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The Queen of Bohemia to Mr. Secretary Nicholas. HAGH, Sep: 15. (1654).

Mr. Secretarie, I assure you your letters are always verie welcome to me. I hope before this come to you, you will receaue a pacquet from Scotland which came to Roterdam, and ould Will. Kepley caries himself to Aix. I shall be verie glad to know what news it brings, because heere is againe news of Monkes being beaten, which a man of Midletons writes to Straghen from Stranaven or such a name, and from my Lo. of [illegible], and that all long for the King. Stone is at last here, he saith that Cromwell will be now either King or Emperour, I wish him the latter. he has heard nothing of Bamfeild, but I easilie beleeue he is honnest enough to be well used by Cromwell, he tells the Fleet as you hear, but it will not be beleeued heere. This day the assemblie of Hollande begins. theire agent in Sueden writt to the States Generall, that S' George Fleetwood, brother to him that is Leftenant of Irland, tolde him that he knew Cromwell had saide he woulde keepe the peace with the States no longer then he found it good for his interests, and woulde breake with the first occasion that he can for the good of his deseins. Those of Hollande are verie angrie at the agent for writing this: those that have seene the letter tolde it me. it is so late as I can say no more, but ame euer

Your most affectionat frend.'

I pray remember me to my lord Wentworth, I have not time to answer his letter but will doe it by the first post.

15o 7br, 1654. R: . Qu: of Bohemia.

The letters of the Queen which follow, where her name is not subscribed, are signed with her cipher, as in the letter preceding this, and that, post, at p. 226.

VOL. IV.

P

The Queen of Bohemia to Mr. Secretary Nicholas. HAGE, Sep: 21.

Mr. Secretarie, I thanke you for yours of the 18 of Sept: yesterday I was tolde that all the people at Bruxelles were sending theire goods to Antwerp for feare of the French. Some in a ship come out of England say that the mock Parliament beginn to dispute their priuiledges with Cromwell, but I feare they will but too well agree. I ame verie glade the King used Prince Williame and his ladie so well, Boswell' is well enough serued, but I pittie him for he is vtterlie vndone. there is heere no news at all, onelie Mons de Wimmenon is verie sick. the States of Holland are assembled, but Brederoke, Opdam, and Merode are not yett come. it is now verie faire weather. when the Princess of Tarents picture is ended by Louyr, which will be this day, then I may chance goe a shooting, which I have not done since you went. I pray deliuer this inclosed to the King with my humble service. I ame euer

Your most affectionat frend.

Ι pray lett me know if the Queene of Sueden did write to the King by my Lord of Norwich, and if she did it ciuilie or not. Sure Dick Harding is growen afish in his baths, for he is as mute as one, tell him so from me. I think the King had better stay where he is then to goe to Collein, he will not be so much at his leisure there as at Aix, those of Collein are odd people, so as I ame of your opinion.

7,1654. R. 1. Queene of Bohemia to me.

1 In consequence of the war existing in Flanders, between France and Spain.

Sister of the late Stadtholder.

Sir William Boswell, already noticed.

• Hunting seeins also to have been a very favourite amusement of her Majesty of Bohemia. It is frequently alluded to in these letters; and in those of Bromley's Collection, sixteen years earlier, there are several references to it.

The Queen of Bohemia to Mr. Secretary Nicholas.

Mr. Secretarie, I ame verie glade that I shall see my Neece heere so soone, and I thanke you for all your other news. I beleeue Dr. Morley will write those that he heares out of England of Cromwells dessoluing of his Parliament,' for being so ungratious as not to doe as he would haue them. it was confirmed to me the last night by one of the States Generall, for three of ther Deputies are come from London that were sent about the treatie of the Ambon and the other disputes; they confirme all, but it was so late that I coulde not heare of the particullars. the same State tolde me there was a speech of part of the orange and red men in rebellion against his pretious highness. I pray tell your daughter all this, for I had sealed her letter before I had the certaintie of the news. I ame verie glad the king resolues to stay at Aix, it is much better than Collein. I heare there is one that has heeretofore served my Lo: of Brainford' paked from Scotland to the King but three days agone, and came from thence but sixe days before, he would tell no news but made hast away. Soone as he went, there reached heere one Thomson, one I haue seene before: he tells all the particullars of the defeat that is so bragged of. he saith that they were dispersed vpon it, but it is aboue fiue weekes since he came from

