“My aunt [Sophia, Electress of Hanover] did not visit the Princess Royal, but the Queen of Bohemia did, and took me with her. Before I set out, my aunt said to me: ‘Lisette, take care not to behave as you generally do. Follow the Queen step by step, that she may not have to wait for you.’ ‘Oh, aunt,’ I replied, ‘you shall hear how well I behave.’
“When we arrived at the Princess Royal’s, whom I did not know, I saw her son, whom I had often played with. After gazing for a long time at his mother, without knowing who she was, I went back to see if I could find any one who could tell me her name. Seeing only the Prince of Orange, I said: ‘Pray can you tell me who is that woman with so tremendous a nose?’ He laughed and answered: ‘That is my Mother, the Princess Royal.’
“I was quite stupefied at the blunder I had committed. Mdlle Hyde, perceiving my confusion, took me with the Prince into the Princess’s bed chamber, where we played at all sorts of games. I had told them to call me when the Queen was ready to go. We were both rolling on a Turkey carpet when I was summoned. I arose in great haste, and ran into the hall, but the Queen was already in the ante-chamber. Without losing a moment I seized the robe of the Princess Royal and, making her a courtesy at the same time, placed myself directly before her, and followed the Queen step by step into her coach. Every one was laughing at me, but I had no idea what it was for.
“When we came home, the Queen sought out my aunt, and seating herself on the bed, burst into a loud laugh. ‘Lisette,’ said she, ‘has made a delightful visit,’ and related all I had done, which made the Electress laugh more than her mother. ‘Lisette,’ said she, ‘you have done right, and revenged us well on the haughtiness of the Princess.’”
This episode throws another side-light on Mary’s reputation for pride, and her steady determination in exacting all the respect due to her rank—a determination which we see to be more or less resented among her German relations.[[41]]
[41]. “Tudor and Stuart Princesses.” Agnes Strickland.
During the years that were yet to intervene before the Restoration, Hyde himself was to know little of peace. He was constantly on the move, now with the King at Bruges, now obeying a summons from the Princess Royal. His wife was writing in 1657 and 1658 to John Nicholas, on various domestic questions, yet always betraying her disappointment at her husband’s long absences and the uncertainty that attended his return to her. The long and steady friendship with the family of the Secretary extended over a long term of years, and never failed until death stepped in to close it.
These letters were all written from Breda, at the house where the Princess Dowager had established the Hyde family, and the first which now follows was addressed to Bruges.
“Sep. 20, 1657.
“I take it for a very perticuler favour to finde myselfe preserved in Master Secretaries and my Ladys remembrance, and you will very much oblige your servant in returning my most humble and most affectionat serv’ces to them, please to assure my Lady that I will be very carefull in obeying her commands, but I am afrade I shall not performe them, as I desire, lining Cloth being much deerer than ever I knew it, but Roberts and I will doe our best; the goode Company you speake of will not make me stay much the longer here, for as soone as my Husband hath performed his duty to the Princesse we shall make hast to you, my Husbands business not alowing him many play days, besids he is impatient, wch I am in my winter matter, though wee are now like to stay a little Longer then wee once intended. I hope our frinds will not conclude wth the rest that wee will come no more, but looke upon the trew cause wch depends upon our Master, thay say heare that the Princesse will be heare the later end of the weake, and my Husband in his last gives me hops that he shall be heare Saturday next, and he thretens me that he will stay but very few days at Breda; to tell you I wish to be at Bruges I know you will say is a compliment but I doe assure you from the munite I leave the place, I shall wish myselfe wth your excelent familey to every of which I am a most reall servant and very perticulerly