d march 1676 +An act for the Incouragement and Breeding up of Seamen and the Better ordering of the watermen on the River of Thames Read An act against Incestious marriage Read and then they went Into a grand Committee In the Bill against popery and ordered a Clause to be added to supply the defects therein as to the disposall of the Children of popish Recusants and filled up more Blanks In the Bill & appointed to set upon it againe to morrow ffriday 23d march 1676 An act for Incouragement and Bring up of seamen & the Better ordering the watermen Rowing Upon the River Thames Read & Committed +A Bill for preservation of the ffishery ordered to be Engrost mr Browne & mr walker That arrested the Countess of huntingdon allowed Councell & there Cause to be heard at the Barr to morrow morning wee have just now the ffrench letters of wednesday last which say that the trenches were opened Before Cambray last Satureday night and were very far Advanced without the loss of a man that the Next day some few were killed by the Canon of the towne That the Beseigers hoped to be masters of the towne In 4 or 5 days and of the Citadell In 10 or 12 days That the duke of Orleans was Indeed with his army Neere St omer & kept it Blocked up But Would Not Begin the seige till farther order L. c. 454 March 29 1677 Monday 26 march 1677 +A Bill to prevent symony Reported and ordered to be Engrost mr Auberies Bill Reported & ordered to be Engrost A Bill to Enable mr standish to sell lands and pay debts Read a 2d time & Committed A Bill to prevent Importation of fforraigne Cattle Read a 2d time and Committed A Bill to take away the writt de heristico Cumburendo Read a 2d time and Committed The House then proceeded upon the debate of a motion for a farther Address to his Majesty to Enter Into a strict and speedy alliance with the Confederates Resolved that a farther Address be made to his majesty giveing him assurance that If In pursuance of the address presented to his majesty from Both houses his Majesty shall find himselfe Necesitated to Enter Into a warr; This house will fully aide his majesty ffrom time to time and Assist him In that warr Tuesday 27 march 1677 mr sqibbs Bill Read a 2d time and Committed A petition of mr Hatcher high sheriffe of Lincolneshire about his Being Elected Burgesse for stamford Rejected A Bill sent ffrom the Lords for secureing the protestant Religion Read a 2d time and Committed A Bill to hinder popish Recusants to sit In Either houses of parliament Read a 2d time and Committed The Considderation whether the lawes Concerning Irish Cattle should be made perpetuall or Repealed is Referred to a Committee of the whole house This day the Court of Assistance of the honourable society of the attilery [of] London In pursuance of his Royall highness pleasure is lay Aside sr Thomas player Chamberlaine of London Elected by the said Company as leader for the yeare, Met [sic] In the Irish Chamber In the guildhall In order to another Choyce note Sr Tho: is suspected to be one of Jenkes party according to our last letters which arrived on Sunday the ffrench by Reason of the ill weather had Not Been able to open the trenches Before Cambray till the 18/28 Instant and the Next day they Began to Batter with 120 peeces of Cannon and 30 mortar peeces which must needs make a terrible Execution St omer is Not Beseiged But Closely Blocked up and the 21/31 Instant 12000 foot and 6000 horse of the prince of oranges army which had Randevouzed Between ghent and Bruges under the command of Count waldecke passed the Canall Neere Bruges and tooke there march towards St omer In order to the Raising the Blockade of that place and the Relieveing it with provisions and ammunition which was Brought In Billanders ffrom sluyce The prince of Orange meant to make a step ffrom Breda to wesell it Being absolutely Necesary for him to see the Elector of Brandenburg and to Concert there designes togather ffrom ffrankfort of the 18/28 they write that the Imperiall troops which were on there march towards wormes to pass the Rhine there had Received a Command to halt till farther order for which Noe other Reason is given But that its said they will Not be able to subsist as yet abroade The Sweds have Certainly take Carel haven and are gone with designe to Attack holmstadt which with landscroon are the only places that Remaine In the posession of the danes on that side the soundt L. c. 455 March 31 1677 Wednesday 28 march 1677 A Bill to Abolish the writt de heristico Cumburendo Reported & ordered to be Engrost The Lord Killmurries Bill Read a 3d time & passed A petition of the weaviors Read and a Committee Apointed to bring In a Bill to prohibitt forraine manufactures The house then Resolved Into a Committee of the whole house to Considder of the Lawes against Importing Irish Cattle & Resolved the severall acts made against Irish Cattle & [?] taken by forrigners shall be made perpetuall Thursday 29 march 1677 A farther Address to be presented to his majesty was Reported A motion Being made that the Address might be Committed it passed In the Negative & then the house agreed with the Committee The house to Resolve Into a Committee of the whole house to morrow to proceed Upon the supply Bill A Coppie of the address +may it please your majesty: wee your Majesties Loyall Subjects the Knights Citizens and Burgesses In parliament assembled doe with Unspeakable Joy and Comfort present our humble thanks to your majesty for your majesties most gracious acceptance of our late Address and that your Majesty was pleased for your princely wisdome to Express your Concurrance In opinion with your 2 houses In Reference to the preservation of the Spanish Netherlands and wee doe with most Earnest and Repeated desires Implore your majesty that you would be pleased to take timely Care to prevent those dangers that may arrise In these Kingdom by the greate power of the ffrench King and the progress he dayly makes In the netherlands and other places and therefore that your majesty would Not deferr the Entring Into such alliances as may Attaine those Ends; and In Case it should happen that In pursuance of such alliances your majesty should be Engaged In a warr with the ffrench King; we doe hold our selves obliged & doe with all humility and Chearfulness assure your majesty that wee your majesties most Loyall subjects shall Alwayes be Ready and Upon your Signification thereof In parliament fully and from time to time assist your Majesty In such aides and supplyes as by divine Assistance may Enable your majesty to prosecute the same with success; all which were most humbly offer to your majesty as the Unanimous sence & desire of the whole nation yesterday wee had our ffrench and flanders letters and as to Cambray give us an account that the Beseigers had on the 21/31 Advanced (with little loss) there trenches very neere the Counterscarpe of the towne which they Intended to Attacke the ffriday following and if they make themselves masters of it they will proceed to attacke the Citadell; That the Beseiged had only made one sally with 300 horse But were quickly Beaten In againe and that the Beseigers had Raised 5 Batteries with which they made greate Breaches The dutch troops Under the Command of Count waldecke were on satureday last still In the Neibourhood of Bruges Not haveing passed the Canall as yet They Exspecting ffirst the Arrivall of some attilery which might be with them the monday following and that they would pass the Canall and march towards St omer to put succours aswell of men as provisions Into that place of which designe the ffrench King haveing Notice had sent 8 Battalions of foot ffrom the Campe at Cambray to Reenforce the duke of Orleans at St omer The prince of Orange is gone to wesell and many are of opinion that his army will Not attempt anything Considderable till he be with it In person The ffrench have at last formally Beseiged St omer all the perticulers wee have are that they Broke ground on ffriday last Wee have Nothing ffrom germany L. c. 456 Aprill 1st 1677 Whitehall March 30th 1678 [sic] +Since my last one Capt fitz Gerald is Come from Bruges to Give the King An account