Here is some news of Newcastle after he had been only a few days in Holland.
[115]“John Constable to his father, Sir Henry, Viscount Dunbar, Amsterdam. ... For the news that is here stirring, first Prince Rupert is here mightily condemned for his rashness, but the Marquis of Newcastle much more for coming away.”
[115] S. P., Charles I, July 25, 1644, vol. DII, No. 70.
[116]“John Constable to his father, Sir Henry, Viscount Dunbar (Rotterdam).... The Marquis of Newcastle is still at Hamburgh in poor condition; both his sons have had the measles; I believe he now repents his folly.”
[116] S. P., Charles I, Dom., July 30, 1644, vol. DII, No. 72.
Luckily for Newcastle, much of the blame which was due to him was thrown upon Ethyn. Clarendon says:[117] “The strange manner of the Prince’s coming, and undeliberately throwing himself and all the King’s hopes into that sudden and unnecessary engagement, by which all the force the Marquis had raised, and with so many difficulties preserved, was in a moment cast away and destroyed, so transported him with passion and despair that he could not think of beginning the work again and involving himself in the same undelightful condition of life, from which he might now be free. He hoped his past meritorious actions might outweigh his present abandoning the thought of future actions and so, without farther consideration, he transported himself out of the Kingdom, and took with him General King” (Ethyn); “upon whom they who were content to spare the Marquis, poured out all the reproaches of infidelity, treason, and conjunction with his country-men (the Scots),” an accusation which Clarendon declares to have been “without the least foundation”.
[117] Hist., vol. II, part II. p. 510.
In the next paragraph Clarendon says that “the loss of England,” which soon followed, made the loss of York comparatively little spoken of, and that Newcastle’s patient endurance of his subsequent losses “so perfectly reconciled all good men to him, that they rather observed what he had done and suffered for the King and for his country, without inquiring what he had omitted to do”.
Henrietta Maria remained a steadfast friend to Newcastle, even when he had fled from his country and from her husband’s service. I “shall assure you,” she wrote to him from Paris (20 Nov., 1644), “of the continuance of my esteem for you, not being so unjust as to forget past services upon a present misfortune. And therefore believe that I shall always continue to give proofs of what I tell you, and you will see how I shall behave, and with what truth I am, Your very good, and affectionate friend,