obtained his M.A. degree in 1657. Soon after the Restoration he quitted Oxford for political life, and was made Secretary of Sir Edward Nicholas, one of the Secretaries of State. Arlington succeeded Nicholas in October 1662, and Williamson was passed on to Arlington as Secretary. He had received from Nicholas the appointment of Keeper of the Paper Office, at Whitehall. In 1665 Arlington raised him to the office of Under-Secretary of State. In 1667 he was made one of the Clerks of Council in Ordinary, and received the honour of knighthood. He was thus an important pillar of the State when in 1673 he was named one of three plenipotentiaries to the Congress of Cologne. On his return from this mission he was appointed, in June 1674, Secretary of State in succession to Arlington, who was then made Lord Chamberlain. He held this high post until February 1679, when he was succeeded by the Earl of Sunderland.

In 1682 Williamson married a lady of high rank, with whom he had long been on terms of the greatest intimacy; this was Lady Catharine O'Brien, who had been the wife of Lord O'Brien, eldest son of the Earl of Thomond. Lord O'Brien had perished in May 1682, in the shipwreck in Yarmouth Roads of the Gloucester frigate, which was carrying the Duke of York to Scotland. "Sir Joseph," says Evelyn, "was a musician, could play at jeu du goblets, exceeding proud, a severe master to his servants, but so inward with my Lord O'Brien that after a few months of that gentleman's death he married his widow, who, being sister and heir of the Duke of Richmond, brought him a noble fortune. It was thought they lived not so kindly after marriage as they did before. She was much censured for marrying so meanly, being herself allied to the royal family." This lady was born a Stuart, and was sister and heiress of Charles 'Evelyn's Diary, July 22, 1674.

Stuart, Duke of Richmond, who died Ambassador in Denmark in December 1672. Her great intimacy with Williamson is shown in the following correspondence. None of her frequent letters to him found their way into the State Paper Office with those of his gentlemen correspondents.

Williamson was President of the Royal Society in 1678. He died in 1702. He left 6,000l. and a valuable collection of heraldic manuscripts and of memoirs relating to his own negotiations to the college where he had been educated, Queen's College, Oxford. He also left 5,000l. for the purpose of founding a mathematical school at Rochester, by which city he had been several times returned to Parliament. He was buried in Westminster Abbey.

Williamson's rise from a college tutorship to the office of Secretary of State was remarkable, and a proof of perseverance and practical abilities. He was a pliant courtier and model official. He had genial qualities by which he made and kept many useful friends.

The following letters, ranging from May 1673 to March 1674, comprise a period of great political interest, including the retirement of the Duke of York and Lord Clifford from the Cabal Ministry by the operation of the Test Act, the beginning of Lord Danby's power, the dismissal of Shaftesbury from the Chancellorship, the beginning of an organized opposition to the Government, having its chief seat in the House of Lords, and directed by Shaftesbury, Holles, Halifax, and Carlisle, and the sudden termination of the Dutch war.

I have printed in an Appendix an interesting paper from the State Paper Office giving an account of the way in which the Paper Office, of which Sir Joseph Williamson was keeper, and the Gazette, were managed in 1674 under his superintendence.

W. D. CHRISTIE.

November 1873.

ADDRESSED TO

SIR JOSEPH WILLIAMSON.

No. 1.-FROM HENRY BALL.

May it please your Excellency,

Whitehall, May 18, 1673.

I writt to your Exey by James with the wine, as also on Fryday and Satturday night, but I feare all of them mist your Excy, for last night James returned with the things, which wee lodged at my Lady O'Bryan's,' as your Excy ordered. Wee with much adoe gott the watermen to take but 50 s. in all, the bargain to carry them downe being 35 s. My Lady was much troubled they came not time enough; she is sensible how streightened your Excy must needs be for provisions in so bad a place; her Ladyship writt both times under my cover to your Exey, but last night's letters were not sent by reason of your departure, which Mr. Yard sends therefore now.

3

1 May 16 and 17. The day on which this letter is dated, the 18th, was Whit Sunday. The dates of these letters are new style.

