of me this day whither the treaty were not broken off already and your Excellency returning.

Madamoselle Charwell' has the famousest chaire makeing that ever was seen, beyound the King's or Queen's by farr.

I most humbly intreate your Excellency to pardon the impertinency of this post, there being nothing almost to write, yett I durst not neglect that or any opertunity of being, as in duty I am bound alwayes to acknowledge my selfe, may it please your Excellency,

Your Excellencyes most humble and most obedient servant, HENRY BALL.

R July

No. 38.-FROM ROBERT YARD.

May it please your Excellency,

Whitehall, 27 June, 1673.

The last post which arrived on Tuesday last brought me your Excellencies of the instant, with an inclosed for Sir Robert Carr, which I imediately putt into his hands, he telling me he would answer it by this post, and in the mean time desired me to present your Excellency his humble service. Yesterday about noone wee received advice by an expresse from Harwich, that the Dutch fleet had the night before appeared off of that place, which is confirmed this morneing as your Excellency will see in the enclosed. In the mean time our Fleet is in a manner ready to sayle. Prince Rupert writt the 25. instant to my Lord, that the ships were all come to the Buoy of the Nore, and that if the Victuallers kept their promise with him they would be ready to saile that night, and that he wanted nothing but men, which all endeavors possible have been used to raise, masters of vessells haveing not been exempted;

Mademoiselle de la Querouaille, the King's mistress from France, brought over in 1670, and now soon to be made Duchess of Portsmouth.

however, it is thought the enemies appearing will hasten them out a day or two sooner then otherwise they would have been.

On Wednesday last the King was at Blackheath, when the Duke of Bucks drew up the army and exercised them. I cannot hear that Monsieur Scomberg has as yet appeared in any command. The news being come into the towne that he is to be generall, it occasions some dissatisfaction that none can be found fitt to command an army but a forreigner. There are at present 7 regiments at Blackheath; the others are not yet come up.

* 1

I doe not yet hear that the commission for appointing the Commissioners of the Admiralty is past the great Seale, and hitherto the King has done the businesse himselfe by the hands of Mr. Pepys. The people will have that is growne very malancholy and intends to retire into the country; this I know, yesterday there was a Cabinett Councell both forenoone and afternoone, and he was not there; and this morneing was a meeting againe, and then, after they were all mett, the King sent for him, and then he came; besides, people make a hundred observations which I cannot think fitt to committ to paper.

The late Lord Treasurer is now prepareing for his retirement into the country; enclosed is one from him to your Excellency, which one of his servants brought me this afternoone. This noone came an expresse from the Prince, in which he gives an account, that his scouts had brought him the news of the Dutch Fleet being come upon our coast, and that he was makeing all the hast he possibly could to fall downe. So that it is thought he sailed this day from the Buoy at the Nore, or will to-morrow; hitherto the wind is westerly, favourable for our fleet to goe out, and contrary to the enemy in case they had any designe of comeing into the Narrow to sink any ships, as some report they have an intention to doe, in case they can meet with a good oppertunity; but by the grace of God it is not doubted but the Prince will prevent

The blank is for the Duke of York.

them and send them very suddainely home againe. It is said that the French men-of-war are not so ready as ours, and that they stay for them, but I doe not think so, but that if they stay for anything it is for men, which the Prince complaines he wants. I have acquainted Mr. Newcomb with what your Excellency writt, concerneing his allowing my Lord's Secretary's the profitt of what they cause to be printed by my Lord's order out of his letters.1

Mr. Godfrey, who brought us on Monday last the news of the surrender of Mastricht, is returneing this night to the Camp, from whence he will send my Lord's letters to your Excellency forward, as I have prayed him to doe this. It was once intended he should have gone yesterday, but he has stayed for the King's letters.

I am, with all duty and respect, my Lord,

Your Excellency's most faithfull obedient Servant,

R. YARD.

Just now I received this enclosed from Portugall, which I have not time to transcribe, and therefore presume to send your Excellency the originall.

