Life of the Duchess of Newcastle 159 



of the Arts in War, but by reason it was in characters, and the 

 key thereof lost, we cannot as yet understand anything 

 therein, at least not so as to divulge it. My other brother, 

 the Lord Lucas \ who was heir to my father's estate, and as 

 it were the father to take care of us all, is not less valiant than 

 they were, although his skill in the discipline of war was not 

 so much, being not bred therein. Yet he had more skill in 

 the use of the sword, and is more learned in other arts and 

 sciences than they were, he being a great scholar, by reason 

 he is given much to studious contemplation 2 . 



Their practice was, when they met together, to exercise 

 themselves with fencing, wrestling, shooting, and such like 

 exercises, for I observed they did seldom hawk or hunt, and 

 very seldom or never dance, or play on music, saying it was 

 too effeminate for masculine spirits. Neither had they skill, 

 or did use to play, for aught I could hear, at cards or dice, or 

 the like games, nor given to any vice, as I did know, unless to 

 love a mistress were a crime, not that I knew any they had, 

 but what report did say, and usually reports are false, at least 

 exceed the truth. 



As for the pastime of my sisters when they were in the 

 country, it was to read, work, walk, and discourse with each 

 other. For though two of my three brothers 3 were married 



1 Sir John Lucas was created Baron Lucas of Shenfield by patent dated 3d May 20 

 Charles I (Collins, vii, 114). Clarendon gives an account of the manner in which he 

 bought his peerage. John Ashburnham acted as broker. Clarendon, Life iii, 62, 63. 

 Lucas was fined about £2,600 for his adherence to the King. Calendar of the Committee 

 for Compounding, p. 1430. 



2 John, Lord Lucas, is included in Walpole's Royal and Noble Authors, his title to inclu- 

 sion being a speech in the House of Lords in 1671 against the burdens of taxation and 

 the extravagance of the Government. It was printed, and burnt by the hands of the 

 hangman. The speech is contained in State Tracts, vol. i, p. 454, and is also reprinted 

 in Park's edition of Walpole, vol. iii, p. 119. 



3 Sir Egerton Brydges gives the following pedigree : Sir Thomas Lucas of St. John's, 

 near Colchester, married Mary, daughter of Sir John Fermor of Eston-Neston, in North 

 hamptonshire, by whom he had Thomas Lucas of St. John's, near Colchester, Esq., who 

 by Elizabeth, daughter and co-heir of John Leighton of London, Gent., had three sons 

 and five daughters, viz. .- 



1 John Lucas of St. John's, near Colchester, afterwards Lord Lucas, who married 

 Anne, daughter of Sir Christopher Neville, Kt., younger brother of the Lord Abergavenny, 

 by whom he had John, his son and heir, born about 1624. 



2. Sir Thomas Lucas, a captain in London, who married a daughter of Sir John Byron 

 Kt., by whom he had a son, Thomas. 



3. Sir Charles Lucas. 



4. Mary, wife of Sir Peter Killegrew, Kt. 



5. Anne. 



6. Elizabeth, wife of William Walter, Esq. 



7. Catherine, wife of Sir Edmund Pye of London, Kt. 



8. Margaret, afterwards Duchess of Newcastle.* 

 Arms. — Argent, a fess between six annulets, gules. 



* Harl. MSS., 1541, f. 59. 



