1655.] MISERY OF THE WALDENSES. 273 He says, that the other three ambassadors were afraid to come through Geneva. I had sealed up my letter, and forgot one thing, which is, Mr. Downing opened your last packet for some news concerning our affairs, and by some accident forgot to send you these two letters, one for yourself from Mr. Secretary, and the other for Mr. Ulrich, which I have now enclosed, having found them among the rest of the papers he left me. MR. MORLAND TO MR. PELL. Geneva, 1st October, 1655, old style. SIR, I sent you an answer to your last, and in it Mr. Secretary's letter to me; since that, I sent you a packet by one of Amb. Ommeren's company. I hope both are come safe to your hands. This morning, I received some papers that are come lately from the valleys, whereby I perceive the duke intends the total ruin and destruction of those poor and miserable people, and that speedily. I have also received another paper of discourses of the reasons why this affair ought not to be abandoned, or left in that miserable posture that now it is in. Sir, you know best what will be fit to be spoken to the Switzers, and in what manner; for my part, I do verily believe that they have been, and yet are, too little sensible of their own interest in this business, much less of the interest of the protestant cause, and the miseries of their afflicted brethren. I have had several discourses with Ambassador Stockar lately before his departure; he lays the fault upon the other three ambassadors and the deputies. His discourse, as I have formerly hinted, savours much of a confused and distracted mind. I verily believe he is very sorely afflicted concerning this treaty ; sometimes he much exclaimed against the ministers here, especially Mr. Leger, for having raised lies and scandals to blemish their reputation; otherwhiles he confessed that he was extremely troubled at the carriage of affairs, and desired nothing so much, in this world, as to have an opportunity to go again to Turin, though to the hazarding of his life and goods. I pray God grant that in this assembly some way may be thought of to redress this affair, and appease my Lord Protector, who certainly has been much provoked by their precipitation, and little regard to his highness's zeal and affection.* I beg your pardon for this trouble; I *It appears, from various documents of the times, that the disadvantageous terms of the peace into which the Piedmontese had been induced to enter, were generally attributed to French interference and intimidation, while the tame and selfish conduct of the Swiss cantons excited the disgust of all sound protestants.-Thurloe, iii. 742. The following is the account given by Bordeaux, the French ambassador in England, of the manner in which his announcement of this smuggled treaty was received at the English court:-" My lord,-Having an occasion, at the beginning of the last week, to send to the secretary of state, I signified unto him the accommodation of those of the valleys with the Duke of Savoy. He was only pleased to say, that my news was true. Since this, the express of Mr. Down 1655.] CROMWELL'S DISSATISFACTION. 275 could not satisfy myself without communicating to you what I received, that, in case you should find it convenient to say anything, you might be fully informed of all things, as also to testify that I am, Sir, your very affectionate servant, S. MORLAND. MR. MORLAND TO MR. PELL. Geneva, 2nd October, 1655, old style, One of the clock, afternoon. SIR, This day, about twelve, I received a letter from Mr. Secretary Thurloe, directed to Mr. Downing, yourself, and me; the which I was necessitated to open, that so I might be instructed in what concerned myself. And, forasmuch as this letter contains a very solid discourse concerning present affairs, I have, the very same hour, sent it to you ing arrived. I sent him word, in the absence of my commissioners, that I had received order to signify unto the Lord Protector that his recommendation to the king was followed with the same effect which could be expected. He received this compliment with much coolness and trouble of mind, taking only upon him to make report thereof. It seems they are generally troubled that the peace should be made without their interposition; and I see in all their pamphlets, that they affect to weaken the merit of the offices which M. Servien hath done, and to impute to him, that by threatenings he forced the Vaudois to accept of the declaration of the Duke of Savoy, which is very disadvantageous to them; yea, they proceed so far as to accuse the ambassadors of Switzerland of having suffered themselves to be corrupted; from whence one may judge, that his majesty will receive but little thanks from hence for what he hath done."-Thurloe, iii. 745. T 2 enclosed in this letter, by an express, and trust it will come in time. Sir, it will be neither becoming my abilities nor quality to presume to entreat you to remember the distressed condition of those poor people of the valleys, who are now almost without all hope. I have sent you, both now and formerly, all those papers which I have received since your departure which may any way touch upon this subject, and leave the judgment of all to God and yourself, beseeching him of his infinite mercy so to direct you, that all your endeavours may be to his glory, your own comfort, and the real good of those poor people.* This is the prayer of him who is, in much truth and sincerity, Sir, your very humble, faithful, and affectionate servant, SAM. MORLAND. MR. PELL TO SECRETARY THURLOE. Geneva, October 10th, 1655, old style. SIR, Mr. Morland tells me, that he sent you my letters that I had written to him from Berne, September 17th and 24th. In those there was some mention of my intention to go to Payerne. * Morland wrote privately, more than once, to Thurloe, complaining heavily of Pell's general indolence, and particularly of his want of zeal in the cause of the Waldenses. A letter from Thurloe, about two months after the above date, called him to his duties with more effect, but he appears to have always conducted himself towards Morland with an unpleasant tone of superiority and reserve.-Thurloe, iv. 253, 304, 326, 341. 1655.] MEETING AT PAYERNE. 277 There, Oct. 1st, in the morning, began the assembly of the deputies from all the evangelical cantons, and all their confederates, save only from Geneva and the Grisons, who sent excuses. The Grisons are too far off, so that they had not timely notice; and the Genevenses, though they take it kindly to be invited to all such meetings, yet never appear, for fear of displeasing the French king, their protector. The first thing of note that was done in that assembly was, the sending of a committee to M. H. Van Ommeren's lodging, to accompany him to their meeting-place, where, as commissioner extraordinary from the United Provinces, he made them a speech in Latin, and delivered them a written copy of it. The next morning some of them brought him an answer, and delivered to him a copy of it written in High Dutch, which he saith he understands not. He hath promised me the sight of both, but hath not yet sent them to me. Their next care was about the penning of a resolution concerning the Waldenses of Piedmont, to be delivered to us both. That which was given to me I keep, but I have here sent you a copy of it, written by my own hand. They seem to believe that their ambassadors did all that they could to procure better conditions for the poor men, and to retard the conclusion, in expectation of English and Dutch ambassadors. Their third and last business was, to consider what resolutions to take amongst themselves in re |