“I hope the Queen and I are friends. She saith she will seem so at least, but I find if it had been in her power she would have crossed us. I heard not of the letter, but she said to me that she had it in writing that I prayed you not to make her acquainted with our designs. My Lord since our affections are published, it will not be for our honours to delay our marriage. The Queen intends to come on Monday. I will wait on her to Paris and then I am at your service.”
In another letter she says:—
“I hope the Queen and I shall be very good friends again, and may be the better for the differences we have had. It was reported here that you would be with us before we could be with you, and be assured I will bring none to our wedding but those you please. I find to satisfy the opinion that we are not married already we must be married by one of the priests here, of which I think Cousens is the fittest. We shall not come till Monday.”
The marriage received the approval of Margaret’s mother; for she wrote:—[129]
“Elizabeth, Lady Lucas, to the Earl of Newcastle.
“1645. December 20. You have been pleased to honour me by your letter, my daughter much more by marriage, and thereby made her extremely happy. The state of the kingdom is such that her mother cannot give unto her that which is hers nor can I shew my love and affection towards my daughter as I would, in respect of the great burdens we groan under.”
[129] Welbeck MSS.
Margaret thus analyses her love for Newcastle:—