provided, and sent downe by, Madame, Your humble servant.'

'Sir,' replies the lady, 'I doe experiment the fallshood of fame severely, for if the kindness of the parson did answer the report, twould bee noe difficulty to inclose my welth in the crasiest bags I have, & if it were exposed to vew I should not neede a gaurd to secure it; the esteme of my freinds is A welth I only covitt, and your selfe may assure a most vallewable share of it to Sir, Your most obleged sarvant, VERE Gawdy.'

1657

On the other hand it was one of Sir Ralph's constantly recurring duties to find safe investments for Doll's modest savings. If Sir Richard Temple will morgage Land for soe small a summe,' he writes, "I June 25, beleeve it may bee good security. . . . Lawyers are the propper and indeed the only judges of matters concerning Titles, but of the integrity of those with whome you deale, you or I, perhapps may know as much as they. Had I money of my own to Lend, the cheifest thing that I should looke uppon, should bee the honour, & honesty of the Person to whome I lent it, for beleeve me Cosen, the silliest soule, that will allow himselfe to play the knave, may easily cheate the craftiest Councellour about the Towne. Dick Winwood & Jack Dormer are borrowers of Money, but give noe Land security, unlesse for greater summs then yours, had either of them any money of mine, I should think it as well-placed as with the Mayor and all the Aldermen of London.'

VOL. III.

Q

Jan. 18, 1655

March 15 and 17, 1655

There was a report early in 1655 that Sir Ralph had been arrested, and Dr. Denton writes: This is to lett you know that you are in the tower, gett out as well as you can, Verney for Vernham hath caused the rumor & mistake.' 'Here is newes more than is true in abundance. That that is most generally received is that S Joseph Wagstaffe cum multis aliis is up in the West, seized Judge Rolls & others & all theire horses & money at Salisbury. That S Richard Mauleverer is upp in the north & endeavoured the seizinge of York Castle etc.

There is

I

much talking of risinge in divers other countries weh I had rather beleeve then goe to see. . . . ch ghesse there will be a generall settlement of the militia in all counties, & a generall securinge, & though I dare be a compurgator for Claydon & Hillesdon & Ratley that you have neyther head nor purse in the rebellious designe, yett the names are malignant & that will goe far in prudence. Verbum March 24, sapienti sat: tell Mun so much, Vale.' 'I heare the rebell cavaliers are defeated in the West, some kild, some taken, & not many left togeather.' .

1655

April 5, 1655

Thorpe, Glyn, & Steele are to goe westward to try the late Rebells; Pen Ruddock & the Jones, are come to towne to be tryed or examined or what you please.'

In the midst of these public anxieties the trees that Sir Ralph had ordered from Holland kept March 22, arriving. Dr. Denton writes: 'I wish y" had beene behind the hangings just now to heare the Romance,

1655

1655

Lady Gaudey, Doll, & I made, they of their trees & I of my trees. They writt last night but 13 letters about them, & scolded betweene whiles to boot, & all for feare of miscarriage & disappointmt & I gave them a Rowland for their Oliver, & summe was you must pay for all our follies, & soe we might be merry the cheaper.' 'I do not see how it was possible April 2, the trees [should] escape bruisinge. They were too bigge to be bound up in any number. They were brought over single, & amongst bottles, a layer of trees & a layer of bottles (which would not defend them over warily) the shipping & unshipping & often loading & unloading of them must of necessity bruise. them very much. I hope the Abeele trees will make Their arrival at Claydon is you an amends.' delayed and Sir Ralph writes: The advertisement came in pudding-time,' for to morrow the cart was to set forwards but upon this I have stayed it till Monday.'

Many of Sir Ralph's friends were supporting the Government: Fiennes had been made Lord Keeper, Sir Roger wished for a place as Groom of the Stole, Nat. Hobart was hoping for a Mastership in Chancery, and Sir Richard Temple for a place in the Protector's Court.' He also talked of going to Jamaica, but this came to nothing, as Dr. Denton had foreseen. Sir Rich: Temple's purport of

6

1 I.e. in the nick of time.

'When George in pudding-time came o'er

And moderate men looked big.'-The Vicar of Bray.