for Holland the last year. My Lord Treasurer continues very much indisposed, insomuch that some people begin to think there may be danger. As for news, I have very little to tell your Exc, our fleet being at sea and upon the enemies coast; the great expectation is to hear of some action from thence. This morneing came an expresse from the Prince which, they say, told (for wee are not permitted to have a sight of any papers that come extraordinarily,) that his Majestie's fleet upon their first appeareing upon the coast of Zealand, the Dutch came out of their station at Schonevelt with intention, as wee thought, to fight us, but it seems that was not their businesse, for as soone as they were come at most within canon shott, they tacked againe. The land forces are, as your Exey will see by the enclosed, all landed at Yarmouth, where they expect orders from the Prince; the reason I hear is given for their comeing thither is that the Prince did believe the Dutch would, upon our first appearance, come out and fight us, and therefore thought it safest that they should continue at Yarmouth till they saw what the enemy would doe; and, for their landing at Yarmouth, it was very convenient for the ease of the men, and to prevent the distemper which their being crowded togeather on bord might have occasioned, and then they may be shipped againe in two houres time. Our politicians in the Towne in the mean time make a mock of this descent, as they call it, and say they expect no other will be made. But I will not trouble your Exey with what they say on this and severall other matters. I am, with all dutifull respect, my Lord, Your Excies most faithfull obedient servant, R. YARD. Our fleet, finding the enemy would not engage them, are gone towards the Maes. RAug. No. 65.-FROM HENRY BALL. May it please your Excellency, Whitehall, July 25, 1673. Yesterday morning about two broke out a sad fire at Shadwell in the King's Brewers and burnt downe many houses, which in all with those blown up and spoyled are reckoned almost 100, some of them very rich ware houses and masters of ships. On Tuesday night last the King, Duke, and all the young Lords and Ladyes, went up to Barn Elmes, and there intended to have spent the evening in a ball and supper amongst those shades, the trees to have been enlightened with torches, but the report of it brought such a traine of spectators that they were faine to go dance in a barne and sup upon the water; the treate was at the cost of Madamoselle Carowell. My Lord Treasurer continues so ill and out of order as not to doe business yet, and it's feared he is too far gone in a consumption to undergoe the trouble of that office. He lyes in the lodgings in the garden, and there are most of his family, his meat being drest in the King's kitchin, but Wallingford house he removes to as soon as my Lord Clifford has left it. My Lord Clifford is yet at Tunbridge, and has lately past a lycence for imparkeing his land at Chudley, and has to him and his heires given him 140l. per ann. payable to the King by the Chapter of Yorke. The excise commission is past now, and the wyne licences to the value of 5,4001. granted to my Lord Grandison dureing my Lady Cleaveland's life, and the reversion of the office of Clerke of the Pipe in the Exchequer, after Sir Robert Coke, granted to Mr. Hugh Clifford, brother to my Lord. My Lord Lauderdall is still at the Bath, and as angry as ever att some body. These two dayes wee have expected something from the fleete, the King himselfe, as he thinkes, hearing the guns, on Wednesday morning in the island in the Parke, but as yet not a word where they are. The 40 companyes of our army, in the colliers with Mons. Schomberg their generall, are incamped at Yarmouth, where they landed on Sunday last. The Earle of Carlisle is gone to the Fleete in the Monmouth Yatcht (which the King has given him on this account) to see some action there, and most of the Collonells stay with the Prince. The Earle of Peterborough is they say now returning home (the proposition upon which he went to Cologne being layd aside 1), and a daughter of the Duke of Modena in Italy is to be the person, though the women will not believe but that my Lady Bellasise shall be the person, his Royal Highness, where soever he meets her, entertaining her with a particular esteeme. A report runs about that he will receive the Sacrament on Sunday next, but Mr. Depuy knowes nothing of it. Sir Robert Carre returnes to Towne next week, but my Lord Clifford not till the middle of August. Mr. Blomer, Chaplain to the Earl of Sunderland, is made a Prebend of Canterbury. About 7 this evening came a letter to my Lord from the Earl of Ossory, which sayes that on Tuesday the Dutch perceiveing His Highness approach came briskly to them, but seeing their number and prepairedness and Sir Edward Spragg bearing towards them, they, having the wind, hoisted their sayles aloft and made what hast they could into their sands again, further then ever they were, so that his Highness, seeing it impossible to come to a faire battle, was gone To look at the Princess of Newburg. See letter No. 60, July 21, p. 122. 