\ 
 
 DP 462 
 .C9 A5 
 1886 
 Copy 2 
 
 LETTERS 
 
 OF 
 
 JOHN, LORD CUTTS 
 
 TO 
 
 COLONEL JOSEPH DUDLEY, 
 
 THEN LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR OF THE ISLE OF WIGHT, AFTERWARDS 
 GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 1693-1700. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2011 with funding from 
 The Library of Congress 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/lettersofjohnlor01cutt 
 
Colonel Joseph Dudley, M. P. 
 Afterwards Governor of Massachusetts. 
 
 Born i^i;. Died 17.20. 
 From an original portrait in possession of Hon. Robert C. Winthrop. 
 
 HtUCmPt ?R\H"\\HG CO.. BOSTON. 
 
1— — 
 
 LETTERS 
 
 OF 
 
 JOHN, LORD CUTTS 
 
 TO 
 
 COLONEL JOSEPH DUDLEY, 
 
 THEN LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR OF THE ISLE OF WIGHT, AFTERWARDS 
 GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 1693-1700. 
 
 Reprinted from the Proceedings of the Massachusetts 
 Historical Society, 18S6. 
 
 CAMBRIDGE: 
 
 JOHN WILSON AND SON. 
 
 ffifoitattg Press. 
 
 188G. 
 
 

L E T T E R S 
 
 OF 
 
 JOHN, LORD C U T T S 
 
 TO 
 
 COLONEL JOSEPH DUDLEY. 
 
 At a monthly meeting of the Massachusetts Historical 
 Society held at the Society's Rooms, No. 30 Tremont 
 Street, Boston, on Thursday, Jan. 14, 1886, the Presi- 
 dent (Rev. George E. Ellis, D.D., LL.D.) in the chair, 
 Mr. R. C. Winthrop, Jr., said : — 
 
 Mr. President, — More than twenty years ago the late 
 President of this Society (Hon. Robert C. Winthrop) found 
 among his family-papers a packet of letters, written between 
 1693 and 1700, from Lieutenant-General Lord Cutts to Colo- 
 nel Joseph Dudley, then Lieutenant-Governor of the Isle of 
 Wight, and afterwards Governor of Massachusetts. Our late 
 President, in running his eye hurriedly over these letters, 
 satisfied himself that they in no way related to New England 
 History, and laid them aside for perusal at some more con- 
 venient season, which never came. More than once, however, 
 has he suggested to me to make an exhaustive examination 
 of them, which I have now done, carefully collating the copies 
 which I am about to communicate to the Society. They are 
 thirty-two in number ; and while I do not pretend that they 
 can fairly be considered of much historical importance, yet I 
 have found them extremely entertaining, and I believe they 
 would have possessed no little interest for the late Lord 
 Macaulay, who had an evident liking for the martial figure 
 of Lord Cutts, and who styles him in his history " the brav- 
 est of the brave," " unrivalled in that bull-dog courage which 
 
flinches from no danger," and "so much at ease in the hottest 
 fire of the French batteries that his soldiers gave him the 
 honorable nickname of the Salamander." 
 
 The most diligent investigation has not enabled me to state 
 with certainty the date of John Cutts's birth, but I imagine 
 him to have been a somewhat younger man than his corre- 
 spondent. He came of a good Essex family, inherited an 
 estate in Cambridgeshire, adopted the profession of arms, 
 served as aide-de-camp successively to the Dukes of Mon- 
 mouth and Lorraine, distinguished himself at the taking of 
 Buda in 1680, and still more so, ten years later, at the battle 
 of the Boyne, where his intrepid conduct, uncle? the eye of 
 William of Orange, resulted in his being raised by that mon- 
 arch to the Irish peerage, and in his being named, not long 
 after, to the governorship of the Isle of Wight. This post 
 was then by no means the sinecure it has been for more 
 than a century past ; on the contrary, the exposed situation 
 of the island, the disturbed condition of public affairs, and 
 the prevalence of Jacobite plots made it an office of much 
 responsibility as well as of considerable emolument. Cutts's 
 duties in attendance upon the King and Parliament, together 
 with his military command in Flanders, rendered it impossible 
 for him to be continuously in the island. It was essential 
 that he should have on the spot a lieutenant-governor pos- 
 sessing his entire confidence ; and he chose Joseph Dudley, 
 who for eight years was the alter ego of Lord Cutts in Wight, 
 and for several of those years the representative in Parliament 
 of one of the island boroughs. 
 
 Dudley, as we know, was born in 1647, a younger son of 
 Governor Thomas Dudley, of Massachusetts, and had been 
 before in England at two earlier periods in the intervals of 
 high civil employment in his native country; but precisely 
 how or when or why he became so intimate with Lord Cutts it 
 is difficult to determine. General Hugh Mackay, in his " Char- 
 acters of Military Officers of his own Time," speaks of Cutts 
 as "tall, lusty, and well-shaped, an agreeable companion, 
 with abundance of wit, but too much vanity, affable, fa- 
 miliar, and brave ; " in short, a lively, dashing soldier, who 
 at first sight would seem to have had little in common with 
 Joseph Dudley, who was originally bred to the ministry, and 
 who preserved throughout life much of the gravity of a 
 
professed believer in a somewhat rigorous Calvinism. But the 
 two men were alike ambitious, and resembled each other in a 
 thirst for profitable public station, equalling that of their illus- 
 trious contemporary, John, Duke of Marlborough. Cutts, in 
 these letters, is continually stimulating Dudley's zeal by prom- 
 ise of preferment ; and it is evident that he exacted from him 
 in return almost every variety of service. Writing to him at 
 intervals from a dozen different places, — from Whitehall and 
 Kensington, from Plymouth and Portsmouth, from Newport 
 and Carisbrooke Castle, from Gravesend and Tunbridge-Wells, 
 and from the various headquarters of the Allied Army in the 
 Low Countries, — he deals not merely with public affairs and 
 local politics, the island elections and the island garrisons, but 
 he employs his Lieutenant-Governor to pay his bills, to pacify 
 his creditors, to order his liveries, to do his marketing, and 
 even to bottle his wine. 
 
 Now and then, as will be seen, Dudley is taken to task 
 with a good deal of vivacity ; but it is evident that he and 
 Cutts were necessary to each other at this period, and their 
 coolness was never of long duration. His Lordship's official 
 correspondence is doubtless to be found on record in London, 
 and his autograph is occasionally to be met with in private 
 collections ; but, so far as I have been able to ascertain, this 
 fragmentary series of his confidential letters is the only one 
 of its kind in existence, and the evident sincerity of the writer 
 gives them a marked flavor of actuality even after the lapse of 
 nearly two centuries. 
 
 Mr. Winthrop then proceeded to read a number of ex- 
 tracts from the letters, which are here given in full : # — 
 
 "Whitehall, Jan : 15. 1693. 
 S R — I am but just come from the Committee (and could by no 
 means come away sooner) so that I can only desire you to be with me at 
 eight o'clock to-morrow-morning. Necessity must be submitted to ; and 
 Vexing is best let alone where 't will doe no good. I am very much 
 tyr'd and fear I have catch'd cold with waiting for a coach in the 
 Pallace yard. But let it goe how it will, I am ST 
 
 Your humble servant, 
 
 Cutts. 
 My Service and Excuse to Cosen Hooke. 
 
6 
 
 [No date — probably 1693.] 
 
 Memorandum to M r Dudhj. 
 
 To goe or send early in the morning to M r Goodchild, Inkeeper at 
 the Whitehorse in the haymarket (where my horses stand), to tell him 
 you have orders to pay him what he demands upon his bills, before the 
 horses goe out of the stable; and that you are expecting the mony 
 every hour. To pay fifteen pounds to Mr England, a brewer, and tell 
 him I could not receive any more before I went ; but that he shall have 
 the rest as soon as I return. To pay forty pounds to Mr Sterton, a 
 Cornchandler, and take up his bond. To pay ten pounds to Mr. Fisher. 
 To come out with the coach and six horses, and my Groom ; to bring 
 one footman behind the coach, and to let the other footman ride along 
 with the coach upon my Nephew Rivet's horse. To be at Cambridge 
 on Wednesday, and to order your journy so as to bring the horses as 
 fresh and unfatigued as you can. To hasten the payment of the 300 lb . 
 To give notice to Captain Blood's man (at my house) what time you 
 set out. 
 
 Whitehall, December 28 th 1693. 
 S R — I received your letter and shall take care of the contents. I 
 desire you to come up to town as soon as you can, for the sake of your 
 own affairs as well as mine. My hearty service to all your good 
 company ; I am S r 
 
 Y r humble Servant, 
 
 Cutts. 
 
