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convert the summ mentioned to your own use, order it how you please and to whom you would have the bill made: perhaps you may think Mr. Edgman a fitt person to be trusted with the secret, that soe little notice may be taken. The three barrells of Sacke are yett here; in company with them goes a fourth vnder Sir Gervais Lucas' his name, which is a present I make to y' Hon' wherewith to rejoyce yourselfe and friends: Only I intreat you that the good Lady Lucas may have her physicall proportion out of it. warmed keepes her alive as shee herselfe sayth. That you will not give Dr. Earles half a dozen of bottles I cannot doubt. The person I last mentioned in cipher will tell you notable stories when he comes to you. To him I refer all. You may beleeve him, for hee is much a man of honour. Being ready to goe from hence I expect to find your answer hereto in Mr. Richards his hands at St. Malo's. This is all at present from, y' hon" most faithfull and most obliged humble servant,

R. BR.

The following is the Paper adjoined: I have formerly acquainted you that I cannot make up my accounts untill I returne to Brest, which I am now hastening: In the interim, finding that some monyes of his Maties will remaine with me, I humbly submitt it to your Hon" consideration whether a hundred Lewises in gold will not be acceptable to his Ma" to be by your Hon' privately delivered into his owne Royall hands towards his merry playing,' wherwith to passe his time at cards

1 The whole of this is confirmation of the remark made in the foregoing note. Sir Gervais Lucas had been a cavalry officer in the Royal cause during the Civil Wars.

2 See post, p. 295. Of Lord Jermyn's conduct generally as cashier for the Royal expenses, Clarendon roundly asserts in his History that while Jermyn kept a coach of his own, and an excellent table for those who courted him, yet the King, even when under the most urgent want of twenty pistoles, could not find credit to borrow them.

this approaching Christmasse. This I shall be able to performe from S'. Maloes, if I may there meet with encouragement. This is all at present from, y' Hon"

most faithfull and most
obliged humble servant,

R. Br:

NANTES 18. Nov. 1653.

Mr. Chan: of the Excheq".

Sir Edward Hyde to Sir Richard Browne.
S',

I haue receaued yours of the 18. and since you are so well provyded, I cannot but commende your designe, and as I believe the Kinge does not expecte such a present, so I am sure it will be most wellcome to him, and I will promise you to present it to him, in so secrett a manner, as nobody shall know it but himselfe; and be confident I will never converte one penny that belonges to him, to my owne use, in what straights soever I should be.

I like very well your distribution of the sacke, and I will not bragge of my share, nor fayle of delivering the proportion you assigne, and if the good lady comes hither, (as by yours I guesse she intendes to do, though Paris at present is a place of prodigious exspense, every thinge double the pryse of what it was when you left it) the vessell shall stay with her; and I there shall be sure of iustice, and I will fetch my allowance in bottles: Lett me only giue you this warninge, that the carriage be payd for, as I thinke you told me in your former that it was, and I am sure I cannot do it, and then, the sooner it comes the better.' Wee are full of exspectac❜on of good newes from all quarters, and I hope some of it will be of such a nature that will call us from hence,

1 The whole of this lettter is a curious illustration of the distresses of a man who was afterwards Lord Chancellor of England, and father-in-law to a King.

which I will be sure to giue you an accounte of as soone as I can: I wish you all happynesse, and am very heartily,

S',

Your most affectionate huble Serv',

PARIS this 24 of Novemb: (1653.)

Sr Ri: Browne.

EDW: HYDE.

Sir Richard Browne to the Chancellor of the

Right hon.

Exchequer.

