bound from Brazil to Lisbon, but could get neither of them, is returned home in very
torne condition, thirty-eight of his men hurt, and ten slaine, which is much to the
honour of our Nation.
5 Malo 8° Octobris ver. 1649.
Yesternight here arrived a servant of one of the Lords with the Prince at Jersey
who was going to the Queen at Paris, and he related here that the Earle of Branford
had left the Price in a discontent, and was gone away for Holland, and that
upon the following occasion. Some dispute being arisen between him and my Lord
cleveland, as they were drinking together, Cleveland begun to abuse him in words,
and to give him soule language, which so provoked him, as he struck cleveland over
the pare, and two young gallants of clevelands cameradoes, having thereupon offered
to draw their swords at him, for to revenge their friends assront; he bastinadoed
them both with a cane that he had in his hands, and thereupon being parted by the
meanes of other persons that stepped in betwixt them; Bransord went directly to the
Prince, and made a great Complaints were slighted, and no disposition at all shewed
of procuring him any reparation besides that which he had taken himselfe upon
the instant; he tooke that so hainously,as thereupon he resolved immediately to
quit the Prince; and there lying then a ship ready there, that was bound for Holland,
he put himselfe aboard of her, and went away with th her the very next moring:
having first before they went to saile, sent a cartell to cleveland, whereby he challenged
him to fight a duell with him, either there in the Islland, or in any other Part
that he would make choice of and it is believed, that some others of the great ones
will soon take the same course; it being certain, that my Lord Hopton who conducted
him a shipboard, told him at parting, that he thought etc long to follow after him.
It is said that bransord hath been Treating this twelve moneth under hand with the
state of scotland about his reconciliation; and that having brought it now well neere
to conclusion, and loath to quit the Prince without some, plausible pretext, he
was glad of this occasion for the colouring of his departure; at his departure he gave
to each of his servants two pistolls, telling them that they must seeke their fortunes
elsewhere as well as himselfe.
From Paris 13° Octobris, 1649.
Crosts went not hence on his Ambassage into Poland, until this last Munday: and
now there remaineth no body here, of all the Prince his Ambassadours, but Jermin
himselfe; who being designed for Holland, talketh as if he meant to be gone out of
hand; and the Duke of Buckingbam is to keepe him company in that Journey. The
Queen is still the same shee hath been, and very little troubled at any thing that falleth
out, being so farre from afflicting her selfe for those great losses, which her sons
partie hath lately sustained in Ireland, as shee hath not so much as forborne one day
to dine in publicke, and shee was heard with great admiration, this day was sennight
at dinner, to inveigh against them, who had been the cause, that the Prince was not
gone directly from Holland to Ireland, that he was come to France at all, that he had
said so long in it; and that he was lastly gone to Jersey; whereas it hath been belived
hitherto by most men,and that with very good cause, that shee her selfe with
Jermin hath had a Chiefe hand in all or most of those particulars, which then shee was