of our confederates of the reformed religion, to take fuch speedy methods, as may enable us, as far as in us lies, to relieve the diftreffes of fo many miferable creatures, and provide for their liberty and fafety. In the mean time we befeech Almighty God to bless your majesty with all prosperity. OLIVER, Protector of the Commonwealth of ENGLAND, &c., To the moft Noble the Confuls and Senators of the City of GENEVA. WE had before made known to your lordships our exceffive forrow for the heavy and unheard of calamities of the proteftants, inhabiting the valleys of Piedmont, whom the duke of Savoy perfecutes with so much cruelty; but that we made it our business, that you fhould at the fame time understand, that we are not only affected with the multitude of their sufferings, but are ufing the utmost of our endeavours to relieve and comfort them in their diftreffes. To that purpose we have taken care for a gathering of alins to be made throughout this whole republic; which upon good grounds we expect will be fuch, as will demonftrate the affection of this nation toward their brethren, labouring under the burden of fuch horrid inhumanities; and that as the communion of religion is the fame between both people, fo the fenfe of their calamities is no less the fame. In the mean time, while the collections of the money go forward, which in regard they will require fome time to accomplish, and for that the wants and neceffities of thofe deplorable people will admit of no delay, we thought it requifite to remit before-hand two thousand pounds of the value of England with all poffible speed, to be diftributed among fuch as fhall be judged to be moft in prefent need of comfort and fuccour. Now in regard we are not ignorant how deeply the miferies and wrongs of those most innocent people have affected yourselves, and that you will not think amifs of any labour or pains where you can be affifting to their relief, we made no fcruple to commit the paying and diftributing diftributing this fum of money to your care; and to give ye this farther trouble, that according to your wonted piety and prudence, you would take care, that the faid money may be diftributed equally to the most neceffitous, to the end that though the fum be small, yet there may be fomething to refresh and revive the moft poor and needy, till we can afford them a more, plentiful fupply. And thus, not making any doubt but you will take in good part the trouble imposed upon ye, we befeech Almighty God to ftir up the hearts of all his people profeffing the orthodox religion, to refolve upon the common defence of themfelves, and the mutual affiftance of each other againft their imbittered and moft implacable enemies: in the profecu tion of which, we should rejoice that our helping hand might be any way ferviceable to the church. Farewel. Fifteen hundred pounds of the forefaid two thousand will be remitted by Gerard Hench from Paris, and the other five hundred pounds will be taken care of by letters from the lord Stoup. June 8, 1655. OLIVER, Protector of the Commonwealth of ENGLAND, &c., To the moft Serene Prince, the Duke of VENICE. Moft Serene Prince, AS it has been always a great occafion of rejoicing to us, whenever any profperous fuccefs attended your arms, but more especially against the common enemy of the chriftian name; fo neither are we forry for the late advantage gained by your fleet, though, as we understand, it happened not a little to the detriment of our people: for certain of our merchants, William and Daniel Williams, and Edward Beale, have fet forth in a petition pre fented to us, that a fhip of theirs, called the Great Prince, was lately fent by them with goods and merchandize to Conftantinople, where the faid fhip was detained by the minifters of the Port, to carry foldiers and provifions to Crete; and that the faid fhip being constrained to fail along with the fame fleet of the Turks, which was fet upon and vanquished by the galleys of the Venetians, was taken, carried away to Venice, and there adjudged lawful prize by the judges of the admiralty. Now therefore in regard the faid fhip was preffed by the Turks, and forced into their fervice without the knowledge or confent of the owners directly or indirectly obtained, and that it was impoffible for her, being shipped with foldiers, to withdraw from the engagement, we most earnestly request your ferenity, that you will remit that fentence of your admiralty, as a present to our friendship, and take fuch care, that the ship may be reftored to the owners, no way deferving the difpleafure of your republic by any act of theirs. In the obtaining of which request, more efpecially upon our interceffion, while we find the merchants themselves fo well affured of your clemency, it behoves us not to queftion it. And fo we befeech the Almighty God to continue his profperous bleffings upon your noble defigns, and the Venetian republic. Your Serenity's and the Venetian Republic's most affectionate, Westminster, Decemb. 