I

Sir Edward Hyde to Sir Richard Browne.

S',

About three days since I receaued yours of the 24. of the last moneth, which makes me still wonder how it comes to passe, that yours are so longe upon the way, for it is not possible that the post can be 12 or 14 dayes upon the way from Brest, and so much tyme ther is still betweene your writinge and my readinge. suppose the Governour is now gone to Nantes, or else he will not wayte on the Prince, which I should be sorry for. the Kinge sent his coach on Wensday to Orleans, supposinge it will meete his Highnesse1 ther, or that he will be ther within a day or 2 after, so that wee exspecte him heare on Tuesday or Wensday, and till his returne I do not conceaue that you neede putt your selfe to the troble of a iourny, and if ther be then any occasyon for it, I will aduertise you: If the euidence against the Captaynes be so pregnant as it seemes by you to be, of seueral theftes and cozinages, how would it be possible for the Judge to declare them innocent? and though it may, it would be difficulte to obteyne iustice against them in that jurisdiction, yett the declininge to giue in the testimony and charge against them before the proper officer (though it is possible he will not haue power enough to cause reparacon to be made, if he had the will to do it) will be made a greate countenance to them, as if the allegations were not waighty; and I finde (though I am a stranger to all that is done on that syde of the house) that the Captaynes are upon all occasyons much magnifyed, as excellent vsefull ministers.-I am very gladd of that order you a small squadron of the Royal ships, with which he cruised, principally upon the coast of Ireland, and greatly to the annoyance of the Republican party, if we may judge from their journals.

1 Prince Rupert. This event is much noticed in the London journals of the time. Those journals also assert, upon the authority of some runaway seamen who had landed at Weymouth, "that all the plunder he hath brought is not worth 10,000l., and the Swallow is ballen up altogether unserviceable."

mention, against the transportinge the necessaryes for shippinge, which I wonder the more at, because wee conceaue the ffrench Minister at London euery day getts grounde, but I hope they will deceaue each other.-Innisboffin was poorly giuen up aboute the middle of ffebruary, so that now I feare the poore Irish haue only woods and boggs for shelter; I pray keepe all those dispatches safe by you, but you neede not send them backe, till you come your selfe. Hath Ge Carterett a good opinion of Anthonio? I hope ther will be some parte of your house-rent payd out of hande, but I know not what to say to your assignements upon the Prince, who no doubt will haue occasyon to vse all and more than he can haue brought home, to repayre and fitt out his shipps.'It is a good and conscientious thinge to pay off any old debts, and good husbandry to discharge those first, for which interest is to be payd; but if I were in your case, I should satisfy my selfe, in keepinge mony enough in my purse to præserue me a yeere from staruinge, before I thought of paying any debtes. Wee do flatter ourselves with an opinion that our affayres will mende,and that wee shall not stay long heare, indeede I belieue our Master will putt himselfe into some action this summer, and that wee shall not spende it in ffrance.2 God præserue you and,

Sr.

your very affectionate huble Serv',

PARIS this 12 of April (1653).

Indorsed by Sir R. Browne:

E. H.

From Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, 12 Ap' 1653. Received 19 Ap'.

1 These were the shattered ships which had returned to Nantz from the West Indian cruise: but another portion of the Royal squadron was now favourably received in the ports of Holland; as we find asserted in the Moderate Publisher of the 15th April, 1653. Indeed it was generally reported that the States had now resolved to give Charles the title of King of Great Britain.

2 This was a vain hope, for Charles remained in France until the ensuing year.

Sir Richard Browne to the Chancellor of the
Exchequer.

21 April 1653.

Right Honble Two dayes since I receiued your Hons of 12th, by which it appeares that it made better speede hither, then it seemes mine commonly doe to Paris, the cause whereoff is, that betweene this place and Morlaix there is noe settled convaiance, only the opportunity of such carriers who come uncertainly from thence hither once or twice a weeke to fetch linnen cloth. I haue not yett heard one word from the Gouernour since his goinge hence: butt Mr. Holder (who yesterday returned from Nantes) assures mee that hee had beene with the Prince some dayes before his Highnesses going for Paris; and that His H. did also acknowledge to him to haue receiued my l're by Sir G: Carterett.'

