The London Gazette, 22nd of April 1677

[Fluff]

The London Gazette

 

Published by Authority

 

22nd of April in the Year of our Lord 1677

 

From the Court

 

There are increasing rumours of an engagement of William of Orange & Mary Stuart with a wedding being set for autumn 1677. With an alliance with France being out of the question under the circumstances of the leaked treaty of Dover and the recent assassination attempt, the Duke of York has been forced to agree marriage to the Dutch stadtholder is the only viable option.

 

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The Duke of Monmouth has returned from exile to the Netherlands. In his company one mistress Henriette Wenworth who is said never to leave his side. There are still those who would argue that the King ought to declare him heir Apparent over his brother the Duke of York.

 

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The 2nd Duke of Newcastle, Henry Cavendish, is said to be soon appointed to the Privy Council. Competition between the Cavendishes and the Howards is said to be fierce, though both are considered Royalist.

 

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Despite having produced no heir to date, palace watcher say the Queen's influence on the King is considerable. To appease her affronted sensibilities the Duchess of Portmouth, The Dowager Countess of Alyth and mistress Gwynn have been asked to resettle in Chelsea.

 

 

At Home

 

The 5th Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Howard, has died peacefully in his sleep in a monastery in Italy some time during the winter of 1677. The next Duke of Norfolk is Henry Howard Sr, his younger brother. To the shock of the Catholic congregation Henry Howard, upon assuming the Ducal Seat of Norfolk, has converted to the Anglican Church. Some say upon the urgings of Henry Compton, bishop of London, some on the urgings of the King himself. It is expected that the Duke will be appointed to the Privy Council at some high position.

 

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The Earl of Shaftesbury, who spent some time in the Tower together with the Duke of Buckingham, Lord Wharton and the Earl of Salisbury, but was released in an effort to quell the rise in fervour over the Papish Plot, is said to have prepared a second Test Act which would exclude James Stuart from the throne for being Catholic. Meanwhile Whigs are said to have documented proof that Danby is in league with the French and may demand his impeachment.

 

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The Statue of Frauds will be brought up this season. Some royalist are said to be working on an Act of Toleration in an attempt to counter the extremism by the Whigs.

 

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Lord Danby has personally taken the investigation in hand of the charges brought by Titus Oats against the household of the Duke of York, saying that a Catholic conspiracy to kill all English protestants may be afoot.

 

Abroad

 

Accusations have been levelled that English agents are stealing and/or kidnapping art and selling it in London to the highest bidder. The Privy Council has denounced this as utterly false and nothing of the sort has been initiated by government.

 

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Despite French denial of involvement with the assassination attempt upon the royal couple at Windsor, foreign newspapers write that a war with France is likely, now that Dutch-Anglo ties have strengthened. "The cloud of war above London", writes the Amsterdam Courier, "is almost palatable with French strangers attacked in the streets."

 

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Amsterdam - On Saturday last put to Sea four Men of War fitted out better for the service of the

Elector of Brandenburg ; it it believed they are designed to Cruise in the Baltics. From Flanders we

have the certainty that St. Omers surrendered to the French, the Garrison having with great difficulty obtained liberty to march out, and to be conducted to Brughes or Ghent.

 

Notices

The Countess of Shrewsbury is pleased to announce her engagement to Master Brydges, a younger but 2nd surviving son of Sir Thomas Bridges (d. 1707) of Keynsham, Somerset by his wife Anne Rodney, daughter and coheiress of Sir Edward Rodney MP of Stoke Rodney, Somerset.

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Sir Henry Howard Sr. has been raised to 6th Duke of Norfolk and it pleases His Majesty to also appoint him as Knight in the Order of the Garter. His son Henry Howard Jr. has been raised to the Earl of Arundel.

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Henry Cavendish Sr. has been raised to 2nd Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. His son Henry Cavendish Jr. has been raised to Viscount Mansfield.

 

Advertisments

Stolen on the 7th of April in Northampton, by a tall slender man abou tthe age of 17 years with freckles in his face, short red hair and a short flaxen Perriwig, with white hat and white riding coat, a handsome chesnut coloured Mare, with bridle and saddle, about 6 years old, 15 hands all her paces, her far fore and hinder feet both white. Whoever gives notice of said Mare at the Red Lion Inn shall be well rewarded.

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A Negro named Robert Moore aged about 18 of middle statured, clothed in fawn coloured livery with crimson bayes, having lost his thumb from his right hand, has gone away from his master Raul Nicol, esq, from Middlesex, on Easter Sunday. Whomever apprehends him and gives notice to his master through the Earl of Middlesex shall be given full satisfaction.

 

Recipe

Weak Honey-drink.

 

Take nine parts of warm fountain-water, and dissolve in it one pint of pure white Honey, by laving it therein, till it be dissolved. Then boil it gently, skimming it all the while, till all the scum be perfectly scummed off; and after that boil it a little longer, peradventure a quarter of an hour. In all it will require two or three hours of boiling, so that at last one third part may be consumed. About a quarter of an hour before you cease boiling, and take it from the fire, put to it a little spoonful of cleansed and sliced Ginger; and almost half as much of the thin yellow rhind of Orange, when you are even ready to take it from the fire, so as the Orange boil only one walm in it. Then pour it into a well-glased strong deep great gally-pot, and let it stand so, till it be almost cold, that it be scarce lukewarm. Then put to it a little spoonful of pure Ale-yeast, and work it together with a ladle to make it ferment: as soon as it beginneth to do so, cover it close with a fit cover, and put a thick doubled woolen cloth about it.

 

Cast all things so that this may be done when you are going to bed. Next morning when you rise, you will find the barm gathered all together in the middle; scum it clean off with a silver spoon and a feather, and bottle up the liquor, stopping it very close. It will be ready to drink in two or three days; but it will keep well a month or two. It will be from the first very quick and pleasant.