Letters during Newcastle's Exile 207 



our gracious Master to his throne — woful people — and the next generation 

 of lords they tell me are fools. It will be a brave Upper House ! Pray 

 present my humble service to my Lord Chancellor. I have been indisposed 

 this week, but I thank God I am much better now. And in all conditions 

 I shall be entirely your most faithful servant, 



W. Newcastle. 



Antwerp, 23d Jan. 1659 



I write with so much freedom to you that I pray burn this. 



{Egerton MSS. British Museum.) 



Newcastle to Nicholas 



Noble Sir, — I thank you for your last and your favour to me in present- 

 ing my humble thanks to the King. I thank God I am for the time very 

 much mended ; for age, I am in less than a year of you, and hope we may 

 both live to see better times, for I will always hope the best. The Duke 

 of Gloucester went away this morning, and the Earl of Norwich galloping 

 along with him, as also my Lord Berkeley ; the young lady, Mrs. Hyde, 

 her brother, and Doctor Morley went away this morning too. The noble 

 Lord of Ormond and his company will be with you to-morrow. The 

 Earl of Norwich within a few days will be with you too. I spoke with a 

 young gentleman, one Mr. Smith, newly corned (coumde) out of England; 

 he thinks that Cromwell and the Parliament will agree, but I think he knows 

 little. But I spoke with another, an elderly man and a stout, that served 

 in my army, and he says they will fall to pieces, and that there will be great 

 factions and divisions in England. The merchants have it here that cer- 

 tainly there will be no peace between the two crowns and that the treaty 

 is absolutely broke ; others say that it is piecing again : they report con- 

 fidently that some English ships have met with some Spanish ships and sunk 

 them, but I do not believe it. Now if you can make anything out of all 

 this you do very well, for I protest I cannot. Pray remember my service 

 to Lord Chancellor and thank him for his favours, and so I rest constantly 

 your most faithful servant, 



W. Newcastle. 



Antwerp, the 2d of April 1659 



{Egerton MSS., 536, f. 336.) 



Newcastle to Nicholas 



Noble Sir, — I now have two petitions to you — one to present this 

 enclosed humbly to his Majesty, the next that you would favour me so 

 much as to give me the most timely notice of the assurance of the peace 

 between Spain and France. The reason is, the Burgomasters and Gover- 

 nors of this town desired me to let them know if I could the certainty of it. 

 I told them that my King's principal secretary was my very noble friend, 

 and I would write unto him ; thus, by your favour, I shall ingratiate myself 

 very much to this town. Pardon me thus trespassing upon you and believe 

 me, I am very constantly your most faithful servant, 



W. Newcastle. 



Antwerp, the 18th of April 1659 



My service to my Lord Chancellor. 



(Egerton MSS. British Museum.) 



