I hope the next week I shall have two sheets more to send you. I make no question but that there will be another relation printed somewhere, as much in defence of the duke, as this is in favour of the poor exiles. In his letter, of which I here send you a copy, he speaks of a relation which he gave to Monsieur Wyss. That relation will come abroad in time, with cross notes upon it. I have added another French letter from Geneva which makes mention of two letters sent hither, one written at Grenoble, the other printed there. I have not their copies to send you, and therefore I pray you to accept of the extracts that I made out of them when I read them over. The printed letter was dated June 1, 1655, and superscribed thus: "A letter from the king, written to my Lord the Duke of Lesdiguières, upon occasion of that which hath lately happened in the valleys of Lucerne, Angrogne, St. Martin, and other neighbouring places. In it the French king denies that he knew anything of that design; but hath been informed from his aunt the Duchess of Savoy, and from his brother the duke, her son, that it was not for religion, but for a mere disobedience and a contempt of some orders of his brother the duke; and his ambassador in Piedmont hath written to him, that this trouble is at present wholly appeased. That his will is that those who have escaped into any 1655.] THE PIEDMONTESE PROTESTANTS. 199 quarters obedient to France shall continue there in all freedom and security, provided that neither they nor any of his subjects attempt any hostility against the subjects or troops of Savoy. SIR,-After I had made up my letters in another form, the secretary sent me this with the great seal, which, that I might the better hide, I opened mine again, and laid them thus. The post will hardly give me time to tell you, that the same man that went before to Turin as an envoy is to go again three days hence with the title of deputy. His business is to signify, that an embassage of four men (from each of the four principal cities, one) is preparing to come to Turin to treat a composition, and will set forward from Bern on the eleventh of July next. They would be glad to meet there some public ministers of other protestant princes. Translated out of Italian by J. P.-The Marquis of Pianessa, knight of the order,* and general of the foot of his highness royal. By virtue of the authority which we hold from his highness royal, we grant leave to James Grande of Bobbio, with his wife and one daughter, (in consideration of the testimonial of his catholization, signed by the right reverend father, the prefect of the missions,) to dwell in that place of Bobbio, and that house which he dwelt in at the beginning of these troubles, and to enjoy the fruits of his goods whereof he was then in possession; with security of his person, notwithstanding the crime of rebellion into which he was fallen, and thereby "That is to say, Knight of the Annunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary; for that is the order proper to Savoy."-Note in the original. deserved death and confiscation of all his goods. Which punishments, both real and personal, his royal highness intends graciously to suspend, in regard of the aforesaid catholization, but deferring the entire remission of his life and goods (forfeited as above said) till two years hence, for a trial, whether during that time he shall appear a good catholic, and not disobey any orders of his royal highness. And whensoever he shall return to heresy, and commit the crime of new disobedience, he shall be, not only deprived of the benefit of this present grant, but also (as a rebel against both the divine and humane majesty) be deprived of his life, and all his goods, houses, lands, and profits of what kind soever. Dated in the town of Lucerne, the 4th of May, 1655. The Prefect's Testimonial.-I, under written, attest, that James Grande of Bobbio, with his wife and one daughter, having abjured the heresy of Calvin, hath submitted to the true faith and obedience of the Roman church, promising to live and die in it. Dated La Torre, 3rd May, 1655. FRIER PROSPERO DA TARASSO, Apostolical Prefect. MR. PELL TO SECRETARY THURLOE. June 23rd, 1655. SIR, My last letter was of no ordinary shape, that it might conform to the enclosed answer to the principal of those which you sent me May 25. His highness's letter was first opened by the senate of Zurich, and by them sent to the deputies of the four chief protestant cantons, then newly met at Arraw, concerning the business of Piedmont. They looked upon it with some amazement, as if it had dropt from heaven among them, because those of Zurich knew nothing of it in the morning, when 1655.] PELL'S NEGOTIATIONS. 201 they went from home; and it overtook them in the evening, by that time they came to Arraw. There they consulted what to do, and what to write. The answer which I sent you was drawn up by their order, but written at Zurich, and sent to me when my letters were sealed up. I hope they and it are come safe to your hands. Two days after, the secretary sent me a copy of it, which occasion I laid hold on to visit the younger burgomaster who had been at Arraw. I told him, that their letter answered the longer part of his highness's letter which expresseth some hope of obtaining our desire in Savoy, but it seemed to take no great notice of his highness's conclusion, (sin illi in mentem secus venerit, communicare vobiscum consilia parati sumus, qua potissimum ratione, etc.) Besides another passage, five or six lines before, (ne quid serpat latius, ne quid periculi exemplo atque eventu vel nobis omnibus creari possit mature prospiciamus.) I said, they had not done amiss to break their answer in two, replying first to that which seemed of most haste; and I hoped they intended to think upon the rest speedily. For they could not but see that the papists want nothing but power and opportunity to deal with us all after the same manner; and therefore it was high time for us to think seriously of conjunction of counsels. Thereupon, I asked him, whether it were not possible for them to join counsels with England. He said, it was not only possible, but easy, if his high ness would send one to meet their ambassadors at Turin. I interrupted him, and replied, that Turin would not be a fit place to consult about that greater scope, ne quid serpat latius, etc. The joining counsels to that end seemed necessary, and not to be deferred. If nothing hindered them from it, but the unfitness of the agent now at Zurich, they might do well to signify that hinderance to his highness, who could easily remove it. He answered, that they desired not any other to treat withal, and that the agent was likely to stay long among them, if he returned not till they wrote to have him recalled. I asked him, whether it be not high time to begin such consultations before this gangrene spread further? Truly," said he, "it spreads already. Wallis (Valesia) is one of the greatest provinces of Helvetia, and confederate with the cantons; they have some protestants among them whom they have many ways oppressed and persecuted before now. But now," said he, said he, "within these ten days, they have published an edict, warning all that are not papists to get them out of the country within three months." I answered, that I had heard that the papists in Turgow began to stir. "Yes," said he, "we shall speak of that at Baden this next week." I replied, "The fire draws near you,Wallis on one side, Turgow on the other; the Grisons that lie between them are ready to go together by the ears for the same reason. The |