pounded by the most accomplished John Frederic Schlever, your counsellor and agent here residing, if hitherto we could not return an answer, such as we desired to do, though with all assiduity and diligence laboured by your agent; we intreat your highness to impute it to the present condition of our affairs, and to be assured, that there is nothing which we account more sacred, or more earnestly desire, then to be serviceable and assisting to your interests, so bound up with the cause of religion. In the mean time we beseech the God of mercy and power, that so signal a prowess and fortitude may never languish or be oppressed, nor be deprived the fruit and due applause of all your pious undertakings.

"Your Highness's most affectionate, OLIVER, Protector of the Commonwealth of ENGLAND, &c.

"From our Court at Westminster, September, 1657.”

"To the most Serene and Potent Prince, LEWIS, king of FRANCE.

"MOST SERENE AND POTENT KING, AND MOST AUGUST FRIEND AND CONFEDERATE.

"Your Majesty may call to mind, that at the same time, when the renewing the league

between us was in agitation, and no less auspiciously concluded, as the many advantages from thence accrewing to both nations, and the many annoyances thence attending the common enemy, sufficiently testify, those dreadful butcheries befel the Piemontois, and that we recommended with great fervency of mind and compassion, their cause on all sides forsaken and afflicted, to your commiseration and Protection. Nor do we believe, that your Majesty, of yourself, was wanting in a duty so pious, that we may not say, beseeming common humanity, as far as your authority, and the veneration due to your person, could prevail with the duke of Savoy. Certain we are, that neither ourselves, nor many other princes and cities were wanting in our performances, by the interposition of embassies, letters, and intreaties. After a most bloody butchery of both sexes, and all ages, at length peace was granted, or rather a certain clandestine hostility covered over with the name of peace. The conditions of peace were agreed in your town of Pignerol; severe and hard; but such, as those miserable and indigent creatures, after they had suffered all that could be endured that was oppressive and barbarous, would have been glad of, had they been but observed, as hard and unjust as they were. But by false constructions, and various evasions, the assurances of all these arti

cles are eluded and violated: many are thrust out from their ancient abodes; many are forbid the exercise of their religion; new tributes are exacted; a new citadel is imposed upon them; from whence the soldiers frequently making excursions, either plunder or murder all they meet. Add to all this, that new levies are privately preparing against them; and all that embrace the Protestant Religion are commanded to depart by a prefixed day; so that all things seem to threaten the utter extirmination of those deplorable wretches, whom the former massaker spared. Which I most earnestly beseech and conjure ye, most christian King, by that RIGHT HAND, which signed the league and friendship between us, by that same goodly ornament of your title of MOST CHRISTIAN, by no means to suffer; nor to permit such liberty of rage and fury uncontrouled, we will not say, in any prince, (for certainly such barbarous severity could never enter the breast of any prince, much less so tender in years, nor into the female thoughts of his mother,) but in those sanctified cut-throats, who professing themselves to be the servants and disciples of our Saviour Christ, who came into this world to save sinners, abuse his meek and peaceful name and precepts to the most cruel slaughter of the innocent. Rescue you that are able, in your towring station worthy to be able, rescue so

many suppliants prostrate at your feet, from the hands of ruffians, who lately drunk with blood, again thirst after it, and think it their safest way to throw the odium of their cruelty upon princes. But as for you, great prince, suffer not, while you reign, your titles, nor the confines of your kingdom, to be contaminated with this same heaven-offending scandal, nor the peaceful gospel of Christ to be defiled with such abominable cruelty. Remember that they submitted themselves to your grandfather Henry, most friendly to the Protestants, when the victorious Lesdiguieres pursued the retreating Savoyard o're the Alpes. There is also an instrument of that submission registered among the publick acts of your kingdom, wherein it is excepted and provided among other things: That from that time forward the Piemontois should not be delivered over into the power of any ruler, but upon the same conditions upon which your invincible grandfather received them into his protection. This protection of your grandfather, these suppliants now implore from you as grandchild. 'Tis your Majesty's part, to whom those people now belong, to give 'em that protection which they have chosen, by some exchange of habitation, if they desire it, and it may be done: or if that be a labour too difficult, at least to succour 'em with your patronage, your commisseration,

and your admittance into sanctuary. And there are some reasons of state to encourage your Majesty not to refuse the Piemontois a safe asylum in your kingdom: but I am unwilling that you, so great king, should be induced to the defence and succour of the miserable by any other arguments than those of your ancestor's pledged faith, your own piety, royal benignity and magnanimity. Thus the immaculate and intire glory of a most egregious act will be your own, and you will find the Father of Mercy, and his Son, King Christ, whose name and doctrine you have vindicated from nefarious inhumanity, so much the more favourable and propitious to your Majesty, all your days. The God of mercy and power infuse into your Majesty's heart a resolution to defend and save so many innocent Christians, and maintain your own honour.

"Westminster, May, 1658."

"To the Evangelick Cities of the SWITZERS. "ILLUSTRIOUS AND MOST NOBLE LORDS, OUR DEAREST FRIENDS,

"How heavy and intolerable the sufferings of the Piemontois, your most afflicted neighbours, have bin, and how unmercifully they