now bee sold at so good a rate as they may improve to after a general peace. To Lord Digby. 7-17 June, 1644. Writes earnestly for money-inevitable ruin must befall him—has not wherewithall to provide himself out of mourning, a new Coat and Liveries, wch will much tend to his Maties disreputation-“I appeall to all the world whether I have not in this absolutely dearest part of Christendom for these three yeares maintained his Maties honour beyond what could be expected from my quality in these distracted times, my estate lying all in Kent and Essex yielding little or nothing, the moneys I take upp comeing uppon much disadvantage, and a constant great interest paid." To Lord Jermyn. Right Honble my singular good Lord. Accordinge to y' LoPs command to send you the Inglish newes, I now begin by this opportunity of Mr. Besse's departure: What London affords this inclosed printed will acquaint y' Lo". Besides which the letters containe little or nothinge, onely some hopes of misunderstandinge and diuisions amonge the Parlamentary Generalls. Yesterday the Pr: Elector Pal. his Agent came to acquaint mee that His Elec: High: hee thought was by this time in London: and to declare the cause of his iourney thither to bee, partly to see what aduantages he might reape to himselfe from his Ma" and Parl: according to both their promises, in case they treated an accommodac'on; & partly to sollicit some supplies of money for ye Queene his mother and himselfe, without which they can neyther of them subsist any longer. And this hee desired mee to write to their Maties. And I thinke the same excusatory account will bee brought within fewe dayes to y Court by Pr. Edward, who was also yesterday with mee to consult where he might most speedily and most conueniently find His Ma". The Duke of Orleans is on his way hither, and yf what I heare be true, will visit his Ma" ere long at Bourbon. Of the Duke d'Anguien's action at Fribourg, I will nott giue an account till the lame Post bee come, and then I shall send it by a speedier conueyance. It shall suffice that by this sure hand I present my humble seruice to y' LoP. and giue assurance of my diligent endeauours to obey y' commands. Beseeching y' LoP to take some speedy care for the subsistance of a creature of yours whose sole ambition it is to bee vsefull to you: Many haue allready passed by and pitied his condition; butt yr LoP is the Samaritan from whom alone his vrgent necessities expect that balme must cure them. In which happy omen I take the boldnesse to kisse y Lop' hands in quality off, YTM Lops, Most faithfull humble Ser', PARIS 19 Aug. 1644. S', After seuerall negotiations betweene the Palais Cardinal and the Court of Parlament, the Queene Regent vppon Tewsday last signified to the Parlam that being well informed of their good intenc'ons and sincerity, she approued of theire proceedings, willinge them to meet frequently and to continew dilligently their consultations for the publique good; wall acquaintinge them, that the Ennemy was vppon the ffrontier, and that the King wanted mony, wherefore they might doe well to bring theire resolutions to maturity wthin the space of 8 dayes: since wch satisfactory answere the Parlament is uery busy in finding meanes how to reforme the abuses in the gouvernement chiefly in that of the Kings reuenews, in which worke the rest of the Parlaments of ffrance will doubtlesse comply wth this of Paris. And some great Ministers may perhaps be sacrificed to the people, who have already confessed their feares by disfurnishinge theire houses of their choicest moueables. Heere is all possible care taken to furnish the Prince of Condé wth mony, and heere is also much seeking after horses to sende to him, wherewith to remount his Caualiers; the Prince is wth his army neere Guize, where he hath lately arrested a gent' of Piccardy (whose name is Ragny) for hauing giuen intelligence to the Spaniard, and hauing drawne great pensions from them any time this 6 or 7 yeares. The ffrench fleet consistinge of 13 shipps and 19 gallies hath presented it selfe vppon the coast of Naples, but as yet wthout any success at all. This weeke hath safely brought hither Mr. Langton, with all your noble tokens, for all which (particularly for the rare booke to mee) I render you my hearty acknowledgements, as also your two letters of 15. & 19. June, containinge (as allways of late) feares and hopes. God in his mercy direct thinges to some tolerable end or other. I wrote to Mr. Spencer this day seauenight, as to you also; and hope it went safe, though I find some