31

CHAPTER II.

SIR RALPH ON HIS TRAVELS.

1651-1653.

Where'er I roam, whatever realms to see,

My heart untravell'd fondly turns to thee.-GOLDSMITH.

THE three months Sir Ralph had given himself to wind up his money matters had extended to six, and yet the business seemed but little advanced; however, in March 1651, he is making his last preparations at Blois for a prolonged tour.

His continued absence from England was a great grief to the two faithful friends, Dr. Denton and Sir Roger Burgoyne, who had shown him a love scarcely less devoted and tender than that of Mary herself. They had hoped that when the sad business devolving upon him after her death was finished, he would turn his thoughts homewards. But Sir Ralph still felt that he might be imperilling his personal liberty by returning, and in the unsettled state of politics in England he could not see his way to taking any share in public life. With his attachment to the Church of England and his horror of government by the sword, he was out of sympathy with Crom

well; and after stoutly resisting Charles I., he was still less likely to be attracted by the coterie of intriguing Royalists with their squabbles and jealousies at the Hague or in Paris--' the Louvre Lords,' as Sir Henry Newton contemptuously calls them. Added to this he shrank from taking up his home life again without his wife's help. He had only visited Claydon in a hurried and uncomfortable way, since it had passed into his possession on the fatal day of Edgehill.

Sir Roger, after a sharp attack of illness, was 'most longingly expecting' the happiness of a meeting. 'I have not of late been used to a pen, I must not venture too farr, my head gives a check to my hand, and will give leave no further then to tell thee, my deare heart, that I am Thine beyond expression.' When he hears Sir Ralph's decision, Sir Roger protests that it is enough to throw him into a fresh distemper. Mee thinks in these darke times,' he writes, a neerer application of friends one to another whould be more proper, and I am sure more comfortable, but for my friend after such a tedious absence yet to turne his back upon us, and still to play the pilgrim in wandring further from us, I assure thee it is the subject not only of my sorrow but astonishment; well I must subscribe to the wisest man, the eye is never sattisfied of seing. You are now going to see the pope, I am confident that Dr. Denton writes: I

the next will be the turke.'

rec'd yours of 12 March 165

which brought me the

cold and comfortlesse newes of your beginninge your travells, but when I consider God's presence is every where guidinge and protectinge, and that he is a God both of the Hills and of the valleys, and that even in the wildernes (whither he leads his owne) his great wonders he manifested to his first borne people there, It is a great inducement to me to encourage my selfe my Lord and my God, and to beleeve that he will be with you in all the ways wherin you goe, and amonge all the people through whom you passe. I pray date your letters from the place you write that I may know which way you steere your course.'

in

:

In January 1651 Sir Ralph went for a short time to Rouen and Paris, leaving Mun and Jack with Luce Sheppard. 'Since your departure from hence,' writes Mr. Cordell, 'I have been like the weather all sad and cloudie, and scarce able to speak in jest or good earnest.' Mun is clamorous in his lamentations; nothing went well, he declared, when his father was away he had paid the fencing-master according to his orders; Prenost, who teaches him to draw, quite neglects his duty; he has never worked at Sir Ralph's portrait since he left, he always arrives late to give Mun his lesson, and never stays his hour. He acknowledges his obligations to Mr. Cordell; a year would not suffice to thank him for all the kindness he had shown him. He desires to send mes baise-mains' to Sir Henry Newton, who was a favourite with the children, and often inquired of Sir Ralph, How doe my two great friends, your two little young men ?'

VOL. III.

D

'Monsieur et mon très honoré père, Plust à Dieu qu'il vous donnast la pensée de retourner à Blois, les jours me semblent des années tant il m'ennuye d'ettre icy comme dans un desert de solitude; car quoy est cequi me peut desormais plaire dans cette ville, comment est ceque cette lumière de la vie, et cette respiration de l'air me peuvent elle estre agreables, puisqu'y ayant perdu cequi m'estoit le plus au Monde, et qu'il m'interesse plus qu'une seule personne dont je suis privé de l'honneur de sa presence, au reste graces à Dieu nous nous porte fort bien, et pourcequi est de moy je vous asseure que je ne manqueray jamais à mon devoir c'espourquoy finissant je demeure et demeureray aternellement

'Vostre très humble et fidel

'fils EDMOND VERNEY.

'Blois dimanche le 5

'de feuvrier 1651.'

Sir Ralph was doubting whether to take his eldest boy to Italy; he cannot afford a tutor as well as a travelling servant, and 'a French Preceptor is fitter than an English and more useful; 'tis better be without than take an ill one.' He thinks' Mun is too young to profit by his travel, and his Body too thin to endure it'; but his piteous appeals seem to have turned the scale. A few years later, when there was any question of his spending an hour with Mary Eure, Sir Ralph could not hope for his son's society; but this heroine of a romantic chapter of Mun's youth was still in pinafores; he had now all

a schoolboy's contempt for girls, and vehemently objected to be left with Luce Sheppard and the little ones, when he had been used to the society of his father and his father's friends.

So it was decided that 'the young gallant,' as Sir Roger called him, should go on the grand tour. Sir Ralph gave up his house, settled Luce and her two little gentlewomen in 'Chambres garnies' at Madame Juselier's, sent 'poore Jack' to Madame Testard, widow of the Protestant pasteur, where he was to board and attend classes under Luce's superintendence. Sir Ralph took his pleasures sadly, and he prayed the Doctor, if any accident should befall him, to extend all love and care to his children for their mother's sake who is now a Saint in Heaven. If I could possibly meete with some good friend, whose designe (like mine) were to seeke his Fortune in a Foreigne Land, it might bee a comfort and advantage to us both, but considering how unfortunate I have lately beene, in the losse of my most deare, most incomparable companion, how can I thinke to meete with any man soe miserable as my selfe.' Cousin Gee eventually went with him, and fulfilled the required conditions very fairly; a widower, like Sir Ralph, he is described as given over to 'melancholy thoughts,' and 'in Love with Carthusian silence.' Mr. Gee had evidently been popular with Sir Henry Newton, because he had been content, when they met at Blois, to leave to that talkative gentleman the burden of the conversation.