Page:A Letter from a Person of Quality, to His Friend in the Country (1675).pdf/40

 Lords; so also was the Lord Townsend, a Man justly of great Esteem, and power in his own countrey, and amongst all those that well know him. The Earl of Carnarvon ought not to be men­tion'd in the last place, for he came out of the Countrey on pur­pose to oppose the Bill, stuck very fast to the Countrey partie, and spoke many excellent things against it. I dare not mention the Roman Catholick Lords, and some others, for fear I hurt them; but thus much I shall say of the Roman Catholick Peers, that if they were safe in their Estates, and yet kept out of Office, their Votes in that House would not be the most unsafe to England of any sort of Men in it. As for the absent Lords, the Earl of Ruttland, Lord Sandys, Lord Herbert of Cherbury, Lord North, and Lord Crew, ought to be mentiond with Honor, having taken care their Votes should maintain their own interest, and opinions; but the Earls of Exceter, and Chesterfield, that gave no proxies this Sessions, the Lord Montague of Boughton, that gave his to the Treasurer, and the Lord Roberts his to the Earl of Northampton, are not easily to be understood. If you ask after the Earl of Car­lisle, the Lord Viscount Falconbridge, and the Lord Berkely of Berk­ley Castle, because you find them not mentioned amongst their old Friends, all I have to say, is, That the Earl of Carlisle stept aside to receive his Pention, the Lord Berkely to dine with the Lord Trea­surer, but the Lord Viscount Falconberg, like the Noble Man in the Gospel, went away sorrowfull, for he had a Great Office at Court—but I despair not of giving you a better account of them next Ses­sions, for it is not possible when they consider that Cromwell's Major General, Son in law, and Friend, should think to find their Accounts amongst Men that set up on such a bottom.

Thus Sir, You see the Standard of the new Partie is not yet set up, but must be the work of another Session, though it be admira­ble to me, how the King can be enduced to venture His Affairs up­on such weak Counsels, and of so fatal consequences; for I believe it is the first time in the World, that ever it was thought adviseable, after fifteen years of the highest Peace, Quiet, and Obedience, that ever was in any Countrey, that there should be a pretense taken up, and a reviving of former miscarriages, especially after so many Promises, and Declarations, as well as Acts of Oblivion, and so much Rh