2 Bishop Burnet gives a lively account of the Duke of York's passion for Lady Bellasys, widow of Sir Henry Bellasys, K.B. who was the eldest son of John Lord Bellasys, and who had died during his father's life-time. Lord Bellasys was a Roman Catholic. His daughter-in-law, Lady Bellasys, who captivated the Duke of York, was a Protestant. He tried in vain to convert her, but, his passion prevailing over his religion, he gave her a promise to marry her. When her father-in-law heard of this affair, he feared that she would convert the Duke, and spoil all hope of introducing the Roman Catholic religion; so he went to the King and told him of the Duke of York's matrimonial intention. The King prevented the marriage.-See Burnet's Own Time, i. 353. 3 The Duke of York's valet. Mr. Blomer was married to a sister of John Locke; this Church preferment was probably owing to the influence of the Earl of Shaftesbury. from them towards the Texell, either to putt our men ashoare that are at Yarmouth, or else to goe seeking of their East Indya fleete now expected dayly. An expresse is going this night to Yarmouth againe to the Prince in returne. The talke is here that the Dutch are reinforced with 12 ships from Denmarke, and that they lacke only an opertunity to fight us, without which wee must not expect it. One Stafford, Master of the Faulcon of London, is lately come from Holland, and, being a pretended Sobrician, discourses very imprudently on the Change of the Dutches averseness to us, that every thing is as cheap in Holland as ever it was, and the people no more sensible of warr then wee are, and that it's impossible to gain any good or tollerable termes; all which the cittizens beleive, and such strang reports run dayly upon it, some times that your Excy is come home incognito, and other times that the Treaty is brooke off, but the pleasantest and most ridiculous story is the citty discourse of a barrell of figgs that should be sent out of France, which being opened, the Lords that tooke any of them were all poysoned, &ca., with such strange foolish reports. My Lord Widdrington or Sir Thomas Morgan shall goe they say Governor to Barbadoes. Yester night went away Don Barnard de Salinas, full of dissatisfaction at his departure; he sayd when he went away wee should repent our not hearkening to them, and that he went directly for the Dutch fleete and army to give them an account of our perseverance in our first intentions. I doe not heare of any present he had made him, he takeing no charecter, and only bringing a letter from the Comte Monterey and another from the Prince of Orange. This being your Exeyes birth day my Lady O'Bryan was pleased to send for Mr. Everard, Mr. Francis, Mr. Yard, and my selfe, to dine at her Ladyship's, where shee nobly treated a good many, but of that I suppose your Exey will have a better account, and so I beg only your Excyes leave to make my due acknowledgments for your noble favours to mee, which as I must ever own them while I have breath, so I cannot but thinke it my duty to be as carefull in your Excyes absence as when here, which I hope I shall not faile to be, and therefore humbly intreate your Excye to continue me in your esteeme, being with a perfect resignation, may it please your Excy, I received yours the 21st instant, and, in it, obligations too great for the returns I am capable of makeing to your Excellencye. The height you are now placed in doth not make me seeme lesse to you, neither is your kindnesse lessened to mee, but in me you have rays'd a higher value of my selfe being thus own'd by you, and I hope I may be pardoned for it. The Citie of London after all its calamities may yet revive itselfe from the esteeme and frendship of your Excellencye, and had it more such supports I should not question its recovery to its ancient splendor quickly. The truth is, this yeare the Government begins to thrive marvellous well, for it eats and drinks and sleeps as heartily as I have knowne it, nor doth it vex and disquiet itselfe with that foolish, idle, impertinent thing called businesse; by that time your Excellencye returns, I hope it will be awake and fitt to receive your helpe. The people cry out for peace, and that with some earnestnesse, but I doe not perceive they would have a dishonourable or an uncertaine one. There is not a place in the world soe fruitfull in liing storyes as London, and, though the falsenesse of these storyes is usually within two or three dayes layd open to the world, yet the people are ready to receive new ones, and to beleeve them till they alsoe are detected. From hence it is that our enemyes gather stubbornnesse, for these |