MRP: 1st August 1653, Letter from Mr. Cha. Longland to secretary Thurloe

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1st August 1653, Letter from Mr. Cha. Longland to secretary Thurloe

Source: Vol. iv. p. 302.[1]

Editorial history

20/12/11, CSG: Created page & posted letter



Suggested links


Assorted letters of Charles Longland, Livorno (Various)



Letter


Leghorn, 1 August, 1653. [N. S.]

Vol. iv. p. 302.

Honor'd sir,

I Hav kept a constant course in wryting to you according to your commands; but hetherto I hav not heard, that any of my letters hav bin received by you. However according to my duety I shal continue in giving you account of what passes here in refference to the enemy. The seven sail of Duch that brauht the Harry Bona and her pryz, hav continued in this port till this morning, when four of them, such as ar the proper ships of that state, departed towards Cales, where they are to receiv or meet orders to go hom. They have carryed the Harry with them, but left her pryz here to sel. Here remain likwys four other men of war, that hav bin so made in thes seas from marchant men. Tis likwys here reported for truth, that al such ships as hav bin taken up from marchant men into that servis, shal lykwys remain in thes seas as a guard; whereof ther wil be about a dozen; and our states quondam ship the Lepard is to be admiral of them. I kno not, how it wil pleas the state at hom to order things in relation to thes parts; but certainly if they could spare a squadron of twenty saile to remayn here, I am very confident they should maintain themselves by what purchase they myht get; for since we hav bin outed, al the trade of the Levant is in the hands of the Duch; and now every day is expected a ship of theyrs, that is worth fifty thousand pounds; and this is a place, wher any comodity whatsoever wil yeld mony. I am confident, if the dispach of such a fleet were suden aud closly carryed, most of the Duch here in thes seas would sal irreparably into theyr hands. Althoh the late great victory, and the happy prossecution of it, be suffitiently known here, yet, sir, by your favour the many petty affronts, and disgraces, and losses we hav had here by that nation, ouht to hav a particuler vindication in thes parts; stil submitting my self to thos better judgments, that hav the ordering of thos great affaires. I hav given you such intelligence from Rom, as I can procure by the hands of our Inglish ther. If you pleas to impart unto me more of your mynd therin, you shal redily be serv'd therein by,

Sir, your faithful servant,

Charles Longland.
  1. Thomas Birch (ed.), 'State Papers, 1653: July (4 of 5)', A collection of the State Papers of John Thurloe, vol. 1: 1638-1653 (London, 1742), pp. 363-376. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=55265 Date accessed: 20 December 2011