1654.]

CROMWELL'S SPEECH.

63

Whensoever your affairs of greater consequence will not afford you leisure to write to me, be pleased only to send a note to U. 83, in one line to this purpose:-(Let M. P. know that I have received a letter from him, dated Sept. 30.) This would be some satisfaction to me, assuring me that they did not miscarry.

This week almost every man here is busy about the vintage. From Rome, they write that the Cardinals Medici and Antonio, having received commission to treat concerning the composure of the

whilst you own the government and authority that called you hither; for that word implied a reciprocation, or it implied nothing at all. The same government that made you a parliament made me protector; and as you were intrusted with some things, so was I with all other things. There were some things in the government fundamental, and that cannot be altered; namely, that the government should be in one person and a parliament, &c., and I think your actions and carriages ought to be suitable; but I see it will be necessary for me now a little to magnify my office, which I have not been apt to do.

"I had this thought within myself, that it had not been dishonest, nor dishonourable, nor against true liberty, no, not of parliaments, when a parliament was so chose,-that an owning of your call, and of the authority bringing you hither, might have been required before your entrance into the house; but this was declined, and hath not been done, because I am persuaded scarce any man could reasonably doubt you came with contrary minds. And I have reason to believe, the people that sent you least doubted thereof at all; and therefore I must plainly deal with you. What I forbore upon a just confidence at first, you will necessitate me unto now, that, seeing the authority that called you is so little valued, and so much slighted, till some assurance

affairs of France and Spain, have begun their meeting. That the pope's indisposition hardly gives him leave to think of any thing, save the settling of the family of the Pamphilii. That the Spaniards have already named six cardinals, one of whom they will have pope.

That there are twelve other cardinals, which already profess their hopes of the triple crown.

That posts are sent to all the absent cardinals, to signify the little hope of the pope's life.

Your humble servant.

be given and made known that the fundamental interest of the government be settled and approved, I have caused a stop to be put to your entrance into the parliament house.

"I am sorry, I am sorry, and I could be sorry to the death, that there is cause for this—but there is cause; and if things be not satisfied that are reasonably demanded, I, for my part, shall do that which becomes me, seeking my counsel from God. There is, therefore, somewhat to be offered to you: the making your minds known in that, by your giving your assent and subscription to it, is that which will let you in to act those things as a parliament which are for the good of the people. And this thing shewed to you, and signed as aforesaid, doth determine the controversy, and may give a happy progress and issue to this parliament. The place where you may come thus and sign, as many as God shall make free thereunto, is in the lobby without the parliament door."

The bond which the members were obliged to sign was this: "I do hereby freely promise and engage to be true and faithful to the Lord Protector, and the commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and shall not (according to the tenour of the indenture whereby I am returned to serve in this present parliament) propose or give my consent to alter the government as it is settled in one person and a parliament."

1654.]

FALSE NEWS.

MR. PELL TO SECRETARY THURLOE.

October 14.

65

SIR,-All books that are printed in this city are first overseen by censores appointed by the supreme magistrate. The last week I gave them occasion to take notice that the news from Cologne concerning England is often false. This week, therefore, they sent me word, that, if I desired it, henceforth the printer of news should leave out all that was written from Cologne concerning England. I answered, that though they might do well so to do, yet some would dislike such omissions, till I, or some other, had taken a course that they might every week receive truer intelligence by London letters.

They also sent me a French sermon upon Jerem. x. 2, preached at Saumur, by Monsieur Amyraut, and printed there about the end of July, this year. One of this city had translated it into high Dutch, and desired to print it; but, in the reading it over, the censores had found divers passages, wherein he speaks scurvily and spitefully concerning our changes in England and the present government. One of the censores would have the book forbidden ; the translator himself cancelled all that concerns England, and desired that all the rest might be printed. Yesterday, another of the censores came to me to see what I would desire or advise. I told him that after those passages were put out, I, as an Englishman, might be content to let the rest pass;

but I advised them to consider whether many of the French Huguenots would not take it ill that anything of Amyraut's should be printed here, since his name is odious to many of them. He answered, that the translator was contented that both the name of Amyraut and of this town should be left out, but was loath to lose his whole labour, and yet more loath to displease me. I told him that it should not displease me to see it printed with those omissions, but when I spake with the translator himself, I would make him understand that Monsieur Amyraut had spoken some things very unskillfully concerning eclipses, though the principal occasion of that sermon were the sun's eclipse shortly to follow.*

* An eclipse, which had been prognosticated to fall on the second of August, and which seems to have much disappointed people's expectations. "Tuesday, August 1.-All the discourse this day was concerning the great eclipse that should be on the day following, which was so little, as if it were rather an eclipse of the knowledge or judgment of the astrologers than of the sun."-The Weekly Intelligence, No. 145. At this period the superstitious belief in the influence of eclipses on mundane affairs was by no means extinct among the body of the people. It may be added, this Amyraut was a protestant, and professor of theology in the university of Saumur, and one of several learned men on the continent who were desirous of opening a friendly correspondence with our patriarch of nonconformity, Richard Banks, subsequent to 1660. Banks tells us in his Life, that he was obliged to decline the honour, as his letters would have exposed him to trouble, had they fallen into the hands of the government, however innocent their contents.

1654.]

VARIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

67

From Florence, September 17-27.-We are again in great jealousy of the English fleet. The great Duke (of Tuscany) has sent thirty-six mortars of artillery, and 200 German soldiers, from Leghorn to Porto-Ferrajo, to strengthen that garrison.

From Vienna, September 18-28.-The death of the King of the Romans still keeps many faces sad in this court. The Emperor seems to bear it better than any. He endeavours to bring his second son into credit-a lively, hopeful prince, about fourteen years old. His mother was the Infanta of Spain. They intend to crown him King of Hungary first: to that end the Diet is put off, that some discontented persons may first be appeased. The papists, and especially the prelates, have been rigorous and troublesome to the protestants all over Hungary; but here, in Austria, the persecution is suspended now, for fear of further provoking our patience. Many of our nobility and gentry have suffered much with great constancy. The Jesuits know that they can set on foot the persecution again when they see their time.

Count Wolmar is gone hence to sit at Frankfort for the Emperor; but he has order to see the electors and princes by the way, to incline them to favour the new election, &c.

Cologne, October 1-11.-Two days ago, in the evening, came hither the Princess Royal of Orange, with her eldest brother the King. This train consisted of 150 persons. She returns shortly into the Low Countries, but how long he intends to stay here no man knows. Our magistrates entertained them with compliments and with a present of wine.

The Holland ambassadors write from London that the peace between England and France is agreed upon; but the French ambassador at the Hague affirms the quite contrary.

From Paris, October the 6th, st. n.- -Letters out of Brittany tell us that General Blake sent two of his ships of war to Belle-Isle; where, with their ordnance, they gave the usual sign of friendship, and signified their desire to speak with the Dukes of Retz and Brissac, and to offer them their service against the Marshal Meilleraye, who was said to be appointed to besiege them. The dukes, after consultation, refused their offers of men and money, fearing to irritate the king against