MRP: 9th January 1653/54, Letter from Mr. Charles Longland to secretary Thurloe

9th January 1653/54, Letter from Mr. Charles Longland to secretary Thurloe

Source: Vol. ix. p. 242..

Editorial history

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

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Suggested links

Assorted letters of Charles Longland, Livorno (Various)

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Letter

Leghorn, 9 Jan. 1653. [N. S.]

Last week I gav answer to yours of the 21st November: this week's post has brauht me non from you. Here are arryved from the Streit's mouth al the Duch men of war, except two, which they say are founderd in the Gulf of Lyons by a great storm: althoh they hav taken twelve Inglish, yet here ar arryvd but four of them; whether the rest are founderd or rather purloynd by the Duch we know not; but the latter is more probable. I hav this week read letters from Cales, Mallaga, Alligant, Barcalona, and Marselles from Inglish factors resident in thes several places, al ful of complaints of theyr losses by the Duch, and som not a little lamenting how they are neglected by the state, and cast all theyr losses on them; wherewith I thoht good to acquaint you, that thos in power may know it; and if theyr wisdoms think sitting to send a good squadron into thes seas, they will giv content to al the traders for Spayn, Itally, and Turkey; and indeed tis a great point of wisdom, when the petitioners ar many and considerable, to giv them content, especially in such a bisnes as this, which wil so much advance the honour of the state; althoh (God be thanked) we have gaind at hom more then twys ten times more then the enemy has gained here in thes seas of us, yet our losses here hav bin so visible to al Europ, Asia, and Affrica, that they wil not believ but our condition is as bad at hom. A nimble squadron to spend three or four monthes tym in thes seas, to destroy the few Duch (about eight sail) who are no better mand then marchantmen; would excedingly advance the state's honour; and I am confident put the state to no charge, but maintain themselves with advantage upon the spoile of the enemy. Sir, if this appear reasonable unto you, as proffitable for the state, pray further it what you can. I suppos the chief reson which has causd the state to forbear sending a squadron into thes seas, has bin to deteyn the marchants ships at hom from carrying away the seamen, wherby the state's ships would be disfurnished, and so disabled from servis; which may be prevented, by making a privat dispach of the said intended squadron, or at left by putting an imbargo upon al marchants ships betwixt Duch and French. Ther are now in Turkey a dozen sail of ships, who in three or four months may be back in this port; the left of them may be worth fifty thousand pounds. Half a dozen of such pryzes would be very helpful to the state, and here they wil sel al for redy mony, and therby to suply the fleet with al things necessary.

A Venetian marchant in this place has very good advys from London weekly from one of the same nation: this last week he had advys, how many articles wer agreed upon with the Duch commissioners, upon what termes we stand with France, and the legue to be made with Sweden against Denmark, insomuch that not the Italians but Inglish themselves ar furnisht with newes of Ingland from this stranger. It would ad much to my credit here, as I am the state's servant, to hav frequent and good advys of al such passages at hom at the first hand: the governor and other officers wil ask me, if such and such things be so; wherunto I can say nothing but what is common upon the exchange, which if it once prov true tis six tymes the contrary: 'tis in your power to remedy this, and enable me to keep a better correspondency with the great duk's officers.

You wil hav seen by the intelligences from Rom, that the pope and the Spanyard ar at very great differences, yet all things ar hetherto dissembled with much art. The pope very cunningly got the conte di Ognati, late vice king of Naples, to be removed, who past by this place latly for Genoa and Millan, when he is to be president of the affaires of Itally, which is a far greater power then what he had at Naples; and therfor the pope does now much repent his removal. Tis very certain, that the king of Spain is very sensible of the many affronts the pope has done him, and would willingly be revenged, if he wer in a capacity; whereof Ingland myht mak good use, if they had don with the stubborn Duch: I hope the tym is not far off, that spirritual tiranny shall lykwys hav an end.

At this instant arryvd the Hollands post with letters of the 19/9 December, which say theyr comissioners in Ingland advys, them that the demands of the Inglish are so hyh, and (as they say) unresonable, that nothing-can be don by trety: thes things the great duk gives ful credit unto, and so the parliament is lookt upon here as imperious, unjust, and cruel. Now if the trety be broak off, it wer not amis, as I humbly conceiv, that the state did giv som publik account to the world of it (or at lest in thes present) to tak off the imputation, and to let the world know, that the fault is in the Duch, that the trety took not effect. We now hear the rest of the Inglish pryzes taken by the Duch ar in Provence, but wil be here with the first fair wether. I am,

Honoured sir, your humble servant,

Cha. Longland.