1655. OLIVER, Protector of the Commonwealth of England, &c. OLIVER, Protector of the Commonwealth of ENGLAND, &c., To the most Serene Prince, LEWIS, King of FRANCE. Moft Serene King, CERTAIN of our merchants, by name Samuel Mico, William Cockain, George Poyner, and feveral others, in a petition to us have fet forth, That in the year 1650, they laded a fhip of theirs, called the Unicorn, with goods of a very confiderable value; and that the faid fhip being thus laden with filk, oil, and other merchandize, amounting to above thirty four thousand of our pounds, was taken by the admiral and viceadmiral of your majefty's fleet in the Mediterranean fea. Now it appears to us, that our people who were then in the 22 hip, fhip, by reafon there was at that time a peace between the French and us, that never had been violated in the leaft, were not willing to make any defence against your majefty's royal fhips, and therefore, overruled befides by the fair promifes of the captains Paul and Terrery, who faithfully engaged to difmifs our people, they paid their obedience to the maritime laws, and produced their bills of lading. Moreover, we find that the merchants aforefaid fent their agent into France, to demand restitution of the faid fhip and goods: and then it was, that after above three years flipped away, when the fuit was brought fo far, that fentence of reftitution or condemnation was to have been given, that his eminency cardinal Mazarine acknowledged to their factor Hugh Morel, the wrong that, had been done the merchants, and undertook that fatisfaction should be given, fo foon as the league between the two nations, which was then under negotiation, fhould be ratified and confirmed. Nay, fince that, his excellency M. de Bourdeaux, your majesty's embaffador, affured us in exprefs words, by the command of your majefty and your council, That care should be taken of that ship and goods in a particular exception, apart from thofe controverfies, for the decifion of which a general provifion was made by the league; of which promife, the embaffador, now opportunely arrived here to folicit fome bufinefs of his own, is a teftimony no way to be queftioned. Which being true, and the right of the merchants in redemanding their fhip and goods fo undeniably apparent, we most earneftly requeft your majefty, that they may meet with no delay in obtaining what is justly their due, but that your majefty will admit the grant of this favour, as the first fruits of our revived amity, and the lately renewed league between us. The refufal of which as we have no reason to doubt, fo we befeech Almighty God to blefs with all prosperity both your majesty and your kingdom. Westminster, Your majesty's most affectionate, OLIVER, Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, &c. To the Evangelic Cities of SWITZERLAND. IN what condition your affairs are, which is not the beft, we are abundantly informed, as well by your public acts tranfmitted to us by our agent at Geneva, as alfo by your letters from Zuric, bearing date the twenty feventh of December. Whereby, although we are forry to find your peace, and fuch a lafting league of confederacy broken; nevertheless fince it appears to have happened through no fault of yours, we are in hopes that the iniquity and perverfeness of your adverfaries are contriving new occafions for ye to make known your long ago experienced fortitude and refolution in defence of the Evangelic faith. For as for thofe of the canton of Schwitz, who account it a capital crime for any person to embrace our religion, what they are might and main defigning, and whofe inftigations have incenfed them to refolutions of hoftility against the orthodox religion, no body can be ignorant, who has not yet forgot that most deteftable flaughter of our brethren in Piedmont. Wherefore, moft beloved friends, what you were always wont to be, with God's affiftance still continue, magnanimous and refolute; fuffer not your privileges, your confederacies, the liberty of your confciences, your religion itself to be trampled under foot by the worshippers of idols; and fo prepare yourselves, that you may not feem to be the defenders only of your own freedom and fafety, but be ready likewise to aid and fuccour, as far as in you lies, your neighbouring brethren, more efpecially thofe most deplorable Piedmontois; as being certainly convinced of this, that a paffage was lately intended to have been opened over their flaughtered bodies to your fides. As for our part be affured, that we are no lefs anxious and folicitous for your welfare and profperity, than if this conflagration had broken forth in our republic; or as if the axes of the Schwitz Canton had been fharpened for our necks, or that their fwords had been drawn againft our breafts, as indeed they were against the bofoms of all the reformed. Therefore fo foon as we were informed of the condition of your |