and good affections, in a particular soe deerly valued by me, soe I will not be wanting, when by Gods blessing I shall be enabled, deseruedly to recompence you both for soe acceptable a service don to Your louing friend,

ST. JOHNSTON, 2 8ber, 1650.

CHARLES R.

The King to Mr. William Hinton.

Mr. William Hinton,

Your many faithfull services done to my deere Father of blessed memory and to my selfe, & the constant continuance in your loyall affections to my just cause, are soe very remarkable, as I shalbe euer mindfull to acknowledge them, and to gratify and reward you for them. The condition of my affaires requiring that a considerable sum'e of money be speedily sent into Holland, I doe at present desire you by such private meanes as you shall conceiue most safe, to conveye or returne thither by bills of exchange for my use, such sumes of money, as either you haue or shalbe able to procure by loane, or otherwise, of my well affected subjects, towards my supply and as I doubt not you will comply with all readines & industry with this my desire, soe I will that you assure all those who shall contribute to y support of my occasions, y' I shall willingly repay them, when God shall enable me, and also further recompence them to their content: and will particularly consider you for the paines you shall imploy herein as a service very acceptable to Your louing friend, CHARLES R.

:

ST. JOHNSTONS, 2. 8ber, 1650.

1 This letter, taken from a copy, contains further proof how much more anxious Charles now was for a safe escape to the Continent than sanguine of success from the state of his affairs in Scotland.

The King to Sir John Greenville.

St John Greenvile,' considering how important it would be for the good of my affaires to haue a body of men in a readines to countenance any attempt that shall be made by my good subjects in the West, for recovering my just rights, their owne libertys, and suppressing the present barbarous and bloody Vsurpers, especially in a place soe neere and opportune for the seconding any such enterprize as that under your charge; I haue thought good to desire and require you, to gather & entertaine as many souldiers, and to prouide what store of armes & munition you can possibly, and as may consist with the necessary subsistence of y garrison under your com❜and, to be ready to be seasonably transported on any good occasion: In wch busines soe highly conducing to the good of my seruice, as I am very confident your particular relation and affection to my person and interests will prompt you to imploy your utmost industry and assistance, soe you may rest assured, that wt you shall therein performe shall ever be acknowledged on any seasonable occasion that may manifest your deserts and y esteeme and kindnes I haue for you, who am

ST. JOHNSTONS, 2 Oct. 1650.

Your loving friend,
CHARLES R.

The King to Sir Richard Grenville.

S Rich: Greenville, though it be not seasonable for me to giue powers to any to appeare for me, in regard of the diverse affecc'ons and dispositions of

1 He was afterwards Earl of Bath.

2 Thoroughly weary of the thraldom of obligation to the Scotch Covenanters, this and the following letter (both of which are taken from copies) contain evidence of the writer's anxiety again to engage the service of the English royalists. See also a letter of Abraham Cowley to Lord Arlington, in the Miscellanea Aulica, p. 152,

ye people I haue to deale with in the present conjuncture of my affaires, yet I held it requisite to cherishe the good affecc'ons of those who haue the like kindnes for me as I haue observed in you, desiring you to continue constant therein, and to keepe your selfe in readines for my imployments when it shalbe seasonable, and in the meane time not only to be your selfe very secret and circumspect in what concernes my interests, but by all meanes to procure that all others be soe likewise, least if the Rebells shall discerne and app hend any disposition & intention in any of my good subjects to assist me, they shall, to pvent the same, use violence on those that are best inclined to my service. I haue soe great confidence in your affection as I am assured of your readines, and when there shalbe a fitt opportunity you shall be sure to heare from

Your very louing friend,
CHARLES R.

ST. JOHNSTONS, 24 of 8ber, 1650.

The Duke of York to Sir Edward Nicholas.

Sir Edw. Nicolas, though I haue much desired your company and aduise, yet not with the hinderance of the Kings seruise, nor your one inconvenince: but that now vpon the death of the Prince of Orange,' I haue more neede of your councell then euer, which I desir you to comunicat to me by letter or any other waye as you shall thinke fitt. I desire you also to moue my Lord Culpeper2 for monye to defray the charges of the Kings horses; as well for the Kings honor, as to preserve 3 of the best of them for the Kings use. I desire you would aduise me wheither I may not presse my Lord Culpeper to

1 Who died on the 24th of this month.

The first peer of that name. He joined the deceased King's councils at the same time with Hyde and Falkland; was an exile, for twelve years, with his son; and on the Res toration was made Master of the Rolls.

:

lend me 1500 or 2000 Pounds, to be repayd if the King allow it not the wanting of those supplies which I expected from the King and the Prince of Orange enforces me to this councell, wherein I desire your assistance with my Lord Culpeper if you aproue of it: desiring you to beleiue that I shall euer be

Your very affectionat friend,

BRUXELLS, Nouem: 12. 1650.

JAMES.

Indorsed by Sir E. Nicholas.

2-12° Nobris, 1650. R. 8-18°. The D. of Yorke from Bruxells to me.

Copie of y Dukes Letter to my Lord Culpeper.

My Lord, the Kinges horses are to be sold for money to pay for their meat. Some of them are much pris'd by his Ma", and cannot be sold to their worth: therefore I desire that you would laye downe the money due for their charges, so that the Kinges honor may be preserued, and the best of y horses still kept for ye Kings use: wth wch I am sure his Matie wilbe well pleased.

I rest your louinge friend,

JAMES.

BRUXELLS, Novemb. 12, 1650.

The Duke of York to Sir Edward Nicholas.'

Sir Edw. Nicholas, I haue receiued yours of the 8. of Nouember from the Hage, and with it that from Dicke Fanshaw, and I haue as you desired me lett the King know why I had you not heare with me, which he knows very well was not your fault, and I am sure he is well satisfyde with you, and has the same esteeme he always had for you, of which I am

This letter was written after the battle of Worcester, fought on the same day as that of Dunbar, the 3rd of Septomber. It was on the 2nd of November that Charles landed in Normandy.

confident before this tyme you haue knowledge of in his hauing sent for you to come heither to him, which makes mee now that I shall not say anything more to you, because I hope to see you shortly, till when you may assure your selfe that I shall euer be Your most assured freind,

JAMES.

PARIS, Nou. 18, 1651.

The King to Sir Edward Nicholas.

1

PARIS, April 6, 1652. Mr. Sec. Nicholas, I haue receaued yours of the 28 of the last month, and doe very well approue of your sending me intelligence in your letters to the Chancelour, by whom you shall againe receaue my pleasure, and information of all my purposes and resolutions and directions concerning your selfe, wch the unsetlednesse of my condition heitherto hath kept me from sending so positiuely to you, as I hope shortly to doe. In the meane time assure your selfe I rely upon noe mans fidelitie and affection more then on yours, and you shall allwais find me to be Your most assured frend, CHARLES R.

The Princess Dowager of Orange to Sir Edward Nicholas.

BREDA, 21 July, 1653.

Mr. Secretarie, I haue been so long without giuing you thanks for all y' letters, that if I did not hope you would not impute it to neglect, I should not know which way now to desire you to continu, but

'Sir Edward Hyde; but he is not marked on the lists as Chancellor until 1658.

2 This letter has reference to the Treaty then pending between Holland and the English Commonwealth. The nego tiations were finally settled on the 5th May, 1654.