I was still expecting tidings from you before I sent any one, that I might know
assuredly where you were. I hope this bearer will find you at York,
although they say the contrary here; and that if you find York
well affected, you will go to Hull,
for we must have Hull. I am busy
about sending you money, and I hope that soon it will be ready, but I would
rather you had a place in England
where I could send it to you. For this reason, I shall wait tidings from you,
or Lord Newcastle, before I do it. I had written to you by my last letter, that
it was necessary for you to have a sea-port, in case I wished to send a person
to you, to speak with you, - but that is in case you can do it without
retarding your affairs, for if you find the country where you are well
affected, you will for the present remain in England, &c., that will be
enough; it is not for fear, that you will be constrained to go away, but that
it will not be in your power to stay in Newcastle. Wherefore, do not let that
change your resolutions.
A report is current here, that you are returning to London,
or near it. I believe nothing of it, and hope that you are more constant in
your resolutions; you have already learned to your cost, that want of
perseverance in your designs has ruined you. But if it be so, adieu; I must
pray to God, for assuredly you will never change my resolution to retire into a
convent, for I can never trust myself to those persons who would be your
directors, nor to you, since you would have broken your promise to me. If you
had wished to make an accommodation, you could have done it as well at York,
and more to your advantage than near London.
As you had decided on this at my starting, I cannot believe any other, although
I confess I am troubled almost to death for fear of the contrary; and I have
cause, for if you have broken your resolutions, there is nothing but death for
me. I am afraid that it is a trick of Hamilton and Lanark
together, for it is very public here that Lanark is betraying you. I pray God
it be not so. If all that is said be true, you are lost, and I too; but if it
be not, God be thanked; I have very great reason to fear Lanark. In God' name,
beware of him, and trust yourself only to Culpepper, and to Ashburnham, for
assuredly, they will not deceive you.
As to what concerns the affairs of Scotland, consult Lanark a little, in order
not to excite his jealousy, and be constant in your resolutions, and I am
assured that your affairs will go well, for I find the Prince of Orange here
very affectionate towards you, and they have a little suspicion about your
resolutions, and that you are not firm in your designs.
As I am writing this letter, I have just received one of yours, dated from
Newmarket, which has brought me as much joy as the former news had caused me
sadness, although I had assurance that you were in York, I have remarked that
delays have never been to your advantage, although by the letter that I have
received from Ashburnham, I have received the reasons, which have partially
satisfied me, but more when he told me, that on Friday, you will be at York.
Continue your resolution, and do not change, for therein is involved a blow for
the party; and reflect, that it involves also whether you should go or not to Hull,
and from thence to York:
but to do that, you must be assured of Hull
beforehand. This is why I shall wait for news from you with much impatience.
The money is not ready, for on your jewels, they will lend nothing. I am forced
to pledge all my little ones, for the great ones, nothing can be had here, but
I assure you I am losing no time. For the East Indian affairs, I refer you to Boswell
to give you an account of them. You have been lately deceived in this: consult
with the chancellor of the exchequer, about the requests with which he has to
do, - and send us your directions. You can also speak to Will
Murray, for he knows something about it. I
will say no more on this subject.
If I could send some one to you, he would tell you many things that I
cannot send you word of. If you had Hull,
I should be very glad, provided that did you no harm. Send me word, whether you
will try it. I have written you three letters, one by Carnarvon, the others by
Progers and Clarke, and have received four from you by
Ringfield, two by the post, and one by a gentleman. I shall always conclude
with, - lose no time, it is too dear; and you may listen far off, with more
surety than near at hand.
