L.c.2127: Newsletter received by Richard Newdigate, Arbury, 1692/1693 January 17

L.c.2127

London January 17^th 1692

Sir

We have an account from a good Hand that has assured Advice from ffrance that on the 15^th the king was seized with a ffitt of an Apoplexy which continued on him 5 hours during which all the souldiers were called to their Armes and twas only believed his Maiestie would have expired but being lett Blood in both Armes and other Operacions Administered to him the king recovered from his Illness that he Laboured under

The Letters add that some of the Kings Baggage was allready gone from Mons and his Maiestie would follow to enterprise some great Accion in flanders before the Beginning of March

Barbadoes November 7^th here hath been a grand discovery made that the Indians designed a Massacre of the English for which many of the Indians are executed & the Government there are on their guard and fforces are getting ready to make some Attempts on the ffrench Iselands

on Sunday 3 or ffour ffrench Officers Lately in Mareschall Boufflecs armey were taken into Custody of a Messenger and tis said they are come over on some grand design & had Commissions and other Trea sonable papers found about them

The Holland Letters say that a person in the habit of a polander hWas seized at Helvett here as he Landes out of the pacquett Boat from England and had threato nable Letters about him

been all this day upon the Affair of the Lord Banbury and about 5 they came to a previous Question whether the Judges should be heard and It was Carryed in the Negative, They afterwards came to the Main Question whether a peer or no peer and Carryed that also in the Negative so his Lordship will be tryed by the Commoners = the Commons having formed reasons to be offered the Lord at a Conference Sent Messengers to desire a Conference but they being busy adiourned till to Morrow - the Spy ffireship is burnt by Accidental Portsmouth

a member of Parliament hath a Letter from ffransom in Cheshire that there hath been Lately an Extraordinary Storm of Thunder and Lightening which burned down a ffarmers Barn which the Countrey prognosticates some Grand Matter from according to the English proverb ~ Winters Thunder is Summers Wonder.

Last night 2 Gentlemen in a Coach on Ludgate Hill came out and stabbed a pavier in 2 places he saith he knowes them to be highway men & & they are committed

yesterday the House of peers read the Grand Supply Bill the 3d and Last time and t'was believed the king would haue been there to haue given It the Royall Assent but the Lords haue added a clause to Tax Themselves in theirpersonall estates so that It must come down again to the Commons and tis a Question whether they will allow it in a Land Tax though they did it in the Poll Bill

The House was afterwards all the day upon the second reading of the Bill for an Annuall Parliamant they afterwards committed it to the whole house and changed it into a Trienniall Parliament Bill vizt that we should haue a new parliament evry 3d year

the proiect million Bill is quite finished and the money is to be paid in before Michaelmas and the Grand Committee is to report it to Morrow = The Lords sett down the Supply Bill with the aforemencioned clause which the house of Commons haue thrown out Nomine Contradicente and Sent a Message for a Conference about it the speaker left the Chair and the Committee withdrew to drawe up reasons And if the Lords Adhere the Bill will be Loct = the King has Appointed the Lord president to be Lord High steward for the Tryall of the Lord Mohun = The House of Lords haue

and a session every year the Lord president made an extraordinary speech that we should take that prerogative from the king that we need not doubt all his predecessors enioyed &c

It was Carryed as aforesaid but the point of time deferred to be considered on Wednesday next =

Yesterday the House of Com mons Went through the Million proiect Bill but a clause being offered to give 14^li per Centum upon any mans Life they deferred it to this day - the Bill Com mences in March and the people have to the ffirst of May to bring in their Money as 10^li per Centum for ffive years with Ad vantage of Survivorship and if the same be not compleated to fill it up upon Life till the 24^th of June with Liberty that if the ffirst lender Like the Lat proiect bet ter of 14^liper Centum he shall have Liberty to Transfer it to the other

The king being acquainted that the House of peers haue appointed Saturday come 7 night for Tryall of the Lord Mohun his Maiestie has returned Answer he will provide Scaffolds accordingly and appoint a high Steward by that Time

My Last told you that King: James hath sent over another declaracion which I am told is of a Contrary Tenor to the Last for now he pardons all and the ffrench king promiseth that he will not Exact his Charge for the Expedicion thinking we haue paid enough for a dutch but we are not to be Caioled by the French Artifices

= Captain I Killigrew Cruising Northward hath Lately reprised 2 Danish ships where the ffrench had taken coming from England = This morning a Bill was brought into the house to prevent Lotteries = a peticion is Lodged in the house by sir Elias Harvey complaining of an undue Eleccion for the County of Essex & M^r Honeywood not being duely Elected - the pinnmakers Bill was was and 2d time & committed - a Bill was read the 3d time & passed the House for taking speciall Bail of the Countrey

53

17 Ianuary. 92/3

To The honorable Sir Richard: Newdigate Baronet

at Arbury 4 near Coventry