L.c.2141: Newsletter received by Richard Newdigate, Arbury, 1692/1693 February 18

L.c.2141

London ffebruary: 18th 1692

Sir

The house: of Lords Yesterday agreed 3 heads of Advice to the King vizt to putt the Livetenancy of London into better hands to regulate the Abuises of [Prest masters] & to turn out all persons in places of Trust who will not take the Oaths

Yesterday the house of Lords was likewise a long time debating a Bill brought in by the Earl of Pembrook against the Estate of the Lord Jeffereys which was deferred till they hear the Iudges Opinions about itt

Wee had Advice Yesterday from the Downes that Vice Admirall Altemond is arrived there with a Dutch man of warr & the rest are following

Mr Adam Banks Woollen traper in the Citty is to bee tryed next Sessions for Spreading the late Kings Declaracions & M^r Charleton a Highwayman who was one of them that Attempted to robb M^r Lamb the Goldsmith will bee tryed next Sessions hee was bred a Merchant & had averey plentfull ffortune but reduced by Extravagancy & bad Company to this miserable Condicion

Portsmouth 16 the Chatham Yatch is arrived here & has brought in 70000^li to pay off some Shipps &c - And last night Admirall Rook arrived in order to Command the Squadron to the Streights

The 3 Admiralls have Exhibited a Complaynt to the West Indies & another goenig to Turkey the Lyne of Battle will not bee soe great as last yeare by 12 or 14 Men of warr = This day the Lords read the first time the Bill against Hawkers & Pedlers & rejected the same the Marquis of Halifax said that if it Should pass 20000 persons must bee Starved or Robb

Plymouth 14 Instant the Dover ffrigat is returned here with 4 Danish Shipps which 'tis beleived will bee proved good Prize they haveing Contraband goods on bourd.

Last night there was brought into the Exchequer 65000[?] vpon the Million Proiect Act & great summes are in readnes to bee added to itt Especially what I lately told you to bee sent from Holland but it is said they must putt itt vpon English lives - otherwise it will bee difficult to know whether they bee dead or Living

The Shipp Robert of London belonging to divers Gentlemen about white hall that was some time since taken out of the Port of Tunis by the ffrench: & no reparacion made by that Goverment being a Neutrall Port - Letters are prepareing by the King which Admirall Rook is to take along with him into the Mediterranean & is to sayle with his squadron before the said place to demand Satisfaccion for the Shipp & goods & in Case of refusall to force them to a Complyance with his demands for Suffering such an Affront to bee Committed in theire Port

Yesterday 4 Clippers were seized in Soho & Committed to the Gatehouse

Edingburgh the 11^th Instant there are lately arrived in Leith Road 42 Merchant

The Lord Laxington Master of the house to the Princess of Denmarke haveing Layne downe 'tis said hee will bee Succeeded by the Lord Denleigh - This afternoone a Commander of a Ship arrived from ffrance: & has been with the Earle of Nottingham & given him an accoun^t that the ffrench: are sending from Brest a Squadron of Shipps to meet & reinforce the Tholone Squadron for feare they should meet with the English & Dutch in the Streights

Shipps vnder Convoy of the Brent ffrigatt which with another Man of warr is to Convoy the Recruites that are now Embarqueing ffor fflanders

On Thursday night the Heer Overkirk arrived here from Holland & is gon after his Maiestie to render him account: of the posture of Affaires in the Netherlands & to acquaint his Maiestie that his presence is Indispensably Necessary in those Countryes with all possible speed for that the ffrench have some grand Attack in view & some will have itt that they designe to beseige Maestricht which place should [...] theire hands would oblige the States of Holland more neerly to Concerne themselves for theire owne Safety

Paris Gazett from Ratisbone of the 1^mo say that the Princes who opposed the 9th Electorate Continue theire Clamors & the Duke of Woolfenbotle has putt 8 Troopes of Horse & 13 Companyes of ffoot into the Towne of that name & 6 Troopes of Cavaly & 12 Companyes of Infantry into -- Brunswick & the Movements of the Troopes of Denmarke Holsten & Sweeden Dukes of Bremen Munster & Westphalia Cause great Inquietudes the Minister of Munster & Woolfenbotle being recalled from the - Dyett Communicated to the Collidge before

theire departure that theire Masters Conceived great dissatisfaccion to finde that the Emperor had Invested the 9^th Electorate without the Consent of divers Princes of the Empire which they terme an Enterprize soe preiudiciall to the ffundamentall Rights of the Empire that they must vigorously oppose the Continuance of the more Especially since the Emperor has taken Measures not Conducive to the safety of the Empire = =

on the Highwayes = The house of Commons read this day a 2^d time a Bill againste Poaching of the Game & went thro parte of the new Impost Bill & they are to bee on the same againe on Munday

18 February. 92/3

390

To the Honorable sir Richard Neudigate Barone^t at Arbury near Coventry per Litchfeild Bag 2