 Plymouth, Jan 22 : 1694. 
 S R — I heartily wish you had not propos'd to Mr Blathwayt to take 
 the 300 1 f > instead of five ; you cannot imagine the Injury you have 
 done me. Indeed you should never take upon you to decide in mat- 
 ters of that moment without orders. I insist upon the 500 1 . b and 
 nothing but your offer of taking three could hinder me of it. I'm sure 
 it will be the hardest thing in the world if I have less. I design to 
 be at Salisbury on Sunday, at Basinstoke on Munday, at Southampton 
 on Tuesday, &c. If you receive not the mony between this and that, 
 meet me on Munday at Basinstoke and we'l discourse farther on it. 
 Present my service to Coll : Withers and tell him I desire (if possible) 
 that he would meet me at Basingstoke on Munday next ; and desire the 
 same of Coll : Hope, but desire them both not to speak of it to any one. 
 Speak to Rouse my coachmaker and order him to finish my mourning- 
 charriot just as the Peers have their Charriots ; desire my brother 
 Acton 1 to furnish him the Cloath ; of as good as any body puts to that 
 
 1 John Acton, Esq., of Basingstoke, married a sister of Lord Cutts. 
 
use; and tell Rouse I would have the harness likewise done as the 
 Peers have their harness ; and all finish'd as soon as may be. Tell 
 him I would have the fore-Glass whole. I desire you to bespeak me a 
 mourning saddle and bridle, with holsters and hoose. Joseph will bring 
 my sadler to you. Inform your self how the Peers have their furniture. 
 Let Joseph set out as soon as it is done, and bring my 2 saddle-horses 
 to Portsmouth, not suffering any one to get on their backs but himself ; 
 and let him come very gently. Desire my brother Acton to give him 
 mony to bring him thither ; but he must be there by Saturday come 
 sennit without faile. Enquire for one Pancefort a Clothier (Brother 
 Acton will inform you of him), he cloaths severall regiments. Receive 
 200\ b of brother Acton and pay it to this Pancefort (taking a receipt 
 according to the enclos'd modell) and telling Pancefort from me that 
 I design'd to have employ'd him in the cloathing of my regiment, but 
 being sent out of Town, I'm forc'd to leave it to others ; besides 
 something that I'l tell him when I see him ; and give him five Guinys 
 as a present from me (which my Brother Acton will give you) and if 
 he makes any complaint, soften him as much as you can, and tell him 
 it was impossible for me to avoid it. Desire my brother Acton to 
 meet me at Basinstoke on Munday with the Patterns of my regiment's 
 cloaths. Tell my sister Cutts * I ask her excuse for not writing this 
 post, being full of worke. My most humble service to the Speaker 2 (if 
 you will doe me that favour) and give him a note of the places where I 
 am to be, with a handsome compliment if he has any comands for me. 
 The Fleet bound for Jamaica sayl'd this afternoon, the wind E. N. E. 
 I beg of you these favours, and that you will be a little exact and 
 carefull in Pancefort's business. 
 
 I am sincerely Sr, 
 
 Your most humble servant, 
 
 Cutts. 
 
 P. S. Desire brother Acton to bid Loggars goe about my servant's 
 mourning and to bargain for the cloath. 
 
 P. S. Tell brother Acton I'l satisfie him for the cloath for the 
 Charriot. 
 
 Portsmouth, Mar. : 22. 1694. 
 
 S? — I really love and honour you for not despairing (as the Romans 
 
 once said of a brave Gen 1 . 1 ) of the affaires of the commonwealth. I have 
 
 an Express from Petersfeild that M r Woosely will be here in an hour, 
 
 or two ; and he and I both will be at Yarmouth to-morrow God 
 
 1 Miss Joanna Cutts, his unmarried sister. 
 
 2 Sir John Trevor, Master of the Rolls under James II., subsequently expelled 
 from the House of Commons for corruption. 
 
8 
 
 willing. I desire you to exert vigorously the King's, and mine, and your 
 own Interest; and I hope God will bless the honest Williamite side. 
 Send Hope a Cordiall ; and give him kind, endearing, respectfull, in- 
 couraging words. I shall follow all your advice. Hasten this away 
 with the utmost speed. I am sincerely Sr 
 
 Your most humble servant, 
 
 Cutts. 
 
 Coll. Dcdly. 
 
 P. S. Please send speedily in my name to Coll Lee, S r John Dil- 
 lingtou, 1 and all partys concern'd in the Island, in such terms as y r 
 prudence shall direct. 
 
 Newport, June 23. 1G94. 
 Sr. — I desire you to help this Gentleman (Major Moncal) to the 
 quickest passage to Portsmouth, you can. I desire my letters with all 
 speed ; & am (with my most humble service to the good Ladys) Sr, 
 
 Your most humble servant, 
 
 Cutts. 
 
 For the hon ble Coll. Dcdly 
 L* Governor for the Isle Wight. 
 
 At the King's Quarters at Waneghem 
 near Courtray. Aug. 30. 1694. 
 Sr. — Setting out late from the Camp near Portsmouth I arriv'd 
 not a London 'till five o'clock on fryday morning. I could have arrived 
 sooner, but knowing y< I could not see her Majesty 2 the same night if 
 I arrived late, I thought it better to repose myself upon the road and 
 arrive early the next morning. On Saturday morning I took post for 
 Harwitch : on Munday in the afternoon I set sayl, and on Tuesday I 
 landed at Helvoet-Sluys in Holland. I took post immediately (having 
 her Majesty's letters to the King 8 ) and I arriv'd in the Camp severall 
 hours before the Post. His Majesty receiv'd me very kindly ; and 
 every body beleives I am like to succeed in my pretentions. I have as 
 yet no station allotted me in the line of battle; and so for the pres- 
 ent I am in the Court-Quarters, and wait upon the King's Person. 
 Pray tell M r Cole and Partners that I doe not forget their mony- 
 affairs. I had finish'd it before I left London, but that I came away 
 Express immediately upon my arrivall here, but it shall be dispatch'd 
 with all possible speed. Pray acquaint Collonell Gipson of my coming 
 away Express; and that I shall not fail to dispatch those affaires con- 
 cerning our Camp at Portsmouth with all possible speed. This with 
 
 i Sir John Dillington, 4th baronet, of Knighton in Wight. 
 2 Mary of Orange. 
 8 William III. 
 
my humble service to him. Desire he will please to write to Court to 
 have our sick men in the Country supply'd with subsistance ; if he 
 pleases to use my name in it, he may. Make a discreet and modest 
 use of what I write to you concerning myself. I am Sr, 
 
 Your most humble servant, 
 
 Cutts. 
 
 From his Majesty's Camp at Rousslar, 
 Sept: Jf 1694. 
 
 S R . — I send you here enclos'd a Deputation to discharge for me (in 
 my absence) the Office of Mayor of Newtown ; with a clause in it to 
 recommend you to be elected Mayor for the ensuing year ; I need say 
 no more, but only desire you to prepare and order things so, that it 
 may have its desir'd effect. I send you at the same time (enclos'd) a 
 letter to the Corporation of Yarmouth ; w ch when you have read it, you 
 will seal and deliver ; but pray be present at the opening of it, and (as 
 I said before) prepare and order things so, that it may succeed. Let 
 the Corporations have Vennison, as is usuall ; and remember, that when 
 you Swear the Mayor of Newport at Carisbrooke Castle, you are to 
 give him no treat, any farther than a Glass of Wine ; and that only if 
 you please ; and not let them be carry'd any where but straight into 
 the chappell before prayers. I recommend these and all other things 
 to your care ; hoping to be soon with you. I dare venture telling a 
 discreet man y* I don't much doubt of succeeding in my pretentions, 
 which will put me in a fair way. Be assur'd I don't forget you, but 
 will effectually take care of you ; being Sr, 
 
 Your affectionate humble servant, 
 
 Cutts. 
 
 P. S. "We expect every hour an account of the taking of Huy, the 
 Fort Piccar being allready taken by storm. I never saw so naming, 
 and healthfull an Army at this time of year. For ordinary news see 
 the publick letters. 
 
 From his Majesty's Camp at Rousslar 
 in Flanders, Sept : %$. 1694. 
 Mr Mayor, and you Gentlemen of the Corporation of Yarmouth : 
 
 I think it for the good of their Majesty's service and the Corpora- 
 tion, y 1 the present Mayor be continued another year. And therefore 
 I desire you to order it so, that he may be continued accordingly. I 
 doubt not of your compliance in this, since I am so much inclin'd (tho' 
 hitherto my great hurrys have hindred me giveing you such markes 
 of it as I will soon do) to show myself in all occasions 
 
 Your affectionate friend to serve you, 
 
 Cutts. 
 
10 
 
 Whereas I was elected by the Corporation of Newtown to serve as 
 Mayor of the same for this present year ; and whereas their Majesty's 
 service necessitates my attendance in Flanders with their Majesty's 
 forces now there ; I doe by these presents depute the hon ble Collonell 
 Dudly, L,- Governor of their Majesty's Isle of Wight, to execute the 
 office of Mayor of the said corporation in my absence. And I doe by 
 these presents recomend the said Collonell Dudly to be Mayor of the 
 said Corporation for the Ensuing Year. Given at his Majesty's Camp 
 at Rousslar in Flanders Sept: J£. 1694. 
 
 Cutts. 
 
 Deputation to Collonell Dudly &c. 
 
