Add MS 4158

The documents here formed part of the original collection of John Thurloe (d. 1668), Secretary to the Council of State and subsequently to the two Cromwells, Lord Protectors. They illuminate both the domestic and international politics of the period, as also the scope of Thurloe's intelligence service.

This forms one volume of the Thurloe State Papers Collection of state letters and papers in the British Library. It is has been classified as Volume 4 of the Thurloe State Papers (e.g. The British Library: Catalogue of Additions to the Manuscripts, 1756-1782, London: British Library, British Museums Publications Limited, 1977, pp. 33-336), though there is a question mark as to whether Volume 1 properly belongs to this series.

The main series of Thurloe's papers were hidden behind a false ceiling in a garret over his chambers, and upon their discovery were sold to John Somers, 1st Baron Somers (1651-1716), lawyer and politician. The papers here probably came into Somers's possession after the 67 volumes of Thurloe Papers which are now in the Bodleian Library (Rawlinson MSS A 1-A 67) were bound up. They afterwards came into the hands of Philip Yorke, 1st Earl of Hardwicke, Lord Chancellor, and were 'communicated' by him to Birch, according to the Preface to the A Collection of the State Papers of John Thurloe, (London, Fletcher Gyles, 1742), 7 vols.which Birch edited and dedicated to Lord Hardwicke in 1742. From Hardwicke the letters passed to Birch who left them to the British Library.

Many of the documents here were printed in Birch, Thurloe State Papers (1742), vols 6 and 7. A number of 18th-century transcripts of items here are to be found in Bodleian Library, MS Rawlinson A 73.

Contents:

ff. 1r-2v: Letter of Frederick III, King of Denmark, to the States General of the United Provinces, Copenhagen, 30 Aug 1659. In English translation. For a copy in Dutch, see ff. 176r-v.

ff. 3r-6r: Letter of Coenraad van Beuningen ('C. van Benningen'), Dutch emissary in Denmark, Odense, 7 Sep 1657. Addressed to 'My Lord'. In English translation.

ff. 7r-v: Letter of Willem Boreel, Dutch Ambassador at Paris, to 'My Lord', Paris, 7 Sep 1657. In English translation.

ff. 8r-9v: Letter of Antoine de Bordeaux-Neufville, French Ambassador in England, to (?) Jules, Cardinal Mazarin, London, 2/12 Sep 1657. Bordeaux's text itself gives both old style and new style dates. In English translation.

ff. 11r-12v: Letter of Willem Boreel, Dutch Ambassador at Paris, to 'My Lord', Paris, 14 Sep 1657. Possibly addressed to 'my Lordes', in which case addressed to the Dutch States-General. In English translation.

ff. 13r-14v: Letter of Jacques-Auguste de Thou, French Ambassador to the Dutch Republic, to Antoine de Bordeaux-Neufville, French Ambassador in England, The Hague, 15 Sep 1657. In English translation.

ff. 15r-16v: Letter of M. le Maise, Dutch emissary to Denmark, to the Dutch Estates-General, Elsinore. 18 Sep 1657. In English translation.

ff. 17r-18v: Letter of Paulus Pels ('Pells'), Dutch Agent in Danzig, to the Dutch Estates-General, Danzig, 15 Sep 1657. In English translation.

ff. 19r-20v: Letter of Paulus Pels ('Pells'), Dutch Agent in Danzig, to the Dutch Estates-General, Danzig, 19 Sep 1657. In English translation.

ff. 21r-22v: Extracts out of the Resolutions of the Dutch Estates-General, 20 Sep 1657. In English translation.

ff. 23r-24v: Letter of Peter Charisius, Danish Resident in Holland, to Simon de Petkum, Danish Resident in England, The Hague, 21 Sep 1657.

ff. 25r-26v: Letter of Willem Boreel, Dutch Ambassador at Paris, to 'My Lord', Paris, 21 Sep 1657. In English translation.

ff. 27r-28v: Letter of Jacques-Auguste de Thou, French Ambassador to the Dutch Republic, to Antoine de Bordeaux-Neufville, French Ambassador in England, The Hague, 21 Sep 1657. In English translation.

