There are some storyes I dare not mention by the common post, I reserve them for the next express. They say the King told Sir Thomas Osborne, when he made him Treasurer, that he ought to take care of himselfe, for he had but two friends in England, which startled him, till his Majesty explained himselfe by saying he was one himselfe and his owne meritts was the other. My Lord Clifford is retireing with all speed into the countrey. Just now comes Mr. Godfrey from the camp with the newes that Maestricht is taken. He is gone to the King, so that I cannot have the particulars, neither are they materiall to your Excellency, being so neare the place. I most humbly beg leave to be, may it please your Excellency, Your Excellencyes most humble and obedient servant, R July. HENRY BALL. No. 32. FROM THE RIGHT HON. HENRY COVENTRY, My Lord, Whitehall, June 23rd, 1673. Your Excellency's of the 9th of this present I received not till the 22nd, three days after the expresse came from you. Wee before that had received the joyfull news of the Duke of Monmouth's successe, at which his Majesty sheweth as much satisfaction as you mought casily imagine hee would, and the Court and City no lesse. What other great revolutions have happened heere I doubt not but your Excellency hath beene particularly informed of every weeke. They are but the same were discoursed of before your going, and yet now they are come to passe they are received as surprisalls, and give occasion to the most extravagant descants imaginable. The one with the country, swoln with his new honour and with venom against the fanatics. He had set the informers to work, and died suddenly.”—(Marvell's Works, Thompson's Edition, i. 427.) Prince went 3 days since to the Fleete, and intendeth to bee presently out againe, though the Count d'Estrée bee at present heere, but intendeth I suppose immediately to repayre to the Fleete. My Lord Arlington I doubt not telleth your Excellency how well the accompt of the negotiations was received, and how little or nothing is added by the former directions, so there is not for mee to give you farther trouble then to assure you how much I am, my Lord, Your Excellency's most faithful most obedient servant, HENRY COVENTRY. No. 33.-FROM WILLIAM BRIDGEMAN. Whitehall, June 26th, 73. MY LORD, I am unwilling to omitt this opportunity, though I have little to impart to your Excellency by it, nor has any thing occurred more since the last post, but that this morning wee reccaved advice from Harwich that off the coast there they discovered a fleet of about sixty sail, which they suppose to have been Dutch, the weather not being cleare enough perfectly to discover them. The Prince yesterday sent his Majesty word all the ships that were in the Swale to refitt were fell downe again to the fleet; so wee conclude him in a condition to saile, and the winde blowing fresh at S. W., if the Dutch should adventure further this way (which I am very well perswaded they will not,) the Prince can gett out in a tide, and then I am sure they will returne as fast as they can to their station amongst the sands. This going by a safe hand I cannot conceale to you our complaint of want [of] men, but I looke upon it rather as a want in respect of what the Captains desire then what may bee barely necessary to man their ships; however, all endeavours are used to procure more. Our landmen lay still encamped at Blackheath, and that affair seems to mee not to bee so vigorously prosecuted now since the Duke has (as is said) no further thoughts of going in person in this expedition, but Monsieur Shomberg being now here upon the King's invitation, I presume some resolution will bee in a few days taken in this matter. It is hoped here the taking of Mastricht may facilitate your negotiation, but that you are or will bee the best judges of upon the place when you see the effects it produces. People generally here blame the conduct of the Governor in this siege, and those that speake most favourably say they could not have thought but the place would have held out longer. I am with much respect, Sir, June 27th. Your most faithfull humble servant, WM. BRIDGEMAN. This letter was written last night, but my Lord having thought fitt to stop Mr. Godfrey (by whom he sends your Excellency's dispatch) till now, you may perhaps receave the duplicate of it as soone as the originall; nothing has occurred since yesterday more then that wee are assured the Dutch fleet or part of them were yesterday in the Gunnfleet. No. 34.