In the old days when the dwindling Court had sojourned at Oxford, he had seen enough and more than enough of the turmoil of intrigues and jealousy, the incessant petty warfare between the rival factions of Henrietta and her husband, which the latter at any rate had been powerless to control, and naturally Hyde was sickened of it all, and unwilling to venture his “Nan” into a like atmosphere. About the same time we find him writing to Secretary Nicholas on the matter: “I presume you think my wife a fool for being so indulgent to her girl as to send her abroad on such a gadding journey. I am very glad she hath had the good fortune to be graciously received by her Royal Highness, but I think it would be too much vanity in me to take any notice of it.”[[21]]
[21]. “Life of Henrietta Maria.” J. A. Taylor.
As before said, the King put his oar in, saying to the Chancellor “his sister having seen his daughter several times, liked her so well that she desired to have her about her person, and had spoken to him herself, to move it so as to prevent displeasure from the Queen, therefore he knew not why Hyde should neglect such an opportunity of providing for his daughter in so honourable a way.”[[22]]
[22]. “Tudor and Stuart Princesses.” Agnes Strickland.
To this Hyde answered: “He could not dispute the reasons with him, only that He could not give himself Leave to deprive his Wife of her Daughter’s Company, nor believe that She could be more advantageously bred than under her Mother”—another shaft aimed at the influence of a Court.[[23]]
[23]. “Life of Edward, Earl of Clarendon,” by himself. Ed. 1759.
Finally Mary herself bore down all opposition. She had her full share of the family obstinacy, and was determined to carry her point. In the end, as might be supposed, she succeeded. Hyde himself went to her, and said candidly that “if it had not been for her bounty in assigning them a house where they might live rent free they could not have been able to subsist,” and he therefore “confessed it was not in his power to make his daughter such an allowance as would enable her to live in her Royal Highness’ Court conformably to the position that was offered to her.”[[24]]
[24]. “The Royal House of Stuart.” Cowan.
The Princess promptly answered that she did not mean him to maintain his daughter in her service, as she took that upon herself, so the father reluctantly withdrew his opposition, saying “he left his daughter to be disposed by her mother.” On this point Lady Hyde had consulted Morley, and, probably to her husband’s surprise, that adviser counselled the acceptance of the Princess’s offer, on which the latter, recognising her triumph, remarked cheerfully: “I warrant you my Lady and I will agree on the matter.”
One cannot but wonder at Hyde’s backwardness, for he was then so poor that he was forced to borrow of Nicholas small sums to pay postage for King Charles. One member of the English royal family there was who heartily approved and upheld the appointment. The Queen of Bohemia, Elizabeth Stuart, that unlucky “Queen of Hearts” who attracted to herself through so many stormy years the chivalrous devotion, among others, of the gallant Lord Craven, was at all times accustomed to speak and write her mind. On 7th September 1654 she wrote to Sir Edward Nicholas: “I heare Mrs Hide is to come to my neece in Mrs Killigrew’s place which I am verie glad of. She is verie fitt for itt, and a great favorit of mine.”