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which you wrote since your hurt. I doubt not but the rest will also come to your hands; though perhaps ill weather may, now and then, keep them in the way a week or two longer than in the summer.

Your news of the affairs in Scotland I have caused to be printed in the language of this country. The draught of the confession of faith I shall only communicate to some divines here, with an admonition not to publish it, but to expect the alterations which the parliament will make in it. I shall also send to M. D., who, at his coming to Bern, could not but hear of that which, after his departure hence, I received from Lausanne, and inserted in the end of my last week's letter; and therefore I make no question but that he will endeavour to be fully informed of that business before he go thence towards Geneva. I expect letters from him by the next opportunity.

Here is also a rumour, that all the seven wholly popish cantons have promised the French ambassador to renew the league, which I cannot believe to be true. About a fortnight ago, the deputies of four of them were with him at Soloturn, and went away re infecta. A burgomaster of Uri had so plied them in the Emperor's name to keep the promise of excepting Alsatia, and all other late acquests, that the French ambassador was not then able to bring them to comply with his desires. I am apt to believe, that the same burgomaster will

be able to keep those four cantons in the same mind a while longer. But he hath not so great influence in the other three, Lucern, Fribourg, and Soloturn.

Yet, on the other side, it is probable that these rumours are not altogether groundless; it is very likely that the French ambassador hath lately been making another heave at the cantons of both sorts. But if he should prevail with them, the account of my hopes and suspicions may be laid by; for the league renewed would plainly shew us what is to be expected of, &c.

Before M. D. went hence, I reckoned up to him all the heads, whereof I intended to you, and (in discourse) I added my opinion of them all; when I had ended, I desired him to tell me his sense of the whole, which I wrote down as he dictated, in this manner :—

"There is, in many of the chief leading men, a good inclination to do really that thing which tends to a correspondency with us, and for the common cause, though they cannot yet own such a design in a way of a treaty; because many of them look upon France with hopes of gaining their ends by it, especially Bern, which is entangled in a kind of particular treaty. Yet Bern hath promised that they will not renew the league without Zurich. I believe, also, that things here tend to a greater distance with France, and that they will ripen; and as

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the papistical cantons have made a league with Spain, the pope, and other Italian princes, for assistance, in case the other cantons fall out with them, so may it in time be openly proposed to the protestant cantons to make a league with England for assistance and diversion, in case that France, or any of their other popish neighbours, shall invade them.”

This was all that he thought fit to say to me at that time, but after he was gone hence, I began to set down my own apprehensions of the inclinations of this people, with which I cannot resolve to trouble you, till I be a little better assured of the truth or falsehood of the rumours aforesaid. In the meantime, I crave your pardon, and take my leave, remaining, Sir, your humble servant.

From Cologne, December 17-27. The English letters assure us of the breach between England and France, and that Monsieur Bourdeaux is upon going away. The parliament hath ordered a contribution of eighty thousand pounds sterling per month for a war against France. This is very displeasing to the English, and a warning to the French.

MR. PELL TO SECRETARY THURLOE.

January 6th, 1654-5.

SIR, NO English letters are come hither this week. If they were only hindered by the weather, we hope that the next post will bring them. I have

now gotten a letter from M. D., wherein he writes thus:

"I learn here from (*), that the French league is much agitated, that in the meeting of the two hundred (that is, the common council of Bern), it hath been debated over by an argument which the General Erlach used, which was this; that he said those of Zurich do repent that they had been hitherto so averse from it, and that their resolutions are altered, which made the opposite silent. And the consideration of the matter, and how to proceed therein, was referred to a committee, most of them well inclined to renew the league, Erlach, Willadin, Grafenriet, and some others. There is one of the tribuni, and some few with him, that are strongly opposed, but (*) thinks it will be carried by those that intend to renew, and I hear men talking abroad of levies to be made. The occasion of the deliberations about the league was, a letter sent hither from the court of France to desire the renewing of it, with fair promises." Thus far M. D.

As soon as I had read this, I sent for one of those whom I most trust here. I shewed him the letter, and prayed him, as soon as it might be, to acquaint some of those with it who have been most earnest against the French, that they may speedily endeavour to get a letter written from hence to Bern, to assure them of the falsehood of this report,

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and to exhort them to continue constant to their promise of giving no ear to the French ambassador till he have satisfied all their claims. Next I considered what other false news might help to deceive the Bernois, who are noted by their neighbours for their little care of true intelligence. I shall endeavour that in such things also they may be more truly informed. For as long as a Sicilian cardinal sits at the stern in France,* I expect many false winds thence. And if the French ambassador have not the right knack of coining false news and putting it off here for current, he shall be taught by letters from the Louvre. Something he hath learned already, as you may see by this, received on new year's day.

"The French ambassador wrote to Friburg, and signified to them that the four cantons (Uri, Schwyts, Underwald, and Zug) were ready to accept the alliance, of which he thought fit to give notice to them, that they might prevent them, and so be taken notice of by his master the king, who would not fail to remember the most forward. This was sufficient to bring the woodcocks into the snare. That they answered that they were ready to accept it. They hope, for this forwardness, to be preferred before all the other cantons, and to have one of theirs made colonel of the regiment of guards. But the four cantons, being not so ready as he pretended, would not be caught with chaff. They have lately received some money by the ambassador's order. Perhaps they will now prove more pliant.

From Vienna.-The young arch-duke is very sick. The merchants are privileged against the inquisition, and yet they

* Mazarin.