L1200 worth of "white cloth" and a magnificent jewel.
It was because this jewel could not be got ready at once that he
had staid on; and it was worth waiting for. "The jewel was his
Highness's picture in a case of gold, about the bigness of a
five-shillings piece of silver, set round the case with sixteen
fair diamonds, each diamond valued at L60: in all worth about
L1000." The Count wore the jewel tied with a blue ribbon to his
breast so long as he was in sight, barging down the Thames.[1]

[Footnote 1: Whitlocke, IV. 257-273.]

(LXXXII.) To the King of Portugal, _Aug._ 1656:--Mr. Philip
Meadows has been in Lisbon since March, busy in the duties of his
mission, and sending letters and reports home. There was still
danger, however, in being an agent for the English Commonwealth in
a Roman Catholic country; and Meadows had nearly shared the fate of
Dorislaus and Ascham. On the 11th of May, as he was returning at
night to his lodgings in Lisbon, carried in a litter, he was
attacked by two horsemen, who "discharged two pistols into the
litter and shot him through the left hand."[1] The wound was not
serious; but the King of Portugal was naturally in great concern.
He offered a large reward for the discovery of the criminals; and,
in a Latin letter to Cromwell, dated "Alcantara, May 26, N.S.," he
professed his desire to have them punished, whether they were
English refugees or native Portuguese.[2] The present Letter by
Milton is the Protector's reply. Though there has been some
interval since the receipt of his Majesty's letter, his Highness
has not yet heard that the criminals have been apprehended; and he
insists that there shall be a vigorous prosecution of the search
and recommends that it should be put into the hands of "some
persons of honesty and sincerity, well-wishers to both nations."

[Footnote 1: Thurloe to Pell, June 26, Vaughan's _Protectorate_,
I. 432.]

[Footnote 2: See Letter itself in Thurloe, V. 28.]

(LXXXIII.) To Louis XIV. of France, _Aug._ 1656:--Again about
a ship, but this time in a peremptory strain.--Richard Baker and
Co. of London have complained to the Protector that a ship of
theirs, called _The Endeavour_, William Jopp master, laden at
Teneriffe with 300 pipes of rich Canary wine, had, in November
last, been seized by four French privateer vessels under command of
a Giles de la Roche, who had carried ship, cargo, and mo