congresse,1 and of your good successe in your negociation, which I hartily wish, and am with all respect and truth,

This morning I received your Excellencies of the 27th past, and most humbly begg your Excellency's pardon for ye late mentioned account of the bill which I was forced to intreate your Excellency's comand in, because none else would take it upon them. I hope your Excellency will be confident I neglect not in the least your Excellency's comands or business.

Now some say My Lord Treasurer will not quitt his imployment for the oath sake; but all the Roman Catholiques say he will, which I rather believe in regard they have great interest with him.

Mr. Blood the elder 2 went on Tuesday last into Ireland (as he

The Ambassadors arrived at Cologne on June 3, having stayed some days at Antwerp.

2 "Mr. Blood the elder" is the notorious ruffian who had attempted to assassinate the Duke of Ormond and afterwards to steal the Crown from the Tower, and had been not only pardoned by the King (astounding enough!) but taken into his favour and rewarded with the grant of an estate of 5001. a-year in Ireland. See Sir Gilbert Talbot's relation of Blood's attempts on the Crown and Duke of Ormond in Strype's Survey of London, vol. ii. p. 91, and Carte's Life of Ormond, vol. ii. pp. 420-5. These crimes of Blood were committed in 1670 and 1671. Evelyn relates meeting him at dinner at Sir Thomas Clifford's, then Treasurer of the Household, on May 10, 1671 (but there is some mistake about the date: it would probably have been later in the year), "Dined at Mr. Treasurer's in company with Monsieur de Grammont and several French noblemen, and one Blood, that impudent bold fellow who had not long before attempted to steal the imperial Crown itself out of the Tower, pretending only curiosity of seeing the regalia there, when, stabbing the keeper, though not mortally, he boldly went away with it through all the guards, taken only by the accident of his horse falling down. How he came to be pardoned, and even received into favour,

pretended by my Lord Arlington's leave), but I heare his Lordship was rather gladd of his absence, he having lost himself much by his impertinance: he pretends to have a great estate left his wife, but Dr. Butler tells me 'tis only a flamme, and he has none att all on that side. The Presbiterian party all renounce him as one that has kept not very well his word with his Majesty as to serving him.

Mr. Philip Lloyd, Mr. Sherwin, and Mr. Fillingham with 3 others are this weeke made commissioners for the managing the late Act of Parliament for money,' with a sallery of 250l. per annum to each of them, besides allowance for house rent and servants. Mr. De la Dale lyes dangerously ill, and his recovery doubted. My Lord Duke of Ormond's family is now in mourning for his Lordship's mother my Lady Thurles, now lately dead.2

My Lord Duke of Buckingham is not yet returned from Yorkshire, but I heare his Lordship has compleated his regiment to 100 each companye.

not only after this but several other exploits almost as daring both in Ireland and here, I could never come to understand. Some believed he became a spy of several parties, being well with the sectaries and enthusiasts, and did his Majesty services that way which none alive could do so well as he." The murderous assault on Ormond was a greater villany. Carte relates, in his "Life of Ormond," that Blood had pretended to the King great power among the fanatics. "He was admitted," says Carte, "into all the privacy and intimacy of the Court: no man more assiduous than he in both the Secretaries' offices. If any one had business at Court that stuck, he made his application to Blood, as the most industrious and successful solicitor, and many gentlemen courted his acquaintance, as the Indians pray to the Devil-that he may not hurt them. He was perpetually in the royal apartments, and affected particularly to be in the same room where the Duke of Ormond was, to the indignation of all others, though neglected and overlooked by his Grace. All the world stood amazed at this mercy, countenance, and favour showed to so atrocious a malefactor, the reasons and meaning of which they could not see or comprehend." Amazing, indeed, were the ways of Charles the Second's government! This reference to Blood in Mr. Ball's letter shows his connection with the Secretary of State's office.

An Act had been passed in the last Session for granting a supply of 1,238,7507. 2 Lady Thurles, widow of Thomas Lord Thurles, eldest son of the eleventh Earl of Ormond, who died before his father's death, and thus did not become Earl. Lady Thurles died in May, 1673, in her eighty-sixth year. Her eldest son, James, twelfth Earl, was created Duke of Ormond on the coronation of Charles the Second.

From Harwich of yesterday wee heare that on Saturday evening came in the Essex ketch, who was on board the Cambridge frigatt now come in disabled, and said that the Dutch fleete retireing early into their sands, and the English fleete not dareing to follow them for feare of their sands, the victory could not be pursued so home as might be, so that wee have no other particulars then the printed relation.