R4 July. 43

No. 39.-FROM THOMAS ROSS.

My Lord,

Whitehall, June 27, 1673.

I was very unwilling to hazard a letter to you before I knew you were fixed, which I first understood by Mr. Ellis, who thought hee should have bin dispatched back to your Excellency within a day or two after, and in that confidence I gave him a letter which how hee hath disposed I cannot learne, though I heare hee is still here (but not to bee found by mee), and perhaps may bee yet some

1 See before in p. 30.

time, upon Mr. Secretarie Coventry's complaint of him for his indiscreet behaviour towards him.

I have not much more to say then what I then writt, but what (I am informed) you have from other hands, of the faire way that is making for you to the station your Excellency hath soe well meritted, and soe justly promised you before your departure. My Lord Arlington seemes weary of the fatigue of his place, and if your Excellency approve the proposition, noe doubt you will soone bee fixed where your friends have long expected and wished you, and mee thinks after such indefatiguable pains and incessant service the King should not deviate from his custome of paying for the place, though the candidate beat the bargaine, and I hope you doe not despaire, though you have lost your old friend in the Treasury, who hath appear'd very little since the staffe is in my Lord Dumblain's hands.

Hee was yesterday sworne at the Exchequer, when his Lordship was entertained with a short but very quaint speech by the Lord Chancellor, who in one part told him that some men were by strength of friends and their owne industry and parts raised suddenly to highest dignities, and as suddenly by their owne folly and opiniastrity were layd aside, but his Lordship being bred in the House of Commons (that nursery of statesmen), hee doubted not but his great prudence would tell him that non minor est quam quærere,2 &c. and in pithy sayings to this purpose welcom'd him to the Exchequer. Wee are noe more all of a piece here then when your Excellency left us, nor can it be easy to judge which side is uppermost; yet wee are not altogether in despaire that the old honest party will weather the storme, my Lord of Ormond beeing now in the Cabinett, and very kinde caresses given to others. The Dutch appeared yesterday on our coasts about Aldborough with 60 sailes, and I feare it will yet bee a weeke (though wee have more then that number ready) before our whole ffleet will goe out. Our Army, The Earl of Shaftesbury.

2 Parta tueri non minor est virtus quam quærere.

1

now consisting of 8 regiments (my Lord Ogle's not yet come up, nor my Lord Carlisle's), is encamped upon Blackheath, and are in very good order, the King having visited them, with Monsieur Schomberg, who, it's believed, will fix here.

I shall watch for every expresse that goes hence to pay this duty to your Excellency, for whom I have that gratitude and esteeme, that I shall alway bee ambitious of the title of, my Lord, Your Excellency's most humble and most faithfull servant, THO. ROSS.

B July.

No. 40.-FROM ROBERT YARD.

May it please your Excellency,

Whitehall, 30 June, 1673.

Yesterday I received the honor of your Excellency's of the 30 instant, with an enclosed for Sir Robert Viner; he and the rest of your Excellency's brethren present you their most humble service. My last to your Excellency was by Captain Godfrey, who went not hence till Sunday morneing, yet I doubt not but those letters he was charged with will be with your Excellency long ere this. The Dutch Fleet has continued ever since Wednesday last, the first day they appeared upon our coast, off of Harwich, and we were made believe they had a great many of their sink-ships with them to stop up some of our channells, though hitherto they have not attempted any thing, but kept oft to sca at a good distance; and after all Mr. Puckle, arrived this morneing from Zealand, assures us that on Friday last De Ruyter lay with the main of the Fleet in Schonevelt, and that this is onely a squadron of men-of-war that hath made this noise upon our coast. However, it has done us that good as to make us hasten the more our Fleet, which at present, as I can hear of, wants nothing but men, and those they want still very much, for

Henry Earl of Ogle, eldest son of William Cavendish, Duke of Newcastle; he died November 1, 1680, having been married in 1679 to Lady Elizabeth Percy, heiress of the Earl of Northumberland.