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The Hertford Correspondence. 



itself into a general grief among us all. The king no longer than since the last 

 term, took upon him his own proper place of a most prudent judge in the Star- 

 chamber to hear a cause between Sir Thomas Lake and my cousin, the Countess 

 of Exeter; where, by the great wisdom of his Majesty, not unlike (without 

 flattery I speak it) to the sentence of Solomon in judging between the two 

 women in strife for the child, the truth appeared of a foul impious slander laid 

 upon the said Lady of Exeter by Sir Thomas Lake, his wife, and daughter 

 Eosse, all three now punished by a large fine and perpetual imprisonment in 

 the Tower without his Majesty's especial grace in remitting. We are, by the 

 King's warrant, rigging up our ships and mustering our men in all parts of 

 England, upon the commom bruit of a great Armado preparing in Spain for 

 some invasion ; and although no great grounds can be gathered for the building 

 of an opinion of their coming hither, yet so little is that nation beloved or 

 trusted, that every man is ready to arm himself for the better assurance of his 

 Majesty's realms. The match of Prince Charles with the daughter of Spain is 

 little spoken of, and (I think as well by you in Scotland as by us in England), 

 as little desired. For my own part I hope to see him blessedly married into 

 some Protestant house of Germany, to the glory of God, to the joy of his royal 

 father and to the comfort of us all. These passages, which suddenly came to 

 my memory, I have made you a partaker of ; yet I doubt not but that my 

 worthy friend your good father-in-law doth in a much larger manner impart 

 the state of our English affairs unto you, having ever found him well-furnished 

 of intelligence both foreign and domestic. You shall herewith find [receive] 

 four books, the virtuous fruits of his Majesty's own study, for yourself, your 

 lady, and friends to peruse. Thus, with mine own and my wife's hearty com- 

 mendations and like wishes to yourself and your lady, I commit you to the 

 Almighty. From Letley, this last of March, 1619, preparing myself and my 

 wife shortly to attend the funeral of her Majesty, which is appointed to be the 

 29th of this next month of April, 1619. Your very loving friend, 



HERTFORD. 