Above all, do not leave Charles, and have him
near you. Do not let him go out of your sight, for he is not so well attended
that he has nothing to fear; for assuredly at this time everything is to be
feared, I must tell you. Let your resolution serve you always, and above all,
seek to continue the servants. I hope soon to see you again, which I assure you
I desire no little. If my love were as sick as my body, I could not write,
being extremely lame, but I hope that it will be only a cold. As to what you
write me about Carnarvon, you may say, that at my return, if I find that her
father and friends have served you, she shall see that on that account I shall
be very glad to oblige her; but do not engage me quite, though she is a person
of whom I have a very good opinion. I ever recommend to you, your care of your
pockets. As to what I send you word about the journey of Digby,
if you find it suitable, it must be kept very secret. I have sent away
Pennington, and have kept a ship which that Scotchman commands le Cach,
for it was necessary for Pennington to return, to command the fleet which is to
go out, or they would have made it return by force. If an accommodation is
proposed to you, I hope you will do nothing without telling me it.
Letter from Henrietta to Madame
St. George.
Mammie St. George
1631
As the husband of my son's nurse is going to France, about some business of his
wife, I write you this letter by him, believing that you will be very glad to
ask him news of my son, whose portrait, which I sent to the queen my mother, I
think you have seen. He is so ugly, that I am ashamed of him, but his size and
fatness supply the want of beauty. I wish you could see the gentleman, for he
has no ordinary mien; he is so serious in all that he does, that I canot help
fancying him far wiser than myself.
Send me a dozen pairs of sweet chamois gloves, and also I beg you to send me
one of doeskin; a game of joucheries, one of poule and the rules of any species
of games now in vogue. I assure you, that if I do not write to you so often as
I might, it is not because I have left off loving you, but because - I must
confess it - I am very idle; also I am ashamed to avow that I think I am on the
increase again; nevertheless, I am not quite certain. Adieu, the man must have
my letter.
Who is Madame St. George?
Madame St. George
or 'Mamie St. George'
was Jeanne de
Harlay, only child of Madame
de Montglat, Henrietta's
former governess, who was maried, in 1599, to Hardouin
de Clermont, Seigneur
de St. George, and transmitted the barony of
Montglat to her son, the memoir-writing Marquis de montglat.
In 1610, Madame St.
George, at the earnest request of the Queen,
obtained permission from her husband, to assume the office of sub-governess to
the princess Chretienne, with the proviso that she was to assist her mother
generally in the charge of the children, and to take her place in case of
illness of absence. She was aferwards more particularly attached to the service
of Henrietta, between whom and herself there
subsisted a warm and lasting friendship.
These were written during the King's absence in Scotland, when the King's commissioners were in charge of
state affairs. Though the Queen was not the nominal head of the regency, by
these letters you can see was the 'real' head.
Master Nicholas,
If you have received a letter from the King, or Sir Henry Vane, directed to the
commissioners here, pray do not deliver it till I have spoken with you, for it
was I that did desire the king to write it, and now I believe it is not fit to
be delivered; therefore, keep it till I have seen you, if you should (have)
received one, and so I rest
Your Friend, Henrietta Maria R.
Outlands, this 18th August, 1641.
Master Nicholas,
I have received your letter, and that you sent me from the King, which writes
me word, he has been very well received in Scotland, and that both the army and
the people have showed a great joy to see the King, and such that they say was
never seen before: pray God it may continue. For the letter that I wrote to you
concerning the commissioners, it is that they are to dispatch business in the
King's absence. I thank you for your giving me advices of what passes in
London, and so I rest
Your Friend, Henrietta Maria R.
Outlands, the 19th August, 1641
Master Nicholas,
I send you the names of the lords that I think fit to be sent for. You must to
advertise the bishop to be here, so having no more to say, I rest
Your assured Freind, Henrietta Maria R.
Cumberland, Huntingdon, Bath, Northampton, Devonshire, Bristol, Newcastle, Paulet, Coventry, Seymour, Cottiington. If you would write to Bridgeman to come
and to speak to all his friends in that country, his in Lancashire,
and so to as many as are your friends; for many others, I have spoken myself to
them already.
