to know his Opinion of the Project which the Ambassador of Spain had laid to draw the King to make War against France and thereupon told him how it was contriv'd that the House of Lords and Commons should upon that Condition furnish Money and accommodate the Catholicks those of France seeing how far they are from any present Capacity of offering such Advantages and how easie it is for those of Spain to procure them they can scarce allow their Fears to prevail above their Hopes after they have rightly weigh'd the Interest which Religion has in it Yet he did not omit to say That the Duke would not desert France though he could not doubt but that Religion would have the Ascendant Your Friend and my Kinsman Mr. K. well known to the Confessor of the Duke and of the same Profession might methinks be highly serviceable upon this Occasion if he would only sound the Spanish Ambassador upon this Subject and represent to him according as Occasion shall be given the many and great Advantages which would accrew to Spain and of the great Dammages that would ensue to France upon this account but to make it efficacious he must shew the Necessity of engaging the Duke and Catholicks in the Concern of it without which it will never have any steady Effect I need not suggest to you any farther Considerations on this Subject the Prudence of Coleman will direct you and from thence I shall hope to see a good Issue for the Catholicks I have not many Discourses with Sir P. but he is still of the same Opinion as formerly and affirms that no other means can effectually conduce to the Satisfaction of the House of Lords and Commons and those whom they are engaged for If you see no appearance of Success this way be so kind as to shew me some other Scheme upon which we may ground any comfortable Expectations In the mean time we must content our selves with such hopes as we are able to furnish Colombe Septemb. the 24th 75. I Have yours of the 6th and one Weekly from Coleman's Man for all which I return most hearty Thanks and though it be my Misfortune not to have hitherto succeeded in the Pretensions of our Shee-Friends yet upon the delivery of the second Memorial I was promis'd an Infallible Dispatch this Week which will cost me another Journey to Versailles and I hope to send it to you by Mr. Nicholls He and his Charge arriv'd at Paris on Friday last late at Night I was the next Day in Town upon no other Design than to meet Pompone upon the account of that Business He told me some days before That the Interest of the Religion of the Catholicks was likely to be promoted by the Spanish Ambassador and the Friends of the King of Spain I reply'd That it was too great an Undertaking and that it could not take any Effect especially since they did imploy no Endeavours to gain the Duke and his Party to that Interest and though it was reported here that the Duke had frequent Conferences with the Spanish Ambassador yet I did assure that there were no such Applications made and that the Duke was as much attack'd to the King of France as ever It would have become Mr. Sheldon to have said this though he had not been so sure of the Truth of it as he is by the Information of Coleman The Decline of Spain I confess must needs require a long time to regain Power and that first to secure his own Interest before he can be in a posture to promote that of Religion The hopes on * Spain's side are not so remote and you have rais'd my Expectation from thence to no low Degree because Coleman feems not only to approve of it but to think it worth his pains to lay out his Contrivances and Endeavours upon it I with my Kinsman were engag'd and possibly the opportunity may now be favourable at least if he will not enter into the Negotiation he may easily introduce Coleman with those Advantages as may make him be esteem'd a fit Instrument and worthy to be trusted in that Concern and he having such an Introduction I shall not doubt but that he will be able to give a very good account of the Business It draws near the 29 but I hope there is yet time enough to dispose things in order to that Design I do not well comprehend how the Danger is over on the part of the Prorogation unless it be in Reference to that Opposition of the City of London I should be glad to Promise my self that it were in Relation to the Duke who is said to be the Person that obstructed the Prorogation and the Procurer of the Parliaments present Installation The Design of my Lord Treasurer I hope will have no Effect The Alliance with the Prince of Orange some say is sought for by the French King for one of the Dukes of France but this is but a guess yet such a one as gives suspition to Spain that there is like to be some Clandestine doings betwixt Holland and France But why do I so much intrench upon your better Employs I shall only assure you that Mr. Sheldon is your Servant and that Coleman will always find him so to his Power Colombe October the 10th SIR I Have yours of the 20th of September And whereas you seem to intimate that it is almost a Month since you receiv'd any from me I have call'd my Self to an Account and cannot find that I have effectually been so much wanting to my own Satisfaction as not to continue upon you sufficient Provocation to allow me the Favour of your Correspondence I am become so mistrustful upon this reproach of my own Memory that I could almost persuade my self to doubt whether I have inform'd you of a delay that is cast