I should nott make the just reparation of this losse as an article in my account, as well as the Treasurer of the States of Bretany, who hath on this consideration lately had seven thousand crownes indemnification adjudged him by Act of the States. By way of St Malos your Hon" next commands will find mee, and you may well imagine your presence, tho not possible, will be most heartily wished, and your health noe lesse cordially celebrated.

I am now to acknowledge your Hon" favour of the 24. Nov. & 6 Dec'. The three first vessells of sacke are doubtlesse long since arriued by water at Orleans, there expectinge Mr. Killigrew's order, who is desirous to present them himselfe. I have allready furnished him with some money towards the charges, and have taken care to defray at Paris the whole port of them and of the 4th which went hence in boate the beginninge of this weeke with noble Sir. G. L. [Gerv. Lucas] and his lady, who have quite abandoned this province, the Ladies intention being to goe 'ere longe into the greater Bretany. I desire your Hon' to give credit to him in many thinges with which hee will acquaint you, for hee is much a man of honour and integrity. Hee will tell you to what degree wee have (as you well call it) had our freinds healp and furtherance in the payment of the 15 thousand livres fine, &c. I did not till uery lately know that my Lord Percy now Lord Chamberlin was come to the Kinge, and I am likewise told that he is much in your intimacy, of which, if true, I am uery glad, for hee hath beene my noble freind of a date little lesse than 30 yeares old. I pray if your Hon' thinke it fitt be pleased to present my humble seruice and congratulations to his L'pp.

Prince Rupert hath now quite finished his businesse with the marchant that lost the sugar prize, and speakes of goinge hence for Paris within few dayes.

Sir Edward Hyde to Sir Richard Browne.

S',

I have yours of the 20. as I had before your former with the bill, which was punctually payd,' and delivered to the Kinge, for which you shall have his acquittance, and I must tell you, it came very seasonably to him, and most acceptably, of which you shall heare more hereafter. ffor your new noble offer, I am not in a condic'on so plentifull to refuse, for I must tell you that I have not had a Lewes of my owne these 3 moneths; therfore when you send the bill, lett me know whether you lend me so much out of your owne little stocke, or whether it be the Kings money, for in that case, his Ma" shall be the disposer, since my office hath never yett nor shall intitle me to take his mony without his derection." Ther is no question any fall of moneyes is a just

1 See ante, p. 290. Paper adjoined to Sir Richard Browne's letter.

2 The charges to which Hyde alludes in this letter were those brought against him by intriguers of the Queen-mother's party, who were unwilling that he should execute the office which Lord Jermyn had formerly discharged, the disposal of the King's private funds. Mr. Long, the Ex-Secretary, was therefore brought forward to concoct this story of the conference with Cromwell on the evidence of one Massonet, or rather on his second-hand hearsay evidence from a maidservant in London, who assured him that she had seen Sir Edward go into Cromwell's chamber at Whitehall. Charles of course had the sense to laugh at it, being himself in fact a competent witness to prove an alibi. See Clarendon's History, vol. iii. p. 402. When Charles the First appointed a Council for the Prince of Wales in 1644, Mr. Long was their Secretary; but after this was suspected of holding a correspondence with the Earl of Essex, on which he went into France, and made great complaint to the Queen-mother, who always strongly supported his interests. After the death of Charles the First he became Secretary to the young King in his exile, was created a Baronet shortly after the Restoration, was Auditor of the Exchequer, and a Privy Councillor. Suspicion attached to him of having been secretly a Roman Catholic, and this is partly borne out by a legacy in his will. See Manning and Bray's History of Surrey, vol. ii. p. 606.

grounde for demaunde of allowaunce upon accounte. If you are at Ducy, wish me with you, as I do heartily. I write to the Governour the way he derected, and must be informed when he returnes to his dominion.

I hope you thinke it strange to heare that I have bene in Englande, and have had private conference with Crumwell, and [that you] are not sorry that my enimyes can frame no wiser calumny against me: Pr: Rupert is not yet arryued, nor is ther any newes of the sacke: I shall be gladd to see Sr Ge: and his lady heare. Though my La Chamberlyne' and I lyue ciuilly togither, and I can menc'on you to him, yet it is fitt you write a congratulatory letter to him, which if you thinke fitt, I will deliver. God send you a merry Christmasse. I am,

Sr,

your most affectionate huble serv*,

PARIS this 27 of Decemb. (1653.)