For Master Nicholas. Endorsed 5th October, 1641
Master Nicholas,
I have received your letter. I am sorry you are not well, for I would have been
glad to speak to you, but it is of no haste, therefore don't hasten yourself,
for fear of being sick.
I send you a letter for my lord keeper, that the King did send to me, to
deliver it if I thought it fit: the subject of it, is to make a declaration
against the orders of parliament which are made without the King. If you
believe a fit time, give it him: if not, you may keep it till I see you.
The King will be here certainly the 20th of this month, therefore you may
advertise the mayor of London. Your letter that you did write to Carnarvon, is come
back to me, and I burnt it. He was not at his house: it should be very
necessary that you should enquire where he is, and write to him, and send to my
Lord Cottington for his proxies, for I hear he has two, and his own; and send
to my Lord Southampton and Dunsmore to send their proxies, till they come
themselves: they are in Warwickshire. having no more to say, I rest this 12th
November,
Your assured Freind, Henrietta Marie R. Endorsed 1641
Master Nicholas
I did desire you not to acquaint my Lord of Essex, of what
the King commanded you, touching his coming: now you may do it, and tell him
that the King will be at Theobald's, Wednesday, and shall lie there; and upon
Thursday, he shall dine at my Lord Mayor's, and lie at Whitehall only for one
night; and upon Friday, will go to Hampton Court, where he means to stay the
winter: the king commanded me to tell this to my Lord of Essex, but you may do
it, for these lordships are too great princes now to receive any direction from
me. Being all that I have to say, I shall rest
Your assured Friend, Henrietta
Maria R.
Endorsed 20th Nov. 1641
In early February 1642 a packet of letters was intercepted by parliament from Lord
Digby, one of which was to the Queen. Lord
Digby was banished at the time.
The Queen went to Holland supposedly to take the princess Mary to
her husband the Prince of Orange and partake of the much talked of Spa waters
there. When there she gained the solid assistance of the Prince and raised
money by pawning her own personal jewels and those of the the crown.
My dear heart,
It was with no small joy that I received your letter by Ringfield, for I was in
the greatest anxiety. I thank God that Charles is
with you, and that I perceive your resollution and constancy to continue.
Assuredly, God will assist us, and whatever may be said to you, do not break
your resolution, but follow it constantly and do not lose time. As to what you
write me, about making Salisbury treasurer, I would do nothing in it yet,
but wait a while longer' for, as to the sum of money, it is too small to
be considerable, and you know that it is a bone that will make the dogs fight,
and you may gain more by the dissension that there will be amongst them than by
the profit of the money, for this reason, do not dispose of it. As to sending
you that money, I will make all possible diligence, but I do not know where to
send it to you. Therefore when you come to York, if you find the country well
affected, Hull must absolutely be had' if you cannot, you must go to Newcastle,
and if you find that that is not safe, to to Berwick, for it is necessary to
have a sea-port, for reasons that I will send to inform
you of, by an express person, as soon as I shall know that you are at a
sea-port, and that Charles (?) is there too, for it is necessary that this
person should speak to you, before you go into Scotland. I will send him in
your own ships, which I still keep, expecting news from you, and by that same
way, I will send you some money; only send me a warrant, under your hand, to
give to Pennington, to transport any person whom I shall appoint. You must
leave the name of the person blank, and let me have it. Send to fetch James as
soon as ever you can. I should also wish you to send for Essex
and Holland to come and serve you. If they refuse, take away
their places and keep them vacant, unless you came to some contest, else
restore them as they were, provided that they serve you. Do not pass tonnage
and poundage any more, for it is against yourself.
