in the Chambre St. Lewis yet they will doe theire businesse in some other place, and perhaps at last make a foule house; for that is certaine, that some other Parlaments of ffrance doe manifestly declare and followe theire example. The Prince of Condé findinge great difficultyes in the reliefe of Tourné is encamped at Bethune, there expectinge the succors y' Erlack, Vaubecour, and others are to bring to him. At Naples the affaires betweene the King and people (ill satisfied with the Spaniards non-performance of treaty, and murmoringe by reason of the scarcety of bread) are againe fallen into great disorder: insomuch as it is thought the ffrench ffleet may therevppon make yet an other journey to attempte some new impression in that Kingdome. The newes of the seidge of Cremona is confirmed, not wout hopes of the speedy takinge thereof. The Marquis of Ormond is vppon his departure for Irland, Wee are here, God be praysed, in good health. Butt when will our deare Brother William come? I am glad to heare our cottage hath beene dignified with such good company as your brother, to whom I longe to present my seruice. Our honest cousin Stefens (who will well deserue your acquaintance, and whom I recommend vnto your affection) will perhaps by that time these come to you, bee arriued. Which yf hee bee, I pray present my seruice to him, and soe with our relatiue cordiall affections, I rest PARIS, 8 Aug 1648. Yours euer. Our Court wants money, and liues very quietly at St. Germains: wheere no peere appeares but my Lord Jermin. The Lord Marq. of Worster, the Lords Digby & Hatton, though yett in France, yet liue for the most part in Paris. From Sir Ri. Browne. 1 Note appended: “Which is lost." S', Since y Com'ittinge of the King's declaration to fower Members of the Parlament, to bee by them examined wth order to make reporte thereof on Munday next, the Parlament hath followed theire ordinary course of businesse, and this interim seemes to bee a kind of truce betweene the Royall and y pleading Pallace. The losse of Tourné hath not yet exasperated y Prince of Condé into any newe vndertakinge against the Spaniard, wch now vppon ye joyninge of Erlack's troops vnto him, it is expected hee shoulde, soe that probabily wee shall soone heare of his remoue from Bethune. In this stationary, or rather retrograde, condition of the ffrench affaires in flanders, the certaine expectation of the taking Cremona, and the weaknesse of the Spaniard in Catalonia, are very considerable supports: but aboue all, the relaps of Naples into (as they heere thinke) a more desperate state than euer, doth raise their mindes, and giues here great hopes of the losse of that Kingdome to the Spaniard. In order to wh the ffrench fleet hath set saile for L'Abruzzo, there to joyne wth the Conte de Conuersano, who hath reuiued y' rebellion and is at the head of a considerable army. The Com'andeur de Souuray prepares for his journey into Holland, in quallity of Ambassador from the Religion of Malta, there to demande restitution of the Com'andaries, wh the States of Holland doe possesse. The Duke of Beaufort (who 'tis thought hath not beene out of ffrance) attended wth 40 or 50 horse, hath lately (as is saide) appeared in Brittany, wherevppon there are some troopes sent thither, and into Normandy, to secure those Provinces. And to Card" Mazarin they speake of giuinge a guard of 100 horse, for the safety of his person. The Marquiss of Ormond two daies since begane his journey towards Ireland. Thankes for yours of 28 & 31. most wellcome. All your relations here salute you most cordially. Το my brother yf nott com away, & to my cousin S'. yf arriued, present my loue and seruice, the like to all the good company with you. Farewell, my deare S. Yours for euer louinge. PARIS. 15 Aug. 1648. S', Yf thorough the difficult and hazardous passage, these lines come safe to you, they will conuey my serious and hearty congratulations of that condition you are now in neere his Ma", wherein his gracious fauour and your owne merit haue concurrently placed you. Though I haue receiued noe letter from you since your arrivall in Schotland, yett I injoy the fruits of your care and kindnesse towards mee, witnesse the two warrants of his Matie, dated y 4 Aprill 3° Car. 1651, directed to Prince Rupert and to Mr. Windam in my behalfe, for which as I render all bumble acknowledgements to my most Gracious and Royall Maister, soe, I giue you also my hearty thankes for beinge soe happily instrumentall in a concernment of mine, though hithertoo neyther of them haue prouued any way aduantageous unto mee, for I can giue noe account where Pr. Rupert is since his comminge into the Ocean, and takinge some rich shipps belonginge to the Kinge of Spaine, and to the Genoese: And when I addresse any demands to Mr. Windham, hee makes mee noe returne butt these kind of warrants, such as the inclosed, of which he hath many. Soe that unlesse his Ma" be pleased eyther to thinke of some other way of supply for mee, or direct some more effectuall commands to Mr. Windam, your kindsman and his family must (for ought I see) begge bread (or starue) in the streetes of Paris. In March last Mr. Windam assigned mee a thousand guilders of Dunkirke money, which makes little aboue fourescore pistolls here. Butt the man (one John Arden) in whose hands he had deposited the prize goods out of which this summ was to bee raysed, is soe insoluent that he lyes in prison eyther nott able or not willinge to giue any satisfaction. The truth of this will bee confirmed to you by word of mouth by Mr. Edgman, of whose safe arriuall with you, and returne into these parts, I should be gladd to heare. The affaires of this kingdome are in a dubious condition, occasioned chiefly by reason of some jealosies betweene the Queene Regent and the Princes; to which the neere approachinge majority (the 6th. 7.) will, in probability giue a period, one way or other, by a more firme settlement of the authority, ministery, and direction of affaires. As for the aspect towards vs, all I can say to you is, it will bee answerable to the successe of his Maties affaires in schottland, vppon which they here looke as the North Pole-starre by which they intend to steere. Our good Queene spends much of her time of late in a new Monastery at the end of Queene Mother's Cours (formerly the faire and pleasant house of Mar Basompeere at Challiot) of which shee is the titular foundresse; and the sweete Duke of Yorke doth here subsist vppon the allowance of one thousand crownes a month payd him from this state, beinge greatly esteemed by all for his comelinesse and personall dexterity, in his behauiour and exercises. Amongst all the publique and priuat calamities wherwith it hath pleased God to visit my poore family, wee yett (by His gracious blessinge and mercy) injoy our healths, and the hopes of a better condition, when eyther our humiliations, or our enemies sinnes shall moue the Divine power to looke more fauourably vppon vs; in order to the obtaininge wheroff I yet make shifte to keep vp a chappell and the Inglish Liturgie in my house, where, by ordinary and extraordinary deuotions wee implore Gods blessinges vppon his Mae person and just cause. To that divine Omnipotency recommending you (with all our cordiall and kind salutes) I rest, Dear cousin, Y' most affectionate kindsman PARIS, 19 Aug. 1651. R. BR. I pray present my seruice to all such worthy friends of mine of our owne nation, in whom you find any memory of, or kindnes for, mee. Butt, faile nott to render mee most louinge and most respectfull to my noble friend to me still (for I know nott his new titles) Mr. William Murray. Postscript. Extract of a letter from Nantes. 15th Aug. Prince Rupert is arriued with his prizes in Portugall, 15 leagues from Lisbone, and there hee fitts his shipps with some others that belonge to the Kinge of Portugall, to goe against the Kinge of Spaines gallions. This is written by a good hand from Lisbone. Wee heere hope the newes of Schottland, and the defeat in Fife, is nott soe bad as the London prints would make vs beleeue. I pray God send us some comfortable tidinges, and bless his Ma". with victory and successe in all his undertakinges. TOL. IT. |