 Whitehall, Nov: 15. 1694. 
 S? — I had answer'd all your letters sooner, but that we have been 
 coming over this month, and I thought every day to be with you. The 
 sessions being so immediately begun (upon our arrivall) it was impos- 
 sible for me, with regard to the King's affayres here, any ways to come 
 down. I shall send down one on Munday to releive you, and refer all 
 to our meeting ; and I think it by no means safe for the service that you 
 come away before I send one. You may read the enclosed, then seal 
 it and give it coll : Urry as if you knew nothing of the matter. By 
 the person that comes to releive you, I shall write more at large. My 
 affaires (thanks to God) prosper very much. I am S r , 
 
 Your humble serv"*, 
 
 Cutts. 
 
 Whitehall, Jan : 4* 1695. 
 Sr — I have receiv'd yours by Captain Rivet, and am glad every 
 thing is in so good Order. You write me word something of a share 
 you shall have a right to ; which I don't very well understand. I all- 
 ways understood that you had acted in the Isle of Wight only as my 
 Deputy, that what you did by Vertue of the Power you have from me, 
 was as much (& solely) my act and deed as if I (only) had done it; 
 for that without that Power you could not be in a Capacity to doe it. 
 I speak not this that I have the least thoughts of being unkind, or 
 ungenerous ; but indeed I allways expected that you would have left 
 the whole matter to me. For, as to the King's Comission, you know 
 how you came by it ; and you know what promise you made (upon 
 your word and honour) when I gave it you. I beleive you an honest 
 man, and will not imagine, that we shall disagree in anything. And 
 indeed, after my having disoblig'd so many people in your Defence & 
 favour, it would be unhappy if you and I should fall out. You may 
 leave the Island on Weddensday, or as soon after the receipt of this 
 as you please. I am sincerly, S r , your most humble servant, 
 
 Cutts. 
 
 Coll: Dudly. 
 
11 
 
 [Fragment of a letter endorsed by Dudley "April 2 d 1695." The earlier portion 
 
 is missing.] 
 
 which I forget. I hope this will confirm all Persons in their inclina- 
 tions to sign the association. I beg of you to make as much of it as 
 possibly you can. It is the best peice of service you can doe the King, 
 me, & your self. I hope you have taken care to have it handsomely 
 engross'd. Don't omit one living soul ; and be sure to keep a list of 
 the names of all who refuse it. I think it will be proper for you to 
 come up with it, and it would be well if you could set out on Monday ; 
 and I wish (upon so very great an Occasion) two or three people of 
 credit would come with you. If you bring a jolly number of hands, 
 you'l doe your self and me a great kindness, but force nobody against 
 their inclination. The Yarmouth Association is given ; it was not read, 
 and the King said nothing to it. It will not signify much if ours suc- 
 ceeds. For if those who have sign'd that, refuse mine, it will not doe 
 'em a kindness here ; and all the world will know how Yarmouth is 
 managed. I am S r , 
 
 Your very humble servant, 
 
 Cutts. 
 
 P. S. I have made some steps in your affaire, 1 & wish you were 
 here for five or six days. 
 
 Kensington, May 11. 1695. 
 Sr, — I have been coming every day for the Island ; but am pre- 
 vented by a very extraordinary affaire. The King had sign'd a Com- 
 mission for Captain Pitman to be Governor of Hurst-Castle ; upon 
 which the Marquis of Winchester, supported by severall of the Minis- 
 ters, represented it to the King as a thing that would be a very great 
 hardship upon my Lord Duke his Father, 2 and would disoblige all the 
 Hampshire-Gentlemen, that Castle being in Hampshire, and not in the 
 Isle of Wight. The King, upon this, order'd the Duke of Shrewsbury 3 
 that the Commission should lye in the Office, 'till he had discours'd 
 farther with me upon it. I have discours'd with his Majesty upon it 
 since ; and so have the other side ; and it remains yet in suspence, no 
 affirmative, or negative, being put upon it. The last thing, the King 
 said to me concerning it was that he could not presently resolve him- 
 self, but would be put in mind of it again. When I give you this 
 
 1 The " affaire " in question was undoubtedly the Governorship of Massa- 
 chusetts. Narcissus Luttrell, in his diary of March, 169|, says : " Coll. Dudley 
 stands fairest to succeed Sir William Phips." 
 
 a Charles Paulet, 1st Duke of Bolton, an eccentric personage, whose son suc- 
 ceeded Cutts as Governor of Wight. 
 
 3 Charles Talbot, Duke of Shrewsbury, then Secretary of State, and one of 
 the purest statesmen of his time. 
 
12 
 
 account, you are sensible that I cannot come down 'till it is decided one 
 way or other ; nor can I say when I shall come down till the hour 
 before I take horse ; because it depends upon the King's saying yes or 
 no. I would have you make this use of what I write you, as to let 
 every body know that I am every hour coming out of Town ; but that 
 my departure depends upon the finishing some matters (necessary to be 
 dispatch'd before I come away) and which depend upon the King, & 
 not myself. If they have got any thing of the Story by the End, set 
 them right ; but don't you say any thing (but in gen 11 terms) unless 
 they begin. You and I must be very discreet, for our Enimy's have 
 spys upon what we say. But don't loose heart ; and all will goe well 
 at last. I suppose by this time the Dragoons are come. I would have 
 them Quarter'd at West- Cows. You may give the Officer leave to turn 
 his horses to Grass (I mean his Dragoons horses) with such of the 
 Country People near the Quarters, as he can agree with ; keeping all- 
 ways eight in the stable, in case of alarm ; which may be releiv'd every 
 week or fortnight, as the Officer will. When you have two whole 
 Companys, let One be at Newport ; with orders to give constant Guard 
 to Carisbrooke. Pray make much of all our freinds, especially my 
 Newport Freinds ; speak kindly and heartily to 'em. Present my 
 service to M r Shergole ; and tell him, PI write to him by next post 
 about M r Loving. Let the Wine-Cooper at Yarmouth kno' too, that 
 he shall have his Warrant by next Post. Orders are gone to Ports- 
 mouth from the Office of Ordinance to supply your stores ; pray send 
 over to enquire for 'em speedily, and by some carefull Person. I 
 desire to hear from you, and am sincerely, Sr, 
 
 Your most humble servant, 
 
 Cctts. 
 Coll : Dudly. 
 
 P. S. I would not have the Dragoons doe any Guards ; and I would 
 not have you order any of them to attend you, for reasons. 
 
 On board his Majesty's Yatch the Mary, 
 near Gravesend. May the 31. 1695. 
 
 Sr, — I had wrote to you sooner, but that I have been transacting 
 something, relating to our Isle of Wight affaires (of which this brings 
 you an account) of which I could come to no certainty till now. But 
 before I enter upon that, I will say something relating to Newtown. 
 It was necessary (and not thought so without the advice of better Per- 
 sons than my Self) to agree to certain Articles, whereof I send you here 
 enclos'd a Copy. Accordingly they were agreed to, and confirm'd upon 
 honour ; so that I have nothing to add, but positively to direct and 
 require you, that the same be most religiously observ'd and executed. 
 
13 
 
 This being my Positive Orders to you, you will I'm sure make no 
 delay or chicane in the same. Having settled that matter, I am to let 
 you know something of what I have done in other matters. S r William 
 Trumbold * (whom, with a great deal of Pains we have got to be Secre- 
 tary of State) is a very honest man, is intirely my freind (and will be 
 cordially your Patron), I design to set him up for Newport (but would 
 not have him nam'd as yet) with my self; intending afterwards to be 
 chosen myself elswhere and slip in a freind in my room. At Newtown 
 I shall set up the rich (ingenious) M r Henly, 2 and some country Gentle- 
 man of Figure with him ; and at Yarmouth M r Woosely 3 and the rich 
 Alderman Duncomb ; 4 who is sworn fast to us (under God and the 
 King) against all Majors whatsoever. S r William Trumbold, and the 
 best part of the Ministry, are acquainted with this sceme ; and I doubt 
 not but it will be supported. You must not name people as yet (not 
 'till you have my orders for it) but only say, that I shall set up men 
 without Exceptions, without so much as the pretence of Exceptions 
 against them; that we shall have country Gentleman with us (and 
 some to stand) of very great figure and Estate ; that I shall recommend 
 no souldier; and such like Generall things. And here I cannot but 
 wave my particular business, to tell you (by way of Cordiall to you) 
 that I have very sanguine hopes that this winter will produce some- 
 thing which will be very acceptable to you and I. I have really very 
 Good Grounds for this ; tho' it is not a thing fit to be trusted to Paper. 
 Verbum sapienti. Direct all my Pacquets to S r William Trumbold 
 (who is my fast and intirely beloved freind) who has taken down your 
 name in his minutes ; has promis'd to take care of any business you 
 write about, and expects constant accounts from you of such things as 
 deserve the notice of One in his Office. You will be sure to make a 
 modest use of this ; never to be tedious, much less light or triffling ; nor 
 to trouble him but upon serious business & in a modest way. He is a 
 good man, and will doe you and I all the Good he can. I have had 
 long conferences with him, and he is exactly upon our bottom. Syd- 
 ford's comission will be sent down by brother Acton. In the mean 
 time order him (by vertue of the Power I here give you) to act as 
 
 1 Sir William Trumbull, of East Hampstead Park in Berkshire, who married 
 Lady Judith Alexander, daughter of the 4th Earl of Stirling, and had served as 
 Ambassador at Paris and Constantinople. Burnet styles him "a learned, diligent, 
 and virtuous man." 
 
