Newdigate family collection of newsletters

L.c.2149

London March 9th 1692

The Bill for punishing Muti niers and deserters and for better payment of souldiers quarters Lyes ready for the Royall Assent which takes place on Saturday and therefore tis believed his Maiestie will come to the house to pass that and other Bills which are ready

Here is an Express from Reer Admirall Allemond that he hath passed the soundings and taken a ffrench ship whereby he has Informacion of the stacion of the ffrench squadron that they Lye near Billboa being 12 men of warr to Intercept our ffleet bound for that place

mr William Dean one of the Commissioners of the Lotteryes is seized and committed to the gate house being charged with Chipping & Coyning

Severall Cornish Gentlemen 25 of which are Members of Parliament haue peticioned against the pattent granted to Mr Corbett for making Copper half pence, and farthings setting forth that there is not half Copper enough dug up in this Kingdom to Supply a sufficient quantity of half pence and farthings for one Year and their Aim is to haue them made still of Tinn which will be of great advantage to the County of Cornwall

Complaints haue been Lately made to the Lord Chief Iustice against

This day the Cornish Gentlemen aforemencioned were heard before the King and Councell in relation to their peticion and produced patterns of new Tin half pence and farthings not to be Counterfeited with any proffit but the Result is not yet come to our Knowledge ~~~ an Express is Iust now come to the Lords of the Admiralty that Admiral Aylmer with the Bilboa ffleet is fforced back Into Torbay and the Mary received some damage in her Rigging -

several Iustices of the peace for Countie naming of press masters and his Lordship promised to take particular Notice of the Matter In its proper place

4 Common Councellmen of this City haue laid down their Gowns to Avoid the payment of 40s a year ~ towards relief of the Orphans according to the Bill In parliament and tis believed if it passes severall others will do the Like

the Bombardiers firemasters &c are very busy in making great quantities of ffireworks at Greenwich and the Tower from whome It is believed that we shall enterprise something Considerable against ffrance this summer.

We haue Advice from severall parts of England that divers people haue perished in the Snow and some drowned Since the Thaw

We hear Sir Iohn Ashbey Lyes dangerously ill.

The Lord Warrington is gone down to Cheshire with orders to disarm all the papists there.

The Lord Berkly is gone down to the Fleet and will not return till they are paid off = His Maiestie has been pleased to give Collonel Godfreys Regiment to Collonel Langston

Here is an account from Holland of divers persons that are seized in some of the Chief

as he did the Last meeting there when he Called him to an account of some Embezellment of Stores I am Credibly assured that the Late Result of the Councell relating to the sayling of the Turkey and Straights ffleet Terminated in a Resolucion that they shall no not stirr till our Grand ffleet be at sea by which time we shall certainly know where the ffrench Thoulon squadron is & accordingly act upon it and then our Grand ffleet will Convoy them out of

Cities of that Government for a Complottment to declare for making a Seperate peace with ffrance being an Artifice that the ffrench Imendiaries are Carrying on for the accom plishing some notable enterprize but the states Generall Will shortly publish a Mani festo that they are fully resolved to con tinue the warr to the Last Effort and Never think of hearkening to a peace without participacion and Ioint Consent of the Allyes

Edinburgh the 2d of March ~ the ffrench privatiers continue very Much to Infest this Coast having this Week taken a vessell Laden with Corn which they Carryed to the Bass some of Collonel Lesleys men Assisting to Impress men for theire Maiesties service the Apprentices gott together in a Riotous Manner and notwithstanding severall of them were killed they proceeded and gott into the City Guard house which they were In possession of at the Coming away of the post.

Yarmouth 6th Instant yesterday came in here the St Iohn of Norway ~ Iawb Lason Commander who gives an account: that on Monday Last he fell into Ill Company vizt 7 ffrench privatiers who robbed him of some wood Bacon and Cloaths and Enquired whither his Lading or any part thereof belonged to any English Merchants and broke open severall Letters but finding Nothing of Moment dismissed them

yesterday the House of Commons spent most of their time in heari^ng the report relating to the Absent members and the Committee haue made great Inspeccions

Into precedents but none of them coming up to the Case of sir Charles Porter the present Lord ~ Chancellor in Ireland the House did nothing in that point but proceeded upon mr Cullyford Absen ting himself but not appearing when summoned it was resolved that he be suspended from ~ the Benefit of the priviledge of the house and tis believed that if he had appeared he would haue been expelled, the taking away his priviledge doth respect that he may not plead the priviledge of a member of the English parliament In the Next parliament of Ireland

