DUTCH

Three pages, octavo. Very good on lightly aged paper. Interesting communication from one of the nineteenth-century's leading historians to another, with an evaluation of Froude's work by Motley. He is disappointed that Froude's visit to London precedes his own. He has been in Brussels since January, 'occupied with an important <?> correspondence', and is on his way to join his family in Nice. Gives plans for the summer (Switzerland, Germany and London). Thanks the Warrens for their kind remembrance.

On piece of aged, laid paper roughly six inches by eight and a quarter wide. Two inch closed tear at head, and three-quarters of an inch closed tear, with a little loss, to the right. Quarter-inch hole towards top right-hand corner, in sky above archway. Mounted on piece of grey paper. Negligible wear to bottom left-hand corner.

Commissioner (Office of the Master General of the Ordnance). Duncombe is instructing a Mr Sherborne of the Tower of London to go to Chatham, Gravesend and Woolwich to see "how many gunnes are mounted & of w[ha]t nature". He expects a report the following morning. The barbarian who cut the signature off also cut off the date, but this letter could well predate the Dutch raid up the Thames Estuary in June 1667 which particularly affected the fleet at Chatham, and indicate preparations.