ir names without book, for despatch sake, setting up the
head of the said foreigner for my sign; the features being strong, and
fit for hanging high.

St. James's Coffee-house, May 20.

This day a mail arrived from Holland, by which there are advices from
Paris, that the kingdom of France is in the utmost misery and
distraction. The merchants of Lyons have been at Court, to remonstrate
their great sufferings by the failure of their public credit; but have
received no other satisfaction, than promises of a sudden peace; and
that their debts will be made good by funds out of the revenue, which
will not answer, but in case of the peace which is promised. In the
meantime, the cries of the common people are loud for want of bread, the
gentry have lost all spirit and zeal for their country, and the king
himself seems to languish under the anxiety of the pressing calamities
of the nation, and retires from hearing those grievances which he hath
not power to redress. Instead of preparations for war, and the defence
of their country, there is nothing to be seen but evident marks of a
general despair. Processions, fastings, public mournings, and
humiliations, are become the sole employments of a people, who were
lately the most vain and gay of any in the universe.

The Pope has written to the French king on the subject of a peace, and
his Majesty has answered in the lowliest terms, that he entirely submits
his affairs to divine providence, and shall soon show the world, that he
prefers the tranquillity of his people to the glory of his arms, and
extent of his conquests.

Letters from the Hague of the 24th say, that his Excellency the Lord
Townshend delivered his credentials on that day to the States-General,
as plenipotentiary from the Queen of Great Britain; as did also Count
Zinzendorf, who bears the same character from the Emperor.

Prince Eugene intended to set out the next day for Brussels, and his
Grace the Duke of Marlborough on the Tuesday following. The Marquis de
Torcy talks daily of going, but still continues here. The army of the
Allies is to assemble on the 7th of the next month at Helchin; though it
is generally believed, that the preliminaries to a treaty are fully
adjusted.

The approach of a peace[222] strikes a panic through our armies, though
that of a battle could never do it, and they almost repent of their
bravery, that made such haste to humble themselves and the French king.
The Duke of Marlborough