=the House of Lords this day read the Imposicion money Bill and made divers Amendments in the Bill for encoura ging privatiers and but throughout the Bill to prohibit the Royall Oak Lottery = the Commons this day Laid aside the Orphans Bill and made the sessions being too farr spent but they passed & sent to the Lords the Last Money and made amendments to the Indempnity Bill - the Lords at 4 a Clock delivered theire Address to the King for the Ba Banquetting house and his Maiestie replyed he would take Effectuall Care to certify ~ any thing that was amiss - the Commons afterwards presented theire Address about Ireland also and his Maiestie said that he had a great regard for any thing that Came from the house of Commons and would endeavour to reform all miscariages etc

L.c.2150

London March the 11 (92 3)

Sir//

The house of Commons haveing sent up the last monney Bill did yesterday finish and send up alsoe the Bill of Indempnity which in the last they will in all probabillity doe this session and therefore haveing little other matter be fore them they Adiourned very Early where by a day or two more will put an end to this Grand Session of Parliament

A Great Councill was held on Thursday Night at Whitehall where the matter of Coyning of the half pence & farthings was be fore them whether to be made of Copper or Tin and upon & upon Debate it was referred to the Master of the Mint to give his approbacion which of the said two in less lyable to be Counterfeited

The Earl: of Portland lyes daingerously Ill and was yesterday twice let blood & tis hoped his Mallady will goe off

Stafford the Highwayman who was Carryed from Newgate to Redding assizes is Convicted there

Yesterday Morning was heared before the Councill the Affaier of a privateer takeing a Daneish ship laden with 12 large Masts for Men of War that though they pretended another voyage haveing Counter feited Bills of Ladeing yeat it was declared in favour of the Privateer to Retain her as prize

Some of the Kings horses are shipped

to Repaier to the several stacions in that Kingdom to preserve the Peat thereof against any that shall disturb the same An Express is sent to Admirall Aylmore to refitt the ships that were Damnifyed in the Late Storm and as soon as he can to reioyn himselfe with the Bilboa ffleet and persue his Intended voyage = Severall Bills are arrived from Ireland

Hague that at the Congress of the Allyes and severall of the Merchan^t Men are the Expiracion of 10 Daies -Netherlands 70000 on the Rhine 45000 in bee further Prorogued to October next

shipped off for fflanders & tis said tho'ugh his Maiestie has not declared the Day of his Embarquing yeat it will before the Expiracion of 10 Daies

Plimouth the 7 Instant yesterday came in here the Gecnoon Spy boat who in her passage fell in with a ffleet of 16 Sail of ffrench Merchan^ts Shipps ande^r Convoy of 3 Men ofWar and she took 2 of them on of which she run on shoar & Split her to peices the other she was forced to burn Wee have advice that Rear Admira^ll Aylmer is with some of his Squadron forced back into Torbay but cannot tell wha^t is become of the Bilboa ffleet being sepperated from them in a storm off of Ushant

Dartmouth the 2^d Instant yesterday the Spanish Expedicion Pacque^t boat came in here haveing mett with such a storm that they were forced to heave 5 of their Guns over boardWee hear that the Hampshire Man of War and some others of Rear Admirall Aylmers Squadron are put into Torbay much Dammaged in a late Storm and severall of the Merchant Men are Missing

Wee have Advice from the Hague that at the Congress of the Allyes it was agreed to act Offensively this summer

Wine and Brandy the other a small privateer which she took near the soundings Letters yesterday from Scotland say that the apprentices and Rabble of Edenburgh mentioned in my last have layd down their Armes upon promise of Pardon but a flying Pacquet brings an account that divers of the promoters are secured and will be Tryed for their Lives severall persons being Killed & the scotch Gentlemen here & ordered forthwith

agains^t the Common Enemy for which end they will have 90000 Men in the Spanish Netherlands 70000 on the Rhine 45000 in Piedmont & 60000 in Cattalonia But it seems the ffrench design to make the Grand Push in Piedmont by ffileing off soe many of thei^r troopes thither

Wee hear that the Parliment of Irelan^d which according to thei^r Last Prorogation were to sitt on the 6 of next Month will be further Prorogued to October next