of A disorder which hapned there some dayes since In which the English soldiers became Unfortunately Concerned, The occasion was thus The Bishop & Religious of the place Being In A Sollemne procession A dutch officer (who it seems was In drinke) Being In the street as they past by & Not putting off his Hat one of the priests spoke to him to doe it which the dutchman Not prsently doing the Priest out of An Indiscreet zeale strucke him over the face with A torch or fflambeau he had In his Hand upon which the Dutchman drew his Sword & put the Religious Into A greate fright who quitted the procession & Ran to shelter themselves The Burghers Imagining this to be done by the English Immediately fell upon those they met In the streets, The English on the other side finding themselves Attacked & Not Knowing wherefore made Hast to get togather as A good Body of them did & doubtlesse the Mischiefe would have gone very far had it Not been for the Prudent Interposition of My Lord Middleton the other officers & the Spanish govenour who at lengh Composed things yet Not till 3 or 4 of the English were Killed & 14 or 15 wounded, After the heat was over the truth of the accedent Appeared & the Priest who was the Beginner of it justified the English & the Majestrates of the Towne Endeavoured to Excuse the thing to the English officers +for other fforreigne Newes all I Know worth telling you is that the ffrench K is Come to St Germain with A Resolution to be In the feild by the 18th may Our flanders letters Come In this afternoon bring us A Considderable peece of Newes vizt That the Spaniards were Againe Masters of Messina the perticulers they doe Not give us but In generall that It was the Act of the Inhabitants who were growne so weary of the ffrench that they were Resolved to Returne to their obedience to their lawfull prince This Newes they Received by An Expresse The letters Add that the ffrench had sent A detachment of 2000 men from fflanders towards Germany L. c. 457 Aprill 2 1677 ffriday March 30 1677 A Bill to prevent theft and Rapine on the Northerne Borders Read and ordered a 2d Reading A Bill to lay Imposition on Rough diamonds Read a 2d time and Committed A Bill for setling a maintenance for the Vicar of Alhallows In Northampton Read a 3d time & past A Bill to prevent the growth of popery Ordered to be Engrost The house Resolved Into a Committee of the whole house to proceed upon the supply Bill and are to be In a Committee to morrow on the same Then the house Attended his Majesty with the Address Satureday March 31 1677 A Bill sent ffrom the Lords for Naturalization of his majesties subjects Borne Beyond sea In the late troubles past A Bill for Erecting a Court of Judicature In Southwarke ordered to be Engrost A Bill for the Effectuall Conviction of popish Recusants sent ffrom the Lords The house then proceeded Upon the supply Bill and are to proceed on the same on tuesday Next Adjourned till 8 on Monday +The dutch letters tell us the Command of Lieutenant Admirall of the United provinces vacant by the death of de Rutier is given to the heer trompe who will however Comand the danish fleet this summer wee have Just Now a ffrench post The letters say that the towne of Cambray Capitulated on Sunday last and was surrendred the day following and that In few days they hoped to be Masters of the Citadell That the duke of orleans presses very Closely the fort St Michaell att St omer which once taken the towne will quickly follow; Its said the Inhabitants have Mutinied and will surrender the place The Marshall Crequi was to hold a generall Randevouz Neere Metz the 10 Aprill; the Imperiallists are Comeing downe L. c. 458 Aprill 5 1677 Monday Aprill 2 1677 A Bill to prevent Unnecesary suites & delays & to Regulate abuses & Number of Attourneys Read a 2d time & Committed A Bill to prevent ffrauds and perjuries Read a 2d time and Committed A Bill sent ffrom the Lords to prevent Incestious Marriages A Bill for Continuance of the Additionall duty of Excise for 3 yeares Read and ordered a 2d Reading A vote against drinkeing and Bribery at Elections Reported & agreed to Sr Robert holts Case Reported & he ordered to be discharged A Bill from the Lords to Enable one beadle of northfolke to sell lands Read a 1st time A Bill for Incouragement of Sr Sam Moorelans pumps Read a 2d time and Committed A Bill ffrom the Lords to settle the Returne of writts In the seaven hundreds of gloucestershire Read & Committed A Bill to Enable Sr Edw: hungerford to make leases of hungerford house In the strand Read a 2d time and Committed A Bill to Sr ffran: Compton to sell lands Read a 1st time +A Bill to settle mr Crooks Estate Read a 1st time A Bill for setling a Court of Conscience Read & Committed Tuesday 3 Aprill 1677 A Bill for Augmentation of small Vicarages passed & Returned to the Lords mr Squibbs Bill Reported +A Bill Concerning symonicall Contracts Read a 3d time and passed A Bill for takeing Affidavits In the Countrey Read a 3d time and passed Then the house Resolved Into a Committee of the whole house to proceed farther upon the supply Bill yesterday wee had the fflanders letters Bruges 7 Aprill 77 +The Body of the holland army Being Come Into our Neibourhood on the 3d Instant on the Next day passed the Canall over 3 Bridges there Attilery Consisting In 11 feild peeces and 21 mortar peeces But greatest part of there baggage they left heare that they might Not be Encumbred In there March which they tooke with all possible dilligence towards Ipres; on the 5th Instant about 5 In the Eavening the prince of Orange (who had Been Met by the duke de Villa hermosa at Antwerpe) passed by this towne But would Not Come In that he might Not loose time Neither would he permitt the discharge of any of our Cannon to salute him But Continu'd his March & lodged that Night 4 leagues ffrom hence; yesterday he had his quarters within a mile of Ipres and this might well be about 12 English miles on this side St omer This day Arrived 3000 men more by water ffrom holland and as many more are Exspected to morrow who all march with all great dilligence towards the princes Campe whither the governour of Ostend is likewise gone to accompany his highness who is the only Spaniard the prince has with him The princes designe is Certainly to Releive St omer ffrom whence wee heare that the Beseigers had taken the fort Vassoi [?] which lyes very Neere the towne But wee hope the prince will Come time Enough to prevent there makeing any farther progress The towne of Cambray is Rather Abandoned by the garison then taken by the Enimie wee hope the Citadell will make a good defence ffrom scicily wee heare that the ffrench have given the Spanish horse under the Command of Lieutenant generall Bragamonts a Considderable Route haveing Killed 5 or 600 some say only 300 as the Spaniards were Approaching towards Messina Upon some designe the perticulers wee know Not L. c. 459 [Handwriting changes here.] Thursday 5 Aprill 1677 Commons A motion being made that leave be given to bring in a Bill to repeale the laws prohibiting the importation of forreign Cattle, the house thereupon resolved into a grand Comittee & after a long debate Resolved +That a Bill bee brought in to repeale the two laws prohibiting the importacon of forreign Cattle. Resolved That it bee a limitted importation. ffryday. 