LETTRE MC»XXVII

Le Duc d'York au Prince et Orange. Recommandation.

Edenburgh, sep. 14.

I could not refuse the recomending to you the concerns of the Lady Anne Arskine, I having been desired by severall of hir relations hère to do it; this enclosed paper is the state of hir case, which I promist 1 to send to you , and hope you will shew hir what favor you can , as far as justice will permit. I wrot to you yesterday by the post, so that I shall say no more but that you shall always find me to be as kind as ever to you.

LETTRE MCOXXVIII.

Le Duc d'York au Prince d'Orange. I^e Parlement d? Ecosse vient de se séparer.

Edenburgh, Sept. 24.

I find, by yours of the 20, that you were still in the hunting country , where , if you hâve had as good weather

i promised.

— 523 — [1681. Septembre.

as we hâve had hère, you must needs hâve past your tyme very well; for I hâve not see a finer season then we hâve now and hâve had for some tyme. By the letters of this day sennight, you will hâve heard of the Parliaments having been that day ajourned, and how well it ended. The Councell has been very busi 1 ail this weeke in settling ail things, in persuance 2 of what had been done in Parliament; this towne will now be very empty, most of the people of quality being to go next weeke into their severall countrys. I hâve not tyme to say more to you now but the assurance of my being as kind as ever to you.

For my sonne the Prince of Orange.

lettre: mcdxaix.

Le Duc oV York au Prince cC Orange. Edinbourg tranquille.

Sept. 27.

Siuce I wrot to you by the last post , I hâve had yours of the 21 , by which I see you had had much raine; we had the same weather about that tyme, but since hâve had very good weather. I hâve not seen better at this tyme of yeare. This place, now that the Parliament is over, has but little newse [sturing] in it; ail things being very quiat and most of the people of quality being gone or going out of towne to their country-houses, to look after their privât concerns, most of them being to be back in November, at which tyme the Courts of justice sitt. I hâve now no more worth writing to you, so that I shall end, and that with assuring you of my being as kind ta you as you can désire.

For my sonne the Prince of Orauge.

1 busy. » pursuanco.

1681. Septembre.] — 524 —

LETTRE MCnXXX.

Lord Halifax au Prince d'Orange. Progrès menaçants de la France.

I hâve not yet been at Newmarket, but I sent your Highnesses letter thither, the same day I receaved it, and, by the account I hâve from thence, I find Sir Gabriel Sylvius will bee immediately recalled; for as it was upon your Highnesses opinion principally that hee was sent over, since you conceaved it a respect due to the Princes where hee had been imployed, to go take his leave of them, so now that, upon second thoughts and by the occasion of their absence from home , you apprehend it to bee more adviseable hee should not proceed in his journey, his Ma. is easily persuaded to comply with you in it, and therefore I suppose letters of revocation are sent by this post to him and , if your Highnesse hath any commands for mee , his coming over so soon will bee a good opportunity of sending them. I need say nothing of the memoriall lately delivered in France, the States embassadour being now with you, from whom you will receave a full account of it; [at] the mean time the besieging Strasbourgh and the purchase of Cazal at the same time giveth such an alarum as must awaken those that are the most a sleep , and for what concerneth us neerer, as a more immédiate danger to this part of the world. The Spanish embassadour informeth us that the proceedings of the French commissaryes at Courtray are of such a nature that there must bee something done very suddenly, or else the conférences will hâve no kind of effect for the préservation of what remaines to the King of Spayne in the Low-Countries. Your Highnesse knoweth my thoughts perfectly upon this matter, and I hâve had them so long that I shall not easily bee brought to vary from them, no more than from my resolutions of being ever your Highnesses most obedient servant, ,

London, Sept. 27 1681. Halifax.

— 525 — [1681. Octobre.

LETTRE OTCDXXXI.

M. Conway au Prince d'Orange. Le Roi vient de nommer un Envoyé à la Haye, sous l'agrément du Prince.

His Majesty hath commandée! me to acquaint your Highnesse that, out of his particular respect and kindnesse to you , he hath layd aside the thoughts of employing Mr Skelton into Holland, and hath made choice of another to be his envoy to the States, if he be acceptable to your Highnesse. It is Mr Haies, one of the Lord comrs of the Admiralty, to whom his Ma. will not offer it, nor doth any man heere know any thing of it, till your Highnesse shall be pleased to let his Ma. know your approbation of him. The Spanish and Dutch Ambassadors hâve been very urgent and pressing with his Ma. to send one over in this station, and complain of it very much as a neglect, that it hath been so long vacant; but your Highnesse knows it hath not been the Kings fait ' , who provided one for it, before he recald 2 the other, though it rancountred with accidents, which made the same unacceptable to your Highnesse and could not afterwards be so easily removed. I am very sorry to heare of the successe the French hâve had upon Strasbourg and Casall, and their threatning of Flanders. I am sure his Ma. takes it as much to hart 3 as your Highnesse can désire, and it will probably produce altérations among us, wherein I shall always shew the great ambition I hâve to be esteemed

your Highnesses most obedient and most devoted servant, New-Markett, 7 Octob. 1681. conway.