 2 Anthony Henley, M. P., alike well-known as a politician, man of letters, and 
 patron of the drama. His son Robert became Lord Chancellor and Earl of 
 Northington. 
 
 3 So spelled, but probably Henry Worsley, brother of Sir Robert; subse- 
 quently Envoy to Portugal and Governor of Barbadoes. 
 
 4 Afterwards Sir Charles Duncombe, Lord Mayor of London, whose nephew 
 became Lord Feversham. 
 
14 
 
 Gunner & receive pay. How's Order is sent here enclos'd, and shall 
 be fuller by the return of these yatchs. Your mony cannot come but 
 by the return of these yatchs, for reasons you shall then know. Say 
 only that you expect it soon. We are under sayl ; My Lord Rivers 1 
 in the Henrietta yatch ; some of the Bone of EngS in the Will and 
 Mary ; and I'm in the Mary ; with a considerable number of Officers 
 attending us. Dear S r , keep up your Heart, & use y r head, and be as- 
 sur'd I'l study your service. Write me a particular account of the 
 receipt of this. Compliments to whom you please ; as if nam'd. 
 I am sincerely, S r , 
 
 Your faithfull humble servant, 
 Coll : Dudlt. CuTTS. 
 
 Postcript to Coll: Dudly, May 31. 1695. 
 
 Sr, — I send you here enclos'd a Gen 1 . 1 Warrant to Bowler to obey 
 your Warrants, not exceeding two hundred Pounds ; which I would 
 have you make use on, as follows. Fifty Pounds to the poor of the 
 Town of Newport ; five and twenty of the said fifty to be paid out of 
 the mony now in his hands, and the remaining five and twenty out of 
 the Michaelmas-rent next ensuing. The rest I would have employ'd, 
 to pay such bills as I owe in the Island, and especially the In- Keeper 
 at Newport where my Horses stood. - I desire you'l give Bowler good 
 Words, & try to make him advance something (to the use of these 
 payments) upon the Michaelmas-rent. As to the Souldier's place va- 
 cant, I would not (for twice forty pounds) that any body should take 
 any mony for it ; because I know the King's mind so fully upon those 
 matters. But you may put one in, for this summer, with this proviso 
 (as from your self) that, if I have any One to put in at my return, he 
 must resign. Pray send me an account what companys & Officers you 
 have. That there is a constant Guard at Carisbrooke, Cows, & Yar- 
 mouth. Pray don't let Yarmouth-Bridge fall, since a little matter will 
 save it. You shall find (take my word and honour for it) that your 
 pains is not lost in serving me. The Lords of the Admiralty have been 
 so kind as to order me One of the King's best yatchs ; & the cabbin I am 
 now sitting in is finer & richlyer furnish'd than any room in the Isle of 
 Wight. Dear Dudly, God prosper us, and our Master. Adieu. 
 
 Cutts. 
 
 Postcript to Coll. Dudly, May 31, 1695. 
 
 I send you enclos'd a Deputation for the Mayoralty of Newtown. 
 If it wants any part of the formality of Law ; yet being in this Junc- 
 ture all of a Mind, you may make it pass. You must write to Holmes, 
 
 1 Richard Savage, 4th Earl Rivers of the second creation, a soldier and diplo- 
 matist, Master-General of the Ordnance. 
 
15 
 
 & consult him about it, before you call the Hall. I desire you to make 
 Hales easy in this matter, and give him what assurances you please of 
 my future kindness ; for I really mean it & intend it. You may tell 
 him (as a dead secret) I have layd a Scheme that will, in a little time, 
 by Gods help blow up all our Enimys. And all I doe now, is but to 
 cast a mist before their Eyes. I would have you exert your utmost 
 interest, & mine, to have S r Robert Worsely 1 chosen a capitall Burgess 
 of Newtown. Doe it, formally, as my careless compliment to his figure 
 & Quality ; but I mean it (intentionally) to a particular aim, which in 
 due time will produce a good effect. Carry it very civilly to him & 
 (between you and I) I have assurances that in due time he'l be ours. 
 You must not let the Enimy suspect this of him ; for they don't dream 
 it ; nor must you let him suspect you know it. But I would very fain 
 have him Burgess. I desire you will send the enclos'd to Major Holmes 
 by an Express forthwith; you may send your own message with it. 
 Once more adieu, and depend upon me for your sincere freind and 
 humble servant, 
 
 Cutts. 
 
 Whitehall, Jan: 23^ 1696. 
 Sr — By the next you shall not fail to have an answer to every 
 Article in each of your letters, which I have this day revis'd ; tho' I 
 havn't time now to answer them, by reason of y e multiplicity of busi- 
 ness which I have at this time (actually) upon me. Now my Lord 
 Galloway 2 is nam'd by the King for the 3^ Lord Justice in Ireland, I 
 hope our Isle of Wight freinds will let me stay here. I am, in hast, 
 
 S r , yours &c, 
 
 Cutts. 
 
 Kensington, May the 12 th 1696. 
 
 Sr, — I send you here enclos'd the Noli prosequi. Pray enquire about 
 it, if it is to be produc'd in Court ; if any Plea to be made upon it, &c. 
 And particularly learn if any thing may be done by them this morning 
 by way of praecluding us. For (with all M r D — s fine complements of 
 faireness — ) Timeo Da?iaos et dona ferentes. Pray have an Eye to 
 this with the greatest care & speed, not loosing a minute. Pay the 
 Porter, & I'l repay you ; as allso any necessary nee. At my house at 
 four. 
 
 I am, S r , your humble servant, 
 
 Cutts. 
 
 1 Sir Robert Worsley, 4th Baronet of Appuldercombe, then perhaps the largest 
 landed proprietor in the island. 
 
 2 James Stewart, 5th Earl of Galloway, a prominent personage of this and the 
 succeeding reign. 
 
16 
 
 From Prince Vaudemont's Camp near Bridges, 
 Sept 20 th N. S. 1696. 
 
 Sr, — I am infinitely delighted at your Success in the affaire of 
 Newtown ; and your likelyhood of success at Yarmouth. If you can 
 carry the point of those two Corporations, I'le improve it so much to 
 your advantage to the King and every body else (and I promise you to 
 doe it), that it shall be the best Card that ever you play'd. Whatever 
 Expences you are at (publick or private) as far as 200 lb goes, I'l will- 
 ingly repay you immediately at my return. This will be a matter of 
 greater moment than you imagine, and you'l have a large share in the 
 advantage of it. I wonder how Captain Phillips comes to be cow'd by 
 S r R. Worsely. I beg of you to talk with him ; and if good words, 
 promises, or mony will doe, secure him ; & pray don't omit this a mo- 
 ment. And let all things be done with' Calmness & Gravity. Some 
 matters of the greatest moment (with regard to the Publick, as well as 
 my own affaires) make it impossible for me to come over before the 
 King comes ; and Major Morgan slip'd away of a Suddain before I 
 knew any thing of it. How happy it will be (just upon the conclusion 
 of the War) to have our matters settled in the Isle of Wight. I beg of 
 you to employ your whole head, and heart and hands in it. And we 
 will (with God's leave) meet with more Joy than ever ; and I will im- 
 prove it essentially to your advantage. My Compliments to all as if 
 nam'd. I am sincerely, S r , Your faithfull humble servant, 
 
 Cutts. 
 
 Kensington, Oct : 20 t . h 1696. 
 
 S R , — I wrote you word in my last that when the Battle of Yar- 
 mouth was over you might come up to Town ; but I mean't that of 
 Newtown ; that is to say your Election of a Mayor there. M r Morgan 
 will be sufficiently mortify'd for his rampant carriage at Yarmouth. 
 We have done a very good day's worke in the house of Commons to- 
 day, of which I doubt not but our members give you an account. I 
 have so much business and Company at my first coming over, that (my 
 Secretary not being yet arriv'd from fflanders) I cannot undertake to 
 send any news. Holmes waits only for the return of his letter to you ; 
 and he comes away to you. You shall be a Witness your self, that I'l 
 set all that you doe in a good Light; and (if you are successfull in 
 Newtown) I doubt not but to graft something upon it that you'l be 
 pleas'd at. Compliments to all as if nam'd. I am, S r , 
 
 Your humble servant, 
 
 Cutts. 
 
 Coll. Dubly. 
 
 P. S. Pray bottle out and send up the Spanish wine as soon as 
 may be, directed for me at my house at Whitehall. 
 
Whitehall, Christmas-Eve. 
 (25 th Deem 1 " 9G.) 
 
