&80 Longleat Tapers, No. 4. 



wordes or deeds, towards Secretarie Coventry (wittingly or willingly) from the 

 first time I knew him to this very instant, and therefore if any mischevous person 

 hath possest you with any ill opinion of me I heartily hegg the knowledge of 

 the crime laid to my charge, & if I doe not disprove that & cleare mj-ne own 

 innocence, Let me lie under your displeasure so long as I live, & I am unwilling 

 to groan under such a weight a week longer. A gentleman whom I have long 

 known passing through Sussex, upon his own occasions, & coming to Chichester 

 gave me a visit, & told me that many ill afEected parishes there he came [to] were 

 all very well ai-med, & said they had bene hid to lay down their armes, but they 

 would not ; their lands and their armes should both be taken away together. 

 Others, he said, were full of hope that within a small tyme they should neither 



pay customes nor On Sunday night last the newes was brought to Chichester 



to the Coffee house that the Duke of Monmouth was returned to London but 

 without the King's leave ; for that the K. was heighly incensed against him, & 

 would not look upon him. This newes so rejoiced the fanatick party that they 

 made bonefires & drank the D. M's health & shot of gunnes all the night & 

 drank his health bareheaded. Diverse townsmen came to me for wood & money 

 to make bonefires & diynk the D. health & to have the bells at the cathedral ring 

 for Joy. I told them if theire judgment were not blinded with prejudice they 

 must believe that I had as much kindness for any bi'anch of the Royall Family 

 as any of them could have : but till I knew that the D. M. was returned with 

 the King's leave & approbation I would not Joyne in any such publick action : 

 & told them I thought it would be wisdom in themselves not to be rash & for- 

 warde in such an action till they were satisfied that it stood with his Ma'"^ good 

 pleasure that they should doe so ; not withstanding all this they made bonefires, 

 drunk & shott of gunnes all the night. This I thought my duty to acquaint you 

 with, whose wisdom knowes best what use to make of it. Honored Sir, I reraaine 



" Your very humble & much obliged Servant 

 "Gut Chichesteb." 

 " To the hon*-'' 



Henry Coventry 



principal Secretane of state 



to his Ma"' at his office in 



Whitehall. 



these 



present 

 in London." 



XXXIV. — 1686, June 22nd. Churchill, Duke of Marl- 

 borough. 



1. Sir Winstone Churchill, Father of the First Duke, to 

 Blue Majttle, about the History of his Family. 



" Deare Sir 



" This is to acknowledge the receipt of yours of the lO'*" instant which I 

 cannot but take extreme kindly fi-om you, being (as we say) a tast of your Office, 

 & that which you have formerly (as did allso S'. Edw''. Bish in his life tyme) with 



