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little news heere, the King of Sueden' has a sonne born to him and has ..... and prospers exceedinglie. the K. of Poland' is in Silesia, hunts and passeth his time with little care of anie thing else, this I haue from his owne resident, but I feare the Electour of Brandebourg3 will be in a ill condition if he doe not make an agreement with the King of Sueden. it is beleeued that Prince Williame will be shortlie Marschall of the Feelde: those that were so much against him are not now so fierce: else there is no news, onely Scone is come, and I hope all will be well ended in that foolish business. I

ame euer

Your most affectionat frend.

4

Mr. Charles Cottrell, my Lo: Wentworth, and reverent Dick Harding, I cannot write to them now for lack of time. I pray say the same to Mons Soiret from me.

The Queen of Bohemia to Sir Edward Nicholas. HAGH, Jan: 4 (1654-5).

Mr. Secretarie, I haue receaued yours of the 29th at my returne vpon Thursday last from Teiling, and this morning I haue letters from Bruxelles, who tell me that my deare nephue the D. of Gloucester was there vpon new years eue the same day I was at Teiling, but

Charles Gustavus, Duke of Deux Ponts, who had recent, ly succeeded the abdicated Christina.

2 The well-known John Casimir. The Queen's observations seem almost prophetic; the whole of Poland having been conquered by the Swedes in less than two years after the date of this letter.

3 George William, grandfather of the first King of Prussia. Lord Wentworth had been high in command, during the Civil Wars; and after Goring went to France, a second time, he had the command of the Western army. Yet Bulstrode says of him that "he was a very lazy and unactive man, and was not thought either of interest, experience, courage, or reputation enough for that trust which was devolved upon him." There are some curious anecdotes of him in Bulstrode's Memoirs, p. 150, &c.

when he came thither or goes from thence I know not. I ame extreme glade the King permitts (him) to see his sister and me. I hope he will suffer him to stay some time with my deare Neece, it will be a great contentment to her and no hurt to him, and as long as there is nothing tolde to the States of him, they will take no notice of it, this I know is true. I am sorrie for poore Sr Henry de Vic,' for lett the match break or goe on, it is euerie way ill for him: We heare no certaintie heere how the French treatie with the rebells in England goes, whither it breake or peece.1 I am verie sorrie for the Countess of Mortons death, I pittie S Thom. Berkley, but most her children. the Queene of Sueden is now at Bruxelles, where she was receaued in greate state : I beleeue the Arch-duke wisheth her at Anwerp, for she persecutes him verie close with her companie, for you know he is a verie modest man. I haue written to the King some particullars of it which are verie rare ons, but the Prince of Condé is still verie unsatisfied with her and will not come at her. I haue one peece of news which it may be you haue not heard: the resident of Polande tells me that there is a treatie betwixt Sueden and Polande and a perpetual peace, and to assist one the other against the Muscovits: the King of Poland will quit his pretention to Sueden vpon condition that he be recompenced with some lande or Islande for his heire, that if they be not chosen to succeed the kingdome of Polande, they may haue some place to them selfs to liue in, for the K. of Polande has no patrimonie of his owne

1 Sir Henry de Vic, in the early part of Charles the First's reign, had been his Majesty's Secretary for the French mission, and also agent to the King of Denmark.

2 In January the cavaliers were stirring, but in vain; and in the following November, Cromwell made peace with the French. The Ex-Queen of Sweden and the Prince of Condé appear to have been meddling with these affairs, through the diplomatic exertions of the Count de Tott; as may be seen by reference to a letter in Bromley's collection, p. 186.

3 Widow of William Earl of Morton, Lord High Treasurer of Scotland, and long in great personal favour with Charles the First.

Archduke of Austria.

:

nor can buy anie lande under the croune of Poland his agent has order to goe for England, to see if Cromwell woulde send some ships against the Muscovits to make a diuersion. the good agent is verie vnwilling to goe, but he must obey his master. Sure Cromwell is the beast in the Revelations that all Kings and nations doe worship; I wish him the like end and speedilie, and you a hapie new yeare as1

"For Mr. Secretarie."

your most affectionat frend.

4o Jan: St. No: 1654-5. R: 7. Qu; Bo:

up

The Queen of Bohemia to Sir Edward Nicholas. HAGH, Jan: 10 (1654-5).

