Cabala, mysteries of state,: in letters of the great ministers of K. James and K. Charles. Wherein much of the publique manage of affaires is related. / Faithfully collected by a noble hand.

The Lady Purbeck to the Duke.

My Lord,

THough you may judge what pleasure there is in the conversation of a man in the distemper you see your Brother in; yet the dutie I owe to a husband, and the affection I bear him, (which sicknesse shall not diminish,) makes me much desire to be with him, to adde what comfort I can to his afflicted mind, since his onely desire is my Companie. Which if it please you to satisfie him in, I shall with a very good will suffer with him, and think all but my dutie, though I think every wife would not do so. But if you can so far dispense with the Lawes of God, as to keep me from my Husband, yet aggra∣vate it not by restraining from me his means, and all other content∣ments, but which I think is rather the part of a Christian, you espe∣cially ought much rather to studie comforts for me, then to adde ills to ills, since it is the marriage of your Brother makes me thus mise∣rable. For if you please but to consider not only the lamentable estate I am in, deprived of all Comforts of a husband, and having no means to live of: besides falling from the hopes my fortune then did promise me, for you know very well I came no beggar to you, though I am like so to be turned off.

For your own honor, and Conscience sake, take some course to give me satisfaction, to tye my tongue from crying to God, and the world for vengeance for the unworthy dealing I have received. And think not to send me again to my Mothers, where I have stayed this quarter of a year, hoping (for that my Mother said you promised.) order should be taken for me, but I never received pennie from you. Her confidence of your Noblenesse made me so long silent; but now believe me, I will sooner begg my bread in the streets to all your dishonours, then any more trouble my friends, and especially my Mother, who was not onely content to afford us part of the little means she hath left her, but whilest I was with her, was continually distempered with devised Tales, which came from your Familie, and withal lost your good opinion, which before she either had, or you made shew of it; but had it been real, I cannot think her words would have been so translated, nor in the power of discontented ser∣vants Tales to have ended it.

My Lord, if the great honour you are in, can suffer you to have so mean a thought as of so miserable a creature as I am, so made by too much Credulitie of your fair promises, which I have waited for per∣formance of almost these five years: And now it were time to de∣spair,

but that I hope you will one day be your self, and be governed by your own noble thoughts, and then I am assured to obtain what I desire, since my desires be so reasonable, and but for mine own. Which whether you grant or no, the affliction my poor husband is in, (if it continue) will keep my mind in a continual purgatorie for him, and will suffer me to sign my self no other, but

Your unfortunate Sister, F. Purbeck.