might better do to a house where I had some power than where I am but upon courtesy myself.  Besides that, he thinks it would be to my advantage to be well bestowed, and by that he understands richly.  He is much of your sister’s humour, and many times wishes me a husband that loved me as well as he does (though he seems to doubt the possibility on’t), but never desires that I should love that husband with any passion, and plainly tells me so.  He says it would not be so well for him, nor perhaps for me, that I should; for he is of opinion that all passions have more of trouble than satisfaction in them, and therefore they are happiest that have least of them.  You think him kind from a letter that you met with of his; sure, there was very little of anything in that, or else I should not have employed it to wrap a book up.  But, seriously, I many times receive letters from him, that were they seen without an address to me or his name, nobody would believe they were from a brother; and I cannot but tell him sometimes that, sure, he mistakes and sends me letters that were meant to his mistress, till he swears to me that he has none.

Next week my persecution begins again; he comes down, and my cousin Molle is already cured of his imaginary dropsy, and means to meet here.  I shall be baited most sweetly, but sure they will not easily make me consent to make my life unhappy to satisfy their importunity.  I was born to be very happy or very miserable, I know not which, but I am very certain that you will never read half this letter ’tis so scribbled; but ’tis no matter, ’tis not much worth it.

Your most faithful friend and servant.

Letter 16.—­The trial of Lord Chandos for killing Mr. Compton in a duel was, just at this moment, exciting the fickle attention of the town, which had probably said its say on the subject of Cromwell’s coup d’etat, and was only too ready for another subject of conversation.  The trial is not reported among the State Trials, but our observant friend the Earl of Leicester has again taken note of the matter in his journal, and can give us at least his own ideas of the trial and its political and social importance.  Under date May 1653, he writes:—­“Towards the end of Easter Term, the Lord Chandos, for killing in duel Mr. Compton the year before,” that is to say, in March; the new year begins on March 25th, “and the Lord Arundel of Wardour, one of his seconds, were brought to their trial for their lives at the Upper Bench in Westminster Hall, when it was found manslaughter only, as by a jury at Kingston-upon-Thames it had been found formerly.  The Lords might have had the privilege of peerage (Justice Rolles being Lord Chief Justice), but they declined it by the advice of Mr. Maynard and the rest of their counsel, least by that means the matter might have been brought about again, therefore they went upon the former verdict of manslaughter, and so were acquitted; yet to be burned in the hand, which was done to them both a