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

CLXXII.

MADAM,

I Am so full of Fear, as I write this Letter with great Difficulty, for all this City hath been in an Uproar, and all through a Factious Divisi∣on betwixt the Common Council, and those they call the Lords, which are the Higher Ma∣gistrates, the Common People gather together in Multitudes, Pretending for the Right of their Privileges, but it is thought the Design is to Plunder the Merchants Houses, and the Church∣es, by the last they seem to Regard, and Covet more the Goods of the World than Heaven; indeed the World makes men apt to Forget Hea∣ven, as loving Mammon more than God; the

truth is, they have Plunder'd one of the Chief Magistrates, and were hardly kept from Plun∣dering the Bishop, which Act Expresses their Covetousness, and Divulges their Designs; and this Disorder causes the Trumpets to Sound, the Drums to Beat, the Souldiers to Arm, and the Women to Weep, and to make it the more Fearful, the Great Bell, which is only Rung in time of Danger, either in cases of Fire, or War, or Mutinies, or the like, sounds Dolefully, all which makes me Tremble Fearfully, and that which increases my Fear the more, is, that my Maids being possess'd with the like Fear, come often to me with Masker'd Faces, and tell me Divers, and Different Reports, some, that the Army is coming to Destroy the City, and o∣thers, that the Souldiers have liberty to Abuse all the Women, others, that all in the City shall be put to the Sword; the Best Report is, that all shall be Plunder'd, but for this last, my Husband and I am safe, for we are Plunder-Free, having had all our Goods and Estate taken from us in our own Country, so that now we have no such Goods or Wealth as is worth the Taking; the truth is, we are rather in a Condi∣tion to Plunder, than to be Plunder'd, so that if they will but spare our Persons and Lives, I fear not our Goods, the only Misery is, that we cannot well go out of this City, by reason we have here some Credit to take up Monies, or Provisions, in time of Necessity, for my Hus∣band hath Lived here so Long, as he can Chal∣lenge

the Privilege of a Burger, and therefore we may rise up with the Tumult, and cry out Mutinously for our Rights and Privileges. But for all this I am Extremely Afraid, insomuch that at every Noise I hear, if I be not with my Husband, I run to find him out, so that I write this Letter but by Starts, yet my Husband en∣deavours to Allay my Fears, telling me, that the Beating of Drums, and Blowing of Trumpets, and Arming of Souldiers, is the Way and Means to Quiet this Mutiny, and to keep us in Peace and Safety, but for all that, I hear my Husband say, that it is a Scurvy Business, and a Dangerous Example; Howsoever, I leave all to his Prudence and Care; for I believe, if he did perceive any great Danger, he would Re∣move me out of the City, but then he must Go with me, for I will not Part from him, re∣garding not my Safety when he is in Danger, and I had rather Die with him than Live after him. But, Madam, hoping the next Letter to you will be more Comfortable, and that all will be as Quiet and Peaceable as it was, I rest,

Madam,

Your faithful Friend and Servant.