I am labouring with confidence, and hope to obtain satisfaction, although it be
from a person not easy to bind down, but interests have great power. I had sent
Clarke to you, but the wind has beeen so contrary that I do not think he has
passed: which is the reason that by this way, I send you copies of what I sent
by him, which is about what must be done to pawn our great collar, and touching
my daughter, I think the way that must be taken is for you to send a command to
Wharton, to get hiim to have a blank warrant drawn up very secretly by
Bridgeman, and that Wharton himself should carry it to the keeper, with a
letter from you, and have it sealed before him, and as such you will send it me
with diligence, for otherwise we could do nothing as you will see by the
letters of Boswell. Also send me a letter of warrant for Boswell,
by which you command him to give up the collar to me, that if I see we can get
nothing for it here, I may send it to your uncle. Send the letter to me, to
make use of as I shall see fitting.
Be careful how you write in cipher, for I have been driven well nigh mad in
deciphering your letter. You have added some blanks which I had not' and you
have not written it truely. Take good care I beg you, and put in nothing which
is not in my cipher. Once again I remind you to take care of your pocket, and
not let our cipher be stolen, I am so weary with writing that I will say
nothing other than kind, for I am more so than I could write, and I hope that
my actions will show you it. If Pennington has not a warrant under your hand to
stay with me till I inform him of your pleasure to the contrary, send me one,
for I understand they want to play him an ill trick about it. He is too simple
a man. It is his fault
Hague, 17th March 1642
To Charles I.
March 1642
My dear heart,
I was still expecting tidings from you before I sent any one, that I might know
assuredly where you were. I hope this bearer will find you at York,
although they say the contrary here; and that if you find York
well affected, you will go to Hull,
for we must have Hull. I am busy
about swending you money, and I hope that soon it will be ready, but I would
rather you had a place in England
where I could send it to you. For this reason, I shall wait tidings from
you, or Lord Nescastle,
before I do it. I had written to you by my last letter, that it was necessary
for you to have a sea-port, in case I wished to send a person to you, to speak
with you, - but that is in case you can do it without retarding your affaris,
for if you find the country where you are well affected, you will for the
preesent remain in England, &c., that will be enough; it is not for fear,
that you will be constrained to go away, but that it will not be in your power
to stay at Newcastle. Wherfore, do not let that change your resolutions.
A report is current here, that you are returning to London,
or near it. I believe nothing of it, and hope that you are more constant in
your resolutions; you have already learned to your cost, that want of
perseverance in your designs has ruined you. But if it be so, adieu; I must
pray to God, for assuredly you will never change my resolution to retire into a
convent, for I can never trust myself to those persons who would be your
directors, nor to you, since you would have broken your promise to me. If you
had wished to make an accommodation, you could have done it as well at York,
and more to your advantage than near London.
As you had decided on this at my starting, I cannot believe any other, although
I confess I am troubled almost to death for fear of the contrary; and I have
cause, for if you have broken your resolutions, there is nothing but death for
me. I am afraid that it is a trick of Hamilton and Lanark
together, for it is very public here that Lanark is betraying you. I pray God
it be not so. If all that is said be true, you are lost, and I too; but if it
be not, God be thanked; I have very great reason to fear lanark. In God's name,
beware of him, and trust yourself only to Culpepper, and to Ashburnham, for
assuredly, they will not deceive you.
As to what concerns the affairs of Scotland, consult Lanark a little, in order
not to excite his jealousy, and be constant in your resolutions, and I am
assured that your affairs will go well, for I find the Prince of Orange here
very affectionate towards you, only they have a little suspicion about your resolutions,
and that you are not firm in your designs.
As I was writing this letter, I have just received one of yours, dated from
Newmarket, which has brought me as much joy as the former news had caused me
sadness, although I had assurance that you were in York, for I have remarked
that delays have never been to your advantage, although by the letter that I
have received from Ashburnham, I have received the reasons, which have
partially satisfied me, but more when he told me, that on Friday, you will be
at York. Continue your resolution, and do not change, for therein is involved a
blow for the party; and reflect, that it involves also whether you should go or
not to Hull, and from thence to York:
but to do that, you must be assured of Hull
beforehand. This is why I shall wait for news from you with much impatience.
