shews that, in the opinion of some, his loyalty was not free from suspicion. Let us hope that the letters now printed may be the means of others being made public which will elucidate to a later period, with all the freshness of contemporary documents, the biography of this remarkable man. Although relating chiefly to public matters, genuine touches of the man crop up here and there in the letters, and shew, as do many other letters of Williams, his readiness to use his great influence on behalf of those who solicited his interposition. The letters also form a contribution to the history of the civil war in Wales and the border counties; and those who are so disposed may compare with other narratives the flying intelligence of the day, as it reached the Archbishop, and was by him transmitted to the chief governor of Ireland. The delay and uncertainty attending the transmission of news in those troublous times is shewn in several instances by a comparison of the date at which the letter was written with that at which it reached its not distant destination. I have added a few notes, and those who desire to pursue the subject cannot do better than consult Clarendon's History of the Rebellion, and Carte's Life of Ormond. I append a list of the letters, forming part of the correspondence, which have been printed by Carte, with the reference where each may be found in the Oxford edition of 1851. 1643, October 26-Ormond to Williams, V. 479 506 514 49 104 113 120 123 270 It only remains to state that the printing of the following letters is due to the liberality of the Earl Powis. May 1869. B. H. BEEDHAM. LETTER I. WILLIAMS TO ORMOND. Original: own hand. Vol. vii, fo. 348.1 Maye it please your Excellencye, I haue troubled your Excleueye wth soe many of my letters of late, that it were a sinne to hynder your more necessarye Occasions, wth the relacion of impertinencyes. Capt. Bartlett can report, the progresse of your Armye thus farre. If any necessarye Occurrant, shall yeat happen, before his departure from this place, I will not faile to impart it. My humble suyte vnto your Exs (wth thankes for all former favoures) is to giue vs creditt for 10. Barels of powder to be brought for the vse of this Countye, by Cap Bartlett. and 6 for myne owne, at as lowe rates as may be pcur'de, because Dr. Ketelbye tells me, the price is somwhat risen. And I will vndertake, to paye the money forthwth, wth thankes. Or if your Exere be overtroubled, I humbly desire your Exeye to send this letter to my most Reverend Brother and Cozen, my Lrd Archbpp of Divlyn, who, I hope, will finde som'e occasion to transport an Exchange of soe much money, wch I will see, duelye & truelye paide vnto his Grace his Correspondent. And not troublynge your Excleneye any further, I humblye take my leaue, beseechinge God to blesse your Exelencse and remayneinge, Most noble lord, Your Excellencyes most humble servant, JO: BPP. OF YORKE. Beaumarice, this 22th of Novemb. 1643. To his Excellencye, the Lord Marques of Ormond humblye p'sent these. 3 (Indorsed) Lord Archbushop of York Dat. 22. Nob } 1643. br. Rec. 11 Ja: 1 This must be understood as referring to the Carte Papers when no other collection is mentioned. 2 Lancelot Bulkeley. 3 "All indorsed with the name of the writer, the date of each letter, and the time of its receipt, marked in his Grace's handwriting." (Carte's Life of Ormond, preface.) LETTER II. WILLIAMS TO ORMOND. Original: own hand. Vol. viii, fo. 89. Maye it please your Excellencye Capt. Wake sent me your Exclencyes Letter of the 27th of Nouemb. about the 3d of December, havinge not seene him himself, as yeat. Whereby I perceive your Exc. hath received somme, and not received many other of my letters. Whereof I doe not much mervaile, cōsideringe howe obstinately, the wynde hath remayned fixt, in one point, these six or 7 weekes, to the Admiration of the verye Seamen. But God Almighty His Mercye, wth your Excs providence, and (I verilye beleeve it) the Fortune of Cæsar, nowe enclininge to the best, haue made all my letters vseles and my feares groūdles, and reduced all thinges to such a passe as your Exc. may p'ceive, by these enclosed letters, all written vpon the place, and left me nothinge to doe, but to remayne as long as I liue your Exc3 vassal, for your care of this place and Contrey, and to returne vnto your Exce all possible thankes, in our behalfes, wch I hope I