 S R , — Your Express had return'd to you sooner, but that I was will- 
 ing to goe to the bottom of the matter first. I have retain'd the best 
 concell of Doctor's Comons, & advis'd with some of the ablest Lawyers 
 in England ; and upon their advice, my directions to you (and my 
 Orders) are positively to keep the possession of the Goods ; and not to 
 part with any thing, without my Order under my hand. I receiv'd 
 yesterday one of yours dated Cows, Dec: 21, which I can make noth- 
 ing of ; 'tis of so different a style and temper from your others. You 
 make abundance of repetitions of your good wishes and kindness to my 
 Lord Marquiss's servants, and say some other things (w ch I won't repeat 
 here) which are inconsistent with your other Letters. I can't have so 
 unjust a thought of you, as to imagine you will vary a tittle (directly 
 or indirectly) from what you have allways pretended. Keep the things 
 in your Possession, and let them be taken care of; there shall be no 
 neglect on my side. I am, S r , Your most humble servant, 
 
 Cctts. 
 
 From the English Camp at Corkleberg commanded 
 by Prince Vaudemont, Aug : the 12 th N. S. 1697. 
 
 Sr, — I have receiv'd yours of the 19*?* of July, for which I give you 
 my hearty thanks. What you write of Morris surprizes me to a degree 
 beyond Expression; and I can't but own to you (between you and I) 
 that I'm glad the War is at an end ; that I may have leisure to deal 
 with him and some other Persons at home, that use me ill. For I can 
 now write you word (tho' no Wise man will take upon him to answer 
 for the certainty of any Humane Affaires, till they are done) no Man 
 doubts but that the Peace will very soon be concluded, all matters 
 being now fully adjusted between England, France, and Holland ; 
 Spain being well inclin'd, and only the Emporour (I mean of any con- 
 siderable Power) that makes any difficulty s. And tho' measures are 
 kept with him, and an Exteriour Defference is due to an Ally of his 
 Rank ; yet 'tis thought he must comply, since England and Holland 
 have resolv'd ; and the Houses of Brandenbourg, Hanover, Hesse, Zell, 
 &c. are inviolably fast with England and Holland. So that there is no 
 manner of doubt, humanely speaking, but that the Peace will very soon 
 be concluded ; the ffrench having given but six weeks to the Allys to 
 take their final resolutions. And so, if God blesses me with life, I 
 shall certainly make my next Campagne in the Isle of Wight. And I 
 mention all this only as an Introduction to what I'm going to say : that, 
 when I can spend a summer in the Isle of Wight, 't will make a great 
 Alteration both as to Persons and Things ; besides that, I doubt not of 
 being Vice-Admirall of Hamshire before I see you, and I hope to see 
 
 3 
 
18 
 
 you before the Election of Mayors in the Island. But as to this of my 
 being in the Island so soon, pray let it be a dead secret from all Man- 
 kind, till I write to you more certainly upon it, and of my being Vice- 
 Admiral you may talk as of a common discourse, and a thing likely. 
 And, since I am upon the subject of my designs in the Island, I'l tell 
 you an other part of them. I shall order it so as to place a Com- 
 mander at Sandham-Fort, and another at Yarmouth, who will serve 
 without pay (only for the honour of the Comand and the Pleasure of 
 Passing the summer there) and One also at Cows, if I can get something 
 for you that will more then recompense to you the Profit of that Castle ; 
 and all these Officers shall not be less than L'-Collonells, such as will 
 keep their Coaches, and spend their monys there during the whole 
 Summer, Men of Courage, Figure, and Merit. 
 
 These Officers (all serving without Pay) shall be Commanders in 
 cheif and, by the Courtesy of the Island, will be call'd Governours of 
 their respective Garrisons, and so will have their respective Com- 
 manders under them, who will receive pay ; and all these Gentlemen 
 (besides that they shall meet you at your club once a Week) will in 
 the Island in Generall, and in their respective Stations, a little Counter- 
 balance the dead weight of the factious Country Gentlemen; for, be- 
 sides their Courage, Conduct, and Authority ; they'l spend every One 
 2 or 300 lb in the Island (more or less) every summer. And so many 
 Officers of Distinction begin (now the Peace is certain) to ask this of 
 me; that, engaging to none, I shall be able to chuse Persons so intirely 
 my own. that they shall not only be easy under me, but under you in 
 my abscence, One who has offer'd his service, has promis'd me all- 
 ready that, if I'l make him cheif Comander of Sandham-Fort, he'l not 
 only serve without pay, but he'l lay out 3 or 400 1 . to fit himself up an 
 Apartement in the Castle, being a marry'd man. And all this will make 
 you, as well as me, make quite a different Figure in the Island. And 
 (to close all) I here promise you, and I dare venture to say, upon the 
 finishing the War, I'm sure I shall have it in my Power : I here prom- 
 ise you, serve but the King, & me, effectually in this present storm, 
 and I'l be instrumentall to put you in such circumstances as you shall 
 have reason to be more than easy in. I mean doe effectual service in 
 the matter of the Corporations ; and the matter of my personall con- 
 cerns, as to Complaints, and every thing els. You may begin with 
 remembring me to the respective Corporations, and telling them from 
 me that the Peace is now in a manner concluded, and that this Cam- 
 paigne will (in all humane Appearance) be the last Campagne of this 
 so long and bloody War ; in which the King has lost so many Subjects, 
 the Nation so many Inhabitants, and we (who have serv'd, and are liv- 
 ing) many of us, so much blood. And I hope, I shall now be able to 
 spend a great part of my time with them, and to see every thing settled 
 
19 
 
 in the Island to every One's satisfaction, for which I shall use my ut- 
 most endeavour. You may tell them the very great Expence I have 
 constantly been at, in sending an Equipage every year into this Coun- 
 try ; and living at very great Expences here (of which whole burthen 
 I shall now be intirely eas'd) ; these Difficultys, and at a time when 
 the King has not been able to pay me the quarter of what's due to me ; 
 these Difficulty's, I say, have put me under great disadvantages ; but that 
 I shall now have my hands more at liberty, not only to pay offe all Debts 
 contracted in the Island vpon my Score, but to doe such acts of Gen- 
 erosity and Charity (both in Publick & private Occasions) as becomes 
 a Man of Honour, and a Man of Conscience. Thus much you may tell 
 them from me, which you ought to doe with as much solemnity and 
 gravity as the thing will well bear. You may begin with the Corpora- 
 tion of Newport, sending them word that you have receiv'd a Packet 
 from me with very considerable news in it, and that you desire to drink 
 a Glass of "Wine with them, to communicate it to them ; where you 
 may tell them what I have wrote you of Holland, Spain, the Emperour, 
 &c. But tell them my Message first intire &, sometime after, tell 
 them particulars by way of discourse, as part of what I have wrote you 
 in particular. You may introduce my Message to them by telling them 
 that the Peace being so very near at hand, as in Appearance it is, I 
 thought they would not dislike hearing an account of it from me, and 
 tho' it will be not yet concluded ; yet 'tis so near it, that there is no 
 manner of Doubt of it, &c. As for Yarmouth and Newtown, you may 
 send for their respective Mayors, or such of their cheif Burgesses as you 
 think fit, or you may frame some business to assemble them, or send 
 for them, or such of them as you please, and tell them the news in a 
 more careless manner & with less ceremony than to those at Newport. 
 As, for Instance, I would have it told to those of Yarmouth and New- 
 town as if you met them upon some other Occasion and told them this 
 by chance without any compliment ; but to those of Newport I would 
 have you speak, as meeting them on purpose to remember me to them 
 & tell them that good news. But as for Yarmouth and Newtown use 
 intirely your own Discretion. 
 
 [The last sheet of this letter is missing.} 
 
 Kensington, Nov : 9*. h 1697. 
 
 Sr, — I receiv'd by your last an account of your rejoycing with our 
 freinds, which I am very well satisfy'd with ; and as to what you say of 
 repeating it again upon the news of* his Majesty's arrivall, something 
 will be fit to be done, but (I think) an exact repetition of the same is 
 not necessary. And therefore (if you please) observe the following 
 Directions. Upon receipt of this (by Expresses immediately), give 
 order that the respective Garrisons of the Island have their Guns in a 
 
20 
 
 readiness of a minute's Warning, with their matches lighted (their 
 Guns being all loaded) and a Gunner in close waiting, to fire that min- 
 ute that you receive an Express of the King's being landed, which I 
 shall not fail to forward to you with Dilligence as soon as it comes to 
 Whitehall. And when you send these Orders circularly, let them know 
 you are to have an Express from me of the King's landing; and that 
 'tis my Order that all the Garrisons doe instantly (without a moment's 
 delay) tell the joyfull news aloud to the Country. And let it be in- 
 sencibly made known (upon your receipt of this) that you expect every 
 hour an Express, & y', upon y e arrivall of it, the Garrisons will answer 
 One another round the Island (order Hurst to answer Yarmouth) to 
 make known the King's landing. Drink a Glass of Wine w th the Cor- 
 poration at Night (but no firing after this upon any account), let some- 
 thing be done at Cows and Yarmouth ; and illuminations every where. 
 Let the yatch be at Southampton. Expect my Express hourly. 
 
 Yours, 
 
 CUTTS. 
 