The money is not ready, for on your jewels, that will lend nothing. I am forced
to pledge all my little ones, for the great ones, nothing can be had here, but
I assure you I am losing no time. For the East Indian affairs, I refer you to Boswell
to give you an acount of them. You have been lately deceived in this: consult
with the chancellor of the exchequer, about the requests with which he has to
do, - and send us your directions. You can also speak to Will
Murray, for he knows something about it. I
will say no more on this subject.
If I could send some one to you, he would tell you many things that I cannot
send you word of. If you had Hull,
I should be very glad, provided that did you no harm. Send me word, whether you
will try it. I have written you three letters, one by Carnarvon, the others by
Progers and Clarke, and have received four from you by
Ringfield, two by the post, and one by a gentleman. I shall always conclude
with, - lose no time, it is too dear; and you may listen far off, with more
surety than near at hand.
Above all, do not leave Charles, and have him
near you. Do not let him go out of your sight, for he is not so well attended
that he has nothing to fear; for assuredly at this time everything is to be
feared, I must tell you. Let your resolution secure you always, and above all,
seek to continue the servants. I hope soon to see you again, which I assure you
I desire no little. If my love were as sick as my body, I could not write,
being extremely lame, but I hope that it will be only a cold. As to what you
wtire me about Carnarvon, you may say, that at my return, if I find that her
father and friends have served you, she shall see that on that acount I shall
be very glad to oblige her; but do not engage me quite, though she is a person
of whom I have a very good opinion. I ever recommmend to you, your care of your
pockets. As to what I send you word about the journey of Digby,
if you find it suitable, it must be kept very secret. I have sent away
Pennington, and have kept a ship which that Scotchman commands le Cach,
for it was necessary for Pennington to return, to command the fleet which is to
go out, or they would have made it return by force. If an accomodation is
proposed to you, I hope you will do nothing without telling me it.
The Queen of Bohemia comments 'the Queen is against
any agreement with parliament but by war, and the king dogh nothing but by her
approbation;' She also says 'I find by all the queen's and her people's
discourse that they do not desire an agreement betixt his majesty and the
parliament, but that all be done by force, and rail abominably at the
parliament. I hear all and say nothing'.
The Queen to Charles writes:
My dear heart,
It was with no small joy that I received your letters, for you were arrived at York
a fortnight before I received tidings from you, but all at once I have had two
newspapers. Sir William
Baladin having been driven back by the
tempest three times, the other at last overtook him, and they came together. I
am extremely glad to hear that you have been so well received at York,
and that you find the country so well affected. Take advantage of it, and lose
no time; you know that the affection of the peoploe changes like the wind,
therefore you should make good use of it whilst it lasts; you have a precedent
before you, for the parliament will make use of it.
As to what you write me, that everybody dissuades you concerning Hull
from taking it by force, unless the parliament begins, -- is it not beginning
to put persons into it against your orders? If you wait for it to be done
publicly otherwise than that, you will be ruined altogether, and as for the
assurance that you have of Scotland,
I have many doubts about it, for I hear that Argyle and the others, who I
believe are rather for the Parliemant, have regiments on foot to go to Ireland.
Believing that you are going to Scotland,
they design to have their people on foot, in order to make them now do what
they wish. Take good care about it, and try to dispatch them to Ireland
before going, if it be possible. If you have the people of Yorkshire,
as assured to you as you found, take advantage of it, whilst they are in good
temper: at the beginning, people can do thiings, about which, in the end, they
grow cool, and then they can no longer be done. There is no more room for
repentance. For my part, I think that the parliament believes that you are
constantly expecting an accomodation, in fact, that they draw back
themselves perhaps to what they would desire, if they saw you in action, and
that else, perhaps they would speak after another fashion. For you having Hull
is not beginning anything violent, for it is against the rascal who refuses it
to you.
