title of Gauthier de Costes Chevalier Seigneur de la Calprenede; he published Cleopatre in 1642; he was the author of other romances, and some tragedies, noted only for their worthlessness.  Even Richelieu, “quoiqu’ admirateur indulgent de la mediocrite,” could not stand Calprenede’s tragedies. Reine Marguerite is probably the translation by Robert Codrington of the Memorials of Margaret of Valois, first wife of Henri IV.  Bussy is a servant of the Duke of Avenson, Margaret’s brother, with whom Margaret is very intimate.

Of Lady Sunderland and Mr. Smith we have already sufficient knowledge.  As for Sir Justinian, we are not to think he was already married; the reference to his “new wife” is merely jocular, meaning his new wife when he shall get one; for Sir Justinian is still wife-hunting, and comes back to renew his suit with Dorothy after this date.  “Your fellow-servant,” who is as often called Jane, appears to have been a friend and companion of Dorothy, in a somewhat lower rank of life.  Mrs. Goldsmith, mentioned in a subsequent letter,—­wife of Daniel Goldsmith, the rector of Campton, in which parish Chicksands was situated,—­acted as chaperon or duenna companion to Dorothy, and Jane was, it seems to me, in a similar position; only, being a younger woman than the rector’s wife, she was more the companion and less the duenna.  The servants and companions of ladies of that date were themselves gentlewomen of good breeding.  Waller writes verses to Mrs. Braughton, servant to Sacharissa, commencing his lines, “Fair fellow-servant.”  Temple, had he written verse to his mistress, would probably have left us some “Lines to Jane.”

There is in Campton Church a tablet erected to Daniel Goldsmith, “Ecclesiae de Campton Pastor idem et Patronus;” also to Maria Goldsmith, “uxor dilectissima.”  This is erected by Maria’s faithful sister, Jane Wright; and if the astute reader shall think fit to agree with me in believing Temple’s “fellow-servant” to be this Jane Wright on such slender evidence and slight thread of argument, he may well do so.  Failing this, all search after Jane will, I fear, prove futile at this distant date.  There are constant references to Jane in the letters.  “Her old woman,” in the same passage, is, of course, a jocular allusion to Dorothy herself; and “the old knight” is, I believe, Sir Robert Cook, a Bedfordshire gentleman, of whom nothing is known except that he was knighted at Ampthill, July 21st, 1621.  We hear some little more of him from Dorothy.

Note well the signature of this and following letters; it will help us to discover what passed between the friends in London.  For my own part, I do not think Dorothy means that she has ceased to be faithful in that she has become “his affectionate friend and servant.”