HOLLAND DOCUMENTS: II. 131 be done with Parliament, for the good of the nation. Some of the Commissioners' suite had heard some Cavaliers of the court wish the said Commissioners much bad luck, should they wait on the King for the purpose of malting peace. A printed copy of the King's answer accompanies this, by which your High Mightinesses will perceive, more clearly, the nature of his Majesty's demands, and that he hath required a full and positive answer thereunto by Wednesday, the xxvii. of July, old style. How it is received by the Houses of Parliament, I have not heard for certain. After the departure of the aforesaid Commissioners, the King went to Leicestershire, where, it is reported, a division has broken out among the people. And a committee of Parliament is engaged in putting into execution the militia law. The people had, moreover, refused to deliver up the magazine; but it is as yet scarcely possible to write with any certainty about such matters as transpire at a distance from here ; seeing, by daily experience, that things are printed here, under the eyes of Parliament, which have not the least semblance of truth. Your High Mightinesses' despatches of the xxvii. July, are delivered to me whilst I am engaged in writing this. I thank your High Mightinesses for the Rescript,' and I shall make

use of it as occasion demands, and state decidedly every where, when the subject is mentioned, that your High Mightinesses will not meddle with the domestic difficulties of this kingdom, and that the government of the United Netherlands keeps itself neutral in this regard. I avoid as much as possible having any thing to do with the Parliament, and holding any conversation with the members thereof, in order not to excite any cause of jealousy.