[Illustration: BRUGES. Maison du Pelican (Almshouse).]
Don John of Austria visited Charles at Bruges, and an allowance
from the King of Spain was promised, so that men might be levied
for the operations against Cromwell; but the payments were few
and irregular. 'The English Court,' says a letter of February,
1657, 'remains still at Bridges [Bruges], never in greater want,
nor greater expectations of money, without which all their levies
are like to be at a stand; for Englishmen cannot live on bread
alone.'
A 'Letter of Intelligence' sent from Sluis says that Charles is 'much
loocked upon, but littell respeckted.' And this is not wonderful if
the reports sent home by the Commonwealth agents are to be trusted.
One of the spies who haunted the neighbourhood of Bruges was a Mr.
Butler, who writes in the winter of 1656-1657: 'This last week
one of the richest churches in Bruges was plundered in the night.
The people of Bruges are fully persuaded that Charles Stewart's
followers have done it. They spare no pains to find out the guilty,
and if it happen to light upon any of Charles Stewart's train, it
will mightily incense that people against them.... There is now
a company of French comedians at Bruges, who are very punctually
attended by Charles Stewart and his Court, and all the ladies there.
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