 Kensington (Sunday), Nov: 14* h 1697. 
 Sr, — The Duke of Shrewsbury (who lodges next door to me in 
 this Square) sent a Gentleman to me about two hours ago, to acquaint 
 me that this day about ten o'clock his Majesty landed safe at Margate ; 
 that he will lye this Night at Canterbury ; to-morrow-night at Green- 
 wich ; and on Tuesday make his Entry through the City. The Duke's 
 letter (by the Express) was very short; and so I can write you no 
 news. I hope you have receiv'd mine, in which I order'd you to have 
 all the Guns at every Garrison in the Island, and at Hurst, ready 
 loaded ; and a Gunner waiting at every post, ready to fire at a mo- 
 ment's warning, & to make the Garrisons take it from One another, 
 and fire in a round to proclaim the arrivall of the greatest Monarch on 
 Earth. Upon receipt of this loose not a moment's time, but (tho' you 
 are at Cows) let Carisbrook-Castle begin. You will doe well to goe 
 to Newport ; but publish not the news till the Guns have fir'd. Depend 
 upon 't, I'l serve you. I am Your humble servant, 
 
 Cutts. 1 
 
 Kensington. Apr: 1. 1698. 
 Sr, — I won't complain of your unkind behavior to me, that is not 
 the matter now in dispute ; tho' in a week (all things consider'd) some 
 
 1 In connection with the two foregoing letters it is not inappropriate to quote 
 four lines irom some verses congratulatory of King William's return to England 
 after the Peace of llyswick, and attributed to Charles Hopkins : — 
 
 " The warlike Cutts the welcome tidings brings, 
 The true, best servant of the best of kings : 
 Cutts, whose known worth no herald needs proclaim ; 
 His wounds, and his own worth, can speak his fame." 
 
21 
 
 men would have shown some concern for One's health and affaires ; 
 but I don't insist upon it, your Personal Civilitys are most certainly 
 your own, & dispose on 'em how you please ; provided you trouble me 
 no more if Fortune should chance to smile on me, than you doe now 
 She seems at least to do otherwise. But this (as I sayd before) is not 
 the matter now in dispute. That which I have just reason to complain 
 of is your reall neglect of the King's service in your station. For if I 
 neither see nor hear of a Lieut-Governour in a Week, I would fain 
 know (when so many things are to be consider'd now the Spring comes 
 on) what you are payd for. You have the 4 s per diem which I give 
 you gratis, w ch no other Governour ever had (I mean y c Captain of 
 Cows, w ch Captain allways took some notice of me) & you have 2 a 
 per diem out of my own pocket ; both which you know I can stop when 
 I please ; & really I can employ 'em better if you treat y r Employment 
 so remissly. Thus much as y 1 ' fellow servant I could not in duty omit. 
 I have sent you the letter you desire. I would not have you think from 
 this letter that I would constrain you to spend so much as an Ev'ning 
 here from Company you like better ; but w n you come to the King's 
 Levee (w ch you should doe if ever y u expect any thing) you can make y r 
 reports, & take my Orders as you goe up. I have very good Neibours 
 now & want no Company. 
 
 I am, S r , Your humble servant, Cutts. 
 
 Carisbrooke Castle, Sept : 2 n . d 1698. 
 Sr, — Some business is fallen out, which makes me I cannot come to 
 Cows to-day ; pray make my Compliment to S r William Oglander * 
 whom I told I would come. My Hounds lye at M r Stevens's to-night ; 
 they will unharbour the Stag between 4 & 5 ; but (for fear of my ague) 
 I dare not goe out so soon. But I design to be upon Wotton-common 
 by six o'clock, and I'l take a snap with you (for I shall not venture out 
 the whole hunt ; tho' this to y r self only) at two o'clock at Cows ; and 
 visit the Ladys after dinner. If S r Harry Pickering 2 lands at Cows 
 to-night (for whom pray look out sharp) give him 3 Guns & no more. 
 Tell him, we are forbid giving any Guns. 
 
 [The rest of this letter is missing.] 
 
 Carisbrooke Castle, Sept : 16 l . h 1698. 
 Sr, — I desire (if possible) y* you would, by this bearer, send me 
 some prawns (because I have some Roman-Catholicks to dine with me 
 to-day, that come out of the main land) and, if you can, any other fish. 
 And let the Messenger be back by ten o'clock. I am 
 
 Your humble servant, Cutts. 
 
 1 Sir William Oglander, 3d Baronet of Nunwell, head of one oi the oldest 
 families in the island. 
 
 2 Sir Henry Pickering was father of the second wife of Lord Cutts. 
 
22 
 
 London, Oct : 29* h 1698. 
 
 Sr, — Your letters, either by the Negligence or willfull mistake of 
 our Cambridge-shire Postmasters, were very long coming to my hands ; 
 and that obliges me to send this by Expresse, which brings you en- 
 clos'd a Deputation to be in the Chair at Newtown for the Election of 
 a new Mayor, in which Fl give you no other Instructions, than to try 
 to choose a man as well affected to me & my Interests as you can. I 
 am but this minute alighted out of my coach from S r Harry Pickering's 
 and am sitting down to dinner at M r Row's, one of the clerks of the 
 Green-cloath ; and therefore cannot answer the rest of the contents of 
 your Respective letters 'till Tuesday's post ; by which you shall have 
 answers to every particular. My service to S r R. Worseley and my 
 particular freinds. I am, 
 
 S r , Your humble servant, 
 
 Cutts. 
 
 Coll: Dudley. 
 
 Kensington, Dec : 3<? 1698. 
 Sr, — I have receiv'd your last, for which I thank you. I believe it 
 will be requisite for you, for the cherishing of your own Interest, to 
 show your self to the King at his Arrivall. I hint it to you, & if you 
 have a mind to come up, I'l think of one to releive you ; but write to 
 me first. Send me word what How would have & I'l answer his Peti- 
 tion ; but don't let him play the fool. 
 
 I am, S r , Your humble servant 
 
 Cutts. 
 CD. 
 
 P. S. There must by no means be a Gallon of Wine brought into 
 Carisbrooke Castle. I keep that only for my own Residence and con- 
 venience ; & therefore as this is my positive Order to you, S r , so pray 
 give it to Major Collins. Wreck- Wines must be lodg'd at Cows or 
 Yarmouth. Major Collins must not let the Castle of Carisbrooke be 
 search'd ; but give very civill answers, and say he dare not doe it with- 
 out my Orders, but that he will write to me. 
 
 Kensington, May the 16* 1699. 
 Sr, — I am oblig'd to you for your repeated concern to know how my 
 principall Affaire goes ; which (I thank God) is in a very good Posture. 
 On Saturday last I din'd with the King at Hampton-Court and had the 
 good fortune to walk with him in the Wilderness after dinner and tell 
 him my business at large ; to all which he gave a very obliging, posi- 
 tive, and determinative answer ; and, if his affaires are not in such 
 a Posture, as that he can doe at present what he would, he will (at 
 least) doe that w ch will be honourable and make me easy. My Lord 
 
23 
 
 Arlbemarle 1 has espous'd my Interests with great seeming zeal, & pub- 
 lickly professes great Respect and Kindness for me ; upon which Com- 
 mentatours are various, but y 4 to you only. My Lord Orford 2 is out 
 of all his Employments ; which has disgusted some of his Creatures. 
 Many changes are soon expected, but none yet certain, except that Lord 
 Pembrooke 3 and Lord Lonsdale 4 (& another freind of mine) doe cer- 
 tainly come into business. Pray send me up a list of what Officers you 
 think proper to fill up the Militia. As soon as ever my own Life is safe, 
 PI endeavour to save your's. I shall soon have the Vice-Admiralty 
 now. I am, S r , 
 
 Your humble servant, 
 
 Cutts. 
 
 P. S. What have you done with the fellow, y* pretended to buy the 
 ship? 
 
 Tunbridge- Wells, Aug : 7* h 1699. 
 Sr, — I can't tell how it happens, but I have receiv'd five of your 
 letters all at once; to prevent which for the future, Direct — for me 
 at Tunbridge-wells by way of London — without sending them to any 
 particular Person or Place at London. The Waters have (by the 
 blessing of God) wrought such a miraculous change upon me, as well 
 in my looks as in my state of body, that I am given as an Instance 
 every day of their Virtue and Efficacy ; and I'm advised by the Doc- 
 tours by all means to stay out this month, so that I shall not see the 
 Island 'till something later than I came there last year. I'm sorry it 
 will be so late before I can come, tho', as the King's Governour is us'd 
 there, one has very little Encouragement to be amongst them any more 
 than one's Business requires, I mean my Master's service. Coll. 
 Holmes's Usage in the business of the Hunted-Deer has so much Ill- 
 manners in it, and Indignity to the Government, that I know not what to 
 say to 't, only in Generall, that 'tis in vain to think of obliging some Peo- 
 ple. I am resolv'd to doe nothing that the Laws of England will not 
 make good, and therefore, as to the business of hunting the Deer, it being 
 out of the Limits of the Forrest, I presume we cannot have any process 
 upon it, but we may show some tacite dislike of what we cannot help ; 
 and therefore, I hope you did (by no means) goe to the eating of the 
 
 1 Arnold Van Keppel, 1st Earl of Albemarle of that creation, the especial 
 favorite and flatterer of William III. 
 
 2 Edward Russell, Earl of Orford, an eminent naval commander, stigmatized 
 by Macaulay as " insolent, malignant, greedy, faithless." 
 
