1656.] PELL'S NEGOTIATIONS. 353 their league with France. Some say, Berne hath promised to do it; but Zurich will give no answer till France have paid what it owes them. I received yesterday a High-Dutch letter, dated Feb. 9th, subscribed thus:-"The plenipotentiary Ambassadors of Zurich and Berne now met at Baden." In which letter they tell me that some of the cantons hope to compose this controversy shortly, to the content of the protestants, of which they should have greater hope if the public ministers of England and Netherlands were among them, and therefore they long to see us there, believing that we have sufficient power and authority to appear in that business. Howsoever, they promise to give me account of the progress of that treaty. In my letters to Zurich I wrote that I hoped to be there the 19th or 20th of this month. As soon as I come among them I shall endeavour to understand their minds concerning the treaty, and what they desire their protestant friends to do in it; for out of their letters I cannot gather anything to that purpose worth writing. I hoped by this post to have received some instructions from Whitehall, for my demeanour in those affairs; I am afraid that when I come amongst them they will desire me to appear further in it than I shall be willing to do, till I receive power from his highness to that end. I hoped also, that the letter of Berne which I sent Jan. 16th, would have given occasions for more particular directions concerning the lending of the money, as whether I shall mention interest to them, or if they mention it, what answer I shall make them; besides a great many other particulars of security, of time, and place for delivery, and repayment, &c. Till I know what conditions will be liked at Whitehall, I see not how I can adventure to accept or reject the conditions which they will offer, or to propose other conditions to them. Of all the Piedmont money, Mr. Morland is preparing an account to be sent to court this week. Jean Louis Calandrin, the merchant by whom it was all conveyed hither, was buried yesterday. It is well that we made haste to get that Piedmont money out of his hands, and to send it away by another, for otherwise we must now have waited for the payment of it till his books were overlooked, and all the more antient debts first paid out of the estate which he hath left. Henceforward money may be conveyed by James Tronchin, of Geneva, better than by any other merchant that I know there. Mr. Morland tells me he hath several times given notice of this way in his letters to Mr. Secretary. It is reported that the ordinary ambassador of France, now at Baden, desires to put an end to the Helvetian controversy, that he may prevent the coming of the Duke of Rochefocault as extraordi 1656.] PELL'S NEGOTIATIONS. 355 nary ambassador. The Paris letters this week tell us that that duke is ready to come, but is hindered by the gout. I intend, God willing, to go hence towards Switzerland to-morrow morning, so that this day will be taken up with visiting M. H. Van Ommeren and others, besides many other businesses. I shall therefore, at this time, trouble you no farther, but take my leave, and remain, Sir, your most humble and faithful servant, J. P. SECRETARY THURLOE TO MR. PELL. 22 Feb., 1655. SIR,-You will receive his highness's further instructions, wherein he hath so fully declared his mind as to the affairs of the protestant cantons that I shall not need to say anything thereupon; the main scope whereof is, to assist the evangelical cantons to make a good and honourable peace, and to that end to counterbalance by your endeavours the interposition of the public minister of other princes, who may be partial on the other side of the popish cantons. Here comes also with this a letter to the whole Helvetian body, the superscription whereof is left to you to make,* because *These little states seem to have stood very much upon ceremonies in all their transactions. there should be no mistake therein, and this sent to be made use of as you shall find any occasion leading you thereto, which may be of advantage to the protestant party, and not otherwise. His highness, in consideration of your expenses, occasioned by your journeying to and fro, and what for the future you will be necessitated to be at, hath increased your allowance to 8001. per annum, to commence from the time you first removed to Geneva, and you may charge your bills accordingly; and in case the nature of your service shall require any extraordinary expense besides, you will also be considered in that. Our generals are gone to sea, and we hope the fleet will be ready to sail very shortly upon the coast of Spain. There is very shortly a public minister of quality to be sent from hence to France, who shall have it in charge to promote the cause of the protestant cantons in that court. There is nothing here besides worth the writing; the common occurrents you will have in print. I have received your joint letters, and one of a later date, signifying the receipt of my letter touching 20,000l. to be sent to the evangelical cantons. I remain, Your very affectionate friend to serve you, I have sent you the copy of the letter to the Corpus Helveticum. 1656.] PELL RETURNS TO ZURICH. 357 We here understand a resident to be the next minister to an ambassador, and, indeed, not differing from one, unless extraordinary. MR. PELL TO MR. MORLAND. Zurich, Feb. 23rd, old style. SIR, After you left us we found the ways so bad almost everywhere, that we could not make such speed as we desired. Our journey was also somewhat the longer, because we sought ways free from danger of the popish soldiers, to which end I hired guides in the country of Berne; but when we came near the country of Zurich, Monsieur Holtshalb (the same that was with us at Geneva) met us, with a good convoy of horse and foot, and afterwards we were all the way guarded with a full troop of carabines, two or three times changed by the way, till we came to Zurich, which was yesterday, about two o'clock after noon. I passed not through Baden; the success of the treaty there is uncertain; one day they seem full of hopes of a peaceable conclusion, the next day all their hopes are dashed. To-morrow I shall hope to receive letters from England enclosed in yours, and then I may have occasion to write more largely to you. In the meantime, I remain, Sir, your faithful servant, |