-seee'600.2) 
ORIGINAL LETTERS. 
[July 
To the Right Honourable Sir Henry Cappel, 
one of their Majeftyes moft Hon. Privy 
* Counfellors at Whitehall. humbly prefent. 
Londons - 
Frank TY 
eae 
NOBLE SIR, 
THE enclofed came this laft poft into 
my handes, direéted, as you'l find, to one 
Mr. Owen, at his houfe near Cardigan. 
There are none of that‘name, who are 
houfekeepers in this county.” Onely there 
is one Mr Richard Owen, who is my father 
in Jaw, and hath fojourned with his 
daughter (my wife and myfelf) thefe 9 
or 10 yuates 5 he is a very antient honour- 
able gentleman, and never concerned him- 
felf in any publique~affaires, any other- 
wife than as a Deprty Licutenant and 
Juttice or Peace in i's own cownty (Mount- 
Gomerythire), in King Charles the 2d’s 
tine. And finding this to be a foraign 
letter by the poft marked (2s. gd.) he 
would not receive it, Knowing he had no 
acquaintance nor correfpondence beyond 
tie feas. But I, confiderisg with my- 
feife the ill’ practices and deligns againft 
theire Majefties and their government at 
this time, I made bold to open the letter, 
and finding Madam.on the infide, without’ 
any name fubicribed, I fanlyed there 
might be fome -mytltery beyond my un- 
deritanding, fo I opened it, and the reft of 
the letters, one of them in characters and 
fieures (too difficult for my capacity fo 
explaine, and fearing it might be of ill 
confequences to our peace), I thought it 
“my duty to tranfmit them to the perufal 
of fome perfons of higher authority and 
power, who are entrufted with the care of 
the government under their Majefties, in 
which ftation I Jooke upon yourfelfe as 
one, which is the occafion of giving you 
this trouble now, and I humbly beg your 
pardon for this boldneffe of, 
’ Moft honoured Sir, 
Your moft obedient humble fervant, 
Hecror PHILLIPS. 
Cardigan, 7 Fuly, 1690. 
In this was a pacquet enclofed, the outer- 
moft of which letters were thus directed. 
For Mr. F. O-wen, at bis Houfe near Car- 
digan, ibefe. 
IV “ 3 
peak 
28 inall 2s, 9d, 30 Funes 1690, 
er SIR; “ev, 
.E must beg the favour of ypu to de- 
liver the enclofed to our friend, of whom 
youl hear at Stafford Houfe: give if, if 
you pleafe, to himfelf, for though it con- 
taines nothing but bagatelles, yet I fhall 
be glad to know he has had it. I had 
your laft, with Mrs. Katherine’s to Dick, 
which fatisfied us extremely ; and I hope 
the newes youl have heard before this can 
reach you will alfo fatisfy you, and an- 
{were your expectations, at leaft, begin ta 
anfwere them. You know I never med- 
dle with newes, and pray write none to me, 
but from the coffee-houfe only. We 
heard from Mrs. Grace the 7th inftant, 
and, at that time, fhe and all .with her 
were perfectly weall. A. word from you 
by every poft will much oblige us. 
| I am yours moft entirely. 
In this were enclofed two letters, each of 
them direéted as follows: 
The former of the enclofed letters was di- 
rected as that foregoing (but in another 
hand). 
For Mr. Owen, at his Houfe near Gar= 
digan. 
In the former leat-of which was this. - 
MADAME; sag 28 Fune go. 
In anfwer to that of the 27 of May, 
which you did me the honour to write'to 
me, be pleafed to know that it came twa 
pofts after the due time; and that m 
eyes being bad, and not ufed to women’s 
hands, the poft-day, on which it came, 
paffed before I could read it perfeétly, 
which is the reafon my anfwer is fo flows 
Believe me, Madam, your fex is not more 
fubject to fear than I am at this time. If 
dread thefe French enemies of our’s 
ftrangely ; for I perceive that thofe who 
pretend to politics agree, they will be this 
fummer as the laft on the defenfive every 
where, but againft us ; and I cannot be- 
lieve, that they will be at ten thoufand 
piftols a day charge for nothing—for fo 
much at leaft is fayd their fleet colts’ 
them. I had reafon to write they were 
like to bee on our coaft before my laft 
letter, and fear ftill they will be there be- 
fore this, unlefs the wind keep them at 
home, as it hath done, I think, above this 
* month, and nothing elfe; for it is matter 
of fact, that they be ready, not in the ba-’ 
fen, but in the road, out of which the firft 
fix hours of good wind will bring thent 5 
and it is matter of fa&t, that they have been 
once hoift. out in the open fea, once the 
whole fleet, and once part ofjit, the wind 
choping about before the reft could get 
out to them; and the whole fleet, when 
it was- out, was driven back by a ftorm, 
They were but 63 men of war, when 
ihey 
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