Series 1 > Journals of Sir John Lauder, Lord Fountainhall, with his observations on public affairs and other memoranda, 1665-1676

OBSERVATIONS ON PUBLIC AFFAIRS 229
throw, and their Admirall the Due de Beaufort was killed
with many other persons of note: and wheir Monsieur Annand
our Master Annands brother behaved himselfe most gallantly,
and since hes bein so hylie complemented for that his service
by the Venetian senat that I beleive never was any stranger
more. He is admitted unto all their counsels and sits upon
their Ducks right hand: the Englishs ware so affrontedly
impudent as in their new books first to cal him ane English¬
man, and being challenged for that they designed him after a
subject of his Maj. of Great Brittain, so loath are they to give
us our due praise.
In anno 1670 was ane insurrection of the paisants of the
country of Vivarets inDaulphinee in France, upon the occasion
of some extraordinarie tax cruelly exacted. They ware soon
dissipat. Their is presently, in October 1670, a fellow called
Ratzin1 who hes taken up armes in Mosco agt the Emperor,
and hes got of followers neir 100,000 men : he was a gunner,
had a brother, who, being put to death for some crime, he in
revenge of his brother’s death hes made this commotion craving
nothing lesse but that thesse who ware the cause of his
brother’s death (now they are the greatest men about the
Ducks persone) may be delivered up to him.
I
It is apprehended by the wiser sort that this Union2 is
mainly set on foot by his Majestie, and so much coveted after
by him, that he may rid himselfe of the house of Commons
who have lyen verie heavy upon his loines and the loins of his
predecessors Kings of England and especially of his brave
father, and who have ever most crossed ther great designes.
Now it being proposed that their should be but on parliament
for all Britain, it will follow that the house of commons
constitut no more a house apart, but that its members sit
togither with the Lords in the house of peers: and for the
better effectuating this great point, I hear his Majesty caresses
and complements thesse of the house of commons a great deall
1 Rebellion of Stenka Razin against the Tsar Alexis.
2 Charles II. having renewed the proposal for the union of the kingdoms,
Commissioners were appointed for England and Scotland, and sat in London
for some months in the autumn of 1670.