had by my last) begins his journey for Geneva and these parts upon Monday next. He will bring with him instructions (wherein you are joined), to be executed at Geneva, Berne, and Basle, and thereabouts; and therefore I am commanded by his highness to signify that his pleasure is, that you, forthwith upon the receipt hereof, repair to Geneva to meet Mr. Downing; and in case the evangelical cantons or any of them will, before you go, agree of a place where they would send a commissioner or envoy to meet you and Mr. Downing, concerning the late massacre of the protestants in Savoy, it would be of very much advantage; but that must be left to your management, only it is necessary that you make what haste you can yourself, that you may meet in time; and that you carry with you such things as have passed between you and those where you are.

and elected M.P. for Morpeth in 1661. He was afterwards made Secretary to the Treasury, and Commissioner of the Customs, and, in 1663, was created a baronet of East Hatley, in Cambridgeshire. He was concerned in arresting some of the regicides, on which account, says Pepys, "all the world takes notice of him for a most ungrateful villain for his pains." "On the 12th July, 1666," says Evelyn, 66 we sat the first time in the star chamber. There was now added to our commission Sir George Downing, (one that had been a great his majesty, but now insinuated into his favour, and from a pedagogue and fanatic preacher not worth a groat, had become excessive rich,) to inspect the hospitals and treat about prisons." Downing was sent to Geneva as commissioner extraordinary, to join with Pell and Morland at the end of July, 1655.

against

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We have received ill news from the West Indies, our men upon their first attempt upon St. Domingo* having received a great baffle; what their condition is since, we must expect by the next letters, which we are in daily expectation of.

I remain, your affectionate friend,

J. THURLOE.

MR. PELL TO SECRETARY THURLOE.

SIR,-As soon as I had opened your letters of July the 7th, before I had read anything in them, their unusual length gave me some assurance of the recovery of your health, of which I was very glad, and hope it will continue. But, if I do not misunderstand your postscript, you do not expect a proportionate answer till the next week. By that time, perhaps, these here will better know their own mind, for their resolutions depend much on their knowledge of the resolutions of others. From me they now know the intentions of England much

*The fleets under Penn and Venables reached St. Domingo on the 14th of April, after running short of provisions and suffering some hardships. An ill-concerted attack was made on that island, in which they lost many men, which obliged the two admirals to give up the original design. They afterwards turned their forces against Jamaica, where they arrived on the 10th, and made themselves masters of the island without opposition.

more fully than I was able to tell them before I had read that letter from their ambassadors. They had one letter signifying their arrival at Turin, but none this week by the ordinary of Geneva, as they expected, concerning their audience. From the Hague, they received a letter yesterday (whereof I here send you a copy), which makes them expect an ambassador from thence, to consult with them concerning Piedmont. You will easily believe that either of these expectations from Turin or the Hague are sufficient to make them suspend their resolutions, and defer the final putting that great business to the vote. They also received yesterday a Dutch letter from Heidelberg, with copies of three other letters of that prince elector, concerning Piedmont; two in High Dutch to the electors of Saxony and Bradenberg, and one in Latin to the Duke of Savoy, of which I also send herewith a copy.

From Geneva, July 23, they write thus:-Mr. Morland intended to stay here but two days; we have persuaded him to tarry, because Monsieur Wyss hath written from Turin hither, that the ambassadors from the cantons are very sorry that he was gone thence ere they could get thither; and that they extremely desire that he should stay here, that they may communicate with him according to the occurrences, &c. We have received a letter from the King of Sweden to the Duke of Savoy, but in the superscription, he is called by a wrong name, and therefore we doubt he will not receive it.

From Grenoble, July 28, new style.-Since my last, Monsieur d'Ize went to the Duke (of Lesdiguières), and told him that he doubted the King of France would get but little honour in the

1655.] THE PROTESTANTS OF PIEDMONT.

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business of Piedmont, if those affairs were carried in such a manner as hitherto they had been. That the French ambassador, Servient, had drawn as many of the poor men together as he could to speak of peace; and in the meantime, the forces of Savoy had attempted to surprise and destroy the rest. The duke answered, it was extremely ill done, and he would write of it to whom it appertained, professing that he desired nothing more than the peaceable re-establishment of that poor people, to which all the king's subjects ought to contribute their endea. vours to their power. He added, that notwithstanding the king's letter prohibiting to help them, his majesty was contented to have the execution managed discreetly, and that he had lately set at liberty two men arrested for attempting to go to help the poor Piedmontois. Yesterday, we had credible information that 500 men were passed through Ambrun towards the valleys of Piedmont.

They write also, that near Sesane they keep strong guard to keep all men from going to the valleys, and that in the country about Ambrun, by the command of the archbishop, they are in arms, that they may be able to stop all that would go into Piedmont that way.

They that have hitherto hindered the collection for Piedmont in Holland do not perhaps know or consider the huge expense that they must be at for meat and munition for their soldiers, besides the relief of ten or twelve thousand souls in great want, and a great number sick and weak, especially in the valley of Queirds.

MR. PELL TO SECRETARY THURLOE.

SIR, By the last post, I acknowledged the receipt of your long letter of July the 7th. As soon as I could speak with the burgomaster, I read the greatest part of it to him into Latin. He answered me in High Dutch, to this purpose :

"I conceive the sum of all is this: his highness hath received our letter of June the 16th, and desires to know what we intend to do further in the business of Piedmont, and would have our concurrence in a war against the Duke of Savoy. As for our intentions, interposition was the scope of our embassage, which we sent thither; and we shall hope that it may be profitable, till we hear the contrary from our ambassadors. We look for the next week's letters within a day or two. By them we shall see whether it be a true report which we heard, that Savoy would not accept of their interposition, saying, that he had referred the whole business to Monsieur Servient, the French ambassador at Turin. If that be true, we shall not well know what to resolve, till we see how far the French king will intermeddle in it. If he take the whole business upon himself, I believe we shall make new addresses to his majesty for those poor men. But we shall think no further of that, till we see what our ambassadors write.

"Your letter desires that we should peremptorily resolve upon a war against Savoy in the poor men's quarrel. I must confess, that if this business had been wholly neglected by us and others, the consequences would have been exceeding dangerous for the reformed churches in France and Germany. But since so many have shewn themselves sensible and compassionate at this time, I hope that some