6. Aprill. +The house being in a Grand Comittee upon the supply Bill went through it & ordered that it should bee reported to morrow. The. 7. Aprill. +Wee have this after[noon] our ffrench & fflanders letters what wee may collect out of them for truth is that ye Prince of Orange advancing with an Army of about 30000 men to releive St Omer passed this day sevenight the River Peuer after having forced the ffrench from a certaine pass which they had endeavoured to maintain but could not, upon news whereof the Duke of Orleanse drew off from the seige leaving onely some troops to maintain the fort Des Vaches and some other troops to guard his trenches & then advanced to meet the Dutch, That on a Sunday morning the Duke of Lunenburg arriving with the detachment from Cambray ioyned the Duke of Orleanse & that morning about 9 the fight began wch continued till 6 at night, that the french left wing did twice give way before the Dutch but rallying the forelorn turned & the Dutch were soe pressed upon & wanting Cavalry they were forced to retyre in some disorder without succouring the place; That the night proved favourable to the Princes retreat but the wayes being very badd and in many places very narrow the Princes baggage Ammunition & Cannon consisting of 10 peices fell into the hands of the ffrench. The particulars of the loss wee know not. The ffrench say that of the Dutch were between 4 & 5000 slain upon the place besides a great many prisoners they tooke, & indeed it is not to bee doubted but that the Dutch have susteyned a very great loss & that the ffrench have had a great victory but ye comfort is ye Prince is himselfe well & with an army at Ipres, whither 30 Billanders have been sent from Bruges to fetch of the wounded men & ye baggage which the Prince left at Bruges was fetcht from thence to Ipres by 3 Regiments, what persons of note are killed on either side wee yet want. +During the fight the beseiged in St Omers made a sally & filled up the beseigers trenches, however wee must expect now quickly to heare yt the place is taken Since the ill success of the Prince of Oranges enterprize has deprived them of all hopes of succour +The Princes arme was to have fought the Duke of Orleanse before Luxemburg ioyned him & you see hee was very neare it & then without doubt hee would have met them. +Cambray makes a good defence but how long it will doe soe I know not. +The prince escaped narrowly having received two musketts shott on his Armour. +ffrom Brussells they say that about 3000 mn were killed in the fight on both sides & that the Prince made a very good retreat. +The Marquis de Resnell Leiutent Generall is killed before Cambray where the ffrench Bombs have done great execution. +The write from Bruges that the Citydale was capitulating. L. c. 460 [Handwriting changes here.] Aprill 7 1677 Whitehall 5 Aprill 1677 yesterday morning the ffrench letters Brought us an account of a Battle fought Between the ffrench and prince of Orange In my last I told you the prince of Orange was Advanced to Relieve St omer and Being Come as far as Casell which is within 5 or 6 English Miles of St omer The duke of orleans found it Necesary to Advance to meet him and accordingly on Sunday morning the de Varches he had taken 2 days Before he left 6000 men to guard the trenches and Advanced towards the prince of orange and by the way Met the duke of Luxenburg with 9000 men sent by the King ffrom Cambray and on Sunday about 8 In the morning the fight Began Neere a place Called penez [?] Between Casell and St omer and soe Continued till Noon when the prince did Retreate a little to give time to 6000 ffresh men to Come up to him and then the Battle was Renued and Continued with more Eagerness then Before till after 7 at Night and there the dunkerke letters leave us as Being writt that Night But a letter dated on monday at Calais sayes that they had Newes That the dutch were worsted haveing lost 5 or 6000 men with all there greate guns; That the ffrench were In pursuite of them and that the dutch had taken Refuge In an abbey a place of greate strengh But this Wee looke Upon as partiall Its Reckned that the ffrench when they Began the fight were Not less then 36000 and the prince about 24000 who with the 6000 had 30000; The ffrench had about 12000 horse the prince but 6 or 7000 But the horse Could Not be soe usefull as foot it Being an Inclosed Countrey The prince had Raised the Reputation of his forces In maintaining a fight soe firmely for a whole day against a numerous and Conquering army The Spaniards promise themselves that Cambray will hold out yet a month or 6 weeks which if it doe will give a greate turne to things This Morning Comes In a letter ffrom Bruges which sayes that the prince of Orange was Retired to Ipres That his Cavalry had Not done there duty In the fight which was the greate Cause of this ill success But gives Not the perticulers of his loss The prince Received 2 shotts In his arme Comons wednesday 4 Aprill 1677 A Bill for Better Assurance of such as Claime Under Ancient fines and Recoveries Reported & ordered to be Engrost A Bill from the Lords for the more Effectuall Conviction and prosecution of Romish Recusants; vizt by Registring themselves Read & Rejected A Bill to suppress the growth of popery Read a 3d time and passed Thursday 5 Aprill The house sate till 10 at night that noe account Could be procured of there proceedings till the Next The portesmouth letters dat 27 tell us of stoores lately Brought Into his Majesties yard there and that the Rupert was lately gone out of the docke and the Mary put In to fit and trimme L. c. 461 [Handwriting changes here.] Luna 9 Aprill 1677 +Sr ffrancis Comptons bill reported +Sr Edward Hungerfords bill read a 3 time & passed +The Bill for repaire of Yarmouth Peere reported. +The bill for ye better recovery of small tithes reported & ordered to bee ingrost. +The Bill sent from ye Lds for lycensing Protestant Strangers to exercise theire trades in England. +The Supply bill for building of Ships read a 3 time & past And then adiourned till 8 to morrow. Die Martis 10 Aprill 1677 +A Bill for Naturalizacon sent from ye Lds read a 3 time & passed. +The Ld Manchesters Bill wth a pvisoe thereunto read a 3 time & passed +A Bill for repaire of Churches read a 3 time & passed +A Bill from ye Lds to enable Mr Gery & his Trustees to sell lands for paymt of debts. +An Address to bee prsented to his Matie touching ye Duke of Norfolk reported. +A Bill for continuing ye Additionall Excise read, committed, reported & ordered to be Ingrost And then adiourned till to Morrow. Whitehall 10 Aprill 1677 +Though wee [have] not as yet a pticular Narrative of ye late fight between ye ffrench & ye Dutch yet it apprs sufficiently yt ye latter have received a great defeate, It was indeed a brave attempt of ye Prince of Orange to advance soe far through wayes yt were almost unpassable, & to pass a River after having beaten the Enemyes, & ye ffrench themselves were almost surprized at it, & when they understood hee had an Army of 30000 men (ye Dutch themselves say 20000 foot & 8000 horse of wch latter 4000 came not up with Count Nassau till severall houres after ye fight was begun) The ffrench Generalls were of opinion yt they ought not to advance but to post themselves as advantageously as they could & to avoyd fighting if possible, but Monsieur overruled them & said hee would fight, & bid them manage it. The Duke of Luxemburg (whoo arrived wth ye detachment on Saturday night, commanded ye left wing, & Mareschall de Humieres ye right, & the former was twice very neare being routed but was saved by Monsieurs coming in himselfe wth the Kings Musketteers & Gens d'armes, greatest part of whome were killed in soe much yt of ye Gens d'armes onely one or 2 officers escaped. In fine ye Dutch foot behaved themselves very well, but ye Cavalry did very ill, & scarce made one good charge +The ffrench will not allow themselves to have been soe strong as ye Dutch for 6000 men were left at St Omers, & 4000 they had sent 2 dayes before to Graveling & Dunkirk, & other places not knowing what ye Princes designe might bee. yesterday wee had ye Dutch letters of ffryday last, they owne ye defeate, yt Count Waldeck is still missing, yt severall other Officers were killed, that ye Prince was come with his remaining Army to Ipress, yt hee had 2 shotts on his Armour, & had a horse killed under him & yt they may have lost 4 or 5000 men wch his Highnes they hope would soone recruit having sent for fresh Regimts ffrom Holland. There was brought to Ipres 2000 wounded men ffrom Calais wee heare yt ye ffrench were returned ye day after ye fight to ye seige of St Omer, & that a great many wounded men had been brought to Dunkirk & Callais among whom were severall psons of quality. +Saturday & yesterday ye house of Commons spent upon ye Supply bill wch was reported on Saturday, & past yesterday. The Lds sent downe a bill yesterday to ye Commons for lycencing of Protestant