"Indeed you are to blame to trust me so much with myself in this terrible conflict; with which most men are so unworthily appalled: for truly your advice and approbation is of singular comfort and encouragement to me. And now I pray tell me what is that 'Charitas Patriae' which all moral and divine authors have so much magnified. That I must not concur in the acts of impiety and injustice of my country, though never so generally practised, or do a thing in itself wicked to save or preserve my country from any suffering, is I doubt not very clear. But is that Charitas Patriæ utterly to be abolished and extinguished, for its practise of that impiety and injustice? Should I wish their irreligion destroyed by an army of Turks, or their licence subdued by a power that would make them slaves? Was it well said of Alcibiades, that he is truly a lover of his country, not that refuseth to invade the country he hath wrongfully lost but desires so much to be in it, as by any means he can he will attempt to recover it? Was not Jocasta more Christian to her Son Polynices; Petendo patriam perdis; ut fiat tua, vis esse nullam.
"I pray, say somewhat to me of this argument; that I may really know how far I may comply with passion and provocation; and whether as no infirmity or impiety in my prince can warrant or excuse my declension of allegiance towards him, there be not some candour and kindness to remain towards a man's country, though infected with the most raging rebellion."
God preserve you!
8th of January 1646.
A rough Draught, corrected, and endorsed by himself.
SIR EDWARD HYDE TO DR. JOHN EARLES.
"Sir,
"I told you long since that when I came to speak of that unhappy battle of Newbury, I would enlarge upon the memory of our dear friend that perished there: to which I concieve myself obliged, not more by the rights of friendship than of history, which ought to transmit the virtue of excellent persons to posterity: and therefore I am careful to do justice to every man that hath fallen in the quarrel, on which side soever, as you will find by what I have said of Mr. Hambden himself.
"I am now past that point, and being quickened by your most elegant and ([EO]political) commemoration of him and from hints there, thinking it necessary to say somewhat for his vindication in such particulars as may possibly have made impression in good men, it may be I have insisted longer upon the argument than may be agreeable to the rules to be observed in such a work, though it be not much longer than Livy is in recollecting the virtues of one of the Scipio's after his death. I wish it were with you that you might read it, for if you thought it unproportionable for the place where it is I could be willingly diverted to make it a piece by itself, and inlarge it into the whole size of his life; and that way it would sooner be communicated to the world. And you know Tacitus published the life of Julius Agricola before either his annals or his history.
"I am contented you should laugh at me for a fop in talking of Livy and Tacitus; when all I can hope for is to side Hollingshead, and Stow, or (because he is a poor knight too, and worse than either of them) Sir Richard Baker. But if I had not hooked them in this way, how should I have been able to tell you, that I have this year read over Livy and Tacitus; which will never be found by the language and less by the Latin. We have had no boat out of Normandy these ten days, so that we have heard nothing from the Isle of Wight since the Kings first message thence. God send us good news that we may again (in what condition soever) enjoy one another; which will be a very great satisfaction to; your most affectionate humble servant."
"Jersey this 14 Dec. St. vet."
A Copy, endorsed by himself.