and understand the busines better. As ther is som dark∣nes hapned twixt the two Favorits, so matters stand not •…•…ight twixt he Duke and the Earl of Bristoll; but God forbid that a busines of so high a consequence as this which is likely to tend so much to the universall good of Christendom, to the restitution of the Pa∣latinat, and the composing those broils in Germany, should be ran∣versd by differences twixt a few privat subjects, though now pub∣lic Ministers.
Mr Washington the Prince his Page is lately dead of a Calenture, and I was at his buriall under a Figtree behind my Lord of Bristols house. A little before his death one Ballard and English Priest went to tamper with him, and Sir Edmund Varney meeting him coming down the stairs out of Washingtons chamber, they fell from words to blows; but they were parted. The busines was like to gather very ill bloud, and com to a great height, had not Count Gonda∣mar quasht it, which I beleeve he could not have done, unles the times had bin favorable; for such is the reverence they bear to the Church here, and so holy a conceit they have of all Ecclesi∣astics, that the greatest Don in Spain will tremble to offer the mean'st of them any outrage or affront: Count Gondamar hath also helpt to free som English that were in the Inquisition in Toledo and Sevill, and I could allege many instances how ready and chearfull he is to assist any Englishman whatsoever; notwithstan∣ding the base affronts he hath often receivd of the London buys as he calls them. At his last return hither, I heard of a merry saying of his, to the Queen, who discoursing with him about the great∣nesse of London, and whether it was as populous as Madrid, yes Madame, and more populous when I came away, though I beleeve ther's scarce a man left there now but all women and children; for all the mem both in Court and City were ready booted and spurd to go away. And I am sorry to hear how other Nations do much tax the English of their incivility to public Ministers of State, and what ballads and pasquils, and fopperies and plays, were made against Gondamar for doing his Masters busines. My Lord of Bristoll coming from Germany to Brussells, notwithstanding that at his arrivall thither, the news was fresh that he had reliev'd Frankindale as he past, yet was he not a whit the less welcom, but valued the more both by the Archdutchess her self and Spino•…•… with all the rest; as also that they knew well that the said Earl had bin the sole adviser of keeping Sir Robert Mansell abroad with that Fleet upon the coast of Spain till the Palsgrave should be restord. I pray Sir when you go to London wall, and Tower hill, be pleas'd