strangers to exercise theire trades in England. The Act for naturalizing such English as were borne beyond Sea in ye late troubles is past both houses. +I had forgot to tell you yt from ye Hague they write, yt the Prince in a letter hee wrote to ye Governor of fflanders complaining hee was abused by those yt undertooke to shew him ye Country, who gave him a false account of it by which means it happened yt his Army was very disadvantageously posted, & had noe roome for Intervalls, wch was ye cause yt 2 Battalions of Dutch who made ye first charge being over throwne, they likewise overthrew those other Battalions that were in ye second line, & thereby was occasioned much disorder, And besides ye ffrench having ye advantage of the ground attacked ye Dutch in theire fflank & Areares after wch they would stand noe longer, And had it not been for ye night and an enclosed Country many more would have fallen. L. c. 462 Die Mercury 11 Aprill 1677 +The amendmts of ye Ld Killmurryes bill sent from ye Lds & agreed to. +A Bill for erecting a Court of Judicature in Southwarke read a 3 time & past. +A Bill concerning Stannary laws in Cornwall & Deavon sent from ye Lds. +A message sent from his Matie & a debate arising thereupon it was adiourned till to Morrow morn: 8 a Clock And then adiourned till that time The Kings Message. Charles Rex. +His Matie having considered your late Address & finding some late alterations in affaires abroad thinks it necessary to put you in mind yt ye onely way to prvent wt mischeifs may arise to these Kingdomes must bee by putting his Matie timely in condicon to make such prparacons as may enable him to doe wt shall bee most for ye security of them & if for this reason you shall desire to sit any longer since ye King is content you adiourne now before Easter & meet againe suddenly after to ripen this matter & to pfect some of ye most necessary bills now depending Whitehall. 12 Aprill. 1677. +Notwithstanding ye good defence ye Citydale of Cambray made of wch you have ye pticulars in print ye same was surrendred on ffryday last on very honble condicons to march out wth bagg & baggage &c The King of ffrance has put ye troops yt were there into qters of refreshmt. Wee expect our next letters will likewise give us an acct yt St Omer is taken & when yt is done they will doe noe more in fflanders This Summer but stand on ye defensive while ye send Detachmts towards Germany. The ffrench lost about 2000 men at Cambray & as many in ye late battle. +Wee have this afternoone ye fflanders letters they give us a very melancholly acct vidt yt ye Dutch troops were repassed Bruges on Sunday, & Munday last was Sevennight together wth ye Prince of Orange & Count Waldeck whoo when ye Lrs came away had theire qters between Ghent & Bruges having likewise put theire troops into qters. They say yt ye Prince has lost 8000 men of wch about 4000 are taken prisoners & they pticularly name severall Regimts, who from 1500 and 1000 are reduced to 150.200 & 4000 men, on ye other side some behaved themselves soe very ill yt 2 Colls & 4 Capts had been executed for cowardise. +The Garrison of Maestricht has made incursion & burnt ye Country almost to ye Walls of Antwerp. +Of ye Garrison of St Omer 1 Collonell 2 Majors 16 Captains & 7 Ensigns have wee heare been killed since this seige. The Spaniards are treating wth ye Bishop of Munster for 12000 men. Noe news yet of Lorrayns march. Jovis Aprill. 12. 1677 +Mr Crooks bill read a 2d time & committed +A Bill to prvent frauds & p[er]iuries read a 3 time & passed +A Message from ye Lds yt there Ldpps had agreed to ye Naturalizacon bill. Resolved +That a Clause bee added, to ye Bill for continuing ye additionall duty of Excise to enable his Matie to borrow 200000 L at 7 p Cent. +That ye thanks of ye house bee presented to his Matie for laying before them his Maties sence of ye posture of affaires abroad & to let his Matie know yt in order to his Maties prparacons in pursuance of ye Address of this house for ye pservacon of the Kingdomes they have pvided a security of 200000 L & yt wtsoever of yt summe shall bee expended shall bee by them reimbursed & whensoever the posture of his Maties: affaires shall require theire attendance in Parliamt: they will bee ready to aide & assist him as ye nature of his Maties affaires shall require. Adiourned till. 2 to Morrow. [Handwriting changes for just this sentence:] Mr Dugdale formerly Norroy is now made Garter principall King at Armes L. c. 463 Veneris. 13 Aprilis 1677. +The Lady Mordants bill read & ordered a 2 reading. +The amendmts of ye Bill to take away ye Writt De heritico Comburendo agreed to. +A Bill for ye more easy recovery of small tithes read a 3d time & passed. +Mr Standishes bill read a 3 time & passed. +Reasons to bee used at a conference wth ye Lds reported & a conference had accordingly. +A Bill sent from ye Lds for ye better observacon of ye Lds day read & ordered a 2d reading. +A Bill to prvent seditious Pamphletts +A Bill to prvent incestuous marriages. Adiourned till to morrow. +May it please your most excellent Matie +Wee your Maties most dutifull & loyall subjects ye Commons in the prsent Parliamt assembled doe wth great satisfacon of minde observe ye Care your Matie is pleased to expresse to our former address by intimating unto us the late [word of about nine letters illegible] of affaires abroad & wee doe returne our most humble thanks for his Maties most gracious offer made to us thereupon in yo[u]r last message & having taken a serious deliberacon of ye same & ye prparons your Matie hath there in intimated to us were fitting to bee made in order to those publick ends Wee have for ye prsent pvided a Security in a Bill for ye addiconall duty of Excise upon wch your Matie may raise 200000 L & if your Matie shall thinke fit to call us together againe for this purpose in some short time after Easter by any publique significacons of your pleasure commanding our attendance wee shall at our next meeting not onely be ready to reimburse yo[u]r Matie wt sums of money shall bee expended upon such extraordinary prepacons as shall bee made in pursuance of our former Address but shall likewise wth most cheerfull hearts pceed both then & at all times to furnish your Matie wth such large pporcons of assistances & supplyes upon this Occasion as may give your Matie & ye whole world an ample testimony of our loyaltyes & affeccons to your Maties service & may enable your Matie by the help of Almighty God to maintaine such strickter alliances as you shall enter into agt all opposicons wtsoever. Sabatis 14 Aprill. 1677. +The Lady Mordants bill read a 2d time & passed. +Mr Squirs bill read a 3d time & passed. +An ingrost bill sent from ye Lds for setling ye Lawes of Stannaryes read & ordered a 2d reading. +The house went into a 2d Conference wth ye Lds about ye amendmts made to ye Supply Bill & being returned resolved yt ye doe not agree to ye Amendmts. +Ordered yt a free conference be desired wth ye Lds wch is agreed by them to bee on Munday morning by 10 of ye Clock Adiourned till Munday 8 a Clock. +Lrs from ffrance & fflanders this day doe both affirme St Omers to bee surrendred upon termes, ye pticulars not agreeeing I omit to incertainties & yt Ipres & Monts are both invested by ye ffrench fforces L. c. 464 Whitehall 17th Aprill. 