As to money, I am at work: I must send into Denmark,
for in the mean time, they will lend nothing upon your rubies. Nevertheless, I
will put all my jewels in pledge; but as to you, when that is done, and you
have expended that money, still waiting till the Parliament declares war
against you, there will be no further means of getting other monies, and thus
you will be reduced to do what the Parliament shall and I shalll be constrained
to retire into a convent, or to beg alms. Also it is to be feared that the
Parlament will Take a path more moderate in appearance, but in effect, worse
for you; wherefore, that ought to be well considered. A report is current
here, that you will grant the militia for one year, but your letter relieves me
from that fear, for you assure me of the contrary. Continue in your
resolutions; and pardon me if I have written a little too much on this subject
by Ringfield. My whole hope lies only in your firmness and constancy, and when
I hear anything to the contrary, I am mad. Pardon once again my folly and
weakness: I confess it. That letter of which you speak to me, and which you
sent me concerning an accommodation, is so insupportable, that I have burnt it
with joy. Such a thing is not to be thought of; it is only trifling and losing
time. Think that if you had not stopped so prematurely, our affairs would
perhaps be in a better state than they are, and you would at this moment have Hull.
This is only as an example of what I say, and not to reproach you, for that is
over. As to your having passed tonnage and poundage, I confess that it is
against my opinion, for it is only for them and not for you--but I submit.
As to what has been told you that Cognet has sent word to her husband
concerning Digby, it is a very great lie, for I can assure you that she only
wrote about her private affairs, and about her mother, all whose goods the
Parliament has arrested, their only ground being that she carried away all my
jewels. As to Digby, I assure you that he has no intention of
returning to England;
he finds himself very comfortable where he is. It is true I have heard him say
that if the Parliament wished to accuse him, and that he could defend himself
without being sent to prison, he was so innocent that he would venture to go to
defend himself; but it was with the intention that incase he went to see you,
and were taken at see, he might say that he was going to justify himself to the
Parliament; but now, since you do not think it proper, he will not venture it.
As to the ambassador who is to go from this country, I had a long conversation
wit him yesterday. I think he is a very honest man: you have seen him before;
he is a tall man, who kissed the hands of jeffry,
taking him for my son. As to Isabelle she cannot
go with him; for she is too much suspected to be of your party.
I hear no news of the commission which I wrote to you to send, concerning my
daughter and the rest. Please not to forget. I have received the addition of
the cipher. I have nothing more to say except ever to urge upon you constancy
and resolution: for it must be by these that we emerge from our miseries. I
expect many lords have come to you. Beware of the persecutions of some: I name
no one, but assuredly you will well understand me. It is not only for Hamiltion
that I speak, but for other yet, who you know are addicted to the commission,
and who are come to join you. Since you are there, you miust above all try to
have a safe sea-port, for without that, you can have no correspondence with me,
nor can I send you money. If you are forced to get Hull
by force, assuredly you will need some powerful aid for besieging places. The
Prince of Orange will send some if you wish it. As fast as I write, something
Always comes into my head; but adieu, I have such a bad tooth-ache that I
scarcely know what I am doing.
The hague, this 16th April.
To Charles I.
May, 1642
My dear heart,
After much trouble, we have at last procured some money, but only a little as
yet, for the fears of the merchants are not yet entirely passed away. It was
written from London, that I had
carried off my jewels secretly, and against your wish, and that if money was
lent me upon them that would be no safety for them; so that all this time, when
we were ready to conclude anything, or merchants always drew back. At last, it
was necessary to show your power, signed under your own hand, about which I
have written to you before, and immediately we concluded our business. I
thought it better and safer to send it you as I do without noise, than for you
to send different persons to fetch the money, for it will not be known that it
will be for you, and as much, and as little at once, as you please. I thought
this way more assured than to send it in specie, for were you to change your
place, the money of this country would not pass, and in money of England
we couldn't not get it. I have given up your pearl buttons, and my little chain
has done you good. You cannot imagine how handsome the buttons were, when they
were out of the gold, and strung into a chain, and many as large as my great
chain. I assure you, that I gave them up with no small regret. Nobody would
take them in pledge, but only buy them. You may judge, now, when they know that
we want money, how they keep their foot on our throat. I could not get for them
more than half of what they are worth. I have six weeks time in which to redeem
them, at the same price. My great chain, and that cross wiich I had bought from
the queen my mother is only pledged. With all these, I could not get any more
money than what I send you. I will send to-morrow to Antwerp,
to pawn your ruby collar, for as to that, in Holland,
they will not have it. For the largest collar, I am waiting a reply from Denmark.
