Politici extat Dr. Gouge, his Commentary on the whole Epistle to the Hebrews, a work of thirty years' labour. Esto quæso, ut sis dominus stemmatis nobilissimi, esto inquam minister etiam ecclesia nostræ, id est, consilio et auxilio tuo, meis vero expensis et sumptibus compara mihi hunc Commentary on the Hebrews, and so can you, through me a poor instrument of the church of God, do great service unto the same, I will pay for all cost, and will be, indeed, thankful to your worship. I confess I ask of you much, and perhaps a hard thing, yet, Sir, you see my intention, and can hope a great blessing, and for me I cannot see how I could get it so soon, as through your dispositions, for you have Mr. Hartlib at London, you have M. D. and other good and great friends. If I could obtain that great favour of you, that you would provide for me these labours of Gouge interim, it would be the benediction of my cure. So I recommend myself and these my petitions to your greatness, and yourself to God's heavenly protection, and

Remain, your most humble servant,

J. H. HUMMEL.

SECRETARY THURLOE TO MR. PELL.
12th July, 1655.

SIR, I received yours of the 23rd of June, (I suppose, new style,) and perceive thereby that you have had some discourse with the Switzers con

1655.] STATE OF AFFAIRS IN ENGLAND.

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cerning the business of Savoy, but find them cold enough as to any undertaking for the protestant cause, or for the relief of their poor neighbours, unless it may be done by words. I have written to you at large by my last letter upon this subject, to which I will add nothing, supposing that will come safe to your hands, only I earnestly desire your answer thereto, and the particular account of what you shall do with the Switzers, in pursuance of the instruction and direction you receive.

Our treaty with France stands as it did—not advanced one step. His highness insisteth it be agreed in this treaty, that the French will not give assistance to the Duke of Savoy against the protestants, nor suffer his people to do it. I suppose the ambassador hath sent to his master for instructions therein: what will be done therein, time will shew,

We have nothing from Pen's fleet but rumours, which we credit not, because we have yet had no express ourselves. Blake is now plying about the straits. All things remain here in the state they were in by my last. The collection for the Piedmontois is not yet all come in, so that I cannot tell you what the sum will be. We are expecting every day an ambassador extraordinary from Sweden, who gives out that the design of his great army is against Poland; but I believe it is for Prussia and Dantzic, which much startles the Dutch.

I am, Sir, your humble servant.

MR. PELL TO SECRETARY THURLOE.

July 14, 1655. SIR,-Here they hope for letters from the cantons' ambassadors from Turin about a week hence. Those which they wrote in the way tell us, that three principal persons of Geneva,* knowing that they would go beside their town, met them at Vevay, July 7th, and gave them many memorials concerning the rights and wrongs of the poor Piedmontois. That when they came to Aigle, July 8th, they received a packet from their forerunner, Major Wyss, wherein, besides the duke's letter to the six protestant cantons, they had one from the said major, telling them, that the duke would turn them over to the French king in this business; but they resolved to go on, and wrote to the major to provide a house for them at Turin, where they hoped to be July 13th. But they signify, that they believe it will be necessary to write to the French king, and to his ambassadors both at Turin and Soloturn. Major Wyss spoke with Mr. Morland, at Turin,† on the 3rd or 4th of July. He found him discontented with the Savoyards for

* The professors Pictet, Turetine, and Leger. The last was the author of the work on the history of the Waldenses, which bears his name.

Samuel (afterwards Sir Samuel) Morland was sent by Cromwell to the court of Savoy, to expostulate on the late edict against the Piedmontese, and to obtain, if possible, its

1655.]

AFFAIRS OF PIEDMONT.

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stopping and breaking up letters written to him. On the 12th of this month, the evangelical cantons wrote to the French king, and to his ambassador at Soloturn, in the behalf of the Piedmontois. I send you herewith a copy of the duke's answer to the cantons' letter, sent by Major Wyss. The hand is fair enough, but so small you will be troubled to read it. It came so late to my hand, that I had not time to write it in a greater letter.

The other paper is a translation of what was sent me out of Rhætia this week: it will help to the understanding of the cantons' memorial concerning them, which I hope Mr. Dury hath sent you before this time. Perhaps he hath neglected it, thinking it came time enough before the treaty between England and Spain is concluded.

We hear of little action in Piedmont. The poor men are only upon their defence, desirous to save their mountain harvest, having lost what they had in the plain.

Those of Zurich have heard of some of Bern that are at Whitehall. They desire to know what they

recal. He left England on the 23rd of May, was with the French court at La Ferte on the 26th of the same month, and reached Rivoli, where the Duke of Savoy held his court, on the 21st of June. He remained at Turin till the 19th of July, when, finding his expostulations ineffectual, he set out for Geneva, where we shall shortly find him resident, and acting in concert with Mr. Pell.

do there, without credentials or instructions from

all the cantons.

These two last posts brought no letter from you to Your humble servant.

MR. PELL TO SECRETARY THURLOE.

July 21, 1655.

SIR,-I was very sorry to see in yours of June

29th, that you were so ill that you able to read my letters of June 9th.

were not then

By these adjoined, you will perceive the French king is ready to hinder all his subjects from helping the poor Piedmontois, whilst my Lord Protector will draw promise from him to hinder all his from helping the Savoyards.

Yesterday, I visited the burgomaster, who was returned the evening before from the general meeting of all the cantons at Baden. He said, some of the popish cantons are, by a particular league, obliged to send four or five thousand soldiers when the Duke of Savoy calls for them. Those cantons are now much afraid that the English will fall into Piedmont; for then the duke will call upon them, who cannot perform their promise; most of theirs that were able and willing to go to the wars being already gone to the French; the rest will rather