State Papers, 1660: May

May

King Charles II. to William Morrice esq;

Breda, 20. May, 1660. [N. S.]

In the possession of Hugh Gregor esq;

Mr. Morrice,
The last weeke Bernard Grenvile was even departing from me with my answer to yours of the 20th of the last month, when some messengers arrived with the newes of the reception my letters and declaration founde in the two houses, which made most, that I had writt to you, unnecessary; and so I stopped his journey. I have since receaved yours of the 5th and I must tell you I find cause enough to rejoyce in the very good opinion I have of you, and in the choice I have made of you for so neere a trust, which I am sure you will discharge with full abilitys, as well as fidelity to me. I shall hereafter write to you with that freedome as is due to such a servante, and imparte those apprehensions to you, which it may be you may finde upon further inquiry to be very reasonably grounded. That both houses are very well constituted of men, who desire to restore the nation to a full peace and security, upon the right and safe foundation of the lawes, I do not in the least degree doubte; yet there is a little question, that there are some persons both within and without both houses, who desire to keep up the memory of old jealousys and animositys, and to prevent such an intire union, as can only make us all happy. Next the blessing of God, nothinge can so absolutely disappoint those disguises as my presence with you, which those men will as much endeavour to hasten, being most assured (as I doute not you are) that I have offered nothing in my declaration or letters, that I will not most punctually and exactly performe; but without doute, for the speedy and secure way of doing it, my presence is most necessary, which would easily adjust all those things, both in matter and forme, which are lyable to most objections. And therefore I pray looke upon those, who would delay my speedy coming to you, as persons who have other designes than they yet owne. I know the generall cannot but observe, that my frindes in the house have complyed with his desires in all thinges, according to the commande I gave them, and have thereupon departed from their own sense, and restrayned themselves from pursuing that, which they thought most for my service. You must take care, that I do not suffer for that temper and condesention in them; and that advantage be not taken from thence, either to delay the dispatch of what is necessary, or to set on foote any unnecessary and inconvenient demandes, which must be inconvenient to me, and would lessen that joy, with which we should meete each other to receave those greate blessings, which God Almighty is ready to powere upon us, if any indisposition in the army makes it lesse fitt for the general to appeare. In pressing that, which is most desirable, you may easily get it to be promoted by the houses, to which he and the army are obliged to submit. Do all, I pray, that is necessary to be done, in order to the bringing me quickly to you; till when, trust me, there are as many designes abroade as at home to prevent and disturbe that good intelligence and agreement, which can only make us happy, and disappoint the many designes, which are against the peace and honour of the nation. I know not what to say more, till the committy arive, who I hope will invite me speedily to repaire to you. Sir J. Grenville will, I am sure, be absent from you, and so I cannot communicate some thinges, which are not so fit to write; and therefore I have intrusted Sir William Compton to imparte some particulars of my doutes and apprehensions to you. He is a person, in whose discretion you may repose greate confidence, as well as in his affection and sidelity to me, and can convey any thing you thinke necessary, and shall advise him, to many of my frindes, who will be very usefull upon all occasions. I will say no more, but that I long to see you, which I hope is at hande, and you will then finde you have a full creditt with

Your affectionate frinde,
Charles R.

Sir Edward Hyde to William Morrice esq;

In the possession of Hugh Gregor esq;

Sir,
I Have enough understoode from Sir John Greenevill, how much I am beholdinge to you; and I beseech you do not impute it to vanity in me, that I was alwayes confident, that at some tyme or other, either by the representation of some frend, or when I should be fully knowne to you, I should have a part in your frendshipp. I am afrayde I may be now upon some disadvantage by the so good character the partiality of Sir J. Greenvill may have given me to you, which I may appeare farr shorte of; and I shall be very well contente, that you thinke me not so good a man, as he hath pleased to deliver me, so you thinke me not so ill a man, as others have given me out to be. I hope shortly to wayte on you; for the kinge expects and desires, that you would come with my lord generall to meete him, for till then he will take no resolution of importance; and I shall make myselfe as worthy of your frendship as I can. I have preesumed to write to his excellencie, which, if you thinke fitt, I should desyre you to present to him, as likewise the other letter to Mr. Palmer, if the contents be agreeable to your opinion, which will alwayes finde a great submission from,
Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
Edw. Hyde.

Hague, 27. May, S. N. [1660.]

For my very worthy friend Mr. Morrice.

To the king's most excellent majesty,

The humble petition of the lords and commons in parliament assembled,

Vol. lxvii. p. 405.

Sheweth,
That your majesty having declared your gracious pleasure to proceed only against the immediate murderers of your royal father, we your majesty's most humble subjects (the lords and commons in parliament assembled) not finding Sir Henry Vane or colonel Lambert to be of that number,
Are humble suitors to your majesty, that if they shall be attainted, yet execution as to their lives may be remitted.