ff. 29r-32r: Letter of Willem Nieupoort, Dutch Ambassador in England, to 'My Lord', Westminster, 21 Sep 1657.

ff. 33r-34r: Letter of Oliver St John, Lord Chief Justice of Common Pleas, to John Thurloe (at Whitehall), 24 Sep 1655.

ff. 35r-36v: Letter of Louis de Béthune, Comte de Charost, Governor of Calais, to Admiral Edward Montagu (before Dunkirk), Calais, 24 Sep 1657. Writing on behalf of Marshal Turenne. In French. With seal. With the letter is a list of munitions required, also in French (f. 37r).

ff. 38r-39v: Letter of Willem Boreel, Dutch Ambassador at Paris, to 'My Lord', Paris, 21 Sep 1657. In English translation.

ff. 40r-41v: Letter of M. de le Beigne, postmaster at Calais, Calais, 29 Sep 1657. A brief letter of news. In English translation.

ff. 42r-43v: Letter of Chevalier Hugues de Terlon ('Chevalier de Terlac'), French Ambassador to Sweden, to Antoine de Bordeaux-Neufville, French Ambassador in England, Wismar, 27 Sep 1657. In English translation.

ff. 44r-45v: Letter of George Monck to John Thurloe (at Whitehall), Dalkeith, 29 Sep 1657. With seal. As well as the endorsement of name and date is a note: 'Letters relating to the Affaires of Scotland and Ireland made up 25 Nov: 1657'.

ff. 46r-47v: Letter of Louis de Béthune, Comte de Charost, Governor of Calais, to Antoine de Bordeaux-Neufville, French Ambassador in England, Calais, 30 Sep 1657. In English translation.

ff. 48r-49v: Letter of Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Dolman to Mr Thomas Dolman, Dort (i.e Dordrecht), 31 Aug 1657. A copy.

ff. 50r-51v: Letter of Louis de Béthune, Comte de Charost, Governor of Calais, to Antoine de Bordeaux-Neufville, French Ambassador in England, Calais, 2 Oct 1657. In English translation.

ff. 52r-53v: Letter of Johann Friedrich Schlezer, Ambassador from the Elector of Brandenburg to England, to John Thurloe, 2 Oct 1657. In Latin.

ff. 54r-55v: Letter of Johann Friedrich Schlezer, Ambassador from the Elector of Brandenburg to England, to John Thurloe, 5 Oct 1657. In Latin.

ff. 56r-57v: Letter of Jacques-Auguste de Thou, French Ambassador to the Dutch Republic, to Antoine de Bordeaux-Neufville, French Ambassador in England, The Hague, 5 Oct 1657. In English translation.

ff. 58r-59v: - Brisdommer to Willem Nieupoort, Dutch Ambassador in England, The Hague, 5 Oct 1657. In English translation.

ff. 60r-61v: Letter of Paulus Pels ('Pells'), Dutch Agent in Danzig, to the Dutch Estates-General, Danzig, 6 Oct 1657. In English translation.

ff. 62r-63v: Extracts out of the Register of the Resoltions of the Dutch Estates-General, 11 Oct 1657.

ff. 64r-65v: Letter of Louis de Béthune, Comte de Charost, Governor of Calais, to Antoine de Bordeaux-Neufville, French Ambassador in England, Calais, 20 Oct 1657. In English translation.

ff. 66r-67v: Letter of Roger Boyle, Lord Broghill to John Thurloe (at Whitehall), Youghal, 23 Oct 1657.

ff. 68r-69v: Letter of Marshal Turenne (Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne, Vicomte de Turenne) to Antoine de Bordeaux-Neufville, French Ambassador in England, Calais, 25 Oct 1657.

ff. 70r-71v: Letter of Sir William Lockhart, Ambassador in France, to John Thurloe, Paris, 18/28 Nov 1657.

ff. 72r-73v: Letter of Geoge Monck to George Downing, Scoutmaster-General, Dalkeith, 26 Nov 1657. The letter is addressed to Downing at his house in Axe Yard, King Street, Westminster. With seal.

ff. 74r-75v: Letter of Sir William Lockhart, Ambassador in France, to John Thurloe (at Whitehall), Paris, 1 Dec 1657. The date is new style. With seal.

