in a sheepe, and not in a schallope. I durst not venture the gentillwemen in a schallope, because I had never passed in any my selfe, the schallopes are thay say, the freest from robers and doe pase much this summer time, but the schallopes are open to all wheather, and I am suer most in danger of being cast away; the seas are very full of pirats, yet thankes be to God our passage was free from all danger. Swee are lodged neere the rue de fournon if please to direct your letters chez madam marye, dans le rue de petit lion, au plat degele au fourburge St. Jarmine, A paris: this streete goeth into the rue detoursnon.' you A set of books sent to Sir Ralph had been seized by the Custom House officers.1 Luce Sheppard was 1 This is Dr. Denton's list : 1. A Booke of Acts of Parliament. 3. A Vindication of the oath of Alegeanse. 12. A Logicall Demonstration. 13. Rome Ruined by Whitehall. 14. Parliament of Ladies. [A witty and scurrilous Royalist pamphlet of considerable notoriety.] 15. An Act of Parliament concerning Bannishinge Cavileires of London &c. 'These came to Dieppe about a fortnight before Easter, and were seized there and sent to Rouen, and the customes of Rouen say they sent them to the Douane at Paris.' bringing him out more books, physic, and miscellaneous goods from his worthy uncle. 1650 'Deare Raph, I have sent per Luce, Hobs de June 12, corpore politico, Judges Judged, Young clearks guide, The exercitation answered, 2 faire warnings and their answer, An Anatomie of Independencie, Extract of Malt, Sal Chalyb:, 6 case knives, 1 blew knife for Mun, 4 paire of Gray stocking, 4 paire of thred stocking, 2 bookes of Dr Taylors in Quires, one is a new one, 2 bookes of Bishopp Andrewes in Quires, 1 Sclater on the 4th of Romans bound, and 1 Shelton in blew pap' to teach ye boyes to write short hand,' an accomplishment much practised to this day by the Verneys of Claydon. Luce wishes to leave Paris because of the chargeableness of the place,' and perhaps to go to St. Germains. The children are very well, and love french potage, espesially Miss Margreat.' Sir Ralph makes use of Luce to look after a horse to be sold, and to see to the renewing of an old periwig, I long since sent towards Paris by an English gentleman, but hee sinc uppon the way, sent it me back again.' Sir Ralph's coachman is to wait and bring it back, but Munday being Hallowday it hendered the man from working and by that resonne the periwige is not dri enought to cary.' 'Sir,' continues Luce, the periwige man standeth out in it, that his bargaine was made to give but 4 periwiges and 2 borders by the yeare, and that hee will give you noe more then 4 by the yeare, upon that contract, but nevertheless he 6 will make you a very hansum one and send it you forthwith and a reseat for the money, and his mind in a leter.' 6 Mrs. Sherard is anxious that her girls should be with Sir Ralph, but she hopes as Lewcy will wach the phirst oppertewnity for to have Mary touched.' Luce hears that the young French king is not yet consecrated as they call it,' so she is doubtful whether his touch will be effectual after all; and 'the French say that there is noe other cerimoney then for the scicke to passe by the king, and he toucheth the wound and saith, I touch and God healeth.' Sir Ralph replies : Luce, I received yours dated 16 July, but canot tell how to advis you to dispose of yourselfe. St. Germain's is a pleasant place and you may remove thether for a little, but I know not what Masters are there, and I doubt soe many English as are there, will much hinder the children in learning French. . . . Where ever you settle choose good aire, and not too neare any Water, because one of the children it seemes hath some swelling which a moist place may possibly increase.' The children are to be kept hard at their lessons as much as they be capabull' of, but there are no masters at St. Germains, 'for when the inglish court is thare thay have masters from paris att a very highe rate, but my Lady Browne telleth mee of a place about a mile and hafe from paris, which is a very good aire and standeth close by the water side; it is called Shaleau whare masters from paris will willingly goe. Money having grone very loe,' Luce started off for 18, 1650 They reach Blois at last, and Sir Ralph looks September forward to Luce's help in his housekeeping as having been trained by Mary. Luce is careful of the children and thrifty'; his own maidservant, Nan Castle, 'can doe all well, but hold her tongue, Luce shall now governe her, she is cleanly and makes better pottage then puddings.' Poor little Mary, not having been sufficiently pulled down by the measles, is immediately ordered to have 'an Ishue,' and 'the small pocks came out upon Peg Eure.' At the same time Sir Ralph writes: 'After dinner my deare Jack fell sick of fever, but by the blessing of my good God, hee is reasonable well recovered, and hee is not violent.' Dr. Denton replies: 'I am sorry to find October you are all soe sickly. I hope and pray for the best. It is more trouble to me to heare your finger akes there, then that your head should ake here. I am glad to heare Pegge is soe well of the small pocks, her mother hath another younge Captaine, and I have sent her word of your care and kindnes to her Babes.' Any anxiety about his children makes Sir Ralph miss their mother afresh. The Wise man tells us that a Vertuous Woman is a Crowne to her Husband,' and that St. Paul styles the Woman the 1650 Glory of the Man, but now alas my Crowne is fallen from my Head, and my Glory buried in obscurity.' His thoughts constantly return, like doves to their cote, and wheel round the one face and voice shrined in his inmost heart. is It is painful to have to record that Sir Ralph was very unsound on the subject of girls' education. Of his own dear little daughter he once wrote: 'Pegg very backward. I doubt not but she will be schollar enough for a Woeman.' In forbidding to girls all serious intellectual studies, he differed hopelessly from Dr. Denton, who was modern enough in his ideas to have sat on the Council of the Girls' Public Day Schools Company. In a letter about Nancy, Sir Ralph breaks out into a ferocious protest against feminine Learning': 'Let not your girle learne Latin, nor Short hand; the difficulty of the first may keepe her from that Vice, for soe I must esteeme it in a woeman; but the easinesse of the other may bee a prejudice to her; for the pride of taking Sermon noates, hath made multitudes of woemen most unfortunate.' Dr Dr teach her to live under obedience, and whilst she is unmarried, if she would learne anything, let her aske you, and afterwards her huband, At Home Had St. Paul lived in our Times I am most confident hee would have fixt a Shame upon our woemen for writing (as well as for theire speaking) in the Church.' Miss Nancy had her own views which she scrawled in a large text-hand. 'Dearea god father, |