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LXXXII. SIR WILLIAM TEMPLE TO THE EARL OF ESSEX.

MY LORD,

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Sept. 10th

Upon the visits I made last weeke at London, I tooke occasion to make a short compliment from your Excy to my Lord Chancellor, the Duke of Ormond, and Secretary Coventry, wch was no more than to tell them that I left y1 Lõp in all the dispositions of service to them, and with all confidence of their friendship and good offices to whatever concerned yr Lõp in Ireland. My Lord Chancellor returned the compliment with much civility, but in words, of course, enquired of yr health, and fell into other talke. My Lord. of Ormond told mee hee did not thinke the King had a better servant than y1 Lõp; that for his owne part hee would serve you both there and anywhere wherever it was in his power. Hee said hee knew you were a man of justice and honor, and 'twas for that reason hee believed there had been heaving at you, but hee thought that was left off for the present. Hee exprest a good deal of sense at the hardships of yr Governmt, and said that for his owne concernments in that Kingdome hee could never thinke them safer nor better then under yr hands. All this was said with so greate heartyness, that I beleeve yr Löp may reckon it was what hee meant, and what you may grounde upon if there bee occasion. Mr Secretary Coventry returned what I said with expressions of kindeness and esteem, and in a manner that seemed to mean what hee said. Hee talked with concerne of the hard part you were putt upon there, how little was left you to dispose of, and to keepe up the dependance of people upon you, wch hee said was contrary to all former method, that had raised the formes necessary to the support of authority rather higher in Ireland than they were in England. Hee fell into a great deale of talke about the present

a Ormond was always loyal to Essex.

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state of the Treasury and some shifts wch yr Lop has by this time been acquainted with, though there are some who will not see through them heer how plain soever. My Lord Tresurer tooke occasion to speake of yr Lõp and with much esteem, though as a person hee was not much acquainted with. My Lord Halifax, with many inquirys and wishes for you heer, as a place where you might bee of more publique use, and for the rest, He is in all points just where you left him. I will onely say further, from the compass of my conversation heer, that no person can have a better and more generall reputation then is fixed of y' Lop heer in all those qualitys wch in all times make up the honor, and in some times the fortunes too of great men, and wch I am sure have, without any helpe of the figure you make in the world, gained upon mee an esteem so particular and inclination so devoted to yr person and interests. The same effect I am confident they must have upon all other honest men that know you, and therefore I think yr Löp has all the reason that can bee to bee satisfyed with the course you have hitherto runn and the reputation has attended it, however it may have fayl❜d with some sorts of men, from whom you can never have it at the same time you possess it with the rest. And therefore to mortifye you a little I will tell yr Lōp how good a friend you have lost of in my Lord Clifford, who, a little before hee left the Treasury upon a letter it seems yr Lop had written to desire his inspection into that of Ireland before hee left the Staff, and an expression in it that without some methods the King would bee forced to runn out there, fell into a fitt of raillery before the company that was there, saying, among other things, My Lord of Essex would be taken for a Gentleman that is resolved to live within his compass, the good man must needs have his butter and his bread meet; but hee's out of the story, wee runn out heer and hee must runn out there in spight of his teeth; with a good deal more of this kinde, wch was told mee by one that was there and heard it all. For ought I hear hee practised as hee preached, for one of his best friends told mee hee might be arraigned for the bountys hee used

in the disposall of the King's money about six weeks before hee left the staff, and all has gone at that rate, that I heare by a state of the revenue lately brought in the King w ll owe at the ende of this month five hundred thousand pounds more then hee will have to receive, and all since the stopp in the Exchequer. Yett my Lady Cleveland has, they tell me, a patent now passing for that branch of the revenue wch arises out of the Wine licenses, and in requitall of wch the Duke had, as I remember, 24 M. pounds a yeare setled upon him out of the Exchequer. But the East Indy ships that are now come in will, I hope, make amends for all.