Allready one Million 200000^li is Advanced upon the Act of 4^s in the pound includeing the 75000 to be appropriated to make good the Defect in the Poll Bill

Next week an Experiment is to be made before his Maiestie at Wolwich of a new Invented Bomb which being thrown out of a Mortar into a ship will blow her up Imediately

Wee had an account yesterday from Burlington in Yorkshire that a seaman belonging to the Sweepstakes Man of War coming on shoar there this week Impressed aman who had lysted himselfe in a ffoot Company and would have Carryed him on board upon which the Lieutenant shott him Dead whereat the sea Captain: being Incensed sent 30 of his Men to Impress all they Met with But the Countrey being allarmed thereat soon fforced them back to their ship-

Severall Badges for Messengers & Passes Counterfeited under the hands of

Severall Great Men are seized & I hear that aproclamacion will suddenly be Published offering areward of 500^li to any who shall discover the authors - Yesterday one Mrs ffrancis liveing in Westminster was seized by aMessenger who found in her Custody divers tresonable Letters & Papers for which she is Committed to Newgate = Cowes the 8th Instant yesterday afflushing Privateer of 12 Guns brought in here 2 ffrench Prizes one of 120 Tuns Laden with

since in my Last where of one is aMonney Bill for raiseing 100000^li in that Kingdom which is to aproved of in Councill and Signed here and then returned to be past into aLaw the next Sessions of Parliment- The King: designes to goe to Shereness on Munday = this Day the Commons mett and for want of bussiness Read a Bill about Hemp and fflax which they reicted upon a 2d Reading and then Adiourned The Lords have past the two monney Bills and were this day upon the Bill for Encourageing Privateers which they past with some amendments-

11 March 92/3

L.c.2152

London March 16 92

Sir//

The Earl of Portland is not Dead As some have wrot but is a hopefull way of Recovery haveing received some Rest & his hickup is stopped by his Methods Perscribed by his Phisicians being the Entrailes of a Lamb layd Warm to his Stomack which wonderfully releived him

Wee have an account that Sir Thomas: Roberts Knight of the Sheire for the County of Kent designed this week to goe Down on the Turnbridg Coach but his Man bringing up his horses Sir Thomas Willingly Lost his Ernest and the Coaches being on the Road 8 persons on horse back came vp to one of them & ffireing aPistoll wounded a Gentleman: but finding his Mistake craved his Pardon saying they Designed it against the Rogue Roberts-

yesterday a ffire hapned in a Sugar Bakers house in the Lower end of Queen Street near Cheapeside which burnt that and Damnifyed another adioyning house & 4 persons were Killed by the ffalling of a Stock of Chimneys A fire in Queen street

All the Kings houshold have orders to set fforward for fflanders on Munday Next

Wee have have an account from Redding that Stafford the Highway Man was this week Executed there

I have aparticuler Letter from Paris which saies that Iohn Dubart the ffamous Privateer was refitting his Squadron at Dunkirk and would be at sea again the Later end of this Month & that he was Impeached by some of the Officers for not takeing an English ffleet of 40 Sail with only 2 Convoies but acquitted himselfe of the accusacion proving that 2 of his ships were unfitt for

The Letters from Ireland since my Last say that all things are in perfect Peace there

On Tuesday Eavening one Mr Perkins in Hatton Garden shott him him himselfe with a long Gun & did soe artifitially Contrive his Death as to fasten a Packthread to the tricker and brought over the but end & pulled the thread which discharged the peice & shott him selfe Dead sitting in his Chaier Mr Perkins's self murder

The beginning of this Week a Refiner near Cripplegate was taken with above 60 Ounces of Clippings & some of the Lady Dartmouths Plate & is Committed to Newgate a Clipper

On Munday Sir John ffreind one of the Commissioners of the Excise had his Country house broke open by 8 theives who not only wounded Sir Iohn but Gaged & bound his family & Carryed off above 1500^li in Monney & Rich Moveables

Dartmouth the 12 The Spanish Expe =dicion pacquet Boat is Arived here with 2 Mailes from Corona muche shattered haveing in the Bay of Bisca Mett with such tempestious wether they were forced to throw over board 5 of their Guns Rear Admiral Aylmer has sent those Men of War of his squadron which were disabled in the late storm to be Refitted-

ffunction were on the 7 examined and uppon promise to Conform to the same were dismissed Letters from Dartmouth further say that aSpanish Merchant on board the Expedicion pacquet boat was washed off the deck in the Late Storm & by a nother Wave was lifted in again but dyed presently And the traveller of London from Mallaga lost 4 of her Men who were drowned in the same Storm

