Anne Hyde, Duchess of York

by J. R. Henslowe

“S^r

“most affectionatly your

“faithfull servant

“Fran: Hyde.

“Pray my serv’ces to your Brother and if it will not importune you to much, lett the rest of my friends know I am there servant.”[^[42]]

[42]. 2536, Nicholas Papers. Egerton MS.

The next letter is addressed to Brussels, to which place the Nicholas family had transferred itself. Lady Hyde here makes allusion to one of her children, Laurence, afterwards Earl of Rochester, who seems to have become on his own account a correspondent of John Nicholas.

“16 May 1658.

“I have many thankes to give you for your care to me, and though it be longe, doe not forgitt the civilitie of your letter to me w^ch the many indisposisons I have had sence my Lyeing in hath kepte me from. Lory hath given you many a scrouble of from me of w^ch I hope you will excuse w^th the rest. I am sure I must relye one your goodnesse for it. Your last to Lory hath given me great sattisfactione in Mr Secretaries perfecte recoverey. I pray God continew his health to him, and make you and your hole familey as happy as I wishe you. I was in hopes to have bin w^th you longe before this time but the unsertainty of the Kings being, keepes me still here, and now my Lord sends me word that he will come hether, so that I am not like to see you a great while, unlesse Mr Secretarey please to make his way to Bruges whether I here he intends to goe as soon as the Kinge is gon, pray tell him from me w^th my humble serv’ces that it is but a Summers [day?] Journey and I know my Lady will dispense w^h his absence for a few days more. If my Lady your Mother still want a waiteing woman, I can helpe her to a prety younge maid, I beleave you may know her mother, it is Mrs Gandye; now if my Lady will doe an acte of Charity, I beleave she will in a short time make her fitt for her serv’ces but she is holy to be tought. I can only commend her for a prety civil maid, and truly I beleave her capable to learne. She is about my haight and 16 yeares of age. I would not write to my Lady about it, because even you can tell better then I can, whether this is fit proposition, all w^ch I refere to you and desire only this from you, that you would not move it to my Lady, unlesse you like it very well, for I tell you againe she is to be maid a servant by those that take her. Excuse this trouble with the rest.”

Lady Hyde seems to have been as eager to supply her friends with servants as some of her sisters in modern life, but laudably anxious to be quite discreet in her recommendations.