for which my heart deceives me greatly, if I durst not even die. To God Almighty I betake it, for support and speedy good success, and shall bear witness of your always ready co-operation towards it; and the servants of it, indeed, increase and multiply the number of the king's faithful ministers, in which number, Sir, we shall honour you as one of the chief, who is

Your most humble servant,

ISAAC BASIRE.

P.S.-I do reserve a few observations upon the printed letter, for conference on, for my next.

John Evelyn to Sir Richard Browne.

[The succeeding twenty-four letters were written secretly by Evelyn to Sir Richard Browne, at this time ambassador from England to the Court of France, and whose daughter Evelyn had married in the previous summer. The signature principally adopted, "Aplanos," was the corrup tion of a Greek word, expressive of the constancy of his opinions; and the fictitious address was to "Mr. Peters." The letters throw considerable light on the party feelings and movements of the stirring time they describe. It was the period known in the history of the "Great Rebellion" as that of the Second Civil War, when the attitude of the Independents had alarmed the more timid of the Presbyterians in the city and elsewhere, and simultaneous tumults in Kent, Essex, and other counties, seconded by a rising in Wales, seemed to threaten a general recommencement of strife. The letters of Evelyn embrace this period, and that which immediately succeeded the death of the King, when the daring policy of Cromwell and the parliamentary leaders suggested more wary tactics to the partisans of the King's son. They are full of error and mis-statement which it is not necessary to correct, and which on the writer's part implied no intention to mislead, except so far as the ardent expectations of his party heightened and coloured his views. A comparison of the authentic accounts with those of Aplanos, in the matter of the Surrey petitioners, as of other well-known incidents referred to, suggests simply to what extent the immediate excitement of those momentous days told upon the respective hopes and fears of all who were engaged in them. And it is most interesting to observe the change of tone in these communications after the tragedy in Whitehall. The letter dated the 26th of March (see p. 39) may be called in some sort the manifesto of that intelligent party of royalists among whom Evelyn became afterwards more distinguished, and whose watchwords, derived from the experience of Charles's melancholy reign, were "the Protestant profession," " the old way of a free parliament," and " the known laws of the land."]

London, 6 December, 1647.

SIR, Being about a day old in town, since my Sussex journey, where I have put mine estate in some better posture than it was, and am much obliged to my uncle William for his company, I have employed yesterday and a part of the present to inform myself of intelligence fit to furnish you withal; for which purpose I went yesterday as far as Chelsea, and dined with Sir John 31, who shewed me extraordinary courtesy, and more than twice conjured me to make trial of his friendship upon all occasions, as if somebody had expressly bespoken him; that evening 1 made a visit to my Lord of 36, and my character goes among all mine acquaintance for the civilest traveller that ever returned; for I was expected all ribbon, feather, and romanço, which has turned much to my account, though better spoken from another. I have been this day at St. James's to have moved Mr. 118 in the fresh prosecution of our business, and brought it to a personal treaty with his friend the Colonel; but he being gone to visit his uncle, who lies a dying, as others think, sick out of design, as usually he is once a month, to have leisure to tell and dispose of his vast treasure, I could not compass mine intention as I hope very shortly to do. From here I called upon 131, where, though I found your cousin Fanshawe and my Lord Arundel of Wardour (very good company), yet I brought back little news but what you will find enclosed in this pamphlet, being very ingeniously the full substance of what is positively true.

For

It is said that his Majesty is in straiter custody in the Isle of Wight than ever he was at Hampton Court, but this is not generally believed. The propositions are certainly to be sent him some time this present week, and there are who are confident he will sign them. many my part, I think the personal treaty a mere juggle, and that his Majesty shall never be the nearer to London, if they have power to adjourn, where and when they please. The King's case is just like the disarmed man, who, whether he agree that his antagonist shall keep his weapon or not, is forced to let him have it. The Parliament have

gotten the power, and now they ask his Majesty by these propositions whether he assent they should keep it, when, as in truth, they are agreed upon it already, in despite of his teeth. From whence I conclude that if he sign them, he will be but in statu quo nunc, and if he refuse them, in far greater peril than ever he was yet, since he was sold to those tyrants. But, that which is news indeed, the agitators are for certain reconciled with the army, and, since the last council, held by them (as I take it) on Saturday last, as high and strong as ever they were; which is a mutation that makes us all at a maze what project is now a-working. You will shortly hear of Cromwell's vision, and how, on Friday night last he being strucken blind for the space of four hours, during which he had a conference with God, persuading him to adjust with the holy agitators, he next day put it in execution. To-morrow we look for strange things; these monsters and some principal of the army being expected at the parliament, some say, absolutely to dissolve them, others, more discerning, to purge them again of about 70 moderate humours that hinder operations. Quorsum hæc? O Heavens! we are now more in the dark than ever, and I protest unto you things were never more unriddleable than at this instant of time, after so many fair and promising expectations. I have lately newly learned that the army are generally marching into Hampshire: what that signifies I give you leave to judge; as well as conjecture of their affections to the settling of his Majesty, by those letters of my Lord Digby, published on purpose to enfever the people against him, as one that practised a parley in Ireland to subdue them in England.

