128 The Duchess of Newcastle 



onely for the interest of His Majesty, and the benefit 

 of the kingdom, as formerly has been mentioned. 



The prudent mannage of his private and domestick 

 affairs, appears sufi&ciently: i. In his marriage. 



2. In the ordering and increasing his estate before 

 the wars, which notwithstanding his noble house- 

 keeping and hospitality, and his generous bounty 

 and charity, he increased to the value of 100,000/. 



3. In the ordering his affairs in the time of banish- 

 ment, where although he received not the least of 

 his own estate, during all the time of his exile, until 

 his return; yet maintained himself handsomely and 

 nobly, according to his quality, as much as his condi- 

 tion at that time would permit. 4. In reducing his 

 torn and ruined estate after his return, which beyond 

 all probability, himself hath setled and ordered so, 

 that his posterity will have reason gratefully to 

 remember it. 



In short; although My Lord naturally loves not 

 business, especially those of state (though he under- 

 stands them as well as anybody) yet what business 

 or affairs he cannot avoid, none will do them better 

 then himself. His private affairs he orders without 

 any noise or trouble, not over-hastily, but wisely: 

 neither is he passionate in acting of business, but 

 hears patiently, and orders soberly, and pierces into 

 the heart or bottom of a business at the first encoun- 

 ter; but before all things, he considers well before 

 he undertakes a business, whether he be able to go 

 through it or no, for he never ventures upon either 

 publick or private business, beyond his strength. 



And here I cannot forbear to mention, that my 

 noble Lord, when he was in banishment, presumed 

 out of his duty and love to his gracious master our 

 now soveraign King Charles the Second, to write and 