EDW: HYDE.

Sir Edward Hyde to Sir Richard Browne.
Sr.

Yours of the 30. of January came not to my hands till within these 2 dayes; and you haue before this tyme I conceaue receaued some of myne since that date, which have informed you how much wee have bene all deceaued in the imaginac'on of the breach of the treaty betweene the Dutch and the Rebells. It is now looked upon as concluded in a peace, and though the other Prouinces are not yett reconciled to the condic'ons, wee have very fainte hopes, that ther opposic'ons will be able longe to deferr what the Province of Hollande so importu

1 This was Lord Percy, to whom the office had been granted in lieu of that of Master of the Horse, to which he had some claim, but which had been reserved by the King for Prince Rupert, who afterwards very ungraciously threw it up. The whole affair, as related in Lord Clarendon's History, vol. iii. p. 411, is illustrative of many of these letters.

1

nately and vehemently pursues: and I do belieue that this Crowne will labour all they can (and I thinke with successe) to gett it selfe into the allyance, for the facilitatinge wherof I suppose they wish our Master gone from hence, and wee shall gratify them in it, the Kinge resoluinge to goe as soone as he can gett away: you shall do well to hasten all accounts with your Capts as soone as may be, least they grow lesse respectfull of the Kings authority, and what they owe to him, when they finde that they are like to finde little protection heare. I am in greate payne, therfore you must excuse me, that I say no more, but that I am,

your very affectionate huble Serv',
E. H.

PAR: this 17. of Feb. 1654.

Sir Richard Browne to the Chancellor of the

Right Honble,

2

m

Exchequer.

Captain W Arundell the bearer hearoff being dispatched by Col' O'Sulleuan Beirne to giue his Ma" a particular account of his proceedinges hitherto, and to receiue our royall and gracious Maister's farther directions and orders for the future, in case he may be soe happy as (in the present conjuncture) to be found any way vsefull &

1 So certain were the politicians of that time of a treaty between the French King and the Protector, that in a letter from Paris, of the 20th January, in one of the public Intelligencers, it was expressly stated, “Here is much talk, as if the Peace were concluded between France and England." It did not take place so rapidly, however; for, notwithstanding Mazarin's overtures to Cromwell, the Protector showed no extraordinary eagerness to meet them. In writing to Cromwell, about this time, Mazarin concluded with, "Votre tres humble serviteur," which obtained nothing more from Oliver than "Your affectionate friend to do you service."

2 There are no historical records of the specific events in Irish affairs to which this letter alludes; the letter therefore itself supplies matter for history.

2

serviceable to his owne Souueraigne, in whose just quarrell he much rather chuseth accordinge to duty and alleageance to loose his life as he hath allready donne his estate and fortune, than to drawe his sword in the service of any forraigne Potentate: I am desired to giue your Hon' this summary account of what hath beene here transacted since his arriuall in these partes some few weekes since, with divers persons of quality, leading men of the severall cheife provinces of Irland,' about 30 barrills of powder and some other armes; for transportation of which whole equipage into the south-west part of Munster, O'Sullevans country, there to make an impression, Mr Holder and myselfe had here prevailed with Mr Griffin, Captain Smyth, and Captain Dillon, (whose readinesse to serue his May on this occasion hath beene very laudable, and ought soe to be represented unto his Ma" as nott unworthy of his particular taking notice thereoff) who in their three fregats had undertaken to passe them ouer & by Gods goodnesse to haue giuen a happy beginning to this generous and loyall enterprize offering further in case they could at ther landinge gett possession of any fortifiable place, fitt and considerable, to furnish them with 2 or 3 peeces of canon out of each vessel: and to afford them what other assistance might lye in their power. But just as they were ready to sett sayle, comes the certain advice that Mortagh O'Brien (to whom O'Sullevan chiefly intended to joyne himself, and whose party was it seemes the principall foundation of his hopes) had layd downe armes; by which unexpected newes, this soe probable dessigne auertinge for the present, O'Sullevan hath

:

1 A Mercurius Politicus of the 22nd February gives expression to the hopes and fears that agitated the opposite parties at this time: "The Irish are much troubled to hear of the dissolution of the late Parliament, in whom they had great hopes, but, blessed be God! their hopes are prevented."

2 How very trifling this naval force was, may be surmised from the fact that Capt. Smith's vessel only mounted eight guns; whilst another, commanded by Meldrum, carried two.