I Am confident you all believe, that if it had not been absolutely necessary to consult with you, I would not have called you together at this time, when the Contagion hath so spread it self over so ma­ny parts of the Kingdom. I take it for a good Omen to see so good an appearance this day, and I doubt not, every day will add to your number; and I give you all My thanks for your compliance so far with My desires.

The truth is, as I entred upon this War by your advice and encouragement; so I do desire, that you may as frequently as is possible, receive informati­on of the Conduct and Effects of it, and that I may have the continuance of your cheerful Supply for the carrying it on. I will not deny to you, that it hath proved more chargeable then I could ima­gine it would have been: The addition they still made to their Fleets, beyond their first purpose, made it unavoidably necessary for Me to make pro­portionable Preparations, which God hath hither­to blessed with success in all Encounters. And as the Enemy have used their utmost endeavours by [Page 4] C [...]lumnies and false Suggestions, to make themselves Friends, and to perswade others to assist them against Ʋs; so I have not been wanting to encourage t [...]ose Princes who have been wronged by the Dutch, to recover their own by force; and in or­der thereunto, have assisted the Bishop of Munster with a very great sum of ready Money, and am to continue a supply to him, who is now in the bowels of their Countrey with a Powerful Army.

These Issues, which I may tell you, have been made with very good Conduct and Husbandry, (nor indeed do I know that any thing hath been spent, that could have been well and safely saved) I say, this expence will not suffer you to wonder, that the great Supply which you gave Me for this War, in so bountiful a proportion, is upon the mat­ter already spent: So that I must not only expect an assistance from you, to carry on this War; but such an assistance, as may inable Me to defend My Self and you, against a more Powerful Neighbour, if he shall prefer the Friendship of the Dutch before Mine.

I told you, when I entred upon this War, That I had not such a Brutal appetite, as to make War for War sake. I am still of the same mind: I have been ready to receive any Propositions that France hath thought fit to offer to that end; but hitherto nothing hath been offered worthy My acceptance; nor is the Dutch less insolent, though I know no advantage they have had, but the continuance of the Contagion: God Almighty, I hope, will shortly deprive them of that encouragement.

The Chancellor will inform you of all the Particulars.