“Sir Edward Hyde to the Marquis of Newcastle.
“1652, December 14. Paris.
“We are all here exceedingly troubled, that that old quarrelling humour still rages amongst those of our miserable nation in all places, and if your authority hath not already prevented the mischeive which must probably attend that duell betweene the Earl of Oxford and Colonell Slinger, any commands from his Majesty will come too late, and indeed if they doe contemne your Lordships interposition, there may be reason to beleive that they would not obey his Majesty himselfe if he were upon the place, for if they consider themselves as Englishmen, and will pay obedience to the lawes and constitution of their country, they must acknowledge that your Lordship as a Privy Councellour hath authority over them; and if they will decline it because they are out of his Majesty’s dominions, they might have the same obstinacy, if the King himselfe were at Antwerpe. His Majesty desires you if it be not too late, to use his name in any way you thinke necessary to prevent this mischeive, and will conclude that if they refuse to be ordered by your Lordship that they would not have obeyed his owne person, if he had been there. The King uses all endeavours to put himselfe into a readynesse to remove from hence, when there shall be occasion, which I pray God he may be able to doe. God preserve your Lordship and keepe me in your favour.”
Newcastle appears to have called himself, or at least to have had some idea of calling himself, by the title of Prince on the Continent. A letter from so high an authority as Garter-King-at-Arms, at the Herald’s College, asserted him to be justified in so doing.[139]
[139] Portland MSS. at Welbeck Abbey, Hist. MSS. Com., 13th Rep., App., part II. vol. II. 142.