Letters of State, Letters 2 · Letter 67 – Letter 72
To the Evangelick Cities of the Switzers.
Illuſtrious and moſt Noble Lords, our deareſt Friends,
HOW heavy and intolerable the Sufferings of the Piemontois, your moſt afflicted Neighbours, have bin, and how unmercifully they have been dealt with by their own Prince, for the ſake of their Religion, by reaſon of the Felneſs of the Cruelties, we almoſt tremble to remember, and thought it ſuperfluous to put you in mind of thoſe things, which are much better known to your Lordſhips. We have alſo ſeen Copies of the Letters, which your Embaſſadors, Promoters and Witneſſes of the Peace, concluded at Pignerol, wrote to the Duke of Savoy, and the Preſident of his Council at Turin; wherein they ſet forth, and make it out, that all the Conditions of the ſaid Peace are broken, and were rather a Snare then a Security to thoſe miſerable People. Which Violation continu'd from the Concluſion of the Peace to this very moment, and ſtill growing more heavy every day then other: unleſs they patiently endure, unleſs they lay themſelves down to be trampl'd under foot, plaſh'd like Mortar, or abjure their Religion, the ſame Calamities, the ſame Slaughters, hang over their Heads, which three years ſince, made ſuch a dreadful havock of them, their Wives and Children; and which, if it muſt be undergone once more, will certainly prove the utter extirpation of their whole Race. What ſhall ſuch miſerable Creatures do? in whoſe behalf no Interceſſion will avail, to whom no breathing time is allow'd, nor any certain place of Refuge. They have to do with Wild Beaſts, or Furies rather, upon whom the remembrance of their former Murders has wrought no compaſſion upon their Countrymen, no ſenſe of humanity, nor ſatiated their ravenous hunger after blood. Moſt certainly theſe things are not to be endur'd, if we deſire the ſafety of our Brethren the Piemontois, moſt Ancient Profeſſors of the Orthodox Faith, or the Welfare of our Religion it ſelf. As for our ſelves, ſo far remote, we have not been wanting to aſſiſt 'em as far as in us lay, nor ſhall we ceaſe our future Aid. But you, who not only lie ſo near adjoining, as to behold the Butcheries, and hear the Outcries and Shrieks of the Diſtreſſed, but are alſo next expos'd to the fury of the ſame Enemies; conſider for the ſake of the Immortal God, and that in time, what it behoves ye now to do: Conſult your Prudence, your Piety, and your Fortitude, what ſuccour, what relief and ſafegard you are able, and are bound to afford your Neighbours and Brethren, who muſt elſe undoubtedly and ſpeedily periſh. Certainly the ſame Religion is the cauſe, why the ſame Enemies ſeek alſo your Perdition; why, at the ſame time the laſt year, they meditated your ruin, by Inteſtine Broiles among your ſelves. It ſeems to be only in your power, next under God, to prevent the Extirpation of this moſt Ancient Scien of the Purer Religion, in theſe remainders of the Primitive Believers; whoſe preſervation, now reduc'd to the very brink of utter ruin, if you neglect, beware that the next Turn be not your own. Theſe Admonitions, while we give ye freely, and out of Brotherly love, we are not quite as yet caſt down: For what lies only in our power ſo far diſtant, as we have hitherto, ſo ſhall we ſtill employ our utmoſt Endeavours, not only to procure the ſafety of our Brethren upon the precipice of danger, but alſo to relieve their Wants. May the Almighty God vouchſafe to both of us that peace and tranquility at home, that ſettlement of Times and Affairs, that we may be able to employ all our Wealth and Force, all our Studies and Counſels in the defence of his Church againſt the Rage and Fury of her Enemies. From our Court at White-Hall, May—1658.
To his Eminency Cardinal Mazarin.
Moſt Eminent Lord,
THE late moſt Grievous Cruelties, and moſt Bloody Slaughters perpetrated upon the Inhabitants of the Valleys of Piemont, within the Duke of Savoy's Dominions, occaſion'd the writing of the inclos'd Letters to his Majeſty, and theſe other to your Eminency. And as we make no doubt but that ſuch Tyranny, Inhumanities, ſo rigorouſly inflicted upon harmleſs and indigent People, are highly diſpleaſing and offenſive to the moſt Serene King; ſo we readily perſuade our ſelves, that what we requeſt from his Majeſty in behalf of thoſe unfortunate Creatures, your Eminency will employ your endeavour, and your favour to obtain, as an accumulation to our Interceſſions. Seeing there is nothing which has acquir'd more good-will and affection to the French Nation, among all the Neighbouring Profeſſors of the Reformed Religion, then that Liberty and thoſe Privileges, which by publick Acts and Edicts are granted in that Kingdom to the Proteſtants. And this among others was one main Reaſon, why this Republick ſo ardently deſir'd the Friendſhip and Alliance of the French People. For the ſetling of which we are now treating with the King's Embaſſador, and have made thoſe progreſſes, that the Treaty is almoſt brought to a concluſion. Beſides that, your Eminency's ſingular Benignity and Moderation, which in the management of the moſt Important Affairs of the Kingdom, you have always teſtifi'd to the Proteſtants of France, encourages us to expect what we promiſe to our ſelves from your Prudence and Generoſity; whereby you will not only lay the foundations of a ſtricter Alliance between this Republick and the Kingdom of France, but oblige us in particular to Returns of all good Offices of Civility and Kindneſs: And of this we deſire your Eminency to reſt aſſur'd.