And, as in duty bound, we shall ever pray for your majesty's long and happy reign over us.

The said petition, being read, was agreed to, and ordered to be presented to his majesty by the lord chancellor.

The lord chancellor reported, that he had presented the petition of both houses to the king concerning Sir Henry Vane and colonel Lambert; and his majesty grants the desires in the said petition.

Jo. Browne, clerk of the parliament.

Mr. Thurloe to Sir Harbottle Grimston.

In the possession of the right hon. Philip lord Hardwicke, lord high chancellor of Great Britain.

Honourable Sir,
Hearinge it reported, that I should, about the tyme of the king's tryall and death, declare to divers officers of the army, that it was the judgment of my lord St. John, that the king ought to be put to death, and that the nation could not be safe without it; and that he the sayd lord St. John was a cheife adviser of Oliver to set up himselfe, and in the managinge of his publique affaires; and that I was the medium or hand betweene them, by which their counsells were communicated to each other; and further, that the lord St. John had a great hand in setting up Richard, and did alsoe plott and endeavour the restoringe of him after his resignation; and knowinge these reports to be altogether false and groundless, I thought it a duty I owe to the truth, to take notice thereof to you; and the testimony, which I give herein, is that, which I am ready to be deposed upon.

1. And first, as to that of the king's tryall and death, it is utterly untrue, that I declared or spake either to the officers of the army, or any other, that my lord St. John's judgment was for his majesty's tryall or death. I was altogether a stranger to that fact, and to all the councells about it, havinge not had the least communication with any person whatsoever therein: and I doe beleeve it was very farr from being my lord St. John's judgment, because I heard him speake in dislike of it, and of the proceedings of the army then and longe before that time; and therefore I should have done hym great wronge to have reported that of hym, as they have done me, who have raysed these reports of me.

2. As to his advisinge the settinge up of Oliver, and counsellinge hym in the manadgment of his affaires by the medium of me, who am supposed to be the instrument, that went betweene them; my lord St. John was soe farre from advisinge him to sett up himselfe, that to the best of my knowledge and observation he was a great enemy to it, and hath often to me spake against it. And as for that called the instrument of government, I never spake with my lord St. John, either about the whole, or any part of it, (nor ever heard that any body else did) untill some months after it was published in print, when goinge to visit hym after a long and dangerous sickness, which he fell into before the instrument was ever spake of before me, he told me, he had just then read our government; and takeinge it up in his hands, he cast it from him in great dislike, and sayd, Is this all the fruit the nation shall have of their warre? or words to that purpose; and then tooke occasion to speake much against it. And as he had nothinge to doe in settinge up this government, soe neither was there, soe farre as I knowe or have heard, any comunication of counsells betweene Oliver and him, mediately or ymediately, touchinge the manadgment of any part of the publique affaires, my lord St. John alwayes refusinge to meddle in any thinge, but what concerned his place as a judge; and in that he refused to proceed upon any of the lawes made under that government; for which he was complayned of to the counsell, and it was imputed to his example, that the judges refused to act upon the last high court of justice. Nor was hee (to my knowledge) advised with in the petition and advise. The truth is, that my lord St. John was soe farre from being a confident, that some, who loved and valued him, had something to doe to preserve him under that government.

3. As to the settinge up Richard, or endeavouringe to restore him againe after his resignation, I have never heard, nor doe I beleeve, that my lord St. John knew any thinge at all about his being made successor, nor that he did ever advise with Oliver, or any other person whatsoever touchinge the succession; nor doe I knowe or beleeve, that he ever designed, endeavoured, or indeed wisht his restoration, because I have often heard hym expresse his judgment to be against it; and I beleeve would in his station have opposed it. I humbly take leave to signe myself

Your most humble, and most obedient servant,
J. T.

To the right honourable Sir Harbottle Grimston, speaker of the house of commons.

Mr. Thurloe to the lord chancellor Hydc.

Vol. lxvii. p. 406.

May it please your Lordship,
Some few dayes before my retirement I had notice given me of a very neare alliance and confederacy then in projection betweene the French kinge and the states general, and had a coppy of the project itselfe sent to me, which (upon a late review thereof) I conceived it my duty to communicate to your lordship.

I have not sent the articles themselves, beinge very large, havinge regard to you other great and weighty affaires, much less have I presumed to set downe any observations of my owne upon this great; but have drawne out the substance of the articles into the heads conteyned in this paper, which doe shew the scope and designe of the framers of this alliance, and the great reference it hath both in honour and interest to his majestye and this kingdome. Perhaps your lordshipp may have had this account from other hands. However, I hope your lordshipp will pardon me for doing that, which I thought my duty did oblige me to.

[Aug. 1660.]

N.B. The Index to this Work, with the Papers communicated by his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, and others (omitted in their proper Places) or without Dates, are subjoined to the First Volume.

The End of the Seventh Volume.