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

XCIX.

MADAM,

I Hear there are many Noble Lords with their Ladies gone into F. which shews that in this Age there are many Kind Husbands, for usually when Husbands Travel, they leave their Wives behind, at least, think them to be a Trou∣ble on their Journies, and counting their Trou∣ble to be more, than the Pleasure of their Com∣panyes, they are left at Home. But I believe, this Mode-Travelling is only in this, and not in other Nations, for our Countrey-men make Kinder Husbands than men of other Nations. But since our Wars some are Necessitated and Forc'd to Travel into Forein Countreys, being Banish'd out of their Native Countrey, and the Wives of Banished men are forced to Travel to and from their Husbands, to seek for Means and Subsistence, to Maintain or Relieve their Ne∣cessitated lives, wanting Meat to feed on, and

Cloaths to cover them; Yet be there not so ma∣ny in this Banished Condition for Number as for Worth, for they are most persons of great Qualities or Dignities, and had great Estates, li∣ving formerly in great Splendor and Plenty, and now in low Despised Poverty and cold Charity, which makes their Conditions or Fortunes so much the more Sad and Lamentable, onely their Souls and Spirits are not according to their Fortunes, for their noble Souls and Heroick Spirits yield not to Fortunes Slavery, but they as Conquerors ride Triumphing on proud For∣tun's back, spurring her sides with Scorn, for though Fortune may Starve or Inslave their Bo∣dyes, yet she cannot Conquer their Minds. But in this Age there are more Women that Travel for Fashions sake, than out of VVant, more that Travel for Breeding than for Bread, for Company than for Necessity, they spend more in Unnecessary Travels to see strange Nations and Men, than others can get, that Travel to their own Native Countrey and neer Relations, for these Travel not for Observation but Sub∣sistence, they make not their Journies Frolicks of Mirth, but Weeping Departures, their Minds Swim in Troubled Tears, and are Blown with Sighs in their Bodily Barks, whilst they are Swimming on the dangerous Sea in Barks or Ships of Wood blown by blustring Winds; they venture not life for Sport and Fashion, but for Love and Charity; Indeed whereas other Wo∣men, either for Observation or Fashion, may

with their Fathers, Husbands or Sons Travel all the World over, those Women must for ne∣cessity Travel as they can, having no Choice; And so leaving our Sex either at home or a∣broad in their own Native or Forein Coun∣tries, I rest,

Madam,

Your faithful Friend and Servant.