Mr. Secretarie, I beleeue you will heare at Collein how I haue beene debauched this last week in sitting late to see dancing. wee made Friday out and every night, which lasted till Saterday at fiue a clock in the morning, and yesterday was the christening of P. Will: childe: I was at the supper: my Neece, the P douager, the little Prince and P. Maurice were gossips: the States generall, I meane their Deputies, and the Counsell of State, and myself and Louyse were there as guests. after super was dancing this (till) three a clock, my little Nephue was at the super and sett verie still all the time: those States that were there were verie much taken with him. the King of Sueden with his army is within an houres going from Kunisberg with twenty thousand men, most horse. the Elector is in the

The proposed peace between Poland and Sweden was of very short duration.

2 This evidently refers to William Frederick, Count and Prince of Nassau Dietz, who had married Albertine Agnes, sister of the late Prince of Orange.

3 Afterwards William the Third of England, now only four years of age.

toune and has also which they say is twentie thousand also, he has [torn off] foot then the King has [also torn] Ambassadour goe this week from hence towards Sueden and Dennemark, one of those that goes for Dennemarke is Mon' d'Ameron a gentleman of Utrecht, a verie honest and great Royalist and so you may be sure my great frend, but I belceue they will doe but little with that King, for I am tolde from a good hande that he and the K. of Sueden are in verie good intelligence together, which I am not sorie for considering how little these States assist there allies. My deare Neece continues her resolution of going from hence Thursday next, but I dout the weather will hinder for it thaughs apace.

I am euer your most affectionat frend.

I have not time to write to Mons: Soiret, but tell him he was wished here vpon Friday last. I haue written to my Nephue all the particullars of what they were and who was best dressed.

The Queen of Bohemia to Sir Edward Nicholas. HAGH, Jan. 11 (1654-5).

of

Mr. Secretarie, I hope my next will tell you my sweet Nephues being wellcome to Teiling, for Mr. Lovell assures vs all heere that he is perfectlie well. I beleeue Mr. Fraiser is not sorie to haue a commission to waite upon him this way, for soe he may see his Mistris though she will not confess him I know not how your people at Colloigne2 goe

So.

1 An allusion to the first invasion of Poland by Gustavus, who marched from Pomerania into that Kingdom after the irruption made, in obedience to his order, by General Wirtemberg.

2 Charles the Second now kept his Court at Cologne, but in great privacy. Sir Stephen Fox is described by Bulstrode as having the care, management, and disposal of his household, which he kept at an expense of not more than six hundred pistoles per month. In fact, such was the economy necessarily impsoed by the condition of the exiles, that Charles never kept a coach during his long stay in that city.

on with theire business, but our resident Thom. was asked yesterday for the first time, and so was Jack Sayers. I feare resident Halle will not haue by much so good a bargaine, but how Bess who is left at Bruxelles will take it, for she has written a terrible letter to St Charles Cottrell of it, and how confident she is of her Masters honnestie to her, so as she may chaunce forbid the bains. Vicfort tolde me yesterday that Bourdeaux has order to stay yett it England, which shews what you beleeue is true. the news I writt to you of Poland and Sweden is most true, and that De Bre makes still his monitions to goe for England.

Wee had a Royaltie, though not vpon twelf night, at Teiling, where my Neece was a gipsie and became her dress extreame well.... was a Northolland boorine; Mrs. Hide' a shephardess and I assure was verie handsome in it, none but her Mistress looked better than she did. I beleeue my Lady Hide and Mr. Chancelour will not be sorie to heare it, which I pray tell them from me. the queene of Sueden takes a house at Anwerp, all her owne people leaues her and Italiens and Spaniards comes in theire place. Heere is little news stirring. I beeleeue you heare of the quarrelle betwixt my soone and the Elector of Ments, it may come to some ill business. it is so colde and they make such a noise "In the time of the King's banishment," adds Bulstrode, "he spent two years at Cologne, where he was well received by a widow, at whose house he lodged." In a letter written by the King to Bennet, afterwards Earl of Arlington, and preserved in the Miscellanea Aulica, p. 109, Charles seems to imply that he is living a rational and sober life at Cologne. “I hope it will not be many days before you see how we pass our time at Collen, which tho' it be not so well as I could wish, yet I think it is as well as some of you do at Paris; at least some that are here would not pass their time so well there as they do here." In another letter, Charles mentions a design of himself and the Princess Dowager of Orange to go to the Frankfort Fair incognito.

Afterwards Duchess of York; but then in the household of Princess Dowager of Orange.

2 A trifling dispute about boundaries.

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