(XCVIII.) TO THE DUKE OF COURLAND, March 1657:—­After thanking this potentate of the Baltic for his hospitality, some time ago, to an English agent passing through to Muscovy, the Protector brings to his notice the case of one John Jamesone, a Scotchman, master of one of the Duke’s ships.  The ship had been wrecked going into port, but not by Jamesone’s fault.  The pilot, to whom he had intrusted it, according to rule and custom, had been alone to blame.  Jamesone has been a faithful servant of the Duke for seven years; he is in great distress; and his Highness hopes the Duke will not stop his pay.

(XCIX.) TO THE CONSULS AND SENATE OF DANTZIG, April 1657:—­The Dantzigers, for whom the Protector has a great respect, have unfortunately sided with the Poles against the King of Sweden.  Would that, for the sake of Religion, and in the spirit of their old commercial amity with England, they had chosen otherwise, or would yet change their views!  That, however, is rather beyond the immediate business of this letter; which is to request them either to release the noble Swede, Count Konigsmarck, who has become their prisoner by treachery, or at least make his captivity easier.

(C.) TO THE EMPEROR OF RUSSIA, April 1657:—­On the throne of this vast, chaotic, semi-Asiatic Empire at this time was Alexis, the son and successor of Michael Romanoff, the founder of that new dynasty under which Russia was to enter on her era of greatness.  He had come to the throne, as a young man, in 1645, and had since then, in the despotic Czarish way, continued his father’s policy for the civilization of his subjects by cultivating commerce with the neighbouring European states, and bringing in foreigners for service in his armies or otherwise.  On the execution of Charles I., however, he had broken utterly with the Regicide Island, and had ordered out of his dominions all English adherents of the Parliament.  He alone of European Sovereigns had at once taken this high stand against the English Republic.  But events, Russian interests, and communications from the Protector, had gradually brought him round.  Since 1654, when a certain WILLIAM PRIDEAUX had been sent to Russia as agent for the Protector, the trade with Russia, through Archangel, had resumed its former dimensions, under rules permitting English merchants to sell and buy goods at Archangel, and have a factory there, but “not to go up in the country for Moscow or any other city in Russia."[1] The envoy himself, however, had visited Moscow; and his long letters thence, or from Archangel, had thrown much light on the internal condition of that strange outlandish Muscovy, as Russia was then generally called, about which there had been hitherto more of curiosity than knowledge.  The immense wealth of the Emperor,