1677 +On Saturday last ye 2 Houses had a free Conference, & yesterday a 2d concerning ye amendmt made by ye Lds in ye Supply Bill wch ye Lds afterwards agreed to leave out, & soe yt Bill as well as yt for continuing ye Excise wth ye new Clause enabling his Matie: to raise 200000 L were past. +Yesterday about noone his Matie sent ye Commons another message to acquaint them yt ye 200000 L they had enabled him to borrow would not bee sufficient & yt his Matie should want ye Summ of 600000 L in order to ye doing such things as may answer ye ends of theire severall Addresses, his Matie assuring them yt he will on all occasions engage his whole Revenue to ye utmost for ye prservacon of ye Kingdome, of yt hee will never bee wanting to use ye best means for ye safety of his people his condicon is capable of. To wch ye House answered. +That they had found great cause to returne his Matye theire most humble thanks for ye said Message & ye gracious expressions therein contained, & to pray his Matie to rest assured yt his Matie shall finde as much duty & affeccon in them as can bee expressed by most loyall people to theire most gracious Soveraigne +That many of theire Members being gone out of Towne (in expectation of an Adiournmt before Easter) they cannot thinke it Parliamentary in theire absence to take upon them the granting of money, & therefore pray his Matie may adiourne for such short time (before ye summe of 200000 L can bee expended) as his Matie shall thinke fit, & by his Royall Proclamacon command the attendance of all theire members at ye day of meeting noe way doubting but at theire next assembling his Matie will not onely meet with a Compliance in the supply of his Maties desires but with all such farther assistance as ye posture of his Maties affaires shall require. +Accordingly about 7 in the Evening yesterday the Commons being called up to ye Lds house, his Matie gave his Royall assent to ye Supply Bill, that for ye Excise & severall other Publick & private Acts of which you shall have a list; That done my Ld Chancellor told them yt his Matie gave them leave to adiourne till ye 21th of ye next Moneth, as they accordingly did. +A Peticon of ye Ld Wharton to ye Lords Spirituall & Temporall in Parliamt assembled was before presented & read in ye house of Lords praying for his Liberty; wch was referred by the house to his Matie to doe therein what his Matie shall please. +This morning early ye King is gone to Newmarkett. +The Duke de Crequi accompanied with some other ffrench noblemen is expected here in a day or two to Complemt his Matie upon ye ffrench Kings arriveall at Dunkirk & Calais, & his being as it were in ye Neighbourhood, a thing yt has been alwayes heretofore practised. +The Earle of Sunderland is appointed by his Matie to returne the Complemt. +Wee have nothing new from abroad. L. c. 465 Aprill 19 1677 +The Brussells Lrs dated 16 tell us ye Count de Montalto had been with ye Prince of Orange to consult how to mannage theire affaires The ffrench in some of theire Lrs of ye 17 give a touch of ye loss yt befell to them in Officers of ye Gens de Armes &c The Marquis de Beavian commander killed Villavert 3 Capts of ye Guards La Grange brother to ye Countess Souragour Officer of ye Guards Chevalier de la Huggette Marshall killed, Vienne le Bassies Bassier & Silly attendts upon Mounsieur in his chamber killed The Chevalier of Lorrain Villertean Varrenne Capts of ye Guards Malesi & Montvellet wounded. On ye 13 ye Lds sent a Bill to ye Commons to prevent seditious Pamphlets, a Bill to prevent incestuous marriages & ordered a 2d reading. ye bill for observation of ye Lords day They agreed to ye amendmts to ye Bill to take away ye Writt de haretico comburendo past ye bill for ye more easie recovering of small tithes, & a bill to continue ye additionall duty of Excise wth ye additionall clause to enable his Matie to borrow 200000 L at 7 L p Cent. +The same day ye Comons attended his Matie with theire Address of thanks &c Both houses on ye 14 not agreeing on a conference adiourned till ye 16 at 10 of ye clock. The Dutch Lres date 20 tell us they have noe pticulars of their loss in ye late fight but yt it is beleived to bee in the whole about 7000 men. His Matie went early on ye 17 to newmarket & dined there that day. The ffrench king being come to Dunkirk his Matie has sent ye Earle of Sunderland & his Royall Highnes has sent the Ld Duras to complemt him. The Duke of Crequi, & Arch Bpp of Rheines & President of ye Parliamt: of Paris, the Prince of Monaco, the Count Soissons Monsieur Buerrilloon late Plenipotentiary at Cologne Marquis of Miremirill Chevalier de Bizun wth servall other psons of quality in all 22, are sent from ye ffrench King hither on ye same errand whoo were on ye 19 treated at Easton. +On the 18 ye Duke of new Castle & Ld high Treasurer were installed knights of ye Garter at Windsor. On ye 16 his Matie was pleased to give his Royall assent to all Publick bills compleated, & to 14 private Bills. On ye 16 the Commons ordered the Bill for releife of poore Prisoners to bee ingrost, & about noone his Matie sent the Commons another Message to acquaint them yt ye 200000 L they had enabled him to borrow would not bee sufficient & yt his Matie should want the Summe of 600000 L in order to the doing such things as may answer ye ends of theire severall Addresses his Matie assuring them yt hee will on all occasions engage his Revenue to ye utmost for ye preservation of ye kingdomes & yt hee will never bee wanting to use ye best means for ye safety of his people; his condition is capable of. To wch ye house answerd yt they have found great cause to returne his Matie theire most humble thanks for ye 1st message & the gracious expressions therein contained & to pray his Matie to rest assured yt his Matie shall finde as much duty & affeccon in them as can bee expressed by the most loyall people to theire most gracious Soveraigne. +That many of theire members being gone out of towne in expectation of an Adiounmt before Easter they cannot thinke Parliamentary in theire absence to take upon them ye granting of money, & therefore they pray his Matie they may adjourne for such short time before ye summe of 200000 L can bee expended as his Matie shall thinke fit, & by his Royall Proclamation to command the attendance of all theire Members at the day of meeting Noe way doubting but at theire next Assembling his Matie will not onely meet wth a Compliance in the supply of his Maties: desires but withall such further assistance as the posture of his Maties affaires shall require. A Peticon of ye Lord Wharton to ye Lords Spirituall & temporall in Parliamt assembled was before prsented & read in ye house of Lds praying for his Liberty wch was referred by ye house to his Matie to doe therein what his Matie shall please. The last Lres from Thoulon speake of a saile of ships lately gone thence for Messina commanded by Monsieur de Maury who are to ioyne 14 there already There remained in Port 7 Gallies & 2 halfe Gallies who were to goe to the coast of Catalonia to wait ye motion of 4 Spanish Gallies at Barcelona; The 1600 Swissers under ye command of Coll: Stoupe & 300 dragoons went for Scicily wth 9 men of warre theire Convoy who tooke 30 Saile of ships & Satias [?] wth provisions & ffrom ye Isle of Rees. The Dutch Lres dat 23 tell us yt besides ships designed for ye Baltick 5 light ffriggots are prparing to cruse upon ye Coast of Norway & 5 other for ye use of ye East India Ships. The Earle of ffeversham is said to bee lately dead. Whitehall 19 Aprill. 1677 +The ffrench having as it were ended theire Campaign in fflanders, & ye Spaniards not having as yet begun theires wee have noe great matter too report from those parts. The fflanders Lres continue to speake of ye late battle wth great commendations of the Princes valour & conduct in the Retreat hee made, & even from ye Spaniards whoe never before said any good of him. The great expectation is from the Germans; The Duke of Lorrain is certainly ere this wth 20000 men at Luxemburg from whence its beleived hee will make incursion into Lorrain where hee hath hopes to finde ye disposicon of ye people very favourable to him, And in ye meane time ye whole Imperiall Army will begin to move & to march to theire Rendevouz neare ffrankfort. In ye meane time little passes at Nimeghen for neither side desire a peace till they see farther success of this Campaign wch ye Confederates hope to end as successfully as ye ffrench have begun it. The Lds prsented an Address to his Matie in wch they reprsent yt contrary to theire Judgmt they had withdrawne theire Amendmt in ye Supply Bill to manifest theire duty & affeccon to his Matie & rather then that a Bill of soe much use & benefit to ye Nation should bee lost, & yt for this Reason onely they had preserved the Publick benefitt before ye consideracon of theire owne rights & priviledges wch they prayed his Matie to accept as a lasting testimony of theire zeale & affeccons