Undated. Letter without address or signature; deciphered from numbers written in very light ink in place of all important words, so that all those in the decipher stand between the lines. Col. Scot doth send his letters by way of Mons. Gourville, in whose chamber he writes them, so that I see little hopes of doing what you know, though the undertaker doth still insist for the contrary. I am ready for the journey, hoping Mr. Secretary will be so just as to spare naming me till that service is done, for I should be sorry to trust any other who I do know to have contrived my being disliked in this court. A lady of quality, my good friend, returned yesterday from Bretagne and assures a great arming upon those coasts and an army of forty thousand men ready to ship at Nantes, Brest, etc., whenever commanded to sea, to save (as they report) the K. of England from destruction. The lady, if there were no disguise in the outward state of things in England (which many do think there is), might I think be brought to use her knowledge for his Majesty’s service, but my hands are tied, and you know how things stand with you. COVENTRY PAPERS xi. 313 May 21 1678. St. Malo. Thomas Kelly to Mr. William Talbot in Corn Market, Dublin. I pray you to pay to Mr. John Plunket the sum of 89 pounds sterling by the review of this letter; in doing so you will satisfy your creditor. Made the 21st of May at St. Malo, 1678. THOMAS KELLY. [The above is in plain dark ink. What follows is light and indistinct; the characters were evidently written in milk or lemon-juice, and made visible by being held to the fire.] When I came from Paris to St. Germaine where I stayed some time and among other speeches I heard in dophin [_sic_] Chamber from some which were there that if the English should make war against them they should easily excite a rebellion both in Scotland and Ireland, and sending by some Marshal of France 10 men of war with all things necessary for to make up 2000 soldiers in Ireland and that, by the help of some skillful Irishmen, and under their conduct all the Irish should be, they may easily overcome all Ireland. This was the discourse of those gentlemen in Dorphin [_sic_] Chamber, but whether it comes to effect or not I cannot tell.... [Goes on to give particulars of the numbers and strength of the French navy on the north coast.] COVENTRY PAPERS xi, 310 July 6, 1678. Kimper. David Neal to John Plunket at sign of the Ship in the Corn Market in Dublin. [Of the same character as the last. The letter, in black ink, is frivolous. Interlined in light writing as follows.]