Series 1 > Diplomatic correspondence of Jean de Montereul and the brothers de Bellièvre, French ambassadors in England and Scotland, 1645-48 > Volume 1

367
JAN. 1647] P. BELLlflVRE TO BRIENNE
has not been of much use to us. I have tried to engage Scotland in the
king’s interests; he will not accept the conditions required. It is useless
to try and treat in London at present. I require to receive instructions as
to how I should act were the king taken prisoner. I cannot, on this point,
supplement otherwise my instructions, were it judged necessary for me
to interfere and to make offer of my services in order to obtain his
release, under the alternative I would have of breaking off relations with
one or with both kingdoms. Matters between England and Scotland are
almost finished ; what remains is got through so quickly that one can no
longer count by months or by weeks, but by hours and as if by minutes.
I beg you to send back immediately my secretary, who will deliver to you
this despatch, with the orders it will please you to give me. The courier
Heron will bring you the news we shall have on the return of M. de
Montereul. I pray you not to allow my letters to be shown to the Queen
of England nor to her ministers, but to make such extracts out of them
as you may think necessary to show to her. It happens very often that
matters relating to the King of England being disclosed tend to diminish
much the influence I have with him. ]
xc
P. BELLIIIVRE a BRIENNE
Londres, le 2e Jan. 1647.
Monsieur,—La ville presenta semmedy [Samedi] sa petition
qui parle fort pen du Roy de la Grand Bretagne, et ce qu’elle
en dit est entierement rapporte au conuenant. On est assemble
aujourdhuy pour leur rendre response, et ce ne sera pas cela
quy aduan9era les affaires du roy puisque la Ville toute seulle,
les Escossois s’estant retires,—qui deuoient hier au soir signer
leur traitte,—ne peut faire grand effect, ne donnant pas beau-
coup de crainte, mais ce quy se passa hier en la chambre haute
donnera moyen au Roy de la grand Bretagne de faire quelque
chose. L’on y resolut que le dit Roy pourroit uenir a Neuu-
market auec seurete, pour y traitter auec le parlement; la
chambre basse a remis a demain a deliberer sur cette resolution
de la haute, ce que Ton croit quy passera sans autre difliculte
que du lieu, d’ou Ton doute que cette chambre demeure d’accord,
parceque Neuumarket est dans I’une des contez asseurees, quy
ont tousiours tesmoigne une grande affection pour leur Roy, la
presence duquel pourroit donner le courage d’entreprendre
quelque chose, ce qu’ils craignent d’autant plus que le ministre
Hudson qui s’estoit eschappe dernierement et que Ton disoit