to his Matie & ye kingdomes service, To wch his Matie answered yt hee tooke theire Address very kindly & yt hee should bee as carefull of theire priviledges as themselves should desire. +The ffrench king has put his troops into quarters of refreshmt in Picardy where they will continue till ye 30th of ye next Moneth; In ye meane time ye King is at Dunkirk & Calais, & from thence will goe to Paris, & about ye middle of ye next Moneth take ye feild & begin ye Campaign anew. L. c. 466 Hague 20/30 Aprill 1677 +That wch I wrote last Post of a treaty concluded between Spain & Munster is now confirmed by Monsr Vermuelen who negotiated it at Brussells, & is returned from thence, The 9000 men wch ye Bpp is to furnish consist in 6000 foot 2000 horse & 1000 Dragoons to bee commanded by Generall Wedell, but soe as that hee must bee under ye comand of ye Spanish Generall. The 4000 men wch ye said Bpp sends to Denmarke are I heare actually on theire March & have past ye Weser on theire way thither. The last Lres wee had from our Army informe us yt severall psons who wee supposed to bee killed or taken prisoners in ye late fight come daily to fight. That of ye Regimt of ffallenburg wch behaved it selfe very ill 9 men had been drawne out by lott, yt is one out of every Company who had been hanged for an Example to ye rest That ye Prince of Orange lookt wth a very ill eye upon severall psons of note for not having done theire duty. That hee had caused to bee distributed to each Capt of foot 5 L & to each Capt of horse 7 L for each man they lost in ye fight pvided theire Companies were recruited by the midle of May. severall fresh Regimts are on theire March to ye Army & among others the English Regimts who had theire quarters at Breda. Wee are assured yt ye Prince of Orange intends to make ye Seiur Benting his favourite generall of the troops of his horse & to give ye command of Generall of ye Infantry to ye Count de Sohnes Coll of his foot guards. +It is very notorious yt nothing is more wanted in our Army then good Generall Officers. Trier 25 Aprill. +yesterday arrived here the Duke of Lorraine his Army wch consist of 10000 horse & 6000 foot encamping in the Neighbourhood, to morrow they will passe the Moselle over our bridge & march towards Lorraine, at which ye ffrench are greatly allarmed & have put a strong Garrison into Diodenhoven. Mentz 24 Aprill. +The Imperiall troops wch had theire quarters in ye Countey of Wirtemberg & other places are marching towards the Rhyne wch they will pass at Oppenheim, & soe follow ye Duke of Lorraine. The troops of the Circles & those of ye Prince of Saxony march towards Brisac wch place they will block up. Paris 28 Aprill. +The Garrison of St Omer marched out with bagg and baggage & 2 peices of Cannon being about 2500 foot & 500 horse. The Mareschall de Schomberg is to command our forces on ye side of Catalonia where ye Spaniards will have a very good Army this Campaigne +The King will visit all his places in fflanders & its beleived will cause some of the most inconsiderable to bee demolished. +The Duke of Lorrain wee heare marches wth 18 or 20000 men towards Metz. Whitehall 24 Aprill 1677 +The above is what come from abroad since my last. +The Dukes of Crequi & Bovillon went to Newmarket on Saturday, & had audience of the king that morning, they will bee back here againe on Thursday next, but his Matie does not returne till fryday or Saturday sevennight. +There is a talke in towne of a blazing starre that has been seen in Holland & here in England within few dayes L. c. 467 21 Aprill 1677 Whitehall +Yesterday wee had a fflanders Post, & ye following will give you an acct of ye News in those parts. Brussells 27 Aprill +The Envoy of Munster parted from hence on Sunday having reced Bills for 50000 Crownes at Amsterdam, his master is to send 9000 men forthwth hither, And besides yt Bpp is to receive 20000 Crowns L Moneth. The Duke of Zell is alsoe to send ye like number, & ye Bpp of Osnabrug 6000, for wch they have both reced moneys, And wth these Supplies our Governour computes hee shall have an Army of 30000 men wch hee will command himselfe; & wee are assured yt by ye end of May ye Prince of Orange will have his Army compleated to above 40000 men with wch forces they hope they shall bee able to recover theire losses & to reestablish theire affaires before ye end of ye Campaigne; One Army being to beseige some considerable place, while the other cover them & make head agst ye Enemie, But where they will find Subsistence for 2 such Armies I cannot yet see. Besides those Armyes the Duke of Lorrain will bee at ye head of 40000 Imperialists, & ye Prince of Saxony will command a body of 20000 men in Brisgow. On Sunday morning ye Governour of Cambray came hither; One great dissatisfaction is exprest in generall for ye soe sudden surrender of it, but ye Officers all assert yt they wanted sevrall things necessary for its defence. +It is certaine yt none behaved themselves soe well as the Irish who kept a halfe Moone till ye Cittadell capitulated, & of 300 there are not 150 left; The king tooke pticular notice of them, & gave them great commendations. +On Saturday wee had Lres from Ipres of ye 23 wch said that ye 21 ye ffrench made a Generall assault upon St Omer & were repulsed, but yt ye beseiged considering ye danger began to Parley, but not being able to obtain the conditions they desired, brake off againe, and began to shoot againe as furiously as ever, But this day his Excie reced Lres wch assures him yt ye place is surrendred & yt ye Garrisons is come to Ghent. +The ffrench forces are at prsent in quarters & ye king is at Dunkirk. +The Marquis de Risbourg ye late Governour of Valienciennes is come hither to give his Excie an acct of the unhappy losse of that place. Our Spanish Lres tell us yt that govermt is not soe well setled, but that there are great factions & iealousies yt ye King by some speeches hee had let fall hath given Don Juan an apprehension least his Matie should take an occasion of seeing ye Queen, wch is ye cause yt Don Juan hastens his journey to Arragon & Catalonia. +Wee are further told that ye Court was infinitely surprised to heare of ye Losse of Valienciennes, but doubtless will bee much more when they understand that Cambray, St Omer & a battle is lost. Cologne 23 Aprill. +The Lres wee receive from Mentz tell us that all the Imperiall forces have quitted theire winter quarters & are marching towards ye Rhyne to ioyne the body the Duke of Lorrain is advancing wth to ye Mosselle; It is said yt that Duke takes his March directly towards metz. +The Osnaburge troops doe not yet budge. L. c. 468 Whitehall Aprill 26 1676 +Mr Lawrence Hyde is making prpations to return to Nimeghen in quality of Ambr extraordinary & Plenipotentiary from his Matie +The Unity of Poole arrived from Barbadoes at Portsmouth on ye 19. the master reports yt having been upon his passage 9 weeks hee saw 10 dayes before 3 Dutch men of War in Carlisle Road of Heer Binches squadron, & that in the ofing hee saw 10 or 12 saile of ffrench men of Warr, the Dutch commander sent a small vessell ye day before to Tobago to give them an acct that the ffrench were on theire Coast, & the next day, the 3 men of War set sale toward Tobago to ioyne those here. +The Brussells Lres dat 27 tell us Ministers of Osnaburg & Munster had signed an Agreemt wth the Duke de Villa Hermosa ye former of them parted on Sunday wth a Bill of Exchange upon Amsterdam of 50m Pattacoons his Mr being to send 9000 men forthwth for ye Assistance of those Countryes for wch hee is to receive 20m crownes monthly, the 1st to be pd upon theire arrival. The Duke of Lunenburgh Zell is to furnish 9000 The Bishop of Osnaburg 6000 soe yt ye Duke de Villa Hermosa wth his owne will bee at the head of an Army of 30m men about ye end of next moneth, about wch time Monsr Dickfeild has pmised the Prince of Orange his Army shall bee made up 40m The French King has made Monsr Cesau formerly Gouvernour of Conde Governor of Cambray sent a body of 15000 toward Marshall Crequi & given the rest of the troops quarters of refreshmt for 3 weeks. The troops under the command of the