The news of a little check given to a party of the Prince
in Champagne, mentioned in my last, is thus, The said
Prince having sent the Count de Briolle with the said party,
and a Gun of 24 pound of Bullet, to besige a Castle, the
Marquis de Grand Pré surprised the said Count, killed some
of his men, took two hundred prisoners, whom he brought
with the said Gun into Sillery; which holds for the King, the
said Count and some horse having escaped.
The Governor of Verdun hath sent hither an
Officer of his Garison to acquaint the King with
the bad condition of the place, which unless supplied
presently with 40000 Livers, and 700 men,
will tall by a 3 months siege into the Prince of
Conde's hands, who hath in a manner surrounded
it already, having seised all the quarters
round about it.
The said Prince hath received from Bruxels
by the Count de Fiesque a sum of 200 thousand
crowns, to make levies, which he doth very carefully,
having sent the Prince of Tarente into
Germany to raise and bring him as many men as
he can, and this last being already gone from the
Haghe to Maestrick.
The Rentiers of this City being resolved not
to accept of any payment but after their way,
namely of two quarters and a half, Cardinall
Mazarin offering only two quarters, they receive
as yet no money; chuse rather to have nothing,
yea and, say they, to lose a years rent, then to accept
of two quarters, because of the consequence,
there being no want of perpetual presences not
to pay that half quarter. They have prepared
three Petitions about that subject, one to be presented
to this Parliament, the other to the