ty of a King to uphold a Court-Religion, becaufe his Subjects will be always jealous of them both; fince these are ready for their own intereft and lucre, to Preach the Prince's Will for Gospel; as in my Hearing before CHARLES the First, Doctor Sheldon, the late Archbishop upon that Text of Samuel, Hoc eft Domini Regis prov'd, That Kings might take away any Man's Poffeflions: Befides it's impoffible that any Security can be to a Proteftant King, because the Diffenters being more Nnmerous, will be always plotting his Destruction; as they did to CHARLES the First, and were near accomplishing that of CHARLES the Second. How much better is it, that Things, purely fo, be committed to them that are truly Ecclefiafticks wherein the Prince is freed from the vain Scruples and Pretenfions of his Subjects, in Religion. When the King gives the best Example of Piety, and the greatest Devotion, he fhews us how much need we have of God's Grace and Mercy.

My most humble Duty to his Grace, wishing him a perfect Recovery, much Health and Happinels.

I am yours, &c.

N. P.

A

A Letter from Sir George Etherege, to the Duke of Buckingham.

MY LORD,

Ratisbon, Nov. 21

1686. N. S.

Received the News of your Graces retiring

into Yorkshire, and leading a fedate contemplative Life there, with no less Astonishment than I should hear of his Chriftian Majesty's turning Benedictine Monk, or the Pope's wearing a long Periwig, and setting up for a flaming Beau in the feventy fourth Year of his Age. We have a Picture here in our Town-hall, which I never look upon but it makes me think on your Grace; and I dare fwear you'll fay there is no Dishonour done you, when you hear whose it is: In short, 'tis that of the famous CHARLES the V. who (amidst all the Magnificence that this foolish World affords, amidst all his African Lawrels and Gallic Triumphs) freely divested himself of the Empire of Europe, and his hereditary Kingdoms, to pass the Remainder of his Life in Solitude and Retirement.

Is it poffible that your Grace (who has feen ten times more Luxury than that Emperor ever knew, convers'd with finer Women, kept politer Company, poffefs'd as much too of the true real Greatnefs of the World as ever he enjoyed) should in an age still capable of pleasure, and under a Fortune whofe very Ruins would make up a comfortable Electorate here in Germany; Is

it

it poffible, I fay, that your Grace (hould leave the Play at the beginning of the fourth Act, when all the Spectators are in Pain to know what will become of the Heroe, and what mighty Matters he is referv'd for, that fet out fo advantageoufly in the firft? That a Perfon of your exquifite Tafte, that has breathed the Air of Courts ever from your Infancy, should be content, in that Part of your Life which is most difficult to be pleased, and most easie to be dis gufted, to take up with the Conversation of Country Parfons, a fort of People whom, to my Knowledge, your Grace never much admir'd, and do penance in the naufeous Company of Lawyers, whom, I am certain, you abominate.

To raise our Astonishment higher, Who cou'd ever have prophesy'd (though he had a double Gift of Noftradamus's Spirit) that the Duke of Buckingham, who never vouchfafed his Embra ces to any ordinary Beauty, wou'd ever condefcend to figh and languifh for the Heirefs apparent of a thatch'd Cottage, in a straw Hat, flannen Petticoat, Stockings of as grofs a thrum as the Blew-Coat Boy's Caps at the Hospital, and a Smock (the Lord defend me from the wicked Idea of it!) of as course a Canvas as ever serv'd an Apprenticeship to a Mackarel Boat? Who could have believed, till Matter of Fact had confirmed the Belief of it, (and your Grace knows that Matter of Fact is not to be difputed) that the most polished, refined Epicure of his Age, that had regaled himfelf in the most exquifite

quifite Wines of Italy, Greece, and Spain, would, in the last Scene of his Life, debauch his Constitution in execrable Torkfhire Ale? And that He, who all his Life Time had either seen Princes his Play-fellows or Companions, would fubmit to the nonfenfical Chat, and barbarous Language of Farmers and Higlers ?

This, I confefs, so much shocks me, that I cannot tell what to make on't; and unless the news came to me confirmed from so many Authentic Hands that I have no room left to fufpect the Veracity of it, I should still look upon it to be Apocryphal. Is your Grace then in earnest, and really pleased with so prodigious an Alteration of Persons and Things? For my Part, I believe it; for I am certain that your Grace can a&any Person better than that of a Hypocrite.

But I humbly beg your Graces pardon for this Familiarity I have taken with you: Give me leave therefore, if you please, to tell you fomething of my felf. I presume that an Account of what paffes in this bufie Part of the World, will not come unacceptable to you, fince all my Cor refpondence from England affure me, your Grace does me the Honour to enquire often after me, and has exprefs'd fome fort of a Defire to know how my new Character fits upon me.

Ten Years ago I as little thought that my Stars defigned to make a Politician of me, and that it would come to my share to debate in publick Affemblies, and regulate the Affairs of Christendom, as the Grand Signior dream'd of

lofing Hungary. But my Royal Master having the Charity to believe me Master of fome Qualities, of which I never fufpected my self, I find that the Zeal and Alacrity I discover in my felf, to support a Dignity which he has thought fit to confer upon me, has fupply'd all other Defects, and given me a Talent, for which (till now) I justly fanfied my felf uncapable.

I live in one of the fineft, and best manner'd Cities in Germany, where 'tis true we have not Pleasure in that Perfection as we fee it in London and Paris; yet to make us amends, we enjoy a noble ferene Air, that makes us hungry as Hawks; and though Business, and even the worst sort of Bufinefs, wicked Politicks, is the distinguishing Commodity of the Place, yet I will say that for the Germans, that they manage it the best of any People in the World, they cut off and retrench all those idle Preliminaries and useless Ceremonies that clog the Wheels of it every where else: And I find, that, to this Day, they make good the Obfervation that Tacitus made of their Ancestors; I mean, That their Affairs (let them be never fo ferious and preffing) never put a stop to good Eating and Drinking; and that they debate their weightieft Negotia tions over their Cups.

Tis true, they carry this Humor by much too far for one of my Complexion, for which Reason I decline appearing among them, but when my Master's Concerns make it neceffary for me to come to their Affemblies. They are