Lady Catharine O'Brien, born Lady Catharine Stuart, sister of Charles Stuart Duke of Richmond, who died, ambassador in Denmark, December 1672. Her husband was Henry Lord O'Brien, eldest son of the Earl of Thomond. Lord O'Brien perished in the shipwreck, in Yarmouth Roads, of the Gloucester frigate, carrying the Duke of York to Edinburgh, in 1682. Lady Catharine afterwards married Williamson their intimacy is apparent in this correspondence. Evelyn drily says, "It was thought they lived not so kindly after marriage as they did before; she was much censured for marrying so meanly, being herself allied to the royal family." Lord O'Brien is thus described in the List of Court Members of the Long Parliament of Charles II., ascribed to Andrew Marvell, and printed in 1677: 66 By his wife's interest has got of Secretary Williamson 1,5007. [query, 15,0007.], the reversion of Cobham Park, and other estates that were in the Crown, worth 13,000l. per annum; his son married the Treasurer's [Danby's] daughter." 3 The ambassadors had been detained at Sheerness for ten days by contrary winds. Robert Yard, a clerk in the Secretary of State's office, became Under-Secretary in

My Lord Treasurer1 did not receive the Sacrament this day as it was talked, his Lordship falling yesterday somewhat ill, which the people will have to be on purpose, and nominate Sir Thomas Osborne for his successor. I name not this as anything but the humours of the comonalty. His Majesty will (Mr. Cranefeild tells me) returne to-morrow night or Tuesday morning.

All things at your Exeyes house are in good order, as are all your Excyes concernes in my care, so that I have only to add that I humbly begg your Exey would beleive its my whole indeavor as well as duty to performe exactly your commands, and to obey in all things your Excy, in which I shall ever continue to be,

May it please your Excy,

Your Excyes most humble and faithfull servant,
HENRY BALL.

My Lord Treasurer was at the Meeting this evening, so that his illness was a mistake of the people in St. Martin's Church this day. R 19 at Dover.

No. 2.-FROM HENRY BALL.

May it please your Exc,

Whitehall, May 19, 1673.

Exey with my most
This day no letters

Last night I presumed to present your humble service with what then occurred. besides the inland are come hither, the extract of which Mr. Yard takes care to send. This morning came an express from his Majestyes fleete to Sir Robert Carr,3 and this day, about 2, his

1 Lord Clifford. There was now great expectation and wonderment as to whether the would or would not publicly take the sacrament, and, by complying with the other provisions of the Test Act passed in the last session, enable himself to retain his office. He resigned on June 29.

2 The meeting of the Cabinet Council or Cabal.

3 Sir Robert Carr, Bart. of Sleaford, Lincolnshire, and M.P. for Lincolnshire, was brother-in-law of the Earl of Arlington. He probably assisted Arlington as Secretary of State. He was Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, appointed February 14,

Majesty and Royall Highness returned themselves, and were this night at the office.

2

They say here Collonell Russell' has sent for his things againe from sea, being resolved not to goe, so that Sir Thomas Morgan2 its said shall succeed as Major Generall.

On Satturday last four high-way men were brought into Newgate, having been taken at Mims, neare Barnett, by the countrey people; one of their names is Fox, formerly a page to a lord; one of the company was killed upon the place, whose name was Doughty, whither he that killed Mr. Peyte or no I know not, but by his desperateness in refuseing to yeild, saying he had already done enough to be hanged, its thought it may be the same.

I most humbly beg your Excyes pardon for this presumption, and with the greatest humility and respect imaginable subscribe my selfe, May it please your Exc,

R. 25.

Your Excyes most humble and obedient servant,
HENRY BALL.

No. 3-FROm Robert YARD.

May it please your Exc,

3

Whitehall, 23 May, 1673.

The last I had the honor to receive from your Exey was dated on Monday last at Dover; I shall not faile to give all due observance to what your Excy is pleased to command me in it.

1672. In the list of Court members, ascribed to Andrew Marvell, printed in 1677, he is accused of bigamy: "20,000l. in boons, Chancellor of the Duchy; two wives living at this time, one Arlington's sister." He was much addicted to the turf.

John Russell, youngest son of the fourth Earl of Bedford, and uncle of the famous William Lord Russell. He had been Colonel in the Civil Wars for Charles I., and, after the Restoration, was made by Charles II. Colonel of the First Regiment of Foot Guards.

2 Sir Thomas Morgan, an old general of the Commonwealth and Protectorate. He commanded Cromwell's expedition to Dunkirk in 1657 to assist the French against the Spaniards. When Monk marched from Scotland to London to effect the Restoration, he left Morgan behind him in chief command in Scotland. He was a very small man, of effeminate voice and appearance. Aubrey gives a funny account of his size and manners. (Letters from the Bodleian, &c., ii. 465.)

3 May 19.