CCXI sociable letters written by the thrice noble, illustrious, and excellent princess, the Lady Marchioness of Newcastle.

CLXIV.

MADAM,

IN your last Letter you writ, that your Im∣ployment was to read the History of King Charles the First, written by S. A. give me leave to tell you, Madam, you lose your time in read∣ing that History, for it is only a number of Weekly Gazets Compiled into a History, wherein are more Falshoods than Truth, for he being Mean and Poor, had not Wealth nor Power to Inform himself Truly of every Par∣ticular

Action, much less of their Designs; but you tell me, he mentions an Entertainment my Lord made the King, where he sayes it cost 5000 l. or thereabout, Condemning another Writer of the same Subject, for saying it cost more; let me tell you, Madam, that neither of them was my Lords Steward, nor Treasurer, to know the Expences, but only what they have heard Reported; and therefore in this I cannot say S. A. writes False nor True, for it is a Mistake, for when the King went into Scot∣land to be Crown'd, in the Way he was pleased to take a Dinner at one of my Lords Houses, namely Welbeck, which cost between four and five thousand Pounds, and the next Summer following, as I heard my Lord say, the King sent him word, that he and the Queen would make a Progress into the Northern Parts, and Liking his former Entertainment, he Desired my Lord should do the like, which he Obey'd, for, whenas the King came with his Queen thi∣ther, my Lord, to shew his Love, Duty, and Loyalty, made them an Entertainment, as one Dinner, and a Banquet, that cost fifteen thousand Pounds Sterling, at his House at Bolesover, which is five Miles from the former House call'd Welbeck, which Entertainment it seems S. A. Mistook, setting down the first for the last, or for both; but this is not the only Mistake in his History, for there are many, and not only Gross Mistakes, but very False Relations, which I can Prove; as for Example, concerning the

Wars in the Northern Parts, I know every Par∣ticular from the Chief Actor, which was my Lord, and he is a most True Speaker, as being both a Noble Person, and a Just, and Honest man, which all that know him must, if Conscience speaks, witness for him. But, Madam, you de∣sire me to ask my Lord concerning his Army, viz. the Number, and by what Power he rais'd so many men, as also of the several Successes, and how many several Armies were against him, I desire you will pardon me, if I do not send you a Relation, by reason I intend to Write the History of my Lord's Life, if I live, and he pleases to Inform me, as he hath promised he will, in which History I intend to Write all the Several Passages, and Particular Actions of the Wars in those Parts, where my Lord was the Chief for the King, as being General to Com∣mand all the Kingdom of that side, and I will Write it Truly, Honestly, and Uprightly, with∣out any Aggravation, or Feigned Illustration, for my Lord and I believe that the Chief Prin∣ciple of Religion, Honour, and Honesty, is Speaking Truth, and Doing Justly in all our A∣ctions, and I take Heaven to witness, that I have Observed in him, and Found in my self, not so much as an Inclination to do otherwise, but al∣wayes a Delight and Pleasure in Truth and Right; But, Madam, to return to speak of Ge∣neral Histories, they are for the most part mere Fables, and it is almost impossible they should be otherwise, unless every Particular Author

do Write his own Story, nay, those may be False through Vain-glory and Self-partiality, unless they be such Noble and Worthy Per∣sons, as make Justice, Honour, and Honesty, the Ground and Foundation of their Relations up∣on which they build their Story. And, Madam, by reason you desire some particular Passages and Affairs concerning my Lord's Actions, I shall be the more earnest with him to set some time apart to Declare them to me; in the mean time, I rest,

Madam,

Your faithful Friend and Servant.