I sente y Lõp last post a Copy of Mons' Martel's letter, and what news I knewe of by the same head, wch is, I thinke, commonly the better way. The French behavior is grown so notorious that 'tis out of all allay, and the seamen are grown to that pass that as a French Ship comes by one of ours the Captains cannot make six men in our ship give them a cheare, as is usuall from all the Crewe. Yett the King very wisely suppresses whatever hee thinks of it, But the French take so much notice of the humor of the Nation, and so much apprehend what influence a Parliament may have upon Counsels, that they say they make difficulty in the hundred thousand pounds that they are to pay us the end of this month, and if they should continue in that humour it might help all the rest to breed some ill blood in spite of all patience and care to prevent it. The Dutch continue very high, wch makes all conclude they can make no peace without securing the interests of Spain & the Empire.

I finde Mr Bridgeman is very particularly a servant to my Lord Rannelagh and all his interests, and thinks hee owes his imployment to that Lord's Friends of the Councell in Ireland.

I choos to write particulars that I mett with at my being in

a January 2, 1672.

b This feeling was caused by the want of co-operation on the part of the French fleet. Ru pert, in especial, was so annoyed at it that he became the leader of a pronounced anti-French party.

CAMD. SOC.

R

VOL. I.

Town, and thought worth yr Lõps reflection, because I doe not thinke to bee much there, nor consequently to trouble y1 Lõp very often.

LXXXIII.-THE EARL OF ESSEX TO THE EARL OF
ARLINGTON.

MY LORD,

Dublin Castle, Sept 13, '73.

'Tis now a fortnight since we have had any Lões out of England, ye winds being very strong Westerly, wch has hinder'd ye passage of any boates. I have not bin idle in searching out for some Lands for ye Dutchesse of Cleaveland, in compensation of ye Parke, wch was intended to have bin given her Grace; & I have already found above 39,000 Acres wch are in his Majesties dispose, but these being lands lyable to Quitt-rents, and many of them in themselves unprofitable, & dispersed through severall Counties of ye Kingdome, I have bin loath to propose them, hoping in a short time to find out others more entire, & which may be better. This business I have put into such a way as I doubt not, within a month's time, to send over a Particular to my Lady Dutchess of Cleaveland of lands worth her acceptance. But now, whilst I am upon this worke, & doe thinke my selfe engaged by promise to serve my Lady Cleaveland ye best I can in this affaire, I hear from England that ye Duke of Monmouth is preparing a Grant of all ye Lands in his Majesties dispose in this Kingdome of Irelande, wch, if it should pass, as it may, under ye great Seale of England, without any notice to us here (besides ye many inconveniences & mischiefs to his Majesties affairs, wch a Patent of that extent would bring along wth it, all wch ought to be heard & debated), it would inevitably prevent me from performing my promise to my Lady Cleaveland. I hope y' Lõp will be pleased to be watchfull in this matter, that I be not hinder'd in my intentions, & in case Lres

should come from his Majesty to dispose of any of these Lands, wch I have already found out & designed for this purpose, I hope I may take ye libertie to stop ye passing of any Grants upon them, for otherwise 'twill be impossible for me ever to fullfill my word, if, as fast as I discover any thing, it be beg'd away by others.

This afternoon I have appointed to hear ye business between my Lady Cleaveland and Mr Cooke, concerning some Lands in ye County of Wicklow. The reason I have delay'd it so long is, because my Lord Aungier, who seems to be concerned on my Lady Dutchesses part, has bin in ye Country & is but lately returned, & I was unwilling to hear it wth out having him present.

There hath lately faln an Employmt here of some value in my dispose, wch is ye King's Remembrancer's office. I have given it to Mr Godolphin. There is upon this place, as indeed upon all others, a reversion granted; but it being to Sr Richard Kennedy, one of ye Barons of ye Exchequer, 'tis ye opinion of most Lawyers, ye employmt he now enjoys being judiciall, he cannot have an Office ministeriall in ye same Court, & therefore his Patent is voyd. I know no reason why I should not take ye advantage of ye Law where I finde any flaw of this nature, For I am sure I have disposed ye office into a very good hand, Mr Godolphin being a Person very deserving.

I am now goeing a journey into ye Country to spend a litle time in hunting there, wch will interrupt our correspondence for a few days; but where ever I am y' Lõp may assure yr selfe of ye reallitie of my being.

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