Your Eminency's moſt Affectionate.
Oliver Protector of the Commonwealth of England, &c. To the moſt Serene and Potent Prince, Lewis King of France.
Moſt Serene and Potent King, our moſt Auguſt Friend and Confederate.
IT being the intention of Thomas Viſcount Falconbridge, our Son-in-Law, to Travel into France, and no leſs his deſire, out of his profound Reſpect and Veneration to your Majeſty, to be admitted to Kiſs your Royal hands; though by reaſon of his pleaſing Converſation we are unwilling to part with him, nevertheleſs not doubting but he will in a ſhort time return from the Court of ſo great a Prince, celebrated for the reſort of ſo many Prudent and Couragious Perſons, more nobly prepar'd for great Performances, and fully Accompliſh'd in whatſoever may be thought moſt Laudable and Vertuous, we did not think it fit to put a ſtop to his generous Reſolutions. And though he be a Perſon, who, unleſs we deceive our ſelves, carries his own Recommendations about him, whereſoe're he goes; yet if he ſhall find himſelf ſomewhat the more favour'd by your Majeſty for our ſake, we ſhall think our ſelves Honour'd and Oblig'd by the ſame Kindneſs. God Almighty long preſerve your Majeſty in ſafety, and continue a laſting Peace between us, to the common Good of the Chriſtian world. From our Court at White-May—1658.
Oliver Protector of the Commonwealth of England, &c. To the moſt Eminent Lord Cardinal Mazarin.
Moſt Eminent Lord,
HAving Recommended to the moſt Serene King, Thomas Viſcount Falconbridge our Son-in-Law, deſirous to ſee France; we could not but acquaint your Eminency with it, and Recommend him in like manner to your ſelf; not ignorant of what moment and importance it will be to our Recommendation firſt given him. For certainly, what benefit or advantage he ſhall reap by reſiding in your Countrey, which he hopes will not be ſmall, he cannot but be beholding for the greateſt part of it to your Favour and Good will; whoſe ſingle Prudence and Vigilancy, Supports and Manages the grand Affairs of that Kingdom. Whatever therefore grateful Obligation your Eminency ſhall lay upon him, you may be aſſur'd you lay upon our ſelves, and that we ſhall number it among your many Kindneſſes and Civilities already ſhew'd us. Weſtm. May—1658.
Oliver Protector &c. To the moſt Eminent Lord Cardinal Mazarin.
Moſt Eminent Lord,
HAving ſent the moſt Illuſtrious Thomas Bellaſis, Viſcount Falconbridge, our Son-in-Law, to Congratulate the King, upon his arrival in the Camp at Dunkirk, I gave him Order to attend and wiſh your Eminency long Life and Health in our Name, and to return Thanks to your Eminency, by whoſe Fidelity, Prudence and Vigilancy, it chiefly comes to paſs, that the Affairs of France are carri'd on with ſuch Succeſs in ſeveral parts, but more eſpecially in near-adjoining Flanders, againſt our common Enemy the Spaniard; from whom we hope that open and Armed Courage now will ſoon exact a rigorous account of all his Frauds and Treacheries. Which that it may be ſpeedily done, we ſhall not be wanting, either with our Forces, as far as in us lies, or with our Prayers to Heaven. From our Court at White-Hall, May—1658.
Oliver Protector of the Commonwealth of England, &c. To the moſt Serene and Potent Prince, Lewis King of France.
Moſt Serene and Potent Prince, our moſt Auguſt Friend and Confederate,
SO ſoon as the News was brought us, That your Majeſty was arriv'd in your Camp, and was ſate down with ſo conſiderable an Army before Dunkirk, that infamous neſt of Pyrates, and Place of Refuge for Sea-Robbers, we were greatly overjoy'd, in certain aſſurance, that in a ſhort time now, with God's Aſſiſtance, the Seas will be more open and leſs infeſted by thoſe Plundering Rovers; and that your Majeſty, by your Military Proweſs, will now take ſpeedy Vengeance of the Spaniſh Frauds; by whom one Captain was by God corrupted to the Betraying of Heſden; another Treacherouſly Surpriz'd at Oſtend. We therefore ſend the moſt Noble, Thomas Viſcount Falconbridge, our Son-in-Law, to Congratulate your Majeſty's arrival in your Camp ſo near us, and that your Majeſty may underſtand from his own lips, with what Affection we labour the Proſperity of your Atchievemants, not onelyonly with our united Forces, but with our cordial Prayers, that God would long preſerve your Majeſty, and perpetuate our eſtabliſh'd Friendſhip, to the common Good of the Chriſtian world. From our Court at Weſtm. May—1658.