upon the Pretensions of your Shee Friends which I hope will soon be remov'd since it only depends upon a Return from Lisle whose Magistrates were to be consulted in that Concern and upon their Answer I hope you will have Satisfaction to the Address which has been made Have I not likewise bemoan'd my misfortune for having had only a Glimpse of Mr. Grey having disappointed each other by my going to him and his coming to me upon the same Day This I do chiefly resent because I suppose he might have had some particular Commission from you and had not Opportunity to make me partaker of it The Secretary of Monsieur Rouvigny has inform'd me of your good Correspondence with his Master which must needs render you Suspected to the Spanish Ambassador but I shall expect according to your Promise the Issue of my Kinsman's Negotiation What Measures the Spanish Ambassador has taken with the Parliament a little time will discover but unless the Spanish Ambassador ingages the Duke upon the account of the Catholicks the King of Spain will not find his account The Duke I suppose has gain'd no small Credit with
the Parliament It is reasonable to think so if Common Report may be allowed for Truth What must that produce any Advantage to the Catholicks Does not the Duke expect to be Re-enstall'd Was not that promis'd by those of Prorogation Are there any Appearances of these Expectations from the Parliament We are here inform'd That the Parliament designs to give Money for the Fleet upon Condition the King will reduce the Number of the French Men of War to the account which they formerly kept with Queen Elizabeth The King here has of late been ill dispos'd and subject to a little Vertigo He has laid a Tax upon the men of the Roab which will furnish a vast Sum without any burthen to the People and he has given out Commissions for great Leavies for the next Campaign I shall not over-charge you with News you are better inform'd from other hands Your Town will shortly be the Scene of News and then I hope you will make me Partaker of the Transactions In the mean time I am SIR Your most Obedient Servant L. S. THe Letters next following were written by Sir William Throgmorton to Mr. Coleman And his general manner of Writing was this he wrote a Letter with ink concerning some ordinary trivial matter as about Persons taking Coach to Travel about the fashion of wearing Crape c. writing the lines at a pretty broad distance leaving a space between for interlining In this space and upon the remaining blank of the Paper he wrote with Juice of Lemmon the Secret Matter which now is here printed The use of such Writing was that if the Letters were intercepted or miscarried nothing would appear to the Casual Reader but the frivolous Matter writ in Ink but when they came to the hands of his Correspondent he heated them at a fire and that made the Lemmon Juice appear and become legible But it falls out in this way that if the Writer do not strictly watch he will sometimes write dry the juice which was in the Pen being spent Also by unwary holding too near the fire the Paper is liable to be singed By such accidents there happen to be several Obliterations and Blanks and Breaks in these Letters which interrupts the Current of the Discourse in some places and thereby part of this Evidence is lost Paris 1. December MR. Pompone return'd me my Paper again yesterday Lect. pro Rege and told me that the French King had seen it and was extreamly satisfied with it that nothing pleas'd him more than the assurance I thereby gave him of my Confidence that the Duke was resolved to continue his kind purposes to him that he desire me that I would assure the Duke that nothing should turn him from this towards him and that he should not rejoyce in any thing more than to be able to help him to be or to see him by any means cheif Factor for our Company for that he very well knew that nothing but that could secure his own Stake there what therefore his Sentiments of Lord Arlington were we might guess and how gladly we Would see him dispos'd of as we desire but that he thought his medling in it would rather hinder than advance our design however that he was willing to receive directions in it from the Duke and that he should alwayes be ready to joyn and work with him in any design he should judge for the good of that common Trade That as for the Dissolution of the Parliament to be he he judged it an admirable nay necessary work but that the time being yet pretty far off and that Spain the Emperour and Holland having chosen the King for the Umpire of the Differences between them and him he thinks he may stay a little in that point till he hears from the King upon his Umpirage and sees what course he intends to take for it but that he absolutely relied upon the Duke for the choosing of proper Sides-men in that business for that he put his only confidence in him for it he told me moreover that the French King would gladly have writ to the Duke but for fear of accidents which might turn it to both their disadvantages but that as he absolutely believed the account I gave him of the Company and Trade and the Dukes great affection to him though I had no Order from the Duke for it because he very well knew how I was concern'd for him for he hoped the Duke would put the same confidence in this that I told him from his part that all this was very fine and head but that for all that to delay working for the dissolution of the