 3 Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke, afterwards Lord High Admiral of 
 England, styled by Bishop Burnet "a man of eminent virtue and profound 
 learning." 
 
 4 John Lowther, 1st Viscount Lonsdale, one of the great landed proprietors 
 whose adhesion to William of Orange was fatal to James II. 
 
24 
 
 Venison, or in any measure partake of it; that indeed would lessen both 
 the King's Authority and the Credit of his Governour. Nay, I think 
 you ought to receive what is sayd to you upon it with Coldness & some 
 seeming Dislike, & by letting fall such Expressions, both to them and 
 others, on all fitting Occasions, as may show a just Resentment on my 
 behalf, without coining to a Rupture openly. I doe approve of your 
 conduct in the business of the Dragoons ; I wish I had had your letter 
 sooner, but I have wrote (now) to some of the Ministers about it. I 
 dare not write more witli my Waters at present. Pray give my keeper 
 a rebuke for going with those Gentlemen (when they us'd me so) and 
 for taking a Fee upon such an account. Tell him, I don't mean that 
 I would have had him use any force, being out of the Forrest Bounds, 
 but he should not have waited on them, or had any thing to doe with 
 them, when they refus'd him the Deer. I'l write to you, God willing, 
 twice a week henceforwards. I am, 
 
 S r , your humble servant, 
 
 Cutts. 
 
 S t James's, May 14* 1700. 1 
 S R , — I desire you to assist M rs Hampton with present necessarys 
 (w ch Morris is order'd by this to repay you out of Parke-farm Rents) ; 
 pray doe this a little promptly, and it shall be made up in your affaires 
 here. 
 
 Our Grand affayres are yet undecided, we are in great expectation. 
 I am not idle in y r affaire. Be as zealous for, 
 
 S r , your humble servant, 
 For his Majesty's service. Cutts. 
 
 To the hon b,e Coll : Dudley, IAGovernour 
 of the Isle of Wight. 
 Free, Cutts. 
 
 A number of letters are undoubtedly missing from this cor- 
 respondence, which here ends abruptly. In the following year 
 the close intimacy between Cutts and Dudley substantially 
 ceased, his Lordship going to Holland as second in command 
 to Marlborough, and his subordinate vacating his post in 
 Wight with the promise of the governorship of Massachusetts, 
 though the King's death delayed his commission. It was about 
 this time that Richard Steele, then Cutts's private secretary, 
 dedicated to him his " Christian Hero " ; and it was about this 
 time that Jonathan Swift, prompted by Tory pamphleteers to 
 
 1 This last letter was not found among the Winthrop Papers, but is copied 
 by permission, from the rich collection of autographs of our associate, Hon. 
 Mellen Chamberlain. 
 
25 
 
 whom the robust Whiggery of Cutts was especially obnoxious, 
 made him the subject of a scurrilous lampoon, styling him, 
 among other things, a the vainest old fool alive." Whatever 
 his vanity may have been, he was staunch in his devotion to 
 the revolutionary principles of 1688, and the untimely death 
 of William III. was ultimately fatal to his prospects. The out- 
 break of another great continental war in 1702 afforded him 
 fresh opportunities for the display of brilliant personal heroism ; 
 and at a dozen different places, and more particularly at Blen- 
 heim, he covered himself with glory. But Queen Anne's secret 
 liking for her half-brother, the Pretender, and increasing pref- 
 erence for Tory statesmen and Tory generals, resulted in his 
 transfer, early in 1705, to the command in Ireland, — a nominal 
 distinction, but an exchange peculiarly galling to him, occur- 
 ring, as it did, just at the beginning of a new campaign. 1 
 His health was already somewhat undermined ; and the 
 thought that without him his comrades were again measuring 
 swords with France — that without him Marlborough and 
 Peterborough were likely to win additional laurels on many 
 a hard-fought field — fairly broke his heart ; and in January, 
 1707, he was buried in Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin. 
 
 An extract from a published letter of his to the Earl of 
 Nottingham, in September, 1702, describing the taking of 
 Venloo, will serve to show that, upon occasion at least, he 
 knew how to be as modest as he was brave. He says : — 
 
 " Of my action at Fort S* Michael I will say no more than that it 
 was my own contrivance & execution. ... It was successful, and 
 produced good & quick effects, by occasioning the speedy surrender 
 of Venlo, & making way for farther successes ; and it met with gen- 
 eral approbation, for the world has made more noise of it than it de- 
 serves. I had the honour to command brave men ; I had the fortune 
 to take my measures right ; and God blessed me with success." 
 
 There is a soldierly bluntness about his epistolary style 
 which displays but one side of his character. In his leisure 
 hours Cutts cultivated the Muses, and was a poet of no mean 
 capacity. Besides a poem on the death of the Queen, and 
 
 1 Narcissus Luttrell, in his diary, states that, in May, 1704, Queen Anne 
 made Cutts a present of a thousand guineas, in recognition of his recent ex- 
 ploits ; but there is no doubt that his popularity with the army was distasteful 
 to the Jacobite party. 
 
 4 
 
26 
 
 some occasional pieces, he published, in 1687, a little volume 
 entitled u Poetical Exercises," now extremely rare, from which 
 Horace Walpole, in his " Royal and Noble Authors," quotes 
 a few extracts, and, in particular, two amatory stanzas, which 
 seem to my old-fashioned taste to be fully as melodious as 
 half of Robert Browning's verses, and they are certainly a 
 good deal more intelligible (whatever Archdeacon Farrar may 
 say to the contrary). 
 
 " Only tell her that I love, 
 
 Leave the rest to her and Fate, 
 Some kind Planet from above 
 May, perhaps, her pity move; 
 
 Lovers on their Stars must wait; 
 Only tell her that I love. 
 
 " Why, oh why, should I despair, 
 Mercy 's pictured in her Eye; 
 If she once vouchsafe to hear, 
 Welcome Hope, and farewel Fear, 
 
 She 's too good to let me dye ; 
 Why, oh why, should I despair! " 
 
 The poems in question are preceded by an elaborate dedica- 
 tion to the Princess Mary of Orange, afterwards his sovereign, 
 which contains two passages I think worth citing : — 
 
 " A quick, and right Apprehension of Things ; a clear & solid Judg- 
 ment ; with a Natural Tendency to all that is Just, and Good, and 
 Charitable ; are such inestimable Blessings in a high Station ; that You 
 are more beholding to God for being so qualified, than for being born 
 a Princess. When I add to all this, that your Soul is touched with a 
 Spark of that Fire, which warms the Hearts of Angels, and kindles 
 Mortality into Desires that are Immortal, it gives such a double Lustre 
 to all the rest of Your Accomplishments ; and invests You with some- 
 thing so Glorious, and Divine, that we can never have Eyes enough to 
 Admire You, or Tongues enough to praise You. . . . 
 
 " Justice & Truth are the particular Care of Heaven. They sur- 
 mount everything ; and their Lustre breaks through the thickest Clouds. 
 When any Subtilty, or Force of Argument can perswade men to be- 
 lieve, that the Sun does not Shine ; or that the Stars are not bright ; 
 then (and not till then) shall the Glory of an Illustrious Life be stifled, 
 and obscur'd." x 
 
 1 There are few copies of this book in existence ; but, by the kindness of Mr. 
 Moorfield Storey, of the Suffolk bar, I have been permitted to see one which be- 
 longed to his father-in-law, the late General Richard D. Cutts, of Washington 
 
27 
 
 Lord Cutts married, first, Dec. 18, 1690, a rich widow, Lady- 
 Trevor, sister of Sir George Treby, Attorney General of Eng- 
 land, and Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. She, however, 
 died a few years later ; and King William consoled him for the 
 loss of her jointure by the gift of an estate in Sussex, which 
 he sold for eight thousand pounds. He married, secondly, in 
 February, 1696, another lady of fortune, the only daughter of 
 Sir Henry Pickering, Bart., of Whaddon in Cambridgeshire, 
 and who would appear to have survived him ; but he left no 
 issue by either marriage, and the collateral branches of his 
 family are extinct. 1 It is interesting, however, to remember 
 that he came of the same original stock with the distinguished 
 American family of that name, long seated at Portsmouth in 
 New England, who descend from Richard Cutt, or Cutts, a 
 member of one of Cromwell's Parliaments, whose son John 
 was, in 1679, commissioned President of the province of New 
 Hampshire. I can find no evidence that the General was per- 
 sonally acquainted with his transatlantic kinsmen ; but I have 
 thought it a not unreasonable conjecture that the " cousin 
 Hooke," mentioned in one of the letters, may have been a son 
 of Francis Hooke, of Kittery, or of the Rev. William Hooke, of 
 New Haven, sometime chaplain to Oliver Cromwell. 
 
