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CLXXXIX.-MR. WILLIAM HARBORD TO THE EARL OF ESSEX.

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To-morrow I intend to see Ranelagh; on Thursday next my Ld of Pembroke is to be married to my Lady Portsmouth sister; I heare that Brock makes great brags to King what services he could doe him in Ireland; & that King the other night at supper jeered him with it, & spoke very kindly of you; I have desired Sec. Covent to discourse with Kg. about Parl. & I am in hopes that if Ran. be honest wee shall prevaile, for the Trear. seemes forward in't but they are slippery men; Its wonderfull to see how bold Trear. is in making ennemies, depending wholy on his credit with King, wch all people wonder at, he having seen so many effects of Kg. his inconstancy; its evident that he hath much to doe to support the publike expense, & talks of Parl. as if he intended it, but God knowes his hart, though if there be no peace the Kg. will take good measures, I beleeve, saye or doe what they can, for the Frenche sinke a pace; I feare they will buy peace at any rate; you see in the Diurnall the story of Butnett a priest; Duke hath prevailed to have him only banished wch giving great discontent; I believe Ranelagh hath brought over some new projects wth him, & that Trear. will renew the Farme ere long; for he lays about him on all hands where there is any the least project of gaine.

CXC.-MR. WILLIAM HARBOBD TO THE EARL OF ESSEX. MAY IT PLEASE YR EXCELLENCY,

19 Dec., 1674, London.

This morning Mr. Hilliard brought me yr Ldps of ye 30 of Novber ̧ I wish I had receaved yrs sooner Ran. having been in Towne ever

since Tuesday, & Hillyard came with him; though I every day watched him at Kg. Duke their rising, & have daily an acct how he spends his time, & where. He seems extreamly faire, but I confesse of all the men of the world I am the most affraid to Trust him, & just now coming from him he told me he was going to Lodd. for Instructions to Forbese; & why such things should be directed to him & not to Essex doth startle me. This morning Ld. Burlington came to me on the behalf of Orrery, having heard that I had receaved the report from Essex about the Lapse mony; I receaved him very civilly, & told him that it was not come to my hands. He told me that great endeavours were used to possesse King that Essex desired to be called home as weary of that post; I confesse it startled me & filled me wth jealousies that Ran. might contrive that way to wound Essex with King; & wthin a Minute after he was gone St John Nicholas came to me & told me the same thing, whereupon I thought it best to speake to King of the contents of yr Letter & then to settle yr affaire wth him; & reading it over 3 or 4 times & finding nothing int but what would be gratefull to him & also let him see ye pains Essex tooke to serve him; I resolved to reade it to him, wch I did, & on every distinct clause did to the best of my understanding argue the weight & prudence of Essex his opinion and advice. He harkend to it wth great patience & satisfaction, & after I had donne I told him of the report I had heard; he said he had not heard one word of it, but that he was so satisfied wth Essex his conduct, & how zealously he studied to serve him, that he bid me assure Essex that it was not in the powr of any man to create any unkindnesse between King & Essex then between Kg. & Duke, & bid Essex depend of it; & that he would write you word so suddenly himselfe. I got this opportunity by Elliott, & King, finding that Duke followed us into the bedchamber, he went into the further room & looking behind him shut the door after us staying till I was past, and, having observed that he is extreamly pleased that Essex doth apply himselfe to him & yt he thinks him fitter to be trusted wth a Secrett then them, I make the best use I can of it, & omitt no care to doe Essex all the service I can

if Ran. be honest I believe wee shall have parliament; at my going from home he went away & left Duke Treas. & divers others, wch I could perceive Duke did not expect.

CXCI. WILLIAM HARBORD TO THE EARL OF ESSEX.

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On sunday night last, Kg: being at supper at Trea., Harry Savela being very drunck, fel so fowly on Ld: Molgrave, that Kg: commanded Savel to be gonne out of his presence. However, the next day Mollgrave sent him a challenge by Ld: Middleton; Rochester was 2d to the other side. There was noe harm done; but D. hath interessed himselfe & prevailed wth Kg: to forbid Savel his presence. Ran., every time I meete him, askes me when I goe for Ireland. I doe wish I was wth yr Excellency during ye time yt Sr Henry intends to staye here, wch wilbe for a neare 2 monthes after ye Holydayes; but I am apt to thinke that Trea. & Ran. will renew the farme suddenly, & I would not be away then. If I finde after Christmas that they doe not presse it, I will perhaps take post & come over, but If I doe suspect their Designe to be such, then I will differr it.

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CXCII. SIR HENRY COVENTRY TO THE EARL OF ESSEX.

MY LD

White Hall, Dec. 22nd, '74. Your Exclley of the 12th of Decber I have rd, and have shewn it his Majty. Before I sent the letter I told his Majty I did beleeve it maight bee the same booke which I had seene & was publiquely sold heere, and I do beleeve it is no other. The truth is it had no greate effect here, for those yt were Papists would not beleeve such bloody acts of theyre own tribe, & those yt were not had hardly faith enough to beleeve all the apparitions and legend-like storys in it, so seemed to goe off heere wt very little noyse.

Wee have little news heere. The Earle of Pembrook was on Saturday last marryed to the sister of the Dutchesse of Portsmouth. La Chiefe Justice Vaughan this day buryed, & the Earle of Clarendon his Corpse every day expected to bee buryed at Westminster. The march of Monsr de Turenne hath not as yet produced so greate effects as they expected in France, some part about Lorraine. I beleeve hee hath recovered, but I doubt will hardly bee in a capacity to force the Confederates to passe the Rhyne, as they seemed once to hope in France. No place for treaty as yet agreed upon. Breda offered by the Kg of France, totally rejected by the Confederates, and Hamburgh, proposed by the Emperor, refused by him. Both sides talk much of peace, but prepare for warre, especially the Emperour. The Suedes have not yet attempted any act of hostility upon the Elector of Brandeburgh, but hath a good army in Pomerania, and hath sent au Embassy to Denmarke to endeavour the keeping yt Kg: in quiett,

who I doubt is too fast allyed wth the Emperour & Holland, and is too mindfull of the losses his father made by the Swedes to let goe such an opportunity of revenge as theyre making a warre agst the Empire (for so it is now called) would give him. I have not further to trouble y Excelley then wt the presentation of my reall desires to serve you, &c.

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Lord Chambellain & Ossery are not yet returned, but being every howre expected.

CXCIII.-WILLIAM HARBORD TO THE EARL OF ESSEX.

MAY IT PLEASE YR EXCELLENCY,

24 Dec. '74.

I gave you an account by ye Tuseday post of my having receaved yr Excellencies sent me by Mr. Hilliard, & likewise yr other of ye 12 instant, & what had past between Kg: & my self upon that occasion, since wch Treas: Did appoint Ran: & me to attend him, wch wee did but to no purpose till yesterday morning, & then in such hast that he spoke to us severelly. What he said to Ran: 1 hrow not, it being in ye bed-chamber; but I found Ran: cast his eye often towards me as if he seemed affraid that I should overheare him, & though in my nature I am not apt to be jealous, yet I can not but be so of him. After Trea: had donne wth Ran: he called me to him & told me that he had severall things to saye to me; the first that Kg: had at his first acquainting him wth my desires consented to it, & was pleased to saye to him that he was very well satisfyed wth my services, & would in time doe better for

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