L.c.2112: Newsletter received by Richard Newdigate, Arbury, 1692 October 22

L.c.2112 London October 22^d 1692 Sir The King in his passage from Holland came with in 2 Cannon shot of 6 French men of war upon which he caused his Pendant to be struck for feare of discovery his Maiestie being separated from the rest of the ffleet by bad weather, but hapily arriveing at yarmouth Peere ordered Sir Cloudesley Shovell immediately to goe in quest of the monsieurs.

On Thursday last the new Bishop of Litchfeild and Coventree was consecrated at St Mary Lee Bowe

His maieste in his way from Colchester to London dined on a travelling table in the Queens Coach and there are come over with him the Duke of Ormond the Earls of Portland & Scarbrough and some other of the nobility

yesterday the whole Nobility and Gentry crowed to Kensington to Kiss his Maesties hand & to felicitate his safe return & happy deliverance and the shiriffs went thither to know his maiestes pleasure when he would be attended by the City, and the day being appointed the Lord Mayor Aldermen &c in theire formalityes went accordingly and the Recorder in an excellent speech congratulated his Maiestes safe returne &c

Tis said a Duell has been foug^ht in fflanders on horse back between the Earl of Doncaster son to the late Duke of Monmouth and one of the Duke of Boltons sons & they exchanged each a Pistoll where by both were

{the King to dyne with them on the Lord mayors day & that each alderman will contribute to the charge & not put the Chamber of London to any expence - By Private Letters from fflanders wee have advice that the French were invited to the enterprize of charlerey by some of the Inhabitants of that Place who upon theire approach sett fire to Severall houses in the Lower lane & did more mischief then the Enemys Bombs for which Conspiracy the Governor has Imprisoned & put them in to Irons - we have alsoe advice}

slightly wounded but being missed were pursued & prevented from doeing any further mischief

Yesterday mr Trevor Solicitor Generall being at Kensington received the honour of Knighthood

yesterday the Duke of ormonds troop of Guards which was thought to have been cast away are come to towne & with them Coll Billingsley

The King was pleased yesterday to say that upon the last account of the lost in the Battle in fflanders there were but 4000 Killd & wounded on the Confederate side, and the Intendant of Namure being taken prisner by some of our troops had a list found in his Pockett of 9000 killd & wounded of the French

The Prisners that were to have been executed yesterday being condemned last week at the Old Baily are respited till munday

On thursday night last the Countess Dowager of [Slirum] Bed chamber woman to the Queen and a great ffavorite at Court dyed of the small Pox at White Hall

Some of the Sect of the Cameroneans in Scotland are come to towne designeing to present a Petition to his Maieste setting forth theire Reall Principles that they & not the Presbyterians are the true Kirke of Scotland

Edenburgh 8ber 15^o yesterday being the Birth Day of the late King James severall Jacobites were seised

{speech & thanked the Citty for theire readyness to lend the Queen money in his absence & said he would take caire to recommend it to the Parliament to be repaid & that his constant caire should be for the Prosperity & wellfaire of his good & faithfull subjects in the Citty of London - I am credibly informed that the City intends to invite}

and committed for Caballing & drincking the said Kings health in the streets the Heritors that were some time since comitted for refuseing the oathes are not yet enlarged tho' they have petitioned to be bailed Tis discoursed that Sir William Trumball is apointed to goe his Maiestes Embassador to the Imperiall Court

Cowes the 20 yesterday came in here the Revenge of Dover haveing been attacked by 3 ffrench Privateers one of them of 18 Guns had like to have boarded her 2 or 3 times Killing 2 of her men

ffallmouth the 17^o 20 merchant ships are sailed here for the straights and this day 150 ffrench Prisners were carryed hence to Plymouth

Weymouth 15 the [Julian] of Guernsey is come in here haveing been chaced by 2 french Privateers with whom she maintained a running fight till she gott into Harbour where she found the William & Mary Privateer & the Russell Galley who are gon after the said Privateers

this morning a grand Councill was held at Kensington and the chifest Point was to settle the

{[Irish] Bills relating to Estates and next Councill day Coll Beaston Governor of Jamiaca will receive his finall Instrucions to goe to the West Indies & he carryes with him a deputy out of the Post Office to settle the Conveyance of Letters from the Plantations hither his Maieste this day in returne to the Recorder of Londons}

that a fire has lately hapned in Namure which has consumed the one [Magely] there of and burnt the ffrench Magazines of Hay Oates &c Wee want a foreign mail

22 Oct. 92.

To The honourable Sir Richard Newdigate Baronet

at Arbury 2 2 near Coventry