of the former Post (none of mine, for I wrote nott) were intercepted. Our Prince being disappointed of the somme of money hee expected from the French for his iourney, goes the beginninge of the next weeke to Callice, butt with lesse traine than hee intended, which is all I can say to you of that matter, onely that all his Maties Priuie Councellors in France haue orders to attend his Highs at Callice: my Lord Treasurer, Lord Bristoll, Sir Ed. Nicholas, are on their way thither. Our best respects to the good company with you in the Country: where I hope you injoy yourselues, and amongst other diuertisments with that of haymakinge, the season for which now approaches; and ought (yf you haue there had soe wett a growinge time as here) to afford you store of exercise. Farewell, D. S. PARIS 4. July 1648. From Sir Ric: Browne. Yours for euer. S', I know not yet what judgment to make, or what the euent will bee of the affaires now in agitation betweene our Royall and our pleadinge Pallace heere. For notwithstandinge that the exiled members of the Parlament be restored; that the reuocation of the Intendants out of the Prouinces bee resolued (three onely excepted) namely, in the Lyonnois, in Champaigne, and in Piccardy, where theire employment is restraned onely to the affaires of the armies and that y Queene hath condescended to ye erection of a Chamber of Justice, as they terine it, wch is to consist of a selected number of Parlament men, whereof the Kinge (to saue the reputac❜on of his authority) is to haue the nomination, and is established to inquire, and informe against financiers, partisans, and others that haue misbehaued themselves: yet it will be a difficult matter to reconcile other differences, for there is much dispute about the remittinge y arrears of the Tailles of ye yeares 44, 45, and 46, and about abatinge of the 8th part of the Tailles of the yeare 47, and the fourth part of 48 and 49; about the regulating the impositions uppon the entry of merchandises, about the reuokinge those Edicts by which the rents vppon the Towne house and the wages of Officers are diuerted to the Kings vse, and generally whatsoeuer almost hath passed without the verificac❜on of the Parlament, is subject to question. Nor is the Counsell altogeather complyant wth the Court of Parlament, hauing lately by their arrest cashiered an arrest of Parlament against the Dutchesse of Aiguillon. Nor is the Parlament vndiuided in ittselfe, the Kinge hauinge a party there amongst whome the S' Boulanger, Conc. in the first Chamber, two daies since pleadinge very earnestly on the Kings side, in behalf of the Partisans in whose handes he is sayd to haue great sum'es of money, fell downe dead in the House, wherevppon the Duke of Orleans retired, the meeting dissolued, and the people conclude this blow to bee a judgment of God vppon him for defendinge soe bad a cause. Mars" de Gramont is come hither, whose privat businesse being not yet knowne, what appears is that he hath addressed himselfe to the Parlament to acquainte them with the necessityes of the army, and to demand supplyes of them, seeing all other meanes of raysinge monyes are now, by their stirringe, soe disordered, that the new sur-intendant can neither by intreatyes or threats dispose the partizans to aduance one penny till they see farther what settlement these disputes will produce. The ffrench fleet is returned from the coast of Naples (not hauinge made any impression at all vppon that people) to Piombino & Portolongone. Nor doe I heare that Prince Thomas is yet embarqued. My Lord Jermin went hence towards Callice Munday last. The Queene is returned to St. Germains. My Lord Marq' of Ormond prepares for Irland. And my L Marq" of Newcastle goes next weeke towards Holand by the way of Flanders, with his Lady, &c. God blesse you and vs. And send vs a happy meetinge. Yours euer to loue and serue you. PARIS, 18 July 1648. From Sir Ri. Browne. S', The businesse of the Parlament this weeke hath been to deliberate vppon, and examine the declaration wch the King brought them, hauinge appointed fower of theire members to make report thereof vppon the 16th of this moneth; in the mean tyme they make great difficulty to obey that part thereof, wherein the Kinge com'andes them not to assemble any more in the Chambre St. Lewis; and this notwthstanding that the Duke of Orleans hath seuerall tymes beene wth them to maintaine the King's authority, and to vrge the conueniency, yf not the necessity, of theire obedience; so that, by what yet appeares, the Parlam' yf they meete not |