ff. 76r-77r: Letter of Oliver St John, Lord Chief Justice of Common Pleas, to John Thurloe, 3 Dec 1657.

ff. 78r-79v: Letter of William Lunden (?Hunden) to Edward Nicolas, Secretary of State to Charles II, Alicante, 3 Dec 1657. Nicholas is at Bruges.

ff. 80r-81v: Letter of George Monck to John Thurloe, Edinburgh, 11 Mar 1658.

ff. 82r-83v: Letter of John 'Nownan', (pseudonym of Col. Joseph Bampfield) to Nathaniel Manton, merchant, of London. In English and French. Directions on sending him letters via Antwerp or Amsterdam. With seal. Apparently an original letter.

ff. 84r-v: Letter of John 'Nownan', (pseudonym of Col. Joseph Bampfield), 16/26 Dec 1657. Recipient not given. Some use of ciphers. A copy.

ff. 85r-86v: Letter of Samuel Disbrowe, Councillor in Scotland, to Oliver Cromwell, Edinburgh, 18 Dec 1657.

ff. 87r-88v: Letter of intelligence to John Thurloe, The hague, 19 Jan 1658.

ff. 89r-90v: Letter of William Jephson, envoy to Sweden, to John Thurloe, Wismar, 8 Feb 1658.

ff. 91r-92v: Letter of Peter Julius Coyet, Swedish diplomat, to William Jephson, Envoy to Sweden, 5 Feb 1658. In Latin.

ff. 93r-94v: Letter of William Jephson, envoy to Sweden, to John Thurloe, Wismar, 15 Feb 1658. Some use of cipher, decoded.

ff. 95r-96v: Letter of William Jephson, envoy to Sweden, to John Thurloe, Lubeck, 20 Feb 1658. Some use of cipher, decoded.

ff. 97r-98v: Letter of William Jephson, envoy to Sweden, to John Thurloe, Gottorp, 27 Feb 1658. Some use of cipher, decoded.

ff. 99r-100v: Letter of Antoine de Bordeaux-Neufville, French Ambassador in England, to Jules, Cardinal Mazarin, London, 4/14 Feb 1658.

ff. 101r-103r: 'Humble Proposalls concerneing the Court of Judicature in Scotland from a sense of duty Represented to his Highnes' (f. 101r), followed by a draft of the Lord Protector's order on the subject, 1657 [np day or month, so possibly to 24 Mar 1658) (ff. 102r-103r).

ff. 104r-105v: Letter of Sir William Lockart, Ambassador in France, to John Thurloe, Paris, 3/13 March. With seal.

ff. 106r-107v: Letter of George Downing, Resident at the Hague, to John Thurloe, 17 Mar 1658. With some use of cipher, decoded.

ff. 108r-109v: A copy of the second certificate of the Auditor-General concerning monies resting by the Treasurers at War or their Deputies: addressed to Council in Scotland by John Thompson, Edinburgh, 10 Mar 1658.

ff. 110v-115r: Address to the Council in Scotland by John Thomspon, Auditor-General, Edinburgh, 23 Feb 1658.

ff. 116r-117v: Letter of Henry Cromwell to Oliver Cromwell, Dublin, 25 Mar 1657. 25 March 1657 is the date given the letter; endorsement says 12 March 1657[/58].

ff. 118r-119v: Letter of intelligence of N V to John Thurloe, Dunkirk, 30 Mar 1658. With seal. The author is identified by Thurloe State Papers, Vol. 6, p. 132, as Vernatti.

ff. 120r-121v: Letter of Luisa, widow of John IV, Queen Regent of Portugal, to George Downing, English Resident at The Hague, Lisbon, 2 Apr. 1658. In English translation.

ff. 122r-123v: Letter of George Monck to John Thurloe (at Whitehall), Dalkeith, 5 Apr 1658.

ff. 124r-125v: Anonymous letter about Christopher Feake, Fifth Monarchist, 7 Apr 1658.

ff. 126r-127v: Letter of Samuel Disbrowe, Councillor in Scotland, to John Thurloe (at Whitehall), Edinburgh, 8 Apr 1658. With seal.

ff. 128r-129v: letter of George Monck to John Thurloe (at Whitehall), Edinburgh, 8 Apr 1658. With seal.

