which I have written, I never sent any one that I can tell of, but what were required of me expressly; for though I have had the vanity to publish, and to think some of them might be useful to persons of my little force, I did not think them considerable enough to make any public present of. The honour they have done me in marking them in the Bodleian Catalogue was not only beside my expectation, but beyond my merit or ambition.

Thus, Sir, I have endeavoured to reply to the various periods of your letter with all truth and sincerity; the reproaches you give me are but what indeed I deserve, nor will I farther extenuate the causes of them. I am only sorry that the posture of my affairs does not permit me to make the college a handsome present.

I am, dear Sir,

Your most humble and faithful servant,

J. EVELYN.*

Dr. Thomas Good to John Evelyn.

WORTHY SIR,

Baliol College, Oxford, 2nd March, 1675-6.

I do not remember that there was one syllable in my late letter tending to your reproach: it is true I imputed a piece of unkindness to you in passing by your old college and your old friend unsaluted, for which you have made ample satisfaction by your apology, and have given a sufficient testimony that you have not forgotten the place of your education by your free and liberal remembrance of us, for which be pleased to accept of this return of our hearty thanks; and, notwithstanding your modest expressions concerning your ingenious books, if you shall vouchsafe to bestow them upon our library, you will very much oblige our whole society, and especially,

Your very thankful and humble servant,

THOMAS GOOD.

* Evelyn has endorsed this letter (which is without date) as follows: "I now sent him by Dr. Crouch 201., which was much more than Dr. Good expected, as I since understood from him."

Dr. John Fell (Bishop of Oxford) to John Evelyn.

April 26, 1676.

SIR, We must never forget the obligation which my Lord Marshal has laid upon the university in the donation of his Marbles; and, while we remember that, cannot choose to bear in mind your great kindness in that affair. Having at last finished the account of his and our other monuments, they are all dedicated to my Lord, and would be presented to him by the mediation of the same person who was so instrumental in the gift of them. The bearer hereof is the editor, by whose industry and care the work was done; and he is ordered by Mr. Vice Chancellor, in the name of the university, to present you with a copy, as a testimony of the sense they have of your favour to them. This is all that I have at present to trouble you with, adding my wishes of all health to you,

I remain, Sir, &c.,

JOHN ΟΧΟΝ.

Anne, Countess of Sunderland, to John Evelyn.

February 11, 1678.

I AM most confident of your friendly wishes, and value them extremely. For this honour the King has done my Lord,† I cannot think it worth the rejoicing much at as times now are; I have else reason to be glad for what you mention; I could say much to you of my thoughts of this matter, but it is my waiting day: I pray God to direct my Lord, and prosper him to the good of his country, and to God's glory; pray for him and me, and

I am sincerely your friend,

A. SUNDERLAND.

* See ante, p. 198-200. All the circumstances of the gift are detailed in the Diary, vol. ii. pp. 29–31. Mr. Howard was now Lord Howard.

He was created baron in 1669, and succeeded as sixth Duke of Norfolk in 1677. For private circumstances connected with his life which gave great offence to Evelyn, see Diary, vol. ii. pp. 65, and 118.

+ Lord Sunderland was appointed Secretary of State at this time.

Anne, Countess of Sunderland, to John Evelyn.

March 3, 1678.

I BELIEVE the news of the Duke and Duchess being gone will surprise you, as it does other people; the King has declared that he commanded his brother to retire. I beseech God it may produce the effects hoped for from it. I am heartily grieved for poor Lady S., who has gone with them, it is so bad weather. I thought myself obliged, on all accounts, to tell you this by letter, which should be longer, but I am not well.

Your very sincere friend,

A. SUNDERLAND.

Anne, Countess of Sunderland, to John Evelyn.

Whitehall, 28th October, 1678.

