Letters of the Court of James I 1613 Reverend Thomas Lorkin Sir Thomas Puckering Baronet 08 Jul 1613. 08 Jul 1613. London. Reverend Thomas Lorkin to Thomas Puckering 1st Baronet (age 21).

Painters and poets may lie by privilege; but such as undertake to make relation of things that pass, should tell naught but truth. Pardon me, therefore, if I must now revoke what in my last letters I writ for certain, touching the swearing of Sir David Murray and Sir Robert Carr (age 35) in his highness's bedchamber. I received it very confidently from Sir John Harrington's (age 73) mouth. But I have found since, by my inquiry, that they only procured the king's warrant, which met with afterwards that opposition from the lords, as it rests yet doubtful whether and when it shall take effect. The prince's household is not yet settled; yesterday the council sat about it, and the opinion was that the king would then sign the book.

My Lord Stanhope's (age 64)¹ son (age 20) is lately fallen lunatic; and the little hope that is conceived of his recovery makes divers of your friends think that it was your hard fortune to be no more forward in embracing those offers which were formerly made you out of that house.

You have heard long since, I suppose, of the great difference between my Lord of Essex (age 22) and his lady (age 23), who hath most earnestly sued for a divorce, pretending the only cause to be of her husband's insufficiency; who confesseth it towards her, though he esteems himself well enough provided for any other. It was expected that a nullity of marriage should have been pronounced by my Lord of Canterbury (age 50) at the end of last term, but the sentence is deferred to the term following; which, if it be given in favour of her, it is generally believed that a match shall be concluded between my Lord of Rochester (age 26) and her: thereby to reconcile him and the house of Howard together, who are now far enough asunder.

The news of the great entertainment at the Palatine's I court is but newly arrived here. It consists chiefly in matter of good cheer, after the fashion of the country. They talk of I know not how many hundred tables which should be every day prepared; but you will easily proportion them out yourself, when you shall hear of the number of mouths, which were no fewer, every meal, than 6000. The same messenger brings tidings that her grace is with child, and that there wants not the concurrence of all sach tokens and probabilities as are usually observed in women in that state and condition.

The Duke of Lennox (age 38)² arrived in Paris on Saturday last, as we are informed here, having made that the way of his return home from Heidelberg. He pretends the occasion of his stay there to be, the seeking to obtain the command of the company of horse which our Prince Charles had, when he was but Duke of York. But, though made an absolute refusal of it before his coming, he having employed himself in that business by commission from our king, the true cause of his stay is thought to be a treaty of marriage between Prince Charles and Madame Christine, which, having been long time negociated by Sir Thomas Edraondes, is thought shall receive its final conclusion from him.

Sir Thomas Waller (deceased), governor of Dover Castle, is lately dead. His place is already disposed of; but I cannot say certainly how. Sir Thomas Somerset (age 34)³ inquires very kindly after you, and you shall do well to omit no good means of entertaining his good opinion still.

Note 1. John (age 64), created an English baron by the title of Lord Stanhope of Harrington, May 4, 1605. He died March 9, 1621, leaving issue one daughter only. [Note. He left issue Charles Stanhope 2nd Baron Stanhope (age 20), Elizabeth Stanhope Lady Talmash and Catherine Stanhope Countess Leinster]

Note 2. Lodovick Stuart. He was high chamberlain and admiral of Scotland, and in 1601 was Bent by James ambassador to the court of France. In October, 1613, he was created Baron Setrington and Earl of Richmond. He filled the offices of master of the hoasehold, first gentleman of the bedchamber, was invested with the garter, and appointed commissioner to the parliament; and, in 1623, was further advanced to the dignities of the Earl of Newcastle and Duke of Richmond. Though twice married, the Duke of Lennox died without issue, in February. 1624.

Note 3. Third son (age 34) of Edward, Earl of Worcester (age 63). He was afterwards created Viscount Somerset of Cassel (Cashel) in Ireland.

Letters of the Court of James I 1613 Reverend Thomas Lorkin to Sir Thomas Puckering Baronet 26 Aug 1613. 26 Aug 1613. .London. Reverend Thomas Lorkin to Thomas Puckering 1st Baronet (age 21).

Queen Margaret (age 60)¹, I hear, is very sick, they say, out of conceit; for that it hath been told her, that the almanac doth foretel that this month one of the greatest women of Christendom shall die. The world would laugh, if so great a woman as she is (saith mine author) should have so little wit, as to be put to death by an almanac. The Prince of Conde (age 24), having overheated his body lately in hunting of the stag, fell into a burning ague, and was in some danger for four or five days; but now the violence of the disease being spent, there is a good hope conceived of his recovery.

The Duke d'Espernon (age 59), pretending to live in great fear of his life by reason of the mortal hatred, which divers of his enemies bear him, hath obtained of the queen, for better security, a guard of twenty men taken out of the regiment des gardes who accompany him up and down, wherever he goes; which is offensive to many, who think it strange that the public guard should be employed in the maintaining of his particular factions.

One Recion, a printer of the Religion, having long since reprinted the book of "Novus Homo," (which was published here in England before against the present Pope) was condemned by the Judge of the Chatelet to make an amende honorable before the court, and another before the Nuncio; the further sentence was, that the book should be burned at the Nuncio's gates; and the printer himself banished for ever out of Paris. From which sentence he appealing to the Court of Parliament, they have remitted all his other punishments, save banishment, and that they have restrained only to two years.

Those of the Religion having begun to build a college at Charenton, for the instruction of their youth, the lieutenant-civil adjourned the deputies-general to appear before him, to answer the matter; but they sent him word they were responsible to none but the chancellor, and do not let to go forward with the building; being confident they are sufficiently warranted thereunto by the grants and license of the last king. Richeome, the Jesuit, hath newly set forth at Bordeaux an answer of "Anti-Coton" and La Martaliere's Plea against the Jesuits, and I understand that Suarez², the Jesuit, hath newly set forth a great book in quarto at Coimbra, in answer to his majesty's apology. The quarrel between the King of Denmark and the States' is now at length happily compounded. My Lord Harrington (deceased) and his [his former wife] lady (age 59) are, by this, I suppose, arrived in England, having left the Palatine's court above a fortnight since. Sir John is gone to meet them at Calais; otherwise, I suppose, your letter should ere now have received answer. Some time next week, if not the latter end of this, his majesty is expected here in London.

Note 1. The first wife (age 60) of Henry IV of France, from whom she was divorced. She died 27th March, 1615.

Note 2. Francis Saurez, a Spanish theologian, who attacked James in a work written in defence of Catholicism, to which the king thought proper to reply by the hands of the hangman; a functionary who seems to have been much troabled at this period with the writings of zealoas controversialists. Saarez pablished twenty-three folio volumes, and died at Lisbon in 1613.