gett this tyme to write at all: and I pray lett me heare from you of any thinge you thinke fitt to imparte, I mean when I am fro' Bruges, for whilst I am ther, your letters to the good Secretary will serue us both: God send us good newes fro' England, which is exspected by S', Your very affectionate Serv', ANTWERPE this 29; Sept: (1656). Sir Edward Hyde to Sir Richard Browne. S', The I had not tyme the last post to acknowledge yours of the 29. of the last moneth, and I haue since, by your to reasonable guesse of the slownesse of all dispatches heare, receaued your other by the last post without a date, which was the only one I receaued fro' Paris, all my other frends conceauinge as they had reason that I would be at Bruges, and therby they are all now without any letter fro' me. truth is, my stay heare hath beene beyonde all possible exspectac'on, and hath so tyred my patience, that though this day be not like to giue so good an ende to my businesse as I desyre, yett I resolue (God willing) to be gone to morrow towards the Kinge, from whom I haue been now aboue a fortnight: Wee are willing to belieue that these seasonable raynes will dispose both armyes to enter into ther winter quarters, and then wee shall do our businesse the better: Ther is a discourse of the Marq: of H. . . . . court goinge this winter into Spayne, which meethinkes yett he should not haue leaue to doe: you menc'n your neighbour the Venetian Ambassadour, but you neuer speake of your next neighbour my old friend the Holl: Ambassadour, I would gladly know what he thinkes of these alterac'ons, and whether his old affections continue to us: 1 Mynheer Borell, before referred to. I haue nothinge to add but hearty wishes of your happinesse fro S', Your most affectionate Serv', ANTWERPE this 13. of Octob: (1656.) Sir Ri; Browne. EDW: HIDE. Sir Edward Hyde to Sir Richard Browne. I must give you many thanks for your fauour of the 25. And the greate ciuillity you expresse to me, which I assure you you will finde returned to you by all the seruices I can doe: it is indeede to melancholique a tyme, to feele any præferment' with that gusto that it hath vsed to carry with it, and I wish that considerac'on would abate somewhat of the enuy that will attende it, but wee must submitt to the burthen and uneasinesse of the last, without any refreshment from the former: I hope the tyme is not far of, that God Almighty will give some change to the sadd condic'on of our poore Master, and then wee his seruants shall haue aboundant matter to reioyce in, be our condic'on what it will: myne, trust me, will be much the more pleasant to me, if it shall giue me any power to lett you see how heartily I am, S', Your most affectionate Sery", BRU: this 5. of fƒeb: 1658, Sir Ri. Browne. 'An allusion to his own appointment as Lord High Chancellor of England, shortly after the Great Seal had been surrendered by Lord Keeper Sir Edward Herbert. Curious anecdotes respecting its surrender may be found in Clarendon's History, vol. iii. pp. 411, 412. It was not very long after this that the Duke of York was privately married to the Chancellor's daughter. A serious misunderstanding had for some time existed between Charles and the Duke, and a separation between them had actually taken place whilst the former, during great part of 1657, resided at Bruges. Sir Edward Hyde to Sir Richard Browne.1 S', pos I doe very seldome trouble you with my letters, knowing very well that the good Secretary informes you of all things that passe here: But I write now vpon a particular occasion, in which his Majesties honour is concerned: and iustice and charitie obliges vs to doe all wee can: and though you are not in your publique capacity, and soe cannot move any thing in the Kings name, I doe beseech you for charities sake, to take a little paynes to informe your selfe and therevpon to apply your selfe to my Lord Jermyn, or Mr. Montague on the poore mans behalfe and I cannot but presume but they will so farre interpose, and vse their credit, that there may be no further proceeding vpon so foul an arrest, but y' the man may be sett at liberty; and if it be sible, with some repairation. You cannot but remember that scandallous arrest of the Parliament of Rennes, whilst the King was at Paris, of which the Court being informed was so ashamed, that they gaue present order in it, which I thought had beene so effectuall, that there would have beene no record left of it: nor did I since heare any thing of it, till within those last fourteen dayes Mr. Crowther told mee that Mr. Bullen was in prison vpon the same arrest. I presume y Duke of Yorke hath, vpon the addresses about that time made to him, recommended it to some sollicitation; howeuer the enclosed letter com'ing to my hands within these two dayes, and the King being absent at this time from hence, I cannot but recommend the matter to you, and doe desire 'This letter only bears the signature and postscript of Lord Clarendon. 2 Sir Edward Nicholas. After diligent search it has been found impossible to ascertain to whom this letter alludes. Lord Jermyn and the Abbé Montague were at this time in active confidence with the Queen at Paris, as appears from a letter of the Marquis of Ormond to the Chancellor, written in 1659. Clarendon State Papers, vol. iii. p. 547. you upon perusall of his letter, and the processe, which will informe you of all that I can say, that if it be necessary, paynes, you will likewise take the to call vpon the Superiour of the Benedictines for the other papers, and therevpon to take such course, that such letters of evocation may bee sent, as are necessary; & that the poore man may bee sett at liberty, and out of danger of future vexation: and I hope the conjunction may not be vnfavourable towards the advancement of such acts of justice. I wish you all happiness, and am, S', your very affectionate serv1, BRUX: 16th August 1659. EDW. HYDB. If St George Carterett be in towne, desyre him from me to do all the good offices he can in this affayre. |