-FROM HENRY BALL. Whitehall, June 26, 1673. May it please your Excellency, Hearing just now of Mr. Godfrey's coming to Maestricht I thought it my duty to give your Excellency the trouble of this, though I have had so short warning as not to doe as I accustomed. I hope your Excellency receives my letters, for I write twice a weeke and upon all extraordinary occasions. This evening Sir John Miller was buryed, with the attendance of 4 companyes and a great many gentlemen; he dyed yester morning after a fortnight's sickness of a violent feavor; his place of Major is given to Captain Winter, and his son has Captain Winter's Company. This morning my Lord Treasurer Osborne was sworne att the chequer Barr and made the accustomed visitts to all the offices, but has not yett done any business, nor will they say till Monday. All the officers remaine as before-Sir Robert Howard, Mr. Aram, Mr. Lloyd, Mr. Worsley, and Mr. Abbott; as yet wee heare nothing of his Lordship's behavior, but all conclude him a great favorite. Captain Watson is made Lieutenant to the Duke of Monmouth's troope of guards in my Lord Marshall's son's place, and Sir George Hewitt the young gallant cornett by purchase. Captain Ferdinand Littleton has Sir Henry Jones' troope. There is yett but 7 companyes at Blackheath, which makes all people wonder that if a descent is resolved on they should make no more haste. The Duke of Buckingham's leavyes are not yett come; his Grace goes frequently thither, and takes great paines to teach. the meanest soldier, which makes them all crye him up for a great generall, and are not att all satisfyed att the notion of Monsieur Schomberg to command them, pretending he is a Frenchman, and that we have borrowed him of the King of France when he knew not what to doe with him. But all men feare our officers of this army are not well pickt out, for the most of them debaucht profane persons and publique atheists which they say openly they learne of the Duke of Buckingham, one yesterday publickly in company I am told saying he believed neither Heaven nor Hell. These kind of reports makes the Town full of malicious libells. I am told of severall, and promised the copyes of some which I dare not venture by the Post. A letter from the Chancellor to the Duke of Yorke disswasive from Popery is shewed about towne and much praised;1 and a horrid one of a Quaker to his freind in Jamaica or New England, wherein he sayes the men of the two houses att Westminster are angry with the whore of Babilon, but follow anti-Christ still; and that Charles followes his old wont, but James out of favour of the Parliament because he would not drinke his morning's draught with them; and divers such ugly speeches. This dayes allaram of the Dutch Fleete being upon the coast hath occasioned strange 1 I have not been able to discover a copy of this letter of Lord Shaftesbury to the Duke of York. discourses of an neglect, the rumour being the Dutch declare they come to another Chattham exploit. On Tuesday last landed att Chester, Peter Talbott, pretended Archbishop of Dublin, having been driven out of Ireland by the prosecution of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland as he pretends. The collonell1 continues in towne very gallant. 2 I dare not write the strang talke of the towne upon his Royall Highnesses surrender; your Excellency will better imagine it, it being as bad against him as ever it was in his father's dayes in the hieght of his troubles. They will have it the Duke goes into the countrey with a gallant traine of Papists which he will keepe about him; but Sir Jonathan Trelawny told me to-day, he heard not when he went; he walkes frequently in the parke, and people come to see him there and fancy him very melancholy. I dare not longer presume either upon the bearer or your Excellency. I most humbly begg your Excellency's acceptance of my poore endeavours to do my duty, which shall not be wanting in me while I have the honour to be, may it please your Excellency, Your Excellencyes most humble and obedient servant, R July. HENRY BALL. Sir, No. 35.-FROM SIR THOMAS PLAYER.3 Since your departure I have made the best observation I could Colonel Richard Talbot, brother of Peter, a gentleman of the Duke of York's bed-chamber, and always a favourite of his. On the accession of James he was made Earl of Tyrconnel, and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. 66 2 M.P. for Cornwall, and in the Duke of York's service. Marvell describes him (1677): one that is known to have sworn himself into 2,0007. at least in his account of the Paye Office, Controller to the Duke, and has got in gratuities to the value of 10,000l. besides what he is promised for being an informer.” 3 Very shortly after this elected Chamberlain of the City, see Letter No. 42 from Sir John Robinson, Bart. Player was very conspicuous in the City agitation against the Duke of York, and for his exclusion. He was one of the Members for the City |