ff. 130r-131v: Letter of John Thurloe to George Downing, Resident at the Hague, Whitehall, 9 Apr 1658. A draft, with underlinings. At the head is a note: 'I pray uncipher this yourself', but the letter as it stands is unciphered.

ff. 132r-133v: Letter of George Monck to John Thurloe (at Whitehall), Dalkeith, 1 Jul 1658. With seal.

ff. 134r-135v: Letter of George Monck to John Thurloe (at Whitehall), Dalkeith, 13 Jul 1658. With seal.

ff. 136r-137v: Letter of Oliver St John, Lord Chief Justice of Common Pleas, to John Thurloe (at Whitehall), 3 Sep 1658.

ff. 138r-139v: Letter of Oliver St John, Lord Chief Justice of Common Pleas, to John Thurloe, 24 Nov 1658.

ff. 140r-141v: Letter of Oliver St John, Lord Chief Justice of Common Pleas, to John Thurloe (at Whitehall), 21 Dec 1658.

ff. 142r-143v: Letter of Oliver St John, Lord Chief Justice of Common Pleas, to John Thurloe (at Whitehall), 28 Dec 1658.

ff. 144r-145v: Letter of Jules, Cardinal Mazarin to Antoine de Bordeaux-Neufville, French Ambassador in England, Calais, 18 Aug 1658.

ff. 146r-147v: Anonymous letter, endorsed 'An intercepted letter of concernment', 1 Jan 1659.

ff. 148r-149v: Letter of R. Gray to John Green, Maastricht, 1 Jan 1659, new style. The letter is obviously an intercepted letter. The first page is Gray's letter. The second and third are more mysterious: exactly the same hand but much fainter (invisible ink made visible?) and is headed 'M D St Thom.' The letter may be 1658: it is glossed new style, which strictly means New Year's Day 1 Jan 1658 would be 1658, but as not only the text but the endorsement within Thurloe's office give the year as 1658, I assume the year is old style [i.e. 1659] but the rest of the date new.

ff. 150r-151v: Letter of Mary Welsh to her nephew, 12 Jan 1659. Endorsed, 'An Intercepted letter of consequence'. The writing on the first page is clear enough, and that is the page of Welsh's letter to her nephew. But there is also very faint writing, in the same hand, on the second and third pages (invisible ink made visible?).

ff. 152r-153v: Letter of Antoine de Bordeaux-Neufville, French Ambassador in England, to Henri Auguste de Loménie, Comte de Brienne, Secreary of State for Foreign Affairs, London, 4/14 Feb 1659.

ff. 154r-v: Letter of Prince Rupert to the Dutch States-General, Frankfurt, 24 Feb 1659 (read 8 March 1659). On the grief of his mother Elizabeth of Bohemia, 'qu'on luy a causé par l'enlevement de ma seur la Princesse Louise'. Copy in English translation. The year given in the text is 1658, so possibly that rather than 1659, but the English endorsement also says 1658, so here taken throughout the year has been altered to old style.

ff. 155r-156v: Letter of Jules, Cardinal Mazarin to Antoine de Bordeaux-Neufville, French Ambassador in England, 1658. In English translation, where it is noted no date or place given. 1658 is added an endorsement. from the text, the letter predates the fall of Dunkirk (24 Jun 1658).

ff. 157r-161v: 'Heads of a Treaty to bee made with the K[ing] of Sweden for a neerer union' between England and Sweden. A draft: the title here comes from the endorsement, which also notes, 'Intelligence Made up 31 March 1658'. In English.

ff. 162r-163v: Letter of credence by the Dutch Estates-General to the English Parliament for Willem Nieupoort as Ambassador, The Hague, 29 May 1659. In French.

ff. 164r-167v: Report of the Commissioners for the Treaty with Sweden addressed to (?) John Thurloe, Elsinore, 10 Aug. 1659. Read 24 Aug 1659. Signed by Edward Montagu, Algernon Sidney, Robert Honywood, and Thomas Boone.

ff. 168r-169v: Letter of Murrough O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin, Paris, 14 Aug 1659. Copy. Recipient unknown.