About 3000 of the Sham Badges-and Papers under the hand & seal of the Lord ^Nottingam mencioned in the Late Proclamacion are seized the Disconted party Designeing with their pretended Messengers to have seized the Lords Lievtenants and Deputy Lievtenants proposeing thereby to effect their Designes & restore the late King: Iames but all their Mesures are broken

A small ffrigatt at Portsmouth lyes ready to take on board Collonell Goddard to Carry him to the Island of Bermodos of which place he is appointed Governour

There is Advice from that the Governour of Mitlan haveing Notice of the Design of the ffrench: to Attack ffinall has reinforced the place with 1500 Men soe that if the Enemy attempt any thing thereon they will find averry hott reception the Garryson being now 3000 Strong-

The Commissioners began to pay off the ffleet last Tuesday

Wee hear that 7 third Rate shipps & 6 4th Rates lye Ready at the Buoy in the Noce to Convoy his Maiestie to holland under Command of Rear Admirall Mitchell

Edenburg 9th Since the Last Tumult here aproclamacion hath been published requireing all persons in all such Cases for the ffuture to repaier

fforthwith to their respective habitacions [Imporeecing] the Magistrates to cause bullets to be ffired upon such as shall be found in the streets And to call their Maiesties fforces to Ayd and Assist them- Severall of the apprentices taken into Custody are since Admitted to Bail but the Rest will be tryed for the Ryott Divers Episcopall Ministers who refused to pray for their Maiesties by Name & yeat Excersize their

44 44 47 407

To The honorable Sir Richard: Newdigate Baronet at Arbury near Coventry 4

404

News letter. 16 March. 1692/3 The Earle of Portland is in a hopefull way of recovery, haveing ^{A recept for the Hickup} his hicup stopd by laying the entralls of Lamb ^warm to his Stomack Sir Thomas: Roberts Knight of the Shire for Kent designed to go in the Tunbrige coach but did not, 8 persons fireing apistol into the Coach wounded a Gent. but findeing the mistake said they designed it against the Rogue Roberts & begged their pardon

a Fire in Queen Street. Mr Perkins selfe Murder a Clipper committed he was a refiner Sir John Freinds house was broke open by 8 theives who carried off 1500^li in mony &c. 3000 passes under the hand &seal of my Lord Nottingham are seized, they were in order to restore King: Iames a Spanish Merchant was washed from the deck ith paquet boat &was by another wave washed in again by he died. French Fleets losse.

an Engagemen^t and had he attacqued them he would certainly have Caught a [Victory] Letters from Lyons say that 2 of Dorshe: squadron proved soe Leaky that they were sent back to thoulone and one of them sunk at the Mouth of the Harbour

L.c.2153

London March 18^th (92)

Sir//

A Master of a ship taken by Iohn Dubart and Carryed into Dunkirk haveing been there 2 Months but nowe at Liberty up on his Parroll arived yesterday at White hall & brought an Exact an account of all the shipping in that Port which are 125 Sail 74 of the Danes and Swedes &c And that there are two English Vessells which under pretence of tradeing with our allyes have furnished the Enemy with English Commodities viz Lead Powder butter Cheese &c

He adds that 36 English Vessells have been brought in there Prize since xtmass last that Coales were 4^li: 5^s Per Chaldron that 9 Laden Colliers being brought in last Month the price was ffallen 10^s Per Chaldron he alsoe gives an account. of the Number of the Garrison being 7364 Men besides Officers and that the ffrench haue begun to demollish Dixmude and ffurness

On thursday Night a [General] Councill was held at White hall and it was Expected his Maiestie would have nominated some of the Court Officers but there being other particuler Business the Matter was deferred till to Morrow

The discourse Revives that we shall make a discent on ffrance with 16000 Men from England 10000 from fflanders & 6000 from Scotland & 4000 from Ireland & when his Maiestie has disposed all things for the Operacion of the Campaign in fflanders he will leave the Command of the fforces to the Duke of Bavaria- & Generall Talmaste and Return to England & head the discent But I write not this as Authentick the Matter