Every day, hopes are given me that those of Amsterdam
will lend me money.
This is all that concerns money: but if we put all our jewels in pledge, and
consume them without doing anything, they would be lost, and we too; for we
should have nothing left to help ourselves with, when we should need it. For
this reason, lose no time; you have lost enough already. Take a good resolution
and pursue it. Remember your own maxims, that it is better to follow out a bad
resolution, than to change it so often. I have received your letters by the man
already named - they have made me very sad, for you do not speak of giving up
your magazine as lost. I must tell you again, that you see that if at first you
had acted as you had resolved, it might have been gained at this time, and
also, since you had once tried to get it, it was needful to go on; for to
begin, and then to stop, is your ruin - experience shows it you. It is not
enough to declare yourself in writing; actions must afterwards be seen. It is
true that your game is yet fair enough, but if you do not play it well, it
willl not be gained. You must dare, and as to Hull,
if your magazine is not yet out of it, you must play Hotham some skilful trick,
for otherwise, there is nothing to hope. As long as you do not declare
yourself, you cannot judge of your power, for no one will dare to declare
himself. And think too, that I am risking all we have left in the world to get
money, and that, when that money fails, there is not more, and that when it
will be needful to pay persons for fithing, there will be no more; wherefore,
time is precious. I am very glad that you have commanded.
To Charles I
My dear heart,
The wind having been contrary, so that Sir Baladin has not been able to cross,
and having received letters from you by Cochram, in which I see you are not
certain of your voyage to Ireland, I wished to write you this line, still
sending what I had written before, and which I beleive you will have
already received also by another road. I will reply to your letter, where you
say that if you can go to Ireland, and that the road by England is not safe,
that you will to go Ireland by Scotland, which is a road that I apprehend
extremely; for the troops who are going are entirely devoted to the Parliament,
and they will hold you as a prisoner, if the Parliament please: thus you cannot
join the army of the Catholics nor approach Dublin by that road; I think that
by Wales would be the most sure, if that country is well affected. You can
always raise men enough there for a regiment for your person, as was your
design, and to leave thence you have a ship for Ireland, of which you can make use;
and be assured of Stradlin, and also of him whom I have with me, and indeed
those of the fleet, who are well affected, and make them come on some pretext.
If you were assured that the troops who should go to Ireland
are going very soon. and Scotland would remain without these persons who are
not well affected to you, Scotland would be a good place for you to go to, but
whilst these devils are there, there is no safety; and do you think that the
Parliament having refusined for you to go, that the troops will let you go? I
am much afraid lest this affair of the militia spoil your design. I pray God
that you may refuse it.
I do not write to Lanark for you send me word that he is not there; if he be,
you will tell him the reason why I do not do so.
As to the man whom you ask for, I pray you send a warrant under your hand to
Santerre, who commands the ship which is here, to wait my orders; for the
warrant he has is under the hand of Pennington, and at this time, that cannot
serve him. Also a letter for the king of Denmark,
only of ceremony, like that you gave me before, and send me a copy of it, to
make use of, if it be necessaary. If you have already done it, you must send it
me again. Adieu, my dear heart.
This 5th may
To the king, my lord.