Parliament might be dangerous and that therefore I desired him to move the French King to consider of it again that for my part he saw I was an unimployed person in it and had no other design but their good as they were common Traders but that by what insight I had in the Trade I thought they ought to lose no time and so hazard little accidents for so great a good for that at this rate of third hand talking they would never understand one another or effect any thing though they did me great honour to offer me so much trust upon my private credit that yet by that means and general Talk they would never be able to carry on the Trade roundly We parted then with this after a long discourse and many arguments that he would again propose the thing to the French King and that he thought my reasons were so convincing and kind to them that he doubted not but the French King would either himself or order him to write and that in four or five dayes I should hear from him Pray direct your Letter to Mr. Mer at the Corner of the street of St. Benet in the Fobourgh of St. German at Paris and in the bottom and give me sum for you I cannot doubt that I could of my friend here and some others make half an O try you what you can there in case the French King should be backward in that point and that that ingredient should be requisite to carry on the work I spoke with Mounsieur Pompone again of whom I had almost the same story I gave you in my former but that truly had not had opportunity to speak to the King yet alone _____ but that he would and much of that they seem to wonder much they hear nothing from the King yet upon this late business his Factor here has had yet no manner of orders what it concerns them as themselves say to have the Duke their friend in this business but yet I begin to doubt they would willingly engage him to be so through the reason of his own interest and as many fair words and what else you please but pence that that is the reason they were writing yet for fear of coming to close dealing that is the Parliament is set far off and they think cannot possibly
Norfolk Sir I Found in one of your last Letters to Mr. Grane a desire of more punctual Correspondence from me then Ordinary whilst the Conclave sitteth This desire shall be complyed with so far as it is possible for me but I fear your Curiosity will not thereby remain fully satisfied those within the Conclave who look more religiously upon their Obligation keeping their secrets to themselves And amongst the great variety of reports which fly abroad it is not easy to distinguish truth from falshood I shall therefore be sparing in delivery of such particulars leaving you to the publick fame which in the Case may upon the matter be relyed upon as well as the intelligence of those who pretend to have the best information You will find here the list of the Cardinals which you desire ranged under their several parties or heads but the order of their promotions is not exactly observed especially in the Creatures of Altieri and Ursini who before the other of the same name dyed was called S. Sisto should be in the fourth place and Baladonne in the 9th There may be other pretenders to the Papacy besides these which are mentioned But I mark those which are most remarkable Card. Norfolk hath received Letters from the King and Duke enjoyning his adherence with France which he answereth by this Post that to the Duke the Secretary of the Durchess will see I refer you to other particulars to what I have writ unto my Lord Arundell and Card. Norfolk to Mr. Hayd Card. Norfolk will not except the offer from France of Albi dreading the dependence which would follow A like offer from Spain hath been refused Many are of opinion the Conclave will last long especially if the French persist in their animosity against Altieri who will be able in spight of them to hinder the Election of any whom they would endeavour to have chosen without his concurrence It would be a great service to the Church if this quarrel which seems to have no deep bottom were taken up The present conjuncture seems most proper for it and Card. Norfolk might be a proper instrument I hear our Country-man the Cardinal of Norfolk hath his health well in the Conclave and gains much in the opinion of his Brethren As matter occurs to feed your Curiosity you shall hear further from Sir Your most humble Servant W. L. Sept. 5. Sir THe Letters which came from you the last week had been acknowledged and answered the ordinary day and by the ordinary way had not the expectation of the great business perfected this morning made me willing to defer writing two days longer Cardinal Odeschelechi is the person on whom the great lot is fallen by an unanimous consent of the Electors and who was designed before by a general desire of the people the two great Catholick Monarchs concurring likewise in the Election by their approbation of it we have reason to promise our selves that great matters will be done in his Pontificalte for the advancement of Catholick Religion We want here no more at present to render our joys compleat than to be assured that your Mistress is happily delivered of a Young Prince This we hope will be the Subject of your next Letter which therefore is expected with great impatience My Lord hath by the Currier who carries these writ both to your Mistress and the Duke You need not be put in mind how requisite it is that the Dutchess lose no time in this