'An allusion to the transactions of the 3rd of September, 1654, when Cromwell summoned that Parliament which he immediately afterwards dissolved for their opposition to his assumption of the Protectorate. The speech to which the Queen of Bohemia refers was that remarkable one on the first sitting of the House, when a member, after denying the authority which had called them together, boldly exclaimed, "that as God had made him instrumental in cutting down tyranny in one man, so now he could not endure to see the nation's liberties shackled by another, who had no right to the government but by the length of his sword."

Patrick Ruthen, Earl of Forth, in Scotland. He had been General of Charles's forces during the Rebellion; but was dead at the date of this letter.

thence, being come thourough England by his countrie, the borders, where in his passage he mett with a partie where he was hurt and lamed, but for all that he is gone to the King. he much complaines of diuisions amongst them, and not of Sir George Monroe, which they doe also. I doe admire how people could tell so great a lye as the pacquet, but it is verie common amongst my countriemen. Phil: Mohun is heere, she is fled from England fearing to be imprisoned by Cromwell, shes verie good companie and talkes verie freelie but handsomlie. My Ladie Herbert is also heere, since Sunday last; I haue had yett no time to aske her anie thing, hauing not seene her since Sunday. Thom: Doleman' is heere and desires leeue to see me, which I haue put off untill I know the Kings pleasure: for hauing so openlie owned the setting forward of the treatie I will not see him without the Kings approbation. I haue writt thus to your daughter, and desire you both to know the Kings pleasure in it. I entreat you besides to remember my humble seruice to him, and keepe me still in his good opinion, for it is the best seruice and frendship you can doe to

HAGH, Sep. 29.

Your most affectionat
frend.

I bragg'd to soone of shooting, for since I wrote the weather has not serued.

"For Mr. Secretarie."

29° 7brie, 1654. R: 8. The Queene to me.

1 Dolman had suffered much in the royal cause during the civil wars. He was a Berkshire gentleman; and his house at Shaw, just below Donnington Castle, was one of the points of attack during the battle of Newbury, from which a good defence was made against Lord Manchester.

The Queen of Bohemia to Mr. Secretary Nicholas. HAGH, Oct. 2. (1654).

Mr. Secretarie, I send you heere a letter for the King, it is about a match betwixt Prince Adolphe the King of Suedes brother and Sophie: he has desired it verie handsomlie: my sonne has consented to it, reseruing the King of Suedens consent and mine, who ame to acquaint the King with it. I doe it now, and send you the copie of Prince Adolphes letter, I pray gett an answere from the King as soone as you can, I haue no more to say,

but am euer

Your most affectionat frend.

I pray assure me to my Lo: Wentworth, I write not now to him, I haue no time, for the poste is readie to goe. I pray say the same to reuerent Dick Harding.

32° 8bris, 1654. st. No. R. 4°. The Queene of Bohemia to me concerning ye Kings consent for Pre Sophia to marry Pro Adolph, ye King of Swedens brother."

The Queen of Bohemia to Mr. Secretary Nicholas. HAGH, Oct. 19. (1654).

Mr. Secretarie, hearing that you may chance to stay all this week at Collein, I send you this inclosed for the King, to giue him humble thankes for his aprobation of Sophies mariage. You will haue vnderstood by Curtius all the newes of Germanie, for his going to waite vpon the King. You will finde by the English prints that they are forbiden to write anie thing of the proceedings of their mock Parlia

1 Daughter of the Queen of Bohemia, afterwards married to the Elector of Hanover, and thence the stem of descent of the reigning family of England.

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