will tell you the second part of the Queene of Sweden, for he comes from her to your Court. to morrow I beleeve I shall goe a shooting, which I haue not done since you went. I am verie glade to heere that you are established in your place, which you desarve so well. this is no complement but the verie truth from

HAGE, Aug. 31.

Your most affectionat frend,
ELIZABETH.

I am verie sorie for my Lo: Wentworths sickness. I pray lett him know so from me, and remember me to Mr. Chancellour.

I pray remember my humble seruice to the King: the news of beating the Scotch' is now tolde quite contrarie by a ship come from thence.

"For Mr. Secretarie."

Indorsed by Sir E. N. 31°Aug: st: No: 1654. R. 3°. 7bris. Queene of Bohemia to me.

The Queen of Bohemia to Sir Edward Nicholas. HAGH, Sep: 7 (1654).

Mr. Secretarie, I thanke you both for the good news you writt to S Charles Cottrell out of Holland, and for your letter I receaued this morning with the relation of the defeat before Arras. I hope you will send that of Holland to Curtius2 that the beleef of the Scotch defeat may not be continued in Germanie. but none pleaseth me better then what you write of my deere Godsonne, and the continuance of my Neeces good health. The Queen of Sweden is yett at Anwerp, wee looke euerie day to see the Landgrave heere, and by him I shall know what she will doe. It is certaine that the flux is much in Monkes army, a Scotchman that is come from thence reports

This was a trifling affair; being merely a check given to Lilburn, the Parliamentary General, who commanded during Cromwell's absence.

2 Curtius had long been the English agent, at Frankfort, to the German princes. He had been Secretary to the King of Bohemia, and in 1640 was also employed by Charles the First in Germanic diplomacy.

3 Monk commanded in Scotland at this period; having

it, and all the particulars you haue written. Dr. Morley has a letter from Anwerp of some trouble by a discouerie of a new treason in London of the levellers against his pretious highness, but I beleeue you will haue more particulars of that then wee heere. Dr. Earle setts forwards to morrow to Breda and so to Aix. I doe not write to you by him because this will be sooner with you. Our Baron has sent for his man Smith to meet him God knows where, for I doe not, I beleeve you will haue him at Aix: he is the direct wandring Jew. My Ladie Herbert is looked for heere shortlie, but she was not come from Paris the last week. I heare Mr Hide" is to come to my Neece in Mr Killegrews place, which I am verie glad of, she is verie fitt for itt and a great fauorit of mine, who ame euer

I pray lett my Lord Wentworth know I ame extereme glad he is of the kings councell, being so much his frend as I ame I cannot but wish him much ioye of it.

Indorsed, 7° Sepbris, 1654. The Queene of Bohemia to me. superseded Lilburn, Morgan, and other Parliamentary offi

cers.

1 This was immediately after Cromwell's assumption of the Protectorate. It was on the 3rd of the present month that he called together his first parliament; and eight days after the date of this letter, the members swore fealty to him.

2 Afterwards Duchess of York. Though not yet married to the Duke, Mrs. Hyde appears to have engaged much of the royal attention at this time. Charles, in a letter to Bennet, afterwards Earl of Arlington, in 1655, says, "I will try whether Sir S. Compton be so much in love as you say, for I will name Mrs. Hyde before him so by chance, that except he be very much smitten it shall not at all move him." Sir Spencer Compton, son of the Earl of Northampton, was the youth of whose loyal and gallant infancy Sir Philip Warwick relates, that though not able to grasp a pistol, yet in indignation he cried because he was not exposed to the same hazard his brothers were.

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 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 St 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 freud.1

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

15° 7bris, 1654. R: 77. Qu: of Bohemia.

1 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.

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