276 Longleat 'Paj)ers, No. 4. 



XXXII, — (1675^ August 29th. i) Anthony Ashley Coopee, 

 Earl of Shaftesbury. Letter from R. Ingram to William 

 Ernelby^ about an Assault upon the Earl by Lord Digby, A 

 Shaftesbury Election Quarrel. 



" Dounton. Sunday morning 

 " Deare Billy. 



" On Friday last I dyned with Mr. John Tregunnell* wheare I mett my 

 L'* Digby, S'.Nathanyll Napper,t and severall other Countery Gent. After wee 

 had dyned, came y'^ Earle of Shasbiiry, his sonne y L"* Ashly with severall other 

 Gent, in his company. Nowe yon must knowe this L'' Digby stands for Knight 

 of tlie shire in y' place of one Coll. Stranguidge ; % and itt seemes my Lord of 

 Shasbury promised my L** Digby his interest for y* Election but att the same 

 tyme used his power for another person whome all y'^ Countery hates and he is 

 knowne to have been y'' greatest villine livinge against y^ King's intrest : I have 

 forgotten his name : When these Lords mett, my L''. Digby tooke my Lord 

 Shasbury by y^ arme and drewe him aboute 20 paces from y' company : What 

 was said att y' tyme I knowe not, but my L"". Digby had almost throwne him 

 on y^ grounde : but, gettinge loose my L"*. Digby tould him that from his Cradle 

 he had alwayes practised Tretchery to his Kinge Countery and all men that he 

 ever had to doe withall : and that what he had lately done should cost him his 

 head : Tould the company that within fewe days he had said, " The Kinge of 

 England was nott fitt to goveme," with severall other things he should prove 

 agaynst him. My L'' Digby drewe on him, but M' Trygunnell seased his sword. 

 1 could write you a sheete on this purpose ; but I have writt the heads of y° 

 matter : soe I shall att this tyme saye no more of itt ; but pray neglect not a 

 minite soe soone as you have read my Letter, but to tell itt either to M'' Thos. 

 Killigrewe of the Bed-chamber, or to some other of your acquayntance that will 

 imediately tell y' Kinge, for I fancy he wUl be pleased at y^ passage : but you 

 must neglect noe tyme for Trygunnell and some others will write this post : and 

 I would willing have myne y' first : now I think on't, no one will be soe fitt as 

 Sir Joseph Williamson § : pray comunicate it to him, and write me by the first 

 what he sayes, give hime my most humble service. I am sony for pooer Pettes. 

 I heare Jack Butler, Jack Howard, Kent & severall other of our friends are 

 killed, but Noll Nickolas your freinde is escaped. You are a whimsicall fellowe 

 to come heather for a night only. I dyned agayne this day with Mr Trygunnell, 



' The date of this letter is not given, but it is ascertained fi-om another letter 

 upon the same subject, written by Lord Shaftesbury himself to William Bennett, 

 Esq., 28th August, 1675, and lately printed in the Appendix (p. 103) to " The 

 Pyt House Papers." The actual scene of the assault was Fernditch Lodge, in 

 South Wilts, on Friday, 27th August, 1675. 



• John Tregonwell, Esq., of Auderston, near Wimbome Minster, Co, Dorset. 



+ Napier, of More Crichell. 



X Giles Strangways, Esq. 



5 Secretary of State, 1674-78, 



