ADDRESSED TO SIR JOSEPH WILLIAMSON. |BRAK No. 1.-FROM HENRY BALL. May it please your Excellency, 2 Whitehall, May 18, 1673. I writt to your Excy by James with the wine, as also on Fryday and Satturday night, but I feare all of them mist your Exey, 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 Exy, but last night's letters were not sent by reason of your departure, which Mr. Yard sends therefore now. 3 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. 2 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: "By his wife's interest has got of Secretary Williamson 1,5007. [query, 15,000l.], 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 MAT: 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 Exe, Your Excyes most humble and faithfull servant, HENRY BALL. My Lord Treasurer was at the Meeting this evening,2 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 Exey, Whitehall, May 19, 1673. Exy with my most 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, and this day, about 2, his 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. 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. 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 Exeyes 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, No. 3-FROM ROBERT YARD. May it please your Exc, 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 Exey 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.) Wee have little to communicate to your Excy from hence, for all forreigne news your Excy will receive much fresher from other hands then it can come from us, and besides the last French post brought not in one letter directed to your Exe. I have presumed to call upon Mr. Perwich to continue his correspondence dureing your Excies absence in the same manner he did before; for the rest of the correspondents they are as yet pretty punctuall with us. Wee talke much here of the army which is with all speed to be transported for Holland; certaine it is the generall rendevous is appointed to be the 10 or 12 of the next month upon Blackheath, and that severall vessells are hired for their transportation, and yesterday were pressed above 100 lighters. Collonell Russell seems dissatisfied at the Duke of Bucks being preferred before him, and it is said that he will not onely not accept of the command of Major-Generall but lay downe that of Collonell to the King's Regiment, though his friends hope he will be better advised. The people about towne entertaine themselves with a story concerneing my Lord Treasurer being overthrowne in his coach as he was comeing privately from Somersett House with Father Patricke on Whit Sunday eve, while at his house it was given out that his Lordshipp was private and would not be spoke with by anybody that afternoone. And now all the discourse is concerneing his successor; many think Sir Thomas Osborne will be the man, though some speak of Commissioners, and, amongst others, name Sir Robert Carr for one. This day at Councell was onely heard the cause between Mr. Gold and Mr. Sidney at Leghorne; after much contest both parties submitted the businesse to arbitrators. 2 I have not to this day been able to get any of the East India papers out of Sir Samuel Moreland's hands, though Mr. Shelden has often called upon me; he putts me of from day to day, of which Saturday, May 17. 2 Sir S. Morland, the great inventor, who had been employed under Cromwell in Thurloe the Secretary's office, and was rewarded by Charles II. for having betrayed I cannot imagine the reason, unlesse he scrupule to trust me with them. I humbly commend myselfe to your Excies favour and protection, who am, with all duty and devotion, My Lord, Your Exeies most faithfull, humble, and obedient servant, Acknowl. 27 May. R. YARD. No. 4.-FROM HENRY BALL. May it please your Excy, Whitehall, May, 23 1673. My last to your Exey was to Dover, since which wee have had only the Dutch and Flanders mayles, but this day no forreigne letters. Yesterday my Lady O'Bryen sent for me and told me that one of her Ladyship's to your Ex, which shee thinkes was sent by me on Thursday was 7 night by Mr. Mountague's boy, never came to your Exeyes hand, which her Ladyship as well as I wonder much at, in regard her servant saw me putt it up in mine and give it to the boy. I putt her Ladyship in hopes it [might] light into the hands of your Exeyes servants after your departure, and so when your Exey mentioned the not receiving it, it was not then come to hand, not knowing else how it could possibly miscary. In your Excyes last to Mr. Yard you were pleased to command me to write to your Exey the reports of the towne, which I shall secrets to him. The King made him a Baronet and Gentleman of the Privy Chamber. He was employed in the Foreign Office for the ciphers. Sir W. Temple, in one of his letters from the Hague to Lord Arlington, speaks of Morland's having given him a lesson on the ciphers at the Foreign Office. (Courtenay's Life of Temple, i. 190.) |