Duke of Lorraine were thought by yt time to bee at Luxemburg whose design was genally psumed to bee to enter into ffrance, the Rendevous of ye Gross of ye Army of ye Empour is assigned about Phillipsburgh May 1st & a body of 15000 men is to bee under ye command of the Prince of Baden, & the Prince of Saxe Lawenburgh. +The french are busie about fortifying Metz & Nancy summoning ye Country 10 miles about to worke on them, Theire troops begin to march toward Thornville, where they intend to Encampe +The Sieur-Beatus Holfhab Ambr from ye Cantons of Swisserland has acquainted the Empr, yet they will not suffer him to make any Levyes or recruits in theire territories Conditionally his Imperiall Matie the Empire & Allies will maintain wth them an exact Neutrality. +They write from Nimeghen date 12 yt ye Assembly at yt prsent was small & ye busines lesse, many of the Munsters having gone to Wesell to meet the Elector of Brandenburg, & not returned Monser Benerning was wth them on the Tuesday before the prtence of whose goeing was to see his gardens at Lockhurst though most are of opinion yt hee went to get further instructions then hee had before yt hee might push on ye busines of his Ma[ste]r: with more earnestnes. One whoe goes under ye title of a Count is arrived there on behalfe of ye Duke of Holstein Gottorpe who has recommended his Maties business to ye Mediators +They write from Vienna yt those 4 regimts yt were listed of ye Rebells of Hungary for ye service of ye Empr declare themselves unwilling to march upon prtence yt there yet remaine some difficulties in ye Treaty, & yt they have not recd a full assurance of those advantages wch they promise to themselves, but wtever ye disappointmt of these men may doe there is noe great danger to be apprhended from them, otherwise for yt ye Grand Seignior has made fresh pmises of his intention to keep the Peace, & yt they stand in ill terms wth those yt gave them refuge upon a discovery lately made of a Conspiracy agst Abassi Prince of Transylvania in wch ye Ring Leaders of those Rebells were principally concerned & sevrall of them made Prisoners for it. +Tis said here his Matie will on Saturday next returne to Whitehall. +Some shipps lately arrived from Barbadoes left that Island in a very good condition, they say yt Count Estre had been about those parts & was gone for Tobago wch they supposed hee had taken. +They write from Paris dat May 1st yt ye ffrench King was on ye 28 at Calais, & yt hee put off the assembling of his troops near Tourney to ye 15th & it was thought would give them further repose till ye 20th. Hee goes to visit all his Conquests to see yt they bee provided wth all things necessary for defence, & to give fresh orders where hee findes any defect in ye ffortifications, his curiosity will carry him alsoe to veiw the place of Battle near Mount Cassell of wch ye ffrench have printed given an acct & a list of ye Officers of ye Sevrall Regimts killed, & wounded, & taken Prisoners by the Dutch, from wch wee may collect yt ye losse of the ffrench was very considerable in yt Battle, the list taking up a whole sheet of Paper printed on all sides Monsr de Lonvoy left the King & went to Metz & Nancy to see those places well pvided agst any attempt the Imperialists might make, wch yet Marshall Crequi has very well furnished with soldiers & provisions, as alsoe Thould & Verdun to go prvent the Imperialists gaining yt Post by wch they must open a passage into Lorraine They talke yt Luxemburgh has recorded a German Garison where the Purveyers have been busie in making all necessary Provision of Virtualls, the Imperiall Army being to pass yt way. How ye King will dispose his troops at the Genall Rendevouz near Tournay is not said but however they are furnishing Versailles as if hee intended to returne thither, The Cardinall D'Estrees in his returne from Rome will have a Commission to visit all the Princes of Italy to take off there Jealousies of ffrance to engage them not to Act any thing agst them. +Tis said now yt his Matie will not returne to Whitehall till munday may happly not till Wedensday. +The Queen hath for some dayes continued ill yet God be praised not soe as some about towne talked as if there were any danger of her Recovery. +The Brussells Lres dat 30 advise yt ye Duke de Villa Hermosa is very well satisfied wth ye Acct hee had from the Prince of Orange. The Squadron of Dutch men of War are hastning to cruise upon ye coast of fflanders to keep in ye ffrench Privateers about Dunkirk & Calais & to give an Allarme to ye Coast of ffrance to make a diversion to the ffrench forces whilst ye Prince of Orange on one side & ye Duke de Villa Hermosa on ye other may attempt something by Land. +Madrid Aprill 8th upon a Reprsentation made by ye Councell of State the King has caused a Decree to bee published in wch it is declared yt his Highnes Don Juan of Austria shall bee for ye future treated on all occasions as Infante of Spain, & accordingly on Sunday last his Highnes accompanied the King to ye Chappell where hee had a chaire given him at a small distance from ye King. [On outside of letter a (frivolous?) note in another hand:] Mem: It is now agreed by and between H. Waite of Milton G. and R. Brian of Arbury Butler that in case hee the said R B can gain the concent of Eliz. the Daughter of the said Hugh by any fair and fitting meanes; that hee the said R. B. shall have the full and free consent of mee the said Hugh her father. In witnesse whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this day of. [sic] L. c. 469 [Handwriting changes here.] Aprill 30 1676 Brussells 30 Aprill 1676 +Monsr de Motte the Chiefe Minester here is returned ffrom the Prince of Orange haveing adjusted what he went about to our governors satisfaction, it seemes it is Concerted Between his highness and his Exelencie that a squadron of men of war consisting of 18 of which some shall be ostenders shall Cruse in the Channell Between ostend and Calais to obliege the ffrench King to draw some forces that way wee are told ffrom the ffrench Conquests that the ffrench King is visiting all his garrisons, that great preparations are makeing at Aoth for the Kings Reception and that vast quantities of Bread is Baking in all the townes Round, That the ffrench have a Campe at Anom Neare oudenarde which makes us suspect they may once more attempt our Canall on Sunday the duke of Montalto generall of our horse went to ghent to see what body of Cavalry might be drawne togather for the Campaigne the garison of st omers which is Come to ghent is 1200 foot and 400 horse a great many haveing deserted and gone Into the ffrench service wee are now thinkeing to provide subsistance for the greate armyes are ill mannagers that they will quickly make havocke of what wee can provide his Exelensie has declared that Neither officers Nor soldiers of his army must Exspect to have any more wages this year the Countrey not Being able to pay Contributions by which it may be judged In what Condition wee are In A Bridge of boates is layd over the Schelde Neere Antwerpe for the passage of the troops upon occasion and forts are Makeing on Each side for the greater security of it ffrom treves they write that the duke of Lorraine had passed the Moselle there and had sent out strong parties towards the Saar to take an account of the Enemie; Its said he will not make any Considderable Attempt till the Rest of the Army is joyned him which will be about a moneth hence for at prsent Crequi is much stronger then he and dayly Receives detachements ffrom fflanders, and therefore the duke of Lorraine Complaines that his designes are Broken by the soe sudden surrender of Cambray and St Omer which wee had Exspected would have given the Enemie worke for at last 2 moneths and have kept them for sending there forces soe Early towards germany The prince of Orange is makeing all the hast he Can to take the feild to have a Revenge paris 1 may 1677 +wee have advice ffrom Metz that the Marshall Crequi has defeated 3 or 4000 horse of the duke of Lorraines which were advanced towards the saar, the King Continues In flanders and the 21st of this moeth the