But that I had received neither letter nor complaint respecting what precedes. On the following day, I acquainted another Lord of the Upper House of what the aforesaid Earl had communicated to, and requested of, me; and added thereto, that, with his Lordship's permission, 1 should come at noon, or send to inquire what had been done regarding this affair. He said, I should send and he would communicate the resolution to me. I received the answer

first on Tuesday; and he let me know by the person I had sent, that orders had been given

the day before, without in any wise giving me to understand what had been ordered. I had

dispatched an express to Dover, on Monday, to obtain information of the real state of the detention of abovementioned three Mediterranean traders, who brought me an answer in writing from Sieur Cornelis Bos, that twelve ships, mostly English, were taken to Zealand by Mr. Tromp; and that on the ii. of the month, five Dutch Mediterranean merchantmen were detained in the Downs; but that these were released on the evening of the fifth. He added, moreover, that their voyage was scarcely interrupted. No complaints have been presented to me from these ships, nor from those carried into Zealand. Since, a report has been rendered by the Commissioners, who had been to the King, at Beverly, from the Parliament, to propose terms of accommodation to His Majesty, whereby the danger of a civil war might be avoided; people have been continually occupied in enlisting and mustering troops, both foot and horse. The city of London will furnish, and maintain for some months, it is reported, five thousand men. The apprentices who volunteer with their masters' consent, and will be received into service, will, by their service, shorten their apprenticeship, and be for ever freemen of London.