success accomplish this voyage, for which (believe mee) you have the hearty prayers of (my Lord)

Your most oblidged friend and servaunt,

O'BRIEN.

I pray my service to your brother Jenkins, as also to Capt. Fayrfax, considering Luke Weekes and Walt. Overbury.

Ꭱ

June 26.

July 6.

No. 19.-FROM ROBERT YARD.

May it please your Excellency,

Whitehall, 13 June, 1673.

Wee wonder very much that these three posts have not brought any letters from your Excellency; my Lord suspects foule play on the other side of the water, and therefore has thought of appointing 4 or 5 couriers or more, who shall be constantly passing to and fro with dispatches to and from your Excellency.

This morning the King returned from the fleet, whither he went on Wednesday. It seems a great many of our ships are disabled in their masts and must have new, the doing of which, and other things, will take up 10 or 14 days. Concerning the enemies losse in the last engagement, wee have as yet no other account but what is published; ours was greater then in the first fight, and the generall calculation is that 1,200 men were killed and made incapable of service, and some of our ships very much torne, and particularly the Prince, Sir Edward Sprag's ship, who at her first comeing in was thought incapable of being gott ready to goe to sea againe with the fleet, but they have been so diligent at worke upon her, that she will be soone ready. The enemy did us most of this damage whilst they kept at distance, which they did all the latter part of the day, to that degree, that our guns did hardly reach them, and besides the sea went so high that most of our ships could not carry their lower tire. Sir Charles Littleton, who was on bord Sir Ed.

Sprag, said yesterday, in my hearing, that Sir Edward used commonly every meal to drink Tromp's health till this last fight, when it seems he did not act with that bravery he used to doe; for at the beginning of the fight, Sir Edward and he both leadeing the van of the two fleets, and Sir Edward being a'head of him, he fired a single gun as a challenge to stay for him, which Sir Edward accordingly did, expecting to have fought it hand to fist bravely, but being come up with him, Tromp sprang his loof1 and kept the whole day at a very great distance; at which Sir Edward was so angry, that he would never drink his health afterwards, and he had no reason, for at that distance he lost a great many more men then he did the time before when they fought near. However, it is very certaine, whatever the Dutch may brag, that neither wee or the French have lost one ship in either of the engagements.

Towards the latter end of the next week all the forces will be upon Blackheath; there are at present 5 regiments, in all there will be 12, consisting of 1,000 men apiece compleat, besides officers, for the 8 last raised regiments are made up to 100 men in each company; these togeather with the forces already on bord will make up a body of 18,000 men; and I am told that these last raised men are already in as good order and discipline as if they had been long on foot. Who are to be the Generall Officers I cannot find that it is yet certainely knowne; hitherto it hath been said that the Duke would goe in person, the Duke of Bucks. Lt. Generall, and Collonell Fitsgerald, Major Generall; now I an assured that there will be two or three Lieutnts Generalls and Major Generalls; for the former they name Mons' Scomberg, who is comeing over, and my Lord

1696.

Spring his loof," from going large, clap close by the wind." Coles's Dictionary,

2 Schomberg, son of Count Schomberg, a German, by an English lady, was born in 1615. He entered the French service in 1650: he was a pious Protestant. Passing through England on his way to Lisbon soon after the Restoration, he advised Charles II. to set up for the head of the Protestant religion, and not to sell Dunkirk. Not pleased now with his treatment in England, he returned home to France, and

be quarrelled at, and create more trouble then the remedying all the particular complaints that may happen.1

Wee had one this day of Sir Robert Sherlyes irreverence to his Majesty's lycences; but upon tryall, the bretheren were thought to be in the wrong, and Sir Robert dissmist with good words. The country gentlemen will be much satisfyed therein, for the assembly of them was great, and they came up with much jealousy and concerne to see this event.

'Tis expected on Tuesday next that Sir Thomas Osborne will be Lord Viscount Leeds or Latimer, and take up the Staff, and my Lord Treasurer will retire to Devon. Some say his Lordship will be there soe private as to mind nothing but bookes and a retired life; and yett some have made him in their discourses Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, others Lord Generall of the army, and others a volunteer to goe with the Duke of Yorke.