I perceive the French minister is nott returned (as wee were made beleiue) out of England, which I am sorry for, butt hope God in his due time will doe our worke by puttinge his Ma" into some successefull action worthy his Royall undertakinge: and shall with impatience exspect to heare how in case our Maister leaue the kingdome, I shall bee inabled to returne to Paris (one handsome stepp to which the

1 How very little chance the Privy Purse had of assistance from the assets of the squadron, may be judged from a letter of Hyde's to Nicholas, where he says: "You must never expect information from me of any of the business of the prize, or anything that is managed by Prince Rupert, who consults only with the Lord Keeper; and I much doubt very little of that money will come to the King. I shall be satisfied if what is raised on the guns and ship (for all is to be sold) come justly to his hands." See the Clarendon State Papers, vol. iii. p. 200.-And again, in p. 222, he speaks more feelingly: "The truth is, Prince Rupert is so totally governed by the Lord Keeper [Sir Edward Herbert], that the King knows him not. You talk of money the King should have upon the prizes at Nantz; alass! he hath not only not had one penny from thence, but Prince Rupert pretends the King owes him more money than ever I was worth."

discharge of my house-rent will proue), or be otherwayes disposed off in order to his seruice. If wee had faire play the Kinges dues here would rise to somethinge, butt with this most abominably shockinge Gouvernour there is such an unpreuentable tyranny in the vpper and corruption of the under officers in this place where we are but precario, that it is a shame to see it.

Captain Antonio hath vppon that score quite left this port, and will yf hee may be beleiued be shortly with you at Paris, where he hath a proces. S G. Carteret will giue y' Hon' an account of him; for since the receipt of your last I haue written to him soe to doe. He knowes what I thinke of him, and yf his owne opinion bee not better then mine, Í doe assure your Hon' it is nott admirably good: and Idoe wish the Kinge would be very sparinge how hee conferre any fauour on him untill he deserue better then hithertoo I can say hee hath. I perceiue you haue new councellors sworne & a grand new officer with whom I am obleeged to congratulate. God direct all for the best: soe that the generall of our affaires goe well, it matters not much what becomes of him, who is unfaignedly and æternally Yo Hon

Most faithfull, most obliged,

and most humble seruant,
R: BROWNE.

BREST, 21. April 1653.

Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Sir Richard Browne to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Right Honble,

My last to your Hon were of the 28th Aprill, Munday last; the day followinge in the eueninge came priuatly to this towne the Marquis de Neubourg, youngest brother to the Marq: de Sourdiac, with another gentleman in his company; who immediately went to the Castle, and after a long consultation went Mon' de Camper concealed themselues as

much as they could. Yesterday, in a small fregat1 which was goinge to sea with his Maties commission, this Marquis, with a Captain, an officer of the Castle, & 150 men, amongst which our turbulent Captain Smyth, imbarqued as priuatly as they could with intention to goe and reduce the Isle of Ushant, for which enterprise I heare this Marquis hath brought the French Kinges orders and Mon' de Castlenau's recommendations. And I presume the island yf taken, will as formerly bee re-annexed to this gouvernment of Brest. Wee are in hourly expectation what the successe will bee, wheroff your Hon' may expect account in my next, and accordingly I shall gouverne myselfe in the demand of his Maties dues out of the tobacco that shall be there found, which is nott vppon this occasion to bee neglected. Nott yett one line from my deare St George Carteret: wee liued together like brothers; and I hope he hath nott soe soone forgotten mee. From your Hon's &c.

Prayinge, &c.

BREST. 2 May. 1653.

R. B.

The Hollanders bringe more prizes dayly into the ports vppon this coast. Captain Swart, who commanded The Patricke hath this weeke lanched a small man of warre under the Holland colours; Agent Rameng Coale hauinge undertaken to procure for him a sea-commission from the States of Holland.

1 The Parliamentary news-writers of the day, alluding to those parts of the navy which still remained loyal to Charles, inform us: "The King of Scots Pickroones play their cards cunningly upon the coast of Jersey; no less than two delicate prizes have they taken and carried to Shawsey Island," (Isle du Choisi), "amountinge to a great value; besides Captain Chamberlin playes his pranks notably, and trusses up our pore fishermen, even as a falcon doth wild ducks, forcing them to pay tribute to his young master Charles, and exacts a pistol upon all such boats that fetcheth urack [sea wrack] from the said island of Shawsey, belonging to the French King."

2 This affair is rather unintelligible, unless we suppose that Ushant had declared for the Condéan party. The tobacco alluded to may possibly have formed the cargoes of prizes carried in there by the Royal cruisers.