I CAN never want inclination to give you any satisfaction in my power, but there is yet very little discovery made. On Saturday the Commons made an address to the King to banish all the Catholics to twenty miles from London, which was favourably answered. There were named to go to-night to visit the prisoners in Newgate, Lord Treasurer, Lord Shaftesbury, Lord Essex, Lord Clarendon, and the Bishop of London, in order to examine them, and to report to the House; but they could not learn any thing of them; found Coleman very insolent, and not at all inclined to enlighten them. They are to go again to-day, to try for better success. This day the two Houses were much alarmed with Sir Edward Rich, of Lincolnshire, coming when they were sitting, and bidding them begone, or they would all be blown up; upon which there was search made, but nothing found, and he looked upon as a madman. The Commons sent up to the Lords to join with them in making all papists incapable of sitting in either House, but as yet they have done nothing in it. There is a strange consternation amongst all sorts of people. I beseech God to fit us to bear all the sad things we have in prospect prepared for us. Madame Mazarin was named in the House of Commons to-day for one of the Pope's

emissaries: 'twere to be wished that assembly would stick to the weightier concerns of our laws and religion, but God knows what is best for us. When there is any thing new, assure yourself you shall hear from yours very sincerely, A. SUNDERLAND.

Anne, Countess of Sunderland, to John Evelyn.

25th December, 1678.

I SHOULD think I was mighty happy were it in my power to show you any friendship; till it is, accept of what I can do, which is very small, but very willingly performed by me. I think, when you left, the business of my Lord Treasurer was afoot, which proceeded to an impeachment, containing six articles: the two first, which they built most upon, was what Mr. Montague's letters furnished, which they divided into two articles, that went under the name of high treason. The treating with the King of France for peace, as they must suppose without the knowledge of the King, because these letters bear date the 25th, and the King's revealed will, declared in Parliament the 20th, was the reason to go on with a thorough war with France; this they say is treason, and therefore impeached him of traitorously to have assumed the regal power to himself by treaties of peace and war by his own counsel: the other was about the breach of act of Parliament in keeping up the army. These were the two of treason; the others are misdemeanors, of great kind, too long to write: but it was their intent the putting in treason to have obliged the Lords to have committed him, and then made no question, but to have proved all upon him; but after a long debate it was not found treason according to the act, and therefore the Lords would not allow of sequestering him of his place, and his Lordship does yet keep the King's ear. Between you and I, I fear he will find he is ill-advised if he thinks to carry it with a high hand; for I believe he will prove a wounded deer, and be very unserviceable to the King in the place he is in: this is, at least, the opinion of wise persons. To-morrow, they say, will be a hot day, and show us much. I am told they mean to move him an enemy to the country, and that they will never give money

while he has the managing of it: if they do that, God knows what will follow, and how far he will be able in such case to carry things. It is out of my province to speak on these matters, but what ought I not to do to save one to whom I have such great obligations. As to the plot, it looks as if God Almighty would bring it all out, whether we will or not, and show us our wilful blindness. The day you went, Bedloe cast his eye upon a man that followed his coach, and on a sudden cried out that they should lay hold of him, for that was the man that he had described to the two Houses, and that he could never find: upon which the man was seized, loaded with chains, and sent to Newgate. Bedloe says, swearing, he was one that killed Godfrey, and that, if he would confess, he could make great discoveries; upon which the Lords obtained his pardon of the King, and went on Monday with it to the dungeon, where they were a considerable time, my Lord Winchester, Lord Essex, Lord Shaftesbury, Lord Grey. At their coming away the King went to my Lord Winchester, and asked him what they had discovered; he answered, not any thing, that the fellow seemed to be an idle fellow, and contradicted himself: this very well satisfied the King: but they had entered into a solemn oath not to discover. On Monday they obtained a summons from Secretary Williamson to search Somerset House, where they found all the people, save one, that he had told them, and seized them. This made a great noise yesterday; and this fellow, who is a silversmith, and used to clean the plate of the Queen's Chapel, was brought before the King and Council, and upon search they are now satisfied the murder was done at Somerset House. The King himself begins to believe it; my Lord Bellasis is still named to be the chief in it by this fellow, too; several other very weighty circumstances he told, and several other persons he has named in private to a committee of the House of Commons last night, who were writing what he said two hours at the prison. One thing more I must not omit, which is said, that in the search at Somerset House after the men this fellow accused, they found between fifty and sixty Irish and other priests, but not having a warrant to seize them, they could not. I assure you of my sincere friendship, and am your attached servant, A. SUNDERLAND.