Mons de Varennes, Intendant of Marqu. de Castlenau's affairs at Brest, havinge beene from that towne deputed to the States of Bretany, Mars' de Milleray did there declare unto him that he pretended nott to abate any part of what belonged unto him in the loading of the fleete which hee had seased, and for mainlevèe wheroff hee had receaved 15000 livres. Wheruppon this gentleman came hither to demand his right, & after a weekes digladiation at law with Captain Antonio, the Captain yeelded up the cudgells and gave him satisfaction. My desire to see the issue of this suite in law causeing my stay here longer then I intended, hath brought me hither your Honours favour of 15 Nov. which containinge an intimation of something of complaint against (as they call itt) the King of Englands Admiralty at Brest, I considered myselfe whether it will be fitt for mee to goe now into Low Bretany before I haue once again shewed myselfe to the Mar and received his commands (who they say will bee here shortly) least he againe come uppon us with a second costly after-reckoninge, grounded uppon pretence of not beinge sufficiently applied unto, or of being neglected in his government; at least not untill I have your Hon" sence heruppon, which I humbly beseech you to vouchsafe me, sending y letters as you please, eyther directly hither, or by the way of M Richards, thorough whose hands 1 expect answers of my last of 18th currant.

I render humble thankes to your Hon' for the sanguine part of your letter, resultinge out of the good newes from Germany and England. God of his mercy improve these comforts to us; and preserue his Ma sacred person, and vouchsaef him a speedy establishment uppon the throne of his Royal progenitors. Soe prayes dayly and heartily, y' Hon", &c.

ties

NANTES 29 No 1653.

The same to the same, accompanying the preceding letter.

Right Honble

I am told that the Prince [Rupert] hath now totally settled his businesse with the merchant, and stayes only to see performance. Meane time S Gervais Lucas hopes to be goinge with his lady some time the next weeke for Paris, and takes along with him that commodity for your Honwch I thought would have accompanied the other 3 which are now upon their way. Mr. de Varennes carries a letter recommendatory from mee to y' Hon. Yf hee uppon his maisters the Marqu. de Castlenau's recommendation hath thus enjoyed the benefit of favour and protection in his part, how much more might wee (had not an unhandsome eclipse happened) his Mates subjects and servants uppon our Royal Maisters .gracious owning of us? beleeve me the Captain doth now sufficiently repent his unprofitable, unadvised, nay precipitate performance of Mons' Choquere his bargaine.

Sir Edward Hyde to Sir Richard Browne.
S',

I haue receaued both yours of the 29. of the last, & cannot imagyne, how any thinge I sayd to you in my former letter could make you deferr your iourney, nor can I add any thinge to what I then sayd, havinge

not heard since of the complayntes, and you must indeed know the temper of those places much better than I can doe: I perceave by what you say of Mons Varrennes that wee are nothing beholdinge to the Marshall, who it may be without our frends helpe would not have beene able to have done us so much prejudice. Lett me know when you goe from thence, and wher my letters may finde you. The Capt. doth well to quitt his old frends, and betake himselfe to new who know better how to use him. Wee heare not yett of Pr: Rupertes comminge hither, but meethinkes he hath bene long absent. Hath S Ge: Lucas absolutely quitt his ffarme in Britany, or doth he only repayre hither for health. Meethinkes the comodity you mencon should not be worth the charge of so longe a voyage by lande. The Duke of Yorke is returned hither, full of reputac'on & honour,' and the ffrench Courte is expected on Sunday or Munday. I can tell you little newes: our frends in Hollande do not believe the treaty will produce a peace, and for an instance that the States do not so much depende upon it, they have given a licence this last weeke to.... Ge: Middleton, to transporte armes and ammunicon for Scotlande, which is a good signe: I suppose you heare frequently from Englande, where sure the confusion is very high, and it is exspected that they will declare Crumwell Protector of the 3 kingedomes, that his single influence may compose those distractions, which the multitude cannot doe, for Mr. Peters himselfe now professes that Monarchy is the best government. God send us well under it.

I am,

S',

Your most affectionate Serv',

PARIS this 6. of Decemb: (1653.)

E. H.

'The Duke had been serving under Turenne, and had just before the date of this letter distinguished himself at the siege of Mousson. Being disappointed in his wishes to be present at the siege of St. Menehoud, he had repaired to his brother's Court, in order to accompany him during part of his route from France to Germany.

Middleton bore the rank of lieutenant-general, and was

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