MRP: 22nd December 1657, Letter from Mr. Longland, agent at Leghorne, to secretary Thurloe
22nd December 1657, Letter from Mr. Longland, agent at Leghorne, to secretary Thurloe
Source: Vol. lvi. p. 119[1]
Editorial history
20/12/11, CSG: Created page & posted letter
Suggested links
Assorted letters of Charles Longland, Livorno (Various)
Letter
Right honorable,
As the greatest part of Itally has bin much afflicted for these two yeares with a siknes, so now it suffers much by raynes, which hav not hetherto permitted the contryman to til or sow the ground, in so much that a derth is unavoydably lyk to follow. The swourd lykwys has or wil play its part, for the French ar masters of the field in the state of Millan, having a continual suply of new forces from France; and next spring threaten a deeper invasion into the hart of it, to compleat its misery. Ther may be a kynd of providence in it (I am certain ther is much of justis and equity) that thos nations, who formerly hav bin so tiranyzed by this, should each of them one tym or other hav a share in afflicting Itally. At Rom the raynes hav bin so vyolent, that the torrent has born down part of the mountayn and much of the wal of the Quirinal whylst the pope was present. My correspondent wryts me thence, that as Noah's flood was in the year of the wourld 1657, so we being now in the sam year of our Lord, they did fear another deluge. Althoh he would seem witty in his glossing, yet I am certain 'tis only God's mercy in long forbearance, that keeps them from such a judgment; for the piple of the ould world wer never half so bad as thes. The cardinal Antonio Barbarin, who cam latly from France, has bin at Modena to vizit that duk, and thence goes to Rom.
This week is arryved here an Inglish ship from Tunis, which confirms the taking of a smale Inglish ship laden with currance for Ingland; which ship they ar setting out for a man of war, and seaven others, wherof three carry thirty guns a peice. If your honor would pleas to imploy your power with his hyhnes towards the sending into thes seas a squadron of frigats, you would exceedingly oblidge both marchants and sea-men, and advance our navigation; for peace may be had with Tunis and Tripoly for asking; and when that is effected, they may attend the suppressing the Majorkins, or any other servis his hyhnes may command them. I assure your honor, if that should succeed, which is so much talkt of every-wher (wars with the Dutch) it would be good pollicy to be beforhand with them in thes seas, as they wer with us last bout. All which your honor may in wisdom consider, and excuse herin the bouldnes of,
Leghorn, 22d Dec. 1657. [N.S.]
Right honorable, Your most humble and faithfull servant, Charles Longland.
I am stil an humble supplicant to your honnor about the trade propounded on the coast of Mosambik as far as Zacatora yland, in form and manner conteyned in the articles delivered your honor by mr. Goodwin, that you would be plesed to procure me a patent, ether from his hyhnes or the Est-India company; which by your honor's recommendation may esilly be had ether way. First, the company mak not the lest use of the trade in that vast tract of ground, nether hav they really any intent or infyght thereinto; the truth wherof they must needs confes, if his hyhnes cal for them, and demand it of them: so his hyhnes may as frely grant me a pattent of what they make no use of, as he has alredy granted them the pattent for the Est-India trade. I humbly conceiv it is contrary to the true intent of his hyhnes pattent, that they should keep in theyr power such large territoryes, without making the lest use of them; nether do I any thing els in this my request, then siek the companye's benefit; for I hav offered in this my intended trade, if they wil becom advanturers, for ten or twenty thousand pounds, to double theyr money in fower yeares (as good a benefit as the Est-India trade ever made them in the best tymes). I could wish his hyhnes or his right honorable councel would accept of this offer; I should rather hav them for my masters then the Est-India company. Althoh I hav got the experience of this intended trade here abroad amongst strangers, yet I utterly deny the interest of any stranger therin, but only our own nation: so that if your honor will pleas to favour me with your patronage herin, I shal imediately desyre your lycence to leav this countrey, and repair hom for Ingland, wher I shal ever acknolledge myself,
Right honnorable,
Your most humble and gratefull servant,
- ↑ Thomas Birch (ed.), 'State Papers, 1657: December (3 of 6)', A collection of the State Papers of John Thurloe, vol. 6: January 1657 - March 1658 (London, 1742), pp. 670-683. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=55628 Date accessed: 20 December 2011