All your Excellency's concernes at your house are well, and I hope I shall never be so forgettfull of your favours as to spend my time in vaine, but make that use of it that your returne may find me at least indeavouring all I can to be,

May it please your Excellency,

Your Excellency's most humble and obedient Servant,

HENRY BALL.

My Lady1 gave me the inclosed in returne of your Excellency's I carryed her Ladyship this day.

B

No. 9.-FROM ROBERT YARD.

May it please yr Excy,

Whitehall, 2 June, 1673.

Last night late I received yr Excies of the 24. and 27. from Antwerp, in one of which yr Excy told me of a letter enclosed for Sr Robert Carre; how it happened I cannot tell, but I assure your Excy there came none to my hand for him; however, I have been to waite upon him and his lady with a compliment from your Excies

Wee have been for these two or three days past very much entertained with news from the fleet; the truest yr Exey can have is what is said in the Prince's letter made publicke, and here enclosed to yr Excy, to which I have onely to adde that this morneing Capt. Howard arrived from the fleet, which he left at ankor Saturday last

1 Lady Catherine O'Brien.

17 at noone off of the Oster Banke, the same place from whence the Prince dated his letter on Thursday: the account which hitherto is given the King is of 400 men killed in the fleet, and that the fleet is at present in not much worse condition then it was before the engagement. Capt. Narbrough is hastening to the fleet with six frigatts and two fireships, and in the mean time more fireships are fitting out in the river to be sent to the Prince.

It is not yet known whether Mr. Hamilton1 will recover or not. Mr. Howard, at his comeing from the fleet, left him very ill; he was wounded by the first bullet that was shott, and was so near the Prince that several cryed out when they saw Mr. Hamilton fall that the Prince was slain.

This night Mr. Rechle is gone for Zealand to take an account of the losses they have received in this engagement.

Our forces are marching to the general rendevous, and all things are preparing for their transportation.

I am, with all dutifull respect,

Your Excies most faithfull obedient servant,

B 12.

R. YARD.

Sir,

No. 10.-FROM HARTGILL Baron.

On boord the Soveraigne under sayle off of Lastow2 at two in the afternoone the 5th of June, '73, the wind at N.B.E.3

I think it my duty to give your Excellency an account of a second engagement with the Dutch, since I find they are here very 1 Colonel James Hamilton, eldest brother of Anthony Hamilton, author of the "Memoirs of Count Grammont." He was a favourite of Charles II. and a groom of the bedchamber. 2 Lowestoft.

This is an authoritative account from the fleet of a second engagement with the Dutch on Tuesday, June 4. Mr. Hartgill Baron, the writer, was an old Royalist who had rendered many services to the royal cause during the Commonwealth, and he was now, it is to be presumed, secretary to Prince Rupert, the Admiral. The losses and injuries sustained by the English fleet in this engagement were much more serious than in the previous one.

dextrous to invent and spread lyes where there is noe cause or ground for it. I presume when anything lookes a little suspicious as to the world, it may with much more ease facilitate such designes. Your Excellency must know that the Prince has changed his ship by reason there is a fault in the Royall Charles that she heeles and cannot beare sayle, which must be repayred; not that any disaster or misfortune is come to her. And now I begin with our batle. We anchored yesterday at the end of the Oster Banck about 7 leagues distant from East Capell, and the Dutch fleet almost at their doores, as I gave your Excellency an account in my last. They, being soe neere soe good a store house as Flushing (where all recruits lye ready), refitted their shipps, knowing on their weighing anchor wee must doe the like; accordingly yesterday, about 11 in the forenoone, they loosened their top sayles and weighed, whereuppon wee did the same, the wind blowing fresh at N.E. our course stood N. N.W. the enemy having soe favourable a gale that wee could not stretch to the head of them. They resolved to attacque us on that great advantage, to carry us off their coast, to give them some little repute after their last beating; on this we made all the sayle we could, thinking to weather them, but could not, soe that betweene 4 and 5 in the afternoone yeasterday, after much working with our fleet, the Amsterdam squadron attacqued our blew squadron (being our van) comanded by Sir Edward Spragge, and soe the fight continued, the Dutch fighting at a very great distance (I meane firing) according to their old custome. By this time, which was about 5 of the clock, his Highness (with his wonted resolution) and the French engaged, but the Dutch kept up soe close to their wind that his Highness could not possibly goe soe neere as to reward their pittyfull behaviour in this action. This fight continued till halfe an howre past 10 at night, in which they did some mischiefe to our sayles and rigging, and some little damage to our masts and yards, but very little to our hulls, officers, or seamen. Had they been brave, haveing soe good a gale, they would have come up close, which might perhapps have recovered something of their