occasion but write with what convenient speed she can to his Holiness from whom she may promise her self all expressions that ought to be expected of a most tender and Fatherly affection The time I have for writing of this is stole from other businesses which now calling for it again Oblige me to Subscribe Sir Your most humble Servant W. L. Rome Sept. 21. Card. Norfolk judgeth it necessary that the Duke write also to the Pope and that the Dutchess Secretary may do well to propose what was writ in the last Letters concerning Prince Rinaldi will be taken into serious Consideration greater difficulties are to be overcome than you there without a long Discourse will easily be perswaded of however the person to whom the business is recommended will not be wanting on his part This last P. S. is writ with the Cardinals hand Just now I understand of the Dutchess delivery of a Princess which I told the Pope and all the Cardinalls of who are all very glad the Popes name is Innocentius XI Rome Apr. 17th Sir YOu will not wonder at my seldom Writing if you consider how little there occurs here to write of Mr. Gr. desires me to render you his thanks for your weekly favours and to let you know that the Letter which the Duke wrote to the Pope and which was given to Mr. Con hath miscarried The Nunce at Paris doth acknowledge to have received of Mr. Con the Pacquet in which it was and doth say he sent it hither but here it cannot be found The Card. of Norfolk hath made this known to the Pope and Cardinal Cibo who says the only remedy now is a Duplicat I can give you no news hence worth your knowledge Affairs at the Pallace go on in their flow train Monsieur di Luca the Pope's Auditor and Favorite hath these days past been at death's door but now there is hope of his recovery The common speech is that his Holiness will shortly call to Town some of his kindred and confer Honours on them without Salaries It is also said there may probably be a Promotion of Cardinals about whitsuntide but nothing is more uncertain here than reports of this nature Foreign occurrences are the great matter of Discourse in which how much our wise men mistake you may guess by a report which some principal persons were Authors of last week and which upon their credit was much believed viz. That his R. Highness was in very few days expected in Florence and that Sir Bern. Gascoyn by the great Dukes Order was gone to receive him at the Frontiers of that State Some other passages concerning England directly contrary to truth have been assured with great confidence and accordingly believed The Pope hath lately distributed some small Pensions to the Cardinals of the last promotion not sufficiently provided for by his Predecessor The C. of Norfolk hath as I hear for his share 1600 Crowns part whereof is to expire at the end of 6 Years according to the stile of Pensions given upon Benefices in Spain and Portugal This help is thought by those who know his Condition to have but small proportion with his necessities But in this interressed Country and thrifty Pontificat any little Provision of this kind is thought considerable I wish you all happiness and remain Your most humble Servant 29 May. Sir MY last was of April 17. which I hope got safe to your hands it was to acquaint you with the miscarriage of the Duke's
Te Deum like to be Sug There were several Letters writ to Mr. Coleman by the late Earl of Berkshire under the borrowed name of Rice The names of principal men and matters are therein expressed in words of Cabal or Cypher which there was not any key found to open and explain But at the Committee of Lords there was the following key made but made by Conjecture onely and therefore it is not warranted for certain But the Reader may use this or his own sense and Conjecture upon the 4 or 5 of the Letters here exhibited March the 7th 1674 5 William Rice Lady D. York Patch Arlington Brother D. York Trees Great men Lord Treasurer Ladys Sister The King Oake The Treasury Lady to be passively neutral c. D. York to be passive in the matter of dissolving Parl. Adversaries The Protestant party The two Trees Parl. and Protestant party Yorkshire and Dorset Atturnies Buckingham and Shaftesbury Bothoakes Lord Treasurer and L. Ladies Neece Duke of Monmouth The Aunt The Duke Octob. 20. 1674. Wife of Shaftesbury The Nonconformist Interest Without Date Dorc. Atturneys Letter Shaftesburys letter to Carlisle Gardiners brother The Duke The two trees The Parl. Protestant Religion or Protestant Relig. Property Ladys Sister The King Ladys house Romish Religion Plenipotentiary Lord Treasurer Champerty Court dissimulation or undermining My Friend D. Buckingham Ladies friend over the Dike The French King A Terme A Session of Parliament New Assize A New Parliament His Mistress The Popish Cause The Grand Jury The Parliament Men September 10. 