 A portrait of Cutts, taken some years before his elevation to 
 the peerage, by Wissing, the fashionable court-painter who im- 
 mediately succeeded Sir Peter Lely, was exhibited at South 
 Kensington in 1866. A contemporary print of it, now very 
 scarce, was copied, in 1797, by Richardson, to illustrate Gran- 
 ger's "Biographical History of England; " and this last is occa- 
 sionally met with in a separate form. There exists, moreover, 
 a still more rare engraving, representing him on his death-bed, 
 in 1707, surrounded by Apollo, Minerva, and Cupid weeping; 
 and I have been disappointed in not obtaining a heliotj^pe 
 of it to accompany these letters. I have been obliged to 
 content myself with furnishing one of a portrait, hitherto 
 little known, of Governor Joseph Dudle}% which has always 
 been in possession of the descendants of his daughter Anne, 
 wife of John Winthrop, F.R.S., and which some members 
 
 1 In the interval between these marriages he was, according to Luttrell, cur- 
 rently reported to have been engaged to one of the Queen's maids of honor, 
 a sister of that notorious Lord Mohun, who subsequently killed the Duke of 
 Hamilton in a duel. 
 
28 
 
 may remember to have seen in the country-house of the late 
 President of the Society at Brookline. It is believed to have 
 been painted towards the close of his third residence in Eng- 
 land, in 1701, when he was in Parliament, and not long before 
 his final return to this country. The other two authentic 
 likenesses of him are, first, a portrait believed to have been 
 painted in London during his first residence in London, as 
 agent for Massachusetts in 1682-86, which was presented to 
 this Societ} r in 1870 by his lineal descendant, Mr. Henry A. S. 
 Dudley; 1 and, second, a much dilapidated portrait, believed 
 to have been painted during his second visit to England, in 
 1689-90, and now belonging to Dr. Daniel Dudley Gilbert, of 
 Roxbury, a descendant of Dudley's daughter, Rebecca Sewall. 
 This last was shockingly engraved, in 1856, for the late Mr. 
 Samuel G. Drake's " History of Boston," and the plate has 
 been more recently used to illustrate the late Mr. Francis 
 S. Drake's " History of Roxbury ; " a cut of it appears in the 
 " Memorial History of Boston." All three portraits are not 
 without merit as works of art, and, making allowance for the 
 difference in age of the subject, bear a marked resemblance to 
 one another ; but Mr. Drake's engraver has unaccountably 
 substituted for a curly periwig the long black locks of an 
 Indian chief, and has successfully endeavored to impart to the 
 naturally grave expression of the Governor an air of fatuous 
 benignity wholly foreign to his character. For more than a 
 century the historians of New England have vied with one 
 another in heaping obloquy upon the political career and mo- 
 tives of Joseph Dudley ; but I fancy his well-balanced mind 
 would have been less disturbed at the prospect of such un- 
 reasoning abuse, than by the thought that so feeble and inac- 
 curate a pictorial representation of himself was to be handed 
 down to posterity in the three works of reference which I 
 have mentioned. 2 
 
 1 A replica, or perhaps only an ancient copy, of this picture is in possession 
 of our associate, Professor Charles Eliot Norton, of Camhridge, a great-great- 
 grandson of Dudley's daughter, Mary Atkins. 
 
 2 In an article in the " Genealogical Register " of October, 1856, Mr. Dean 
 Dudley alludes to the portrait now belonging to this Society (then owned by the 
 widow of Colonel Joseph Dudley, of Roxbury), and also to the Gilbert portrait, 
 which latter he describes as " taken when the Governor was sick." So far as lean 
 gather, this family tradition, of uncertain date, arose from the apparent sallow- 
 ness of the face, and from a certain suggestion of dressing-gown about the costume. 
 

 29 
 
 Of his wife, Rebecca Tyng, there exists, so far as I am 
 aware, but one authentic portrait, the very interesting one 
 belonging to this Society ; 1 but, in the course of my inquiries 
 into this subject, I received information that in the family of 
 the late Mr. Dudley Hall, of Medford, were portraits of Mr. 
 and Mrs. Joseph Dudley, by Sir Peter Lely. As Lely never 
 visited this country, and died before Dudley first went abroad, 
 I was a little incredulous ; and on going out to Medford, I 
 found two charming pictures, apparently painted by Smibert, 
 and representing, as I have every reason to believe, Joseph 
 Dudley's son William, Speaker of the Massachusetts House of 
 Representatives from 1726 to 1729, and his wife Elizabeth, 
 daughter of Judge Addington Davenport, — the said Mr. and 
 Mrs. William Dudley having been the great-grandparents of 
 the late Mr. Dudley Hall. It is not to be wondered at that 
 such mistakes continually occur about old family portraits, 
 when we consider how indifferent our wives and children 
 often are to the associations connected with them, and how 
 difficult they generally find it to give an accurate description 
 of them. I am bound to add that a somewhat similar blunder 
 was made long ago concerning the one of Joseph Dudley now 
 at Brookline ; for when, in 1860, it came into the possession of 
 its present owner, on the death of a kinsman at New London, 
 he found pasted on the back of it this distich : — 
 
 " Sir Thomas Dudley 's a trusty old stud, 
 A bargain 's a bargain & must be made good." 
 
 In other words, the writer of this doggerel on the back of that 
 portrait clearly supposed it to represent, not Governor Joseph, 
 but his father, Governor Thomas Dudley, a likeness of whom 
 would, I need not say, be a great prize, for none is known to 
 exist. The figure, however, is attired in the costume and 
 long, full-bottomed wig of the later Stuart period ; and no 
 one at all acquainted with historical portraiture would be 
 willing, for a moment, to accept it as Thomas Dudley, who 
 
 After careful examination, however, I believe the sallowness in question to be 
 merely the effect of age and neglect, and the " dressing-gown " looks to me more 
 like a judicial robe. As Dudley was named Chief Justice of New York about 
 that time, he may have had himself so painted. The learned editor of the 
 " Memorial History " has expressed to me his regret that the Drake engraving 
 should have been followed without verification. 
 
 1 Professor Norton possesses a replica, or ancient copy, of this also. 
 
30 
 
 died at a very advanced age in 1653. My conjecture as to 
 the origin of this mistake is, I think, a reasonable one. At 
 Joseph Dudley's death, in 1720, this portrait became the prop- 
 erty of his daughter, Mrs. Winthrop, who survived her father 
 more than half a century, and died in 1776 at the great age of 
 ninety-two. This venerable lady had outlived her sons, and 
 the portrait then passed to her eldest grandson, a young man 
 with a number of younger brothers, some one of whom (ac- 
 cording to my theory) having always heard the picture spoken 
 of at his grandmother's as Governor Dudley, hastily assumed 
 it to be the more distinguished of the two Governors Dudley, 
 and amused himself by scribbling on it accordingly. Had he 
 been a man of cultivation, he would have undoubtedly pre- 
 ferred to transcribe several of the lines in which Thomas 
 Dudley's daughter, Anne Bradstreet, the first New England 
 poetess, has so quaintly and touchingly commemorated her 
 father ; but being, as he probably was, a youngster with a not 
 very refined sense of humor, he preferred the above-mentioned 
 distich, which was by no means original with him, as it has 
 been ascribed to no less authoritative a pen than that of Gov- 
 ernor Jonathan Belcher, though in my own judgment it is more 
 likely to be a survival of the doggerel of the colonial period. 
 The correct version begins, not "Sir Thomas," but "Here lies 
 Thomas ; " and the writer, relying upon an imperfect memory, 
 managed to confer upon his assumed great-great-grandfather 
 the honor of knighthood. For the benefit of those who may 
 not have found leisure to devote much attention to the do- 
 mestic history of Puritan times, it is as well to explain, by 
 way of parenthesis, that the reason why this irreverent, not 
 to say flippant, expression, " trusty old stud," was applied to 
 so eminent and austere a magistrate as Thomas Dudley, is to 
 be found in the fact that no less than three of the children of 
 his second marriage were born after he had entered upon his 
 seventieth year. 
 
 I will only add, in conclusion, that I can find no trace of 
 the numerous confidential letters which Cutts must have re- 
 ceived from his Lieutenant-Governor during their eight years 
 of official association, and which his Lordship perhaps de- 
 stroyed. The Winthrop Papers include many of Dudle} T 's 
 domestic letters, and among them several written by him from 
 the Isle of Wight to his wife in New England ; but they 
 
I 
 
 31 
 
 contain not the remotest reference to public affairs, and con- 
 sist, for the most part, of slightly monotonous expressions of 
 conjugal endearment, intermingled with reiterated and edify- 
 ing assurances that the consolations of religion alone sustained 
 him during so protracted an absence from his family. 1 
 
 1 A still further illustration of the untrustworthiness of family traditions is sup- 
 plied by the fact that there was long ago presented to the Cabinet of this Society 
 a quaint bit of provincial furniture, purporting to be the " Cradle of Governor 
 Joseph Dudley." It has recently been noticed, however, that the rows of antique 
 brass nails which ornament it, and which are evidently coeval with the wood- 
 work, are so disposed on top as to form the distinct date " 1730," which is eighty- 
 three years after the Governor first became a candidate for a cradle, and about 
 the time that several of his grandchildren were in need of one. 
 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
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