ff. 170r-171v: Letter of three of the Commissioners for the Treaty with Sweden to (?) John Thurloe, Copenhagen, 24 Aug 1659. Read 16 Sep 1659. Signed by Algernon Sidney, Robert Honywood and Thomas Boone.

ff. 172r-173v: Letter of three of the Commissioners for the Treaty with Sweden to (?) John Thurloe, Copenhagen, 24 Aug 1659. Read 16 Sep 1659. Signed by Algernon Sidney, Robert Honywood and Thomas Boone. This is a duplicate of ff. 170r-171v, which bears the actual signatures of the three signers (here the signatures are in the same hand as the rest of the text).

ff. 174r-175v: Letter concerning the Commissioners for a treaty with Sweden, Copenhagen, 27 Aug 1659. A copy. The title is headed 'Lords Commrs. at Coppenhagen', though it looks more an intelligence letter about, rather than form, them. Possibly directed to Thurloe. The hand is that in which intercepted overseas correspondence is usually written.

ff. 176r-v: Letter of Frederick III, King of Denmark, to the Dutch States-General, Copenhagen, 30 Aug 1659. In Dutch. For a transation into English, see ff. 1r-2v.

ff. 177r-178v: Letter of intelligence by unknown author to 'My Lord', 30 Aug 1659. In English translation.

ff. 179r-180v: Letter of Johan Eyckbergh, Dutch Envoy to Brandenburg, to the Dutch States-General, Gottorp,1 Sep 1659. In English translation, with a copy in the original Dutch, ff. 181r-v.

ff. 182r-183v: Letter of intelligence on diplomatic matters at The Hague, 6-12 Sep 1659. In French. The author is unclear, but close to events. The location of The Hague is inferred from the names of diplomats there referred to.

ff. 184r-v: Extracts out of the secret resolutions of the States of Holland, 6 Sep 1659. In English translation.

ff. 185r-186v: Letter of intelligence, The Hague, 10 Sep 1659. Author and recipient unknown; possibly in English translation as a copy in a hand regularly used for overseas intercepts.

ff. 187r-188v: Extracts out of the secret resolutions of the States of Holland, 10 Sep 1659. In English translation.

f. 189r: Article of a Treaty between the States General and England on the affairs of Sweden and Denmark, The Hague, 12 Sept. 1659. A copy; possibly in English translation as in a hand regularly used for overseas intercepts.

ff. 190r-192v: Letter of Jan de Witt, Grand Pensionary of Holland, to Willem Nieupoort, Dutch Ambassador in England, The Hague, 12 Sep 1659. In English translation.

ff. 193r-194v: Letter of three of the Commissioners for the Treaty with Sweden to (?) John Thurloe, Copenhagen, 12 Sep 1659. Signed by Algernon Sidney, Robert Honywood and Thomas Boone.

ff. 195r-196v: Letter of Murrough O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin to 'Deere Charge', Paris, 13 Sep 1659. Copy.

ff. 197r-198v: Letter of Murrough O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin, Paris, 14 Sep 1659. Copy. Recipient unknown.

ff. 199r-200v: Letter of Murrough O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin, Paris, 14 Aug 1659. Copy. Recipient unknown.

ff. 201r-202v: Letter of unknown writer to Antoine de Bordeaux-Neufville, French Ambassador in England, Calais, 16 Sep 1659.

ff. 203r-v: Letter of Queen Luisa, Regent of Portugal, to the Dutch States-General, 24 Sep 1659. In Latin.

ff. 204r-v: Letter of intelligence from Paris to Willem Boreel, Dutch Ambassador to France (at the Hague), Paris, 5 Mar 1660. in English translation.

ff. 205r-v: Letter of intelligence from Holland, 19 Mar 1660. In French.

ff. 206r-207v: Letter of Robert Dovey (i.e. Charles II ) to Mr Gofton (i.e Lady Elizabeth Cary), (Brussels), 18 Mar 1659. A copy. Notes at the foot identify the true names of author and recipient; that the letter comes from Charles Stuart from Brussels by way of Paris and bears his seal: and that the superscription was to Mr Gofton, in a cover to Lady Elizabeth Cary at the Earl of Monmouth's house in Lincoln's Inn Fields.