Fye!  I am got into my complaining humour that tires myself as well as everybody else, and which (as you observe) helps not at all.  Would it would leave me, and then I could believe I shall not always have occasion for it.  But that’s in nobody’s power, and my Lady Talmash, that says she can do whatsoever she will, cannot believe whatsoever she pleases.  ’Tis not unpleasant, methinks, to hear her talk, how at such a time she was sick and the physicians told her she would have the small-pox, and showed her where they were coming out upon her; but she bethought herself that it was not at all convenient for her to have them at that time; some business she had that required her going abroad, and so she resolved she would not be sick; nor was not.  Twenty such stories as these she tells; and then falls into discoveries of strength of reason and the power of philosophy, till she confounds herself and all that hear her.  You have no such ladies in Ireland?

Oh me, but I heard to-day your cousin Hammond is going thither to be in Ludlow’s place.  Is it true?  You tell me nothing what is done there, but ’tis no matter.  The less one knows of State affairs I find it is the better.  My poor Lady Vavasour is carried to the Tower, and her great belly could not excuse her, because she was acquainted by somebody that there was a plot against the Protector, and did not discover it.  She has told now all that was told her, but vows she will never say from whence she had it:  we shall see whether her resolutions are as unalterable as those of my Lady Talmash.  I wonder how she behaved herself when she was married.  I never saw any one yet that did not look simply and out of countenance, nor ever knew a wedding well designed but one; and that was of two persons who had time enough I confess to contrive it, and nobody to please in’t but themselves.  He came down into the country where she was upon a visit, and one morning married her.  As soon as they came out of the church they took coach and came for the town, dined at an inn by the way, and at night came into lodgings that were provided for them where nobody knew them, and where they passed for married people of seven years’ standing.

The truth is I could not endure to be Mrs. Bride in a public wedding, to be made the happiest person on earth.  Do not take it ill, for I would endure it if I could, rather than fail; but in earnest I do not think it were possible for me.  You cannot apprehend the formalities of a treaty more than I do, nor so much the success on’t.  Yet in earnest, your father will not find my brother Peyton wanting in civility (though he is not a man of much compliment, unless it be in his letters to me), nor an unreasonable person in anything, so he will allow him out of his kindness to his wife to set a higher value upon her sister than she deserves.  I know not how he may be prejudiced as to the business, but he is not deaf to reason when ’tis civilly delivered, and is as easily gained with compliance and good usage as anybody I know, but by no other way.  When he is roughly dealt with, he is like me, ten times the worse for’t.