This, Sir, is all our news at present; and I cordially wish that, in case it be no better, it would suddenly be worse, that so we may know where to apply ourselves and interest, in which (I do not doubt) but I shall prove serviceable unto you effectually. In the mean time I must not forget to advise you of a secret which was imparted me by a real friend who wishes you well for my sake, my old cousin 34, 51, 7, 13, 20, 2, 14, a quick, honest, shrewd man, and one I dare confide in; and it was that he should be told by one, who was very intimate with his Majesty, that 82 had an ill opinion of you, as if you had held intelligence with some

here, for which (seeing there was no conjuring him to discover me the persons) I rendered him many thanks: but conjecture, from the daily conversation of your brother Sir D. 41, and Mr. 32 with him, that it must be one of them; and of them rather the first, because, for the latter, I have ever heard him declare himself so much your friend: but this is a time that shall well warrant all suspicion; and as I hope it will nothing discourage you, as innocence and a good conscience is a perpetual feast, so I am confident you will not forget to make such use thereof as stands with your interest, and excuse me for this impartial boldness which I always assume in rendering you the best intelligence I can learn; for so is my duty, and I am resolved to discharge that so long as I have the honour to remain, Sir,

Yours,

APLANOS.

I counsel you to make God your friend and trust, nor fear what men can do. My next shall inform you how far my brother and I are proceeded; but the time now prevents me, and he in the country, to fetch up money.

Sir, I beseech you make what enquiry you can, to inform me how I may write to my co. Thom.; for I have important business with him, which I may do him service in, if I knew how to convey him advice.

Superscribed "A Monsieur, MONSIEUR PETERS, Au Lion d'Argent vis-à-vis le Grand Moyse, rue de Foures Faubourges, St. Germain, Paris." And endorsed" From my son EVELYN, 6 December, 1647."

SIR,

London, 21st April, 1648.

These two posts having failed me of intelligence from your parts, makes me a little pause, it being now a time amongst us of many expectations from you in order to the motion of His Highness the Prince of Wales. Since my last to you, which was April 13th, the good news from Scotland holds, though haply their pretensions prove more specious than the conclusion real; I make no recapitulation, because I know they are amongst your weekly extraordinaries. There is no fear of the compliance of the parliament, city, and army, with their demands,

which are covenant and presbytery, if our brethren will be content to tolerate independency, out of hope to be masters of that, when they shall have obtained the other; but on the other side, if the army have the wit to see this, I have answered mine own objection as I wished, and do verily believe that if the Parliament join issue with the Scots in this sense, the independent part of the army with the discontents and loyal subjects both of city and country, will bring his Majesty in upon another score. But these are only my private suggestions, for which there is yet little presumption. Poyer*, whose forces are not above 3000 horse and foot, my last intelligence being erroneous, has in Wales very newly defeated a considerable party of horse lately sent against him; and if Inchiquin so far overpower him in those parts as to make a handsome head, and protect such as shall recruit, without doubt that may prove a great advantage to the affairs and expectations now on foot: but of this nothing can be said till he land, which is more talked of than believed. God bless Poyer till that time.

Letters are come this day from the north, altogether owning Sir Thomas Glenham and the rest as no incendiaries, and making good our former intelligence of their realities and preparation for the field, in pursuance of those resolutions you have heard; which gives small satisfaction to our states here. That there has been, and is, tampering with the King is certain; I both hear, and hope he will be wise.

Sir John Geare appeared yesterday before the Lords, where he, refusing to kneel, was fined £500. His charge was only read; but in his going through the Hall he dispersed among the people a thousand printed papers, wherein he summoned all the free subjects of England to stand stoutly to their ancient privileges, affirming them to

* Poyer, a dissolute but brave Welshman, and a Colonel in the army of the party called Presbyterian royalists, took a prominent part in the Second Civil War, by holding out Pembroke Castle for several days against the siege of Cromwell. He surrendered on the 11th July, 1648, and on the 8th March, 1648-9, having been voted guilty of treason, was shot in Covent Garden. He, and two other Welsh Colonels, found guilty at the same time, had been allowed to draw lots to determine which single life should expiate the guilt of all; and the lot fell to Poyer.

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