1674. SIR I Have received yours dated August the 28th and if your Lady pleaseth with Confidence to retaine me in her Cause as you say she will she may rest most secure to be both Faithfully and Uncorruptibly served according to the old English Oath of an Attorney without Fear Favour or Affection from hence therefore I resolve not to stir upon no other bodies Call nor Fees untill I have her special Command to come up to Westminster and full Instructions how to move when I am there which must be your part to see done and prepared in the mean time because I would think a little thereupon between this and then since the impertinentest of officiousnesses is to pretend to be wiser in other folks concerns than they are themselves yet give leave to say that I doubt very much words will not be kept with her by those whom chiefly she doth depend on not to shrink in the day of Battle when bullets begin to fly thick and near and though my Brother Attorney of Dorchest and his whole packed jury saving two of the number who are my Cousin Germains originally are Cowards let not that comfort you at all for if you remember after Clinias was driven into the water he fought like a lyon besides the ills which they have already done to speak the plain truth cannot be safe but by attempting greater wherein the Ladies Neece if good care be not early taken will have a considerable portion I would you saw as I doe because of my Ladies former displeasure towards me which makes them lie at something an opener Garde with me in this particular then they doe perhaps with others of the same profession what postings and meetings there are up and down the Country about this matter to the exaltation of the Neece usque ad Coelum and to the crying down of the Aunt nay and to such an insolence is the little Atturny grown that when applications are made unto him from the Center of all these lines as you well observe and the man for whose sake I first fell into disgrace with the Lady to admit them into his Counsels and interests the urchin still answers quod cùm impiis non vult Conversatio and that he intends to doe his work not by such assistances sed solum ex pondere causae wherefore if any Champarty masculine or feminine of that kind could be proved in open Court it were not amiss but when the thing comes to the touch you 'l see that it will not abide the tryall nor bear water The giving of mony then is all I can apprehend to be dangerous in this Case with a Condition to exclude the Aunt out of the entaile because upon those terms no separate proviso can serve her turn onely conduce towards the invalidating the testimony of her witnesses and Friends I desire to here onely that you have gotten this note safe into your hands shew it unto my Lady at seasonable opportunities and ever esteem me without welt or guard Your faithfullest Friend and Servant William Rice October 20. 1674. I Have Received yours dated the 13th of this month these come to you by a secure hand else I would not venture to write out of paraboles The new Parliament is that which the Dorsetshire Attorney and all his Clients have now in chace Consultations are on foot how to frame addresses for it within the compass of the Law Tell our Lady from me that she hath but one point seriously to intend which is to make herself and not be denyed the Commission mediatrix of the Peace which France as well as Spain are more inclined towards than ever because of the unruliness of the German Confederates for should either the Duke of Buckingham or my Lord of Arlington get that Employment from her nay any one besides there is an end of her storie By reason if the new Parliament cannot be obtained to have their own Creatures trusted with this mediation is the onely hope they have left I mean the wife of Shaftsbury could they and their adherents be authours of the general peace upon the nick of this Conjuncture I am afraid France will not stick so close to the Lady as perchance she believeth they would since to my knowledg they are actually in treatie at present with those two persons whom I last named to this very purpose therefore you see in this cause I do not juggle nor regard either peculiar Interests or friendship for the Duke of Buckingham till he be at the brink of death will never be right to our Cause more both because he doth think the Lady underhand hath used him hardly in the matter of his late persecutions as also that most of our persuasion were in the contrivance of the petition which was delivered in Parliament against my Lady of Shrewsbury and him though perhaps both equally mistaken however I must be sincere always with you for so it is and if my Lord of Arlington can obtain the Commission aforesaid then a rope for the Pope and long live the house of Nassaw you see clearly I trust you therefore I am sure you will not suffer the integrity of a poor Country Cloathier to be abused I tell you again if they can get the acting of the Peace into their hands in one word they will be able to doe their work peractum agere and much better hilted than it was the
time engag'd in quite different Counsels and Embark'd themselves and Interests upon other Bottoms having declar'd themselves against Popery c. to Dissolve the Parliament simply and without any other step made will be to leave them to govern what way they list which we have reason to suspect will be to the prejudice of France and Catholicks because their late Declarations and Actions have demonstrated to us that they take that for the most Popular way for themselves and the likeliest to keep them in Absolute Power whereas should the Duke get above them after the Tricks they have serv'd him they are not sure he will totally forget the usage he has had at their hands Therefore it imports us now to advance our Interest a little farther by some such Project as I have nam'd before we Dissolve the Parliament or else perhaps we shall but change Masters a Parliament for Ministers and continue still in the same Slavery and Bondage as before But one such step as I have propos'd being