TO HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF 

 NEWCASTLE 



My Noble Lord, 



It hath always been my hearty prayer to God, since I 

 have been your wife, that first I might prove an honest 

 and good wife, whereof yotir Grace must he the onely 

 judg{e) : next, that God would he pleased to enable me 

 to set forth and declare to after- ages, the truth of your 

 loyal actions and endeavours, for the service of your 

 King and country ; for the accomplishing of which 

 design, I have followed the best and truest observations 

 of your secretary John Rolleston, and your Lordship's 

 own relations, and have accordingly writ the history of 

 your Lordship's life, which although I have endeavoured 

 to render as perspicuous as ever I could, yet one thing 

 I find hath much darkened it ; which, is, that your 

 Grace commanded me not to mention any thing or 

 passage to the prejudice or disgrace of any family or 

 particular person [although they might he of great 

 truth, and would illustrate much the actions of your 

 life) which I have dutifully performed to satis fie your 

 Lordship, whose nature is so generous, that you are as 

 well pleased to obscure the faults of your enemies, as 

 you are to divulge the vertues of your friends. And 

 certainly. My Lord, you have had as many enemies, 

 and as many friends, as ever any one particular person 

 had ; and I pray God to forgive the one, and prosper 

 the other : Nor do I so much wonder at it, since I, a 

 woman, cannot be exempt from the malice and aspersions 

 of spightful tongues, which they cast upon my poor 



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