To Charles
I
1642
My dear heart,
I have received your letter by the post, with the message
that the Parliament has sent you, which I think is pretty fair, since they
believe they can have every thing by speaking high words. As to your journey
into Ireland, I say nothing about it, having written on that subject before;
but as to the discourse you have had with Culpepper (?) about Hull, I must say
in truth, that to me it is a strange thing, that there is any one who can argue
against tahat, and that you have not attempted to get it already; for the
longer you wait, the worse it will be: and believe, that if there come a fleet
to fetch away the arms, you will be able to hinder it? If, before that, you do
not get the place, the folly is so great, that I do not understand it. Delays
have always ruined you. As to your answer on the militia, I would believe that
you will not consent to pass it for two years, as I undersand you will be
pressed to do, and that you will refuse it. But perhaps, it is already done;
you are beginning again your old game of yielding everything. For my own
consolation, however, I will hope the contrary, till I hear the decision; for I
confess that if you do it, you ruin me in ruining yourself; and that, could I
have believed it, I should never have quitted England; for my journey is
rendered ridiculous by what you do, having broken all the resolutions that you
and I had taken, except of going where you are, and that to do nothing.
If you had been willing to cede the militia when I was in England, I could have
satisfied the Parliament, as I said; but you have done in this, I am afraid, as
you did in the affair of the bishops; for at one time, you could have entered
into an accommodation about that, and you were obstinate that you could not,
and after all, you yielded it. Meanwhile, I went out of England, contrary to
every body's opinion, in the confidence I had of what you would do, and I have
made myself riiculous; whereas, if you had done as you had resolved, it would
have been seen that what you yielded all that time, was only our of fear of
danger to my person, and from your affection to me, and not for want of
resolution, and that I had been in the right to go away: whereas hitherto there
is ground for believing that it is a vagary or a folly; for as for staying in
York, without doing anything, I might have done that.
Forgive me for constrained by my misfortunes, to retire to
soome place where I can pray to God for you. I understand they are willing to
give you tonnage and poundage for three years. I repeat to you, that if you
cannot have it as you ought, that is to say, in your own power to dispose of
it, you pass a thing against yourself: you see it by experience, for all
that has been hitherto done with it, has been against you. As to what you
write me, concerning the 7000 pieces, I will not fail to send them.
As to the esquire of James,
the man to whom you have promised it is Mr.
______, He was a cornet of Henry
Percy's company, a gentleman of worth. I
think that for the present, one in that place is enough. I send you this man
express, hoping that you will not have passed the militia bill. If you have, I
must think about retiring for the present, into a convent, for you are no
longer capable of protecting any one, not even yourelf.
Adieu, my dear heart.
The Hague, this 11th May.
As I was closing this letter, arrived Sir
Louis Dives,
who has told me all that has passed at Hull.
Do not lose courage, and continue to act with resolution, for now is the time
to shew that you will make good what you have undertaken, or you are lost. You
must have Hull, and if the man who
is in it does not submit, you have already declared him a traitor, you must
have him alive or dead; for this is no longer a mere play. You must declare
yourself; you have testified your gentleness enough, you must shew your
justice. Go on boldly: God will assist you. You see what you have got by not
following your first resolutions, when you declared those of the parliament
traitors. Let that serve you as an ensample; do not delay longer now in
consulations, it is action which must do the work at this hour; -- it is time.
I have wished myself in the place of James in Hull;
I would have flung the rascal over the walls, or he should have done the same
thing to me.
As to money, Goring is gone to hasten it.
He doubts not of having it in a week. I am in such haste to dispatch this
bearer that I will say no more, nor write to any one else in the world.
Courage! I never felt so much: it is a good omen. You must go on boldly in case
of need; the time is come, since I see that there is no hope of an
accommodation. May heaven load you with as many benidictions as you have had
afflictions, and may those who are the cause of your misfortunes, and those of
your kingdom, perish under the load of their damnable intentions!