well made we may safely see them Dissolv'd and not fear the Ministers but shall be establish'd and stand firm without any Opposition for every body will then come over to us and worship the Rising Sun I have here given you the History of Three Years as short as I could though I am afraid it will seem very long and troublesom to your R. among the Multitude of the Affairs you are engag'd in I have also shewn you the present State of our Case which may by God's Providence and good Conduct be made of such Advantage to God's Church that for my part I can scarce believe my self awake or the thing real when I think of a Prince in such an Age as we live in converted to such a degree of Zeal and Piety as not to regard any thing in the World in comparison of God Almighty's Glory the Salvation of his own Soul and the Conversion of our poor Kingdom which has a long time been oppress'd and miserably harass'd by Heresie and Schism I doubt not but your R. will consider our case and take it to heart and afford us what help you can both with the King of Heaven by your Holy Prayers and with his M. C. M. by that great Credit which you most justly have with him and if ever his Ma's Affairs or your own can ever want the Service of so inconsiderable a Creature as my self you shall never find any body readier to obey your Commands or faithfuller in the execution of them to the best of his Power than 29 Sept. 1675. Your most Humble and most Obedient Servant Father le Chese his Answer From Paris October 23. 1675. SIR THE Letter which you gave your self the trouble to write to me Lec ' pro Reg. came to my hands but the last night I read it with great satisfaction and I assure you that its Length did not make it seem tedious I should be very glad on my part to assist in seconding your good Intentions I will consider of the means to effect it And when I am better informed than I am as yet I will give you an Account to the end I may hold Intelligence with you as you did with my Predecessor I desire you to believe that I will never fail as to my good will for the Service of your Master whom I honour as much as he deserves and that it is with great truth that I am Your most humble and most obedient Servant D. L. C. A Second Letter from Coleman to Father Le Chese SIR I Sent your Reverence a tedious long Letter on our 29th of September to inform you of the progress of Affairs for these two or three years last past I having now again the opportunity of a very sure hand to convey this by I have sent you a Cypher because our Parliament now drawing on I may possibly have occasion to send you something which you may be willing enough to know and may be necessary for us that you should when we may want the conveniency of a Messenger When any thing occurs of more Concern other than which may not be fit to be trusted even to a Cypher alone I will to make such a thing more secure write in Lemmon between the Lines of a Letter which shall have nothing in it visible but what I care not who sees but dried by a warm fire shall discover what is written so that if the Letter comes to your hands and upon drying it any thing appears more han did before you may be sure no body has seen it by the way I will not trouble you with that way of writing but upon special occasions and then I will give you a hint to direct you to look for it by concluding my visible Letter with something of Fire or burning by which mark you may please to know that there is something underneath and how my Letter is to be used to find it out We have here a mighty Work upon our hands no less than the Conversion of three Kingdoms and by that perhaps the subduing of a Pestilent Heresie which has domineered over great part of this Northern World a long time there were never such hopes of Success since the Death of Queen Mary as now in our dayes When God has given us a Prince who is become may I say a Miracle zealous of being the Author and Instrument of so glorious a Work but the opposition we are sure to meet with is also like to be great so that it imports us to get all the Aid and Assistance we can for the Harvest is great and the Labourers but few That which we rely upon most next to God Almighty's Providence and the favour of my Master the Duke is the mighty Mind of his most Christian Majesty whose generous Soul inclines him to great Undertakings which being managed by your Reverence's exemplary Piety and Prudence will certainly make him look upon this as most sutable to himself and best becoming his Power and Thoughts so that I hope you will pardon me if I be very troublesome to you upon this occasion from whom I expect the greatest help we can hope for I must confess I think his most Christian Majesty's Temporal Interest is so much attracted to that of his R. H. which can never be considerable but upon the growth and Advancement of the Catholick Religion that his Ministers cannot give him better Advice even in a Politick sense abstracting from the Considerations of the next World that of our blessed Lord to seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and the Righteousness thereof that all other things may be added unto him That I know his most Christian Majesty has more powerful Motives suggested to him by his own Devotion and your Reverence's Zeal for God's Glory to engage him to afford us the best help he can in our present Circumstances But we are a little unhappy in this that we cannot press his Majesty by his present