haughtily Protestant. On the ground that "most people think in
Religion with easy acquiescence in exactly what they have received
from their forefathers, and not what they themselves, after
imploring divine help, have learnt to be true by their own
perception and knowledge," the case of Romswinckel is represented
as peculiarly interesting; and such phrases as "the Papal
superstition" are not spared. The passport was probably expected to
come only into Protestant hands.

[Footnote 1: This Letter is not given in the Printed Collection or
in Phillips; it is in the Skinner Transcript, and has been printed
by Mr. Hamilton in his _Milton Papers_ (pp. 5-6).]

(LXXIX.) To CHARLES X., KING OF SWEDEN, _June_ 1656:[1]--A
special recommendation of the above Romswinckel to the Swedish
King, in the same high Protestant tone.

[Footnote 1: Not in Printed Collection or Phillips, but in
Skinner Transcript, and printed by Hamilton (_Milton Papers_,
6-7).]

(LXXX.) TO THE KING OF PORTUGAL, _July_ 1656:--The Portuguese
merchants of the Brazil Company owe certain English merchants a
considerable sum of money on shipping accounts since 1649 and 1650.
The English merchants, understanding that, by recent orders of his
Portuguese Majesty, they are likely to lose the principal of the
debt, and be put off with the bare interest, have applied to the
Protector. He thinks it a hard case, and begs the King to let the
debt be paid in full, principal and five years of interest.

(LXXXI.) To CHARLES X., KING OF SWEDEN, _July_ 1656:--After
more than two months of farther debating between Count Bundt and
the English Commissioners, in the course of which there had been
frequent new displays of the Count's high temper, the Treaty
between the Protector and Charles Gustavus had at last been happily
finished on the 17th of July. On that day, Whitlocke tells as, he
and Lords Fiennes and Strickland had their long final meeting over
the Treaty with the Ambassador, ending; in formal signing and
sealing on both sides. The main difficulty had been got over thus:
"Concerning the carrying of pitch, tar, &c. to Spain, during our
war with them [the Spaniards], there was a single Article, that the
King of Sweden should be moved to give order for the prohibiting of
it, and a kind of undertaking that it should be done." On the
whole, the Protector was satisfied; and, as he had contracted some
admirat