army army takes the feild againe wee are in Exspectation to heare of some Considerable Exployte of the Count d Estrees in the west Indies, Its said he had passed by the barbados and at the ffrench leeward Islands had taken on board 3 or 4000 land men hague 4 may 1677 +The money that was to be Advanced to the Bishop of Munster for the troops he is to put Into the service of Spaine hath Been already paid at Amsterdam where the ships designed for Scicily are fitting out with all the Expedition posible I am told by one that knowes that In the Princes letter which was printed giveing an account of the late fight severall clauses were left out for In the letter sent the states his highness uses these very words; And At lengh our troops Not being able to withstand the Enemie quitted there posts and were entirely routed, wee pssed the small brooke aswell as wee could and not being able to Rally our men Retired In much disorder, I Cannot as yet give your lordships the perticulars of our loss, But you will inogue [?] that In soe generall a Route it must Needs be very greate An officer of Note who is prisoner at Amiens since the fight writes, that there and at Abbeville are about 80 dutch officers and 1700 common soldiers prisoners The provinces have agreed to furnish a good summe of money for Recruiteing the army and accordingly New Leavies are Makeing all those provences over The Jealousie that the dukes of Lunenburge are going to quitt the alliance still Continues Brussells 4 may 1677 The prince of Roeber [?] with the Chiefest officers that were In St omer are Come hither by whose Relation they might have kept the towne Much longer but that they wanted powder haveing Noe more left when they capitulated then would have served them for 4 dayes The prince of orange Continues still where he was Neere ghent Recruiteing his army which will be suddenly In a very good posture and Ready to march ffrom Maestricht wee are told they Continue workeing at there fortifications and that they had summoned all the Countrey Round to Bring In there carts and waggons which gives there Neibors a Jealousie they have some greate designe In hand wee heare that the ffrench Intend to have a Campe at poitou where the prince of Conde was posted at the Battle of Seuneffe to Cover Charleroy our last Advices ffrom the duke of Lorraine say that he was marched to actom in Luxenburg which bends towards the meuse Either to Charlemont or Namur But that he would not Attempt anything till the Rest of the Imperiall armye had joyned him for its Certain that Crequi is at present stronger then he and Besides its said that Crequi has given orders for the destroying all the villages upon the Saar that the Imperiallists may want subsistance The french are likewise formeing a Campe Neere Bentfield in Alsace; the ffrench King was on Sunday last at Lisle and this day at Courtray L. c. 470 [Handwriting changes here.] Paris 4. May 1677 +The King is expected here about ye middle of the next Moneth, after having visitted his severall garrisons in fflanders, but as yet wee know not to whome hee will leave the Command of his fforces there, some speake of the Duke of Luxemburg, & others of Mareschall Schomberg. +ffrom Metz they write that the Duke of Lorraine had hardly with him 16000 men, & that it was not beleived hee would begin any action till his Army was much stronger. yesterday wee had Lres from Spain, which give us an account that Don Juan of Austria was declared by the King & Counsell of State capable of the Succession to the Crowne, & that in case the King does without heires Males lawfully begotten Don Juan shall accordingly bee lookt upon and acknowledged as King of Spaine; which is a step of that importance that many are of opinion it may give occasion to new troubles in Spaine. Whitehall 1 May +None of our fforraigne Lres which were due this day, being yet come in, wee are wanting matter to make this longer; All that I can tell you is that a Gentleman come over from fflanders assures us, that the designe of the Spaniards is to bee beleived that the Prince of Orange is to beseige Charleroy, & the Germans Brisac while the Duke of Lorraine continues about Luxemburg watching an opportunity to fall into ffrance and to that purpose the Spaniards will put Luxemburg into the hands of the Imperialists. +I have seen a list of the Officers killed & wounded on the ffrench side in the last fight which ammounts to 320, besides 3 or 4 taken Prisoners, And this is remarked that though the Dutch were beaten & lost many more men, yet they had but 120 Officers killed wounded and taken Prisoners, wch does not much commend them. L. c. 471 Whitehall. 5. May 1677 This morning ye Duke de Crequi parted from hence on his returne for ffrance. The Duke de Bullion & some others whoe came over together will stay here about 8 or 10 dayes longer. +The King has appointed a Yatcht to passe over for Holland or fflanders to transport hither ye Count of Wallenstein who comes hither in quality of Envoy Extraordinary from ye Empour to his Matie he is a man of great quality, & Knt of ye Order of ye Golden ffleece +His grace ye Duke of Ormond whome his Matie has appointed to succeed ye Earle of Essex in ye Goverment of Ireland is prparing for his Journey. +The fforeign Lres wch ought to have arrived yesterday & today are not yet come in. To ye Kings most Excellent Matie The humble Petition of George Duke of Buckingham; James Earle of Salisbury, & Anthony Earle of Shaftsbury Most humbly sheweth: [Hole in paper removes the first six or so letters of nearly all lines in this paragraph:] +[hole] Maties most dutifull & loyall subiects having [hole]all weeks under close imprisonmt the [hole]of hath been increased by our apprhension [hole] your Maties displeasure, & assuring our [hole] Maties naturall ppensity to all Acts of [hole] beg leave in all humble manner to have recourse to it being desirous to owe our enlargmt to God, your Maties goodness & favour. Therefore wee most humbly beseech your Matie yt you would bee graciously pleased to give order yt your Petitioners may bee but at Liberty, wch as it is alwayes valueable, is more pticularly soe to us at this time, in regard of our health & affaires, and your Petitioners shall ever pray +The Kings answer to ye ffrench Monsrs lately sent over. +His Matie having heard theire Pposals would not admit of any private conferences wth them yt hee might thereby avoid ye Jealousies of ye Confederate Ministers. +The Answer wch hee returned was yt hee should bee glad if some good aspect would appeare of a sudden peace, yt ye further spreading of ye War might bee prvented thereby, yt such things might bee expected if ye most Christian King would not insist soe much upon his high termes, but let fall pt of them in wch case his Matie might bee ye better able to indure ye Parliamt to rest this yeare wthout pressing him to engage this Nation in this War, but yt otherwise hee hath great reason in consideration of ye Consequences not soe slis from a good hand yt ye whole relacon wee have had here concerning ye P of Orange is scandalous & false & yt he endeavours by all meanes to come to an engagemt wth ye Enemy. +The States who were assembled here & who seemed before disposed to have given his Excy a good summe of money have upon this news declared they will not give one penny And when his Cannon was brought into ye Markett place from ye Army ye people filled them up wth peares & plumbes affirming them to bee fitter then bulletts & at length they grew soe insolent yt ye Magistrates could hardly prvent them from committing great disorder +I am told for certaine yt his High: did yesterday assure his Excy hee would undertake any enterprise should bee thought reasonable but before hee made yt pmise his High told his Excy publiquely at his owne qrters in prsence of our Genlls yt hee understood some of them had taken ye liberty to speake of him wthout ye respect yt became them adding yt when hee found them out hee would cudgell them at ye head of his Excys Army, this I am assured hee spake & yt wth some heat. +Last night ye D of Albemarle arrived here & this day parted hence for ye Princes Army.