192 The Duchess of Newcastle 



and my brother Sir Thomas Lucas to a virtuous lady 

 of an ancient family, one Sir John Byron's daughter; 

 likewise, three of my four sisters, one married Sir 

 Peter Killegrew, the other Sir WilHam Walter, the 

 third Sir Edmund Pye, the fourth as yet unmarried, 

 yet most of them lived with my mother, especially 

 when she was at her country-house, living most 

 commonly at London half the year, which is the 

 metropolitan city of England. But when they were 

 at London, they were dispersed into several houses 

 of their own, yet for the most part they met every 

 day, feasting each other like Job's children. But this 

 unnatural war came like a whirlwind, which felled 

 down their houses, where some in the wars were 

 crusht to death, as my youngest brother Sir Charls 

 Lucas, and my brother Sir Thomas Lucas ; and though 

 my brother Sir Thomas Lucas died not immediately 

 of his wounds, yet a wound he received on his head 

 in Ireland shortened his life. 



But to rehearse their recreations. Their customs 

 were in winter time to go sometimes to plays, or to 

 ride in their coaches about the streets to see the 

 concourse and recourse of people; and in the spring 

 time to visit the Spring-garden, Hide-park, and the 

 like places ; and sometimes they would have musick, 

 and sup in barges upon the water; these harmless 

 recreations they would pass their time away with. 

 For I observed, they did seldom make visits, nor never 

 went abroad with strangers in their company, but 

 onely themselves in a flock together agreeing so well, 

 that there seemed but one minde amongst them: 

 and not onely my own brothers and sisters agreed so, 

 but my brothers and sisters in law, and their children, 

 although but young, had the like agreeable natures 

 and affectionable dispositions; for to my best 



