SIDELIGHTS OF HISTORY

Evening Star, Issue 20134, 26 March 1929, Page 7

SIDELIGHTS OF HISTORY

LETTERS OF TIMES OF CHARLES 11. A valuable collection of autograph letters of the seventeenth and eighteonth centuries, among which are two which bear the Iloyal Seal and signature of Charles 11., is shortly to come up for auction in Loudon (states the ‘Morning Post’). A group of letters written by the King’s Ministers explaining the history of our relations with Spain at this period is included in the collection. There are also autographed letters from Voltaire, Turgot, and Herschel. One of the documents, written by Slate Leo-line Jenkins, a Secretary of Stale in the reign of Charles 11. has an interesting hearing on the King-s church-going habits, and to the reference made to this subject recently in the ‘ Way of the World ’ columns. Sir Leoline writes to Sir Henry Goodrieke, Envoy Extraordinaifde at Madrid, on "lay 28, 1682“ That no false information from mistaking or malicious bands may misrepresent a' small indisposition which seized upon His Majestie at Windsor , yesterday, you may rely upon the account thereof here given you as very faithful and exactly true. “ Yesterday His Majestie being at Church, was taken with a chilliness or shivering, which gave him occasion to put himself soon after into his bed. , He rested there from 12 till 6 and then got up, and admitted a great Court to j wait upon him, until half an hour after 8; lie was pleasant and in good temper all the while, having slept at several times that afternoon about three hours. At 9 he went to bed againe, and spent between five and six homes. At 6 in the morning he was let blond, being very cheerful both at the doeing thereof and since 11; that Mr Secretary left him. “There is not the least appearance of danger or ill syraptoine, for this feaverish distemper (for so it proves to he) is judged by tho physicians to be the effect of his taking cold on Saturday morning in his Barge, he having fallen asleep there with the windows of tho Barge all open. “ This is His Majesties’ Birthday, which that it may for many, many years returns, to be joyfully celebrated, all his loving subjects will say Amen.”

A letter from Godolphin in 1681 to the same person gives us the interesting information tfiat the King is procuring his snuff by way of Spain, and that the Court is removing to “ take the divertisements of the season at New Market.” This lively correspondence also describes how Stephen Colledge,” that notorious phanatique calling himself the Protestant joyner (and one' who has been very active in promoting our, disorders these last years) has been tryed at Oxford by a special Commission, and convicted of High Treason on the testimony of several witnesses; and some of them the pillars of the late Popish plott; the foundation-of hi» indictment was for haveiug designed to seise the King at Oxford; which ho declared to the witnesses, and showed them the army he had provided in order to it. “He is to be executed on Wednesday next, but so obstinate a fellow, that little discovery is expected from him. In the meanc time some of his principall acquaintances continue ' yet in the Tower, tho’ they are struggling for more ayre by habcus corpus.” Godolphin, referring to an Act of tho Parliament of Scotland to .provide money for the upkeep of the King's arm.vi odds; ‘‘lt seems to keep them in very good order there.” The two communications from Charles 11., which are signed by the. King at the bead of the letters, are addressed to Sir Henry Goodricke, and refer to Spanish acts of interference with English subjects. There are .several letters in the collection of'Turgot the Finance Minister, under Louis XV., which are addressed to an Englishwoman living in Wales, referred to by Turgot as a “wild country.” Voltaire's correspondent is not stated, but the letter is interesting for its signature. William Herschel writes to Edward Pigptt in reference to the discovery of a comet by the letter. Excusing himself for not having written before, he says: “My long silence has been owing to such a number of visitors in the evening, and the business of repolishing the 40ft mirror in the day time.”