shall, ere long, p'vayle wth his mtye to doe likewise, whom, by Command I am shortlye to visitt. And yeat I dare not discharge your Excye of your intended favoures towards vs, but doe desire, we may still, if god for our sins, continue these troubles, relie vpon those 100 men, to be lent vnto vs. And I will acquaint your Excye (whose Judgemt I finde to exceede much your yeares) wth my onelye Feares. We heare the Scots (that fatall Nation to this Kingedom, from whom once our happines1 and of late all our miseryes haue beene derived) are somwhat buysie and troublesom in that, and meane to be more styrringe by March and Aprill, in this Kingedom. And truelye, I ever feard, the last blowe, wold be struck, betwixt the Kinge and that nation. And I doe nowe belieue, your Armye and theyres (if they advance to any purpose) will begin that playe, err long, vnder the conduct of the lord Byron. wch your Exore may p'ceive to be the opinion likewise of St Orl. Bridgeman, the Atturney of the wardes, and Maister (as they saye) in effect, the lord Treasurer onelye beareinge the name. 1 Alluding probably to James I. If therefore, vpon these troubles, we be forced in this place, to putt in a Garison, and can finde any meanes to support the same: I shall declare myself freelye to his mtye, I dare not relie vpon the Natives, but must advise his mtye to followe the auncient wayes of Garisoninge these Contreys wh is, to mingle the forces, especially nowe, that my Contry-men haue shewed so much theyr inexperience. And in this case (most noble lord) we are like to call vpon your Exe agayne, for this favoure, as soone as ever, I can (by helpe of his mtye) procure any settled meanes from this, I cannot tell, whyther more poore, or more obstinate Contrey. The Castle here beinge repayred, well victuayled, & reasonablye amunitioned, but all vpon myne owne private chardges, whose poore meanes are (in England) destroyed by the Rebels, & nowe dried vp in Wales, for want of my Rents, caused by the want of our sale of Cattle, in these intestine troubles. Your Excores Forces are indeed most opportunelye all, & the greatest part most convenientlye arrived, vnder Moston.1 And such as by stormes were cast vpon these Coastes, will (I will hope) confesse, they were kindelye received, as we must alsoe saye, they made all possible speede to theyr Rendevous, and companions. And caried themselves, in theyr passage extreme civillye. And when, we shall call vpon your Excye for Ayde, I shall not much trouble my self wth the profession of the officers, soe they be honest & the Kinge's liege subiectes and approved by your Exe. And I haue known S'William power ambiguously spoken of of late, & many other worthy men of that Name, some Irish & somme 1 Mostyn in Flintshire, upon the Dee. of Oxfordshyre, beside the late Viscount of Valencia, my Alliesman. I haue allreadye sent by Capt. Bartlet, for some part of the powder, for the vse of Anglesey & myne owne private woh I will see discharged God knoweth, we haue great neede of Armes in these partes, but the people are soe froward and some of the gentrye soe backward (out of slownes or popularitye) as they cannot be induced to furnish themselves. Besides that Bartlet, hath vndertaken to furnishe them with Muskets at 12l. a score, wch is somwhat lesse, then 16l. a score for Muskets & Bandoliers vnles they be verye and compleatelye good. But if any Merchant will adventure to bringe them over to Bowmarishe, it shall goe very hard, but I will p'cure him riddance of most of his Commodityes. And what shalbe remayninge, if he wilbe content to receive payment, vpon good Assignemts, at Yorke, Newarke, or London, I will take my selfe and disperse amongst my Tenants in this Contrey. And howeu' am most highelye obliged for this favoure, to your Excre. Nowe god Almightye blesse & p'serve your noble Excre and send you all possible ioye of this_greate Office, His mtye hath most iustlye placed in your Person, Si Troia dextra Defendi potis est, etiam hac defensa futura est.1 Your Excellencyes most humble, and most obliged servant JO: ARCHBPP OF YORKE. Conwaye this 18th of Decemb. 1643. To his Excellencye, the lord Marquis of Ormond, lord Lieutenant of Ireland humbly p'sent these in hast for his mtyes service. (Indorsed) La Arch Bipp of Yorke 1 JO: EBOR. Dat. 18. Dec) 1643. al Si Pergama dextra Defendi possent, etiam hac defensa fuissent. Virgil, Æneid ii, 292, 293. |