xxxviii To His Grace the Duke of Newcastle 



show myself at your Lordship's command in public places 

 or assemblies ; but yet I converse with few. Indeed, my 

 Lord, I matter not the censures of this age, but am rather 

 proud of them ; for it shows that my actions are more than 

 ordinary, and according to the old proverb, it is better to be 

 envied than pitied : for I know well, that it is merely out of 

 spite and malice, whereof this present age is so full, that none 

 can escape them, and they'll make no doubt to stain even 

 your Lordship's loyal, noble, and heroic actions, as well as 

 they do mine, though yours have been of war and fighting, 

 mine of contemplating and writing: yours were performed 

 publicly in the field, mine privately in my closet : yours had 

 many thousand eye-witnesses, mine none but my waiting- 

 maids. But the great God, that hath hitherto blessed both 

 your Grace and me, will, I question not, preserve both our 

 fames to after ages, for which we shall be bound most humbly 

 to acknowledge His great mercy ; and I myself, as long as I 

 live, be your Grace's honest wife, and humble servant, 



M. Newcastle. 



