Epistolæ Ho-elianæ familiar letters domestic and forren divided into sundry sections, partly historicall, politicall, philosophicall, vpon emergent occasions / by James Howell.

III. To the Lord Vicount Colchester.

Right Honble,

MY last to your Lordship was in Italian, with the Venetian Gazetta inclos'd. Count Mansfelt is upon point of parting, having obtain'd it seems the sum of his desires, he was lodged all the while in the same Quarter of Saint Iames, which was appointed for the Infanta; he supp'd yestrnight with the Counsell of War, and he hath a grant of 12000 men, English and Scots, whom hee will have ready in the Body of an Army against the next Spring; and they say, that England, France, Venice, and Savoy, do contribut for

the maintenance therof 60000 pound a month; ther can be no conjecture, much less any judgment made yet of his design; Most Sthink it will be for relieving Breda, which is straightly begirt by pinola, who gives out, that he hath her already as a Bird in a Cage, and will have her maugre all the opposition of Christendom; yet ther is fresh news com over, that Prince Maurice hath got on the back of him, and hath beleaguer'd him, as he hath done the Town, which I want faith to beleeve yet, in regard of the huge circuit of Spinola's Works, for his circumvallations are cry'd up to be neer up∣on twenty miles. But while the Spaniard is spending Millions here •…•…or getting small Towns, the Hollander gets Kingdomes of him els where, for he hath invaded and taken lately from the Por∣tugall part of Brasil, a rich Countrey for Sugars, Cottons, Balsams, Dying-wood, and divers commodities besides.

The Treaty of mariage 'twixt our Prince, and the yongest daugh∣ter of France, goes on a pace, and my Lord of Carlile and Holland are in Paris about it, we shall see now what difference ther is 'twixt the French and Spanish pace: The two Spanish Ambassadors have been gon hence long since, they say, that they are both in prison, one in Burges in Spain, the other in Flanders, for the scandalous in∣formation they made here against the Duke of Buckingham, about which, the day before their departure hence, they desir'd to have one privat audience more, but his Majesty denyed them; I beleeve they will not continue long in disgrace, for matters grow daily worse and worse 'twixt us, and Spain: for divers Letters of Mart are granted our Merchants, and Letters of Mart are commonly the fore-runners of a War: Yet they say Gondamar will be on his way hither again, about the Palatinat, for the King of Denmark appears now in his Necces quarrell, and Arm's apace.

No more now, but that I kiss your Lordships hands, and rest

Your most humble and ready Servitor, J. H.

London, 5 Febr. 1624.