Mr. Speaker, as all conclude, will be Treasurer of the Navy, and that Sir Thomas Meeres 2 will succeede him. Sir Thomas Strickland and Mr. Miller have pentions of 400l. a yeare a peece, since their leaving the Privy Seale; but Sir Ed. Dering3 nothing; his friends say he is reserved for some employment that may signify more, which his relations desire to see.

His Majesty and R. H. returned this day from the Navy, which is refitting as fast as may be; some say they may require a fortnight's time to be in order. His R. H. proposed at Councill a draught of instructions for a Lord High Admirall, which it seems were before wanting, and they were approoved off.

Upon debate that many of our sea officers are in trouble that they cannot come to performe what the law requires from them as to swearing, 'tis agreed that if they doe it in Michaelmas Terme when the fleete comes in, the law will be satisfyed, it being impossible for them in this conjuncture to desert their shipps and performe it according to the precise time the law requires, &c.

See note on H. Ball's letter of June 6, p. 25.

2 Sir Thomas Meres was member for Lincoln.

3 Sir E. Dering was a Commissioner of the Treasury, from March 1679 to July 1684.

I begg your Excellencyes pardon that I am noe better stored for your entertainment. But noe man has more zealous wishes for the encrease of your fame by the publicke successe then, my Lords, Your Excellencyes most affect. and most humble servant, ROBERT SOUTHWELL.

1

Pray tell my brother Williamson that I wish him the box of wax candles which by the last shipps come to him, in token from Frank Parry, and are now at my house.

My Lord,

No. 18.-FROM LORD O'BRIEN.

London, June 13th, 1673.

This is the second letter I have writt you since I arrived heere, and hope that by this time you are arrived safe at Cologne, from whence God graunt us the comfortable news of a speedy happy peace! Heere is little of news stirring since our fleete came in, and sure I am you have that from the fountaine heade which wee poore decrepidd merchauntts 2 know nott of. I thank God our family is in pretty good health; my wife is drinking North Hall waters, which Dr. Willis hopes will cure the distemper of her heade; wee all are (with true respect) your humble servaunts. I intend within 10 or 14 days for Irelaund, and I pray lett Tom Fayrfax or Overbury whenever a true face of P.3 shews its self, have notice to send mee a line before itt bee knowne to others, the advantadge of which will be worth a barrell of Usquebagh to the Clubb, in November next. I send all my letters under your man Yard's conveyance, and I pray, whenever you have anny commaunds for mee, lett them come under covertt to him, whoe I am sure will have care to forward them to mee. God send you health, and that you may with

1 Sir R. Southwell and Williamson were joint Clerks of the Privy Council.

2 Lord O'Brien was a member of the Clothworkers' Company with Williamson. 3 Peace.

Treasurer, and for the latter, my Lord John Berkeley;1 and this afternoon I was told by a sober person that the Duke will not goe, but that Prince Rupert will have the title of Generall, and Monsieur Scomberg command the army with the title of Lieut. Generall, and next to him the Duke of Bucks.; but it seems these things are not yet certainely determined. This afternoone wee received an expresse from Alborough, which says, that yesterday in the afternoon a squadron of 20 Dutch men of war appeared off that place standing southward.

Imediately after the generall muster, which it is thought will be this day 7 night, the forces will imbarke, all things being ready; upon Blackheath they have all little tents, and make a very fine show.

Enclosed I send your Exey the Inland extracts, and a short account of what of moment passed the Councell. If by these my endeavours I can render my service acceptable to your Exey I have my reward, and shall ever think it my greatest happiness to be as I am, with all duty,

Yr Excys most faithfull and obedient servant,

Wee have heard nothing from your Excellency since your leaving Antwerpe, which Mr. Richards sayes my Lord much wonders att, and sayes they must needs stopp the letters in Flanders, which if

afterwards left France on account of the persecution of Protestants. He came over to England from Prussia with the Prince of Orange in 1688, and was then made Commander in Chief of the English forces. He was made an English Duke.

John Lord Berkeley of Stratton was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland from June 1671 to August 1672, when succeeded by the Earl of Essex. He died in 1678.