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tion of the cause shall free me from any further punishment than that gentle rebuke which you have already given me. By the two letters here inclosed, you will find a change from what I have heretofore declared to you; and besides the good success which is now expected of your negotiation, I find there is a general applaud of your proceedings, which is no small delight to me, and, I hope, will be a great encouragement to you: for though I conceive your labours to be very great, yet I trust the conclusion will be very good, and then all the pains will be remembered with pleasure and advantage to you. I hope you apprehend more an alteration in the Archbishop of Canterbury than there is cause, for I could never hear of any thing he said to your prejudice, though I have been inquisitive enough; but that he favours Scudmore there is no question; and if it be nothing but what has happened between you, I believe it will easily pass away. No ill offices can be done by Cottington, for they are át such a distance as they seldom speak one to the other and, besides, I could never find that the suspected party expressed any thing of malice to you, but when he multiplied the money that had been paid to Leicester, which might be a mistake. I am glad you find the deputy of Ireland kind to Leicester, for certainly he may do great courtesies, and so has he behaved himself lately, as he is extreme great with Canterbury, Coltington, Coke,and Windeback. I have no more cause to fear ill offices from than formerly; for it is no new conceit that is not affectionate to me or mine; but if the party deceive me, I shall be

glad, and for any thing I know, we are on the same terms you left us. I hope the 3001. you commanded shall be returned to you at the time appointed; and when more is received, it shall be disposed of according to your directions.

The present also for the queen of France I will be very careful to provide; but it cannot be handsome for that proportion of money which you do mention; for those bone laces, if they be good, are dear, and I will send of the best, for the honour of the nation and my own credit. You persuade my going to London, and there I shall play the ill housewife, which I perceive you are content to suffer, rather than I should remain in this solitariness; and yet my intention is not to remove till the beginning of the next month, except Mr. Auger's going away carry me up sooner. All the children I will leave here, according to your advice, and if you can spare Daniel, I desire that you will send him to me for the time of my being at London. Mr. Seladine comes in with your letter, whom I am engaged to entertain a little; besides, it is supper time, or else I should bestow one side of this paper in making love to you; and since I may with modesty express it, I will say, that if it be love to think on you sleeping and waking, to discourse of nothing with pleasure but what concerns you, to wish myself every hour with you, and to pray for you with as much devotion as for my own soul; then certainly it may be said that I am in love; and this is all that you shall at this time hear from your, &c.

Penshurst, 7th Feb. 1636.

Kiss my boy Algernon for me, who sent me a very pretty French letter.

LETTER XXI.

THE COUNTESS OF LEICESTER TO THE EARL HER HUSBAND.

MY DEAREST HEART,

THE apprehension of your going to Hamburgh brought me much trouble, till I was told that it would be absolutely left to your choice; and offered to you rather as a compliment than pressed on you as a necessity. Wherefore, in that particular I am now reasonably well satisfied; yet will I not desist from the performance of all that may defend you from that journey: for I am more adverse to it than you can be; though I am confident that if the king have any such intention, it is with a belief that it will please you, and not discontent you; for I think he is very well disposed to you. I am sorry you cannot keep yourself from being troubled with your companion's folly, who I think is very little considered here, for I seldom hear him named; and when he is, it is with contempt. All my present for the queen of France is provided, which I have done with great care and some trouble; the expense I cannot yet directly tell you; but I think it will be about 1201., for the bone laces are extremely dear. I intend to send it by Monsieur Ruvigny, for most of the things are of new fashion; and if I should keep them, they would be less acceptable; for what is new now, will quickly grow common, such things being sent over almost every week. Now concerning Doll, of whom I can neither say what I desire, nor what I thought I should

have done: for I find my lord Lovelace so uncertain and so idle, so much addicted to mean company, and so easily drawn to debauchery, as it is now my study how to break off with him in such a manner as it may be said that we refused him ; for since Sunday last, we have not seen him, though he is every day very near us. Many particulars I could tell you of his wildness; but the knowledge of them would be of no use to you, since he is likely to be a stranger to us; for though his estate is good, his person pretty enough, and his wit much more than ordinary, yet dare I not venture to give Doll to him. And concerning my lord of Devonshire, I can say as little to please you; for though his mother and sister made fair shows of good intentions to us, yet in the end we find them, just as I expected, full of deceit and juggling. The sister is gone from this town; but the young lord is still here, who never visited us but once, and yet all the town spoke of a marriage: which I think came upon my lord of Holland's divulging his confidence that it would be so; and he conceives that he had much reason to believe what he did. My dear heart, let not these cross accidents trouble you, for we do not know what God has provided for her; and, howsoever, let us submit to his will, and confess that his benefits are far beyond our deserts, and his punishments much less than we have reason to expect. The last Sunday, being at the court to wait on the queen, the earl of Holland came formally in, and whispered with her majesty, who presently called me; and, with a cheerful countenance, said, that all was concluded in France,

ment.

and that you had sent one to give that advertiseWhich news I received with much joy, and went home with an expectation of hearing_it confirmed by a letter of yours; but, upon inquiry, I found that Holland had made this report upon a letter which came to secretary Cooke, wherein there was no such thing as he had told the queen.' He makes such foolish discourses to the king of all that you write to him, as I think you had better say nothing to him of those discontents which I believe sometimes come to you by false informations. And though you have cause of dislike, I do not think it advantageous for you to be ever taking exceptions; and Holland is so glad to get any thing to talk on to the king, as he multiplies the least information that he receives; so as in my opinion you had not best write any thing to him which you would not have him discourse of. And, at this present, I can say no more; but that I am more yours than can be imagined, am more impatient to see you than can be expressed; which 1 hope will persuade you to bestow thoughts of kindness on your, &c.

Leicester House, 18th May, 1637.

LETTER XXII.

THE LADY DOROTHY SIDNEY (AFTERWARDS
COUNTESS OF SUNDERLAND),

To her father, Robert Earl of Leicester.

MY LORD,

HAD not my intention been diverted by the trouble of a distemper, which a great cold produced,

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