"I send to your Majesty (and cannot send a present of greater worth or excellence) the truly distinguished and truly noble man, George Ayscough, Knight, not only famous and esteemed for his knowledge of war, especially naval war, as proved by his frequent and many brave performances, but also gifted with probity, modesty, ingenuity, and learning, dear to all for the sweetness of his manners, and, what is now the sum of all, eager to serve under the banners of your Majesty, so renowned over the whole world by your warlike prowess." A favourable reception is bespoken for Ayscough, who is to bring certain communications to his Majesty, and who, in any matters that may arise out of these, is to be taken as speaking for Richard himself.

It was not till the beginning of the following year that Ayscough did arrive in the Baltic.
These five letters were undoubtedly the most important diplomatic dispatches of the beginning of Richard's Protectorate.

They refer to the two most momentous foreign interests bequeathed from Oliver: viz.
the French Alliance against Spain, and the entanglement in Northern Europe round the King of Sweden.

Milton, as having written all the previous state-letters on these great subjects, was naturally required to be himself the writer of the five in which Richard announced to France and Sweden his resolution to continue the policy of his father.

Marvell's pen may have been used, then and afterwards, for minor dispatches.
To the month of October 1658, the month after that of Oliver's death, belongs also a new edition of Milton's _Defensio Prima_.